This one was fun but At times it wasn’t hitting if I’m quite honest, not like the first book in this series. This one felt more fleshed out, but for some reason I just wasn’t buying the romance between the main couple. The story and the plot were there but I didn’t feel as connected. This wasn’t bad but it wasn’t amazing… I was really excited for this one.

I enjoyed Under Your Spell, so I was excited when I saw Laura Wood wrote a book for Cynthia. It was a nice story with fake dating and enemies to lovers tropes. I liked the back and forth between thirteen years ago and present day. Really cute!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Oh how I loved this book! Actors and actresses, a swoony romance, this book has it all and does it well. Jack, son of two famous actors, and Cynthie, plucked from obscurity, meet on the set of their first major movie. They clash immediately but quickly fall hard for one another. When things go sour, it’s thirteen years before they reconnect for the sequel to their career-launching debut and what starts as a made-for-publicity stunt soon converts smoldering feelings into fresh flames. The book switches timelines seamlessly between when the couple first meet and the present day and I thoroughly enjoyed each storyline. Thanks to its freshly crafted plot, I didn’t want the story to end!

Let's Make a Scene is an irresistibly entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance that spans thirteen years of tension, fiery banter, and unexpected passion. Told in dual POVs with alternating timelines of past and present, the story centers on Cynthie and Jack, two actors who can’t stand each other but are forced to pretend to be in a relationship to promote the movie they just made.

At the heart of their dynamic is an undeniable chemistry, even as they constantly clash, playing pranks on each other and trading sharp words. Beneath the animosity, though, is a simmering desire that neither can fully ignore. Fast forward thirteen years after they've had no contact, and the two are brought together once again and this time its for a sequel to their original film, along with a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling their lives and potential love story. Once again, they must pretend to be a couple, but is it really just for the cameras?

The bickering between Cynthie and Jack is a highlight of the book, providing both humor and heart. However, I found Cynthie’s character a bit frustrating at times. She often jumps to conclusions about Jack's intentions, even when he’s genuinely trying to be kind.

Both characters have clear motivations for participating in the film and the documentary, and while pretending to be in a relationship may serve their individual needs, the question remains: will it lead to something more? The slow burn and emotional evolution of their relationship make for a compelling read, even when Cynthie’s hesitations can be frustrating.

Thirteen years ago, no-name actress Cynthie Taylor and Hollywood’s favorite nepo baby Jack Turner-Jones starred opposite each other in the smash-hit recency romance A LADY OF QUALITY. Now, after a very public scandal threatens Cynthie’s career, she’s presented an offer she desperately wants to (but ultimately can’t) refuse: reprise her breakout role alongside Jack in the long-anticipated sequel.

Picture this: a dislike-to-lovers romance set in Hollywood inspired by the iconic Rachel McAdams/Ryan Gosling MTV acceptance speech (read: performance) for best kiss in the Notebook. The chemistry between Cynthie and Jack is undeniable. In the past timeline, their mutual loathing sizzles off the page, while in the present timeline, that disdain simmers low enough to let the slow burn attraction reach a full boil. Their emotional arcs are layered, made that much stronger by a wide cast of endearing, well developed supporting characters. While there were moments of a few clunky shifts in timeline in the middle of the book, I adored every second of this tension filled Hollywood romance.

Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I went into this book without having read Under Your Spell and can confirm that it’s doesn’t detract from the experience at all.

Cynthie agrees to make a sequel to her breakout movie role in an attempt to distance herself from a romantic scandal. The only problem is her costar, Jack, with whom she had a tumultuous personal and professional relationship 13 years ago.

I loved the current day evolution of Cynthie and Jack’s relationship. Their chemistry was believable and I found both to be very likable. I loved the dual POV and timeline however the flashbacks felt a little drawn out and redundant. Overall this was a fun, light read perfect for summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to enjoy this story! All view expressed are my own.

This is a fun, emotional, and heartwarming enemies to lovers, fake dating romance. Cynthie and Jack are actors who hated each other during their first movie 13 years ago, but now they’re reunited for a sequel, and have to fake a relationship all over again. The chemistry between them is amazing, and I loved their banter and tension throughout the story.
The story is told in both past and present timelines. While I found the flashbacks interesting, I wish there had been more focus on their present day connection. Still, their journey felt real and emotional, and I found myself rooting for them. Cynthie is strong and sincere, and Jack is guarded but soft underneath, it was so satisfying to watch them open up to each other.
This was a perfect mix of humor, romance, and second chances. A cozy, charming read for fans of celebrity romance and fake dating tropes.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy , opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adored this book! The slow burn, enemies-to- lovers romance had me hooked from the start. There was also humor sprinkled throughout. The dual timeline added so much depth and emotion to the story. My only (very minor) gripe is that it felt a bit long in places. A must-read if you love witty banter, emotional growth, and that slow-burn payoff.

Such a fun celebrity romance! Cynthie and Jack were both great characters, and they had so much chemistry. Most of this book took place on the set of a period piece which was fun, and I was rooting for their second chance romance the whole way through.

Enemies to lovers with great banter and perfectttttt tension. I loved these two (and loved the cameo from Theo and Clemmie!).

Dual POV and flashbacks made this one extra fun, and the chemistry was leaping off the page. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Marketing for this eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I loved the author’s last book so much so I was very hyped to read this. I enjoyed the dual POV and timelines. I love a Hollywood romance trope and a second chance romance! This was sweet and really well done.

Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I could not relate to the characters and the story seemed to drag on. I ended up marking this as a dnf. I would still be able to describe this book to a potential buyer at the store, but it was sadly not for me.

I absolutely love second chance and celebrity romances, so this was right up my alley. It was tension and angst filled, with witty banter and I loved seeing their relationship progress. I do wish there weren’t so many flash back chapters, but overall it was a sweet read. Can’t wait to read more from her.

I'm a big fan of the rivals-to-lovers trope—it’s easily one of my favorites. The gradual build-up of their relationship really drew me in. That kind of slow burn doesn’t always land, but it worked really well here.

Y'all don't understand how much I love Let's Make a Scene!!! It's romantic and emotional and spicy and funny and so cute and did I mention romantic?? The second chance aspect coupled with forced proximity, fake dating, and dislike to love was the perfect recipe for a 5 star read. Cynthie and Jack are so well-balanced. Their conversations made the romance and the book as a whole that much better. I cannot wait for Wood's next release.

I enjoyed this romcom so much! I both eyeball read Let's Make a Scene, and I listened to the audiobook. And first let me say these narrators put in the WORK. I thought they absolutely nailed these parts, which somehow because the characters are actors felt very high-stakes to get right. And they did! I will absolutely be looking up their back log of narrated books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I liked both the present and past stories, both with both characters POVs. Both characters felt real and so well developed and their on again off again enemies, dating, friends, etc. felt very, very real to me. Sometimes you read a book and you're like ok cool, ANOTHER TROPE, and this book had them all. Fake dating, forced proximity, found family, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, contemporary romcom but they're filming a regency movie, parallel timelines. BUT they felt effortless. They were nuanced and not just tropes for tropes sake. I absolutely love fake dating and we got it twice. I do think this was a TINY bit long, but I had a great time with it. Perfect summer beach read.

Five. Freaking. Stars
This one hit hard. Let’s Make a Scene is technically a sequel to Under Your Spell, but it works perfectly as a standalone.

When rising actress Cynthie Taylor landed her first big role in a small British film thirteen years ago, she was over the moon—until she met her co-star Jack Turner-Jones. He was broody and rude and somehow still infuriatingly hot. She hated him. He hated her. Everyone knew it. Everyone felt it. And unfortunately for them both, the chemistry was off the charts.

Cut to thirteen years later: the movie is a cult classic, a sequel is finally happening, and Jack and Cynthie are dragged back into each other’s lives… with a documentary crew following every awkward, tense, sparks-flying moment. Oh, and they also have to fake date again. For promo. Because of course they do.

This is enemies-to-lovers plus fake dating at its finest. The tension is delicious. The banter is off the charts. The yearning? Devastating. Laura Wood writes characters who feel like real, messy, lovable humans, and she does it with such charm and heart.

And can we talk about Jack Turner-Jones? Hot-headed, emotionally repressed, polite to a fault—I'm in love. And Cynthie? Smart, determined, heartbreakingly earnest. Watching them figure their way back to each other after a decade of distance was so satisfying I wanted to clap after every chapter. I ate up every look, every argument, every tender moment.

Told in dual POV and dual timelines, this book is funny, sharp, swoony, and full of heart. Hollywood drama, second chances, emotional depth—it has everything. I adored it.

“I love what you just said. I'd like it on a T-shirt. I want you to record it on my phone so that I can make it my ringtone and listen to it all the time.”

I’m not crying; you’re crying. This one goes on the favorites shelf.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own

A fun enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, second chance celebrity romance. Cynthie and Jack's dynamic is packed with tension and funny moments, but the POV swaps between the past and future and unfortunately, the past flashbacks don't move the story forward very much. I would have loved to see more of the couple in present day.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the characters of Cynthie and Jack, along with the several minor characters, felt fully and refreshingly fleshed out. This is an excellent beach read in that the plot seems to be a simple enemies-to-lovers with a side of second chance romance, but is so nuanced that you forget it follows any tropes at all. I found it to be serious at times and playful at others, with enough layers to give actual depth to the characters. I believe this is a solid four-star read and highly recommend it.

This is my first time reading work by Laura Wood and this book had some of my favorite things in it. I absolutely love Cynthie and Jack. I loved teh dual timeline and getting to see how the characters changed so much over the 13 years. There were some tough discusions and topics covered and the amazing banter and comedy didn't take anything from them. As someone who dreamed of being an actress from a VERY young age, seeing the filming environment written out was so fun to read. If you like yearning, found family, laugh-out-loud comedy and the most heartwarming love story, Let's Make A Scene has it in SPADES.


Thank you so much Atria for sending me a copy of this and you SMASHED it Laura!