This book starts a new series but it totally stands alone and does NOT end on a cliffhanger. There is both cursing and on-screen sex so if those things will cause you to leave a bad review you should skip this one.

This was my first Melissa Foster book and I absolutely adored this story and the characters in it. I will admit that at first I wasn't sure what to expect from Zane – his introduction is, uh, 'unique' to say the least – but I really liked him. And Willow was hilarious. She might have allowed herself to be talked into a ridiculous relationship, but she wasn't a pushover and she wasn't weak. I loved that about her. Their deeply loving and slightly antagonistic relationship was perfect, and I was sad when I reached the end not because the story wasn't fleshed out perfectly or it didn't come to a beautiful conclusion, but because I wanted more of these two. Their personal chemistry was ridiculous from the first time they share a page together and it didn't get any less intense as the book went on.

The only two little things that I didn't enjoy about this story was that many characters were described using famous people rather than a quick physical descriptor which would allow the readers to use their imagination. I know that is a personal preference and it isn't a huge deal, it was just disappointing because Ms. Foster has such a talent for descriptive writing but didn't use it for those purposes. The other thing that I didn't particularly care for was Zane's snobby disdain for his parents because he grew up “poor”. I was hoping he would show a little personal growth during this book and learn to not look down his nose at his parents for 'living paycheck to paycheck' - like most people in the country do - but that never happened. Instead of appreciating how hard they worked or that he didn't have an abusive, horrible home life, he still talked about them as if they were dirt to him but Willow's family was great because they were upper class. There is nothing wrong with working hard, with not being rich, and his snobbery in that regard was a total turn off. Not enough to cost the book a star, but still annoying to this reader who works very hard and has a very fulfilled life but still lives paycheck to paycheck just like his 'unfulfilled' parents.

If you enjoy a book about two people who are crazy in love with each other but who fight like crazy for that love, or if you just enjoy a full-on love story with a ton of crazy sexy scenes and a ton of emotion, you should read this book. After getting to know Willow's siblings, I very much look forward to books that will round out this series.

I requested and was generously granted an ARC of this book via the publisher and NetGalley. I was under no obligation to write this review, I did so because I adored this story.

5+ stars

Willow and Zane have known each other since they were kids and share a very complicated relationship. After a night together he leaves town to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. And despite them both having feelings for each other, they never let the other know.
Now years later, Zane needs to clean up his image and he can't think of anyone but Willow to help him do that, and so they start a fake engagement charade.
What they didn't expect was their true feeling coming to surface, and start something which they are not totally prepared for.
The sweetest thing was totally sweet read. I loved the dynamics between Zane and Willow and was totally rooting for them. Ms Foster has started the series with an awesome read and I can't wait for the next one.

This book is exactly why I fell in LOVE with Melissa Foster’s writing.

She gave us a fun and entertaining storyline and characters that were relatable and lovable. You can’t help but get sucked into this book. This was a perfect story for that warm, sunny afternoon at the beach. A great friends to lovers story without a lot of excess drama.

The Real Thing is a standalone novel told in Dual POV from the third person. Sometimes when I read a book in the third person I feel like some is telling me the story, but that is not the case in this book. I felt like I was a part of the lives of these characters. I felt all the feelings the author was trying to convey.

This book is the first book in Melissa’s newest series and I think that she off to a GREAT start. I am truly looking forward to each of the sibling’s books

What I loved the most about this book compared to some of the other books I have read by Melissa, is that this book was filled with wonderful dialogue. I am a reader who really doesn’t like a lot of inner monologue in books and I was happy to see that, that wasn’t the case in the book. I love when the characters interact with each other. It helps me connect with them better and it makes the bond and love story feel more real. The flow and pace of this story was perfect. I loved watching Willow and Zane reconnect and grow into stronger people and a wonderful couple.

The Real Thing is a friends to lovers story that has a hint of the second chance romance and also the Hero is a famous A-list actor. Zane and Willow grew up together and have known each other for many years. Zane is also Ben’s (Willow’s brother) best friend. When they were growing up both had secret crushes on each other, but were afraid to act on them. Until Willow got the nerve to ask Zane to help her lose her virginity. But she had a whole bunch of rules to follow it and Zane ended up chasing his dreams and moved to L.A. Fast forward 10 Years and Zane is now coming back to Sweetwater to film his newest film and to win the heart back of Willow. Their journey was a sweet, sassy and sexy ride and I am glad I went along with them on it.

I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the friends to lovers story and if you are looking for that beach read that will sweep you away. This was a truly romantic love story. I can’t say enough about this book and these characters!!!

I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
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I am a big fan of Melissa Foster's book and this is no exception. Zane and Willow have great chemistry, although Zane definitely need to mature through their relationship.

The Real Thing, Sugar Lake Book 1, Melissa Foster

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance, general fiction (adult) 

I was in the mood for a simple easy romance and this was all that but, it was also that was all...no big drama, secrets, revelations. I really enjoy those in a story, the stuff that keeps me thinking "how will/can they/ what about? " 

The sweetness isn't just in the bakery treats either, the characters are - and I can't think if one that wasn't- sweet, nice, kind, so much so that my teeth ached at times.
I love good characters, but I do like some unpleasant ones for balance too, and here the only ones were Zane's family who we didn't meet but just got an edited view of a difficult childhood.
Zane was nice, his friends and employees were nice, Willow was nice, her family was nice...you get the picture?
For lots of readers that's perfect, and will make this into a five star read, and I'm happy for them and the author but for me I need a little more drama, angst, emotion. I need the characters to have to work for the HEA not just for it to unfold easily. 

I loved Zane and Willow, but the friends to lovers transition was almost seamless, and there just wasn't any conflict to keep me engrossed.
There were secrets, but the reasons for them were pretty thin and they really made mountains out of molehills, I had to reach, really stretch my imagination to find actual drama from them. There just wasn't any conflict - anywhere, nothing hiding, its an all-out-in-the-open romance. 

I did read it all, did enjoy it as a straightforward, romance but to be more than just 3 star "good" for me it needed more edge. 
 
Stars: Three, a good story but one of those which for me was just too light in drama and emotion

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I really wanted to like this book more. It's a good beach read despite its one major problem - total lack of tension. The main characters get together in the first pages and their relationship is almost perfect till the end. I'm used to romance novels having unrealistic characters (especially the men), but something about that lack of tension made these guys feel like just about the most unrealistic I've read in a long time. Even the family that could have been upset with the lie (and therefore introduce some tension) forgives everyone in about two paragraphs. Good set up, good characters, good potential for other books, but this one didn't work. (Also, Zane decides to walk away from being a movie star so he can write screenplays. I don't think so.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B01N4OKMRB/R1HFKKR4O3T7XX?ref_=glimp_1rv_cl

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Foster (because apparently I've been living under a rock), and I enjoyed it very much! The lead characters of Zane and Willow are both very likeable, and their love for each other is palpable. It was refreshing to read this sweet love story where the hero didn't spend most of the book in denial; he realized his love for Willow and then put all his focus on proving it. The obstacles they faced were realistic and well written. And the sex scenes were so hot I thought my Kindle might spontaneously combust. Ms. Foster has a real knack for writing steamy sex scenes that make the reader swoon. In a nutshell, every aspect of this book, from the interesting storyline to the well-developed characters, is satisfying. This is the first book in a series, and I look forward to reading the others.

This one is a pretty standard Romance story it is a pretty standard contemporary romance a little longer then a Harlequin/Silhouette series book but follows that format pretty close so if you enjoy this type of book you will like this quick read.
http://booksinbrogan.com/blog/2017/08/08/real-thing-melissa-foster/

I loved reading the story of Zane and Willow! I think it is a cute and light contemporary and something that will easily pull you out of a reading slump, if you need help getting out of it.
The one complaint however that I do have is that I wish it were a bit less of a generic "let's pretend to be engaged and then I fall in love with you" kind of novel. When I first started reading the book, I was hoping it would be a little different from the generic romance books, but it's okay that it let me down a bit because I truly did fall for the characters and was able to get over the disappointment of how Melissa set them couple up to fall in love.
I really liked Bridgette, and am hoping this is a series because I would like to get a story from her POV.
All in all, I would recommend this book to my other friends that have similar reading tastes as me, because it's a light, easy read, and I thought it was perfect for the summer (even though it isn't to be published until September).

Yes please, more please! I loved The Real Thing. I thought that it could have been finished halfway through. So for me the rest was just frosting on the cupcake as Zane would say. I can't wait to read the rest of Willow's siblings stories.

What Melissa Foster does, she does well. She writes sweet books that makes you cheer for the couple and you do it with a smile on your face.

Zane is a hot movie star and Willow (even the name sounds sweet) is a baker. They grew up together and (of course) never confessed their feelings for each other. Zane returns to town and he needs to clean up his image so (of course) Willow agrees to be his fiance'. And (of course), their feelings develop and they have an HEA!

I don't consider this a spoiler, because hey...that's the formula and that's why we read these books! Foster is a pro at giving readers a book that isn't overly mushy and low on soap opera qualities. She is always a must read author.

Sweet beach read. I had a hard time connecting with the two characters, they didn't act like late 20s/early 30s. Zane was immature and Willow was too capricious for my tastes. That being said, this is a typical romance that doesn't stray too far from the "fake fiancé/spouse" storyline.

Zane Walker might be a sexy, playboy Hollywood actor, but he is the sweetest thing since frosting!

Willow Dalton pleas (ok she just asks and he readily agrees) for Zane to be her first before she goes off to college. Playing the encounter off as just a one and done- both Willow and Zane have never fully gotten over the connection they shared while growing up. Secrets revealed of their relationship after their encounter are both sad and sweet.

Zane concocts a plan for Willow to play his fake fiance to clean up his image. Zane's play to get Willow is irresistible and charming. Willow is trying to resist but knows the boy before he became a Hollywood Hot Hunk. Deceiving her family and friends is hard for Willow when everyone is thrilled with her engagement to Zane, the boy they felt she was destined to be with. However, soon she finds she sucks at acting because her feelings are real.

That's all fine with Zane because his feelings are no act. I loved Zane. When his assistant spills the beans to Willow on his Hollywood life it's adorable.

Willow and Zane were supportive of one another while still giving each other crap! LOL!

This story was excellent for a foundation book in a series that brought all the other characters sure to have their own book while not bogging the story line down.

Willow thought she was getting a catering job. Unfortunately, when she arrived she finds out she was tricked. It turns out that her friend Zane had his own plan for her. He wanted her to pretend to be his fiance for a weeks to help his career. Willow wasn't too thriled with this but agreed in the end. Will they really be able to end this fake engagement after the time specified and go back to being friends?

This book sounded like it would be good from the blurb. However, I found the plot too boring for me and didnt enjoy it so I eventually had to give up on reading it.

I couldn't get through the first chapter sadly.. I couldn't connect with the main character

There are quite a few tropes from romance novels mixed together in this story. Second chance romance - check. Pretend engagement - check. Hot actor with ordinary woman - check. Cute small town where everyone knows everyone - check. Guy falling for his best friend’s little sister - check. It all comes together in a sweet package, which is appropriate since Willow, the heroine, runs a bakery.

Her first crush, her big brother’s best friend, Zane has become a huge Hollywood star of action movies. For some reason, the movie is filming in their hometown in upstate New York. Zane tricks/convinces Willow into asking to pretend to be engaged to him to help his reputation. As if no Hollywood actor has a reputation for sleeping around. She agrees and within a few days, he’s convinced her that he has always loved her and they should make it real.

There’s a little bit of small-town sweetness and a tiny bit if her having to cope with dating a famous actor, but it all gets resolved pretty quickly and easily. It was pleasant, but not gripping. Think of the novel as cotton candy - fun and sweet but without much substance to it. If that is what you’re in the mood for, this book will be just right for you.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My first Melissa Foster book, and it was a quick, fun read.

Zane and Willow's lives have been entwined for years. He's her older brother's best friend, and they have developed a friendship and relationship of their own.

I liked that they each appreciated and loved a lot about the other - more than just physical appearance. Their shared past meant that they saw a lot more than what is on the surface.

While I did really believe they cared about each other deeply, it felt like there was a lot of time devoted to their physical relationship. Since this is the first book I've read by the author I'm not sure if this is normal in her novels. I have read a lot of romance this year, but it felt like there could have been less of this aspect of the story in the book.

Willow's family is very tight knit and it was sweet how close she is to all of her siblings especially. They added a lot of humor to the story and I think they'll be great in future books in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Melissa Foster and I think I fell in love with her writing. The book was sweet all over, beginning through end and it had actually nothing to do with Willow's sweets.
I quickly fell in love with Zane and Willow, they were the cutest together and the love they shared was so strong, it was beautiful to read. Their journey was an amazing one, even with those 10 years spent with their feelings towards one another and that night buried. That time 'apart' made the way they came together again even more perfect, it was a true joy to read. It was just really so sweet, I was swooning throughout almost the whole book with how cheesy and dreamy Zane was with Willow.
Here are some of my favorite Zane moments...

'I'm about as imperfect as they come, but my love for you is real.' (Not true, he is as close to perfect as it gets. The perfect book boyfriend.)

'With a finger beneath her chin, he lifted her eyes to his. "You're the sweetest thing". "I'm your sweetest thing."'(Seriously, they're the absolute cutest. The sweetest thing together.)

'His arms pushed beneath her cradling her body against his, until even air couldn't fit between them. Their mouths came together as they began to move, and he kissed her so deeply, so lovingly, years of pent-up emotions came rushing forward.' (SWOON. They share the sweetest moments, even when they are dirty and playful, you can see what they're sharing is much more than their bodies.)

Seriously, I had no expectations going into this book and it ended up surprising me in the most wonderful way. I really enjoyed this read and I absolutely recommend to any and every Romance lover out there.
Also, I'm excited to see what happens with each and every one of Willow's siblings because yes, I'm so reading each and every of their books!!

The Real Thing is a wonderful contemporary love story about two people who were always destined to be with each other, however being to young, stupid and scared their lifes went differently. Over 10 year later there`s still this subliminal attraction which can no longer be ignored. Particularly if the previously maintained distance is eliminated; with the help of a fictitious engagement.

This book is intense, hot and funny. I liked how Zane and Willow conquered their fears and decided themselves "to feel" and to trust in each other.