I AM OBSESSED !! I requested this on a whim because the cover was lovely and I enjoy romances about actors and the complex, layered dynamics these types of stories can explore.

I wasn’t aware this would be dual timeline story and normally I dread this format because it’s rarely ever done right… Laura Wood made it effortless. I found myself loving both timelines and both versions of our wonderful Jack and Cynthie. The key to Wood’s success here was how different both of them were in each timeline. You could feel the palpable intensity of their newfound feud in the past chapters, the burning chemistry between them filled with barbs, pranks and steam. You could feel their immaturity and how green they were, trying to find themselves while being thrown into the limelight and battling with all the inner demons they had. Then in the present chapters, the tonal shift really made you feel like they’d grown up and changed. Jack was more laidback and settled, Cynthie a bit jaded and reserved after all she’d been through. I found myself loving both versions of them as individual and as a couple, and that rarely happens for me with dual timelines. I often favour one timeline exponentially more than the other but here I found myself getting so so sooooo excited whenever we switched back to the past or present, because both versions of Cynthie and Jack brought something brand new to the story.

I could gush about the book forever. I loved the writing style too, fully of humour that wasn’t too overdone (oftentimes pretty British which I love as a Brit since American humour can sometimes just make me cringe), the side characters were delightful, especially Hannah, Patty and Arjun. And I just adored the way Jack loved Cynthie. Every version of her.

I can’t wait for the book to release so I can buy myself a copy for my bookshelf🩷

Let's Make a Scene is a light hearted, witty, enemies-to-lovers story that had me smiling throughout!
I adored the banter between Cynthie and Jack, and the way in which their relationship developed throughout was utter perfection.
This book had everything I could possibly want from a rom-com, a witty storyline, a captivating cast of characters and the dreamiest slow burn romance... I adored this book.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

The story of Cynthie and Jack ticks so many boxes. Enemies to lovers, found family, second chances, mealth health issues, as well as consent and MeToo within the acting industry being featured. It's the tangible chemistry between Cynthie a deemed 'natural' and Jack from acting royalty that has a large part to play in their being selected as the lead roles for the film "A Lady of Quality". An actor walking inadvertently into a conversation they weren't supposed to hear, on set pranks, a night out, a kitchen encounter, a bonfire conversation, and a film kiss that goes viral are significant points in their story. It accumulates in a fake dating relationship to promote the film, being pushed by film executives, until it is released and then they quietly go their separate ways. Thirteen years later, older and wiser these two leads are to appear in a sequel, with not just a fake dating plan which is beneficial to both careers to contend with, but also the paparazzi, and the added complication of a documentary crew filming behind the movie scenes. Can they keep it together, will history repeat itself or will there be a different ending?
I wonder if the first thirteen years were paid too much attention, but this is also where the film crew and directors are given their depth, and I really hope we are going to follow the stories of Hannah, Nico and Lee soon. The found family in this book are funny individuals and really add to the story. You can read this book as a standalone; Clemmie's story is first however, and she does cameo in this book. I enjoyed this story immensely and I was rooting for both characters all the way!

4*!!! Let's Make a Scene was absollutely fabulous. I laughed out loud a few times when reading and it's 'kick your feet' cute. The plot itself is about Cynthie and Jack, two actoes who made a movie together 13 years ago and are now reuniting for a sequel.

There are a lot of flashbacks between the original filming process and the current time, which can be a bit disorientating but, I believe, the author made the indicators for the time shifts clear. The romance between Jack and Cynthie is sweet, a little spicy (there were 2 major sex scenes and a smattering of lusty thoughts throughout), and a whole lot of funny. One thing that really stood out in this book, to me, was that Cynthie had a female best friend who we spent a decent amount of time with and I LOVED it.

If I had to make a criticism, it would be that the references to memes really aged the book and took me out of the story. There was one particularly egregious one which made me put the book down for 24hours and really force myself to come back to. If it wasn't an obligation for the ARC, I probably would have DNF'd. I'm glad I stuck with it, as it was a fabulous read.
Another point was the epilogue. I know lots of people like a happily ever after, so I'm not saying it shouldn't exist, I'm just saying it wasn't for me. I don't think I learnt anything about the characters or their relationship in it. It seemed unnecessary, except to emphasise the happy ever after. I thought that came across clearly in the main aspect of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I struggled to put it down, the banter was exquisite, the characters were flawed and human, and I had an amazing time in the world. I'll definitely read another book by this author, and have already marked this book to purchase for a future reread.

I loved this, like I have loved everything Laura Wood has ever written. Fun, cute and hot. Perfect romance reading.

Under Your Spell by Laura Wood was one of My 10 x Favourite Books of 2024 so as soon as I saw that Let’s Make A Scene was on NetGalley, I think I sprained a finger I clicked Request so fast. I’d forgotten that Cynthie is Theo’s ex-girlfriend from Under Your Spell and I love that we get to catch up with Theo and Clemmie from UYS in Let’s Make A Scene.

Cynthie and Jack are great characters and I liked getting both perspectives. It’s obvious from the very beginning that there’s a fiery chemistry between them but neither of them are mature enough to handle it and a series of misunderstandings lead to them becoming enemies.

When they’re brought together again to film a sequel 13 years later, it’s interesting to read about how they’ve developed both personally and professionally. Then Jack was insecure and suffered from panic attacks because of pressure from his actor parents whereas now he’s secure in himself and he’s supportive of Cynthie instead of on the defensive all the time.

Cynthie’s been through a lot and I appreciated how Let’s Make A Scene covered the #MeToo movement and how the industry has changed (or not so much) in the 13 years since the first film.

One of the things I enjoyed most about UYS was the relationship between Clemmie and her sisters and Let’s Make A Scene doesn’t just have a great enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Cynthie and Jack but there’s also a strong sisterhood with Hannah (Cynthie’s bestie and PA), Petra (who steals every scene she’s in making untranslatable threats in Serbian and listening to Julie Andrews’ back catalogue), Patty, Jasmine (Cynthie’s reluctant mentor) and Brooke (the filmmaker shooting a behind-the-scenes documentary about the reunion).

If the author’s reading this, pretty please can we have a book about Jack’s sister, Lee and Nico next?

This is a very amusing book with a huge cast of charming characters. The dialogue is witty, the family vibe of the group of friends is perfect the romance is sizzling and the info about filming is really interesting. However I felt that the jumping between past and present was a little jarring at times and Cynthie and Jack's voices (particularly in the past) were so similar that at times I felt a real jolt when I'd thought I was reading Cynthie's voice and realised that it was Jack's and vice versa.

Sadly the inclusion of fairly graphic sex scenes means that it's denying itself a younger audience who could really appreciate the wonderful romance and witty repartee, plus it's not everyone who wants to read spice. Laura Wood's previous adult romance 'Under Your Spell' was superb but unfortunately this just doesn't match up.

Let’s Make a Scene is an absolute delight—witty, fun, and packed with just the right amount of sizzling tension. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Cynthie and Jack is laugh-out-loud hilarious, full of banter that keeps you grinning and moments so charged they’ll have you kicking your feet. Their forced proximity, both on and off set, creates a slow build that’s agonizing in the best way, making every moment feel earned.

Beyond the romance, the story weaves in an authentic found family element, adding warmth and depth that makes it even more compelling. While the shifting between past and present was occasionally a bit jarring, the emotional payoff was more than worth it. This book is one you’ll be thinking about for days—and one you’ll want to recommend to literally everyone. Five stars, no question!

‘Let’s Make a Scene’ is SUCH a fun romcom filled with witty banter and sizzling tension that will keep you thinking about the book for DAYSSS.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Cynthie and Jack is both hilarious and feet kicking, and their forced proximity on and off set makes is truly a memorable one because it was exactly what a forced proximity trope should be doing. The slow build-up was truly agonizing but also worth every single page I read because the emotional depth between them was so perfect I need 15 more of this right now.

I love this book so much and I’m going to make everyone and their mother read it . 5 star for sure and definitely worth it for fans who love fake relationships hehe👏👏

This was really sweet and the had an authentic found family within it which is always a beautiful thing to read. I enjoyed the development of the relationships but did find the past/present changes were sometimes jarring.

I love a good Hollywood romance! I really enjoyed this story of costars that had an ax to grind with one another get a second chance at love. It was so fun following there journey from beginning all the way to present day and experiencing all that goes on in the industry that we don’t get to see as well. Highly recommend

I absolutely adored this book. The characters are so lovable and really perfect for each other I had desperately hoped they would end up together.
Such a joy to read, one I could not tear myself away from.
The story itself was really fun and enjoyable. Plenty of hot romance scenes.