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Right On Cue follows Hollywood’s favorite nepo-baby, Emmy Harper, a screenwriter of rom-coms rivaling Nora Ephron and Grayson West, named Sexiest Man Alive (twice!). When Emmy agrees to star in her first movie since her first attempt at acting when she was 15, she has no idea that her co-star will end up to be none other than Grayson West, the same co-star from her first tanked movie. Tensions are high as Emmy and Grayson bicker and argue on set, but when they decide to cut the tension with a sexual proposition, the sparks–on set and off—start flying. Slowly, Grayson and Emmy begin to let their walls down and their co-stars with benefits agreement turns into something more.

After not loving Ballard’s debut novel, Lease on Love, I was admittedly nervous to read this. As I read this novel, some of Falon Ballard’s writing grated on me, similarly to my first experience with her work. Her characters feel superficial and do not have a lot of substance. For example, Emmy is supposedly grieving her father who past a few years ago, however, her father comes up maybe twice in conversation throughout the whole novel and the presence of that plot point felt like an afterthought, rather than something intentionally added to give the character some more emotions. Emmy doesn’t feel like she could be a real person, but instead is just a hodgepodge of popular heroines from romance novels without anything grounded in reality.

The one thing that saved this novel from my DNF pile was the plot, as flimsy as it might seem. Once Emmy gets to set and begins to interact with Grayson, the book is a lot easier to fly through. Ballard excelled at writing chemistry between Grayson and Emmy, even if the characters are one-dimensional, at best. But then again, she had to go and give this story the dumbest third-act break up I’ve read in a while.

As I’ve been writing this review, my qualms with Ballard’s work seem to be with the style of her writing. It is very millennial-coded and will most likely not age well. I visibly grimaced by her brief references to TikTok (“kombucha girl” – do not do my girl Brittany Broski like that) and use of terms like “himbo”. And although I do enjoy when authors use media-style posts in between chapters to give more insight to how their characters interact with the world, a la Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman, the way that Ballard utilized these breaks seemed derivative.

Overall, Right On Cue is a quick read with a cute story and good spicy scenes. Is it the next great rom-com? Probably not. But it’s not a complete waste of time either.

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I really enjoyed this romcom! I haven't read many celebrity romance tropes but I really loved this take on it!  I loved the banter, emotional tension, forced proximity and how it felt like a romcom in a romcom.  The articles sprinkled throughout were a fun addition. The things that kept it from 5 stars? I wish some of their bonding didn't happen off the page so we could see more than just the physical chemistry. I would have liked a bit more on Emmy's career over those 15 years rather than glossing over it.  The miscommunication trope/third act breakup felt kind of rushed ..  I don't understand how it only took 3 weeks from the wrapup til the premiere?? I definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun romcom and am looking forward to reading Ballard's backlist now!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group, for sending me this ARC.

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Falon does it again!

I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers (or in this case enemies to costars to lovers), so this was perfect for me. The banter, the storyline, the location--all of it worked!

It is hot hot hot, so if you love the spice this is a great one.

Third act break-ups aren't my fav, especially when it's just miscommunication, but I get that it's necessary for the happily ever after ending a lot of the times.

I have enjoyed all of Falon's books and this one definitely did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC <3

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This is my third Fallon Ballard book and I love everything she's written.

This is a single POV (Emmy) romcom about Emmy, a nepo baby screenwriter and Grayson, an Adonis of an action star who share a history from their teenage film premier roles that didn't go well and how they end up starring opposite each other in the first romcom today Emmy wrote since her father's death, which impacted her deeply.

I like that Emmy and Grayson have a messy past and complex feelings about each other. Their first interaction as adults has Emmy full of rage, reminded of her teenage disappointment and embarrassment. Their inability to act civil to one another is bubbling with tension, threatening the film's success. What was a terse, hostile relationship turned into an offer of one-time sex to break the tension, which obviously evolves into more.

Emmy, Grayson, and the side characters of her mom, and the wonderful glam squad duo of Sam and Amanda are most well developed. Despite being the director and Emmy's best friend, I got very little from Liz, which may have been intentional for her to serve as a mirror for Emmy rather than a deeply developed side character.

The 3rd act conflict between the two is rooted not only in the miscommunication trope, but also their respective insecurities.

Read this book if you like:

- Grief and loss impacting a character's development

- Celebrity romance

- Banter

- Second chances

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First thought: Enemies to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this one didn’t disappoint! It had everything you want: tension, witty/snarkiness, swoon worthy moments. all set on a winter Hollywood romantic comedy set. This is an automatic TBR: Yes!

Emmy is the daughter of Hollywood legend power couple who are basically #relationshipgoals no wonder she became a romance screen writer. Her newest script just got picked up to become a movie and her best friend is directing it. The only issue is they are having trouble casting the leading lady. So she gets roped into staring in her own romantic comedy that’s set in an adorable Christmas winter wonderland.

This will be her first time back on camera after a disastrous first attempt at the age of 15. She had costarred in a teenage romance movie alongside a guy she thought could be her everything one day. But after their 1st onset kiss and finding him making fun of her for it. The rest of the filming went downhill and they had the worst chemistry ever to come across in a movie. She never acted again and forever hates Grayson West for what he did.

Grayson was a kid from the Midwest who fell in love with acting and moved to Hollywood to follow his dreams. After his initial flop at romance he found his niche and became an action star. But that changes today as he finds himself heading to the set of a new romantic comedy he just signed onto to replace the lead male character who broke his leg at the last minute.

So as you can imagine when Emmy walks into the chest of Grayson, the one man she hated for years and finds out he would be costarring along side her sh** hit the fan! This is a must read to find out how this unfolds.

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Enemies w/ Benefits to Lovers
* Hollywood Romance
* Second Chance
* Forced Proximity
* Movie Set Location
* Hallmark Christmas Vibes
* Spicy 🌶️

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I really enjoyed this book because it felt like a storyline that I don’t read that often. The spice was hot and the banter between all characters was great. I was sucked in from the beginning.

But there were other parts that just were not my cup of tea. Grayson’s hot and cold demeanor in the beginning was hard to keep up with and the whole conflict is because of one big miscommunication, which makes me just want to roll my eyes. I got tired of reading the line “I didn’t mean it like that.”

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Friends/lovers to enemies to lovers and a second chance romance. Leading man Grayson signs on to work on a film with Emmy who wrote and is staring in a romantic comedy, her first staring role since she was 15. Emmy and Grayson met on set at 15 and 17 respectively and she has not acted since due to an incident involving Grayson. Overall I enjoyed this book and really liked both characters however the pacing and breakup felt off. The first 20% of the book felt very rushed. I also think the breakup and subsequent getting back together could have been fleshed out more. I dont love a miscommunication which seems so easily solved. I did really enjoyed how the author addressed the childhood incident which drove Emmy from acting. I think we often seen this trope occur and it feels a bit unrealistic to allow overhearing something when a child to ruin the rest of your life. Grayson calling Emmy on it was refreshing and a probably more accurate way this would be handled. Overall I enjoyed it and it was a quick read however I did like Falon Ballard's other books better. Will continue to read all she writes.

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Thank you to Penguin Group for this ARC! I wanted so badly to like this: enemies to lovers with two romcom co-stars with history. The plot in itself was fun and kinda sexy, but unfortunately the writing was not for me. I found a lot of the dialogue cringy and hard to take seriously, especially once they got together as a couple. And just as a general rule of thumb, miscommunication as a third act breakup is just not my cup of tea. But the book reads quickly and despite not clicking with the characters, I did find myself unable to put it down. It's definitely worth a try if you like the author, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Putnam for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

So many of us have an unfortunate thing someone said that hurt us when we were in high school, that has a tendency to pop up in the middle of the night. It still stings when we think about it as adults, and a grudge is still held against the offender. While all grown up now, Emmy Harper still detests the boy who hurt her when she was 15 and walks in to star in her own movie to find that none other than Grayson West, the subject of her vitriol, is now her co star.

The two have to learn to work together or the movie could fail. Will they find real connection and forgiveness along the way? Or will their film be up for a Razzie next season?

This was a fairly easy read, and the setting of the snowy Pine Springs was a perfect read for our snow days this week. The story seemed real, like I was actually reading about one of Hollywood’s “it couples,” but dealt with heavier themes than I was expecting. But if you want some fake celebrity tea energy, grab this one! It even had its own social media posts, articles, and blog posts in between each chapter which was a fun touch!

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Thank you so much the NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Actual Rating: 4.25 stars

It’s safe to say that I ATE this book up! Given, I’m always looking for books set in the film industry because 1) I love them and 2) it’s what I studied, but I couldn’t put it down and was so enthralled in Emmy and Grayson’s story. It felt like the perfect pacing for enemies to lovers with lots of tension, jokes, and CHEMISTRY. While in hindsight it was slightly insta-lovey, I was still obsessed with this storyline and was rooting for the characters from start to finish that I put that aside. Their angst was just downright addictive.

The relationships portrayed in this book was so refreshing, specifically Emmy’s relationship with her famous mother. So many books nowadays portray more negative parent-child relationships and this wasn’t the case. I loved every time Emmy’s mom came onto the page. She was hilarious and supportive and seeing this positive mother-daughter relationship was heartwarming.

The only complaint is the third act’s conflict was a bit frustrating and the miscommunication trope is one of my least favorites. It could have been solved in one small conversation, but alas, then there would be no stakes or drama.

Overall, I’m so happy I was able to get my hands on this ARC and I’ll definitely be checking into the author’s other books in the future!

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Emmy & her most hated enemy are forced to work together. His first comment is “who are you again?” and from there, it is on! Lots of tropey romance in this steamy romcom!

I am an absolute fan of Falon, and found this one flatter than her other novels. The characters weren’t as lovable or someone I’d cheer for, the romance isn’t as believable and I found it just okay.

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*ARC Review*

So cute!!!! What a delightful enemies to lovers story. It really fits the trope as the book, set on a movie set, shows the two main characters at their lowest lows and highest highs. I could not tell you if the movie set antics were accurate, but they were sure fun to read about! I loved the characters and their journey together. Super easy and fast paced read. If you like Hollywood, movies, or celebrity gossip this one will be a good one for you.

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Emmy and Grayson were teen actors starting their careers when they were first cast opposite each other. Grayson did something Emmy could not forgive when filming was over, which altered the path she pursued professionally. Many years later, Emmy is an award-winning writer excited for her new romance movie to start production. She is reluctantly cast as the main lead, and Grayson is cast as a last-minute addition to play her love interest. They must learn to work through past mistakes to make the movie successful.

This one was a miss for me, which was disappointing because I loved the author's debut. It took me too long to get into it, and the romance didn't feel believable by the time I did. I needed more dialogue between the two main characters and fewer miscommunications. I also wasn't convinced that what Grayson did to Emmy as a teen was enough to derail her acting career. It also frustrated me that Emmy apologized for what felt like everything.

Thank you to author Falon Ballard, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for an eARC copy of Right on Cue in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This was a super cute book, it was exactly what I wanted it to be! Not too heavy, a little spicy, coupled with a cozy bed and breakfast setting. This was my first read of Falon Ballard’s and I’m looking forward to reading her others!

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Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam, and the author Falon Ballard for an advanced copy of "Right on Cue" in exchange for my honest review.

Falon Ballard has become an automatic read for me. I was thrilled when I got the approval for this ARC.

This is one of the best celebrity-themed romance novels I have read. Most novels lack uniqueness due to following the same plot schemes repeated over and over; this novel was different. The characters, Emmy and Grayson, were well-developed and very relatable. The enemies-to-lovers trope was executed perfectly with the right amount of tension and banter, which made the storyline believable, entertaining, and enjoyable.

 Overall, this novel is an enjoyable third book from Falon Ballard that I highly recommend adding to your to-be-read list!

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I loved this one 🥹 it’s what I think of when I watch a show and the two MC’s are together romantically, I just want them to live happily ever after of screen too. Emmy is a writer and her best friend encourages her to play the main lead in her new rom com with grayson her nemesis playing her leading man. The sexual tension is HIGH in this one folks🥵. His chemistry with Emmy is explosive and Grayson has been officially added to the book boyfriend hall of fame. Highly recommend this one if you love second chance romance, enemies to lovers, and some golden retriever vibes.

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Truth, the story isn't all that complex or even what I'd consider original, yet I liked the characters in this story. This is one of those books that have an every day feel to it, leaving me as a reader feeling like I'll find these people in my yearbook.

Thanks, NetGalley!!

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This story is about Emery Harper, the golden child of a Hollywood power couple, and Oscar-winning screen writer who gave up acting at age 15 after the bad publicity around her first kiss with co-star Grayson West. She finds herself back on set with her least favorite person. This is a celebrity romance, second chance romance, and enemies to lovers.

I’m a big fan of Falon’s writing, and this is easily her best. Real characters with flaws, emotional depth, incredible pacing, tension, angst and spice. I truly came to care deeply for Emmy and Grayson throughout this book, despite not always agreeing with their decisions.

Giving this one 4 stars because I wish the third act wasn’t so centered around miscommunication, which felt really frustrating and unnecessary. However, I really really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read whatever Falon writes!

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

There are things I absolutely adored about this book, and there are things I felt were a bit lacking. As someone who grew up around the film industry and movie sets, the storyline and premise was a favorite of mine. It brought back some nostalgia for me and I thought the overall idea for the book was super cute. The story is based around a FMC, Emmy, who is a screenwriter starring in a rom-com she wrote and a MMC, Grayson, who was cast into the movie at the last minute - someone who Emmy holds bitter feelings about due to working together as teens. This is where the story lost me a bit. Emmy was supposed to be a successful Oscar-winning screenwriter and was very immaturely holding a grudge against Grayson for something he said about her when they were kids and both let it effect their work together on set. The enemies to lovers trope is always a favorite of mine, but I felt like their particular romance appeared out of nowhere and they were throwing around "I love you's" within a 6 week timeframe. There just wasn't as much depth in their relationship's development - it felt shallow and rushed when the author clearly wanted it to appear to be more. That made it hard to really root for them as a couple, especially when the third act breakup occurred by yet another instance of miscommunication and Emmy's character refusing to get Grayson's side.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but something was lacking and it missed the mark. I DO feel like it was still very cute though, and a great quick feel-good read if you need a palate cleanser or without a lot of depth. This is my first Falon Ballard book and won't be my last! I have heard great things about the other titles and won't be writing her off anytime soon.

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Love a good Hollywood backdrop and the fact that we had a full blown enemies to lovers situation in this one.

Fallon Ballard writes some of my favorite romance, easy to read, books and this was no different!

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