How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder - starting January 8th, 2023

[Brigia]

A talented Hollywood starlet and a reclusive A-lister enter into a fake relationship . . . and discover that their feelings might be more than a PR stunt in this sexy debut for fans of Beach Read and The Unhoneymooners.

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen soap has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, she’s finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist’s scheme . . . faking a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons.

Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with drinking, and his grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, he’s slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

Though their juicy public relationship is less than perfect behind the scenes, it doesn’t take long before Grey and Ethan’s sizzling chemistry starts to feel like more than just an act. But after decades in a ruthless industry that requires bulletproof emotional armor to survive, are they too used to faking it to open themselves up to the real thing?

[Karen]

First quarter (view spoiler)[ Ethan and Grey are fairly typical in some ways, but I’m looking forward to seeing if they have the bottle to be honest with each other. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Second quarter (view spoiler)[ Not exactly surprised, but they’re dragging out the will they/won’t they element a little. Wondering if some intervention from the ex wouldn’t go amiss. (hide spoiler)]

[Brigia]

I'm going to start this today :-)

[Karen]

Brigia, I started last night and found myself drawn in. It doesn’t seem anything new, but they’re characters I feel for.

[Karen]

Third quarter (view spoiler)[ Guess that was always on the cards…the entrance of her friend offers a little more insight into Grey. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Finished. Review on home page. (view spoiler)[ I do like a happy ending… (hide spoiler)]

[Brigia]

Karen wrote: "Brigia, I started last night and found myself drawn in. It doesn’t seem anything new, but they’re characters I feel for."

Exactly what I want right now :-)

[Brigia]

Karen wrote: "First quarter [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Both MCs are very likeable from the start. I agree, I don't anticipate many surprises, but the writing had me smile a couple of times and I think I'm really going to enjoy this. (hide spoiler)]

[Brigia]

Karen wrote: "Second quarter [spoilers removed]"

I had to book this book aside for a few days to finish a library book that came due; picking it back up now.

(view spoiler)[I agree, they're dragging things out and this part felt a bit slow. I'm curious about this stalker they seem to have. (hide spoiler)]

[Brigia]

75%

(view spoiler)[So, the stalker situation did make things more interesting... you couldn't pay me to live in public like that, I really don't get why people would want to see photos like that. It sucks that she didn't get the part after all.
I'm really upset with Ethan for forgetting his girls. He seems like such a mess - I do hope he will enter some kind of therapy at some point. In Nora's place, I would not have been sympathetic. (hide spoiler)]

[Brigia]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ That got more serious than I anticipated, but I was really glad that the addiction was dealt with professionally and it wasn't magically cured. I ended up really liking the first and last quarter, in between it was a bit slow. I enjoyed it overall - thanks for buddy reading it with me! (hide spoiler)]