#BlogTour: LET’S MAKE A SCENE by Laura Wood @simonschusterUK @TeamBATC #LetsMakeAScene

Publication: 3rd July 2025 – Simon & Schuster UK

Their story might be scripted, but the chemistry is real.

When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There’s only one problem . . . Cynthie’s arrogant and annoyingly handsome co-star Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity – have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.

Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there’s a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship . . . and this time there’s a documentary crew following their every move.

Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they’re playing start to feel all too real?

AMAZON

WATERSTONES

It’s my turn on the blog tour for Let’s Make A Scene, the incredible new novel by Laura Wood.

I first started reading Laura Wood through her YA historical novels which I enjoyed very much, but her adult novels made her one of my favourite authors, first with Clemmie and Theo’s beautiful love story in Under Your Spell and now with Let’s Make A Scene. It’s been a few days since I’ve finished reading it and I am still thinking about not only Cynthie and Jack’s swoony romance, but also the wonderful cast of characters who surround them. 

Let’s Make A Scene is an enemies-to-lovers slow burn romance told in two different timelines: thirteen years earlier, Cynthie Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones get their first important acting job, playing two star-crossed lovers in Regency England and, on the set, their chemistry was off the charts, but off the set their dislike for each other turned into elaborate pranks and continuous bickering; thirteen years later, Cynthie’s classy, understated, English rose image is marred by a scandal. To restore her image she needs to not only accept to make the sequel of the movie that made her famous, but also pretend to be dating her former enemy, Jack.

Once again, Laura Wood created an addictive, well-written, and wonderful story. I loved the characters of Cynthie and Jack. They feel relatable and authentic: Cynthie has always dreamt of becoming an actress, she is enthusiastic, lively, and resilient, and when her own family practically abandoned her, she created her own family through her friends. All his life, Jack had to deal with the expectations and criticisms of his overachieving parents and becoming an actor has always been his road. He is thoughtful, charming, and I just adored him: he reads Jane Austen and I kept imagining him either as Andrew Garfield or Jonathan Bailey.

There is second-chance romance, chemistry, friendship, witty banter and humor, character development, and Laura Wood neatly takes from the best romcom movies: there is the Bill-Pullman-Leaning scene from While You Were Sleeping, the wet shirt moment, the lift scene from Dirty Dancing, and she masterfully recreates the Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling’s Best Kiss Moment at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards. I can’t recommend Let’s Make A Scene enough and I can’t wait to read whatever she is planning next!

A huge thank you to SJV and Simon & Schuster UK for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a proof of this wonderful novel.

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Laura Wood is an author and an academic. Her debut adult novel, Under Your Spell, has sold into seventeen languages. Let’s Make a Scene is her second romance book for adults. She is also a bestselling and acclaimed author of children’s and young adult novels. Laura has a PhD in nineteenth century literature, and lives in Warwickshire with her husband and their dog, Bea. You can visit lauraclarewood.com and follow her on Instagram @lauracwood.