Hollywood Hookup
by Christy Swift
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: February 10, 2026
Reviewed by PJ
A former movie star is thrust back into the celebrity life where she finds herself competing for a date with her longtime crush in this funny and heartwarming rom-com about second chances and rediscovering your true self.
Once a teenage TV star, she’s reinvented her life. Now her very public celebrity crush has put her back in the spotlight.
Josie Days has worked hard to forget who she used to be. Once upon a time, she was one of Mexico’s favorite bilingual teen stars—until one disastrous decision ruined her budding career. These days, Josie’s happy to keep things very off-camera as a makeup artist. That is until her best friend ropes her into a charity game show where the prize is a date with her forever celebrity crush: impossibly charming Irish “It” boy Sean O’Sullivan.
Josie has no interest in winning. In fact, she’s trying to lose—and fast. But Sean is interested in more than a game. The problem? Josie isn’t who he thinks she is. And when the cameras start rolling and her past is exposed, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready for the spotlight again—or if her second act never should have started.
PJ's Thoughts:
Oh, this was a fun one. Josie and Sean kept me grinning pretty much from start to finish. Though it's not all fun and games. Fraught family relationships and self-questioning along the way give the story satisfying emotional heft but, overall, this one keeps the endorphins popping.
Swift returns to Hollywood for the follow-up to last year's Celebrity Crush. This time it's Emmy's best friend, Josie who is reluctantly shoved into the spotlight and her celebrity crush, Sean O'Sullivan who is right there with her. It was fun watching Emmy navigate her new-found fame but readers new to Swift can easily step into this universe with Hollywood Hookup without missing a beat.
In a way, this is a delayed coming of age story. Sean is grappling with accepting his hobby as a natural, vital part of his being while dealing with the fear that he may be as obsessive as his older brother. Josie lives with the shame of her teenage antics while keeping her true self a secret from those closest to her...and the world at large. The journey to each of them accepting all parts of themselves is brimming with humor, endearing charm, unexpected twists, and a well-earned happy ending. I enjoyed every bit of it.
