Sizzle Reel was a lighthearted rom-com surrounding coming out and coming to terms with one’s own sexuality. There were several things about this book that intrigued me, so much so that I was very excited about this ARC, but I ultimately don’t think it was for me.

The book itself is cute in its premise. There was something genuinely sweet about the idea of reading about a twenty-four year-old who calls herself a late bloomer when it comes to her bisexuality. She goes through all the stages of coming to terms with one’s sexuality, but her hyperfixation with losing her virginity—specifically categorising sex as needing to be penetrative in order to count—did not sit right with me. Like her roommate, Romy, I just grew annoyed with this bizarre quest of her that ultimately ignored the beauty of intimacy between two women and all of the ways in which sex with non-men can still be sex.

<spoiler>I found that the love triangle (that really wasn’t a love triangle) wasn’t all that satisfying on either end. Both Valeria and Romy were great as their own characters but I did not care for either for Luna. The chemistry between them all (in every capacity) felt very flat for me. I wasn’t all that convinced in the romance (and I believe that is because of Luna’s hyperfixation with her virginity).</spoiler>

Writing and pacing wise I felt like something was just a little off. I wasn’t super into the writing in the beginning but grew accustomed to it as it really fit Luna’s personality. Pacing, however, I could not get into. I could not figure out transitions and I felt generally lost as to where we were in terms of timing and locality. I am still wondering how long it took Valeria and Co. to film her directorial debut feature.

Overall it was a super quick and easy read. It was lighthearted and almost conflict-free which can be a great read for some! I wish the story was just a little more thought out and detailed; I would have loved to have learned more about the characters and I think there were so many chances for the author to really show us the longing between the characters that were just missed based on awkward pacing.

I wish the author nothing but the best and will happily pick up their upcoming works. Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, Anchor, and Carlyn Greenwald for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Luna is going to become a cinematographer by paying her dues as a PA for a Hollywood talent agent. She is also in the process of coming to terms with her sexuality and had just come out to her best friends as bi. She meets, Valeria at work and is immediately enamored with the young Oscar winner. To her surprise, Valeria shows interest in Luna but as they get closer Luna's best friend Romy starts acting increasingly odd.
I enjoyed reading this and felt like it was well written for a debut author. There is a lot of angst on Luna's part which made it feel more like a YA sorry than I was expecting. I liked Romy and Valeria both and there were a lot of fun interactions amongst them. A lot of this book though was Luna's internal dialogue though and it felt a bit much. There was also a really big focus on what constitutes sex and virginity from Luna that I really didn't understand and took away from the story in my opinion. Overall it was a good book but it wasn't quite what I expected.

Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald is fun, sizzling and incredibly addictive.
I am so delighted I got the chance to read this. When I seen the cover and read the description I knew I had to snag me a copy of this one.
I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading something.

This book was so fun from start to finish. I was immediately drawn in and once I started I didn't stop.
Our characters are realistic and well-rounded and their chemistry is sizzling.
Luna, Romy and Valeria
Greenwald knows how to write a
The plot is layered well, engaging, with a wild romance, and unique setting.
The chemistry between the characters depicted superbly.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year!
A wonderful coming of age read that I devoured and didn't want to end.
I loved it and Im looking forward to reading more of Carlyn's book in the future.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Knopf/Vintage,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.