Member Reviews

I loved this Hollywood behind the scenes romance of co-stars who can't stand each other. It has an enemies to lovers vibe and some explosive chemistry between Lilah and Shane. The characters are flawed and their banter is super entertaining as they try to get through filming of their last season together. It's a funny and spicy read.
Another winner from Ava Wilder and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

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I'm so sorry I didn't review this when it came out--totally missed it in my list. I adored this so much, and I'm not always a fan of Hollywood romances. This was the perfect blend of history, heat, and longing, and watching them fall back in love and admit their feelings was SO satisfying.

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This is kind of a second chance, enemies to lovers vibe and I was surprisingly here for it. Lilah and Shane started on a paranormal TV show. They dated at the beginning of the series, then broke up and continued to act together (it’s giving 2000s teen show vibes). Lilah takes a several year break from the show to pursue other opportunities, but has to come back for one final season when her career fails to take off without the show.

On paper? Shane and Lilah are finally being reunited and are a beloved couple. America’s sweethearts, anyone? Behind the screen, they can barely stand each other. That leads to a lot of tension and chemistry between the two. Lilah is flawed, Shane has his faults but at the end of the day do they love each other enough to try and make it work?

In a nutshell, you get:

*second chance romance
*Hollywood couple
*mental health representation
*dual POV
*enemies to Lovers
*elow-burn that does lead to spice

Do I see this couple as long term? Maybe not, it is a bit toxic and they both need some work. Was it still an enjoyable read? Absolutely-and the audio was even better!

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Ugh I wanted this to live up to the hype so badly, but I felt like it was just super drawn out and long for now reason. This wasn't one of my favorite reads unfortunately.

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I read Will They or Won’t They back in August and I’m still thinking about the ending right now in March lolol I LOVED this book!! I’ve said it once and i’ll say it again. Second chance romances are magic to me BUT they’re hard to get right because there’s a difference between telling us two characters have a history and chemistry and actually *showing* their relationship to us. Lilah and Shane felt fulling fleshed out and reading about this made me feel like I had already known them for years before they appeared on page 1. Their tension truly was palpable. I’m usually wary of contemporary romances that advertise “enemies to lovers” because in a modern setting, it’s usually more so rivals at best and the stakes don’t feel very high. But in Will They or Won’t They, it really did feel like actual enemies which is such a testament to Ava Wilder’s writing. And no spoilers but the third act of this book WOOO just go read it, i promise you won’t regret it. 4.75⭐️

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I wanted this SO BADLY to live up to how much I adored Ava's first book but unfortunately it did not... it just felt super long and drawn out, which is not how I want my romance books to feel.

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Thank you to NetGalley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the premise of this book and the writing. I appreciated getting a better understanding of the characters. The will they or won't they required a lot of flip flopping of the characters so it wasn't easy to be engaged with them as people until they went to therapy and learned to open up and be vulnerable with each other.

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This was a great enemies to lovers story. Great chemistry and conflict throughout the book with a creative plot.

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3 stars!

I was excited for this because although I ended up DNFing this authors previous romance, I was still really drawn into the description of this one. I think unfortunately it's always hard for me to get behind enemies to lovers in a contemporary romance because how can you truly be enemies? I also didn't really like either main character, and kept forgetting that they were in their 30s because they had the maturity level of high schoolers. It also took so long for them to get together when it was clear they were interested in each other and a relationship.

I think unfortunately as much as I'd really like her to be, Ava Wilder may not be the author for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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This is my first read by Ava Wilder, I find myself torn. While I appreciated the craftsmanship of her writing and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the plot, I couldn't shake the feeling that the narrative occasionally meandered, elongating the story unnecessarily. Moreover, conflicts seemed to resolve too easily, merely through a brief conversation and mutual comprehension, which left me wanting for more complexity.

Nevertheless, what truly captivated me was the remarkable character development. Lilah and Shane emerged as vivid, authentic individuals, and their relationship felt refreshingly genuine amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Their dynamic was raw and palpable, adding a layer of authenticity to the narrative that I found thoroughly engaging.

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This was such a cute read, I'm a sucker for celebrity romances. Second chance, celebrity, dual pov, enemies to lovers, and some slow burn spice. Really enjoyed the anxiety reputation while it was still funny and witty! I think I liked it even more than her first book, which was also great!

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Will They or Won’t They focuses on two Hollywood stars who debuted in a teen paranormal drama TV show. The lead female leaves the show after the 5th season, but comes back to reboot her career and possibly her romance with her co-star.

Now, let’s chat about the book itself.

What I liked:
I’m always a fan of lovers to enemies to lovers trope. You’re left guessing at every turn of the page, will these two get together?

What I also enjoyed was how our two MC’s question their career choices. They both embark on a journey of sorts, wondering if their careers are fulfilling enough while searching for their own passion, not only for each other, but for their separate careers.

What didn’t work for me:
I get that this was a tug-of-war between two people who have a past romance history. Who are working on a possible second chance romance. But when the uncertainty of being together is the entire book (I’m aware of the title 😂) I honestly, started to lose interest.

Halfway through the book I was already inwardly screaming can we PLEASE pick if they will be together or not because I’d really like to get to the ending preferably with a happy ending...

If you love Hollywood romances, dual POV’s, and enemies-to-lovers definitely give this one a try.

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I really liked the premise of this book and was really looking forward to reading it. It took me awhile to get interested in this book. I didn’t find the characters super captivating and with so many other books out there, I paused this one for awhile. I really like Ava Wilder and cannot wait to give her next book a try.

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Thank you Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love or should we say their characters are. As the star of a hit show Intangible, Lilah and Shane spent years pining for each other onscreen...until Lilah ditches the show at the end of the season five in hopes of becoming a movie star. With no luck she is back to film for the final season in which Lilah and Shane's characters will get together at last. But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of season one, the two of them have despised each other. As there hate escalates they are asked to go to couples therapy just to make the show bearable for the others involved. However, as they work on becoming civil does the unexpected happen?

I thought this one was just okay. I did not really connect with either characters. Though I am a sucker for enemies to lovers that is what kept me reading. Unfortunately I just did not get fully into the story. I do have a feeling that some will really enjoy this one though. It could have also just been a great book at the wrong time.

Content: Swearing, sex scenes

Read if you enjoy:
Enemies to Lovers
Costars to Lovers
Romance
Movies

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Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this eARC (even if I'm VERY late with the review).

I loved Shane and Lilah's chemistry! Their connection was evident from the very beginning with a well-executed meet cute that set the tone for the rest of the story. I appreciated that the level of angst was slightly lower than Ava Wilder's "How to Fake It In Hollywood" but there was still a substantial amount of drama to work through and kept me engaged.

There were a lot of times where I felt like yelling at them, "Just kiss already!" But I enjoyed how both of the main characters' arcs felt complete with each other and in their careers. As always, Wilder writes people who feel lived in and raw in their emotions, making her a must-buy for me moving forward.

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"How to Fake It In Hollywood" was a standout of 2022 for me, but unfortunately "Will They or Won't They" just didn't have the same magic for me. I wasn't as invested in the relationship or the characters and was left feeling disappointed. That said, I'll absolutely pick up Wilder's next book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved this book! The tension jumps off the pages and these characters were wonderful. Wilder has quickly become an autobuy author for me!

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DNF @ 36%

The book started out strong for me but I slowly found myself wanting to read it less and less. There wasn't anything in particular. It just wasn't pulling me in anymore.

***Advanced copy obtained from Random House via Netgalley***

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This was a cute second chance, enemies to lovers story. I liked having dual POV. I listened and read along and really enjoyed the audio. However, I just didn’t feel like I connected to the characters as much as I would liked. It started off a little slow for me, the middle toward the end was good, and then the ending was just okay for me. Thank you netgalley for an e-copy to read and review. ☺️

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I really enjoyed this book!

Lilah and Shane were compelling characters and their disagreements were realistic and understandable. I've read Ava Wilder's other book and my thoughts on that one were very similar - her characters are consistently well developed and vibrant, and the way that they address heavy topics through the framework of behind the scenes in Hollywood. Like her debut, this book is not a light romcom, so don't expect it to be an easy, quick read - it is deep and gritty and emotional, but in a way that is somehow very enjoyable.

I highly recommend both of Wilder's books, and am excited to read what comes next from her.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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