The Hollywood Switch-up

by Hallie Katherine

Impersonating her sister was the easy part. Falling for her sister's enemy wasn't.

Erika Morgan is used to being the wrong twin. The overlooked one. The shadow. So when a devastating accident puts her in her famous sister's spotlight, she does what any sensible person would panics, agrees to impersonate her, and prays no one notices she's not the sister they wanted.

Enter Stefan her sister's gorgeous, infuriating co-star with a grudge, a razor-sharp intuition, walls no one has breached in years—and absolutely no reason to keep Erika's secret when he discovers it. But he does. Worse, he keeps looking at her like she's someone worth finding.

Now she's stranded in paradise with a man who sees too much, a director who can end careers with a word—and wants something she's not willing to give, and a lie that could cost her everything—including the one person who finally sees her. The only way out is stop hiding in her sister's shadow and step into the light as herself.

Even if it burns.

This book is for you if you
⭐ Mistaken identity / Twin switch
⭐ Enemies to lovers
⭐ Forced proximity
⭐ He falls first
⭐ Protective hero
⭐ Hidden identity
⭐ Hollywood romance
⭐ Heroine who saves herself

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sally Thorne's The Hating Game, and and Ali Hazelwood—readers who want sharp wit, slow-burn tension, and love stories where the woman doesn't need rescuing.

The Hollywood Switch-Up is a Princess and the Pauper retelling and the first book in the Hollywood Fairytale Romance series. Each book is a standalone contemporary romance with interconnected characters and a guaranteed happily ever after.

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Open door. Themes of identity, sisterhood, power dynamics, and reclaiming your voice.

Genres: Romance

467 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 8, 2026

Reviews

[Jess Svajgert · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 8, 2026

Billed as a forced proximity, enemies to lovers, Hollywood romance…that’s really not what this was. While there were a number of steamy scenes, this book was more about SA and predatory men in Hollywood. I will say that the abuse was well written because it constantly made me feel ill while reading, but it’s really not what I wanted to read about.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall cute but I felt that some things felt inconsistent.

I didn't really like Anneliese, she felt really diva-ish and self-centered. With that said, I don't understand why Erika felt overshadowed besides her own intesecurity. Her sister and family seemed overall supportive of her endeavors.

There were some things that weakened the story - Stefan didn't put together the birthmark even though he clearly pointed it out earlier. Characters repeat things that were just said a page or two before. That should be cleaned up to help with the believability and continuity of the story.

In the story, there are hints at r*pe and s*xual a**ualt but it's never explicitly stated. I'm not sure that this was the way to handle that. If the book is making a statement about powerful rich men getting away with anything, then I think you should really own that and state things plainly. I think the author needs to also prepare people for this element of the book better. I was not getting "dark humor" and think we started veering out of rom-com genre territory as Erika collapsed under psychological pressure. I'm not sure that this element felt necessary to the story and it did cause a major shift within the feel of the book as it was incorporated.

My last issue was the miscommunication and back and forth of Erika. I feel that she was really not paying attention or using the resources around her. She knew the mmc saw what was happening and she knew that there had been allegations against the director and that the was an on-going case. So it didn't really make sense to me that instead of going to anybody and saying, hey, this is happening, she just chooses to isolate. I understand the hesitation to come forward because of identity fraud, but with the existing allegations I don't think that's a strong enough reason to stay quiet. It almost made her feel just as complicit in being silent as everybody else. And that is not trying to victim shame, it just felt like that could have been written better. Like she didn't even attempt to discuss it with her sister or her sisters agent, who were supposedly on her side. I feel like I would have needed a lot more to understand why she felt the need to completely isolate herself given everything we knew. I really don't know that this aspect to the story was needed and I feel like it maybe detracted from the overall plot.

The stronger aspects of this were the actual romance and the moments of Erika finding her footing as her own person throughout the journey. I think if this story focused more on Erika navigating her own growth and desires while maintaining her sister's secret, without the a**ault aspects, this would have been a stronger book.

Overall 3.5 for me

[Reilly LaPrairie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy from author and publisher in exchange for my honest review:

What a wonderful surprise this romance was!! Beneath Stefan and Erika’s obvious spark is something more sinister going on behind the scenes. A story that sparks debate and questions on “what would you do?” were always floating around as I read. The twin swap and age gap were fun tropes I normally don’t see, so the plot was engaging and refreshing!!!

The blogs and articles definitely enhanced the gossip celebrity aspect.

[Gabrielle]

Her twin sister was so annoying and the feud with Stefan was so dumb I couldn't continue

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Being a fan of Ali Hazelwood, I was excited to dive into this one after the book blurb said it was perfect for fans of her and Emily Henry. Other than that, I really didn't know what to expect going in and I kind of loved that. It felt like every twist in the story was that much more surprising and kept me glued to my seat throughout the entire thing. It is easy to fall for the characters and feel for them as things progress through the story...you love the ones who are lovable and it is so easy to despise those who aren't worth loving.

It's impossible to review this book without mentioning the content warnings. There is quite a bit of spice in this book, so you need to be ready for that. But more importantly, there is a LOT of talk about manipulation and sexual assault. Please make sure that you are taking care of yourself while reading this one.
All in all, I enjoyed this one and was beyond excited to learn that this was the first in the series. You can bet I will be following along with Katherine's work and reading the rest of the series as soon as I can!

Last little thing...I read it on my Kindle and I highly recommend doing so. I was able to use the translate feature when Stefan switched to speaking Soanish and it was nice to be able to easily know what he was saying.

[hopelessromanticslibrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

— Arc Review 🌌

>> ⭐️⭐️

• General Thoughts•
I don’t really know where to start with this review as, for me, I didn’t really enjoy this book and I wasn’t hooked. I thought that the book showed potential from the plot to the characters, but unfortunately (in my opinion) it fell flat. I really loved Stefan and I think that Stefan as a character and also Lily (side character) had some great moments. I loved how Stefan was doing meaningful things for Erika and I could see the chemistry from his side towards Erika, but I couldn’t see it from Erika towards Stefan.

• Plot •
Now, description for the plot of this book is what initially drew me in to request it and again, the plot had so much potential but I thought it wasn’t portrayed deeply and with complexity like it could have. Erika, for example, she has always been living in her sister’s shadow. Apart from her saying she is invisible and she is her sister’s shadow, you never really understood how she felt and how isolating that could be apart from the author literally saying it here and there. Erika’s character development could have been something more complex than what it was, and I think that’s what the author was trying to go for, but the execution just wasn’t there and I couldn’t find her relatable. I also found it hard to stay interested as the same thing every day kept happening. The most enjoyable parts of this book for me were when Stefan and Erika were alone together and Stefan was doing romantic stuff for her, I wish there were more moments like that and more stolen moments in between them just acting on set which felt repetitive. I wasn’t a fan of the miscommunication that was going on either. An important thing I’d like to mention as well is that in the author’s note it mentions that Erika’s journey became about survival and her experience with assault, but I didn’t like how this topic was handled throughout the book. The perpetrator had done this in the past to a woman named Stasia, and this was mentioned throughout the book, but the words assault, sexual assault, harassment etc was never mentioned or even hinted at. It was a very “hush, hush” type of talk which for the purpose of the plot I understand it couldn’t be out in the public. But when the characters were talking privately about it, it felt like them words were “dirty” and couldn’t be said. It was more like oh this situation that happened, like no let’s tell it how it is which is raw and brutal. This was another way for the author to have an opportunity to connect with the reader but it fell flat and honestly I thought it was quite disrespectful to people who have survived something like that.

• Writing •
Writing isn’t something I usually mention in reviews, ironically, but this time I felt it was necessary. There seemed to be plot holes or maybe miscommunications from the author to the reader which made a few parts of the story not make sense. It read like the author didn’t fully plan out this sub plot with Martin and it was a last second thing. Another thing I do need to mention which felt quite frustrating is the fact a lot of the descriptors used were reused….. a lot. And there were a lot of recycled lines being said throughout the entirety of the book. On multiple occasions there was also characters forgetting what they already said to each other so it was repeated like they didn’t already know the information, when it was already revealed a little bit previously. This also made it quite frustrating to read and unenjoyable.

• The Characters •
Honestly, the MMC and FMC didn’t have any real depth or development. Their individual backstories had such potential to have been an inspiration to develop a complex character and have us grow with them, and I could see the seeds of the author trying to plant that, but it just didn’t blossom in my opinion. Out of the two MC’s, I would say Stefan was the “better” character. I thought he was wrote better and you could really see he cared and the hints of his backstory that got dropped in were really nice and you could see that he wasn’t the person the media portrayed him to be. These characters could have grew so beautifully together as they were both pretending to be something they weren’t, but I just couldn’t feel it or develop alongside them. I didn’t feel connected to them.

• Conclusion •
This book could definitely be enjoyed by others, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!

[CrazyCatLadyReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an accident, Erika Morgan does the standard thing of taking her twin sister’s place in the spotlight, obvs.
Then she meets Stefan, who is her sister’s co-star: he is handsome, smart and annoying. So when he discovers Erika’s secret, he has absolutely no reason to keep it to himself… so why does he? And why does he seem to actually see Erika herself? So Erika finds herself, not just in paradise, but with a director who could halt careers with a blink of an eye, with a guy who finally notices her true self… whilst playing her sister.

The Pros:
1) Who doesn’t love a twin switch story lol
2) I am always a fan of a plot with a celebrity and a normal person, the dynamics are usually fun but tricky!
3) You actually get some suspense as well - will people find out Erika is a fraud (and other plot lines too)
4) One of my favourite parts of the book includes the romance between Erika and Stefan (and their scenes together)

The Cons:
1) Please note there are darker themes, so please check trigger warnings if needed. I’m not sure the blurb of the book conveys this totally, so it could surprise you.
2) I did feel the book would have benefitted from being a bit shorter, as the pacing did seem to lag at points.

The Quotes:

1) “Influencers,” he repeated, drawing out each syllable. “you mean those people who are famous for having no talent?” He paused, letting the barb sink in, his eyes scanning the crowd with practiced nonchalance. “I think they’re a dime a dozen in this town. The digital equivalent of fast fashion - disposable, derivative, and ultimately forgettable.”

2) “Where did Stefan Cruz learn to cook?” His knife began chopping an onion in quick, confident strokes. “Mi Tita. Every morning at five, before the sun came up.” As he spoke, his accent deepens. “She always said a man who can’t feed himself isn’t a man at all. he’s just a boy waiting for a woman to take care of him.”

3) The dedication:
For the girls who never felt like the main character. Plot twist: you always were.

The Summary:
There are so many fun tropes/themes in this story: twin switch, celebrity/non celebrity and forced proximity, to say a few. My favourite part of the story was definitely the romance and specifically the scenes just between Erika and Stefan. Please be aware there are some darker themes that you may not expect from the blurb, so check trigger warnings if needed. I did find at times the pacing felt a bit on the slow side and I think part of it is down to the length of the story. I thought overall the premise for the book was great, the tropes were fun and there is even suspense - but again, be aware of the darker themes.

Summed up in a sentence?:
Erika takes her twins place in a Hollywood movie

I rated the book 4.25 stars, rounded down to 4.

Please note, the copy I received was an uncorrected proof so changes before publication are possible.

A big thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Bree Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first picked up Hollywood Switch Up I thought I knew exactly what I was getting. This is one of those premises that gets me every single time. If there's a book or movie with this setup, chances are I'm picking it up. I honestly can't tell you how many books and movies I've watched with this trope, and somehow I still never get tired of it, so I was all in from page one.

I really enjoyed the two main characters. Erika, who spends so much of the story trying to hold everything together, and Stefan, who sees through the walls she puts up almost immediately. They had great chemistry. I was invested in both of them pretty early on, which made it easy to keep turning the pages.

What surprised me most though, was that somewhere along the way, this stopped feeling like a rom-com. Instead, it became much more about Erika finding her voice, standing up for herself, and refusing to let other people define her—even after hitting some incredibly low points. It almost felt like the story evolved while it was being written, shifting from a light romance into something more character driven. Whether that was intentional or not, I actually found that transition interesting.

That said, I did have a couple of small things that didn't quite work for me. Anneliese, Erika's sister, just wasn't my favorite character. Her constant "I have to do everything for this family" attitude wore on me after a while, and I never really connected with her.

Stefan was another mixed bag for me. I liked him overall, but he brought up his ‘tita’ so often that it started pulling me out of the story. There was even a moment right before they were about to have sex where he brought up his ‘tita’ again, and I actually laughed. By that point I was thinking, “Okay...I get it." He also says ‘joder’ quite a bit, and after a while it became repetitive.

I do think it's worth mentioning that this book includes some heavier, potentially triggering topics. The story touches on them, but it never fully goes there. It kind of tiptoes around them...almost like Voldemort. Everyone knows what's there, but nobody actually says it out loud. Depending on what you're looking for, that could either work for you or leave you wanting a deeper exploration.

What I appreciated most by the end was Erika's journey. She didn't let the truth coming out or the attacks against her define who she was. Instead of letting those moments break her, she came out stronger, stood her ground, and ultimately got the happily ever after she deserved.

I went into this expecting a fun celebrity rom-com, but by the end I realized it was really Erika's story. Watching her refuse to let everything she'd been through define her ended up being my favorite part of the book. It wasn't the story I expected, but I'm really glad I picked it up.

I'd absolutely recommend giving this one a try if you enjoy celebrity romances and character driven stories.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
3 spice

While I really loved this book when I started it, it fell apart the more I read. The book really really needs another read-through and editing session. The grammar and formatting is off sometimes (for example, speech paragraphs always end with a quotation mark, even when the next paragraph is the same speaker speaking. So it becomes confusing very quickly as to who is actually saying what because it looks like a new line of dialogue from a different character), scenes are repeated, and, most annoyingly, characters seem to forget what they have told each other, leading to some extremely confusing scenes where I had to backtrack and make sure I wasn't hallucinating the fact that revelations had already been made (e.g. Stefan very explicitly mentioning how one way the twins are different is that Erika has a birthmark behind her ear, while her sister doesn't. This is during their FIRST actual meeting. And then later, when Erika is pretending to be her sister on the movie set, Stefan observes the birthmark in his head but basically says "I don't remember Anneliese having that." Like dude, c'mon).

I do really like the FMC and MMC, and I like the way their relationship developed. It really comes down to this book needing more editing. I really enjoyed reading about Erika and Stefan, especially in the early parts of the book.

It also gets quite dark in the second half, which was completely fine with me. I thought it added well to the story and addressed important themes. However, the romance aspect does really get reduced in the second act, to the point where it really did feel like a different story/genre.

Lastly, this is a lesser gripe that I was able to suspend my disbelief for, but I feel like it needs to be said. From the beginning, the book's premise falls apart. After influencer twin Anneliese has an accident and can't film the movie she has been cast for, she implores her shy, identical twin sister to take her place. This is allegedly because Anneliese will lose all of her acting opportunities if she has to drop out of this shoot. Yet she isn't concerned about her non-actor sister performing well on a major movie set?? She would rather have someone who self-admits that she has none of the natural charisma as her sister to act in her place in a make-or-break situation than drop out for a completely explainable reason? It just doesn't make any sense. It's easy to get over, though, and just enjoy the story.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to hkromance and lovestory_pr for sending me an ARC of The Hollywood Switch-Up. Now.. to get into my thoughts of this story.


This was an enjoyable read overall, but I definitely had a more mixed experience with it.

It has a lot of great elements like celebrity romance, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, and twin swap, and those were what initially pulled me in. I was very excited to read this as the premise seemed so interesting to me. The story is easy to get through and keeps you curious about what’s going to happen next, especially with all the drama woven throughout.

Stefan was probably the better part of the book for me. But I also had a bit of a love/hate relationship with him. He felt grounded and consistent, and I really liked how his feelings showed through his actions. At the same time, I found myself wishing he had spoken up sooner about certain things—especially when it came to protecting Erika. There were moments where it felt like more could have been done earlier, and that was a bit frustrating to read.

Side note to Stefen: I wish that when he spoke in Spanish, there was a translation at the bottom of the page as that would make things so much easier/smoother for the reader.

Erika’s storyline was interesting, especially when it came to her growth and figuring out what she wanted for herself. There were just a few decisions she made that were harder for me to understand–particularly when it came to Martin. Even after multiple warnings, she continued to interact with him and chose to handle things on her own instead of letting others help. I get what the story was going for, but it made some moments frustrating.

Annelise was a character I had a harder time connecting with throughout most of the book. I understand the pressure she was under and that a lot of her actions came from wanting to protect her image and career, but it sometimes felt like that came at the expense of her relationship with Erika. That said, I did appreciate that there was some growth by the end.

Overall, it was a good read with a lot of potential, but I just don’t think it fully reached or developed to its fullest extent. There were several interesting ideas and character dynamics that kept me engaged, but in the end, I felt like some of those elements could have been explored more deeply or given more emotional payoff, which would have made the story feel more impactful overall.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately it just didn't grip me.

I thought the premise was super interesting - who doesn't love a good twin swap story? Unfortunately, I felt like there were a few things that didn't work for me specifically.

Stefan is a sweetheart once you get to know him and, I mean, he cooks, he dances, he plays the guitar... what more could you want? I'll tell you what... a man who isn't complicit in literal crimes until it impacts a woman he loves. I get it, the whole drama is that he is trying to help but is blocked by a bunch of legal idiocy... but, really? He tells Eliza to be careful and that's it really - I feel like he could've done more. Sure he redeems himself in the end, but by that point I feel it's too little too late.

Speaking of Eliza... I just couldn't find it in me to love her. She frustrated me with how she continued to go see Martin after being warned several times to stay away. I recognise this was supposed to be because she was coerced and blackmailed into it, and I want to make it clear that I am in no way trying to victim shame, but I see it in books and TV so much... the woman who is warned against doing something but does it anyway.

Also, maybe I'm a prude, but I hate public displays of *affection* shall we call it. These two characters are supposed to be famous to the point of attracting tabloids to write about them. Their whereabouts are known to the media because they are filming in a known location... and yet they're rolling around in the sand and sleeping together out in the open. Like, can we please wait until we are in our villa guys?

There were things I liked about these characters though. Their love for their family and the way they shared stories about them; their tender moments when they were able to let loose and be themselves around each other; Eliza's drive to form her own opinion about Stefan despite all the rumours she's heard.

One character I despised was Eliza's twin. She was insufferable. Bad mouthing people, manipulating her sister and disregarding her feelings. Not for me. I had to put this in the review because anytime I read her twins name I was immediately seething.

[Anne's book habit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this book started off really promising, and my problems with it really didn’t start till around halfway through. I think Erika and Stefan were well written, and their banter was absolutely hilarious. Honestly, I feel like just their chemistry could have carried the book had it not been buried under drama. While I really liked the concept of this book, it had some real flaws in execution that prevent me from rating it higher.
First and foremost, I just could not buy into the idea that Martin Blackwell was untouchable strictly due to some NDAs and a lack of victims willing to come forward. I am by no means a lawyer, but my understanding of the law is that an NDA does not prevent someone from reporting a crime, nor from participating in a criminal investigation. The idea that they had to wait for Stasia’s NDA to expire just kinda took me out of the story, especially when we hear that she was working with a highly experienced lawyer.
This ties into the next thing I struggled with, and that is the sheer number of inconsistencies and logistical issues. What I mean by this is that often the timelines we are handed just don’t line up; for example, Erika locks herself in her room for two days, then we hear “she’d had her face in his neck twelve hours ago”. We are told they are filming a chase scene on jet skis, but then when the jet skis die, they are stranded with no one in sight. They are filming a scene, and somehow talking between their characters' lines without anyone noticing.
Finally, I think this book partakes in what I call “drama for drama's sake”. For example, a high-speed, reckless drive when a phone call would have sufficed, but then when we arrive, instead of doing what we came to do, we spend two hours setting up a picturesque scene. Even Erika and Stefan’s fights just felt forced, as if Erika was constantly just searching for something to blame Stefan for. The most clear being after locking herself in her room for two days, and consistently telling Stefan to just leave her alone, she is then upset when he finally stops standing outside her door.

[Kellie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎬Summary:

This story centers around Erika, a twin to a famous influencer turned movie star named Anneliese. Erika cannot catch a break or a job as an artist and is living with her sister. To cheer her sister up, Anneliese suggests they go out to a restaurant opening. While they are there they run into Anneliese’s nemesis, Stefan Cruz, an actor who doesn’t think Anneliese has any talent and lets her know it.

Erika isn’t in the mood to be out, rubbing elbows with Hollywood actors and actresses and tries to stay under the radar. Stefan sees her from across the room and cannot believe how different she is from her wannabe actress sister.

Anneliese sees Stefan who cannot keep his comments to himself and Anneliese cannot take the high road and needs to get the last word in. Disaster strikes and Erika finds herself stepping in for her sister on her next big role.

Erika, not thrilled about these turn of events, is willing to help her sister no matter what. Things get heated when the leading man steps down and Stefan Cruz steps in.

Will Erika play off the biggest switch by pretending to be her sister? And can she get along with the one man her sister despises the most?


🎬Thoughts:

I was hooked from the start of this book! I could not put it down.

Anneliese did annoy me at certain points and I wished Erika stood up for her self and put her foot down.

In the author’s note, I read that Hallie’s plan was to make it a more fluffier book but then she included topics that are triggering, but what is truly happening in Hollywood.

I think this addition added depth to the story that is necessary to be included due to the fact that this is what is happening and their voices should not be diminished or silenced.

I do suggest that you read the trigger warnings incase it is a sensitive topic for you.

I am excited to hear that this is the start of a series and I cannot wait to read more of Hallie’s books.

Thank you so much, Hallie for allowing me to read this ARC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Katie Clemens-Seely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4⭐ (rounded up from 3.75)

The Hollywood Switch Up was an enjoyable contemporary romance with likable leads, an entertaining premise, and a cast of memorable side characters that helped bring the story to life.

I really enjoyed both main characters and found myself genuinely invested in their journey. Their chemistry felt natural, and they were easy to root for. The supporting cast was also vibrant and added plenty of personality to the story.

That said, there were one or two secondary characters who were featured very heavily throughout the book, and I personally struggled with them. At times, my frustration with those characters became significant enough that I briefly set the book aside for a couple of days. If I hadn't been so invested in the main characters and eager to see how their story unfolded, it might have affected my overall enjoyment more substantially.

I also found some of the mini time jumps between chapters a little jarring. Occasionally a chapter would begin several days after the previous one before circling back to explain what had happened in the meantime. While this wasn't a major issue, it did catch me off guard on more than one occasion.

The third-act breakup was probably my biggest critique. It felt somewhat forced, and I wasn't entirely convinced by the reasoning behind it. However, I can also appreciate that Hallie Katherine writes female protagonists who are messy, flawed, and capable of saving themselves rather than waiting to be rescued, and that character growth is clearly central to her storytelling.

Overall, despite a few elements that didn't quite work for me, I had a great time with this book. Once I pushed past my issues with certain side characters, I ended up reading the remainder in a single sitting. If you're looking for a fun, character-driven romance with imperfect but endearing characters, The Hollywood Switch Up is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacey Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The TL:DR version: This story had potential but was not well executed, and really needed another round of editing and alpha/beta reading.

Buckle up, this is going to be a long one. The premise of this story has so much promise. A twin swap on a Hollywood movie set? Sign me up! Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.

This book is written in the 3rd person so the reader has insight into all the characters inner dialogue. Yet, things are often repeated from each person’s point of view in multiple chapters. In one particular instance, some important information is relayed to Stefan by a studio exec, and then several hours later she reveals the same exact information, and he acts as if he’s never heard it before.

There are also a lot of inconsistencies. Stefan notices a significant physical difference between Anneliese and Erika in the beginning of the book and the author made it an important distinction, yet when he notices that same thing when they’re in the Bahamas, he acts confused.

One chapter mentions the generator is dead. Fast forward a chapter or two and they’re powering lights on the patio by a generator.

They’re filming a scene on jet skis, and both jet skis die, but there are no boats in the vicinity to rescue them for over an hour? How was that scene being filmed? I also really had to suspend my belief in reality to believe that this tiny island in the Bahamas just happened to stock its villas with everything necessary for Stefan to make authentic paella during a hurricane (it specifically states that he was using ingredients from the villa, not the craft services tent).

Stefan constantly brings up his tita. Now, Spanish is not my first language, but I understand tita to be aunt, yet he refers to her as his grandmother. At this point I’m not sure if that’s a mistake or if his grandmother’s name is actually Tita.

I did enjoy watching Erika get out from behind her horrible twin sister’s shadow and come into her own. I also really liked Stefan as a character. Unfortunately, that was not enough to carry this book.

[Darbi O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC — this is my honest, no-fluff review.

Okay, first things first: the plot in this one? *Chef's kiss.* No random detours, no "wait why are we suddenly in Paris" nonsense — just a clean, well-executed storyline from start to finish. I respect an author who knows where they're going.

Erika's growth arc was genuinely phenomenal. Watching her go from "overlooked twin living in the shadows" to actually claiming her own spotlight was so satisfying I wanted to cheer out loud. And Stefan — listen, MMC did NOT disappoint. His reactions to the whole mess he got dropped into felt so real, like this is actually how a lot of men would respond in that situation, not some fantasy version. Even Martin, the antagonist, earned his keep — he brought real tension instead of just being a mustache-twirling cardboard cutout.

Now. Annalise. Annie, baby, I love you but you were a LOT sometimes. Her insecurity didn't just simmer under the surface — it showed up loud, messy, and occasionally straight-up obnoxious, using her own sister as a shield. And the sisters' relationship overall felt a little forced at points, like the emotional beats were being hit because the plot needed them to be, not because they organically got there. It pulled me out a couple times.

But here's the thing — I can forgive a messy, frustrating side character when the rest of the book is this strong. I don't throw around 5 stars like confetti (very few books earn that from me), but this one's knocking on the door. Strong writing, real character work, and yes — the spice delivered too. 🌶️

This is going on my reread list. Recommend to anyone who wants enemies-to-lovers with some actual substance behind it.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stefan and Erika, I love you!

This book was sweet while also being packed with emotions and featuring heavy topics.

The first part of this story has me swooning, and falling for both of the main characters. Erika was able to put herself out there as Annie. Stefan was there to show her she is more than the “Other Morgan”.

The second part of this book is where things start to take and turn, and you will need to buckle up because this start to get heavy. Martin Blackwell has been able to get away with too much over the years. He was able to get everyone to play along with his schemes with threats and “that’s just show biz”.

Lily was my favorite supporting character. Everyone needs Lilly. She was there for Erika in any way she could be. She pushed Erika to believe her reality and not the narrative set in place for her.

TRIGGER WARNING ‼️- workplace harassment and assault talked about after this.

I think Hallie did a good job writing Martin in a way that portrayed how most predators are able to get away with taking advantage of their victims. Making things just acceptable enough to make it seem like Erika is crazy or too sensitive. Pulling her for private meetings so there was no witnesses. Threatening her loved ones. Isolating her so she felt trapped.

I like that Hallie didn’t skirt around how ugly recovering from a person like that is. Erika wasn’t suddenly “fine” afterwards. She was putting in the effort to feel okay but it didn’t seem rushed.

Overall, I would 100% recommend this book but also encourage people to be aware of the triggers before starting.

Thank you to Hallie Katherine for the ARC. I look forward to whatever is next from you 💖

[Juno Lucita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting to say the lease. The plot had amazing potential i loved it. And I was 100% rooting for the characters to get together. I mean he is her sisters enemy but they have fire 🔥. Anneliese kind of pissed me off ngl, and I am glad the sisters had a loving relationship she was just to in her head haha. Did not know to much of Bradley to give input. And the way they cast Stefan as a Jerk I just thought there be a bot more to that, he instantly started clicking with Erika. Honestly besides the fact they were against one another I thought Anneliese and Stefan had a little chemistry 😅 oops, booktok ruined me.

The issue itself was the writing. Like things were way to repetitive, some instances of things just not making sense, or them having the same convos over and over. Examples...

"You're not _, your _"
"Youre _. Im _, there's a difference"
" Not _, Just _"
"the kind where_"

Lines were just repeating on different pages. The worst of it?
"_ eyes shifted. Not surprised, recognition"

I almost screamed with how many times I seem that in this book.


I do not read just romance often, but this one did have me hooked in the beginning. The first couple chapters were pulling me to continue. And while all those phrases kept repeating driving me bonkers, I just had to finish the book. I do feel like there was a lot of fillers that just didn't need to be there and could have been reduced. It made the book longer than it needed. Another idea would have been seeing some of it from Anneliese perspective haha. I just feel like this book could have been edited a little better.

Anyways it boils down to, Good plot lots of potential, not the greatest writing.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could say that I loved this book a little more than I did, but I do not think it was for me.

I felt like the main issue for me specifically (and I know it is a very personal view) is that a book and/or plot can be very much simple and straight forward, but as long as I connect to the characters, it doesn’t hold much importance. The protagonists are always a core to the stories that I enjoy, and I didn’t really connect with either of our main characters.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*
I felt like both Erica and Stefan were a little too perfect-romance-story-coded, and the setting unfortunately did not help. I do love myself a cliché trope like the next romance lover, but I love when characters surprise us a little bit more than they did in this story. In this book, our MMC is a grumpy man who turns out to be a softie underneath that persona, and our FMC is a reserved, shy artist who falls for him even though she’s not meant to from the very first 20% of the book. (Although overall, Anneliese was the worst-written character of them all in my opinion, in the sense that I would have loved to have had a different take on influencers and the unforgiving world of social media instead of falling into a well-known cliché).

Overall, it was not a bad read but it was definitely not the swoony romance wirlwind I was expecting. The story fell flat by moments, and could not truly get me hooked from the start as I struggle to connect with the characters and the story felt confusing at times.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 ⭐️

[Ashley Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I snagged this autographed paper book arc read of the Hollywood switch up from Hallie Katherine and loved it!!

The premise of the book is twin sisters, Annalise and Erica Morgan, who give off Sweet Valley high twin vibes. Annalise is your extrovert influencer/actress, and Erika whose introvert artist.

When Annalise gets hurt and isn’t risk of losing losing a role in a movie, she convinces Erika to go in her place. The original male lead for this movie has dropped out and now Erika is costarring with Annalise‘s enemy, Stefan.

In the middle of this secret, Erika falls in love with Stefan who has figured it out and loves her too. Erika also has to try and avoid the creepy domineering director that tries to manipulate her so he can take advantage.

The underlying tone is definitely romcom vibes with an eventual happy ending , but there are content warnings due to “creepy high power men in high places complex”. This part of the storyline reminds a little like Bella in Twilight where James (the vampire) hunts her like a predator. For me, since twilight is supernatural it gives off more unrealistic vibes that wouldn’t cause to have a content warning but in this story it’s humanized so warranted.

It delves into the messy versions of life, relatable with some of the current events we have happening, but still empowers her main characters to fight back.

This book also comes with a Spotify play list which I love, but would love it even more if it was available on Apple Music 😂.

I can’t wait for book 2!

[TribesReadingObsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover tropes and the blurb caught my attention to read this book. And I cannot say it was not worth it. I throughly enjoyed everything about this book. It was captivating and completely intriguing.

The world, the chaos, the drama, the effort, the connections, the enemies to lovers, the mixed feelings! I felt it all. This shows the darker side to film making, the director who’s wrong, the past stories that become the still now stories. This does have darker elements that are brought up so make sure you’re aware of the triggers listed.

The twin switch was great, everyone hears stories or knows of twins doing this but to this scale was huge and impressive. I loved the female main character and watching her start wanting things, be herself, allowing herself moments, stop being the spare or background twin and everything about her growth was precious.

The main male character was great i felt his emotions coming through the pages, the want, the protectiveness and the support. Plus those Spanish words, Wowee 🔥
Together they were a force of heat, fire, want, need and absolute sassy and great banter. I adored both characters, moments I was kicking my feet in giddy happiness, to moments I was like no what the and by the end I was crossing everything because it was drama filled. So definitely not able to put it down.

I recommend this book easily if you’re into romance with some comedy but also with the darker edges and lots of spicy peppers.

[DomsLitCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

Pretending to be your famous twin sister after she gets into an accident? Sounds like the beginning of an identity crisis… and a romance. 👀

Erika suddenly finds herself taking her twin’s place on a film set, which also means working with Stefan, her sister’s biggest enemy. He’s hot, talented, annoyingly perceptive, and somehow one of the only people who notices that Erika is hiding behind the role she’s playing. When he uncovers her secret, I fully expected chaos… but instead we got mentorship, understanding, tension, and banter.

I loved how the story really focused on Erika learning who she is outside of everyone else’s expectations. Watching her find her confidence, speak up for herself, and stop letting people define her was satisfying.

Erika and Stefan’s chemistry carried this book for me, and I enjoyed every quiet moment they shared. Stefan seeing the real Erika before she could even see herself? 🥹

Overall, this was a fun read with a little more emotional depth than I was expecting. If you love twin-switch shenanigans, celebrity × non-celeb romance, forced proximity, behind-the-scenes Hollywood drama, and a romance that’s equal parts sweet and spicy, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

Thank you Hallie and HK Romance for advanced reader copy of The Hollywood Switch-Up (publishing September 8, 2026).

[Getlitwithashleyz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being an identical twin myself, I knew I had to read this book! I loved the whole concept of Annalise and Erika switching places, it immediately hooked me.

Annalise has spent years supporting herself and her twin sister as a famous influencer, and now she's making the jump into the movie industry. Stefan is a well-known actor who hasn't exactly been kind when talking about Annalise, so it's safe to say they don't get along.

When Annalise breaks her ankle and can't film, she convinces Erika to step in and pretend to be her. Once Erika arrives on set, she discovers that Stefan has been cast as the new leading man, making him her co-star. What follows is a mix of mistaken identity, romance, and plenty of tension.

I also enjoyed the touch of suspense throughout the story, although I think it could have been executed a little better. There were a few repetitive moments and some continuity issues that pulled me out of the story. For example, Stefan notices the birthmark behind Erika's ear, but later, when she's pretending to be Annalise, he notices the same birthmark and simply thinks he never realized Annalise had one. Moments like that felt more like editing oversights than intentional plot points.

Overall, this was a solid, entertaining read. While it wasn't perfect, I enjoyed the unique premise and had a good time with the story.

[Tanmeet Samra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I’m giving this book a 3 (perhaps a reread could bump it higher). The switched identity plot was new for me and I did enjoy that! This book was also heavy and serious especially in the second half. I think there should be a trigger warning and honestly, I think more should have been written about the serious moments. I would not classify this as dark humor - there was mention of dark humor before I read this book and I would remove that description.

I know you can’t do justice with serious matters in writing but you can’t take it lightly either. However, props to adding in something serious - the second half had all my feelings. I also thought the second half was much better than the first and it felt like two different authors wrote the first half and the second half and I wish this book was written as the characters POV’s versus narration. There were also some annoyances for me - some scenes were repeated which were annoying and the first half mentioned the MMC’s Tita way too much that I started to roll my eyes whenever it was mentioned.

Overall, this book was a good read and it held my attention but there was room to make this an even bigger hit.

[TheGood ByeGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pro's I loved the addition of a sound track. The chemistry between Anneliese & Erika was exactly what I think twins are like. The relationship between Erika & Stefan was a slow burn in the first half then it picked up, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the Martin situation was going to be played out. I was glad to see an epiloge & that while Erika & Stefan got their HEA, I think I wanted justice served on Martin. The way his character was presented was really well done, I knew someone very very like that & it gave me chills because others could not see what I could, thankfully I managed to cut them out of my life.

Con's I have visual impairment & read on my kindle, to read the Page Eight sections I had to switch to my magnifying glasses & then pinch & zoom those sections to read them, I would have preferred just a slightly different font style. Secondly the Spanish sections, I don't speak Spanish, there was no real translation so I had to keep pulling my phone out to use Google translate on those.

They didn't take away from the story, they were just annoying to not cater to all types of readers. Not everyone has perfect vision or speaks other languages.

But overall I enjoyed this very much.

[Hayley Downs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out strong and immediately pulled me in with its Hollywood setting, family dynamics, and the mystery surrounding Erika and her sister. What I expected to be a light contemporary romance ended up tackling much heavier topics, which added depth to the story.

The characters were the highlight for me. Erika’s journey of finding herself and standing up for what she deserved was compelling, and I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the sisters develop throughout the book. The romance was sweet and supportive, though it wasn’t the main focus of the story.

That said, the pacing felt uneven at times. While I appreciated the deeper themes, parts of the plot dragged and some of the later twists and revelations became a little convoluted. By the end, I found myself confused by certain details and felt the story could have been streamlined.

Overall, this was a solid read with strong character development and meaningful themes, but the pacing and complexity of the ending kept it from being a higher rating for me. If you enjoy contemporary fiction with family drama, romance, and a darker look behind the glamour of Hollywood, this one is worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katyia Granton-Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

When Erika’s sister hurts herself at a Hollywood party, Erika must step up and take her place on a movie set with her sister’s nemesis. She has to keep this secret whilst also trying not to fall for Stefan, her costar who has not been too nice about Annalise in the past. Erika must also deal with the difficult director Martin.

I loved the premise of this book, twins swapping places and set in Hollywood sounded like such a good concept. I felt like the book really started off well, I was excited to see where it was heading. Unfortunately I felt that the romance between Erica and Stefan fell a bit flat. I felt like there was something missing between them, and I can’t explain what it was. The storyline regarding Martin was an insight into what I think happens a lot in Hollywood. It was insinuated throughout the book and sometimes I wish it had just been said more plainly before the last 20% of the book.

I did enjoy the book, I just wish the romance had hit better. I’m also glad I was reading it on my kindle so I could translate the Spanish. I know the character is Spanish, but without that there would have been a lot that I didn’t understand

[Lyla Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Hayley Katherine for an ARC of this exciting new romance! For a book filled with so many tropes and themes that are very common in the genre, this romance pulled me in very quickly! Right away we are met with the incredibly insufferable Annelise and her loud, obnoxious character clashing with her sister Erika’s character. Annelise is a character you immediately want to hate, and hate I did. But this personality only made Erika’s quiet, people-pleasing personality stand out more. Stephan was surprisingly sweet and there were so many small moments that made me fall in love with his character.

I love how Hayley was able to turn a romance plot into a much deeper plot about the darker underbelly of Hollywood. Erika’s character being very mentally aware of the situations she’s put in shows a different picture of how control and manipulation sinks in. The timespan, subtle emotions, and actions around this is simply amazing. Additionally, Isabelle’s role in this story created a sense of urgency and allowed the reader to step back to view the bigger picture.

This story was spicy, cute, realistic and hit a lot of marks pertaining to the larger conflicts and pressures of social media.

[Noor Arslan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this book but the book itself disappointed me. The FMC wasn't very likable, like kind of making it about herself when her sister gets injured or throwing away the pencils Stefan gave her just because.

There was chemistry between the main leads so that was nice and Stefan was fun. But he was also wrong at some points. Also he keeps on talking in Spanish, which got annoying because it had no translation and he spoke a lot of Spanish!!

I liked that the first miscommunication part got cleared quickly. Hope that was the case later as well. But still, it was wrong to blame Stefan for whatever happened.

Also, how can a random person just go and act in a big movie?? I know Erika struggled but it wasn't a lot in terms of acting, maybe they could've shown that she's someone who had interest in acting or had minor past experiences to justify it.

I did like the interlude parts, it was fun and interesting and went with the book theme. It would've been cool if the epilogue was also in the same format - maybe like a couple's interview.

Lastly, there was a lot of stuff in the second half that could've been avoided to make the book shorter, as it got quite boring. The ending was also nice but again, it took soooo long to wrap up. Overall 2.5 stars.

[Mikayla McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author for sending me an Arc for an exchange of my honest review.

THIS BOOK HAD ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE ENITRE TIME!!!!
The storyline/plot was so good. Hallie Katherine knows exactly what readers want!! The perfect amount of romance, action, and drama! I would love to see this book turned into a movie. What a perfect summer book to add to your list.

Disclosure, this book deals with mature content. Profanity, spicy scenes, SA. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than 18. The spice level to this book is a 3, but it had me screaming "Ahhh" for all of the spicy scenes - I ended up just skipping those parts. But I loved the way Hallie wrote the main FMC's kissing scenes!

A few things that were my favorite parts:

I loved how well the big secret was built up and revealed.

The enemies to lovers angle was amazing, it made the FMC's character love story all that much sweeter but torn at the same time.

I loved that she incorporated the Hispanic culture/ language with one of the characters.

Reading the main FMC, having to pick herself back up after a horrible incident. Seeing her heal in a real and honest way makes this so relatable.

And I just absolutely loved how the book ended!