I love fake relationship and especially one that has celebrities involved. I'm always looking up for gossips online and while I never believe everything that it's written about a celebrity couple, it's just interesting to see how some people think they live their lives.

The reality is many time’s way off from whatever it's pictured on the screen or paper and this romance story just filled my heart with everything I’m looking forward to seeing in one.

Grey and Ethan are the perfect couple on the page. They both have to shine shinier in front of the camera and luckily there's someone who has this brilliant idea to make them a couple and put them both back on the spotlights.

Everything you would expect from a romance story is found here. Lots of great banter, chemistry off the charts and also emotions. Lots of emotions, from frustration to sparks of lust and pace and happiness.

Their interaction is so good, and it brings everything up from each other.

Learning to trust a stranger, falling in love with them while trying to find themselves in a world of fake smiles and behind-the-scenes rules, everything makes them feel so real and characters that I would love to have as a real life friends.

A beautiful romance book that many readers will enjoy. Perfect for the summer read.

🆓📖Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Overall this was a fun, exciting book that gave me several hours of escapism and enjoyment. Id definitely read other books released by this author. Who needs sleep?

Who doesn’t love a fake romance story!? This is one that has two celebrities at different stages / levels in their career but are brought together for a boost. The fake relationship brings some humour, some drama and some steaminess. Ethan has some issues and what I appreciated was tat these didn’t just miraculously disappear and they needed work and had to be faced, falling love wasn’t the answer.
It was also pleasant to have the male character that was more the “damsel in distress” character. I was definitely routing for these two and read this in one sitting I couldn’t put it down!

4.25 stars
As a big fan of fake dating romances this one sounded right up my street and I really did enjoy it.
I liked the banter back and forth between them and when they do finally get together it feels earned.
The scenes in which we see them out and about as celebrities and part of a new celebrity couple were done really well and the steamy scenes when they take their trip away were great too.
I was really rooting for the two of them, not only to be together, but to do what they hoped to achieve in getting their careers back on track.
There were also some nice side characters/friends in this as well.
For some reason I saw Grey as a character from One Tree Hill (my personal favourite TV show) and it did remind me a little bit of A Star Is Born but in a good way.
This also dealt with bigger issues such as addiction, loss and trauma and is a lot more than your typical beach/summer read. However, saying that, this is definitely one to pick up when you're looking for a bit of romantic escapism.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Ava Wilder does in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️’s

Fake dating? Yeah that is what sold me on this book straight away as I am a SUCKER for a fake dating trope? Throw in the fact they are celebrities? Yeah this was a lot of fun!

How To Fake It In Hollywood follows Grey Brooke & Ethan Atkins, their PR company sets them up to help rebuild their hollywood careers that have took a hit for different reasons by signing them into a contract to fake date. This was the perfect set up premise for this story and I already knew from the first few chapters this would be a book I love.

What I didn’t anticipate is the heavier side of this book. Whilst we do have a TON of fun moments, there is a lot of heavy sad moments too as we really see our characters having to deal with their own personal conflicts and demons. Whilst I didn’t expect it, it made this story even better. Seeing characters that aren’t perfect and struggling always makes me connect with them more and I grew to love both Grey and Ethan a lot by the end. The author also handled the heavier subjects in a fantastic way which I really appreciated seeing. I also really loved the raw real moments in this story and the development we see both are characters go through.

I adored Grey and Ethan’s relationship and how it developed, the progression was good and I really felt allll the tension between them brimming! I loved seeing them become friends before they entered a relationship too, I feel like this always adds a nice layer to stories and makes the relationship forming feel even more realistic. I also really loved all the side characters and thought they added a lot to the overall story too.

If you are looking for book that balances fun, emotional and steamy all in one then I really recommend you give How To Fake It In Hollywood a go! This was an absolute brilliant debut book from Ava Wilder and I’m excited to read some of her future work after this book.

How To Fake It In Hollywood was a very well-executed fake dating book. I usually find most 'fake dating' books have the couples getting together too fast for my liking, but not this book. While Grey and Ethan definitely have an insta attraction, there was plenty of delicious build-up and the chemistry between the two were great. Despite the fun cover and 'celebrity romance' trope, I was also surprised to see that this book covers a whole plethora of deeper problems (mainly addiction, grief, and privacy concerns). These were done in a way which was smart, portraying both characters as flawed and real, making them easier to relate to even though they are both famous and therefore often in situations that I would never find myself in! Overall, I thought this was a brilliant debut!

First off I’m just going to say it, I’m giving this book all of the stars. I can’t believe that this is Ava Wilder’s debut novel, it’s really something. It’s also calling out to be made into a movie, and would be so very good as one.

I went into this thinking that it would be another great rom com, and it is. It’s got so many of the tropes you could ask for, fake dating, one bed, forced proximity, celebrity romance, duel pov and steam, oh the steam. But it’s also so much more, it has a much deeper heart beating under it’s gorgeous surface. This is also a story of grief, loneliness, fighting one’s demons and coming out on top. It’s really rather special.

How To Fake It In Hollywood is the story of Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins who have been brought together by their shared publicist to begin a fake lover affair to boost their respective careers. Grey is looking to save her career which has stalled now that her long-running tv show us over. Whilst Ethan just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with alcohol and the grief he still holds over the death of his best friend and creative partner Sam, he’s slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he wants to finally produce the last movie he wrote with Sam he needs to clean up his reputation and get back in the spotlight.

As main characters I really liked both Grey and Ethan. Neither of them are perfect and their lives are certainly messy. Grey is a wonderful female mc, she is driven, quick witted, very funny and not afraid to call Ethan out, but she’s also guarded and often pushes people away. Ethan is the brooding A Lister with so many issues that they’re drowning him. His arc felt so very real, highlighting the darker side of the industry they find themselves in but also the fallibility of human nature itself.

I thought that the pair had great chemistry that sizzled off the page. I loved their flirting and witty banter. The building sexual tension was intense and well rewarded with some very steamy open door scenes. We were also treated to some extremely tender and caring scenes from the both as well as the ecstasy and agonies that come with reading romance.

There is a much wider cast of wonderful characters within this novel. My particular favourites were Grey’s long time agent Renata who always had her back and was the mother figure she so desperately craved and Ethan’s ex-wife Nora who was so supportive to both Ethan and Grey in different ways.

I loved the Hollywood backdrop to this novel alongside all the insights it gave to the film making processes. Wilder shows us both the glamour, and the much grittier and darker sides of the business, along with all that comes with being in the spotlight.

I absolutely fell in love with this book and would recommend it highly.

BOOK REVIEW: How to Fake it in Hollywood by @avawilderwrites

4 Stars
Smut level: 3.5/5

I love reading romance debuts and seeing what a new author brings to this genre so I was excited to read this book and I definitely enjoyed reading it!

How to Fake it in Hollywood is based around lead female Grey, an actress who although pretty successful is struggling to find her feet in roles she actually wants. Her manager arranges a fake dating arrangement with a successful actor who has been off the grid for a few years called Ethan. There are a few tropes including fake dating, forced proximity and one bed which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Grey is a really interesting character and not the average actress role in these types of romances. She definitely has more layers to her and I loved how she grew in confidence through the book. Ethan made for a really great lead male. He is a very famous actor that has many issues after the loss of his best friend. A divorced Dad with problems a mile long, he definitely comes with baggage but he is also such a kind and caring person. I loved the relationship between Grey and Ethan and how it changed over time. The romance was really well done and realistic which was great to read. Also the smut was HOT and they certainly had chemistry!
I didn't have any issues at all with the book, it was pretty perfect! The only reason it isn't 5 stars is that the whole Hollywood set up isn't my favourite to read but that is a personal preference.
The writing was fantastic and I loved all the side characters and stories. There was a great amount of diversity within the characters as well which I loved. Also the issues including loss of a loved one and alcoholism were written well.

Overall, a fantastic, addictive and steamy debut! I genuinely cannot wait for Ava Wilder's next book!

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Ethan and Grey embark on a fake relationship which is supposed to help both their careers. When it backfires what will happen for them? I liked how it was told from both points of view.

Thanks Headline Eternal for sending me an eARC of How to Fake it in Hollywood to review, out on the 14th of June.

Review:
TW: alcohol & substance abuse, grief

I expected to really enjoy this one but sadly I can’t say this book was for me. That said, it was well written with some great banter between the two main characters Grey and Ethan.

Unfortunately, I went in expecting a fun fake dating romcom that would likely touch on some heavier issues from the MMC’s past like his divorce, drinking problem, and the passing of his best friend. To me the blurb made it sound as if we’d be moving on from these issues, not fully entrenched in them for 90% (I checked) of the book. Had I realised I’d be reading the POV of an alcoholic who’d not yet acknowledged they have a problem I would not have chosen to read this as it’s a sensitive topic for me. I’m mentioning this incase anyone else is in the same boat and also because even though I’m trying to put that aside it’s still coloured my experience of the book.

What I liked:
• The fake dates & getting to know you questions

• Grey’s agent, her friend, and Ethan’s ex, were great side characters

• Grey & her friend working on their own film

• The talk about the business side of the entertainment industry

What I didn’t enjoy:
• Grey’s past teen crush on Ethan influencing her present day decisions

• The ending felt rushed to me and like it hadn’t been earned after all of the drama in the first 90% of the book. I wanted to see a proper redemption arc for Ethan.

I feel like this is being presented as a romcom and while there are definitely a lot of tropes and elements of that (fake dating, one bed) I personally feel this shouldn’t be classed that way because of how heavy Ethan’s POV was. To me this book felt kind of like the film A Star is Born but with a happy ending. I gave it 3/5🌟 #NetGalley #HowToFakeItInHollywood

After reading the description (and seeing the cover) of this book, I expected it to be a light, fluffy romcom with one of my favorite tropes: fake dating. What I got was a much deeper, sometimes even heavy, story about two people who are struggling both in their careers and in their personal lives.

Grey and Ethan were amazing characters. Not only were they very well built, their development throughout the book was amazing! I loved following their journey and seeing it happen. Ethan’s struggles felt incredibly raw and real and I’m so glad everything worked out in the end and he was able to find the best way to cope with his past and all the negative feelings he’d been carrying around for so long. Grey also had some baggage, though not as heavy as Ethan’s, and while there were mentions of it, I feel like it could have been explored a little bit more. Being a child actor can’t have been easy, especially in her circumstances, and while I understand Ethan’s issues had a more direct impact on his day to day live and in their relationship, I wish her issues had been talked about more.

While I wish they had had a bit more chemistry, I will say that the banter between Grey and Ethan was amazing, especially in the beginning. I really liked seeing their relationship evolve from fake to real as their feelings grew and I loved how much they cared for each other and how deep their connection was. Their road to the HEA certainly wasn’t easy but even though it took a bit longer and wasn’t as straightforward, what matters is that they got there in the end.

Now onto the things I wish we’d seen more of. I was so happy when I realised Ethan had kids from his previous marriage… The single parent trope has me in a chokehold and while I knew it would never be the focus of the book, I was so excited! Unfortunately they only made one, maybe two, appearances throughout the book and even though Grey was there they didn’t interact.
I also wish Grey and Ethan had talked about how she had a big crush on him when she was younger. Seeing as that was something she mentioned/thought about countless times, I was kind of expecting them to actually talk about it, which would probably have been a really fun scene.

Overall this is a really good book with a great plot and amazing characters. While it is not as light and fluffy as it may seem at first, it is still a really good read for this summer!

TW: Grief, Alcohol Addiction, Parental Neglect

★ 4/5 Stars ★

I absolutely loved this book. It was the perfect pick to get me out of a reading slump and I whizzed through it. Ava Wilder has a fantastic voice with just the right doses of humour and gravitas to get you onside with the characters, no matter how ugly some of their shenanigans might get. There are some serious themes in the book, handled brilliantly and I thought they added depth to the story. I would highly recommend this book.

I was lucky enough to be approved to read an advanced reading copy of How to Fake it in Hollywood, a book that sounded deliciously fun and flirty. However, that is not how I found it.

Grey Brooks is an actress whose long-time running gig has ended, but it didn’t lead to a breakout career as she’d hoped. Ethan Atkins is a reclusive A-lister who hasn’t been seen out since the death of his best friend five years earlier. The two of them happen to share the same publicist who has come up with an idea to help their careers. In pretending to be in a relationship, Ethan can gain a stable reputation and work on getting back into the spotlight, and Grey can cash in on his fame to earn more significant roles and move her career forward.

Sounds fun, right! Fake dating with a grumpy/sunshine vibe. That is not what was in these pages, however. Ethan is an insecure, depressed alcoholic, and Grey, while first appearing to be sweet and kind but with a backbone, lets herself get dragged down by Ethan's destructive behaviours. I liked both characters at the beginning of this story before seeing any of their harmful personality traits. However, the more they were together and the deeper their relationship became, the more toxic it felt. Grey and Ethan do not make a good couple. They enable each other's worse habits, snap at each other, keep things from each other, and there's some emotional manipulation as well.

The further into the book, the more Ethan and Grey spiralled, but Ethan, by far, was much worse. His drinking was getting more and more out of control, his insecurities and doubts plagued him every minute of every day, and the only thing that ‘seemed’ to help him was his addiction to Grey. He only wanted to be a better version of himself for Grey; not even his children elicited this response from him because, at one point, when he and Grey were on the outs, he got blackout drunk and forgot about them.

I couldn’t engage or sympathise with either Grey or Ethan, though I liked all the side characters besides Grey’s mother and think they made this story more enjoyable. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a book for me, though it was well written and relatively easy to get through.

If you loved the film ‘A Star is Born’ you’ll love this. I devoured this in one sitting and it had me squealing like a 15 year old who just got asked out by her crush. Both Ethan and Grey's characters are extremely likeable and real enough that you can empathise and connect with them. It’s refreshing to have the heroine not such a sunshine character who radiates happiness and rainbows - also marginally more realistic too. It takes a lot for me to root for characters, and even more for their relationships but every ‘stolen glance’ had me beaming like I just won the lottery. It had the intensity that ‘A Star is Born’ has too, with the alcoholism etc and I utterly adored. Nora (I’d rather have her friendship than Ethan’s love) and I wish her character was explored a little more. But I wont lie, not a fan of them name ‘Grey’ - forcing the quirkiness a bit too much. Whilst it was a little predictable, that is partially the reason I enjoyed it - every so often you need those books that makes you want to believe in soulmates again, but also remind you of the capacity they have to hurt you, and this is it.

~thank you to the publisher Headline, Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review ~

Tropes include: celebrity, fake dating, age-gap, single parent, one-bed, force-proximity, grumpy x sunshine (-ish)

Rep: LGBTQ+ and non-binary character

Please be mindful of trigger/content warnings: anxiety, death, loss, substance abuse, addiction, alcoholism, non-consensual circulation of explicit photos

‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’ follows the story of Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins who in attempt to revitalise their Hollywood careers (Grey, a former child and teen star who in a bid to secure a career/life-changing movie deal and Ethan, our reclusive heron who has had a trail of bad press after traumatic events in his past) , enter into a PR fake relationship.

This was so beautifully written, and Ava’s writing is so engaging. You truly cannot help but be drawn into Grey and Ethan’s lives. Their messy, messy lives that was both raw and real, but my gosh did it make their fight to a happily ever after that much sweeter.
Side note but I’m reading through the notes I made and dying- laughing over just how adorably awkward Grey and Ethan’s first meeting and first few encounters were!
The tension between these two was something else, my notes literally say "the tension? THE TENSION, oh my word” especially during the boxing training scene (iykyk). It’s not insta-love and it’s not quite slow-burn, their relationship hits that sweet spot in the middle, where we get to see them grow closer and actually *be* a couple and all that comes with being a couple.

My toxic trait is seeing books with cute cartoon covers and assuming it’s a lighthearted rom-com and then being completely surprised when I get hit by a truck full of emotions when I should have assumed anything in the first place. My laughter (and there was a lot of laughter) turned in to tearing up real quick, and I was most definitely a bit of mess for those last couple of chapters in particular. Though I will say my only complaints is those last chapters felt a tad overwhelming at times, and I struggle at times with some of the reactions to Ethan’s choices - particularly Grey’s response to certain things. Nonetheless, this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of read and I continued to binge till the end.

This was so much more than a romance (although there is absolutely nothing wrong with just being a romance at all), but it encompasses so much. It was a story of healing, overcoming past trauma, self-growth and it wasn’t afraid, nor did it shy away from showing the ‘less prettier’ I would say, side of battling addictions (not only the effect it has on the person, but how it affects others), the other side of grief, dealing with guilt, abusive parents, death and honestly the list goes on. All I can say is to read this one for yourself.

‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’ is a steamy and emotional debut, that will leave readers entranced until the very end. I can’t wait to buy a physical copy in June to reread and annotate!

The little teaser at the end saying to stay tuned for Ava’s next book has me SO excited, I can’t wait to devour whatever Ava releases next.

p.s. the epilogue was the cutest ever
4☆

A Film-star worthy five-star read. This was such a great story, it has everything you need, drama, passion, romance and some next level gut wrenching emotion wringing scenes. I adored Grey, she just had that special something that you knew would make her a star. This was a great story from this author and I am so excited to hear more from them. There was just something so special about the writing and the characters, they feel alive, and you can’t help but have such an emotional connection to them. I simply adored this story and even when Ethan is low, you can feel the spark of him, his passion and the loss of his friend. This starts as a story of a fake relationship, but it develops into so much more.

Grey Brooks is an actress who starred in a long running teen drama who hasn’t had work since. She is trying to get her career in a place where she can control the type of roles she gets cast in and finally make the movie her and her bff have been dreaming of for years. Her publicist comes to her with a crazy proposal. She suggests she gets into a PR relationship with Ethan Atkins, a mega A-list actor who has been out of the public eye for years after the sudden death of his best friend and subsequent struggle with sobriety. The two agree and enter into a fake relationship to try and elevate each other’s status for the next six months.

This one had some of my favorite rom-com tropes: Fake dating, celeb characters, having to share one bed, etc. It was fun and flirty with good banter and steam between the two main characters, but it also had a deeper plot, too. Deals with some more serious topics like alcoholism and I feel like the author does a great job of tapping into the emotions of the main characters. A really fun one for summer and a strong debut novel for Ava Wilder - Comes out June 14th!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy and the chance to read this ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

Oh god this book!! First off it's brilliant, like I absolutely loved it. But also it was a struggle for me because it was WAY more angsty than I like.

This pair will put you through the ringer but boy is it worth it! The payoff is gorgeous

I adored Grey who is a late 20s young starlet who's teen TV show has just finished and she's looking to make her next move in show biz. And late 30s Ethan is a fantastic character, he is a recluse megastar who is just wow levels of damaged and is dealing with some major issues basically thought most of the book that are pretty heavy

Based on the cover I thought this was going to be a light and fluffy rom-com, believe me it's definitely not, and there are more than a few triggering issues raised - grief, alcoholism, a hint of drugs use, damaged relationship with parents.

But that doesn't mean it wasn't excellent because it packed a real emotional punch to the guts. If I'm honest, there was more emotional turmoil that I like in my life, but I enjoyed this read so much, even though at times I hate it because I was on edge for about ¾ of the book waiting for something to implode between them.

As a step out of my normal style I really loved the change of pace and it had lots of good stuff for me - celebs dating, fake Dating, age gap.

Firstly, huge thank you to NetGalley and Headline Eternal for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

How to Fake it in Hollywood follows Hollywood starlet, Grey, who has been set up with an Ethan, an A-lister superstar, to be in a fake romantic relationship.

We love a fake dating trope 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 honestly don’t know what it is about this trope but it just gets me every. single. time!! This book is so much more than a fun romance book, the characters felt so real and I was absolutely rooting for them throughout. There was so much self growth for both Ethan and Grey which I absolutely loved. And it was great to see the not so glamorous side to Hollywood as well.

From the cover you might think this is going to be a lighthearted, rom-com story. However, it is more than this as it tackles some serious subjects like alcohol addiction, grieving the death of a friend, and divorce. I would recommend being aware of the content warnings before going in.

Overall, I enjoyed this debut and would recommend to romance readers who particularly enjoy the fake dating trope and when both characters are famous!

This was a very enjoyable read and I really loved the main characters from start to finish. I think this was a great sort of mind cleanser from the most recent books I've read, not that they weren't good but sometimes a palate cleanser is nice. I think the whole fake dating, famous actors thing was really nice and it added a lot to the character development.
4 stars overall, I think a ton of people will love it!
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine.