I was a big fan of HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD, Wilder's debut. This book once again gives us a Hollywood romance, but of a different sort. I loved the second-chance romance and the TV show setting. Loved how Wilder explored the ups and downs of success on a longtime television show, the perils of fame, etc. I really liked the way the directing was handled in the actual shoot of their big episode, and I also liked how she handled the photo shoot and the intimacy coordinating.

I loved How to fake it in Hollywood last summer and I was looking forward to read this new story by the same author.

Lilah and Shane had great chemistry when they met auditioning for the show they will later work on together. Their on the screen relationship was great but behind the scenes things were so different. After a try out to something else, Lilah is returning to the same show where she’s giving a second chance to play her character in the last season.

Their reunion is nothing special because now they are more likely to still “hate “ each other and there are still a few loose ends to be tied up between them.

I love a second chance romance and these two have the best one. Trying to remain true to themselves while playing a fake story it can be hard and overwhelming but I loved how the author has interwoven perfect their flows and thoughts with the big picture that will always bring a happily ever after.

Slow burn romance with great characters that grow on you throughout their experiences and a must read romance.

Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder

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.
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Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of WTOWT. I love the universe Ava Wilder has created. Enemies to lovers? Sign me up. While I’m partial to How To Fake It In Hollywood, this was an amazing sophomore book.

4⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley and Ballantine for my gifted copy of Will They or Won't They, by Ava Wilder. This book comes out on June 27th. In Will They or Won't They, we meet a pair of Hollywood actors who strongly dislike each other, yet have amazing chemistry together on the screen. And, they're reuniting for one more season of their hit show.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't a home run for me. "The tension building took way too long for my satisfaction, and the last ten percent felt so rushed (I knocked off a star because of it). I did enjoy Lilah's personality, relateableness, and overall character, and wished we could've delved more into her anxiety. Some of the side characters weren't all the way developed either.

Despite my feelings about this book, I still plan to read Wilder's future books! It's always fun to dive headfirst into a world that you aren't very familiar with.

I wanted to like this book but I only finished it to see how it ended and that was a pleasant surprise.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 6/27/23
Genre: romance (enemies to lovers, second chance romance, celebrity)
Quick summary: Lilah and Shane fell in love as TV costars, but their relationship quickly turned sour and they haven't spoken since Lilah left the show. But when Lilah returns for a final season, they'll have one more chance to get it right.

Celebrity romance may be my new favorite romance sub-genre - I love reading about lives so different from my own. I liked the Ava Wilder leaned into the second chance romance trope, giving the reader flashbacks to show how Lilah and Shane's relationship first developed and then fell apart. Enemies to lovers fans - this relationship had some serious sparks - the banter was explosive! And there was also plenty of steam. Bonus: I did not see the ending coming (so rare in the romance world!)

If enjoyed Wilder's debut HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD, I bet you'll love this one too!

Thank you to Dell for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book certainly lives up to its title especially at the end! Even though stars are well aware of the public eye and the scrutiny that comes along with it, I can only imagine how hard it was for Lilah and Shane to separate their own personal identities from the characters they played. Like at the convention, fans thought of them as Kate and Harrison. Both were lucky to have such strong support systems in friends and family. I appreciated how verbal Shane was in terms of his affection and love for her and in gurn , Lilah let her guard down. This book is captivating.

thank you to Random House and Netgally for the ARC to this amazing book.
i adore Hollywood set books and an enemies to lovers/second chance romance? sign me up!
I enjoyed so much about this book, from the behind the scenes of Hollywood to the depths of the characters. I felt so connected to the story and the characters I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out where the story was going next. Going through past and present to learn about Lilah and Shane’s relationship allowed it to have so much more depth and tension throughout the story. I really enjoyed this one. If you love Hollywood romances, second chance romance or enemies to lovers, look no further than “Will They or Won’t They”
Again, thank you to Random House and Netgally for the ARC!

I have mixed views on this one. I felt like I was reading a book by a different author. One that didn't wrote How to Fake It In Hollywood. I loved the plot and storyline, but I couldn't connect with the main characters. And I could have cared less if they got together.

Admittedly I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ava wilder’s debut, but this one is fantastic. This has solidified me as a fan of Wilder and I cannot wait to see what she has in store next.

I’m gonna be honest, I loved this book a lot. I loved the idea of seeing behind the scenes of two super famous celebs. But I have to say, these two were SO toxic. For me, it didn’t detract from the story. I actually really enjoyed watching them both grow and become better versions of themselves. I also really loved seeing them fall so hard for each other once they stopped being so toxic to each other. I think the story worked well and plus, I really liked Shane’s character. Lilah took me some time to get used to. I also really enjoyed that it switched back and forth between their views. Also, the book has some spice. I wouldn’t say it’s as spicy as a Tessa Bailey book but there’s definitely some spicy scenes. Definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Ballantine for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

I already really enjoyed Ava Wilder's first book, but this one was SO incredibly good. To be entirely honest, second chance romance is almost never a trope that works for me (is it the fact that I've never once had the urge to so much as hang out with an ex again? perhaps, but that's between me and my therapist!) but she managed to pull it off in a way that I really truly believed in.

Every character in this story, even adjacent characters, felt so incredibly real that I kind of missed them after finishing. In particular, the lead, Lilah, was a character I really felt connected to. but I suspect there's going to be a lot of people who find her difficult to enjoy—her decision making is often tough to read, and she lashes out frequently, but Ava Wilder managed to pull off the feat of still managing to make you understand her all the way through it. As someone with a LONG history of severe anxiety, I found this to be one of the most accurate displays of how anxiety can manifest in ugly ways that I've ever seen in a book, something that I've seen so many writers get wrong.

It was most definitely a slow burn, but hey, we covered almost a decade here, so I'll cut it some slack. I'm SO curious to see the general reaction to this one when it officially releases! Either way, very very excited to incessantly recommend this to passerby at my local bookstore.

Intense chemistry. Lots of angst. Will They or Won’t They has a fantastic premise (and title) and is an engaging and enjoyable read.

We follow Lilah and Shane, two beautiful celebrities, as they attract and repel one another (and repeat). Readers get both Lilah’s and Shane’s respective points of view which helps deepen our understanding of why and how they act in certain ways. I wish there had been a little less animosity between the characters at times but appreciated the way everything was worked out in the end. Lilah and Shane are clearly meant for each other and easy to root for (even if I didn’t love all of their decisions). It was great to see them interact and grow over the course of a decade.

The Hollywood/TV show setting adds a fun element and we even get a few of How to Fake It in Hollywood references! While second chance romance and miscommunication tropes are not my preferred genre, I love Ava Wilder’s writing style (her debut novel was one of my favorite reads of 2022).

I’m looking forward to reading whatever Ava Wilder writes next and recommend Will They or Won’t They to anyone looking for a push-pull celebrity romance with complex characters facing anxiety, insecurity, professional dilemmas, etc., even as things may appear to be perfect from the outside. 4.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book. Ava Wilder is one to watch out for. Her prose and pacing was amazing! I was happily along for the ride and fell in love with Shane and Lilah. Her characters are real, flawed human beings and that's what makes the story so magical. It is realistic and a story of finding love as your true, authentic self and what that looks like.

*Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the ease of this book. The characters were well written and had me imaging this story taking place on a real tv show between real actors, rather than just the fictional ones between the pages of this book. This was my first book by Ava Wilder, but I’ll be looking for How to Fake It in Hollywood.

You won't put this book down till you are done!!! Dual POV and enemies-to-lovers story of Lilah and Shane. Absolutely loved this book from the start, it was captivating as heck!! The execution of the plot and characters was amazing truly made the whole book so enjoyable. Oh and the twist at the end wrecks you of course lol!!

Lilah Hunter has just returned, years after her departure, to act on the final season of the supernatural TV show, Intangible, where she had her big break. Returning to the show means interacting with her co-star and love interest on the show, Shane McCarthy, for the first time since her departure. After a brief off screen love affair while filming the first season of the show, Shane and Lilah spent the remaining seasons despising each other.

Now they are reunited for the first time in years and under pressure to deliver the best ending for their show. The two slip into old ways of tormenting one another and the studio recommends they enter couples therapy to help improve their working relationship. As Lilah and Shane attend therapy, both their professional and personal relationships begin to improve. Have the two grown enough since the first time around to give a relationship a real shot?

I loved every aspect of this book and did not want to put it down once I started reading. The book alternates so naturally through the past and the present. The dual POV helps with understanding how Lilah and Shane’s relationship deteriorated so quickly. This book felt original from start to finish and I will definitely be rereading.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm sure this intense, angsty enemies-to-lovers story of Lilah and Shane has already ruined me. Their explosive chemistry is like the perfect dish, nothing can top that experience. From now on, I'll compare every love story to Lilah and Shane's and I doubt I'll find anything as strong, heart-wrenching, earth-shattering, and mind-blowing.

I don't know how many times I yelled at them to "stop bickering and kiss already!" Their high tension is palpable, and every time they're near each other, you can feel the electricity and strong chemistry.

Lilah Hunter, in her early thirties, is returning to the paranormal TV series "Intangible" with her tail between her legs after the failure of her last movie. She will play the same role she abandoned in season five because she couldn't stand her co-star. On-screen, Shane McCarthy and Lilah Hunter are America's sweethearts, the most adorable couple, but behind the scenes, they can't stand each other. They despise each other, but why? They had a brief fling after season one, but it was just sex, so nothing serious, right?

If nothing was serious, why did they continue to push each other's buttons for four more seasons until Lilah left without looking back?

Three years later, they're reunited for the final season of the show to give the audience the long-awaited happy ending, sealed with a passionate kiss.

If they can't stand to be in the same room, how can they act like they're in love?

With the world's eyes on them and their post-show careers at stake, they must do more than pretend. What if they don't need to pretend and all they have to do is be honest with each other and confront the issues they've buried in the past?

This whirlwind romance is filled with angst, jealousy, misunderstandings, and miscommunications. When they first fell in love, they were too young to handle the obligations of fame, being in a relationship in the spotlight, and committing to someone at a young age. But now, they're mature enough to see things from each other's perspectives. Will they have another chance or say goodbye to each other forever?

When I reached the end, the author shocked me with a twist that made me scream. Thankfully, she wrapped things up skillfully, so I didn't have to cry after finishing this fantastic read.

I loved this book more than "How to Fake it in Hollywood" and it's already taken its place in my top five romances of 2023. Thanks to Ava Wilder for writing it.

A special thanks to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for providing me with this amazing digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine, Dell and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

The second book syndrome? Ms. Wilder doesn't know her!!

Lilah returns to the show she previously starred in after booking a flop of a movie project. Tensions are high as she has to get back in the groove of things, and that includes dealing with her former lover/costar. Told in dual POV with both the past and present, we really get to see both sides of the story and how they got to their current situation.

Lilah and Shane have such amazing chemistry. It seemed so effortless and made them feel extremely relatable. As the title suggests, there is some back and forth on both their sides regarding where they stand in their relationship, and while a lot of readers might dislike that particular part, I believe it was done in a way that made sense after all this time they had apart. I enjoyed reading their progression from basically strangers to friends to lovers, with their past sprinkled in here and there. I believe the author didn't rush it and that was so important for the characters to take their time.

I won't lie, I was super nervous going into this because I didn't know how it would compare to How to Fake it in Hollywood (which was one of my faves from last year). But I read that prologue and thought to myself that this would be a 5 star read - I was hooked instantly. I am very happy that this exceeded my expectations. I absolutely adore these characters, and with that Ethan Atkins mention, I can't wait to see what else Ava Wilder has in store for us readers in this....AWCU (Ava Wilder Cinematic Universe) ? Haha!

xposted on goodreads.

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy have just been given their big Hollywood break. Both have been cast in Intangible, a supernatural drama, that soon becomes a huge hit. As their show rises in popularity, Lilah and Shane begin a secret relationship that implodes after the first season, making their professional relationship extremely strained. Cut to nine years later, Lilah, who left the show after season five, is returning for the ninth and final season. The only issue? Lilah and Shane still hate each other. However, as they begin to work with each other for the first time in years, they start to realize that their feelings from nine years ago might still be there.

This book combines two tropes that I am a sucker for: second chance romances and dual timelines. Lilah and Shane are the literal definition of “right person, wrong time”. Their chemistry is undeniable - even when they are goading each other. I really loved that the flashback chapters gave us insight into the insecurities and feelings they felt when they were in their 20s - how naive they were. Everything happened so fast for them, and since they never really talked anything through, it makes sense that the pressure made them crash and burn. The present chapters then come to alleviate the past because they both have grown in their 30s. Even though they are still dancing around each other and their feelings like fools, it feels good to know that they have grown and that maybe this time it will work - if only they can talk and be honest with each other.

I had such a hard time putting this book down! I kept telling myself that Lilah and Shane were done hurting each other, that there can’t possibly be any more drama. Even with all the ups and downs, it’s quite obvious that Lilah and Shane are meant to be together. And it’s Ava Wilder’s great writing that keeps you rooting for their relationship. I liked that their relationship wasn’t fixed in a day and that they had to put in hard work for there to be a payoff.

I loved this book and will definitely be picking up Wilder’s debut novel How To Fake It In Hollywood!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.