Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Atria Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. Her arrogant and annoyingly handsome costar Jack hates her though, and the feeling is definitely mutual. Their on-screen chemistry is great and the studio wants them to fake a romance in order to charm fans and get attention. Thirteen years later, they have successfully stayed far away from one another, until an offer comes to make a sequel. But they must also rekindle their pretend relationship while a documentary crew follows their every move. Cynthie and Jack both really need this film to be a success, but they must learn to trust each other. After a while, the roles they’re playing start to feel very real and they have to decide how to proceed.

The story is set between present day and thirteen years ago. The way in which Cynthie and Jack’s relationship evolves over time—from enemies to reluctant partners to something more—is absolutely wonderful and so sweet. The behind-the-scenes glimpse into the film industry adds more depth and the supporting characters provides lots of humor and fun.

Let’s Make a Scene has several quintessential romance tropes: enemies to lovers, fake dating, and second chance romance. All the tropes worked so well in the story and made it super entertaining and enjoyable! Also, the chemistry is incredible!

Overall, this is a wonderful read. The humor, the tension, and the depth are just a few of the things that make this a delightful story! A sweet and heartfelt romcom that’s sure to make you smile!

3.5

Things I appreciated about this book:
I love a good enemies to friends to lovers and add that it was a second chance, SOLD!
I loved Cynthie's found family and how Jack helped her see how important it was.
I loved Cynthie's quick wit .


Things I didn't like:
While I was interested in their relationship, I found the pacing to be slow and I found myself able to put the book down to read other things in between this book.
I didn't really think that Jack and Cynthie had the greatest chemistry despite the entire cast and crew saying that they did? I found them to be more platonic than romantic despite their spicy scenes.
I didn't understand the documentary of the movie? Is this something that happens often? It seemed far fetched.

Holy moly I loved this book. Laura Wood, you have become an instant buy for me. I loved the dual timelines of when Cynthie and Jack first met as young actors in their first blockbuster period Romance, and when they meet again as adults. Cynthie as a grown woman has had a tough time of it: she found out too late that the director she was with was never planning on getting divorced, and she is deemed a homeewrecker by the papparazzi. To salvage her reputation, she agrees to do a sequel to her first successful movie with Jack, and also to pretend that she and Jack are in love. The problem is that while she and Jack always had chemistry, and lot of their chemistry was based on bickering, pranks, and almost-hatred, The two kids were horrible at communication. Jack as an adult is DREAMY. He listens to Cynthie, supports her, helps her open up. The two of them are so good together. I just really enjoyed this book. It was a Hollywood fever dream of a Romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Laura Wood's Under Your Spell, the first in a connected duology, but loved the second book, Let's Make a Scene. Exploring a different area of celebrity and entertainment than Under Your Spell, Let's Make a Scene follows Theo's ex-girlfriend and friend Cynthie Taylor, a Hollywood star who has just fallen from grace thanks to a scandal, and her first co-star and "nemesis" Jack Taylor-Jones. Both needing a career lifeline, Cynthie and Jack agree to star in a sequel to the film that launched their careers - and to fake a relationship like they did the first time around. This is a fantastic rivals-to-lovers, second chance romance with a great Hollywood spin and I flew through it.

The flashbacks take us through the highs and lows of their relationship when filming the first movie. I wished sometimes that they were better spaced out (sometimes 6 chapters in the past, then 2, etc) but it didn't really bother me, and I understood why some flashback sections were grouped together. They do a good job showing us how they've changed over the years and how they still need to. They're young when they first work together, and their rivalry has an edge of immaturity to it that works when you're that young but not as grown adults, and I appreciated how Wood made it clear that they had grown up and still had reservations and issues with each other, but weren't launching into the silly pranks or mean or uncontrolled behavior that defined their first intense period together. Instead, they still have a few tense moments, but appreciate each other for the small gestures when they first meet again, then figure out why they each acted that way before and learn to be friends.

Wood also improved on the issues I had in Under Your Spell, including making our male lead much more developed and balancing the two characters and POVs. Jack is a swoony love interest - smart, sweet, observant, and communicative - and his and Cynthie's chemistry jumps off the page. Cynthie and Jack both have real issues to work through, with each other and independently - family, career, self-confidence, trauma - and those were woven into their growing relationship really well. Plus, there is a lot of humor, with some of their dialogue quite funny, and especially with their coworkers/found family from the first movie. The world and business of filming and celebrity also felt well-done and accurate.

3.25 stars!

Brief overview:

Jack, a grumpy nepo baby, and Cynthie, freshly caught in a PR nightmare, reunite to film a sequel for their 13 year old regency romance film. To add fuel to the fire, they need to do it all while pretending to be dating for the documentary crew filming the making of the sequel.

My thoughts:

I had fun with this cute romance. It honestly felt like a fanfic for Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson during the Twilight era, even down to the ordeal with the director. Very much Katherine Center vibes!

Unfortunately, there were some things I did not enjoy. I had a really hard time connecting with the characters, it took until around 65% for me to have any feeling for either of the characters, and even longer for me to actually like them. There was one point when the character Jack says "if I had a ____ for every time ____ happened I'd have two, which isn't a lot but weird that it happened twice" and this really took me out of the moment. It didn't fit for this supposed serious actor to be using tiktok lingo. It felt like it was trying to force internet trends in, and read rather uncomfortably. I also had some issues with the back and forth of the flashbacks. If this were a show or movie, we could see it represented with different clothes/hairstyles/etc. but in the novel we didn't have much to remind us of the time period, and I constantly had to go back to see which era we were supposed to be in.

Despite my complaints, it was cute and I did have a good time reading it. If you enjoy cute romances about celebrities or second-chance romances, I would pick this one up!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to check this out!

After finding herself at the center of a Hollywood scandal, Cynthie is offered a chance to return to the movie that launched her career. The best part is that everyone involved in the original firm will be back but that is also the worst part as it will reunite Cynthie with her nemesis, Jack. Though their chemistry was off the charts, they butted heads the first time around. But maybe this time will be different as they embark on fauxmance and make movie magic together.

As a BIG fan of Under Your Spell, I was excited to have an opportunity to return to this world. I was not disappointed as Wood crafted a delightful love story that was thirteen years in the making.

I am sure many readers will share my rage when they read about the way Cynthie's world was unraveling. I hate to say there was a silver lining, but I was pleased it compelled her to partake in A Lady of Quality sequel. Wood utilized flashbacks to fill us in on Cynthie and Jack's past. It was a glimpse of what they had which was full of so much possibility.

In present time, both were enjoying successful careers, but it was this reunion that breathed new life into their existence. It reawakened feelings that had been (or maybe not been) latent. It brought me great joy to see them back together and learning about these grownup versions of one another. I enjoyed watching their story unfold in both timelines, and the icing on the cake was that last chapter - the grand gesture. That chapter made me shed a flood of happy tears as my heart burst from all the good feelings.

This is a companion book, so it was a delight to "see" Theo and Clemmie again and find out how they were doing, but Wood also assembled a stellar supporting cast. I loved that the people who were there during Cynthie's rise to fame were still there to support her in her time of need. In fact, they went from being colleagues to being family in those years between. The love was obvious and abundant, and I simply loved their dynamic. It was great the way they welcomed Jack into the fold as well because he really needed to have some people in his corner.

Overall, this was a wonderful story of second chances, friendship, love, and magic that transcends movie sets.

4.25/5
I really enjoyed this book! The main characters were both super well written, making them super compelling. I loved the dual timeline aspect, with made the book impossible to put down. This is a must-read for romance lovers on its July release date.

This one ticked all the boxes for me.
🎬 Movie star romance? ✔️
🔥 Enemies to lovers? ✔️
💬 Banter and humor? ✔️
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Found family? ✔️

I thoroughly enjoyed this swoony romance from Laura Wood! After falling in love with Under Your Spell, I couldn’t wait to dive into Let’s Make a Scene—and it absolutely delivered. Laura’s writing strikes that perfect balance of smart and funny, with sharp dialogue, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of spice (chef’s kiss).

I especially loved the blend of tropes: enemies to lovers, second chances, and that “it’s always been you” slow burn that hits just right.

Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something fun, witty, and irresistibly romantic!

4.5 stars

This is the second adult novel from Laura Wood and I think I liked it even better than her debut novel and I loved that one. She’s officially moved into my “I will read whatever you write” author category!

It’s got ALL THE THINGS for a perfectly swoony romance! While this is #2 in a series it can definitely be read as a standalone, but you should read Under Your Spell too.

5/5 - SWOON! Enemies to lovers is a hard one to pull off well, IMO, and Wood absolutely nailed it. This was a dual POV dual timeline DREAM with killer tension, sizzling chemistry, snappy dialogue, hilarious internal musings and perfect pacing. Wood’s voice is fresh, the main characters are so well-developed and likable, and the side characters are fantastic - the most delightful found family. I absolutely adored the ending and how this all came together!

I didn’t read Wood’s debut novel (a sort of prequel to this) but absolutely plan to and can’t wait to read more from her - hoping a Lee/Nico novel is in the works, just saying!

Thank you to @netgalley, Atria and Wood for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Under Your Spell and was so excited to see it get a sequel. I don't know why, but I just assumed the next book was going to follow one of the other sisters from book one; however, that wasn't the case. It follows Theo's friend and ex, Cynthie. She was a minor character, so for a good chunk of the book, I was trying to figure out how this connects to book one.

It took me a while to get into this one, but maybe because I kept wondering how this connected to book 1. But that being said, it was still an enjoyable read. The story is split into two timelines. In the current day, Jack and Cynthie are both famous movie stars in Hollywood reuniting to get some good PR, and 13 years prior, on their first major film, where things get off on the wrong foot. Personally, I was drawn more to the current timeline than the past timeline. It was less teenage angst and prank wars, and more aligned with where I am in my life.

Read if you like a celebrity, second chance romance with some fake dating, and enemies-to-lovers tropes thrown in for good measure! Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 7/1!

4.5 ⭐️
Let's Make a Scene was a wonderfully written, beautiful, and engaging, second chance romance written by Laura Wood. This book was such a solid read. The dual timeline of the story really helped invest and sell you the second chance romance for Jack and Cynthie. I thoroughly enjoyed Cynthie and Jack in the present day and then traveling back thirteen years in time to watch the beginning of their story unfold. It was so interesting to read about some of the ins and outs of filming a movie. The detail didn't take away from the story, but made it so much richer.
I got a really big kick out of the pop culture references: Steve Carrell and the MTV movie awards. I can see the entire best kiss scene playing out in my head- I just cannot get over how well-written this book is.
The fake dating trope can tend to be so played out. In this book it was done so well, it wasnt forced and just read so natural/organic.
Hannah and the rest of Cynthie's found family were so crucial to the story and brought so much laughter and levity. The grand gesture scene at the end was perfection and had me crying.
I would love, love, love to see a book written for Nico and Lee. Everything about them in this book drew me in and tugged at my heart strings.
Read this book if you like:
🎟 Second chance romance
🎟 Found family
🎟 Workplace rivals to lovers
🎟 He fell first
🎟 Fake dating
🎟 Dual timeline
🎟 Regency/Victorian time period

LET'S MAKE A SCENE is probably one of my favorite books this year. Everything about it was pure perfection. I read it in one day and every moment I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. It is hard to create a well written, fleshed out second chance romance book. And the author delivers.

What can be difficult about a second chance romance is that it is hard to balance the new story, plus giving the audience and understanding of why we should be emotionally invested in this second chance. Laura Wood masters this balance. It was incredible the way that the two timelines flowed seamlessly together. Mix that with the banter between the characters, their depth, and funny and side characters and this book was a delight, beginning to end. She is an auto-buy author for me now because I know when I pick up her book, I am getting a well thought out, funny, engaging, and entertaining novel.

This book has become my whole personality now and for good reason. It's heartfelt, funny, and well crafted. The story is immersive, the characters are well fleshed out, and the writing is pure perfection. Do yourself a favor and read this book immediately.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Amazing, this book was so AMAZING.
I loved it from start to finish, all the characters were so engaging and gave me the best romcom vibes, loved the dual timeline although it is usually not my cup of tea, and seeing Cynthie and Jack change over the years was so wholesome, I loved the hate-to-love, I loved the fake dating, the movie references, even call it a second-chance if you want to.
It’s one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read, it had me hooked and I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I couldn’t put the book down, the tension between the main characters was actually so so good.
This series is genuinely so underrated and deserves more hype, I assure you you’ll want to read it this summer, it will give you the feels. (Please read it when it comes out, I beg)
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.

Let’s Make a Scene is the rom com equivalent of a perfect red lipstick it’s glamorous from the very first page. When Cynthie Taylor, a British actress with a talent for repressing feelings, is cast in a sequel alongside Jack Turner-Jones (her ex) things get deliciously complicated. The twist? They’re being filmed behind the scenes for a very public ‘reunion’ documentary, and the studio wants them to fake date. So of course they do.

The result is a fizzy, enemies-to-lovers-to-maybe-lovers-again slow burn that sparkles! Together, they’re magnetic in that ‘we’re absolutely not falling for each other again except, oops, we are’ kind of way. AND the dual timeline adds just enough ache and nostalgia, giving the reader glimpses of their early connection and the heartbreak that followed.

So if you like your romance with British wit, movie star glam, a sprinkle of drama, and a whole lot of longing glances across film sets, this one absolutely steals the scene.

Let’s Make A Scene releases July 1st.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, @netgalley and @atriabooks for the gifted ARC!
Rundown:
✨️second chance
✨️enemies to lovers
✨️fake dating
✨️movie stars
✨️found family
✨️open door

Synopsis ✒️
Cynthie gets her big break when she's asked to star in a small British movie. The problem? Her co-star Jack is insufferable, and the studio wants them to pretend they are in a relationship to help promote the movie. There's no denying their chemistry is off the charts even though they can't stand to be near each other. Thirteen years later, they get a chance to star in the sequel together. Now that they are both grown up and established in their respective careers, is a real relationship really out of the question?

Thoughts 💭
This is a little bit of a slow burn, and I was invested in it. We get a glimpse of their chemistry/tension from their first movie together, but they just can't communicate with each other in a productive way. I think immaturity and insecurities plagued them. Fast forward to thirteen years later, and you can't help but cheer them on. Sometimes, the timing just isn't right. I really enjoyed this one.

4.75⭐️’s: I was shocked and SO excited to get this arc! I adored Under Your Spell and couldn’t wait to start her new book. Shocking to no one, I devoured it!

The story follows Cynthie Taylor, who gets her big break at 20 in an indie film alongside the infuriatingly arrogant (and gorgeous) Jack Turner-Jones. They clash instantly, but their on-screen chemistry forces them into a fake romance off-camera too. When the film becomes a cult classic, so does their rivalry. Thirteen years later, the two are reunited to shoot a long-awaited sequel… with one catch: they’ll need to fake date again for the cameras, with a documentary crew tracking every move. As their old spark reignites, they must navigate the fine line between pretending and something very real.

I loved being back in Laura Wood’s words. Her writing is magic, sharp, immersive, and emotionally rich. The dual timeline added so much depth to Jack and Cynthie’s arc, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much of the book we spent in that timeline.

And oh, the chemistry. THE BANTER. Lines like “I want to sink my teeth into her” and “For a moment she looked the way I remember her- sparkling” had me literally gasping on the plane (Pretty sure the stranger sitting next to me thought I was nuts😂). Their connection is electric from page one, and watching them evolve, especially Jack, who’s gone from defensive sass to steady, emotionally intelligent leading man, was incredibly satisfying. Cynthie’s journey, from feisty upstart to quietly vulnerable, is handled with care and realism. Her inner conflict, her self-doubt, and her longing to be adored not just for her talent but for who she is? Completely relatable.

Bonus points for musical theatre workouts, found family vibes, cameos from Under Your Spell, and a love story that makes you believe in fate and second chances.

Laura Wood, you’ve done it again, and I already can’t wait for whatever you write next.

Huge thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕🫶🏼

This was interesting. I did not feel like it was a sequel to the first one. Theo was barely in it. However, it was nice to think about healing after horrible things happen. I am single and divorced. I'm terrified someone could tell me they are available when they are not. Plus it is unfair that the women usually take the fall for this. I do wish we saw more about what happened to stupid face when the documentary came out.

I plan to share this title on my instagram on 6/30/25

Actors pretending to be in a relationship to help sell their movie. Doesn’t end well. They don’t speak until they are asked for a repeat performance 13 years later. Jack and Cynthie’s story was an excellent example of characters growing and maturing. I was worried that the second chance romance would follow the arc of their first chance, but the author does such a great job of growing the characters up and it was well worth the read. It didn’t grip me the way some stories do and at times, I struggled with the pacing. In the end, I’m glad I stuck with it. It really is a gem of a book. Their friend group was also fantastic and they were featured just enough to know they have the best interests of Cynthie and Jack in mind, without pulling the focus away from them.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. A solid second chance romance.

Enemies to lovers with second-chance romance and fake dating. An entertaining story that kept me engaged the whole way through. Thanks to NetGalley and AtriaBooks for an advanced copy.