Fame & Fakery

Betray Me Once #3

by Wren Shaw

His childhood best friend showed up…and started taking her place.

Serena Watts thought she had it all—a thriving acting career, a little sister she’d do anything to protect, and a solid relationship with action star Hudson Holt. Their love had survived long-distance shoots, flashing cameras, and grueling schedules.

Until his female bestie moved to Hollywood after a bad breakup, becoming Hudson’s constant shadow.

Now Serena’s heart is breaking under every dismissed hurt that Hudson refuses to see. And when he finally realizes all the damage his fake friend caused, it might be too late to grovel his way back.

Genres: Second Chance, Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Celebrity, Second Chance Romance

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Romance author of love stories with heroes who mess up & heroines who make them beg.

Reviews

[Jen ♥]

This was meh, but it definitely was a book for some hate reading. I was pissed all throughout, and obviously that's on me. I've dropped at least four books in the last 3 days; unfortunately, this one managed to hold my interest just enough to finish it, probably because it's only a novella. Despite it being short, it sure AF made my blood pressure skyrocket so fast—well, books with stupid MMCs often do.

Anyway, it has your usual MMC with a girl bff who was oblivious to the antics of said best friend. It was him repeatedly defending, choosing, and making excuses for the bff over his girlfriend. Even though the FMC kept saying she was uncomfortable and she kept pointing out the "accidents" the bff kept on making. He finally realized he's such a stupid dumbass at 51%, I think, and then officially cut off the bff at the 60% mark.

Don't really care for the "grovel"; he didn't do much anyway, and she didn't hold back for long. The OW caused problems between them for months, yet the supposed grovel lasted only for, idk, probably more than a month??? The timeline wasn't clear, and that annoyed me even more.

Overall, I disliked this story with every fiber of my being. But tbf, I disliked every story with stupid men who prioritized the OW over the FMC, sooo what I'm feeling isn't anything new. There's no one really to blame but me for hoping that one of these days, at least one of these books would solidly redeem a guy in my eyes. Sadly, that day has still not come, and that book still hasn't been found.


PS. I'm not going to rate this book because, if I do, it would be a 1-star for me. That's unfair (imo) since I knew what I was getting into, and the book doesn't deserve such a low rating just because it wasn't to my taste. But I'll still rant about this; after all, I spent my time reading it, so I think I’ve earned that much. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Callie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in the mood for some angst and groveling but this didn’t deliver how I wanted it to.

This is your classic hero defends his girl best friend and it drives a wedge between him and his girlfriend.

I don’t know if this was supposed to soften the blow, but he didn’t really seem to think of Maddie like a best friend, so the angst didn’t even hit that hard? It just sort of made me feel like he was dumb. 😅

We are always thrown into the story with them having an established relationship and the friend already back in town so I found myself being told they’re super in love but not really seeing it. That made me not care all that much about their break.

Overall, it wasn’t for me but it was a quick read with some oblivious hero if you like that.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun. I liked it

[Joanne Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t even with Hudson 😅 if you like your MMC clueless this is the book for you.
Hudson employees his BFF when she needs a job, she proceeds to mess with his girlfriend Serena.

Hudson ignores all of Serena’s warning and off course it blows up in his face.


A wonderful read with wonderful characters. I love this series

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

I really liked the dynamics in this. You can see how vile Maddie is from the beginning. Just slimy. Serena was right to be concerned but he never wanted her. She wast just a childhood friend, not a bestie, but just a friend. He totally loved Serena and only Serena. It was a short story too.

I liked the first one in this series and this one. I didn't like the 2nd in the series and just so you know, that book is a total DNR order (Do Not Read)! The hero was a douches canoe. Totally. Just yuk.

But this story was very easy to read and enjoy. You could see Maddie's manipulation all the way through. It wasn't that angsty because you always knew what he was thinking. He had 0 interest in the wannabe OW. I was glad he just made bad choices because he felt sorry for her.

The epilogue was very cute. I do wish it had been a so I could see more of Adrian, her little sister and to see if he won an Oscar too.

[Butterfly914 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started promising with some angst, but then fell flat. This author slightly reminds me of Maya Alden, but the delivery isn’t the same. The MMC is not cruel, just clueless. And a lot of the dialogue and sex were cliché and cheesy. But this book was better than the previous one. I think the author has potential.

[kala f. · Rating 3 out of 5]

another one purely for angst

[SC Girlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story

It’s funny I actually liked some of her other books better when they actually got a lower rating than this one. I am one of those types that you love who you love not because you can’t help it but because you choose to. And I think that the acknowledgment of what he did to their relationship was overlooked quite a bit.

I think when you’re famous like these main characters were your reputation really matters and I think your pride should matter too. The truth is is that this, which really was a cheating scandal whether it happened or not, would follow them forever and I don’t think that there’s anyway that they could have a healthy relationship afterwards. I was really disappointed in the FMC because all it took was a cake for her walls to start to crumble after she had been publicly humiliated and ignored for months and months and months. And I’m sorry maybe intellectual intelligence is only an important trait to me, but the MMC was an idiot and she didn’t care. That really bothered me.

So again good book good author probably was 3 1/2 stars which a lot of times I round up to four but she’s only gotten five star ratings up to this point and I don’t think that’s fair so that’s why I ended up going with three stars. I do recommend it read it for yourself. You’ll probably be fine with it but I definitely wouldn’t have taken him back or at least I definitely wouldn’t have taken him back that quickly. I would’ve created space probably dated other people and then if my feelings still existed a year or two down the road, maybe then but yeah I just didn’t like him and I felt like she was a doormat.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Serena is the sunshine FMC who swallows her words, buries her doubts and ignores her gut because she loves Hudson. Hudson is the TSTL MMC who trusts his childhood friend and keeps defending her when she oversteps or messes up with Serena. He's is confident that his friend did it on accident or just doesn't know how things are done in the big city vs the small-town they grew up in. Serena takes it until she just can't anymore. This was a great read. I couldn't put it down.

[MB (What she read)]

YMMV.

Thoughts: In reading choices, I could care less about actors as main characters. Probably because I figure going in they are insincere liars who seek attention, and are drama llamas already--not the kind of characters I enjoy reading about. These 2 were fairly tame, but I only read the last half of the book so I am not a great example. I wasn't invested going in, and I'm not one going out. Again, YMMV. I am not a good audience for this.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes for me

Hudson

Serena

Maddie - childhood friend

Actor and actress.

Maddie moves to LA after bad breakup.

She pulls stunts to hurt Serena. Messes up important orders, leaks her Oscar dress design, works out pictures to look like Hudson js cheating with her.

Serena leaves and Hudson wises up.

No gut punch

[K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright. I’m in a slump. Everything I’ve read lately has been pretty underwhelming. Anyway.

This was such a big miss. No angst. Nothing. Two movie stars and an OW. I didn’t even really believe the couple loves each other. They seem so surface level with one another.

The big bad OW is a childhood friend of the H. She had a bad breakup and she moves to LA to move past it. She can’t find a job, so he hires her as an additional assistant, WHICH HE DID NOT NEED.

She then goes on to mess everything up for his girlfriend, our h. I wasn’t completely sure why she’d have access to anything to do with the h. She’s a big movie star, so wouldn’t she have her own assistant?! No. In order for this to work, the OW woman has to be able to complete tasks for her too. She messes things up and the H keeps making excuses. Dismisses the h’s concerns. She hasn’t gotten the hang of things or she didn’t mean anything by it, it was just a mistake.

Mistakes that I remember:

- The OW orders the wrong birthday cake for her sister’s sixteenth birthday party and then shows up uninvited.
- Accidentally leaks a dress to an influencer for her big movie premiere and no one can see it because then she can’t ever wear it.
- Stages some paparazzi pics.

The pics were so dumb because we’re supposed to believe that him walking next to the OW constitutes an affair. I mean, she does work for him. An obvious setup and SURPRISE, it was.

The h feels hemmed in by the paps and relocated to a fancy hotel with her sister. I think the couple don’t talk for a minute. Didn’t seem like that long. The H has an aha moment after being a complete dipshit for the entire story and goes on TV to explain it all. Kinda overkill, right? Why not go on instagram? Isn’t that what all the cool kids are doing these days?

I don’t really know what happened next because I was over it. It’s all just so fluffy.

There were a few smut chapters but I skimmed because I didn’t think it fit with the story. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some smut but it didn’t fit. They’re eating ice cream and then they’re boning. A big jump from the h having a shitty day to the H making a move. If I’m in sweats after a crap day and I’m eating ice cream, I do not want to be touched. At all.

All in all, I was under the impression that this was a second chance with some OW drama. I mean, I guess but is it drama if barely anything happens? The other woman comes across as immature but the H is a big ole dummy. I’d like to think that achieving that level of success would come with some brains but no. He dumb. Everything was so obvious.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-3.75 Stars Rounded Up
I enjoyed this one. The FMC actually communicated even if the MMC didn't listen. My only problem was the drama was again too easily solved and dealt with. The OW just went away the first and only time she was asked. But overall easy and lighthearted read.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars in your eyes

This was a cute romance. The angst from the couples issues and s bit of drama from other sources.

A second chance romance with a cute sibling and a sweet HEA.

[Noof · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Was not a clean romance book, had too skip pages ;\)

[Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just none of this felt believable. The confession interview was also so unoriginal I felt like I was reading a shortened choppier version of a much better book.

[Mariana Ponce · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Lo mismo del anterior, no hay arrastre suficiente, todo es realmente superficial.
Hudson era un idiota. Primero dice que dejó que Maddie entrara en sus vidas porque la conoce desde niños y luego sale con que lleva años sin hablar con ella, que no es su mejor amiga,¿Pero cree ciegamente en ella? En serio, no puede ser mas patético. En otro lado, tenemos a Serena, que de verdad estaba ciegamente enamorada, lo que hizo que permitiera que minimizaran sus sentimientos y estuviera en una relación con un hombre que no la merecía. De verdad, el 60-70% del libro es Hudson justificando cada cosa que la zorra de Maddie hace y de no ser porque Serena le pide espacio y explica con peras y manzanas él no se da cuenta. A Maddie la odié desde el minuto 1 y todavía jajajaja.
Avery era una adolescente que primero le decía que merecía a un hombre que la amara como ella amaba, luego le organizaba encuentros con Hudson y le decía que regresará con él, en serio? Hacerle caso a una niña? Lo único que hizo fue dar una entrevista pública para aclarar sus asuntos y Serena fue la que le mandó mensajes jajajaja. A eso se le llama cambiar? Luego ella misma por idea de Avery sugiere una cita, que patética y sin dignidad se vió. Para mí, Hudson no la merecía, puso en primer lugar a alguien que ni formaba parte de su vida actual por encima de su novia de AÑOS, la única mujer que ha amado según él, ¿De verdad eso es amor?
Todo Hudson me pareció superficial y Serena me daba pena de lo patética que era y las migajas que aceptaba.
Nos presentan a Lila, que será la próxima protagonista y a como lo vi, su libro me hará enojar más, no sé si lo leeré. Está autora no permite que sus protagonistas tengan dignidad, las deja sufrir mucho y sus protagonistas masculinos son unos imbéciles que no las merecen. No hay arrastre, no hay sufrimiento suficiente para ellos.
No la recomiendo si buscas eso, pero si quieres ver cómo ponen en 2do lugar a la protagonista, adelante, lee sus libros.


A continuación describo todo el libro, así que si lo vas a leer, mejor no sigas leyendo esto, está lleno de SPOILERS, es todo lo que ocurre en el libro.
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El libro comienza con Serena, una actriz de Hollywood, yendo a recoger un pastel a la pastelería de Tessa(protagonista del libro anterior) por el cumpleaños de su hermana Avery. Su novio llama, Hudson, novio y con quién grabó una película, mientras ella no quería salir con nadie del medio, él la convenció. Hudson llama, hablan, la regaña por no haberle dicho que iba a otra ciudad y luego le dice que Maddie lo siente mucho. Maddie la mejor amiga por la que ha hecho menos a Serena y que arruinó el pastel de Avery. Dice que fue un error pero Serena sabe que fue a propósito. Él dice que irá a verla y aunque Serena no quiere, cede cuando dice que llevará la comida que le gusta a Avery. Hudson va para casa de Serena cuando llega Maddie como si fuera su casa, con comida y lo hace comer. Él come poco y dice que se irá con Serena. Busca un pinot(vino) que le gusta a Serena y Maddie dice que se lo acabó, Hudson le dice que sabía que no le gustaba y dice que como a Serena le gusta tanto, lo probó y se lo acabó. Se lo pasa y se va a con Serena. Maddie dice que recuerda que tuvo una novia que no la soporto a ella, que nadie comprendía su amistad y no se que, si ajá. Se vino a los Ángeles después de una ruptura, no tenía trabajo y Hudson se lo dió. Vive en su casa, le dió asilo aún cuando quería pedirle a Ser que se mudara con él pero según espera hacerlo cuando la amiga se mude. Es el cumpleaños de Avery, tienen una fiesta, Serena está feliz de que su hermana esté igual, pues sus padres son malas personas y Avery, de 16 años,  vive con ella. Todo bien hasta que la zorra de Maddie llega como si la hubiesen invitado, corre hacia Hudson. Se la pasa como si fuera de la familia, no lo es y cae mal. Serena le dice que está pasando los límites, Hudson dice que hablara con ella pero que no lo hace a propósito. Serena asiente pero sabe que ya no puede más con ello. Hudson recibe una llamada de Maddie que va a verlo, pero él dice que va a ver a Serena y le pide que a la otra avise antes de venir pero se siente culpable por decirlo. 🙃

Le lleva comida a Ser, habla de Maddie y queda en que ya no se meterá con ellos. Dice que no dejaría que ella arruine su relación. Serena está con Hudson cuando le dicen que su vestido para la alfombra roja se "filtró", fue Maddie y se hace la inocente otra vez. Hudson dice que lo siente, pero Ser quiere espacio. No pudo conseguir nada igual y el daño está hecho. Hudson la invita a su casa, siente que la está perdiendo, le cocina, se besan, pasan la noche juntos.
Ella le dice que debe darle su lugar y él acepta. Está tan feliz, hasta que en la mañana escucha como Maddie se queja de ella y Hudson dice que le de tiempo, que ya se le pasará a Serena. Se siente humillada pero no está dispuesta a llorar frente a ellos. Se va a escondidas. Su manager le dice que un productor importante preguntó por ella y es un buen papel, que puede cambiar su carrera. Ella decide enfocarse en su paz y no en un hombre ciego como Hudson, ya piensa en terminar la relación. La 1era asistente de Hudson no puede llegar y Maddie se va con él a unos asuntos. Casualmente ella resbala y él la sostiene. Les toman fotos y las filtran como infidelidad a Serena. Serena le dice a su equipo que ignoren todo pero cuando se filtran más fotos tomadas de su casa con ropa diferente y con Maddie ahí, dice que Hudson está echando leña al fuego. Incluso la gente molesta a Avery. Serena le manda a Hudson un mensaje diciéndole que necesita tiempo hasta que la zorra deje de formar parte de su vida. Hudson va a explicarle que fue un accidente porque el coche de Maddie dejó de funcionar, accidentalmente le tiró el café y se tuvo que cambiar de ropa. Serena le dice lo ridículo y obvio que es todo. Hudson la defiende y cuando le cierran la puerta en la cara sabe que nada suena accidental y sabe que sea lo que pase, puede que haya perdido a Serena definitivamente. Busca a la zorra y ella confiesa que organizó las fotos, él la despide y ella dice que Serena no es buena para él, que a ella no la puede dejar así, que volverá a Indiana y les dirá que tuvieron una aventura, etc, etc. Hudson le dice que sus abogados se encargarán y que pagará si se atreve a buscarlo a él, a Serena o Avery. Ahora quiere luchar por Serena pero sabe que puede tardar. Da una declaración publica y con eso la estúpida es la que manda los mensajes. Avery que decía que merecía algo mejor, los reúne para algo de su escuela. Hudson va a ayudar, es para quedar bien. Y ya, aunque van lento, siguen hablando y aunque Serena le dice que él solo encuentre la manera de demostrar su cambio, ella misma le dice que salgan a una cita, no lo puedo creeeeeer. Hudson le manda a su maquilladora fav, Lila Voss, de quien por cierto se menciona tiene problemas amorosos con su novio abogado que deja que su "esposa del trabajo" cruce límites. Ya sabemos quienes serán los protagonistas del siguiente libro.
Serena está lista, va a la cita, se besan. Le ofrecen el protagónico de la película que hará Serena, así que le pregunta si no le molestaría. Hudson redecoró el cuarto de su casa y tiró las cosas que usó Maddie. Le dice a Serena que es su casa, que no acepto un papel donde tendría que estar lejos, solo por ella, y más tonterías como esa. Serena dice que le ha demostrado con sus acciones su cambio.(Solo fue a lo de Avery, la cita, el papel rechazado(que rechazó porque quiso) y lo de la casa jajajaj, wow!! Que acciones)
Lo perdona, le dice que acepte el papel y regresa con él, que patético jajaja. Pasan la noche juntos.
Ya en el epílogo, Serena ganó el Oscar, Hudson es su prometido y están felices de estar juntos. Fin. 

En el epílogo adicional, han pasado 2 años del final, Serena está embarazada. Viajan a Indiana con los padres de Hudson. Van al dairy Queen y quien los atiende? Sí, Maddie. Los ve, todos se sorprenden y prácticamente cuando se van, se burlan de como terminó.


Espero que en el siguiente mínimo haya otro hombre que le haga ver al protagonista que si no valora a su pareja, se la pueden quitar...

[MiSsE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where is the Gut Punch? 😩

Sooooo there really wasn’t any guy punch in this story either. We’re already being presented with the best friend already being in the picture and she’s been there for months already. She’s already sabotaged a cake, Serena’s custom gown, overstepping every chance she got, but there was no real gut punch betrayal that you would find with an overheard, meddling, MMC taking the best friend’s side, type type of story.

The MMC is TSTL, and that’s that. Nothing more to give. I was really hoping for more from this story. So far none of the stories in this series has that any true gut punch except for the first book in the series.

[Nikki ღ Navareus · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I LOVE these stories where the Hero’s evil “girl best friend” shows up and tries her best to monkey wrench the Hero’s new romantic relationship. This story though….

Hudson and Serena are both movie stars who are both committed to their relationship. Serena is raising her 16 year old sister Avery (because Serena and Avery’s parents are abandoning losers). Hudson buys a house with the plan to move in Serena and her sister, but before he can make that happen, his “Bestie” shows up after a nasty breakup with her boyfriend.

Hudson immediately moves his bestie Maddie into his house until she can get a job and find her own place. Maddie is incapable of finding a job herself, so Hudson gives her an assistant position (that is totally NOT NEEDED and resented by the other assistant) working for him. Maddie is incompetent too. I'm talking she can't do ANYTHING without screwing it up. She somehow finagles her way into helping Serena with important tasks, and each time, she totally screws up the task. Instead of looking like a schemer who has designs on Hudson, Maddie just looked like an incompetent fuck up. Serena dislikes Maddie from the get go, and she’s savvy to Maddie’s shenanigans. Hudson finally starts to suspect that Maddie is intentionally screwing shit up and trying to destroy his romantic relationship with Serena when Maddie pays some random guys to get pictures of her and Hudson together (doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that looks like cheating). Maddie gives the photos to the paparazzi so they’ll report that Hudson is cheating with Maddie. Honestly, the pictures were not bad, and it would truly be an enormous stretch for them to cause the media frenzy that happened in this story.

I dunno. I felt ZERO connection between Hudson and Serena. Serena acted pretentious through the story can came off as a bit of a snob. Maddie wasn’t really very good at being an evil scheming manipulator. Hudson looked like a dumbass for not seeing that his incompetent friend was screwing shit up on purpose. And Maddie came clean so easily when asked if she was being shady. Everything resolved super easily, even though IMO the stuff that broke up Hudson and Serena was kind of dumb and kind of a non starter. Since there was no connection between the main characters, I really didn’t care what happened to either of them. More importantly, this story had ZERO ANGST in it, and that was really disappointing.

[JillyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short on time but need a romance fix? Do you want a betrayal that does not involve cheating? Do you want a hero that you genuinely like, but he still messes up? This might be the book for you!

This is the story of Hudson and Serena, or at least it should be, but Maddie, Hudson’s childhood friend from Indiana wants to make it the Hudson and Maddie show.

Hudson and Serena are both actors, which as you know can make relationships more challenging already. Serena was never going to date someone from her profession, but couldn’t resist Hudson. There is a reason for that, Hudson is really a good guy! He is! He loves Serena and Serena’s teen sister Avery that she has taken in. So, I never felt an overwhelming rage with Hudson, I just did a lot of eye rolling. He really needed a strong shake to get that hamster moving on the wheel….but the only thing that woke up that hamster was Serena telling him she was done being a side character in their relationship!

Maddie, the ow, is your typical “innocent” girl best friend of Hudson. He hadn’t seen her in years, but after a bad break up she came to California to be soothed by Hudson. He gave her a superfluous job as one of his assistants and even let her stay with him for a bit. He never crossed any lines romantically, and the reader can see that his interest in Maddie is just about helping some childhood chum out!

Maddie does(and succeeds) her best to undermine his relationship with Serena(just like she had done with girlfriends of his in high school). She is so obvious about it, that my only complaint about Hudson is that he is so clueless! The betrayal here is that he basically dismisses all of Serena’s concerns…even her 16 year old sister is on to Maddies mean girl ways. When Maddie escalates her campaign to secure Hudson, her antics move beyond affecting Serena’s personal life to affecting her professional life. When Serena leaves, she leaves Hudson with enough bread crumbs that leads him quickly to Maddie’s house of lies and manipulations. He wastes no time getting rid of her, and the author does as well. That is to say you will not get any Glenn Close coming out of the bathtub moments, Maddie is effectively eliminated so the author can focus on Hudson winning back the love of his life, and yes it is clear throughout the story that Serena is the one!

It is not just pretty words that Hudson uses to get back his gals, it is his actions. Little sister Avery is one of his biggest supporters(although she made it clear he only gets one chance to do it right). Hudson takes care in putting Serena’s feelings and needs above his own. Because for him, his life has little meaning if Serena isn’t there to share it with him!

So, if you are looking for a little escape from the jerk heroes out there, but you still need him to mess up to feel good lol…then I think this little gem should do the trick. As a novella, it is quick and doesn’t go deep, but it crosses off those boxes to tell a complete story with warmth, humor, anger, and a dash of smexy!!!

[Ꭿຖᥲ·♡ ྀི · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75✯

-dual POV
-no om drama
-short separation
-no cheating
-weak dumb af hero
-weak heroine
-ow - the H's childhood friend tried to sabotage his relationship with the h, the h tried to talk to him about the ow but he didn't listen and kept making excuses for her bc he felt sorry for her; he had zero interest in her
-h(26)/H(35)
-the hero tried to grovel but I feel like the h forgave him too quickly, that was disappointing
-epilogue: they're engaged
-extra epilogue: married with a baby on the way
----------------

I’d told myself that our love would get us through the short transition period with Maddie, but really I’d taken that love for granted. I backed the person who I’d thought needed my help more, not the woman who deserved my unconditional support. And it was starting to look like my friend had played me the entire time.

******************

“You can lie to yourself, but this was selfish. And I made excuses for you every single time you tried to cause trouble in smaller ways. No wonder you thought you could get away with this. I chose you over Serena again and again, and I will never forgive myself for that.”

******************

“I’ll tell everyone that you had an affair with me. The press. Your family. I’ll make sure Serena never has a moment of peace again. You owe me.” “I don’t owe you anything. I’ll have my lawyer handle the final paycheck and any paperwork. Block my number. Block Serena’s number. And if you try to use my family to worm your way back in, I’ll make sure you regret it. Go back to Indiana. Start over. But stay the hell away from my life—and from the woman I love.”

******************

I might have lost Serena because of all the times I had minimized her pain. I had been so loyal to the wrong person for so long that I had nearly destroyed the best thing in my life. But I was painfully awake now. And more than ready to do whatever it took to earn a second chance with the woman I loved. Words wouldn’t be enough. I had to show Serena I was choosing her every single time from now on. That I saw the damage I had allowed and would spend the rest of my life making it right. Even if it took forever. Or if she never let me back in.

[Cat Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was curious to read Serena’s story after the hints in the previous books, and this one turned out to be another four-star read for me. It was still a short story, but I loved the angst and drama throughout.

Serena and Hudson had been in a relationship for a few years, and I liked how the story focused on the issues between them, especially with Hudson’s friend, Maddie, getting in the way. Serena was definitely my favorite. I felt for her the entire time, especially because Hudson kept dismissing her concerns instead of listening to her. I also loved Serena’s relationship with her sister, Avery, and how they were always there for each other.

Hudson frustrated me for most of the book, especially seeing how long it took him to realize that Serena had been right all along about Maddie and everything she had done. He almost lost Serena before understanding her struggles, but I did like seeing his growth once he finally understood the situation. I also liked how he confronted Maddie and started taking responsibility for everything that had happened.

I liked that Serena chose to put herself and her sister first, even though she still loved Hudson. She reached a point where she couldn’t keep ignoring everything that was happening, and I enjoyed seeing her stand her ground instead of immediately forgiving him. It was also nice to read how Hudson focused on showing her, through small actions, that he wanted to fight for their relationship and that she would always come first.

I loved how Serena took her time figuring out her emotions while still allowing Hudson to prove how much he had changed. In the end, I liked that she gave him another chance after seeing the effort he was putting into building a future with her.

Overall, this was an angsty and engaging read with a lot of drama. I enjoyed the focus on trust, boundaries, and growth in their relationship. Even though Hudson frustrated me at times, I still liked how their story came together in the end.

Now I’m excited to read the next book and see what the next couple has to go through to get their happy ending.

[Mollypop · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed over pretty much everything that had to do with her sister and that side plot and also the cringe sex scene but otherwise this was fine. Three star. Average.
Several other reviews warned me this wouldn’t be angsty, but the MMC made me angry and annoyed, the way he was supposed to. He’s fucking stupid and blind for half the book. I’m pretty much the president of the “dump his ass and move on” club so he didn’t have much chance of redeeming himself for me, but I’d have liked him to have tried a bit harder. Panic a bit more. He didn’t even seemed fazed when she dumped him, he was still too busy defending his friend. And she wasn’t even a best friend, she was just some girl he knew from childhood which for some people made it not as bad but for me it was kind of worse because he blew up his life and crossed a bunch of boundaries for someone who wasn’t even important to him. It was all super weird.
I wasn’t super impressed by the grovel, it was just a few minor changes, a fancy cake and the super weird interview. I get that he wanted to set the record straight because of the photos but like.. you’re just airing your dirty laundry to the public. Without talking to the other person involved and getting their okay first.
I pretty much skimmed through the last forty pages after that. He does a lot of crazy shit disguised as grovel such as putting her name on his house that she doesn’t live in. Replacing furniture that OW sat on, because it would remind him of her??? Then he drops a bomb that he didn’t ask her to move in sooner because he wasn’t ready to fully commit which threw me because that wasn’t implied anywhere else in the book, in fact it was said he’d bought the house with the intent of having it be their home together. And also he let the OW live there without even thinking about it, so that sat weird with me. If anything, instead of changing the deed and erasing reminders of the other woman he lived with, he should have just bought an all new house with his gf. One she helped pick out and decorate so it would feel like hers.

[BiblioDarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fame & Fakery
Betray Me Once #3
Wren Shaw

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 4.8.26):
⭐: DNF/Almost DNF
⭐⭐: Had Potential. Fell Short.
⭐⭐⭐: Good. Something Was Missing.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great Book. Strong Overall Story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Loved. Reread Worthy. Recommend.

One Sentence Summary/Review:
He placed priority on another and almost lost the one he loved.
—-------------------
Tropes/Vibes:
💕MF Romance
💕Part of a Series
💕OW Drama
💕Betrayal/Grovel/HEA
💕Family Drama
💕Hollywood Stars

Triggers:
🚩Humiliation

Emotion Impact Rating: 😠💞
😢Crying/Heartbroken 🤯Shocked/Mind-blowing
😠Frustrated/Angry 💞Emotionally Invested/Obsessed
😍In Love/Swooning 😊Comfort/Cozy

Spice Level (as of 4.8.26): 🔥🔥🔥
🔥: Clean
🔥🔥: Mild
🔥🔥🔥: Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥: Very Spicy
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Explicit/Kink-Heavy
—----------------------
Quote From Book:
"Well, if you must know...I was only trying to protect you."

Writing Style Rating: Simple
Simple: Flows Quickly/Easy Reading
Descriptive: Lots of Imagery/Detailed
Lyrical: Feels Poetic/Pretty Sentences
Heavy: Dense/May Have to Reread Sentences

Pace Rating: ⚖
🐢: Slow/Takes Time to Build
⚖: Medium Pacing/Things Move Steadily
🚀: Fast/Things Happen Quickly
—-------------------------
Summary:
FMC and MMC are Hollywood stars. MMCs friend from home comes to town. This causes issues in the FMC and MMC relationship. Eventual HEA.

Full Review:
I am loving this series. I really think of this series as a cozy book read. The FMC knew to protect her sister even if it means leaving the MMC. MMC finally gets his head out of his butt and puts the OW in her place. I love how the books are interconnected. I look forward to the next book.

Want to read this for yourself? Grab your copy here:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4emLM9o
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Join the community and read with me: https://bibliodarling.substack.com

[Shannon Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main trope: This is a second chance romance.

Additional tropes:
✅Female best friend drama
✅Overheard

Detailed spoilers/trigger warnings (if any) and final thoughts can be found below. There is a warning right before the spoiler and trigger section so you have the choice to proceed or stop reading.

Summary: The FMC is Serena. She is dating Hudson and they are both successful Hollywood stars. Hudson has a childhood female friend named Maddie, who left their hometown following a bad breakup. Hudson gave her job and has been supportive and kind to her, often at the expense of Serena’s feelings and belief that Maddie is not the innocent she makes Hudson believe she is.

The more “coincidences and not a big deals” that happen, the more Serena doubts if her relationship is built to withstand the tough times as they play out in the public eye. She overhears Hudson and Maddie talking and believes that Hudson will never truly understand her feelings in the situation. Her and her sister take a little break from everything and everyone and it’s during this time Hudson finds out that all of Serena’s suspicions were correct.

Hudson decides to cut ties with Maddie, but ending the friendship with her is the easy part. Getting Serena to trust him again is where the real work begins.

⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️

✋
✋
✋

*Moderate amount of drama caused by the best friend/other woman in the story.
🌶️:1/5

Final thoughts: What a fun novella. I am a sucker for MMC’s female friend causing drama and that is the premise for this book. Maddie is Hudson’s childhood friend. When she arrives for support and a fresh start, Hudson is happy to help and seemingly turns a blind eye to her manipulations, which literally everyone around him can see. This drives a huge wedge in his relationship with the FMC.

I love that the FMC never hid how she felt about the situation and made sure that Hudson knew she believed Maddie was the cause for all of what was happening. He sadly was just trying to be the good guy and friend which of course was the worst he could do to Serena.

This is a quick read with some good angst and drama and one that I recommend.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serena and Hudson, both actors, have a good relationship and have kept it relatively low key with regard to publicity. Hudson is getting ready to ask Serena and her sister to move in with him, but his good intentions never pan out.

Enter OW Maggie, childhood best friend, who needs Hudson's help. He creates a job for her, helps her with housing, and is pretty much available to her when she "needs" something. She sabotages Serena, little things at first and then escalates so that she is publicly humiliated.

Serena had voiced her concerns to Hudson numerous times, but he kept brushing her off, saying that Maggie was just learning the ropes, didn't mean anything by it, she would do better, the usual defense. The only one blind to her machinations, of course, is Hudson. The last straw for Serena was the public humiliation where Maggie had exposed her intended red-carpet dress. She lets Hudson know that she is done.

When he realizes the full extent of Maggie's deception, only because she confessed, he is devastated by his actions and how he totally dismissed Serena. Cue the grovel, his self-reflection, and his actions/words to make up for all of his transgressions. But is it enough to earn Serena's trust?!?

Serena's sister, Avery was a nice side character. I also liked how we got to visit Tessa from Hale & Honey Bakery. Lastly, we get a glimpse as to who's story is next in series. Cannot wait.

[Anna9 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Emotional Rollercoaster Behind the Scenes
​"Fame & Fakery" is a gripping exploration of love, loyalty, and the devastating impact of blurred boundaries. Wren Shaw delivers a compelling story that feels both glamorous and heartbreakingly relatable.

​Why It’s a Must-Read:

​Compelling Protagonists: Serena’s journey is deeply moving. Watching such a strong woman navigate the quiet erosion of her relationship makes for a powerful, high-stakes emotional experience.

​Juicy Drama: The "childhood best friend" trope is executed perfectly here, creating a tense atmosphere where you can’t help but root for Serena to find the peace and respect she deserves.

​Vibrant Hollywood Setting: Shaw paints a vivid picture of life under the spotlight, balancing the glitter of fame with the raw, messy reality of personal heartbreak.

​The Verdict: If you love contemporary romances filled with angst, celebrity drama, and a heroine you can truly rally behind, "Fame & Fakery" is a standout addition to the Betray Me Once series. It’s an addictive page-turner that asks if love can truly survive when the spotlight shifts.

I received an ARC of this book, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[T · Rating 5 out of 5]

* OW drama
* HEA between the original couple
* Complete Standalone
* Betrayal and Grovel
* FMC Serena x MMC Hudson

This is Wren Shaws third book in the Betray me Once series, it can be read as a standalone however If you haven't read the other books I would highly recommend! Some of the characters also pop up in this book and you get a sneak intro of them.

This was a short read and can be read in one sitting, loved every second of it.

The first chapters start off with the cracks in the relationship caused by the "bestfriend". Wren does an amazing job in brining to life the way "small" issues overlooked by a partner can really cause damage. The book is full of OW drama there is a separation and it brings to light all that Hudson overlooked. Serena does not overexaggerate or try to fight back for more space and i thinn its a great point that when your feelings and relationship is not prioritised by your partner there is only so much you can do.The book moves from there and focuses on how Hudson wins Serena back.

If you're looking for a quick read with a Betrayal straight from the get go then I would recommend this.

When taking love for granted leaves you desperate and waiting.

[Prac Agrl · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was underwhelming.

A book about two Hollywood stars should have felt glamorous, intense, and larger than life, but instead it read like the story of two very ordinary people. The buildup was weak, and the emotional stakes never truly landed.

The H came across as a clueless beta hero who often seemed outright dumb. Honestly, if he’s supposed to be a successful Hollywood star, it’s hard to understand how he even survived in that industry. The h was decent enough, but the excessive focus on the sister and the constant emphasis on that relationship became too much after a point.

The redemption arc also felt forced and poorly integrated into the story. Him refusing roles without consulting her or avoiding major outdoor shoots was not required, coz none of those things were ever actual problems in their relationship to begin with. Both of them work in the same industry, so naturally they would already understand the demands of filming schedules and location shoots. Instead of feeling meaningful, it just came across as performative and silly.

Even the confrontation with the best friend lacked impact. It should have been emotional and explosive, but it ended up feeling flat and forgettable.

[Dewey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realize that these cheating/betrayal 2nd chance stories are all the same. There's either an evil OW, a former girlfriend or a work wife. Maddy is the former friend from his home town. He thinks he's helping her but it's been months and she hasn't really done anything for herself.

There's always a dumb cluck of a man. Meet Hudson. One would think that being a Hollywood star would mean that he would be used to manipulative females but he isn't. He supposedly taught Serena the ropes about dating in Hollywood, the tabloid attention; but he's unbelievably naive about Maddy.

Serena of course is wise to what Maddy is doing but does Hudson believe her? Of course not. He makes excuse after excuse. Serena and Avery are more interesting characters Once Hudson wises up, we see and feel her pain but not much from him. He orders a cake and a public apology, but that's about all. "you’re still the action hero America trusts."

This story lacks depth, character development, a believable love story. Even the sex they do have seems detached. Nothing really solid here. I skimmed through to the predictable ending.