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Hollywood Hookup

Not yet published
Expected 10 Feb 26
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A scandalized former movie star is thrust back into the celebrity life where she finds herself competing for a date with her longtime crush in this funny and heartwarming rom-com about second chances and rediscovering your true self.
Once a teenage TV star, she’s reinvented her life. Now her very public celebrity crush has put her back in the spotlight.
Josie Days has worked hard to forget who she used to be. Once upon a time, she was Mexico’s favorite bilingual teen star—until one disastrous decision ruined her budding career. These days, Josie’s happy to keep things very off-camera as a makeup artist. That is until her best friend ropes her into a charity game show where the prize is a date with her forever celebrity impossibly charming Irish “It” boy Sean O’Sullivan.

Josie has no interest in winning. In fact, she’s trying to lose—and fast. But Sean is interested in more than a game. The problem? Josie isn’t who he thinks she is. And when the cameras start rolling and her past is exposed, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready for the spotlight again—or if her second act never should have started.

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 10, 2026

116 people want to read

About the author

Christy Swift

3 books32 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Shameez Papathanasiou.
Author 8 books145 followers
January 4, 2026
Thank you to Forever for sending me an e-ARC. I had a great time reading this laugh-out-loud romcom by Christy Swift.

This romance doesn’t take itself seriously at all. It leans into the ridiculousness of having the chance to date your celebrity crush and satisfies every fantasy you may have had too.

No part of me expected the reason they couldn’t be together (IYKYK) but it only added to the madness and chaos of this book.

There is depth in the found family and learning to accept the weirder parts of yourself <3

It was a fun book and would be a fun movie.
Profile Image for Corinne’s Chapter Chatter.
984 reviews42 followers
January 25, 2026
This was a highly anticipated release for me after loving Christy Swift’s debut rom-com Celebrity Crush, and I’m happy to report the sophomore novel avoided the dreaded “second book slump.”

While this is technically another rom-com set in the same world, it works perfectly well as a standalone. It’s also a delightful genre mashup—romance with a side of low-key mystery. Not who committed murder mystery, but what secret is about to explode mystery.

First up: our FMC and her big secret—one she’s determined to keep… while the universe aggressively works against her. Then we get a truly ridiculous (in the best way) subplot involving the theft of George Washington’s hat from Hamilton: The Musical. Yes. That sentence is real.

And then there’s the puppet.
Ah yes. The puppet.
You’ll understand when you get there.

Overall, this book is quirky, geeky-reference fun with a capital F. It makes plenty of nods to Celebrity Crush, and while you don’t have to read it first, doing so will definitely enhance your enjoyment of Hollywood Hookup.

I did this as an immersion read with the full-cast audiobook from Hachette Audio (Andy Garcia, Will Damron, Bradley Ford, Stefanie Kay, Ramon de Ocampo, and Megan Tusing). I couldn’t tell you who voiced whom, but everyone brought their A-game. The pacing was a little sleepy at 1x speed, but easily fixed—because audiobooks have buttons for a reason.

Bottom line: this is a fun, slightly unhinged, theater-kid-adjacent rom-com with mystery vibes and Valentine’s Day energy. If you want something light, quirky, and different from your standard romance formula, this one is absolutely worth picking up.


I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Hachette Audio and eARC from Forever Publishing via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Profile Image for Kimberly.
1,041 reviews37 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 26, 2026
Hollywood Hookup by Christy Swift.
Forever (Grand Central Publishing), thank you for my gifted ARC, and thank you to NetGalley for putting this delightful chaos in my hands.

Reading Hollywood Hookup felt like settling into a warm, oversized sweater that occasionally crackles with static and shocks you on purpose just to keep things interesting. Josie Days, once a beloved bilingual teen star in Mexico, has rebuilt her life brick by quiet brick. Now she works as a makeup artist, living a low-key existence with the determination of someone who has absolutely no desire to trend on the internet ever again. So naturally her best friend signs her up for a charity game show that throws her directly into the path of Sean O’Sullivan, her long-time celebrity crush and walking Irish heartthrob.

From page one, Josie’s voice pulled me in. She narrates her life the way someone does when they’ve been embarrassed enough times to stop flinching. Her dry humor, survival-level sarcasm, and absolute refusal to be impressed by fame make her feel real. Sean, on the other hand, is charming in a way that made me suspicious at first, like a golden retriever who knows exactly how handsome he is. But he quickly earns his place, offering the kind of gentle persistence that makes you root for him even when he trips over his own charm.

The book leans into awkwardness with the confidence of a person who has decided embarrassment is a hobby. The charity game show sequences are exactly the right amount of chaotic, and the growing connection between Josie and Sean feels warm and slow, like a kettle heating on the stove. Their banter is quick, their chemistry hits that soft-but-swoony note, and their quiet moments have surprising emotional depth.

Swift handles Josie’s backstory with care. What happened in her childhood career isn’t treated as some cheap twist but as something that shaped her, something she’s still learning to unpack. When her past inevitably resurfaces, the fallout feels honest. It’s not melodramatic chaos, but the painfully familiar heaviness of being misunderstood by people who think they already know your story. Sean’s support during these moments lands softly and sincerely.

Of course, there’s also the puppet. The puppet isn’t just a puppet. It becomes a recurring presence, a bizarre symbol, and a running joke that sometimes made me laugh, other times made me whisper, “Please no,” into my pillow. But the absurdity fits the tone. Hollywood Hookup is a romcom that knows when to poke fun at itself.

The real heart of the story belongs to Josie’s growth. Watching her reclaim parts of her identity she thought she had to bury is genuinely moving. As someone who has tried to reinvent myself a few too many times, her journey hit close to home. At the center of it is one line I highlighted so hard my e-reader froze for a moment: “You don’t have to hide who you were to become who you are.” That sentence sums up the soul of this book.

Sean also carries emotional weight of his own, and while he doesn’t always make the best choices, he learns. His arc complements Josie’s without overshadowing it. By the time they reach their final moment, it feels earned, sweet, and hopeful.

Is Hollywood Hookup perfect? No, but that’s part of its charm. It’s messy, funny, heartfelt, and occasionally confusing, just like real love and real reinvention. It’s a romcom that doesn’t try to be deep but sneaks up and gets you anyway.

If you want a cozy romance with humor, celebrity shenanigans, emotional healing, and characters whose flaws make them lovable, this one belongs on your list.

Rating: 4 stars
#HollywoodHookup #ChristySwift #RomComReview #RomanceBooks #BookReview #ARCReview #ForeverPublishing #NetGalleyReads #CelebrityRomance #CozyRomCom #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #FictionReview #BookishLove #SlowBurnRomance #SecondChances
Profile Image for Kyra.
176 reviews13 followers
November 20, 2025
2.25⭐

LIKED:
- I think the history dynamics of the FMC were intriguing. I like the trope of self-reinvention and her needing to do that in another country, away from the family she grew up with and having to avoid the public eye added a bit of depth.
- I also liked the large village behind her in her new life, from her fellow MUAs to people she had grown up with in Mexico City and so forth. I just appreciate when a FMC has actual friends.
- The cover is cute enough. I like the colors and the papers adding some motion.

LAMENTED:
- I stg if I had to read about Chuy that godforsaken puppet again I was going to through my kindle across the room. It was so absurd in a way that felt so deadly serious and I just did not care about the implications of it. It took all empathy for the character away for me. Also that being the main drama for her was just silly.
- Honestly I only finished this book a few days ago and I’ve forgotten nearly everything about it, which is atypical for me specifically and is usually not a good sign for it’s impact on me. It felt like for most of this book nothing was happening and the characters were just moving in circles.
- I don’t really understand why she liked him besides him being hot. I feel like he learned enough about her to feel a connection but she never really got equal insight on his end.
- There is way too much of a focus on the characters from the previous book who I did not know having not read it (and having to look it up because there was information that definitely seemed to be left out for readers, like me, who hadn’t read the first book). It also doesn’t help that I just…really didn’t like them. She was whatever, but Jason or whatever his name was was obnoxious and I did not want to read about him.
- The interstitials with the interviews were way too many and way too long.
- This book has so little to do with Hollywood that the title makes very little sense.

LONGED FOR:
- Less freaking puppet.
- Less of the interview interstitials.
- The story to feel a little more impactful.


(How Long) Do I Think They’ll Stay Together? : A couple years. They’ll have some fun. Then grow apart.

Will I read the next one? : Probably not.

*Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for providing this ARC!


Similar Books :
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- 'Scandalized' by Ivy Owens
- 'The Roommate' by Rosie Danan
- 'With Stars in Her Eyes' by Andie Burke
- 'Sounds Like Love' by Ashley Poston
Profile Image for S.E. Anderson.
Author 31 books159 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 31, 2025
Hollywood Hookup is pure comfort reading in the best possible way: warm, funny, romantic, and emotionally satisfying without ever losing its sparkle. Christy Swift has once again delivered a rom-com that feels like a hug, with just enough angst to make the payoff sing.

As a fan of the first book, I loved getting to see familiar faces again. Checking in on Emmy, Jason, and Peyton living their happily-ever-after felt like a bonus gift rather than fan service, and it helped ground this story firmly in the same charming, glittering Hollywood universe.

This time, though, the stakes feel higher. Josie Days isn’t just awkwardly navigating fame: she’s hiding a genuinely life-altering secret, one that could cost her career, her family’s safety, and the fragile peace she’s built for herself. It’s both absurd and deeply serious, and the book balances that tension surprisingly well.

Josie is a fantastic heroine. She’s someone who’s learned how to stay small to survive, but also knows when she has to swing big. Her boldness, even when it terrifies her (and me!), is inspiring. I found myself wishing I had her guts more than once.

Sean is equally delightful. On the surface, he’s the charming Irish “It” boy actor... but underneath, he’s hiding his own truth: he’s a full-on cosplay nerd, complete with a sewing room and an extremely intense devotion to Hamilton. Watching these two dance around each other, clearly smitten but forced to keep their distance, was deliciously painful. Their chemistry is effortless and genuine; they bring out the best in each other in a way that feels earned.

This series is absolutely wish fulfillment, and I mean that as the highest compliment. The characters are so lovable, and the emotional beats so well handled, that I was more than happy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

Overall, Hollywood Hookup is fun, lighthearted, genuinely funny, and still capable of landing an emotional punch when it wants to. If you’re looking for a cozy romance that will make you smile, swoon, and believe in second chances, this is it.
Profile Image for Addison Dean.
169 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 26, 2026
Wow, this book was all over the place! There are so many details about so many things that the plot seemed to take a backseat. To briefly summarize, you've got a former child star of a bilingual educational puppet show who left her career under a cloud and is now Hollywood cosmetologist with a strained relationship with her family, an Irish Hollywood star of a weird dancing sci-fi show (that also has a puppet?) who is obsessed with collecting obscure costume pieces and has his own convoluted family drama, and both of these characters end up on a celebrity dating show, after which the famous actor pursues the former child star, all while gossip programs become obsessed with the latter. There's also lots of namedropping of real celebrities, including a board game based on a real TV show. All the while, the romance between the two MCs is pretty vanilla, and it's unclear what they even see in each other. Overall, the excess of information about the numerous TV programs, side characters, and Hollywood in general overshadowed the romance, so I never got invested in Josie and Sean at all, and couldn't care less about Josie's secret being exposed. The fact that the characters were 30-ish (IIRC) made Josie's drama seem pretty childish. I usually love normie/celebrity romances, but this one didn't do it for me.

As for the narration, I was kind of expecting better because there are a number of big name narrators in the cast, but to be honest I found the audiobook to be underwhelming. Sean's Irish accent seemed to drift in and out, and the interludes with the gossip reporters were overplayed. Josie's narrator was probably the best of the cast.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Heather.
1,582 reviews26 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 18, 2025
Hollywood Hookup is the second book I have read by Christy Swift and it was another enjoyable one. You can read this book without having read the first one, but it will help with some context on who the main female characters best friend is and also with a few other things that come up.

Josie Days has been working behind the scenes in Hollywood and she likes it that way. She was a child actress in Mexico more than a decade ago and following an incident she left that all behind. Josie is coerced by her best friend to be part of a charity dating game where her celebrity crush, Sean O'Sullivan, is part of it.

Sean O'Sullivan is all about getting a date with Josie. When the woman that he was supposed to be matched with has a medical emergency, he is happy about the fact Josie is his new date. While he is trying to pull out all the stops, Josie is doing everything she can to avoid having to go on the date! While she may be as attracted to him as he is to her, her past and wanting to keep it there is a bigger driving factor for her. Will she finally give in and go on the date? And what will happen in the wake of it if she does?

I really enjoyed how the story unfolded with dual points of view from both Sean and Josie. Both of them have been through things in their lives and they were able to understand one another in ways others cannot. I also enjoyed the parts of the book where the reporters got in the mix. I am already looking forward to what Christy Swift has to offer us next!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
184 reviews
November 8, 2025
Hollywood Hookup is about a disgraced former child star who has been in hiding, Josie and Sean, an A-list actor who is dealing with family issues and confidence issues stemming from childhood. If you read Celebrity Crush, Josie is Emmy's best friend. You get to see a lot of Emmy, Jason and their children in Hollywood Hookup.

This book is another fun dual point of view and media transcripts from Christy Swift! I really enjoyed Sean and Josie's meet cute and the way their relationship unfolds. They understand each other so well from the get go and I loved that they confided in each other when they felt they couldn't in anyone else. Josie's emotional trauma from her childhood TV scandal was exhausting. Her persistence on remaining out of the spot light when it was obviously too late was a bit frustrating. I know that was her trauma response, but it felt like she had to make the same mistakes 2 or 3 times before doing what was right. I also wish the end felt more complete and I would have enjoyed Sean and Josie having some time to actually be together.

All in all this is a fun romance and I always enjoy all of the media transcripts throughout these novels. If you enjoyed E News in its hey day then I would recommend Hollywood Hookup to you! You don't have to, but I would also recommend reading Celebrity Crush before Hollywood Hookup so you can understand all the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Heather.
123 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 30, 2026
1.5 ✨

I'll be honest- the FMC ruins this.

We have a former child star who works in Hollywood under a fake name (Josie) as a makeup artist who has to step in to fill in for a charity special where people win dates with their celebrity crush.

Josie wins (despite her best efforts) the date with our MMC, Sean- who takes a liking to her despite how utterly unlikable she is.

You see, Josie made a mistake when she was a teenager on a Mexican TV show- and because she's a paranoid narcissist, she makes everything a much bigger deal than it ever had to be and drew it out for years, lying to everyone around her to hide her shame.

She manages to make every single situation about her. She's obnoxious and selfish every step of the way.

At one point her best friend is having a baby- very quickly and at the production studio with only Josie, Sean, and her husband as support. Josie is more worried about her cringy banter flirting with Sean in the middle of the birth. "our outbursts are totally inappropriate but I'm having too much fun to care".

It's a romcom that's heavily lacking in the com. It's definitely more annoying than funny. Josie is one of the least likable characters I've read in a while.

This isn't something I'd reach for again or recommend to a friend, and I likely wouldn't venture into more works by the author.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ALC. My opinions are my own.

93 reviews11 followers
November 20, 2025
What do Mexican nuns, unsolved puppet murders, dancing space captains, and black market Hamilton memorabilia have in common? You'll never know unless you read this book.

Josie Days gets the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go on a date with her celebrity crush, Sean O'Sullivan as part of a charity game show, but she can't risk putting herself in the spotlight because Josie has a past. A secret past that even her best friend Emmy doesn't know about. A past so horrible that if it resurfaced, her whole estranged family and her new friends would be canceled by association.

But who can resist their celebrity crush? Not Josie, when she ends up hiding in a prop closet with Sean. And it's doesn't help that both Josie and Sean share an incredibly nuanced sense of humor and love for cosplay.

Hijinx ensue.

I enjoyed Celebrity Crush, so went into this book knowing I'd probably like it, but I actually liked it better than the first book! I found myself chuckling, laughing, and snorting through this hilarious yet heartwarming story about owning up to your mistakes, being your true self, and ultimately giving grace to those who have hurt you.

Josie and Sean are my new favorite "It" couple. I can't wait to see what Christy Swift gives us next.
Profile Image for Madeline.
530 reviews23 followers
October 5, 2025
This is my first book by this author, and I think I’ll be checking out more sometime in the future. I don’t read contemporary romances too often because I always feel a certain amount of cringe and awkwardness reading them. I still felt these things while reading this book, but it weirdly worked in this case. I think this is because of the charity game show. These are always a little awkward in reality, so using this as a setting/plot element made the plot’s awkwardness more bearable for me.

Sean is…a guy. I didn’t love him as our love interest. I wasn’t a fan of all of his choices, but in the end, I could see why most find him so charming. He definitely works for Josie. I loved Josie on the other hand. I cringed a lot on her behalf, but she felt very real. She’s not just an average, regular woman, even though because of something that has happened she is trying to be, and I feel like this character switch was what really made her character so likable to me.

The romance is sweet, dramatic, and very much my favorite part of the story.

Thank you very much to Forever / Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Cara Niehoff.
176 reviews
January 12, 2026
I absolutely loved Celebrity Crush and was so excited to see that Christy had another book following Josie. She is a celebrity makeup artist, and, as we learn in this book, had been a child star in Mexico before her career went up in flames. After changing her name and leaving her past behind, she is roped into a celebrity dating show and hopes to keep her secrets buried. Sean is the actor she is paired with, and he wants to get to know her better as she drags him into her shenanigans.

This was a totally adorable, funny romance with some heartfelt moments, too. Josie and Sean both have their walls up, and they finally start letting their loved ones in over the course of the story. Their romance had great pacing and was entertaining. Once they revealed their secrets to each other, I began enjoying their relationship much more.

I loved the cameos from our first couple in this book, but at times it did distract from Josie and Sean. Overall, I liked this quite a bit and can't wait to see what Christy writes next!

3.5 rounded up
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Kate.
432 reviews16 followers
January 26, 2026
This was such a cute and quirky romance. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. Josie is a mysterious and quirky woman who is VERY afraid of the limelight. And as the story goes on, we find out why she is so worried about being in the spotlight and being recognized for who she really is. So imagine her horror when her best friend Emmy forces her to go on a dating show to meet her celebrity crush, tv star Sean O’Sullivan. Sean is a flamboyant and famous tv star who makes women swoon. So he is intrigued by this mysterious woman who claims he is her celebrity crush, but then keeps avoiding him and blowing him off. As the two dance around each other, and keep appearing in the press, a lot about their pasts comes to light. Both of them are clearly into each other, but their families and their secrets are clearly standing in the way. I loved the zany plot and mysteries in this book, and the unique and nerdy characters. And I especially loved the story ARC, of self acceptance and found family. This was such a sweet and zany story that I highly recommend. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Jen.
170 reviews
January 30, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for the ARC of Hollywood Hookup by Christy Swift.

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

Josie is hiding out, lying low under this self picked name so people don’t remember who she is and her past. However, she’s working on holiday as a makeup artist. And when she ends up on a date with her long time celebrity crush, Sean, all of this starts to unravel. The secrets of her past acting start to come to light, her best friend from the past shows up on the set, and then her stepsister who she used to star in a show with. There’s no way to keep all this secret. And who can she trust. Sean and her have been on more than one date, but he seems to have some secrets of his own, so can he help. Best answer seems to be to run again, right?!? A cute romance, with characters learning that you can get a second chance in life. Fairly clean on the spice level as well for those who don’t care for that.

Will note, as this was the audiobook version I received, there was a cast of characters reading the book and it was well done.
Profile Image for Yasmine Shateri.
241 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2026
While I’m grateful that I got to read this early, this story is wild, and not in a good way.

The good:
- The unique-isness of the story
- The audiobook narrators (even the Irish voice actor was clear and easy to understand)

The cringey:
- Josie’s backstory of why she left and is paranoid of everything
- Sean’s weird Hamilton obsession (I mean there’s a whole chapter about him trying to buy a real wig from the original show)
- The amount of side characters that really personally didn’t move the story along
- The random cuts to the two podcast shows

Overall, while a unique story concept, the story is just trying to do too much that it can’t pick a lane. Josie and Sean are too cringey for me and the whole way they get together is unique but I just never felt like there was a true spark between them. In the beginning it eluded to them having met in the past, but turns out she only had a massive crush on him this whole time.

I truly pushed through this book because it was just too much and not good enough at the same time.
Profile Image for ☆Laura☆.
5,242 reviews61 followers
October 7, 2025
3.25



Josie Days ha hecho todo lo posible por mantenerse fuera del ojo público. Después de un escándalo juvenil que terminó con su carrera en la televisión mexicana, cambió su nombre, su imagen y su vida entera. Ahora trabaja tras bambalinas como maquillista en el set de la serie Lost Star Dance Troupe Saves the Universe, disfrutando de su anonimato… hasta que su mejor amiga la convence de participar, contra su voluntad, en un reality de citas con celebridades.

El problema: uno de los participantes es Sean O’Sullivan, el carismático y excéntrico protagonista de la serie, con quien Josie comparte una química imposible de disimular y un pasado que nadie debe descubrir. Lo que empieza como un juego para recaudar fondos se convierte en una tormenta de atracción, secretos y segundas oportunidades bajo las luces de Hollywood.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Profile Image for Candy.
1,194 reviews19 followers
November 10, 2025
I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Josie is a former teenage TV star that has reinvited herself as a makeup artist; she prefers to stay behind the screen after a mistake ended her career. But now her former crush has put her back in the spotlight, when she agrees to go on a charity show and the prize is a date with said crush, Sean. So Josie tries to lose on the show, but Sean will not have it, and Josie winds up having to confront her past.

From the get-go, the chemistry and connection between Josie and Sean is very solid; they seem to understand each other and readers learn that Sean also has his serious hangups. There is actually a lot of time spent exploring the characters' traumas, but with the romance department, I would have liked a bit more of these two post-show.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1,655 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 18, 2025
Josie trying to avoid her past!

Josie Days liked working off camera in Hollywood after being a child actress in Mexico. Now she’s being forced by her best friend to be a contestant on a charity game show for a date with her celebrity crush Sean O’Sullivan when it’s the last place she wants to be. Josie had worked hard to reinvest herself as a makeup artist under a different name after her acting career with Club Bilingüe ended.

Actor Sean O’Sullivan is trying to pick Josie but you will laugh at all the things that happen when Josie is trying to avoid getting picked without letting Sean and her friends know about her past as Savannah Bateman.

Hollywood Hookup is funny because Josie will do anything to avoid bringing up her past and Sean doing everything to get a date with her especially if you have read Celebrity Crush also.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Jodi.
2,777 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 29, 2026
First time reader of this author and was a nice add. It is a little slow but hang in there it is worth the read. Josie Days has been working behind the scenes in Hollywood and she likes it that way. She was a child actress in Mexico more than a decade ago and following an incident she left that all behind. Josie is toosed in by her best friend to be part of a charity dating game where her celebrity crush, Sean O'Sullivan, is part of it. TV star Sean O’Sullivan is a flamboyant and famous star who makes women swoon. He is intrigued by this mysterious woman who claims he is her celebrity crush, but then keeps avoiding him and blowing him off. As the two dance around each other, and keep appearing in the press, a lot about their pasts comes to light. Both of them are clearly into each other, but their families and their secrets are clearly standing in the way. 3.5 rounded up Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), the author and Netgalley for the opportunity.
Profile Image for Jenny.
438 reviews3 followers
November 13, 2025
Thoroughly entertaining story about hollywood makeup artist Josie and tv hunk Sean. Josie gets roped into a charity dating contest by her friend, the host, Emmy. While doing all she can to not win, she inadvertently catches the eye of her crush Sean. Problem is, Josie doesn’t want to be on camera or receive attention that could expose her past life as a Mexican teen star. Effectively cancelled, Josie has been in hiding the past 12 years and has created a new life, until a dalliance with Sean threatens to expose her. It’s a creative, out there story, but it was really a fun read. I would definitely check out this closed-door romcom. It would make a great, fun movie one day.

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Profile Image for Sheri P.
1,166 reviews24 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 21, 2025
I loved Celebrity Crush by this author and was so excited to read this story. I liked our main character Josie, she has a complicated history that she keeps hidden from everyone. Her bestie, Emmy from Celebrity Crush, gets her involved dating show and it wreaks havoc on her life while connecting her to Sean, her Hollywood crush. I felt for Josie and while parts of her story were a little far fetched, I was rooting for her throughout. Sean’s character was not a typical leading man. The first half of the book I wasn’t sure he made a believable love interest-but he was redeemed in the second half. My favorite parts were the scenes that included Jason and Emmy(from the author’s previous book). Thank you to Forever books for the opportunity to read an early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Sara Booker.
9 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 28, 2026
Great romp!

The narration was great. I loved having a male speak for the male parts and a female speak for the female parts. It gives a little bit more authenticity to the story than just one narrator reading every part. I also enjoyed the different reporters coming in with their little excerpts here and there. Gave it a fun little flare.
The storyline was fun, but I will say that Josie‘s unwillingness to live a little because of her past life kind of killed the mood a bit. But I did like seeing how her past life and her new life came together in the end.
Overall, I thought it was a fun story and made for an entertaining read.

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#HollywoodHookup
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
176 reviews2 followers
November 17, 2025
Hollywood Hookup was a light, fun read. There were definitely plenty of cheesy moments and maybe even a few cringeworthy moments, but it made for an enjoyable book anyway. Josie and Sean were both just silly and goofy and able to have fun together, even when they weren't "together". Josie's stories that she came up with made me laugh....it kept things interesting! All the puppet talk was a bit over the top for me but hey, it still made for a fun book...I will definitely check out more from this author in the future :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Mandy.
46 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 27, 2026
This is undoubtedly going to be a 5 star read for a lot of people, but unfortunately, I just couldn't quite engage in the romance storyline.

I LOVED the individual characters' storylines! I especially enjoyed the death (or whatever you call it ;) ) of the puppet. The fact that so much hinged on such an unhinged moment of, essentially, a child, was a great addition. I also loved the cosplay nods!

The characters overall are well fleshed out and I truly enjoyed them individually, I just didn't get the sparks between our two MCs.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.
Profile Image for Carrie.
18 reviews
January 12, 2026
This book was a fun romantic-comedy that mostly worked. The FMC works behind-the-scenes in Hollywood and has the chance to go on a date with the MMC, her celebrity crush. The found family is strong, maybe a little too strong. I say this because this is the on Christy/Swift book I’ve read and I feel like I definitely missed out. Maybe a little too much space was given to them. It did make me want to read her other book(s), though.

Overall, I gave this book 4 stars for the fun read. Thanks for the Advanced Reader Copy NetGalley and Forever/(Grand Central Publishing). I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Živa.
90 reviews
January 25, 2026
I was given a digital Audiobook ARC of this book by NetGalley but this review is entirely my own opinion.

3⭐️

This is a perfectly good book. The plot is kind of predictable but I think that is almost inevitable in a romance book lol. The characters were likable but I almost didn’t connect to them. And I have to admit that I found the main character quite cringey😬 But overall it was a okay book - not very good but also not bad.

The narrators were amazing - the accents, the different characters, it was all very good.
Profile Image for Lissa Hawley.
1,383 reviews29 followers
October 4, 2025
4.5 stars

This trope - famous guy/normal girl (sort of normal in this case) is my absolute favorite.

This is my second book by this author, and like the last, the pop culture references and the quippy banter between the characters were fabulous.

The amount of second-hand embarrassment I felt for the FMC was, again, on the higher end, but a bit easier to handle because she was surprisingly unembarrassable.

Recommended for a fun RomCom read.
Profile Image for Ms Zou.
193 reviews
December 9, 2025
This book had a really interesting plot, with Josie trying really hard to have everyone else not know about her past. When it does eventually get brought up however, very funny things start to happen.
I did think the jokes were a bit much at times, but I over all really enjoyed the romance between Josie and Sean. If you’re looking for a fun, summery read, this might be a good one to pick up.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the arc.
Profile Image for Katy Allen.
54 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 14, 2025
This was genuinely one of the most bizarre books I have read earlier. I do ,however, mean that in a good way! It was full of fun and hilarious moments. Definitely a great read if you really want to lean into the comedy as opposed to the romance. The romance between Josie and Sean is sweet and frankly they are absurd together in a way that just works. While I’m usually one for a bit more serious romances, this story just brought some much needed levity to my reading list!
Profile Image for Chelsea Pierce.
31 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 15, 2026
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this Arc.

Can I say this would be such a cute movie idea? I can totally picture it as a sweet little romantic comedy.

I really enjoyed the main character, Josie. After a rough experience in her younger years, Josie swore off the spotlight. But when she’s talked into appearing on a celebrity dating show, she worries about her past—especially a very public mistake from years ago—might catch up with her.

4/5⭐
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