This was flipping fantastic. I don't mean for this to sound like a backhanded compliment but this book was better than what I was expecting it to be. I cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone I know.

If you're a fan of Hollywood romances, I think you'll love this book. It was done so well and the writing is absolutely engaging. I couldn't stop reading it. It was a well-rounded story, more than just your typical romance, it definitely had heart to it. The characters were thought out and more than one dimensional.

I was expecting a fluffy romance but Ava Wolder had me by the throat with feelings. This was such an amazing book. I loved the careful discussion and representation of a character who deals with addiction. The emotional impact of the book was far beyond the standard of a fluffy romance and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

rating: 4.5 / 5

i *loved* this book. i think a lot of the relationship and the faults that came with it was incredibly authentic and didn't seem far-fetched about what would've happened if this relationship were real. both of the characters are flawed and recognize their faults and work on themselves. the writing style was wonderful and i'd 100% read another ava wilder book. i think it was beautifully crafted, even in the parts that were completely frustrating lol

Synopsis:

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen TV show has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, 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 just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, struggles with drinking, and grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, Ethan has slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, 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.

Though their juicy public relationship is less than perfect behind the scenes, it doesn’t take long before Grey and Ethan’s sizzling chemistry starts to feel like more than just an act. But after decades in a ruthless industry that requires bulletproof emotional armor to survive, are they too used to faking it to open themselves up to the real thing?

This book was so good! I loved the celebrity status of the main characters and the way they were brought together in this romance! This storyline had really sweet moments, steamy scenes, and also touched on difficult topics like grief, addiction, and toxic relationships. I found Grey to be a really likable female main character and I really enjoyed her interactions with Ethan. Although these characters were celebrities, I really connected with them and felt for them during tough times in this story. The age gap, fake dating, and grumpy/sunshine tropes were done so well!!! Ugh, I just loved this book! A must read for romance lovers!

This book has more depth than the premise or cover would lead you to believe. I really liked Grey as a character. She was vulnerable but also strong. Ethan’s struggles with the loss of his friend and alcoholism gave the Hollywood romance and overall book some much welcome and unexpected heft.

This book is really frustrating to review because the main characters were just so charming, but the actual structure of the book bothered me so much.

Grey and Ethan are funny, charming, flawed people and it was nice to see them grow and for that I alone I would love to give this book a higher rating, but the pacing was just too much of a mess for me to give this book anything higher than 3 stars. Things seemed to happen super quick in this book and there were so many time jumps I think I got whiplash. I think if Wilder would have allowed the plot some room to breathe and fleshed out some of the places where she "jumped" this would have been a stronger novel as a whole.

Synopsis:
He’s a very famous actor that’s been a recluse for years. She’s an up-and-coming actress whose been working since she was a kid. He’s a man that’s coming unhinged,- depressed, grieving, and battling addiction, but holding on to the hope of getting his special project out into the world. After her big show is canceled, she is waiting on her next big opportunity, if only someone would give her the chance. So when their agent coaxes them into a fake-dating PR stunt, Ethan and Grey’s public lives intertwine, and as they get to know each other, they are left to wonder if their futures will too.


Thoughts:
This story is GOLD. It’s one of the best-paced romance books that I have read! The burn is slow enough to let the tension build and the characters actually have time to enjoy getting to know one another. My favorite thing about this book is that the two main characters have independent storylines. More often than not in a romance, once the love interests get together, their personalities begin to merge and blur into one. However, Wilder did such a brilliant job at exploring these characters independently and how those flaws and storylines influence their relationship. I thought it delved below the surface, especially considering the context for Ethan’s storyline and experience. Much to my dismay, this situation of the fake-dating in Hollywood is not the most relatable experience for me… *gasp* I know, honestly, I'm just as shocked as you. I still think that this book does a good job of depicting the feelings and the ups/downs of what it is to fall in love, not only with another person but with yourself too!

On top of that, you get smut (I can’t even with their first kiss), fake dating, forced proximity, and an age gap story (which I don’t usually like, but most of the time with this book, you didn’t really notice) all taking place in the backdrop of Hollywood… honestly, what’s not to love!

I will say, I don’t know if I totally shipped the two characters together, which is why I gave it 4 stars. I did like them independently and it made me happy that they challenged each other to get better, but I think I wanted a bit more spunk from Grey sometimes because I thought she was almost too perfect at times. Something about them together did mesh with me fully, but I still LOVED this story!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing- Ballantine, and Ava Wilder for this copy in exchange for my review :)

*will be posting a review on my Bookstagram (@bookedatfirstsight), Goodreads, and Storygraph!

I devoured this book. I was genuinely surprised to find out that this was Ava Wilder's debut because it was stunning and instantly had me hooked. I will say that it was good that I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this book in regards to what genre I felt like I was reading, so I wasn't so thrown by the drama and the gravity of the topics that were explored in this book. There was so much character development in this book and while the romance between Grey and Ethan felt a little forced to me at times but the individual characterization of all the characters, even the side characters, made the book incredibly delightful. Fake dating isn't one of my favorite tropes but it definitely worked for this book.

TWs for the death of a loved one, abuse (also substance abuse), infidelity.

I can see myself recommending this book to others and I'm so thankful to have been able to read it before the release date! Thank you to Random House Ballantine and Dell and NetGalley for this ARC!

This one threw me a bit since the cover is so fun and breezy. It ended up being much more serious and more of a dramatic romance than a rom-com. I think at times it struggled a bit and got weighed down with it's heavy subject matter. It can be tricky to balance swoon and zip with the angst (the only one that is successful that comes to mind in recent releases is Seven Days in June). I didn't love it personally but could see those that like a good dose of angst in their romance. I honestly think it would do better as a movie or a show than a book.

How to Fake it in Hollywood is a great debut by Ava Wilder!
I actually thought this was going to be a romantic comedy but there was so much angst and drama and it definitely dealt with more serious subject matter than I anticipated. With that being said I really enjoyed these characters and their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is an absolutely delightful book. I laughed out loud reading it and loved the Hollywood details and in jokes. Any follower of celeb gossip will find lots to enjoy here with compelling characters who will have the reader rooting for them to get their happy ending.

I went into this book thinking it would be a fake dating story, but it turned out to be so much more. Ethan Atkins fell out of the spotlight after the death of his close friend and has been having a turbulent few years but now is ready to reemerge and start making films again. Grey Brooks just finished a long stint on a pretty popular TV show and now is prepared to try and break into the movie scene but keeps getting auditions for minor roles. Cut to their publicist planning to have them fake date so both would benefit from this partnership and get where they wanted to go in their career. They didn't expect to fall for each other for real.

Both Ethan and Grey's characters were well developed and had real issues that made it easy to connect with them and root for them as they tried to cope with their struggles. While this book had cute romance moments (even though it was insta-love-like at times), it focused more on the internal struggles these two characters were facing. One of my favorite things added to the book was Ethan's ex-wife Nora and how much she cared about him and Grey and how they worked to create a supportive blended family. That's not something I've seen in these books, so I loved that addition. Wilder made all of these characters, including the side characters fully fleshed out and it really added to my enjoyment of the book. This was such a good debut novel from Wilder and I can't wait to see what they write next!

CW: Death of a friend, alcoholism, substance abuse, cheating, and abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House-- Ballentine, and Dell for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh the drama! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣While it’s cover is deceptively cute and suggests a fun light hearted read, How to Fake It in Hollywood is a angsty drama with a few romance troupes thrown in for good measure. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Two actors agree to a fake relationship in order to gain some great publicity, but find themself falling for each other. Unfortunately, they both have some baggage they need to deal with if they ever want their relationship to work. ⁣
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⁣This book was so much more than I expected. It’s sexy and heartbreaking all at once. I liked the characters and found myself staying up way too late to read. ⁣
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⁣Overall, I really liked How to Fake It in Hollywood and recommend it. Four stars! ⁣
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⁣Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of How to Fake It in Hollywood. This book will publish on June 14, 2022.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded up.

I received an ARC of this book and I really enjoyed this one. I will say, it’s not a super bubbly romance. It definitely deals with darker storylines, mainly with substance abuse and death. I loved the character development for both Ethan and Grey. There was some steam 🔥 and a fake dating trope which are both my jam. Overall, I liked it a lot!

I loved this book more than I thought I was going too. Loved the concept of fake dating actors because it adds an interesting layer to the story.

I adored this book, it had the perfect mix of romance, steam, and pain but in the best possible way.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be set up with your very famous, very hunky, childhood crush? Well, in Ava Wilder's How to Fake It in Hollywood, young actress Grey Brooks is about to find out!

I really loved this book! The writing was fantastic and the plot was addictive. To be honest, I can get a bit bored of the fake dating trope, especially when it's not done well. Thankfully, Wilder did it very, very well. She created something totally wonderful that I’ll be recommending all summer long. There’s humor and romance, but How to Fake It in Hollywood is also angsty, steamy, and emotional. It was a lot deeper than I expected, but I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. I love a romance novel where characters work on themselves and don't just expect their lives to improve because they fall in love.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Ava Wilder for allowing me to be an early reader.

This is a story about the thin line between fake and real.  Grey Books was a rising star in Hollywood as one of the main characters on a popular teen TV show.  But that show recently concluded its long run and, ever since, Grey has struggled to find work.  So when her publicist reached out with the unusual suggestion that she enter into a fake relationship with Ethan Atkins, who used to be one of the biggest movie stars until he fell from grace a few years before, she is, surprising even to her, open to the suggestion.  

After a string of commercial and critical successes, including an Oscar, Ethan's longtime creative partner and best friend died and he fell apart, leading to a high-profile divorce, public struggles with drinking, and being fired from a high-profile project.  Ever since, Ethan has been a virtual recluse.  The publicist that he shares with Grey believes he needs to rehabilitate himself in the public eye if he wants to return to working and finally produce the last movie that he wrote with his best friend.

Neither Grey nor Ethan knows what to expect from the other and, at first, the arrangement is as awkward as they both feared.  But the more time they spend together, each realizes the other is more than what they assumed from first appearances.  And neither can deny the strong attraction for each other.  But after years of each putting up walls for different reasons, are Grey and Ethan open to letting each other in -- and explore what may be real between them?

This book was thoroughly enjoyable.  This is such a fun premise, and it is executed flawlessly.  Despite the high concept, the story and the characters feel very real.  The author does a terrific job of making it plausible that both Grey and Ethan would agree to the arrangement -- even as they each struggle, for different reasons, with the reality of living in a fake relationship.  Grey and Ethan are both fully realized characters.  It is clear why they are drawn to each other, although the author does not shy away from their flaws.  It also offers interesting perspectives on life in the public eye, and how it differs for women and men.

Very strongly recommended!

Stars: 5/5
Spice: 3/5

✅ Fake dating
✅ Past trauma
✅ Forced proximity

For me, this book was an instant 5 star rating. It was a fun read that was easy to digest but there were still things at stake for both characters which made me not want to put the book down.

Fake dating tropes can easily be cringe but this was handled perfectly. I love how Grey isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and isn’t intimidated at all to tell Ethan how it is. Wilder’s writing shines the most when Ethan and Grey finally open up to each other and you start learning more about their pasts. This book touches a few tough subjects which causes some ups and down for Grey and Ethan. However, I think these subjects really grounded the book and turned it from just a cute romance novel to a cute romance novel with some depth.

Rating: 4.5
Laughing Score: 0
Crying Score: 0
Pub Date: 6/14/2022

Thank you to Random House- Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The most shocking thing about this book is that it’s a debut novel - how?! This is probably one of the best debut novels I have ever read. As soon as my fellow #aotmbookclub girls started buzzing about this in their buddy read, I knew I had to request it and read it ASAP.

I liked this book very early on, like within the first few chapters I had a feeling that this book was gonna be great. The main characters were far from perfect, but they weren’t immature or hard to like, they felt like real people with real problems. I also felt like this storyline could be very realistic with celebrities since so many things we hear in the news sound like PR stunts.

This book has a lot of tropes and the way they are all intertwined is a masterpiece. There’s an age gap romance, fake dating, second chance, ONE BED and many more. I felt like I wanted to devour this book, and was really invested in the characters. I will say that this book does have some serious elements woven in, so I’d recommend checking the content warnings if you are looking for a light hearted romance because this is not one.

Have you heard of any real life fake dating couples? The only rumor that comes to mind is Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise lol.