✨3 STARS✨

Cynthie and Jack find themselves in ANOTHA PR relationship 13 years later.

3 Stars for a few reasons. PROS; cute - I love a silly little romance and I love a hot man in regency regala. Pro: they were British, but (con) I kept forgetting they were? Like it wasn't British enough - don't be shy hit me with the slang, and BIG CON: and I'm crossing fingers they are pulled from the final cut - so many freaking like weird pop culture sayings that should stay in memes - it completely pulled me from the book multiple times and if it wasn't an ARC - high cause to DNF.

Overall fun, and Laura Wood did a great job setting up for the potential next book, which is iconic <3

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for the e-ARC! ✨

This was such a cute book! I loved how the author did flashbacks to show how the characters first met and their relationship at that time. It made sense as she showed current day from their perspectives. Side characters were such a delight and added some humor! It was also interesting to hear how movies are made and the settings used to shoot. Definitely recommend.

3 1/2 ⭐️ rounded down

So this was a different reading experience for me from Wood’s previous book, Under Your Spell, which i absolutely loved and was a 5 🌟 read. Let’s Make a Scene was a good book with some great characters, it just took a bit too long for me to connect with the story and the alternating time lines and POVs didn’t work well for me.

The main characters, Jack and Cynthe, were both charming and interesting, with family issues that drive so much of their personalities and decisions, for better but a lot for worst. They made great enemies when they first met and brought some teeth to their relationship and I liked them a lot as a couple at the end. There are also a fun cast of supporting characters who add color and the second half of the book, where Cynthe and Jack find their way back together was my favorite part.

I had a couple of problems, though. In the early part of their relationship, I didn’t feel the tension that makes for a great enemies-to-lovers scenario work. When Jack and Cynthe first met, they really seemed to hate each other straight up and then also lust for each other. I didn’t get any of the basis for caring or love in their early relationship. There are a lot of comments about being attracted to each other, with remorse, and one short but heartfelt conversation and that was it. I didn’t see any basis for them to be in love until it was explained through a photo montage at the end of the book. That gap made it hard for me to buy into them secretly carrying torches for each other over a 13 year gap in their relationship. Thirteen years with no contact at all while secretly pining for each other after actively hating each other for 6 months was just unrealistic and way too long - 3 years, 5 years, that works. Thirteen? Too long.

When the two meet again 13 years later, Jack is basically a completely different human. He has transformed from an outwardly haughty and arrogant person with obvious parent issues to a kind, sweet, thoughtful man living his best life. I like the transformation but would have loved some content about why and how he made that happen. It would have been nice to get more content in general about the intervening 13 years and how it brought them to who and where they were when they came together.

A lot of the details come out at the end, but that was later than I’d have liked. I would rather have seen three sections - 13 years ago, the middle 13 years and now - rather than the alternating. It left too many gaps for me that left me disconnected. I missed the funny humor of her previous book, also. This book had a more serious tone and the humor was a little more forced.

Overall this was a good book and it got better at the half way point as more of the pieces fell into place and the main characters got more development. I will definitely read more books by this author in the future. I’m thinking Nico and Lee for the next book with a return to some of the laugh out loud humor from Under Your Spell!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts.

Really cute and flirty second chance romance! I loved watching both Jack and Cynthie grow from their original meeting. I also loved the period piece tucked into the premise, such a fun aside. I liked that there wasn’t a stereotypical third act for this romance. Some of it felt like it went on for longer than needed and could have been shortened by 50ish pages but overall a great read!

Let's Make a Scene is a swoony second chance romance with adorable characters and a bite of humour. I completely adored it, and hope this is a series that continues for many more books!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy to review

This book was so fun! From the beginning I was hooked. I couldn't wait to see the backstory between Cynthie and Jack, figure out why they hated each other and what happened the first time they had to fake date. And let me tell you- I was not disappointed. This was a fun "second chance" fake dating story. The relationship between Cynthie and Jack was awesome, the flashbacks between the past and present were so fun, we got to see just how they became enemies but it was contrasted by their fake relationship in the present day and how they were navigating the new circumstances. And it was a great way to see how both of them had grown and matured both personally and professionally compared to when they first met and were shooting their very first film.

I really bought the reasoning of why they disliked each other so much at the start, but also loved the way even that dislike relationship grew and changed over the course of the movie and their first fake relationship. I felt like the relationship was very dynamic and well established throughout the book, even from the beginning. You knew these two people had a complicated history both as a couple, but also as individuals. It felt like we really got a good look at the individual personalities of both of them and how those experiences shaped who they were when they reunited after 13 years for a new movie and a new fake relationship.

ARC REVIEW:

I honestly loved this story - only complaint is that I wish there was either less going back to the past OR more slip ups/ longing in the past that we could have seen. I had never heard of Laura Wood before but I absolutely will be going back to read her other book and hopefully signing up for an arc of her next story (fingers crossed for Nico and Lee?!)

Thanks to Netgalley & Atria Books for the E-ARC! So cute! Great characters & enjoyed the Hollywood setting. Will read more from this author.

I enjoyed the slow burn of this romance, and the fake dating enemies to lovers trope is always a favorite. The story was fun and the chemistry was strong, which creates the perfect formula for a swoony rom-com! I would recommend! Thanks NetGalley for a copy of this arc!

(Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me an e-ARC. The review is my own.)

Tropes: m-f, second-chance, long-term-love, slow-burn, humor, fiery-love, funny, friends-are-family, he-falls-hard, alpha-to-beta, beta-hero, independent-heroine.

Ok. Here it is. THIS IS A 5 STAR READ!
OMG. OMG. OMG.

From the first paragraph, I was hooked. The way Laura wrote the scenes made me feel like I was there. I have read over 150 romance books this year (to date). This book has become my favorite find yet!

Favorite things:
- The writing is impeccable. The description is so vivid that you feel it's happening right in front of you.

- The character arc of the MMC is STUNNING. Jack's growth from an asshole to a mature and understanding man is realistic. I have had so many encounters with former asshole classmates/collegues who have changed (for the better) as they have matured.

- The way this book is written, the movie, that MMC and MFC have been a part of, is a character and it acts beautifully to support the growth of our characters.

-I literally imagined Penelope Cruz and Javier because, why not? It's hard to maintain relationships in the entertainment industry and these two have ALSO worked on a movie a long time ago and reconnected and now they have a couple of kids, right? It made Jack and Cynthie's story plausible to me.

- The side characters were really well-written. I loved them all.

-No third act break up ( thank the good lord!)

- Funny, in an understated, every day. Not a deliberate, "I have to put in a joke here" way, but just naturally... pleasant.

- SLOW BURN! but not boring or draggy in ANY WAY. Everything was just sooooooo! Ooooph!


AAAAAH I love this book!!!!!

The way that the MMC and MFC looked back at their behavior was so... natural yet full of angst, that it really hits hard. It could be that I'm an older millenial but that the MFC and MMC both did therapy and destigmatized it really plays a big role. Bring in a diverse supporting characters in a very natural way ( sort of like the cast of Brooklyn 99) and you have a hit on your hands.

Going in my re-read pile.

My first Laura Wood book—and definitely not my last.

If you love enemies to lovers, fake dating, and the delicious tension of co-stars who can't decide whether to kiss or kill each other (spoiler: they choose kissing), this one’s for you. Former on-screen enemies turned real-life heart-throbs Jack and Cynthie reunite thirteen years after their original rom-com hit... for a sequel. And guess what? They have to fake date again. Hollywood really said: if it worked once, do it again with more unresolved sexual tension.

Told in dual POV, this book has it all—snappy banter, smoldering chemistry, nostalgic glances, and just the right touch of drama (okay, maybe a bit of miscommunication, but we’ll let it slide). Honestly, I came for the fake dating, but I stayed for the heart.

Do I regret not reading the first book before diving in? Maybe a little. But like any good sequel, this one still stands on its own—although now I have to go back and see how this chaos all started.

Big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Laura Wood for the advanced copy—and for reminding me that sometimes, love just needs a little red carpet and a second chance.

Thank you @atriabooks for the complimentary copy. #atriapartner

Let’s Make a Scene is a companion book to Under Your Spell. They can be read as standalones but I recommend reading in order.

While I do enjoy romance and read it pretty often, I am really picky about what I enjoy. There has to be a good story, and it can’t be based around the characters falling in and out of bed. It can’t be too cute, or too dark. I have to care about the characters; they can’t be too perfect, or too flawed or quirky. Bonus points if you can make me get attached to the side characters. Wood manages all of this well.

In the past, fake dating is not a trope I’ve enjoyed, but it made sense in this story and I was fully invested. I enjoyed seeing Theo and Cammie from Under Your Spell again, and I loved the entire cast of side characters. Arjun and Patty cracked me up. Told in dual timelines and POV’S, which leads me to my first issue. While I wanted to know what happened in the past, I would have liked that timeline to be wrapped up earlier in the book so I could focus on the present storyline. Also, I found the part of the ending a little over the top, veering into the saccharine. I think it could have been a little more subtle and felt even more special. Cryptic I know, but no spoilers here.

Laura Wood has just cemented herself as an autobuy author for me, I loved Under Your Spell, and Let’s Make a Scene was such a fun read. I know it’s called the Theo and Cynthie series… but I’m hoping there will be another companion book - maybe Lee and Nico?

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

4 stars, entirely for the second half
I really disliked the first 35% but I absolutely loved Under Your Spell so I kept going, and I'm SO glad I did. The first part was very confusing with the different timelines and I often couldn't figure out who was speaking. I don't think the dual timeline worked here. Early on there was a chapter heading called Jacki - not Jack - which I'm sure was a typo in the ARC, yet I thought it was an entirely different character - a woman - and had to re-read the entire thing once I figured out it was really Jack.

Anyway, on to the good stuff. After that 35% point in the story, it was almost like a different book. I had a smile on my face the whole time. It was so funny in so many scenes: the horse on the movie set reacting to Hannah; all the side characters; "operation grand gesture" (hilarious). Lots of swoon worthy moments too: the Dirty Dancing scene, and from one of my all-time favorites, the While You Were Sleeping lean. *sigh* Jack and Cynthie
(I kept calling her Cynthia in my head) grew so much, not only in their relationship, but as individuals as well. The ending was perfect.

I hope this series continues. Could Hannah's story be next??

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Having read Wood’s previous book, I knew I was in for a treat. Cynthie and Jack are just the thing I needed after being stuck in a reading rut for awhile. The fact that there are dual timelines and in both they are shooting a regency-era movie requiring full Mr. Darcy wet shirt kissing is just…chef’s kiss. The writing here is funny and the references to classic romcom’s are perfect. This man quotes You’ve Got Mail and can do the lift at the end of Dirty Dancing? Sign me up!

Oh wow, Laura Wood’s romcoms are criminally underrated! I was so pleasantly surprised by last year’s rom com Under Your Spell, so when Atria offered me a free arc I immediately snatched it up!

And Let’s Make a Scene was everything I wanted and more!

This is a second-chance enemies-to-lovers-back-to-enemies-to-lovers celebrity romance with fake dating – and honestly, each one of those tropes (which are some of my favorite) are executed flawlessly.

It’s in the same universe as Under Your Spell but absolutely can be read as a standalone.

I’m not going to bother telling you the plot, because the plot did not sell me on the book. It’s the writing. I was literally LAUGHING OUT LOUD, chuckling and chortling to myself while reading this on the train and by the pool on my recent trip to Italy. Then I was gasping and groaning out loud, as well as kicking my feet and giggling.

If you love Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez romcoms, you’ve got to pick this one up. It’s genuinely funny, but also the TENSION is absolute perfection. There’s also fantastic character growth that we see the characters go through, a journey of healing and self-discovery.

All the stars for Let’s Make a Scene! It publishes July 1st and would make the perfect vacation/beach read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Fake dating
* Second chance romance
* Divorce and betrayal
* Found family
* Romance on set of a Regency movie (I just kept picturing Jack in Anthony Bridgerton’s costume and his smolder while on horseback! 🫠)

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Wood , and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I truly enjoyed this book and read it within a day! This was a wonderful follow-up to her adult debut “Under Your Spell”. I was happy to see Theo and Clemmie again!

I love dual POV books, and this one was a good one! I also like how it’s broken up in the present and then moments in the past. I like how the past scenes mirror what then happens in present scenes. Especially as they show how they both have changed, how they’ve matured and both are trying to make things work this time around. They work to fix the mistakes of miscommunication and mistrust that they had done before.

Their banter and fighting back and forth in the past is fun to read, even though I wish they would both stop with the interjections from her and the defensiveness from him! His doubts about her were cruel, and he should have just apologized…but he let his ego AND attraction to her get in the way of that. He likes em feisty, but she clearly doesn’t like how riled up he makes her.

The karaoke scene was such a sultry, fun one. I liked that they both surprise each other, because they both always judge each other so poorly and it gives them a chance to see more that’s there than they thought.

Their first time together was a powder keg of frustration, just waiting to be lit and bursted wayyy too fast the first time they hook up. 🔥

But I like Jack way better when he’s letting things stay simmering, giving her what she wants with subtlety and teasing and kindness in his advances towards her. Present Jack has matured, and he’s kind and seems to want to start fresh by being better to Cynthie. I especially liked when he calmed her down so quickly from her panic attacks.

I loved the scene of her meeting his family, and the steamy chapter that occurs after! He’s so head-over-heels for her as she continued to volley back and forth against his parents’ criticism. He’s grateful for her. She now sees what he’s gone through and isn’t judging him so poorly. 84% in and we get to see in much more vivid detail how good they can be if they take things slower, and it was sooo satisfying 🔥

I like that afterwards, Cynthie lets Jack speak. It gives her the clarity she’s always needed. HE’S PERFECT and careful and patient and supportive. And he gives her the space and time to express and understand her own feelings. It’s all that she needs considering how badly things have affected her with Shawn. I think Jack is my new book bf 😍

The ending film montage of their love story brought me to tears! I could picture it all. So heartfelt and sincere to really show Cynthie it’s always been real for them both. One of the most romantic endings I’ve ever read. An amazing grand gesture created by all those that love her. 🥹

When Cynthie gets her first big acting job, there's one issue: Her costar seemingly hates her and wants her fired. Cue the miscommunication, a "let's bang it out and fake date for the publicity" type deal, and then they never speak to each other again. Thirteen years and a cult following later, their Pride & Prejudice-esque movie gets a sequel... and they have to fake date all over again.

Miscommunication is my least favorite trope every single time. I hate it. Blame my Bachelor's in Communication. I didn't realize this was a companion until I saw it listed as such on Goodreads. It didn't' rely too heavily in plot points on the other book, but there were vauge references.

I liked it. It was cute. Will I remember the plot a month from now when I do my June reading wrap up on Instagram? Who knows.

Thanks, NetGalley!

as a fan of second chance romance, stories that take place in the entertainment industry, and years of romance and yearning that could only be pulled off by secretly in love rivals-to-lovers, i had a feeling i would enjoy this book, and i am very glad to have taken the time to read it and be proven correct. cynthie and jack oozed chemistry from their very first scene together. even though so many misunderstandings and misinterpretations kept them apart, it was obvious even while reading flashbacks of them fighting with each other that they both desperately wanted the other to confess feelings so they could reveal that they shared the same sentiment. while that doesn't happen until 80% of the book is over, it was delightful to read their journey.

the dual timeline seemed a bit experimental, but overall, i think it accomplished what it set out to do: to add context to cynthie and jack's relationship in the past so that their actions in the present make sense, and their growth very clear. although i personally would have wanted to see more about what caused this change in jack because he's so much more different in the present from his past, i did appreciate the way the author made clear that the reason those characters didn't work 13 years ago is because they were both dealing with their own issues that made them misinterpret everything. the fact that jack was so concerned about winning his parents' approval when he was 24, and never becoming a huge film star in the end because he started choosing more fun projects he genuinely enjoyed working on, juxtaposed with cyn becoming a world renowned actress who needs to remember how much she enjoyed the craft was a fantastic contrast. i genuinely enjoyed the back and forth between these characters, and even though i do wish there was more on the changes jack endured, i had a blast getting to know them and watch them re-enter each other's lives and irrevocably fall in love.

cynthie and jack were adorable, but my favorite aspect of this book was actually the incredible cast of secondary characters. the book stated multiple times that the film these two worked on is what catapulted their film and tv career and set them on course to have the success they have 13 years later, but the other reason that film meant everything to them is because it set them up with their team and their close friends. a found family indeed. hannah, cyn's stylists, their directors, their assistants and ADs all played a role in cyn and jack's love story, and i loved that retrospective film at the end with their past and present thoughts watching these two fools in denial dance around each other. i also like the point the book made with shawn. that plot point was being set up from the beginning in the midst of this romance, and though i stopped expecting it to be expanded upon by the time brooke wanted to speak to cyn about it, i'm glad it went there. it was also a great explanation for why cyn feels the way she does, and her emotions leaped off the page so vividly, her hesitation with jack made perfect sense. i think some of the dialogue focusing on directors who take advantage of young actresses and abuse their power came across as a bit preachy at times, but i cannot think of a better way the author could have expressed those views than having jack and cyn's cast and crew explain to her that she was taken advantage of. this conversation mostly entirely existed via dialogue and it wasn't random, as it was fueling cynthie's panic attacks, so they fit seamlessly into the story. i also liked seeing cyn slowly recover her voice, and the emphasis on mental health was a fantastic touch.

overall this was a very fun novel touching on romantic tension, banter, yearning, and some serious industry themes. i love the idea that your background and experiences can cloud your judgment and cause you to misinterpret so many scenes and miss out on a relationship for 13 years, but also be what allows you to grow and become the person you were meant to be. there's a moment where cynthie laments on the time wasted, but jack comments that they needed that time apart to grow into their own, and that the versions of themselves from the past would never have worked together, and i think the author did a fantastic job demonstrating this. timing is everything, and brings about a change of perspective. that glimpse of these two in the epilogue, truly in love and content, was all the payoff i needed, and i felt so satisfied reading this book.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC. i truly enjoyed it.

3.75 stars/5

Just finished Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood and honestly, I loved it! It’s such a fun, feel-good rom-com. The story follows Cynthie, an actress trying to make it big, who ends up fake-dating her co-star Jack for a documentary—only problem is, they don’t exactly get along.

Their chemistry is amazing though, and the slow-burn romance had me totally hooked. Watching them go from annoyed with each other to something real was super satisfying. The whole behind-the-scenes documentary angle was a cool twist too—it added a lot of drama in a fun way.

The side characters were great, the banter was spot-on, and Laura Wood’s writing just flows so well. If you’re into fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, or just want something romantic and fun to escape into, definitely give this one a go.

4.5 out of 5 stars

A Charming Tale of Second Chances and On-Screen Chemistry

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood offers a compelling narrative of rekindled connections and the blurred lines between fiction and reality. Cynthie and Jack’s journey from estranged co-stars to navigating a staged romance is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying. 

Highlights:
• Character Development: Both leads exhibit growth, making their reconciliation believable and heartfelt.
• Authentic Setting: The depiction of the film industry adds depth and realism to the story. 
• Emotional Depth: The exploration of past grievances and personal insecurities enriches the narrative.

Considerations:
• Familiar Tropes: While the fake dating scenario is well-executed, it follows a predictable path.
• Initial Pacing: The beginning may feel slow, but the payoff is worth the wait.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this engaging novel.