When Shane Hott was summoned back to his hometown, Rush Creek, he had no idea what was in store for him. His grandfather, who recently passed, has a requirement of all the Hott brothers that they must fulfill to keep their sister's business (a wedding venue) and family land safe. Shane's requirement: host a celebrity wedding at his sister's place. As a high profile celebrity himself, it should be easy to track down a celebrity couple to get married there. There is only one stipulation...the couple must be in love, and that is determined their grandpa's curmudgeon lawyer. This might make things a tad bit harder.

Unbeknownst to Shane, there is another Hollywood star in Rush Creek, Ivy Schofield. She has retreated from the fast and furious life in LA after a breakup and torturous boot from the show she stared in. Feeling free and happy, she works with kids interested in theater with her sister. Life seems to have settled down, until her landlord says she is selling the place, and Ivy needs to move out. She now needs to find a new spot or her dreams of a theater school and quiet life are over.

The book then begins to intertwine Ivy and Shane's life. When the couple Shane gets to agree to marry at his sister's venue drops out, he scrambles to make a deal with Ivy where they both benefit. Queue the missed/mixed signals, resistance to acknowledging true feelings, and some steamy "fake" kisses. All the makings of a cute, small town romance.

This book had the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. The characters were engaging and the scenery made me want to go to Rush Creek. While the Hott brothers have their own issues (with themselves and each other), the all love their sister and will do anything they can for her. I loved the sense of family that was always underlying in the Hotts and in Ivy's family. They all meshed so easily together. I was a little worried i might be a little lost (this is book 2 in a series) since I didn't read the first book, but this can definitely be read as a standalone. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will go back and read book 1 and will for sure read the next books!

Another great Rush Creek story from Bell - I love all of these books about the Hott and Wilder cousins, especially when they all come together! We get a couple moments when they do all appear together to help out with some specific scenes (can’t spoil anything), which I just love, having read most of these books now.

If you’ve read Hanna’s book which is the last Wilder one (Wilder at Last), and Hott Shot, the first in the cousins series, you’ll know that their grandfather passed away and his will left some crazy terms for all the grandkids to fulfill that each must do, in order for Hanna to be able to keep her wedding business and the family land where the Hott Spot Spa and the wedding barn is located. If any one of the five siblings doesn’t comply, the land will go to a company that will strip it and drill and mine - totally bad environmental plans and Hanna would lose her business.

Ivy runs the local kids theatre and they’re having difficulty finding space as they’re being bumped from the current location (owners selling and kicking them out). When Shane Hott returns to Rush Creek to do his part of the Will fulfillment, which is to plan and carry out a celebrity wedding in the family wedding barn, he ropes Ivy in to assist and be the bride to his groom (being that she’s a former actress, and he’s a current actor, together they could make one fake celebrity wedding and, as long as they play their roles well, fake out the grandfather’s lawyer).

I fell for Shane and Ivy as they worked on planning their fake wedding in a couple weeks, trying to make it look real to their fans, the lawyer and as many other people as possible, while reminding themselves it was fake… but we all know how those fake relationship trope stories always turn out! This is my favorite trope for a very good reason. It was a stellar read with many characters from my previous favorite Bell books - I definitely recommend this to all! I loved the writing, the storyline, the steam level - it was all just perfect. 4.5-stars on this one from me!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Jelsba Media Group, and this is my honest feedback.

Let me fan myself a min before I get to the review because let me tell you, this book is HOTT!! Ok pun intended, but whew, the spice is *chefs kiss*

As for the story itself, it is so engaging. I love Shane!! I love his dedication to his family and his swagger and all the angst!!! As for Ivy, she is the BEST. Big hearted, giving, but gun shy and afraid to trust.

Also, can we talk about the therapy representation? Because that is my JAM!!! Yessss, more people realizing they need help and getting it!!!! All in all, this was a brilliant second installment in the series and I cannot WAIT to see where it goes next!!

Shane Hott is in a bind, with his grandfather’s will stating that he has to score a celebrity wedding, or his sister will lose wedding planning business and the family land. Whilst Shane is a movie star, he knows that finding two celebrities that are in love is not as easy as it would seem. When he meets Ivy Scofield, the star of one of TV’s most beloved failures, he proposes a fake wedding. As Ivy is determined to find a location for her community theatre event for troubled kids, she reluctantly agrees. As Shane and Ivy spend time together, trying to convince their audience that they are in love, they find themselves actually falling in love.
An entertaining romance with plenty of spice between two likeably characters. I enjoyed seeing this couple reveal their past and the troubles that they have faced with their families. The friendships that they had with their siblings was also a positive feature of the book, giving added depth to this romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Hott family is always jumping through hoops for the grandfather - his will left the family tied in knots and trying to please him after he’s gone. In the second installment of Hott Springs Eternal, Bell focuses on Shane Hott, a movie star member of the ensemble cast of Rush Creek. He’s supposed to find a celebrity couple to wed on the property - and fast - but when his go-to couple backs out, he turns to the other celebrity in town - Ivy Scofield. She needs something from him for her theatre troup, he needs a marriage of convenience from her to inherit, what could go wrong?

Holy spicy shenanigans! This (consistently) spicy novel is fun, features an ensemble cast of small-town people who I’m sure will end up in their own “Hott” novel, and features all the fun tropes: a fake relationship, a marriage of convenience, and a relationship with a famous person. It’s a quick and enjoyable read. Shane’s character is the sort of playboy Hollywood character you love to see settle down, and Ivy is the best sort of Hallmark-esque female who left the big city for her small town comfort. I really enjoyed this book and want to go back and check out the author’s other titles.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Ivy and Shane were so fun and I loved reading their love story! Fake dating is a favorite trope and this was done so well. The banter was great, the flirting was fun, it was hot! The spice was so good!

“she’s a small town girl, and I'm bright lights, big city all the way.”

this book was a mix of blurry lines, flirty moments, good banter and small town cosiness.

➳ ivy used to be a star and now hides from her hollywood life in rush creek, a small town where she meets shane, movie star who is in desperate need of a celebrity wedding. In a way of killing two birds with one stone, they enter a risky deal: a fake engagement - but not much about it ends up being fake in the end.

the premise of this sounded so good to me. I love fake dating, i think it’s a trope that leaves a lot of room for the authors to have fun with and it is particularly enjoyable to read! This definitely had a lot of potential.

Starting off with the characters, i liked most of them. Ivy and shane seemed funny and lovable from the start and i got, throughout the book, very intrigued by the other characters too and their own stories! The only thing that didn’t allow me to grow too attached to these characters was the fact that they seemed too 2D for my taste.
Shane was probably the one we got most depth from, which probably comes from his “traumatic” upbringing, but even for ivy, the other main character, i felt as though i was left wanting

I think the book was written in a pretty clever way, that left me wanting more every time i put the book down. The characters had good chemistry and i enjoyed their banter a lot. I found the book to be a bit shallow, but maybe thats just the feeling i was left with because of the dimension of the characters and the fact that this is a more fast paced story. Even with this, it was still a heartwarming and lighthearted read.

➳ Definitely a fun book to read (i even giggled at times), it’s great if you’re looking for a quick read or even a way to get out of a reading slump!
2.75 stars

Thank you netgalley, serena bell and the publisher for granting me access to this arc!
Review posted April 10, 2024 - Goodreads

Cute rom com.

I didn't read the first book in the series, but was glad to find out it was necessary.

I was also thrilled to finish this! It was better than I expected.

I love a good fake dating/marriage trope.
Adorable characters, the banter was great, and I really was able to connect with the MC and the storyline. Overall great read. Will check out the other book in the series!

*4.5

This was really sweet. He couldn't admit it but he was so gone for Ivy from the moment that he met her. I liked that they were shedding what the world thought of them and saw each other for who they really are. Seeing them fall in love was fun and I'm excited for the next book.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I really liked the first book in this series and I could not wait to read the second book. Just like in the first book another Hott brother has to complete some task in order to save Hanna Hott's business from being sold. The grandfather who set up his will with all these tasks is definitely a Scrooge from the grave. Shane's task to get a celebrity couple to get married at the Hott Springs wedding venue in six months. After the celebrity couple set to marry at the wedding venue suddenly break up that is where the fake engagement/fake wedding idea comes to Shane.

Shane and Ivy have great chemistry and great banter. There were some parts of the book that I could not put down. Shane's character development was greatly developed and real to me. I felt that Ivy could have used a bit more character development in the book. All of Bell's books are very entertaining. I found myself with a mix of emotions while reading; giggling at some parts and gasping at others.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and cannot wait until the third book about Preston comes out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Jessba media group for the eARC. All opinions are all my own.

Hott Take is such a fun and fast paced rom-com. Our main characters Shane and Ivy had the perfect amount of flirting and banter to make the whole book enjoyable. I had a hard time putting this book down because I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
Thank you Netgalley and Author Collective 2o for the ARC!

4.5⭐️

Reading a Serena Bell novel, is like watching a spicy hallmark movie… And I am here for it 👏🏻

Being back in Rush Creek felt like a privilege, and getting to really know Ivy and Shane was delightful! I kept wanting the book to be longer just so I could keep reading their banter/flirtation. And when he arrives back from LA? *chef’s kiss* I love a good declaration of love, and Shane’s was pure perfection!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Jelsba Media Group for giving me the opportunity to review an ARC of Hott Take by Serena Bell. This book was just delightful. I am a fan of Serena Bell (if you haven’t read her Wilde series, you should check it out). Her Hott brothers are top notch book boyfriends. In this book Shane is a big Hollywood actor and Ivy is a theatre artist (who was in a cult favorite sci fi series, think Firefly). She left LA to try and have a more quiet life. He has to organize a celebrity wedding to fulfill his grandfather’s will requirement. They of course have a fake relationship (though the were drawn to each other before). I won’t get into spoilers, but it hard, because I was so charmed by this book. The characters are fun and complex. The supporting characters are also written in such a full way. These people feel real, on in a rom com way. Seriously, I couldn’t put it down. Romance novels with actors are not usually my cup of tea, but this one? Chef’s kiss. (Don’t worry there is spicy times too). Read it!

Shane Hott is stuck between a rock and a Hott place. He must score a celebrity wedding or his sister will lose her wedding planning business—and the family’s land. He's a playboy movie star and knows Hollywood’s ins and outs. But it's more difficult to find two celebrities really in lothan it looks. He runs into Ivy Scofield, a former TV actress, who is hiding in Rush Creek and running a community theater program for troubled teens with her sister. She needs to borrow the family's wedding barn in order to save the program. So we come up with a solution: a fake marriage, social media-d to both of our groups of fans. What could go wrong?

This is the second book in the Hott family series (yes there are 3 more siblings!!) and it can be read alone, but it might help if you've read the first one and possibly the Wilder series as well, as these include some of the characters from those books. But it can be easily standalone.



I just reviewed Hott Take by Serena Bell. #HottTake #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Hott take
By: Serena Bell

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Celebrity to love? could it happen?

In book two in the Hott Springs eternal series and spin off from Wilder Adventure series we get Shane and Ivy’s book and it’s amazing. Let me first say that technically this could be a stand alone you will get more out of the book if you at minimum read book 1 in the series. The authors writing is flawless and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: The hard part isn’t acting like we’re falling for each other. It’s pretending we’re not.

Shane: My grandfather’s will has me between a rock and a Hott place. If I don’t score a celebrity wedding, my sister will lose her wedding planning business—and our family’s land. As a playboy movie star, I know Hollywood’s ins and outs. But finding two celebrities in love is tougher than it looks.

Enter Ivy Scofield—the beautiful star of one of TV’s most beloved failures. She’s hiding from her past in Rush Creek, running a community theater for troubled kids. She needs my family’s wedding barn to save her program. So we make a deal: I give her the barn—she gives me her hand in fake marriage. Lights, camera, action—and cut—right?

Not so fast. Planning our fake wedding is way more personal than I was expecting. I’m learning Ivy’s quirks, preferences, and pet peeves—and that’s before I walk in on her enjoying my most infamous on-camera scene. Plus she’s slowly peeling back my layers—the ones I’ve built up to protect myself. If someone doesn’t do something soon, we might discover that the only thing fake about this wedding is the way we keep pushing each other away.

A spicy, movie star, marriage of convenience, fake relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in single POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

I’m a longtime fan of Serena Bell's books and Hott Take is sweet! It’s a relaxing comfort read and the second book in the Hott Springs Eternal series, a spinoff of the Wilder Adventure series that takes place at Hanna’s Hott Springs Spa in Rush Creek, Oregon.

This is Shane and Ivy’s story, both Hollywood actors that have returned home to Rush Creek. The story opens with the Hott family gathering together to hear what their granddad chose as a task for Shane. Their grandad’s will stipulates that each brother must complete a specific task to save the family's land and business from being sold to a mining company. Shane’s task is to organize a celebrity couple’s wedding at The Hott Springs Spa which is owned by the Hott family. The Spa was a working ranch until a few years ago when Hanna (Shane’s sister) and her granddad decided to convert it into a wedding venue and spa.

Shane and Ivy were both actors in different popular fantasy shows. Shane is very popular right now and has paparazzi following him all over. He’s trying to decide which part to choose for his next project. Ivy and her sister run a children’s theater in town. Shane is having trouble finding a celebrity couple willing to marry at the Hott Springs Spa and when he meets Ivy, and she needs a favor from him, he thinks she might be the perfect fake bride to help him with a celebrity wedding. In exchange for being his bride, Ivy and her sister can use the wedding venue for their children’s plays.

As they stage publicity shots their attraction builds and they make each other laugh. When they decide to be fake fiancés with benefits, they enjoy some spicy times together especially when they reenact some steamy scenes from their fantasy shows. Shane tells Ivy that he doesn’t believe he is made for love because of past relationships and he doesn’t think he can ever fall in love.

They are a perfect match together but they have some things to work through. Ivy has another reason to say yes to Shane’s scheme and I don’t want to say too much but she has an ex from her past that is pressuring her to return to Hollywood. She loves being near her family in Rush Creek and has no interest in returning to L.A. Meanwhile, Shane has issues with his father, who is acting as his manager.

While this book stands well on its own, I do think it’s helpful to have read the first book in the series, Hott Shot, to get familiar with Shane’s family first - plus it’s fun! It looks like the next one up is Preston’s story, Some Like it Hott. I think readers who like romcoms with weddings and those who enjoyed the Wilder Series will have fun reading Hott Take.

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

An usual happily ever after romance between two individuals who think that it would never happen to them until it did. I couldn't find anything novel or refreshing in the story. It was so run off the mill. The author focused more on the steamy romance that she failed to build or deepen the characters. Going with a 2-star.

3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Hott Take. This one was cute cute cute. I caught myself smiling on multiple occasions. I thought the way the characters came together worked well and there was enough spice to keep the fire going. Some parts were a bit cheesy but this was an easy and fun read. I will read the rest of the series.

Received as an ARC in return for my honest review.

Romantic comedy
Marriage of convenience
Fake relationship
Small town

I started this series with Hott Take which is the 2nd book so probably a bit of an arse about town way of doing things but I was lucky enough to be sent an ARC so that’s just the way the cookie crumbled in this case. I thoroughly enjoyed Serena’s writing style and flow, her ability to tell a story that captivates you from the get go and has you rushing through the pages to find out what happens next was exhilarating.

I loved the characters we met along the way. Shane and Ivy were absolutely perfect together and I spent my time chuckling along with them or swooning over how sweet they were. I now can’t wait to go back and read Hott Shot to learn all about Quinn and Sonya.