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Scene Partner
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27Win a free print copy of this book!
17 days and 03:52:06
20 copies available
U.S. only
A 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.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 19, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
July 22, 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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this was good and loads of fun, but please for the love of god can we get some depth!!! idk it just felt like the characters were super surface level, as well as the romance between them, when there was so much potential for them to be *more*. i really enjoyed the sex positivity and also exploration of sexism and discrimination within a workplace, so the plot and story itself was great, but yeah i did have a difficult time connecting to the characters which just took a lot away for me.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This review is going to contain mild spoilers so be warned.
*******
I was hoping this book would be sex positive because it is about adult industry stars. So tell me why in their first scene together Cal fingers Amelia and can immediately tell she is a virgin. His reason is she is tense and tight. That completely rubbed me the wrong way. Then he is a little too into the fact that he took her virginity. Also, the book consistently mentioned that it’s normal for porn stars to have relationships and get married, but then turns around and makes Cal a character who can’t possible act in adult films anymore because he is too into Amelia. It felt like it undermined the message.
Other than my disappointment mentioned above the book is fun and very spicy. I wish the characters and their love story were developed more. It was pretty insta lust.
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy via NetGalley.
*******
I was hoping this book would be sex positive because it is about adult industry stars. So tell me why in their first scene together Cal fingers Amelia and can immediately tell she is a virgin. His reason is she is tense and tight. That completely rubbed me the wrong way. Then he is a little too into the fact that he took her virginity. Also, the book consistently mentioned that it’s normal for porn stars to have relationships and get married, but then turns around and makes Cal a character who can’t possible act in adult films anymore because he is too into Amelia. It felt like it undermined the message.
Other than my disappointment mentioned above the book is fun and very spicy. I wish the characters and their love story were developed more. It was pretty insta lust.
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy via NetGalley.
August 14, 2026
I really liked this book!! It was like 75% smut and very insta-love but who cares! It was a fun time and had more depth than you might expect.
Want to Read
August 24, 2026The cover art is sooo sexy
and I am all here for it!
BUDDY READ WITH THE BABES
and I am all here for it!
BUDDY READ WITH THE BABES
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The annoying pearl-clutchers can skip right over this one.
I went into this completely blind and let me tell you, I was shocked by how much and quickly this book WENT there, but it might be one of my favourite romance reads for the year?? This is a highly unconventional romance, but I found it an incredibly fresh way to portray a budding relationship, exploring when it becomes real and meaningful outside of the physical. Needless to say, this was incredibly steamy. I've seen a few reviews that call this insta-love and I could not disagree more. Yes, they have sex within five minutes of meeting in a highly weird and unique situation, but outside of that environment, they take a very long time getting to know one another before they actually get to that point again for themselves alone, and it made for a very satisfying relationship arc.
I went into this completely blind and let me tell you, I was shocked by how much and quickly this book WENT there, but it might be one of my favourite romance reads for the year?? This is a highly unconventional romance, but I found it an incredibly fresh way to portray a budding relationship, exploring when it becomes real and meaningful outside of the physical. Needless to say, this was incredibly steamy. I've seen a few reviews that call this insta-love and I could not disagree more. Yes, they have sex within five minutes of meeting in a highly weird and unique situation, but outside of that environment, they take a very long time getting to know one another before they actually get to that point again for themselves alone, and it made for a very satisfying relationship arc.
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 18, 2026
NetGalley ARC Review
3.5 stars rounded up
First and foremost, I wish this was longer! The premise of the book was really good and had a lot of potential, but the execution was leaving a little to be desired. Amelia (FMC) and Cal/Kyle Rose(MMC) had great chemistry but I do wish we got to see their relationship develop more on page, rather than off the page. You are led to believe at first that Amelia is practically obsessed with Cal/Kyle and then sort of dies down a bit after their first encounter. A majority of this book was the FMC basically ignoring the MMC or playing hard to get. They don't even start dating until like 90% of the book! Yes, there are many spicy scenes within the book but the romance part needed to be developed more. The plot was somewhat patched together with different things happening in the FMC's work and home life that was separate from the romance element and definitely took over most of the book, leaving the romance feeling like a spicy sub-plot. We do get to know the other characters in this book like her roommates (potentially other books being set up?) but I felt as though I as a reader, I barely knew who Cal was as a person outside of sex work. There was nothing about his life outside of being an adult film star, nothing really about his past history or about his family and if they're supportive of his career. There needed to be more dimension to his character for sure.
Despite all this, I did still enjoy the book and the chemistry that was shown between the two main characters and I would definitely read book by this author again.
3.5 stars rounded up
First and foremost, I wish this was longer! The premise of the book was really good and had a lot of potential, but the execution was leaving a little to be desired. Amelia (FMC) and Cal/Kyle Rose(MMC) had great chemistry but I do wish we got to see their relationship develop more on page, rather than off the page. You are led to believe at first that Amelia is practically obsessed with Cal/Kyle and then sort of dies down a bit after their first encounter. A majority of this book was the FMC basically ignoring the MMC or playing hard to get. They don't even start dating until like 90% of the book! Yes, there are many spicy scenes within the book but the romance part needed to be developed more. The plot was somewhat patched together with different things happening in the FMC's work and home life that was separate from the romance element and definitely took over most of the book, leaving the romance feeling like a spicy sub-plot. We do get to know the other characters in this book like her roommates (potentially other books being set up?) but I felt as though I as a reader, I barely knew who Cal was as a person outside of sex work. There was nothing about his life outside of being an adult film star, nothing really about his past history or about his family and if they're supportive of his career. There needed to be more dimension to his character for sure.
Despite all this, I did still enjoy the book and the chemistry that was shown between the two main characters and I would definitely read book by this author again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Scene Partner by Rae Smyth was totally ridiculous, extremely, extremely hot, and honestly? Absolutely adorable. I want to start by saying the positivity around the adult entertainment industry, and the discussions about how SW should occur but frequently does not, was refreshing to see in a traditionally published book. I applaud Berkley for taking on such a risqué book, but making it still accessible. I also loved the discussions around women in male fields. Another extremely refreshing topic to see in a book, because men generally suck. Hey Siri play "The Man" by Taylor Swift.
You're going to need to read this book if you want to feel horny with a capital H. Our virgin FMC wins a contest to have sex, on camera, with her favorite porn star. That's the plot. And it's the plot of the whole book. The bang, they bang more, and they fall in love and keep banging. The MMC is down bad with a capital B, and the FMC is independent enough to keep him on a leash despite the size of his assets.
I had a great time with this. Was it surface level? A bit. Do I wish Amelia hadn't been a virgin? Also, yes. But it was exactly what I wanted to read right now. Again I will say, this is perfect if you're feeling frisky and still want compelling writing.
You're going to need to read this book if you want to feel horny with a capital H. Our virgin FMC wins a contest to have sex, on camera, with her favorite porn star. That's the plot. And it's the plot of the whole book. The bang, they bang more, and they fall in love and keep banging. The MMC is down bad with a capital B, and the FMC is independent enough to keep him on a leash despite the size of his assets.
I had a great time with this. Was it surface level? A bit. Do I wish Amelia hadn't been a virgin? Also, yes. But it was exactly what I wanted to read right now. Again I will say, this is perfect if you're feeling frisky and still want compelling writing.
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.
August 22, 2026
Will have you craving cookie dough (and 🍆).
Obsessed is the understatement of the year. This is such a good story, and the coming together of both characters was so original and refreshing in a world full of sport romances and cowboys, which I can say as an avid fan of both. The author’s writing is so eloquent, and was easy to put yourself in the FMC’s shoes.
A must-read for anyone needing something new, or as a palate cleanser from a dense series.
Obsessed is the understatement of the year. This is such a good story, and the coming together of both characters was so original and refreshing in a world full of sport romances and cowboys, which I can say as an avid fan of both. The author’s writing is so eloquent, and was easy to put yourself in the FMC’s shoes.
A must-read for anyone needing something new, or as a palate cleanser from a dense series.
August 9, 2026
would have sex so nasty with this man that even the devil wouldn’t want my ass in hell
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.
July 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!
I knew this book was going to be spicy, just from the summary, but WOW. It was about 90% smut. I liked Cal a lot, but I felt like the story didn’t really go anywhere. We barely got to know the characters, and not much happened story-wise. I was begging for more insight into Cal and his background and everything, but we never got it.
It did have some fun moments and endearing qualities, but overall it was just all spice, no plot.
I knew this book was going to be spicy, just from the summary, but WOW. It was about 90% smut. I liked Cal a lot, but I felt like the story didn’t really go anywhere. We barely got to know the characters, and not much happened story-wise. I was begging for more insight into Cal and his background and everything, but we never got it.
It did have some fun moments and endearing qualities, but overall it was just all spice, no plot.
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!
August 17, 2026
3 ⭐️
RTC. Fun to imagine a scenario like this happening 🤪
RTC. Fun to imagine a scenario like this happening 🤪
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC gifted in exchange for review.
Have you ever read a book so good that it literally left you speechless? I wish you could give a book more than five stars because this book deserves at least 50.
Scene Partner is about a female diesel mechanic Amelia who dealing with unchecked misogyny at her job, developers trying to take over her rent-controlled apartment, the weight of her artist mother's expectations and the sewer that is modern dating. She is simultaneously too much for all the men she's tried to date, and yet not enough for her parents or the guys that work in the shop with her. She gets wine drunk (if you know, you know), and ends up entering a contest to star in an adult film with her favorite adult film star Kyle Rose. To her surprise, she actually wins and the chemistry between her and Kyle (real name Cal) is off the charts. Cal is nothing like what she thought he would be, he is so much better and now he wants to date her.
There was so much to love about this book and this story. Firstly, let's talk about Calvin "Kyle Rose" Jones. He is the sunshine golden retriever to Amelia's black cat. He is so sweet, and kind, and the man is the definition of down bad for her from the time they meet. One of the things I loved the most about his character was how in touch he was with his emotions and how vulnerable he was with her, especially when it came to his fear that she wouldn't want to date him because of his sex work. He was so patient with her every step of the way, always checking in to make sure that she was comfortable. He supported her wholeheartedly and is definitively one of the best down bad I've read in a minute. He found a way to call Amelia out on her conflict avoidance without attacking her. He supported her in everything that she wanted to do and he helped her face her fears, and find her voice.
Amelia is such a bad*ss. She is so talented and good at what she does despite what the men in the shop say about her. She is brave beyond measure and I loved how she owned her sexuality and refused to be ashamed of the video she did with Kyle. Watching her stand up for herself and allow herself to be loved by Cal was a beautiful thing. I loved reading about a woman in a male dominated industry that was really cool to me.
I really appreciated how the author highlighted some of the struggles that people in sex work may encounter when it comes to dating. I loved how she was able to show different relationship dynamics in the industry, and how ethical the studio was when it came to their filming and talent. Luz did frustrate me a lot, especially in later parts of the story. I felt like she wasn't being fair to Cal at all and she was just looking at him as a commodity and not a person, let alone a friend.
If Thomas has no haters, I am no longer in existence. That man gave me such ick from the first time we encountered him and it sickens me to think of how many women in Amelia's position deal with men like that in their work environments who face no consequences for their actions. I was so proud of Amelia for how she handled everything and refused to give up her dream job that she worked her butt off to be qualified for.
All in all, Scene Partner is one of the most interesting, compelling romance novels I've read in 2026 and I cannot wait for the release. It deserves every bit of hype it's going to get because it really is that good.
Have you ever read a book so good that it literally left you speechless? I wish you could give a book more than five stars because this book deserves at least 50.
Scene Partner is about a female diesel mechanic Amelia who dealing with unchecked misogyny at her job, developers trying to take over her rent-controlled apartment, the weight of her artist mother's expectations and the sewer that is modern dating. She is simultaneously too much for all the men she's tried to date, and yet not enough for her parents or the guys that work in the shop with her. She gets wine drunk (if you know, you know), and ends up entering a contest to star in an adult film with her favorite adult film star Kyle Rose. To her surprise, she actually wins and the chemistry between her and Kyle (real name Cal) is off the charts. Cal is nothing like what she thought he would be, he is so much better and now he wants to date her.
There was so much to love about this book and this story. Firstly, let's talk about Calvin "Kyle Rose" Jones. He is the sunshine golden retriever to Amelia's black cat. He is so sweet, and kind, and the man is the definition of down bad for her from the time they meet. One of the things I loved the most about his character was how in touch he was with his emotions and how vulnerable he was with her, especially when it came to his fear that she wouldn't want to date him because of his sex work. He was so patient with her every step of the way, always checking in to make sure that she was comfortable. He supported her wholeheartedly and is definitively one of the best down bad I've read in a minute. He found a way to call Amelia out on her conflict avoidance without attacking her. He supported her in everything that she wanted to do and he helped her face her fears, and find her voice.
Amelia is such a bad*ss. She is so talented and good at what she does despite what the men in the shop say about her. She is brave beyond measure and I loved how she owned her sexuality and refused to be ashamed of the video she did with Kyle. Watching her stand up for herself and allow herself to be loved by Cal was a beautiful thing. I loved reading about a woman in a male dominated industry that was really cool to me.
I really appreciated how the author highlighted some of the struggles that people in sex work may encounter when it comes to dating. I loved how she was able to show different relationship dynamics in the industry, and how ethical the studio was when it came to their filming and talent. Luz did frustrate me a lot, especially in later parts of the story. I felt like she wasn't being fair to Cal at all and she was just looking at him as a commodity and not a person, let alone a friend.
If Thomas has no haters, I am no longer in existence. That man gave me such ick from the first time we encountered him and it sickens me to think of how many women in Amelia's position deal with men like that in their work environments who face no consequences for their actions. I was so proud of Amelia for how she handled everything and refused to give up her dream job that she worked her butt off to be qualified for.
All in all, Scene Partner is one of the most interesting, compelling romance novels I've read in 2026 and I cannot wait for the release. It deserves every bit of hype it's going to get because it really is that good.
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
Amelia is a mechanic who, after a rough day at the shop, spends the night with a box of wine and, with encouragement from a friend, enters a contest to be a scene partner with her favorite adult entertainer, Kyle Rose (real name Cal). During their first scene, Kyle discovers something about Amelia that makes him pause about continuing the filming. As the story unfolds, they realize that what might be crackling between them is more than just sexual chemistry.
Scene Partners was an unexpected delight. This spicy romance has more heart than I anticipated and a sweetness that one wouldn’t necessarily associate with a porn-meet-cute. Amelia is tough and competent, spending her days in the male-dominated world of large-machinery mechanics, where she is often undermined and harassed. Her experiences as a woman in this field play a large role in how she approaches relationships. She has limited dating experience because of her low tolerance for men who are intimidated by her career and confidence.
Cal is in awe of Amelia. He finds everything about her sexy, including the fact that she knows more than he does about cars. Cal falls for her almost immediately and quickly realizes that she is someone he could see having a future with. At the same time, he assumes that, because of his job as an adult entertainer, she would never be interested in dating him.
After their scene together, they begin getting to know each other better, and their slow-building relationship is a stark contrast to their steamy first meeting. Amelia is less certain about the relationship. Her personal life is already busy with work, navigating sexism and harassment in the workplace, and dealing with challenging family dynamics. I especially appreciated that Amelia’s inner strength and sense of self were never diluted once she met Cal and began exploring the possibility of a relationship.
When I described this book to a friend, I compared it to one of the couples in Love Actually. That couple works as intimacy extras on a major motion picture, where they meet nude and perform awkward sexual simulations. Despite the sexual nature of their first meeting, they are pure and sweet with one another, and when they are clothed and away from work, they are shy and slow to start a relationship. Scene Partners has that same surprising combination: it is spicy but also somehow innocent and sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Scene Partners was an unexpected delight. This spicy romance has more heart than I anticipated and a sweetness that one wouldn’t necessarily associate with a porn-meet-cute. Amelia is tough and competent, spending her days in the male-dominated world of large-machinery mechanics, where she is often undermined and harassed. Her experiences as a woman in this field play a large role in how she approaches relationships. She has limited dating experience because of her low tolerance for men who are intimidated by her career and confidence.
Cal is in awe of Amelia. He finds everything about her sexy, including the fact that she knows more than he does about cars. Cal falls for her almost immediately and quickly realizes that she is someone he could see having a future with. At the same time, he assumes that, because of his job as an adult entertainer, she would never be interested in dating him.
After their scene together, they begin getting to know each other better, and their slow-building relationship is a stark contrast to their steamy first meeting. Amelia is less certain about the relationship. Her personal life is already busy with work, navigating sexism and harassment in the workplace, and dealing with challenging family dynamics. I especially appreciated that Amelia’s inner strength and sense of self were never diluted once she met Cal and began exploring the possibility of a relationship.
When I described this book to a friend, I compared it to one of the couples in Love Actually. That couple works as intimacy extras on a major motion picture, where they meet nude and perform awkward sexual simulations. Despite the sexual nature of their first meeting, they are pure and sweet with one another, and when they are clothed and away from work, they are shy and slow to start a relationship. Scene Partners has that same surprising combination: it is spicy but also somehow innocent and sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC 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
Amelia has won a contest to star in a video with her favorite adult film star. She's a mechanic and entirely inexperienced. Kyle is the lead actor for a small studio that mostly makes artistic intimate content. They have never met before she shows up to film.
I did not realize until looking at reviews that this was previously fan fiction, and some of my issues with the book made a bit more sense.
The characters felt pretty flat and one-dimensional. Amelia is a mechanic and she's small. Cal/Kyle is BIG and sometimes shows up with food deliveries. Most of the communication and chemistry happened while they were filming, and they only filmed three times (including the epilogue). I suppose that fanfic readers go into a story needing less character development and backstory, because they've already got an idea in their mind of who these people are? It doesn't work as well going in uninformed and being largely unfamiliar with the source material.
Cal/Kyle had some red flags tossed in to spice up his almost non-existent personality. It did strike me as a little off-putting that he basically went all caveman and possessive after taking a stranger's virginity halfway on camera and demanding exclusivity from her while he intends to continue filming. Again, now that I understand the origins it does make a bit more sense, but I also don't feel like I should need to read reviews from people that read the AO3 version and drop the ship name to understand the characters and their motivations?
This ARC honestly felt like a rough draft with a ton of uncorrected errors, and some instances that I suspect CTRL+H may have been used to make mass edits.
There's SOMETHING that works here, because I was able to read through to the end, but it's buried under several layers of grime. It would need quite a bit of elbow grease to get to a five star rating.
Third person single POV
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for ARC access 💕
I did not realize until looking at reviews that this was previously fan fiction, and some of my issues with the book made a bit more sense.
The characters felt pretty flat and one-dimensional. Amelia is a mechanic and she's small. Cal/Kyle is BIG and sometimes shows up with food deliveries. Most of the communication and chemistry happened while they were filming, and they only filmed three times (including the epilogue). I suppose that fanfic readers go into a story needing less character development and backstory, because they've already got an idea in their mind of who these people are? It doesn't work as well going in uninformed and being largely unfamiliar with the source material.
Cal/Kyle had some red flags tossed in to spice up his almost non-existent personality. It did strike me as a little off-putting that he basically went all caveman and possessive after taking a stranger's virginity halfway on camera and demanding exclusivity from her while he intends to continue filming. Again, now that I understand the origins it does make a bit more sense, but I also don't feel like I should need to read reviews from people that read the AO3 version and drop the ship name to understand the characters and their motivations?
This ARC honestly felt like a rough draft with a ton of uncorrected errors, and some instances that I suspect CTRL+H may have been used to make mass edits.
There's SOMETHING that works here, because I was able to read through to the end, but it's buried under several layers of grime. It would need quite a bit of elbow grease to get to a five star rating.
Third person single POV
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for ARC access 💕
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
Y’all… I DEVOURED this book. I read it in ONE sitting and was turning RED by the end!!
After a bottle of wine, copious amounts of adult content consumed, and a meddling best friend, mechanic Amelia Roarke finds herself applying to be featured with an adult star she’s been watching. After being the unsuspecting winner, she ends up on a film set with none other than Kyle Rose (real name Cal) and a whirlwind of a romance follows.
First off, I love Amelia. The way she enters this contest, is genuinely shocked when she wins, and then is immediately hesitant of how obsessed he seems is so funny. She makes it clear this isn’t some parasocial relationship - she knows this is his job and she’s just here for a good time. And Cal??? Cal is just staring at her with heart eyes this entire time.
This was insta love which normally I’m not a fan of, but I felt like it was done AMAZING in this book, truly. I loved the way Amelia is excited but also incredibly respectful of Cal, his career, and the choices she makes to try and make sure this isn’t just infatuation. Cal on the other hand is such a lovable character. I love how despite how smutty this book is, you can really see the individual characters personalities shine through.
This book also touches on problems like misogyny in the workplace and all I can say without spoilers is I love my girl Amelia. I felt like the conflict was handled incredibly well in this book.
The sex was!!! Great!!! The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because it contained a trope (I can’t say due to spoilers) that I’m just not a big fan of. Other than that, I thought it was perfectly spicy & funny. A great mix of the two.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you to Rae Smyth, Berkley, and Netgalley for an ARC.
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