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Verdict: A laugh-out-loud British rom-com: ghostwriter Lily Gray flies to LA to write reclusive actress Clara Wild’s memoir, and after a misread viral video, the two fake a romance to save Clara’s career. Readers adore the humour and side characters; the most common complaint is a startling number of editing errors.
Best for: Readers who want a funny, low-spice fake-dating romance on Kindle Unlimited.
Heat level: Fade to black
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.6/5 — a 4.17 Goodreads average across 387 ratings, 3.41 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 538 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Fake dating, PR relationship, slow burn, celebrity/non-celebrity, 40+ lead, rom-com.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild is Natasha West’s 2024 sapphic romantic comedy. British biographer Lily Gray is going to Los Angeles to write the story of Clara Wild, who inexplicably stepped away from stardom at the height of her fame.
It holds a 4.17 average across 387 Goodreads ratings, with 76% of them four or five stars, 3.41 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 538 Amazon ratings.
What Is The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild About?
Introverted Clara has been pushed into the book to resurrect her career and isn’t thrilled to spill her secrets. Then a misinterpreted video convinces the public that she and Lily are a couple.
They lean into the chaos, faking a love affair to save Clara’s comeback and sell Lily’s book — amid agents, paparazzi, ex-girlfriends and a counterfeit chihuahua.
What Works in This Book
- Comedy: Readers repeatedly say they laughed out loud.
- Side characters: Zoya, a wacky family of dentists and a tiny dog are reader favourites.
- British humour: Fans enjoy the wit.
- Heart: Readers note poignant moments amid the chaos.
Book Synopsis
A ghostwriter and a reclusive star become an accidental tabloid couple.
Faking it might save both their careers — if they can keep it fake.
My Review
West has a real gift for comic set pieces, and the book is at its best in its chaos. Clara’s gradual opening-up gives it enough emotional weight to land the ending.
The problem readers can’t ignore is editing: swapped character names, wrong words and run-on sentences pull several out of the story. Some also found the leads doormats or not very adult, the communication poor, and a couple wanted more spice or more about Lily.
My honest note: Laugh through the typos.
| Element | In Clara Wild |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Clara Wild (reclusive actress) & Lily Gray (British ghostwriter) |
| Core tropes | Fake dating, PR relationship, slow burn |
| Setting | Los Angeles |
| Heat level | Fade to black |
| Length | 321 pages (Kindle edition) |
| Series | Standalone |
| Content notes | None submitted on StoryGraph |
How Spicy Is The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild?
Mild — kissing on page, little beyond it.
No content warnings have been submitted on StoryGraph.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a genuinely funny sapphic rom-com. It is on our celebrity lesbian romance list.
You may want to skip it if: typos ruin a book for you.
In short: Hilarious, sloppily edited.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 45% five stars, 31% four, 17% three, 3% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, every reader who answered tagged it lighthearted and 75% funny.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Humour first. Second, side characters. Third, the fake-dating setup. Fourth, heart.
What readers argue about and complain about: Editing errors, above everything. Second, immature leads. Third, no spice.
The comparison worth making first: Fake For Fame, a steamier Hollywood fake-dating romance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it funny?
Very, by most accounts — readers report laughing out loud at the flight, a Costco trip, a family of dentists and a tiny dog.
How spicy is it?
Mild. Readers describe swoony kissing but little or no explicit content; a couple wished for more spice.
What are the editing problems?
Several readers flag frequent errors, including the two leads’ names being swapped, wrong words and run-on sentences.
Does it have a happy ending?
Yes — readers describe it as a feel-good rom-com with an HEA.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, when we checked — or $4.99 to buy on Kindle.
If You Loved Clara Wild, Read These Next
Try Fake For Fame or When Worlds Collide. Browse our celebrity list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild sets out to be a laugh-out-loud fake-dating rom-com, and it is. What holds it back is editing that needed another pass. A fun Kindle Unlimited read. Check Clara Wild on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Clara Wild ranks as a good rom-com pick — hilarious, unpolished.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ 4.17 average across 387 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 76% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.41 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews
- ✓ 4.5 stars across 538 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ Fake dating
- ✓ Slow burn
- ✓ Swoony kisses
- ✓ Poor communication
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ Reclusive Clara
- ✓ Clueless Lily
- ✓ Zoya
- ✓ Wacky family
Writing ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ Laugh-out-loud
- ✓ Swapped names
- ✓ Wrong words
- ✓ Run-ons
Emotional Impact ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Lighthearted
- ✓ Poignant moments
- ✓ Awakening
- ✓ Funny
Heat Level ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5
- ✓ Fade to black
- ✓ Kissing
- ✓ No spice for some
- ✓ Sweet
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ HEA
- ✓ Great ending for one
- ✓ Standalone
- ✓ Feel-good
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ $4.99 Kindle price
- ✓ Audiobook
- ✓ Comfort read
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