Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Firstly, I love a celebrity romance, it's one of my favorites and Ava Wilder loves to specialize in them! The book was a bit hard to connect with in the beginning because I found myself disliking Merritt in the beginning. However, as the book continued, I really grew to like her, especially after learning about her struggles with mental health and the steps she took to recover.

Overall, the romance between the two was pretty cute, and I found myself rooting for them! Merritt's sister did annoy me with her reacting very poorly to their relationship.

It is a privilege to read Ava Wilder books because I feel like I’ve discovered an entirely new perspective on life EVERY time. Merritt and Niki’s journey was excruciatingly tender, every page felt like an exposed nerve pulsating with emotion and near tangible storytelling. There are no wasted words in her books just sleeper agents that come back at the perfect moment to make you sob hysterically.
I love how this book felt like a combination of Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. It gave dimension to these iconic celebrities, a layer to their publicised experiences that grounds them as just people. And this book is entirely fictional.

Ava Wilder has yet to fail me with absolute bangers that make me laugh, cry, and also gasp in shock and horror at the audacity of some people.

This was so raw and messy and heartbreakingly tender. Niko is so willing to stand back and let Merritt find her way forward, and his utter lack of judgment (in spite of the [quite frankly, alarming] way that he has been warned off her) gives her the space to do so in a way that doesn’t send her running.

Merritt is volatile and intense - because even when she’s not, she faces a continuous level of scrutiny from nearly everyone in her life that keeps her from allowing herself to be vulnerable. Mistakes (or the expectation of them) are met with such harsh pushback that she falters at the idea of even putting herself in a position where she could make them.

And then there’s Niko - capable and patient and kind, who allows Merritt to be both sharp and vulnerable and doesn’t approach either with anything but acceptance. They see each other as whole people with whole lives, without allowing their pasts to color who they are trying to be now.

Also like 68% of the side characters are varying degrees of awful (from “sometimes way too mean” to “this man should be in jail”) so the fact that they are not awful to each other is such a breath of fresh air! Imagine a healthy relationship flourishing despite everyone’s gnarly behavior 10/10

I love Ava Wilder's messy, layered characters, and the way she tells a story is like unraveling a long, tight braid. That braid contains information that is holding you captive and tense, and then you get that relief of understanding when she reveals things at the right time. I think it's important that she writes characters who have dealt with addiction, but aren't shiny, clean new selves. In this case, Merritt's had some distance from her past, but she's not claiming to be a whole new person that would never fall those patterns again and hurt someone. Niko is sweet and earnest, ready to get wrapped up in the chemistry they share, and I don't always like characters as nice as he is, but he just yearned for her so damn much and maybe that was his flaw? A totally sane man would probably run scared and avoid Merritt. Save himself ahead of time from her past coming back to haunt her and her shifting moods and mental health issues. Niko leans in, and eventually Merritt does too, and it's beautiful. Messy. Hopeful. These characters will take up space in my mind for a while.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This book is a must read! The care that Wilder always puts into the heavier topics her books tackle--like mental health issues and harassment in the workplace--is so impactful and important. I adored Merritt and Niko.

This charming small town romance has all of the cozy Hallmark vibes with a dash of spice. Merritt is the famous twin sister and she has relocated to Crested Peak to be close to her sister and brother-in-law. Merritt hires Niko to complete her home renovations and the sparks start to slowly fly. Merritt and Niko feel the sparks, but hesitate to commit because of their past experiences. This was overall a cute book and my first, but not last by Ava Wilder. Thank you for the ARC!

Merritt and Niko. This was a fun romantic read and the 2nd book I have read by this author. Romance and spice, with some serious family drama, this was an enjoyable read. I will continue to check out books by this author! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book ripped my heart out in the best way possible.
The story of two realistically messy adults, who are acting like adults, communicating like adults and forming functional relationships! Bestill my heart, and give this book all of the stars.
A super slow burn romance between Nico, the small town handyman, artist, jack of all trades and the former bad girl musician, Merritt, who left fame behind.
These two had me in a chokehold with all of their insecurities and imperfections (even though Nico seemed kinda perfect to me).
Also, what a beautiful cover😍
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I always look forward to romances by Ava Wilder because I think she brings something different to the genre. Her characters have real depth, and I appreciate how she explores personal struggles without turning them into a personality trait or a plot device. Some Kind of Famous was no exception. The romance felt authentic, and I enjoyed watching the characters grow both individually and together. I will say the pacing felt a little uneven in places, but it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed my time with this book. It’s another strong story from an author who always delivers something meaningful.

this was super sweet with very heavy topics. This to me was more a story on personal growth, with a side helping of delicious romance. I think that Merritt's first big step here was understanding herself, and the person she was becoming. Niko needed someone like Merritt, who understands the things that scare him, and accepts him for those things; and also likewise he never makes her feel like she's less than because of events of her past. my only critique was the length of this, I felt like it was dragging at points. and that's just a personal thing, but overall I really enjoyed it!

I initially posted a review for the wrong book, but I have since read this book and am now back to share my thoughts.

This novel was another masterpiece by Ava Wilder! She is 3/3 for me and has now become one of my all-time favorite and auto-buy authors.

One of my favorite things about Ava Wilder is how she throws you into the story at the beginning and doesn’t bog you down with excessive exposition. As you read all the pieces fall into place, and it makes you feel like you had to work for the information, and it is explained at the correct moment. Especially with Merritt being someone who is famous, I liked that we got to know who she was as a person before we started to get into the nitty gritty of why she is at the place she is in right now.

I enjoyed the backdrop of the house, as it brought the two characters together, and how the town served as a character of its own.

I want to first look at each of the characters as individuals. I found both of these characters to be so well thought out and well written, but also extremely compelling. I truly was rooting for both of them. I didn’t feel like anything was put into the novel for shock value, but rather for the reader to have a full understanding of the character and why they do the things they do. I also found their individual back story to make sense for why they were attracted to each other and wanted to be with each other.

As a couple, Niko and Merritt were a master class in yearning. These are two characters who so deeply want to love and be loved, but there are so many obstacles they have to fight through to be able to meet each other at the place that they need to be. I found their love to be so tender, and the way Ava Wilder wrote their individual obstacles with so much care and compassion was beautiful to read.

Ava Wilder’s writing is as emotionally insightful and compelling as ever. She has a real gift for creating characters who feel layered and authentic. That said, Some Kind of Famous didn’t quite land for me the way her earlier books have.

While the emotional moments were tender, I sometimes struggled to fully believe in the central love story—the chemistry felt inconsistent, which made parts of the romance harder to invest in. I did love seeing familiar characters from past books make an appearance, adding warmth and continuity to the story.

Overall, it’s a solid read with beautiful writing, even if the story didn’t fully sweep me away. A 3.5-star experience, and I’m still eager for whatever Wilder writes next.

I LOVED this book. The tension! The yearning! She is flawed and healing, he is a golden retriever with insecurities of his own. They are o it supposed to have a summer fling, but it quickly evolves into more. It was just a delight.

DNF @ 20%

Just not a fan of any of the characters and how they treat each other. You could not convince me that these are supposed to be 35 year old adults.

Ava Wilder knows how to write characters who feel real, messy, and deeply human—and Some Kind of Famous might be my favorite of hers yet. This one’s a slow-burn small-town romance that balances emotional growth, quiet chemistry, and just the right amount of angst.
Merritt Valentine is a former music star who burned out hard and walked away from the spotlight a decade ago. Now she’s laying low in a Colorado ski town, trying to figure out who she is outside of the fame and the fallout. Her walls are high, her trust is low, and the last thing she needs is to fall for the charming, golden-hearted local handyman—especially one like Niko, who’s been burned before and has no interest in drama.
But of course, life has other plans. When Merritt buys a rundown house, Niko ends up being the one to help her rebuild—not just the house, but parts of herself, too. Their chemistry is undeniable, but what really pulled me in was how tender and vulnerable their connection becomes. These are two people carrying quiet hurts who learn to trust again—without either one being magically “fixed” by love. It’s a story about finding your footing, your voice, and maybe the person who helps you feel a little less alone in the world.
Merritt is prickly and cautious, but also honest about her fears, and Niko is the softest, most emotionally grounded MMC I’ve read in a while. Their relationship is layered, realistic, and beautifully paced. Add in a vivid, cozy small-town setting and some familiar cameos from Ava Wilder’s other books, and this is one I’ll absolutely reread.

This was my first time reading Ava Wilder and I was immediately drawn to this book by the stunning cover and trope list. Forced proximity is always a hit for me. I enjoyed Wider's writing style, the cozy mountain setting, and premise of this book. The yearning from Niko was also top notch complete with a nickname in a different language - a microtrope I will always gobble up.

However, I was a bit frustrated with the constant push and pull, it seemed like up until 90%, they still weren't quite sure they wanted to be together? 

In the end, I think I was hoping for more definitiveness from their relationship, however I did still enjoy this read. Thank you very much to Dell for the early copy!

3.75 stars.

I received an ARC of Some Kind of Famous through NetGalley. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine and Dell for the approval. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

This book surprised me in the best way. It’s soft, a little spicy, heartfelt, and way more emotionally layered than I expected going in. It’s a character driven romance that explores healing, identity and all the messy complexities of family dynamics.

The story moves fast, but Merritt and Niko’s connection felt natural. There’s definitely insta-like energy at first, but because of the pacing, their relationship didn’t feel that rushed to me. There’s a slow buildup of emotional intimacy and friendship, even if the attraction hit early. They actually get to know each other, and I loved reading all about it.

Niko is such a sweetheart. He’s patient, flirty and super supportive. I also liked that had his own boundaries when it came to their relationship. And Merritt? She’s such a beautifully complex character, a former pop star with mental health struggles, just trying to rebuild her life. The chemistry, the tension, and the spice, it’s all there.

What really stood out to me was the raw portrayal of family. Easily one of the most realistic portrayals of sibling conflict I’ve read in a while. Merritt and Olivia butt heads constantly, and while that felt authentic, it also drove me nuts. I felt protective of Merritt, so the way Olivia treated her really bother me. Still, those messy and imperfect interaction are what made it feel real.

Read if you like:
🖼️ dual pov
🖼️ messy family dynamics
🖼️ bisexual and mental health rep
🖼️ small town charm

Final Rating:
4 ⭐️
3 🌶️ (several detailed scenes with a focus on chemistry and connection)

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this arc.

DNFing at 90% due to a trope that I cannot stand. Unfortunately, I was not vibing with any of these characters in this book at all. I liked the MC's at first but I just felt like they were both- but more specifically her- were just walking red flags that needs to figure their shit out before any type of relationship. I felt that the storyline was very slow and quite underwhelming. I did not feel any real connection between the MC's at all either. The "small town" wasn't giving small town vibes. The way the text messages were written was very confusing, the lack of care that the FMC has all these past traumas and addictions that she's trying to work through but yet they are constantly going to the bar and getting drinks or bringing alcohol home or going to a THC restaurant even though she knows she cant handle it. She then has a break down and goes crazy like she hasn't learned for any of her prior mistakes. This was a miss for me, which sucks because I was really looking forward to it.

Again, thank you Ava and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was not my cup of tea, unfortunately. I couldn’t connect with the writing style. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

Having LOVED Ava Wilder's previous work, I was very excited to receive an arc of Some Kind of Famous. Unfortunately, it didn't just fall flat... I hated it.

Without spoiling any plot points, one of the main characters, Merritt, is introduced in a scene with her sister where they fight and she immediately retaliates by revealing an intimate secret. From that point forward, Merritt, her sister, and her sister's husband all characterize Merritt as being varying degrees of horrible. I didn't feel I was given much reason to root for her by anyone. It is later revealed that Merrit has *SPOILER* some mental health issues and is recovering from different forms of substance abuse *SPOILER* and that felt like a scapegoat for some of her behavior throughout the book.

As for Merritt and Nico as a couple, their chemistry felt very forced. Both characters read as exceedingly awkward when they interacted, and I didn't understand why either of them had such a strong infatuation with the other. Beyond that, there was very little real conflict keeping them apart, so it was very frustrating to read them being wishy washy with each other and their relationship.

*SPOILER* This book also contains an accidental pregnancy turned very early miscarriage that is mentioned as a trigger warning on her website, but felt handled a little flippantly within the story. *SPOILER*

Now, there were some redeeming factors. I absolutely LOVED the cameo of characters from "How to Fake it in Hollywood." I enjoyed some of the side characters, like Nico's roommates, and I enjoyed the open conversations about non-traditional forms of romantic relationships.