Releasing October 14, 2025
Rating: LOVED

Old Hollywood glamour, age gaps, a naïve LA newbie and an established playboy—this book had me from Page One.

Livvy’s a promising actress brand-new to the LA scene and cast in a movie opposite Flynn, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and a walking scandal. It’s gotten so bad that he’s caught the attention of the morality police and is in danger of losing his movie contracts. So a fake dating scheme is hatched.

Despite Livvy’s inexperience and youth, she’s not going to let Flynn intimidate her, and she’s willing to push and challenge him—something he’s not used to AT ALL. And he loves it. There’s something about a beautiful, talented, young woman who’s willing to go toe to toe with him where everyone else just kisses up and bows down to him. Flynn is forced to confront the emptiness of his life and think about what he really wants; Livvy is forced to learn the ways of Hollywood and figure out what she wants too.

The banter and wit sold me—I adore the author’s writing style and the fantastic dialogue throughout. And the characters? So much fun! We get cameos from Dash and Joan (It Happened One Fight), and I just love the way Flynn and Livvy developed. Plus, yes please to the Hollywood glamour and style—so iconic! And finally, there’s the cutest pet monkey sidekick!

Highly recommend!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for my advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was delighted to read Maureen Lee Lenker’s newest Golden Age Hollywood romance before its release this fall! I’ve loved this interconnected series and when I learned that A Star is Scorned would feature Flynn Banks, the charming playboy we are introduced to in It Happened One Fight, I couldn’t wait to get more of his story.
Flynn and Livvy are a match made in heaven! Their banter is off the charts and their chemistry made me swoon! I am a sucker for fake dating and I was living for the pining and tension!
I also appreciate that the author often includes more serious themes within her romantic comedies, this one including themes of grief, abuse, and other struggles the characters experience. I loved the honest portrayal of eldest daughter syndrome in Livvy (iykyk) and her devotion to caring for her younger sister Judy.
On a lighter note, I loved the appearances of the beloved couples from the first two books, Joan & Dash and Arlene & Don and their usual hijinks.
This was a steamy, beautifully written romantic novel set during such a glamorous time in Hollywood and I could not put it down!

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars!

When the women were glamorous and the men were debonair….

Take a stroll with me, fellow reader, to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Listen along with Liv and Flynn as they dance to the music of the Big Band. Join them on the movie set as the costume designer fits them for their next scene together.

This is the third in a series and having read the first had high expectations. And the author did not disappoint. Her description of the time period as well as the characters’ vernacular was spot on. Whomever chooses her covers does an excellent job. The antics of the animal sidekick and Liv’s athletic prowess sealed the deal.

This ARC was provided by the publisher,
SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca | Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Movie star and infamous womanizer Flynn Banks must save his reputation by dating his new co-star Liv.... Except that they fall in love for real...

Love Flynn and Liv. Terrific fun. The banter is wonderful and the chemistry is undeniable. Really enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.