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Reel Love
After a scorching hot kiss and an awkward meet-second, Anna and John discover they’ve got a second chance on set.
Anna Kovác’s career as a movie director is over if she can’t jumpstart a failing production in Rome: a B-movie that’s over budget and behind schedule. She’s thirty-five years old, her best picture is ten years behind her, and her ex-husband, a powerful Hollywood agent, is still meddling in her career.
John Mills can’t get an agent to listen to his screenplay pitch, because they’re too busy casting him as Shirtless Werewolf Number Three. His part-time jobs are barely enough to pay his rent, and he’s done being thought of as nothing but a pretty face, by the industry and his dates.
On location in Rome complications abound on-set, but with each disaster that Anna and John overcome together, their burgeoning friendship develops into a not-to-be-denied attraction. Anna’s insecurities about being with John resurface when the press ridicules her for having an on-set fling with a younger man, showing John first-hand the harassment she has to deal with in her job. And John didn't realize exactly what kind of a devil he made a deal with when he took this job from a powerful agent, none other than Anna’s ex-husband out for revenge.
The two must find a way to navigate the rocky terrain of dating a coworker in an already tumultuous industry or lose their careers and their chance at a happily ever after.
Cover Design and Illustration by Leni Kauffman
Content Warning: discussion of workplace harassment, discussions of alcoholism and recovery, the heroine has revealing photos leaked, smutty talk, on-page sex scene, happy ending
Anna Kovác’s career as a movie director is over if she can’t jumpstart a failing production in Rome: a B-movie that’s over budget and behind schedule. She’s thirty-five years old, her best picture is ten years behind her, and her ex-husband, a powerful Hollywood agent, is still meddling in her career.
John Mills can’t get an agent to listen to his screenplay pitch, because they’re too busy casting him as Shirtless Werewolf Number Three. His part-time jobs are barely enough to pay his rent, and he’s done being thought of as nothing but a pretty face, by the industry and his dates.
On location in Rome complications abound on-set, but with each disaster that Anna and John overcome together, their burgeoning friendship develops into a not-to-be-denied attraction. Anna’s insecurities about being with John resurface when the press ridicules her for having an on-set fling with a younger man, showing John first-hand the harassment she has to deal with in her job. And John didn't realize exactly what kind of a devil he made a deal with when he took this job from a powerful agent, none other than Anna’s ex-husband out for revenge.
The two must find a way to navigate the rocky terrain of dating a coworker in an already tumultuous industry or lose their careers and their chance at a happily ever after.
Cover Design and Illustration by Leni Kauffman
Content Warning: discussion of workplace harassment, discussions of alcoholism and recovery, the heroine has revealing photos leaked, smutty talk, on-page sex scene, happy ending
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2021
20 people are currently reading
1184 people want to read
About the author
Evie Browning
3 books36 followersEvie lives in the Pacific Northwest. When not working her day job, she parents ten-year old twins and writes stories, either on her laptop or in her head. Working as a lawyer has taught her many things: attention to detail, writing under a tight deadline, and powering through 100-page legal documents, but like many romance authors before her, she looks forward to leaving it behind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
November 24, 2023
Wow, it didn't work but I loved it. It was a sweet fiction. The last fight was both contrived and could have been written better, but it gripped me while reading. I loved John. Also, for the first time, I read a book in which the woman is older than the man, and I liked it. Even though it was a bit boring at the beginning, it became enjoyable towards the end.
Even though the female character tried to be strong, she always became passive and started to show herself fully towards the end. The male character was so cute that I kept making noises while reading. Their interactions with each other were very nice. Even if there were no unnecessary fights in the last part, the author would have written such a fight just to let them break up for a little while, the bad interaction in the book could have written something different.
Anna's career as a film director is not in a good shape. She has just divorced a powerful Hollywood manager who is dealing with her and her career. Meanwhile, John is trying to find an agent to read his script. Anna and John meet in a bar and what Anna doesn't know is that they have to work together on her next project. I have never read a book that focuses so much on behind the scenes of Hollywood before, and this was a first for me.
*
YAAANİİİ wowww etmedi ama sevdim. Tatlı bir kurguydu. En son ki kavga hem yapmacıktı hem de daha iyi yazılabilirdi ama okurken sardı. John’u sevdim. Ayrıca ilk kez kadının erkekten büyük olduğu bir kitap okudum be hoşuma gitti. Başları bi tık sıkıcı olsa da sonlara doğru keyifli hale geldi.
Kadın karakter güçlü olmaya çalışsa da ger seferinde pasifleşiyordu ve kendini tam anlamıyla göstermeye sonlara doğru başladı erkek karakter ise çok tatlıydı okurken sürekli yaa diye sesler çıkardım. Birbirleriyle etkileşimleri çok güzeldi. Son kısımdaki gereksiz kavgaları olmasa da olurdu yazarın sırf azıcıkta ayrılsınlar diyip böyle bi kavga yazması kitabı kötü yönde etkileşim daha farklı bir şey yazabilirdi.
Anna’nın film yönetmeni olarak kariyeri iyi bir durumda değil. Kendisiyle ve kariyeriyle uğraşan güçlü bir Hollywood menajerinden yeni boşandı. Bu sırada John, senaryosunu okuyacak bir menajer bulmaya çalışıyor. Anna ve John bir barda tanışıyorlar ve Anna'nın bilmediği şey bir sonraki projesinde birlikte çalışmak zorunda olduklarıdır. Daha önce Hollywood'un kamera arkasına bu kadar odaklanan bir kitap okumamıştım bu benim içinde bir ilk oldu. Feminizm, bir kadının başından beri erkek işi sayılan bir şeyi üstlenmesi ve küçümsemesini anlatıyor.
Even though the female character tried to be strong, she always became passive and started to show herself fully towards the end. The male character was so cute that I kept making noises while reading. Their interactions with each other were very nice. Even if there were no unnecessary fights in the last part, the author would have written such a fight just to let them break up for a little while, the bad interaction in the book could have written something different.
Anna's career as a film director is not in a good shape. She has just divorced a powerful Hollywood manager who is dealing with her and her career. Meanwhile, John is trying to find an agent to read his script. Anna and John meet in a bar and what Anna doesn't know is that they have to work together on her next project. I have never read a book that focuses so much on behind the scenes of Hollywood before, and this was a first for me.
*
YAAANİİİ wowww etmedi ama sevdim. Tatlı bir kurguydu. En son ki kavga hem yapmacıktı hem de daha iyi yazılabilirdi ama okurken sardı. John’u sevdim. Ayrıca ilk kez kadının erkekten büyük olduğu bir kitap okudum be hoşuma gitti. Başları bi tık sıkıcı olsa da sonlara doğru keyifli hale geldi.
Kadın karakter güçlü olmaya çalışsa da ger seferinde pasifleşiyordu ve kendini tam anlamıyla göstermeye sonlara doğru başladı erkek karakter ise çok tatlıydı okurken sürekli yaa diye sesler çıkardım. Birbirleriyle etkileşimleri çok güzeldi. Son kısımdaki gereksiz kavgaları olmasa da olurdu yazarın sırf azıcıkta ayrılsınlar diyip böyle bi kavga yazması kitabı kötü yönde etkileşim daha farklı bir şey yazabilirdi.
Anna’nın film yönetmeni olarak kariyeri iyi bir durumda değil. Kendisiyle ve kariyeriyle uğraşan güçlü bir Hollywood menajerinden yeni boşandı. Bu sırada John, senaryosunu okuyacak bir menajer bulmaya çalışıyor. Anna ve John bir barda tanışıyorlar ve Anna'nın bilmediği şey bir sonraki projesinde birlikte çalışmak zorunda olduklarıdır. Daha önce Hollywood'un kamera arkasına bu kadar odaklanan bir kitap okumamıştım bu benim içinde bir ilk oldu. Feminizm, bir kadının başından beri erkek işi sayılan bir şeyi üstlenmesi ve küçümsemesini anlatıyor.
May 12, 2021
"Anna opened her eyes. She didn't think she's ever seen anything so wonderful in her life as the way he looked at her."
Anna Kovác’s career as a movie director is not in its best place right now. She just divorced a powerful Hollywood agent, who's messing with her and her career. While this, John is trying to get an agent to read his screenplay, but what everybody wants is for him to play shirtless dudes in movies.
Anna and John meet for the first time at a bar and although their chemistry is hot from the beginning, Anna doesn't want to give something to the media to talk about, dating a younger man. But, what Anna doesn't know, is that they are going to have to work together in her next project.
This book was a little bit different from the ones I usually read. The plot was slower and the characters were also more "real" than the characters we are used to seeing while reading romances. I enjoyed that the whole environment was pretty new to me. I had never read a book so focused on Hollywood's "behind-the-scenes" so it was everything really interesting.
There's also some good criticism in the book. There are discussions about feminism, about a woman taking what is considered as a "man job" and being belittling since the beginning and the hero did a good job supporting the heroine.
What bothered me a little was the fact that the plot was very predictable. I knew what was going to happen from the start and I hope during the whole reading that I was wrong.
Evie Browning is a new author. I think this is her second published book and it was a good one. There's a cute couple, a happy ending and a lovely epilogue.
October 10, 2024
"Reel Love" had potential, but ultimately, it fell flat for me. The premise—a romance set behind the scenes of Hollywood with an older woman and a younger man—initially drew me in, but the execution left a lot to be desired.
Let’s start with the characters. Anna, a film director whose career is on the rocks, could have been an empowering lead, but she often came across as insecure and passive, which was frustrating. Her interactions with John, a screenplay writer hoping for his big break, were sometimes cute, but they lacked the emotional depth I hoped for. The chemistry between them never really clicked, and the tension felt forced. John was meant to be charming, but I found him hypocritical and lacking empathy, which made their relationship hard to root for.
The pacing didn’t help, either. The story dragged in the beginning, and I wasn’t fully invested in their romance by the time things picked up. The last fight was meant to add drama, but it felt contrived and unnecessary. It seemed like it was thrown in to cause a temporary breakup, which felt lazy. I also didn’t feel much growth from Anna throughout the book, and John’s quick judgments and lack of trust were irritating.
On a positive note, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood, especially the parts where Anna directed a film. These moments showed her in her element—confidence and professionalism, which was a stark contrast to how she was in her personal life. Her friendships were also bright, adding some much-needed warmth to the story.
Unfortunately, the romance didn’t deliver for me. I skimmed through scenes, waiting for something to grab my attention, but it never happened. While the book had some sweet moments, it was mostly just “meh” and left me wanting more from both the characters and the story.
August 11, 2021
A cute, quick read. If you are looking for an afternoon escape to the inner workings of Hollywood, this book will do it.
Anna and John meet over a declined credit card, and due to some witty dialog, dirty dishes, and a lousy script, they become acquainted. A few chance meetings along the way, a friendship forms. As they begin to work together on a film, things get interesting!
I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down. The characters are charming, the behind the scenes of movie making interesting, some conflict, some romance, and lots of swoon-worthy moments. I am looking forward to what comes next from this author!
Thank you to Booksprout and the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.
Anna and John meet over a declined credit card, and due to some witty dialog, dirty dishes, and a lousy script, they become acquainted. A few chance meetings along the way, a friendship forms. As they begin to work together on a film, things get interesting!
I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down. The characters are charming, the behind the scenes of movie making interesting, some conflict, some romance, and lots of swoon-worthy moments. I am looking forward to what comes next from this author!
Thank you to Booksprout and the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.
January 7, 2025
3/5 stars
eARC provided by NetGalley
This book was very cute. I did like the main characters and their growth. I liked the setting being in Hollywood and a movie set. However, the story did feel dragged out and long. The pacing was just weird. I also did not understand having them be so judging. The miscommunication made sense in the story. But a lot of what happened was them just prejudging each other and getting mad at each other about said prejudgments. Once you get past that point, the story gets much better. And I actually started rooting for all the characters. The side characters were great! They were well developed and their stories were told very well without them overshadowing the main story. They actually really helped the main characters and added to the story. If you want a cute reverse aga-gap romance set in Hollywood particularly behind the scenes of a movie set with some spice I do recommend this book.
eARC provided by NetGalley
This book was very cute. I did like the main characters and their growth. I liked the setting being in Hollywood and a movie set. However, the story did feel dragged out and long. The pacing was just weird. I also did not understand having them be so judging. The miscommunication made sense in the story. But a lot of what happened was them just prejudging each other and getting mad at each other about said prejudgments. Once you get past that point, the story gets much better. And I actually started rooting for all the characters. The side characters were great! They were well developed and their stories were told very well without them overshadowing the main story. They actually really helped the main characters and added to the story. If you want a cute reverse aga-gap romance set in Hollywood particularly behind the scenes of a movie set with some spice I do recommend this book.
September 18, 2024
Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
It was ok, an easy read definitely but unfortunately it didn’t grip me.
The chemistry was off, the story line wasn’t great either. I gave 2⭐️⭐️ because it wasn’t hard to read and did pass the time.
I’m not keen on the way the colleagues trope and how it was portrayed in the book.
It could have been better with more development of the story line it felt rushed.
It was ok, an easy read definitely but unfortunately it didn’t grip me.
The chemistry was off, the story line wasn’t great either. I gave 2⭐️⭐️ because it wasn’t hard to read and did pass the time.
I’m not keen on the way the colleagues trope and how it was portrayed in the book.
It could have been better with more development of the story line it felt rushed.
October 16, 2024
I tried my very best to get into this read. The overall story line captivated my attention. However, I was unable to stay interested in the book. It was an extremely hard, slow, painful read. I made it close to 50% into the book until I gave up. In all honesty I would give it a 0/5 if I could. I think the storyline has potential if re-written.
May 5, 2021
Reel Love Five Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely loved this clever, interesting, swoony and steamy look into the film industry. Anna as the 35 year old director to John's 27 year old screenwriter finds herself in some sexist scenarios due to her conniving ex Tom. I loved the easy friendship and attraction that develops between Anna and John at the bar while talking and the respect they have for one another. This book pulled me in very easily and I finished in one sitting. John and Anna are perfect together.
I absolutely loved this clever, interesting, swoony and steamy look into the film industry. Anna as the 35 year old director to John's 27 year old screenwriter finds herself in some sexist scenarios due to her conniving ex Tom. I loved the easy friendship and attraction that develops between Anna and John at the bar while talking and the respect they have for one another. This book pulled me in very easily and I finished in one sitting. John and Anna are perfect together.
February 8, 2024
3 star ⭐️ a cute easy little read but nothing ground breaking. I actually didn’t mind the storyline despite it being so predictable but the writing and the writing style was soooo bad. I hate 3rd person POV and the this felt like it was done by a 9th grader.
November 3, 2024
Anna, a director who career is currently in shambles. After going through a recent divorce with a hollywood big wig manager, she is picking up the pieces of both her personal and professional lives. John a bartender and an aspiring screenplay writer hoping and waiting for his big break in the industry.
The book gives a behind the scene look into the world of film making and Hollywood which comes more from Anna side with her directing. However everything else I didn't love. It all felt a bit lacking and empty. The chemistry never felt right, never really clicked properly, and the tensions between them felt forced and so unnatural.
A thrid act breakup can sometimes be done so well, but sadly this one just missed. It felt so unnecessary and as if it was put in the story just so it could have a breakup. Some aspects were cute between there interaction, however when reading them everything was just looming over it.
The book gives a behind the scene look into the world of film making and Hollywood which comes more from Anna side with her directing. However everything else I didn't love. It all felt a bit lacking and empty. The chemistry never felt right, never really clicked properly, and the tensions between them felt forced and so unnatural.
A thrid act breakup can sometimes be done so well, but sadly this one just missed. It felt so unnecessary and as if it was put in the story just so it could have a breakup. Some aspects were cute between there interaction, however when reading them everything was just looming over it.
August 14, 2021
3.5 stars
Up until around the 75% mark, I really loved this book. The characters are beautifully drawn and complicated— neither John nor Anna are perfect, but they’re both passionate about their craft, relatable, and mostly easy to like. Their attraction is both emotional and physical, and their chemistry is real. Their banter is great, and it’s fun watching them connect, disconnect, then reconnect. It was all good for me, until the inevitable “turning point.” This book lost steam for me when John kept coming up with increasingly ridiculous reasons not to tell Anna the truth. It worked as a plot device, building tension for the “big misunderstanding,” but it went on so long and so absurdly that it strained credulity and made John, otherwise a fully developed, intelligent character, into a caricature of himself. In so many ways, this book plays with established romance tropes and makes them into fun or unexpected versions of themselves, and in this, it just didn’t—instead the author opted to go all in on the cliche and I guess I just expected, and wanted, better. Also, the way Anna reacted to John’s “betrayal” (which clearly wasn’t) was mean, vindictive, petty, and pretty much made a caricature out of her. Overall, the whole mess just revealed that neither really trusts the other, and that undermined their whole relationship for me— while I liked the fact that they addressed the fact that they *need* to communicate better in the aftermath, and that they both tried to do something to redeem themselves with the other, I just never really go over why they had to go through all that in the first place. I’m not sure how to rate this book: it was so good, until it wasn’t, and while I appreciated the HEA, I still have really mixed feelings overall.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Up until around the 75% mark, I really loved this book. The characters are beautifully drawn and complicated— neither John nor Anna are perfect, but they’re both passionate about their craft, relatable, and mostly easy to like. Their attraction is both emotional and physical, and their chemistry is real. Their banter is great, and it’s fun watching them connect, disconnect, then reconnect. It was all good for me, until the inevitable “turning point.” This book lost steam for me when John kept coming up with increasingly ridiculous reasons not to tell Anna the truth. It worked as a plot device, building tension for the “big misunderstanding,” but it went on so long and so absurdly that it strained credulity and made John, otherwise a fully developed, intelligent character, into a caricature of himself. In so many ways, this book plays with established romance tropes and makes them into fun or unexpected versions of themselves, and in this, it just didn’t—instead the author opted to go all in on the cliche and I guess I just expected, and wanted, better. Also, the way Anna reacted to John’s “betrayal” (which clearly wasn’t) was mean, vindictive, petty, and pretty much made a caricature out of her. Overall, the whole mess just revealed that neither really trusts the other, and that undermined their whole relationship for me— while I liked the fact that they addressed the fact that they *need* to communicate better in the aftermath, and that they both tried to do something to redeem themselves with the other, I just never really go over why they had to go through all that in the first place. I’m not sure how to rate this book: it was so good, until it wasn’t, and while I appreciated the HEA, I still have really mixed feelings overall.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 17, 2021
Anna & John are two people trying to prove themselves in Hollywood. They meet at a bar when Anna is down on her luck and John tries to get her to read his script. They meet again when John is tending bar at a big Hollywood party Anna is attending, where John learns that Anna’s ex-husband is an agent that holds a lot of power among the stars. And even though Anna & John hit it off at the bar when they previously met, this new piece of knowledge makes John question their initial chemistry.
As fate would have it, Anna & John end up working on the same set for a terrible B-list vampire movie where Anna’s the director and John’s her AD. Of course they fall into a forbidden, secret love affair during production and all hell breaks loose when their relationship becomes public.
Reel Love by Evie Browning was a light, slightly dramatic romance set in Hollywood. If you have always wondered a bit about the “behind the scenes” of movies and film production in general, I think this one would be for you. I didn’t love Evie’s use of third person POV and her jumping around character to character within chapters, but her humor was fun and Anna & John’s romance was sweet. I didn’t love this one, but it was a short, fun read. 3/5 stars.
As fate would have it, Anna & John end up working on the same set for a terrible B-list vampire movie where Anna’s the director and John’s her AD. Of course they fall into a forbidden, secret love affair during production and all hell breaks loose when their relationship becomes public.
Reel Love by Evie Browning was a light, slightly dramatic romance set in Hollywood. If you have always wondered a bit about the “behind the scenes” of movies and film production in general, I think this one would be for you. I didn’t love Evie’s use of third person POV and her jumping around character to character within chapters, but her humor was fun and Anna & John’s romance was sweet. I didn’t love this one, but it was a short, fun read. 3/5 stars.
October 4, 2024
I chose to read Reel Love because of the captivating cover design by Leni Kauffman and then I fell in love with the premise. I’m a sucker for books that challenge the status quo and place strong women in male-dominated roles. Add in some slow-burn tension and a captivating unique plot and I’m SOLD!!
3.5 ⭐'s with Lots to Love:
Age Gap (she’s older 👏🏻)
Female Movie Director (in a male-dominated world) 🎥
He falls first 💙
Enemies to Lovers ⚔️
Slow burn with plenty of steam once ya wait for it 🧯
Compelling dialogue and verbal sparring 💬
Well-developed side characters 👯
“When did I stop taking chances?” “I don’t know, friend, but it’s not too late. It’s never too late. Besides, we need some good stories for when we end up in an old folks’ home together, eating mushy peas and racing in our wheelchairs down the hallway.” 🤣 << Perfect BFF real-talk
This was my first Evie Browning book and I loved learning more about her in her bio:
Evie Browning writes romantic comedies when she's not working for a living, parenting her two children or taking her dog for a walk. So, not as often as she would like. Her MMCs look like they could kill you, but are cinnamon rolls. Her FMCs look like they are cinnamon rolls, but could kill you.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars for me is that it was a little slow building to 35% and once the forced proximity kicked in then the book hit its stride. Also, this eARC copy had some pretty obvious errors that should be caught in editing, so hopefully, that’s all smoothed out in the final version.
THANK YOU to Evie Browning, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review!
3.5 ⭐'s with Lots to Love:
Age Gap (she’s older 👏🏻)
Female Movie Director (in a male-dominated world) 🎥
He falls first 💙
Enemies to Lovers ⚔️
Slow burn with plenty of steam once ya wait for it 🧯
Compelling dialogue and verbal sparring 💬
Well-developed side characters 👯
“When did I stop taking chances?” “I don’t know, friend, but it’s not too late. It’s never too late. Besides, we need some good stories for when we end up in an old folks’ home together, eating mushy peas and racing in our wheelchairs down the hallway.” 🤣 << Perfect BFF real-talk
This was my first Evie Browning book and I loved learning more about her in her bio:
Evie Browning writes romantic comedies when she's not working for a living, parenting her two children or taking her dog for a walk. So, not as often as she would like. Her MMCs look like they could kill you, but are cinnamon rolls. Her FMCs look like they are cinnamon rolls, but could kill you.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars for me is that it was a little slow building to 35% and once the forced proximity kicked in then the book hit its stride. Also, this eARC copy had some pretty obvious errors that should be caught in editing, so hopefully, that’s all smoothed out in the final version.
THANK YOU to Evie Browning, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 16, 2025
I want to start off by saying that the cover of this book is stunning! I was immediately drawn to it and when I read the blurb I knew it was a book I wanted to read. With that said, this book was unfortunately quite disappointing.
The start of the book was very slow and not very engaging. I totally understand what Evie was trying to do with building that initial connection between Anna and John, but for me, it came across more like she was telling me about their connection instead of showing me. So it just felt forced and a bit boring.
However, once the story progressed to them being on set it became far more engaging. I really enjoyed the aspect of getting a behind the scenes look at Hollywood, especially from the director's point of view. I kind of wish that there was more of a focus on it because I think it would have added some more depth to the story.
The part I struggled with the most was the writing. Evie's writing style just wasn't for me. Unfortunately I wasn't able to feel the chemistry between Anna and John. It just didn't feel like it flowed in a realistic way. It wasn't just the romance that I didn't love, I feel like the story just skipped a lot of what could have been the best parts. I would have loved to see a lot more of Anna fixing the movie. We definitely got to see a few things, but I would have loved more plot that focused on her working with the cast and crew so that we could really see the progress of the movie.
I was really hoping that as I progressed through the book it would grow on me but unfortunately once I got to the part about the article I just had to stop.
I wanted love this one because I think the idea of it is great, but yeah, the writing just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The start of the book was very slow and not very engaging. I totally understand what Evie was trying to do with building that initial connection between Anna and John, but for me, it came across more like she was telling me about their connection instead of showing me. So it just felt forced and a bit boring.
However, once the story progressed to them being on set it became far more engaging. I really enjoyed the aspect of getting a behind the scenes look at Hollywood, especially from the director's point of view. I kind of wish that there was more of a focus on it because I think it would have added some more depth to the story.
The part I struggled with the most was the writing. Evie's writing style just wasn't for me. Unfortunately I wasn't able to feel the chemistry between Anna and John. It just didn't feel like it flowed in a realistic way. It wasn't just the romance that I didn't love, I feel like the story just skipped a lot of what could have been the best parts. I would have loved to see a lot more of Anna fixing the movie. We definitely got to see a few things, but I would have loved more plot that focused on her working with the cast and crew so that we could really see the progress of the movie.
I was really hoping that as I progressed through the book it would grow on me but unfortunately once I got to the part about the article I just had to stop.
I wanted love this one because I think the idea of it is great, but yeah, the writing just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 21, 2025
First, thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing an arc of the book. This book was released on May 4th, 2021.
“Reel Love” by Evie Browning tells the story of Anna Kovác, a struggling film director, and John Mills, an aspiring screenwriter, whose paths collide unexpectedly on a film set in Rome. As they navigate the challenges of a troubled production and the complexities of their burgeoning relationship, they must confront their own insecurities and learn to trust each other.
The book offers an intriguing glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Hollywood, with its cutthroat competition and the pressures of maintaining a career in a demanding industry. However, the romance between Anna and John feels somewhat underdeveloped, lacking the emotional depth and chemistry that could have truly elevated the story.
While the premise has potential, the execution falls short. The characters, though well-intentioned, sometimes feel a bit stereotypical, and the plot relies heavily on predictable tropes and contrived conflicts. Despite these shortcomings, “Reel Love” provides a light and entertaining read for those seeking a quick escape into the world of Hollywood romance.
“Reel Love” by Evie Browning tells the story of Anna Kovác, a struggling film director, and John Mills, an aspiring screenwriter, whose paths collide unexpectedly on a film set in Rome. As they navigate the challenges of a troubled production and the complexities of their burgeoning relationship, they must confront their own insecurities and learn to trust each other.
The book offers an intriguing glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Hollywood, with its cutthroat competition and the pressures of maintaining a career in a demanding industry. However, the romance between Anna and John feels somewhat underdeveloped, lacking the emotional depth and chemistry that could have truly elevated the story.
While the premise has potential, the execution falls short. The characters, though well-intentioned, sometimes feel a bit stereotypical, and the plot relies heavily on predictable tropes and contrived conflicts. Despite these shortcomings, “Reel Love” provides a light and entertaining read for those seeking a quick escape into the world of Hollywood romance.
October 3, 2024
Netgalley ARC
This was a cute tale of will they won’t they. Although there’s an age gap Anna is only 10 years older that John and they are both over the age of 27 so it’s not a big deal in real life but the setting of Hollywood would make it so.
Some of the arguments felt a bit forced to fit the storyline, as did the coming to realise they were arguing over nothing. Needed more omph to get me to believe that arc at the end.
Otherwise it was really sweet romance on and off a movie set. More about the movie business could have been included. The ex-husband drama was engaging but since a lot of it happened off the pages it was a little hard to follow, some cuts to Tom might have worked better.
This was a cute tale of will they won’t they. Although there’s an age gap Anna is only 10 years older that John and they are both over the age of 27 so it’s not a big deal in real life but the setting of Hollywood would make it so.
Some of the arguments felt a bit forced to fit the storyline, as did the coming to realise they were arguing over nothing. Needed more omph to get me to believe that arc at the end.
Otherwise it was really sweet romance on and off a movie set. More about the movie business could have been included. The ex-husband drama was engaging but since a lot of it happened off the pages it was a little hard to follow, some cuts to Tom might have worked better.
October 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I loved the cover and the premise definitely had potential but it just fell flat and was honestly just boring to me. I found myself just skimming through towards the end.
Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I loved the cover and the premise definitely had potential but it just fell flat and was honestly just boring to me. I found myself just skimming through towards the end.
October 13, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in advance.
I really enjoyed this book, it had such a realistic feel to it, like neither character was perfect but because of that it made it perfect. It was fun getting to go into the film world and in the end it was a beautiful love story.
I really enjoyed this book, it had such a realistic feel to it, like neither character was perfect but because of that it made it perfect. It was fun getting to go into the film world and in the end it was a beautiful love story.
May 10, 2021
Cute romance with adorable characters. The villain is pretty mean.
February 21, 2025
La parte romance è carina e il setting interessante, ma lo stile poco scorrevole e molto narrato mi ha reso la lettura più difficile.
February 24, 2022
Reel Love is an age gap, workplace romance set in in the Hollywood movie industry. Washed up director Anna is 35, divorced and broke. Bartender John acts on the side, but has dreams to direct. When the two are tasked with saving a movie in Italy, the sparks fly, even against their reservations of a relationship.
John was super persistent with Anna and I loved how she kept second-guessing herself with him, even though deep down she knew she wanted him. The romance between the two started off super strong and featured one of my favorite tropes - making out against a brick wall. I love a good steamy, open door romance!
However, the first 15-20% was a tad too slow for my taste with the setup. There were lots of characters introduced and I found the intricate Hollywood ins and outs of movies and connections between people a tad boring. I honestly just wanted to get to the romance and have less industry talk. The chemistry between the two started off strong on page, but seemed to fizzle as the book went on. The final conflict felt surface level.
John was super persistent with Anna and I loved how she kept second-guessing herself with him, even though deep down she knew she wanted him. The romance between the two started off super strong and featured one of my favorite tropes - making out against a brick wall. I love a good steamy, open door romance!
However, the first 15-20% was a tad too slow for my taste with the setup. There were lots of characters introduced and I found the intricate Hollywood ins and outs of movies and connections between people a tad boring. I honestly just wanted to get to the romance and have less industry talk. The chemistry between the two started off strong on page, but seemed to fizzle as the book went on. The final conflict felt surface level.
October 28, 2024
Pretty cute romance, i love the tension and especially the drama. Celebrity romances have somehow found their way into my heart, so this was pretty fun. I cannot exactly put into words how i feel, but i think i felt like something was missing, though i dont know what exactly. I wish i could explain it better.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review
March 12, 2022
The cover drew me in and I love the inital premise of the book but it just fell flat to me. I honestly wasn't emotionally invested in Anna and John's relationship. I was bored reading this and was looking for something to spark me to enjoy it but it didn't. There really wasn't any chemistry I could feel and I found myself just skimming through to the end. I really wanted to like this but but it just ended up leaving me feel "meh" and I found myself somewhat interested at the love scene but this book had potential.
August 20, 2021
This is a standalone romance between Anna Kovac, a movie director, and John Mills, a screenwriter and wannabe director, who meet up for the first time in a bar, where she had her card declined and ended up washing dishes, to help out John the bartender. They end up chatting after his shift ends and then share a hot moment in the alley beside the bar. Since divorcing her powerful agent husband, finding him to be too controlling and not wanting to give her the freedom to work as she wants, she is now out of work and trying to get a new job, without him meddling. John tries to get his friend to invite him along to an important gathering, to try and pitch his screenplay to some important people at the party. Anna walked away from John in the alley, suddenly coming to the realisation that she couldn’t be seen with a much younger man or any sort of scandal, after the downturn in her career and some previous issues with bad media stories. Anna is also at the party, having been forced to come by her best friend, who is letting her stay at her place, and comes across her ex. He tries to persuade her to take a job he has specifically gotten for her, but she doesn’t want his help in that way and prefers to go her own way, which makes him quite angry!
Her friend has been offered a job on the set of a troubled vampire film and when some more crew are fired, Anna is brought on as a replacement director. What she doesn’t know is that John has been given an option on his screenplay by Anna’s ex-husband, on condition that he takes a role on a troubled film as the AD, assistant director, to prove he can do the job for his own film. But Anna’s ex has tricked him into a deal with the devil, in an attempt by the ex to damage Anna’s reputation even more and out for revenge against her refusal to take a job he wants her to. On their first day on the film set, Anna realises John is there as well and has to hope he won’t tell anyone about their initial meeting, whilst trying to be as professional as possible. It is impossible for them to keep away from each other, no matter how they try to avoid it, whilst on the set. Someone on the set leaks a story to the press and tries to blame Anna for all the problems she inherited on the set, plus a photo of the two of them and comments about her having an affair with a younger crew member! It shows the sort of harassment she has had to put up with on set and from the press, something she was already worried about beforehand and tried to avoid. John isn’t so concerned and believes they can carry on once they are both back in L.A., but isn’t as savvy about Hollywood, as she clearly is from past experiences.
Anna figures out her ex-husband is behind everything and initially wants to just ignore him and do nothing. John tries to get the option on his screenplay cancelled or to get out of it, but hasn’t learnt how to deal with sharks like her ex as yet and finds there is little he can do. Both have lost what little chance they had of a new career, but neither will take it sitting down, especially when the person they love is being hurt so badly! Anna finally fights her ex for what she wants and certainly has enough ammunition to force his hand. The dreams both have for their futures have been smashed, but they aren’t going to take this one lying down. Whether they can take a chance on a relationship together, may have been scuppered by matters outside of their control. An odd pairing, with more similarities than differences and wishes for control over their own projects without compromise. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Her friend has been offered a job on the set of a troubled vampire film and when some more crew are fired, Anna is brought on as a replacement director. What she doesn’t know is that John has been given an option on his screenplay by Anna’s ex-husband, on condition that he takes a role on a troubled film as the AD, assistant director, to prove he can do the job for his own film. But Anna’s ex has tricked him into a deal with the devil, in an attempt by the ex to damage Anna’s reputation even more and out for revenge against her refusal to take a job he wants her to. On their first day on the film set, Anna realises John is there as well and has to hope he won’t tell anyone about their initial meeting, whilst trying to be as professional as possible. It is impossible for them to keep away from each other, no matter how they try to avoid it, whilst on the set. Someone on the set leaks a story to the press and tries to blame Anna for all the problems she inherited on the set, plus a photo of the two of them and comments about her having an affair with a younger crew member! It shows the sort of harassment she has had to put up with on set and from the press, something she was already worried about beforehand and tried to avoid. John isn’t so concerned and believes they can carry on once they are both back in L.A., but isn’t as savvy about Hollywood, as she clearly is from past experiences.
Anna figures out her ex-husband is behind everything and initially wants to just ignore him and do nothing. John tries to get the option on his screenplay cancelled or to get out of it, but hasn’t learnt how to deal with sharks like her ex as yet and finds there is little he can do. Both have lost what little chance they had of a new career, but neither will take it sitting down, especially when the person they love is being hurt so badly! Anna finally fights her ex for what she wants and certainly has enough ammunition to force his hand. The dreams both have for their futures have been smashed, but they aren’t going to take this one lying down. Whether they can take a chance on a relationship together, may have been scuppered by matters outside of their control. An odd pairing, with more similarities than differences and wishes for control over their own projects without compromise. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
August 16, 2021
Nice romantic story about a down and out director who meets a part-time bartender slash, part-time actor, slash wanna be screen writer. Anna just arrived back in the states from a job in London and has stopped at a bar to read a new script for a possible job opportunity. She had two beers and handed her credit card to the cute bartender, John, to pay for her drinks. He comes back to her and says it's been declined. She tells him to run it again and he informs her that he'd already tried it three times that he'll need for her to pay cash otherwise it'll end up coming out of his pay check. She calls her friend, Jenny, and she ends up agreeing to go with her to a premier party instead of getting any cash out of her. She gets the bartender to agree to let her work it off in the kitchen washing dishes. Later, when John's replacement comes in, he and Anna sit in a booth in the corner and get to know each other which ends with a make-out session in the alley behind the bar. He hints around that he'd like to see her again and she freaks out about it due to the age difference and emotional baggage from her ex-husband. Fast forward she attends the premier party with her friend, Jenny, and runs into her ex-husband, Tom, who is a high powered agent , and they get into a verbal fight because he's still trying to dictate her choices in life under the guise of getting her directorial work that she desperately needs because since their divorce she hasn't been getting many good job offers. She then runs into the bartender, who is now a waiter at the party. They pretend to not know each other and end up saying nasty, hurtful things to each other. John then learns who her ex-husband is when he approaches him says that he heard through the grapevine that he's looking for help to get his screenplay into a movie and that he could help him. In the meantime Anna's friend Jenny is offered a job rewriting a script for a vampire movie filming in Rome. She accepts and later learns that they're looking for a new director as well and she convinces Anna to take the job and come with her to Rome. Little do either of them know that Anna's ex-husband is busy setting up John to be the assistant director for that same movie and has his fingers all over it's production. John accepts the assistant position and also has signed a contract with Tom to get his screenplay into production. I'll leave you here because I don't want to give too much of the story away but it involves a sweet romance, an angry, manipulative ex-husband, possible betrayal and maybe a second chance at happiness. It really is a heartwarming sweet romance that has a good, original storyline with strong characters. I recommend this book if you like your romances on the sweet side.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 5, 2025
I REALLY wanted to love this book, and I did have a lot to love about it!
Reel Love follows two film industry professionals who are fighting to be in the industry while facing their own internal battles holding them back all while forced to work on a film they know is slated for Straight to DVD. Add in a vengeful ex-lover and it makes it hard for our two MCs to finally get the love they both deserve!
I loved having this fun behind the scenes life of film industry professionals struggling to get their foot in the door and make something for themselves. Both Anna and John battle an uphill battle in their roles as director and aspiring screen writer, and their orchestrated pairing into getting the B-movie tumbling over its finish line just adds to their burdens. I loved watching them both come alive while filming, and their adorable love story unfolds well. I LOVED the “villain” of our story, he was so perfectly evil in the most realistic and devious way; his hold on the strings of the industry and using it for his own vendetta was my favourite evil plan. I loved the ending, and the way we get to the Happily ever after; both Anna and John did such a great job for their own lives and to help bring them back to the other and really tied everything up well!
Two things knocked this story off the 4 star tier; the first issue I had was the one intimate scene, I felt it was poorly written, convoluted to the point I couldn't figure out what was all unfolding, and I think I would have much preferred to have it a fade to black with little hints during both Anna and Johns recollections instead of the open door we got. The second issue was there are a few points that felt like “the CD skipped” (if your old enough to know that reference). A few parts I had to reread 2-3 times to see if it was my comprehension or the actual words and it was, in fact, the way the scene was written. It felt jumpy and jumbled like it was partially deleted and rewritten where the first sentence didn't clearly lead to the last of the paragraph. While neither of this things made the book unreadable, I did find them distracting and caused me to stall out, and have to get back into the grove.
Overall, great read; and if your not a strict stickler for prose you'll easily enjoy this sweet romance!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reel Love follows two film industry professionals who are fighting to be in the industry while facing their own internal battles holding them back all while forced to work on a film they know is slated for Straight to DVD. Add in a vengeful ex-lover and it makes it hard for our two MCs to finally get the love they both deserve!
I loved having this fun behind the scenes life of film industry professionals struggling to get their foot in the door and make something for themselves. Both Anna and John battle an uphill battle in their roles as director and aspiring screen writer, and their orchestrated pairing into getting the B-movie tumbling over its finish line just adds to their burdens. I loved watching them both come alive while filming, and their adorable love story unfolds well. I LOVED the “villain” of our story, he was so perfectly evil in the most realistic and devious way; his hold on the strings of the industry and using it for his own vendetta was my favourite evil plan. I loved the ending, and the way we get to the Happily ever after; both Anna and John did such a great job for their own lives and to help bring them back to the other and really tied everything up well!
Two things knocked this story off the 4 star tier; the first issue I had was the one intimate scene, I felt it was poorly written, convoluted to the point I couldn't figure out what was all unfolding, and I think I would have much preferred to have it a fade to black with little hints during both Anna and Johns recollections instead of the open door we got. The second issue was there are a few points that felt like “the CD skipped” (if your old enough to know that reference). A few parts I had to reread 2-3 times to see if it was my comprehension or the actual words and it was, in fact, the way the scene was written. It felt jumpy and jumbled like it was partially deleted and rewritten where the first sentence didn't clearly lead to the last of the paragraph. While neither of this things made the book unreadable, I did find them distracting and caused me to stall out, and have to get back into the grove.
Overall, great read; and if your not a strict stickler for prose you'll easily enjoy this sweet romance!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2024
Reel Love by Evie Browning is an interesting ride, let me tell you! 🌟 I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley via BooksGoSocial, and I’m giving it a solid 3 stars. It’s a cute, fun, Hollywood-set romance, but let’s be real—it didn’t blow my mind. Think of it as a B-list movie: entertaining, but not quite Oscar-worthy. 🎬✨
✨ Tropes & Themes ✨
✧ Reverse Age Gap 💫
✧ Workplace Romance 💗
✧ He Fell First 💕
✧ Slow Burn 🔥
✧ Forced Proximity 💖
✧ Forbidden Romance 💘
✧ Hollywood Drama 🎥
So, Anna, our down-on-her-luck director, meets John, the struggling screenwriter/bartender who has dabbled in some shirtless werewolf roles (yeah, you read that right 🐺). Their banter is super witty and had me chuckling! But OMG, that slow burn felt like we were stuck in the pre-production phase forever. 😅 I was just sitting there thinking, “Okay, when’s the romance actually gonna kick in?”
When it finally did, whoa, sparks flew—hello, steamy make-out sessions! Yes, please! But then... the fire kinda fizzled out. The initial tension was good, but as the story progressed, it just... faded. 🥲
Now, the Hollywood backdrop was fun—who doesn’t love a little behind-the-scenes drama? 🎥 But honestly, there was so much movie biz talk that it dragged a bit for me. I mean, I signed up for romance, not a masterclass in filmmaking! 😂 Plus, the third-person POV wasn’t my fave. It jumped between characters so much that I had to double-check who was who a few times. 😵💫
The age gap between Anna and John was well done! She’s 10 years older, and it didn’t feel forced at all. John’s persistence was adorable, and I loved Anna’s internal struggle over whether to give in to her feelings. Their romance was sweet but felt a bit rushed in parts and kinda lukewarm by the end. I was craving a deeper resolution; the ending felt a little surface-level. 💔
CWs:
- Workplace harassment
- Alcoholism and recovery discussions
- Leaked revealing photos
Overall, Reel Love is a light and quick read that gives you a peek into the chaos of Hollywood with a sprinkle of romance. It’s not a blockbuster in my book, but if you’re in the mood for a cute, easy-to-digest romance with some on-set drama, definitely give it a go! 🎞
✨ Tropes & Themes ✨
✧ Reverse Age Gap 💫
✧ Workplace Romance 💗
✧ He Fell First 💕
✧ Slow Burn 🔥
✧ Forced Proximity 💖
✧ Forbidden Romance 💘
✧ Hollywood Drama 🎥
So, Anna, our down-on-her-luck director, meets John, the struggling screenwriter/bartender who has dabbled in some shirtless werewolf roles (yeah, you read that right 🐺). Their banter is super witty and had me chuckling! But OMG, that slow burn felt like we were stuck in the pre-production phase forever. 😅 I was just sitting there thinking, “Okay, when’s the romance actually gonna kick in?”
When it finally did, whoa, sparks flew—hello, steamy make-out sessions! Yes, please! But then... the fire kinda fizzled out. The initial tension was good, but as the story progressed, it just... faded. 🥲
Now, the Hollywood backdrop was fun—who doesn’t love a little behind-the-scenes drama? 🎥 But honestly, there was so much movie biz talk that it dragged a bit for me. I mean, I signed up for romance, not a masterclass in filmmaking! 😂 Plus, the third-person POV wasn’t my fave. It jumped between characters so much that I had to double-check who was who a few times. 😵💫
The age gap between Anna and John was well done! She’s 10 years older, and it didn’t feel forced at all. John’s persistence was adorable, and I loved Anna’s internal struggle over whether to give in to her feelings. Their romance was sweet but felt a bit rushed in parts and kinda lukewarm by the end. I was craving a deeper resolution; the ending felt a little surface-level. 💔
CWs:
- Workplace harassment
- Alcoholism and recovery discussions
- Leaked revealing photos
Overall, Reel Love is a light and quick read that gives you a peek into the chaos of Hollywood with a sprinkle of romance. It’s not a blockbuster in my book, but if you’re in the mood for a cute, easy-to-digest romance with some on-set drama, definitely give it a go! 🎞
October 19, 2024
Reel Love follows Anna Kovác, a struggling film director trying to revive her career, and John Mills, an actor/screenwriter tired of being typecast as the “pretty face.” When fate brings them together on a chaotic movie set in Rome, sparks fly, but they must navigate Hollywood’s complexities, Anna’s vengeful ex-husband, and their undeniable attraction to find a happy ending.
I initially picked this book due to the Hollywood setting and reverse age gap proper (which you don't see that often), and I'm glad I did.
I loved all the behind-the-scenes details about the set life and how movies are made; they added authenticity to the book, and you really felt like you were there. It was fun to experience the not-so-glamorous world of movie-making alongside Anna and John.
The chemistry between Anna and John was undeniable from the start. I liked that their relationship evolved from a flirty encounter to something more meaningful as they worked together.
The reverse age gap trope was an interesting touch - Anna, as an older and more experienced director, was the one who was torn between professional caution and personal desire. It also allowed the book to touch on the double standards faced by women in Hollywood and, in general, with Anna dealing with ageism, sexism and scrutiny for dating a younger man.
John’s support during these moments, however, helped showcase his values and why he's such a great love interest. He was really easy to root for.
I was annoyed a bit about Anna’s ex-husband stirring up trouble because Tom's motivations felt so shallow and petty. But the sabotage did serve to heighten the stakes and province challenges for our two MCs to overcome.
And Anna was just quirky enough to feel real and interesting to follow.
There was heat but very little actual spice. So, Reel Love is a cute, quick read perfect for those looking for an entertaining escape into the world of movie-making and a swoony romance.
Tropes:
-reverse age gap
-workplace romance
-vengeful ex
-forced proximity
-forbidden romance
-instant attraction
-very little spice
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
I initially picked this book due to the Hollywood setting and reverse age gap proper (which you don't see that often), and I'm glad I did.
I loved all the behind-the-scenes details about the set life and how movies are made; they added authenticity to the book, and you really felt like you were there. It was fun to experience the not-so-glamorous world of movie-making alongside Anna and John.
The chemistry between Anna and John was undeniable from the start. I liked that their relationship evolved from a flirty encounter to something more meaningful as they worked together.
The reverse age gap trope was an interesting touch - Anna, as an older and more experienced director, was the one who was torn between professional caution and personal desire. It also allowed the book to touch on the double standards faced by women in Hollywood and, in general, with Anna dealing with ageism, sexism and scrutiny for dating a younger man.
John’s support during these moments, however, helped showcase his values and why he's such a great love interest. He was really easy to root for.
I was annoyed a bit about Anna’s ex-husband stirring up trouble because Tom's motivations felt so shallow and petty. But the sabotage did serve to heighten the stakes and province challenges for our two MCs to overcome.
And Anna was just quirky enough to feel real and interesting to follow.
There was heat but very little actual spice. So, Reel Love is a cute, quick read perfect for those looking for an entertaining escape into the world of movie-making and a swoony romance.
Tropes:
-reverse age gap
-workplace romance
-vengeful ex
-forced proximity
-forbidden romance
-instant attraction
-very little spice
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
November 4, 2024
Much romance, little innovation
Evie Browning's latest, an age-gap romance between a down-on-her-luck film director and an aspiring screenwriter slash bartender slash actor slash AD is probably most firmly placed mid-shelf.
While Anna, a late-30s director struggling to pay her tab and get another job that does not make her want to drown her feelings in alcohol, is trying to break free from the hold her ex has on her career, early 20s screenwriter John is trying to get his first script made. But he also has a lot of demands and lofty aspirations. When they meet in a bar, their physical attraction is instantaneous, even if they do not quite get along on a personal level - mostly due to an unfortunate habit of not telling the truth, which both indulge in frequently over the course of the novel.
I have never read an age-gap romance before, though their gap in age was maybe less shocking (or less well written?) than what some might expect. The chemistry between the characters works, there is a whole host of quirky side kicks and secondary characters who get half a story arc, but I have big issues with the plot and the setting. Film sets are notoriously busy and as such make for little spare time. This book makes them look like vacation with your work laptop.
The plot twists, as well as the time jumps are sudden and it feels like the whole falling-in-love part is not fleshed out. Many things feel rushed, especially when it comes to characters' decision-making processes and dropping of plot twists.
I did not like the antagonist, fair enough, but he seemed to be a bit of a caricature rather than a decently motivated villain.
I think overall Evie Browning has a superficial, romantic idea of how film production works but skimped a bit on the research.
If you enjoy spicy romance, alternative work settings (no offices!) and a villain you can only hate, this book is for you!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Evie Browning's latest, an age-gap romance between a down-on-her-luck film director and an aspiring screenwriter slash bartender slash actor slash AD is probably most firmly placed mid-shelf.
While Anna, a late-30s director struggling to pay her tab and get another job that does not make her want to drown her feelings in alcohol, is trying to break free from the hold her ex has on her career, early 20s screenwriter John is trying to get his first script made. But he also has a lot of demands and lofty aspirations. When they meet in a bar, their physical attraction is instantaneous, even if they do not quite get along on a personal level - mostly due to an unfortunate habit of not telling the truth, which both indulge in frequently over the course of the novel.
I have never read an age-gap romance before, though their gap in age was maybe less shocking (or less well written?) than what some might expect. The chemistry between the characters works, there is a whole host of quirky side kicks and secondary characters who get half a story arc, but I have big issues with the plot and the setting. Film sets are notoriously busy and as such make for little spare time. This book makes them look like vacation with your work laptop.
The plot twists, as well as the time jumps are sudden and it feels like the whole falling-in-love part is not fleshed out. Many things feel rushed, especially when it comes to characters' decision-making processes and dropping of plot twists.
I did not like the antagonist, fair enough, but he seemed to be a bit of a caricature rather than a decently motivated villain.
I think overall Evie Browning has a superficial, romantic idea of how film production works but skimped a bit on the research.
If you enjoy spicy romance, alternative work settings (no offices!) and a villain you can only hate, this book is for you!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
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