I am admittedly biased, a big fan of Bridget Morrissey, and Love Scenes is a perfect example of why. Her previous books, What You Left Me and When the Light Went Out, were lovely, emotional, fabulously crafted works and, in those respects, Love Scenes is no different. Those similarities aside, Morrissey’s adult debut knocked it out of the park in different ways. There is a level of quip and quirk in Love Scenes that feels incredibly authentic and simultaneously ripped from all of our favorite romcoms – a balance that is incredibly difficult to strike.

There is a comfort in this enemies to lovers story that digs almost as deeply into complex family dynamics as it does the main characters, lovable but struggling Sloane and former trouble-maker Joe. There is great chemistry between all of the characters – who manage to be strongly developed in service of the larger story, no east feat in romance novels.

Love Scenes is a perfect escape for lovers of traditional romcoms, Hollywood stories, and heartwarming character growth. I highly recommend for lovers of Beach Read, The Ex Talk, and The Hating Game.

This was a complete dud for me. I didn't find the set-up very compelling (voluntarily choosing to spend time with someone who you say made you so miserable that you almost quit your dream profession?? I have disliked people for lesser things and never want to spend time with them!) nor did I find the characters all that likable. (And omg Sloane's mother... yeesh.) Sloane and Joe's whirlwind on-set romance wasn't very exciting, either, whether from the lack of passion Morrissey wrote on-page or the combination of two very bland, uninspired characters. The plot revolves around a friends-to-lovers film our two leads "just happen" to be shooting, but the parallels between the film Sloane and Joe are filming and their off-screen relationship was way too on the nose and, frankly, eye-rollingly cheesy*. (But points for Joe's Irish accent I guess???) Mainly I'm just trying to figure out what all the readers who rated the book four- and five-stars got out of this forgettable romance that I seemed to miss.

*I literally finished this book 12 hours ago and I can't even remember their character names 🤷‍♀️

I love a hero with a troubled past. This was such a fun book. I loved Sloane and Joe and their growth as characters. And Sloane's big, dramatic family! Once I finished, I went back and reread my favorite parts.

I loved the insider information on Hollywood--the details about a movie shoot and the business were refreshingly candid. The universal issues that come a big and complicated family shone through--although this family seemed a little too well adjusted to be true.
This will be a popular summer read.

The story is about out-of-work actress, Sloane Ford, who is the daughter of Hollywood royalty. After getting let go from her TV gig, her mother gets her a job on the set of the movie that the entire family is working on. It is a World War II era romance and, unbeknownst to Sloane, stars her nemesis, Joseph Donovan. The two starred in a romance years ago and did not get along and Sloane has disliked him ever since. Joseph is determined to prove to Sloane he has changed since she last saw him, and when Sloane unexpectedly has to take on the lead character, they find themselves falling for each other both on and off screen.

This book is the perfect 2021 romance and a must read for romance readers! I was sucked in from the very first page. Morrissey does such a great job of writing Sloane so that she feels like a person you can relate to who is incredibly likeable. She is a fully fleshed out character with quirks, foibles and full of heart. All of the characters in the book were fully formed and I loved reading about them. There was a point in the book where I felt like I was a part of their family and was rooting for them all to get the movie made and to all make it out in one piece. All of her family had such great banter back and forth, but you could also really feel love that they all had for each other and that they would always be there for each other no matter who is fighting with who. There were so many LOL moments between them that had me cracking up! It’s also nice to read about their not so perfect relationships with each other because most of us don’t have perfect relationships with family members, but we all love each other. In some ways, I liked the “love” story with her family more than the love story between her and Joseph. She and Joseph did have sizzling chemistry and great banter which kept me turning the pages to find out what is going to happen next. You are really rooting for them to get together because they bring out the best in each other. Fans of Christina Lauren and Mhairi McFarlane will love this book! I look forward to reading more from Bridget Morrissey.

I requested this because I was in the mood for a fun showmance and LOVE SCENES is definitely that, but what really stands out about it is the family dynamics (along with the humor and the appreciation of the true magic that comes from people working to create art together). The romance is still good, and has a few surprisingly intense moments, but it's Sloane and her family with all their complicated but ultimately loving relationships who steal the show... and ultimately, it's her journey to define herself--as opposed to being defined by her family, the media, and her ex-boyfriend--that is the heart of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC!

Love Scenes is an enemies-to-lovers about two co-stars on a movie set. Sloane hates Joseph after the way he treated her while filming a previous movie, and she is upset when her family casts him in their new movie. Sloane has to step in as the lead and work with Joseph again. She also has to manage working with her entire family, including her mother that can be difficult at times.

This book was more about Sloane’s family than I was expecting, but I loved the relationship she had with her sisters and the way her family supported each other. I wish there had been a little more romance in it, but overall, all of the characters were really likable and I enjoyed reading it.

While rom-coms are not my usual forte, I have a weird thing about rom-coms that take place on film sets. I have no idea why I'm like this. At any rate, the characters were smart and fun and warm and made me actually believe that all families aren't inherently soul sucking death cults, so.

Review will be posted on blog and instagram on May 21st.


Rating: 3.5/5

Genre: Contemporary Romance and Adult Fiction

Warnings: Alcoholism

Read if you liked: You Had Me at Hola and Twice in a Blue Moon

Review: Recently, unemployed actress Sloane Ford is in need of a new job after being killed off her long-term TV show. Her famous acting family convinces her to work as a producer on their new family project, a period romance that stars none other than her former co-star aka the guy that nearly made her leave acting, Joseph Donovan. When the lead actress is suddenly fired, Sloane agrees to step in and take the role opposite Joseph. He promises he is a new man but has he really changed? Sloane and Joseph seem to share electric chemistry on and off camera...Is it real? Or is it all for show?

I love a book set on a show or movie, it adds something unique to the dynamic. Love Scenes was much more of family drama than a love story. The nepotism of an old Hollywood family was really there, quirks and all. I wish there was more of connection between Sloane and Joe, it felt like forced proximity and then they were in love. I missed the part were they actually fell in love (maybe this is just me). Overall, it was a cute book to pass a few hours time while traveling!

Things I loved: I'm a fan of a family drama + this nicely represented a modern family (exes, half-siblings and sexual orientation). There was some good banter!

Things I didn't care for: Little lackluster in the romance/chemistry department. I didn't always appreciate how Sloane's family treated her.

Love Scenes is released on June 22nd, 2021. Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC for my honest opinion.

From the cover and description I thought this would be a typical romance. Instead this is a more complex family drama/comedy with a bit romance. Sloane Ford is a daughter of Hollywood royalty and this is told from her POV. She is successful as tv actress but her movie career faltered after a horrible acting experience in a film with Joseph Donovan. Between jobs she takes on a producer job for a new family film project. Written by her step-father, directed by her sister, with roles for her mom (who is banking the project) and another ex-wife of her dad's. She is surprised to learn the male lead is Joseph whose career went on to success in films.

The book covers the work on the film, and issues that arise. It is complicated by it being a family project and the dynamics of working with actors egos and insecurities. Sloane is lovable as the main character but sometimes hard to follow because she will say things that aren't always what she really feels. I enjoyed the story more than I expected and connected to many of the characters. Several scenes show the importance of family in the story including a dinner, a benefit concert and my favorite an overnight sleepover with a younger half sister. The book is positive for representation for LGTBQ (side characters). The main romance feels believable, and keeps you wondering if it will last. The book is mild for language and explicitness. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Uh yes please to more family drama and romances like this please. And thanks.

Sloane is just such a fun character. Her witty remarks and crazy family life drew me in from the first page.

I loved the tone of redemption and how we can move on from really tough things.

Brilliant.

Thank you @berkleyromance and @Netgalley for the arc in exchange for honest feedback.

I don’t do much romance reading because it inevitably makes me cry. Happy, sad, funny, doesn’t matter - I will cry. It’s just a fact.

This story let me connect to and feel the feelings of Sloane Ford. She is troubled by her past and it just gets worse when she has to work with a despised actor whom she has worked with in the past.

This story is a great reminder that everyone goes through a tough time and may not always see how they’re acting or that their behavior is affecting others.

When I first read this book's description, it struck me as the typical romance novel I'd pick up on my Kindle for $2.99: an easy-going, heart-felt love story.

I now realize this preconceived notion and judgement was not giving the book enough credit.

I was 84% done this book at "bedtime" and decided I absolutely could not go to bed without finishing the book. I was hooked. Then when I actually finished the book, it took all I had to not roll out of bed and instantly write this 5 star review.

Sloane's voice was very distinct and relatable. I felt she was actually talking to me about the struggles she has with her career, family, and anxiety in a way that is realistic. She's a strong female lead with a bit of an attitude and not afraid to say what she is thinking. I have been through a few books lately that didn't have deep protagonists so this was refreshing.

Joseph's character arc was UNBELIEVABLE. A superstar actor, handsome, and Irish (I feel this is an important detail). He and Sloane did not get along on a previous movie they worked on together when he was going through a difficult period of grief. He owned up to his prior mistakes and did everything he could to make it right with Sloane. I loved these 2 together. Their chemistry is palpable and I really think they bring out the best in each other. At the end when we see the impact Sloane had on him in their first movie despite not getting along at all, HE REMEMBERED THE MUSIC SHE LISTENED TO. I swear a tear rolled down my cheek.

Let me tell you the best part of the book: the sensitivity to traumatic or potentially triggering situations. The reality is, either the reader has some past trauma or will meet someone who does and I think it's important to have these themes present in books. The author does an excellent job in normalizing being sensitive to others. I'm no actor but the presence of an intimacy coach really seemed to promote consent and being comfortable. There was no big conversation about it, she included it in her writing like it was a day-to-day occurrence, which it should be. Also, nobody invalidated Sloane's anxiety, they just let her complete and process her anxiety cycle. And the best of all, Joseph didn't relapse in his sobriety which I felt really honoured people's relationship with alocohol.

Bridget Morrissey, you are a ROCKSTAR.

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

Yes, I feel like there are a lot of these Hollywood-themed, rom-com novels out there, but they're still enjoyable! This book was an fun and entertaining way to pass a few hours. I would recommend for readers who like the forced-proximity, hate-to-love, and hero-redeems-himself tropes. They were executed quite nicely in this one. Sloane and Joseph had great chemistry, and the big cast of characters added some lively action to the plot.

A sincere thanks to Berkley for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

Sharp, hilarious, and full of larger than life characters. I loved the movie shoot setting and how large a role Sloan's family played. The chemistry leapt off the page and I laughed out loud more than once. It felt timely and I would definitely recommend to fans of Emily Henry and Meryl Wilsner.

While the storyline is a bit farfetched, even for a romance, the characters are stellar and the humor had me laughing out loud.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC for review!

“The truth is, to let go of my thoughts would be to let go of what keeps this from spiraling out of my control.”

Love Scenes takes readers to the fictional set of Horizons, a war drama and romance starring Joseph Donovan, our protagonist, Sloan Ford’s ex-co-star and enemy. When the lead actress of the film is fired, Sloan reluctantly steps in, and discovered that a lot has changed since she and Joseph last worked together.

I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d root for a rich, spoiled, privileged white girl in Hollywood, and yet here we are. There is a lot more to this novel than meets the eye, and to Morrissey’s credit, she wrote Sloan to be very self-aware of her privilege. And Love Scenes doesn’t fall victim to a lot of romance tropes, wherein the main source of conflict is some childish miscommunication or overreaction. I mean, yes, of course Sloan was overdramatic, but she’s an ~actor~ and it at least made sense for her character.

I loved the way Sloan was so wholly shaped by growing up in Hollywood with famous parents. It wasn’t something that was mentioned once and never talked about again - being surrounded her entire life by industry folks and scripts and the grandeur of LA and film and TV made Sloan the person she was. Her standoffish-ness. Her need to prove herself outside of her parent’s careers. Feeling listless, unmoored when she wasn’t working. Feeling pathetic when her mother had to make a job for her on the movie everyone else in her family was working on. I could feel the weight of it all barring down on Sloan, and truly, I felt for her.

I also loved the behind-the-scenes look of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - where seasoned actors have to make way for new talent. Where co-stars have to suck it up and work together no matter what. Where schedules have to change and people need to wake up at dawn and there’s intimacy co-ordinators for the sex scenes and how becoming a character takes so much out of you that sometimes you can lose yourself.

I am an actor myself, so this book was right up my alley (and oh, how I wish I had famous producer/actor/screenwriter/director parents myself).

There are 2 things I would have liked to see more of:

1. The effects of what growing up in the industry, especially in the shadow of a famous family, could do to Sloan’s mental health.
2. A deeper look at how the #metoo movement changed the set environment.

We got teasers of both these things, but I never really felt the weight of either, and I think it could have made for a stronger story, especially since I know Morrissey doesn’t shy away from some of the other darker truths about Hollywood, like substance abuse.

Joe was a refreshing character, and a great love interest. Their story was an appreciated departure from the typical enemies-to-lovers format, where usually the MC finds out that "oh, I’ve loved you the whole time! How could I not have known!?"

No, here we have two characters who truly start off on bad terms. Joe was struggling with personal issues during their first film together, and treated Sloan and the rest of the cast and crew like trash. And he spends his first few weeks on Horizons trying to make amends and prove to Sloan that he’s changed. We STAN a character who owns up to their mistakes, who takes accountability. And we STAN Sloan for not letting Donovan off the hook for his abhorrent behaviour, either.

I just loved them together. They complimented each other well, they had great banter, great chemistry, and their moments of tenderness made my heart flutter.

The surrounding cast of character was also surprisingly well-rounded (surprisingly only in that minor characters can often come across 1-dimensional). Sloan's entirely family felt really distinct from one another, and I loved seeing all their different relationships. I do wish we had seen a bit more of Powell (Sloan's brother), but otherwise, I enjoyed the loving chaos of the entire squad. I even liked Daya and Alexander, despite usually hating large age gap relationships (I mean... it is kinda weird that Sloan's dad is dating a woman 3 years younger than his oldest child... but it's Hollywood so I'll allow it).

Overall, Love Scenes was a gosh-dang pleasure to read. (I mean, it could have been a but steamier. What can I say? A girl likes what she likes).

This book was delightful. It was a terrific romance but also a wonderful story of family, pitfalls of fame and discovering your true self. I loved it!

Wow. Just wow. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. I loved the character development journey of Sloane and the parallels of her script lines weaving into her real life, and the confrontation of human vulnerability, family relationship struggles, and sobriety. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. 5 stars!

Love Scenes is one of those books that you read and then instantly want to reread it. The family dynamics, the fun dialogue, the movie-in-a-story, and the plot made this book so enjoyable to read!

From the first page you’re sucked in the book! Sloane was an incredibly likable character that I really felt for when reading this book. The relationships she had with her family members were written so authentically. Not everyone has a perfect relationship with every family member, and each person has the thing you go to them for. It was so well brought up in this book. I especially loved the fun dynamics of such a large, mixed family in showbiz. I honestly just want a TV show about them! I especially loved the woven in representation of the LGBTQ+ community and BIPOC. While most of the characters were white, the ones that weren’t were fully fleshed characters that didn’t fall into the stereotypes.

The dialogue was fun and witty. It kept the story moving. The discussions around life in Hollywood were some of the best elements of the novel. Between the prevailing issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, to the rampant sexism in the film industry, to being the children of famous people were all nicely handled and easily woven into the narrative. All in all it’s a great escapism novel with just enough grittiness to make it not sugary sweet.

My biggest complaint about the book was that the romance didn’t feel fully formed. Sloane is coming off of a bad breakup and her and Joseph had a poor experience working together years ago. That’s a lot to overcome for a relationship! Especially since the film that they starred in years ago lead to Sloane’s ruin in Hollywood (even though that’s not fully addressed in the novel and I’m still a little unclear about that). Joseph has the beginnings of being a REALLY good romantic interest, but nothing comes of it. He feels very one dimensional. But there’s nothing that really gives you the butterflies or makes you feel so happy that they’re together. I’m a big romance reader, but I really didn’t care about the romance in this novel.

Long Story Short
Do I recommend Love Scenes? Yes! Overall I did really enjoy the book. I wish there had been more romance in it, but the family dynamic and character interactions made up for it. I think that this is the perfect read for summer. It’s lighthearted with just enough depth to the characters to make you invested in them. The story is cute and Sloane is a very likable main character. I will definitely be purchasing my own copy to have when it comes out. If you liked You Had Me At Hola by Alexis Daria or The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren I highly recommend this book for you!!

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.