I reviewed an ARC for NetGalley:

This was a sweet fake relationship plot, with a little more depth. Ethan had a Ben Affleck feel and you rooted for him to overcome some demons.

Grey was wholesome and had some fire behind her character also.

Wilder did a nice job of presenting two actors’ backstories and motivations, before just throwing the characters together. There is some nice development for both Ethan and Grey along the way.

But, for some reason the romance fell a little flat for me. I couldn’t grasp any amazing chemistry with the characters and story. Hence my rating.

"How to Fake It in Hollywood" is a fun and steamy romance by Ava Wilder! Grey Brooks is an up-and-coming TV star who is looking for her next big break after the end of her popular TV series. Ethan Atkins is a big movie star, who has recently become a recluse after the death of his best friend and the end of his marriage. What both of them need is another opportunity. Their PR agents put their heads together and decide to make them Hollywood's next power couple. Although this is supposed to be a fake relationship, sparks begin to fly and the chemistry is electric!

I appreciate that serious issues were tackled in this book, such as grief, depression, and addiction. This was a cute book and made an easy read. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

CW: addiction, alcoholism, mention of child abuse/neglect, revenge p_rn

NOTE: Please don't let the content warning dissuade you from reading! How to Fake It In Hollywood is a mixed bag of pieces, but they fit together beautifully to complete the story.

Ethan is a reclusive former A-list actor. As many mega-famous stars are wont to do, he made a collection of poor choices that led to his demise both professionally and personally. His fall from grace happened publicly and he's made it his mission to keep his life private ever since - including cutting off family members and friends.

Grey is a former child actress struggling to find her place in the Hollywood scene. Short of a hatching a publicity stunt, she can't seem to break out of the mold she's been cast in. So when her agent approaches her about an opportunity, Grey is hesitant, but not completely opposed to the idea.

At the suggestion (and slight persuasion) of Ethan and Grey's shared agent, they agree to a six month contract (including a strict NDA) of "dating." The idea is to ease Ethan back into the spotlight and soften his image by showing him in a stable relationship with a "good girl" (Grey). Meanwhile, also boosting Grey's visibility by being seen on Ethan's arm, which will hopefully secure her more opportunities in the industry.

Aside from the fake relationship trope and cute banter between Grey and Ethan, How to Fake It in Hollywood is a hidden treasure of deeper truths. As someone who has dealt intimately with the crux of addiction, I can honestly say that Ava Wilder authentically portrays what it feels like to watch someone you love succumb to the disease. Through this story she shows the ways that addiction can seep into all aspects of someone's life and envelop their loved ones as well. The excuses, the justifications, the inadvertent enablers- it's all there. Not only does Wilder hit the nail on the head with the feelings of helplessness felt by those who love an addict, but she tenderly portrays the shame and despair that grips the addict and, thankfully, the hope that can be found in recovery. (I mean, HOW ABOUT THAT EPILOGUE?! *sigh*)

How to Fake It in Hollywood is not your cookie cutter forced proximity/fake relationship romance. The story is much deeper than your typical "boy-meets-girl-they-all-live-happyily-ever-after" relationship. I do have to say that I am glad the storyline took the direction it did (without mentioning any spoilers!).... there was a point in the book where I felt like the behaviors of the characters were so destructive and for a minute it didn't seem like they were going to be addressed - which would have been a serious disappointment and resulted in a much different review from me. Overall, this was a touching and sweet read. Definitely one that I would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I just devoured this one. It was cute and fun, but, I also love the way author has handled the heavy topics like alcoholism in a way that’s not only raw and authentic but also effortless. So, overall, it’s a 4 stars read for me.

4.5 stars
thank you so much to random house ballantine and netgalley for this early copy! <3 :)

'how to fake it in hollywood' follows our two MCs grey and ethan as they navigate a fake relationship. we see them get to know each other, eventually fall for each other, and navigate their ups and downs. although it's a rom-com, it does deal with heavier topics such as grief and addiction (alcoholism specifically) so i'd keep that in mind!

i finished this book in about two hours. something about wilder's writing just grabs the reader's attention. it flowed really nicely and i think she certainly has a great voice.

but i think the true stars are the characters (pun intended because they're celebrities). grey and ethan are so vivid, both together and by themselves. i especially adored grey. she was a great MC and i think people are going to love her. they're also going to love ethan, who's the sweetest grump ever. the two of them had great character development and i'm so happy to see that the problems they faced were solved realistically. they worked for their happy ending, it wasn't just handed to them.

this book is a must-read for those that love fake-dating and character-driven books. you get to know the characters so well and see them grow, both independently and together. not to mention the emotions that you'll feel when you read. wilder is definitely an author to watch and i'm looking forward to any new releases she might have.

this is a book you want to be on the lookout for. add it to your TBR nowwww.

This was super fun and cute! I loved how funny it was, and that it was written by a wholigan. I didn't fully love Ethan's alcoholism and how the cure was seemingly Grey.

crunch crunch scarjo yummy pop.

This is a charming and creative read! Grey was the long-time star on a popular teen show. Since it finished, though, she has struggled to find her next project. So when her publicist she enter into a fake relationship with Ethan, a former movie star who has been little seen since a series of scandals derailed his career, she is open to the idea (and not because she had a huge crush on Ethan when she was a teenager and his career was just taking off). Ethan has essentially been reclusive since the death of his closest friend and writing partner caused him to fall apart. But he hopes to produce the last script he wrote with his friend, and he is convinced that the only way to do so is by rehabilitating his image via the fake relationship.

The plan seems to work perfectly at first, as the public cannot seem to get enough of the new relationship. But as Grey and Ethan spend more time together, they each begin to question if there is more between them than just a professional arrangement -- and whether all the public attention they are receiving is really worth it.

This is one you will not be able to put down. It is a great premise for a romcom, and the story more than delivers.

Highly recommended!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I don't normally read romance, but I kept seeing the author writing about it, and then when Ben Affleck and JLo made their reappearance, I knew I wanted to read it.

I was hooked right from the start--Fake dating? Only one bed? Let's just get it out of our system? Yes, please!

The characters were well crafted, the plot took me on a roller coaster from pining, to Finally!! to nooooooo to maybe? to Yes! to whaaaaatt?? to okay okay to whew, YES.

Can't wait to see what the author does next! Highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing a review copy! All views are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4388957610

I promised myself I could read one chapter while dinner cooked and here we are a day later, completely finished and with a book hangover.

I absolutely loved this book! How to Fake It in Hollywood was a wonderful romance, but it offered so much more. Grey is an up and coming actress, fresh off a multi-season network tv show and unsure of which step is the right one for her career. Her PR rep has the perfect solution - a fake relationship with Ethan Atkins, reclusive A-list actor who needs to revive his own career.

The chemistry between Grey and Ethan was tangible from their very first meeting. I loved Grey's character - she was completely charming, warm and and completely unpretentious. The drama that plagued Ethan and Grey’s relationship was very believable given their backgrounds (both relatively young when they became actors) and could have gone many different ways. The characters manage to grow and work through their own issues, helping each other where they can and giving space when needed. I just loved it and I can’t wait to read it again! I’m already telling all of my romance loving friends to pre-order :)

(Trigger warnings for addiction & off page mentions of abuse.)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for an advanced copy.

Devoured this in a day - I loved Ava Wilder's writing. The specificity of her references and self-awareness about Hollywood pitfalls made HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD a truly compelling read. I'm very particular about Hollywood books, and this book worked for me on so many levels. I really loved the depth Wilder brought to Grey and Ethan's issues that made their fake dating to real relationship work. I also love that it has shades of A STAR IS BORN without it ending in one star's rise at the cost of the other one's fall. A lot of books marketed as romcoms right now are not genuinely funny - I laughed out loud several times reading this book, more from voice and turns of phrase/observations than the wacky setups that characterize other romcoms I've read recently. This book was very much my thing and I'm excited to tell everyone I know to read it.

When I tell you that I ignored my family for an entire day while I devoured Ava Wilder's incredible debut, I'm not exaggerating. I've always been a fan of the famous person/people trope in romance, so I've had my eye on this one for a while. I expected that I'd enjoy it, but to say I "enjoyed" it would be like saying I "enjoy" sea-salted chocolate chip cookies. HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD is just as delicious and rich, and deeply satisfying.

I'll come back with a more detailed review once it publishes in September, but my non-spoiler review goes like this: the chemistry between Grey and Ethan is immediate and electric. The issues they face together and separately feel incredibly realistic for the positions and industry they're in, and are written in a matter-of-fact tone that still manages to be wholly empathetic. I loved the secondary cast of characters (Nora in particular) and the wink-wink twists on real Hollywood personalities (Virginia Virginia was a personal fave). The open-door sex scenes were steamy but also full of an emotional depth that I always personally love to read. Their HEA was so satisfying to read because of the work it took them to get there. And Ava's writing itself is clean, smart, and compelling.

FYI, Ava's posted content warnings/considerations on Goodreads. Highly recommend you review those before diving in, because there are some heavy topics explored.

It's early but I'm calling it now: this will definitely make my list of top reads for 2022. So looking forward to what Ava puts out next!

This book is so good. I laughed, I cried. I am a cliche. But seriously this book had so much depth. Love the fake dating trope and the romance but the hard, emotional stuff was just chefs kiss.

Wow. This book. I was intrigued by the premise and thought I would just read the first few pages, dip my my toes into it. I couldn't put it down. First I was charmed by Grey and Ethan and their romance. What started out as a classic fantasy romance, with two celebrities and a fake dating trope, turned out have a lot more depth than I expected. The characters felt real despite their extraordinary circumstances. I went through a roller coaster of emotions with this book, with swoony highs and throw-my-kindle lows, but by the time reached the final page, I felt like every single moment made sense and lead to a more satisfying ending. This one goes into my re-read pile.

Thank you to Ava Wilder, Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Style/Trope/TLDR: Romance, Hollywood, fake dating, addiction

Grey just finished a multi-season acting roll and is looking to score a part in a major action movie franchise and get her own film made with her best friend, when her agent suggests a fake romance with Ethan, a A list actor who has had some career snags. Sparks fly.

Without too much by way of spoilers, this book is not just a romance that ends with one grand gesture and fade to black. It’s a more complicated story with at least one side character who is a little more fleshed out (most are a little flat). Overall, in addition to the romance itself which was fantastic, the book surprises and went deeper than I had been expecting when I picked it up. Highly recommend.

An up-and-coming actress fake-dating an A-lister? What could be literally any better. This novel went beyond the basics of a romance novel and was a really beautiful portrait of people who still needed to work their shit out but still delivered a HEA that left me in tears. Highly! Recommend! This! Book!