How to Fake it in Hollywood: A sensational fake-dating romance

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Ethan Atkins is a major Hollywood actor who lost everything - from movie roles to custody of his kids - after his best friend and collaborator died on a car accident. the fact that it seemed somewhat realistic and mostly that it didn’t end with a contrived wedding / pregnancy.

It adds so much to them and the story, kind of the perfect balance to the fun of their fake dating and pr stunts. As I'm slowly making my way through my backlist of NetGalley arcs, I saw two of my favorite narrators were attached to this project, so I decided to treat myself by using an audiobook credit and listen to this one with my earballs, which was the right choice, my friends.I liked the tension between her and Ethan even tho it was more insta-lovish with both of them trying to stay away from each other. I've seen the magazine article type of ending before and I thought even though it leaves me wanting more it's still a cool way to end things after making us go crazy thinking it would be a woman's fiction instead of a romance! It’s a good book and I recommend it if you like serious romance novels, but I like my romances to be light and even a bit funny. Ava Wilder doesn't shy away from exploring the dark side of fame in such a cutthroat industry, and her unforgettable characters' growth shines all the brighter for it.

I also loved that Grey wasn’t at all having the “I can fix him” attitude towards Ethan, but was still fully supportive of his healing. She snapped a couple of pictures, then scrolled back through them to make sure they were satisfactory. In a desperate attempt to keep her career afloat, Grey Brooks agrees to her publicist’s scheme…to fake a love affair with disgraced Hollywood heartthrob, Ethan Atkins, who also needs the publicity, but for very different reasons. I liked the plot of this book, the idea really seemed intriguing; fake dating in Hollywood between two celebrities as a PR stunt. It had been eight months since the last episode of Poison Paradise aired, but the reminder still sent a jolt of anxiety through Grey’s body.Ava Wilder’s highly anticipated debut novel is a full fledged romance/women’s fiction novel about relationships, love, self doubt, dealing with past traumas and so much more. What starts out as a PR stunt involving a younger actress and an older, famous actor faking a relationship soon becomes a real attraction. Amidst all the other, often sorry stuff the Kindle-people publish, they do capture winners frequently and this story is one of them! It’s not a rom-com, because it is SAD; but the sexual tension between Ethan and Grey is so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

But, despite all this, Hollywood also provides the immense joy of winning, of success, of endless admiration and everlasting fame! I truly cannot think of a single thing to regret of 2023, which makes stepping into 2024 a bigger year of hope and growth for myself. Tackling alcoholism to drown out grief, intrusive, diminishing, and insecure thoughts along the lines of always letting people down and being a disappointment. I expected this book to be heavy because the blurb hints the alcoholism, grief and depression, but it wasn’t well done. I don’t read a lot of age gap/single dad romances but this made me want to dip my toes in the waters.

The story is told in third person/dual perspective, which isn't a favorite of mine but I didn't mind it here. I can excuse insta love, boring build up, and an unbearably dumb heroine, but I draw the line at deadbeat dads. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with drinking, and his grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, he’s slowly let himself fade into the background.

Thrown together in a contractual public relationship, the original plan was to help each other in their careers. The teen soap had its share of devoted fans, and pulled in solid enough ratings on its small cable network to keep getting renewed, but had never achieved the mainstream crossover success that Grey had naïvely hoped for back when she shot the pilot.How To Fake It In Hollywood is equal parts steamy, messy, and emotional, with relatable characters that are easy to root for! This story is very well balanced between the fun, glamourous, swoony sides of a Hollywood Romance with the gritty, emotional, tragic aspects of fame. Grey and Ethan's relationship feels genuine in its messiness and complications, and Ava Wilder's breathtaking depiction of their highs and lows had me totally invested in their fate.