I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't what I thought it would be going in to it, but it still captured me all the same.

The setting was fun - a crumbling vintage movie theatre with bucket loads of heart and soul. What isn't to love?

Ruby's struggle to keep The Royale alive and solvent, the "secret" and steamy affair that her and Luke have, the little twists and turns and finding out about Matty's past and what really did drive the wedge between his sister and himself. The whole package is a fun, interesting, sometimes heartbreaking and rewarding read.

Its a cute and predictable story, and one that I enjoyed getting immersed into. It was like a sweet Hallmark Movie that always soothes my soul. A very easy read and quite engaging. I loved the characters and as a movie/ theater obsessed person myself i loved how everything was tied up to the movies. Its not the most amazing book I've read but i thoroughly enjoyed it and there were some tears in my eyes by the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Just Like the Movies is a rom com that has so much potential but, in my opinion, fell flat.
Ruby and Marty are best friends and companions but when Marty unexpectedly dies, she is left with 1/2 of the movie theater that they ran together. Enter Luke Devlin, Marty’s long lost nephew. Drama, enemies to lovers, and a HEA later you find yourself at the end of a slow burn and even though you got your HEA, you won’t feel fully satisfied.

As a lover of romance and a film fanatic this was a wonderful read. It was a sweet and easy romance. I really enjoyed it

If you're looking for a meet cute rom-com to take to the beach or maybe a break from all the psychological mysteries that are permeating the market Just Like in the Movies fits the bill! Ruby, reeling from the death of her best friend and boss Matty, is startled to find he has left her have of The Royale; the cinema he has owned and operated for years in London. Equally started is Matty's estranged nephew Luke who inherited the other half. Ruby is determined to keep Matty's dream alive but property developer and businessman Luke sees a failing investment. Ruby's passion for movies and Luke's disinterest in all things Hollywood create for a meet cute that, just like in the movies, wraps up in a cute bow before the rolling credits.

This is a cute, heartfelt story that is more than just a fluffy read. Ruby is a wonderful character who fights for what she believes in and has to believe in herself overall. The movie references are spot-on and my favorite character we never meet is Matty. If you're looking for something a little more lighthearted you'll enjoy this book and finish it with a smile.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was a really fun read and balanced great cinema tales with more heartfelt moments. It was hard to dislike Ruby. She's the typical lovable and quirky heroine. I will say I wasn't too fond of her group of friends. I know they were supposed to be an eccentric bunch but there were quite a few times I felt they crossed the line with Luke and I kept expecting Ruby to tell them off and she eventually waved it off. Luke was the typical brooding hero at first but I loved the backstory the author gave that expanded his character. I'm not a cinephile so the movie references could get a little tedious but all in all it was a sweet novel.

This book just wasn’t my cup of tea, I thought it would be a nice chick lit around movies, but it seemed to be more New Adult, which I usually enjoy, but I just didn’t enjoy this, it felt very flat and one dimensional to me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I like movies, especially older ones, almost as much as Ruby does. Thus I could relate to her instantly. I also liked the fact that Luke isn't the typical bad boy who has his eyes set only on the money and needs to be convinced that people are also valuable. He already has his heart in the right place, but he is also pragmatic and realistic.

So this story started out as a very nice chick-lit with a movie-twist, but suddenly turned into a New Adult novel. This somehow didn't fit with the rest of the story, and the demeanour of Ruby and Luke also didn't feel coherent then. But the biggest astonishment: no reference to "Out of Africa" when he is washing her hair! How could Heidi Rice miss that perfect opportunity. She could have turned this scene into something really really sweet, but instead makes a cringe-worthy moment out of it.

That being said, I still liked Ruby and Luke, although their love story is not exactly 'like in the movies' (and even though I had a really hard time to understand Rubys stubbornness in the end).

Unfortunately I DNFD Just Like In The Movies. This book just wasn’t for me. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am such a romantic this book was perfect. I did love this that I read it twice. I didn’t want the characters to go or the book to end. I love a romance just like this and easy reading.

This is the ultimate movie nerd's book!

I'm a movie buff. Before getting super into book reading, I watched a new movie everyday and I still try to! Movies are something special and that's what this book is saying at it's core. How movies connect us in a certain way and how they are able to bring people together.

The love story was great, a grumpy/sunshine trope and a bit of steam in the middle. What's not to love?? Also if you love Brokeback Mountain as much as I do, you'll read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the earc in return for an honest review.

this was a really cute and sweet contemporary!! i really enjoyed getting to read this AND getting to read it early! pick this one up when it's out! thanks so much, netgalley!!

Luke and Ruby are forced together unexpectedly and while Ruby is slightly in awe, Luke can't wait to get in and out of this funeral and head home to New York. Ruby's suffered a huge loss after her boss Matty passes away, but he leaves her half of the shares to The Royale, which is the cinema that they both loved so dearly. Luke, Matty's nephew, has the other half but wants nothing to do with any of it. His intentions are to rid himself of the hassle that this is likely to become, but somehow Ruby sucks him into helping her out. One thing leads to another, Ruby and Luke have been arrested and while Ruby has a small fine to pay, Luke has 300 hours of community service at The Royale to clear up before he can head home. He slowly forms a small attachment to helping Ruby out but the two are on borrowed time and can't afford any attachments, especially since the one they both share with The Royale is hanging on by a thread. Can they save it? Does Luke even want to?

Alright, I kinda liked this? I liked parts of it, actually. Luke and Ruby..... I was not buying it. I feel like every aspect of this book was half complete. Like every chapter was a new idea that wasn't followed through with properly. Ruby and Luke happened out of absolutely NOWHERE and I think I have more chemistry with a stranger than these two shared on the page. I'm really disappointed because it could've been so cute with how they were mirroring themes from the weekly movies that were chosen but I just??? What was the point?!?! Nothing about this felt satisfying by any means. I liked all the parts of this book, don't get me wrong. From the romance itself to the emphasis on the films they chose, right down to overcoming grief.... there was a lot to enjoy... but like I said, I feel like it was all kind of half done.

Rice’s new romantic comedy hits all the beats and still offers something a little deeper than what there is to expect from this genre giving it a unique heart beat in sometimes tired collection.

Rice’s book starts out and even though you pretty much can tell what the ending will be, we read these because of the emotion, heart and the complicated route they take to ensure they end up together. This can be done sloppy and plot devices used to ensure this happens or they can have a true talent and take you on a journey that is thought provoking, fun, comedic and tugs at the heart strings and Rice does the later excellently.

The characters are fun and although there is no real evil or bad person, there is enough shading with their personalities to keep the reader invested. The faults and insecurities ring true and it doesn’t take long until the reader is fully invested in these characters. The secondary characters personalities sometimes get lost within the book but the main character stand strong.

The plot devices used are well done though sometimes the switching back and forth between the two characters thought processes, not often, but at times feels slightly overwritten because there is a little feeling of rehashing what we already know is true. This doesn’t take away from the story but a little bit of editing would keep this punchy.

Ruby’s sensuality comes out with her wit, intelligence and her personality making this a turn on for Luke. Unfortunately, it seems that as this tends to be written for woman, Luke is basically a well chiselled Brad Pit, perfect body and it would be quite nice to have two people with striking characters be beyond the physical to set it aside from other books in this genre. This is a minor complaint and does not however take over from the enjoyment of this read.

Overall, this is nice little romantic comedy that delivers and keeping it set along the Notting Hill placement keeps the romance going. The use of films and how they mirror the characters’ lives is a nice touch. Rice is very capable of giving the genre her own unique twist and although one will find nothing new here, the journey still feels pleasurable and enjoyable.

This book slayed my heart on multiple levels. I loved the film references and truly appreciated the importance placed on community and finding one's family outside of blood relations. The concept of finding 'your people'. Loved the character development as the story progressed and the secrets revealed in the aftermath of loss.

Just Like In The Movies is one of those gorgeous stories that you find impossible to put down.
I adored Ruby Graham so, so much!. She has had far from a simple life, and has been trying her best to overcome the devastation of losing her best friend Matty who also owned the movie theatre she works in.
In his will, Matty had left the Royal to both Ruby and his estranged nephew Luke - a savvy American businessman.
Naturally, they don't get off to the best of starts, as Ruby is determined to save the place that has become a home to her, whereas Luke wants to get the property sold on as soon as possible.

However, this whole dynamic begins to change as the story progresses, and both characters find themselves going out of their comfort zones in different ways, which in turn allows them to grow as individuals too. Both Ruby and Luke have their own stories to tell, and their troubled pasts have a way of catching up with them.

This story is told in such a witty, charismatic way that really allows the reader to connect with the characters throughout this story. I found it fascinating learning about their many life experiences that have made them the people they are today, and of course the romance that blossoms between Ruby and Luke is so heartwarming and completely and utterly swoon worthy.

I adored this story, and will be eagerly awaiting future releases by Heidi Rice!.

This book wasn't 100% what I thought it would be, I was a little taken aback by some parts of the storyline as I wasn't expecting it from the blurb. However, I loved the overall storyline and how the story changed and developed!

The film and musical references we're perfect to compliment to the storyline and not too much if you didn't know the film or the reference.

The perfect story if you want some easy reading with a bit of naughtiness!

This rom com featuring many movie references, would be perfect for the big screen itself, or at least some sort of Hallmark movie!

It gave me warm fuzzy feelings towards the end, rather sexy ones at key points and I loved the all the movie references and the whole feel of the Notting Hill cinema that is at the heart of the story.

For this cinema is a hub of the community and I loved the drag bar next door too. And Ruby is just one plucky character, trying to come to terms with her beloved Marty's lost and the fact that she has inherited half the cinema, along with the nephew that he had never met Luke Devlin.

But Luke has grown up around the movie industry and is not a fan and certainly doesn't want anything to do with the cinema, nor does he really do emotions or feelings but yet somehow Ruby even on the first couple of meetings has affected him even if he won't quite admit it.

There is a lot of family emotion to sort out from Luke over the course of the book and we discover why Marty fell out with his sister 30 years ago.

I just really enjoyed everything about the book, it does exactly what it says in the title, and is another entertaining story from Heidi Rice. Light hearted fun for a sunny escapist afternoon!

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Just in the Movies was a treat to read. We can only hope to have friends and a supportive community such as Matty's, especially someone like Ruby. Ruby's earnestness to save the Royale Theatre and to celebrate her best friend Matty's life was endearing. Sharing a similar love of rom-coms, I liked Ruby almost immediately, nearly just as fast as I found Devlin unlikeable. It's easy to dislike Devlin, especially with his attitude and suspiciousness over Matty's intentions in leaving him part ownership of the theatre along with his quick assessment of Ruby. There are several funny scenes throughout the book, and I liked the chemistry between Ruby and Devlin as they learned more about one another. Ultimately the ending was a satisfying one, but I couldn't help but wish that Ruby's lesson in all this had been a more prominent theme throughout the book rather than one that seemed to have just dawned on her only at what felt like the last minute. I would recommend this book for those who like movies in their romance novels with characters who grow from hate to love. Those who like Waiting for Tom Hanks may enjoy this novel as well. (3.5 stars rounded to 4)

I don't know why grief romances are finding me lately. Finding who you are after grief finds you is a real task, finding romance while in the midst of grief is just as tasking.

While a grief romance, as I call them, it was a light read. I am a movie buff as well so it really held my attention. I do wish there was more of a main character romance build-up but never-the-less, a light read that leaves you completed.