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!