First, I'd like to say thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for granting me access to this read of Hott Take.

I'm such a fan of Serena Bell's work, but unfortunately this book didn't keep me interested like how I wanted it to. That's not to say it wasn't a great book, just didn't fully connect with me this time around. With that being said, the banter between the characters, the family dynamic and the small town vibes were all there. I did appreciate how much Ivy was so passionate about the community theater and having it for these children. Then we have Shane, I liked how he slowly let his guard the layers flow away when with her.

this book is definitely for anyone who enjoys
- spice
- movie star
-marriage of convenience
- rom-com vibes

with all of that being said, I still give this read about a 3.5 out of 5. I hope to maybe pick it up again sometime in the future and see if my connection with it will change.

Fake relationship books are addicting I swear. But was it ever really fake? Ivy and Shane are immediately into each other even though they don’t fully admit it. Shane needs a celebrity wedding to happen so his sister can keep her land. Ivy needs a rehearsal space for her theater kids and to avoid an irritating ex. They have great chemistry throughout. They always enjoy their time together. But will that be enough when Shane says he can’t ever fall in love? Definitely recommend this one! Coming April 16th.

Roses: I enjoyed this story! It was super lighthearted, IMO, and was a type of story I was looking for. I love a good marriage of convenience, and this definitely delivers all of that. Shane and Ivy were so great together. The chemistry they shared on the page was really enjoyable. They did grow to like each other in a natural way, which was nice to read. I love a dual POV, and Shane’s POV was so good. Getting the chance to understand his thought process about his family relationships and why he felt he didn’t deserve or could have real love was vital for the story. Overall, the story was really good and fun to read!

Thorns: The pace was pretty slow in the beginning. It was to the point where I was becoming bored that nothing was happening yet. Luckily, it speeds up, but that happens about halfway through. Honestly, If I weren’t ARC reading this, I probably would have paused and read something else. The spicy scenes were odd. Not that they weren’t realistic, but they sometimes didn’t seem to have enough detail to explain the situation. There were also some points in the story I was left thinking if I missed something.

I have read plenty of this author's previous work but somehow missed the first book in this series.

So, this is the second book, where we see Hanna's brothers (from the Wilder books) having to jump through hoops to satisfy the conditions of their grandfather's will.

Shane Hott (yep, that's their last name) is a famous actor which is handy because, to satisfy the terms of the will, he has to facilitate a wedding between two celebrities who are also in love - repeat, cannot be a sham marriage.

When his original plan falls through he offers himself as tribute and asks Ivy (who used to be a tv star) to, you guessed it, enter into a sham marriage with him. They are both attracted to each other but not looking for anything long term but that has never posed a problem before right? They can keep their distance and then separate with no hurt feelings right?

Ok, so this might be a trope we are familiar with, but it's done well and is light-hearted, steamy and fun. Can't wait to see what's in store for the other brothers!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4 stars.

I haven't read Serena Bell's books before, but I've heard they're good. And indeed - I liked this book immediately and read it quickly!

The main characters of the book are Shane and Ivy, who end up getting married for practical reasons. They don't know each other beforehand, but the chemistry between them is sizzling right from the start! So pretending is not difficult. Except when the situation causes confusion - what is pretending and what is real?

Marriage for practical reasons is a really good trope. It involves the mixing of the boundaries of reality and the show. It also sometimes annoys me a bit - don't the main characters really realize that both of them are really involved in the situation and not just acting?!

I love romantic literature, but I get annoyed by third act break ups. Unfortunately, this was also the case in this book, but it was also relatively easy to deal with.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy and quick read, the story was fun, and the main characters were interesting. I will definitely read the author's books in the future!

What to expect:
Fake dating / marriage
HEA
Small town
Steamy
Third act break up

Celebrity Romance
Fake Engagement
Found Family
Small Town

This the first book I read by this author and I want to kick myself for not finding her sooner. I absolutely love both the FMC and MMC. They are both so well written and work so well as a couple. I love this kind of Contemporary Romance book. This type of feel good, laugh out loud sometimes and heart warming is just what I need after a hard day.Better yet even the side characters are awesome. I loved the storyline, even though I was skeptical at first but the first chapters really pulled me in and I stayed with this story until the end.
What is not to love about this book.

I am bummed I didn't know about the first book before requesting this one. Kind if spoiled it for me but I will be picking up book 1.
I am so happy to have found d another author to add to my list.

I would highly recommend this book if you love a Good Ole Contemporary Romance.

***I was given this book by NetGalley for my honest review.***

I requested this before realizing it was a part of a series, but like many romance series, you can read as a stand-alone. The characters are connected, but the premise isn’t connected enough to make it confusing. I definitely will go back and read Quinn and Sonya’s story after enjoying this book though!

I love a good fake dating trope, and add in a marriage of convenience combined with a celebrity MMC and a semi-celebrity FMC? I’m in. This was funny, steamy, and while I felt the plot ran a little too fast to be believable it was a super fun read. There were some aspects that were a bit much- the proposal and similar event later- but overall I’ll admit it fit with the characters. I’ll definitely be recommending this one!

I’ll be posting a review to my Bookstagram this week, will edit the review with the link once it’s posted! Thank you NetGalley & Author Collective 20 for the opportunity to read and review!

PHENOMENAL!!! Thank you NetGalley, Serena Bell and Author Collective 20 for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

After being swept away by the first book in the series "Hott Shot," I wasted no time in eagerly requesting this second book when I spotted it available. I knew I had to read it!! Delightfully, it surpassed all my expectations, and Serena Bell has firmly established herself as one of my top authors! "Hott Take," the second installment in the Hott Springs Eternal series, functions as a <I>standalone</I> story and can be enjoyed independently of the series order. However, I recommend starting with the first book to fully appreciate the depth of the story. This romantic comedy is an enchanting blend of sweetness, humor, spice, and heartwarming moments, all within the endearing backdrop of the small town of Rush Creek. From start to finish, it entertains with its touching storyline and beautifully written prose. I couldn't help but find myself grinning, giggling, swooning, and even shedding a tear or two along the way. So indulge yourself in the charming narrative of a celebrity romance entwined with a marriage of convenience and a fake relationship, where sensual tension and sizzling chemistry abound, creating a deliciously sweet experience! This book has truly captured my heart, ranking as one of my favorite rom-coms of 2024 without a doubt!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Navigating the charade of falling for each other is one thing; resisting the genuine connection brewing beneath the surface is another challenge entirely. Meet Shane: tasked with securing a celebrity wedding to save his family's legacy, he's no stranger to Hollywood's games. But finding love on cue proves trickier than expected. Enter Ivy Scofield, a former TV star seeking refuge in Rush Creek. Desperate to preserve her community theater, she strikes a deal with Shane: his family's wedding barn in exchange for a fake marriage. Yet, as they dive into the elaborate ruse, sparks fly unexpectedly. As they delve deeper into each other's worlds, both find themselves unraveling the cascades they've carefully crafted. Will their pretend romance unveil something real, or will their fears keep them apart?

In summary, every aspect of this book was utterly captivating!! I mean, there was not a single thing I didn't adore. Shane and Ivy's love story has firmly etched its place in my heart. Serena Bell has created a masterpiece that is romantic, beautiful, emotionally charged and incredibly realistic! I wholeheartedly recommend this book and believe it deserves all the stars!! 💫💫💫💫💫

Hott Take by S. Bell, published by Author Collective 20, is a stand alone in the Hott Springs Eternal Series. Every book is about another couple and can easily be read as a stand alone. There are cross overs and for best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order. The previous book is Hott Shot.
This is Shane and Ivy's story.
Shane is the next single Hott brother who is about to find his hea. He's drawn to Ivy.
Ivy is hiding in Rush Creek. She needs help to save her theater program. Shane needs help getting an inheritance. So why not work together? Easier said than done.
A witty and fun read with characters I easily connected with - dare I say cute, yes that's it - a cute story I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Funny, spicy and full of emotions. A fake engagement, the need to fulfill a requirement or they can lose everything, family and friendship. All together in another story in Hott Spring Eternal. Shane Hott, hot and famous actor. Ivy, living a quite life after been crushed in Hollywood. Can they fake a relationship or will they true feelings win them over?

This was a really fun beach read, I hadn't read the first in the series but it didn't matter because the standalone covered off the will reading narrative of the books. I loved Shane and Ivy, in my head I imagined Shane as Henry Cavill in the Witcher and Ivy as Emilia Clarke, I'm not sure that's exactly how the author imagined them... But it worked for me.

Their chemistry is great and jumps of the page, there's a couple of spicier scenes which are done well and fit the natural flow.

I'm looking forward to reading the extended epilogue once the book is released too. The forced marriage trope comes off well and I loved the representation of LGBT+ characters in the story too. Ivy's work is important to her, which makes her character stronger and more dimensional. I also enjoyed how the characters embraced therapy and getting help, along with working to repair their family connections. For Ivy making friends was also an important trait and in general I think this was a great beach read. I devoured the whole book in one go and felt uplifted after finishing!

Fake Dating? Sign us up! We love a good fake dating trope and Hott Take by Serena Bell is no different!

I just finished Hott Take and it was such a fun Fake Dating, Celeb Romance book. I really enjoyed reading Ivy and Shane’s journey and will most definitely picking up the rest of Serena Bell’s books. It was a fun, little spicy book to help get me out of a slump.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Serena Bell: Hott Take

I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few of Serena Bell’s romance novels, though not the first book in the Hott Springs Eternal series (a spinoff from Wilder Adventures). ‘Hott Take’ is a fun and sexy romantic comedy that can be read as a standalone, and is ideal for readers who love a lighthearted small-town romance.

You will find the following tropes:
* Celebrity romance
* Fake relationship
* Marriage of convenience
* Playboy vs the settling-down-type
* Grandfather meddling through his will
* Small-town romance

Bell has a great sense of humour, and I love the banter, not only between the couple but also among the Hott siblings.

For all the lighthearted fun and banter, there is also heaps of fake relationship doubt and pining between Ivy and Shane, and both main characters carry some emotional baggage they need to address before they dare reach for their HEA.

I enjoyed Hott Take very much and read it in one sitting. If you loved Bell’s previous books and novels by authors such as Laura Pavlov, I’m positive you will love this as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

Movie stars Shane and Ivy fake a marriage so his sister doesn't lose her wedding planning business and the family land. But a fake marriage turns out not be a so fake...

This is the second book in the series but is good to read as a stand-alone. It was fun to see some characters making appearances in this book. It's funny, spicy and sexy. Lots of LOL moments. Great fun!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

As soon as I got the notification that I was approved for an ebook ARC...the way I hit download and devoured this book, is unmatched.

The simmer and spice between these two MCs was fun and frustrating, but fabulous in the end.

I love seeing characters from previous books and series and the growing relationships among the siblings is excellent. Sometimes it takes shared trauma to realize a lot of things.

Add in a sprinkle of a leather clad, pointy eared and a winged fae lord and a smexy female spaceship engine room engineer, and you’ve got some major fun!

I will never not read a Serena Bell book, I’ve been obsessed since met her and saw how kind and wonderful she is, then dove immediately into the Wilder world, and haven’t stopped reading her books since!

Ms. Serena Bell - you have outdone yourself with this series! I think I mentioned in my review of the first book in the Hott Springs Eternal Series (Hott Shot) that I didn't think I could get invested in another family as much as I was invested in the Wilder family in the Wilder Adventure Series, well, I’m saying it again. I am so enjoying the Hott family! I really enjoyed Quinn and Sonya’s story and I thought it would be hard to beat their opposites-attract story, but I think I have a new favorite and that’s Shane and Ivy’s fake relationship/marriage of convenience in Hott Take. These two well-developed characters connect on such a deep level and we get a front-row seat to their swoon-worthy sweet love story. Ms. Bell writes in such a way that I feel like I personally know all these characters. It also makes me want to visit Rush Creek! I’m a goner when it comes to small town romance with family interactions and dynamics and the significance of forgiveness and being there for each other. This is rom-com at its best and Serena Bell excels at it – laughter, tears and emotional thought-provoking moments – I can’t wait to read what Grandpa has in store for Preston in Some Like It Hott. I have a feeling I’ll be writing another 5+ star review again. I'm very grateful to have been given an opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book through NetGalley.

Hott Take by Serena Bell
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shane Hott and Ivy Scofield both have a problem that needs fixing. Shane needs to throw a celebrity wedding in order to saving his family’s ranch and Ivy needs a space for her theatre company to practice.

How do they solve this?

Well, by planning a wedding and faking an engagement.

This novel was an easy quick read filled with tropes such as: fake engagement, he fell first, golden retriever and of course the big dreaded miscommunication trope.

What is nice though is that a HEA is guaranteed and there is no second or third or even fourth breakup.

Serena did a great job with the characters. Although the story was a bit slow to start with, the chemistry was on point, the spice was there, and it left me smiling at the end of the day.

If you’re fans of Tessa Bailey and Emily Henry, you’re sure to love this one.

Hott Take, book 2 of the Hott Springs Eternal series, can be read as a standalone and will be available to read on the 16th of April 2024.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Author Collective 20 for the copy of this ebook for a honest and fair review.

I was interested right off the bat because of the cover, but I can tell you that this book is fantastic through and through. This is a romance in which they are both actors, which I thought was really cool and unique. Also, this is a book that features a "marry to satisfy a will" trope and I love when this is done in contemporary romance because we don't often see that. There were some SUPER hot scenes in this book that had me fanning myself. It's so good! I loved Shane and Ivy together and I think they worked so well together, despite their differences. I loved that I felt the tension, I laughed out loud and I enjoyed the steam. This book really had everything you could want from a romance novel and I truly enjoyed it. Who doesn't love a good marriage of convenience romance?!

Thank you to NetGalley, Serena Bell, and Jelsba Media Group for an eARC of this book.

Title: Hott Take By Serena Bell

Release Date: April, 16th 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

"Hot Take" by Serena Bell is like a warm hug for your heart, guaranteed to make you grin from ear to ear!

Shane finds himself in a bind due to his grandfather's will, which requires him to arrange a celebrity wedding to save his family's land. He turns to Ivy Scofield, a former TV star running a theatre program for troubled youth, for help. They strike a deal: Shane provides Ivy with his family's wedding barn, and she agrees to a fake marriage. However, as they plan the wedding, they find themselves growing closer and uncovering each other's vulnerabilities. Their fake relationship begins to feel more real, but unresolved issues threaten to drive them apart.

The main characters portray a strong connection, and their journey towards love combines passion and gentleness beautifully.

One of the highlights of the book is the found family dynamic, which adds depth and warmth to the story. The interactions between the characters are full of humour and genuine emotion.

“Hott Take” is a charming romance novel that combines humour, passion, and heart in all the right ways. If you're looking for a feel-good read with plenty of sizzle, this book is sure to hit the spot.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining, good read. Shane and Ivy are fun, entertaining, intriguing, complex, interesting, relatable characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and a couple. Their romance is so much fun to read with all it’s twists and turns. I love the family aspect of the story. The secondary characters – especially various family members – added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. While this is apart of a series, it’s the first book I’ve read and I didn’t feel lost. I put both the first book and the Wilde books on my TBR because now I’m curious 😊. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.