It took me some time to get used to this writing style. I like the business idea. I did not get Zora's reason of hiding her identity. Why didn't she just correct him? It felt more like she had hidden the truth only because the author had made her. I could go on and on about this topic. But I just don't want to right now anymore than I already did. Lastly, This book did not convince me that Zora actually fell in love with Cyrus.

This could've been a great book. Unfortunately, the beginning ruined this book for me and it was hard to like this book after that.

✨heated✨
This was my first Naima Simone novel and I loved it 😍 this is a fake-dating trope with a biracial couple whose chemistry is off the charts!
💕
rating 4/5⭐️
spice 2/5🔥
💕
Zora is a successful business owner in a not so normal field of work. Because of her odd job, she runs into Cyrus, a super hot entertainment lawyer. They agree to a fake relationship that will benefit both of them in the end… the chemistry is amazing! I loved how real and relatable the characters were. Zora also runs her business with her brother and sister and I loved the dynamics between the three of them as I also have a fun and crazy relationship with my brother and sister 💕 that was an extra bonus in this book! I would definitely recommend for those who don’t need a ton of steam! There is some sexy scene (that are super hot) but it is maybe only two moments!

Heated by Naima Simone really surprised me. The fake relationship novels have been done hundreds of times, but this book was just so captivating since the very beginning. This is the first book I have read from this author and it definitely will not be my last. I love the writing style, the connection between the characters, and how the author goes into different subjects with people of color, body size and more. I will definitely be reading this book over again!

Fake relationship romance

Zora runs a successful “break-up” business with her 2 siblings. She dumps a man for a client who will obviously become her cohort in the fake relationship.

The writing is not a style I like. There is lots of inner dialogue and random facts about characters thrown in between actual dialogue. This makes it hard to stay on topic with their conversation, or I just wasn’t interested enough to pay attention.

I question some of the male anatomy situations, but as a female I don’t know if that’s how things work.

Was a 2 ⭐️ but one line about frozen yogurt bumped it to a 3 ⭐️

This is my first Naima Simone read thanks to NetGalley and it won't be my last!

Zola and her siblings run a very unconventional business - they do the break-up for you when the relationship is over. The last thing she expected was to find herself falling for the receiving end of said breakup, no matter how beautiful he was.

This book checked all the boxes for an entertaining read! Spice, wit, laughter, drama, suspense, and more! I loved getting to know the characters, I hated the douche bags along with them, and I fell in love with the beautiful, broken man known as Cyrus.

We could all be so lucky to tell a stranger what we really want and have them give it to us, unconditionally. 4 STARS!

I went into this book completely blind and not knowing what to expect but I really thouroghly enjoyed it. It is well written and I love the female main character Zora. She is a woman who is family orientated, a peace maker but needs to address her own needs. She has a business, breaking up with people and this is how she meets Cyrus. Cyrus is cold and calculated, every relationship transactional until Zora. I wasn't sold on the concept of Zora's business but the world the author built is rich, vibrant and true. I can't wait for more from this author and to get to know the side characters better.

4 out 5 stars for me :D

I tried to finish this book and enjoy it. I knew from the opening chapter that it might not have been my cup of tea. I had gone into this book expecting more, and I was disappointed to see that it fell short. Granted, the book wasn't horrible, but I couldn't find myself connecting to the characters or feel invested at all in the plot.

The premise was great, and the writing was also pretty good, but unfortunately, the characters always felt lacking. I want to read more by Simone, as I liked how she wrote this book. I'm hoping I'll enjoy the next one.

The publisher kindly provided ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. All thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : romance 🔥
Zora is one of three siblings running a company dedicated to aiding people in drama-free breakups. Never was she expecting to have an instant connection with one of the men she’s been paid to break up with for a client. Not only does it not look good for the company to her client, but Cyrus thinks she’s his ex’s friend, not that she owns the un-matchmaking company. And as a man of plans himself, Cyrus doesn’t know what to do when life starts to go off script…
Definitely be on the lookout for this one - coming July 5! Thanks @Netgalley !

I gave 5 out of 5 stars because I loved the story and the fact that it was only the main character that was hung up on their different race, even Val who was a capital B because she was rich and upper-class not because of race. Thoroughly enjoyed. Ms Simone is fast becoming my favourite contemporary romance author.

I loved this book,! Brilliant idea for a company, if people are rich enough and daft enough to pay for the service and a strong female to run it. Plot was a bit predictable at times but I was engrossed in the characters so I didn’t mind that. I really enjoyed a main female character with curves!

What happens when Denver’s unmatchmaker comes between a man and the last pieces of his five-year plan? Things get heated, in more ways than one!

Upon reading the blurb (not to mention the eye candy with this electric cover 🔥) for Naima Simone’s pending release, I was itching to see how this concept would play out. The concept of a breakup service contracted to dissolve relationships through an unbiased party is unique and fresh and raises so many questions that compel you to read on. Throw in a little forbidden attraction, a pinch of fake dating, and a side of complications, and you’ve got yourself a romance that sizzles and pops!

Simone is to be praised for the body positivity and multiracial elements worked into this novel. Reading about a confident, successful, body-positive woman and the affairs of an interracial couple that’s conflict had nothing to do with either of these elements was refreshing, and paired with the positive perspectives towards a family-run business, I was delighted. It was great to see the love that Zora and her siblings had for one another—despite the lacking parental reciprocation—and the business they operated. So often there is animosity and dislike written into these family operations, so it was a refreshing take to read the pride and enjoyment cemented within this one's foundations.

Some of the pacing, however, had me feeling that this was a slow burn that fizzled out too quickly. I ADORE fake dating slow burns, but it felt that the ghost of instant love was lurking in the shadows ready to strike, and Zora and Cyrus were progressing from ‘let’s pretend’ to ‘I can’t pretend anymore’ far too quickly for my taste. I missed the burn and believe this was a missed opportunity.

Long chapters and a rushed ending aside, Simone has produced a fun, angsty, and sexy Romance thanks to a stellar cast of characters and a healthy dose of drama and originality.


Thank you @Netgalley and Montlake for the opportunity to provide an ARC review for this story.

I was excited to read a Naima Simone since I had heard so many great things about her books, and this premise seemed unique, but this one just didn't do it for me. I really liked the idea behind the break-up company and the hilarity that could obviously ensue. I was also excited for one of my favorite tropes-”fake relationship.” However, overall I just couldn't get into the characters, the plot felt slow given that the set up was a home run and the “witty-ness” wore thin since it was just sarcasm and not-like-other-girls-isms. However, the book gets points for addressing with finesse the concepts of class, race, gender and relationships. Basically this book had great bones, but I just wasn't into it as presented. Worth noting that I am still going to read more by this author in the hopes that this one was just a miss for me personally.

“Yes, Breaking Up, Reversing Nuptials & Evading Disasters - BURNED Inc., for short”
“You’re a queen. And if you don’t feel it today, fake the hell out of it until you do”
“She is that unveiled art piece that brings a man to his knees, his palms and fingers tingling with the desire to touch, to stroke … to possess”
Honestly this book was amazing!!
When I first approached it, I thought “yes it’s going to be a common or even fluffy romance book”… I couldn’t be more wrong!
This book was an amazing combination of POC representation, of plus size representation, of romance, spice, smuttiness… all together to create an amazing atmosphere that just draw me in from the very first pages!!
I loved Zara, I loved Cyrus, I loved their dynamic.
I loved how their relationship developed and I loved every side character that contributed to make the story unique!!
And don’t let me even start on the fake dating trope … this was just great!!
I loved how empowering it felt to experience the same doubts and the same insecurities Zora had, and to have a completely different perspective on what it feels like to be a woman, a black woman in the industry and feel the need to be respected!!
Everyone should read this book because it is so much more than just a romantic book!!
And Cyrus, Her Next Big Mistake … oh that man!! I absolutely loved him !!!
My last hope is that I will have the chance to experience more about some side characters which quite intrigued me… more than expected!!!!
“Her, my greedy subconscious growls”
“Apparently, list transforms me into the queen of metaphors”
“Because I want to know if you’d let me have you against that wall. If you’d let me slide deep into you, until you took every inch of me without complaint”
“Invite me in. Take me in”

I had a hard time getting into this book. The storyline had a lot of promise, but I was really put off by the main character's complete lack of confidence in herself and creating problems/walls where there really weren't any. The love story really didn't have a lot of emotional connection, just physical attraction - and even that seemed forced. There was an extreme lack of communication between the 2 main characters - it seemed that was their agreement from the start, but it didn't make sense with the storyline down the road and how the story ended (it felt really abrupt and forced - I actually had to check and make sure I didn't miss a chapter!). It's not a bad story, but as a reader I like details and believability and characters I can connect to and this one missed the mark for me.

In her latest book, Heated, Naima Simone gives us a truly “novel” idea. Zora and her siblings work as unmatchmakers. They are tasked with the responsibility of separating reluctant lovers from their partners with grace and minimal hurt feelings. Zora’s family is extraordinarily dysfunctional. Her parents have spent their entire married life in a warzone with the children as collateral damage. Zora is the family peacemaker with all the angst and emotional baggage such a role would entail. Zora does for other people what she can’t make her parents do…. bow out with emotions and lives intact. She has been able to do her job with efficiency until she is asked to deliver a breakup message to Cyrus. Cyrus, with his impoverished background, has a far-reaching plan and breaking up with his high society girlfriend is not a part of his carefully laid out agenda. After Zora delivers the message, it seems like she and Cyrus are thrown into each other’s orbit with increasing attraction. How will Cyrus react when he finds out that Zora has not been completely open about her job and her connection to his ex-girlfriend? I enjoyed this story and Cyrus and Zora had amazing chemistry and emotional bandwidth.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC for an honest opinion!

3.25 stars!

This is my first time reading a book by this author and while I usually love fake dating romances, this one didn't have anything special that made it stand out. Yes, there were some great side characters, interracial relationship rep and both Zora & Cyrus were self-made. I liked their dynamic and they were both pretty clear about what they wanted from life. I could connect with Zora because of her insecurities, her struggles to deal with judgemental high society people and trying to make her parents see that her buisness is significant and salient to her and her siblings. Though I think I had built up high expectations seeing the faking dating trope because most of the time Cyrus & Zora were in each other's company and when the time came to actually pretend in front of his colleagues, everything went downhill and I couldn't properly enjoy the situation. Also, the book didn't have an epilogue and because of that, the ending felt quite lackluster. Just, nothing much was happening in the story, albeit it had some diversity and humour, it was a cute and easy read but nothing different or astounding tbh.

Thank you Montlake & Netgalley for the ARC

Zora has seen what love can do and how it can hurt! Due to their upbringing her two siblings help her run a company that allows for a smooth break up but when she has to be the messenger she discovers more than bargained for when she meets the enigmatic Cyrus!

Cyrus is a man who demands attention when he walks into the room! You can’t help but be in awe of him and Zora is no exception! Things get more complicated when fate continues to bring them together!

I loved their back and forth and how soft Cyrus turned out to be especially when he started to have feelings for Zora! I love seeing an alpha male fall to his knees for his woman and Zora is one strong female! She holds to her convictions but is also the first one there for those she loves! This story was a little slow at times but it’s in those moments where I got to know the characters! A very beautiful read!

I hadn't read this author for a long time, so seeing Heated, I decided to give it a try, and...I really enjoyed it.

From the first chapters author brings sweet love story between Zora and Cyrus. The begining of their relationship is quite interesting hihi - I must admit that, I felt very suprised, but in a positive way. They both re an adults, but because life experiences, they carry on lots of insecurities. I loved to see how they found way to each other, how they found their own happiness. The path wasn't easy, but they give us heart warming hea.

I loved how author was leading me thru this story. I liked the story line, characters, the steamy moments were written beautifully.
This book is a story about finding love and our happiness. Perfectly perfect way to relax with a book in Your hand.

This needs a really good editor to cut out a lot of superfluous text. I love the concept but it didn't quite hit the mark. There were also slightly too many people as supporting characters, with not enough focus on the siblings. They dipped in and out and their reactions then seemed extreme as there was no context setting for them. A promising author, but editing required to make this book the hit the right mark.

I call it, Nora is my newest best friend, I simply adore her!!!! Her strength and vulnerability, her sass and her shyness, her loyalty and kindness, her attitude and her insecurities, they roll up into one amazing woman who drove this story straight into my heart. Cyrus was great too, and his confusion when it comes to Nora, along with his unending drive to be near her, made him a most endearing character. Oh, and the side characters (some of which I am know impatiently waiting for their stories) were just as intriguing and wonderful. Nora and Cyrus take us on a roller-coaster ride of emotions and heat, and it was a simply fantastic ride to be on with them <3