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Scene Partner
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27A mechanic unintentionally wins a contest to co-star alongside her favorite adult film actor, in this spicy debut romance.
After a lifetime of sexual frustration, an exceptionally bad day at the garage, and a full box of wine, Amelia Roarke finds herself entering the last contest she ever expects to win—one that promises the opportunity to feature with the adult film star that’s had her enraptured since the very first video she saw him in.
As his studio’s front-runner, Cal (known as Kyle Rose to his viewers) has a lot of experience. He takes pride in delivering performances worth subscribing for, ones that focus on artistry rather than body parts. He’s all charm when he gets his new co-star in front of the cameras—until the secret she’s been keeping under wraps reveals itself in the middle of their scene and sends him spiraling.
Their time together is incendiary. While Cal is certain their chemistry could be life-changing, Amelia is less convinced. After all, knowing somebody’s body isn’t the same as knowing what’s in their heart.
After a lifetime of sexual frustration, an exceptionally bad day at the garage, and a full box of wine, Amelia Roarke finds herself entering the last contest she ever expects to win—one that promises the opportunity to feature with the adult film star that’s had her enraptured since the very first video she saw him in.
As his studio’s front-runner, Cal (known as Kyle Rose to his viewers) has a lot of experience. He takes pride in delivering performances worth subscribing for, ones that focus on artistry rather than body parts. He’s all charm when he gets his new co-star in front of the cameras—until the secret she’s been keeping under wraps reveals itself in the middle of their scene and sends him spiraling.
Their time together is incendiary. While Cal is certain their chemistry could be life-changing, Amelia is less convinced. After all, knowing somebody’s body isn’t the same as knowing what’s in their heart.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 19, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 30, 2026
Calling all Ao3 addicts! 🗣️ If you want addictive Fanfiction energy with a juicy plot and electric chemistry, you need to read this book!
I absolutely love it when fanfic authors get traditionally published because they’re experts on how to balance elite pacing, the juiciest of plots, and the best angst.
The story starts with Amelia discovering a new favorite adult film actor, Kyle Rose. Her infatuation with him grows over the months. Many boxes of cheap wine later, she jokingly signs up for a contest to be featured in Kyle Rose’s next video. Surprise surprise!! Guess who wins the contest?!
Honestly, this was the type of writing and plot that keeps you up till 3 AM. Normally, I put away my book at night and read on Ao3. But not this book! This genuinely possessed that manic Fanfiction energy that is comparable to drugs. What’s more, it’s polished and edited so that there are no distracting typos.
The characters were also written so well, especially Amelia. Her strength was obvious throughout the entire book. The sexism that she faced while working in the car shop was hard to read, but realistic nonetheless. Additionally, the tension between Amelia and her parents was written very well. It added a lot of depth to Amelia’s character, having to carry the weight of her parents’ disapproval. It made her a stronger character and someone easy to root for.
Cal (Kyle Rose) on the other hand was not written as well. He was a little bit two-dimensional. We were provided details about his job in the adult entertainment industry and his college friends that roped him into it, but besides that we get basically nothing else. What about his parents? Are they supportive of his career? Are they close? He’s a fun and sexy character but definitely underdeveloped.
Only other critique is that I wish there were more New York City vibes. The story is set in NYC but we don’t get any descriptions of bustling crowds or packed subways to really help set the scene.
Besides that, this really was such a fun and addictive read. Perfect for fans of Ao3 fics and absolutely unputdownable plots.
4.25 stars. ⭐️
~•~•~
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own.
📆 Publication Date: January 18, 2026
I absolutely love it when fanfic authors get traditionally published because they’re experts on how to balance elite pacing, the juiciest of plots, and the best angst.
The story starts with Amelia discovering a new favorite adult film actor, Kyle Rose. Her infatuation with him grows over the months. Many boxes of cheap wine later, she jokingly signs up for a contest to be featured in Kyle Rose’s next video. Surprise surprise!! Guess who wins the contest?!
Honestly, this was the type of writing and plot that keeps you up till 3 AM. Normally, I put away my book at night and read on Ao3. But not this book! This genuinely possessed that manic Fanfiction energy that is comparable to drugs. What’s more, it’s polished and edited so that there are no distracting typos.
The characters were also written so well, especially Amelia. Her strength was obvious throughout the entire book. The sexism that she faced while working in the car shop was hard to read, but realistic nonetheless. Additionally, the tension between Amelia and her parents was written very well. It added a lot of depth to Amelia’s character, having to carry the weight of her parents’ disapproval. It made her a stronger character and someone easy to root for.
Cal (Kyle Rose) on the other hand was not written as well. He was a little bit two-dimensional. We were provided details about his job in the adult entertainment industry and his college friends that roped him into it, but besides that we get basically nothing else. What about his parents? Are they supportive of his career? Are they close? He’s a fun and sexy character but definitely underdeveloped.
Only other critique is that I wish there were more New York City vibes. The story is set in NYC but we don’t get any descriptions of bustling crowds or packed subways to really help set the scene.
Besides that, this really was such a fun and addictive read. Perfect for fans of Ao3 fics and absolutely unputdownable plots.
4.25 stars. ⭐️
~•~•~
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own.
📆 Publication Date: January 18, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am shocked by the depravities that happen in this book. SHOCKED.
I’m kidding, but seriously this is basically a collection of explicit scenes loosely held together by a storyline. This had so much potential, but it never went beyond surface level which is a pity.
The romance was sadly way too insta-lovey. I thought Cal was so interesting at first, right up until he asked to date Amelia immediately after their first spicy scene. I don’t mind a man who goes after what he wants, but he turned into a possessive, puppy eyed boring MMC. Add in his obsession with her virginity and being her first… Ngl, he felt a little creepy. What a disappointment.
And speaking of disappointments, their first official date felt like a weird job interview. Where is the chemistry??? Amelia just asks a bunch of questions about his life which is ridiculously boring and the worst possible way to give character background. She even has these weird little tests, like if he checks out the waitress or doesn’t let her pay then it’s a red flag. Somebody needs to tell this woman that making up silly tests is a red flag in itself. Sigh.
Also, at times this felt like two different stories thrown together. I wanted more of the romance and the dynamics with the side characters at the adult entertainment studio. I would have loved to know more about Luz, Kay, Natalia, etc. Instead, we get a random subplot with Amelia’s workplace side characters that barely connected to the main plot. I just didn’t care about any of that, and the third act conflict ended up falling short for me.
2.5 stars because it was easy to read and some of the scenes when they were filming were hot and funny
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: 30% in and it’s so spicy 🫣👀🥵 no wonder ali hazelwood blurbed this. but also i can’t stop reading so RIP to my sleep schedule tonight
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
I’m kidding, but seriously this is basically a collection of explicit scenes loosely held together by a storyline. This had so much potential, but it never went beyond surface level which is a pity.
The romance was sadly way too insta-lovey. I thought Cal was so interesting at first, right up until he asked to date Amelia immediately after their first spicy scene. I don’t mind a man who goes after what he wants, but he turned into a possessive, puppy eyed boring MMC. Add in his obsession with her virginity and being her first… Ngl, he felt a little creepy. What a disappointment.
And speaking of disappointments, their first official date felt like a weird job interview. Where is the chemistry??? Amelia just asks a bunch of questions about his life which is ridiculously boring and the worst possible way to give character background. She even has these weird little tests, like if he checks out the waitress or doesn’t let her pay then it’s a red flag. Somebody needs to tell this woman that making up silly tests is a red flag in itself. Sigh.
Also, at times this felt like two different stories thrown together. I wanted more of the romance and the dynamics with the side characters at the adult entertainment studio. I would have loved to know more about Luz, Kay, Natalia, etc. Instead, we get a random subplot with Amelia’s workplace side characters that barely connected to the main plot. I just didn’t care about any of that, and the third act conflict ended up falling short for me.
2.5 stars because it was easy to read and some of the scenes when they were filming were hot and funny
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: 30% in and it’s so spicy 🫣👀🥵 no wonder ali hazelwood blurbed this. but also i can’t stop reading so RIP to my sleep schedule tonight
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5⭐
The FMC works as a mechanic, and in her free time, she enjoys watching adult films featuring one particular actor. One day, she unexpectedly wins a contest that gives her the opportunity to star alongside him in one of those films.
I love discovering debut authors, and the premise of this book was so intriguing that I couldn’t resist requesting an ARC. I have to admit, I didn’t expect the entire story to revolve around filming adult movies. I definitely learned something new—I had never really thought about how these productions work. The book is light, fun, and very spicy, and I flew through it. I would still categorize it as erotica, though. However, I felt like it lacked depth and conflict.
I appreciated that the author explored topics like sexism in the workplace, especially since the FMC works as a mechanic, as well as the theme of self-discovery. However, I personally wanted to learn more about the characters and their backgrounds.
The characters are sweet, especially Cal, and they treat each other with a lot of respect. I loved how he handled things on set after he started developing feelings for the FMC (it was so cute), but I would have preferred a different epilogue… I wanted to see more of them together in private rather than in front of the cameras.
I also found out that this book was originally a fanfiction, and even though I don’t read fanfiction myself, I’m happy to see more and more of these stories being traditionally published!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The FMC works as a mechanic, and in her free time, she enjoys watching adult films featuring one particular actor. One day, she unexpectedly wins a contest that gives her the opportunity to star alongside him in one of those films.
I love discovering debut authors, and the premise of this book was so intriguing that I couldn’t resist requesting an ARC. I have to admit, I didn’t expect the entire story to revolve around filming adult movies. I definitely learned something new—I had never really thought about how these productions work. The book is light, fun, and very spicy, and I flew through it. I would still categorize it as erotica, though. However, I felt like it lacked depth and conflict.
I appreciated that the author explored topics like sexism in the workplace, especially since the FMC works as a mechanic, as well as the theme of self-discovery. However, I personally wanted to learn more about the characters and their backgrounds.
The characters are sweet, especially Cal, and they treat each other with a lot of respect. I loved how he handled things on set after he started developing feelings for the FMC (it was so cute), but I would have preferred a different epilogue… I wanted to see more of them together in private rather than in front of the cameras.
I also found out that this book was originally a fanfiction, and even though I don’t read fanfiction myself, I’m happy to see more and more of these stories being traditionally published!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2026
This book was soooo crazy and fun! It gives fan fiction in all of the best WAYS! 🤭😛
Amelia is a mechanic who FINALLY gets some alone time when both of her roommates are out of the apartment. She discovers her new favorite adult film star ✨Kyle Rose✨ after a few months of obsessing over Kyle a contest pops up to star with Kyle in his next video 👀👀👀 she enters 👀👀👀👀 AND SHE WINS 👀🤯😛
This book was ADDICTIVE! Like girl I read 75% of this in one go addictive! I STAYED UP UNTIL 3 AM TO FINISH IT ADDICTIVE! 👀 I HAD to know what happened next and it was banger after banger I loved this so hard. I felt like I was reading my favorite fanfic 😤
I loved the charcoal! Amelia and Cal were so well written. I loved that Amelia was a mechanic and that it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. She has to deal with sexism and major creeps 🤮 and that’s just her job! She has a bunch of tension going on with her parents not thinking she’s good enough.
Overall, this book was so yummy and I loved it very much! Five stars ⭐️ and a big smooch!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Amelia is a mechanic who FINALLY gets some alone time when both of her roommates are out of the apartment. She discovers her new favorite adult film star ✨Kyle Rose✨ after a few months of obsessing over Kyle a contest pops up to star with Kyle in his next video 👀👀👀 she enters 👀👀👀👀 AND SHE WINS 👀🤯😛
This book was ADDICTIVE! Like girl I read 75% of this in one go addictive! I STAYED UP UNTIL 3 AM TO FINISH IT ADDICTIVE! 👀 I HAD to know what happened next and it was banger after banger I loved this so hard. I felt like I was reading my favorite fanfic 😤
I loved the charcoal! Amelia and Cal were so well written. I loved that Amelia was a mechanic and that it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. She has to deal with sexism and major creeps 🤮 and that’s just her job! She has a bunch of tension going on with her parents not thinking she’s good enough.
Overall, this book was so yummy and I loved it very much! Five stars ⭐️ and a big smooch!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 26, 2026
No chemistry AT ALL!
BOOK REVIEW 🚫🥴
This was such a disappointment.
The cover and the blurb had me so excited. I went into this expecting a romance with incredible chemistry and plenty of tension between the main characters, but the romance ended up taking a backseat for almost the entire book 🥴🥴
I can count on one hand the number of meaningful scenes the two protagonists shared outside of filming. The book constantly tells us that what happens on set is completely different from what happens when they're actually intimate and vulnerable with each other... so why does roughly 70% of the story revolve around them having sex on a production set? Instead of building their emotional connection, it felt like we were just watching scene after scene of filming, which made it hard to invest in them as a couple. 🚫🚫
On top of that, the side characters did absolutely nothing for me. There were so many chapters and moments dedicated to them that I found myself wishing all that page time had gone to developing the relationship between the main characters instead. I picked this up for the romance, but it never felt like the priority. 😴😴
There was so much potential here, and I genuinely wanted to love it. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me, and I finished the book feeling more frustrated than satisfied.
BOOK REVIEW 🚫🥴
This was such a disappointment.
The cover and the blurb had me so excited. I went into this expecting a romance with incredible chemistry and plenty of tension between the main characters, but the romance ended up taking a backseat for almost the entire book 🥴🥴
I can count on one hand the number of meaningful scenes the two protagonists shared outside of filming. The book constantly tells us that what happens on set is completely different from what happens when they're actually intimate and vulnerable with each other... so why does roughly 70% of the story revolve around them having sex on a production set? Instead of building their emotional connection, it felt like we were just watching scene after scene of filming, which made it hard to invest in them as a couple. 🚫🚫
On top of that, the side characters did absolutely nothing for me. There were so many chapters and moments dedicated to them that I found myself wishing all that page time had gone to developing the relationship between the main characters instead. I picked this up for the romance, but it never felt like the priority. 😴😴
There was so much potential here, and I genuinely wanted to love it. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me, and I finished the book feeling more frustrated than satisfied.
July 25, 2026
4.5 stars 🌟 it was a good day when i found out that not only was one of my favorite fics being published but i also got the arc 🫂🫰 reylo will ALWAYS be famous and i think that rae just outdid herself! these two had so much chemistry and were drawn to one another so quickly that you really just get pulled into their orbit 🎥🧰🐈 i loved reading the extended version of this and im so happy to see it in book format!
a special thank you to berkley and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
a special thank you to berkley and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
FIVE STARS!
Highly original and downright electric, Scene Partner by Rae Smyth gave me BUTTERFLIES.
After entering a contest on her favorite adult site, main character Amelia lives out a reality that only existed in her wildest dreams; she gets chosen to star in a video with her favorite adult film star, Kyle Rose.
Cal (Kyle Rose's real name) falls in love with her pretty much instantly when they meet, and their on-page chemistry felt like it would electrocute me, especially during *that* scene when they first meet and he tells the crew to leave them alone to "talk." I'm not typically a fan of insta-love, but I think it really worked well for these characters and this story (and I enjoyed how the adult film star fell first and harder), as Amelia had already felt like she was familiar with Kyle (from watching his videos). Their chemistry is undeniable, and I ate up every second!
Our main couple has no conflict within their relationship, and much of their pressure comes externally from their jobs, which felt really relatable (Amelia's hostile work environment with pervy co-workers in her mechanic shop and Cal's friction with co-owners of Euphoria, Luz and Natalia). While I'm definitely not the biggest fan of a third-act breakup, I do think that our characters and this story could have been pushed a bit more to have a bit more conflict within their relationship, so we could see that resolution and how they came out stronger on the other side.
Nonetheless, this is a MUST READ! I can just sense that this will be *everywhere* in January. Preorder a copy today so you don't miss out; I promise you will love this story!
Thank you so very much to the lovely people at Berkley for sending me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own, as always.
Highly original and downright electric, Scene Partner by Rae Smyth gave me BUTTERFLIES.
After entering a contest on her favorite adult site, main character Amelia lives out a reality that only existed in her wildest dreams; she gets chosen to star in a video with her favorite adult film star, Kyle Rose.
Cal (Kyle Rose's real name) falls in love with her pretty much instantly when they meet, and their on-page chemistry felt like it would electrocute me, especially during *that* scene when they first meet and he tells the crew to leave them alone to "talk." I'm not typically a fan of insta-love, but I think it really worked well for these characters and this story (and I enjoyed how the adult film star fell first and harder), as Amelia had already felt like she was familiar with Kyle (from watching his videos). Their chemistry is undeniable, and I ate up every second!
Our main couple has no conflict within their relationship, and much of their pressure comes externally from their jobs, which felt really relatable (Amelia's hostile work environment with pervy co-workers in her mechanic shop and Cal's friction with co-owners of Euphoria, Luz and Natalia). While I'm definitely not the biggest fan of a third-act breakup, I do think that our characters and this story could have been pushed a bit more to have a bit more conflict within their relationship, so we could see that resolution and how they came out stronger on the other side.
Nonetheless, this is a MUST READ! I can just sense that this will be *everywhere* in January. Preorder a copy today so you don't miss out; I promise you will love this story!
Thank you so very much to the lovely people at Berkley for sending me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own, as always.
August 1, 2026
I have to say… Scene Partner completely caught me off guard. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into, so I just let the story do its thing. And wow… did it blow me away. Pun absolutely intended. 😂
I’m honestly not even sure what genre I’d file this under. I went in expecting a spicy contemporary romance, and yes, it is definitely that, but it’s also so much more. By the time I reached the ending, I immediately turned around and started it all over again because I needed to experience it with the full context of who these characters really are. Let me tell you, that second read was a completely different book in the best possible way.
The closest comparison I can come up with is Sally Rooney meets Sierra Simone. It’s emotionally layered, surprisingly introspective, deeply character-driven, and unapologetically spicy.
Amelia is an absolute badass of an FMC, while Cal is the sweetest, warmest cinnamon roll to ever exist. Protect that man at all costs.
⭐️ 4.5 stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 5 chili peppers
I’ll absolutely be recommending this one to my fellow spice lovers. Just trust the process—it is so worth the ride.
I’m honestly not even sure what genre I’d file this under. I went in expecting a spicy contemporary romance, and yes, it is definitely that, but it’s also so much more. By the time I reached the ending, I immediately turned around and started it all over again because I needed to experience it with the full context of who these characters really are. Let me tell you, that second read was a completely different book in the best possible way.
The closest comparison I can come up with is Sally Rooney meets Sierra Simone. It’s emotionally layered, surprisingly introspective, deeply character-driven, and unapologetically spicy.
Amelia is an absolute badass of an FMC, while Cal is the sweetest, warmest cinnamon roll to ever exist. Protect that man at all costs.
⭐️ 4.5 stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 5 chili peppers
I’ll absolutely be recommending this one to my fellow spice lovers. Just trust the process—it is so worth the ride.
July 2, 2026
One of my favorite fics turned into a great book! No spoilers since it's so far out, but I really enjoyed it–short and sweet!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was really excited about this one. There’s something about romances involving the adult film industry that I find genuinely interesting. The profession creates a believable separation between physical intimacy and emotional intimacy that a lot of “reformed playboy” romances ask you to accept without much explanation.
Amelia is a diesel mechanic who never really feels understood by the people around her. She’s practical, blunt, and completely comfortable going against the grain if it makes sense to her. She doesn’t care much about fitting in or following social expectations just because everyone else does. Whether intentional or not, she often read as neurodivergent to me. The way she approaches conversations and social situations felt refreshingly different from the typical romance heroine.
Cal, meanwhile, is an adult film star built like a tank who is somehow really just an absolute squishy soft boy. He listens. He pays attention. He never tries to change Amelia, and she offers him that same acceptance in return. Their chemistry is immediate and makes those first scenes together really fun. The book leans hard into the huge size difference, though. Amelia is constantly described as small and inexperienced beside this massive professional porn star. It wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but I didn’t love it either.
Continuing with things I didn’t love, Amelia is such an unusual protagonist that I expected to spend more time understanding what made her tick. Instead, it often felt like the novel crossed the river before it had built the bridge for me to follow. By the time Amelia was more vulnerable, more playful, or deeply affected by a confrontation at work, I understood that she’d changed more than I understood how she’d gotten there.
That disconnect carried through the rest of the novel. It introduced interesting ideas around vulnerability, identity, family, and workplace harassment, but they rarely reshaped how I understood the characters. Rather than building on one another, they often felt like ideas that were introduced before the story moved on.
By the end, it almost felt like the calendar was doing more of the work than the characters. Time passed, milestones happened, and the relationship progressed, but I never felt like I was making the emotional journey alongside them.
Overall, I enjoyed Scene Partner more for its premise than its execution. It had an unconventional heroine, a genuinely sweet romance, and some memorable moments, but I never felt like it fully delivered on the emotional depth it hinted at.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book.
Amelia is a diesel mechanic who never really feels understood by the people around her. She’s practical, blunt, and completely comfortable going against the grain if it makes sense to her. She doesn’t care much about fitting in or following social expectations just because everyone else does. Whether intentional or not, she often read as neurodivergent to me. The way she approaches conversations and social situations felt refreshingly different from the typical romance heroine.
Cal, meanwhile, is an adult film star built like a tank who is somehow really just an absolute squishy soft boy. He listens. He pays attention. He never tries to change Amelia, and she offers him that same acceptance in return. Their chemistry is immediate and makes those first scenes together really fun. The book leans hard into the huge size difference, though. Amelia is constantly described as small and inexperienced beside this massive professional porn star. It wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but I didn’t love it either.
Continuing with things I didn’t love, Amelia is such an unusual protagonist that I expected to spend more time understanding what made her tick. Instead, it often felt like the novel crossed the river before it had built the bridge for me to follow. By the time Amelia was more vulnerable, more playful, or deeply affected by a confrontation at work, I understood that she’d changed more than I understood how she’d gotten there.
That disconnect carried through the rest of the novel. It introduced interesting ideas around vulnerability, identity, family, and workplace harassment, but they rarely reshaped how I understood the characters. Rather than building on one another, they often felt like ideas that were introduced before the story moved on.
By the end, it almost felt like the calendar was doing more of the work than the characters. Time passed, milestones happened, and the relationship progressed, but I never felt like I was making the emotional journey alongside them.
Overall, I enjoyed Scene Partner more for its premise than its execution. It had an unconventional heroine, a genuinely sweet romance, and some memorable moments, but I never felt like it fully delivered on the emotional depth it hinted at.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5, rounded up reluctantly.
I don’t think I have much to say about this book? It was just a really quick and really easy read. Honestly, it barely has any conflict and the whole plot really was just these two getting together. I guess there was some tension with the mom and sister, and I liked the portrayal of the misogyny women face in the mechanic industry (especially the way she solved the problem - I understand that for most people, they probably would’ve wanted her to go scorched Earth and just absolutely rip that company apart, but the way this author did it was very realistic), but the book really was just pretty straight forward.
Really liked both characters. Or at least I have zero complaints. I especially liked how down bad the MMC was; we love a man obsessed. He literally saw a PICTURE of the FMC for the first time and instantly clicked in on her and just knew. Also, Calvin and Hobbes is absolutely freaking adorable. 10/10.
The one thing I just couldn’t get over, and I can’t really get mad about it (so I didn’t take any points off for it) considering it’s literally told to us in the blurb, is that he used to fuck other women for a living and she saw the videos… like that’s just. Immortalized out there??? And don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against sex work, and I also hate it in other books when the MMC is a playboy and has been with tons of women. But just something about the fact that it’s been filmed for the whole world to see forevermore? It just made me uncomfy. However, what I DID dock points for is the fact that her best friend has seen his videos??? If my best friend has seen my boyfriend/husband’s porn, I’d have to cut one of them off… that’s just. There’s no getting over that for me.
One more thing… around the 20% mark, I think the FMC said something about how no one has seen or touched her vagina? Girl you’re 23, please go to a gynecologist. Like PSA, you don’t only go to the gynecologist once you’ve started having sex!!! Please please pleaseeeeeee go do some research about it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I adored the MCs, but there just wasn’t much going on plot wise (or rather, the author tried to squeeze in too much - the toxic family, the misogyny, the romance - in too short a book that it ended up feeling as if there wasn’t too much substance in the family/misogyny parts of the book. 3.5, rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t think I have much to say about this book? It was just a really quick and really easy read. Honestly, it barely has any conflict and the whole plot really was just these two getting together. I guess there was some tension with the mom and sister, and I liked the portrayal of the misogyny women face in the mechanic industry (especially the way she solved the problem - I understand that for most people, they probably would’ve wanted her to go scorched Earth and just absolutely rip that company apart, but the way this author did it was very realistic), but the book really was just pretty straight forward.
Really liked both characters. Or at least I have zero complaints. I especially liked how down bad the MMC was; we love a man obsessed. He literally saw a PICTURE of the FMC for the first time and instantly clicked in on her and just knew. Also, Calvin and Hobbes is absolutely freaking adorable. 10/10.
The one thing I just couldn’t get over, and I can’t really get mad about it (so I didn’t take any points off for it) considering it’s literally told to us in the blurb, is that he used to fuck other women for a living and she saw the videos… like that’s just. Immortalized out there??? And don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against sex work, and I also hate it in other books when the MMC is a playboy and has been with tons of women. But just something about the fact that it’s been filmed for the whole world to see forevermore? It just made me uncomfy. However, what I DID dock points for is the fact that her best friend has seen his videos??? If my best friend has seen my boyfriend/husband’s porn, I’d have to cut one of them off… that’s just. There’s no getting over that for me.
One more thing… around the 20% mark, I think the FMC said something about how no one has seen or touched her vagina? Girl you’re 23, please go to a gynecologist. Like PSA, you don’t only go to the gynecologist once you’ve started having sex!!! Please please pleaseeeeeee go do some research about it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I adored the MCs, but there just wasn’t much going on plot wise (or rather, the author tried to squeeze in too much - the toxic family, the misogyny, the romance - in too short a book that it ended up feeling as if there wasn’t too much substance in the family/misogyny parts of the book. 3.5, rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
At one point in Scene Partner, Amelia contemplates whether or not she is in a dream, because Cal is too perfect to be real. Much to her delight, she isn’t, but Rae Smyth’s work sure feels like a fever dream to me. Perhaps it’s because the rapid development of Amelia and Cal’s relationship was in line with insta-love; it is more likely, however, that it is because Scene Partner seems to be a novel with mostly smut and very little plot.
While I was quite charmed by Cal, his pursuit of Amelia with little pretense gave me pause. Mere minutes later, when he reversed course after assuring her of his ability to compartmentalize, I was left flabbergasted. Had I missed a scene, or a chapter? Surely one’s chemistry with another person during a single encounter does not a fully realized relationship make. The fact that Amelia went along with everything, despite her misgivings, is even more incredulous. Had Smyth established a more reasonable pace for Amelia and Cal’s romance, I would have deemed Cal to be a worthy choice. As it was, the almost absolute focus on their physical intimacy in the first half of the novel cheapened the exploration of their emotional connection during the second half.
Even more so, Cal was given little time to establish himself as a person separate from Amelia, while Amelia’s familial struggles were not properly addressed until the brunch she had with Monica and Greta. In my estimation, the story itself needed to be longer to strengthen these narrative faults.
That said, Smyth excelled at creating two characters with electric chemistry, most of which can be attributed to the writing itself. I honestly don’t think I can impart how well matched Amelia and Cal were without giving away even more spoilers.
While Scene Partner’s premise is strong, I believe other readers also will find that the execution of the plot is lacking. However, those that enjoy a very smutty romance may be able to overlook such a weakness, especially since it is such a quick read.
Thank you very much to Berkley Romance, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this ARC!
While I was quite charmed by Cal, his pursuit of Amelia with little pretense gave me pause. Mere minutes later, when he reversed course after assuring her of his ability to compartmentalize, I was left flabbergasted. Had I missed a scene, or a chapter? Surely one’s chemistry with another person during a single encounter does not a fully realized relationship make. The fact that Amelia went along with everything, despite her misgivings, is even more incredulous. Had Smyth established a more reasonable pace for Amelia and Cal’s romance, I would have deemed Cal to be a worthy choice. As it was, the almost absolute focus on their physical intimacy in the first half of the novel cheapened the exploration of their emotional connection during the second half.
Even more so, Cal was given little time to establish himself as a person separate from Amelia, while Amelia’s familial struggles were not properly addressed until the brunch she had with Monica and Greta. In my estimation, the story itself needed to be longer to strengthen these narrative faults.
That said, Smyth excelled at creating two characters with electric chemistry, most of which can be attributed to the writing itself. I honestly don’t think I can impart how well matched Amelia and Cal were without giving away even more spoilers.
While Scene Partner’s premise is strong, I believe other readers also will find that the execution of the plot is lacking. However, those that enjoy a very smutty romance may be able to overlook such a weakness, especially since it is such a quick read.
Thank you very much to Berkley Romance, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2026
**Special thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy of this for an honest review via Netgalley!**
I'm *very* picky when it comes to romance reads, and Scene Partner seriously knocked my socks off, no joke.
This book follows Amelia, a mechanic, who enters (and wins!!) a contest to star in a film with her favorite adult film actor, Cal (aka Kyle Rose).
There's so much to love about this book. I loved how quickly we were thrown into the story, with it literally beginning as Amelia shows up for her acting debut. I loved the way we got flashbacks to when she entered the contest, juxtaposed against her getting ready for filming. I loved how we pretty much got thrown right into the spice in a way that didn't feel icky or weird to me. I mean, I could keep going...
No, but really, Scene Partner started hot and continued that way. I didn't even realize how far I was into the book in the beginning and by the time I checked, I was already a solid 30% through just because it was SO easy to read.
I won't even lie, I'm normally a bit averse to characters with insta-love (I heavily read a lot of YA books in my teens - we're talking 150ish books on average from age 13-18 - which is a genre we know heavilyyyy uses insta-love) YET I didn't mind it with Cal. For some reason, I literally liked him so much that I believed him with how much he was into Amelia right off the bat!
If you love adult romance and don't mind at all when they're pretty heavy on the spice, then I bet you'll love this as much as I did.
I mean, again, I could keep going on and on about this book, but just know it's a 10/10, absolutely no notes. I can't believe it's a debut, because it's one hell of a debut, seriously. I'm REALLY excited to be able to buy a physical copy of this when it's released. Until then, though, just know Scene Partner should 100% be on your radar for 2027 releases.
I'm *very* picky when it comes to romance reads, and Scene Partner seriously knocked my socks off, no joke.
This book follows Amelia, a mechanic, who enters (and wins!!) a contest to star in a film with her favorite adult film actor, Cal (aka Kyle Rose).
There's so much to love about this book. I loved how quickly we were thrown into the story, with it literally beginning as Amelia shows up for her acting debut. I loved the way we got flashbacks to when she entered the contest, juxtaposed against her getting ready for filming. I loved how we pretty much got thrown right into the spice in a way that didn't feel icky or weird to me. I mean, I could keep going...
No, but really, Scene Partner started hot and continued that way. I didn't even realize how far I was into the book in the beginning and by the time I checked, I was already a solid 30% through just because it was SO easy to read.
I won't even lie, I'm normally a bit averse to characters with insta-love (I heavily read a lot of YA books in my teens - we're talking 150ish books on average from age 13-18 - which is a genre we know heavilyyyy uses insta-love) YET I didn't mind it with Cal. For some reason, I literally liked him so much that I believed him with how much he was into Amelia right off the bat!
If you love adult romance and don't mind at all when they're pretty heavy on the spice, then I bet you'll love this as much as I did.
I mean, again, I could keep going on and on about this book, but just know it's a 10/10, absolutely no notes. I can't believe it's a debut, because it's one hell of a debut, seriously. I'm REALLY excited to be able to buy a physical copy of this when it's released. Until then, though, just know Scene Partner should 100% be on your radar for 2027 releases.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, Berkley, for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Scene Partner is the perfect spicy book - it had a fun premise, really good characters, and the spicy scenes were electric and addictive!
I picked up Scene Partner because I needed a break from all the heavy fantasy books I was reading, and it was the perfect choice! The Premise is super fun. Scene Partner follows Amelia, a mechanic, who wins a giveaway to shoot a scene with Kyle, her favourite adult actor! She meets him the day of the shoot... and quickly discovers that their chemistry is electric.
Cal (Kyle) falls for her pretty immediately, and whilst insta love doesn't work for me. I actually like this one! It was fun, and I liked that their relationship still progressed slowly, despite their extracurricular activities! Cal was an absolute green flag - respectful, nice, charming, always listening to her and following her cues! The contrast between his work persona and natural shy nature was absolutely adorable, and I loved him! He was intense but in a good way, without being pushy or annoying!
Amelia was his total opposite, way more confident in her choices, working as a mechanic in an industry where (sadly) women still have to fight their way through. I love the contrast between them and how much the book explores those themes, and the issues of women being under-appreciated and outright diminished in (some) workplaces.
Their chemistry was electric, the spicy scenes were well-written and fun to follow, and I loved how much we learn from Amelia's life as we follow her towards her assuming her choices more and more and standing for herself.. This book was really addictive, and I cannot wait to read what the author puts out next (Sonja and Emma next???)
Scene Partner is the perfect spicy book - it had a fun premise, really good characters, and the spicy scenes were electric and addictive!
I picked up Scene Partner because I needed a break from all the heavy fantasy books I was reading, and it was the perfect choice! The Premise is super fun. Scene Partner follows Amelia, a mechanic, who wins a giveaway to shoot a scene with Kyle, her favourite adult actor! She meets him the day of the shoot... and quickly discovers that their chemistry is electric.
Cal (Kyle) falls for her pretty immediately, and whilst insta love doesn't work for me. I actually like this one! It was fun, and I liked that their relationship still progressed slowly, despite their extracurricular activities! Cal was an absolute green flag - respectful, nice, charming, always listening to her and following her cues! The contrast between his work persona and natural shy nature was absolutely adorable, and I loved him! He was intense but in a good way, without being pushy or annoying!
Amelia was his total opposite, way more confident in her choices, working as a mechanic in an industry where (sadly) women still have to fight their way through. I love the contrast between them and how much the book explores those themes, and the issues of women being under-appreciated and outright diminished in (some) workplaces.
Their chemistry was electric, the spicy scenes were well-written and fun to follow, and I loved how much we learn from Amelia's life as we follow her towards her assuming her choices more and more and standing for herself.. This book was really addictive, and I cannot wait to read what the author puts out next (Sonja and Emma next???)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is spicyyyyyyy, as you might expect given the synopsis, and it certainly delivers. There are 4 lengthy scenes that take up a good chunk of the page count.
Amelia, the FMC, is not like the other girls, but not in a bad way. She’s a virgin in her twenties, a tomboyish mechanic whose passion is working on diesel engines. Cal, the MMC, is less defined; he’s an adult film star and graphic designer who’s big and has muscles. It’s sweet to see how charmed Cal is by Amelia right away, and he treats her right throughout. There is no third-act breakup here.
What would have taken this to the next level would be if the story had given more depth to Amelia and to Cal. Maybe having Cal's POV would have helped. As it stands, the story feels a little lacking in substance. Yes, we get family drama with Amelia’s mom and sister, and there are her roommates (including a lot about Emma and her rent-controlled apartment - are we getting a book 2 featuring her?), but I still feel like there's more we could have learned about her. With Cal, we’re only given a few throwaway pieces of information, ex. he makes almond flour pancakes like his dad made for his mom, but we aren’t told anything more about his family.
If you like your romances fast and spicy, this one’s for you, though going beyond the surface level would have made it even better.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Amelia, the FMC, is not like the other girls, but not in a bad way. She’s a virgin in her twenties, a tomboyish mechanic whose passion is working on diesel engines. Cal, the MMC, is less defined; he’s an adult film star and graphic designer who’s big and has muscles. It’s sweet to see how charmed Cal is by Amelia right away, and he treats her right throughout. There is no third-act breakup here.
What would have taken this to the next level would be if the story had given more depth to Amelia and to Cal. Maybe having Cal's POV would have helped. As it stands, the story feels a little lacking in substance. Yes, we get family drama with Amelia’s mom and sister, and there are her roommates (including a lot about Emma and her rent-controlled apartment - are we getting a book 2 featuring her?), but I still feel like there's more we could have learned about her. With Cal, we’re only given a few throwaway pieces of information, ex. he makes almond flour pancakes like his dad made for his mom, but we aren’t told anything more about his family.
If you like your romances fast and spicy, this one’s for you, though going beyond the surface level would have made it even better.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN THE REYLO FANFIC TO ROMCOM PIPELINE ! ! !
📖 Scene Partner by Rae Smyth
⭐️ 5/5
Thank you to Berkeley Romance & Neutrally for providing me with an advanced e-copy!
TROPES ✨ —
- Adult Co-Stars
- Debut Romance
- He Falls First (& Harder)
- Forced Proximity
- She's A Mechanic
REVIEW 📝 —
I don't CARE if this is unconventional and I totally acknowledge that this book wasn't perfect (no book is PERFECT, however this one came SO close), but can we instead acknowledge how amazing it is for fan fiction writers to be recognized and have the opportunity to publish their fics?
I absolutely loved this on AO3, and to discover it was being published was just SO exciting to me. I loved Smyth's writing style, and I'm so tickled to see that it followed her into this published work. She brought the characters new personalities, and provided a little more perspective on both of them (aside from the Rey & Ben Solo).
Also, to see little lines from the original fic make it into this finished copy was just so sweet to see. I thought there was a very good improvement in how the plot was paced, as well as the changes made to the backup characters. I would've LOVED to have more insight into them, but the little surface touch of their dynamics just made me smile— they definitely had me giggling one or two times.
LOVEEED THIS, and so excited to support Smyth on her author journey! Her fics genuinely got me through exam seasons.
📖 Scene Partner by Rae Smyth
⭐️ 5/5
Thank you to Berkeley Romance & Neutrally for providing me with an advanced e-copy!
TROPES ✨ —
- Adult Co-Stars
- Debut Romance
- He Falls First (& Harder)
- Forced Proximity
- She's A Mechanic
REVIEW 📝 —
I don't CARE if this is unconventional and I totally acknowledge that this book wasn't perfect (no book is PERFECT, however this one came SO close), but can we instead acknowledge how amazing it is for fan fiction writers to be recognized and have the opportunity to publish their fics?
I absolutely loved this on AO3, and to discover it was being published was just SO exciting to me. I loved Smyth's writing style, and I'm so tickled to see that it followed her into this published work. She brought the characters new personalities, and provided a little more perspective on both of them (aside from the Rey & Ben Solo).
Also, to see little lines from the original fic make it into this finished copy was just so sweet to see. I thought there was a very good improvement in how the plot was paced, as well as the changes made to the backup characters. I would've LOVED to have more insight into them, but the little surface touch of their dynamics just made me smile— they definitely had me giggling one or two times.
LOVEEED THIS, and so excited to support Smyth on her author journey! Her fics genuinely got me through exam seasons.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 ⭐️ this was so entertaining!! fresh & fun (“a mechanic unexpectedly wins the chance to co-star alongside her favorite adult film actor.” i meeean… hello ?!?) with really likable characters who had instant chemistry (specifically, their physical connection, which was palpable 😮💨🥵). the initial tension between them was absolutely delicious, & i flew through this book.
however, the second half lost a bit of its momentum, and the story ended up lacking the emotional depth i was hoping for. i really wanted to spend more time getting to know these characters and watching their relationship develop (especially outside of their “scenes”). while they were super sweet and sexy together, i never fully felt the emotional intimacy between them, which made it harder for me to become invested.
i really appreciated the exploration of sexism, misogyny, & sexual harassment in the workplace. i found the resolution to be satisfying, albeit a bit unrealistic (which i really hate saying bc it's exactly how these situations should be handled !! but unfortunately, that is just not the reality for so many women 😭).
this story had soOOO much potential for emotional depth, but unfortunately, it never quite delivered on it, which was such a bummer!! :/ i just found myself craving more from these characters — both individually & together.
overall, scene partner was a very unique & charming debut with an intriguing premise. this was one of my most anticipated upcoming releases, and even though it didn't entirely meet my expectations, i'm still looking forward to reading more from rae smyth!
thank you so much to netgalley and berkley for providing me with this arc!
however, the second half lost a bit of its momentum, and the story ended up lacking the emotional depth i was hoping for. i really wanted to spend more time getting to know these characters and watching their relationship develop (especially outside of their “scenes”). while they were super sweet and sexy together, i never fully felt the emotional intimacy between them, which made it harder for me to become invested.
i really appreciated the exploration of sexism, misogyny, & sexual harassment in the workplace. i found the resolution to be satisfying, albeit a bit unrealistic (which i really hate saying bc it's exactly how these situations should be handled !! but unfortunately, that is just not the reality for so many women 😭).
this story had soOOO much potential for emotional depth, but unfortunately, it never quite delivered on it, which was such a bummer!! :/ i just found myself craving more from these characters — both individually & together.
overall, scene partner was a very unique & charming debut with an intriguing premise. this was one of my most anticipated upcoming releases, and even though it didn't entirely meet my expectations, i'm still looking forward to reading more from rae smyth!
thank you so much to netgalley and berkley for providing me with this arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Amelia enters and wins a contest to make a movie with her favorite adult film actor, Kyle Rose - AKA Cal. Cal’s attraction to Amelia is immediately evident and he pursues her.
The book was decent, but nothing amazing. I liked the premise, but parts of it fell a bit short for me. I felt like the relationship between Cal and Amelia could have been explored more. A decent chunk of time was spent on Amelia putting him off. With only getting her point of view, we don’t know what Cal was going through. I did really like Cal though, and thought his adoration of Amelia was really sweet. It wasn’t just her looks he was attracted to, he liked her as she was.
I admired that Amelia was a diesel mechanic, as it’s not a common job for a woman. The misogyny she had to put up with at her place of work was horrible though. There isn’t much conflict in the book, and read more as a slice of life story. The spicy times were definitely hot, and well done. I liked how it showed the attraction between them, and that Cal wasn’t acting when he was with her. Overall the book was fine, but didn’t knock my socks off.
I want to thank Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to leave a review.
No third act breakup
5/5 on the Spicy Scale
M/F
Misogyny
The book was decent, but nothing amazing. I liked the premise, but parts of it fell a bit short for me. I felt like the relationship between Cal and Amelia could have been explored more. A decent chunk of time was spent on Amelia putting him off. With only getting her point of view, we don’t know what Cal was going through. I did really like Cal though, and thought his adoration of Amelia was really sweet. It wasn’t just her looks he was attracted to, he liked her as she was.
I admired that Amelia was a diesel mechanic, as it’s not a common job for a woman. The misogyny she had to put up with at her place of work was horrible though. There isn’t much conflict in the book, and read more as a slice of life story. The spicy times were definitely hot, and well done. I liked how it showed the attraction between them, and that Cal wasn’t acting when he was with her. Overall the book was fine, but didn’t knock my socks off.
I want to thank Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to leave a review.
No third act breakup
5/5 on the Spicy Scale
M/F
Misogyny
August 3, 2026
Surprisingly heartwarming and fun story! Didn’t have high expectations going into this - kind of expected it to be just a fluffy story and a fun time. But it had way more depth than I expected. The plot was kind of minimal, but our fmc, Amelia, made up for it. She was independent, strong, a little bit sassy, she knew what she wanted and never wavered. I loved everything about her! Cal was a great mmc but I would have loved a bit more personality and development from him. It was way more focused on Amelia than him, but it would have been nice if it had been a bit more balanced. Her roommates were also kind of fun supporting characters that added to the story, but again, I think more of them would have been great!
Considering the topic of this novel, and the sexism that came through with what Amelia goes through at her job, this novel honestly could have gone in a very stereotypical way. But it didn’t because the author wrote our fmc as very surefooted. It was nice having a fmc who knew what she wanted and didn’t constantly second guess her decisions or her actions. It was actually really refreshing to read!
I believe this is a debut novel, and a very good one at that. Will definitely read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Considering the topic of this novel, and the sexism that came through with what Amelia goes through at her job, this novel honestly could have gone in a very stereotypical way. But it didn’t because the author wrote our fmc as very surefooted. It was nice having a fmc who knew what she wanted and didn’t constantly second guess her decisions or her actions. It was actually really refreshing to read!
I believe this is a debut novel, and a very good one at that. Will definitely read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Steamy and dreamy. Come for the sex, stay for the romance. The book relies very heavily on smut to boost its page count, but I can’t fault it for that because it’s possibly the hottest book I’ve ever read. And yet, it’s so incredibly sweet too. Cal has all the trappings of a bad boy — a literal tattooed porn star — but inside he’s a softy with a good heart (and a cat!), which is basically my kryptonite.
I’ll admit the plot is not very exciting and serves to create a main character who has been wronged by the world in every direction and has very few flaws of her own, but apart from a long section of Bad Things Happening (around 75%), I didn’t mind the occasional break from the main story.
I wish Amelia’s virginity had been explored a little more rather than being used as a plot point and quickly glossed over. But I enjoyed the ending, and I LOVED that there was very little conflict between Amelia and Cal. The conflict is mostly external and doesn’t affect their relationship, which is such a breath of fresh air from most contemporary romance novels!
This book is a quick read and could bring even the most bored romance lovers out of their reading slump.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.
I’ll admit the plot is not very exciting and serves to create a main character who has been wronged by the world in every direction and has very few flaws of her own, but apart from a long section of Bad Things Happening (around 75%), I didn’t mind the occasional break from the main story.
I wish Amelia’s virginity had been explored a little more rather than being used as a plot point and quickly glossed over. But I enjoyed the ending, and I LOVED that there was very little conflict between Amelia and Cal. The conflict is mostly external and doesn’t affect their relationship, which is such a breath of fresh air from most contemporary romance novels!
This book is a quick read and could bring even the most bored romance lovers out of their reading slump.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Amelia and Cal meet when she wins a contest to perform in an adult film with him. She’s a fan of his work, and she can't believe that she won this opportunity. When she arrives that day and gets started, Cal asks her if she is a virgin becaue he is worried about her first time on camera (he thinks that it won't fit). So he tells her that they will do it off camera with her first but they get interrupted.
After the first time, he asks her to go out with him. He worries that she won't date him because of his job, but she is not put off by it. As they start dating, he realizes that he only wants to be with Amelia, and he doesn't want to perform in adult films anymore.
The book has many spice scenes that are very descriptive. He is down bad for her, and he really wants to support her. She is a mechanic, and the book does tackle heavy topics such as workplace harassment and living up to parental expectations.
Overall, I read this story in an afternoon, and I enjoyed it. I loved that the last chapter jumped ahead five years and explained how they were doing. I loved how gentle Cal was with Amelia, and their instant connection grew into something more. I love how hard and fast Cal fell for her. He was so down bad and his feelings were so sweet.
After the first time, he asks her to go out with him. He worries that she won't date him because of his job, but she is not put off by it. As they start dating, he realizes that he only wants to be with Amelia, and he doesn't want to perform in adult films anymore.
The book has many spice scenes that are very descriptive. He is down bad for her, and he really wants to support her. She is a mechanic, and the book does tackle heavy topics such as workplace harassment and living up to parental expectations.
Overall, I read this story in an afternoon, and I enjoyed it. I loved that the last chapter jumped ahead five years and explained how they were doing. I loved how gentle Cal was with Amelia, and their instant connection grew into something more. I love how hard and fast Cal fell for her. He was so down bad and his feelings were so sweet.
netgalleyarcs
August 4, 2026A fresh, sex-positive premise and the promise of a romance that goes far beyond physical attraction. Pairing a hardworking mechanic with her favorite adult film star is an unexpected setup, but it is surprisingly heartfelt rather than gimmicky.
Amelia sounds like a relatable heroine—awkward, frustrated, and completely unprepared for the opportunity she's stumbled into. Cal also seems refreshingly layered. Instead of relying on the stereotypical "hot celebrity" trope, he appears to value connection, artistry, and genuine intimacy, making him far more intriguing than a typical romantic lead.
What hooked me most is the emotional conflict hinted at beneath all the spice. The revelation that interrupts their first scene suggests there's real vulnerability at the heart of this story, and Amelia's realization that physical chemistry doesn't automatically lead to emotional compatibility adds depth to what could have been a purely steamy romance.
The novel delivers a balance of sizzling chemistry, emotional growth, humor, and heartfelt romance, in what appears to be a memorable debut. Perfect for readers who enjoy open-door romance, unconventional love stories, and characters who learn that true intimacy comes from emotional honesty as much as physical attraction.
Amelia sounds like a relatable heroine—awkward, frustrated, and completely unprepared for the opportunity she's stumbled into. Cal also seems refreshingly layered. Instead of relying on the stereotypical "hot celebrity" trope, he appears to value connection, artistry, and genuine intimacy, making him far more intriguing than a typical romantic lead.
What hooked me most is the emotional conflict hinted at beneath all the spice. The revelation that interrupts their first scene suggests there's real vulnerability at the heart of this story, and Amelia's realization that physical chemistry doesn't automatically lead to emotional compatibility adds depth to what could have been a purely steamy romance.
The novel delivers a balance of sizzling chemistry, emotional growth, humor, and heartfelt romance, in what appears to be a memorable debut. Perfect for readers who enjoy open-door romance, unconventional love stories, and characters who learn that true intimacy comes from emotional honesty as much as physical attraction.
July 26, 2026
ARC Review
This was a spice-forward book with a sweet, green-flag MMC and an easy to root for FMC. I thought Amelia and Cal’s story was overall adorable and the subplot involving Amelia’s workplace provided additional gravitas.
When Amelia wins a contest to be in a scene with her favourite adult performer, she fully embraces it. Her confidence and their chemistry lead her and Cal to start dating. Knowing the physical side of their relationship is at a 100, they slow down that side (or at least try their best to) so that they can get to know each other on an emotional level. There is an underlying vulnerability with Cal in that he is afraid his job will scare Amelia off from pursuing a relationship with him. Amelia is so self assured though and they just have a great connection.
I enjoyed the third act conflict. It had more to do with Amelia’s workplace than her relationship with Cal. I liked that the focus was on Amelia and how she navigates the misogyny that has become rampant around her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a spice-forward book with a sweet, green-flag MMC and an easy to root for FMC. I thought Amelia and Cal’s story was overall adorable and the subplot involving Amelia’s workplace provided additional gravitas.
When Amelia wins a contest to be in a scene with her favourite adult performer, she fully embraces it. Her confidence and their chemistry lead her and Cal to start dating. Knowing the physical side of their relationship is at a 100, they slow down that side (or at least try their best to) so that they can get to know each other on an emotional level. There is an underlying vulnerability with Cal in that he is afraid his job will scare Amelia off from pursuing a relationship with him. Amelia is so self assured though and they just have a great connection.
I enjoyed the third act conflict. It had more to do with Amelia’s workplace than her relationship with Cal. I liked that the focus was on Amelia and how she navigates the misogyny that has become rampant around her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 27, 2026
This was a fun and spicy quick read! Scene Partner is the story of Amelia, a mechanic, and Cal (stage name Kyle) an adult film star. Amelia discovers Kyle’s videos and develops a bit of a crush on him. After watching his videos for a while, Amelia enters a contest to star in a film with Kyle…and she wins. Amelia and Cal have real chemistry and he’s not content to leave their encounter as a one time thing.
This story was pretty unrealistic yet enjoyable. It is very heavy on the spice as one might expect based on the description. There wasn’t much conflict between Amelia and Cal and a lot of the main character growth was related to personal challenges with family and career. I also enjoyed the parts relating to Amelia’s roommates and it feels like there are potential stories to explore for both of them. Overall I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a light-hearted, spicy, fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story was pretty unrealistic yet enjoyable. It is very heavy on the spice as one might expect based on the description. There wasn’t much conflict between Amelia and Cal and a lot of the main character growth was related to personal challenges with family and career. I also enjoyed the parts relating to Amelia’s roommates and it feels like there are potential stories to explore for both of them. Overall I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a light-hearted, spicy, fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Berkley & NetGalley for the ARC!
I wanted to read this one as soon as I saw it was announced. I love reading debut authors, and the plot seemed great. I read this book in less than 12 hours; it reads extra quick (and I'm not a quick reader). It reads like a fanfic, I told myself (I used to read a lot of fanfics when I was younger). It's well written, it gets straight to the point, and there are no real obstacles between the characters. There's literally zero miscommunication, the MMC clearly says he wants to be with the girl. It really all felt like a fanfic.
Because of that, I don't really know how to rate this, since it's not a typical novel in my opinion. (After reasearch, this used to be a fanfic and is now being published). It could definitely become a favorite book for some, a book to read to get out of a slump, a comfort read, since there are literally no hurdles or obstacles. It's nice to read a story like that from time to time, I guess!
I wanted to read this one as soon as I saw it was announced. I love reading debut authors, and the plot seemed great. I read this book in less than 12 hours; it reads extra quick (and I'm not a quick reader). It reads like a fanfic, I told myself (I used to read a lot of fanfics when I was younger). It's well written, it gets straight to the point, and there are no real obstacles between the characters. There's literally zero miscommunication, the MMC clearly says he wants to be with the girl. It really all felt like a fanfic.
Because of that, I don't really know how to rate this, since it's not a typical novel in my opinion. (After reasearch, this used to be a fanfic and is now being published). It could definitely become a favorite book for some, a book to read to get out of a slump, a comfort read, since there are literally no hurdles or obstacles. It's nice to read a story like that from time to time, I guess!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This book is about a young woman who has the surprising opportunity to perform with her favorite adult-film stars, and the relationship that evolves from that meeting. Meanwhile she is navigating the challenges of working in a male-dominated field in a not-so-great environment, and we have peeks into her friendships with her best friend and her enigmatic roommate. (I’d love to read their stories, too!)
I read this in one sitting. This book surprised me with how tender and funny it was. It dealt with some very real issues in a way that allowed the FMC to be strong, vulnerable, resilient, and self-possessed. The relationship between Cal and Amelia could have so easily fallen into insta-love, but while while there were shades of it from Cal, Amelia really took the time to know her own mind before jumping in.
This book is about a young woman who has the surprising opportunity to perform with her favorite adult-film stars, and the relationship that evolves from that meeting. Meanwhile she is navigating the challenges of working in a male-dominated field in a not-so-great environment, and we have peeks into her friendships with her best friend and her enigmatic roommate. (I’d love to read their stories, too!)
I read this in one sitting. This book surprised me with how tender and funny it was. It dealt with some very real issues in a way that allowed the FMC to be strong, vulnerable, resilient, and self-possessed. The relationship between Cal and Amelia could have so easily fallen into insta-love, but while while there were shades of it from Cal, Amelia really took the time to know her own mind before jumping in.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ok. Let’s get the bad out of the way first. I don’t think this was really a romance. I would more classify it as erotica. The relationship was all about sex: they were either having it, talking about having it or not having it. Cal fell waaay too fast. Amelia was stringing him along unnecessary, before she consented to be his girlfriend. He did all the heavy lifting in the relationship.
Now with all that said; this was fun! Low angst, quick read that will make you blush and smile. I read it while waiting at the doctor’s office. Luckily I have very good “smut reading in public face”. I think I have been training my whole life for this moment. I guarantee nobody around me knew! But honestly, this book is 60% sex scenes. Very tastefully described. Not icky.
Cal was total sweetheart and made the book for me. The scene when he needing pep talk was perfect. Made me giggle and kick my feet! So cute!
So if you don’t mind the romance not having much depth and you have open mind, you will enjoy this book.
I did!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Now with all that said; this was fun! Low angst, quick read that will make you blush and smile. I read it while waiting at the doctor’s office. Luckily I have very good “smut reading in public face”. I think I have been training my whole life for this moment. I guarantee nobody around me knew! But honestly, this book is 60% sex scenes. Very tastefully described. Not icky.
Cal was total sweetheart and made the book for me. The scene when he needing pep talk was perfect. Made me giggle and kick my feet! So cute!
So if you don’t mind the romance not having much depth and you have open mind, you will enjoy this book.
I did!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Scene Partner was a sweet and spicy good time with some family drama and feminine rage thrown in the mix. I really liked the unique premise, and I am always here for a MMC who is down bad in the best way.
Even with all the various plot elements, the whole story felt very low-stakes (in a good way), likely because the main conflicts centered around the FMC’s life and not the relationship between Amelia and Cal. My only real complaint is that I wish we had gotten more emotional depth from Cal. Overall, this was a fun story that I had a hard time putting down.
3.75 ⭐️
High 🌶️
3rd person, single POV
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a digital advance reader copy of this book!
Even with all the various plot elements, the whole story felt very low-stakes (in a good way), likely because the main conflicts centered around the FMC’s life and not the relationship between Amelia and Cal. My only real complaint is that I wish we had gotten more emotional depth from Cal. Overall, this was a fun story that I had a hard time putting down.
3.75 ⭐️
High 🌶️
3rd person, single POV
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a digital advance reader copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Um, hello??? I loved this? Amelia was SO relatable, and some of the instances she dealt with at work hit so close to home it made my chest ache. I LOVED that Cal was SO down bad for her, that he chased and fell first, and the communication everyone—from the crew at Euphoria to Amelia’s friends later had—carried as the book went on.
There were literally moments I laughed out loud and others I wanted to cry—not just from Amelia’s work issues (you suck, Thomas), but Emma’s struggle with her late grandmother’s apartment and Sonja’s introverted nature made my little heart hurt 🥺
I WILL be reading Smyth’s next book and every single one after ✌️🥹💛
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
There were literally moments I laughed out loud and others I wanted to cry—not just from Amelia’s work issues (you suck, Thomas), but Emma’s struggle with her late grandmother’s apartment and Sonja’s introverted nature made my little heart hurt 🥺
I WILL be reading Smyth’s next book and every single one after ✌️🥹💛
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 ⭐️
I truly was obsessed with this book and absolutely devoured it. Who would have thought the hottest chemistry would be between Amelia, a mechanic by day, and Cal (neé Kyle Rose), an adult film star!!!!!!! Their connection is instant and HOT!!!! This book took he falls first to a whole new level!!
I appreciated Amelia for being her badass self and not letting the misogyny that’s guaranteed in her workplace get the best of her. And I loved that Cal became the safe space she needed when everyone else seemed to let her down.
This book is unique and SPICY and so fun!!! Definitely add this to your TBR!
I truly was obsessed with this book and absolutely devoured it. Who would have thought the hottest chemistry would be between Amelia, a mechanic by day, and Cal (neé Kyle Rose), an adult film star!!!!!!! Their connection is instant and HOT!!!! This book took he falls first to a whole new level!!
I appreciated Amelia for being her badass self and not letting the misogyny that’s guaranteed in her workplace get the best of her. And I loved that Cal became the safe space she needed when everyone else seemed to let her down.
This book is unique and SPICY and so fun!!! Definitely add this to your TBR!
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