If you’re into Hollywood romances with a mix of stubbornness, heart, and a dash of chaos, Love, Camera, Action should be on your TBR. It’s fun, it’s flirty, and it’s got plenty of drama to keep you hooked.

Let’s start with the good stuff—because there was plenty of it. The main characters? Fantastic. Noel Stark did an amazing job building up Cali's and Jory's motivations and backstories. As main characters, they were flawed, nuanced, and real. It was easy to see why they were the way they were, and the magnetic pull between them was wonderfully portrayed. I found myself rooting for them, even when they were being ridiculous, making dodgy choices, or displaying questionable behavior.

Jory, in particular, had some yellow-edging-on-orange-flag moments. Him and Cali would be getting along, only for him to pull a Jekyll/Hyde switcharoo out of nowhere and behave like a massive asshole. Which would then end in them bickering because our girl Cali was not about to let this condescending man throw disrespectful remarks around and just walk away. I actually loved how she clung to her fake-it-till-you-make-it attitude with tooth and nail and refused to let others talk down to her. Girly knew her worth, and it was lovely to see.

Plus, the Hollywood-adjacent—since they were filming in Atlanta—setting was so much fun. Getting a little behind-the-scenes peek at the way a filming production is run—politics, power-struggles, setbacks, and magical moments included—was very interesting and intriguing.

But here’s the thing—this book was wordy. Like, really wordy. There were so many out-of-the-box analogies, beautifully poetic in their unusualness descriptions and obscure words. And, while I appreciated the effort to paint a vivid picture and expand readers' vocabularies, it sometimes broke the pacing and forced me to re-read certain passages and lose my flow.

That said, the characters' emotional struggles, their growth journeys, and the tension in their relationship kept me turning the pages. The banter was titillating, the emotional moments fairly angsty, and the Hollywood backdrop added just the right amount of allure. It was the kind of book that made you want to get cozy and binge-read until the very end, craving that HEA.

So, yeah, Love, Camera, Action got a solid 4 out of 5 stars from me. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a delightful, engaging read with raw and real characters easy to root for. Just maybe keep a dictionary handy for the overly verbose bits!

Thank you, Alcove Press, for providing an e-ARC for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

DNF I read roughly 96 pages, but could not get myself to keep going. I just couldn't see myself in the story which is something I need for spicy titles.

DNF at 20%

Simply put, I am not the right reader for this title. It ramped up the spice way too quickly that I don't think I will be a fan moving forward. I know their are readers that will like this story. I just prefer plot over spice and I have a feeling this book won't satisfy me.

I do not plan to share this title on my instagram because I can't give it a fair rating and review.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

I thought this was a funny and adorable story, I love that it was on a TV set and loved the chemistry between the two main characters
I am such a fan of the grumpy x sunshine trope and enemies to loves and love that this story incorporated both of these.
Will definitely be looking out for more books by Noel Stark.

Thank you again for the opportunity

I loved this book right from the start! I found it very interesting to have the perspective of both characters, because it appeared to be a very different experience for a woman in the field of making t.v. than a man. I loved reading Cali's perspective, followed by Jory's. I will admit that it frustrated me when I could clearly see Cali being undermined, but she never seemed to let it affect her in doing her job well. Noel Stark definitely had me on a roller coaster of feelings with this book! The ending was great.....I love that both characters found themselves and each other!

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley, Alcove Press and Noel Stark.

This is the perfect, fun, quick romance read for a cosy Sunday afternoon. The TV show set setting was unique and entertaining. The characters had great chemistry and fun dialogue.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely keep an eye out for future books by Noël Stark.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC ❤️

DNF for me. Could not get into this book at all. Just not for me. Read the first 10 chapters. Thank you to Netgalley for ARC.

Love, Camera, Action takes place on a production set, following the lead characters as they make their mark in the business. The chemistry and scenes between Jory and Cali is fire, though it includes some hostility and miscommunication. It was a fun book to read.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of Love, Camera, Action by Noel Stark

This was unbearable. DNF at 55%

Characters were flat, the storyline was almost non existent. I had no interest in picking this book up at all.

Cali is a television director looking for her break. She is self-educated, from the school of persistence, coming in to “rescue” a production from a #metoo publicity disaster. Already established on set is the Director of Photography, Jory, who is at the top of his game if not a little burnt out and looking for a change of pace. His character seems to have one foot comfortably combatting toxic masculinity and one conflicted foot keeping the ‘old sexist dogs’ at heel for his own advancement. Together, Cali and Jory are creatively dynamite on set but, there is a tension undermining their work together.

Think of this as workplace romance, with rivals to lovers, and social commentary around the edges.

This book feels like a debut. All of the elements are there. The writing is ‘fine’. The story is ‘fine’. The characters are ‘fine’. The author has an intimacy for the production of television, its time pressures, personnel roles and intimacy of space, that is clear. The initial #metoo, sexism in the industry dialogue feels authentic.

But it just doesn’t lift from ‘fine’. I’m not sure if third person omnipotent was the best point of view to use. It kept the story at an impersonal distance from the characters who were on a very personal trust journey.

I felt that the MMC voice, Jory, was stronger and better written. As a reader we were in the weeds being told how everyone was feeling and reacting. Ultimately, I didn’t care about the leading couple and it felt like Ike a lost opportunity.

Love, Camera, Action was a sweet, straightforward read. It was a perfect story for a weekend or during a commute. I look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next. You can tell all of the elements of a great storyteller are right there but this might not have been the vehicle to show off with.

With thanks to the author, Noël Stark, Netgalley and Alcove Press for an eARC ahead of publication.

3.5-4🌟

#arcreader #netgalley #alcovepress #lovecameraaction #newreleasebook #goingplacesinthepages #haveabookwilltravel

So much to love here… nearly ruined by the fact that Jory is awful to Cali for a lot of this book. I can’t root for a couple where I’d like to dropkick one or both characters into the sun most of the time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one had a heroine with a career I haven't see before in a rom com so I didn't know how that one was going to work. But somehow it worked and added to story. And her career and the heroes career added to the work place drama without being a powers struggle which made the story funny not creepy.

*Love Camera Action* was an absolute treat from start to finish! I was beyond excited to get an advance copy, and it did not disappoint. The author does an incredible job of pulling readers into the world of TV production, offering a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes process of making a show. The details about the crew, the set dynamics, and the chaos of production made it so immersive—I felt like I was right there with the characters.

And let’s not forget the steam! The chemistry between the leads was undeniable, with some seriously spicy moments that added the perfect amount of heat to the story. Their connection was electric, and the romance was just as thrilling as the setting itself.

Overall, *Love Camera Action* was a delightful, engaging read that perfectly combined a fun, fast-paced storyline with some steamy, heartfelt moments. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves a good romance with a unique, behind-the-scenes twist!

Love, Camera, Action is par excellence a friendly read and perfect for overcoming reader block.
This reading offers a respite with a cute romance story, but at one point somewhat stressful due to the lack of communication between the protagonists, the way in which it addresses the topic of how the film industry and the role of women in it seemed interesting to me and addressed appropriately.
This read moves at its own pace, one that is neither too fast nor too slow, but all I can say is that it is a pleasant pace. The fact that the reading is narrated from two points of view allows us to connect with the protagonists more

2.75 rounded up.

I really wanted to like this book. The writing and chapter pacing was odd and felt off somehow. The pacing of the book felt stilted too. We had an omniscient narrator but didn’t really feel the emotions of the characters. I think I personally just perfect first person perspective for romance books so that might just be me.

The concept was a really interesting take but I wish it was just executed differently.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc

3.5 Stars

* Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an uncorrected proof of the eARC - this is my honest review*

Cali is a director looking for her big break. Jory is a DP (Director of Photography) looking to advance. The two clash over the filming of a hot new TV show until it becomes clear that their work, and they themselves, are so much more satisfying when they…collaborate.

This was a fun romance with a lot of behind the scenes of the acting/film/TV world. I’ve never really been apart of that so I enjoyed it, and the narrative was solid. It did feel like a couple of beats were skipped over in the development of Jory and Cali’s relationship though as we seemed to skip from the enemies to lovers section quite quickly (though I wouldn’t really call them enemies to begin with) and more could have been made of the very real possibility that they’d gotten into trouble for hooking up on set. Slightly more refinement on that end would have made the romantic development flow just a little more.

I liked the side characters too, particularly the actors, and felt a little disappointed we didn’t get any resolution to the very odd way we last saw them - I wanted to know what happened next. Perhaps a future book?

Same for the out of left field reveal about Joey’s assistant - a little more show don’t tell could have been included there.

Overall though, I think this was a solid romance especially as a debut. I’d be keen to see more from Noel because there’s definitely room to grow and talent here.

⭐️: 3.5

If you love workplace romances with sizzling chemistry and a behind-the-scenes look at the TV industry, Love, Camera, Action is a solid pick 🎥

The book does a great job of making the TV production setting feel real and immersive. The romance has an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers dynamic, with plenty of banter and slow-burning attraction. Cali is a strong, ambitious protagonist and Jory provides the perfect mix of challenge and chemistry. Their dynamic is fun to watch unfold, and the tension keeps you hooked.

That said, I felt that the resolution came a bit too fast, leaving certain aspects underdeveloped. A little more time spent fleshing out the emotional depth of their relationship could have made it even more satisfying. But if you’re looking for a fun, sexy and fast-paced read with a unique setting, this one’s worth checking out.

🎬Would recommend for fans of workplace romance, TV production drama and the enemies-to-lovers trope 🎬

Could you ever tell a writer was good but you ended up absolutely hating the story? That is how I felt about this book.

I was excited about this book I am obsessed with enemies to lovers and work place romance but no matter how hard I tried I could not get into or seem to enjoy this book.

The characters are impossible to connect to and honestly hard to like at all cali comes off as whiny and Jory comes off as a complete jerk, don’t even get me started on their romance the first time they hooked up Jory was basically taking advantage of her emotional and mental state like what?.

This book was not for me though I would love to see some of Noel’s other work as I can tell she’s a good writer and would love to give her another chance.

Thank you NetGalley and alcove press for the arc

Impressively well written covering a topic that is still sensitive and triggering to a lot of readers. The character arcs are a delight and the mental health depictions are nuanced and well done,

I went in expecting a cute romance, I was not prepared for the depth of writing and insight.

This was a cute debut novel!
I liked the story idea and really enjoyed how it all happened on the movie set, and we got to see a bit of the creative side of filmmaking!
The FMC was strong, independent, and creative, which I always love!
I enjoyed the MCs thoughts and getting to know them.
I liked that neither of them were perfect and had obstacles to overcome, mentally and physically.
I'll definitely recommend this book for workplace romance, "enemies" to lovers vibes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!