4.5 rounded up!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Ava Wilder, and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Grey is a young-ish actress verging on irrelevancy after her long-running teen drama wrapped a year ago, and Ethan is an unintentionally semi-retired DILF needed to make a PR comeback. Neither is perfect, both are completely flawed with a whole cargo hold full of baggage, and both are completely in lust with one another. But can they deserve one another?

Tropes featured include fake dating, one bed, as well as grump and sunshine - and once you marry that with rich people in Hollywood, how could I possibly resist?

One thing I'd really like to commend Wilder on is her ability to create conflict between the two main characters without relying on miscommunication as a plot point. I also think this novel that could have been a lighthearted contemporary romance was able to dig deeper and handle some tough topics - without digging too deep and straying from the intended genre.

Overall, Wilder did an amazing job and this book was a joy to read and a blast to fly through. Mark your calendars for June 14th, 2022!

Aw, I have mixed feelings about this book. I love romance stories that aren’t cliche, and How to Fake it in Hollywood ticked that box. I also loved the dual narrative, and I believe adding the love interest’s voice to an (angsty) romance story, especially if it’s m/f, balances a romance book more. And in this case, Ethan was the far more interesting character than Grey. While I found Grey rather shallow and couldn’t really connect to her, Ethan was complex, still grieving after the death of his best friend five years ago and his failed marriage, struggling with not seeing his kids much, not being able to make movies with Sam ever again, and alcohol abuse.

Ava Wilder’s writing is engaging. She drew me into the story, and when I looked at the page count, I had read more than a hundred pages already without realizing it.

But there were also some things I liked less, and they all have to do with Grey. When she was entering a cold building at some point, she felt her nipples getting hard. This immediately threw me off. I’m sorry, but I don’t immediately think of my nipples when I feel cold! I rub my arms, have chills, goosebumps, or whatever. And I definitely didn’t understand Grey when she called Ethan out on his alcohol abuse and didn’t want him smoking, and at the same time got drunk multiple times (with the excuse of being a lightweight) and offered Ethan a joint when he just showed her his nicotine patch.

Overall this was an okay read. Recommended for those who love an angsty romance.

This had a lot of my favorite tropes. Hollywood! Fake dating! Only one bed!

I was really worried that it would turn into the male lead, a severe alcoholic, just needing the right woman to come along and fix him. I am SO glad it didn’t. Grey was independent, strong, spunky and intelligent - absolutely love her. Ethan was a complete mess, but I was rooting for him to get it together. This book really took readers through some really high highs, and severely low lows. It was a ride from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down.

I haven't had much luck in the past with books taking place in the entertainment industry but this sounded too good to pass up - and that cover! It exceed my expectations and I think I have found a new favorite book to add to my list. They set up a mutually beneficial contract but, as expected, things don't always go as planned. It made me question every off-couple in the industry. The interactions between the two MC were the right amount and given at the correct time. I appreciated their life outside of each other. It was a bit strange and awkward at the beginning when they were originally tiptoeing around each other. I mean, staying overnight/the weekend at some random actors house you just met? You do you, Grey! I was getting a little bit worried during the last 20% of the book when it was coming to Ethan's story. The book does deal with some heavy subjects and it made me uncomfortable at times but it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

At the end of that day, it was a fast and easy read with fleshed out the characters. Shoutout to the best subplot...complicated TV, FTW!
4.5
Also posted on goodreads.

I was completely blown away by this book. I was expecting "How to Fake It in Hollywood" to be like any other romantic comedy--a guilty please sure, feel-good read. While this book definitely had its laugh-out-loud moments, I was taken back by Ethan's character arc.

Grey is a strong female lead. She is hands-down one of the most relatable fictional women I've ever read about. She was an actual independent woman, who knew what she deserved.

This novel provides an in-depth, accurate portrayal of grief, alcoholism, and substance abuse. We don't see a glazed-over recovery, that gives the impression anyone can give up addictions when they just meet the right person. Instead, we see a revelation of small details foreshadowing an impending descent to rock bottom. I braced myself for two days waiting on the climatic explosion I knew had to be coming, before I could finally sit down to finish the book.

The only thing I would consider changing is including a storyline about Ethan's children. They are mentioned throughout the novel, but we don't get to see the relationship between Ethan and his daughters evolve.

This book had me laughing out loud, crying real tears, and smiling like an idiot by the end--and I loved every page.

This book was so cute!! I love the actress Hollywood trope so much and this did not disappoint!! Comfort and would definitely read again!!

I have always been interested in celebrity gossip so a story that is basically all about that was right up my alley. This was a fun enjoyable read.

Let’s first take a moment to admire this cover! All the La La Land vibes!!

Grey Brooks is slowing entering D-list level stardom after a long run teen soap opera, has deflated her acting career. Ethan Atkins is a recently divorced father of two, has an alcohol problem, and is grieving the loss of his childhood best friend/fellow actor. Ethan needs a clean slate, while Grey is desperate to stay relevant. A fake dating scheme may be the golden ticket Grey & Ethan need to restart their success in Hollywood. Things don’t go according to plan. and their public “relationship” blows up in flames.

I must say, i absolutely loved Grey’s feisty personality. Ethan on the other hand, is an emotional mess who is fighting so many demons. I enjoyed how this story came together. The journey of self improvement for both mc’s was beyond refreshing and it made this book that much better. Yes, it’s a love story but much more complex than just a picture perfect happily ever after. Love is most powerful, at times overwhelming emotion - but it doesn’t wash away the years of damage. This novel was extremely realistic - and you truly have to love yourself before allowing someone else to love you.

i thought this book was executed beautifully and it most definitely a book I’d recommend!

“Ethan was like a river: powerful and unpredictable. Sometimes she was one with the current, floating peacefully, basking in the sunshine. Sometimes she was drowning.”

“All this social media bullshit. I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with it when I was coming up. Everyone feels entitled to complete access to every part of you, all the time. It’s insane.”

Such a solid debut! The third person narrative really worked here and the transitions between Grey’s and Ethan’s POV within the chapters was seamless. I love how it highlighted what’s wrong with the industry. I’m not typically a fan of MCs being so quick to fall for each other but Ethan was Grey’s teenage hearthrob crush and I blush just at the THOUGHT of Brad Pitt so I understand completely her instalove vibes completely. With that said, she was a no-bullshit character that didn’t cut him any slack so that helped. I really loved both main characters and found myself rooting for them. Ethan is a fantastic damaged hero! The romance/story started off a bit slow with lots of hesitance and pining BUT it got very open door steamy once things got ramped up. All of the side characters were pretty great. Honestly, a fun read that also explored serious issues like living in the public eye, drug/alcohol dependency, family resentment, and overcoming grief. I LOVED THE EPILOGUE. It’s so rare I feel that way that I needed to write it in all caps. A must if you’re a fan of Hollywood/celebrity fiction, some depth with your romcom, and character-driven plots.

Tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, actor/actress, age gap

I am so so grateful I got to read this fabulous book in advance. First and foremost- holy hotness! The spark between Grey and Ethan simmered and grew into a full-blown fire as the book progressed. Given it's a Hollywood book, I was so impressed by the way the author subverted tropes, planted clever little nods to real life personalities, and handled the very real struggles of those in the industry with care.

Also, and perhaps most importantly, this author knows her craft! She is incredibly skillful in the way she weaves themes and character development. I appreciated the way that their individual journeys to self-improvement amplified the romance, and made the HEA so much richer. Gah!! I love it.

I am a sucker for people looking to reclaim former glory and the lengths they'll go to in that pursuit, so this book really hit the spot for me! I can't wait to see what the author puts out next!

How to Fake It in Hollywood, a debut from Ava Wilder, offers a new edition of a fake dating (Hollywood style) romcom. Grey Brooks is looking to cement her career after the demise of her teen soap (think The Vampire Diaries) and her publicist offers a magic solution: fake-date disgraced Hollywood icon, Ethan Atkins (think Ben Affleck without the rehab) for the publicity. While sexy and drama-filled, Ethan’s alcoholic binges make this less of a romance and more of a cautionary tale about entering into a relationship with a drinker who isn’t interested in admitting there’s a problem. The writing is strongest when it’s about the relationships between the women in Grey’s life (her agent, her publicist, her roommate). The friendships Grey has with the women in the book are one of the most enjoyable and hopeful elements in the book frequently in contrast to the ambivalent and destructive scenes with Ethan. An interesting and steamy premise but readers could be turned off by the lack of humor, Ethan’s absentee parenting (he has kids), and general gloom of what dating someone with a substance problem is like.

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD has a lot of promise, and it delivers on a lot of that promise. Even though the story goes the predictable route of the fake dating trope, it was compelling to see these two characters interact with each other and find compromising ground. As a couple Grey and Ethan are realistic (even when they're faking it), and the sexual tension makes every little interaction charged.

My only hesitance with giving this read five stars is the story beats. Like I said, it follows every paver of the fake dating trope and even has the big third-act break-up scene (or, I guess, a couple of them), but I feel like everything is so rushed and just thrown in there - namely Ethan's alcoholism - that the resolutions to all these subplots aren't satisfying in the slightest. I should've been ecstatic when Grey and Ethan reunited, but I wasn't emotionally connected enough to the characters to feel that joy. So much depth of Ethan's addiction and Grey's issues with her family come too late for me to feel any relief in their almost immediate resolution.

I liked this book quite a bit, but those my tiny nitpicks were just big enough to keep me from flat out being in love with it.

Grey Brooks is an up and coming actress. Despite acting throughout her childhood and 5 seasons of Posion Paradise, she isn't exactly "famous famous."
Ethan Atkins on the other hand is an Oscar winning actor known for his talent along with his good looks. However, Ethan has had a rough past few years, leaving him reculsive in his house.
After agreeing to a six month fake relationship to help both Grey advance in her career and Ethan to step back into Hollywood, the couple has to determine if this is all an act or are they falling for each other.
TRIGGER WARNING: alcoholism, addiction.
How to Fake It in Hollywood was a slow start for me but I was NOT expecting the story to turn out the way it did. I really enjoyed Grey's character for her sassy personality and how she wasn't intimidated to stand her ground against Ethan's ego. Once the couple started to explore the chemistry between them, things turned SPICY! There was hope, defeat, heartbreak, and light at the end of the tunnel feelings throughout the entire book. All in all, I loved it and would definitely recommend!

A fake dating trope set in Hollywood? Sign me up! What could go wrong? (or so I thought)

How to Fake It in Hollywood was on the list of my most anticipated releases of 2022, so when I got the opportunity to review it early through Netgalley, I was ecstatic! This book was my first ever arc and I am so grateful I had the chance to read it early.

Overall, I enjoyed How to Fake It in Hollywood, but I did have a lot of issues with the story and the writing choices. In its current iteration, it is a solid three-star read, but I don't think it is anything more than that. First off I found it incredibly hard to get into. It took me two weeks to read when normally a book like this wouldn't take more than two to three days.

The book has a solid premise. Two Hollywood stars enter into a deal that is mutually beneficial to their respective careers. What is the deal, you may ask? Why fake dating of course! I loved most of the story. The real problem I had was with the writing.

There are sections of this book where the writing of the female main character is plain icky and gross. It's very sexist and misogynistic and gives the feel of a male author writing a female character. (The girls that get it, get it.) Unnecessary descriptions of her supposed beauty and body. There were lengthy descriptions of Grey's nipples pebbling when she would walk into a cold office building. I couldn't see why that sort of description was needed for the sake of the story. It took me out of the immersion of the book.

I also felt that Grey's feelings for Ethan are slightly insta love-y. I get that he was her celebrity crush when she was younger, but that doesn't translate directly to love without at least a little development which I don't feel like we got until well past the second half of the book.

Multiple times throughout the book there are prominent examples of the author deciding to tell not show. At one point, Ethan googles Grey and we, as readers, then have to sit through an info dump of Grey's life instead of gradually learning that information.

I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the two romantic leads until, again, the second half of the story. Up until the halfway point, the story was very repetitive.

On a positive note, I did enjoy the author's writing style even though I disliked some of the writing choices. Ava Wilder's writing style flows very well. You can easily visualize what the author is saying and what the characters are doing. I feel that this is the best type of writing because when you read it, you don't even realize you're reading. It allows you to lose yourself in the story.

While some of the problems I pointed out may seem like I didn't like the book, I did enjoy it. It took me finally getting past the halfway point before I could appreciate the story. I loved the tropes and themes explored. I've never read another romance book that tackles some of what we would consider "darker" themes as this one does. But, on that note, I do think this book would have worked better as a general fiction book rather than a romance. I love the romance genre and will sing its praises until the cow comes home, but How to Fake it In Hollywood just wasn't a convincing enough romance for me. I think if the author had decided to take the general fiction route, it would have been a better opportunity to explore more of Ethan alcoholism and his grief over Sam, Grey's struggles with being a child actor, and the pressure she feels from her family and any of the other multitude of more serious issues that were brought up. At the end of the day, Grey and Ethan didn't feel like a romance book couple and I don't think they're a couple that makes it past the epilogue.

*This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was so entertaining! Grey was an amazing main character and Ethan had a lot of depth that I thought added a nice layer of complexity to this romance. I would absolutely read more from this author!

I’m giving this book 3.5 stars

This book not only has fake dating, age gap, and it also has the one bed trope. What more could you want in a romance? You go into this book thinking that it’s a cute romance but it also bring attention to addiction, loss, and personal growth. Seeing how both of the characters mature throughout the book is refreshing and inspiring. The ending of the book was super cute but it left me yearning for more than what we got.

I loved Grey. I thought she was fantastic. Ethan however was a big piece of work. I think he was written very realistically but I really hated him and thought Grey was way too good for him.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

This romance is truly one that is hard to put down! I am a sucker for a good fake dating trope and Ava Wilder's portrayal through Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins is one of my favorites! I also love stories that get into the romance quickly so if that is your thing as well you will love this story!

The writing style is very reminiscent of Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material - Grey's humor instantly pulled me in and I found it relatable! And the banter between Grey and Ethan? Ah!

The topics that Wilder explores with her characters are done really well in my opinion, though I wish that it had been a little more spread out throughout the book. A lot of Ethan's struggles are slammed in the last ten chapters that I instantly disliked him and found it hard to be understanding by the epilogue. It may just be a personal preference / reading experience however!

Overall, this is a fast-paced, sexy story of two actors braving the world of Hollywood together with an unexpected depth into real-world issues that had me emotionally invested and ranting to my friends!

I will definitely recommend How to Fake It in Hollywood and all future Ava Wilder works!

I am also IN LOVE with Andromeda!

I loved it. I saw it all in my head, picturing Grey as Candace King from Vampire Diaries and Brad Pitt as Ethan. (I'm sorry, but back when he was just getting with Angelina and they just had the 2 kids, he was the definition of a DILF. Yeah I said it, this book gives us quality DILF.)

It wasn't overly smutty, it wasn't so saccharine that it belongs on the Hallmark Channel. It felt like really good writing and nothing like other stories I've read. It's a quality light and fluffy, movie stars fake dating that is going to be an amazing beach read.

4.5/5 stars!

i have a love for romances set between celebrities with background being hollywood; the drama, the glamour, the events, all of it is so whimsical i adore it. how to fake it in hollywood had EVERYTHING i could want! my first five star read of 2022.

grey’s career has lagged after ending her teen drama. ethan atkinson is maybe finally returning to the spotlight after years of staying away. grey and ethan share a pr manager and she believes a fake relationship is the key to giving both of their careers a jumpstart.

split between a dual pov, this slow burn romance is filled with glamour and drama, but also characters with a lot of growth. just when you thought you were reaching the big grand gesture, the story keeps moving and building which made me love it even more!