Let’s Make a Scene was a fun enemies to lovers, fake dating and forced proximity romance. This story had a dual POV and timeline. Our main characters, Cynthie and Jack, meet on the set of their very first film. However, they immediately take a disliking to one another but cannot deny their chemistry. Determined never to see each other again after the film wraps, an opportunity to reunite occurs after Cynthie is caught in a scandal. Will a sequel to their original film be what Cynthie and Jack need to put to bed their feelings for one another or will this be the spark to ignite a lasting flame? I liked how this book was able to transition from light/romantic discussion to heavier topics. The addition of these topics helped add depth. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to reading future work by this author.

I loved this book more than I thought I would! Cynthie and Jack were such great characters. I really enjoyed the switch back in scenes to when they first met and worked together to 13 years later. We see how much they change in that time and they grow as people. I loved seeing them fall in love as the actors they portrayed and as themselves. This was very very cute and I really enjoyed this book!!! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

To say I loved this book is a massive understatement and I saw myself so much in both Jack and Cynthie. I am so grateful to have been able to read this arc, THANK YOU

If you loved Under Your Spell, this is a must read! This "companion" story spotlights a different set of characters.

Laura Wood definitely keeps your interest with great characters and story lines.
Hate to Love, Second Chances. Actors. Fake Relationships. The emotions are all there!
This Rom-Com needs to be the first one you read from your beach bag!

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

🎬✨ Enemies, fake dating, and a sequel no one saw coming? YES PLEASE. 💥💖

When Cynthie Taylor lands her first real acting gig, she's 💫 living the dream—until she meets Jack Turner-Jones 😤🔥. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Infuriating. The chemistry is electric ⚡️ on screen, but behind the scenes? It's war. 💣😬

The studio’s solution? FAKE A ROMANCE 💋📸. And the fans eat it up. But after that film? They part ways—vowing never to work together again. 🚫

🕰️ Fast forward 13 years...
🎥 A sequel is greenlit.
🎭 They’re cast again.
🎞️ And yes, the fake dating is BACK—but now with a full-on documentary crew capturing every awkward, intense, heart-melting second. 😳🎤

Will their second chance make movie magic... or disaster? 💔➡️❤️

This book is:
💘 Enemies to lovers
🎬 Fake dating x2
⏳ Second chance slow burn
😅 Tension you can feel
🎤 Unscripted emotions that feel way too real

Final verdict?
📚✨ A juicy, romantic behind-the-scenes rollercoaster. I couldn’t put it down.

Perfect for fans of fake dating done right, unresolved tension, and cinematic love stories that hit where it hurts... and heals.

What a treat! What will get me every time- a grand gesture, regency London pining, and a swoon-worthy MMC. Let’s Make a Scene had all three! This was a mix of sweet, light hearted rom-com with serious heavier topics. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the chance to read the ARC.

Let’s Make A Scene by Laura Wood was absolutely phenomenal. It’s a second chance romance that includes the fake-dating trope, found family, and one hell of a grand gesture. I love that we have dual POV in this because hearing Jack’s side is EVERYTHING 🙌🏻. We also get multiple timelines and it’s done so well and really just highlights how much both characters have evolved over the years. This is one of those feel good rom com books that will have you laughing, clenching your thighs together, and pushing your hand against your heart. 10/10 would recommend!

I ate this up. Read in one sitting. The chemistry and tension between the two main characters is simply magical.

I overall was surprised by how much I loved this book. I was not super excited about the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes have been so mediocre recently, but this one delivers. It really hits on two of my favorite things: character vulnerabilities and character growth. Overall, such a win. Do yourself a favor and read this book immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Me, the entire book: Please kiss <3

I was rooting for these characters immediately and couldn’t wait for them to finally be together. A little stubborn at times but they made the wait worth it!!

Adorable & fun

Let’s Make a Scene was a perfect read during an international trip I just took. I love a second chance romance, and I also usually love a Hollywood sort of romance, so this ticked plenty of boxes. The book runs long, but I had fun along the journey.

It is quite possible that I loved this even more than Under Your Spell. Their bickering had me cackling. The chemistry was bubbling. And the little bits of harried frenzied romance were absolute perfection. All with little bits of regency scenes and pop culture references? This book is like cat nip to me.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement! It was giving all the regency and Pride and Prejudice vibes a girl could ever want in a book. I absolutely loved Cynthie and Jack! Seeing their relationship grow through the flashbacks and the dual POV is so rewarding despite wanting to yell at them to just be together half the time! I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series but will 100% be going back to the first book and am really hoping there are more books in this series!

This book felt like watching one of those classic rom-coms where you know the couple is endgame, even if they’re being wildly stubborn about it. Let’s Make a Scene gave me all the enemies-to-lovers tension I could ask for with a fake dating twist that actually worked instead of feeling overdone.

Cynthie was such a fun narrator. She’s dramatic (in the best way), kind of chaotic, and incredibly easy to root for. And Jack?? Gruff, closed-off, annoyingly attractive Jack??? Yeah, I get it. Their chemistry was so good from the beginning, and watching them slowly peel back their defenses had me grinning hehe. There’s just something so satisfying about two people being forced to confront unresolved tension after a decade of avoidance.

The whole “behind-the-scenes of a movie sequel + fake romance for publicity” setup was actually really smart. It gave the book this meta vibe, like watching a love story within a love story. Also, the documentary crew moments were hilarious and added a layer of chaos that was so fun.

Why not 5 stars? Some parts dragged a tiny bit in the middle, and I wanted a bit more emotional payoff toward the end. But overall, it’s charming, witty, and full of heart. If you’re into British humor, onscreen-offscreen drama, and slow burn tension with actual depth, add this to your TBR ASAP.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

Enemies to lovers
He fell first and harder
Fake dating
Second chance?
Celebrities (actors)
Found family
Dual timelines
Dual POV

This was such an enjoyable read. I absolutely loved Cynthie and Jack and learning how they saw one another and how that changed as they navigated their careers with a 13 year difference between timelines. Wood weaved in so many romcommy references but my absolutely favorite is the While You Were Sleeping “lean”. Okay and the “Do you trust me?” straight out of Aladdin.

I loved the strong female friendship between Cynthie and Hannah. Never pitted against another and worked to simultaneously elevate their careers.

There is no third act breakup, which I’m glad since this is kind of a second chance. The side characters helped move this story along and never took away from Cynthie and Jack.

4.5 ⭐️ / 2 🌶️
Easy, quick read. Perfect for anyone in a reading rut!

This is my first 5 star read of the year! Contemporary Romance is my go-to genre, but lately theres been something missing in the books I’m reading. I still thoroughly enjoy the recent new releases but theres this lack of charm? Let’s Make a Scene has that charm in spades!

I am a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and the initial reasoning for their feud makes perfect sense! Once the bickering and back and forth’s began you could cut that tension with a knife. Im usually not a fan of the past and present trope because it always feels like authors like to *tell* instead of show when it comes to the characters past. Laura Wood defies this problem and I felt really immersed in both the past & present. I continue to gush, and gush, about what I did like about the book. But I digress, end it with giving it a big old 5 star badge and I implore you to READ IT, READ IT, READ IT!

I really enjoyed Under Your Spell and was so excited to see this was about Theo's best friend. This is a slow burn and I struggled getting into it for a bit. I did really enjoy the dual POVs and I loved the characters. The dual timeline was not my favorite with this just because sometimes it felt we were in one for too long and other times not enough, that just slowed it down more for me personally. The tension was good and had some fun/funny moments. I loved the pranks on set and how everyone got involved. The behind the scenes into Hollywood and how Cynthie was treated by a director was a welcome conversation. It's enemies to lovers, second chance, and they are both actors working opposite each other in a regency film. Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading what Laura Wood writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 13 years ago Cynthie Taylor made her first movie with nepo actor Jack Turner-Jones, and it did not go well. Looking back, there is no reason to want to be in a sequel, except if there is a need to change your image in Hollywood, and that is exactly what Cynthie needs!

Told through flashbacks and current timelines, this book has all the best tropes: enemies to lovers, mutual pining, second chances, and he falls first. Add to that a kooky group of found family members and you have the makings of a delightful tale.

Rivals to lovers.
Fake Dating
Second Chance Romance

Great characters and a very fun , swoony read. Good pacing, interesting storyline, the story flows well
First time reading this author and hope to read more . Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Shared on Amazon but not posted yet

Thank you to Atria for the advance reader copy of Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood!

Years ago, Cynthie and Jack worked together on a film and inspired by their chemistry, are asked to fake a romance for PR purposes. Now, in the present, these two end up working together again with the proposal of a sequel to the first film and a revival of their PR fake relationship.

This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed how the past and present unfold to tell the story between Cynthie and Jack. I loved seeing the difference in how these two have grown from their first film together to their most recent collaboration. There are many memorable scenes in this book that had my heart pounding.

If you enjoy fake dating, rivals to lovers romance, this is one to check out!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Loved this one - switching timelines AND perspectives can be tricky to pull off, but this felt effortless. The rivals to lovers trope is one I always fall for and it was really well done. I loved the found family aspect and how everyone had their own growth arcs. Really fun read and I’m excited to check out more from her!