This review will be posted on Goodreads on June 13th, 2022.

THIS BOOK YALL.

When I first came across this book I was expecting a fluffy fake dating in Hollywood. But author Ava Wilder came with some tricks up her sleeves. She wrote Grey and Ethan with such depth and realness, with serious issues and illnesses. Not only was I invested in these characters and rooting for them. I was heartbreakingly devastated.

This book is filled with the reality of love, that it's not always perfect. It includes all the fluffy and good feelings but also the heart-wrenching moments. We see all the good and the bad, which is why this book is so good.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review*

I must say that I love the illustrated cover trend that swept romances. While a hot, scantily clad man and/or woman definitely gives you sensuality, there's a special uniqueness to an illustrated cover, where you can see the characters as they are imagined by the authors, while not immediately pigeonholing the cover models into your imaginings of the words in your head.

That said, they often give off a lighter tone that is not always reflected in the pages. How to Fake it in Hollywood is an excellent story with a gorgeous cover -- but be prepared to have some serious emotional feels on this one!

This book is full of tropes I adore: fake dating, grumpy hero, getting off on the wrong foot, just one bed, we can bang our feelings into submission, etc. And the chemistry between these two is excellent, in both a physical and emotional way. Grey and Ethan get under each other's skin in all the ways you want in a romance novel.

There are also some heavy topics that are discussed in this book as well. Ethan has been a recluse for the past five years since his best friend Sam died -- and he has been using booze to self-medicate for a very long time. The story does a good job with portraying how an addiction can take hold of someone, and actually takes the time to have the character work out his issues. But fair warning: this is not really a rom com, cover notwithstanding.

Overall, I really loved this book. I don't want the serious topics to cast a shadow over this book; it is fantastic and should be read! Just brace yourself for some emotions and some hot chemistry!

TW: alcoholism, drug use, harassment, invasion of privacy, grief, death (off page, before story)

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD started out as a fairly typical, and really great, fake relationship story. I guess I was a bit unprepared for the second half, which evolved into much heavier and dark subject matter. This is definitely NOT like "The Unhoneymooners" as the blurb states.

I absolutely loved the female characters in this book (and the non-binary side character). They were all smart, realistic, supportive, and likable.

But the male lead (Ethan) was just hard for me to root for. I like a flawed and complex character, but the guy is in the throes of addiction for the entire book (including the love story) and it was hard to imagine Grey (FMC) falling in love with a man who is drunk during every single interaction they have.

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD was a really good book and had ALL THE FEELS. If you like some struggle and fighting personal demons in your romance, you should read this book!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 1-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: drug and alcohol addiction, past death of close friend
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.

Don’t let the cover fool you; this fake dating Hollywood romance is heavier than it appears! Though I felt it made the characters feel more authentic. Wilder did a great job of exploring grief, addiction and fame. I also loved the dual POV, the banter and chemistry with the MCs and the emotional, fast-paced storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel is simply fantastic. I loaded my kindle with a few books to read on vacation, and needless to say I flew through this novel before I landed at my destination. It is that GOOD!

This romance checks these boxes:

Fake Relationship
A-list Actor, B-List Actress
Older man, younger woman
Forced Proximity
Single Parent

How to Fake it in Hollywood has depth and heart. It’s truly a novel you can’t put down as you have to know if this story will en with a Happily Ever After. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advance reader copy.

Oh wowza! Where to start?! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are complex and so well developed. Both characters go through some needed growth - it's hard but necessary. This wasn't a sunshine and butterflies rom-com and I really appreciated that it felt real. They struggled and made bad choices then had to live with the consequences. Real life is messy and I liked that this story kept with that. I loved Grey and Ethan together! The banter was great and the chemistry between them was hot!!

I really love the fake dating trope and this almost has a smidge of enemies to lovers thrown in. The side characters were all interesting and well fleshed out. I didn't feel like any of the characters were flat or 2 dimensional. Honestly, this story was so well written. I couldn't put it down! I totally pictured Josh Duhamel when thinking of Ethan! I'm excited to see what else Ava writes! This was such a fabulous read that I highly recommend!!

Hollywood Starlet + Hunky Hollywood A lister = Sexy Drama

Grey Brooks is pounding the pavement and hoping to stay employed and reverent after her long running teen soap has ended. She's so desperate that she is willing to take part in her publicist’s scheme of dating a Hollywood recluse who could also use some publicity.

Ethan Atkins has been off the grid the last couple of years. He has been drowning his sorrows after his high-profile divorce and his best friend's death. If he wants to work in Hollywood ever again, he needs to do something to get back on the radar. Dating a Hollywood Starlet just may be the trick!

They enter into a juicy public relationship while having a angst filled private relationship.

I've said it before, and I will say it again - It's all about the journey! What a journey it is! It's not always an easy one as the characters have their own issues (one more than the other) to work on.

Both characters were likeable, and I rooted for both. They both were flawed and fabulous at the same time. Real issues are brought up in this book such as insecurity, grief, and addiction. As the characters dazzle the public it was fun to see if they would dazzle each other.

This was a fun fast read for me.

#HowtoFakeItinHollywood #NetGalley

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

You know, celebrity romances and I don’t mesh all that well. When several people recommended How To Fake It In Hollywood, including Sil when I tweeted that my brand in romance is the “sad, horny, and messy” ones, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. This book definitely hit all 3 requirements and I think Ava Wilder has written, what is in my opinion, one of the best debuts of the year.

While fake-dating is the premise of How To Fake It In Hollywood, you should know that this book is probably not the fluffy book you are used to with books with this trope. It’s a book that primarily deals with a man’s grief. Ah, Ethan. How my heart ached for him. My initial impression of him was that he was going to be a difficult character and this man was DIFFICULT. But, he’s dealing with the loss of his best friend who has been with him every step of the way of his acting career. I would go as far as to say that Ethan lost his soulmate, so his grief resonates in every page of this story.

Though it’s been a few years, he hasn’t coped with any of that pain, and we see how that infiltrates every aspect of his life, including his blooming relationship with Grey. He also has taken up the unhealthy habit of drinking excessively instead of facing his feelings which leads him to multiple downward spirals throughout the book. Ethan is messy, y’all, and Ava Wilder does not shy away from taking risks with his character. You see all his ugly sides, but then there are moments when you see glimpses of the passionate and loving man he used to be.

We see that side emerge in his conversations with Grey. In a way, Grey is the person he needed in his life to not only ground him, but also help him face his demons. When she enters the fake-dating contract with Ethan, she’s looking for publicity to help boost her own acting career. While I did feel like Ethan’s story somewhat overshadowed Grey, I nevertheless found her to be a nuanced character. She has her own insecurities that she’s dealing with, but she shows a strong front. I warmed up to Grey because she’s not afraid to be brutally honest with Ethan when he needed it. She was also not afraid to walk away for her own sake and his own well-being and I respected that.

I know I’m making this book sound SAD, but it’s not all sad, I promise. Though the romance has its heavy moments, there are also moments that are a romance reader’s goldmine. Ethan and Grey have incredible banter together, and their sexual tension simmers until it boils over in a very passionate kiss (and more). The romance had everything that makes the fake-dating trope fun. My favorite is that transition from “fake” to “all too real” when the two realize how much they mean to each other. I also love fictional couples who spend time having good conversations and Ethan and Grey do really bond emotionally through opening up to each other. I also liked that Ava Wilder had these characters actively fight for their love. The masochist in me loves seeing the characters tortured before they find their HEA, so I loved that she put them through the wringer. Ultimately, I felt like the very romantic aspects of How To Fake It In Hollywood helped balance out the sadness blanketing these characters.

Also, I just want to talk about how much I loved that final conflict and its resolution. I won’t give you any specifics because I’d rather not spoil it for you. What you should know is that it was a bold move on the author’s part and as unpleasant as it sounds, it had my romantic heart squeezing in the best possible way. If I’m being nitpicky the only thing that would have taken this book to the next level for me would have been a few scenes towards the end that occur off-page. But perhaps that’s just me wanting to see the characters in even more pain. 🙂 I would also have loved to gotten to know Sam a little bit better than we did as well as more of Ethan’s relationship with his daughters, but that might have made the book dense.

How To Fake It In Hollywood is a good debut novel and Ava Wilder has shown the promising skills she has as a writer. If you like struggling characters with circuitous romances, I think you’re going to like this one.

*Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

I quite enjoyed this book. I liked the tropes it used, the two leads, and I liked how the plot didn’t necessarily take the normal romance story plot direction. This book tackled some messy things like addiction, sobriety, losing yourself in someone, and trying to change someone when they’re not ready. The characters struggled, and as a result, made the ending more earned. The ending did wrap up a little too quickly, and she forgave him a little too easily for my liking, but overall, I quite enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I not only loved this book but the cover is also stunning! While reading this book I quickly got attached to both Ethan and Grey and their fake dating situation. This story is for sure going to be in my top reads of the year. I can't wait for this book to officially get published so I can go out and buy myself a physical copy that's how much I enjoyed this book. So this book starts off with the arrangement between Grey and Ethan fake dating in order to help get them back into the Hollywood scene. As time goes by and tension builds I think we can all guess what happens next within the book. There was a lot of good and bad tension that was built up nicely in this book and I was definitely blushing here and there at some scenes. I think this would be a great summer read for those looking for a good romance novel this season.

How to Fake it in Hollywood is the Hollywood romance I desperately needed to fill the celebrity hole in my heart. Grey and Ethan are brought together through a contracted relationship: Grey needing to jumpstart her career and Ethan to get back in the game after having a downward spiral after a close friend’s death. The two obviously grow closer as time goes on because well, this is a romance after all but it’s filled with ups and downs of being a couple in the spotlight and boy is it a great ride.

I loved the way both Ethan and Grey are written. Two very different characters with a lot in common as they navigate their relationship. Grey is filled with passion and grit while Ethan is filled with regret and bogged down by his past. Their relationship felt natural and the pacing was excellent and the SPICE. Very VERY good (though lowkey I would have loved to see more).

I’m definitely going to be recommending this excellent romcom to my friends to read and I will most definitely be buying a copy for myself when I can get my greedy little hands on it in the future

I'm in total book love with Ava Wilder's first novel How To Fake It in Hollywood. Don't be fooled by the cover because Ava Wilder has not written a light-hearted rom-com. It is a gritty honest story that needs to be told. I felt a connection with the characters and wanted them to succeed in their individual endeavors. Initially a fake dating trope, it quickly becomes a touching drama with a well written plot.

I highly recommend How To Fake It in Hollywood. I immediately added Ava Wilder to my must read authors list. I predict a successful future for this up-and-coming author. Romance readers don't want to miss this one. The book is a show stopper that should be made into a hit movie!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine (Dell), for this outstanding
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read! I love every page of it!

How To Fake It in Hollywood is available on June 14th.

This was such a fun summer read. I wish I had read this while I was on a beach somewhere but suffice it to say, I definitely enjoyed it.

How to Fake it in Hollywood starts off as what appears to be a cute fake dating romance novel but ends up really being about the struggles of Alcoholism, loss of a loved one and building healthy relationships through life's struggles.

Grey, an average Hollywood actress looking to get her next big role is setup with Ethan, a washed up mega famous actor to pursue a fake relationship in hopes of helping each other get back into the limelight. Grey is notably a character I could easily relate to, she was jaded by Hollywood but not in the way one might expect. she felt down to earth even with her fame. Ethan was surprisingly relatable as well, his struggles with his best friends death and Alcoholism are sadly both things we can all relate to in some variation. Death of a loved one is hard, and addiction is truly a disease. I appreciated what we saw from Ethan's perspective and I felt that Grey ended up being such a strong character because she was struggling through it all with Ethan and I think a lot of people can sympathize with that.

I was impressed with the character development of both of them and I thought the writing was quite strong too. it was easy for me to read and follow even with the time jumps and switching POV's. This is a strong debut in my opinion and really my only issue is I think the marketing set this book up to be a much more light read than it ended up being. I wasn't prepared for the heartache and would have liked just a little more warning!

I recommend this book to those that appreciate reading stories with highly relatable characters, real life struggles, traumatic experiences, addiction and heavy character development along with romance to top it off!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. it made me laugh and cry and truly feel for the characters in ways that I don't normally.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Random House for our free copy of How Yo Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:4-4.5 ⭐️
Genre: Romance

Thoughts: The ending absolutely made this book for me. Without giving too much away, I thought the topics of grief and alcoholism were handled very well!

At times, I wasn’t totally in love with the story or characters throughout the middle part of the book, but I really loved the ending!

I really loved Grey and Ethan. I wanted the best for them and I thought Grey was so good for Ethan and really helped bring him back to life. I found myself just really wanting to see more of them together in a good space. You got hints of them, but I wanted to see more if their playful dynamic and chemistry. It was very centered around Ethan’s addiction, which was handled very well, just not what I was expecting. Love Avas writing and I thought Greys insecurities were real and earned and Ethan’s character was really fleshed out and honest.

I did not expect this to be as heavy as it was, for as long as it was. Despite that, I really wanted to love this one but I honestly struggled to get through it. I don't think I was in the right mood for this story.

I thought that Grey and Ethan had great individual growth, I do wish they had leaned on each other more during their internal struggles. I also wished that we would have gotten more development of Grey and Ethan's relationship. As it was, I didn't really buy that they were in love with each other. I get that the attraction was there, but I found it hard to keep up with the timing of events and the gaps that happened.

However, my biggest issue with this book was the way that everyone around Ethan handled and discussed his alcoholism. There were a few instances with the way characters spoke to him that made me angry. I'm not trying to excuse his behavior, I just think that his addiction could have been handled so much better than it was. I just wish it would have been handled with more sensitivity, especially for how big of a role it played in this book

CW: child physical abuse (mentioned), parental abandonment (recounted), alcohol abuse (on-page), drug abuse (recounted), grief & loss depiction, death of a friend in a car accident, death of a parent mentioned, stalking

This was such a well written book. It got on some heavy topics and it did that so well. The banter and chemistry between Grey and Ethan was fantastic and really kept this story going. I loved how real and imperfect the characters were and that this showed a side of fame that didn't glamorize it. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to see what Ava gives us next!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the free ARC! This one is publishing tomorrow and it’s SO perfect for summer!

This fake dating trope featuring a reclusive mega famous star and a scarlet on the rise was such a solid read.

What I loved:
▪️It dealt with real life issues and wasn’t just a light and fluffy read (not that I don’t love those too)
▪️Ethan was flawed but still so lovable. You’ll definitely find yourself rooting for him to get it together.
▪️Great banter between the characters.
▪️Really enjoyed the cast of supporting characters. They really made for a well-rounded story.

What I didn’t love:
▪️It felt a little long.
▪️Although Ethan and Grey had great banter, I wish there would have been more chemistry between them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and think it would be perfect to add to the top of your summer reading list 📖

Loved this one. Had all my favourite tropes and the cover looks gorgeous. Plus it publishes on my birthday. Pick this one up, you will not regret it, I sure didn’t. I enjoyed my time with this book a lot. Content warnings for death of a loved one and alcoholism.