I got this fun little contemporary romance and it was such an easy read! I loved Grey- she was so down to earth and very normal- if only all celebs could be like her😂 She made the whole book feel much more realistic. There were some sad moments but overall it was a good read!

If you love celeb gossip and the idea of PR relationships (looking at y’all, Nick Jonas & Priyanka Chopra) this book is for you!

Huge thank you to @netgalley & Dell for an advanced copy! This one comes out June 22nd so make sure to keep an eye out for it!

This was so good. 5/5. It makes my list of all time favorite romances. *Gordon Ramsay voice* Stunning. Delicious.

The two main characters are Grey Brooks, a 27-year-old actress who has been struggling to get work ever since her teen drama show ended, and Ethan Atkins, an A-lister in his late 30s (hello age gap!) who, after a tragedy involving his best friend, a high profile divorce, and a decades-long struggle with alcoholism is looking to rehabilitate his image so that the project he had been working on with his best friend can finally get finished. We follow both characters' point-of-view. Their publicist decides that what both Grey and Ethan need is to embark on a PR campaign by pretending to be a couple.

This book is so well-written. Both mains are well-rounded and well-developed. There is a lot of angst too given both Grey and Ethan's pasts. The chemistry is simply SIZZLING (like seriously there were points where I thought I was going to combust), and I appreciate that this doesn't fall into the formulaic rivals to lovers or friends to lovers or enemies to lovers deal that most romances now seem to fall into. Yes, there's relatively instant attraction, but there's also some griping, bitterness, and at points mutual dislike/disdain between the two characters, neither of whom really wanted to find themselves embarking on this fake relationship but both realizing they needed each other. I loved their relationship, and the drama that of course unfolds felt real rather than manufactured. Both characters struggle with their careers, their fame, and Ethan's guilt over the death of his friend and use of alcohol as a crutch. And the smut was amazing.

This story holds true to the title. Out of fairness I won't rate the book - edit netgallet requires a rating- because for me there were so many concerns and red flags early that it didn't meet my expectation for a light, enjoyable read. Instead it was about the twisted, warped, unhealthy lifestyles and heartbreak of actors in Hollywood. It's probably written well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced copy of How to Fake it in Hollywood. I genuinely think this could be one of the hottest books of the summer. However, I worry that it will be marketed as a light romance when it is both so much more and significantly heavier than your average romance novel.

I want to start by saying I loved it. I devoured the first half of the book in one sitting. I think it’s a great use of the fake dating trope and celebrity romance. I thought the world felt very thought out and I enjoyed a lot of the side characters as well. But this book quickly delves into some heavy topics such as alcoholism, death of a friend (from a DUI), grief, and lack of privacy. I generally think it the author did a good job of handling such heavy and delicate topics, but it can be a lot. I think readers should be aware of this going into it.

This is a really fun (at times) and heartwarming/heartbreaking (at times) story about fame, love, loss, and recovery. The author does a good job of handling delicate topics while giving the reader enough space to breathe. It avoids some common romance mistakes but also has some pacing issues in the third act. Overall, a great read.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I really love romances set in Hollywood, like Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, so I 100% was excited to read this. This book is quirky fun and the perfect quick weekend read. I really enjoyed both the main characters. Grey was so fun and I found myself caring for her and rooting for her! I do think the chemistry between them could've been better, it needed a little something more. It just didn't feel plausible from where they were romantically in the story and throwing the ever sacred "I love you" out at a time where I still felt like their relationship was delicate felt too soon. But overall I really enjoyed this fun and entertaining debut by Ava and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! I will definitely recommend this to my friends who also enjoy romance novels!

I really enjoyed this book! I really liked the story and loved the characters. I would have liked to see Grey and Ethan fake date a little bit more, it felt just a little rushed, and the dates they did go on were a little vague. Overall I did really enjoy this story though. I feel like with romance stories like this there is sometimes a jilted ex or jealous friends, and we did get one awful ex, but the other characters were great and I liked that Nora wasn’t just Ethan’s ex-wife, she was apart of the story. The book does cover some pretty heavy topics (alcoholism) so keep that in mind before reading.

This book was AMAZING. I didn't have super high hopes and assumed this would be a light, fluffy cute rom-com. It was actually a really honest portrayal of a realistic relationship that goes through struggles on both sides. I'm so glad I read this book and have recommended it multiple times already. FIVE STARS!

Love a good fake dating to falling in love. Characters were fun and well rounded. Good balance of romance and drama.

Fake dating, dating a famous person and a dash of angst, three things I am a sucker for in books! I really enjoyed reading this one.
Grey Brooks is a former child star, still trying to pay her dues and get her career to take off. But when her publicist suggests dating the mega-famous and now borderline reclusive Ethan Atkins as a PR stunt, she is less than enthused. She takes the meeting though because she’s just a bit curious about her former celebrity crush. What ensues is a firework-filled fake relationship…that might not be as fake as they thought?
I think this book balances a few things out pretty well. It has the banter and the romance but it doesn’t gloss over the serious reasons that Ethan’s life fell apart and how it might affect his relationship with Grey. I liked that the angst wasn’t overdone though because that can weigh down a story. I also liked that Grey wasn’t a shrinking violet. She doesn’t just let things slide all the time or try to smooth things over.
I did not like Ethan’s ex for most of the book because I felt like she overstepped several times (even though she wasn’t usually wrong). I’m not sure that the author did that intentionally but I was feeling protective of the two main characters in relation to Nora. By the end, I warmed up to her though.
I wish Grey had more friends around in certain parts of the story. But I think that just shows that I was rooting for her pretty quickly.
Overall this was a very satisfying read for me.
There were a couple word choices here and there that I didn’t love but it was nothing too egregious. The chapters were a really nice length (not crazy long) which made it an easy read.
I found that this book and Taylor Swift’s music went well together. Anytime I listened to Taylor it got me in the mood to read more about Grey and Ethan. I would recommend this book to fans of “Eversea” by Natasha Boyd or to anyone taking a beach vacation this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
TW for substance abuse, child abuse, and private pictures being published without consent.

Grey Brooks is a talented, up-and-coming Hollywood actress looking for her next project. Ethan Atkins is a reclusive Oscar-winning, A-list actor looking to make his comeback after dealing with a high-profile divorce, drinking problems, and grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend. Their mutual publicist gets them to agree to enter into a fake relationship to overcome some rough patches and revitalize their careers - except they find out that they actually have some pretty incredible chemistry.

The fake dating story is an often-used trope in writing and has varying degrees of success. For me, How to Fake it in Hollywood nails it, creating two characters and intersecting storylines that kept me reading late into the night. I really enjoyed this character-driven story, which turned out to be much more raw and realistic than I had anticipated. The dialogue felt real and the sexual tension was on fire.

But can we talk about that book cover? It certainly does not match the emotional depth of the story, nor do either of the faces resemble anything that imagined for Grey and Ethan.

Regardless, this was a solid, un-put-downable read for me - I encourage you to add it to your reading list when it is released in June. I think this will make a great summer beach read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an early copy of this book in return for my honest review.

O.M.G. This book!!!! The spice....the steam.....the crazy romantic drama! I can't get over it. This book could not have come at a more perfect time for me. I needed to get over a small reading "slump" and this book did it for me. I love how "up to date" Ava wrote this story in. I felt like I was really watching a movie play out in my head and rooting for Grey Brooks the entire time. If you love fake tropes, then this is the book for you. Don't sleep on this book!!!

I liked this book! A fun fake' dating trope for two actors who both need a reputation or career boost get set up by their shared publicist. I thought the romance tropes were done really well and never felt forced as a reader. Grey and Ethan both had their internal struggles but while Ethan's were clearly outlined in the book, Grey was a really guarded character, not only to Ethan, but to the reader and I never got a good sense of her true self, which put me off her a bit.

My biggest complaint with this book was that I felt it was too long, I wanted the ending to happen before the epilogue and I actually wanted it to not have a happy ever after.

I was immediately intrigued by this premise and Grey and Ethan were easy to fall in love with no matter how dysfunctional one of them was being.
I wish we had seen more of Ethan interacting with his kids but I loved the almost dual POV of their feelings for each other.
Right when I thought I knew how this novel would end I admit my jaw dropped right before the “epilogue”.
It was fun trying to imagine who this couple would be in real life (I initially thought of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds).

How to Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder is what I would call a rom-dram novel with a splash of comedy & spice about two celebrities doing a PR fake dating stunt that may eventually become more. There’s also a little bit of age gap romance with some grumpy/sunshine as well. This romance deals with some very heavy topics but I think it handles them realistically & with grace: I would recommend checking trigger warnings before reading this.
I could see the toxic behavior of the spoiled movie star being unlikeavle, but because of his history & the imperfecrnsss of human nature, I was rooting for his redemption arc & his love story. I feel like it accurately depicts the complexities of dealing with an addiction along with the intersection of grief and trauma. There’s also the intricacies of the entertainment industry & the highs & lows of being a celebrity.
This story packs an emotional punch. It was not at all what I expected but I enjoyed the writing style & the depth of the characters along with their growth.
I absolutely loved the ending & it made the emotional roller coaster so worth it!
If you are in the mood for a interesting Hollywood celebrity romance that deals with emotionally complex characters & stories, I would check out How to Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder.
This book comes out June 14, 2022!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: This book contains &/or mentions addiction, drugs, grief, death, harassment, stalking & alcoholism.

I will post my review on my Instagram (titaniumtammyreads) & TikTok (titaniumtammy) about a month before publication. & I will post my review on Amazon & Barnes & Noble on the day of publication.

I thought going in it was going to be a really fun rom com but it ended up dealing with some really intense issues! I loved the chemistry between Grey and Ethan and loved how the author dealt with the really tough issues. I read it in one long afternoon and really enjoyed it! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

I loved this book. I felt such a range of emotions from both Grey and Ethan. Ethan has been through the ringer, but he also has a lot of demons from everything that has happened to him. I feel like he felt like he didn't deserve anything good or anything that would make him happy. Grey also has been through a lot and goes through a lot in a short time. Bottom line, this is a definite must read for me.

A PR-stunt and becomes so. much. more??? Check.
Characters that feel so real you root and hurt for them??? Check
A journey of self-growth??? Check.
Fun banter??? Check.
Behind-the-scenes gritty, not so glamorous Hollywood??? Check

Absolutely loved it??? DOUBLE CHECK.

It’s hard to capture my feelings about this book. On one hand I LOVED it and enjoyed the fast paced romance but on the other hand, I was frustrated with how things kept going.

Both characters endured SO much but had SO much growth. It hit close to home a few times and I loved the realness of each character. There was a lot of hard topics discussed in this book and the author did a great job at working through those things.

I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as much as I had hoped, but overall I really liked this read.

My reviews will be posted on good reads, Instagram, and tiktok July 1st. Reviews on retailers will be posted on release day.

3.75 stars.

I was definitely duped by the illustrated cover on this one. This cover has no right to be so cute when the premise and the basis of this book is soooooo heavy. I was expecting something light and tropey and fun and flirty. Ya know. Oooo we are fake dating and we are kissing but is it fake?! Eeeeeee! Cause we are faking it in Hollywood and we are both actors HOW DO WE KNOW ITS rEaL?!

No. That’s not this book.

There is a one bed scenario but it didn’t make me giddy like it would normally. Probably on the basis of the heavy subject matter on this book. Grief, alcoholism, parental neglect, etc. etc. etc.

Am I taking off a star because I felt a little ambushed by the subject matter? Possibly. I think if I’d been better prepared I would have enjoyed it more, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. I just need to know ahead of time what I’m getting myself into. I’m expecting CLo’s The Unhoneymooners level of hijinx and humor and I’m getting CLo’s Love and Other Things instead. Both great books, but I just need to know what to fracking expect! AND THE BLURB SAYS FOR FANS OF THE UNHONEYMOONERS WHYYYYYYY?!

I’m having a hard time coming up with words with how I felt about this book. Here’s some random thoughts, do with them what you will:

I read this book really fast, that’s good for something right? The writing was good and kept me engaged.

There’s an age gap. Idk how I feel about it.

I was a little shocked they said “I love you,” thinking, “Wait you do?” Shouldn’t I know they’re in love before they know? Me the intelligent romance reader I am?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I’m happy for the HEA. Happy for the heroine because MAN did she get crapped on alot in the book.

Idk about this one. It was good. But, and I hate to say but, Idk how I felt about it as a romance. For me personally I like to get swept up in glances and quick banter and good humor. I like to feel like these characters are SO HAPPY WHEN THEY ARE TOGETHER THAT FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS THEY CANT BE APART. This book is more…realistic love? That sounds lame and I don’t mean that. It’s more…practical? Straight forward? Less flirty happy go lucky and more serious? It’s two people that have been set up for their careers and just sort of find themselves in love. And there are a dumpster truck full of issues that have to be resolved before the HEA.

It’s good.

It’s a good book.

And this is a terrible review lol. Am I selling anyone on this book at all?! Here let me try again…

Read this book because it’s good just be prepared for it to be heavy!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, review is my own.