I'm not going to lie...when I first started reading I really thought this was just going to be another light hearted, cheesy romance.
Boy was I wrong!
I loved the FMC and MMC. I really liked that they both came with baggage and faults and fears that held them back until they figured out how to overcome them.
I enjoyed the film/acting aspect of it but had no idea when it came to the dance moves being described!
I liked the way the author worked heavier topics into what you would assume is just another romance, such as family dysfunction, foster care and sexual identity.
And just when I thought they were going to get their happily ever after...plot twist!
I think this is absolutely the book for you if you love a solid romance love story!

Set in the entertainment industry in Australia, this story is about Evie, a dance teacher and Kye, the manager for a famous actor.

This is an easy to read romance, and it does touch on some heavier topics, but overall I didn’t fall in love with the characters as much as I wanted to. It fell a little short for me, but I think many will enjoy its light and easy nature.

Unfortunately I decided I couldn’t finish this book after reading 30%. I really tried to get into it but it was not working for me. The writing felt somewhat forced which made it read as somewhat cringey. And unfortunately the biggest issue for me was that I as an ex-dancer found that the dance language read as though it was written by someone who has never danced before and it felt very unauthentic and awkward. I think this is going to be super popular with so many romance readers I may just not be the audience for it.

*2.5 stars*

*Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for providing a digital copy to review*

Sometimes it’s nice to read a simple run-of-the-mill romance. Unfortunately, this book took it too far for me and just felt like a cheesy cliche. Both the book itself and the movie the FMC is the star of, just felt so Hallmark, and aspects just made me cringe.

Evie, our FMC, is a dancer who wants to branch out into acting. She’s had a ‘tough life’ but that’s ok, because she’s got such a positive personality. Kye (which my brain constantly read as Kyle), the MMC, is the grumpy manager of a washed-up actor, who happens to take one of Evie’s dance classes. It’s the grumpy/sunshine trope basically.

I found Kye less annoying as a character. He had a good backstory, and I like how the relationship with his brother ended. Evie just annoyed me overall, and her story arc just felt silly.

This is still an easy romance read, and if you like the silly and cliche-ness of romance books and movies, then you’ll enjoy this.

This was a fun grumpy x sunshine romance and I thought the nicknames were cute! The dance and film snippets were enjoyable and added interest to the story. I appreciated that the main characters worked through their past traumas in a mature way.

Thank you so much for NetGalley and Allen and Unwin for letting me read this one! I was really keen to read it after seeing others reviews and thoughts.
It was a really lovely rom com, I enjoyed the Australian setting and a behind the scenes look into the film industry as well.
I loved the grumpy/sunshine, the banter and chemistry between Kye and Evie. How their relationship developed was so sweet, they really saw each other and were able to communicate so much more with just a single word or a look. Their dance scenes were soo steamy too, I loved them!
I think it handled some heavier topics really well also such as foster care and parental neglect. I also enjoyed the family relationships and also discovering yourself and what you want out of life rather than just pleasing others. All around a great read!

I love Australian based romance books and this was not only set in Australia but around the iconic Australian film industry.

The book has some great lovable core characters that I enjoyed getting to know in the book. There was also a lot of dance in this book and I can already imagine how great a movie adaption of this book would be.

I loved how there were topics woven through the story like foster care, sexual identity, family drama but it felt natural with the story and didn’t feel written in just for the purpose of drama or wokeness.

This is not the first book I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last.

Big props to NetGalley for letting me read the ARC of this

Perfect for the millennial girlies who wanted to be Jessica Alba in Honey, and star alongside Channing Tatum in Step Up 💃🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🎥 Grumpy x sunshine
🎥 Teenage celebrity crush
🎥 Dancer/wannabe actress
🎥 Talent agent/manager
🎥 Entertainment industry
🎥 Set in Australia (tonnes of Aussie-isms)

The dance movie nostalgia was seriously real in this ❤️‍🔥

Overall, this was a fun, easy read that I binged in less than 24 hours. I loved the Aussie setting; the local references made it feel super familiar and cosy, and the BTS setting in a movie was something new for me.

That said, the idea of filming a whole movie in two weeks had me side-eyeing the plot a bit - it felt unrealistic, and that made it harder to stay fully invested. Also, this was such a small thing, but Austin is meant to be fashionable, but some of those outfit descriptions were... choices.

Would still recommend if you need a cute little rom-com palette cleanser!

[Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Allen&Unwin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review]

A really wholesome story of love!

Evie lands what she thinks is the job of her dreams with the incredible actor she crushed on as a child, Austin. But it doesn’t quite run as smoothly as possible. And is Austin the one she has feelings for..?

If you’re after a sweet, easy to read romance, this is definitely a great choice! Every character has so much going on, which I guess is accurate for every day people, but it does mean there’s a few different things happening through the story. However, I think the bumps in the road is what makes this story!

4.5⭐️
This contemporary romance was just what I needed! This played out like a movie to me as I read and I wish I was able to watch the dance scenes play out in real life. Evie and Kye’s growth throughout the story was beautiful to watch and Firefly is probably one of my new fave pet names. This story has the right amount of spice to it as well for those who like an open door romance.
I definitely recommend this book to those who love an Aussie romance and also want a behind the scenes look into the entertainment industry

Lights, Camera, Love is a grumpy x sunshine romance about a dancer and the manager of her co-star in a movie she's just landed the role for. I’ve enjoyed Natalie Murray’s previous books, so I went into this one with fairly high hopes. While it was a quick and easy read, it didn’t quite live up to its potential for me. There were a couple of intriguing subplots that could’ve added real depth, but they ended up feeling more like background noise than standout moments. The romance had its sweet parts, but I found myself wanting more tension and build-up to really feel the spark. Also, a lot of the dance lingo and musical references flew over my head, which made it harder to stay connected to the story.

Overall, the book felt a bit rushed and missed some great opportunities, but might still be worth checking out for those after something light and easy, with dance and movie vibes. Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read and review it.

This book was fun!! Yes it was a bit silly but in the very best way. I enjoyed every moment of this fluffy, cute story. I really enjoyed some of the dance sequences, especially when they were just dancing in the studio. Do I want to go to a salsa lesson now? Yes, I do.

I am so glad a Ricky Martin song made it in to the book - but I wish we didn’t need the name of every song every time one played (it did take me out of the story a little).

I was surprised how much Austin the manchild grew in the story with very little development but I guess his character development occurred off page 🤣 I didn’t really want to read more about him anyway LOL

Kye you are Groucho supreme who ended up being such a lil cutie by the end. I just loved him 😍

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for honest review! I had a fun time 🥰

Lights, Camera, Love is a heartwarming and uplifting romance that had me hooked from the very first page. Natalie Murray delivers a delightful story filled with charm, slow-burning chemistry, and genuine emotion.

This book blends some of my absolute favourite tropes:
💛 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏡 Found family
🔥 Slow burn with just the right amount of swoon and spice

The characters were vibrant and layered. I adored their emotional growth and the authentic connection that developed between them. The romance felt natural and beautifully paced, and the themes of healing, trust, and chosen family gave the story real depth.

This is the kind of romance that makes you smile long after you've finished the last page. Highly recommend for fans of wholesome love stories with a little steam and a whole lot of heart.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I didn't want to dnf this but it's just not catching my attention and some of the dialogue irks me, THE VISION IS THERE, I just don't think it was executed to its full potential

This is the second book I've read of Natalie's and once again I enjoyed it! The grumpy x sunshine was done perfectly and all the dancing made it feel like you were in a Step Up Movie!!

I absolutely loved Lights, Camera, Love! Evie and Kye’s chemistry was electric, and their grumpy-sunshine dynamic had me hooked from the start. The Hollywood setting, combined with the behind-the-scenes chaos of filming, added a fun and unique backdrop to their evolving relationship. I appreciated how the story delved into deeper themes like trust, belonging, and facing one’s past, all while maintaining a light and engaging tone. Natalie Murray has a knack for creating relatable characters and heartfelt narratives. This book was a delightful read that left me smiling long after I turned the last page.

Lights, Camera, Love is an entertainment industry romance set in Australia. This novel features Evie a successful dance teacher and Kye a manager for Austin a famous actor. This story does tackle some heavy topics like children in the foster system, absentee parents and some of the ugly sides of the entertainment industry. It was an enjoyable read and does cover multiple story lines, at times I felt the story got lost in some of those especially with Austin’s story. I think I would have liked more between Evie and Kye. It didn’t wow me however it was a great read.

'Love is staying. Even when things get hard.'

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lights, Camera, Love is exactly the type of book I was in the mood for. Fun, mostly lighthearted and easy to read, so much so that I finished it in two days. I loved the writing style, and I really enjoyed the two main characters of Kye and Evie.

What won me over in this book was the backstories of both the main characters, and how they had to work to overcome issues in their past. Some of the topics were a little heavier, such as Kye's experiences in the foster care system, but they didn't eclipse the rest of the story.

It wasn't quite a five star read for me because the book did have it's clunkier moments, especially as the characters were realising their attraction to one another. I did think sometimes the book veered into slightly melodramatic territory with some of the storylines.

If you are a romance reader, especially one who loves books with Australian settings, I think you will really enjoy this one! Definitely check it out when you can 🙂

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Allen and Unwin for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read Natalie’s other book, Love, Just In and I loved it so was happy to be given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of her latest book Lights, Camera, Love, thanks to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin.
I thought that this romantic comedy was an easy and enjoyable read. It had quite a bit of depth to it in parts. I’m not sure if I’d say it was entirely believable but it is fiction after all!
I liked the main characters, and I liked the dancing aspect too. I also liked that it is set in Australia as a lot of the rom coms I read are set in the USA, so that made for a refreshing change. I didn’t like the nicknames used throughout, and there were a couple of parts where I felt the story could’ve flowed a little better but overall, I thought it was a good read.

Natalie Murray does a fantastic job of writing heartfelt stories that are still full of fun and flirtiness, and this title is no exception. A very sweet and easy read for romcom lovers!