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Title: How to Fake It in Hollywood
Author: Ava Wilder
Sub-genre: Contemporary
Release Date: June 14, 2022
Content Warnings: There are several, and I would recommend doing your own search if needed, but the main one is alcoholism
It’s been a while since I’ve done an actual review blog post because I’ve honestly been too busy and haven’t had time, but holy moly y’all, I am OBSESSED with this book. I am trash for a celebrity romance and I cannot say enough good things about this one.
Grey has been a working actress for most of her life, but now that her long running teen TV show has wrapped, she is looking to make a big move. She has dreams of writing and starring in a film with her best friend as director, but in order to get financing for her passion projects, she needs to make a name for herself and land a big role. Ethan was a Hollywood A-lister until the death of his best friend and writing/producing partner sent him into the shadows. He’s been living in a pit of grief and booze ever since, but if he ever wants to make the final movie the two started before his friend’s death, he’ll need to climb out of the hole and repair his reputation. Enter Grey and Ethan’s publicist, who sets the pair up to fake date. Ethan and Grey seem like a mismatched couple from the jump–he’s a surly divorced dad and she’s a rising star more than a decade his junior. But somehow the two click and after a bang it out to get it out of our systems weekend, they start to realize their feelings might be real. But Ethan is battling a serious addiction and needs to get his personal life in order before he can even consider being good in a relationship. Of course, this is a romance, so they manage to work it out and live happily ever after (but oh the angst along the way!).
You all know that I read a lot of books. A lot of really good books. But there’s just something about those books that give you a real physical feeling. Like I get an actual ache in my chest as I watch the characters totally blow up their lives and then piece them back together. This book gave me so many chest aches. I fell head over heels for these characters, they had me completely captivated from page one. There are so many good things to shout about in this book, but the depth of the love story and the realism of their relationship is high on the list. While I love me some celebrity romance, I’m picky about books set in LA because so many just don’t get it right, but this one absolutely nails the unique combo of grit and glamour. I absolutely loved the care with which Ava handles some of the tougher issues in this book. Nothing felt rushed or unrealistic, it was handled perfectly. I knew early on that this was going to be one of my top books of 2022 and I cannot wait to go back and read it again once I have a physical copy in my hands!
Overall Rating: 5 stars