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It Happened One Fight
From Entertainment Weekly writer Maureen Lee Lenker comes a swoony romantic comedy set in the world of 1930s film.
Joan Davis is a movie star, and a damned good actor, too. Unfortunately, Hollywood only seems to care when she stars alongside Dash Howard, Tinseltown's favorite leading man and a perpetual thorn in Joan's side. She's sick of his hotshot attitude, his never-ending attempts to get a rise out of her—especially after the night he sold her out to the press on a studio-arranged date. She'll turn her career around without him. She's engaged to Hollywood's next rising star, after all, and preparing to make the film that could finally get her taken seriously. Then, a bombshell thanks to one of his on-set pranks gone wrong, Dash and Joan are legally married.
Reputation on the line, Joan agrees to star alongside Dash one last time and move production to Reno, where divorce is legal after a six-week residency. But between on-set shenanigans, fishing competitions at Lake Tahoe, and intimate moments leaked to the press, Joan begins to see another side to the man she thought she had all figured out, and it becomes harder and harder to convince the public—and herself—that her marriage to Dash is the joke it started out as.
Joan Davis is a movie star, and a damned good actor, too. Unfortunately, Hollywood only seems to care when she stars alongside Dash Howard, Tinseltown's favorite leading man and a perpetual thorn in Joan's side. She's sick of his hotshot attitude, his never-ending attempts to get a rise out of her—especially after the night he sold her out to the press on a studio-arranged date. She'll turn her career around without him. She's engaged to Hollywood's next rising star, after all, and preparing to make the film that could finally get her taken seriously. Then, a bombshell thanks to one of his on-set pranks gone wrong, Dash and Joan are legally married.
Reputation on the line, Joan agrees to star alongside Dash one last time and move production to Reno, where divorce is legal after a six-week residency. But between on-set shenanigans, fishing competitions at Lake Tahoe, and intimate moments leaked to the press, Joan begins to see another side to the man she thought she had all figured out, and it becomes harder and harder to convince the public—and herself—that her marriage to Dash is the joke it started out as.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 494 reviews
July 12, 2023
This book was surprising in many ways, mainly that I could simultaneously love it and hate it so so much. I appreciated the non-traditional (at least for me) setting of the 1930s, and the tension and passion between the two stars was delicious. The accidental marriage setup was so fun, plus it was open door!
I’m fond of the occasional black and white film marathon, and this put me majorly in the mood. Plus, I have such a soft spot for this book’s namesake, It Happened One Night! In the book, the movie is referenced, but by a fake name as it starred the two main characters. They even recreated the sheet divider in the bedroom!! I also think I spotted other references to actors and films, but who’s to say.
However, and it’s a BIG however, I absolutely despised the atrocious third act. I knew it was coming because there was still too much of the book left for there not to be something major, but man it was way too much to handle. I’m not built for shit to go that bad because of decisions being made for the COUPLE by only ONE character with no communication. It was just cruel.
*minor spoilers below*
I don’t know how Dash forgave Joan because I sure haven’t. There was too l much forgiveness all around and I simply can’t abide I’m so sorry but absolutely FUCK Leda into next Tuesday. And we didn’t even get a confrontation. What do I hate? Blackmail and self sacrifice, both of which we got in spades. The last 10% just felt so unbelievable. I didn’t like the grand gesture and I think Joan had to really vocalize to the entire world why she did what she did and who forced it.
Aside from the last 35% of the book, I think a critique from other readers will be that it felt super modern and not like the thirties at all. There were some older phrases, but overall it felt fresh. I never really have an issue with modern historical romances, so it actually worked for me. If this story would’ve actually been set in 2023, wouldn’t have enjoyed it, so I still think the time period worked effectively. I thought the setting was super interesting, and I really loved the celebrity relationship aspect, which I normally don’t like so much.
Like I said, I loved the book until the third act breakup. I’m assuming we’ll get Flynn’s book next? If so, I’m definitely interested, but I’ll need to read reviews to see how that third-act is handled. Because I do have some trust issues now. I didn’t have issues with the pacing and was actually quite riveted (until the third act), so I do think there’s a chance I could really love book two.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.25*/5
*I truly didn’t know what to expect with this one. We got one full open door scene and I really really loved it. It spanned a lot of pages and felt like the perfect climax to their relationship and all that pent up passion. There were a couple later closed door moments that could’ve totally been open door and it would’ve made the payoff a little sweeter. For some reason I expected this to be all closed door, so I’m definitely not complaining.
P.S. I think the characters on the cover look super authentic, but I didn’t feel like they actually reflected the characters in the book. He looks so old on the cover but he read like he was 29-32. She looks like a cool 41. Also I’m sorry but pencil mustaches are disgusting.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
I’m fond of the occasional black and white film marathon, and this put me majorly in the mood. Plus, I have such a soft spot for this book’s namesake, It Happened One Night! In the book, the movie is referenced, but by a fake name as it starred the two main characters. They even recreated the sheet divider in the bedroom!! I also think I spotted other references to actors and films, but who’s to say.
However, and it’s a BIG however, I absolutely despised the atrocious third act. I knew it was coming because there was still too much of the book left for there not to be something major, but man it was way too much to handle. I’m not built for shit to go that bad because of decisions being made for the COUPLE by only ONE character with no communication. It was just cruel.
*minor spoilers below*
I don’t know how Dash forgave Joan because I sure haven’t. There was too l much forgiveness all around and I simply can’t abide I’m so sorry but absolutely FUCK Leda into next Tuesday. And we didn’t even get a confrontation. What do I hate? Blackmail and self sacrifice, both of which we got in spades. The last 10% just felt so unbelievable. I didn’t like the grand gesture and I think Joan had to really vocalize to the entire world why she did what she did and who forced it.
Aside from the last 35% of the book, I think a critique from other readers will be that it felt super modern and not like the thirties at all. There were some older phrases, but overall it felt fresh. I never really have an issue with modern historical romances, so it actually worked for me. If this story would’ve actually been set in 2023, wouldn’t have enjoyed it, so I still think the time period worked effectively. I thought the setting was super interesting, and I really loved the celebrity relationship aspect, which I normally don’t like so much.
Like I said, I loved the book until the third act breakup. I’m assuming we’ll get Flynn’s book next? If so, I’m definitely interested, but I’ll need to read reviews to see how that third-act is handled. Because I do have some trust issues now. I didn’t have issues with the pacing and was actually quite riveted (until the third act), so I do think there’s a chance I could really love book two.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.25*/5
*I truly didn’t know what to expect with this one. We got one full open door scene and I really really loved it. It spanned a lot of pages and felt like the perfect climax to their relationship and all that pent up passion. There were a couple later closed door moments that could’ve totally been open door and it would’ve made the payoff a little sweeter. For some reason I expected this to be all closed door, so I’m definitely not complaining.
P.S. I think the characters on the cover look super authentic, but I didn’t feel like they actually reflected the characters in the book. He looks so old on the cover but he read like he was 29-32. She looks like a cool 41. Also I’m sorry but pencil mustaches are disgusting.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
February 16, 2024
From one classic film buff to another, this book was exactly my cup of tea. It's as campy and cliche as those classic early 1930s films and captures the soul of the iconic movies like its title's original, It Happened One Night.
Let's start this review from the end: my final thoughts and a reflection on the shockingly low average rating of this book by other readers. I'm really sad to see the low average. But I get it, I do. I think this novel took so many nuances from the classic movies it was referencing—and in such an one-the-nose AND somehow subtly organic way—that it looped from a level of clever referencing back onto itself with an over-the-top edge that appears to have turned off several readers. This novel captured the camp and cliches TOO well, and therefore it seems like a some readers see this romance as derivative, ridiculous, and not authentic. I am not trying to shame or call out anyone who didn't love this book, to each their own.)
As someone who's seen the movies that Lenker references in her afterword, I thought she nailed it. The soul of those movies and that era of filmmaking was captured in this novel—romanticized for the rom-com nature of the story, it's true, and omitting the period's racist ideals—and so It Happened One Fight felt like the best of fanfictions for themes and dialogues that I know so well.
Dialogue repetitive and themes over-dramatized? That was the early 1930s' jam!
Grandiose feelings and actions and constant external verbalizations of themes? This too was the era!
Joan Davis is a movie star, and a damned good actor, too. Unfortunately, Hollywood only seems to care when she stars alongside Dash Howard, Tinseltown's favorite leading man and a perpetual thorn in Joan's side. Davis and Dash, constantly together and constantly clashing—their onscreen chemistry leads to fantastic blowups on set, and their famous feud heightens each box office sale. It's a classic Hollywood setup, and Joan's tired of it.
So when Joan announces her engagement to Monty, another swoon-worthy Hollywood leading man, the LAST thing she expects is to find out that she's actually...already married? It turns out an onscreen marriage scene to Dash in an early film was much more legal than anyone thought. And somehow, a real marriage license made its way to a City Hall office.
Yep, that's right. Dash and Davis are actually husband and wife. And Joan is PISSED. (Dash's feelings are more on the humorous side, as he loves to see Joan spark with emotions.)
To fix this huge blunder, the two stars hightail it to Reno, where divorces are easier to grant after a quick 6-week residency. Their current film was already about a divorcee finding love on a remote ranch. A quick script rewrite and boom! Reno Rendezvous is ready for camera, set, action.
But six weeks is a long time to be that close together, and Joan and Dash are about to discover that their feelings might not be so simple after all. And they're already husband and wife, so... Cue some shenanigans on set and behind the scenes.
UGH. I loved this story. It was so much fun, and let's be honest: I did tear up there at the end. This romance was everything I was looking for in this setup, and the film buff in me enjoyed every reference. The characters were sweet, the plot was unique for the modern "illustrated cover romances" of today, and it was the perfect level of banter + slow burn + amusing setups.
I just think this novel is a lot of fun, folks, and the author did a superb job at honoring the source material and twisting it slightly for modern readers to enjoy without making the romance, the characters, or the setting feel too modern.
Come for the nod to the classics, stay for the nod to the classics. This is such a fun, lighthearted, and emotionally good time!
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
Let's start this review from the end: my final thoughts and a reflection on the shockingly low average rating of this book by other readers. I'm really sad to see the low average. But I get it, I do. I think this novel took so many nuances from the classic movies it was referencing—and in such an one-the-nose AND somehow subtly organic way—that it looped from a level of clever referencing back onto itself with an over-the-top edge that appears to have turned off several readers. This novel captured the camp and cliches TOO well, and therefore it seems like a some readers see this romance as derivative, ridiculous, and not authentic. I am not trying to shame or call out anyone who didn't love this book, to each their own.)
As someone who's seen the movies that Lenker references in her afterword, I thought she nailed it. The soul of those movies and that era of filmmaking was captured in this novel—romanticized for the rom-com nature of the story, it's true, and omitting the period's racist ideals—and so It Happened One Fight felt like the best of fanfictions for themes and dialogues that I know so well.
Dialogue repetitive and themes over-dramatized? That was the early 1930s' jam!
Grandiose feelings and actions and constant external verbalizations of themes? This too was the era!
Joan Davis is a movie star, and a damned good actor, too. Unfortunately, Hollywood only seems to care when she stars alongside Dash Howard, Tinseltown's favorite leading man and a perpetual thorn in Joan's side. Davis and Dash, constantly together and constantly clashing—their onscreen chemistry leads to fantastic blowups on set, and their famous feud heightens each box office sale. It's a classic Hollywood setup, and Joan's tired of it.
So when Joan announces her engagement to Monty, another swoon-worthy Hollywood leading man, the LAST thing she expects is to find out that she's actually...already married? It turns out an onscreen marriage scene to Dash in an early film was much more legal than anyone thought. And somehow, a real marriage license made its way to a City Hall office.
Yep, that's right. Dash and Davis are actually husband and wife. And Joan is PISSED. (Dash's feelings are more on the humorous side, as he loves to see Joan spark with emotions.)
To fix this huge blunder, the two stars hightail it to Reno, where divorces are easier to grant after a quick 6-week residency. Their current film was already about a divorcee finding love on a remote ranch. A quick script rewrite and boom! Reno Rendezvous is ready for camera, set, action.
But six weeks is a long time to be that close together, and Joan and Dash are about to discover that their feelings might not be so simple after all. And they're already husband and wife, so... Cue some shenanigans on set and behind the scenes.
UGH. I loved this story. It was so much fun, and let's be honest: I did tear up there at the end. This romance was everything I was looking for in this setup, and the film buff in me enjoyed every reference. The characters were sweet, the plot was unique for the modern "illustrated cover romances" of today, and it was the perfect level of banter + slow burn + amusing setups.
I just think this novel is a lot of fun, folks, and the author did a superb job at honoring the source material and twisting it slightly for modern readers to enjoy without making the romance, the characters, or the setting feel too modern.
Come for the nod to the classics, stay for the nod to the classics. This is such a fun, lighthearted, and emotionally good time!
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
July 6, 2025
⌗┆ 2.75 stars 🪿₊ ˚!
⌗┆overall thoughts ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 i don’t really know where to start because i feel so much and simultaneously nothing towards this book. tbh i picked this up after seeing Emily Henry’s review, but it just wasn’t for me. first and foremost…the writing wasn’t great. many sentence were worded terribly, making them more complicated to understand, completely pulling me out of the story! there was also some typos, particularly a very noticeable one on the first page (tbf i still can’t tell if it was intentional or not). but besides those few mistakes and excessive inner monologue, the writing wasn’t awful! another thing i didn’t like: if you are going to write a story in the 1930s, at least make it somewhat historically accurate. it felt strangely modern with a hint of 30s fashion trends 😭 the romance was not terribleee but its hard to believe in characters that are soo bland and constantly thinking the worst of each other, even AFTER THEY’RE TOGETHER?? the book was still cute tho! i did enjoy the movie/filming aspect, especially the cute moments joan and dash shared on set!
⌗┆characters ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 joan was an enjoyable character for the most part. my one big gripe with her was her lack of accountability. it doesn’t take realizing you are in love with someone to realize YOU are at fault for something (particularly the kiss that ended up in the newspaper - she kissed him then yelled at him for setting her up..?). despite this, she was such a strong character that stood firmly on her beliefs and ideas! which is why it was so hard for me to believe one day after EVERYTHING dash did to her, she just…fell in love with him. the realization was so fast and lowkey came outta nowhere. I also wish the relationship between joan and monty was more established, as if felt monty was ONLY there to create ‘conflict’ for the main protagonists. i did really enjoy her backstory, as it added a layer to an otherwise, in my opinion, one dimensional character.
ᢉ𐭩 dash was immature. thats really my only thoughts on him 😭😭 who thinks pulling CONSISTENT, ANNOYING pranks on someone is the way to ‘win’ them back?? he kinda redeemed himself in the second half with the cute things he thought/said about joan. overall, not my fav mmc
⌗┆overall thoughts ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 i don’t really know where to start because i feel so much and simultaneously nothing towards this book. tbh i picked this up after seeing Emily Henry’s review, but it just wasn’t for me. first and foremost…the writing wasn’t great. many sentence were worded terribly, making them more complicated to understand, completely pulling me out of the story! there was also some typos, particularly a very noticeable one on the first page (tbf i still can’t tell if it was intentional or not). but besides those few mistakes and excessive inner monologue, the writing wasn’t awful! another thing i didn’t like: if you are going to write a story in the 1930s, at least make it somewhat historically accurate. it felt strangely modern with a hint of 30s fashion trends 😭 the romance was not terribleee but its hard to believe in characters that are soo bland and constantly thinking the worst of each other, even AFTER THEY’RE TOGETHER?? the book was still cute tho! i did enjoy the movie/filming aspect, especially the cute moments joan and dash shared on set!
⌗┆characters ₊ ˚!
ᢉ𐭩 joan was an enjoyable character for the most part. my one big gripe with her was her lack of accountability. it doesn’t take realizing you are in love with someone to realize YOU are at fault for something (particularly the kiss that ended up in the newspaper - she kissed him then yelled at him for setting her up..?). despite this, she was such a strong character that stood firmly on her beliefs and ideas! which is why it was so hard for me to believe one day after EVERYTHING dash did to her, she just…fell in love with him. the realization was so fast and lowkey came outta nowhere. I also wish the relationship between joan and monty was more established, as if felt monty was ONLY there to create ‘conflict’ for the main protagonists. i did really enjoy her backstory, as it added a layer to an otherwise, in my opinion, one dimensional character.
ᢉ𐭩 dash was immature. thats really my only thoughts on him 😭😭 who thinks pulling CONSISTENT, ANNOYING pranks on someone is the way to ‘win’ them back?? he kinda redeemed himself in the second half with the cute things he thought/said about joan. overall, not my fav mmc
January 8, 2024
I pre-ordered a signed and personalized copy of this book from The Ripped Bodice because I really like Maureen Lee Lenker after listening to her appear many times on one of my favorite podcasts, Screen Drafts. She always comes on and talks about classic movies, and she talks about them with such confidence, knowledge, and deep affection; I like her so much that I decided beforehand that I was going to love her romance novel just as much. Well.
It Happened One Fight (the title is an homage to the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert movie It Happened One Night, which I watched this weekend for the first time and loved) follows Joan Davis (a hybrid of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, her biggest inspirations according to the author's note at the end) and Dash Howard (Clark Gable-lite) as they take their off screen acrimony to something romantic due to an onscreen marriage somehow becoming real. Of course the accidental marriage leads to them falling in love.
To state it in the nicest possible terms, this is the book of a smart person who loves both romances and her subject of classic Hollywood, but doesn't quite know how to strike a spark on page. There were definitely a lot of debut novel things in here that I could have overlooked but the overall story and the main characters never really caught me. There was only one moment where I felt that book magic you're supposed to feel when a character leaps off the page and into your mind and becomes a real person, but it was only one line in 363 pages. It wasn't enough.
I also had a huge problem with the gossip columnist who was out to get Joan. I know she was based on real women, but somehow I don't think those women had as much girl on girl hate to work out as the character in here did. The stakes felt lowered because of her. By 2/3 of this book, all the stakes were external to Joan and Dash's inner journeys, and the little I'd been caring evaporated.
If you're really into Old Hollywood cinema and history you might enjoy this more than I did, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.
[2.5 stars, rounded up]
It Happened One Fight (the title is an homage to the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert movie It Happened One Night, which I watched this weekend for the first time and loved) follows Joan Davis (a hybrid of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, her biggest inspirations according to the author's note at the end) and Dash Howard (Clark Gable-lite) as they take their off screen acrimony to something romantic due to an onscreen marriage somehow becoming real. Of course the accidental marriage leads to them falling in love.
To state it in the nicest possible terms, this is the book of a smart person who loves both romances and her subject of classic Hollywood, but doesn't quite know how to strike a spark on page. There were definitely a lot of debut novel things in here that I could have overlooked but the overall story and the main characters never really caught me. There was only one moment where I felt that book magic you're supposed to feel when a character leaps off the page and into your mind and becomes a real person, but it was only one line in 363 pages. It wasn't enough.
I also had a huge problem with the gossip columnist who was out to get Joan. I know she was based on real women, but somehow I don't think those women had as much girl on girl hate to work out as the character in here did. The stakes felt lowered because of her. By 2/3 of this book, all the stakes were external to Joan and Dash's inner journeys, and the little I'd been caring evaporated.
If you're really into Old Hollywood cinema and history you might enjoy this more than I did, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.
[2.5 stars, rounded up]
dnf
August 1, 2023DNF at 20%
Maybe I stopped too early - maybe these characters would show some maturity and their romance would be swoon-y ... unfortunately, I didn't have patience to deal with them. Nor I cared about their roads to HEA.
See, the writing felt distant, the dialogues clunky, and I really, REALLY thought both Dash and Joan to be unlikable characters. Since that moment of skunk prank came into view, it was too juvenile of a plot. The whole plot of this book is to help the career by staying together, but already thinking about another prank?
"C'mon, let's get bombed and plan more pranks to piss off Joan" (Chapter 4)
Yeah. No. I'm getting off this trainwreck early, thank you very much
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
Maybe I stopped too early - maybe these characters would show some maturity and their romance would be swoon-y ... unfortunately, I didn't have patience to deal with them. Nor I cared about their roads to HEA.
See, the writing felt distant, the dialogues clunky, and I really, REALLY thought both Dash and Joan to be unlikable characters. Since that moment of skunk prank came into view, it was too juvenile of a plot. The whole plot of this book is to help the career by staying together, but already thinking about another prank?
"C'mon, let's get bombed and plan more pranks to piss off Joan" (Chapter 4)
Yeah. No. I'm getting off this trainwreck early, thank you very much
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
June 26, 2023
Real talk, I skimmed the back 40% of this book. I didn’t love the 2 MCs to begin with, it felt like it was far too easy for this Leda character to manipulate them repeatedly. I thought the premise and the time period was interesting but then the interest just…waned. But then the blackmail plot at the end really annoyed me so much. I typically dislike external conflicts but especially ones that feel forced and just pointless. Like these two were used to having shitty stories printed about them all the time, it felt weird to succumb to the blackmail. But then, there’s no real resolution, no justice for Leda’s actions. I actually almost wanted that even more than the HEA.
I typically love celeb centered romances but for whatever reason, this one missed the mark for me.
ARC from publisher, opinions all mine.
Content Notes: misogyny, sexism, verbal abuse, sex shaming, off page parental abandonment, off page spousal abandonment
I typically love celeb centered romances but for whatever reason, this one missed the mark for me.
ARC from publisher, opinions all mine.
Content Notes: misogyny, sexism, verbal abuse, sex shaming, off page parental abandonment, off page spousal abandonment
March 31, 2024
somehow missed this one last year but the writing was atrocious and i dnf-ed halfway through
July 29, 2023
4 ☆
really enjoyed this. this book easily deserves so much more love than i've been seeing it receive. set in the 1930s, we are at the height of both joan davis and dash howard's acting careers. it's safe to say that they are not each others' fans and are tired of being starred together in every single movie. in attempt to control the narrative surrounding her fame, joan decides to get married but realizes she 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 is. can you guess to who?
the tension was everything i wanted and seeing the build up to them finally getting together was so wholesome! joan and dash have always been enemies, bickering and fighting every chance they can get. but as they learn more about each other - specifically the decisions they each had to make in order to succeed in the industry - they learn they have a lot more in common than they think. there is consistent drama throughout the entire book, but it kept it interesting and added to the melodrama that is often associated with Old Hollywood. while i usually think third act conflicts should be avoided, this was done well and made sense for where both joan and dash were at the time of their careers.
i highly recommend! especially for lovers of celebrity romances, dramatics, and forced proximity.
really enjoyed this. this book easily deserves so much more love than i've been seeing it receive. set in the 1930s, we are at the height of both joan davis and dash howard's acting careers. it's safe to say that they are not each others' fans and are tired of being starred together in every single movie. in attempt to control the narrative surrounding her fame, joan decides to get married but realizes she 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 is. can you guess to who?
the tension was everything i wanted and seeing the build up to them finally getting together was so wholesome! joan and dash have always been enemies, bickering and fighting every chance they can get. but as they learn more about each other - specifically the decisions they each had to make in order to succeed in the industry - they learn they have a lot more in common than they think. there is consistent drama throughout the entire book, but it kept it interesting and added to the melodrama that is often associated with Old Hollywood. while i usually think third act conflicts should be avoided, this was done well and made sense for where both joan and dash were at the time of their careers.
i highly recommend! especially for lovers of celebrity romances, dramatics, and forced proximity.
August 13, 2023
Your main character - an amalgam of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis - is named Joan Davis? I mean, it works for a 1930s-era movie star despite, or possibly because of, not being especially clever or original. But then you have a director known for being an actress’s director and you name him Kucor? Have you no shame? Anyone who hasn’t heard of George Cukor - women’s film director extraordinaire - won’t get what you’ve done there and anyone who has heard of him is just going to roll their eyes at how stupid that is.
And then there’s the little matter of Joan’s Oscars speech. I don’t mind ascribing a modern sensibility to historical fiction characters within reason but there is no way on earth that any actress of the time would ever make that confession in public. Not without being immediately shipped off to a mental hospital forever. It’s the most wildly, inappropriately, anachronistic plot point ever. A better writer with a better story could have found a realistic for the times way to handle that situation. As it is this just wrenched me out of whatever willing suspension of disbelief I’d been granting this otherwise mildly entertaining novel.
And then there’s the little matter of Joan’s Oscars speech. I don’t mind ascribing a modern sensibility to historical fiction characters within reason but there is no way on earth that any actress of the time would ever make that confession in public. Not without being immediately shipped off to a mental hospital forever. It’s the most wildly, inappropriately, anachronistic plot point ever. A better writer with a better story could have found a realistic for the times way to handle that situation. As it is this just wrenched me out of whatever willing suspension of disbelief I’d been granting this otherwise mildly entertaining novel.
August 17, 2023
as a self proclaimed old hollywood aficionado, this book was super FUN for me (even though it is essentially clark gable/joan craword fanfic taking place during the post filiming of it happened one night-sorry claudette colbert) and it was pretty neat to be able to pick up on all the small biographical details that most people probably don't know about and would read right past.
that said, there was a point where it felt a bit too fanficky for me and rather than reading joan davis and dash howard as their own fully fleshed characters, it appeared that lee lenker relied too much on gable's and crawford's own preestablished history.
shout out to montgomery clift, errol flyyn, hedda hopper, and george cukor who also get new names in the book.
----------
a historical rom-com named after one of my favorite films of all time? sign me right the f*ck up!
that said, there was a point where it felt a bit too fanficky for me and rather than reading joan davis and dash howard as their own fully fleshed characters, it appeared that lee lenker relied too much on gable's and crawford's own preestablished history.
shout out to montgomery clift, errol flyyn, hedda hopper, and george cukor who also get new names in the book.
----------
a historical rom-com named after one of my favorite films of all time? sign me right the f*ck up!
July 30, 2023
Was hoping for more of a slapstick comedy, a la Cary Grant-Katherine Hepburn. Little more serious than I was expecting, but still good. There were a few funny moments, but not as much as I wanted. At times a little long winded of “you’re better than me, your deserve the world” type thing. Overall, though, I enjoyed it because I loved the Golden Hollywood age setting.
May 8, 2023
This one was a struggle.
I was so excited to read a rom-com set in 1930s Hollywood but this was bland and repetitive. I skimmed a large portion of the last 50-60% and lost nothing. It suffered from telling and not showing. For example, we are given little to no background on Joan and Monty's relationship. Just suddenly they are engaged and through exposition dump dialogue we discover that Monty is gay and this is a way to cover that up. It would have been stronger if we could see that Joan and Monty had been friends or how they met...just something more there.
The same is true for the central relationship of Dash and Joan. Aside from a prologue that is just a tabloid article, we don't get much of how at odds they are. It felt like the author wanted to just get to the lovers part of enemies to lovers and just flew past all the setup. Because of all this, I'm not sure I ever believed Dash and Joan were in love, except for them and other characters constantly talking about it.
Dash and Joan's characters were tenuous as well. We are told they are a certain way, but then the action and events of the book go against all of that. Like, there is a lot of Dash "saving" Joan, including picking her up and carrying her in three separate scenes. And this was...weird to me. Especially since Joan is supposed to be this powerhouse of a woman who doesn't take shit from anyone. When their director is belittling her, she just shrinks and Dash has to rescue her and carry her off set? This all felt out of character and not aligned with who Joan is.
Additionally, the entire book could have been set in modern times and nothing would need to be changed except a few words and phrases. Felt too modern and like the setting wasn’t given enough thought. And the ending was really bizarre to me
Plus - and this is probably just an issue in my own head - it just blatantly stole the exact plot and even a famous piece of dialog from It Happened One Night as one of Dash and Joan’s movies. I get pretending your fictional characters made a movie at that time period similar to a known movie to give some background info for the book, but does this mean the real move and actors don’t exist in this world? I can see doing this as a wink and a nod to fans of this time period, but it felt too on the nose.
I was so excited to read a rom-com set in 1930s Hollywood but this was bland and repetitive. I skimmed a large portion of the last 50-60% and lost nothing. It suffered from telling and not showing. For example, we are given little to no background on Joan and Monty's relationship. Just suddenly they are engaged and through exposition dump dialogue we discover that Monty is gay and this is a way to cover that up. It would have been stronger if we could see that Joan and Monty had been friends or how they met...just something more there.
The same is true for the central relationship of Dash and Joan. Aside from a prologue that is just a tabloid article, we don't get much of how at odds they are. It felt like the author wanted to just get to the lovers part of enemies to lovers and just flew past all the setup. Because of all this, I'm not sure I ever believed Dash and Joan were in love, except for them and other characters constantly talking about it.
Dash and Joan's characters were tenuous as well. We are told they are a certain way, but then the action and events of the book go against all of that. Like, there is a lot of Dash "saving" Joan, including picking her up and carrying her in three separate scenes. And this was...weird to me. Especially since Joan is supposed to be this powerhouse of a woman who doesn't take shit from anyone. When their director is belittling her, she just shrinks and Dash has to rescue her and carry her off set? This all felt out of character and not aligned with who Joan is.
Additionally, the entire book could have been set in modern times and nothing would need to be changed except a few words and phrases. Felt too modern and like the setting wasn’t given enough thought. And the ending was really bizarre to me
Plus - and this is probably just an issue in my own head - it just blatantly stole the exact plot and even a famous piece of dialog from It Happened One Night as one of Dash and Joan’s movies. I get pretending your fictional characters made a movie at that time period similar to a known movie to give some background info for the book, but does this mean the real move and actors don’t exist in this world? I can see doing this as a wink and a nod to fans of this time period, but it felt too on the nose.
July 10, 2023
the amount of inner dialogue could’ve been it’s own book, truly. wanted to love this book because the setting is so cool but god reading this felt like watching paint dry.
not-going-to-finish
April 15, 2024Love the concept but have found myself growing increasingly bored and other reviews show the last 30% goes even more downhill. DNFing around 60%.
December 8, 2025
A leading actress that is sick of working with the same leading man wants to break free and be her own person. Will a pesky fake marriage turned real, get in the way of her plans to forever part?
This one had a Scarlett and Rhett feel to it, which was fun at first. But many other books and movies have been there and done that (better), and after a handful of chapters, I was over it with this one. It read like it was a mix of back in the day classic Hollywood tales crammed into one generic romance novel. Even the names of the characters felt copied and blended from real actors.
“You don’t have to be what they’ve made you. I refuse to be anything other than what I’ve made myself.”
I can appreciate what it was trying to be, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. The writing style was okay, the plot was extremely predictable, and the characters were cheesy. The one thing that I could not get past was the pacing. It jumped to a point rather quickly, and then drifted for most of the book before arriving exactly where you knew it would.
Two stars to a book that needed to find its own voice.
This one had a Scarlett and Rhett feel to it, which was fun at first. But many other books and movies have been there and done that (better), and after a handful of chapters, I was over it with this one. It read like it was a mix of back in the day classic Hollywood tales crammed into one generic romance novel. Even the names of the characters felt copied and blended from real actors.
“You don’t have to be what they’ve made you. I refuse to be anything other than what I’ve made myself.”
I can appreciate what it was trying to be, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. The writing style was okay, the plot was extremely predictable, and the characters were cheesy. The one thing that I could not get past was the pacing. It jumped to a point rather quickly, and then drifted for most of the book before arriving exactly where you knew it would.
Two stars to a book that needed to find its own voice.
July 18, 2023
First and foremost, if you see me with a Dash & Davis tattooed heart any time soon don't be surprised.
As a fan of Classic Hollywood, this was so fun! As I read I could definitely tell who and what Maureen pulled inspiration from and I loved it! You don't have to be a fan of the era to enjoy this, but I think if you are it just means that much more!! I absolutely loved the beginning with the pranks. It made me think of some of my favorite stars and the shit they would pull on each other. Another thing that I really enjoyed were all of the references. Be it film lines, name drops, or famous actress sayings, I squealed every time one came up. ESPECIALLY Dash's message in his cement slab at Grauman's. Miss Joan Crawford lives on.
Joan and Dash's romance made me WEAK!! One of my favorite things in romances is when rivals take lighthearted jabs at each other but then the next moment open up and get vulnerable. Chapters 8 and 9 had reassured me what a hopeless romantic I am. Also, shoutout to Dash Howard for being THE man. It almost feels like the only unrealistic thing in this is how fucking nice Dash was. Even when he and Joan were being "mean" to each other, he was still a gentleman in my eyes. Which is saying a lot because men back then mostly fucking sucked. Joan was the powerful, strong woman I see in so many of my favorite actresses. Most of them dealt a bad deal in life but truly moved heaven and hell to get the life they deserved and I admire Maureen so much for paying homage to them through Joan. Their romance truly had me giggling and kicking my feet. They are now my parents, thank you.
I know third acts are unpopular but I lowkey love them. I need a little bit of a high stakes sitch sometimes and this was perfect. With that being said, straight up FUCK LEDA PRICE!! That shit she pulled with Joan was so fucking evil and honestly listening to the audio book for this part made me so goddamn sad. Joan finally opening herself up to the idea of love and having a romantic partner who was all in with her, only to have this bitch of a third party take that away made me want to fuck Leda Price up six ways to Sunday. I don't know how else to say it. Just fuck her. My only gripe is that we never got a confrontation at the end. I needed there to be a satisfying "fuck you" face to face between Leda, Dash, and Joan. But that just proves how much better they are than me when it comes to being the bigger person.
Anywho, this was really good. Cheesy at times, as all romcoms should be imo. If there's no cheesy moments I don't want it. Heartfelt AND heartbreaking in others. This book really spoke to the OH stan in me and was everything I wanted in a historical romcom. Heavily considering reading it again soon because the joy that just pulsed in me the entire time was much needed.
Congrats to Maureen for such an amazing debut novel. Can't wait to see what else is in store from her!
As a fan of Classic Hollywood, this was so fun! As I read I could definitely tell who and what Maureen pulled inspiration from and I loved it! You don't have to be a fan of the era to enjoy this, but I think if you are it just means that much more!! I absolutely loved the beginning with the pranks. It made me think of some of my favorite stars and the shit they would pull on each other. Another thing that I really enjoyed were all of the references. Be it film lines, name drops, or famous actress sayings, I squealed every time one came up. ESPECIALLY Dash's message in his cement slab at Grauman's. Miss Joan Crawford lives on.
Joan and Dash's romance made me WEAK!! One of my favorite things in romances is when rivals take lighthearted jabs at each other but then the next moment open up and get vulnerable. Chapters 8 and 9 had reassured me what a hopeless romantic I am. Also, shoutout to Dash Howard for being THE man. It almost feels like the only unrealistic thing in this is how fucking nice Dash was. Even when he and Joan were being "mean" to each other, he was still a gentleman in my eyes. Which is saying a lot because men back then mostly fucking sucked. Joan was the powerful, strong woman I see in so many of my favorite actresses. Most of them dealt a bad deal in life but truly moved heaven and hell to get the life they deserved and I admire Maureen so much for paying homage to them through Joan. Their romance truly had me giggling and kicking my feet. They are now my parents, thank you.
I know third acts are unpopular but I lowkey love them. I need a little bit of a high stakes sitch sometimes and this was perfect. With that being said, straight up FUCK LEDA PRICE!! That shit she pulled with Joan was so fucking evil and honestly listening to the audio book for this part made me so goddamn sad. Joan finally opening herself up to the idea of love and having a romantic partner who was all in with her, only to have this bitch of a third party take that away made me want to fuck Leda Price up six ways to Sunday. I don't know how else to say it. Just fuck her. My only gripe is that we never got a confrontation at the end. I needed there to be a satisfying "fuck you" face to face between Leda, Dash, and Joan. But that just proves how much better they are than me when it comes to being the bigger person.
Anywho, this was really good. Cheesy at times, as all romcoms should be imo. If there's no cheesy moments I don't want it. Heartfelt AND heartbreaking in others. This book really spoke to the OH stan in me and was everything I wanted in a historical romcom. Heavily considering reading it again soon because the joy that just pulsed in me the entire time was much needed.
Congrats to Maureen for such an amazing debut novel. Can't wait to see what else is in store from her!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2023
It's like Clark Gable fanfic. At one point I knew exactly what Dash Howard, aka Clark Gable, was going to say next because I'm familiar enough with the actor and his movies.
I tried to settle into this new alternate Hollwood but every time I found myself getting caught up in the story between the two characters, I got pulled back by a reminder of the actual Hollywood. Mentions of Clark Gable's movie "It Happened One Night" (which is one of my favorites and the reason the title of this book caught my attention), his struggle while making "Gone with the Wind," and his pre-King of Hollywood life. And then there's the random "Casablanca" quotes thrown in. (Maybe there are more movies quoted/referenced but those are the ones that stood out to me.)
It all felt so artificial, from the knock-off names (Monty Smith/Montgomery Clift, Flynn Banks/Errol Flynn and probably Douglas Fairbanks) to the fact that there was no real depth to these fictional characters based on very real people. It was difficult getting to know, or even like, any of them when I knew exactly who they were based on.
I tried to settle into this new alternate Hollwood but every time I found myself getting caught up in the story between the two characters, I got pulled back by a reminder of the actual Hollywood. Mentions of Clark Gable's movie "It Happened One Night" (which is one of my favorites and the reason the title of this book caught my attention), his struggle while making "Gone with the Wind," and his pre-King of Hollywood life. And then there's the random "Casablanca" quotes thrown in. (Maybe there are more movies quoted/referenced but those are the ones that stood out to me.)
It all felt so artificial, from the knock-off names (Monty Smith/Montgomery Clift, Flynn Banks/Errol Flynn and probably Douglas Fairbanks) to the fact that there was no real depth to these fictional characters based on very real people. It was difficult getting to know, or even like, any of them when I knew exactly who they were based on.
January 22, 2024
Old Hollywood, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, what more could you want?
life-is-too-short
July 21, 2023While the premise was very appealing, the execution was clunky and distant. No sign of me connecting to characters DNF 6%
May 7, 2023
I’ve always been fascinated by the Golden Age of Hollywood—the time period, entertainers and most especially the films that I am sure more people have heard of or can recall at the top of their head—so when the book announcement was made, I was immediately on board to read this new to me author.
Was the author able to release a timeless classic? Absolutely not.
I wanted to love this—hell even like it but it felt too modern for me. The characters, Joan and Dash, were unlikeable and I was far from interested in their lackluster, unbelievable love story. The unnecessary drama/conflicts between the pair was long, repetitive and drawn out, the lack of communication was consistent throughout the novel, the bland storyline had me checking periodically how much longer I had to suffer through the read, the writing style was poor and the pacing needed a lot of work.
To be blunt, the premise was there for “It Happened One Fight” but the author failed to deliver.
October 19, 2023
A forced proximity romance is a great trope. Especially one where there is already some tension building. That’s exactly what this one is. There’s conflict and desire there when the two stars are pushed together. The end of the plot really wraps it up well too.
🌀Synopsis
Joan and Dash have worked together for many times. Joan thinks he’s a hotshot though and too big for his britches. It’s not her choice but the two are so good together that their careers depend on them working together.
When the media gets intense, the two are sent away to finish their film. It’s the isolation that pushes them together- past what they thought they hated about each other. They find a true romance and they’re ready to share it with the world.
That is, until the past tries to come back and threatens to push them apart again.
🌀Synopsis
Joan and Dash have worked together for many times. Joan thinks he’s a hotshot though and too big for his britches. It’s not her choice but the two are so good together that their careers depend on them working together.
When the media gets intense, the two are sent away to finish their film. It’s the isolation that pushes them together- past what they thought they hated about each other. They find a true romance and they’re ready to share it with the world.
That is, until the past tries to come back and threatens to push them apart again.
January 23, 2023
A fantastic premise, let down by poor writing and pacing. Such a bummer, because Maureen’s a great advocate for the romance community and this is a time period we don’t see a ton of romances in! But this needed a much stronger style and developmental edit - so many dialogue tags, an overreliance on colloquial quips, and a narrative arc that should have been much tighter. I’d love to read more of Lenker’s fiction, but this was a tough loss for me.
Thank you Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for the ARC!
Thank you Sourcebooks and Edelweiss for the ARC!
August 15, 2023
so. this was bad. i’d forgive the overwrought plot and unnecessary drama (it is a romance novel after all) if it had made good use of the setting at least, but this was the least immersive thing i’ve ever read. after just finishing the seven husbands of evelyn hugo a few weeks ago, the contrast is pretty stark. both characters were bland af and so was their relationship. kind of felt like 300 pages of forgettable meeeeh. very disappointing.
July 20, 2023
Book 26 of 2023 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Maureen Lee Lenker for an ALC of It Happened One Fight in exchange for my honest review.
It Happened One Fight by Maureen Lee Lenker had been on my TBR since going to the LA Festival of Books this year, when Maureen Lee Lenker was a panel moderator. This book had so many elements that felt like they were tailor-made for me: Hollywood, romance, period, witty banter -- it was just all-around fun, and had SO MANY great tropes: forced-proximity, relationship of convenience, miscommunication, to name a few.
Joan Davis (yes, it's the amalgamation of names that you're thinking of) and Dash Howard are 2 of Hollywood's hottest stars. While they've starred in multiple pictures together, they're enemies. A prank gone wrong has our leads married to each other, unbeknownst to them.
Stories about Hollywood are my bread and butter - Lenker's writing instantly transported me back to the 1930's, and it made me think of so many fun films that inspired the book (which she has listed at the end of the book) + while not mentioned in the book, it made me think of Down With Love (the criminally underrated Ewan McGregor & Renée Zellweger rom-com which pulls from other classic rom-coms of later eras, such as Pillow Talk, etc). The supporting characters in this one were fun as well - specifically, Monty, who I imagine was partially inspired by Rock Hudson, and if Lenker ends up having a universe of books, I'd love to see his story. I felt that Joan and Dash's individual arcs, and arc as a couple were very well done - you could absolutely see and track their growth as the book went on. She also writes steam quite well!
My (minor) critiques - which are common for me in reading fictional books about film and television because I work in TV Production, so it's literally my area of expertise - is that the book could have benefited from someone with physical production experience reading it and giving notes. 1) The term Best Boy seemed to be used in place of an Electrician or a Gaffer/Chief Lighting Technician (the department head in the Electric department). In reality, there is a Best Boy in Grip and a Best Boy in Electric, and if you're working on/through a studio lot, there are Best Boys for each of those departments that are lot-specific. 2) There was mention of getting a ticket to a screen test - I believe that was intended to say either a premiere or screening, because screen tests aren't available to the public (though in today's day and age, they seem to pop up years after the fact, on some special features). Screen tests are during the casting process, when those who are involved in the film's casting see how an actor is on screen or in a chemistry read. 3) The term script girl was used to describe Arlene, who was an assistant-turned-writer, but a script girl was a term for a Script Supervisor, which is its own position and department on set.
Overall, this book was very fun, and I will absolutely be reading more of Maureen Lee Lenker's books in the future. 4.5/5 overall, and 2.5/5 peppers: chapter 18, IYKYK...
#ItHappenedOneFight #NetGalley
It Happened One Fight by Maureen Lee Lenker had been on my TBR since going to the LA Festival of Books this year, when Maureen Lee Lenker was a panel moderator. This book had so many elements that felt like they were tailor-made for me: Hollywood, romance, period, witty banter -- it was just all-around fun, and had SO MANY great tropes: forced-proximity, relationship of convenience, miscommunication, to name a few.
Joan Davis (yes, it's the amalgamation of names that you're thinking of) and Dash Howard are 2 of Hollywood's hottest stars. While they've starred in multiple pictures together, they're enemies. A prank gone wrong has our leads married to each other, unbeknownst to them.
Stories about Hollywood are my bread and butter - Lenker's writing instantly transported me back to the 1930's, and it made me think of so many fun films that inspired the book (which she has listed at the end of the book) + while not mentioned in the book, it made me think of Down With Love (the criminally underrated Ewan McGregor & Renée Zellweger rom-com which pulls from other classic rom-coms of later eras, such as Pillow Talk, etc). The supporting characters in this one were fun as well - specifically, Monty, who I imagine was partially inspired by Rock Hudson, and if Lenker ends up having a universe of books, I'd love to see his story. I felt that Joan and Dash's individual arcs, and arc as a couple were very well done - you could absolutely see and track their growth as the book went on. She also writes steam quite well!
My (minor) critiques - which are common for me in reading fictional books about film and television because I work in TV Production, so it's literally my area of expertise - is that the book could have benefited from someone with physical production experience reading it and giving notes. 1) The term Best Boy seemed to be used in place of an Electrician or a Gaffer/Chief Lighting Technician (the department head in the Electric department). In reality, there is a Best Boy in Grip and a Best Boy in Electric, and if you're working on/through a studio lot, there are Best Boys for each of those departments that are lot-specific. 2) There was mention of getting a ticket to a screen test - I believe that was intended to say either a premiere or screening, because screen tests aren't available to the public (though in today's day and age, they seem to pop up years after the fact, on some special features). Screen tests are during the casting process, when those who are involved in the film's casting see how an actor is on screen or in a chemistry read. 3) The term script girl was used to describe Arlene, who was an assistant-turned-writer, but a script girl was a term for a Script Supervisor, which is its own position and department on set.
Overall, this book was very fun, and I will absolutely be reading more of Maureen Lee Lenker's books in the future. 4.5/5 overall, and 2.5/5 peppers: chapter 18, IYKYK...
#ItHappenedOneFight #NetGalley
November 19, 2023
Enemies to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this is done quite differently because of the settings.
Its not everyday you get to read a historical romance book that's set in the Golden Age of Hollywood,
This was okay but i think it'll make a really great movie.
3.25⭐️
Thanks NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for this Audiobook
Its not everyday you get to read a historical romance book that's set in the Golden Age of Hollywood,
This was okay but i think it'll make a really great movie.
3.25⭐️
Thanks NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for this Audiobook
July 30, 2023
I loved the unique 1930s old Hollywood setting of this book. It felt very different from any other historical romance I've read before.
It was a fun and entertaining take on the fake marriage and enemies to lovers tropes.
It Happened One Fight was a delightfully charming read and a promising debut.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
It was a fun and entertaining take on the fake marriage and enemies to lovers tropes.
It Happened One Fight was a delightfully charming read and a promising debut.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 9, 2022
So… I wanted to love this book. I was hoping for something similar to Lucy Parker’s London Celebrities series, just set in another country. And another century.
To my disappointment this wasn’t nearly as clever and witty as the books from that series.
The main characters got together rather early in the book and after that there was just too much unnecessary drama for me. Overall this book was significantly longer than it needed to be.
I didn’t like the finale all that much.
I also had a hard time liking the characters. Both Joan and Dash weren’t extremely likeable, and I don’t understand what they saw in each other.
Another thing that bothered me: the heroine hits the hero at some point, and while it wasn’t her randomly attacking him, women hitting men is still abuse. I think that could’ve been addressed.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
To my disappointment this wasn’t nearly as clever and witty as the books from that series.
The main characters got together rather early in the book and after that there was just too much unnecessary drama for me. Overall this book was significantly longer than it needed to be.
I didn’t like the finale all that much.
I also had a hard time liking the characters. Both Joan and Dash weren’t extremely likeable, and I don’t understand what they saw in each other.
Another thing that bothered me: the heroine hits the hero at some point, and while it wasn’t her randomly attacking him, women hitting men is still abuse. I think that could’ve been addressed.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
May 16, 2023
An accidental marriage between two of the biggest actors in the business, working on one last movie together while getting a divorce, and a romance between two people who haven’t gotten along in a long while. This book has so much going for it. The romance was nice, Joan and Dash had that annoyed tension down and I enjoyed seeing them fall in love. Both were complex characters, though some of the problems brought up in this story made the characters look so much younger than they were, because they seemingly couldn’t have a proper conversation to save their life (or relationship for that matter).
What really drew me to this book was the Sweet Home Alabama-esque meets Old Hollywood set-up of the story. Sadly that Old Hollywood setting ended up also being my biggest let down with this book. Ultimately the story couldn’t convince me of the setting and the book could’ve taken place in modern Hollywood without much change to the story.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
What really drew me to this book was the Sweet Home Alabama-esque meets Old Hollywood set-up of the story. Sadly that Old Hollywood setting ended up also being my biggest let down with this book. Ultimately the story couldn’t convince me of the setting and the book could’ve taken place in modern Hollywood without much change to the story.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2023
Unnecessarily complicated
I love the author’s book criticism in Entertainment Weekly. She has a sharp eye that, unfortunately, didn’t translate to this novel. The story was stuffed with some of my least-favorite romance tropes like interruption and miscommunication.
The blackmail was the most convoluted plot — and it had to be rehashed no fewer than four times! Plus, there were several really unnecessary descriptions and short scenes that slowed the action of the book down to a crawl.
I love the author’s book criticism in Entertainment Weekly. She has a sharp eye that, unfortunately, didn’t translate to this novel. The story was stuffed with some of my least-favorite romance tropes like interruption and miscommunication.
The blackmail was the most convoluted plot — and it had to be rehashed no fewer than four times! Plus, there were several really unnecessary descriptions and short scenes that slowed the action of the book down to a crawl.
April 8, 2024
I picked this up because of the review by Emily Henry but it honestly wasn’t my favorite. It felt like the Walmart version of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I wasn’t super invested in the characters. If I could give this a 1.5 I would.
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