Book Review: How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

September 4, 2023September 24, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Ava Wilder
Publisher: Dell
Release Date: June 14th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

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?

BETTER THAN I THOUGHT.

I picked this up on a whim from a friends recommendation. It was even better than I could have hoped! And a lot deeper too.

The deeper angle was actually a really nice touch. I liked the exploration behind the darker side of Hollywood and the way grief can keep its claws in us. I’m very grateful that Ethan got the help he needed in the end and I liked a lot of the conversations with characters and development he had.

Fake dating is totally my jam. And while I do think this got off to a quicker start than expected I did like the relationship. They were real sweet on one another. While I’m usually not a Hollywood actor set-up fan, this landed in the exception column and I’m so glad it did.

I loved the audiobook and definitely recommend that avenue. A solid read that I’m happy I picked up!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: strong
Romance: multiple open door; med-high explicit
Trigger/Content Warnings: child physical abuse mentioned, parental abandonment recounted, familial estrangement, divorce, dieting/weight discussed, alcohol abuse, drug abuse recounted, grief and loss depiction, death of a friend in a car accident, death of parent mentioned, stalking

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Book Review: But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor (But He’s a Carter Brother #1) by Annah Conwell

September 3, 2023August 31, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 260 pages
Author: Annah Conwell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 24th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s not stalking if he’s your hot neighbor… right?

At least, that’s what I tell myself when Adrian Carter moves in next door.

His scowl should make me want to run in the other direction, but when I catch him smothering a smile around me, it makes me want to get to know him more.

And when Adrian starts to open up, I find myself falling in love with the cinnamon roll center hidden beneath his gruff exterior.

But between my emotional baggage and his aversion to relationships, it’s looking like we’ll never be more than neighborly.

But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor is a cozy grumpy/sunshine romcom for lovers of small-town romantic comedies. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any explicit scenes. Check out the first book of the But He’s A Carter Brother Series, a series based around four strong, protective brothers finding love.

STOP IT RIGHT NOW.

This was absolutely one of my new favorite reads. OMG. It was the sweetest, gooeyest, tender and romantic book. I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

Thank goodness for some dual POV. I loved getting Adrian and Juliette’s perspectives and learning more about them. They were beautiful people on their own and putting them together was JUST THE BEST. I loved how long angst this was. There’s no third act, there’s no insane drama. It is COZY in all the best ways and will wrap you up like a warm hug. These two are sweet on each other from the beginning and the mutual pining is the best. I loved the grump x sunshine trope. The ONE BED (but keep it sweet) and the little dash of dating help. I am a melted puddle after devouring this.

I seriously can’t stop gushing about this book. It was the perfect sweet read. I am a big time fan girl now and I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of emotional/physical child abuse (briefly recounted), mentions of loss of mother, panic attacks

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2023

September 2, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Is it fall yet? We’ve made it to the end of formal summer and I really would love if the temperature would dip under 100 degrees.

Favorites of August:

What the River Knows
Check & Mate
The Jasad Heir
Bring Me Your Midnight
Realm Breaker
The Blonde Identity
Yumi and the NIghtmare Painter
Desire or Defense
How to Kiss a Movie Star
Belladonna
Babel
A Fate Inked in Blood
Just Don’t Fall
Foxglove
Garden of the Midnights
Flirtation or Faceoff
But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor
Assistant to the Villain

Least favorites:

An Empress of Air & Chaos
All’s Fair in Love and Christmas
The Invisible Hour

[ARC] What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez
[Gifted] Thief of Sorrows by Kristen M. Long
You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
[ARC] Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
An Empress of Air & Chaos (An Empress #1) by Noelle Rayne
The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne #1) by Sara Hashem
Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin
A City of Flames (A City of Flames #1) by Rina Vasquez
This Violent Reckoning (The Curse of the Blessed #2) by Renee Dugan
[ARC] All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon
Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker #1) by Victoria Aveyard
The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
Play Your Part by Kathryn Kincaid
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
[Reread] Desire or Defense (D.C. Eagles #1) by Leah Brunner
The Marriage Effect (Washington Wolves #3) by Karla Sorensen
[ARC] To Spark a Match (The Matchmakers #2) by Jen Turano
[ARC] How to Kiss a Movie Star (Hawthorne Brothers #4) by Jenny Proctor
Omen of Ice (Omen of Ice #1) by Jus Accardo
Slow Dance in Purgatory (Purgatory #1) by Amy Harmon
A Duet with the Siren Duke (Married to Magic #4) by Elise Kova
Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace
Hands Down by Mariana Zapata
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
[ARC] A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated #1) by Danielle L. Jensen
Prom Night in Purgatory (Purgatory #2) by Amy Harmon
[ARC] Betting on You by Lynn Painter
One of Us Is Back (One Of Us Is Lying #3) by Karen M. McManus
[ARC] Just Don’t Fall (Sweater Weather #1) by Emma St. Clair
[Reread] A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab
Face the Night by Lani Forbes
Heavenly Bodies (Heavenly Bodies #1) by Imani Erriu
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
Foxglove (Belladonna #2) by Adalyn Grace
[ARC] Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder
Heirs of Falcon Point (Falcon Point #0) by Traci Hunter Abramson, Sian Ann Bessey, Paige Edwards and A.L. Sowards
[ARC] Flirtation or Faceoff (D.C. Eagles Hockey #2) by Leah Brunner
Karma is a Witch (Deadlights Cove #5) by Aimee Vance and B. Perkins
House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt #2) by Erin A. Craig
But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor (But He’s a Carter Brother #1) by Annah Conwell
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
[ARC] Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone

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ARC Book Review: Flirtation or Faceoff (D.C. Eagles Hockey #2) by Leah Bruner

September 1, 2023August 27, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 265 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After getting my heart broken, I’ve sworn off athletes forever.

Then my best friend has to go and marry an NHL player, and his teammate, Colby Knight, won’t leave me alone.

Colby is a master at scoring (on and off the ice), and he’s not used to being told no. So he takes my disinterest as an invitation to pursue me even harder. I ignore him… until I realize I can use his expertise to help me get my crush’s attention.

But now that he’s my dating coach, and we’re spending so much time together, I’m growing more and more distracted. I mean, those dimples? Very enticing.

Just when I think he might be more than just a playboy hockey player, a blast from the past comes back and reminds me why I swore off athletes in the first place.

Can I trust Colby, or is he just another jerk who will break my heart?

(This is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance, and can be read as a standalone. This book contains mild language. Trigger warnings: cheating exes.)

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

CLOSED DOOR HOCKEY QUEEN.

I don’t care that we’re only three books into this series (including the prequel!), Leah Brunner is creating the best closed door hockey romance series around.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Colby was absolutely GONE for Noel from the get-go and he was so dang sweet. Good heavens. I loved how much he cared. For Noel, his friends, family and those around him. I loved his passion and commitment. I just loved HIM.

And Noel. I loved her too. I loved how incredibly intelligent and nerdy she was. I loved her character arc too and how she learned to trust and move forward with the things she wanted in life.

The chemistry between Colby and Noel was off the charts. I loved how soft it was, but also sexy. It’s a fiery combination that sets the book A FLAME. I loved the dating lessons, and protective moments. All of the family get together and the seeing my favorite D.C. Eagles again.

This book had it all. I already want to read it again.

Overall audience notes: