This book is pure emotional magic wrapped in small-town charm. The way Merritt and Niko’s relationship builds from resistance to undeniable attraction had me completely hooked. I loved how the author blended steamy tension with emotional depth, capturing the complexity of Merritt’s struggles and Niko’s quiet, steady strength. Their chemistry is electric, and watching them slowly open up to each other was heartwarming and captivating. The setting in Crested Peak adds this perfect cozy backdrop, where the romance feels both tender and intense. I found myself rooting for them to finally admit what they were feeling, and the journey they took to get there was beautiful. It’s a perfect balance of romance, emotional growth, and a touch of heartache, making it a read I couldn’t put down.

For me 'Some Kind of Famous' is a fun and quick romance read. It has the small town vibes, mental health representation, and zinging chemistry. It's a solid romance novel that I hope many readers gravitate to this autumn. There were some areas that felt like constant band aids being ripped off, there were fumbles in explaining certain actions, and a sudden third act romance trope that personally isn't a favourite of mine so I'm bumping down my rating to a 3 star. A quick romance read.

Thank you Ballantine-Dell for the digital arc!

Merritt Valentine has left Hollywood without a backwards glance, running from life as a famous singer/songwriter to her sister’s small tourist ski town. She has had an stomach flipping attraction to Niko, the gorgeous contractor and her brother in law’s best friend, since first arriving. But he’s off limits, especially with Merritt’s history of chaos and destruction. But what if this pull to Niko is just too powerful to resist?

*** Small town romance
*** Mental health representation
*** Nikolaos Petrakis. You don’t know him yet but oh my, when you do…..
*** Strong family dynamic
*** Undeniable sparks

There were so many layers to this book outside just the romance: the mental health struggle, the feelings of having purpose and direction, facing life head-on.

But the romance? TOP TIER. Our MMC Niko is just perfection. And I loved Merritt. She was complicated, but for absolutely good reason and the fact that she finally found someone that loved her with all those complications? Perfection!

I love love loveddd this book, and will absolutely be buying my own copy.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ava Wilder, and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This small town romance has it all! This is a very emotional, medium paced, lighthearted read. It made me feel joyful, hopeful and reflective. I enjoyed the complex characters in the story as well as the scenery. This is a slow burn, spicy romance! I can tell the author put a lot of thought into writing this. It’s easy to read and well written. I enjoyed the opposites attract trope in this book! I found it to be unique and cozy! I give this a 4 out of 5 stars rating!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Ava Wilder and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book is expected to be published on October 28, 2025!

This author knows how to write electric tension and SOME KIND OF FAMOUS is no different. I enjoyed watching their relationship evolve from avoiding each other at the grocery store and around their small town in Colorado after an awkward "meet-cute" of Niko accidentally seeing Merritt in a bath towel in the bathroom at Merritt's sister's house to working together on fixing up Merritt's house to making the room crackle with tension when they are in close proximity. I always admire how the author crafts such layered characters in a beautiful and complex way that makes it so easy to connect to them and be fully invested in their story.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy Ava Wilder’s work and I enjoyed this book just as much as her other works. This felt like a sweet read and a lovely journey between Merritt and Niko. Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

Ava Wilder wrote another hit! The way she portrays characters who aren't perfect is fantastic, and this book is no different.

Merritt is a disgraced singer/songwriter who fled Los Angeles to move in with her twin sister and brother in law in a small Coloradan town. Merritt hires the town's contractor, Niko, to renovate her home. Merritt and Niko have an instant attraction, but try to heed the warnings from their mutual friends to stay apart.

This book is steamy, y'all! The characters have chemistry, and I found myself smiling several times.

Thank you Dell Romance and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love Ava Wilder so much. Something about her writing just gets right to my soul. This one was definitely her most emotional, in my opinion, and the yearning was so good. Niko is a gem of a human and he was so good without being unrealistically perfect. Merritt was also so fleshed out she felt real. I love a celeb romance but also loved how this one was a little different spin. The original set up with the conflict was confusing at first and felt kind of flimsy but made a lot more sense later although I still think Olivia is kind of a terrible sister. Overall loved it and want to read everything Ava ever writes forever.

I always adore Ava Wilder’s writing, and this book was no exception! Merritt and Niko are very special to me, and the way Wilder tackled harassment in the workplace and mental health issues was admirable and impactful. A must read!

I loved this book. I love how Niko and Merritt offered a level of comfort for each other that they hadn’t found elsewhere in life. I love how we got sneak peaks into their lives before they met each other and it explained why they both were the way they were. Normally I hate miscommunication in books, but it made sense for both these characters for what they struggled with in the past. I loved Olivia and Merritt’s relationship. It truly showed the ugly and good of sister relationships and how tough love can be.

This book exceeded my already high expectations. Loved Ava Wilder's other two novels, but this one is my new favorite.

The story follows Merritt, a disgraced singer-songwriter that seeks refuge in a small ski town in Colorado. She meets Niko there and while they have instant attraction, the emotional intimacy is a slow build up. It really has the perfect mix of angst, yearning, character growth, and scalding tension/spice.

While Merritt could have easily come off as somewhat unlikable and selfish, you can really feel her vulnerability, struggles and desire to change. Niko was such a tender, understanding and fantastically layered love interest.

Please do yourself a favor and read this gorgeous book.

Wilder does it again with a romance that is more than just about a character or two finding their HEA. As with her previous books, there is more focus on the main character's growth and development as individuals than on the actual romance. Yes, the romance is there, but it builds through friendship and interaction which is more believable overall. There is chemistry from the start, but characters recognize that chemistry is not enough and they spend a lot of the book resisting their pull because of all the other reasons that they shouldn't be together. Merritt and Niko are good together, but it is hard for them to seek beyond their current hang ups to be good together. And that's ok, because they do both have things to work through, Merritt most of all.

When I first started reading, I was not convinced that Merritt would be a likeable character. She couldn't seem to see past herself, but she actually acknowledges this at multiple times especially when it comes to being supportive of her sister. And as a result, she actually was someone I genuinely wanted to succeed. I wanted her to find her way back to music. I wanted her to find someone to share her life with. I wanted her to stay clean and overcome her demons. And I wanted that to be done with Niko by her side.

The town the story is set in, as well as the cast of characters around the mains, is so much fun. And it did feel like a complete package .

Overall another good Wilder read. Maybe not my favourite by her, but sill enjoyable. And better than a bunch of the romances I have picked up lately.

there's no one in the romance genre who has a voice quite like wilder's (and no this isn't an exaggeration). she just gets how to write people who aren't perfect and who have goals that they're working towards and all the insecurities that can arise as a result of that. however, that doesn't mean someone like that isn't capable of love or deserving of love. the push and pull of all the build up makes for characters that wiggle their way into hearts as well as minds and i loved how the protagonists were able to support each other in order to grow. the sibling subplot was also well done for how loved ones may not know how to support people with BDP. put this novel on your to be read ASAP!

(my only qualm is the handling of substance use when the female protagonist has a substance use disorder.however, BDP was handled well.)

This book was so good. Merritt was a teen pop star who dove off the rails. Her twin sister Olivia lives in a small town with her husband, Dev. The small town known as crested peak happens to be where this hot contractor named Niko lives. And let’s just say every girl needs a Niko.

ava wilder my celebrity romance queen, you are back and better than ever!! this is definitely my favorite of hers so far. merritt as a character is someone who i absolutely adore, her struggles with her bpd and learning to trust herself again were so real. her arc was written so beautifully, i love messy characters and she truly learned how to clean herself up. it was incredible to see.

and niko!! what is a romance novel without an equally compelling love interest? NOTHING!! and luckily for us, ava wilder always delivers. his patience, kindness, and understanding leveled with his own insecurities and layers was done so masterfully. every time this man opened his mouth, i fell further and further in love with him right alongside merritt. may we all meet a greek man like niko of our own someday.

and y’all…this book is horny. like, so horny it’s unreal. and make no mistake, horny and smutty are not the same; it was the yearning, the desperation, and the such clear desire that these two had for each other that created such great romantic tension. i’m absolutely obsessed with the way this was written, she’s bringing back real sexual tension in romance books!!

This book is basically my new religion. Like it was everything. THE TENSION. Ava!!!! I can’t wait for this book to hit shelves!! I know everyone is going to fall in love with these characters, the town, and their story. 💕

Ava Wilder is in a top 3 romance authors spot for me. This one felt completely different from her other two while also feeling the same, which I'm not sure how she accomplished that. I don't mean it negatively either. You can feel the warmth of the town, the way everyone knows everyone and you never really have a secret for long. The relationship between Niko and Merritt felt so tender and delicate. I'm always afraid of the doomed "third act breakup" but I adored the way it was handled in this (if you wanna call it that). But the most heartbreaking and heartwarming relationship in this book is the one between Olivia and Merritt. I loved both of them so much. It physically hurt to see them fight and when they talked it out, there was not a single time I wasn't at LEAST tearing up. Ava Wilder approaches some deeper subject matter in this book so beautifully and I am so thankful I got a chance to experience this early. Now I just need October to be here so I can display it on my bookshelf.

MerrittValentine, is a musician hiding away in small town Colorado. She had left LA and life in the public eye in favor of living with her twin sister and brother in law. When she hires handsome Niko to fix up the property she bought, her sister warns her to keep her distance. But as she and Niko spend more time together, Merritt comes to terms with the life she led and the life she wants.

Merritt Valentine, una ex cantautora famosa, abandonó su carrera tras una devastadora crisis emocional. Durante ocho años, vivió sin rumbo hasta que decidió mudarse con su hermana Olivia a un tranquilo pueblo en Colorado, buscando la paz y alejándose de todo lo que pudiera traerle emociones por los siguientes dos años. Sin embargo, su atracción por Niko, un constructor local, complica su intento de vivir una vida monótona. Niko, marcado por viejas heridas, también se mantiene alejado de las relaciones, pero cuando Merritt lo contrata para arreglar su casa, la conexión entre ambos es inevitable. A medida que pasan tiempo juntos, se dan cuenta de que sus vidas y emociones están más entrelazadas de lo que esperaban, enfrentando la posibilidad de un futuro juntos y sanando sus heridas del pasado.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

I haven't met an Ava Wilder book I didn't like and SOME KIND OF FAMOUS is no different. As usual, Wilder killed me with her signature mix of tender, heartfelt moments and all the delicious sexy moments.