I was a HUGE fan of "How to Fake it in Hollywood" last year, and Wilder delivered again! I love a hollywood romance and enemies to lovers, so this was one I've been looking forward to for awhile. Wilder does an incredible job of creating multi-layered characters and building tension right off the bat. Also, as a huge Vampire Diaries, Lucifer, Teen Wolf fan -- I NEED to see Intangible!!!

She's cemented as an auto-buy author for me after this!

I liked this behind-the-scenes look at two co-stars in love (and at times, full of hate). The reason for their initial breakup seemed a little thin to me, like there needed to be a bit more background on Lilah’s insecurities, but I could definitely see how that incident spiraled into full-blown animosity between the two. I really loved Lilah and Shane together when they were being nice to each other and I liked the backdrop of the supernatural show and what that entailed. I was an eager reader at the beginning, but I’ll admit that as the book went on, I found that I had to force myself not to skim. Also, the last little bit of drama didn’t do it for me—it felt abrupt and forced—but I did appreciate the happy ending! The author (new to me) had a great writing style and I’m curious to read more of her work.

Lilah and Shane were fun to read about. On screen they are madly in love and off screen they are enemies. They tried the secret relationship during season one of their hit television series but now as the series is ending and Lilah has returned after taking a few seasons away, enemy status may be changing. This was an enjoyable read with good characters set against the backdrop of a television show. It gave me some vibes from some of my favorite CW shows and I enjoyed this read. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ava Wilder is back with her second book that will not disappoint!

Lilah and Shane are cast as leads in a highly popular TV series, Insatiable. During their first season, they have a secret fling that implodes before the start of the second season. They spend the next several seasons hating one another until Lilah leaves the show to pursue a movie opportunity. For the final season, they are once more reunited and the animosity returns. Together, they are forced to deal with the aftermath of their fling while also pretending to be in love for the show.

I loved her first book, How to Fake it in Hollywood, so I was so excited to read this one. It definitely lived up to my high expectations for it.

I immediately fell in love with Lilah and Shane from the beginning. I could feel the sparks fly during this slow burn romance. I absolutely adored the second chance romance built up across the arc of the book. The flashbacks sprinkled throughout really helped add depth to the story, so you could really see what happened, and why, to lead them down this road.

Wilder has the unique ability to create characters that are deeply complex and flawed, but feel so real. I cannot tell you how many times I had to pause and just absorb her prose throughout the book because it was that good. Wilder does such a seamless job capturing the emotions and chemistry of the main characters- I was very emotionally invested in these two. This is an absolute must read romance for 2023.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for the advanced reader copy!

3.5⭐️ i had the pleasure of getting the arc of this book it was really cute easy read. i wasn’t a fan of the ending though

“We’ve never been friends Lilah.”


I loved this book so much! The chemistry between Lilah and Shane was so good, their bickering back and forth. Wondering if they were going to get together or not.

I highly recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley and @avawilderwrites for the arc

Summary :
Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love—at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, Lilah and Shane spent years pining for each other onscreen . . . until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a movie star. With no such luck, she’s back to film the much-hyped ninth and 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.

Now reunited on set for the first time in years—with the world’s eyes on them and their post-show careers on the line—they’ll have to grit their teeth and play nice. But under pressure to give Intangible’s fans the happy ending they’ve been waiting for, Lilah and Shane are forced to get closer than ever. And if they’re not careful, they might just get blindsided by one final twist: a real-life happy ending of their own.

I loved how to fake it in Hollywood, and this is the first time I’ve read an author’s new work so soon after reading their first. Suffice to say I was a little nervous I would be a bit let down. I’ll stop burying the lead here, wow this was such a great follow up from Ava Wilder!

They’re definitely different books, but the way the author writes characters is dynamic and fun, which hooks you from the get go and doesn’t let go. Ava Wilder could lead her characters on a mid-book diversion to Antarctica, and I’d follow them there and back again willingly!

This was such a great slow burn where patience definitely is a virtue- in a good way. It’s not a fun read if there isn’t intrigue! I found myself wanting to keep reading, but not in an all consuming way where I had to finish the book on the spot. The pacing was well done and the payoff totally worth it. I also appreciated some cheeky cameos from how to fake it in Hollywood ;)

Do yourself a favor and read this! You’ll have a great time being led through these characters lives and their story finding their way back to each other.

There is just something so pleasant about reading Ava Wilder’s books. Going in, you know that each and every character, including those in supporting roles, will be fully developed and relatable. The lovers to enemies to lovers trope was done well and it was so delightful to see the progression of Lila and Shane's relationship both in the present day as well as through flashbacks of varied time periods. Overall this was such a great novel!

**Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I loved this book even more than I expected, and I had very high hopes. I've heard such great things about Ava Wilder books and Will They or Won't They absolutely lived up to the hype.

In order to salvage her acting career after her recent movie tanked, Lilah returns to the TV show she left years before for a final season. But she must work with her ex, Shane, again -- a big reason she left the show in the first place -- after their secret affair imploded after the first season.

I loved the second-chance trope in this book and how, unlike a lot of other second-chance stories, the couple interacted a lot between their original break up and when the romance started after Lilah's return. There is so much animosity between the two of them because they were exes working closely together for years and the banter was off the charts. They know how to push each other's buttons so well, but over the course of the story, that deep understanding of the other person really lent itself to creating a strong and unbreakable bond between them.

This story was funny, tender, sexy, and so beautifully written. It checked all my boxes for a perfect romance with an interesting plot and strong side character. Highly recommend!

This was great! So fun to read, almost perfect rom com that everyone might enjoy.
Ava Wilder’s books are always fun and easy to read and she never disappoints. Each and every character, including those in supporting roles, are fully developed and relatable, and actually have personalities, which we do not get to see in most rom coms. The pacing is great and steady throughout without the dreaded “drag” that can happen especially in romance novels. The conclusion of it all was also very well done, not plot holes or questions left unanswered. The enemies to lovers was also well developed, so for the lovers of this particular trope, you will definitely eat this up. favorite scenes were Shane and Lilah’s counseling sessions where we were able to gain a glimpse into their very repressed emotions.

ava wilder's How to Fake it in Hollywood was one of my favorite 2022 reads, and now she has done it again making Will They or Won't They one of my favorite reads of 2023 (and it's only February??) as well as securing a spot on my autobuy list.

this is an angsty, second chance romance with all of the push and pull tension you could ever ask for. my favorite thing about wilder's novels, however, isn't just the romance. it's that she creates characters that are just so deeply human. her characters never look for salvation in their relationship, they know all of their problems won't be magically fixed by getting together. they work on themselves separately, confront the issues that have been keeping them apart, so that they can finally be and grow together. i saw a lot of myself in lilah, and i thought that wilder depicted anxiety with so much grace. her characters are so complex, and despite this being a second chance romance, our characters still wholly exist outside of their relationship.

i also think ava wilder is hilarious. her ability to write seamlessly flowing dialogue that reads like a real conversation is nothing short of a talent. a struggle spot with romances for me can often be forced banter that is trying too hard to be funny. i said it in my review on how to fake it and i will say it again: ava wilder just is funny. even when shane and lilah hated each other, their hatred never felt unjustified, and their snarky remarks never felt like too much.

this was an easy five star read for me, and ava wilder is for sure an author to look out for! i can see her having a big name in romance.

thank you so much to netgalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review!

This book in 3 words: Hollywood. Lively. Angst.

Lilah, an actress, returns to a hit show for its ninth and final season. The biggest challenge won't be getting all the new co-stars on her good side but working with Shane, the former colleague she can't stand.

One thing is certain, Ava Wilder knows what it takes to write a stellar celebrity romance! Will They or Won't They is her second book but there's no sophomore slump to be found.

A truly character driven storyline is the star of the show (see what I did there). Lilah and Shane are both vexatious, angsty, hopeful, and fun. I think Wilder does a wonderful job in balancing the main characters. While they may be infuriating at times, they're vibrant and full of positive energy in others. 

The tension oozes from the pages. If you're a fan of palpable tension, second-chance romance, forced proximity, or chemistry, this is the read for you. You'll get a few spicy scenes but the tension is WHERE IT'S AT. 

Killer dialogue in this story. I found myself audibly laughing throughout and smiling even more. Just the right amount of banter which felt genuinely important for the plot. 

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

One thing that Ava Wilder can do really well is build extremely high tension between her characters and write excellent banter. I absolutely loved How to Fake it in Hollywood and was so excited to dive into this one to see how she would tackle the tropes of second-chance romance and enemies to lovers.

There was so much to like here, and I really liked both main characters and the chemistry between them. It's truly a slow burn between these reunited co-stars, who, for reasons that are slowly revealed through flashbacks, have truly come to loathe each other. Overall, it did take me a little while to get into this one (they are truly enemies at the start), and it does drag a bit as they continually take one step closer and then two leaps back. The scenes where they do grow closer really really work (the phone call!) and I really enjoyed the ending of this one, mostly because it felt like it was so true to the characters.

Highly recommend this one (and How to Fake it as well!) and honestly can't wait to see what Wilder writes next. *Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Ok after How to Fake It In Hollywood, I had really high expectations for this one - and they were surpassed !!! I am a puddle.

After 9 years of despising each other, Lilah and Shane are forced to work together for the final season of their show. Will They or Won’t They is a masterclass in enemies-to-lovers - realistic, off the charts chemistry and issues that don’t just stem from a lack of communication!!!

I love the depth that Ava Wilder gives her characters (and that she explores that depth even more through actually realistic “couples” counseling!!). Her writing style puts you into the MC’s minds, showing you exactly why they’re behaving as they are instead of smacking you over the head with incessant, corny dialogue. Will They or Won’t They is witty, heartwarming, and just frickin fun to read. It’s available June 27th - perfect timing for a lighthearted summer read!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an ok book. I feel like it dragged a little and there was a lot of fluff. Liked the concept.

Holy slow. You guys, I thought the never ending paragraph after paragraph with minimal dialogue in the beginning would never end. If you would've asked me to rate this book at the beginning I would've only gone with 1-2 stars. Harsh? Absolutely.
So why did I keep going? The premise. These two were bound to get back together (and I truly don't think that is a spoiler, don't all lovey dovey books end with the two who are suppose to be together, together?). These once lovers turned enemies had forced proximity after years apart. It was a sweet love story, eventually opening up to Lilah understanding love. I have to admit the undying love that Shane had for Lilah made me swoon. The long winded chapter were worth it, but much like my other most recent read, I would have rather not been able to put it down!
Cute, slow, but worth it.

This was a cute, if not especially notable romance novel. Enemies to lovers tends to be my favorite trope and this was a solid story built around it. I found the characters' flaws to be very real and relatable, although Lilah was more relatable than Shane. If you like enemies to lovers romance, you'll enjoy this, and if you don't, you won't.

This was well written and entertaining. As always, Ava Wilder come up with a masterpiece and although I'm not a huge fan of Hollywood romances, I definitely really enjoyed this.

The characters were so well written and we got to see some important topics like mental health come front and centre.

I'm so excited to see what else Ava Wilder has in store for us.

Thank you to the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

fun follow up to how to fate it in hollywood! I love me a hollywood romance, and this kept me well fed.

the banter was delicious. the anxiety representation was so accurate it almost made me cry. I have so much appreciation for the fact that numerous couples counseling sessions were portrayed in this book.

I have a few gripes with this one. the main characters are extremely hateful and toxic toward one another and, and while that gradually shifted, there wasn't really a satisfying apology from either side. I also don't think there as an in-depth enough conversation addressing these issues.

ALSO, the ending did NOT do it for me. The choice that the mmc made was honestly so out of pocket.

✦ 3.5 stars

Angst
Steam
Second chance romance
Enemies to lovers
Workplace romance
TV stars w messy drama

Ava knocked it out! You can tell she did her research to make sure she gave Lilah and Shane the best story. So many times you just want to jump in the pages and shake them to wake up to reality. Good things take time….I know I know!