It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the story. At first, I felt the tone was off-putting and covered the characters from too far a distance, but things eventually got into a better groove. There were some lovely, truthful turns of phrases that clearly took the author time to polish and I appreciated the care she put into her debut novel. There are plenty of times when you're thinking this story that becomes a co-dependent romance will end badly, but thankfully we get to a fair resolution.

4.5 ⭐️
I really really REALLY liked this book. Fake dating is my favorite trope, and it was refreshing to read one that wasn’t all sunshine and roses. I really loved Grey, and thought really related for her desire to make the most out of an extremely difficult situation. My only complaint was the ending was a little rushed, but I did like the resolution.

Oh, the angst.

This one was full of it. It's an angst-ridden emotional ride into the darker side of Hollywood.

This was definitely a fun read! I really enjoyed the romance between Grey and Ethan, but the pacing felt a bit off to me. I think I was just expecting a bit more from this one, but I still had a good time. Overall, I gave it 3.5 stars.

I absolutely adored Ethan and Grey. The grumpy/sunshine trope is my absolute favorite. I love the major turn around Ethan's character made and the "not so obvious" happily ever after we were given. Very quick and satisfying read. 4.5/5

7 Sexy and Sweet "Bed First, Feelings Later" Romances

How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

However much we all cynically believe that most Hollywood romances are more likely business arrangements to make each star sparkle for the paparazzi, you have to assume that the celebrities involved are at least baseline attracted to each other, if they’re going to spend so many candlelit dinners and long beach walks together. But what’s especially fun about Ava Wilder’s fake-dating-a-movie-star contemporary romance is that both parties are hopelessly horny for each other—or, at least, idealized versions of each other.

Grey Brooks literally grew up with a poster of Ethan Atkins on her wall in his heartthrob phase; the fact that the man her publicist pairs her up with is divorced, approaching middle age, and sorely in need of a career comeback only increases the attraction, like seeing the pretty boy roughed up by time and misfortune. (His issues with alcohol, however, keep her crush from being too starry-eyed.) And Ethan, used to the dissonance between his idolized persona and his current self, is intrigued by Grey’s passion to advance in her own career beyond a teen primetime-soap star. The sexual tension stretches taut as they keep challenging themselves to be authentic (even as they’re putting on a show for everyone else), culminating in a scene of mutual letting-off-steam that brings together all of these themes—public versus private, performance versus reality—superbly. And then things really get real.

Grey Brooks was the star of a long-running teen TV show that has ended. Now she's unsuccessfully trying to keep her career up and running. With a life-changing role on the line, her publicist suggests she fake date another Hollywood star so they both can get the needed publicity.

Enter Ethan Atkins. After a very public divorce, his struggle with drinking, and the death of his best friend he just wants to be left alone. If Ethan is going to clean up his reputation and get back into the spotlight he needs to fake date Grey, no matter how badly he doesn't want to.

Grey and Ethan use their acting skills to fool the public into thinking they have a picture perfect relationship that is anything but perfect behind the cameras. But soon that chemistry they are faking for the cameras starts to feel real. Will they be able to put their past behind them and make their fake relationship something more?

How To Fake It In Hollywood was not the lighthearted romcom that I thought it was going to be. This book delved into the not so bright side of Hollywood romances. Both Grey and Ethan went into their "relationship" with their own struggles and insecurities from their pasts. Their love story wasn't always butterflies and rainbows, but it was raw and real. Ava Wilder did an amazing job writing about some very touchy topics that some readers may find triggering. I really enjoyed this book because it showed us the true reality of relationships and what we will do for the people we love.

Give it all the stars!!! A perfectly paced, non-schlocky romance. It's a book I know I will revisit in the future and enjoy it just as thoroughly on the reread.

This was a cute, delightful book. Classic story of two Hollywood stars trying to rehab their images, so they agree to fake date for the good publicity. Of course, things go haywire when they discover that they have more in common than they thought. A really good light end of summer read!

A great romance with both tropes and depth. These characters felt very real and their relationship was a delight. I absolutely loved it!

Short synopsis: In an attempt to revitalize their careers, budding starlet Grey and A-lister Ethan enter into a fake dating contract. Both hoping to get some positive publicity out of the arrangement, but what they don’t expect is some true feelings.

My thoughts: What a great debut book from Ava Wilder, I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! I love a good celebrity romance, and a peek into the life of the “rich and famous.” I know this is fictional, but I’m sure there are some elements that are realistic.

I loved Grey and Ethan, such great main characters. They both had past demons (child star, and death of a best friend) and I enjoyed I loved seeing how their past shaped who they have now become.

The banter was cute and witty, and watching them fall in love was sweet. Sometimes in order to love someone you have to let them learn through their own mistakes

Read if you love:
* Lifestyles of the rich and famous
* Childhood celebrity crushes
* Forced proximity
* Emotional growth through traumatic pasts

⚠️ Trigger warning: Alcohalism, death of a best friend, bad family relationships

Overall I really enjoyed this one. While reading the first half I became quite obsessed, however, the second half did let me down a bit. I could’ve used a bit more character depth.

I love Hollywood, actors, celebrity gossip and A-list stars so when I received the ARC for this Fake Dating book between actors I got really excited. Who doesn’t love Fake Dating?! The premise is a reclusive A-list actor whose image needs rehabilitating agrees to a fake dating arrangement with a starlet who was on a popular teen tv show and wants to be taken seriously. This mutually beneficial contract is set up by their shared agent and, turns out, they like each other for realz! There is magnetic chemistry! Grey and Austin are into each other and there is a lot of sexual tension between them.

I really enjoyed this Hollywood story not only because I could picture Leo and maybe Blake Lively as the MCs, but I also live in LA and am familiar with where they hang out to try and get photographed by paparazzi. They go to Palm Springs and the sexual tension is boiling over between them so Grey suggests they have sex once, which, you know, always works to release tension! Especially if it’s good! But then of course a scandal breaks out and things get sketchy. I won’t say more, but i did enjoy the conflict and resolution.

My only critique would be there were a couple of plot holes in the story. For example, Grey has no interaction with Austin’s kids despite his shared custody. She does befriend his ex-wife, which is cool, but doesn’t talk to the kids once. And the prose itself was good but not my absolute favorite writing that I’ve read lately (mainly because there have been some excellent books out this year!) But I did really enjoy it and couldn’t wait to see how it ended. It’s very entertaining, romantic and impressive for a debut novel. Also, how cool is the name Grey? I love it!

CW: Alcoholism, addiction, grief

••••••••

Thanks so much to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC !!!

This story was not what I expected. It is well written and the characters have depth to them, and that's really good. Sadly, I couldn't connect with the characters or understand why they would continue a fake relationship, that turns into something real, and very toxic. I enjoyed the first half of the book and really struggled with the second half.

I did love the secondary characters, especially Kamilah and Nora. They were the voice of wisdom most of the time and they were true friends to Grey.

*I received and ARC through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

This debut romance wasn't incredibly unique, but it was super addictive and was the perfect vacation read for me when nothing else was holding my attention. In this fake relationship story, a young Hollywood actress (Grey) who is coming off a role in a successful, long-running teen soap opera is set up with an A-List actor (Ethan) who is coming off a divorce and the death of a close friend and business partner. There is depth to this story in the form of commentary on addiction, grief, social media culture, and gender dynamics in Hollywood. I was invested in Ethan and Grey working through their issues. A solid romance for when you need something easy on your brain!

I wanted to love this one and I somewhat did. I liked the plot and I like the characters, but I went into this thinking it was going to be a fun light hearted rom com and I didn't get that. It was definitely more deep than I was thinking it would be. I'm not mad about it, but was just expecting a lot of romance and cuteness.

This book shines a light on the dark side of Hollywood and what people go through. It was alot to read about and I didn't love the chemistry between the two main characters. They just didn't seem to have that fire between them.

I was hoping to have loved this more, but it was just a so so book for me.

Grey and Ethan are both Hollywood stars who need to fix their image, for different reasons. Their publicists come up with the idea to have them fake date each other to help their images out. This also covered some heavier topics that I wasn’t expecting but it was done well and I enjoyed it! I enjoyed their relationship, especially when it was fake as that’s one of my favorite tropes!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How to Fake it In Hollywood has a more serious take on a fake dating trope with a dash of an age gap.

Grey and Ethan are both actors who need a little something to add some life back into their careers so they are matched up to be in a six month fake relationship. Of course they both start to catch feelings but Ethan has some skeletons that he brings to the relationship.

I enjoyed this one as it was a romance with a little bit of a dark and real side. However I do feel like Ethan was the "bad" guy where Grey definitely had some issues she needed to work through that didn't really get resolved. I feel like I just wanted a little bit more from our leading lady.

Also, I don't think the cover art matches up with the characters at all so definitely had to adjust my expectations. Overall if you like contemporary romance with less fluff but still open door than I'd say try this one.

content warnings: alcohol abuse

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD was unexpectedly a charming read and much more serious than the rom-com that I thought it was. Fake dating is almost always associated with rom coms and this book has heavy themes of grief and addiction throughout. It’s angsty and heartbreaking and so I think I was just a little thrown off when it wasn’t as light and fluffy as I had been led to believe.

Regardless, Grey and Ethan went through a good amount of character development between the both of them and I think it also offered some insightful commentary on Hollywood, how easy it is to fall into addiction and the fickleness of public opinion. Grey is an extremely intelligent woman as well who, despite the events of the book, is extremely relatable in her insecurities. This may seem in conflict to my previous sentence, but she also generally has a good grasp on what she wants out of life. Ethan is tragic in his addiction and grief, but it is a romance novel after all, and so, there is a guaranteed Happily Ever After. I did appreciate the author’s deliberate and thoughtful approach in not romanticizing it or having a Grey be the “cure” for him.

Overall, this was a really solid read with characters that burrow your way in your heart so that you can’t help but root for them.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book was incredible! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it. I flew through this and devoured every page. It is funny and adorable. Definitely worth buying now!