So, I didn't read the first book in the series but didn't feel lost in here at all. This book alternates between past and present. I found myself more drawn to the past, which is surprising because I don't usually enjoy second chance romances. However, I really enjoyed this one. I was invested in these two. The characters were all easy to like. I loved the premise of the story. I will say the first half was great. I did hit a little stopping point in the middle and was contemplating not finishing it. I'm happy to say I pushed through and I ended up really enjoying it. I would recommend this one, especially if you enjoy Hollywood romances.

4.25 stars - It's been thirteen years since Cynthie Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones have seen each other. Their first movie together, while beautiful on screen, was anything but off camera, resulting in Cynthie swearing to never again work with Jack and his arrogant, condescending self. However, when it comes to Hollywood, never say never.

I maintain that UNDER YOUR SPELL is a under-hyped gem and was so incredibly excited to get the chance to read the next novel in Theo & Cynthie's world. I'll just start by saying that Wood, once again, did not disappoint!

I absolutely adored Cynthie and loved to see her gain confidence as the years passed, going from an anxious but enthusiastic newbie, to an assured and knowledgeable veteran. Plus I simply could not get enough of her and her found family of crew members! They made for such heartwarming and humorous scenes, and the Theo cameo in the middle was a delight. When it comes to the romance, the chemistry in this novel was wonderfully sweet and spicy as I knew it would be. Additionally, I really liked seeing Jack's growth between movies and I think it made the second chance romance so much more satisfying.

If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers and fake dating, then I highly recommend giving Cynthie and Jack's story a try. The behind the scenes look at the movie world was also a fun perk, and I honestly would have loved even more of it. I'm already looking forward to what Wood has in store for us next, and can pretty confidently say I'm going to devour it too!

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Under Your Spell last year and enjoying Theo and Clementine’s story, I knew I had to read Let’s Make a Scene, the story of Theo’s actress-ex, Cynthie and costar, Jack. If you’re in the mood for an enemies-to-lovers rom-com threaded with Hollywood drama, this may be for you. The emotional stakes around parts of the storyline add a deeper layer that lifts it beyond typical feel-good romance—though the alternating timelines and point of views were hard to follow at times and felt more like two separate stories set 13 years apart. I recommend Let’s Make a Scene for fans of celebrity rom-coms and second-chance romance—but be prepared for the back-and-forth timeline. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an arc copy of Let’s Make a Scene in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s Make a Scene follows the story of Cynthie and Jack. Two actors who could not be more different. When they worked together 13 years ago on their first movie, they got off on the wrong foot… then really leaned into it with an all out prank war and so many misunderstood intentions and assumptions it is maddening. Now they have both made it big but both need to make some adjustments to their Hollywood image. Best way to do that? It’s sequel time! But even better? Let’s generate some buzz by pretending to date.

The one note I really had was that early on, the flashbacks were super frequent and long. It did not feel like flashbacks, it felt like it was two different stories and I was being forced into the past when I just wanted the present. But! As the book progresses, we are brought more consistently into the current timeline.

I should say that I immediately found Cynthie to be relatable, quirky and endearing. The first chapter manages to fit in a princess bride reference, Star Wars reference, the words “depression themed trash panda nest” and “sugar-drunk”. I knew instantly I was going to enjoy the writing and the characters and I do love being right. And Jack? He must be protected at all costs. If you come for him, I will fight you. I cannot say enough good things about this book and this author. I must immediately locate and devour her previous book. There was so much emotional growth in this story that is just checked all the damn boxes for me. Second chance is not my favorite trope but rivals to lovers and forced proximity? Yup. All day long. And this author DELIVERS. I will hear nothing bad about any of it. Arguments will immediately be considered invalid if you start by telling me you did not like this book.

Huge thank you to Atria books for offering this title for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. But they are good opinions so just go read the book, k?

[Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it.

Cynthie and Jack have great chemistry but it was hard to buy into the enemies to lovers storyline. They think they’re enemies but a lot of the time, it’s lusting or flirting through pranks. And even though they’ve had zero contact, they claim to have been in love with each other for thirteen years.

The story started off strong but there’s a *lot* happening and I think sometimes the romance was forgotten. We get to see the curtain pulled back on Hollywood, which includes seeing the darker side of it. Cynthie is struggling after working with a sleazy director (a MeToo moment) and her career is in desperate need of some positive PR. That’s where the fake dating comes in, and the whole scenario is realistic.

When it comes to growth, we’re told instead of shown. Jack has magically transformed into a cinnamon roll and Cynthie overcomes all of her hangups after a grand gesture.

There’s plenty to like in this story. It’s filled with plenty of cute moments and lovable characters - especially the secondary characters and the found family vibes they brought to the story. And even though it wasn’t a fit for me, I can see a lot of people enjoying this book!

"Let’s Make A Scene" by Laura Wood is an enchanting journey woven through dual timelines, narrated by the compelling voices of its two main characters. This second chance romance not only tugs at the heartstrings but also delves deeply into themes of personal growth and self-discovery.

The alternating perspectives add rich layers to the story, allowing readers to connect intimately with both protagonists. Their chemistry feels authentic, and their emotional struggles resonate, making their eventual reconnection all the more satisfying. Laura Wood’s prose is engaging, painting vivid scenes that bring both timelines to life seamlessly.

What truly stands out is the exploration of finding oneself amidst life’s unpredictabilities. The characters' journeys are filled with heartfelt moments and reflections that make you ponder your own paths.

Overall, "Let’s Make A Scene" is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys heartfelt romances with a strong emphasis on personal growth.

I will start this by saying that I'm not generally a fan of "second chance" romance--I tend to find it hard to suspend my disbelief, I feel like oftentimes the long, drawn out plotlines and feelings just aren't realistic and I don't believe people change as much or as often as they need to in order to make a failed romance work. All of that said, I am a *sucker* for a pair that are hopelessly in love, and for them to work it out, no matter how long it takes. It takes a while to warm up to Cynthie and Jack, especially the chapters of their past selves are a bit hard to relate to (but don't all twenty-somethings think they know it all and rule the world?) but once they end up forced back together in the present timeline, it's easy to start rooting for them.

I feel like this book suffers a bit too much from too many side characters, they all aid the narrative in one way or another, and due to the setting it makes sense that there are a LOT of moving parts, however it does get a bit tedious occasionally and sometimes detracts from Jack and Cynthie when they're interacting with the group as a whole. I also feel like the length of the novel could use some work. Personally, I strongly preferred the present day storyline to the past, I feel like we could have glimpes or even brief chapters of their relationship in the past without them having to flip back and forth for the majority of the novel. I am sure people that enjoy "second chance" romance a bit more may disagree! But those are really my main criticisms of the novel.

Outside of that, we have a heartwarming and touching love story that even brought a few tears to my cynical eyes reading the last chapter. I haven't read the first novel in this series, but I will probably go back and read Clementine and Theo's story at some point in the near future! I greatly enjoyed it, and look forward to any future works of Laura Wood.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced reader's copy! "Let's Make a Scene" releases next week on July 1st, check it out~

So a lot of people LOVED this book. Unfortunately, I am just not in that category. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but Cynthia and Theo's story missed the mark for this reader.

Cynthie is an A list actress poised to star in the latest super hero movie when a huge celebrity scandal hits. After being dropped from her contract, her agent begins to approach her about making a sequel to her breakout role thirteen years ago. Only, her male lead, Jack Turner-Jones, is her mortal enemy and the two have not met again in all this time.

This book is written in then/now timeline to their vitriol infused interactions years ago and as they are currently being reacquainted. There is a nice mental health/anxiety rep and the chemistry is palpable between these two.

Ultimately, I was never convinced of the enemies portion in the plot. It covers a large percentage of the book, and I couldn't see the characters having as much hate as was written on paper. Enemies to lovers is a tough nut to crack, and this just missed the mark for me.

However, a ton of people loved it and I think I will read this author's next book. Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Let's Make a Scene debuting on July 1, 2025.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect blend of Hollywood romance and wrong situation.

Hated by the adored actor, Jack, Cynthie Taylor has something to prove. She's trying to make sure she does the best ever on her first starring part in a film, The mischief caused, the reunion later, it was the perfect summer read.

I think this has all the parts of a big summer blockbuster- I can't wait to see where it goes!

This was cute. I love a dual timeline story, though I struggled to follow along with this one a little.
One thing I've really liked about this series is the focus on mental health. Not enough books talk about it's importance and normalcy. I also loved the focus on the different types of relationships— familial (good, bad, and none exisistant), romantic, and friendship. A lot of books just focus on the romance but I love when it goes deeper than that.

I felt the whole documentary part was glossed over, they weren't as present as I thought they'd be thorughout the book, not really until the end.

THE ENDING!!!! I loved every part of it. It was the sweetest ending to this story. I will live rent free in my brain for a long time.

Posting on Instagram June 28th!

ARC Review

Special thanks to Atria Publishing, Laura Wood, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love a rom-com and Let's Make A Scene has skyrocketed to the top of my recommendations list!

From start to finish, this book was packed with relatable characters, complex emotional growth, top notch banter, and humor that had me giggling and kicking my feet!

If this were a movie, I would be at the first showing!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for accepting my request! Honestly this book was such a nice surprise. This is my first time reading something from this author and it won’t certainly be the last time! I loved the story so much, I found the characters to be entertaining and well written. I recommend!

Let’s Make A Scene was such a fun book! It was so good and after just a few pages, I was hooked by the story and didn’t want to put it down. Cynthie and Jack were such fun and easy to root for characters who both had real life struggles and it made them so much more relatable. The ragtag crew of loveable misfits, yep, I loved them too. I really enjoyed reading this book and would not hesitate to pick up another book from Laura Wood.

I was given an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

If you liked "Under your Spell" then you will not be disappointed by Let's Make a Scene - its lovely and heartwarming and just enough spice to make it feel real. Fake dating can feel overdone and really goofy, but the latent emotion here made the conflict feel more real - and I love when the character of a romance experience real non-romantic growth together. Definitely check this book out!

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up

Thank you to Atria for an early copy through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

This was fun! I’ll admit, the first half didn’t have me. I don’t mind a dual timeline book, but something about the past parts in this one just did not work for me. I don’t know if it was just how mean they were to each other or how immature they were (I mean, they were early 20s so I get it but still). I much preferred the present day sections and was glad when we finally got to stay in that.

I will say, I really enjoyed the chemistry and the character growth. I felt like both Jack and Cynthie both grew a lot over the past 13 years and it made their fake dating (round 2) really fun and sweet to watch. Jack was a really lovely mmc and owned up to his past mistakes and had so much care for Cynthie. He was kind and respectful and extremely attuned to Cynthie. And Cynthie was really fun as well! She was struggling in present day and was trying to find her footing again and it was nice to see her let her friends and Jack be with her in those struggles.

I did feel a little disappointed that one storyline which felt really important kind of got glossed over with a sentence in the epilogue. I would’ve really loved to see a little more in depth into that particular piece.

Overall I liked this enough to want to go back and read the first book in this series!

I adored Under Your Spell, so was excited for this book, and I wasn't disappointed. This second-chance romance about two actors who had a hit film thirteen years ago was really well-written, and I enjoyed the past and present switches so we could get the full story.

Cynthie and Jack were both complex characters who each had traumatic childhoods that affected how they behaved towards each other. There was a lot of miscommunication between them in the past, and in the present, and it took a while before they could be completely honest with each other. Several serious themes were addressed in the book like mental health, parental abandonment, emotional abuse and accepting that found family can fill a void.

The supporting characters in this book were colourful and amazing, and I want friends just like them!. Laura Wood has written another funny, heartfelt and enjoyable book that I can't wait to re-read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC

3.75

I enjoyed this one. It’s enemies to lovers and second chance and fake dating. I liked seeing the progression of the relationship both times. It was fun to see the story jump back and forth.

I think there were things that just didn’t hit fully for me, but I feel it could be because I was distracted.

Overall still really enjoyed.

Thx Simon Audio for the early audiobook.

I absolutely adored Under Your Spell. So my expectations were very high. And this was great! But it didn’t capture my heart in quite the same way. That said - would recommend! Did enjoy! Lovely dual-POV, dual-timeline enemies to lovers, second chance romance. Mini spoiler - the sexual harassment storyline also felt gratuitous.

It was okay. The characters were ok and I liked the idea of the plot. I wasn't into this authors writing style . Romance readers should give this a try

I was disappointed when I saw this wasyet another sequel, not clearly delineated. I couldn’t figure out if this was a standalone series or need to read the 1st. Perhaps reading the first would have involved me more?

As far as this book, it’s labeled as enemies to lovers, but I’d say more of lovers to enemies to lovers again.I am fond od second chance romance--but that's only if there isn't a lot of misunderstand padding out the plot. Fake dating is another possible trope I can enjoy--but not with all that baggage hanging over their heads. Too many misunderstandings for me to really engage!