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Out in Hollywood #2
At Her Service
Fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall, and Meryl Wilsner will fall for this sweetly sexy, gloriously relatable sapphic rom-com about self-improvement, chasing your dreams, and writing your own Hollywood love story – from the acclaimed author of For Her Consideration.
Max Van Doren has a wish list, and a great career and a girlfriend are at the top. But despite being pretty good at her job as an assistant to one of Hollywood’s fastest rising talent agents, she has no idea how to move up the ladder. And when it comes to her love life, she’s stuck in perpetual lust for an adorably perfect bartender named Sadie. Her goals are clear—and Max has everything but the self-confidence to go for them. Even her mother seems to assume she’ll be crawling home to her childhood bedroom at some point . . .
When Max’s roommate, Chelsey—an irritatingly gorgeous and self-assured influencer in plus-size and queer spaces—offers to sponsor her for a new self-actualization app, Max gives in. If she can’t run her own life, maybe an algorithm guiding her choices will help? Suddenly Max is scoring big everywhere, and her dreams are achingly close to coming true. But when one of Chelsey’s posts reveals Sadie’s part in the app’s campaign, Max is poised for heartbreak on all fronts. Tired of the sponcon life with its fake friends and endless selfies, Max realizes that to have true influence, she’ll have to find the courage to make her own, totally authentic way in the world . . .
Fresh, feel-good, and endlessly relatable, here is a glorious love story for the digital age and beyond.
Max Van Doren has a wish list, and a great career and a girlfriend are at the top. But despite being pretty good at her job as an assistant to one of Hollywood’s fastest rising talent agents, she has no idea how to move up the ladder. And when it comes to her love life, she’s stuck in perpetual lust for an adorably perfect bartender named Sadie. Her goals are clear—and Max has everything but the self-confidence to go for them. Even her mother seems to assume she’ll be crawling home to her childhood bedroom at some point . . .
When Max’s roommate, Chelsey—an irritatingly gorgeous and self-assured influencer in plus-size and queer spaces—offers to sponsor her for a new self-actualization app, Max gives in. If she can’t run her own life, maybe an algorithm guiding her choices will help? Suddenly Max is scoring big everywhere, and her dreams are achingly close to coming true. But when one of Chelsey’s posts reveals Sadie’s part in the app’s campaign, Max is poised for heartbreak on all fronts. Tired of the sponcon life with its fake friends and endless selfies, Max realizes that to have true influence, she’ll have to find the courage to make her own, totally authentic way in the world . . .
Fresh, feel-good, and endlessly relatable, here is a glorious love story for the digital age and beyond.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2024
137 people are currently reading
6262 people want to read
About the author
Amy Spalding
17 books925 followersAmy Spalding is the author of several novels, including the bestselling For Her Consideration, We Used to Be Friends and The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), which was named a best book of 2018 by NPR, the Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews, and more. She is a recipient of the 2023 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award for the authentic, funny, and diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community in her books.
Amy grew up in St. Louis and now lives in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Amy grew up in St. Louis and now lives in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
May 30, 2023
Even if I didn't write this book I would think it was excellent!
March 19, 2024
At Her Service by Amy Spalding
Out in Hollywood series #2. Sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone. New Adult.
Max Van Doren has a great job as a Talent Agent Assistant. She juggles tasks, phone calls, errands and reads scripts. Sure, she’d love to have her boss’s job one day, but she’s still learning. And her job keeps her busy so she really hasn’t made any friends. She does have a favorite neighborhood bar but that may be because she has a huge crush on the bartender, Sadie.
Max has goals but she is not really sure how to make them a reality. Roommate Chelsey, a gorgeous and self-assured influencer convinces Max to sign up for a new self-actualization app and document the process through Chelsey’s page. Max now has actionable items for her career, finding new friends, gaining strength and moving forward on love. Max feels like her life is finally coming together. But the public exposure can also cause problems.
Oh the angst of dating, career and responsibilities. It can be daunting in your 20’s. Or 30’s. Or any age. This story has heart and drama. It has sexy love and uncomfortable friendships. It has career ambitions and uncertainty. It’s has feel good moments galore as Max learns more about herself and what she really wants. And it has love. It takes work but finding and keeping love does. And it’s okay.
Chase your dreams. You’re worth it.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Out in Hollywood series #2. Sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone. New Adult.
Max Van Doren has a great job as a Talent Agent Assistant. She juggles tasks, phone calls, errands and reads scripts. Sure, she’d love to have her boss’s job one day, but she’s still learning. And her job keeps her busy so she really hasn’t made any friends. She does have a favorite neighborhood bar but that may be because she has a huge crush on the bartender, Sadie.
Max has goals but she is not really sure how to make them a reality. Roommate Chelsey, a gorgeous and self-assured influencer convinces Max to sign up for a new self-actualization app and document the process through Chelsey’s page. Max now has actionable items for her career, finding new friends, gaining strength and moving forward on love. Max feels like her life is finally coming together. But the public exposure can also cause problems.
Oh the angst of dating, career and responsibilities. It can be daunting in your 20’s. Or 30’s. Or any age. This story has heart and drama. It has sexy love and uncomfortable friendships. It has career ambitions and uncertainty. It’s has feel good moments galore as Max learns more about herself and what she really wants. And it has love. It takes work but finding and keeping love does. And it’s okay.
Chase your dreams. You’re worth it.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
May 13, 2024
3.25 Stars
“At Her Service” by Amy Spalding is book two in her Out in Hollywood series. I really enjoyed the previous book, “For Her Consideration” so I was looking forward to Max’s storyline.
This one left me with some mixed feelings overall. While I did enjoy, for the most, Max’s story, this didn’t really feel like a romance. I liked Sadie but we don’t see her that much. A lot of what we know about her are Max’s assumptions and she’s not all that accurate about things.
The story centers more around Max and her job and the self-actualization app her roommate has her on. I was interested in those things, but Max tended to whine a lot and had a lot of self-doubts. It was okay at first, especially because of how realistic it is. However, it kept happening over and over again and it got tiresome after a while. It made some of the book feel repetitive.
I did like the growth we see with Max. Maybe it’s more of a belief in herself. Max’s life is in a bit of a stasis. She’s not moving up in her career, she has a crush on her local bartender and doesn’t have many friends. She has goals for all of these but she doesn’t know how to go about attaining them. A lot of her issues stem from low self-confidence and I liked how she started realizing that a lot of her assumptions just weren’t true. She started having more confidence in herself to go after what she wanted.
As in “For Her Consideration,” the setting is again almost like a character here. I liked seeing aspects of Los Angeles that we don’t see get mentioned much. I’ve never been to LA but I feel like I have a slightly better idea about it after reading this series.
Nina and Ari also make a couple of appearances and I enjoyed seeing how they’ve progressed. Also, Max and Sadie both have short hair, that's not something I ever seen in sapphic fiction!
While I didn’t love this book, I still liked it and will be looking forward to whatever Spalding releases next.
I received an ARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“At Her Service” by Amy Spalding is book two in her Out in Hollywood series. I really enjoyed the previous book, “For Her Consideration” so I was looking forward to Max’s storyline.
This one left me with some mixed feelings overall. While I did enjoy, for the most, Max’s story, this didn’t really feel like a romance. I liked Sadie but we don’t see her that much. A lot of what we know about her are Max’s assumptions and she’s not all that accurate about things.
The story centers more around Max and her job and the self-actualization app her roommate has her on. I was interested in those things, but Max tended to whine a lot and had a lot of self-doubts. It was okay at first, especially because of how realistic it is. However, it kept happening over and over again and it got tiresome after a while. It made some of the book feel repetitive.
I did like the growth we see with Max. Maybe it’s more of a belief in herself. Max’s life is in a bit of a stasis. She’s not moving up in her career, she has a crush on her local bartender and doesn’t have many friends. She has goals for all of these but she doesn’t know how to go about attaining them. A lot of her issues stem from low self-confidence and I liked how she started realizing that a lot of her assumptions just weren’t true. She started having more confidence in herself to go after what she wanted.
As in “For Her Consideration,” the setting is again almost like a character here. I liked seeing aspects of Los Angeles that we don’t see get mentioned much. I’ve never been to LA but I feel like I have a slightly better idea about it after reading this series.
Nina and Ari also make a couple of appearances and I enjoyed seeing how they’ve progressed. Also, Max and Sadie both have short hair, that's not something I ever seen in sapphic fiction!
While I didn’t love this book, I still liked it and will be looking forward to whatever Spalding releases next.
I received an ARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2024
There’s something about For Her Consideration that stayed on my mind even though I didn’t love the book. When I reviewed it, I rated it 3.5⭐️, and yet I never forgot Nina and Ari. Or Max. So when I realised Max would be getting her own book, I had to check it out. I’m very glad I did, since I enjoyed it a whole lot, and I now hope to read many more books by Amy Spalding.
Max feels constantly underestimated and not taken seriously, even at work where she gives her all and knows she’s appreciated. When her roommate Chelsey, an influencer, asks her to try a self-actualisation app, Max refuses at first but after a catastrophic date, decides to give it a go, even if it means sharing her feelings and awkwardness with Chelsey’s numerous followers. And finds that it’s actually helping.
Romances in which one of the MCs has a huge, unflattering secret that is bound to come out and ruin the fledgling relationship usually make me very uncomfortable. In this case however, perhaps because Max is so relatable, or because I trusted Sadie, I was actually looking forward to seeing how they would deal with the situation. It’s still not my favourite trope, but I didn’t cringe once. And I found myself reading well into the night twice in a row when I really should have been sleeping.
As in For Her Consideration, L.A. is almost a character in itself, or at least the love of one of the MCs for the city is, and reading about it makes me want to go discover all these places by myself.
Lori Prince narrates the audiobook and I’m looking forward to listening to it in the near future.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
April 1, 2025
I'm so glad I slogged through the first book in the series to get to this one. At Her Service feels like a warm hug. Amy Spalding’s storytelling has such a cozy charm to it, and the characters felt so real and endearing.
Lori Prince absolutely nailed the narration, again!
So, if you're in the mood for something that will make your heart feel full and squishy, this one’s for you. 💕😊
Lori Prince absolutely nailed the narration, again!
So, if you're in the mood for something that will make your heart feel full and squishy, this one’s for you. 💕😊
January 7, 2024
I decided to give Amy Spalding and her adult sapphic romances another shot because this was a butch4butch story and we don't get a lot of those. Unfortunately I ran into the exact same issue as last time: Spalding's writing is boring and the target audience are clearly fellow LA/Hollywood liberals (although this book does have some relatively interesting things at the end about pricey self-help services but everything is so Hollywood speak it's unbearable).
Despite this book being supposedly a romance, it's more about Max' life, her career (which is is very similar to the one the MC in For Her Consideration had, Madame Amy Spalding I know what your career is) and about influencing. Sadie as a character never stood to me in any particular way but once again I believe this is due to Spalding's writing being boring especially when it comes to characters as well as the story lacking a strong emotional hook that made me want to keep reading.
Despite this book being supposedly a romance, it's more about Max' life, her career (which is is very similar to the one the MC in For Her Consideration had, Madame Amy Spalding I know what your career is) and about influencing. Sadie as a character never stood to me in any particular way but once again I believe this is due to Spalding's writing being boring especially when it comes to characters as well as the story lacking a strong emotional hook that made me want to keep reading.
March 22, 2024
Charming sapphic romance!
When I requested this incredibly fun queer romance, I did not realize this book was the second in a series. Luckily, it can certainly stand alone, but I loved it so much, I'll be reading book #1 soon now. Because it's me, of course, I had book# 1 already sitting on my shelves. My house is basically the equivalent of a small library now...
AT HER SERVICE is so charming, featuring a wonderfully relatable main character. Max moves to LA from Kentucky with a dream of a new life, where she climbs the corporate ladder and discovers the love of her life. Instead, she finds herself the assistant to a Hollywood talent agent, stuck in the thankless job with no plan to move up. And don't even get her started on love, where she can do nothing but scroll dating apps and suffer through a series of hapless first dates.
When her (gorgeous, popular, queer) influencer roommate Chelsey suggests Max be the face of Chelsey's latest promotion, a self-actualization app called You Point Oh, Max reluctantly agrees. Suddenly she's receiving career counseling, joining queer kickball leagues, and making the big move with Sadie, the hot bartender she's had a crush on for ages. But when Chelsey crosses line with how much of Max's life she shares with her followers, all of Max's forward progress threatens to tumble. She has to take what she's learned and truly apply it, especially if she wants to keep Sadie.
This is such a "lesbian in your 20s book," and I mean that with the highest praise. Max is so relatable with her fears; thoughts that she is waiting around for life to start; and anxieties about being unable to stand up for herself. Only the most self-assured among us (aka not me) will be unable to find some kernel of truth in Max's story. As she pines for Sadie, you cannot help but desperately want the two to get together, longing to jump into the pages and push the pair closer. Sadie, of course, has her own baggage, worrying she's not good enough for Max, and struggling to realize her dream of buying her uncle's bar.
This is an engaging romance that blossoms without tossing in a bunch of contrived problems for our protagonists to solve. Sure, they face plenty of issues, but for the most part they seem realistic. It makes excellent points about the importance of queer spaces, friendship, and community. The romance is sparkling and winning. In fact, AT HER SERVICE is a winner. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Books in return for an unbiased review.
When I requested this incredibly fun queer romance, I did not realize this book was the second in a series. Luckily, it can certainly stand alone, but I loved it so much, I'll be reading book #1 soon now. Because it's me, of course, I had book# 1 already sitting on my shelves. My house is basically the equivalent of a small library now...
AT HER SERVICE is so charming, featuring a wonderfully relatable main character. Max moves to LA from Kentucky with a dream of a new life, where she climbs the corporate ladder and discovers the love of her life. Instead, she finds herself the assistant to a Hollywood talent agent, stuck in the thankless job with no plan to move up. And don't even get her started on love, where she can do nothing but scroll dating apps and suffer through a series of hapless first dates.
When her (gorgeous, popular, queer) influencer roommate Chelsey suggests Max be the face of Chelsey's latest promotion, a self-actualization app called You Point Oh, Max reluctantly agrees. Suddenly she's receiving career counseling, joining queer kickball leagues, and making the big move with Sadie, the hot bartender she's had a crush on for ages. But when Chelsey crosses line with how much of Max's life she shares with her followers, all of Max's forward progress threatens to tumble. She has to take what she's learned and truly apply it, especially if she wants to keep Sadie.
This is such a "lesbian in your 20s book," and I mean that with the highest praise. Max is so relatable with her fears; thoughts that she is waiting around for life to start; and anxieties about being unable to stand up for herself. Only the most self-assured among us (aka not me) will be unable to find some kernel of truth in Max's story. As she pines for Sadie, you cannot help but desperately want the two to get together, longing to jump into the pages and push the pair closer. Sadie, of course, has her own baggage, worrying she's not good enough for Max, and struggling to realize her dream of buying her uncle's bar.
This is an engaging romance that blossoms without tossing in a bunch of contrived problems for our protagonists to solve. Sure, they face plenty of issues, but for the most part they seem realistic. It makes excellent points about the importance of queer spaces, friendship, and community. The romance is sparkling and winning. In fact, AT HER SERVICE is a winner. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Books in return for an unbiased review.
January 18, 2024
Max Van Doren is stuck in every area of her life and she’s tired of it. Tired of being unsure of her next career move despite being a great assistant to a huge Hollywood talent agent. Tired of hiding in her bedroom while her queer influencer roommate hangs out with her cool group of friends. Tired of being hopelessly head over heels for her favorite bartender Sadie, who she’ll never have a chance with. And the worst part of it all? Max knows exactly what she wants but is completely clueless about how to get there.
So she can’t resist agreeing when her roommate offers her the chance to have a complete life overhaul for free through a new self-actualization app. The only catch? Completely exposing herself and documenting every step of the journey. However, despite the entire internet knowing Max’s inadequacies the app does seem to be helping. And stepping out of her comfort zone is starting to pay off. That is until a video is posted that twists Max’s good intentions into selfish wants and sends her spiraling. Can Max salvage her relationship with Sadie, save her job, and fix her friendships before her fairy god-app vanishes? Or will her life turn back into nights alone with microwaved burritos at midnight?
I enjoyed this book. I had read the sister book to this one, For Her Consideration, last year so I jumped at the chance to pick up At Her Service early. And I was not disappointed at all. Something about Amy Spalding’s writing hooks me instantly and I find myself just blowing through her books. This was a mix of relatable characters, great writing and an ever-shifting plot perfectly blended into a fun, flirty, and layered rom-com.
Max’s mix of nihilism and optimism highlights being a queer 20-something in today’s wild world. She is somehow completely contradictory yet perfectly complimentary to herself and it leads to a character that feels like she has stolen the thoughts from your head. Not to mention the short masc rep which is so needed in sapphic books. As a short person, I felt very, very seen and yes that does make me a little biased but I’ll take it.
Her plight of seeking romantic and platonic connections felt very true to her character and the struggles of so many new adults. In my opinion, finding romance is easier than finding family through friendships so to see the book give a lot of attention to that aspect felt all too real. And the masc for masc representation? Sheer perfection.
The plot was spot-on, as expected. The book never stalled or dragged in any place because there were so many different subplots going on. There is Max and Sadie’s friendship turned to romance as the main focal point. But there was also Max’s roommate Chelsea who sponsored her for the app and their dysfunctional dynamics. There was Max’s weird relationship with her coworkers and feeling unseen in her work environment. There was Max’s internal battle for self-confidence and believing in her abilities. There was Max’s struggle to find friends and feeling lonely. And to top it off trying to save a historic queer bar!! All of these plot points may sound overwhelming at first glance but they were woven together in a way that was layered and human rather than jumbled and random.
All in all, I highly recommend this book if you are generally a fan of sapphic rom-coms. I think this read is exactly what it looks like in the best of ways. You know the general idea of what you’re getting and it does follow a typical romance guide. However, it still finds ways to surprise and enthrall you that are unique to the story and characters. If you like heartwarming and relatable stories about sapphic love then you are in the right place. Happy reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For more sapphic reviews follow @the.lebian.library on Instagram, Goodreads, and Tiktok.
So she can’t resist agreeing when her roommate offers her the chance to have a complete life overhaul for free through a new self-actualization app. The only catch? Completely exposing herself and documenting every step of the journey. However, despite the entire internet knowing Max’s inadequacies the app does seem to be helping. And stepping out of her comfort zone is starting to pay off. That is until a video is posted that twists Max’s good intentions into selfish wants and sends her spiraling. Can Max salvage her relationship with Sadie, save her job, and fix her friendships before her fairy god-app vanishes? Or will her life turn back into nights alone with microwaved burritos at midnight?
I enjoyed this book. I had read the sister book to this one, For Her Consideration, last year so I jumped at the chance to pick up At Her Service early. And I was not disappointed at all. Something about Amy Spalding’s writing hooks me instantly and I find myself just blowing through her books. This was a mix of relatable characters, great writing and an ever-shifting plot perfectly blended into a fun, flirty, and layered rom-com.
Max’s mix of nihilism and optimism highlights being a queer 20-something in today’s wild world. She is somehow completely contradictory yet perfectly complimentary to herself and it leads to a character that feels like she has stolen the thoughts from your head. Not to mention the short masc rep which is so needed in sapphic books. As a short person, I felt very, very seen and yes that does make me a little biased but I’ll take it.
Her plight of seeking romantic and platonic connections felt very true to her character and the struggles of so many new adults. In my opinion, finding romance is easier than finding family through friendships so to see the book give a lot of attention to that aspect felt all too real. And the masc for masc representation? Sheer perfection.
The plot was spot-on, as expected. The book never stalled or dragged in any place because there were so many different subplots going on. There is Max and Sadie’s friendship turned to romance as the main focal point. But there was also Max’s roommate Chelsea who sponsored her for the app and their dysfunctional dynamics. There was Max’s weird relationship with her coworkers and feeling unseen in her work environment. There was Max’s internal battle for self-confidence and believing in her abilities. There was Max’s struggle to find friends and feeling lonely. And to top it off trying to save a historic queer bar!! All of these plot points may sound overwhelming at first glance but they were woven together in a way that was layered and human rather than jumbled and random.
All in all, I highly recommend this book if you are generally a fan of sapphic rom-coms. I think this read is exactly what it looks like in the best of ways. You know the general idea of what you’re getting and it does follow a typical romance guide. However, it still finds ways to surprise and enthrall you that are unique to the story and characters. If you like heartwarming and relatable stories about sapphic love then you are in the right place. Happy reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For more sapphic reviews follow @the.lebian.library on Instagram, Goodreads, and Tiktok.
March 7, 2024
A (stand alone) sequel to For Her Consideration (Feb 2023) this story focuses on Max Van Doren and is told entirely from her POV. Max is an assistant to a successful talent agent. She does her job well but doesn’t know if she can take it to the next level and move her career forward. Likewise her personal life is on hold as well. She sees her influencer roommate with cool friends doing fun things but she lacks her own confidence. And she is smitten with Sadie who is a bartender at her favorite hangout.
Her roommate Chelsea offers her a chance for an overhaul promoting a self actualization app. Of course everything has to be shared via social media. The app seems to help boost Max’s confidence at work and even with Sadie. But how much of it is real change or the extra money, clothes and personal training she is getting as part of the makeover. There are a lot of insecurities and stories at play in this book. Like For Her Consideration, I felt it was more like this was women’s fiction with the focus on the main character’s journey with a side of romance. I enjoyed the story and the appearance of characters from the first book. But when a book is promoted as a romance, I want the romance to be the focus. (4 Stars)
Her roommate Chelsea offers her a chance for an overhaul promoting a self actualization app. Of course everything has to be shared via social media. The app seems to help boost Max’s confidence at work and even with Sadie. But how much of it is real change or the extra money, clothes and personal training she is getting as part of the makeover. There are a lot of insecurities and stories at play in this book. Like For Her Consideration, I felt it was more like this was women’s fiction with the focus on the main character’s journey with a side of romance. I enjoyed the story and the appearance of characters from the first book. But when a book is promoted as a romance, I want the romance to be the focus. (4 Stars)
September 9, 2023
Pint-sized powerhouse assistant to one of the top talent agents in Hollywood Max Van Doren is afraid she's not being taken seriously at work, or in her life. So, when her famous influencer roommate asks if Max will be the subject of her newest sponcon using an up & coming self-actualization app, Max decides why not? If anything, maybe it will help her actually ask out her crush, the sexy bartender at Max's favorite queer bar. Sadie seems impossibly cool and put together, but as Max soon realizes, she and Sadie have a lot more in common than just their chemistry.
This was a really fun romance featuring twenty-somethings figuring it out, finding their place & family, and falling in love. Great (but not overwhelming) job details, sexy, and funny.
Super excited for this one to be in the world!
**reviewed professionally for Library Journal
***thank you to the publisher and LJ for the review copy
This was a really fun romance featuring twenty-somethings figuring it out, finding their place & family, and falling in love. Great (but not overwhelming) job details, sexy, and funny.
Super excited for this one to be in the world!
**reviewed professionally for Library Journal
***thank you to the publisher and LJ for the review copy
January 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. This is the second novel that I’ve read from this author and I like that she delivers a really solid well-rounded story. I wish I had a book like this when I was in my early 20s.
For me, the romance kind of took a back seat in this story and it focused on self-discovery and letting go of what you think you should be or think you should know and just accepting yourself. The author did a great job with Max’s character evolution both personal and professional. Max was relatable both in her strengths and insecurities- I also really admire how the author has used this medium to get a really good message into the hands of readers. The dangers of listening to our inner critic and the power that we can change our lives by challenging the narrative AND putting in the work. It’s just such a powerful message and I was just so happy to see it come to life in this story.
I loved seeing Nina and Ari throughout this book, I loved For Her Consideration and this just made my heart so happy. I adored the full cast of characters in this novel and while I wish we could have seen more on-page romance with Sadie and Max, the story felt complete and their relationship is just beautiful.
Oh and I would loooove to get a Chelsey and Ava story at some point. I loved them as a couple.
Thank you to Amy Spalding, Kensington and Netgalley for an ARC copy
For me, the romance kind of took a back seat in this story and it focused on self-discovery and letting go of what you think you should be or think you should know and just accepting yourself. The author did a great job with Max’s character evolution both personal and professional. Max was relatable both in her strengths and insecurities- I also really admire how the author has used this medium to get a really good message into the hands of readers. The dangers of listening to our inner critic and the power that we can change our lives by challenging the narrative AND putting in the work. It’s just such a powerful message and I was just so happy to see it come to life in this story.
I loved seeing Nina and Ari throughout this book, I loved For Her Consideration and this just made my heart so happy. I adored the full cast of characters in this novel and while I wish we could have seen more on-page romance with Sadie and Max, the story felt complete and their relationship is just beautiful.
Oh and I would loooove to get a Chelsey and Ava story at some point. I loved them as a couple.
Thank you to Amy Spalding, Kensington and Netgalley for an ARC copy
February 9, 2024
A funny and relatable tale about figuring out life and creating chances for yourself.
I received an advance copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Mousy, awkward and not dealing with life in a way she expected to be. Max is 26. Somehow she would have thought she would have had her life on target right now, but nothing is further from the truth. Yes, she is living in L.A. working an assistants job for a Hollywood talent agency. A job she actually loves. But still, Max is the same tiny queer girl that no one expects anything from. Oh and she has the biggest crush on bartender Sadie. A girl way too cool to actually notice her. When her successful influencer roommate convinces her to try out a self-actualization app, Max has no idea what she signed up for. Maybe, just maybe, all she needed was a kick up the behind to make her dream life a reality. Hopefully Bartender Sadie will be part of it.
Everyone that has once doubted their own abilities will recognize themselves in this book. It’s written from Max’s POV and you get an intimate look into her self talk and the way, essentially, she is holding herself back in accomplishing her dreams. I loved reading about the connection Max and Sadie build. They are in the same boat, looking for someone who actually sees them and believes in them.
Max is hilarious but not in a forced way. The dialogue flows easily from funny banter to sensitive subjects. It’s a very smooth read. The backdrop of L.A. is wonderful. Especially as it’s not focused on the well known hotspots but more on the casual vibe that both Max and Sadie have. The bar Sadie works at is one of those important places that helps build the story because of its history and nature.
What I loved most about this story is that, although Max sets out to change herself, at her core she stays exactly the same. She only learns to unlock her potential. And that is something we all hope to do.
At Her Service is a great reminder that anything can happen, once you set your heart and mind to it.
I received an advance copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Mousy, awkward and not dealing with life in a way she expected to be. Max is 26. Somehow she would have thought she would have had her life on target right now, but nothing is further from the truth. Yes, she is living in L.A. working an assistants job for a Hollywood talent agency. A job she actually loves. But still, Max is the same tiny queer girl that no one expects anything from. Oh and she has the biggest crush on bartender Sadie. A girl way too cool to actually notice her. When her successful influencer roommate convinces her to try out a self-actualization app, Max has no idea what she signed up for. Maybe, just maybe, all she needed was a kick up the behind to make her dream life a reality. Hopefully Bartender Sadie will be part of it.
Everyone that has once doubted their own abilities will recognize themselves in this book. It’s written from Max’s POV and you get an intimate look into her self talk and the way, essentially, she is holding herself back in accomplishing her dreams. I loved reading about the connection Max and Sadie build. They are in the same boat, looking for someone who actually sees them and believes in them.
Max is hilarious but not in a forced way. The dialogue flows easily from funny banter to sensitive subjects. It’s a very smooth read. The backdrop of L.A. is wonderful. Especially as it’s not focused on the well known hotspots but more on the casual vibe that both Max and Sadie have. The bar Sadie works at is one of those important places that helps build the story because of its history and nature.
What I loved most about this story is that, although Max sets out to change herself, at her core she stays exactly the same. She only learns to unlock her potential. And that is something we all hope to do.
At Her Service is a great reminder that anything can happen, once you set your heart and mind to it.
February 12, 2024
This book was more than a romance. It was a journey of self-discovery and finding your true self. I loved reading about Max finding herself, love and new found family. One thing I do wish was we got more time with Sadie! Sadie was everything and I'm not saying that because we share the same name lol.
Thank you Amy Spalding and Net Galley for an arc copy for an honest review.
Thank you Amy Spalding and Net Galley for an arc copy for an honest review.
February 27, 2024
Oof. I loved the first book of this companion series so much I was so excited to read this one. Total let down. Max spends the whole book trying to stop being whiny and meek which never happens. The conflict between the two girls was so stupid. The romance wasn’t very good or real. Womp womp.
February 4, 2024
I had mixed feelings about book 1, but I loved Max and was still really interested in reading her book. But I ended up with mixed feelings again. I did still like Max as a character, but this barely felt like a romance for most of the book. So much of it was about Max's job and the self-actualization program she was following, and these things were frankly making me more anxious in an already stressful time.
February 1, 2024
Amy Spalding's At Her Service is a delightful second installment of her Out in Hollywood series. Both books stand alone, but if you read For Her Consideration you met Max and this is her book.
Spalding does a great job of letting us really get to know her characters, not just the main ones, but all the fringe folks as well.
Poor Max is really down on her life when we meet her, and fixing up her world doesn’t come easy - but that’s where the richness comes in, right? Max has to work her way through it all, but there’s a very happy HEA which is truly worth working for. Most enjoyable.
an arc of At Her Service was provided by Kensington Books, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
Spalding does a great job of letting us really get to know her characters, not just the main ones, but all the fringe folks as well.
Poor Max is really down on her life when we meet her, and fixing up her world doesn’t come easy - but that’s where the richness comes in, right? Max has to work her way through it all, but there’s a very happy HEA which is truly worth working for. Most enjoyable.
an arc of At Her Service was provided by Kensington Books, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
March 18, 2025
(rounded up from 4.5)
I really enjoy this series. Amy Spalding does a great job of centering queer stories, often with fat main characters (although not really in this case) in Hollywood, a typically not very body-positive place. In particular, I enjoyed that this story is about self-doubt and having a belief in yourself that is holding you back rather than any magical app helping you with "Self-actualization".
I should also point out that while this is technically classified as a romance, it's more a contemporary story about a young woman finding herself and taking some big steps to improve her life and attitude and the romance is more of a subplot, but still very enjoyable.
Max is a really relatable and interesting main character because we've all been there or known someone who has a crippling lack of belief in themselves. I loved seeing how she starts to break down these negative beliefs and takes the very generic app advice to improve her own life and feels empowered as a result. Great message and very enjoyable execution!
I really enjoy this series. Amy Spalding does a great job of centering queer stories, often with fat main characters (although not really in this case) in Hollywood, a typically not very body-positive place. In particular, I enjoyed that this story is about self-doubt and having a belief in yourself that is holding you back rather than any magical app helping you with "Self-actualization".
I should also point out that while this is technically classified as a romance, it's more a contemporary story about a young woman finding herself and taking some big steps to improve her life and attitude and the romance is more of a subplot, but still very enjoyable.
Max is a really relatable and interesting main character because we've all been there or known someone who has a crippling lack of belief in themselves. I loved seeing how she starts to break down these negative beliefs and takes the very generic app advice to improve her own life and feels empowered as a result. Great message and very enjoyable execution!
December 19, 2023
This book just fell flat for me. I really loved For Her Consideration, so was very excited to get my hands on this one.
I had a couple of issues with this book. The amount of conversation back and forth was very distracting. I found it so hard to get into the story when every time I turned around there was all this conversation and all these quotation marks. I also found this book to be a tad repetitive for me. Some of the exact phrases were used several times, and I was just so frustrated.
I never felt connected to any of the characters and was just annoyed. I kept waiting for the romance to start but at 50% nothing had happened and I was bored.
Because I loved For Her Consideration so much, I am thinking that this is just an off book for me and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book by this author. This book just wasn’t the right book for me despite normally being everything I normally go for. I look forward to their next book, and while this one wasn’t for me, I do wish it all the best.
Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I had a couple of issues with this book. The amount of conversation back and forth was very distracting. I found it so hard to get into the story when every time I turned around there was all this conversation and all these quotation marks. I also found this book to be a tad repetitive for me. Some of the exact phrases were used several times, and I was just so frustrated.
I never felt connected to any of the characters and was just annoyed. I kept waiting for the romance to start but at 50% nothing had happened and I was bored.
Because I loved For Her Consideration so much, I am thinking that this is just an off book for me and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book by this author. This book just wasn’t the right book for me despite normally being everything I normally go for. I look forward to their next book, and while this one wasn’t for me, I do wish it all the best.
Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2023
ARC via Netgalley - I was so excited to get my grubby hands on this, and it didn't disappoint. Amy's last book is one that I recommend constantly, and this follows Max, an assistant at the agency Nina worked for in For Her Consideration, and Sadie. I was rooting for them so much, and I know I need a thesaurus, so I use more adjectives than delightful, but goodness. I would say that my *only* issue is a personal one, that I dislike any sexy times that have to do with public food and drink spaces. That's a me issue? I mean, my 15yo won't eat mac and cheese if I use my fork to shove it onto his plate. We all have our issues. It didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book. Amy is a treasure.
July 30, 2024
Amy Spalding truly knows how to write the trials and tribulations of a queer quarter life character. I recall feeling like Max so many times while reading this story. I couldn't ask for more than that. But then Spalding added Sadie and the romance floated me away. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
May 11, 2024
At Her Service
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Amy Spaulding
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley. One More Chapter and Kensington and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Max Van Doren has a wish list, and a great career and a girlfriend are at the top. But despite being pretty good at her job as an assistant to one of Hollywood’s fastest rising talent agents, she has no idea how to move up the ladder. And when it comes to her love life, she’s stuck in perpetual lust for an adorably perfect bartender named Sadie. Her goals are clear—and Max has everything but the self-confidence to go for them. Even her mother seems to assume she’ll be crawling home to her childhood bedroom at some point . . .
When Max’s roommate, Chelsey—an irritatingly gorgeous and self-assured influencer in plus-size and queer spaces—offers to sponsor her for a new self-actualization app, Max gives in. If she can’t run her own life, maybe an algorithm guiding her choices will help? Suddenly Max is scoring big everywhere, and her dreams are achingly close to coming true. But when one of Chelsey’s posts reveals Sadie’s part in the app’s campaign, Max is poised for heartbreak on all fronts. Tired of the sponcon life with its fake friends and endless selfies, Max realizes that to have true influence, she’ll have to find the courage to make her own, totally authentic way in the world . . .
My Thoughts: This is the second book in Out in Hollywood series, however, it could be read as a standalone. This was a cute queer romcom that I enjoyed very much. Max wants more than anything to have a great career and a girlfriend. She is currently the assistant to one of the top talent agents, is really good at her job, but makes next to nothing. Max’s own mother believes that she will come home eventually. Max’s roommate, whom she finds slightly annoying, offers to sponsor her in a new self-actualization app, Max eventually gives in. Through this app is expensive shirts, a professional gym trainer, smoothies, a dating coach, and even a life coach. When one of Chelsey’s post shows Sadie leaving the apartment, not only does it go viral, but causes Max all sort of problems. Can Max find the courage? This follows the tropes of queer romance, friends to lovers, and FMC secret.
The story is narrated in Max, through her POV. Max lacks confidence in all areas of her life, and hopes to find it through the self-actualization app. Max wants a fulfilling career, a sense of community, and a solid girlfriend. She stops by the local dive bar just to see her favorite bartender every night, whom she secretly pines after. Sadie knows what she wants, at least career wise, but has struggled with relationships. The angst, tension, push and pull of Sadie and Max is beautiful, yet frustrating at times. More than once I would yell at them to get it together. The characters were well fleshed out with depth, witty banter, chemistry, intriguing, and growth. I really loved how much both of our MCs grew during the story. The supporting characters also elevated the story to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, compelling, funny, swoony, heartwarming, and beautiful. The characters are relatable, even as someone almost 50, have aspects I can relate to.
Overall, such a cute romance that I absolutely adored. The only con is I would like to have seen more focus on their relationship, however, I think the focus on improving themselves took priority over that, and that is more than okay with me. I highly recommend this to other readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Amy Spaulding
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley. One More Chapter and Kensington and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Max Van Doren has a wish list, and a great career and a girlfriend are at the top. But despite being pretty good at her job as an assistant to one of Hollywood’s fastest rising talent agents, she has no idea how to move up the ladder. And when it comes to her love life, she’s stuck in perpetual lust for an adorably perfect bartender named Sadie. Her goals are clear—and Max has everything but the self-confidence to go for them. Even her mother seems to assume she’ll be crawling home to her childhood bedroom at some point . . .
When Max’s roommate, Chelsey—an irritatingly gorgeous and self-assured influencer in plus-size and queer spaces—offers to sponsor her for a new self-actualization app, Max gives in. If she can’t run her own life, maybe an algorithm guiding her choices will help? Suddenly Max is scoring big everywhere, and her dreams are achingly close to coming true. But when one of Chelsey’s posts reveals Sadie’s part in the app’s campaign, Max is poised for heartbreak on all fronts. Tired of the sponcon life with its fake friends and endless selfies, Max realizes that to have true influence, she’ll have to find the courage to make her own, totally authentic way in the world . . .
My Thoughts: This is the second book in Out in Hollywood series, however, it could be read as a standalone. This was a cute queer romcom that I enjoyed very much. Max wants more than anything to have a great career and a girlfriend. She is currently the assistant to one of the top talent agents, is really good at her job, but makes next to nothing. Max’s own mother believes that she will come home eventually. Max’s roommate, whom she finds slightly annoying, offers to sponsor her in a new self-actualization app, Max eventually gives in. Through this app is expensive shirts, a professional gym trainer, smoothies, a dating coach, and even a life coach. When one of Chelsey’s post shows Sadie leaving the apartment, not only does it go viral, but causes Max all sort of problems. Can Max find the courage? This follows the tropes of queer romance, friends to lovers, and FMC secret.
The story is narrated in Max, through her POV. Max lacks confidence in all areas of her life, and hopes to find it through the self-actualization app. Max wants a fulfilling career, a sense of community, and a solid girlfriend. She stops by the local dive bar just to see her favorite bartender every night, whom she secretly pines after. Sadie knows what she wants, at least career wise, but has struggled with relationships. The angst, tension, push and pull of Sadie and Max is beautiful, yet frustrating at times. More than once I would yell at them to get it together. The characters were well fleshed out with depth, witty banter, chemistry, intriguing, and growth. I really loved how much both of our MCs grew during the story. The supporting characters also elevated the story to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, compelling, funny, swoony, heartwarming, and beautiful. The characters are relatable, even as someone almost 50, have aspects I can relate to.
Overall, such a cute romance that I absolutely adored. The only con is I would like to have seen more focus on their relationship, however, I think the focus on improving themselves took priority over that, and that is more than okay with me. I highly recommend this to other readers.
March 28, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
Firstly I’d like to say, this book is NOT a romcom. It’s a contemporary fiction novel with a romance subplot, very different. The book centers Max, a butch lesbian living in LA who feels lost and stuck in her life. She dreams of love with the hot bartender at her local bar, a group of queer friends and a promotion at work, but she’s too afraid to go after the things she wants. More importantly, she doesn’t even know where to begin going after these things. Then everything changes when her roommate, an influencer, asks Max to be the face of a new app focused on self improvement called You Point Oh. The app will help Max get on track with her goals and dreams. Max says hesitantly says yes.
To be quite honest I was not vibing with this book for the first 40%. I didn’t click with Max as a character, and was confused as to why the romance wasn’t the focus. Once I changed my mindset from ‘this is a romcom’ to ‘this is a fiction book with a romance subplot’ I found myself enjoying the book more. It was also around the 50% mark that I began to empathize with Max as a character. One thing I really disliked was how dismissive and mean she was to Chelsey though. Even when they were being friendly she was still mean, snapping and being sarcastic with her. It also bothered me the whole book that she said she’d help Sadie with her dream to save Johnny’s, but then didn’t do anything about it until the very end. I understand the character development and Max’s arc, but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if there had been no miscommunication and if Max had just done what she said she was going to do right away. It had me STRESSED. That being said I really related to Max’s feelings of loneliness and not believing in herself enough.
I also really loved how this book highlighted the need of queer spaces/bars and how important they are to our community. Every year it feels like queer spaces are forced to close, leaving us with no where to go that’s ours. Just last year the only lesbian bar in Toronto, the Lavender Menace closed. It’s so important that we rally around our spaces and work to keep them going. I loved how dedicated Sadie was to Johnny’s, and how she wouldn’t let anyone tell her it wasn’t important.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t mind blowing or anything, but as with the first book in this series it was very decent and I even shed some tears towards the end of this book. 4/5 stars
Firstly I’d like to say, this book is NOT a romcom. It’s a contemporary fiction novel with a romance subplot, very different. The book centers Max, a butch lesbian living in LA who feels lost and stuck in her life. She dreams of love with the hot bartender at her local bar, a group of queer friends and a promotion at work, but she’s too afraid to go after the things she wants. More importantly, she doesn’t even know where to begin going after these things. Then everything changes when her roommate, an influencer, asks Max to be the face of a new app focused on self improvement called You Point Oh. The app will help Max get on track with her goals and dreams. Max says hesitantly says yes.
To be quite honest I was not vibing with this book for the first 40%. I didn’t click with Max as a character, and was confused as to why the romance wasn’t the focus. Once I changed my mindset from ‘this is a romcom’ to ‘this is a fiction book with a romance subplot’ I found myself enjoying the book more. It was also around the 50% mark that I began to empathize with Max as a character. One thing I really disliked was how dismissive and mean she was to Chelsey though. Even when they were being friendly she was still mean, snapping and being sarcastic with her. It also bothered me the whole book that she said she’d help Sadie with her dream to save Johnny’s, but then didn’t do anything about it until the very end. I understand the character development and Max’s arc, but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if there had been no miscommunication and if Max had just done what she said she was going to do right away. It had me STRESSED. That being said I really related to Max’s feelings of loneliness and not believing in herself enough.
I also really loved how this book highlighted the need of queer spaces/bars and how important they are to our community. Every year it feels like queer spaces are forced to close, leaving us with no where to go that’s ours. Just last year the only lesbian bar in Toronto, the Lavender Menace closed. It’s so important that we rally around our spaces and work to keep them going. I loved how dedicated Sadie was to Johnny’s, and how she wouldn’t let anyone tell her it wasn’t important.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t mind blowing or anything, but as with the first book in this series it was very decent and I even shed some tears towards the end of this book. 4/5 stars
February 24, 2024
A great queer coming of age romance between a Hollywood assistant trying to make her way up the corporate ladder and the hot, older bartender she falls for. I really enjoyed this second book in the Out in Hollywood series, there were a couple of fun cameos from the first book and it was great on audio narrated by Lori Prince. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Meryl Wilsner and Carlyn Greenwald.
Steam level: open door
Steam level: open door
March 6, 2025
Max - adorable, but lacking self-confidence.
Sadie - friendly hot bartender with a bit of self-loathing.
These two were so freakin' cute together. As they spend time together, you start to see how perfect they are for each other. I enjoyed Max's "Self Actualization" journey - she really needed some direction, and it definitely gave her a nudge in the right one! All signs pointed to Sadie, but not without some bumps along the way.
Sadie - friendly hot bartender with a bit of self-loathing.
These two were so freakin' cute together. As they spend time together, you start to see how perfect they are for each other. I enjoyed Max's "Self Actualization" journey - she really needed some direction, and it definitely gave her a nudge in the right one! All signs pointed to Sadie, but not without some bumps along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2024
This series makes me so happy. It has lesbians and movies and community and it’s just a very nice time!
I especially appreciated this volume’s focus on making friends as an adult and getting outside your comfort zone to find new hobbies. Felt like watching a kids cartoon about social emotional skills but for awkward lesbians in their mid twenties (this is a good thing)
I especially appreciated this volume’s focus on making friends as an adult and getting outside your comfort zone to find new hobbies. Felt like watching a kids cartoon about social emotional skills but for awkward lesbians in their mid twenties (this is a good thing)
March 10, 2025
This was nice though not that memorable for me ultimately. But if you want a book about being dissatisfied and working on yourself, this is a good one for you.
January 11, 2026
It was a fun read but the third act breakup was so unnecessary… Just let people be happy.
Definitely cute and fluffy, not much to worry about but quite a bit of yearning! Definitely an easy to read mostly feel good romance (oh what could’ve been… if only we hadn’t third act breakup-ed) with very low stakes.
3.5✨
Definitely cute and fluffy, not much to worry about but quite a bit of yearning! Definitely an easy to read mostly feel good romance (oh what could’ve been… if only we hadn’t third act breakup-ed) with very low stakes.
3.5✨
December 9, 2023
I liked the general storyline of the MC expanding her professional and personal life by being more bold, and the sapphic romance was really cute! If you liked Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald, you'll like this one too!
I wish that there were more emotional conversations on page though, there were probably just a few really honest conversations between the main ship, and like one conversation between the MC and her roommate (I loved that friendship sm!!) - it's probably why I didn't enjoy the book enough to give it 5 stars.
-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!
I wish that there were more emotional conversations on page though, there were probably just a few really honest conversations between the main ship, and like one conversation between the MC and her roommate (I loved that friendship sm!!) - it's probably why I didn't enjoy the book enough to give it 5 stars.
-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!
December 27, 2025
This was such a good romance book!! I went from rolling my eyes at all of the self-deprecation to really rooting for our "self-actualizing" characters. This book had all of the cheese of a rom-com, and I ate it up!
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