I have read the two previous books in this series and was excited to read an early copy of the newest -- and I thoroughly loved it.

Amy Spalding writes really realistic and likable characters -- while I don't always agree with their choices I can see why they made them, and they are always people I would love to be friends with in real life. Clementine and Chloe are both so endearing -- and I loved all the side characters and especially Chloe's group of friends.

I love the glimpse in to life in LA, it's so fun to spend time in.

I think this book can be read as as standalone, but there are characters from the first two books and it's so much for to get a peek in to their lives again -- I would recommend reading all 3 books, they're all so good and unique!

So excited to read whatever Amy Spalding writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I really wanted to love this one, but I kept finding myself putting it down. It was a struggle to keep with, and I just couldn't get hooked.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for this advance copy.

This whole series of friends in Hollywood who are out and falling in love has been a lot of fun. I love how this found family has come together!

Clementine and Chloe are pretty adorable as they "fake date" themselves into a real relationship. I loved how Clementine really worked to say what she wanted and claim both her queer identifity but also just say this is what I want, who cares what other people think. I also liked Chloe, but this was from Clementine's point of view so sometimes Chloe felt a little lacking in depth.

Overall this was fun and light and I appreciated that!

This is the 3rd in the "Out in Hollywood" and I'm sad to say it was my least favorite. The sole issue I had was that I didn't believe the romance between Clementine and Chloe. To me, there was no attraction and I didn't buy that they would even be friends, let alone interested in each other as partners. This is a shame because I like Spalding's writing and the world she's created. I especially liked the glimpses of the characters from the previous books and how they fit into this new story. I will still read other books by Spalding but this one just didn't grab me like the others.

Spalding wrote a great one in “On Her Terms”! I loved the tiny queer details that only a queer or very well researched writer would know to include. The main character’s reflections on her sexuality and how others support and understand her range so true for me and I appreciated the author’s nuisance and care around this. I appreciated the human aspects of knowing you need to have an important conversation with your partner but getting distracted by the physical side of things. It felt flawed in a real way. The author did a great job at writing flawed, imperfect characters who find their back to each other. I would absolutely read more Amy Spaulding books!

I’ve read the other out in Hollywood books, and I really enjoy the sapphic storylines and continued character arcs throughout the series. Although it wasn’t my favourite in the series, I enjoyed it and would recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of On Her Terms. Unfortunately I was unable to read this before the archive date but I look forward to finding it out in the wild!

Thoughtful, funny, and refreshingly grown-up, this sapphic romcom balances emotional honesty with charm, though its slow-burn pacing may test some readers’ patience.

This was an interesting novel about two women who decide to fake date in order to get their friends and family off their backs about being single. In this book it highlights very well how people tend to put romantic relationships above anything else. How you just "have" to be in a 'traditional' relationship to be happy. And this novel challenges that societal expectation- well sort of. I feel like this could've been a great novel for some incredible aromantic representation. One of the women, Chloe, is against dating and is perfectly happy by herself. She finds it to be ridiculous that people tend to make romantic relationships a bigger deal than friendships. But in the end it revealed she was just scared to fall in love and now she met the right girl.

I’ve got mixed feelings about On Her Terms. On the positive side, the story was well-paced. I enjoyed Chloe’s group of friends’ dynamics and how they accepted Clementine. I also very much appreciated Clementine’s ability to recognize her shortcomings and determination to pursue what she wants in life. The resolution with her best friends was brought beautifully, and I absolutely loved how she finally stood up for herself against her brother.

On the less positive side, my impression of Chloe was negative from the beginning to the end of the book and so despite her apologies. To say that she is a crappy person is an understatement. Her attitude toward Clementine’s baby-gay status is borderline condescending, and how she often she can easily dismiss Clementine is off-putting. I don’t know if that will ring a bell, but I can only compare Chole’s behavior to the behavior people tell young girls to accept from boys because “they are only treating you that way because they like you.”

Otherwise, it was great to reconnect with characters from the two previous books and to discover Chloe and Clementine’s story.

I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. The book was published on 25th February 2025.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I hadn't read the previous two books in the series as this can be read as a standalone, but I'm not sure how much that would have changed my view on it with this particular book. Clementine was lovely, very sweet and reminded me of people in my life so she was easy to love and follow. Chloe, despite making some horrible choices, was fun and I enjoyed getting to know. Together they made a fun ADHD-filled couple, having a journey that by the end of the book seemed like the best outcome for them both and not just following a stereotypical HEA. The ending I feel really took into consideration what we knew that the MCs wanted, and it was really refreshing to see characters in their 30s being unapologetically chaotic and millennial.

The found family in this book with the large group of queer friends, characters from the previous books, deserves an honourable mention by itself. It really made me long for my queer besties to live nearer so we could go to weekly bunch, it lived up to the trope and then some.

However, there are some issues in this book for me. One being how condescending Chloe was about Clementine's lack of experience with the constant use of "baby gay" and the tone used whenever she spoke about Clem's future sapphic relationships. And how she continuously invalidated Clem's experience whenever Clem tried to speak about how things were with Will. The extent Clem had to defend herself and her previous choices was heartbreaking and a major red flag about Chloe imo.
The other issue for me was the plot relied on the natural chemistry and connection the characters had for its development, and at times I just didn't feel it was there. I found this with both Clem and Chloe, as well as with Clem and the queer friends at first. When Clem and Chloe first met and until things were more established between them, I just didn't feel they gelled together like they were clearly intended to. Their relationship needed more work, especially with how Chloe treats Clem at times, to showcase their connection with another. With Clem and the queer friendship group, I only found this in their first bunch meeting that more awkwardness or something would have felt more appropriate in the moment. Even just briefly, as I didn't have this feeling after this first brunch, would have just made Clem joining the found family a smoother transition. Things like the high fives just felt unnatural and cringe.

But in the end, I really enjoyed this book and found myself reading as quickly as I could! I've now went and got all the other books by this author in my TBR pile and look forward to any future books in this series to see how all the characters turn out.
Thanks to the author and Netgallery for letting me read this ARC!

I think the heart of Amy Spalding's work are the truly believable and impactful side characters. This romance is fun and sweet and hits all the notes you want out of a romance, but what I really love is the friend group. Spalding never skimps on the found family in her books. This group of friends first introduced to us in For Her Consideration is so fun, well rounded and really just the best little queer fam. The way they interact with the main characters feels authentic and important to moving the narrative forward. This is not to say that the central relationship isn't good, it certainly is, and the fake dating trope is strong here. There is a good amount of spice, and overall this book and this series was a delight to read.

The third book in Amy's Out In Hollywood' series reunites us with Chloe Lee from book one and her friends. Clementine is 'rescued' by Chloe, whom knows her from mutual friends, and the two set up a fake dating scheme to help Clementine figure out lesbian dating and for Chloe to have a 'plus one' to her friend's wedding.

(The heroines from book one. While this book works as a stand alone, you should probably read that first.)

Really liked it. The heroine is sweet, and it was nice seeing the other characters from someone else's POV.

I absolutely love Amy's Out in Hollywood series and this is no exception. This book kept me company on jury duty and it was delightful. I loved reading about the late-in-life bisexual experience and how it altered Clementine's relationships with her family and friends, and the second coming of age required from getting out of such a long relationship. Can't wait for the next one!

This book is a perfect fit for readers who love LGBTQ+ romances that are filled with witty banter and heartwarming moments. The story delves into themes of self-discovery and features a fake relationship trope that blossoms into a genuine emotional connection, keeping readers engaged and invested in the characters' journeys. If you enjoy stories that explore the complexities of identity and relationships with a touch of humor and a whole lot of heart, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book, this has had no influence whatsoever on my opinion

Overall I really enjoyed this book - I mean, it’s fake dating, what is not to like. But I have to say the love interest was kinda insufferable. I get the whole “I don’t date thing” but she kept Clementine on a leash (like yes we’re gonna have sex but noo I’m not going to admit I have feelings for you to??)
Tbh I wasn’t rooting for the romance at all and that was quite the let down

I did really like Clementines personal growth though and that is why I am giving this book three stars

After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, Clementine is ready to explore her bisexuality. She meets Chloe, an acquaintance from past office holiday parties, who suggests a mutually beneficial fake relationship.
Really enjoyed this ARC. I'd previously read Amy Spalding’s For Her Consideration so had a vague recollection of some of the characters. Love the representation in the queer friend group especially and their dynamics and I’m always a sucker for fake dating. I appreciated that neither Chloe or Clem wanted traditional relationship markers like marriage and children and felt alienated by their friends and family for that – very relatable. Overall, big fan of Amy Spalding and this series.

Pros:
-bisexual representation and exploration
-plus-size rep
-AAPI lesbian rep
-queer found family
-fake dating done well
-opposites attract

Immediately after recognizing her bisexuality, Clementine gets swept up in a (somewhat boring) long-term relationship with a boyfriend who wants a conventional, white-picket-fence-and-a-baby ever after. After breaking up with him, she’s ready to dive into her “baby gay” era—if only her friends and family would stop looking at her with pity. After meeting Chloe Lee (again), they strike up an agreement and start fake dating one another. Can Chloe convince everyone it’s real while navigating her messy feelings?

On Her Terms is a wonderful exploration of identity and self. Clementine is 36 but still questioning who she is. Does she look and act queer enough? Does she fit among other queer women, or does her lack of queer experiences set her apart? This story largely relies on introspection, giving readers intimate, keen insights into Clementine’s mind and unrelenting anxiety. Let’s break it down:

Some of the characters fall fairly flat. Outside of the two main characters, Chloe and Clementine, it’s easy to confuse the large cast. I hoped Clementine’s brother had a reason for his rude intensity, but he only comes off as verbally and emotionally abusive. However, I do appreciate how easily Clementine joins Chloe’s friend group: proof that you can find your people at any age. Some of Clementine’s self-directed commentary bothered me, namely as a bisexual. I understand her concerns, not having “queer” experiences while she’s nearing 40, but the entire concept of her “learning how to navigate the queer community” is unnecessary (you’re never too old to become fully who you are).

The writing is page after page of introspection/exposition with a sprinkle of action in between. Because of that, the pacing drags at times. The story would have benefited from stronger interactions between Chloe and Clementine: there are so many fun, messy ways to bring characters together, to build tension and attraction, to SHOW rather than TELL us there’s chemistry. I appreciate the story exploring different themes, including coming out late in life, atypical relationships, and defining your own path.

I really wanted Clementine and Chloe to bring out the best in one another. Chloe’s confidence could have rubbed off on Clementine, given her the reassurance that she belonged to a community, proved to her that she WAS “queer enough.” Instead, they suit each other better as friends than a romantic couple. The characters do develop well, but there’s more strength in the friend group (found family!) than there is in the romance.

The massive, lengthy blocks of introspection exhaust the story. There are moments when the prose is fun and witty (namely, when Chloe and Clementine are in the same room), but other times when it drags. Many of her concerns of repetitive, which makes a potentially complex character potentially flat.

Recommended to fans of Meryl Wilsner, Alexis Hall, or Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

The Vibes

Contemporary Romance
Fake Dating
Queer / Sapphic Rep (Bisexual & Lesbian)
Single POV
Excessive Introspection
Discussions on Bisexual Erasure and “Being Queer Enough”
Plus-Sized Main Character
Witty Banter
Found Family
Mental Health / Anxiety Rep
ADHD Rep
Non-traditional HEA
Coming Out
Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This is an absolutely delightful book. I immediately read Amy Spalding’s back catalogue. She writes wonderful dialogue. Absolutely recommend the Out in Hollywood series. It is unabashedly funny and romantic.

"If I canceled my plans every time some a$%hole yelled something at me, I'd be a hermit. No offense to hermits. It's just not me."

Amy Spalding can do no wrong.

Seriously. Pick up any book in this series, and you're guaranteed a great read, every time. I have devoured all three of these books, and would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. (But yes, it's probably this one.)

Baby gay Clementine reminds me of some of my actual friends, and I just adore her so much! And Chloe is the best friend we all deserve (even when we say we don't). Friends to lovers romcom? Yes please.

Ps. Clem is a reader of romance. Can this be any more relatable? Have I convinced you yet?

"Maybe I was destined to only read about other people's happy endings, but for now that sounded better than a world without them at all."