Falling for Rome

Star Studded #1

by Gillian Archer

Hollywood’s hottest actor is off the market! Who’s the mystery woman that caught his eye…and his heart?

Rome: My brother’s whole world imploded this week, and the media coverage is relentless. My assistant has come up with the perfect plan to take the attention off him and put it on me. Who doesn’t love a love story? Now let’s see if what’s-her-name wants to make some money and industry connections. It’s a win-win.

Sophia: The whole world knows who the Grier brothers are. The sexy Hollywood actors are on every woman’s wish list—and if I’m honest, mine too. But then I met Roman Grier and totally embarrassed myself. At least I’ll never see him again.

Only now he’s pursuing me. Well, kinda. He is promising me the world. Literally. I’ve always wanted to be a screenwriter, and he’s got the connections to get me through the door—if I pretend to date him and lie to everyone. It’s only a few months, and it’s not like I’m going to fall for Roman Grier for real…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fake Dating, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

282 pages, Paperback

Published February 10, 2022

About the author

GILLIAN ARCHER has a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering but prefers to spend her time on happily ever after. She writes the kind of stories she loves to read—the hotter the better! When she’s not pounding away on the keyboard, she can be found chasing her preschooler, or surfing the couch and indulging in her latest reality TV fixation, or reading awesome romance ebooks by her favorite authors. Gillian Archer lives in the wilds of Nevada with her amazing husband, gorgeous little girl, and goofy dog.

Check out her website for updates on her latest releases.

Reviews

[Helen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling for Rome combines the “regular person dating a celebrity” and the fake-dating tropes to create a sweet and binge-worthy romance novel. While the story isn’t too unique, the writing is fresh and the characters are lovable, and this is the perfect book to get lost in, especially during the dreary winter months.

Sophia Scott is an aspiring screenwriter who lives in Malibu and works a couple of jobs to pay her rent while she chases her dream of writing for the big screen. One of her jobs is as a dogwalker. But when the owner comes home early, she collides into him–literally–and discovers that the man who hired her was the assistant to the Roman Grier himself. He’s the star of rom coms, and the inspiration for all of the leading men in Sophia’s screenplays. Roman’s brother's estranged wife has recently died. His brother, Kingston, and his six-month-old niece are being hounded by the paparazzi. Roman wants to divert some of the vulture’s focus from his brother so that he can grieve privately. So, when the paparazzi publishes pictures of Sophia and Roman when they first met and the public assumes that they are an item, Roman proposes a deal with Sophia. She’ll pretend to be dating him and go on public dates for the “paps” to eat up, and he’ll introduce her to key people in the business. It’s a foolproof plan. The only thing they didn’t plan on? Falling in loooove.

The book is told in dual first person POV, with scenes from both Roman and Sophia’s perspective. Overall, the plot is sweet with humorous parts, and just a hint of angst. This story features a little bit of the opposites attract trope that goes beyond celebrity vs. common folk. While Sophia wants to make it in Hollywood, she’s quiet and subdued and, honestly, a little shy. She doesn’t have enough confidence in her writing, and she’s quite independent and doesn't want any handouts. Roman, on the other hand, is a little arrogant, (as he should be), and he has enough confidence for the two of them. He also has an inexplicable urge to take care of Sophia's financial woes, but she won't accept his help. I absolutely loved the writing style, and it felt like Roman and Sophia were genuine, three-dimensional people. Also, I read an advanced reader copy, and it’s self-published, and I don’t think I spotted a single typo.

This is my first by Gillian Archer, and it won’t be my last! I really hope that Kingston Grier is next up, and maybe he’ll be falling for the “blond nanny”? Hmm…

I recommend this book to those who want a feel good, sweet book with a hint of steam to escape into.

*Thank you to Netgalley, XPresso Book Tours, and the author for the ebook to review*

This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2022 Reading Challenge
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2022: This book fulfills the "A book with two POVs" category.

[Ginette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute

[Jena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a really good premise and some fun tropes (fake dating, famous love interest), but the characters fell flat for me. I didn't find the main character that interesting or really enjoy her POV. Her main characters traits are that she's nice and easily forgiving, and the love interest just felt like your typical angsty bad boy. I definitely think there are people who will love these characters and this book, it simply wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittanica Bold · Rating 4 out of 5]

It happened again. I got an ARC and added an author to my literary family. I loved Falling for Rome so much that I searched Gillian Archer and added a bunch of her books to my TBR. Do yourself a favor and check her out!

What I liked about this book:
1. The writing was fantastic. It had heart, drama, and swoon. I found literally only one spelling/grammar error. The pace and style of writing was easy to just keep churning through pages. Seriously, it was


2. Sophia may just be the sweetest character I have ever read. She has so much heart and humility, even after she goes through so much chaos. This is definitely the type of woman I can buy a Hollywood Heartthrob falling in love with because she's just so authentic and such a good person to her core.

Roman was a flawed hero, but aren't those the best? We don't want some perfect man, we want a man with flaws who gets his heart broken and has some atonement to do. While I didn't love the manipulation aspects of his personality, I did love how he gave his full, unbridled support and love to Sophia and immediately dropped the manipulation as soon as he started falling hard for her. I never thought a drive-in movie date could be sweet, but now I want to go with Rome!!!

King, I'm calling it now, he's going to be my favorite. Divorced man who wasn't treated right by his ex? Check Hot Captain America Actor? Check Single dad to a precious baby girl? Check! This man checks all the important boxes!


Nix, who hurt you? Or are you that far down the well? Going into your book, I'm going to have to have a strike against you already. Hopefully you can afford it.


Molly, while I didn't appreciate the way you handled the paps at your house and taking it out on your BFF, I grew to see your value and what you really brought to Sophia. Why do I have a really incredible need for you to be the woman to set Nix straight? I have a feeling you the swift kick in the ass he needs. I really hope its you.

3. SPIN OFFS!!! I love books with spin off potential! When I got to the end of this book in my kindle, I saw that Gillian already has books planned for King and Nix.


Why it didn't get 5 Stars:
1. I wanted to know more about Rome. While I wouldn't call him surface-level, I felt we didn't get to know him too much.

2. MORE PONGO!!!!

4 falling stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is set to be published on February 10, 2022 so make sure you grab it!

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Falling 4 Rome was a delightful fake relationship trope. I’m not big on “fake relationships” but I really enjoyed this one.
I loved how they met. I loved the chemistry and I loved the silliness these two had when they were together. It’s was a dual POV and I genuinely liked both of them and their feelings and or struggles. I’m excited about book 2.
This was a new author for me but I’ve already picked up another of her novels. I do recommend this.
Thanks Gillian Archer via NetGalley

[Donna McEachran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Cute fake relationship story with Sophia, a struggling screenwriter and Roman, a hot rom-com actor. Will definitely check out the other stories in this series about Roman's brothers, King and Phoenix.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Universal



Sophia moved to LA to pursue her dream of writing screenplays but so far she's only managed to find jobs as a dog walker and a barista, with no movement on her dream. Then one of her dog walking clients, A-list actor, Roman, comes along with a proposal: pretend to be his girlfriend to get the paps attention on him and not on his brother's loss, and he'll in turn introduce her to the right people in the industry to get her screenplays read. It sounds easy enough but Sophia didn't account when fake turns real. Or is it? Is Rome actually feeling what she is, or has he been manipulating her since the very beginning?



Rome's been in this industry for so long that it's made him into the kind of guy he never wanted to be - selfish, manipulative and uncaring of how his behavior affects others. Then his dog falls in love with his dog walker, and Rome's world is turned upside down. Manipulating her into a fake dating arrangement, supposedly for his brother and niece's sakes, was the best thing he ever did, because Sophia is the best thing to ever happen to him. Now he just has to decide if he can be the man she deserves, or continue down the path of selfish behavior he's been walking on for so long.



Sophia is the star of her story - she's sweet, adorable and just wants to pursue her dream. She's really far too good for the likes of Rome, so luckily for him, he learned from his mistakes and horrible behavior, and redeemed himself. Their chemistry is hot, though, and the story is great. I'm excited for the next installment, I really hope it's Rome's brother Kingston who falls in love next.



ARC provided by Wildfire Marketing Solutions for an honest review.

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[Madhur Mehta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Falling for Rome was a bitter-sweet romance which kept me hooked till the end and left me with wanting more. Told in dual perspective, it's a little angsty and will definitely give you butterflies in your stomach with some scenes.

I loved the chemistry between the characters. Roman is the super ambitious, and a lot overbearing at first. However he grew on me. As the story progressed I was able to understand him alot better, and appreciate the character. On the other hand, Sophia is a vulnerable, but a super sweet lady. Both the characters have an impressive arc. And when it comes to my favourite character i would definitely say it is pongo. He is soo cute.

Coming to the writing part of the book. One thing that I definitely appreciate is the fact that, the author gave enough time to the characters to build a relationship. Even though it was a celebrity crush and insta love type story, still it had these moment when you see how vulnerable yet strong these characters are and how their relationship develops from just a crush to an understanding one.

The only thing is, I felt there should have been a little more tug-of-war between the protagonists, as per the situations in the book. A little more angst would have added soo much flavour to the love story.

However, I loved this book and would definitely love to recommend it.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rome is a Hollywood actor who stars in romcoms, but he's certainly gotten jaded from his stardom. Sophia is the sweetest & genuine heroine who is working her behind off while waiting on her big break for screenwriting, and of course nothing is going well. She's walking Rome's dog when they come face to face since he got home early for a tragedy in their family, and he comes up with a plan to take the media attention off his grieving brother by proposing a fake dating situation with Sophia. If she'll go along with it, he'll use his connections to help her with her struggling career. She's not exactly down with it at first, but she agrees to it. She ends up staying with him, so they get to know each other & the sparks are flying between them, especially since she's really the best thing to happen to him in a long time, but will he actually admit to catching feelings?! Or will it all blow up in his face when his ultimate plans are revealed?! To find out, you'll have to hit those one click buttons, and enjoy this cute read! I CANNOT WAIT for Rome's brothers to get their own stories & I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

***ARC Provided by the Author***

3.5 Stars

I enjoy Gillian Archer's books. I know I am going to get a story that I enjoy and it's going to have characters whom I not only like, but also feel like read people.

Rome is a Hollywood celebrity and Sophia is a barista, a dogwalker, and not a Hollywood celebrity...which is sort of the point. The paparazzi catch them together, and in order to deflect some of the news off of his brother, Rome decides that fake dating Sophia is the best way to go.

Is the book a little predictable? Yes, yes it is. But, all romance is in a way as we all know how the book is going to end. But, what is fun about this one is the journey in getting there. I believed in their story, and their romance, and the actions of the people around them. I did think the fake dating plan seemed a little silly, but what I did believe was the reason for doing it, and that the characters thought it was a good idea.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia is a struggling screenwriter and I order to make ends meet she is also a dog walker and barista. While she was walking Pongo, a dog, on the beach Pongo runs and jumps all over a guy. It turns out the guy is none other than the famous actor Roman Grier, who turns out to me Pongo’s owner. Sofia has a big crush on Roman and Roman has an instant attraction to Sofia. Roman comes up with an idea that just might work. He wants to hire Sofia to be his fake girlfriend to help him get more attention by the tabloids and in return have his brother be less in the spotlight while he goes through a personal struggle. As Roman and Sofia start spending time together and having fake dates things start to blur and they start to have real feelings for each other. Will their relationship survive or will it crumble when the truth comes out? You will have to read to find out. I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from the beginning to the end! So much! Actors aren’t usually my romance topic of choice, but the blurb captured my attention and made me want to read it.

We meet Sophia while she is watching a cute Dalmatian dog. (Really enjoyed his crab story - sounds like something my dog would do.) She seems funny, sweet and reliable. Then BAM! She runs smack into someone. And not just any ol’ someone - Roman Grier! Yes, THAT Roman! Come to find out, she’s watching his dog. Whoa!
What starts off as a meet cute become more. In a never before read (to me) way.

I thought this story was original and entertaining. I would have read it in one sitting if that had been an option. Great introduction to the Grier brothers.

[Thuy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story! Celebrity, fake relationship romance, Rome and Sophia are in for a whirlwind. The have a meet cute with his dog, and somehow she becomes part a plan to be in a fake relationship with her celebrity crush Rome. But, there isn't any fake feelings going on between them at all. I really enjoyed their story. I can't wait for the brother's book!!!

[Danielle Cordsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling for Rome
By: Gillian Archer

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Anything he wouldn’t do? But for who!

Oh my oh my! This book has so much to unpack I’m not sure were to start. Two brother who are Hollywood heartthrobs, an adorable baby and the sweet girl who got caught in the middle.

Is Roman the nice guy Sophia always believed he was are is he selfish when it comes to her safety. Is his heart in the right place? Time will tell.

The author writing is flawless, and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: Rome: My brother’s whole world imploded this week, and the media coverage is relentless. My assistant has come up with the perfect plan to take the attention off him and put it on me. Who doesn’t love a love story? Now let’s see if what’s-her-name wants to make some money and industry connections. It’s a win-win.
Sophia: The whole world knows who the Grier brothers are. The sexy Hollywood actors are on every woman’s wish list—and if I’m honest, mine too. But then I met Roman Grier and totally embarrassed myself. At least I’ll never see him again.

Only now he’s pursuing me. Well, kinda. He is promising me the world. Literally. I’ve always wanted to be a screenwriter, and he’s got the connections to get me through the door if I pretend to date him and lie to everyone. It’s only a few months, and it’s not like I’m going to fall for Roman Grier for real…

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

[Sharon Moritz-rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary early release e-book prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the first book in a series about 3 brothers. Book 1 which is Falling for Rome came out in February and I really enjoyed reading it and I cannot wait for book 2 which will come out in November. It's a series about a Hollywood family with three very hot brothers (Nix, Rome and Kingston).

Rome is the very together brother who is single. Kingston is a newly divorced single dad, and his ex is Ariana who is injured in a car accident. His 6-month baby daughter is Zoe. And the youngest brother is Phoenix/Nix who is the loose cannon brother who is addicted to drugs and a bit of a hot head.

This book is about Rome. He has come home from his latest movie set to help out his brother Kingston. Kingston was married for three years, and his ex-wife is in a terrible car accident, but the media is centered on King and his 6-month daughter. Rome has come home to help but is struggling with how to help his broken-hearted brother. Until....

He runs into dog walker, barista and would be Hollywood screen writer Sophia on the beach with his dog. The press catches photos of them and Rome gets the brilliant idea to fake date her to take the press pressure off of King and instead they can focus on Sophia and Rome's budding relationship.

This book is a fake date romance with a Hollywood celebrity, Rome and Sophia is his one tough cookie but total sweetheart, dog walker who he ends up convincing to be his fake girlfriend. With the press making her miserable she also ends up being Rome's new roomie. The two share a very unique attraction and what happens when they both decide to want more from each other.

I really enjoyed this story and I found it very unpredictable and that is because of Sophie. She has big dreams, and she plans to follow them. But at the same time, she struggles with how the world will see her and her accomplishments. I found that very realistic in that she wants to make her dreams happen but is she willing to pay the price with her connection to Rome.

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was supposed to be the perfect plan, but somewhere along the way things got messy, feelings got involved, and hearts got attached... and that was definitely not part of the plan. When Rome and his assistant proposed the idea of Sophia playing his fake girlfriend to take the media's attention off of his brother she thought she could handle it. But she was so wrong, the moment things started to become real, her heart got involved and it became hard to figure out what was fake and what was real.

Suddenly she was part of a world she knew nothing about, thrust into the spotlight, and quickly became the woman everyone loved to hate. Now her life is a disaster, she loves a man she can't trust, and all she wants is a little normalcy... and for the man she loves to love her the same way.

Between the pages on this wickedly addictive faux romance you will meet a woman who is getting the opportunity to live out her fantasy, she gets the date the man on the big screen that everyone swoons over. But she quickly learns being that woman isn't all it's cracked up to be, she can't go anywhere without her every move being documented, it's so not what she thought it would be. But Rome makes her believe she is in the right place, that what they have is real, and that she can depend on him to do right by her... but then the perfect little world that they have created starts to slip and disaster ensues. And she is left to wonder if any of it was real at all...

I loved every minute I spent reading this one, it's words pulled at my heartstrings, made me blush, and kept me thoroughly entertained. It was such a good story, and I am hoping that there will be more to come for these characters! It's a can't miss tale!! Highly recommend!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Minna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was cute. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars. I liked Sophia and Rome's characters, both of which felt fairly believable. Their meet-cute was adorable. I enjoyed the dog (Pongo), too, the inclusion of which felt organic and wasn't overly relied on as a crutch between the main characters. Everything was moving along nicely until all the sudden Rome went from using Sophia as a distraction from his brother's mess to being absolutely head over heels for her. I sort of missed that transition in the story, and honestly I thought they slept together way too fast (although this might be an unintended side effect of reading a whole bunch of slow burn romance in the near past). There were also several loose ends that could have been tied a little tighter - who leaked the information from the set? We never found out. Molly, the bff, felt sort of unfinished, as well. What about the jaybird drama? Resolution with Phoenix? Maybe this is fodder for the next book, which I am *assuming* is based on (this is an educated guess) Kingston and the nanny.

I did like the way that the toxicity of fame and the dichotomy between public persona and real-life person were portrayed. It seems like Rome is lucky to find a person who sees his real-life personality before his public persona solidifies into a full-on, full-time "Hollywood douche" as he says. I liked the story; as I said, it was super cute. It is definitely a fantasy-world romance, as with most stories involving movie stars/rockstars/pro football QBs falling for your average jane, but a girl can dream, right? I would try more by Ms. Archer, especially book #2 of this series.

[sav morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia Scott never expected her life to completely take a turn for the suddenly famous when she suddenly becomes the girlfriend of America, by dating the country's most eligible bachelors. She is thrown into the world of Hollywood, complete with invading paparazzi, family drama, and secrets. Roman Grier is the perfect boyfriend in every movie, but now he is tasked with keeping his dream girl but he just can't seem to get it right. But what if none of it was real, what if it was all an act, an image carefully molded by his managers? Who is Sophia Scott, and what does she get of this deal? And better yet what will Roman Grier do in order to prove everybody wrong, to show it wasn't a façade, how far will he go to win her affections.

This was the first arc I had ever received and I was so excited, and from the day I received it to today I have not stop talking about it. I’m so obsessed with this entire universe and storyline, and cannot wait for the rest of the series. By no means, is this the best book I have ever read it is full of overused tropes, and if you're looking for a story with a heavy plot in the background, I would not recommend this book to you. However if you love Hollywood-fake-dating romantic comedies, then will absolutely love this book. One of my favorite things about this book, is that it is a fast burn, which many people may hate but in my opinion it really added to the depth of Roman and Sophia as a couple. With the fake-dating-trope, we often do not get to see the outcome and consequences of transitioning from a fake relationship to a real one. You really get to see what goes wrong when you lie to most of the people around to, and how that can affect your life, and relationships. This book really went into the whole perspective of celebrity privacy within Hollywood, and how so many celebrities cultivate a public image for themselves, which isn’t at all who they are. The only negative thing I could really say about ‘Falling For Rome,’ is that it lacks depth in terms of plot and character development, but i’m very excited to read both King, and Nix’s story and think that both have large potential to have very strong character development. I have incredibly high hopes for the rest of this series and i’m very excited to jump back into this universe with the following books in the series.

5 songs that remind me of Rome and Sophia
1). Pink and White by Frank Ocean
2). Pierre by Ryn Weaver
3). Potential Breakup Song by Aly & AJ
4). A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta Jones
5). Put Your Head On My Shoulder by Paul Anka

[ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW]

[Ashley Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

My oh my! What’s not to love about this book? This was such a quick read for me, I couldn’t put it down! I loved the main trope of fake dating with a famous love interest. Getting the dual pov between Sophia and Roman was nice to see what was they were thinking. I loved that Sophia kept going for her dreams regardless of what happened with her love life.

“It was the reason I couldn’t help falling for Rome.”

Authors Blurb: Hollywood’s hottest actor is off the market! Who’s the mystery woman that caught his eye…and his heart?

Rome: My brother’s whole world imploded this week, and the media coverage is relentless. My assistant has come up with the perfect plan to take the attention off him and put it on me. Who doesn’t love a love story? Now let’s see if what’s-her-name wants to make some money and industry connections. It’s a win-win.

Sophia: The whole world knows who the Grier brothers are. The sexy Hollywood actors are on every woman’s wish list—and if I’m honest, mine too. But then I met Roman Grier and totally embarrassed myself. At least I’ll never see him again.

Only now he’s pursuing me. Well, kinda. He is promising me the world. Literally. I’ve always wanted to be a screenwriter, and he’s got the connections to get me through the door—if I pretend to date him and lie to everyone. It’s only a few months, and it’s not like I’m going to fall for Roman Grier for real…

This was my first book of Gillian Archer’s and it certainly won’t be the last!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Falling for Rome is available on February 10th!

[Allyssa (Book Ally) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have recently been on a romance binge and I been trying to broaden my romance collection a bit if that makes sense, I also am a self proclaimed fan girl for multiple celebs so felt why not pick up a book with a famous person trope.

This books followed Rome (the celeb) and Sophia (the normie). Romes brother is having a rough time with the media and paparazzi so Rome and his assistant come up with a plan to distract the media by Rome having a romance, which is where Sophia comes in. Sophia is poor girl struggling to pay bills, working cafe jobs while chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter. She picks up an extra job of dog walking which turns out to be Rome's dog.

I was a bit sad at how fast Sophia and Rome met in the book and how fast the romance happened and progressed. I wished it maybe was more like a slow build to him falling for her instead of him fighting his urge to want to be with her straight away pretty much.

Although there was some family history into both of the characters, there wasn't as much as I would have liked and I ended the book feeling like I didn't really know a lot about either of them. I wasn't very invested in either of them. Nothing really stood out as being terrible but on the other hand nothing stood out as being great either.

One thing I found was weird was how it kept coming up that she was using him and why was she with him for when he was clearly seen as a good looking sought after guy and she was a young pretty girl. I just didn't really understand why there had to be some reason to why she was with other than they were attracted to each other and liked one another.

I see that this is the first in a series. I am unsure if I will carry on in the series. It was a quick easy read but nothing special and something that will probably fade my memory in a couple of months.

[Jenn the Readaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even famous men are able to mess everything up by being dumb, and Rome is no exception! He and Sophia start as fake, maybe, and progress to real, possibly. But when it all hits the fan due to vindictiveness by someone who should be better, what’s real and what’s fake? Sophia isn’t sure, but it doesn’t feel like she’s on this ride with Rome. Instead, it sort of feels like she’s the vehicle by which good publicity is made. But is she?

The progression between Sophia and Rome to love was fantastic and felt real, even if it may have been fake. But that’s the glory of Hollywood, I guess. No one had a clue where fake ended and real began. Or if fake was ever really even a thing. Rome sure didn’t feel like anything was fake, but it would seem that his ability to share wasn’t always the best. And Sophia knew that she felt the realism, but she doubted so much about their whole relationship that she couldn’t trust anything for a bit.

Luckily, these two figure it out and make it all right. And there is a spectacular grovel when Rome does what so many men do: puts his foot and half a leg in it. But he’s determined and oh so willing to sacrifice himself on the altar of loving Sophia that I couldn’t be too angry. I could just hope for it all to shake out right in the end. It definitely did and now I can’t wait for more. Maybe Kingston is next? I sort of hope so because Nix is still on my bad list and deserves to be for a bit longer.

[ALR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rome Grier is a hotshot holiday actor trying to help his actor brother deal with the crazy media coverage going on during a tough family time, but how can he get the “vultures “ to leave his brother alone, why by diverting attention to himself, of course. Sophia is a writer/barista/dog walker trying to make a go of her dream when she unintentionally falls into the hottest man around, Rome. Soon all the talk around town is about Rome and his mystery new woman, so Rome strikes a deal with Sophia, he’ll help her if she helps him, and Sophia reluctantly agrees, but no one could have prepared her for the onslaught of being in the public eye, which soon becomes more than she can bear. While helping her deal Rome soon starts to fall for Sophia, for real, but secrets and family dramas are working against them. How can America’s hottest actor fall for an average woman, and how can one relationship handle the intense spotlight? Rome initially seems a bit like a jerk, but his love for his family is strong and redeems him, although some personal choices he makes make you want to shake him, and Sophie seems like your average dreamer. There is a lot of heat, mixed with some sweetness in their story that makes you want to root for them and overall is a nice quick read. I am anxious to see if the other Grier boys get their own story too. 5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed an arc copy of this book. All thoughts an opinions are my own.

[Samantha (Millennial Life Crisis Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So excited for this new series from Gillian! Sophia is a struggling screenwriter who moonlights as a barista and dog walker and seems to be starting to feel like she will never make her dreams a reality. While walking her latest dog assignment, the dog runs off and tackles someone, and while completely mortified, she gets even more embarrassed when the guy asks her why she’s trying to take his dog, and realizes he is none other than famous actor Roman (who is also one of her biggest crushes). Returning home early from his shoot due to the death of his sister-in-law, and with the press down his brother’s back, he concocts a plan to redirect the press to a different story – his fake relationship with Sophia. At first extremely hesitant, Sophia decides to take Roman up on his offer, but she has no idea what she’s in store for and that becomes apparent when she is essentially exiled to Roman’s place since everywhere else is swarmed with reporters. As the pair get to know each other, their agreement turns into more when they get to know each other outside the presumptions and fake news, but when Roman’s plans come to light, will it risk him losing Sophia forever? This was such a cute read, and I can’t wait to get the other brothers’ books, especially after getting a little bit of background on each of them!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Dani.Reads.Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good. It’s a solid 3.5 star book with classic tropes, good writing, and a decent plot. We have fake dating, a famous love interest, an ambitious heroine, a toxic brother (who will hopefully get a redemption arc), and sets you up for a few more stories in the same world. It’s a solid read. It’s not exceptional and it didn’t blow my mind, but it’s a solid read with a solid plot and good characters.

Here’s what I liked:
The book tropes were everything I typically love, and they were done well.
The set up for future novels was good. WE know the other two brothers will get books, just by reading this book.
It discussed the difficult parts of fame, especially when you don’t want to be famous, which I liked.
There wasn't a discussion of too many topics: we got the toxicity of social media, paparazzi, drugs, dealing with fame, but that’s it. I like that the author didn’t try to tackle too much in one book.

Here what I didn’t like:
I love a good insta-love plot, but the characters get together really quickly, even for my taste.
The ending seemed rushed - all of the sudden things were wrapping up with the younger brother, the relationship, she forgave him, etc. It just all happens very quickly.

Overall though, a solid read.

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have I suddenly been reading a ton of romances featuring Hollywood actors? Yes for some reason I have been, Did that at all diminish my enjoyment of this book? I am so glad you asked because no, it absolutely did not. I was all all curled up in my comfiest chair just sighing and smiling as I flew through the pages.

Sophia literally runs into her favorite movie star while walking a dog, who turns out to be his. When pictures of them together hit the gossip sites, Roman realizes that a fake relationship may be the answer to his problems. Neither of them are prepared for the feeling and complications that come with their arrangement,

I appreciated that Sophia was a driven character who was firm in her convictions. She is working towards dream of her own and has no desire to just be a plus one for the rest of her life. Roman wanted to be everything for everyone but at least was able to listen and learn. It was so easy to root for them together,

Can I say how ready I am for King's book already?

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Daisy Nijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling for Rome is fake relationship romance. The Grier brothers, Roman and Kingston, are both very famous. When Kingston’s estranged wife dies in accident, Roman sets a plan in motion to get the spotlight of his brother and his baby girl.
Sofia was Rome’s dogwalker when he was overseas, but he knows she’s just what he needs for her plan. While she is starstruck at first, she will do everything that she can to help Rome’s brother.
When the fake relationship also starts to grow behind closed doors, can they overcome the problems they are both facing outside their little bubble?

This is my first book by Gillian Archer and I loved it. It is a slow build up from fake dating to really falling for each other. The way they both try to deny that there is something more between them, even after giving in.
This book was written with so much emotion, dealing with so many struggles when being famous, paparazzi, drugs, no privacy…
I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm honestly not sure if I want to rate this 3 or 4 stars, but I'm going to go with 3. I loved how this novel began and especially how Roman and Sophia met. However, things quickly turned a little silly for me as far as the main reason for their fake relationship. Then, it seemed to catapult from 0 to 60 as far as the transition from fake to real, especially on Sophia's end.

I didn't understand Sophia's bff relationship with Molly because it seemed one-sided. I wasn't sure about Roman's assistant, Jeff, because he didn't do a great job at keeping his word. Then there was all the drama with his brother Phoenix which honestly, seemed sort of like an after-thought to add into the storyline, so that confused me.

Anyway, this book held my interest and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either.

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

[Keza Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake dating celebrity romance!
The meeting being well.. quite awkward and amusing. Sophia meeting her celebrity crush, Roman Grier. This was something she never thought would happen nor did she think she would literally run into him. But when he proposes a plan of a fake relationship....that takes her by surprise. Sophia is a struggling screenwriter. Mix the brutal social media that with misunderstandings, half-truths and real feelings things start to get messy real quick.

This celebrity fake romance was really enjoyable to read. It had a real nice amount of sexy heat and Rome could also be very sweet. I found that Sophia was a little bit to topsy-turvy and then would claim ignorance which was a little annoying. But I didn't find that took away from the story to much for me. I still really liked it. This was my first book by this author and I will be back to read more.

ARC Review.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from the beginning to the end! So much! Actors aren’t usually my romance topic of choice, but the blurb captured my attention and made me want to read it.

We meet Sophia while she is watching a cute Dalmatian dog. (Really enjoyed his crab story - sounds like something my dog would do.) She seems funny, sweet and reliable. Then BAM! She runs smack into someone. And not just any ol’ someone - Roman Grier! Yes, THAT Roman! Come to find out, she’s watching his dog. Whoa!
What starts off as a meet cute become more. In a never before read (to me) way.

I thought this story was original and entertaining. I would have read it in one sitting if that had been an option. Great introduction to the Grier brothers.

[Honey Book Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started great. I really enjoyed the first few chapters. The story kinda reminded me of To Love Jason Thorn.

But then the story went too fast, there was no major build up to the main plot, complication, to Rome and Sophia’s get-together.

I got the butterflies with their relationship. But unfortunately at some part it felt too fake to me even when they got together for real 😩 I could no longer get in the moment.

Sophia in my opinion was a weak heroine. She gets too upset easily over trivial matters. And they she easily gets swayed over Rome as well.

I really wanted to like the book because it’s one of the tropes that I love but sad to say, this didn’t work for me 😭

Overall 3.5 ⭐️
Spice 3 🌶