Falling for the Fake Boyfriend: three dates, a few simple rules and a fake relationship that becomes too real

Falling for the Fake Boyfriend is the first book in the Clearview Falls University series by S.E. Rose and Sierra Hill. Emmett Hudson is trying to keep every aspect of his life in control as he thought he was doing a good job. That is until his coach pulls him aside and threatens to bench him if he didn’t get his grades up. He needs a tutor. Lucy Parker has no time for football players. Well, maybe for the one who she has been crushing on since high school. As she is assigned to tutor Emmett, they strike a deal. He promises to help her get his teammate’s attention if Lucy commits to being his fake girlfriend for three events as a way to keep their tutoring sessions a secret. Even with their rules in place, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real. 

Falling for the Fake Boyfriend is a sweet college sports romance with plenty of banter, laughs and spiciness. I enjoyed Emmett and Lucy as individuals as well as a couple. Despite the obvious title, the sparks between them flew pretty quick and they did try to keep to their agreement in the beginning. I especially enjoyed Lucy as she starts to come out of her shell. I enjoyed Emmett as the caring, yet private, young man. I also enjoyed their cast of supportive characters from the goofy teammate to the girly besties who see the sparks long before Emmett and Lucy do. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I will be continuing the series. It was a quick read as I was pulled into the romance of Emmett and Lucy. If you enjoy sweet college sport romances, I highly recommend Falling for the Fake Boyfriend. 

Falling for the Fake Boyfriend is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Dating the Defensive Back: a fake relationship romance

Dating the Defensive Back is the first book in Nash Brothers series by Lisa Suzanne. Grayson Nash has been traded to the Vegas Aces. When he walks into a local Vegas bar, he doesn’t know that his childhood best friend’s little sister was there. Ava Maxwell saw him walk in and when he attempts to pick her up, she realizes that he does not recognize him. She gives him a fake name and they end up having a steamy night together. They exchange numbers and a promise to see each other again. As they begin a flirty text conversation, Ava finds it harder and harder to tell Grayson who she really is. When Grayson does find out, he is determined to keep his distance. That is until her ex comes to town and starts harassing her. Grayson swoops in and pretends to be her new boyfriend. Now they are in the middle of a fake dating relationship for his image. However, it starts to feel very, very real. Can a fake relationship turn into a real forever love? 

I love a good fake relationship romance with a football background. They are usually sweet, fun with football players. However, it wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t fun. It was spicy. The language used was cringey and like no one really uses these terms. Like I’ve only heard them in books and tv shows. For example, I can’t stand the term “V-card” and it is used a lot by Ava! There were other descriptions of certain body parts that were so cringey and just icky. I did not like Ava who was immature and very manipulative. Grayson is just an idiot. They decide to have a fake relationship for images sake and seek the help of a public relations person. These suggestions were eye rolling annoying. It was also way too long. Sixty-three chapters alternating between Ava and Grayson! Each chapter was short; almost too short, before ending and sometimes changing the point of view. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I will not be continuing the series. I do not recommend Dating the Defensive Back. 

 Dating the Defensive Back is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Just Don't Fall: a fun, clean sports romance

Just Don’t Fall by Emma St Clair is the first book in the Sweater Weather series. Parker Douglas grew up with Logan Barnes, her brother’s best friend, and her first crush. But he broke her heart when he left town. Now he’s back as he was forced to play for Harvest Hollow’s minor league team. Recovering from an injury and bad press, Logan is biding his time until he can return to the NHL. As the team’s social media manager, Parker will be working with him daily as she creates TikTok videos and fun team highlights. She's determined to keep their relationship professional. However, one conservation with her father leads to a fake relationship with Logan, she realizes her old crush never died. Parker starts to think her feelings aren’t one-sided, but Logan isn’t staying, right? 

Just Don’t Fall is a sweet, clean romance with humor and great banter. There are also moments of drama as Parker stands up for herself and demands her own path in life, love and career. As well as Logan, who is hiding deep hurts that led to the way he left town in the first place. I loved the relationship development between Logan and Parker. The teasing, the deep talks and the fun competition between them was like watching a rom-com movie. This story is an easy read as it kept my attention and flowed freely from the page. Overall, I enjoyed this book as Just Don’t Fall is a great and fun weekend read. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy sweet, clean sports romance, I highly recommend Just Don’t Fall. 

Just Don’t Fall is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Charade: a fake relationship romance

The Charade is the first book in the Eden Falls Academy series by Judy Corry. Ava Cohen arrives at the Eden Falls Academy for her senior year. As a condition of her attendance, she agrees to math tutoring. Her new tutor is the handsome, standoffish Carter Hastings. Carter insists on a contract with one rule being she can’t fall in love with him. Carter doesn’t date the girls at the school especially after his last relationship ended. Then Ava suggests a fake relationship. He can get revenge on his cheating ex-girlfriend and she can hide the reason why they have to spend so much time together. As they begin to pretend, they soon realize that their first impressions of each other are far from the truth and neither of them can hold their end of the contract. But when a family secret threatens to come to light, they are shocked to consider that their relationship could be forbidden. 

The Charade is a wonderful fake relationship/forbidden romance story. From the very beginning, I was drawn in by Ava and Carter’s alternating points of view as their relationship unfolds. Behind Carter’s standoffish demeanor hides a wounded soul from very humble beginnings and a haunted history. Ava’s warm acceptance brings out a different side of Carter. Their relationship turns passionate quickly and will warm any romantic heart. While I knew the family secret threatening their relationship would be revealed and their relationship would be safe, I enjoyed how it played out in the story and their individual reactions. It is a clean romance with kissing and a couple make out sessions but no sex. I also enjoyed the supporting characters. I look forward to reading their individual romances. Overall, I enjoyed The Charade. There were moments that made me smile. Moments that broke my heart and tender moments that made me sigh. I recommend The Charade. 

The Charade is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

The Heartwood Wedding: a great romantic read for a lazy weekend

The Heartwood Wedding is the fourth book in the Carter’s Cove series by Elana Johnson. After a bad first date with a local journalist, Brad Keith, a former pro football player, needs an out. He tells her he’s engaged but he really isn’t. He needs to find a fake fiancée quickly. Celeste Heartwood is the event planner for the inn and just happens to walk by. Brad quickly pulls her into his lie. She agrees only because she wants a guaranteed date for the summer. She’s tired of attending events by herself. They strike a deal: a fake engagement for the summer. No strings, no entanglements. But soon their fake relationship becomes very real. Will they be able to walk away as planned? Or will they risk their hearts for love? 

The Heartwood Wedding was a cute, sweet romance. Brad tries to get a pushy woman off his back with a fake relationship, so he makes a deal with Celeste. Let the fake romance begin! However, wouldn’t people know that the local celebrity and a member of the prominent Heartwood family know they weren’t dating to become engaged? Some were skeptical but quickly accepted the news.  Of course, any fake relationship will often turn into a real one. Their relationship becomes sweet and endearing. Celeste is very bossy and uptight but reveals her true self as her relationship with Brad blossoms. I loved Brad’s very public gesture in order to win her heart for real. It was a quick read, great for a lazy afternoon of romance. I recommend The Heartwood Wedding. 

The Heartwood Wedding is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Spanish Love Deception: an enemies to lovers romantic comedy

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas is an enemies to lovers romantic comedy. Catalina Martin had made a horrible mistake. In order to get her mother off her back, she claims she has a boyfriend. And now the family, and her ex and his fiancée, is expecting him to be there. Now she desperately needs to find a date, a man to pretend to be her boyfriend, for her sister’s wedding. She has four weeks to find someone who is willing to join her in Spain and take part in this deception. With the clock ticking, not just any man will do because her family won’t be easy to fool. Her tall, handsome and condescending colleague, Aaron Blackford, offers to be that boyfriend. There’s no way she would be able to pretend with someone who aggravates her. When she realizes she has no choice, she reluctantly agrees. Soon she will see a side of Aaron she hasn’t seen before. Will her hate blossom into love? 

This book caught my eye at a store’s display for Hispanic Heritage Month and I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance. The beginning is a bit slow as Catalina refuses and fights against Aaron being her date but Aaron is persistent. He shows her that he is her best and only option. Once they arrive in Spain and the charade begins, the story heats up and the fun begins. I laughed. I cried. I sighed at the very romantic and heartfelt moments between Catalina and Aaron. They were great laugh out loud moments with Catalina’s family and sweet, touching moments with her parents. I enjoyed that their “happily ever after” took more effort as they returned home and to the real world. While Catalina is very stubborn, I loved that Aaron took his time and he was my favorite character. I closed the book with great satisfaction that it was well worth it. It is a sweet, funny and sexy story. I highly recommend The Spanish Love Deception! 

The Spanish Love Deception is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook