4.5/5 ⭐️

- Secret Identity
- Secret relationship/forbidden romance
- Dual POV
- Meet-cute
- Rom-com vibes

This book was funny, romantic & cute, fast paced & had me hooked from the very beginning. This gave me 2000s rom-com vibes & I really enjoyed it! I still can’t believe this is a debut book because it didn’t read like one at all!

I loved the chemistry between James & Kat and the banter was so good. I love how much he cared for her & how supportive and encouraging he was with her. He really wanted her to see herself how he saw her & have confidence in who she was & how amazing she was. I really loved that. Kat was funny, quirky and I honestly saw a bit of myself in her in some moments in the story. If you enjoy tropes these tropes, I definitely recommend reading this!

Thank you to Ivy Dawes, Flowers & Bear Books and NetGalley for the ARC! This is my honest review!

After getting dropped by her agent and going through a nasty breakup, Kat Caplan is starting over with a new job working as a PA to a demanding jerk of an actor on the set of Starlight Studios' latest movie. After a chance meeting on set, she begins to fall for who she thinks is a kind and handsome background actor, only to receive a shock to find out that he's actually James Everett, the movie's other leading man. James needs this movie to be a success in order for his father to finally give him the leadership role he's always wanted at Starlight Studios. When a relationship contract with the film's leading lady becomes a condition for the promotion, can his fledgling relationship with Kat survive?

Starstruck is a sweet romance with plenty of spice and sizzling chemistry. Both James and Kat go on strong journeys of emotional growth throughout the story. Kat grows from an insecure woman who can't believe that someone like James would want to be with her, to a confident woman who knows her worth and is unafraid to ask for what she deserves. James has a complicated relationship with his family, particularly his father, due to the power he holds over him and the control that he exercises over his career. It is extremely powerful when he finally gains the courage to stand up and fight for what he wants.

The stage is set well for the forthcoming sequel featuring James's brother, Roman. There is enough mentioned in order to pique the reader's interest without making Starstruck feel incomplete, and I look forward to picking it up in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

James and Kat have an unconventional meet cute on a movie set and the tension between them builds and builds. James is supportive and protective over Kat helping to build up her self confidence. But his father isn't happy James isn't falling into line and is threatening to take away his position in the family company if James continues to see Kat. Laugh out loud banter, co-parenting of a blue and white fish, and a swoony romance Starstuck is a fast paced emotional read.

Dual POV, Spicy, Celebrity Romance, Actor x Aspiring Actress, Care Taking, Manipulative Parent

Starstruck by Ivy Dawes was everything I was hoping it would be.
I can’t believe this is her debut! Because she freaking killed it!
Romantic, delightful, and a captivating page turner!
This book had me gripped from the start… A great page turner that has you glued to the pages.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

First of all, I would like to thank Ivy Dawes, Netgalley, and Flower & Bear Books for the opportunity to read this book.

About:
Kat’s life in LA has hit rock bottom: she no longer has an agent and is dumped by her boyfriend. Her friend offers her an opportunity to be a Production Assistant (PA) for one of the leads in a movie produced through Starlight Studios. While onset she meets background actor who sparks something in her- she later finds the mysterious man is James Everett- and he is not only one of the leading stars in the film but is son of the owner of Starlight Studios. James has everything- money, fame and is in line to gain a leadership role at Starlight Studios IF he listens to his father and plays by his rules. However, things get complicated when one of the stipulations is that he must enter a fake relationship with the leading lady of the movie- forcing James to have to choose his career or undeniable attraction/budding relationship with Kat.

Review: Starstruck was entertaining, and I enjoyed reading this book- it is a romcom that is instalovely/a meet cute story. I loved the setting- Hollywood/Movie making scene. It reminds me of a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed the James’ character a lot- he was patient with Kat and wanted to do his best. Ivy did well with conveying his struggles with his family especially with his father. I felt that Kat could have been more understanding in certain circumstances. At the beginning of the book- she is down in the dumbs (which she has every right to be) however when giving James’s ultimatums when I did not see progression in her character growth- threw me off a little (example: it’s me or nothing- when more than half the book she was not as vocal or strong in expressing herself). We do see character growth near the end of the book for her. I loved the mental health rep scene where James is helping Kat overcome a panic attack. Overall I would recommend this book- it was enjoyable and it will be part of series!

I look forward to reading more from Ivy Dawes! I can’t wait to read Roman and Jill’s story.

Final rating - 3.25 ⭐️

I did enjoy this book more towards the end than I had in the beginning. The story is really cute and I liked all of the characters, tropes, and the ending. I found myself having a hard time getting through the first 60% of the book because of some of the writing felt unedited. It might have just been me, but in some parts it felt like it was there to hit a word count in a sentence. Then some of the plot points that happened occurred fairly quickly (like her ex storming into the apartment) and seemed a little jarring because when it was time for an in depth experience with it, it felt rushed to further along the story. That being said the writing felt and read better after the 60% mark and I started to really enjoy it. The love confession and reconciliation at the end was written really beautifully, but I just wish the beginning had the same feel to it. I’m sure if I wasn’t reading an arc I might have DNF’d 30-40% of the way in, but I’m glad I didn’t because the ending really was great. I think if there was one more editing round this book would have been a 4 ⭐️ for me. That being said I know the author is writing the siblings books as well and I look forward to reading Roman and Jill’s stories!

Thank you to Ivy Dawes, Netgalley, and Flower & Bear Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

I loved this book, it was nothing short of dreamy. It had all the rom-com vibes!!

I wanted to pick it up because of the title, which is also the title of one of my favorite childhood movies!

I loved the plot and the characters! It felt like I was watching the story play out on a screen, instead of just reading it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves secret identities, secret workplace romances, and spicy, fast-paced romances.

This was such an amazing debut book! I was obsessed with the storyline and the characters (Kat and James), their chemistry was just amazing! It had me gripped from start to finish! Ended up reading the book in only a few sittings.

Thank-you to Flower&Bear Books and NetGalley for allowing me an early copy of this book. I will look out for more from Ivy Dawes in the future.

This book? It's like stepping into a time machine and landing smack dab in the middle of the Y2K rom-com era, and I mean that in the best possible way.

First off, can we talk about the chemistry between Kat and James? It's off the charts. Like, seriously, you can practically feel the sparks flying off the page. Dawes nailed it with these two. Their banter, their stolen glances - it's the stuff romance dreams are made of.

And can we take a moment to appreciate the hidden identity/secret relationship trope? Dawes flips it on its head and gives it a fresh spin that's so addictively good, you'll wonder why more authors aren't doing it. It's like finding a hidden gem in a sea of predictable plotlines.

Oh, and a heads up: this book is not holding back on the steam factor. We're talking open-door scenes that'll have you fanning yourself and reaching for a cold drink. But hey, it's all part of the fun, right?

In the end, "Starstruck" is one of those books you'll want to devour in one sitting, then immediately want to start all over again. With its lovable characters, addictive plot, and feel-good vibes, it's a rom-com gem that's sure to leave you starstruck. So do yourself a favor and grab a copy. Trust me, you won't regret it.

This was such a cute book, that made me think about romcoms (whick i love), and it made me like the book even more.
The tropes was a great yes to read this book, because i was craving this tropes, and they didn´t dissapoint me, i loved this so much.
Kat and James will have my heart forever.

Tropes:
- fake dating
- celebrity romance
- he falls first
- forbidden romance

I received an Arc copy in exchange of an honest review.

4/5 Stars Spice level 2.5/5

Tropes Include, but are not limited to:
Hidden Identity
Celebrity Love Interest
Dual POV
Secret Romance

Someone said that this was a perfect palate cleanser and I tend to agree.

Kat and James have good character arcs that are relatable to those of us that go through periods of self doubt and not knowing when to speak up for ourselves. Through an (almost) instant love, self doubts, meddling authority figures, and co-parenting a fish, these two find their way to becoming better people for themselves and each other.

A smooth read with spicy open door love scenes. I felt happy and optimistic reading it and overall it put a smile on my face and made me feel hopeful about love. Added bonus, the author did an excellent job of setting up curiosity seeds for the side characters to develop this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Flower & Bear Books for this arc.

The meet cute in this book was so cute and hilarious! Kat's healing journey, her increasing self-doubt, and her new anxiety stemming from her last relationship was so relatable. Her struggle to find herself before the relationship was amazing, and so inspiring. James' desire for parental approval was so sad and unfortunately relatable as well; his dad was so controlling and manipulative and just spiteful. We all knew his dad was not going to do anything for James without a benefit to him, and his dad had it coming for him!

In the end, Kat and James' chemistry was undeniable and off the charts. She refused to lessen herself for James, and he had to put in the work in HIMSELF so he could prove to himself that he deserved love and happiness as well.

Loved this book, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the next in the series!

This book started out strong with an interesting premise. It was really fun and light, but there unfortunately wasn't much substance to it.

I struggled to connect with either of the main characters. Kat came off as whiny, and her constant self-pity was irritating. James, on the other hand, was forgettable.

The romance in this book happened way too fast for me. This book lacked the build up and that ended up with the relationship feeling forced and lacking chemistry.

The book's pacing was a major issue. Many parts of this book were very slow and I started losing interest in the story. The second half, in particular, felt dragged out.

Overall, the book was fine. It wasn't a terrible read, but a bit underwhelming.

*Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Thanks to NetGalley, Flower and Bear Books and Ivy Dawes for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was highly enjoyable - a sweet romp through Hollywood with an aspiring, down on her luck actress and a A lister leading man as they tackle challenges from Hollywood together and decipher their feelings. The romantic tension was palpable from the page they met, and it was fun to read about them as he falls first and harder. (One of my favorite tropes!)

This book definitely made me feel the feelings of first being in love, and I found that to be a fun addition - you know, the excitement of seeing them or hearing from them and being around them. Ivy Dawes does an excellent job of outlining these feelings and emotions throughout the process of falling in love, which was very fun. This was assisted by this book being a dual POV book, so that we saw and read about the thoughts and emotions of both leads.

This book handles some delicate topics really well, including the mental health representation. The FMC has a panic attack and the MMC helps to talk her through it until she feels better. It is beautifully written scene that really showed how much a support person and coping strategies can help someone in crisis. Not to mention, the MMC is just a really great communicator in general. Love that!

Trigger warning: Please note that there is an emotionally abusive parent in this book. The verbal and emotional abuse is pretty rampant throughout the book, so if this is upsetting, this may not be the read for you.

Overall, a fantastic read and debut novel. Read if you enjoy:
Celebrity Romance
Fake Dating
Secret Relationship
Found Family
He Falls First and Harder
Forbidden Romance

This book was so cute I adored the storyline and the characters so much!
It was a really quick and easy read and I loved how realistic it showed the entertainment industry can be.
This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be picking up further books released by her! Her writing makes it really easy to get into the storyline and get invested with the characters!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Ivy Dawes for giving me an arc to this book I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is a fabulous read! Immediately ordered the kindle version and super excited for the paperback/ hardcover when it becomes available. Without spoilers; I’ve never seen a book take this take on Hollywood twists and turns. It gives forbidden love vibes. The dual POV was 🥰🥰🥰 and the spice didn’t overtake the plot and was just the perfect amount of “pepper” to plot ratio! Excited to see more from this author ❤️

“𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.”

This book was absolutely adorable just as I expected - a sweet, funny romance with a hint of spiciness throughout the pages. The romance here reminds me a lot of those 2000s rom-com movies which I personally adored, and for that nostalgia I enjoyed this book ever more.
I have to say that I was quite surprised that it was a debut novel. I really enjoyed Ivy’s writing style and found the plot nicely planned. I read it in one sitting because of how captivating it was!

Also I liked a lot the characters in this book, both main and side ones. I can't even pick which of the two main characters, Kat and James, I loved better because they are so likable and have such a nice connection.

I really enjoyed reading about Kat's transformation from an insecure woman to someone who knows precisely what she wants and is determined to achieve it. Her life isn’t the easiest at the beginning - not only has her acting career not taken off, but she recently ended a relationship with a complete jerk, and she feels as though she lost herself in the process. Still, she laughs, smiles, and continues to grow stronger throughout the novel, despite everything that life throws at her.

And James… Oh, I love him so much! He’s such a sweet guy and I loved how supportive he was for Kat. He gives her a positive self-esteem that I really enjoyed. I also liked that he wasn't flawless, especially with the situation of his fake relationship contract. And him falling in love with Kat first?! Oh, I love so much when it happens in the books!

If you're looking for a delightful, light-hearted romance with just a little bit of spice on the pages, this book will be perfect for you! And I’m really hoping to read more books by Ivy Dawes. Hopefully we get more books in the Starlight Studios series soon. Maybe the stories of the side characters? 😉

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐. 5

A very fun and sweet debut by Dawes - I really enjoyed it!

A case of mistaken identity by a down-on-her-luck PA (production assistant or personal assistant) to a really awful actor who comes across a really famous star done up in prosthetic stage makeup of burns and scars become friends and lean on each other on set. They both have to live with the terror that is Branson, star of this movie. She believes the guy she came across is just a background actor.

He, James, enjoys the anonymity and a genuine friendship, and she, Kat, just likes that someone is friendly at work. James just has a little problem … he’s supposed to do the whole fake relationship thing with the female lead of the movie (who’s more than a decade younger and basically a child), as demanded by his father who owns the studio, and he flat out does not want a thing to do with the spoiled brat … whether or not he’s starting to catch feelings for his new texting buddy Kat and the PR stunt will determine his entire future.

It’s a fresh take on the workplace romance and mistaken identity tropes, and a very well written debut. I look forward to the second book in the series and definitely recommend this one! What really struck me was the author bio at the end that said she is local to me!! I always love finding local authors. Another great new Canadian author to add to the list. It’s a lot of fun and a quick read, and a great romcom. I’m really glad I picked it up and gave a new author a try!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Flower & Bear Books, and this is my honest feedback.

This was a really cute story. I adored it from start to finish.

I might be toxic but I love it even a book starts with a hidden identity 🤣 that’s what drew me in to wanting to read this one.

Kat was an amazing girl who deserves the whole world. I loved her and Rose’s friendship. They are the definition of friend soulmates.

I loved that James’ personality stayed consistent throughout the story. He only dipped a bit for me until he grew some balls. But he is deserving of Kat.

This was a sweet and spicy celebrity romance and an amazing debut for this author. James and Kate’s relationship is really cute, starting with a little bit of hidden identity. Feels like a rom-com all the way through, from their meet-cute, real meetings and their dating part. I have enjoyed my time reading this, and if you like celebrity romcoms, you will love this.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the copy of the e-ARC