I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date: February 4, 2025
An email asking if I would be interested in reviewing this book landed in my inbox at the beginning of December. Normally, romance books aren’t something I read much of and a new publishing imprint from the owner of TikTok isn’t something that would draw me in. (I’m not an TikTok and I generally feel too old to learn new forms of social media at this point.) However, December is such a busy month for me and I have such little brain space for reading and absorbing new books that I thought a fluffy romance might actually be just the thing.
Turns out, I was right, and On Screen & Off Again was a delightful little brain break to be entertained by in the lead-up to the holidays.
Wilhelmina Chase and Daxon Avery were the stars of a wildly popular TV show when they were teenagers. The plot sounds ridiculous yet believable as a pseudo-Nickelodeon type show. Think Hanna Montana meets The Princess Switch. (I think. I’ve never seen either.) When the show is cancelled, Wil spirals into all the stereotypes of troubled young stars while Daxon moves across the country to study acting at Yale. This separation also puts an end to the romance that’s been growing between them and they lose touch for the next several years. Daxon’s career begins to grow while Wil only gets press when she’s in trouble with the law. When Daxon lands a huge starring role in a new movie and the director is struggling to cast the female lead, the first person Dax thinks to suggest is Wil.
The movie is a World War II era romance – very reminiscent of The Notebook – and has the potential to relaunch both of their careers. But will the chemistry and romantic tension between the two of them ruin the whole thing?
This book goes in exactly all the directions you think it will but, honestly, that’s part of the fun. Is it realistic and believable? No. But Wil and Dax are decently likeable and it’s easy enough to cheer for them. A lot of the plot feels pieced together from celebrity headlines and cheesy movies but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It adds to the comfort and familiarity of the story and as long as you’re not expecting anything more, I think the reader will be satisfied.
For me, what makes the book stand out is the unique Hollywood setting. Not just that Wil and Dax are working actors but that they were both successful child actors. Cross shows two different paths that we are all probably used to seeing child actors take. Those who spiral into self-destructive behaviours after they age out of their first career and those who put their heads down and are maybe able to parlay it all into something more lasting. As well, another interesting part of the book for me was that both Wil and Dax come from industry families. The book never uses the term “nepo babies” but that’s essentially what they are. Wil’s dad is a famous comic actor who played her father on their TV show while Daxon’s dads are the stars of a hit decorating show. Through this we get to see two different ways of families navigating this unusual lifestyle.
Overall, an easy and fun read if you’re looking for some escapism.
Karissa Reads Books 
I weirdly enjoy reading gossip articles about which famous people are nepo babies because there are SO MANY. I was ready to hate Lily Rose Depp in the new Nosferatu, but she truly holds her own, blending in more than our celebrated lead, Nicholas Hoult. Your review made me think about which child stars survived, and all I can come up with are Drew Barrymore and Devon Sawa.
The nepo baby actors conversation is kind of weird to me. I get the fascination but why does it matter? Lots of people pursue the same career as their parents. I feel like we should be more concerned about nepo babies in business and politics than in entertainment.
As for child stars who survived…the ones that come to mind are Ryan Gosling and Elijah Wood. Maybe the kids from Harry Potter? They seem to have done ok. It made me laugh that you mentioned Devon Sawa because I haven’t thought about him in years. (Obligatory, did you know he’s from Vancouver?)
I think I knew Sawa is Canadian. He’s made quite a name for himself in horror, and he’s much beloved by that community. In the Chucky TV series, his characters kept getting killed off, then he would reappear, sometimes in the same season, as just a totally different human. It was such a great gag that was oddly effective. I think we all just accepted it BECAUSE he’s so beloved and no one wanted him to be killed off.
That’s funny, I had no idea he was working much but I looked him up and he’s been steadily employed. It’s nice when those child actors can find their niche as working adults.
This does sound like a fun little read, and like you, sometimes my brain craves those breaks, and around a busy time like the holidays, these lighter reads are just the ticket.
I actually just finished listening to the audiobook memoir of Britney Spears, and it made me so weary of show business. I think it’s hard to maintain a normal outlook on things in Hollywood, living among people in the entertainment industry. It just seems like a totally different world.
Oh, interesting! Britney’s seems such a sad story. It does seem nearly impossible to come out of Hollywood as a normal person.