When Grey and Ethan's publicist come up with the idea of a fake relationship to get their acting career's back on track both are hesitant to agree, but ultimately go along with it for the sake of the career. Grey's career has stalled while Ethan's A-list career was self sabotaged after his best friend and business partner died. While Ethan doesn't want to come back, he feels it needs to be done to get that last project he and his partner were working on into the spotlight. Can they play their part to successfully without getting real life feelings involved? Will people even believe them? Or will the gossip an paparazzi tear apart this relationship before it even begins?

I could not put this book down! A celebrity fake dating romance? I am on board! I am a Grethan STAN! I thought we were going to get this light fluffy celebrity romance, which I am all here for, but this book has so much more substance that it leads off with. There was a palpable tension between them the whole book and I loved it. But the best part of this book was picking real life celebrities to "play" the characters and seeing celebrity real life moments in the book. I mean Grey is totally Lilli Reinhardt, and Ethan has this bromance relationship a la Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Every time a character came up I wanted to find their real life counterpart.

As much as I loved this book, there were some disconnects for me in the storyline. I felt like we had the story that the blurb mentions, the set up celebrity romance to help boost their careers. And 70% of the book is like that. We get the Hollywood conflict and the resolution between the two of them. Then there is still a whole chunk of book left. In that last part of the book we see a whole part of the story that isn't mentioned at all. It becomes a lot more serious we get a lot of drama. It's like a whole different book. I also didn't like that we jump 16 months in the future and everything is "fixed" we see no real growth or no journey. We just see the end result.

I think the story would have been a 5 star book had it chosen to be this light fake dating trope that the blurb promises (the first 70% of the book) or shorten the fake celebrity part, and focused on the emotional gritty redemption story that focuses on Ethan's alcoholism/mental health and the downside to celebrity, (the 30% and get a look into the 16 month gap we didn't get to see.)

This book is so so cute but so real. Grey and Ethan need a boost in their career so their PR agent puts them together in a PR relationship that turns into so much more. They’re both dealing with things from their past and have big dreams and goals that they’re looking to accomplish and realize they may need each other for more than just appearances. I thought the authors take on fame was brilliant. I was enthralled from the first page as it felt like getting a back stage pass into the life of a celebrity but it also gave a realistic view of addiction that I’ve rarely seen in books. Genuinely well told story and I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it.

Out of work former child star Grey agrees to a fake relationship with former A-lister Ethan in order to boost both of their careers. What starts off as a delightful romcom takes a turn for the emotional ride that I was not mad to take.

While the cover of this book makes it out to be a fun, light read, readers should be aware that this book dives into some heavy topics, such as alcoholism, death of a loved one, and codependency.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading How to Fake It in Hollywood!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group -Ballentine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. This book comes out June 14, 2022.

This is an angst filled story. Grey and Ethan are both Hollywood actors at different places in their lives. They are put together to make their careers better. It is an emotional story that exposes the effects that the past baggage they each hold onto from their past lives impact the present. It has good characters who make great friends and are able to help them rebuild their lives and careers. It does have a happy ending but it takes a lot of hard work.

This book was a bit heavier than I was expecting.
At one point I got frustrated with Ethan - I have never read about a character more in need of therapy (I probably have, but you get what I mean). I wouldn't say that he was self-destructive, but the guy was in a lot of suffering. I kept thinking why isn't he in therapy?!
Grey has some baggage of her own. Together with Ethan, they enter a fake relationship to boost their public image. But then lines get blurred.
I really enjoyed this book. The heavy subjects were dealt with in a respectful and realistic manner, and I loved that Ethan and Grey got their happy ending.
ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I basically read this straight through on a plane ride. I could not put it down. Ava Wilder was able to capture my attention and hold it through witty banter, realistic characters, and heart breaking struggles.

Grey is a former child actress who worked on a series for several years. She feels afloat after the series ended and doesn't know what her next move is. A chance encounter with a successful publicist has her having lunch with an ultra-ultra famous actor and discussing a fake relationship to boost both of their reputations. She's crushed on Ethan for years but he's different now, after his best friend died and his wife divorced him.

Ethan is taken with Grey the moment he meets her. They start their fake relationship which becomes real when their attraction hits a peak. Their relationship has some big hurdles and in the end, Ethan needed to come to terms with his own grief and addiction before he could be a good partner to Grey. The scene in the taxi cab had me choked up. It does work out in the end and you are rooting for both of them because of the really hard work they need to do to be together.

This is a great book and I can't wait to read more from this author.

I wasn't planning on reading this book because I've already read two celebrity romances this Spring. What's up with all these celebrity romances btw? :) Anyway my friends from our arc bookclub read this one and would not shut up about it so I requested it to see what it's deal was. It did not knock it out of the park for me but I enjoyed it. I did.

Right of the bat, I pictured Ethan as Ben Affleck, I mean he HAS to be the inspiration for the character because he is one half of a screenwriter-actor duo with an Oscar, divorced with kids, with an alcohol addiction. and because I pictured him as Ben Affleck it took me some time to warm up to Ethan. I liked Grey, I liked her drive and determination to be taken seriously as an actor who has started as a child actor (a nod to Lydsay Lohan and Parent Trap here) and been in the business for so long. As a publicity stunt, these two enter into fake relationship arranged by their publicist. (cough Ana De Armas, I don't even follow Hollywood gossip but even I asked who this gorgeous young girl on Affleck's arm was and where she came from! okay back to the review) They just need to be visible as a couple. Nothing over the top but to noone's surprise they get closer and closer and bam! They have crazy chemistry and they just have to to bang once and get it out their system. You know. But paparazzi catches them in a compromising condition and you know who has to shoulder the burden of the photographs? yes, you guessed it, the woman!

Okay, won't go into anymore detail but I can tell this much: The book is not all light and fluffy. It touches on tough topics such as the dark side of fame, invasion of privacy, grief, addiction, and alcoholism, benefits of therapy and it does a pretty good job of it. It is a fast read, I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I've basically inhaled the first half due to extreme bangxiety, and the second half due to all the well timed and necessary tension and angst. I became emotionally invested and had to know how Ethan and Grey would get over their problems. I am not 100% sold on the romance. It felt slightly insta-romance. I know why Grey fell for Ethan, it is hard to resist your teen crush being there, in front of you, flirting with you and also there was maybe the factor of savior complex in play. He is the troubled, mysterious man and she wants to be there for him. But why did Ethan fall for Grey? himm, okay, she is young and beautiful, and feisty, she stands up to him and puts him in his place a couple times but that's pretty much it. They were both available, they were both attractive people and all the fake touching and kissing finally got to them? Did I still root for them? 100%.

This debut novel would make a really good beach read especially if you like faced paced books with good dialogue and some steam, I would definitely read what Ava Wilder writes next.

Grey Brooks has no prospects of working and she has suffered an humiliating breakup. Hollywood can be brutal. Ethan Atkins has suffered the loss of his best friend and partner. He is star and can still can bring in the work but he is spiraling out of control. Through a friend, they've come up with the brilliant idea to have them fake date. The only problem is, from the moment they set eyes on each other, there is a mutual attraction. The mutual attraction and falling in love did not stop the spiraling. It seems they both needed to find help. Addiction is something you battle everyday, Ethan is in it for the long haul. The only questions is, will Grey join him on this journey? I love all the secondary characters in this book!

I requested this book as an ARC a while back, and it languished on my kindle for a long time (like a long time)––it wasn’t until about a week ago that I realized that the book was coming out soon, and I had yet to read it (school might be over, but that has not mean that I’ve stopped procrastinating haha).

I can’t quite pinpoint why I was so hesitant to pick this book up, but I think I was worried that the book would feel done-before, if that makes sense? It’s clearly a variation of the fake-dating trope, and I was nervous that it would feel like something I had already read ten times before; surprisingly, I didn’t really feel like this was a huge issue after I started reading.

Much to my shock, this book was relatively easy to get into––after the first few pages, I was flying through the story (well, up until the end).

The story follows Grey and Ethan––Grey is an actress who is struggling to get back into the game after the finish of her last show, and Ethan is somebody who is still dealing with the grief of his long-time best friend. He is trying to produce the last movie that he and his partner wrote together, but if he wants to do that, he will have to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. As a solution, his agent suggests fake-dating Grey; this is a mutually beneficial solution––Ethan will clean up his image, and Grey will be able to get back into the spotlight…and things sort of take off from there.

I have a really hard time distinguishing how I feel about this book, mainly because so much was going on. I believe this was the author’s debut novel, and I hate to say it, but in some aspects, I feel like it really showed.

I was unable to connect with Grey (first of all, what kind of name is Grey?) as a character, which is unusual for me, since I usually tend to connect with the heroine’s more than the heroes. She felt very bland to me, and I could tell that strides were made to flesh her out as a character, but I ultimately felt that it was largely unsuccessful. I felt very detached from her, whilst reading.

I also just didn’t really buy into the romance? I never really understood why Grey and Ethan liked each other, and I didn’t feel like there was any banter that is typically present in a book of this nature. The first 50% of this story felt a little bit dry.

Another thing is, l felt like the book was hugely mis-marketed (or maybe it is just me?). Based on the cover, the synopsis and the comparison to The Unhoneymooners, I was largely expecting a light, banter-filled rom-com to read during the summer time, but this was really heavy? I sort of wish I had read the content warnings before-hand, because I felt a little bit blindsided. It’s not to say that the book was bad by any means, but it was startling, to say the least.

The book greatly deals with grief and alcoholism––and these two subject matters are the main reason for the heaviness of the book. I personally think Ava Wilder did a very realistic job depicting grief and alcoholism. Her illustration of alcohol abuse was real and raw and at times, very painful to read about––I can usually handle reading about addiction in books, however I tend to shy away from reading about alcohol abuse simply because of personal reasons, and the accuracy of which it was portrayed in this book, reminded me exactly why I do that.

I appreciated the way that Wilder showed alcohol abuse in every day life—it wasn’t over the top or flashy; it was subtle whilst simultaneously startling and her depiction of grief was just as impactful.

That being said, I don’t know that it fully worked in this book.

It was very difficult for me to root for the relationship when I could see the dark cloud of alcohol abuse hanging over them––it made me anxious throughout my whole reading experience. I think a part of the reason I wasn’t really rooting for their relationship, was that it was clear to see Ethan had a whole lot of baggage he needed to work through, before jumping in bed with someone. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good damaged hero, but he was damaged.

Another issue I had was that at times I forgot Ethan was supposed to be a dad? His kids were rarely ever mentioned, and the whole thing felt odd to me. 


The book was also told in a weird type of third person––I don’t mind third person in general, but I fear that it may have contributed to why I felt so removed from the romance.

Lastly, the ending felt a little bit rushed to me, and Ethan’s recovery period felt way too glossed over…there is a weird time gap that I wasn’t a fan of and I can usually deal with a time gap of a few months (I don’t love it, but I can usually put up with it) however this one was sixteen months long. Yeah.

I don’t want to sound like I hate this book, because I don’t. I liked Ethan’s relationship with his ex-wife–-it was nice to see an ex that wasn’t completely the villain, and I was, in general, able to sympathize with Ethan and his struggles. I also appreciated the author's overall message that love is not always enough and it is not the solution to an addiction; it's an important message that we don't hear enough of in romance books. However, I didn’t really buy into the romance aspect of this book, and, well, this was supposed to be a romance book, wasn't it?

What a great book! I loved getting to know Ethan and Grey and following them through their developing relationship and the hurdles they have along the way. I really enjoyed Grey’s sense of humor and seeing her growth. This book had some difficult issues that it dealt with and was heavier than I expected, but I really enjoyed that extra depth. I’d strongly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys Emily Henry’s books!

This one caught me by surprise, hooked me in, and didn’t stop pulling at my heartstrings until the very last page.

Less of a romcom, this book packed a punch. I rooted so hard for these characters - not just Ethan and Grey, but every single one of them. Ava Wilder did an unbelievable job at capturing the reality of addiction and the toll it takes on not only the addict, but on the people that love them.

Since it is a book in the romance genre, there was of course all the swoony, fun feels that come along with that.

Anyone who gives this one a chance will love it-especially if you love the fake dating trope, a kickass female character who knows what she wants and how to get it, and a leading man who needs a little help.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with this early read in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted 6/10/22 on Goodreads and Twitter (@Raereadss) and Instagram on 6/11/22 on Instagram (@raereadss).

Read this if you like: Fake dating, dual POV, celebrities, single dad, forced proximity, spicy 🔥

Look up trigger warnings*

Yessss. I love fake dating. I have a special spot in my heart for celebrities fake dating too. This book was everything I wanted from those tropes.

Grey Brooks is fresh of the end of her role in long-running teen TV show. She's trying so hard to find more roles and not very successfully. She just wants Hollywood to take her seriously. Suddenly a life-changing role is possible but she needs help. She’s finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist’s scheme: fake a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons.

Ethan Atkins is struggling. He's had a high-profile divorce, hasn't seen his kids as much as he wants. struggles with drinking, and is griefing over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend five years ago. Ethan has slowly let himself fade into the background. He desperately wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together. So Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

I love both Ethan and Grey. They are flawed but who isn't? Their tension, their banter, their little spats, the spice 🔥. UGH. So good. The character development in this book is some of the best I have read lately. I love that it shows Grey and Ethan's ex trying to get along and help him with his addictions. The relationship that Grey has with her best friend is done perfectly. The grief that Ethan feels for his best friend is heartbreaking. This is a light read with some serious subjects put in so well. I highly recommend this book. Definitely go get it June 14th!

Thank you to the author, and Random Publishing/Ballantine for the gifted copy. ❤️

I loved how the title had more than one meaning as you got through it. I was worried there wouldn’t be a happy ending with turmoil so close to the end of the book but it was wrapped up beautifully. I will definitely pick this up to read again

From the moment I saw the cover to this book, I was automatically hooked. Probably one of my favorite covers I have seen this year. Did I go into this book having a certain assumption of how I was going to like it? Yes! Did the author completely surprise me? Yes! Did I end up loving this book more than I thought I would? Yes!

tropes: actor/actress romance, fake dating & age gap

I truly expected a more light hearted romance but once you get into core of the story, I'm so glad I ended up reading this book. It truly highlights the behind the scenes of hollywood and how that lifestyle can truly affect people. I'm glad that it wasn't just diamonds and sparkles but it tackled the effects it has on people.

I am sucker for fake dating and will never turn away from this trope! This is a little more fast paced so be aware of that.

I loved Ethan and Grey and how they navigated their own struggles but were so supportive of one another.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher! for providing an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions <3

This book started out as a cute, enemies to lovers storyline, but about 66% in switched to a more heavy story. I think the the book would have been much better having the heaviness throughout. The last 25% was much stronger in my opinion, but wrapped things up much too quickly. I wish some of the filler in the first half had been removed for the deeper storyline. I did like both the characters and found them relatable, but this wasn’t one of my favorites.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is one of those books that makes you question everything you read in the media about celebrity relationships. Grey is the star of a former teen drama (which, given the details, makes me suspect author Ava Wilder is a One Tree Hill fan) who is desperately trying to avoid being pigeonholed in her old role. She has dreams and aspirations to write her own screenplay, but her credibility in Hollywood is lacking to provide her the opportunity. Ethan is an Oscar winner recovering from the personal tragedy of losing his best friend/fellow actor and a nasty divorce. After a period of negative press, he has secluded himself from the public eye. Grey and Ethan share a publicist that has the brilliant idea to set them up in a fake relationship to improve their public images. Both parties agree to the terms of a fake dating contract…and while their “relationship” has a rocky start, it blossoms into something more.

📖 Forced Proximity
📖 Enemy ➡️ Friends ➡️ Lovers
📖 Fake Relationship
📖 Hollywood Setting/Paparazzi Drama
📖 Second Chance Romance

Not only will you enjoy this book, but you’ll start to analyze your favorite celebrity couples and wonder “real or fake”? ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I really liked this one you guys. I know, I know-last week I said I do not like steam and you all know I am a thriller lover at heart but this one is so damn good. It is a bit deeper than just a lighthearted romance. @avawilderwrites does such a wonderful job of writing about difficult issues and handling them with care. I felt like this had so much more depth. It is a full on roman/women’s fiction that tackles relationships, self-doubt, addiction, dealing with trauma and past issues, death and love. (I know a lot) but, she also adds in some steam, juicy bits, laughs and the whole glitz and glam of Hollywood.

The character development is so good I found myself googling the characters and then remembering they are not real *geesh* I loved Grey and felt like I had a true understanding of what was inside her heart. I loved that she was strong and did not let herself fall into the typical “damsel in distress” role. She stood up for herself and what she believed in. I also loved the way we had a definite conclusion and ending.

You guys, I could go on and on about this one. I read it so fast I am sad it is done. I loved it and urge you all to grab it!

Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy in exchange for my review!

I was shocked by how much I loved this book. I thought it would be a light and fluffy romance, something I would enjoy, maybe a three-star book. Wow was I wrong. There is so much heart in this novel, these characters are going through real issues, and yes they're rich actors but they have both BEEN THROUGH IT and have major demons to overcome. The way that Wilder portrays heartbreak, addiction, family issues, and grief, all of these issues felt so authentic to me and the way Ethan and Grey experienced these things was so real. I believed them, it felt like such a well crafted novel in so many ways. Not to disparage romance novels, because I LOVE romance novels, but How to Fake it in Hollywood is so much MORE than a romance novel. And while the romance part was incredibly well done, and the sex scenes were the perfect amount of spicy for my tastes, what I loved most about this book was getting to fall in love with these characters myself and rooting for them throughout the entirety of the novel. Honestly from the first page I was hooked on this story and did not want it to end. I am so impressed by this debut and can't wait to see what Wilder does next.

#HowToFakeItInHollywood:⁣
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“So what you’re saying is, you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in the last five years?”“Unless I missed something.” ⁣
He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving her face. “No. No, you didn’t miss anything.”⁣
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Initial Reaction: queues Gavin DeGraw singing at the top of his lungs talking about how he doesn’t want to be anything other than what he’s been trying to be, lately.⁣
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Review: fake date, PR stunts, a VERY steamy weekend in Palm Springs - which includes one bed, How to Fake it In Hollywood is an emotional debut. With all the makings of a good romance, there’s a deeper plot with tragic insight on the dark side of Hollywood and alcoholism. When I mean tragic, I mean, so realistic you hurt for these characters.⁣
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I really enjoyed this story. I could feel the tension rising and it felt like when you know a storm is about to hit. You hear the thunder, you look outside, but can’t see the rain. You know it’s coming. That tension was felt in more ways than one, and I really enjoyed how magnetic Grey and Ethan were. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters of Nora, Renata, and Kamilah. They all felt so genuine in a place where authenticity is hard to find.⁣
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I do feel like some relationships were left resolved, which kind of bothered me. Why invest so much of the plot about it, but give no resolution? I also was so invested in the entire story, that I was kind of sad the ending was a bit rushed. I cared deeply for these characters, so I needed more closure 😂 Probably the only thing that stopped it from being a 5 star. ⁣
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Overall, a great solid read on fake date, great banter, and such a sweet, tragic love. A bit of a rushed ending, but this character driven story is getting a lot of hype and I can see why. Thank you so much @randomhouse for the gifted copy. How to Fake it In Hollywood is out 6/14!

If you like the fake dating trope, you'll like this one! This was a super quick read, with likable (and flawed) characters. I liked that although this took place in Hollywood, the characters were very real and had "normal" people problems. And of course, there was a little but if spice - which doesn't hurt!