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Out in Hollywood #3
On Her Terms
A fresh, funny contemporary romance about being true to yourself and your desires, even if it means plunging into uncharted territory . . .
Fresh off breaking up with her boyfriend and swerving away from the conventional, TikTok-ready married life she never wanted, Clementine is ready to explore the alternatives. Not that she wants to be single forever, much less die alone. But at thirty-six, it’s time for her to experience new things—including in her love life. And though an invitation to a fake relationship to appease family sounds like a recipe for disaster, Clem finds herself saying yes to smart, spirited dog groomer Chloe Lee anyway . . .
Chloe is long past her own baby gay era, but even before they’ve tackled Clem’s parents’ anniversary party and Chloe’s friend’s wedding, the two of them end up spending a lot of time together. As the attraction between them grows stronger, it all begins to feel pretty real to Clem. Chloe, however, is fine as just friends—plus she’s convinced Clem is just eager for “someone” to take her off the singles list. How to persuade her otherwise? After all, Clem is starting to realize her life is wonderfully full and being “alone” doesn’t scare her a bit. Still, being without the tiny powerhouse that is Chloe, specifically? That’s a whole other story . . .
Wise, witty, and full of heart, here is an uplifting love story with an ending worth waiting for.
Fresh off breaking up with her boyfriend and swerving away from the conventional, TikTok-ready married life she never wanted, Clementine is ready to explore the alternatives. Not that she wants to be single forever, much less die alone. But at thirty-six, it’s time for her to experience new things—including in her love life. And though an invitation to a fake relationship to appease family sounds like a recipe for disaster, Clem finds herself saying yes to smart, spirited dog groomer Chloe Lee anyway . . .
Chloe is long past her own baby gay era, but even before they’ve tackled Clem’s parents’ anniversary party and Chloe’s friend’s wedding, the two of them end up spending a lot of time together. As the attraction between them grows stronger, it all begins to feel pretty real to Clem. Chloe, however, is fine as just friends—plus she’s convinced Clem is just eager for “someone” to take her off the singles list. How to persuade her otherwise? After all, Clem is starting to realize her life is wonderfully full and being “alone” doesn’t scare her a bit. Still, being without the tiny powerhouse that is Chloe, specifically? That’s a whole other story . . .
Wise, witty, and full of heart, here is an uplifting love story with an ending worth waiting for.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2025
81 people are currently reading
4593 people want to read
About the author
Amy Spalding
18 books942 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 286 reviews
February 6, 2025
you call this a ROMANCE???? chloe is a fucking VILLIAN. there is no reason, ever, that someone deserves to be treated the way clementine was this entire book. her strength, openness, and empathy were for naught because of that aforementioned waste of space…there is truly nothing to root for here? my flabbers are just completely ghasted i can’t believe this was written with romantic intent. this is a literal WARNING
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc
April 10, 2025
*happy sigh* This was so sweet and just what I needed during a week of utter chaos in my life. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and honestly, this book seriously needs an award for its amazing curvy representation.
February 26, 2025
On Her Terms by Amy Spalding
Out in Hollywood series #3. Contemporary sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone although the couples from the prior books are secondary characters here subsequent to their stories. Fake relationship troupe.
Clementine has always known she is attracted to women but only recently broken up with a long term boyfriend when he wanted children. At thirty-six, Clementine knows she doesn’t want children. She’s admitted to being bisexual in her head only up until now. She believes she’s ready to try something new. When Chloe Lee asks Clem to be her fake plus one for a wedding, Clem says no. But the more they talk, and it still seems like a really bad idea, Clem gives in to nagging in her head that it’s exactly what she wants to try. And so Clem and Chloe begin a public fake relationship in front of her family, friends, and coworkers.
Clem is loving her new relationship and friendships formed because of it. Could it become real? Or is Chloe going to stick to her free and easy attitude?
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and audiobook of this story. The narration is performed by Lori Prince who has done many other sapphic romances. There are specific voices and tempo for each Clem and Chloe with emotions clear and easy to follow. There are a couple of clear edit voice-overs but they are short and merge well with the whole. I enjoyed the performance and got a clear picture of each of the women as the story progressed.
I listened at my usual speed of 1.5 to match reading and conversation speed.
I believe the formats are interchangeable with each having benefits fits and neither having an advantage over the other.
Clem learns to deal with her own questions and fears of a new lifestyle. It’s both easier and harder than she expected. She’s out and in love. But Chloe doesn’t want more than the fake dating and Clem has fallen for her. So how to convince her to make it real?
I loved the friendships the best in this story. Having a good friendship can make everything better and easier to handle.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBmedia.
Out in Hollywood series #3. Contemporary sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone although the couples from the prior books are secondary characters here subsequent to their stories. Fake relationship troupe.
Clementine has always known she is attracted to women but only recently broken up with a long term boyfriend when he wanted children. At thirty-six, Clementine knows she doesn’t want children. She’s admitted to being bisexual in her head only up until now. She believes she’s ready to try something new. When Chloe Lee asks Clem to be her fake plus one for a wedding, Clem says no. But the more they talk, and it still seems like a really bad idea, Clem gives in to nagging in her head that it’s exactly what she wants to try. And so Clem and Chloe begin a public fake relationship in front of her family, friends, and coworkers.
Clem is loving her new relationship and friendships formed because of it. Could it become real? Or is Chloe going to stick to her free and easy attitude?
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and audiobook of this story. The narration is performed by Lori Prince who has done many other sapphic romances. There are specific voices and tempo for each Clem and Chloe with emotions clear and easy to follow. There are a couple of clear edit voice-overs but they are short and merge well with the whole. I enjoyed the performance and got a clear picture of each of the women as the story progressed.
I listened at my usual speed of 1.5 to match reading and conversation speed.
I believe the formats are interchangeable with each having benefits fits and neither having an advantage over the other.
Clem learns to deal with her own questions and fears of a new lifestyle. It’s both easier and harder than she expected. She’s out and in love. But Chloe doesn’t want more than the fake dating and Clem has fallen for her. So how to convince her to make it real?
I loved the friendships the best in this story. Having a good friendship can make everything better and easier to handle.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBmedia.
December 20, 2024
No one fake dates and then accidentally falls in love like us gays.
Clementine is a budding baby gay when she meets the wise and experienced Chloe at a bar. The two exchange numbers, which leads Chloe to propose a fake dating scheme. She'll help Clementine--a bisexual who is coming off a 20-year relationship with a man and therefore is new to the gay dating world--learn the ropes about dating in the lesbian community. Meanwhile, Clementine will be Chloe's date at a series of events leading up to (and at) her friends' wedding, so all her partnered friends leave her alone.
Of course, while fake dating, Chloe and Clementine spend lots of time together and feelings develop. Unfortunately, neither is known for their communication skills, and they don't do the best job of expressing these thoughts to one another. Complicating things is that Chloe's friend group includes Clem's boss, Phoebe. (If you've read any of Spalding's Out of Hollywood series, you'll recognize characters from other books, including Nina, Ari, and Sadie.)
The strength here is Clem and Chloe's slowly growing chemistry and their witty banter. It's a wonderfully realistic exploration of not just queer relationships, but queer friendships as well. Chloe's friend group is one any gay could relate to, and the book stresses how important these friendships are to those who need a found family. Chloe's focus on her issues with her own (straight) friends was harder: not that they were straight, at all, but the emphasis on not wanting to get married, have kids, and the fact that she was growing apart from her friends was covered ad nauseam. At first, it was nice to see a book exploring these issues--the whole idea is that neither Chloe nor Clem want the "typical" relationship experience. But Clem's repetition of this fact was a bit much.
Spalding does an excellent job looking at the nuances of coming out later in life and treats Clem's bisexuality quite well. She also touches on topics such as plus size relationships and difficult families. Clem's brother is absolutely awful, but the way Chloe handles him: oh my gosh, I would have fallen in love with her, too.
So, yes, there's a lot going on here, but it's all handled deftly. With the exception of Clem's storyline getting rather repetitive, this is a really cute romance, full of diverse characters, friendships, and a sweet romance.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Publishing in return for an unbiased review. Look for ON HER TERMS on 02/25/2025!
Clementine is a budding baby gay when she meets the wise and experienced Chloe at a bar. The two exchange numbers, which leads Chloe to propose a fake dating scheme. She'll help Clementine--a bisexual who is coming off a 20-year relationship with a man and therefore is new to the gay dating world--learn the ropes about dating in the lesbian community. Meanwhile, Clementine will be Chloe's date at a series of events leading up to (and at) her friends' wedding, so all her partnered friends leave her alone.
Of course, while fake dating, Chloe and Clementine spend lots of time together and feelings develop. Unfortunately, neither is known for their communication skills, and they don't do the best job of expressing these thoughts to one another. Complicating things is that Chloe's friend group includes Clem's boss, Phoebe. (If you've read any of Spalding's Out of Hollywood series, you'll recognize characters from other books, including Nina, Ari, and Sadie.)
The strength here is Clem and Chloe's slowly growing chemistry and their witty banter. It's a wonderfully realistic exploration of not just queer relationships, but queer friendships as well. Chloe's friend group is one any gay could relate to, and the book stresses how important these friendships are to those who need a found family. Chloe's focus on her issues with her own (straight) friends was harder: not that they were straight, at all, but the emphasis on not wanting to get married, have kids, and the fact that she was growing apart from her friends was covered ad nauseam. At first, it was nice to see a book exploring these issues--the whole idea is that neither Chloe nor Clem want the "typical" relationship experience. But Clem's repetition of this fact was a bit much.
Spalding does an excellent job looking at the nuances of coming out later in life and treats Clem's bisexuality quite well. She also touches on topics such as plus size relationships and difficult families. Clem's brother is absolutely awful, but the way Chloe handles him: oh my gosh, I would have fallen in love with her, too.
So, yes, there's a lot going on here, but it's all handled deftly. With the exception of Clem's storyline getting rather repetitive, this is a really cute romance, full of diverse characters, friendships, and a sweet romance.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Publishing in return for an unbiased review. Look for ON HER TERMS on 02/25/2025!
April 7, 2025
Sweet, steamy, queer romance that plays with the “fake dating” trope to great effect.
The inner monologs and interpersonal dialogs are believable and well scripted. While it is fairly obvious where the main plot is headed (it’s a romance novel, after all), the characters are complex and grow, and people are generally mature and decent to one another, and the female (& nonbinary) friendships are rich and generally supportive, I thoroughly enjoyed this and the narrator for the audiobook is excellent.
The inner monologs and interpersonal dialogs are believable and well scripted. While it is fairly obvious where the main plot is headed (it’s a romance novel, after all), the characters are complex and grow, and people are generally mature and decent to one another, and the female (& nonbinary) friendships are rich and generally supportive, I thoroughly enjoyed this and the narrator for the audiobook is excellent.
October 17, 2024
Nothing really significant to say about this one, it wasn't hugely different from the first two books but for some reason, I really struggled to get into this one. It felt like a slog until the last bit but even then I wasn't super pulled in. I think in this case it's less an indictment of the book being bad in any way but more that it's just not for me.
My strongest feeling in regard to this book was wooow is Greg insufferable and it sucks that everyone has let him get away with this behaviour for so log.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
My strongest feeling in regard to this book was wooow is Greg insufferable and it sucks that everyone has let him get away with this behaviour for so log.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2025
Content warnings: alcohol.
Rep: Clementine (MC) is cis, white, chubby, and bisexual. Chloe (LI) is cis, Korean-American, and lesbian. Lots of side queer characters.
This one was fun! It was a fun read, and I love the friendships in this little universe.
This is a 3.5 for me.
Rep: Clementine (MC) is cis, white, chubby, and bisexual. Chloe (LI) is cis, Korean-American, and lesbian. Lots of side queer characters.
This one was fun! It was a fun read, and I love the friendships in this little universe.
This is a 3.5 for me.
February 16, 2025
After ending a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Clementine decides to try to date women. She's identified as bi for a long time but hasn't had the opportunity, until she meets Chloe who needs a date to her friends' wedding events. The two agree to a fake relationship so that Clem has some experience with a woman before she looks for a real girlfriend. Thus begins a round of meeting friends and family with Clem beginning to realize how much she actually likes Chloe.
So here we have another fake dating romance with the added "only one bed" trope. The book's best quality is the cute and funny dialogue. Otherwise, as a mainstream published Sapphic romance, it doesn't differ in overall quality from similar books that are self-published or published by Sapphic presses (see The Love Lie by Monica McCallan for a good example). I also thought Clem's periodic references to the very romance novel tropes she was experiencing felt a bit too meta.
On the whole I would recommend this well written book.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
So here we have another fake dating romance with the added "only one bed" trope. The book's best quality is the cute and funny dialogue. Otherwise, as a mainstream published Sapphic romance, it doesn't differ in overall quality from similar books that are self-published or published by Sapphic presses (see The Love Lie by Monica McCallan for a good example). I also thought Clem's periodic references to the very romance novel tropes she was experiencing felt a bit too meta.
On the whole I would recommend this well written book.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
April 1, 2025
(rounded up from 4.5)
This was really interesting. I've loved all of this series from Amy Spalding, mostly because I care about the characters and believe in their struggles and they're usually 50-50 on the romantic and career side with a side of worrying about relationships with your friends. This feels so much more well-rounded to me that more basic romances which only focus on that aspect.
That said, I think a less interesting writer would have gone with Chloe as the POV character in this story, since she has a lot to work through and is kind of a heel for most of the story. Seeing it from her POV would have made it more likeable, I feel, but I appreciate that we can actually follow around Clementine instead and feel how devastating it can be to convince someone to be real about their feelings when they're clearly scared.
I do also very much appreciate when a book is self-aware of the tropes. In this case, every other person knows a good fake relationship/fauxmance plot and what it leads to and can't help commenting on it, which is delightful.
The truly shining aspect of this, I think, is that we see characters from previous books pop up as part of a happy couple and an important part of the friend group. It's so important when you have side characters to ensure they feel and sound distinct to the reader and are different enough to keep straight (heh). This book has so many side characters but they are all distinct and easy to keep track of, so kudos! I can't wait to see what the final (?) installment of this series will be.
This was really interesting. I've loved all of this series from Amy Spalding, mostly because I care about the characters and believe in their struggles and they're usually 50-50 on the romantic and career side with a side of worrying about relationships with your friends. This feels so much more well-rounded to me that more basic romances which only focus on that aspect.
That said, I think a less interesting writer would have gone with Chloe as the POV character in this story, since she has a lot to work through and is kind of a heel for most of the story. Seeing it from her POV would have made it more likeable, I feel, but I appreciate that we can actually follow around Clementine instead and feel how devastating it can be to convince someone to be real about their feelings when they're clearly scared.
I do also very much appreciate when a book is self-aware of the tropes. In this case, every other person knows a good fake relationship/fauxmance plot and what it leads to and can't help commenting on it, which is delightful.
The truly shining aspect of this, I think, is that we see characters from previous books pop up as part of a happy couple and an important part of the friend group. It's so important when you have side characters to ensure they feel and sound distinct to the reader and are different enough to keep straight (heh). This book has so many side characters but they are all distinct and easy to keep track of, so kudos! I can't wait to see what the final (?) installment of this series will be.
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April 29, 2025I really liked Clementine as a main character. I enjoyed her perspective as someone embracing their sexuality later in life and trying to navigate dating women (dating in general) after being with one person for almost two decades. I liked her growth and the way her character developed. And I liked the way the story resolved.
The one thing I didn’t like: Greg. Her brother was such an asshole who was constantly rude and lacked all social skills. And everyone blew it off like “Oh, that’s just Greg.” He got called out in the end but it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted it to be a stronger call out that truly put him in his place.
And while I also have to admit I hated the hot and cold, rude ways the love interest, Chloe, acted at times, the ending sold me.
Overall, this is my favorite of the Out In Hollywood series (they can all be read as standalone novels) and is worth checking out!
Pub Date: February 25th, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a copy of this eARC.
The one thing I didn’t like: Greg. Her brother was such an asshole who was constantly rude and lacked all social skills. And everyone blew it off like “Oh, that’s just Greg.” He got called out in the end but it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted it to be a stronger call out that truly put him in his place.
And while I also have to admit I hated the hot and cold, rude ways the love interest, Chloe, acted at times, the ending sold me.
Overall, this is my favorite of the Out In Hollywood series (they can all be read as standalone novels) and is worth checking out!
Pub Date: February 25th, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a copy of this eARC.
January 28, 2025
What an incredibly sweet and sincere look at queerness, chosen family, life transitions, and self-confidence! And god, I loved the dialogue in this novel.
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October 4, 2025I loved Clementine and Lori Prince did a great job with this narration
April 21, 2025
Oh my goodness, On Her Terms is one of the most delightful sapphic romances I've ever read? This book is hilariously funny (I was legitimately laughing out loud), relatively low angst, has excellent bi and plus size rep - it's the perfect read for millennial queer romance readers who want a fun fake dating romance. Extremely grateful to Pride Book Tours for putting this book on my radar, and I'm extremely excited to meet Amy Spalding at Queers and Quills in a few weeks so I can gush about this book in person!
I'm not always a romcom girl, but oh my goodness, the humor in this book was so relatable and genuinely funny. I listened to On Her Terms as an audiobook, and narrator Lori Prince's comedic timing was perfect. Her voice for Chloe, a lesbian dog groomer who has what she thinks is an unrequited crush on newly single Clementine, was so spot on, it truly made the character. Chloe is hot and cold throughout the book - it's fake dating, and Chloe is trying to hide her (obvious) feelings, and it's incredibly well done. Poor Clementine can tell there is something between them, but she's constantly questioning everything she knows. She's going through a lot in this book - she knows she doesn't want to go down a traditional heteronormative path, but she fears that doing so is going to alienate her from her best friends. She's also dealing with stress at work and navigating the sapphic dating scene - it's a lot, but Chloe (and, honestly, her ridiculously named kitten) is really a bright spot throughout all of it. It's such a perfect distillation of life in your late 30s, and while that could be somewhat depressing, it ends up feeling incredible hopeful.
This is my first book by Amy Spalding, and it absolutely will not be my last. I'm pretty sure at least some of the couples form previous books in this series are introduced in this one, and I'm so intrigued. Excited to have found a great new author to love, highly recommend checking her out!
I'm not always a romcom girl, but oh my goodness, the humor in this book was so relatable and genuinely funny. I listened to On Her Terms as an audiobook, and narrator Lori Prince's comedic timing was perfect. Her voice for Chloe, a lesbian dog groomer who has what she thinks is an unrequited crush on newly single Clementine, was so spot on, it truly made the character. Chloe is hot and cold throughout the book - it's fake dating, and Chloe is trying to hide her (obvious) feelings, and it's incredibly well done. Poor Clementine can tell there is something between them, but she's constantly questioning everything she knows. She's going through a lot in this book - she knows she doesn't want to go down a traditional heteronormative path, but she fears that doing so is going to alienate her from her best friends. She's also dealing with stress at work and navigating the sapphic dating scene - it's a lot, but Chloe (and, honestly, her ridiculously named kitten) is really a bright spot throughout all of it. It's such a perfect distillation of life in your late 30s, and while that could be somewhat depressing, it ends up feeling incredible hopeful.
This is my first book by Amy Spalding, and it absolutely will not be my last. I'm pretty sure at least some of the couples form previous books in this series are introduced in this one, and I'm so intrigued. Excited to have found a great new author to love, highly recommend checking her out!
February 27, 2025
I’ve read all of Amy Spalding’s books to date, and each one has been an absolute delight. Her third instalment in the Out In Hollywood series On Her Terms unsurprisingly lived up to my expectations.
Clementine knows what she doesn’t want – a husband and kids. This means breaking the heart of the man who wanted to give her these things. With a plan to explore her sexuality, she meets Chloe, who is funny, sexy and completely unavailable emotionally. Of course, when Chloe talks Clementine into being her fake girlfriend in the lead up to a friend’s wedding, she knows it’s a terrible idea. But…with her parent’s upcoming surprise anniversary party, Clem thinks that the plan might be mutually beneficial.
We all know where these fake dating tropes lead, and Spalding’s take is original, full of wit and humour, and impossible to put down. On Her Terms is full of body positivity and neurodiversity, making it a book that will resonate today, even if some of the side characters are super-hot Hollywood stars.
The lead up to the first kiss was slow-burn, and when it arrived, it’s couldn’t have been more perfect. I loved the awkward first-time sex, with way too much talking, but that was Clementine and Chloe to a tee. The nonstop laughter, which often goes with falling in love, but isn’t usually shown on the page, was so sweet and authentic.
I’d recommend reading these books in order, though it isn’t completely necessary – but getting to go on the journey with Clem and Chloe as Ari and Nina prepare and then get married feels like a gorgeous conclusion to their story.
Amy Spalding has quickly become one of those authors I will read without needing to know a single detail about her books. Don’t miss this one!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.
Clementine knows what she doesn’t want – a husband and kids. This means breaking the heart of the man who wanted to give her these things. With a plan to explore her sexuality, she meets Chloe, who is funny, sexy and completely unavailable emotionally. Of course, when Chloe talks Clementine into being her fake girlfriend in the lead up to a friend’s wedding, she knows it’s a terrible idea. But…with her parent’s upcoming surprise anniversary party, Clem thinks that the plan might be mutually beneficial.
We all know where these fake dating tropes lead, and Spalding’s take is original, full of wit and humour, and impossible to put down. On Her Terms is full of body positivity and neurodiversity, making it a book that will resonate today, even if some of the side characters are super-hot Hollywood stars.
The lead up to the first kiss was slow-burn, and when it arrived, it’s couldn’t have been more perfect. I loved the awkward first-time sex, with way too much talking, but that was Clementine and Chloe to a tee. The nonstop laughter, which often goes with falling in love, but isn’t usually shown on the page, was so sweet and authentic.
I’d recommend reading these books in order, though it isn’t completely necessary – but getting to go on the journey with Clem and Chloe as Ari and Nina prepare and then get married feels like a gorgeous conclusion to their story.
Amy Spalding has quickly become one of those authors I will read without needing to know a single detail about her books. Don’t miss this one!
I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.
May 12, 2025
The other two books in this series are two of my favorite romance novels, but this one didn’t do it for me.
My main problem was that both main characters were unlikable and irritating.
Chloe is a condescending brat who keeps mocking Clementine’s inexperience but then lashing out whenever Clem dares to voice an opinion of her own instead of being a naive little baby gay
Clementine is so obsessed with Entering Queer Culture that she makes being lgbt sound like an exclusive club she wants to join rather than a marginalized identity. She’s also a scumbag bi stereotype who abruptly dumps her committed partner because she wants to go out exploring and pick up random women at a bar
This book is also missing the main premise of the series- Hollywood. These characters’ jobs and home lives barely even qualify as subplots; they’re more like afterthoughts. Clementine has a Big Presentation. That’s the extent of her career’s impact on the story. I kept forgetting what she even did for a living because it was neither glamorous nor relevant
The only good part of the book is that we get to see more of a couple from a previous book. Which just reminded me how much better that previous book was than this one.
My main problem was that both main characters were unlikable and irritating.
Chloe is a condescending brat who keeps mocking Clementine’s inexperience but then lashing out whenever Clem dares to voice an opinion of her own instead of being a naive little baby gay
Clementine is so obsessed with Entering Queer Culture that she makes being lgbt sound like an exclusive club she wants to join rather than a marginalized identity. She’s also a scumbag bi stereotype who abruptly dumps her committed partner because she wants to go out exploring and pick up random women at a bar
This book is also missing the main premise of the series- Hollywood. These characters’ jobs and home lives barely even qualify as subplots; they’re more like afterthoughts. Clementine has a Big Presentation. That’s the extent of her career’s impact on the story. I kept forgetting what she even did for a living because it was neither glamorous nor relevant
The only good part of the book is that we get to see more of a couple from a previous book. Which just reminded me how much better that previous book was than this one.
December 14, 2024
I hate to say it, but I really disliked this book. It seems as though every book in this series was worse than the last. The main couple of the book had 0 chemistry, and our narrator, Clementine, was so negative and annoying. If I had a dollar for every time she mentioned her ex boyfriend, I’d be rich. Her love interest, Chloe, was so incredibly condescending about Clementine being a “baby gay”. If someone called me that, I’d actually spit in their face. The only reason I didn’t give it 1-star is because I didn’t totally dislike the supporting characters, and because there was Diet Coke worship (rightfully so).
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
May 17, 2025
Everyone was laughing and nothing was funny. Chloe was terrible to Clementine. Other reviews have explained it better than I so I won’t bother.
.5 stars for being gay, and .5 stars for being body positive.
.5 stars for being gay, and .5 stars for being body positive.
February 25, 2025
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
when clementine ended her relationship with her boyfriend of 20 years ... could she really go down the path she was considering.... she knew she was bi... but did anyone else think that.... she was a bundle of nerves... which didnt help when she was about to walk into her first ever gay bar... but it was the heckling from a group of men that nearly put paid to that .... but it was chloe that rescued her and took her into the bar....
it turned out that chloe had recognised clementine but it took clementine a while before she recognised chloe
as both chloe and clementine each had a problem that the other could solve and when they hatched the plan to be fake girlfriends to help them in their situations never realising the trouble it would cause them..... fun times ahead...
this book is written in one pov..... so we never really get to know many of the characters... which was a shame... but apart from that it didnt distract to much from the action of being fake girlfriends....
when clementine ended her relationship with her boyfriend of 20 years ... could she really go down the path she was considering.... she knew she was bi... but did anyone else think that.... she was a bundle of nerves... which didnt help when she was about to walk into her first ever gay bar... but it was the heckling from a group of men that nearly put paid to that .... but it was chloe that rescued her and took her into the bar....
it turned out that chloe had recognised clementine but it took clementine a while before she recognised chloe
as both chloe and clementine each had a problem that the other could solve and when they hatched the plan to be fake girlfriends to help them in their situations never realising the trouble it would cause them..... fun times ahead...
this book is written in one pov..... so we never really get to know many of the characters... which was a shame... but apart from that it didnt distract to much from the action of being fake girlfriends....
December 8, 2025
On Her Terms
I love a good romcom, and this one definitely delivered! Fake-dating and only-one-bed tropes with funny banter and an amazing friend group really made this romance highly entertaining and super sweet.
Chloe and Clementine were so good together, even when they were just faking it. To everyone around, they seemed like the dynamic duo. And when they finally crossed lines, they were even hotter! Plus we got to catch up with everyone from the first two books - I always enjoy that.
I love a good romcom, and this one definitely delivered! Fake-dating and only-one-bed tropes with funny banter and an amazing friend group really made this romance highly entertaining and super sweet.
Chloe and Clementine were so good together, even when they were just faking it. To everyone around, they seemed like the dynamic duo. And when they finally crossed lines, they were even hotter! Plus we got to catch up with everyone from the first two books - I always enjoy that.
March 13, 2025
⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much to Booksparks for sending me a physical copy <3
On Her Terms by Amy Spalding was a pretty fun read. To be honest, nothing much happened, which is why I don't have many strong opinions on it, positive nor negative. It was the type of book where you enjoy reading it, but never think about it again. There was definitely nothing inherently bad about this book, although the writing did read a bit millennial, but it wasn't obvious most of the time. The love interest wasn't anyone to swoon over, the main character wasn't anyone to fall in love with, but there was a very strong supporting cast.
Overall, I thought I would enjoy this a lot more because of the fake dating trope, but there just wasn't anything to set this book apart from all of the other romance books that do the same trope.
Thank you so much to Booksparks for sending me a physical copy <3
On Her Terms by Amy Spalding was a pretty fun read. To be honest, nothing much happened, which is why I don't have many strong opinions on it, positive nor negative. It was the type of book where you enjoy reading it, but never think about it again. There was definitely nothing inherently bad about this book, although the writing did read a bit millennial, but it wasn't obvious most of the time. The love interest wasn't anyone to swoon over, the main character wasn't anyone to fall in love with, but there was a very strong supporting cast.
Overall, I thought I would enjoy this a lot more because of the fake dating trope, but there just wasn't anything to set this book apart from all of the other romance books that do the same trope.
December 13, 2025
Third book in the series, my favorite so far.
June 11, 2025
Cute, but this book really would have benefited from a double POV and a premise that made more sense bc why is she immediately going into a new relationship??
March 23, 2025
First off, thank you RBmedia for the advance audiobook of this absolutely delightful story!
As I started listening and got to know our FMC, Clementine, I found her charming, vulnerable, brave, and relatable. I’ll be honest and admit I wondered more than once if this book was written for me.
I also found the narrator’s voice to have a fun quirkiness to it and her pacing was excellent - I often listen to books faster than 1.0 speed but not this one. The one thing I found myself yearning for a little (especially towards the end) was a bit more of a vocal distinction between Chloe and Clementine in some scenes. This is a very minor critique and didn’t detract much at all from my overall experience and I’d be excited to listen to another book narrated by Lori Prince. I particularly find the way she expresses excitement to be delightful.
By now, most readers of romance have read plenty of fake dating tropes, but I’ve never come across one that pokes fun at itself in this manner - Spalding delivers a very fresh take on a somewhat tired trope.
I found most of the characters to be really delightful and am excited to learn this is the third book in a series, I will definitely be reading the first two.
I want to take a specific moment to thank Amy Spalding for writing a book about a woman transitioning out of a straight-presenting phase of her life. The feeling Clementine has re: coming out for only “having queer thoughts” is very relatable. Bi people often feel like we don’t get a “seat at the table” and it felt nice to have some validation that we are a part of the community also.
“I’m entering this new phase in life and I should probably do it with as much honesty as possible” - Clementine (“YES, Clem, go girl!” I cheered).
If you are looking for a light hearted WLW romance with themes of found family and finding your voice, add this to the TBR and bump it up to the top of the list!
As I started listening and got to know our FMC, Clementine, I found her charming, vulnerable, brave, and relatable. I’ll be honest and admit I wondered more than once if this book was written for me.
I also found the narrator’s voice to have a fun quirkiness to it and her pacing was excellent - I often listen to books faster than 1.0 speed but not this one. The one thing I found myself yearning for a little (especially towards the end) was a bit more of a vocal distinction between Chloe and Clementine in some scenes. This is a very minor critique and didn’t detract much at all from my overall experience and I’d be excited to listen to another book narrated by Lori Prince. I particularly find the way she expresses excitement to be delightful.
By now, most readers of romance have read plenty of fake dating tropes, but I’ve never come across one that pokes fun at itself in this manner - Spalding delivers a very fresh take on a somewhat tired trope.
I found most of the characters to be really delightful and am excited to learn this is the third book in a series, I will definitely be reading the first two.
I want to take a specific moment to thank Amy Spalding for writing a book about a woman transitioning out of a straight-presenting phase of her life. The feeling Clementine has re: coming out for only “having queer thoughts” is very relatable. Bi people often feel like we don’t get a “seat at the table” and it felt nice to have some validation that we are a part of the community also.
“I’m entering this new phase in life and I should probably do it with as much honesty as possible” - Clementine (“YES, Clem, go girl!” I cheered).
If you are looking for a light hearted WLW romance with themes of found family and finding your voice, add this to the TBR and bump it up to the top of the list!
March 1, 2026
Second read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars
First read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Amy Spalding for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Amy Spalding is back, and as brilliant as ever with On Her Terms, the third instalment in the Out in Hollywood series. When I heard that the next book would feature Chloe Lee as the love interest I was over the moon. I love the original brunch group from For Her Consideration, and Chloe and Fernando were two of my favourite side characters, so getting to read more about them sounded like a dream come true to me. While we don't get Chloe's POV in On Her Terms we still see her at her best—and, let's be honest, at her worst—and I wouldn't change a thing about it.
On Her Terms follows thirty-six year old Clementine, who has just broken up with her boyfriend of more than a decade after realising that they don't want the same things in life anymore. Will wanted marriage and kids. Clementine wants a cat and a girlfriend—or at least she doesn't want to die alone. She has a great job, and a profitable side-hustle, but her brother doesn't take her seriously, and she feels like she's growing apart from her best friends who have more conventional life goals.
On her way to Johnny's—yes, that Johnny's from At Her Service, and yes Sadie makes multiple appearances—as part of her 'new gay plan', Clementine is harassed by some creeps on the street, only to be saved by none other than Chloe Lee, lesbian extraordinaire. After realising that this isn't their first time meeting the two women talk about their lives and Chloe proposes a scheme: Chloe needs a date to her friends' wedding and weekend brunches, and Clementine needs a practice girlfriend so she's no longer a 'baby gay' when she meets someone she actually wants to spend her life with and a date to her parents' surprise wedding anniversary, so Clementine and Chloe should fake date each other. While Clementine is hesistant at first after a catch-up with her friends she leans into the shenanigan and drama ensues!
We all know how fake dating schemes play out in romcoms, but this one has a lot of heart, and is delightfully queer. From kitten Small Jesse Pinkman, to red alerts, a celebrity wedding, and cameos from all your favourite Out in Hollywood characters, On Her Terms has everything you could want in a contemporary romance. Friends to lovers, only one bed, forced proximity, plenty of references to The L Word—it's an Amy Spalding book, after all—and a whole lot of ABBA too.
Like the previous Out in Hollywood books, On Her Terms will have you laughing along with the characters from start to end, and its capacity for emotional growth is fantastic too.
Overall, this book is a great expansion on the series, and I can't wait for the next book.
First read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Amy Spalding for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Amy Spalding is back, and as brilliant as ever with On Her Terms, the third instalment in the Out in Hollywood series. When I heard that the next book would feature Chloe Lee as the love interest I was over the moon. I love the original brunch group from For Her Consideration, and Chloe and Fernando were two of my favourite side characters, so getting to read more about them sounded like a dream come true to me. While we don't get Chloe's POV in On Her Terms we still see her at her best—and, let's be honest, at her worst—and I wouldn't change a thing about it.
I almost couldn’t believe how, suddenly, Chloe was the complete opposite of nothing.
On Her Terms follows thirty-six year old Clementine, who has just broken up with her boyfriend of more than a decade after realising that they don't want the same things in life anymore. Will wanted marriage and kids. Clementine wants a cat and a girlfriend—or at least she doesn't want to die alone. She has a great job, and a profitable side-hustle, but her brother doesn't take her seriously, and she feels like she's growing apart from her best friends who have more conventional life goals.
“Thank you for everything,” she whispered into my ear. “And if you tell anyone how fucking soft I am, I will absolutely murder you and raise your cat as my own.”
On her way to Johnny's—yes, that Johnny's from At Her Service, and yes Sadie makes multiple appearances—as part of her 'new gay plan', Clementine is harassed by some creeps on the street, only to be saved by none other than Chloe Lee, lesbian extraordinaire. After realising that this isn't their first time meeting the two women talk about their lives and Chloe proposes a scheme: Chloe needs a date to her friends' wedding and weekend brunches, and Clementine needs a practice girlfriend so she's no longer a 'baby gay' when she meets someone she actually wants to spend her life with and a date to her parents' surprise wedding anniversary, so Clementine and Chloe should fake date each other. While Clementine is hesistant at first after a catch-up with her friends she leans into the shenanigan and drama ensues!
Whatever it was that I wanted, I’d never felt so sure it felt OK to find it. Though as the music swelled, and Chloe followed the rest of the party through the venue to the receiving line, we locked eyes again and I hoped we might be able to find whatever it was together.
We all know how fake dating schemes play out in romcoms, but this one has a lot of heart, and is delightfully queer. From kitten Small Jesse Pinkman, to red alerts, a celebrity wedding, and cameos from all your favourite Out in Hollywood characters, On Her Terms has everything you could want in a contemporary romance. Friends to lovers, only one bed, forced proximity, plenty of references to The L Word—it's an Amy Spalding book, after all—and a whole lot of ABBA too.
As queer women we’re used to guarding ourselves in a culture that’s still not always amazing for us, even in this industry—sometimes especially in this industry—and it’s no wonder it bleeds into the rest of life.
Like the previous Out in Hollywood books, On Her Terms will have you laughing along with the characters from start to end, and its capacity for emotional growth is fantastic too.
Overall, this book is a great expansion on the series, and I can't wait for the next book.
I thought of Mom’s words, a love big enough to hold everything. I loved Chloe, I realized with a shock. What I felt for her had room for all of it. For all of me.
March 3, 2025
on her terms by amy spalding is a comedic sapphic fake dating rom-com!
let me start with highlights! our main character, clementine is bi, plus-size, and has adhd, all of which were very well represented and a lot of great conversations about mental illness, fatness, and bisexuality transpire throughout the book! The audiobook narration itself was well done, the differentiation between the characters was clear and the tone was very engaging and caught the comedic timing quite well! the love interest, chloe, had a very sweet, queer friend group, through which the societal prioritization of romantic or sexual love over platonic love was explored beautifully.
now for my qualms.... let me begin by prefacing that I am not saying this as a generational insult by any means, but this was a very millennial book. which is okay! it is just something to keep in mind if that isn't really for you! for example, clementine's workplace is "Big Marketing Energy", chloe wears crocs in nearly every scene, clem's cat is named jesse pinkman, the word "twee" is used about 20 times too many, and quite frankly, the references and much of the metaphors (and even dialogue) read as just too online, if that makes sense. I saw someone else describe the dialogue as reading like twitter discourse and that really hit the nail on the head.
now for my main qualm: the love interest is despicable. I really tried to like her but the way she objectifies, infantilizes, fetishizes, and condescends down to clementine is wild. chloe gives bi-affirming speeches to clem that her place within the queer community isn't dependent on the gender of her partner, but then turns around and contradicts this repeatedly by acting as a queer elder that is showing clem the "baby gay" the ropes of queerness following her breakup with a "boring man". chloe calls clementine a "baby gay" a total of 15 times throughout the book (I bought it on kindle just to count) and although clementine's ex-boyfriend, will, remained on good terms and hold no animosity seeing as they had a healthy adult break up, chloe takes every opportunity to call him "boring" and be very rude. all in all, chloe treats clementine pretty horribly throughout the book, and I found myself disappointed when they resolved their third-act conflict. the build up for their relationship is nonexistent. their romance isn't believable and I didn't root for them at any point.
also I would like to preface this by saying that I am a bi-romantic demisexual so my experiences as a bisexual woman are likely very different from someone who is not aroaspec. while there were aspects of clem's bisexuality that aligned with my own personal experiences with bisexuality, specifically the internalized biphobia of having only ever been with a man, there were other aspects that didn't quite sit right with me. one such example would be the way that clem's exploration of her sapphic attraction is described as her 'deciding' she wants to be with a woman now. now this could be how this feels for some bi women, and could simply be something that my demisexuality doesn't resonate with, but it wasn't my desired way of seeing bisexuality be represented. it also didn't sit right with me with the thin love interest that fetishized the main character's fatness during the sexual scenes, "complimenting" her in ways that didn't feel as much like compliments as much as they did gratuitous objectification.
once again, these could just be my personal opinions based on my experiences with attraction, but I wanted to make sure I put it out there in case someone else would be bothered by that. please remember that these are just my opinions and if you love this, there is nothing wrong with that!!
maybe this just wasn't for me! and this is okay!
this book did have a lot of fun tropes though, so if you are a fan of fake dating, forced proximity, or one-bed trope, you could definitely have fun with this!
let me start with highlights! our main character, clementine is bi, plus-size, and has adhd, all of which were very well represented and a lot of great conversations about mental illness, fatness, and bisexuality transpire throughout the book! The audiobook narration itself was well done, the differentiation between the characters was clear and the tone was very engaging and caught the comedic timing quite well! the love interest, chloe, had a very sweet, queer friend group, through which the societal prioritization of romantic or sexual love over platonic love was explored beautifully.
now for my qualms.... let me begin by prefacing that I am not saying this as a generational insult by any means, but this was a very millennial book. which is okay! it is just something to keep in mind if that isn't really for you! for example, clementine's workplace is "Big Marketing Energy", chloe wears crocs in nearly every scene, clem's cat is named jesse pinkman, the word "twee" is used about 20 times too many, and quite frankly, the references and much of the metaphors (and even dialogue) read as just too online, if that makes sense. I saw someone else describe the dialogue as reading like twitter discourse and that really hit the nail on the head.
now for my main qualm: the love interest is despicable. I really tried to like her but the way she objectifies, infantilizes, fetishizes, and condescends down to clementine is wild. chloe gives bi-affirming speeches to clem that her place within the queer community isn't dependent on the gender of her partner, but then turns around and contradicts this repeatedly by acting as a queer elder that is showing clem the "baby gay" the ropes of queerness following her breakup with a "boring man". chloe calls clementine a "baby gay" a total of 15 times throughout the book (I bought it on kindle just to count) and although clementine's ex-boyfriend, will, remained on good terms and hold no animosity seeing as they had a healthy adult break up, chloe takes every opportunity to call him "boring" and be very rude. all in all, chloe treats clementine pretty horribly throughout the book, and I found myself disappointed when they resolved their third-act conflict. the build up for their relationship is nonexistent. their romance isn't believable and I didn't root for them at any point.
also I would like to preface this by saying that I am a bi-romantic demisexual so my experiences as a bisexual woman are likely very different from someone who is not aroaspec. while there were aspects of clem's bisexuality that aligned with my own personal experiences with bisexuality, specifically the internalized biphobia of having only ever been with a man, there were other aspects that didn't quite sit right with me. one such example would be the way that clem's exploration of her sapphic attraction is described as her 'deciding' she wants to be with a woman now. now this could be how this feels for some bi women, and could simply be something that my demisexuality doesn't resonate with, but it wasn't my desired way of seeing bisexuality be represented. it also didn't sit right with me with the thin love interest that fetishized the main character's fatness during the sexual scenes, "complimenting" her in ways that didn't feel as much like compliments as much as they did gratuitous objectification.
once again, these could just be my personal opinions based on my experiences with attraction, but I wanted to make sure I put it out there in case someone else would be bothered by that. please remember that these are just my opinions and if you love this, there is nothing wrong with that!!
maybe this just wasn't for me! and this is okay!
this book did have a lot of fun tropes though, so if you are a fan of fake dating, forced proximity, or one-bed trope, you could definitely have fun with this!
February 28, 2025
Such a good time! A super cozy romcom that hits all the right ones. Funny. Steamy, relatable yet aspirational, full of great women. Characters are fleshed out and not just because I’ve met them in other books of this series.
Big plus for me: this is the first time I’ve felt good about being a big woman reading about a plus size FMC. This was just done well. Subtle, but bold. It sounds contradictory, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it.
I got the audiobook ARC and must say that the voice acting was perfectly believable and the jokes were well-delivered. There were only a couple of pronunciations I’m not used to hearing, but you’ll get that with any audio media.
All that said, this was formulaic - nothing earth shattering - but sometimes that’s what you want.
Cozy, sexy, twee.
Big plus for me: this is the first time I’ve felt good about being a big woman reading about a plus size FMC. This was just done well. Subtle, but bold. It sounds contradictory, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it.
I got the audiobook ARC and must say that the voice acting was perfectly believable and the jokes were well-delivered. There were only a couple of pronunciations I’m not used to hearing, but you’ll get that with any audio media.
All that said, this was formulaic - nothing earth shattering - but sometimes that’s what you want.
Cozy, sexy, twee.
February 27, 2025
I love love love this series. The setting and the characters are so good. I really enjoyed this part, as well. Specifically what spoke to me is the baby gay, straight passing, fat, bisexual vibe in here. This book was so much more than a romance (might have even been more of a side plot), and it really touches upon topics like insecurities. Super relatable (thats bad isnt it). Honestly, what a good read.
Its getting close to release day, so to anyone reading this, i absolutely recommend reading this (read the other 2 first though)
Personal request from amy spalding: can i pleaaaaaaasee get a phoebe and bianca book? I need to know about how they met and got to be where they are.
Did i get approved for the netgalley read for this? Yes (i love it). Did i also get in my afterlight special edition? Absolutely (in my defense, i didnt know which would be faster). Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.
Its getting close to release day, so to anyone reading this, i absolutely recommend reading this (read the other 2 first though)
Personal request from amy spalding: can i pleaaaaaaasee get a phoebe and bianca book? I need to know about how they met and got to be where they are.
Did i get approved for the netgalley read for this? Yes (i love it). Did i also get in my afterlight special edition? Absolutely (in my defense, i didnt know which would be faster). Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2024
No es necesario haber leído los libros anteriores.
Este libro no era para mí; lamentablemente, no conecté ni con Clementine ni con Chloe, y tampoco logré conectar con la historia. Aunque tiene buenos elementos y, en general, es entretenido, simplemente no fue para mi.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Este libro no era para mí; lamentablemente, no conecté ni con Clementine ni con Chloe, y tampoco logré conectar con la historia. Aunque tiene buenos elementos y, en general, es entretenido, simplemente no fue para mi.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2025
never beating the asexual allegations because all this did was make me Yearn for a Solid friend group. still very cute, though. except for the miserable ass people in clementine’s life… greg, I don’t care how neurodivergent you are, we are still going no contact.
April 3, 2025
Bring back yearning!!! Bring back redemption arcs!!! Bring back proofreading books!!! Bring back likable love interests!!!
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