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Off Script
The oldest trick in the book turns out to be the best thing that’s ever happened . . .
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a desirable supporting role in a hot new romantic comedy, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. She’s prepared, polished, professional--and she’s going to knock their socks off.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues. Of course, there are no secrets in Hollywood, and when their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers.
With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. Tristan’s agent suggests the perfect solution--a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images. Jada reluctantly agrees. But when their faux-romance begins to have real consequences for them both, Tristan and Jada need to decide if they’re in it for real, and not just when the cameras are rolling.
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a desirable supporting role in a hot new romantic comedy, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. She’s prepared, polished, professional--and she’s going to knock their socks off.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues. Of course, there are no secrets in Hollywood, and when their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers.
With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. Tristan’s agent suggests the perfect solution--a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images. Jada reluctantly agrees. But when their faux-romance begins to have real consequences for them both, Tristan and Jada need to decide if they’re in it for real, and not just when the cameras are rolling.
376 pages, Paperback
Published June 7, 2022
15 people are currently reading
8393 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Marie
2 books49 followersAshley Marie is both a novelist and a screenwriter, whose overactive imagination keeps her tapping away at her keyboard regularly.
Despite the carpal tunnel, the Georgia native has placed as a quarter-finalist twice in the PAGE Awards for her screenwriting and found a home for writing on Wattpad. With over a million reads on the platform, Off Script has blossomed into her debut novel.
In her spare time outside of brewing stories, Ashley Marie sings off-key, dances spontaneously, and fosters her love of learning different languages.
Despite the carpal tunnel, the Georgia native has placed as a quarter-finalist twice in the PAGE Awards for her screenwriting and found a home for writing on Wattpad. With over a million reads on the platform, Off Script has blossomed into her debut novel.
In her spare time outside of brewing stories, Ashley Marie sings off-key, dances spontaneously, and fosters her love of learning different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 15, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
So. This was not great. It started off really interesting and then it went downhill after it's pretty much shown what a POS the hero (Tristan) is in the first part of the book. He never really recovers enough for me to root for him. And Jada (the heroine) is written very inconsistently. I needed to know why she was interested in Tristan outside of his looks. Cause there was really no there, there. The secondary characters were not developed very well. There's a slight plot point with Jada's cousin that is left dangling. I imagine there may be another book that follows her, but hard pass. I get that enemies to lovers is a popular trope, but you can't just write the male hero as a walking billboard for treats women like crap and want to root for him. The fake dating part of the book doesn't really work and or make sense. The ending was a happily ever after, but honestly one wonders.
"Off Script" follows Hollywood A-lister Tristan Maxwell and come-back kid, Jada Berklee. Jada has had a tough time after getting booted from a popular tv series when things came out about her and one of her co-stars. She's promised herself to never get involved with another person she works with again. Tristan has gotten involved with the leading lady of his latest film, but now he wants to end things and she doesn't. When Jada gets a part in the movie, she meets Tristan and he is his usual "flirty" gross self (sorry my words). Things take a turn though when Tristan gets caught in flagrante with a production assistant on the film by Jada. Jada wants to be left out of the whole mess, but when Tristan's ex questions her, things go from bad to worse with Tristan yelling at Jada and blaming her for people finding her. The moment goes viral though on a blind gossip site and Tristan's agent has an idea to have Jada and Tristan fake date to get Tristan back in Hollywood's graces and Jada being able to use Tristan's name power to get some acting jobs.
I was so happy to read a romance book with two BIPOC's as the main characters, but good grief I didn't root for anyone in this. Look, Tristan sucks. Marie tries to work in some things about why Tristan is the way he is, but it's BS and he sucks. He pretty much blames Jada, his ex, his estranged mother, etc. for anything that goes wrong in his life. I seriously don't think he had any self reflection in the book. He pretty much gets an 11th hour change of heart at the 98 percent of the book and I rolled my eyes. Don't get me started on his mother. No spoilers, but I booed that whole thing.
Jada was a mess. I don't think she did much of anything in this book to even let me know that she's supposedly a great actor. Heck, Tristan didn't either. They are both a mess in different ways. I think I was officially done when she took some CBD gummies and hallucinated Billie Holliday and Hattie McDaniel. I needed to get an answer for why she needed/loved Tristan and I kept coming up empty.
The two of them have negative chemistry. They just fight and then one day they are like sure sex is on the table and they fall in love in like nanoseconds. It doesn't work even a bit.
I don't know if Marie is planning a series or what, but she left Jada's cousin story-line up in the air. Jada's other best friend was barely in this and just felt like a non-entity.
The writing was just basic. I started to wonder who talks like this for portions of the book and just gave up.
The flow was pretty bad and I just pushed through. The last 1/3 of the book just drags.
The ending was a happily ever after so at least there's that.
So. This was not great. It started off really interesting and then it went downhill after it's pretty much shown what a POS the hero (Tristan) is in the first part of the book. He never really recovers enough for me to root for him. And Jada (the heroine) is written very inconsistently. I needed to know why she was interested in Tristan outside of his looks. Cause there was really no there, there. The secondary characters were not developed very well. There's a slight plot point with Jada's cousin that is left dangling. I imagine there may be another book that follows her, but hard pass. I get that enemies to lovers is a popular trope, but you can't just write the male hero as a walking billboard for treats women like crap and want to root for him. The fake dating part of the book doesn't really work and or make sense. The ending was a happily ever after, but honestly one wonders.
"Off Script" follows Hollywood A-lister Tristan Maxwell and come-back kid, Jada Berklee. Jada has had a tough time after getting booted from a popular tv series when things came out about her and one of her co-stars. She's promised herself to never get involved with another person she works with again. Tristan has gotten involved with the leading lady of his latest film, but now he wants to end things and she doesn't. When Jada gets a part in the movie, she meets Tristan and he is his usual "flirty" gross self (sorry my words). Things take a turn though when Tristan gets caught in flagrante with a production assistant on the film by Jada. Jada wants to be left out of the whole mess, but when Tristan's ex questions her, things go from bad to worse with Tristan yelling at Jada and blaming her for people finding her. The moment goes viral though on a blind gossip site and Tristan's agent has an idea to have Jada and Tristan fake date to get Tristan back in Hollywood's graces and Jada being able to use Tristan's name power to get some acting jobs.
I was so happy to read a romance book with two BIPOC's as the main characters, but good grief I didn't root for anyone in this. Look, Tristan sucks. Marie tries to work in some things about why Tristan is the way he is, but it's BS and he sucks. He pretty much blames Jada, his ex, his estranged mother, etc. for anything that goes wrong in his life. I seriously don't think he had any self reflection in the book. He pretty much gets an 11th hour change of heart at the 98 percent of the book and I rolled my eyes. Don't get me started on his mother. No spoilers, but I booed that whole thing.
Jada was a mess. I don't think she did much of anything in this book to even let me know that she's supposedly a great actor. Heck, Tristan didn't either. They are both a mess in different ways. I think I was officially done when she took some CBD gummies and hallucinated Billie Holliday and Hattie McDaniel. I needed to get an answer for why she needed/loved Tristan and I kept coming up empty.
The two of them have negative chemistry. They just fight and then one day they are like sure sex is on the table and they fall in love in like nanoseconds. It doesn't work even a bit.
I don't know if Marie is planning a series or what, but she left Jada's cousin story-line up in the air. Jada's other best friend was barely in this and just felt like a non-entity.
The writing was just basic. I started to wonder who talks like this for portions of the book and just gave up.
The flow was pretty bad and I just pushed through. The last 1/3 of the book just drags.
The ending was a happily ever after so at least there's that.
June 6, 2022
2.5 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
I tried really hard to like this contemporary romance more, but just couldn't do it. It has all of the fun tropes you can want, working relationship frenemies, fake dating, celebrity MCs and the entertainment industry, but I just couldn't get past the male MCs behavior.
The book started off promising. Up and coming actress Jada's career was getting back on track after an on-set misunderstanding during a popular tv series. She's landed a supporting role in a romantic comedy movie with two big stars, including the handsome male star Tristan. Jada is determined to stay away from on-set politics and put her head down and knock the socks off everyone on-set. Unfortunately, she walks in on Tristan cheating on his latest fling, and an embarrassing showdown on set is leaked to the press. Jada and Tristan agree to pretend to be a couple in order to repair their reputations.
I liked Jada's character, for the most part, but her insecurities started to grate on me and her personality was inconsistent. On the one hand she is portrayed as a good person trying to do things the right way, but on the other hand, she is more than willing, and even eager, to use Tristan and the arrangement to further her career. I mean, I get it. The entertainment industry is cut-throat and you need to do what you gotta do to get ahead, but I'm not built that way. This is probably more my issue though, and perhaps other readers won't be annoyed by it. Tristan, on the other hand, is another story. A very popular trope is to have a grumpy MC, but Tristan is not grumpy, he is an a**hole. From the work-place misconduct that was brushed under the rug and covered up by everyone, including Jada, to the awful, hateful lashing out Tristan does to everyone around him whenever his feelings, and ego, gets hurt. The author tries to "transform" Tristan into a caring, supportive person but I'm like nah. Nope. Uh-uh. Not buying it.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, and I really enjoyed the supportive relationship between Jade, her cousin and their best friend. It was great reading about caring, supportive women lifting each other up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Wattpad Books. All opinions are my own.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
I tried really hard to like this contemporary romance more, but just couldn't do it. It has all of the fun tropes you can want, working relationship frenemies, fake dating, celebrity MCs and the entertainment industry, but I just couldn't get past the male MCs behavior.
The book started off promising. Up and coming actress Jada's career was getting back on track after an on-set misunderstanding during a popular tv series. She's landed a supporting role in a romantic comedy movie with two big stars, including the handsome male star Tristan. Jada is determined to stay away from on-set politics and put her head down and knock the socks off everyone on-set. Unfortunately, she walks in on Tristan cheating on his latest fling, and an embarrassing showdown on set is leaked to the press. Jada and Tristan agree to pretend to be a couple in order to repair their reputations.
I liked Jada's character, for the most part, but her insecurities started to grate on me and her personality was inconsistent. On the one hand she is portrayed as a good person trying to do things the right way, but on the other hand, she is more than willing, and even eager, to use Tristan and the arrangement to further her career. I mean, I get it. The entertainment industry is cut-throat and you need to do what you gotta do to get ahead, but I'm not built that way. This is probably more my issue though, and perhaps other readers won't be annoyed by it. Tristan, on the other hand, is another story. A very popular trope is to have a grumpy MC, but Tristan is not grumpy, he is an a**hole. From the work-place misconduct that was brushed under the rug and covered up by everyone, including Jada, to the awful, hateful lashing out Tristan does to everyone around him whenever his feelings, and ego, gets hurt. The author tries to "transform" Tristan into a caring, supportive person but I'm like nah. Nope. Uh-uh. Not buying it.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, and I really enjoyed the supportive relationship between Jade, her cousin and their best friend. It was great reading about caring, supportive women lifting each other up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Wattpad Books. All opinions are my own.
Read
June 29, 2022As the author of this book, the self-deprecating part of myself knows I’m not the most objective person to review Off Script. However, I decided to chime in with my two cents due to debut author anxiety.
Long story short: Jada and Tristan get into a fight on their latest film and are then roped into a fake relationship to save both their (acting) careers.
A lot of people might find the enemies-to-lovers trope within the book exhausting, but I love a bit of catty back and forth during character development. Tristan is almost too much of a "bad boy” right from our opening pages while Jada is so insecure sometimes you want to slap her through the page numbers.
This tug-of-war brought a lot of my relationships into eye-opening realizations.
Being a flight risk + a workaholic = a romance author running away from her own keyboard.
Still, I hope this couple’s challenges can resonate with other readers.
In terms of the rest of the plot, we get an inside look at how fame can drive people to make desperate choices and explore stardom’s seedy underbelly of gossip and tabloid fodder.
Lastly, one of my favorite parts of the book is the supporting characters like Ren and Mikayla #RIKAYLA FOR LIFE.
Jada’s cousin, Mikayla is her complete opposite. An exuberant free spirit that leaves a stuffy director like Ren petrified–and a little turned on.
Their relationship is full of unresolved tension that I’m looking forward to exploring in a spin-off/sequel, The Bottom Line. I’m working to post that story on Wattpad as we speak/type.
No matter how you end up feeling about Off Script, I appreciate you taking the time to read it.
Thanks again and happy reading!
<3,
Ashley Marie
Long story short: Jada and Tristan get into a fight on their latest film and are then roped into a fake relationship to save both their (acting) careers.
A lot of people might find the enemies-to-lovers trope within the book exhausting, but I love a bit of catty back and forth during character development. Tristan is almost too much of a "bad boy” right from our opening pages while Jada is so insecure sometimes you want to slap her through the page numbers.
This tug-of-war brought a lot of my relationships into eye-opening realizations.
Being a flight risk + a workaholic = a romance author running away from her own keyboard.
Still, I hope this couple’s challenges can resonate with other readers.
In terms of the rest of the plot, we get an inside look at how fame can drive people to make desperate choices and explore stardom’s seedy underbelly of gossip and tabloid fodder.
Lastly, one of my favorite parts of the book is the supporting characters like Ren and Mikayla #RIKAYLA FOR LIFE.
Jada’s cousin, Mikayla is her complete opposite. An exuberant free spirit that leaves a stuffy director like Ren petrified–and a little turned on.
Their relationship is full of unresolved tension that I’m looking forward to exploring in a spin-off/sequel, The Bottom Line. I’m working to post that story on Wattpad as we speak/type.
No matter how you end up feeling about Off Script, I appreciate you taking the time to read it.
Thanks again and happy reading!
<3,
Ashley Marie
January 26, 2022
Unfortunately I had to DNF this book at 25%. I found the actions of the main male lead character to be so completely wrong and irresponsible and I cannot see a world where I’m able to forgive him. Sexual misconduct is only the beginning of this guy’s problems. The main female lead has very little personality. And the first few chapters were so full of pop culture references and brand names that I was having trouble taking any of it seriously.
Additionally the writing is immature and riddled with errors, and the dialogue is stilted and sounds as though these are middle schoolers talking about relationships instead of the 20-30 somethings I think they’re supposed to be.
I hate not finishing a book but I simply couldn’t do it anymore as soon as the very contrived fake dating setup started happening.
Additionally the writing is immature and riddled with errors, and the dialogue is stilted and sounds as though these are middle schoolers talking about relationships instead of the 20-30 somethings I think they’re supposed to be.
I hate not finishing a book but I simply couldn’t do it anymore as soon as the very contrived fake dating setup started happening.
June 5, 2022
Initial Thoughts
More of a 3.4 but I really enjoyed it despite disliking one of the MCs. The setup was cute and it was very fast-paced.
Marie writes well-rounded characters who feel like real people. Loved the messy lives of these characters.
FTC
Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
More of a 3.4 but I really enjoyed it despite disliking one of the MCs. The setup was cute and it was very fast-paced.
Marie writes well-rounded characters who feel like real people. Loved the messy lives of these characters.
FTC
Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2022
Off script
I liked it Nice enough, the story was sweet, predictable but sweet. The characters very one dimensional we got a peak into Tristan, But Jada was a closed book.
🎬 - Jada was in all words Elegant i loved this part of her character Just wish we had a little more Of her History, Jada's excuses for not wanting to pursue a real relationship fell on deaf ears after shooting for the Love locket wrapped.... The whole reason she was against it was having to work together when/if things turn sour.
🎬 - Tristan was cute and Lovable as well as being a bit of a dog.
🎬- Tristan's Mother Leaving, the excuse the author Gave for me was unforgivable it all seemed a bit rushed just to give a conclusion this brought the book down alot for me, A person chooses to have a child, a child doesn't choose to be born, there is no excuse for leaving a child, Choosing a new love over your kid! especially leaving them with someone abusive!
🎬 - I loved how we got the Ins and Outs of Making a movie along with internet trolls this part I Loved!
🎬 - Mikayla and Ren need a book!
All in all It was a nice enough light read!
June 18, 2022
I really wanted to like this book because the premise was good. However, the male MC was rude and condescending and I couldn’t stand reading about him anymore. This book just wasn’t for me, I guess.
3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.
February 24, 2023
2⭐️ This was Kerry’s pic for the bad book for white elephant, and it lived up. The writing was weak, the characters were awful, and the tropes were overdone. It gets 2 stars because the LA setting made me nostalgic for home, even though the geography was wrong.
May 31, 2022
DNF @ 14%. Couldn't get into this on at all because of the writing style and characters.
February 23, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley, for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 stars
From the get go, I just couldn't get into this story. The characters were all very two-dimensional and the plot
was just a generic and predictable fake dating / enemies to lovers trope in the usual contemporary setting. It
was pretty poorly written and edited, with sentences ending part way through a line and continuing two lines
below quite often; which led to a bit of a headache while reading. Many times I became so bored that I wanted
to DNF the book but persevered to the end by skim-reading sections.
The sexual misconduct of the male MC was a big no no for me, and made me feel uncomfortable from the start.
His character arc didn't even attempt to resolve this wrongdoing in any way, or perceive the real impact of his
reductive views on women and behaviour towards them. Whereas, the female MC had no personality other than
wanting to be part of what she called "the Black Women Hall of Fame". The racial microagressions that were
tackled in this book were done very well and felt appropriate, but the characters themselves/the plot could havebeen developed further to prove just how significant these microaggressions are to people in the movie industry,
rather than just used as off-handed side comments. The female MC also never stood up to this or made others
aware of how damaging and unfair racism is in this industry.
As such, the author's style of writing didn't really work for me as a reader, due to lots of information dumping at
times and a lack of any substance at others.
Unfortunately, I won't be recommending this to others.
A better enemies to lovers book with a fantastic POC female MC, as well as great chronic disability
representation would be "Get A Life, Chloe Brown". A book that I would strongly recommend.
Rating: 2.5 stars
From the get go, I just couldn't get into this story. The characters were all very two-dimensional and the plot
was just a generic and predictable fake dating / enemies to lovers trope in the usual contemporary setting. It
was pretty poorly written and edited, with sentences ending part way through a line and continuing two lines
below quite often; which led to a bit of a headache while reading. Many times I became so bored that I wanted
to DNF the book but persevered to the end by skim-reading sections.
The sexual misconduct of the male MC was a big no no for me, and made me feel uncomfortable from the start.
His character arc didn't even attempt to resolve this wrongdoing in any way, or perceive the real impact of his
reductive views on women and behaviour towards them. Whereas, the female MC had no personality other than
wanting to be part of what she called "the Black Women Hall of Fame". The racial microagressions that were
tackled in this book were done very well and felt appropriate, but the characters themselves/the plot could havebeen developed further to prove just how significant these microaggressions are to people in the movie industry,
rather than just used as off-handed side comments. The female MC also never stood up to this or made others
aware of how damaging and unfair racism is in this industry.
As such, the author's style of writing didn't really work for me as a reader, due to lots of information dumping at
times and a lack of any substance at others.
Unfortunately, I won't be recommending this to others.
A better enemies to lovers book with a fantastic POC female MC, as well as great chronic disability
representation would be "Get A Life, Chloe Brown". A book that I would strongly recommend.
June 1, 2022
Off Script
⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/7/22
Author: Ashley Marie
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 360
Goodreads Rating: 2.81
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Jada Berklee is getting a second chance at acting. Despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues and makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers. With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. The perfect solution: fake relationship between them. Does this fake relationship have real consequences?
My Thoughts: I have read plenty of enemies to lovers trope and LOVE them, they tend to be one of my favorite. However, the way this one was done just did not work. I think it could have, had it been played a different way. For Tristan to be a SOB most of the book and then in the end is a hero? I just did not care for that. There was no work of tension and chemistry between them that you would typically see in these type of novels. It felt literally they went from enemies to lovers in a day with nothing in between but hate. The characters were one dimensional and not developed to their potential. I really wanted to like this book but it did not flow for me.
⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/7/22
Author: Ashley Marie
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 360
Goodreads Rating: 2.81
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Jada Berklee is getting a second chance at acting. Despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues and makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers. With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. The perfect solution: fake relationship between them. Does this fake relationship have real consequences?
My Thoughts: I have read plenty of enemies to lovers trope and LOVE them, they tend to be one of my favorite. However, the way this one was done just did not work. I think it could have, had it been played a different way. For Tristan to be a SOB most of the book and then in the end is a hero? I just did not care for that. There was no work of tension and chemistry between them that you would typically see in these type of novels. It felt literally they went from enemies to lovers in a day with nothing in between but hate. The characters were one dimensional and not developed to their potential. I really wanted to like this book but it did not flow for me.
June 10, 2022
A fake dating, enemies to lovers celebrity romance.
Jada Berklee lost a great role due to a two timing coworker that threw her under the bus. Now she's stuck in the middle of another coworker situation. Jada is def cast typed and the industry still had a long way to go with more roles needed for bipoc rep. Tristan is a professional actor but a low-key playboy. In this fake dating situation to save his reputation after his current drama. He has to keep his thang in his pants to maintain the fake dating ruse which is hard for him.
Sip That Tea which is like TMZ picks up all the deets and spins even the most innocent sitches into something else. They are just so annoying and from real life I can only imagine what its like to maintain a public image. I would not do well. I would always be on the "Stars are just like us" spreads, wearing sweats and no makeup to get my bookmail.
I enjoyed this book but this didn't seem to be for everyone. It seemed mostly cause Tristan didn't do enough to redeem himself lol. Well he's a majorly hot latin celebrity and I'm pretty sure in real life he'd get away with whatever he wanted, js. I liked his fundraiser and work with the kids which was his main reason to fix his reputation.
Thank you wattpadbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Jada Berklee lost a great role due to a two timing coworker that threw her under the bus. Now she's stuck in the middle of another coworker situation. Jada is def cast typed and the industry still had a long way to go with more roles needed for bipoc rep. Tristan is a professional actor but a low-key playboy. In this fake dating situation to save his reputation after his current drama. He has to keep his thang in his pants to maintain the fake dating ruse which is hard for him.
Sip That Tea which is like TMZ picks up all the deets and spins even the most innocent sitches into something else. They are just so annoying and from real life I can only imagine what its like to maintain a public image. I would not do well. I would always be on the "Stars are just like us" spreads, wearing sweats and no makeup to get my bookmail.
I enjoyed this book but this didn't seem to be for everyone. It seemed mostly cause Tristan didn't do enough to redeem himself lol. Well he's a majorly hot latin celebrity and I'm pretty sure in real life he'd get away with whatever he wanted, js. I liked his fundraiser and work with the kids which was his main reason to fix his reputation.
Thank you wattpadbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
July 15, 2022
This is one of the worst books I have ever read. I had high hopes for it, I really did but there was not a single thing I enjoyed about this book. The characters had no redeeming qualities, the sexual scenes felt like they were written by someone who had never had their first kiss, and the entire thing was so abruptly moving from story line to story line. After 344 pages, I genuinely do not think I could tell you what this book was about. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cheesy romance novel with cliche tropes, but this book was just layered with them so heavily I couldn’t even follow the plot. There was no character growth from anyone other than the supposed villain, but it was so abrupt I don’t even think it classifies as growth. Side plots that are alluded to as being main features of the book that are summed up in a page or less. This book should have stayed on wattpad.
June 7, 2022
3.5 Stars
I really like to read up-and-coming authors in romance and this was definitely one of my anticipated reads.
Lights, camera and action! When the fake relationship stakes are as real as can be. This Hollywood duo will take us on a journey on and off screen in this refreshing romance debut. I loved that despite their individual baggage, they came together and offered us a “save your career” take and twist on the ‘fake dating’ trope. Ashley created characters that really connected and gave us lots of chemistry and genuine relationship issues that let us know that even when things work out there are always things to be worked on as a couple as you grow. I also loved the Hollywood scene and how they navigated that. Drama and more drama.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
I really like to read up-and-coming authors in romance and this was definitely one of my anticipated reads.
Lights, camera and action! When the fake relationship stakes are as real as can be. This Hollywood duo will take us on a journey on and off screen in this refreshing romance debut. I loved that despite their individual baggage, they came together and offered us a “save your career” take and twist on the ‘fake dating’ trope. Ashley created characters that really connected and gave us lots of chemistry and genuine relationship issues that let us know that even when things work out there are always things to be worked on as a couple as you grow. I also loved the Hollywood scene and how they navigated that. Drama and more drama.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
January 9, 2022
I like a fake-relationship trope as much as the next romance reader and paired with the glitz 'n glam of Hollywood this has the potential to be a winner. It only succeeded in part. While the story and characters in itself had potential, the writing could be improved. Especially in the beginning there is a lot of telling and infodumping. This does improve somewhat as the story progresses, but the author's style of writing didn't really work for me as a reader. It did have some cute moments and after I moved past the beginning, I found myself quite invested in how it all played out.
March 2, 2022
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a desirable supporting role in a hot new romantic comedy, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. She’s prepared, polished, professional--and she’s going to knock their socks off.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man, a former child star and notorious playboy, Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. A confrontation ensues, and like all things in Hollywood, nothing stays secret. So in an attempt to right both of their reputations Tristan’s agent suggests that the two fake date to get the press of their backs about their big on set blow out. But soon the lines begin to blur as the two get closer, and they have to decide if things are real or just for the cameras.
I feel like this book captured a lot of what I would expect a Hollywood actors fake dating romance to entail. Lots of constant drama, needing connections to move up the ladder, and a lot of “office” politics. The knowledge of the behind the scenes of the entertainment industry was insightful, and clear that Ashley Marie’s experience as a screenwriter was helpful in making parts of this story more believable.
Some things that I enjoyed:
-The representation in both main characters. It is a topic I think we see getting discussed more in more in media, but rarely do I see the execution in a lot of books. Jada’s experience as a black woman in Hollywood was a vital part of her story, and it’s a story that tends to not get told or is frequently silenced. Tristan’s latino background gave him plenty of obstacles, the biggest being typecast, and it added a layer to his story that was needed to understand him.
- A great cast of female characters. Side characters like Alia and Mikaela are rare, where they too are portrayed as successful women in their own professions and are great support systems for the main female character. More often than not its a stereotypical friend or friends that say all the same things and we see little of what makes them, them.
- I always enjoy the fake dating trope, and honestly even more so when it’s done with the Hollywood background! So of course I enjoyed that trope in this book
Some things that I didn’t enjoy:
I feel like at times Tristan lacked the depth that we needed to like him. Of course he was the playboy who was secretly a bit more of a sweetheart than what he wanted anyone to think. I just feel like we could of gone more in depth about his experience as a former child star and as a Latino man in Hollywood than we got.
I also felt at times that Jada and Tristan lacked chemistry. There was of course some, but not nearly enough for a couple that ended up together in my opinion. They spent more time fighting than enjoying each others company, and so in the end I couldn’t quite suspend the disbelief that of course those two ended up together.
The writing could of been better. At times it was clunky and a bit awkward. It also suffered from the lack of showing people what was happening, there was too much just telling the reader what was happening or how people were feeling than just experiencing.
Overall I think that this book was a solid kind light read, there were a few steamy scenes, but nothing too crazy. Great for people that enjoy the fake dating trope and the Hollywood backdrop for their romances and who need a quick read.
Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man, a former child star and notorious playboy, Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. A confrontation ensues, and like all things in Hollywood, nothing stays secret. So in an attempt to right both of their reputations Tristan’s agent suggests that the two fake date to get the press of their backs about their big on set blow out. But soon the lines begin to blur as the two get closer, and they have to decide if things are real or just for the cameras.
I feel like this book captured a lot of what I would expect a Hollywood actors fake dating romance to entail. Lots of constant drama, needing connections to move up the ladder, and a lot of “office” politics. The knowledge of the behind the scenes of the entertainment industry was insightful, and clear that Ashley Marie’s experience as a screenwriter was helpful in making parts of this story more believable.
Some things that I enjoyed:
-The representation in both main characters. It is a topic I think we see getting discussed more in more in media, but rarely do I see the execution in a lot of books. Jada’s experience as a black woman in Hollywood was a vital part of her story, and it’s a story that tends to not get told or is frequently silenced. Tristan’s latino background gave him plenty of obstacles, the biggest being typecast, and it added a layer to his story that was needed to understand him.
- A great cast of female characters. Side characters like Alia and Mikaela are rare, where they too are portrayed as successful women in their own professions and are great support systems for the main female character. More often than not its a stereotypical friend or friends that say all the same things and we see little of what makes them, them.
- I always enjoy the fake dating trope, and honestly even more so when it’s done with the Hollywood background! So of course I enjoyed that trope in this book
Some things that I didn’t enjoy:
I feel like at times Tristan lacked the depth that we needed to like him. Of course he was the playboy who was secretly a bit more of a sweetheart than what he wanted anyone to think. I just feel like we could of gone more in depth about his experience as a former child star and as a Latino man in Hollywood than we got.
I also felt at times that Jada and Tristan lacked chemistry. There was of course some, but not nearly enough for a couple that ended up together in my opinion. They spent more time fighting than enjoying each others company, and so in the end I couldn’t quite suspend the disbelief that of course those two ended up together.
The writing could of been better. At times it was clunky and a bit awkward. It also suffered from the lack of showing people what was happening, there was too much just telling the reader what was happening or how people were feeling than just experiencing.
Overall I think that this book was a solid kind light read, there were a few steamy scenes, but nothing too crazy. Great for people that enjoy the fake dating trope and the Hollywood backdrop for their romances and who need a quick read.
Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2021
LOVE a fake-dating scenario!
Jada is an up-and-coming actress trying to bounce back and keep her career afloat after a messy breakup with her costar. Tristan is a popular Hollywood playboy who Jada accidentally catches cheating on his current starlet girlfriend. The fallout leads to a PR nightmare after the gossip sites get a hold of a video of Tristan confronting Jada about what she saw. Tristian's agent proposes a PR spin to save both their reputations...Jada and Tristan should pretend to be a couple and that the leaked fight was just a scene rehearsal. They agree, but keeping up their faux-mance brings them more drama than they bargained for.
I really liked this book! Both main characters and their friends were so fun. Jada is determined to be professional and get her career back on track and I loved watching her become more confident throughout the book until she finally faced her past and stood up for herself. Her cousin/roommate, Mikayla is kind of Jada's opposite, but I love how supportive, if a little too mischievous, she is. Tristan comes off kind of awful at first, but as Jada (and we!) get to know him, he is actually a total sweetheart with some baggage of his own. Tristan and Jada's chemistry is off the charts, even when they hate each other and are barely tolerating their fake-dating PR stunt. As they get to know each other and start admitting their true feelings, they help each other realize a lot of things about themselves and grow. I also really liked how the story touched on the struggles Jada faces as a Black woman trying to make it Hollywood and the microaggressions she and other actresses like her face on casting calls. Tristan faces similar struggles as a Latino man trying not to be typecast, and I think both of their experiences mirror very real issues POC in the entertainment industry face that many people don't realize are happening. Even though fake-dating isn't a super realistic scenario, the characters and their experiences come off realistically.
Overall, this was a great, quick read. I would definitely recommend it to any fake-dating trope fans out there as well as romance readers in general. Definitely a couple steamy scenes, too!
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for this ARC!
Jada is an up-and-coming actress trying to bounce back and keep her career afloat after a messy breakup with her costar. Tristan is a popular Hollywood playboy who Jada accidentally catches cheating on his current starlet girlfriend. The fallout leads to a PR nightmare after the gossip sites get a hold of a video of Tristan confronting Jada about what she saw. Tristian's agent proposes a PR spin to save both their reputations...Jada and Tristan should pretend to be a couple and that the leaked fight was just a scene rehearsal. They agree, but keeping up their faux-mance brings them more drama than they bargained for.
I really liked this book! Both main characters and their friends were so fun. Jada is determined to be professional and get her career back on track and I loved watching her become more confident throughout the book until she finally faced her past and stood up for herself. Her cousin/roommate, Mikayla is kind of Jada's opposite, but I love how supportive, if a little too mischievous, she is. Tristan comes off kind of awful at first, but as Jada (and we!) get to know him, he is actually a total sweetheart with some baggage of his own. Tristan and Jada's chemistry is off the charts, even when they hate each other and are barely tolerating their fake-dating PR stunt. As they get to know each other and start admitting their true feelings, they help each other realize a lot of things about themselves and grow. I also really liked how the story touched on the struggles Jada faces as a Black woman trying to make it Hollywood and the microaggressions she and other actresses like her face on casting calls. Tristan faces similar struggles as a Latino man trying not to be typecast, and I think both of their experiences mirror very real issues POC in the entertainment industry face that many people don't realize are happening. Even though fake-dating isn't a super realistic scenario, the characters and their experiences come off realistically.
Overall, this was a great, quick read. I would definitely recommend it to any fake-dating trope fans out there as well as romance readers in general. Definitely a couple steamy scenes, too!
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for this ARC!
March 21, 2022
This was a cute fake dating trope, this one is even better because the two main characters are strong people of color.
Jada is a new up and coming actress who is trying to get back on track after a messy breakup. Tristan is a well known Hollywood playboy who Jada catches cheating on his current girlfriend. Once the gossip sites get ahold of a video of Jada and Tristan fighting over what she saw it becomes a PR nightmare for both of them. Tristan's agent suggests that they spin this nightmare in order to save both of their reputations. The decision is that they pretend to be a couple and suggest that the leaked fight is rehearsal for a scene. They agree, but pretending brings more drama than either one wanted.
This book was very likeable. To me a likeable book has characters that I could see myself being friends with. The author did a great job in creating likeable characters, the main ones and their friends. I enjoyed seeing Jada grow in her profession and get her career back on track. As she did this she became more confident and was finally able to face her past and stand up for herself. At first Tristan is awful, but as Jada gets to know him she realizes that he isn't as awful as he seemed. He's actually quite sweet, he just has baggage just like she does. As the characters get to know each other, while fake dating, they get to know each other and start being honest about their true feelings.
This is definitely a book that everyone should read. It was quite enjoyable and one that I would recommend to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books, W by Wattpad Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jada is a new up and coming actress who is trying to get back on track after a messy breakup. Tristan is a well known Hollywood playboy who Jada catches cheating on his current girlfriend. Once the gossip sites get ahold of a video of Jada and Tristan fighting over what she saw it becomes a PR nightmare for both of them. Tristan's agent suggests that they spin this nightmare in order to save both of their reputations. The decision is that they pretend to be a couple and suggest that the leaked fight is rehearsal for a scene. They agree, but pretending brings more drama than either one wanted.
This book was very likeable. To me a likeable book has characters that I could see myself being friends with. The author did a great job in creating likeable characters, the main ones and their friends. I enjoyed seeing Jada grow in her profession and get her career back on track. As she did this she became more confident and was finally able to face her past and stand up for herself. At first Tristan is awful, but as Jada gets to know him she realizes that he isn't as awful as he seemed. He's actually quite sweet, he just has baggage just like she does. As the characters get to know each other, while fake dating, they get to know each other and start being honest about their true feelings.
This is definitely a book that everyone should read. It was quite enjoyable and one that I would recommend to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books, W by Wattpad Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2022
Off Script gives us two actor frenemies who are roped into fake dating each other to save their public images. As you can imagine in a romance novel, they start to develop real feelings during their act.
I did really enjoy how well the BFF relationship is written between our main character, Jada, and her two friends. It seemed like a realistic and supportive girl group that I would enjoy being in myself. I also appreciate the diversity included in this book, more books like this should be out there and published. A character being super into werewolves, vampires, and sci-fi was fun as well, and I liked being part of the movie-making world.
The romance aspect of the book fell a little flat for me. While their physical connection is lit (insert several flame emojis), I don't think they really meshed on a personal level. Their comments were so barbed at times it didn't feel like they actually liked each other, even pretty far into the storyline. And although Tristan was given a few good qualities, mostly through charity work, his choices and playboy attitude did not make me love him as a character. Also, why in the world Jada would keep her ex's mom as her manager in charge of her acting career?? The formatting was also a bit confusing at times, as it changes viewpoints between Jada and Tristan multiple times within chapters without a clear way of letting the reader know.
Overall this was a fun and quick read, especially worth it if you like some steamy romance. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.
I did really enjoy how well the BFF relationship is written between our main character, Jada, and her two friends. It seemed like a realistic and supportive girl group that I would enjoy being in myself. I also appreciate the diversity included in this book, more books like this should be out there and published. A character being super into werewolves, vampires, and sci-fi was fun as well, and I liked being part of the movie-making world.
The romance aspect of the book fell a little flat for me. While their physical connection is lit (insert several flame emojis), I don't think they really meshed on a personal level. Their comments were so barbed at times it didn't feel like they actually liked each other, even pretty far into the storyline. And although Tristan was given a few good qualities, mostly through charity work, his choices and playboy attitude did not make me love him as a character. Also, why in the world Jada would keep her ex's mom as her manager in charge of her acting career?? The formatting was also a bit confusing at times, as it changes viewpoints between Jada and Tristan multiple times within chapters without a clear way of letting the reader know.
Overall this was a fun and quick read, especially worth it if you like some steamy romance. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.
January 23, 2022
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you’d told me in 2014 that in 2022 I would be reading a book published by Wattpad and actually enjoying it, I would never have believed you, but Off Script has managed it! That’s not to say I didn’t have qualms with this book, but overall it was a fun read with main characters who felt real and had good chemistry. I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope and this this book does it pretty well.
My main issue was that I felt like we didn’t see enough of Tristan and Jada just having a nice time together? I understand that arguing is central to their dynamic, but I would’ve found it easier to believe how much they love each other if we saw solid chunks of them enjoying each other’s company without arguing! The cycle of a couple of pages of having a nice time followed by misunderstandings, arguments, and apologies which don’t seem to stick became a bit annoying after a while, as I wasn’t seeing much growth between each cycle. The constant hot and cold of their relationship felt jarring by the end. Also, I think this book could’ve done with being maybe 75-100 pages shorter, as the writing felt bloated at times.
This is totally a personal preference thing, but I thought the steamy scenes could’ve been a bit steamier (and especially since it’s a Wattpad book, I mean come on!). But obviously I know that not everyone likes steamy sex scenes lol.
If you’d told me in 2014 that in 2022 I would be reading a book published by Wattpad and actually enjoying it, I would never have believed you, but Off Script has managed it! That’s not to say I didn’t have qualms with this book, but overall it was a fun read with main characters who felt real and had good chemistry. I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope and this this book does it pretty well.
My main issue was that I felt like we didn’t see enough of Tristan and Jada just having a nice time together? I understand that arguing is central to their dynamic, but I would’ve found it easier to believe how much they love each other if we saw solid chunks of them enjoying each other’s company without arguing! The cycle of a couple of pages of having a nice time followed by misunderstandings, arguments, and apologies which don’t seem to stick became a bit annoying after a while, as I wasn’t seeing much growth between each cycle. The constant hot and cold of their relationship felt jarring by the end. Also, I think this book could’ve done with being maybe 75-100 pages shorter, as the writing felt bloated at times.
This is totally a personal preference thing, but I thought the steamy scenes could’ve been a bit steamier (and especially since it’s a Wattpad book, I mean come on!). But obviously I know that not everyone likes steamy sex scenes lol.
June 28, 2022
This is my first time reading something by this author and I found it to be an entertaining read. Fake relationships are always one of my favorite tropes to read. Add in the glamor of Hollywood, and you have a fun and cute story. Jada has finally gotten her acting career back on track after mistakenly having an on-set romance on her last job on a popular TV show. She has a promising new role now, and she is determined not to let any on-screen politics mess it up this time. Ah, but she is not that lucky. She accidentally catches the leading man, Tristan, in a compromising position, and when he confronts her about it and their meeting leaks out, they need to do damage control. Simple solution - pretend to be a couple in order to save their reputations. Pretend though it may be, they inevitably grow closer, and soon what starts out as fake becomes all too real.
The book definitely left me with a smile on my face and a happy feeling afterwards. The characters were interesting and I especially appreciated the representation of both characters. It was an important part of the story to help us understand their obstacles and the challenges they have faced to get where they are. The story was delightfully cute with a little bit of steam. If you're looking for a fun, quick and light read, then you definitely will want to pick this one up.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
The book definitely left me with a smile on my face and a happy feeling afterwards. The characters were interesting and I especially appreciated the representation of both characters. It was an important part of the story to help us understand their obstacles and the challenges they have faced to get where they are. The story was delightfully cute with a little bit of steam. If you're looking for a fun, quick and light read, then you definitely will want to pick this one up.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
December 28, 2021
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
The oldest trick in the book turns out to be the best thing that’s ever happened . . .
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a desirable supporting role in a hot new romantic comedy, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. She’s prepared, polished, professional--and she’s going to knock their socks off.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues. Of course, there are no secrets in Hollywood, and when their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers.
With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. Tristan’s agent suggests the perfect solution--a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images. Jada reluctantly agrees. But when their faux-romance begins to have real consequences for them both, Tristan and Jada need to decide if they’re in it for real, and not just when the cameras are rolling.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC!!
Synopsis:
The oldest trick in the book turns out to be the best thing that’s ever happened . . .
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a desirable supporting role in a hot new romantic comedy, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. She’s prepared, polished, professional--and she’s going to knock their socks off.
Still, despite Jada’s best efforts to keep her head down she accidentally walks in on leading man--and notorious lothario--Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling. An intense and embarrassing showdown on set ensues. Of course, there are no secrets in Hollywood, and when their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site in the world, it has consequences for both their careers.
With their reputations on the line, they need public relations rehab, and stat. Tristan’s agent suggests the perfect solution--a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images. Jada reluctantly agrees. But when their faux-romance begins to have real consequences for them both, Tristan and Jada need to decide if they’re in it for real, and not just when the cameras are rolling.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC!!
Read
May 12, 2022Thanks @netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a supporting role in a hot new rom-com, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. However, when she accidentally walks in on leading man,Tristan Maxwell, cheating on his latest fling, an intense showdown on set ensues. When their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site, it has consequences for both their careers. With their reputations on the line,Tristan’s agent suggests a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images.
Review:
The trope for this book seemed promising: fake dating and enemies-to-lovers, however, I couldn't quite get into it. The characters were one-dimensional. They lacked depth. We got to know a bit about Tristan , but close to nothing about Jada. I also didn't think Jada and Tristen had any chemistry. They barely got to know each other in the book. The story was fast-paced, but it did feel rushed at times. However, Jada's friends were fun and I liked how they were very supportive. Also, I think Mikayla and Ren need their own book! Overall, this was a nice enough read, but it could have been better.
Synopsis:
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally heating back up after an on-set romance with her ex ruined her last job on a popular TV show. When she gets a second chance with a supporting role in a hot new rom-com, Jada’s determined not to let on-set politics or her off-set ex get in the way again. However, when she accidentally walks in on leading man,Tristan Maxwell, cheating on his latest fling, an intense showdown on set ensues. When their confrontation makes its way to the biggest gossip site, it has consequences for both their careers. With their reputations on the line,Tristan’s agent suggests a fake relationship to get the press off their back and repair both their images.
Review:
The trope for this book seemed promising: fake dating and enemies-to-lovers, however, I couldn't quite get into it. The characters were one-dimensional. They lacked depth. We got to know a bit about Tristan , but close to nothing about Jada. I also didn't think Jada and Tristen had any chemistry. They barely got to know each other in the book. The story was fast-paced, but it did feel rushed at times. However, Jada's friends were fun and I liked how they were very supportive. Also, I think Mikayla and Ren need their own book! Overall, this was a nice enough read, but it could have been better.
March 31, 2022
I had high hopes for this book and I felt like it was a bit messy. When I began the story it felt like a lot of information was given to me about the main character’s friends as well as all the people on set of the film, it was a lot that I felt wasn’t needed in a way.
I did enjoy the fake dating Hollywood actor & actress vibe it had going on I don’t doubt that real life actors do these stunts with one another.
I also enjoyed that both characters Jada and Tristan were POC. I enjoyed Tristan having the background he was given with both parents, I found myself wanting a bit more of Jada’s past life besides being a upcoming actress. I felt like Jade and Tristan needed a bit more chemistry fire than fight going on… Tristan being the playboy I didn’t really care for I feel like he could’ve been more detailed & softer if that makes any sense lol. Jada & Tristan at times came off a bit childish and I didn’t really care for it the lack of communication & apologies weren’t it for me. I enjoyed the steamy scenes nevertheless. 😉
Please keep in mind that this is an honest review.
I thank NetGallery and Wattpad for allowing me the opportunity to read this book I just don’t think it was for me that doesn’t mean it’s not someone else’s cup of tea.
I did enjoy the fake dating Hollywood actor & actress vibe it had going on I don’t doubt that real life actors do these stunts with one another.
I also enjoyed that both characters Jada and Tristan were POC. I enjoyed Tristan having the background he was given with both parents, I found myself wanting a bit more of Jada’s past life besides being a upcoming actress. I felt like Jade and Tristan needed a bit more chemistry fire than fight going on… Tristan being the playboy I didn’t really care for I feel like he could’ve been more detailed & softer if that makes any sense lol. Jada & Tristan at times came off a bit childish and I didn’t really care for it the lack of communication & apologies weren’t it for me. I enjoyed the steamy scenes nevertheless. 😉
Please keep in mind that this is an honest review.
I thank NetGallery and Wattpad for allowing me the opportunity to read this book I just don’t think it was for me that doesn’t mean it’s not someone else’s cup of tea.
June 6, 2022
I'm sure this book will appeal to many readers. The writing is good. I especially liked how the novel dealt with the additional problems faced by actors of color.
That said, I'm not the target audience for this book. It started off at a languorous pace, then suddenly ramped up to a high level of other-woman drama. I can't respect an A-list actor who would sleep with a production assistant just because he's bored. Especially when the father of his jealous ex-girlfriend is bankrolling the film they're working on. The book is too gossipy and too Hollywood for me, especially when the hero and heroine have little chemistry in the early chapters of the book.
This author has a lot of potential. As with the other Wattpad Books novels I've read, the writing is strong, but the understanding of story structure and reader expectations is lacking. Those can be learned. I expect good things from this author.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
That said, I'm not the target audience for this book. It started off at a languorous pace, then suddenly ramped up to a high level of other-woman drama. I can't respect an A-list actor who would sleep with a production assistant just because he's bored. Especially when the father of his jealous ex-girlfriend is bankrolling the film they're working on. The book is too gossipy and too Hollywood for me, especially when the hero and heroine have little chemistry in the early chapters of the book.
This author has a lot of potential. As with the other Wattpad Books novels I've read, the writing is strong, but the understanding of story structure and reader expectations is lacking. Those can be learned. I expect good things from this author.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 29, 2022
It was a mindless airport ride read. It went by quickly and was amusing, but the book felt like the conversations were incredibly redundant and circular. Both main characters were shells of stereotypes and only Tristan is given somewhat depth regarding why he is the way he is. Jade is frustratingly weak and indecisive and the author makes some ham-fisted “inverted Strong Black Woman trope” to explain her weakness but damn, grow a spine at some point. It also felt like she was trying to throw in as many diversity and inclusive measures to show how down she is, but all we’re only spoken about very topically: either include organically or leave it out.
It was written in a very juvenile way and the enemies to lover trope fell flat due to the contrived reason why they were enemies. I would’ve loved more time with Alia but she was too busy being a walking Need No Man/asexual black woman stereotype that we never saw any of her and spent wayyy too much time with her cousin and her half baked romance plot.
Either way, quick read, lemony scenes were lemon-ing.
It was written in a very juvenile way and the enemies to lover trope fell flat due to the contrived reason why they were enemies. I would’ve loved more time with Alia but she was too busy being a walking Need No Man/asexual black woman stereotype that we never saw any of her and spent wayyy too much time with her cousin and her half baked romance plot.
Either way, quick read, lemony scenes were lemon-ing.
August 29, 2022
'Off Script' by Ashley Marie 3 stars
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally coming back after an incident with her ex caused her career to plummet. While Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling and other bad publicity led Jada and Tristan into a fake relationship that will boost both of their careers.
This book had so much potential, it could have been a 5-star read. The writing was great but the characters were the downfall. At first, I hated Tristian he treated the women around him like objects, saying horrible stuff and would ruin the cutest moments but towards the end, he got better but no one acknowledged this behavior. Only the writing style saved this. The story was great if only the characters were different. The fake dating was played off fine. Their backstories were also fine, they weren't great but not horrible. Overall this book was alright not horrible.
Thanks, NetGalley for the arc.
Jada Berklee’s acting career is finally coming back after an incident with her ex caused her career to plummet. While Tristan Maxwell cheating on his latest fling and other bad publicity led Jada and Tristan into a fake relationship that will boost both of their careers.
This book had so much potential, it could have been a 5-star read. The writing was great but the characters were the downfall. At first, I hated Tristian he treated the women around him like objects, saying horrible stuff and would ruin the cutest moments but towards the end, he got better but no one acknowledged this behavior. Only the writing style saved this. The story was great if only the characters were different. The fake dating was played off fine. Their backstories were also fine, they weren't great but not horrible. Overall this book was alright not horrible.
Thanks, NetGalley for the arc.
December 26, 2021
This was a mixed bag for me. I love the fake dating trope so was keen to read this. There was a bit of character whiplash though which led to the fake dating. Tristan at first didn’t really seem like a player despite his questionable choices with Angela and him and Jada had a cute friendly connection. Then the Erica thing happened (which was a bit wtf and not as the blurb made it out to be) and their somewhat friendly relationship suddenly turned into some sort of love/hate thing with Tristan acting like a bit of a jerk. There was a lot of back and forth, hot and cold with the two leads which got a bit tiresome and I found myself wanting to read more about the supporting characters like Mikayla and Ren at some points. Overall though there was some chemistry and an interesting premise and the author’s writing style is good. Not the best in the trope but still worth a look.
January 4, 2022
Okay, so, I almost quit reading this one. Really, I kind of didn't particularly like Jada OR Tristan in the beginning and I wasn't sure that his actions could be redeemed to be honest. But something told me to keep reading, and I did!
I really liked it because the characters so imperfect and they make really dumb decisions and say things that they shouldn't and it just causes a heap of misunderstandings. I feel like these characters could very well be "real" people because they really and truly made some not-so-great decisions and tried to rationalize them before finally getting their act together and turning things around.
I liked the epilogue and the fact that both characters acknowledged that they are not perfect and that the relationship requires work. This was a refreshing, quick, read with some realistic feel to it!
I really liked it because the characters so imperfect and they make really dumb decisions and say things that they shouldn't and it just causes a heap of misunderstandings. I feel like these characters could very well be "real" people because they really and truly made some not-so-great decisions and tried to rationalize them before finally getting their act together and turning things around.
I liked the epilogue and the fact that both characters acknowledged that they are not perfect and that the relationship requires work. This was a refreshing, quick, read with some realistic feel to it!
January 27, 2022
Firstly, I want to talk about how great this cover is. It's so beautiful.
As someone who had been reading lots of stories on Wattpad, I was happy to read this.
I read this in one day. Couldn't keep away from it. The author did so much with research and as someone who doesn't know much about the film industry, I learnt a lot.
As much as I loved this book, some things didn't excite me as I wanted.
For example, I felt there was no too much chemistry between Jada and Tristan. I couldn't feel it as much as I wanted to.
And they argued over every little thing that made me want to enter the book and slap their faces.
Asides that, it was a great read. Especially Mikayla and Ren. I would love to read a novel about them. They had little moments together but I was so invested in their scenes.
Thank to Netgallery and the publisher for an ARC!
As someone who had been reading lots of stories on Wattpad, I was happy to read this.
I read this in one day. Couldn't keep away from it. The author did so much with research and as someone who doesn't know much about the film industry, I learnt a lot.
As much as I loved this book, some things didn't excite me as I wanted.
For example, I felt there was no too much chemistry between Jada and Tristan. I couldn't feel it as much as I wanted to.
And they argued over every little thing that made me want to enter the book and slap their faces.
Asides that, it was a great read. Especially Mikayla and Ren. I would love to read a novel about them. They had little moments together but I was so invested in their scenes.
Thank to Netgallery and the publisher for an ARC!
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