⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*“Love Off Script” by Laura Starkey is a charming and entertaining rom-com that offers plenty of humor, heart, and just the right amount of drama. The story follows the ups and downs of its lovable protagonist as she navigates the unpredictable world of romance and second chances. Starkey’s writing is witty and engaging, making it easy to get lost in the story.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the relatable characters and the realistic yet fun take on love and relationships. The dialogue felt natural, and the chemistry between the leads was well-developed. There were some laugh-out-loud moments, as well as some emotional ones that added depth to the story.

The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that some parts of the plot felt a bit predictable, and I wished for a little more development in certain side characters. However, this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

If you’re looking for a feel-good, lighthearted romance with plenty of humor and charm, Love Off Script is definitely worth reading!*

REVIEW
cw: gaslighting, mentions of coercive control, misogyny, mentions of bereavement, grief, foster care, anxiety

Thirty-year-old introvert Jess Mackenzie should have known better than to fall for the English department's silver fox, but now she's left picking up the pieces after catching him cheating with a student and stealing the credit for her research paper. Desperate for a fresh start, she accepts a job as a script consultant on a new TV adaptation of the Regency novel, Anne of Arden - and no one knows Georgiana Scott's work better than she does. Swapping the world of academia for the glamour of TV is supposed to be her big comeback. But standing in her way is Nathan Lambert, a famous director on a mission to sabotage his unfaithful ex-wife's latest work project. As they knock heads over every detail of the script, sparks fly, tempers flare, and their unexpected chemistry is anything but scripted. Can Jess and Nathan rewrite their happy ending in a world where the lines between reality and fiction blur?

I've really enjoyed all of Laura Starkey's previous books, and this was no exception. As always, there were plenty of the author's witty one-liners that made me snort laughing, as well as some truly swoon-worthy ones. Though I initially found Jess a bit flat as a main character, I think that might have been intentionally part of her development arc. She really grew on me once she was on set, and I loved that she could start showing her more assertive side. I also LOVED her confrontations later on in the story, and how supportive and kind she was to Sara on both occasions. Those scenes were SO satisfying, especially the second one.
I liked Nathan immediately. His POV made me cackle quite a few times, and I loved the scene where his best friend, Rob, saw the terrible rehearsal and Nathan had to explain his devious plans. Nathan's initial intentions were diabolical, so I was glad Jess was able to make him see the bigger picture and how his need to hurt his ex would ultimately hurt many innocent people. But, I would have still loved to see more scenes of them butting heads, as enemies-to-lovers is my favourite trope. For me, there wasn't nearly enough disagreement between them to truly describe it as such. Instead, I found Nathan's fascination with Jess quite instalove early on. However, he was also adorably smitten as the story progressed, so I'll forgive him.
The chemistry was palpable, and I thought their intimate moments were beautifully romantic. What I really loved was the genuine connection they formed as the story progressed. I appreciated how Nathan was able to open up to Jess about his childhood, but my heart broke for him when he recollected the way adults who should have helped him spoke about him being 'damaged'. My heart ached for how he was treated after the separation from his wife, and how she'd made him feel. But, I loved Rob. Their friendship felt so authentic and I loved their banter, but also that Rob's family had stepped up when Nathan was alone. I also appreciated Rob's intervention late in the story. They were hilarious together, but it was so clear how much they loved each other like brothers.
There were some interesting supporting characters. Jess's friends Ben and Vix seemed fun. I liked that they were so supportive of her, and gave great advice. I also really liked Serena. She seemed sweet, and I loved how Jess stood up for her career when Nathan was blind-sided by his need for vengeance. The teensy tease at the premiere made me giddy for her. Rafe was simultaneously hilarious and annoying, but I loved his dancing 'test', and Nathan's reaction was perfect. It was also fun to catch up with It was fun to catch up with Amy and Sam, and I loved their advice for Jess. Jess’s parents were obnoxiously awful, so I was so happy when she took her friend's advice at the restaurant, but most of all, I applauded her finally finding her voice after the 'controversy' and giving them some home truths. As for Miranda, Nathan's ex-wife. She was so manipulative. One of the things I always admire is when people who've experienced a difficult past are able to confront it and seek therapy, and I LOVED that Nathan finally did the work.
I loved the ending, and I absolutely ADORED nervous Nathan. He was so adorable.
While I would have preferred more conflict early on, this was still a lot of fun.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️♥️
Heat Rating: 🔥.5

*Thanks to the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Love Off Script is out now in the UK*

This book hooked me from the very begging. I loved the whole idea of it and the writing was excellent. I don't always love the miscommunication trope, but I just really enjoyed the writing.

Jess and her friends were so fun to read. They were supportive and the banter was always good.

Jess and Nathan had a great dynamic and the spice was just right. (I am a Jessica with a Nathan husband so this was fun for me).

I am going to go check out more from this author!

I sooo wanted to love this book as the synopsis sounded right up my street!!
But i didn't like the main protagonists, and found the pacing to be super slow.
I need a 'hook' to keep me interested from the beginning, and this didn't have anything. I just didn't care.
Didn't enjoy this at all!

It was okay. It was a nice quick read. The romantic beats were all in the right place, but nothing made it really stand out.

Thank you Embla Books for providing me with an ARC for review!

This is a solid read, especially for those of us who appreciate some romance infused with sarcasm. However, the pacing of the novel is a tad weird. It starts by surprising you and then it seems to skip to the main character already having an alternative to escape her issues. When she gets to working on this new project, there seems to be conflict, but it's short lived and gets resolved quickly. The lack of build up in the animosity between the FMC and MMC makes the tension go down the drain, and the book lost me a bit after that. I just didn't really care that much anymore because I could see exactly where it was going. Similarly, the third act breakup was also very predictable, and it just seemed like a means to extend the novel and connect to the end but without much meat in it. I did like how the FMC grows into her self a bit more and gains the courage to stand up to her family and live her life on her own terms. I also found it surprising what she chose as her next career path after the conflicts are resolved. It was nice to see a change!

Overall, a good palate cleanser for me!

Jess, a literature academic, is hired to be the script consultant for the tv adaptation of her favorite novel, "Anne of Arden". Sheis set to work with BAFTA bad boy director Nathan Lambert. There's a bunch of conflict between the two at first as Jess is determined to honor her favorite book and make this the best adaptation yet, while Nathan is attempting to bring his ex-wife's name to shame. While Jess spends time trying to make the script work and do justice to the story, you see Nathan grow. It's very slow burn and there's plenty of pining and flirtation. The chemistry between the two throughout the book makes it easy to root for these characters from the get-go. There were aspects of the story where they added too much detail, such as spending too long on Jess's conflict with her ex before getting to the script portion of the story, and some of the chemistry between her and Nathan needed to be more show than tell. Overall a fun read!

Overall, I thought that this was an okay read, but I found myself wishing for so much more. The beginning was really strong and instantly reeled me in. I immediately found myself drawn to Jess and I felt for her and what she was going through, and as she and Nathan started working together and getting closer, it was really interesting to read.

But somewhere around the halfway point, it slowed down a lot for me and I found myself struggling to pick it up as much because I didn't feel that emotional connection as much and it felt like they were more physically attracted to one another than anything else. And Nathan started driving me nuts to the point where I would've preferred for Jess to end up single and him to spend a looong time in therapy before trying any relationship. Also, there was a lot of over-explaining that took me out of it a bit and it felt unnatural, especially when it was in the characters' dialogue. And both Jess' parents and Miranda felt a little too cartoon villain-y at times for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a delight! I loved the entire plot and the meet cute between Jess and Nathan was perfect. I liked that it dealt with more complex relationship issues (the parents), and ultimately had our FMC grow into her potential with unapologetic strength and determination. I loved the turmoil of Nathan's character as he falls for Jess, but struggles due to his past relationship and the persona the media has on him. I was rooting for these two and it was a great read! I'll definitely grab more from Laura Starkey in the future. Thank you Netgalley and Embla Books for the advanced copy.

I had high hopes for Love Off Script. The plot just didn't hold my attention. There was too much dialogue that made the story drag on.

As a total sucker for romance and TV shows, the synopsis of this book had me hooked. The idea of having someone obsessed with books going into the making of a TV show that has similar vibes to Pride and Prejudice? Yes, sign me in.

The book starts out strong, by having something very impactful happening on FMC’s life. After that, she decides to have a big life change, one that leads into growing, realizing things about herself and the dynamics of the relationships around her.

What I liked about it the most was that it is a love story that grows from a creative rivalry, and it felt like the journey was like binge-watching your favorite show. So, if you’re all about romance mixed with TV behind-the-scenes drama, this one’s totally worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had fun with this romcom. I love watching period pieces so it was interesting to explore a fictionalized version of the creative process. Unfortunately, the book did not grab my attention as much as I had hoped. I found that it started off a bit slow for me. It was not until about a third of the way in that I started caring for the characters and their relationships. The male lead's motivations were also not the most realistic to me.

An adorable romcom, fun and very British. Character development was done well and the MCs had great chemistry.

3.5/5 stars. Thanks netgalley!
This was really cute. Famous person / academic tropes can be adorable or overbearing, and this managed to pull off adorable REALLY well. Jess, a recently cheated on expert on a well known romance book (think Pride and Prejudice) meets Nathan, a director working on the project trying to find himself following a messy divorce. Their insta-chemistry is undeniable, their love story is adorable, and although there's a third act break up that I don't particularly love, you root for them to get back together and get their TV adaptation into the world.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: British banter is just BETTER than US banter, and that shines in the dialogue between Jess and Nathan. There is one or two 'spicy' scenes but they aren't over the top. The best friends and the cast in this are super supportive.
All in all, just a fun read.

A quick and easy read that was enjoyable. The character of Jess was lovely and I warmed to the character of Nathan. I loved the premise of the story being Jess wanting to leave her cheating boyfriend and going into a role as a television script writer of one of her favourite books, it had a feel good side to it seeing her grow as a person through the story

I enjoyed Learning be Off Script. FMC Jess is looking for a fresh start after her ex betrayed her in more ways than one. Whereas MMC Nathan plans to sabotage his exes TV adaptation.
As their relationship develops on the set where they both work, their opposing motivations and desired outcome causes plenty of tension.

Love Off Script is a witty and engaging romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a Regency-era TV adaptation. The story follows Jess, a script consultant, and Nathan, a stubborn director, whose clashing personalities gradually give way to undeniable chemistry in a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. Laura Starkey’s sharp dialogue, well-drawn characters, and behind-the-scenes look at television production make this book an entertaining read. Though the pacing is occasionally uneven, the humor and tension keep the story engaging. This one is perfect for fans of contemporary romance with a Regency-twist!

loved this book about a writer and director who end up falling in love. love his friends and that she stands up to family and figures out her life.

Laura Starkey’s novel is a charming mix of wit, romance, and second chances. Jess’s journey from heartbreak to finding her footing in the glamorous TV world is engaging, while her fiery chemistry with director Nathan adds sparks. With humor, heart, and a touch of Regency flair, it’s a delightful escape for fans of love and screenplays.

Love Off Script by Laura Starkey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

I’m not sure if this is just a coincidence or if I’ve just been subconsciously gravitating toward them, but I have read a lot of Hollywood/TV romances lately. Not that I’m complaining 🤷‍♀️. It’s good for comparison. I did like this one! It was different from others I’ve read recently in that it is VERY British haha 🇬🇧. I was not prepared for it, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Love Off Script is the story of Jessica Mackenzie, academic/regency romance expert 📝, and Nathan Lambert, famous TV director 📺. After catching her coworker boyfriend in the act of cheating, Jess is ready for a change. She takes a job writing for the new television adaptation of her all-time favorite novel, Anne of Arden. What she doesn’t know is that the director of the show is out to sabotage its production because his heinous ex-wife wrote the script. Getting his ex-wife’s dumpster fire of a show to production would be the ultimate form of revenge for Nathan, but with Jess standing in his way fighting for a faithful adaptation (and with sparks flying between them), it may be harder than he thinks …

I really enjoyed this read! It was quick, fun, and simple. Like I mentioned earlier, it is very British. That is not a bad thing, by any means, but there was definitely a lot of slang and vernacular that I wasn’t as familiar with. It did make for a very fun read, though, since I read it in my head with a British accent (although, admittedly not a very good one) 😂.

I really liked Jess. She had spunk 💃! I loved watching her character growth from beginning to end and seeing her come alive with tenacity. Her relationship with her parents was interesting to read about. It gave context as to why she was so timid in the beginning. She came into her own by the end, and I love that she finally stood up to her parents for consistently putting her down and got to say her piece to Johnathan.

Nathan, on the other hand, was not my favorite. I did not like his attitude, and it seemed very petty for a grown man to be risking so many people’s careers, including his own, just to get some semblance of “revenge” on his ex. Like dude … really? I’m glad Jess called him out on that BS because that was some wild behavior on his part. I truly do not think that man handled a single thing well in this entire book, yet somehow still managed to get Jess to forgive him after a truly ridiculous third-act breakup (despite Jess’s very clear communication, I might add)🙄. Men, amirite?

That was really my only complaint with this book! I thought the plotting was clever. It was giving on-set Bridgerton vibes. I enjoyed the side characters tremendously (looking at you, Rafe 👀). It was also quite funny. I love a book that can get a little chuckle out of me. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a cutesy lil’ rom-com 📖 or reading about telly production (see what I did there 😉), and I would definitely read another Starkey book in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Starkey, and Embla Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own 😊