In Her Spotlight

Out in Hollywood #4

by Amy Spalding

For fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall, and Meryl Wilsner, an actually hilarious, sweetly sexy, gloriously relatable, second chance, sapphic rom-com from the acclaimed author of For Her Consideration, starring a franchise Hollywood actress aims to prove her chops in a theatrical production directed by her ex whose heart she broke a decade earlier.


Hollywood actor Tess Gardner is not the kind of famous she set out to be. She's ready to show she’s more than Princess Platinum of the Vindicators series, a pretty face with CGI superpowers that literally sparkle. Tess wants to prove herself as an actor and that means theatre—the true calling of her thespian heart. But just when Tess lands a part working with an acclaimed stage director, a brewing scandal forces him out. His replacement? None other than hip, buzzy director Rebecca Frisch. The same Rebecca Frisch whose heart a firmly closeted Tess broke over a decade ago during summer stock . . .


As Tess wrestles with her lingering guilt and attraction to Rebecca, she also finds herself struggling to rein in her superstar status backstage. When things unexpectedly reignite with Rebecca, Tess bristles even more against the walls of her A-list life. Since the industry’s made it clear that girl-next-door superheroes can’t also be gay, coming out isn’t realistic for Tess. And ultimately, Rebecca will head back to New York and likely seek out a less complicated relationship anyway.


Will the curtain close on her chance for happiness or will Tess finally take a leading role in her own life?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Lesbian Fiction, Adult

337 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2026

About the author

Amy 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.

Reviews

[joe]

pre-read:
im extremely sorry for my ARC updates girlies🎀 anyway, looking forward to this book, was such a fan of rwrb x

[Gio.reads.sapphic · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was my first book by this author and I have to say I was skeptical about the 1 pov thing, they're not my fave, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. I will definitely try some more of Amy's books.

You could really sense the pressure from the industry to maintain certain standards, especially among women, this made the finale even more beautiful.

Honestly, because of the 1 POV, I didn't really understand how they slept together the first time (this is one of the reasons why i don't read many 1 pov books, you miss part of the plot) but overall it's a good book, 3.5 ⭐ and 2.5🔥.

Bonus point for the best side character, the pug!!!

In this book you'll find:
Second chance
-Forced Proximity
-Coming out later in life
-Wealth Gap
-Slow Burn
-Celebrity Romance
-Contemporary
-HEA
-Director × Actresses
-Lesbian MCs
-Sapphic superpower
-Bossy Top
-Proud Pug Mum
-Secrecy

CW:Conservative homophobic household - mention of SA - dead parents - double standard

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess Gardner is a well-known actress, most famous for a Marvel-type role entitled Princess Platinum. She's famous but also held to a pretty high standard--and has to hold to pre-existing expectations. Ready to prove her acting chops, she get a theatric role, but a #MeToo scandals forces out her famous director. The replacement, Rebecca, just happens to be the same Rebecca whose heart Tess broke years ago at theater camp, since Tess was unwilling to admit her sexuality to herself, or Rebecca.

I love this series, though this book was a bit slower than the others. It wasn't quite as fun, with no big queer group of friends, and Tess was certainly hard to like. She's especially mean to her best friend, taking her for granted. And she lives up to her actress name, acting as if the world revolves her. (I could go without hearing the phrase "Professional Actress Tess Gardner" ever again.)

Eventually Tess' redemption arc makes it a bit easier to warm up to her--and the book. She's deeply closeted and hiding who she is: that's never easy. I found this more a coming out story than a true romance. The chemistry between Tess and Rebecca is a slow burn, without some of the wit and charm in other Spalding books. When the story focuses on Rebecca's exploration of her sexuality, it's nuanced and well-done.

We do get to see Max and Sadie (from the other books in this series) and a bit of Ari--that was fun, and I wish there was more of them. Over time, I warmed up to Tess' cast for the play and they were some strong foils for her. Overall, this story builds, culminating in a good ending.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in return for an unbiased review.

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(rounded up from 4.5)

If it makes me cry, it gets five stars. Them's the rules.

This was wholesome, low-angst, and I loved the supporting characters for once. Tess is a fairly famous actress who is tired of the usual comic book big-budget movies that have made her famous and is looking to get back to her roots in theatre. Unfortunately, the new director attached to her theatre debut is the woman she was in a theatre camp with in her twenties and whose heart she broke. Worse still, the woman is all grown up, still gorgeous, and seems not really affected by Tess ' bad behaviour in the past (I love that this is worse because relatable as all fuck).

I loved the journey of Tess opening up about her sexuality to her close friends and then further. There are some cute found friendships, cute banter amongst the characters, and a sweet and non-dramatic love story at the core of this. It is all very wholesome and sweet. Highly recommended if you enjoyed the rest of Amy Spalding's series about gay women in Hollywood.

[Vanessasbooksta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

If you love slow-burn, angsty second-chance romances where characters actually talk through their issues and grow together, this is for you.

It’s a love letter to theatre kids and a wonderful "come out to play" story.

Note: This is book 4 in the Out in Hollywood series, but it works perfectly as a standalone!

TROPES ✨
🔁 Second Chance
👯‍♀️ Sapphic Romance
🧲 Forced Proximity
☎️ Workplace Romance
🌶 2/5 Spice
🚫 Exes

Thanks to Hambright PR, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the rare sapphic contemporary romance with plenty of conflict! Yay for plot, for external antagonists, for high stakes!

Thanks to Hambright for the complimentary copy of In Her Spotlight.

Tess Gardner has achieved the Hollywood dream. She is a certified movie star and has the kind of career people only dream of. But after making three wildly successful Vindicators movies, she wants to get back to what she loved about acting in the first place, and that involves doing a play. She has signed on as the lead in the Los Angeles premiere of a new play that will be directed by a man she's wanted to work with for years. But the day rehearsals are supposed to start, he gets caught up in a Me Too scandal and is replaced by none other than Rebecca Frisch, Tess's only real relationship and the one that got away. They dated for one summer while they were in Ohio doing summer stock theatre, but their relationship ended when Tess moved to LA to start her career, breaking Rebecca's heart. Tess is still incredibly attracted to Rebecca, but the problem is she's not out. The type of roles she's played and the kind of career she's had make it hard for her to be anything but the stereotypical girl next door. This play is critical to the new image Tess wants for her career, but can she survive working in close proximity to the only woman she's ever loved, knowing she was the villain of both of their stories?

If you follow my reviews at all, you know I am super frustrated with the trends in sapphic contemporary romance. It's like authors are scared to let gay women make bad choices. Well, I support both women's rights and wrongs, so I love to see queer women make terrible decisions. In this case, Tess did a really shitty thing by leaving Rebecca without an explanation. While she had valid fears due to her conservative parents and the film industry at the time, she also did a bad thing and owns up to it. I really liked that Amy Spalding didn't try to make what she did okay, and I also enjoyed that Rebecca eventually had to own up to her part in everything, mostly that she wasn't actually listening to Tess.

We are in single POV with Tess for the entire book, so we don't really get Rebecca's take on things aside from what she tells Tess. Luckily, she's fairly communicative once they open up to each other, but this is really Tess's story. She's not out, she's not sure how she could even be out, but she does know she's exhausted by having to be Professional Actress Tess Gardner, who doesn't get to have a personal life because she is in the closet. Most of the conflict here is external, coming from Tess's publicist and the wider world of Hollywood, but we do also get Tess's own interpretation of Rebecca's statements as conflict, so it's a nice mix of internal and external conflict.

I thought everything was great up until the act three breakup. I wanted more mess from both of these characters. They'd proven they could be super sloppy, messy people earlier in the book, and I wanted more of that rather than the weird pause in their relationship that we got. I was ultimately happy with how things resolved, particularly the robe scene, which was a nice callback to an earlier moment in the book, but I just wanted more.

Hambright sent me the ebook, but I did listen to a substantial chunk of this novel on audio. I enjoyed the narrator's performance as Tess, but I found her voice for Rebecca to be a little gruff, especially in the more intimate scenes. I switched to the ebook for those because her dialogue just sounded weird to me.

This book was on track to be a 5-star read until we got to the act three breakup, but I'm still giving it 4 stars because it did a lot of things really well.

[Aly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tropes:
Lesbian Romance
Director X Actress
Pug Mom


This book was okay to me. I think that the romance itself was extremely cute, and I absolutely loved Tess and Rebecca. They were adorable! I enjoyed being in the Hollywood world more and just seeing the behind the scenes that Tess and Rebecca worked on.

With that being said, there were a few things that I did have issues with. The first part was that I really didn't like Tess much at all. She was overly self-absorbed or commenting on things that she really didn't need to comment on. I feel like she was pretty unlikable, and while Spalding had her best friend tell her this a few times, I feel like nothing really changed that much.

Overall, it was a cute romance, but I just couldn't love the book due to the main character!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am OBSESSED WITH THIS ENTIRE SERIES. Could not put it down.

[Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read from Amy Spalding and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to picking up the rest of the Out in Hollywood series.

I felt so bad for Tess that she couldn’t even confide in her brother or her best friend that she was gay and that she has met and left the love of her life at camp many years ago but that’s growing up in a conservative, homophobic household for you. I really wanted her to take the bull by the horns and slap her team around, I understand that you have to trust them but they were full on disagreeing with her lifestyle and second guessing every choice she made for her career.

I wish we had learned more about Rebecca, her current life and how she spent those years in between their first and second meeting. She sometimes felt a bit like a secondary character to me. Still, I enjoyed the resolution of the story, did grow invested in both main characters and loved how Tess fired insufferable Erica, took her personal life and career into her own hands and the world didn’t end when she was a out lesbian actress with a wife and an adorable dog.

Go sapphic superheroes!

Thank you to Amy Spalding, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

[Scarlette Josie (scarlettereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Amy Spalding for an eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four stars

Plus there was the way I felt around queer people, safe in a way I didn’t always understand. If I kept it all so locked up, if I couldn’t risk being myself and keeping my life as it was—and all the people who depended on that life—why did it still bring me such joy to stand near them?

When Tess Gardner, an actress famous for playing Princess Platinum in the Vindicators film franchise, takes a returns to her routes on stage, things don't go as smoothly as she'd like. Right as production begins the director is accused of sexually assaulting his colleagues, and a new director is brought in, none other than Tess's first love, Rebecca Frisch, who she ghosted over a decade ago and hasn't seen since.
Now, face-to-face with her past, Tess battles her resurfacing feelings for Rebecca, as well as decide how to come out to her brothers and her best friend, and maybe even the whole world.

While In Her Spotlight is the fourth book in the Out in Hollywood series, in some ways it feels like a departure from the narratives structure we've come to know from Amy Spalding. In previous books the romance has been the focus, but here it takes a bit more of a back seat to our lead character's career and personal drama. Still, it's a vital part of the story, but less of a driving force of the narrative than in the previous books. An interesting change of pace.

Honestly, this has been my least favourite book in the series so far, but I still loved it. It's a fantastic book, but it was hard to root for Tess when she was so self-oriented. I felt bad for Aisha for most of the story. Still, it was a four star read for me. Another great Out in Hollywood installment.

[InkedSirenXO · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book? Pure spotlight magic.

In Her Spotlight by Amy Spalding delivers a romance that feels both intimate and cinematic, like watching two hearts rehearse their way back to each other under the glow of stage lights. Tess Gardner is such a compelling FMC—caught between the glittering cage of Hollywood fame and her quiet, aching desire to be seen for who she really is. And Rebecca? Sharp, grounded, and carrying just enough history to make every interaction crackle.

The second-chance romance here is deliciously layered. Their past isn’t just backstory—it lingers in every glance, every bit of tension, every almost-touch. You can feel the unfinished business humming beneath the surface like a live wire.

What really stole the show for me was the exploration of identity and visibility. Tess’s struggle with being closeted in an industry that profits off a carefully curated image felt painfully real. It adds weight to the romance, turning it into something deeper than chemistry—it becomes about courage, truth, and choosing yourself even when the world is watching.

And the theatre setting? Absolutely perfect. It mirrors everything—performance vs. authenticity, scripted lines vs. real emotions. The way their relationship unfolds alongside rehearsals feels intentional and poetic, like love itself is part of the production.

✨ Expect:

* Second-chance sapphic romance
* Hollywood fame vs. real identity
* Emotional tension that hurts so good
* Theatre kid vibes with heart

By the final act, I was fully invested, emotionally wrecked (in the best way), and rooting so hard for Tess to step into her own life—not just the roles written for her.

This isn’t just a love story. It’s about stepping out of the shadows and into your own spotlight—and wow, does it shine.

[Bookmark and Blush · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 4 of Out in Hollywood and I have to be honest I just didn’t connect with this couple the way I did with the others in the series. It’s not that anything was wrong exactly, it just didn’t fully click for me.

Tess and Rebecca were fine together, but something was missing. I wanted to feel more pulled in by their chemistry and I just wasn’t, even with all the second-chance, unfinished-business setup that should’ve hit harder. The closeted Hollywood actress thing has also been done a lot at this point, so while it was handled fine here, it didn’t feel especially fresh.

What I did love was the theatre world. That backdrop was genuinely great and gave the book a different energy than the rest of the series. If you’ve read the others, you’ll appreciate getting to spend time in that space.

If you’ve been following the series, it’s worth reading though

[Luna Gerrits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Spaldings books just always manage to make me smile and giggle. i loved these characters together, i love the journey of finding out what you want and going for it, regardless of what others think, i love the setting. this is just so good. i really really hope what we get an afterlight by illumicrate special edition of this one!!

thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and quite possibly my favorite of this series! Just a note, though - 5’10” is tall but it’s not that tall! I am able to move around in society on a daily basis without people commenting on how I must have played basketball or asking how the weather is up there!

[Rae Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite in the series I think - solid romance, sped through it in a day!

[Minna Perälä · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

In Her Spotlight is the first book I've read from the author. The book was so good. It'll be in my top 3 of March.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026: 4.0

[Booksandchinooks (Laurie)]

Tess is a successful Hollywood star best know for her superhero movies. She wants to change her image and pursue her love of the theatre and is about to begin a play. After a director change right before rehearsals start it turns out her ex Rebecca will be the director. Rebecca is a well know stage director and unbeknownst to anyone else was Tess’s first and only love. Tess has still never come out with the worry about career and personal ramifications. Will Tess be able to overcome these fears and be able to fully be who she is and have a second chance with Rebecca? This was a well written book with a lot of interesting information about movie and stage productions as well as Hollywood in general. Tess was an interesting character and the supporting characters brought a lot to the book. I definitely enjoyed this book and found the writing engaging. This is the 4th book in a series and can be read as a standalone.

[Katy Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[EmMegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Hambright for a arc of this one 💕 it was fabulous, such a wholesome refreshing book! Would highly recommend this one to anyone!!

[Marc Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series and this one may be my favorite. (It’s either this or the second book with the first book close behind.) Tess is a great character - very sweet but a little bit of a spoiled diva given her life as an A list star. She’s also completely closeted. She’s never come out even to her best friend or her brother (her other best friend). One time just after college she had a summer long romance with her roommate (Rebecca) at summer stock which ended when Tess abandoned her to move to LA. Now, when Tess has finally convinced her team to let her take a break from making comic book blockbusters for huge amounts of money and do a stage play, her long ago girlfriend pops back up in her life as the replacement director of her play. Tess feels guilty about how she treated Rebecca, unsure of herself among stage actors, and frustrated that her team keeps trying to push her away from the kind of projects she wants and towards more blockbusters. She slowly comes out keeping careful track of the exact number of people she’s let know until finally she talks about it at a public event. This leaves her feeling both exhilarated and nervous. When her publicist calls too early the next morning to work out a strategy to walk her coming out back, Tess fires her and finally takes control of her own life. The happy ending follows. Along the way various characters from previous books show up including Max (delightful as always) and Ari Fox. Unusually, my favorite parts of this book are between the lovers. Not necessarily in order, but they include Tess firing her publicist, Tess calling a meeting of her team to lay down the law about what she wants for the future of her career, and her Zoom call with her three brothers to alert them that she’s come out before they find out on the internet. It turns out that they all already know because their kids have seen the news and they’re absolutely supportive - the way you wish it could always happen.

[Kathryn Salimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨📚 In Her Spotlight by Amy Spalding was such a refreshing read. 💛

This story follows Tess, an actress trying to prove herself, who unexpectedly finds herself working alongside Rebecca… the ex whose heart she broke years ago. 👀✨

What I really enjoyed about this book is that it felt like more than just a romance. Yes, the relationship and history between the characters was emotional and compelling, but the story also focused heavily on personal growth, career struggles, and learning how to move forward after difficult choices.

Watching these characters reconnect while also figuring themselves out individually made the story feel layered and realistic. I especially loved seein


g how much growth happened throughout the book. 📖✨

This one felt heartfelt, emotional, and genuinely uplifting by the end. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy character-driven romances with depth. 💕

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: In Her Spotlight (Out in Hollywood Book 4)
Author: Amy Spalding
Publishers: Kensington Books + Recorded Books, Inc.
Pub Date: February 24, 2026
Dates Read/Listened: May 18, 2026

🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔(𝚒𝚜𝚑) 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: I will tell you right now, Tess is not the most likable character you will read. However, she has a wonderful redemption story, and I love that Spalding focuses on the queer community in each of the books in this series. There is such great tension between Rebecca and Tess, as well as the mystery of what exactly made them break up. Tess is definitely a bit of a drama queen and very self-centered at the start, but if you keep reading, you will slowly warm to her, like I did, especially when she gets put in her place. 🫢 There is a little spice but nothing over the top, and it is full of the charm and wittiness that I have grown to love with this author. I also love that characters from previous books always make an appearance, no matter how small. Suffice to say, I am fully invested in this series, and I can’t wait for the next book!

🎧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬: Lori Prince narrates 3 out of the 4 books in this series, and her narration really hits. She easily portrays the character of Tess, and she does great with the other characters as well (though there is only one viewpoint she really has to master 😉). I loved listening to this and would recommend the audiobook over reading for the great experience Prince provides.

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🎭🌈🎥👀❤️‍🔥

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I mostly enjoyed this. I liked how this was about more than their romance but also this famous actress and her career. I enjoyed the plot. It truly drew me in from beginning to end, the characters and the romance were just the cherry on top. There were a few lines that took me out a little and keep me from rating this 5 stars but I still had a great time and I hope we get more books in this series!

[Holly_bookbanter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Her Spotlight 5/28/26

Thank you to Hambright PR and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. This is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is my first book by this author but I am an avid reader of contemporary romance and sapphic fiction and enjoy second chance romance and friends to lovers tropes.

Overall Thoughts:
This book is just beautiful. It’s like how you feel when you get to sit with your best friend and just talk and exist and be in the moment. That’s the feeling I got while reading this. Like a warm hug. These characters are so great and it all came together so perfectly.

Spice Level:
Spice is fairly mild for sapphic. There is some romantic scenes but they are minimal and the language is not overly graphic.

Characters:
I could not love these characters more. Tess is this young(ish) Hollywood actress who spends her time with her dog Rosie, her bestie Aisha, and her brother Andy. And she’s happy(ish). But once she finds herself in forced proximity with her ex, the only woman she’s loved, she realizes something is missing. Her ex, Rebecca, is out and proud and every bit the struggling artist who is grabbing the opportunity for her big break with both hands. Despite her success she is still out there fighting to get the jobs she should but she is confident and more than ready to work for what she wants, including Tess.

Romance and Chemistry:
This chemistry is 🫶🏻 after a whirlwind relationship doing theater after college, Tess disappeared across the country breaking her heart and Rebecca’s. Years later when they see each other again it’s like no time has passed. The pull, the need, the ache is still there. I loved seeing them come together again and try to figure out how to make them fit in this new reality.

Writing Style and Pacing:
I loved the familiar writing style Spaulding has. The dialogue is so well done with each character having such a distinct voice. Even before Aisha was described I knew she was a black woman from the no nonsense but loving tone she had with Tess. She felt authentic and I loved that she wasn’t reduced to the “basic black friend character” but instead had a valuable role in Tess’ life. I loved that the queer characters were natural and not stereotypical and that the relationship Tess had with each of the characters showed different sides of her. The pacing was perfect and I read this in just a few short sittings.

Setting and Vibes:
Set in LA there are lots of little Easter eggs for local areas and places. Much of the time is spent at Tess’ home, the rehearsal space, and a few local establishments which are all well described.

Content and Triggers:
Sapphic love story

Final thoughts:
I am so glad I read this book. As someone who has been part of the queer community for 30 years I love reading coming out stories, especially ones for people who are not in their teens but have for whatever reason had to remain in the closet and finally find their courage. Beautiful story and a book I will be recommending to everyone!

Ratings:
5/5
1.5/5 spice

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖 Title: In Her Spotlight- Out in Hollywood #4

✍🏾 Author: Amy Spalding- I've read all books in the series

📅Publication date: 2/24/26 | Read: 2/20/26

📃 Format: e-Book 336 pgs.

Genre:
*Contemporary Romance
*LGBTQIA+

Tropes:
*2nd chance romance
*sapphic romance
*workplace romance
*coming out

👆🏾POV:1st person single

⚠️TW: family neglect, homophobia, death of parents, Me Too movement mentioned

🌎 Setting: LA

Summary: It has been over a decade since Tess broke up with Rebecca in pursuit of an acting career in Hollywood. Tess gets the lead role in "Hometown" with her ex-girlfriend as the director, bringing up her guilt, and closeted sexuality. Rebecca starts off cool and professional, but later admits she was a wreck when Tess ended things. They start hooking up again though Tess knows things can't get serious because her superhero persona Princess Platinum can't be openly gay.

👩🏾 Heroine: Tess Gardner-30's, a movie franchise actress in Vindicators' as Princess Platinum (think Avengers) who wants to do theater

👩🏾 Heroine: Rebecca Frisch-30's, a writer from NYC replaced director Geoffrey Gordon who was fired after sexual harassment cases.

🎭 Other Characters:
*Andy-Tess's brother-has a landscaping business
*Aisha-Tess's BFF, former actress turned teacher
*Michael, Henry, Kathleen, and Ashlee-the actors in the play
*Joyce-Tess's agent
*Max +Riley-Tess's managers
*Erica- Tess's theatrical agent
*Rosie-Tess's dog

🤔 My Thoughts: I didn't connect with Tess or Rebecca in the beginning. Tess came off spoiled and entitled driving a Porsche and expecting to be waited on hand and foot. Rebecca seemed very nonchalant about working with Tess when she later confessed to being heart broken. I would have liked more background on Tess and Aisha's relationship, and for Tess and Rebecca to have gotten real with each other sooner. Tess wanted to keep their hookups secret and had her handlers make decisions for her. Rebecca lost out again when they broke up because Tess's about to start Vindicators 4. There was also the underlying misogyny by producers not wanting Rebecca to be celebrated as the play's director.

Rating: 3/5 ✨
Spice level: 3/5 🌶️ open door

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing| Kensington, and Amy Spalding for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars) Tess Gardner is a Hollywood actress known for her role in a big CGI action series. The Juilliard trained actress wants to get back to her theater roots and jumps at the chance to work on stage with a famed director. Days before she begins rehearsals he resigns because of #MeToo issues and an up and coming director is brought in to replace him. The director happens to be Rebecca Frisch who has been Tony nominated. They spent one blissful season doing summer stock theater as roommates that turned into more. Rebecca had wanted Tess to follow her to NYC but she already had planned to move to Hollywood with her brother and left without warning. It is now a decade later and Tess who is very, very closeted still feels that draw to Rebecca.

The story is told from Tess’s POV. Beginning in the theater she comes off pampered because in movies doing things for herself can be taking away someone's job or messing up shot set ups. She is somewhat self aware but at times can forget to check in on the needs or her best friend and brother. I like that Rebecca is talented as a director. Honestly, the romance felt secondary to me but memorable. I think what raises the bar for Spalding’s books is all the details of working in Hollywood and in this case the stage too. This reads to me as women’s fiction with a romance. It shines in seeing Tess go from her closed off self to working well with her new theater friends. There are lots of details about the work of agents, publicists, stylists and more. Tess has them all working for her and often they are in control and are pushing for the next big movie deal instead of listening to her wants. It is nice to see Tess grow into herself as she becomes authentic. I didn’t see as big of a story arch for Rebecca but I liked her character.

This is the fourth in the Out In Hollywood series and I have read them all. I appreciated appearances from other MCs, but this can be read as a stand alone novel. I really liked several of the side characters and of course Rosie the Pug. I also love all the details of the clothes and outfits they are wearing. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️ very mild

Professional Actress Tess Gardner™ didn’t set out to be a star in an Avengers-esque action superhero movie, but she feels like it’s cramping her style. She much prefers the theatre, and agrees to be in the starring role of an LA production of a new play. But when a last-minute director shake up happens, Tess is confronted with a secret from her past. A decade ago, Tess broke Rebecca’s heart; Tess went on to superhero movies, and Rebecca went on to becoming a buzz-worthy director. With Tess’s career on the line, can she risk coming out to the world, or risk breaking Rebecca’s heart all over again?

This is the fourth book in Amy Spalding's Out In Hollywood series, and fans of this sapphic series will love this book just as much as the previous books in the series (including some favorite characters dropping in like Max and Ari!). The difference with this installment though is that coming out is a major plot line, as Tess thinks she must stay closeted for her career. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but I think the beauty of the other books in the series is that their queer identity is the starting point, allowing room for romance in the plot; in this book, romance is almost the secondary plot. It’s a good coming out story, and I love the integration of the Second Chance, Workplace, and Forced Proximity tropes into a theater production. It’s a heartwarming sapphic love story, full of pop culture references that any fan would adore, and a good coming out story nonetheless. Fans of the series will definitely appreciate this latest installment!

Just a warning: there is a #MeToo element in the plot, without any direct mention or personal experience described.

Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #Booksparks and #NetGalley. Many thanks to Kensington Books for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. #WRC2026 #HibernateWithBookSparks

Read this book if:
🍟 your go-to order at In-N-Out is fries and a vanilla milkshake
🍨 you would never turn down butterscotch pudding
🌽 you love a shout-out to the queer kids in the Midwest

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[Elle Cobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎭 In Her Spotlight by Amy Spalding 🎭 ARC review 🎭 pub date Feb 24, 2026 🎭

Amy has done it again - between relatable lead characters and the colourful array of supporting characters, she’s created another facet to her Out in Hollywood series that draws readers in and takes them on a wild adventure.

The 4th instalment in the series tells the story of Tess Gardner, an actress known for blockbuster movies, returning to her happy place: theatre.

Much to the annoyance of her team (agents, publicists, managers, etc), who see it as a less lucrative option for her, Tess longs to tread the boards like she did before her star rose on the silver screen. She’s cast in a new play with a world renowned director that she’s admired for years - only for him to be forced to step down after allegations are made against him by several actresses throughout his career.

What Tess didn’t expect, was that her ex would be his replacement. Her female ex. Which she’s told not a soul about. Not even her brother or best friend. Or her adorable snort goblin of a pug, Rosie.

The re-introduction of Rebecca Frisch to Tess’s world send the actress for a loop.

Her feelings are still very much there for Rebecca, but with everything else going on in her life (trying to adjust to theatre instead of movie sets, wanting desperately to fit in with her cast members while her publicist keeps forcing her to stand out in front of them), Tess starts to question the life that she has versus the life that she so desperately wants but doesn’t think she deserves. Because of what she did to Rebecca the first time they were together.

As Tess lets herself feel for Rebecca again, and Rebecca lets her, the journey they have is a beautiful one.

Amy creates such well-rounded characters, detailed locations you feel you could step right in to, and lead characters you can’t help but root for.

I had read book 1 and 2 of the Out in Hollywood series, but hadn’t yet read book 3, and that was absolutely fine as characters from the first 2 books made appearances in this one - so if you’re like me, jump straight in!

[Marthe W]

Tl;dr: A charming romance bringing you into the world of LA theater, with a dash of self improvement. The negative is that the formula is starting to feel a slight bit tired to me. Single POV, first person.

This really feels like an Amy Spalding book, with all of the good and a bit of the bad that comes with that. It’s funny (I personally found it even funnier than on her terms), it’s heartwarming, it features a multitude of characters that you want to spend time with, it has a flawed main character that you can’t help but root for, and a love interest you have to struggle not to fall in love with yourself. The main characters feel like they genuenly like each other, and at least I did very much root for them.

The bad is that this book feels very similar in it’s structure to others of Spalding’s books (I will type out a bit more on this in the slightly spoilery part below), and that the MC feels similar to most of her MCs. I am also pretty sick of the «I live here, this has no future because you are only here for a short bit»-trope, but I can’t blame that on the book.

Generally though, I did really enjoy this read, which also in no small part was helped by the always excellent narration of Lori Prince, the queen of sapphic comedy narration. I really do recommend it!


🚨Some spoilers:

The formula I feel is a bit tired includes:
- A main character not believing they are worth the love of the love interest, which isn’t really believable given how obvious it is that the love interest in completely head over heels.
- Some pretty unnecessary miscommunication
- The MC needing to be alone to make the big strides in her self improvement journey, only to not be the one to put it on the line for the love interest.

But despite this, I would read it again, and this probably wouldn’t bother me if I hadn’t read others of Spalding’s books 😊