I really enjoyed this, it's rare to see a heroine be an openly bad person (although as we were in Ashley's head, it's a little easier to see that she was also very much a product of her environment and nowhere near as bad as she tells herself she is). The chemistry between Ashley and Gabe was so strong and instantaneous that I'm glad they didn't give into it straight away as it was important to see them connecting on other levels too.

I'm about to go and read the other books in this series, this was great!

4.5 stars rounded up. This was easily my favorite book of the series and followed the trend of the series getting stronger as it went along.

Ashley Foley is the reality TV villain everyone loves to hate. Gabriel Sinclair is the Golden Boy of Hollywood who can do no wrong. When one of Ashley’s schemes goes wrong, the two find themselves in a fake dating situation to hopefully influence their respective careers in the direction they need to go. Before too long though, feigned affection turns into something very real.

I was genuinely concerned I wasn’t going to find a way to like Ashley. She had only been briefly mentioned in the previous two books, never in a positive light, and the beginning of this book made her seem incredibly vapid and selfish. However, it quickly became clear that her entire persona had been created as a defense mechanism. Her true character was revealed and she slowly let her guard down. She found a way to allow herself to be vulnerable and care for others and allow them to care for her in return. She found the strength to stand up for herself against the people who didn’t have her best interests at heart. She was brave in eventually sharing her authentic, flawed self as she decided what she wanted her life to look like. Her character growth arc was so well done, and by the end of the book she’d become my favorite character of the series.

Gabriel had his own faults and insecurities on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Ashley. He was terrified to step a toe out of line and risk tarnishing the legacy and memory of the uncle who rescued him from a horrible home life. His misguided fears about Ashley damaging his reputation held him back from fully allowing her in, and as the book went on he firmly shifted into his own villain territory in his treatment of her. There was a point where I was unsure he could redeem himself, but in the end, he came around in a way that restored my faith in him.

This book was raw and real with heat and emotion between flawed but genuine characters. It was hands down the best of the series for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Brenton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's not often we get to see a bad girl/good guy pairing in contemporary romance, especially with a female main character who's "unlikeable" (I have a lot of strong feelings about using this word to describe a character, but anyway). I really enjoyed how Ashley is so unapologetic about being herself. Gabe doesn't deserve her.

Definitely recommend this one for readers who like high heat contemporary romance with Hollywood influence, bi rep, characters with darker backstories, and lots of open door scenes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

This book immediately caught my eye, from the gorgeous cover art that perfectly captures the vibe to the trope list that feels made for me. The opening scene reeled me in and made me want more. Every chapter ends with a banger of a statement or a point that made me want to reflect. I burned through this book so quickly.

My favorite thing is the main characters. Ashley is the perfect villain—who doesn’t love a bad girl? She’s shameless and deeply entertaining and I couldn’t wait to see her mess with our do-gooder hero. But I especially loved how layered the MCs were. No villain is truly evil, and our hero isn’t as squeaky clean as he’d have everyone believe.

Their chemistry is sizzling! This is a true enemies-to-lovers scenario (there’s no secret pining at the start). They hate each other, but there’s an inconvenient physical attraction at complete odds with their clashing personalities. It’s so satisfying to watch the cracks form in their personas as they get to know one another and give in to their desires.

I loved this book so much I immediately bought the first two books and signed up for the author’s newsletter.

~ Special thanks to NetGalley and Sarah Brenton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ~

Hollywood bad girl Ashley wants to break up her cousin's wedding to the man of her dreams, but is thwarted by a mistake with big consequences. In an attempt to repair the damage, she is pushed by agents to date Hollywood golden boy Gabe.

Gabe has put a lot of work into making sure everyone sees him as the do-gooder his uncle always wanted him to be. A new role pushes him to dirty up his image, but at what cost?

I loved this book. Ashley and Gabe were both richly developed characters that had me sympathizing and angry at them at the same time. I did find myself getting mostly angry at Gabe, for holding onto an idea of himself that no longer suits him. While on the surface I wouldn't normally care about these types of characters, Sarah Brenton writes them in a way anyone can relate. I'm going to go immediately put the other Over the Top Love books on my tbr list.


**Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Now THIS was a romance that embraced some of my favorite tropes!!!! Thank you for the ARC!

First of all, we have Ashley, our FMC who is a misunderstood bad girl with family angst in her background. Paired up with the golden boy who is trying to keep his own past under wraps? Everyone assumes the worst of her, and it's so angsty and emotional.

I had 2 main problems with this though, and they are that that main conflict was so predictable, I could see that misunderstanding coming from a mile away. Second, more grovel!

In the end, this was really fun to read and I looooove some good angst.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.


⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

The first thing that came to mind when I was reading this book was the Taylor Swift lyric, “I had a marvelous time ruinin’ everything.” At least that’s what Ashley makes you think, but then again, what makes a villain really?

I enjoyed Ashley’s character arc from the beginning to the end but found Gabe a little lacking (which is also probably the point in that the one typecast as perfect isn’t so perfect after all :)).

The spice was solid without taking away from the storyline and while this is book three, it can easily be read as a standalone book.

So I stayed up until 4am to read this in one sitting. It was so good! I ate up the banter and the tension between Ashley and Gabe! Watching “the villain everyone loves to hate” and “hollywoods golden boy” come together in a fake dating reputation rehab scheme was magical. But honestly, I probably cried as much as I giggled. Reading Ashley’s thoughts and feelings definitely hit me in the gut. Gabe has his own story too, but I really felt for Ashley. Overall this story really did give me a little dose of exactly what I needed. Also, I would die for Aunt Cora, she is a real mvp.

‘Golden boy’ Gabe gets caught in the middle of ‘the villain’ Ashley’s complicated feelings for her cousins husband. Forced to fake date to save their reputations, what happens when the they spend too much time together? Lots of sexual tension & secrets. If you love angst, enemies to lovers & forced proximity you’ll love this book!

I went into this book completely blind and I had an amazing time! I read it in one day as I couldn’t put it down.

I love how much character development we got from both Gabe & Ash and I’m glad they got their happy ending!

4.5 Stars!!! 🌟

Ashley Foley is the ultimate villain and she has absolutely no problem claiming that she is. She plans on seducing her cousin's husband, Nic, on the DAY OF THEIR WEDDING! However, when the wrong guy walks into the room, she has no other choice but still play it off and kisses Golden Boy Gabriel Sinclair anyway. He should have walked away the moment that she kissed him, but they are thrown into a fake dating scenario, with a cross-country roadtrip full of exciting adventures and possible mishaps along the way.
I read this in less than two days because I was on such an emotional high the entire time that I haven't had with a book in a LONG time. I am a total sucker for dual POV's, so being able to see Ashley & Gabe's POV switching off was *chef's kiss*. Ashley & Gabe truly have so much development the entire book and as you see it unfold, you truly begin to just love each of them even more.
"I hate that I want her so bad I can taste her."
"It's my cock you're going to come on, not his."
"You could never drag me down, not when you've helped me find my way up. I was drowning before you, in guilt and fear. You saved me."
Absolutely swooning over this book & I want MORE!

Ashley Foley is the girl they love to hate, the girl who coldly schemed to bring down her competitors in a reality TV programme and she has no problem living up to that reputation. Unfortunately, it has meant the work has all but dried up. She's been in love with her former neighbour Nic Fontana since she was a child, but he is about to marry her cousin Jessie later unless Ashley can seduce him now. However, Ashley's PA directs Hollywood heartthrob and all-round golden boy Gabriel Sinclair to her room by mistake.

Gabriel is the adopted son of a notable film director and he struggles to live up to his father's moral code. He seems indifferent to Ashley, but when the paparazzi (primed by Ashley for a different scoop) snap a picture of his leaving her room covered in her lipstick while she watches en dishabille from the door he sees it as a chance to show the public that he isn't just good for fluffy rom-coms, something he desperately needs in order to hang on to his new role as a superhero in an upcoming film.

Gabriel and Ashley's agents and PR people decide the bad girl and the good guy could play for both of them, but only if they spin it as the two of them dating, rather than a sleazy one-night stand. Reluctant companions on a road trip across America, neither of them can deny the physical attraction, but can they see behind the masks to the real people underneath?

I really enjoyed this, it was super steamy as Ash and Gabe gave in to their animal lusts (and Ash liked to try to shock boy scout Gabe), yet there was also a strong plot which didn't tread the same tired old path as other opposites attract romances are wont to do. I also liked that although we see a softer side of Ash she doesn't change beyond all recognition, she's still the exhibitionist, straight-talker at the end.

I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, but this is easy to read as a standalone.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Stuck between a 4 and a 4.5 here!

I loved almost everything about this book! My only sticking point is the fact that the MMC was nearly irredeemable, he was such an ass in the last half of the book and he just did not grovel nearly enough (or at all?). The FMC completely martyred herself for him when he did absolutely nothing to deserve it and would never have done the same for her. I think I could have moved past this if the FMC had any kind of redemption arc with her public image, but she basically just leaves her reputation in tatters and then moves on with her life.

While I'm not saying it matters what the public thinks, his assholery might have been more forgivable if it didn't leave her reputation in tatters for the rest of forever.

But despite this I still really loved it!

This book rocked my world. It is the perfect read for fans of heart-racingly intense angst, smoking hot romance, and passionate love stories. I highly recommend grabbing it immediately.

Wow. Just… Wow. I absolutely adored this book. This was an emotional ride I was not prepared to go on, but am so thankful for the journey. There were times I hated the main characters, and times I loved them. So much, I would have fought anyone who said they weren’t great and been willing to die on that hill! I laughed, I swooned, I cried a little and my heart ached in my chest as we went through the ups and downs of their unconventional love story.

Ashley is a person we all love to hate - there’s a real life version of her out there, no doubt… reality TV has made sure of that! And Gabriel is the golden boy we all swoon over and swear could do no wrong. But this isn’t a story about Ashley and Gabriel, this is a story about Ash and Gabe, two people trying to figure out who they are and where they are going. Their roadtrip showed them the lies they live and the truths that are destined to be uncovered… and brought them both some extra steamy fun as well as the sweet, quiet moments together . And the ultimate truth that I think everyone should hear again and again… everyone deserves to be loved for exactly who they are, even the villain.

The writing was amazing, the character development and plot were phenomenal and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who asks!!

Thank you, Sarah Brenton for giving me the opportunity to read and share with this ARC and I am happily downloading all your other books this minute because I loved this so much!!

Rounded up for 3.5 stars

Ashley Foley is the bad girl everyone loves to hate, and Gabriel Sinclair is Hollywoods golden boy. Ashley's villain shenanigans create a situation where they have to fake date, and turns out they might not be exactly what people see them as.

I have not read the other Over The Top Love books so I am probably missing a bit of context on why Ashley is the villain but I really enjoyed my time reading this book. The character development for Ashley is really solid, its a slow warm up (she is the villain after all) but I grew to love her and cheer for her. I unfortunately felt the opposite about Gabriel, where I immediately liked him but by the end... not so much. I'm solidly on the "actions speak louder then words" train and Gabriels actions/words do not match.

I would recommend if you're looking for a quick read with spice, fake dating, celebrity romance, a villain FMC and a great redemption story.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and to the author, Sarah Brenton, for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮,”

TV villain Ashley Foley and golden boy actor Gabriel Sinclair are the subjects of Sarah Brenton's fake dating romance, The Villain Edit.

You guys know that one viral TikTok audio that goes, “It is so bad I want to give you a zero but that’s not possible, so I give you a one.” Yeah, that audio, Simply put that audio captures my thoughts of this book in its entirety.

I knew from the beginning that I wouldn’t enjoy this book, but initially for all the wrong reasons. Since Ashley, you know, attempted to ruin her cousin's wedding by convincing the groom that she was the better woman for him, I initially thought I wouldn't enjoy this novel. However, I quickly moved past that and began to feel sorry for Ashley.

Don't get me wrong, because after Gabriel and Ashley began pretending to date in order to help one another, I had assumed that I would at least enjoy this novel a little bit. Of course, though, everything seemed too good to be true.

Things started to go wrong after months of fake dating, at least I think it was months. However, Gabriel turned into a dick as soon as things went south since he didn't want to be associated with or seen with Ashley. In the end, he put his career ahead of his feelings for her, even going so far as to ruin her reputation even more than it already was. I could go on forever about all the things Gabriel did to Ashley and why I hated him so much, but that would take up too much time.

Even though I hated this book, I must say that my heart hurt for Ashley. Not only was my poor girl dealing with the world and all of its haters, but she was also dealing with her parents and Gabriel.

But that empathy didn't continue for very long. Ashley thought it would be better to focus on herself rather than on other people or on Gabriel after going through what she had, but that thought lasted for a mere five seconds. Ultimately, Gabriel comes to the realization that what he had done to Ashley was wrong, and he goes back to her to beg for her forgiveness. Ashley readily forgives him without any groveling on his part. I was genuinely unsure at the time who was more pathetic, Gabriel for pleading with Ashley for forgiveness or Ashley for accepting his apology without even asking for the barest minimum.

This is the kind of book that is really awful, but because it's so awful, it was really entertaining. I hated every minute of this book, so much that I doubt I could think of a single thing in it that I enjoyed.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and to the author, Sarah Brenton, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a lot of hot, spicy fun, and had way more depth than I had anticipated. When a writer makes you care about the bad guy, you know you’re in for a good story, and Sarah Brenton delivers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Wow, this book completely blew me away! I have never read this author and I was definitely pleasantly surprised. Will definitely be picking up more books by this author in the future!

Return flight read 1 got me blushing in my airplane seat and slobbering into my napkin. This was a hella quick read only because I couldn't put it down. I would've had to have the flight attendant boot me from my seat if my flight wasn't so long so I could finish this book. Brenton has written an additive story of mistaken personalities. Definite discovery book of the year for me.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an eARC for an honest review.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

oh wow this was totally unexpected!I couldn't put it down. loved the plot, the characters and the writing. Opposite attract-check!one of my favourite tropes!fun,quick and easy read. I will be checking this author's other work.
Definitely recommend if you are up for a great read!