You may know that <i>Daisy Jones and The Six</i> is my favorite book of all time. Somehow <em>How to Fake It in Hollywood</i> gives me some sort of mixture of <i>Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> and <i>Daisy Jones and The Six</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid vibes. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one, How to Fake It in Hollywood doesn't really romanticize Hollywood. Ethan and Gray set up their fake dating arrangement in the office of their shared publisher and they hammer out the details of a contract with their attorneys at the same office. Paparazzi are called to let them know when good photo opportunities will exist. It feels grounded in reality in that sense. But it's also the fact that Ethan is dealing with alcoholism. He doesn't see it, really. He rationalizes it a lot to himself. But the facts are the facts. He's grieving, he doesn't know how to be a person without his best friend, and eventually there's a bit of a co-dependency situation. And Gray has her own issues. She seems to have this need to be liked, but also likes to keep her circle small, and has some unresolved issues with her mom.

I think, for me, it's the fact that this book gives me some similar feelings to TJR, but then ultimately doesn't quite manage to make everyone feel like totally real people (although I did love the cast of characters, I never forgot that this was a book and wasn't trying to google these characters or their movies). And then there's the fact that I think I needed a little more time to settle into the HEA before it hit. That said, the way this book actually ended? That epilogue? Brilliant. I wish more pieces like that had been woven throughout the story as I think that would have benefited it tremendously.

Overall, knowing that THIS book is Ava Wilder's debut has me so incredibly excited for whatever comes next from her because this is an amazing first book!

I am OBSESSED with this book. I am trash for a celebrity romance and I cannot say enough good things about this one.

Grey has been a working actress for most of her life, but now that her long running teen TV show has wrapped, she is looking to make a big move. She has dreams of writing and starring in a film with her best friend as director, but in order to get financing for her passion projects, she needs to make a name for herself and land a big role. Ethan was a Hollywood A-lister until the death of his best friend and writing/producing partner sent him into the shadows. He’s been living in a pit of grief and booze ever since, but if he ever wants to make the final movie the two started before his friend’s death, he’ll need to climb out of the hole and repair his reputation. Enter Grey and Ethan’s publicist, who sets the pair up to fake date. Ethan and Grey seem like a mismatched couple from the jump–he’s a surly divorced dad and she’s a rising star more than a decade his junior. But somehow the two click and after a bang it out to get it out of our systems weekend, they start to realize their feelings might be real. But Ethan is battling a serious addiction and needs to get his personal life in order before he can even consider being good in a relationship. Of course, this is a romance, so they manage to work it out and live happily ever after (but oh the angst along the way!).

You all know that I read a lot of books. A lot of really good books. But there’s just something about those books that give you a real physical feeling. Like I get an actual ache in my chest as I watch the characters totally blow up their lives and then piece them back together. This book gave me so many chest aches. I fell head over heels for these characters, they had me completely captivated from page one. There are so many good things to shout about in this book, but the depth of the love story and the realism of their relationship is high on the list. While I love me some celebrity romance, I’m picky about books set in LA because so many just don’t get it right, but this one absolutely nails the unique combo of grit and glamour. I absolutely loved the care with which Ava handles some of the tougher issues in this book. Nothing felt rushed or unrealistic, it was handled perfectly. I knew early on that this was going to be one of my top books of 2022 and I cannot wait to go back and read it again once I have a physical copy in my hands!

4.5 ⭐️

Two celebrities Ethan Atkins and Grey Brooks accept the publicity proposal to fake date to boost (possibly save) each other’s careers. Unfortunately, their chemistry is a bit hard to deny, so banging each other out of their systems might be the best solution. But… could what they have be the start of something new? Something true?

Utterly bingeworthy, this sexy contemporary romance debut was a treat! I loved the writing (though I wished it was in first person versus third), the dual POV, the crazy amount of sexual tension but boy did that tension get cuttttt. There were also heavy topics, like traumatic pasts, addiction, and sobriety, wanting to be better for the person you love type of thing. As far as celebrity romances go, this one is an easy fave!

I’ve never been a celebrity gossip maven, but the plot definitely held my interest. (I mean, I read the book in one day.) The Hollywood antics here, based on what we’ve all seen in gossip rags over the years, ring plausible, so we buy into the contrivances that ultimately build the romance between Grey and Ethan. Both of them are smart and shrewd enough to question where their own heads are at during this publicity stunt, and whether what’s going on between them is true love or just really convincing acting on the other’s part. Despite their 11-year age gap, Grey’s wise enough to know how to call Ethan out on his BS and not cave in to his brighter star power (even if he was her tween crush), which, in a world where he’s orbited by yes-men and yes-women, he finds refreshing.

This book takes a sort of a dark “A Star is Born” turn, however, towards the last quarter of the book, which might already dash some readers’ hopes for the story to pull up out of the depths and return to the simply steamy, glamorous romp the blurb led them to believe. (DON’T WORRY, NOBODY DIES.) So wade in slowly, and at your own risk.

Meet the Characters: Grey Brooks, a former reality TV star who is unemployed and looking for her next job to keep her career afloat. With a potential shot at an upcoming movie, she needs a small shove into the spotlight and a reputation boost.

Enter the older, tall dark and handsome Ethan Atkins, a former movie sensation turned recluse, who in shorter terms needs to clean up his act.

This my friends is where one of our favorite tropes makes an appearance *drum roll please* the fake dating trope. Our two main characters are thrust into a 6 month-NDA contract that will boost their reputations, respectively.

A huge thank you to Ava Wilder, Netgalley, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

TWs: addiction, alcoholism, death, grief, revenge porn

This cover photo fooled me. I went into this book thinking I was getting a cute romcom of celebrities fake dating their way through Hollywood, fooling the elite as they tried to make a name for themselves once more. What I wasn't expecting was a powerful punch to the gut about more prominent hardships.

While the first half of this book touched on the romcom side and edging the lines of fake dating into possibly real and undeniable feelings, the second half touched on harder topics: addiction, alcoholism and how it reflects back on those around you, career choices, and trauma. This book was a great representation to remind people that while celebrities are famous and willingly know what they signed up for regarding their personal lives - they are still human beings with emotions, trauma and private lives.

This book will definitely make you laugh with the banter, it'll have you cheesing over the intimate moments, and it will have your heart strings in one hand tugging on it gently. Keep your calendars open because this book is debuting on June 14th.

Read if you like: fake dating trope, age gap romance, Palm Springs, movie premieres, rom-com with a side of harsh reality, second chances, 1 bed trope, celebrity romance.

GR review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4734770636?book_show_action=false

The first thing I want to say before getting into the meat of this review is that this is another case of the illustrated cover not accurately reflecting the contents of the book. I went into How to Fake it in Hollywood thinking that it would be a lighter rom-com featuring two actors having to fake a relationship for the tabloids in order to pump up their careers. What I got was a much, MUCH deeper, angsty romance with some pretty dark themes.

Our two main characters are Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins. Grey is a B-list actress who is looking for work after her long-running teen soap opera comes to an end. She has several projects she’s set her sights on, she just needs that media bump to get the public’s (and hopefully movie execs) attention. Even if that means fake dating a reclusive A-lister.

Ethan Atkins was once a Hollywood heavy hitter. After having won an Oscar for a film with his best friend and ex-wife he went on to star in several movies. Now he’s just a man who has shut himself off from everyone, drinking to oblivion and still avoiding the pain of losing his best friend. He has one last project from the time when he and Sam were a team and the only way for him to get back out in the public eye and maybe try to get it made is by indulging in his publicist’s dating scheme.

This is 100 % a grief book. Ethan is languishing in his grief and guilt over the death of his best friend. He has never moved on from it, and really has no intentions of doing so. Then he meets Grey and is forced to let someone new into his life. His alcoholism plays a huge part in this book. From the moment he is introduced sitting in a bar, getting blind drunk, you as a reader are aware that he has a major problem. And that point escalates all through the book as he continues to nurse his feelings with beer and bourbon.

Grey is a wonderful FMC. I really loved her. She has been in the business since she was a small child and has struggled to find work since her teen drama ended. She has some bitterness toward her family after basically being the breadwinner until her mother remarried, and as a result, doesn’t have a close relationship with her. But she’s formed her own found family of sorts with her roommate and manager. She’s smart, savvy, and talented. And she does not take Ethan’s shit.

The romance between Grey and Ethan builds slowly from strangers to hesitant acquaintances, to finally lovers who are just looking to get their lust for each other out of their systems. But something happens along the way and they become confidants and start to really care about each other. Their fake dating becomes real. Grey’s been burned pretty badly relationship-wise in the past when her long-time co-star and boyfriend cheated on her, but she can’t help but fall into a relationship with Ethan.

This book is told from both of their POVs, which I appreciated. It’s easy to see why Grey cares for Ethan, he is charming and their chemistry is off the charts. But she starts sensing that something is really wrong with his behavior and alcohol usage. Yet she loves him. Ethan KNOWS he needs to get his shit together (as he calls it) or he is going to lose her, but alcohol is a crutch he’s used for so long he can’t stop himself. When he’s forced to confront Sam’s death and revisit a time when they were together, it all falls apart.

I think this author did a great job of portraying the ins and outs, ups and downs, good and bad of fame in Hollywood. I also think the depictions of struggling with drug and alcohol addiction were well done. There is a HEA, I know romance lovers out there will be relieved to hear. But it comes after Ethan finally checks himself into a 12-step program and starts seeing a therapist. There is a time jump between when it all falls apart and when he and Grey finally see each other again, and while I was at first worried that rehab would be glossed over, it wasn’t. These two sit down and talk it out, and acknowledge that it is something he will continue to struggle with for the rest of his life.

There is another time jump in the epilogue, but it was lovely to see Grey and Ethan in a good place, both professionally and personally.

One other thing I adored and would like to mention, is that Ethan’s ex-wife was well crafted. Nora isn’t just a plot device for the hero to compare to the current love interest. She’s a whole person, who is interesting, and nuanced, and plays a big part in both the lives of the main characters. She and Grey become great friends and business partners. I really loved that.

While this wasn’t quite what I expected, I did really enjoy How to Fake it in Hollywood. At times heartbreaking and sad, there were moments of fun banter and a really lovely HEA at the end.

Content warnings- Alcoholism, off-page death of a friend, off-page child abuse in the past, invasion of privacy

Thank you to Random House/Ballientine and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

How good is this book? This is a late-to-work, up-until-2am, ignore-your-friends-or-family kind of book. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. How is this a debut novel? It felt so wonderful and nuanced and thoughtful. I can't wait to read more.

Grey and Ethan are both broken actors in Hollywood, set up in a fake relationship to help Grey get cast in a big film series and help Ethan "come back" to Hollywood after a significant loss and career meltdown. I loved Grey and Ethan. They are so imperfect and rough and yet they are so wonderful together. The way Wilder builds their relationship is such a delight to read. it felt like even as they made some very bad decisions, those decisions made sense for each character and helped shape the story. Every plot twist felt purposeful and I really appreciated the representation with regards to addiction and past abuse. No one is perfect and no one is magically changed through love, but two people find each other and become better people to accept the love that exists for them and it is really great.

I don't want to keep going because I'll get into spoilers but I can't wait to talk about this book with people as they discover it and I'm really looking forward to more from Wilder. 4.5 stars (rounded up)

3.5. I actually did enjoy this a lot, I read it in one sitting. However, this book is not a fluffy romance at all as the cover may lead you to believe. Even the synopsis made me think it would be a cute fake dating book. There is a lot of trauma and other issues discussed in this though. That’s not a problem of course, but I was just looking for something different. Some things that were going on made it harder to see the connection between the characters as well. All in all, I thought the writing was great and I’d definitely read Ava Wilder again, just not my favorite.

This rom-com was hilarious and fun! Great character development and I read it in one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down!

I very much enjoyed this debut from Ava Wilder and expect it to find a wide audience with the adorable cover and blurb that makes you think you’re getting a lighthearted celebrity fake dating romance. To be clear, that’s not what this book is but, like others, it’s what I expected at first blush. What I got was something much deeper and nuanced than that.

Grey Brooks had a good run as the star of a teen soap, but it’s been a while since she’s out herself out there. When her publicist suggests a fake romance publicity stunt with Ethan Atkins, former teen heart throb turned recluse, Grey can’t resist the potential upside for her career.

The first half of this book and they’re fake dating and getting to know each other was swoony and hot. Grey and Ethan had excellent chemistry and I really enjoyed how much we got to see the two of them on page together. The narrative is done in dual POV which really helped us get to know both of the characters and see them falling for each other.

You knew pretty quickly that the book was headed toward a conflict having to do with Ethan’s dark history and present drinking problem. I thought it was executed well overall but would have liked to see a little bit more of how that played out from Ethan’s POV. Overall I very much enjoyed this and look forward to seeing what else Ava Wilder writes.

Content warnings galore including on page drinking and drug use, history of child abuse (off page), and gross invasion of privacy with the fallout entirely on the female character.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the ARC!

Are you sure this was a debut?! It read like it was from a seasoned author. I will definitely be looking forward to other books from her in the future!

This is the first time in at least a year that I started and finished a book in one day. I adore reading about Grey and Ethan, and I think a lot of that was due to the fact that their life and problems felt so real even with them being celebrities.

I don’t want to add spoilers, but if you’re into fake dating, one bed, celebrity life, and real-life goods and bads, I highly recommend this one. I preordered my paperback copy 1/3 of the way in. I can’t wait to read it again.

Let me start by offering up this plea to publishers everywhere: please PLEASE make your book covers match the tone, the vibe, the mood, and the theme of your book. You might, upon first glance, see this cover and think, "ooh, fun and flirty rom com!" You would be wrong. There is nothing objectively wrong with this cover but this is not the cover meant for THIS book. And I know we all like to say, "lets not judge a book by its cover" but let's be honest, we ALL do EXACTLY that. ALL. THE. TIME. Just match the cover to the book, that's all I ask. (I swear, at this point, my irritation with misleading covers and everything being labeled rom com will be my villain origin story). And there ends the rant portion of my review.

This book made me reevaluate whether I actually do like a bit of angst in my romance. I've been saying I don't, that the real world is enough of a trash fire that I want my romances to be low key and drama free, maybe even all vibes and very little plot. This book though, gripped me from the word go with a stellar pair of MCs who were funny and flawed, a storyline deeply mired in a lot of heavy topics such as grief and addiction, with an interesting commentary on the price of fame and exactly how much of your life is your own when you become a person up for public consumption.

I adored Grey and Ethan - they will live rent free in my head and in my heart for a long time. These two come with a boatload of baggage and divorced, single dad, washed up movie star/screen writer/Oscar winner Ethan, especially, is battling a whole lot of metaphorical demons. Ethan gave me Ben Affleck vibes but with way more charm and charisma and sweetness and kindheartedness and compassion (in Batffleck's defense, I don't know him personally, obvs, and maybe he too has these qualities.)

There's also his ex wife, former model turned actress turned movie producer and the mother of his young kids, Nora Lind, giving off major Jen Garner vibes. I love that the ex in this book wasn't used as a prop and vilified for the express purpose of propping up the new love interest. She was fully formed, her own person, entirely sympathetic and ended up becoming good friends with and a really great source of support for Grey Brooks.

That leads me to Grey, the FMC. I adored her. I can't quite come up with an IRL Hollywood counterpart for her, but think up and coming star, once a pretty well known tv star, now struggling to revitalize her career. Grey had her own issues, partially stemming from the fact that she's been in the business since she was a child and at a very young age, became partially financially responsible for her family's well being. I loved that all these issues were addressed with a lot of nuance and the complex emotions one might have stemming from these life experiences were explored with a lot of sensitivity.

Ethan and his demons stem from a lot of childhood trauma (alcoholic and abusive dad, mother passed away) and coalesced to full blown addiction issues in his adult life when his best friend and writing partner passed away in a car accident. Ethan feels personally responsible for Sam's death and his way of dealing with the grief has been to try and hold on to the past with a tightfisted grip and completely ignore his present and future.

I don't read a lot of romances that take on addiction and I don't have much personal experience with it but to me, all of this was handled in a realistic manner. There were no quick fixes, no easy solutions served up, no magical vagina/love cures all. No, it was painful and brutal and the dark moment is about as dark as one might expect from a book where the MMC is presently dealing with alcohol addiction. It was real and it was gritty and it was uncomfortable to watch the hero of this romance novel be brought to his proverbial knees before he could be raised back up. And it needed to happen. He needed to crash (I speak metaphorically here, he didn't literally crash). And even when he is raised back up, it happens with the full acknowledgment that it's hard, that every day will be a choice he makes, that some days will be hard and some days will be easier. Which seems true to life.

All of this works because of the literary device the author chooses towards the end of the book and I don't want to spoil it but I'm glad it was written the way it was, because it made the struggle believable and therefore, made the work to earn the trust back more believable.

Just in case you're wondering, it's a lot of drama and angst, but there are moments of fun and levity and a LOT of steam (this is very much an "open door" romance, a pun you will only understand if you read the book). It's tropey with the fake relationship and forced proximity and even a case of only one bed but it's way more than a bunch of tropes cobbled together. It's a book that breaks you into pieces before putting you back together again, a bit stronger and more resilient than you started. And now I can just imagine Grey stating, "you're all so fucking dramatic," in response to that line.

TL;DR: it's good, I loved it.

ARC from publisher via Netgalley, opinions all mine.

CW: off page child abuse in the past, toxic parental relationships, off page death of friend, related emotional trauma from grief and loss, on page and off page alcohol and drug abuse, gross invasion of privacy;

As someone who devours all things hollywood, I find myself asking ‘how on earth are these two people dating?’ quite often. When I heard about this book, I knew it was right up my alley. Written from the perspective of Grey and Ethan, we dive into topics of grief, insecurity, and challenging family dynamics.

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC!

Well that was spicy! Loved the characters (I pictured Ben affleck, don’t judge) and the female lead was cool and spunky. It was fun seeing the inner lives of the rich and famous. They’re people too! Recommend for a great summer beach read.

I really enjoyed How to Fake It in Hollywood. It is not a light and fluffy romance - it deals with some tough topics such as alcoholism and emotional trauma/death of a loved one. However, at it's very heart it is a romance, and I love a good fake dating trope.

The characters spend a long time denying their feelings for each other. Ethan doesn't think he would be good for anyone to be in a relationship with, and Grey is attracted to him but knows he is not attracted to her and so wants to be professional and keep her distance. When they finally do get together it is very satisfying, but they've decided it is only for the weekend. Then of course there is a problem that pulls them apart. However, the plot arc is slightly different from the typical romance, which I enjoyed.

I liked Grey's character, and was conflicted about Ethan's. I liked him at times, and then didn't at others. I did feel like he was a pretty well-written character. I liked the side characters too, although we don't learn very much about them. There is some good representation in the side characters, but we don't see them much.

Overall I thought it was a really good story. The ending was satisfying, even though things may have been forgiven a bit too quickly. If you want a celebrity fake-dating trope that goes a little deeper, I would definitely recommend this book!

How to Fake it in Hollywood is available June 14th. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. Although it is a romance book it is also a book that explores hard-hitting topics such as grief and alcoholism that were handled really well. This was not really a light-hearted book which is what I initially expected, however, I think I loved it a lot more because of how it was a romance book that wasn't specifically focused on the romance.

Initially, I wasn't that crazy about <i>How to Fake It in Hollywood</i> because the romance happens pretty quickly and there's not a ton of tension at the beginning of their story. However, I'm really glad I stuck with it because the book takes an unexpected turn and gets a little more serious than what I anticipated. I think at times that can make the book feel a bit uneven (starts out pretty fluffy, gets quite a bit dark towards the end). Grey, the protagonist, isn't a wishy-washy character and I think that's what makes the second half of the book more compelling.

That said, the book could do with a bit more editing if the ARC I read is close to the final copy. From grammar issues (refers to Grey as him a few times), to factual errors (Cape May, NJ doesn't have a boardwalk that you can go under) to plot details that seem to get left out (why is Ethan handcuffed at the funeral??).

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This rom-com was easy to read and decently enjoyable. I liked both characters and found their stories easy to relate to. I also love the name Grey! It includes some more difficult subjects, but the author did a good job. I'm also reading the Bodyguard at the same time, so the storyline of "faking" a relationship is not new! I did like this one,

4.5 ⭐️. This was a very well done fake-dating trope using actors Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins. Perfect for summer, this romance is fun, while also giving the reader characters with substance and struggles. Fans of romances that aren’t too “fluffy” will definitely like this one. In particular, I think the last few chapters were strong, and I liked the way Wilder decided to write the ending.

I could not put this book down! Fell asleep a few times while reading late at night, but I immediately picked it back up as soon as I woke up and finished in just a few days.

Ava Wilder is excellent at developing the characters of Grey and Ethan, two Hollywood stars that need a boost for their careers. Ethan hasn't done much in the past five years since his best friend died and he divorced his wife. Grey is trying to jumpstart her adult career after having been in the industry since she was eight years-old. Their mutual Hollywood publicist friend creates a plan for them to "fake date" to boost their celebrity status. Reluctantly, they both agree. Sparks fly, frustrations rise, and scandals ensue. Addictions are discovered, and they both have to come to terms with their inner demons.

How to Fake It in Hollywood brings to mind many relationships we follow in the media, but this one particular couple has you rooting for them to make it. There are multiple swoon worthy moments as well as comical moments. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a love story.

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine and NeGalley for this digital ARC. The opinions express are my own.