Starred review from February 1, 2023
After a dismal attempt at a film career, actress Lilah Hunter slinks back to the TV show Intangible to help boost ratings--and her career--in its final season. This means wading back into the overwhelming pressure of being one half of television's favorite will-they/won't-they couple and dealing with costar Shane McCarthy, who's already counting down the days until he'll be rid of Lilah. Ever since their secret affair went belly-up following the show's first-season wrap party, their relationship has been contentious at best and hostile at the worst. As filming begins, press reports of Lilah and Shane's rift compel the network to put the pair in couple's counseling. There, forced to deal with emotions that have simmered for years and the stress of carrying their show's final season, Lilah and Shane find common ground. VERDICT Wilder (How To Fake It in Hollywood) has created a gem of a novel with characters who unfold in complex and unexpected ways. The grounded Hollywood story utilizes a perfectly paced slow-burn romance, and at the end there's a winking nod to the entire journey.--Kellie Tilton
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April 10, 2023
Wilder (How to Fake It in Hollywood) takes readers behind the scenes of a television shoot in this fun contemporary romance. Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy were both unknowns when cast in the paranormal soap Intangible, but their powerful on-screen chemistry made them overnight sensations—and led to a secret fling that ended in disaster. After their breakup, working together was a nightmare, and their constant sniping pushed Lilah to quit the show after season five. Unfortunately, Lilah’s career hasn’t taken off the way she hoped since leaving Intangible, which also suffered without her, so she allows herself to be lured back to boost ratings for the ninth and final season, even if it does mean reuniting with Shane. On set, it’s immediately clear that these sparring hearts are still wildly attracted to each other—but with insecurities and bitterness on both sides, is their relationship doomed to fail yet again? Though Lilah comes across as a bit of a diva at first, readers will warm up to her, and Shane is extremely easy to root for. Fans of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren should check this out. Agent: Claire Friedman and Jessica Mileo, InkWell Management.
April 15, 2023
Wilder's second novel, following How to Fake It in Hollywood (2022), does not disappoint, and fans of Mazey Eddings and Sophie Cousens will devour her new Hollywood-centric story. Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy have played onscreen star-crossed lovers for years on a hit TV show. In real life they can barely stand each other, so much so that they often take promotional photos separately, leaving the art department to work magic to bring them together. Despite their mutual loathing, they've always managed to play nice for the cameras. But now, during the show's final season, the tension between them is seriously affecting their performances. As a result, they're forced to face the truth about their relationship and the fleeting (and secret) romance they shared during season one that went up in flames. As they work toward giving the fans of the show the finale they want, Shane and Lilah might just end up with a Hollywood ending of their own. For fans of enemies-to-lovers and slow-burn romances, this quick-witted book is the perfect summer beach read.
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Starred review from June 1, 2023
Two actors, who also happen to be former lovers, must put aside their differences and film one final season of their hit TV show. Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy never meant to mix business with pleasure, but then again, their entire careers were based on years of slow-burning sexual tension. The pair star as Kate and Harrison, the main characters in the supernatural drama Intangible, and after eight seasons of fans wondering if they will or they won't, their characters are finally going to declare their undying love for one another. Unbeknownst to #Karrison shippers worldwide, however, the actors behind their beloved show absolutely and utterly despise each other. During a brief yet passionate secret affair during the first season of filming, Lilah and Shane were practically inseparable, sneaking into each other's trailers for quick hookups and stealing kisses in coat closets at industry events. Their whirlwind romance ended as abruptly as it began, though, leaving the two emerging stars forced to feign civility on camera for years until Lilah left to pursue a career in movies. But now, three years later, she's returned to Intangible for one last season, and she and Shane will need to, quite literally, kiss and make up. As the duo embark on a press tour and grueling filming schedule, their close proximity begins to shed light on the fact that hatred may not be the only strong feeling they have toward each other. Wilder returns to the limelight in her second rom-com, following How To Fake It in Hollywood (2022), and her new cast brings even more star power and sexiness to the page. Lilah and Shane's relationship is overflowing with frustration and longing, brought to a higher boiling point by their warring feelings of hatred and attraction: "[She was] his Botticelli wet dream come to life, sent from hell to drive him crazy." Wilder's novel is movie material, and Lilah and Shane's simmering romance will leave you breathless and eager for a sequel. A sexy, page-turning romance made for the silver screen.
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