Reading Laura Wood is always delightful; she is so witty. Let's Make a Scene is fun, there's tension, jokes, humor, characters that, despite being Hollywood royalty, feel real with struggles you can understand, there are also great friendships that feel more like family, and as a millennial, I love all the pop culture jokes and little notes.

This is the second chance romance between Cynthie Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones, they are actors who worked together 13 years ago, the chemistry was there, but so were the arguments and the jokes on the set. Now they have to work together again and also have to pretend to be a couple. So the main tropes are: Second Chance, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Hollywood Romance, and Nemesis to Friends to Lovers. Sounds fun, right? 

Usually, I’m not a fan of second chances because it tend to bring a lot of angst, but this one is lighthearted and fun. They are filming a regency romance, the setting is behind the scenes of making a movie, and one of the scenes they filmed is an epic kiss in the rain. (Very Austen or Bridgerton).

It's dual POV (love when we have the man's perspective) and also dual timeline, which helps a lot to know how they met and where their problems started. Thirteen years ago, they were young and didn't know how to communicate, hence their fights, but now, in their 35s, they have matured. In Cynthie's case she has just ended a traumatic relationship that left her vulnerable, but once they talk about their relationship in the present and their past miscommunications, they will have a healthy relationship based on communication, without losing the banter, its a slow burn romance, Jack is patient, and took notes from 80s/ 90s rom coms and Jane Austen men. 

So if you want a lighthearted romance that is right person, wrong time between actors who are filming a regency movie, this is for you. 

Thanks to Atria Books for the lovely copy 


Read it if you like:
Second Chance Romance but without drama
Banter

another incredible hit! this book was so enjoyable and truly had all of the glitz and glam you expected from the summary & the cover! contemporary romances have been hitting so hard lately, and this one takes the cake!

what a great read! i haven't read anything by this author before and this was a pleasant surprise. i loved the writing and characters. the plot was intriguing and addictive. really fantastic read for the summer

This was adorable! I really liked grown up Cynthia and Jack and found them to be refreshingly mature and likable. I also liked the back and forth between present day and 13 years ago, but on audio I often missed the announcement at the beginning of the chapter and would be confused until I realized we were in the past. I really appreciated how they would go over their disputes from 13 years prior and allow the memories to take a new shape once they talked them through. The characters are well developed and we are given enough of their backstories to feel like we knew them.

I listened to this one on audio and thought it was so well done! I loved the dual POVs and two narrators. I took about a week break in the middle of it because I was on vacation. Had I listened to it straight through it probably would have been closer to five stars, so definitely a me issue. Don’t make my mistake!

Overall this was a solid rom-com with both very funny moments and more serious undertones. Definitely recommend!

4.5 stars for this one!

This is technically a follow up to Under Your Spell as the characters from the first book make appearances, but it can definitely be read as a standalone.

This is a rivals-to-lovers, fake dating, second chance-ish romance between Cynthie and Jack. Told in dual timeline and pov, the story focuses on when Cynthie and Jack made their first movie (separately and together) and when they reunite thirteen years later for its sequel. While the past was definitely compelling, I felt like the structure just didn't work for me personally.

The first 20% of the book creeps by slowly and lays a lot of ground for the story to come. Cynthie was an interesting character, but ultimately she fell a little flat for me. The Cynthie from her POV and the one from Jack's POV never seemed to fully overlap to me and I felt like a lot of the growth that she goes through over the intervening years is completely missed. Jack is a deep and dynamic character who still feels a little hidden (even in his own POV) in the before timeline, but the chemistry they have in his chapters is fantastic. My favorite part of the past is OBVIOUSLY the MTV awards kiss? Brought me right back to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, one of the very first breakups that devastated teenage-me.

The last 15% of the book absolutely SLAPS, and I ADORE Jack and how he slots into Cynthie's lil family.

Overall, I'd say this is a 3.5 star book, but I'm rounding down because it's subjective and I can. If you like dual timeline, celeb romance, etc., you'll probably love this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the follow up to Under Your Spell. There are some character cross over from Under Your Spell so if you haven’t read that one and want the whole story you will want to read that one first.

This novel follows Cynthie Taylor right after a scandal has rocked her world. It has been 13 years since her first movie that kicked off her career with Hollywood nepo baby Jack Turner-Jones. They have both gone their own ways and grown their career and everyone wants a sequel. Another movie and another fake relationship is what they both need, Cynthie to move past her scandal and Jack to stay relevant to be renewed on the show he loves. But when old feelings come up how much is fake and how much is real?

The ending of this book was perfectly cinematic and wonderful. It is one of those romance books that builds up to this perfect moment that is a big pay off. I enjoyed this Hollywood world and dealing with filming a movie backdrop to their love story. The characters were well developed and it was fun to read. It touched on real themes but it was the type of story where everyone gets a happy ending that they deserve.

If you are looking for an easy to get into romance story and want to spend time in just a little piece of Hollywood life this is a good one for you to pick up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Libby Buck, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC. This was a fantastic rom-com filled with drama, laughs, and plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I loved the dual timeline from past to present, and the ending was absolutely beautiful.

Fake dating turned second chance storyline, yes please! It is a slower burn, but it's full of charm and was a great read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for a review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood

I absolutely enjoyed this juicy, heartfelt rom‑com. Cynthie and Jack’s fake‑dating‑turned‑second‑chance storyline had just the right mix of enemies‑to‑lovers heat, sharp dialogue, and emotional depth. The dual timeline, jumping between their flirty early days and their grown‑up selves, brings rich character growth and satisfying payoff.

Laura Wood’s writing is witty and warm, and the chemistry between the leads truly sizzles. The behind‑the‑scenes Hollywood setting is a fun backdrop, and the found‑family vibe with supportive side characters adds real heart.

Why I liked it: Built‑in charm and lovely slow‑burn progression and feel‑good summer romance with feels

I’d definitely read more from Laura Wood—I’ll be keeping an eye out for her next book!

Laura Wood's writing has such wit and charm it's hard not to immediately fall in love with it. UNDER YOUR SPELL was a favourite romance for mw last year, and while I was disappointed this wasn't a book about Lil, I was happy to be back in Wood's Hollywood playground millieu.

In this dual timeline, enemies to lovers, fake relationship romcom, British movie stars Cynthie and Jack are trying to give their current careers a face-lift. Their super successful regency romance film from more than a decade ago is getting a sequel- and Cynthie and Jack are getting a second chance. That is, if they can put away their 'I hate you but maybe I don't' energy long enough to play nice- and play pretend couple.

From the moment they meet Cynthie and Jack are peak enemies to lovers, and their chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. Literally, tension meet knife. Cynthie is sassy and sharp-tongued and the type of FMC you can't help but love. She doesn't take any of the crap that Hollywood royalty Jack is throwing her way. As for Jack, I found him frustrating at first but his growth from their first meet to 13 years later turns him into a real prince, incredibly supportive and leading man material.

There are great side characters too, like Cynthie's best friend Hannah and her personal trainer Petra (now I need a book about Petra please). The story skillfully weaves together past and present, shifting between Cynthie and Jack’s timelines to gradually reveal the shared history that fuels the tension in their present-day circumstances.

I love a good celebrity romance and this read had me smiling from the first chapter until the last. Overall, this book is charming and romantic and impossible to put down and has solidified Wood as an auto-buy author. Can't wait to see what she puts out next!

I really enjoyed this book, partly because the main characters weren’t in their 20s for most of it! It was nice to read about characters maturing, making better life choices for themselves, and falling in love with a more grown up version of the person they once knew. The pranks and found family were a great addition, too.

Let’s Make a Scene
🎬 ✨
Loved, no notes! I literally didn’t write anything down lol I’ve seen some mixed reviews for this one so I’m happy I ended up enjoying it! I thought the past and present chapters worked beautifully and really helped capture both Cyn and Jack and I loved seeing how they grew in the present chapters, especially Jack taking accountability for his words and actions and them opening up to each other. Celebrity romance is not in my top five favorite trope list, but I loved it here! I enjoyed all the behind the scenes talk, it was so hard separating them from their characters sometimes which just added so many feelings to the mix and you could FEEL it, I stayed blushing! The Dirty Dancing moment - swoon. I giggled, blushed, felt giddy, smiled and that’s exactly how I wanna feel when I read a romance! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
•
“She was pure joy whenever she was performing back then. It was like looking at the sun come up.”
🧡
Thank you @lauracwood @atriabooks and @netgalley for this e-arc, it comes out tomorrow July 1st!!

Sooooooo Laura Wood reached in my brain and pulled out all of my favorite tropes. Fake dating? Yeah. Chemistry off the charts? You bet. I laughed, I gasped, I loved.

Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood is a good romance novel, made me get out of a reading slump which was very much needed and I had a great time reading it!

The story’s about Cynthie and Jack, former teen co-stars who hated each other but had iconic on-screen chemistry. Thirteen years later, they’re forced back together for a sequel and a staged PR relationship—complete with a documentary crew filming their every move.

What got me was the emotional layers. Flashbacks to their 20-something selves added so much depth, revealing why they clashed and how they changed and their true feelings for each other that was lost in miscommunication. Watching present-day versions navigate fame, trust issues, and their “I can’t admit I like you” walls hit me hard.

The only dislike about it is I hate the miscommunication trope. I found myself going, “Ugh, just talk already!” a few times. But their growth and chemistry more than made up for it.

The story has all elements for a good read: enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship, second-chance romance, slow burn, forced proximity, and found family.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A low-angst dual-POV dual-timeline rom-com about British actors and period films - pure confection.

Jack and Cynthie first met when they worked together - and lust-hated each other - 13 years ago, and nearly all the conflict takes place in this past timeline. In the present timeline, when they're reunited, both of them have matured, which makes for less drama and lower-stakes, and I wasn't immediately drawn into the story. But it's such an easy and delightful read that I didn't mind reading along. I ended up really enjoying it and hoping for a third installment in the series.

4.5 stars, rounded up

Consider me officially charmed! If you like second chance romance with a celebrity twist and some fake dating!? (and if you know me you know that I LOVE fake dating) then i'd definitely recommend this one! (Plus the chemistry was giiiiiiving) It was like watching a romcom, it was so fun!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for my ARC!

4/5

I adored Under your spell and was so excited when i realised that Cynthie was Theo's best friend! So i was invested from the get go. I loved how we got the full story of Jack and Cynthie and how they met, how they came to hate one another...Now 13 years later Cynthie has gone through a pretty big scandal and the movie she's about to start filming has dropped her as the main actor.

Her agent calls her and tells her that an offer has come in to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched her career, the only problem is that she will be starring alongside Jack who she vowed to stay away from 13 years ago!

Cynthie and Jack are amazing characters and a good example of how people change and grow over the years, their banter and chemistry is off the charts. I couldn't put this book down at all and finished in record time.

One of my favourite books of this year so far, give it a read!


Now on a side note......I'd really really love a book about Lee and Nico....hint hint nudge nudge!!

Wow. This was a million times better than the first book. It seems like a totally different author wrote it. The tone was perfect, the language was on point and it wasn’t cringy at every page turn. I really enjoyed this! I’m glad there was improvement, and I would totally read a third book (Lee?).

Review also posted on goodreads.

If you love a good second chance celebrity romance with some enemies-to-lovers tension? This one delivers 👏🏼

Cynthie and Jack faked a relationship for the cameras 13 years ago—until it all blew up. Now? They’re co-starring in the sequel to the movie that made them famous…and faking it again. Only this time, the feelings don’t feel so fake.

This can be read as a standalone, but if you’ve read Under Your Spell, you’ll be excited to know that Cynthie is Theo’s best friend 👀

I loved the dual timeline! Getting their backstory while watching them navigate the tension in the present had me hooked. Their chemistry? SO GOOD. And the growth from past to present felt real and earned. Also, the side characters?? Top tier. There’s heart, humor, and just the right amount of drama.

This is a fun second chance celebrity romance! It is connected to Under Your Spell (Cynthie is Theo’s best friend) but can be read as a standalone. Thirteen years after actors Cynthie Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones fake dated for publicity (which ended in a falling out), the two are signed on to make a sequel to their first film together and have to rekindle their fake relationship.

I enjoyed the dual timeline so that the reader learns the past story while the current story is developing. I was fully invested in both stories and really felt the enemies-to-lovers tension between Cynthie and Jack! I enjoyed the character development and maturity that developed for both characters between the past and present. This book also has a great cast of side characters, along with heart and humor. I recommend this book for a fantastic celebrity romance!

Thank you to Laura Wood, Atria, and NetGalley for this gifted e-ARC; all opinions are my own.

Read if you like:
💕 Celebrity romance
💕 Fake dating
💕 Second chance romance
💕 Dual timelines
💕 Mental health rep