The chemistry between these characters are off the charts! I was nonstop giggling and rooting for these two fire signs.

This is my first Holly James book. Early February, I was clicking through the “Readers Also Enjoyed” section on here and the synopsis immediately caught my eye. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! ⭐️

I don’t think I’ve read a book with this premise or character backgrounds ever, and I really was flying through it at first. Olivia and Chuck’s chemistry was very palpable to me, the side characters were all either great or sleazy in their own ways. However, at some point, I hit a bit of a snag with this one. It just didn’t grip me anymore, so I put it on pause to revisit. I did find contentment in their growth as a couple, and I really liked Olivia as a character. Nothing awful about this book, just maybe a little more *oomph*.

I’ll have to check out another one of this author’s books.

4.25 stars

Olivia and Chuck can both agree on one thing: their sexual chemistry has never been a problem. When these two passionate people get together they will either figuratively burn the house down or... potentially literally. They know how to step on each other's last nerve. Chuck is so hyperfocused on his career he misses Liv's grandmother's birthday for an audition. Liv is so incapable of handling confrontation that she runs at the first sign of trouble. This leads to an all-out emotional brawl in Chuck's apartment which is explosive, destructive and caught on tape as it continues onto the street. Their relationship may be over but when the deal of the lifetime falls into their laps after their public breakup goes viral they only have one choice: try to survive 30 days locked in the same house.

The thing I love so much about second chance romance is that it is truly a study on imperfect people. These two characters are far from perfect - neither claim to be, and their flaws abrading on each other is what leads to their ultimate demise. This is not a situation where one person is right and the other wrong. Both of these people are so caught up in their sexual chemistry that they never truly worked on understanding each other and how the other person needs to be loved. I feel like Holly James does a really good job of shedding light on the good and bad of both these characters.

Another thing I really loved about this story was the background ARC of our FMC Olivia learning about her parents. I feel like the initial seeds early in the story to references throughout it made the emotional journey satisfying to read while not overtaking the romantic journey the couple goes through.

The way the author wrote sexual tension between these characters was amazing. It's pretty rare you get an explosive passionate couple like this in the romance genre. I love these types of characters because it can lead to some TRULY unhinged shit happening (Liv, you really did not need to try to light his shirt on fire 😭 girl what are you doing ilysm).

I think where the book falls flat is I wanted a little bit more of them pre-breakup. I think this would have resolved one of the major issues I had which is Chuck does a major 360 pretty much immediately. From Olivia's descriptions of him early book I was expecting our MMC to be a little less considerate. While this trait was seen in some circumstances (especially as it relates to Tyler the PA), Chuck was basically 100% kind and willing to work on his shit right away. She made him seem like an extremely selfish person when he didn't come across that way at all for me. She might have also been exaggerating in her post-breakup aggression (relatable) but it also made Olivia seem to be the inconsiderate one with the majority of the issues in their relationship. Without the context of seeing Chuck be a little bit of a selfish ass we don't really get the sense that he's changed, it mostly feels like Olivia was the asshole misunderstanding him the whole time, especially since we are only getting that information through Olivia's post-mortem narration of their relationship.

Despite the above criticism I have of the book I had a fantastic time reading it and the flaws did not take away from my experience. I definitely recommend this book if you are into:
✨️passionate characters with insane sexual tension
✨️ second chance romance
✨️ books that take place in the entertainment industry
✨️ satisfying emotional growth

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Olivia and Chuck have an intense love/hate relationship. He is a Hollywood B-list actor with some issues in his past and she is a journalist with a scandalous family history. Their latest breakup goes viral with a video posted online proving they might be the perfect contestants for the game show Name Your Price. They both are in dire financial circumstances so agreeing to the game show might be their ticket out. But. . .can they live in the same house together for one month and survive?? I really liked the premise of this book. The game show format and challenges sounded like they would be fun. I usually enjoy a good forced proximity trope. But. . .I had some issues that I couldn't get past, thus the 3-star rating. First their total meanness toward each other was uncomfortable and a bit over the top. For me, it was hard to like either of the main characters or feel any compassion for them. They were so hot and cold towards each other. Their immaturity level was beneath that of teenagers at times. The game show host was also so annoying to say the least. Again, I felt the premise of the book had so much potential for a fun read, but it just didn't get there for me.

I absolutely loved this book! It's so sexy and smart, I laughed out loud multiple times, but also found the characters' internal struggles really staying with me long after I put the book down. Holly James has quickly become one of my favorite romance authors!

I loved the plot of this book. Everyone has said, "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars." at least once in our lives. But what if someone was willing to actually pay you that million dollars to do XYZ? Olivia and Chuck's relationship is firey in every way. In bed, they set it on fire with passion. Out of bed, they fight with just as much passion. They both need the money for different reasons so they agree to be locked in a house together for 30 days. I enjoyed watching them figure out their relationship while dealing with the 'challenges' that were thrown at them. You also see them figuring out themselves at the same time. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the show's host TJ. He was annoying and a jerk. But then again I'm sure that was intentional and probably true to life as well.

Things I liked: The chemistry between Olivia and Chuck was undeniable. Great banter. I love a forced proximity trope and this one was done in an interesting and fun way.

Things I didn't like: Can't think of anything - this was a fun book that kept me interested.

Overall: I enjoyed this book. It made me consider if I would ever go on a reality TV show (probably not). This is a good example of second chance romance done right. I sometimes find myself rolling my eyes when it comes to a second chance romance, but this one was great! I would 10/10 recommend this to a friend.

3.5 stars. I loved the premise of the book and was hooked pretty early on. However, as the book progressed, I found Olivia to be extremely emotionally immature and frustrating as a FMC. I hate siding with a man but often found myself siding with Chuck (side note--the fact that he changed his name from charlie to chuck for name recognition is horrifying, chuck is an awful name). I would've loved to see more of them actually working through problems, near the end this felt a bit rushed and like some serious emotional issues were dismissed for an HEA. When I could get over how obnoxious Olivia was, I did enjoy the story; not very spicy though.

This book was laugh out loud funny and I everything I needed on the rainy day I read it.
I really wish this book was coming out sooner because I want to buy this book and read it again. I have already added it to my preorder list.

Having the exs locked in a house is the force proximity second chance I crave in a book and this hit all the boxes for me!

This was my first Holly James book. I loved this cover and was intrigued by the premise. I enjoyed the author’s writing style, however this book just wasn’t a good fit me. I appreciated that the author kept crude language to a minimum, but the driving force to these characters being together felt too central to a sexual basis and not much else. I didn’t form any attachment to the characters or their relationship and found it difficult to root for them and therefore never became invested in the story.

This book really suprised me! I thought I had it all figured out in terms of plot point and I could not have been further way. I thought the story was very cute and I appreciated the redemption aspect for both characters in their own way. I would recommend this to fellow romance readers!

This book was such a surprisingly pleasant read, I did not expect to laugh as hard as I did or love the characters as much as I did.

Olivia and Chuck have an explosive public breakup and it ends up going viral. Because of this attention, they’re invited to be part of a reality TV show called Name Your Price. They are required to share a home, a bedroom, complete challenges, all without leaving the house and each other for a month. The prize is a million dollars, and both of them could really use the money. They’ll have to work together to win the prize, or leave with nothing.

This was such a fun twist on the typical rom com with the reality show setting. It is funny, banter filled, and the perfect blend of enemies to lovers with forced proximity. The characters really grow throughout the story and their families and backgrounds add depth. I loved the building of tension with some of the more challenging rules that they had to follow while filming the show. If you enjoy reality shows like Love Island, you’ll love this book!

Thank you to Holly James, Penguin Group Dutton, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: July 30, 2024
Tags: Contemporary, Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Hollywood
Spice Level: 2 peppers

This one's for the lovers of reality TV, angry sexy banter, and forced proximity.

After Olivia and her boyfriend Chuck have an explosive and very public breakup that goes viral, they get an offer to be on a reality TV show for lots of money. Both strapped for cash, they agree to the challenge - spending a full month locked in a house together while enduring challenges meant to test their willpower. Through it all, Olivia reflects on their relationship, her own insecurities, and the ghosts of her family's past.

This was a delightful rom-com full of relationship angst, lust, and on-camera blunders. I liked seeing Olivia and Chuck work through their problems, and the Hollywood setting added an interesting layer of intrigue. I think the author tried to do one to many things with the characters and with too little room to fully develop it all in a short novel, so the nicely wrapped up plotlines weren't quite as satisfying as they could've been. However, it was still an enjoyable read, and I'd recommend it for fans of second chance romance.

After reading the The Déjà Glitch, I went back and read all Holly's backlog of books and anxiously awaited her next release. Let me tell you, it didn't disappoint! I loved Chuck's reassuring, golden retriever energy contrasted against Olivia's misguidedly pessimistic outlook. There was never a moment where I doubted his love for Olivia, even when things looked bleak. I really love how Holly approaches side characters, giving them depth and purpose.

What would've made this star a 5 star book for me? While it was incremental in severity, I feel like the tension was broken by the moment of weaknesses rather than built. I also feel like there was a bit too much emphasis on physical touch. There was a big opportunity to further develop the emotional connection as a result of the house rules.

Overall, I gave this book 4.5 stars as I really do love this book and I will continue to read any and all books Holly writes! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book early! I will patiently wait for the next one. :D

If you had to live under the same roof as your ex for a million dollars would you do it? 👀‼️

I know it's a bit of an inception having a book about a TV game show, but there's something about it that made me swoon all over it. "Name Your Price" follows Olivia and Chick, who did a very public viral video of their breakup where Olivia says, "I wouldn't get back together with you even for a million dollars," and Hollywood said BET and made a show out of it!!!!!!

The tension and chemistry between Olivia and Chuck were to die for!! I would say it's a slow burn, but it's more like a continuously burning candle that never turns off. Anyway, I would totally recommend this book. IT WAS SO CUTE!!! It made me think of the Netflix Show called "Perfect Match" because the show in the book even had challenges. SO DARN CUTE.

Thank you, Holly James & Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to receive an ARC for my honest review.

Tropes:
💰TV Reality Show Rom Com
💰Second Chance Romance
💰He falls First
💰Forced Proximity
💰Witty Banter
💰Sensual tension

3.5 STARS - Name Your Price has a strong start that's both high-adrenaline and hilarious, it hooked me immediately. I loved the nod to Jack and Gemma (squee!), and the premise of the show. I did not particularly care for the character motives (needing money to care for an ailing parental figure/grandparent has been done a few too many times), and the character romance/relationship felt like it got put on the backburner at the 75% mark to tie up the other loose plot ends, many of which were resolved too easily for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group and Dutton Books for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.

3.5 stars. A couple’s very public break-up on a sidewalk on L.A. goes viral so they are presented with the opportunity to participate in a reality television competition. Stay in a house together for one month and they receive a huge payout. The only problem is, they can’t stop fighting. This premise, although unbelievable, was a lot of fun. The chemistry between the two characters, Chuck and Olivia, was sweet and palpable. This light-hearted and entertaining romance was just what I needed at the moment. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was my first book by Holly James, and although I liked the premise, the execution was lacking. I didn't feel connected to either of the main characters, who were immature and superficial. Most of the characters, in fact, were cardboard cutouts of the roles they were playing. The book would've benefitted from a dual POV so the reader could get Chuck's side of the story. With only Olivia's perspective and her constant lusting after him, the romance lacked depth and was purely physical. The game show challenges—in particular, having to put together furniture handcuffed—should have been funny, but they came off as boring. I felt no tension at all. The fact that they didn't even make it a week before throwing in the towel was simultaneously disappointing and a relief.

On the up side, I did find Olivia's relationship with her grandmother to be a sweet side story. That not only gave her a strong motivation for agreeing to go on the show, but it also helped give her character some much-needed depth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is un-putdown-able. The reality show premise had me HOOKED. It released serotonin in my brain higher than even a bachelor finale does (or more like men/women tell all). I wanted this to be real life. I loved the mix of feeling like a viewer but also getting all the behind the scenes of a celebrity trope relationship.

The use of single POV of this was genius. We start off mid-break up and I am 100% on this girl’s side. I didn’t know how this was going to end up a satisfying second chance romance. Until I realized Olivia is absolutely an untrustworthy narrator. We start to see Chuck from new perspectives or just hear him out at all. Because Olivia stuck in a house for a million dollars realizes she has a tendency to always run away. But in every miscommunication trope haters dream she can’t go anywhere and they have to TALK IT OUT. It is glorious. There’s also challenges for the show and producer plays for views. The stakes felt so high with Olivia trying to protect her family’s history and with Chuck’s celebrity status.

By the end you get the full picture and trust me it’s such a satisfying romance. The way they look out for each other and still have mutual respect even as exes. And some of their tough and tense interactions and conversations just had me. Also, this isn’t overly spicy but it is mostly open door for the 2ish scenes and overall high tension heat between the two of them. They were made for each other.

Thank you to Dutton Books/PRH for the eARC. I LOVED it! Now I need to read this author’s other book.