Laura Wood's Let's Make a Scene is a delightful blend of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers and a second-chance romance all in one charming package. If you're a fan of complex relationships and character growth, this book is definitely for you.

One of the standout features of Let's Make a Scene is its brilliant use of dual timelines. The story takes place during the indie movie shoot where Jack and Cynthie met, as well as during the sequel shoot 13 years later. This narrative choice allows readers to witness Cynthie and Jack's journey not just in the present, but also through their past. This layered approach adds significant depth to their connection and makes their eventual reunion all the more satisfying. This also gives space to flesh out all of the side characters, showing us how they've grown and changed over the past 13 years as well, and seeing how their relationships with the main characters have evolved.

And... there's a Dirty Dancing lift scene. What more could you need? Let's Make a Scene is a wonderful rom-com that will leave you wishing these movies were real

Funny, angsty, steamy, heartwarming, charming, and escapist! A pair of Hollywood stars who hated and fake dated each other as their careers took off thirteen years ago are asked to make a sequel of their cult classic, complete with round two of fake dating, this time with a documentary camera crew filming their "reunion." The chemistry is still there, but so are all the old resentments and conflicting and confusing emotions. Second chance fake dating was a fun twist on those tropes and made the story stand out to me.

A slow burn with dual timelines and POVs, you see how things started between Cynthie and Jack years earlier and their match-made-in-Hollywood reunion in the present day. I enjoyed these two. A lot. Their enemies-to-lovers banter was deliciously entertaining, and I felt the intensity of their emotions as the lines of love and hate blurred. They were well-developed characters, and the dual timeline helped show how they changed and grew over the years. Jack especially seemed to mature. Celebrity romance books don't always work for me, but this one did. The romantic tension between these two is palpable, and their relationship develops into something truly swoon-worthy!

I also enjoyed the writing, the secondary characters, and the plot. The movie and filming were intertwined with the romance, giving a behind-the-scenes peek at the entertainment industry. Some fantastic secondary characters are scene stealers who provide a lot of laughs. Although this is book two in a series, it worked well as a standalone for me, and now I want to go back and read book one. I had so much fun reading this, and think romcom fans will, too!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted ARC

*4.5 rounded up

Cynthie and Jack meet as they both move into starting roles for the first time in a sweeping historical romance movie where they soon become bitter enemies. Now, years later they are back on the set in the follow up to the movie and the same sparks are flying.

This was so good! Movie romance with enemies to lovers! Here's what I liked:

The format: this is told in past and present chapters which gives a perfect feel for the story. There is so much that happened in the past that influences what is happening in the present but I liked how Wood didn't just give it all to you up front. Every past chapter is perfectly timed with what is happening now.

The enemies of it all: Cynthie and Jack are some of my favorite enemies to lovers. They have a prank war and everything, Their animosity was perfectly written. And as always, it's so much fun to see that wall of hate come crumbling down.

The movie: I loved the backdrop of the movie set for the past and the present. It was fun to see the ins and outs of that scene.

All in all, a great romcom!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Cynthie’s big break in acting was in a movie with Jack (a very handsome and talented nepo baby). Unfortunately Jack seemed to hate her (minus one night where things got out of hand) but the two were asked (as the young stars) to fake a relationship for the press and as soon as they could, they parted and never spoke again. The movie was a huge success and now, 13 years later they are making a sequel and Jack and Cynthie are back together on set (and again asked to fake a relationship). Both are at a point in their career where good press is super helpful, but when you fake being in love for so long, sometimes it can seem very real.

This is technically the second in a series (the first was Under Her Spell which I loved), but it can absolutely be a standalone (but I personally suggest reading the first because it's so much fun). I loved the narrating duo and wanted to listen to more than I did, but as is a theme for the next few weeks, I ended up reading more than I listened. There is a bit of a dual timeline in this one so the reader can learn the main characters’ history in a more slow reveal. The author writes great characters that you want to hang out with (somehow they stay in my brain longer than some others), I think it's the fun banter and just general humor that I like. I really hope there will be another in the series because I would love to revisit these people!

4.25 stars

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I went into this book without having read the first book in the series so right off the gate I knew nothing but I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book ! Cynthie and Jackare costars in a period romance movie and their chemistry jumps off the charts from the very first audition. But because of circumstances And immaturity on both parts, they turn into fake dating enemies. Fast-forward many years later, both of their careers are in flux and they’re getting a chance to make a sequel to their first beloved movie. That’s where the slow burn begins. These two are meant to be from the second. They met each other, but it took time immaturity for them to come together. I really really enjoyed this book and immediately ran to read the first one which was also delightful!

Thank you #NetGalleyFor the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another beautiful, captivating page-turner of a novel that was an utter delight. Honestly, I think Laura Wood might be putting something addictive in these books, because I can't get enough. If you love angsty, an all-consuming connection, electrical chemistry, and second chance, fake relationships romances with unforgettable characters, you need this book in your life. But be prepared to be obsessed!

This is Jack Turner-Jones and Cynthie Taylor’s story and what a wonderful journey it was!


Cynthie and Jack have a history! In their first movie together, they had incredible on-screen chemistry, which catapulted both of their careers. But behind the scenes they utter dislike for each other was very obvious.

Now thirteen years later, they have been unexpectedly reunited for a sequel. However, there’s an unexpected twist: they’ll need to pretend to be in a relationship while a documentary crew follows them around.

I loved seeing their story play out as it is told within these two timelines.

Watching these two reunite once more kept me on the edge of my seat. I was also captivated by the wild antics of the ragtag crew and their devoted, close-knit group of family and friends. Seeing these two fall in love was everything a romance reader could ever hope for in a story!

Very fun and easy read! I haven’t read a romance between two actors before and it was such a fun dynamic. These two truly are enemies to lovers because they couldn’t stand each other. Wood did an excellent job conveying their dislike for one another. I also adored the friendships created in this book. A found family will always do it for me. We also got a cameo from another couple which was so much fun to read about!

My biggest critique would be how the mmc would justify some of his actions. As a person with anxiety I would not say some of the things he did just because I was severely anxious. While it is possible to not articulate yourself correctly and come off harsh I wish he would have owned up to it sooner instead of explaining himself 13 years later.

I would say I overall enjoyed this story--the tone, the characters and the their development, the Hollywood behind-the-scenes setting. I had fun with all of those parts. I do think the pacing was off, maybe from all the timeline switching. I actually had a couple moments where I wasn't paying attention and forgot which timeline I was in, because they were so similar it wasn't super easy to tell. I wonder if telling the story chronologically might have helped. But, though it felt a bit slow, and the ending especially was dragged out, I still liked the general vibe of the whole thing.

Super cute rom com! Little bit of enemies lovers mixed with a second chance romance. Told from both MCs POVs.
A lot of the book jumps back and forth between the past and present. I found it easy to follow along.

Cynthie might as well be the harlot of Hollywood at the moment following the exposure of an affair with her director. She’s left with little choice but to take the job that’s fallen in her lap - a sequel to a movie she’d made 13 years ago with a co-star she pledged never to see again. But the job is contingent upon being in a fake relationship with her former co-star and filming a documentary while shooting the movie. Sparks fly when Cynthie and Jack reunite and not always in a good way. Their witty banter is comical and energized. Never has a title been more perfect for a book. Jack and Cynthie make incredible scenes together on and off the set. Their love/hate relationship is thrilling to read about and constantly keeps you on your toes. The vulnerability of the characters just about leaps off the pages. The scenes from their past are seamlessly woven into their present and make the story truly unique. A great read to immerse yourself in!

Beloved movie star and media darling Cynthie Taylor’s life has imploded after a devastating scandal involving the director of her most recent film. With her personal and professional lives up in flames, Cynthie finds herself hiding out from unfavorable headlines, disapproving fans, and her own emotional wreckage. After she is fired from her next blockbuster project, Cynthia’s agent comes up with a plan to save her reputation and her career. The movie that gave Cynthie her big break has a sequel in production and the directors want Cynthie to reprise her roll. The only problem is that Jack Turner-Jones, the movie’s male lead and Cynthia’s nemesis, is also returning. Cynthie and Jack couldn’t stand each other during filming of A Lady of Quality and haven’t spoken to each other since. Now the producers want to recreate the magic of the first film by bringing back the entire cast and crew and filming a behind the scenes documentary. They’ve also requested that Jack and Cynthie fake date, much like they did during the production of the first film, in order to generate publicity. Cynthie loved her experience on A Lady of Quality and hopes that by signing on for the sequel and reluctantly agreeing to date Jack that she can rekindle her passion for acting. But thirteen years is a long time and Cynthie discovers many things have changed, including Jack. As they begin filming, Cynthie starts to see things with fresh eyes and realizes the relationship between her and Jack might not have been what it seemed. Will Cynthie and Jack be able to make peace with their past or are they destined to repeat their mistakes?

Laura Wood’s Let’s Make a Scene is emotional, moving, and heartwarming. Her characters are impeccably written. They have depth, breadth and dimension. Cynthie and Jack are not flat, cookie-cutter characters. Wood delves deep into their backstories and psyches. The reader becomes emotionally invested in their failures and successes. These characters are relatable and sympathetic. Wood isn’t afraid to get into gritty, uncomfortable topics which grounds the glitz and glam of Hollywood life in reality. There’s nothing surface level or superficial about this story. Let’s Make a Scene doesn’t only offer a second chance at love, but a chance for redemption and forgiveness. Told in alternating POVs and timelines, Wood has given the reader a superb enemies to lovers romance.

I recieved an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I love me a good time hop romance but unfortunately this one didnt hit for me😭 I didnt like how much time was spent in the past. Dnf at 50%

This enemies to lovers, dual timeline, second chance-ish book was high on my anticipated reads of this year, but unfortunately it let me down a little bit in the end.
While it is a dual timeline storyline, we are told the stories in large chunks that then switch back and forth between years (several years in current day, several 13 years ago, etc) and I really think this was a large reason for my frustration overall. The characters 13 years ago are both very young, and this movie is going to be their first major roll in a film (for Cynthie, it’s her first roll ever in anything), so it’s understandable to have a few nerves and maybe feel a little defensive when your co-star doesn’t think you’ve got what it takes. But both Jack and Cynthie take it way too far, and they end up just mean and petty (the pranks were so hard to read, and they took up a lot of the storyline). I didn’t like either one of them when they were younger, and sadly we were with the younger characters for really large chunks of the book before we got back to the older, more mature versions of the main characters. I really think this book should have been dual timelines but alternating chapters, so when something juvenile/petty/frustrating happened in the past, we could right away meet up with the characters in current day, and maybe have a little insight to what was going on at that time to make them act that way (they are both much more open as they are older, and we eventually get some insight, but it comes a little too late for the reader). I also felt like I never really understood Cynthie and her motives, and I really wanted more backstory into her childhood and what made her do the things she did, especially when it came to Jack. I never learned enough about her to really like her, and that was a shame, because I wanted to understand why Jack loved her so.
That being said, I think this book will be a hit with a lot of readers, especially ones who like their enemies to be REALLY in hate-love with each other, and readers who enjoy pop culture references, of which they are many in this one. There is a fun grand gesture, and several swoony moments once we leave the childish characters 13 years in the past where they belong.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite, but I won’t be surprised if it is for a lot of people.

Harper Audio ALC
What a fun summer romance! If you want a book that shows the nitty gritty of adapting a novel for television - then this would make for the perfect book in a day summer read. Tash had certain ways she wanted her novel to be portrayed, but the production team didn't agree, so she was stuck with Caleb. I loved his role in all of this, from being an intimacy coordinator to a person who supported Tash and pushed her to grow. There was such great chemistry between them. I also appreciated the discourse around sexual situations and explicitness in shows and how it's viewed differently from person to person. This was a fun book with excellent growth, lovable side characters, and great depth.
I adore Natalie Naudus, so I thought her performance was perfection. She captured the tones and nuances so well.

thank you to atria books and netgalley for the arc! this was a highly anticipated read!

Under Your Spell was a must read so i freaked when i got this arc! and with dual narration?!? i was so happy lol

we focus on theo’s ex who was always more of a friend Cynthie. and we get a dual timeline of her when she first met Jack and they butted heads to now when they have more of their place in their world and hollywood.

a book this reeeeally reminded me of was Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder. we have the combustible attraction along with the opposites attract vibes to boot.

i wasn’t crazy about the past chapters mainly cause they were so immature it drove me crazy. but i do think seeing that proved how they got to where they were now and was important to the story arc. especially with Jack imo.

we did get a brief cameo from Theo and Clemmie which made my heart happy

Rivals to lovers- what a trope. Two actors that cannot stand one another? Tell me more….. they have to play lovers in a film?!?! Wow

This book was great and has the development of the relationship was slow which worked for this book and storyline. The other characters don’t distract frontje story but rather add to it.

The slowburn is what builds to a great overall story that I really enjoyed. Thanks for the chance and opportunity to read this book.

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood is a 5 star read! My favorite book this year! I laughed. I cried. I swooned. The chemistry between Jack and Cynthie was off the charts. I could not put this book down. Fantastic read!! Must read!!

After enjoying Laura Wood's Under Your Spell, I was excited to read the follow-up companion book! Let’s Make a Scene was such a fun book about two rivals who have a second chance at love. The story is told in two timelines, from Jake and Cynthie’s first movie together to the present, when they are making a new movie and pretending to date. The fake relationship between Cynthie and Jack was well done, and I was rooting for them to end up together. The novel did have a few spicy scenes that aren’t necessarily my taste in a book. While this book includes characters from Under Your Spell, I felt it could be read as a standalone. I loved the story and look forward to reading Laura Wood’s next book!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Let's Make a Scene by Laura Woods is an enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, second-chance fun rom com about two celebrities who do not get along, fake date in order to help boost their careers, filled with a lot of Hollywood drama, and told using a dual timeline through two different points of view.

Cynthie Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones had amazing on-screen chemistry during their first film together, which launched their careers; only their real-life dislike for each other made just as many headlines. Thirteen years later, they are brought together again for a sequel to their film, with an added complication: they need to pretend their relationship is real again for publicity. With cameras constantly around them, old issues resurface, tension builds, and the line between acting and reality becomes blurred.

The humor, tension, and development of their relationship are well done; keeping me engaged throughout; whether they were arguing or sharing rare tender moments. Telling their story in two timelines, allows for their initial conflicts and misunderstandings alongside their current reunion, where they've matured but still maintain their distinctive dynamic. Cynthie is an engaging main character, driven and resilient, while Jack transforms from an irritating co-star to a love interest.

I enjoyed the behind the scenes type stuff you got to see in regard to how movies are made and the lifestyle as well as the downfalls celebrities deal with. This added a lot to the story and gave insight to what the main characters were going through. It also made the whole fake dating trope more believable as it played out. If you like enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, or second-chance romance stories, you'll probably enjoy this one. If you like romance books with a mix of humor, emotional moments and enemies to lovers tension this is the book for you.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#AtriaBooks #NetGalley # Let MakeAScene

This second chance, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating story was everything I'm looking for in a romance novel!

Movie star Cynthie Taylor is suffering a huge public scandal. When her agent says that the regency film she made 13 years ago is getting a sequel and they want her to reprise her role, it's the thing she needs to gain back the public's favor. Unfortunately, the stipulation is that she needs to fake date Jack Turner-Jones, her nemeis and co-star. Again.

Cynthie and Jack were the perfect rivals-to-lovers characters. Individually I loved them both (this was a dual-POV book) and together they sizzled! The chemistry and banter between the two of them leapt off the page. It was clear, in both the past and present timeline, that these two were meant to be together, despite how hard they fought and denied it.

It was so much fun to read about the filming of the movie, in both timelines. The cast and crew were entertaining, and the found family aspect was incredibly heartwarming. Cynthie had the best people surrounding her, and I loved every one of the side characters.

I think the best part of this book was that, despite the fact that they were "enemies" Jack and Cynthie were both amazing people. They each had their own personal struggles, and although they were determined to hate each other, neither of them was ever cruel or mean. (Although there was a hilarious prank war.)

I truly enjoyed seeing these characters grow and develop, both individually and as a couple. And of course, the best part of any romance is the grand gesture, and this one was epic!