This was such a fun read!! I loved it and read it very quickly 😅 As a northerner who went to uni in the south west and met a lot of people like Louisa (never befriended any thank goodness), I related to Cat. I did love how this book makes fun of how ridiculous the super rich are and I was all for the heist haha.

I think this book perfectly shows the difficulty of trying to 'make it' in the creative world, especially somewhere like London but it also has this heist plot?! So good. I loved the team Cat and Jake formed and the plan coming together. It was hard to put down as I was keen to see what happened next.

I did find the ending a bit rushed, especially in the sudden changes in the relationship between Jake and Cat. Also, personal gripe really but I was excited to see a scouse character in a book for once and was disappointed that he was stereotypically not a nice guy.

Having said that, a really fun, addictive read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This premise feels so oddly superficial, it would’ve been a hit in the early 00s. But we’ve progressed past that media consumption and it feels a bit outdated. Maybe if the concept felt a little more genuine or dug a bit deeper?

I decided to give "love and other scams" a chance. Sadly, the characters were banal, the storyline, meh. It could work as a screenplay though

The heist in this book is intriguing, but that was rather all that took me in with this book. The writing was way too slow and I didn't enjoy it at all.

Unfortunately underwhelming, but pushed up to a solid three stars based on the ending. The heist elements kept my attention, but I never got terribly invested in anything else that was happening. I can se it being a fun read for others, though.

If you want to read a rom-com but you don’t want to feel like you’re just reading the same one over and over then this is the book for you!

I loved this book, the plot felt really original and struck the right balance between being relatable (being 30 and not having life figured out) as well as a little wacky (I have never myself plotted to steal an engagement ring).

The characters were fab and really supported the plot well - Harper being an iconic standout for me personally.

Definitely worth a read, I didn’t want to put it down!

This was a really fun book. It was much less of a crime caper than I was expecting, more of a romance with a smidge of a crime twist, but it worked for me. I loved the characters and the concept and while it was pretty far-fetched, that was part of the fun. Will definitely look out for whatever PJ Ellis writes next.

This is a really fun read. Not what I was expecting but I loved the characters and the quirky plot. Very enjoyable

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun read, although somewhat unbelievable. i wish there had been more scenes with cat and jake, cause I did like them together but it didn’t feel like they were as far along in their relationship as I was led to believe because it didn’t seem like they had enough time together. I don’t think I was invested in their relationship as I felt I was expected to be. The planning of the heist and the plot of the book made up for it. I would recommend this to someone needing a light hearted and fun read.

A fantastically fun romcom revolving around a diamond heist in which two con artists, Cat and Jake, join forces to pull off the scam of the century, whilst posing as a couple at the poshest wedding.

Driven to a desperate financial state Cat starts to pick the pockets of fellow wedding guests and bar go-ers. No-one is any the wiser until bar tender Jake, with his own illegal side-hussle, spots her. Cat and Jake decide to embark on their biggest job, a jewel heist, together.

I read this a while ago as a buddy read with @bitofabookworm_ and enjoyed it as a light, fun, escapist read.

The writing was engaging and I was pulled straight into the story as soon as I picked it up. I raced through it as I couldn’t put it down. There are a few eyebrow raising moments in the plot where it doesn’t quite seem plausible, however it is a fun and light read.

I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Cat and Jake and seeing more to both of them.

Love and Other Scams is out now, and well worth a read.

AD - this copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is an incredibly funny, fall in love with the main characters, debut.

Such a unique concept and executed really well - I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.

We begin by meeting Cat, who is single and at a wedding and not too long after she has been asked to be her old friend from school Louisa's bridesmaid. With her recently losing her source of income, how will she afford yet another wedding? Step in Jake a local bar tender who spots her in his bar one night.

Although the concept may seems strange - two people ultimately stealing from and scamming others - I really did enjoy this book and somehow found myself really liking t Cat, on paper you shouldn't but I couldn't help it. Apart from the obvious criminal side, I found her to be very much like me, single, trying to get by as an independent woman. I loved how the book was funny as well as relatable in lots of ways for me as a similar age.

I couldn't wait to find out if they fell for their tricks or instead fell for each other.

I will be recommending this book to others and looking out for more from this author.

In this book we meet Cat who is running out of funds, who will also be homeless next month's thanks to her landlord kicking her out, she has been invited to the wedding of her former best friend Louisa who is a rich kid, and Cat is also a con artist. However not too great a one as she is poor.

However at the engagement party of Louisa she forms a plan to steel the huge diamond ring on Louisa's finger with the help of barman Jake. But will they be able to pull it off?

.I loved how clever this book was. I really enjoyed the fresh twist and it was also rather funny.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Cat has a lot going on… She has barely anything left in her bank account, her landlord will be kicking her out next month, and she's been invited to a wedding by her former uni best friend, rich girl Louisa.

Even Cat's secret talent as a con artist cannot magic up enough money.

But what's that on Louisa's finger? An absolutely huge priceless diamond… After agreeing with barman Jake – a brilliant hustler and potential pretend boyfriend – they come up with a plan. But can they really pull off this diamond heist?

I must admit, I went into Love & Other Scams completely blind. I met the author at a book party last year (yes, those amazing things exist!) and a few bloggers mentioned PJ Ellis' upcoming book. I requested it on Netgalley without even reading the blurb.

I thought it was going to be a typical girl-meets-boy, girl-and-boy-fall-in-love type of scenario…

But OH MY GOD, I loved it! What a brilliant (shocking to me!) plot!

If you want a well-plotted, fresh novel that you cannot put down, with lots of laugh-out-loud moments, this is the book for you!

Loves & Other Scams has an incredibly smart plot, and feels very Ocean's Eleven or The Hustle, with a wedding and a bit of romance thrown in too. There was great momentum throughout the book, without any dips.

It took me a while to like Cat, especially when I learned she was a part-time con artist, but I gradually warmed to Cat and her sense of humour. I found it odd that I was rooting for a character and her fake boyfriend who are, well, criminals! The other characters are all believable and well-developed, particularly Jake and Louisa.

I can totally see this as a film or TV drama, and I am already working out which actors will play each role!

I cannot wait to see what PJ Ellis writes next. My favourite book of 2023 so far! Highly recommend!

The concept of this really intrigued me - the combination of the fake-dating trope alongside a diamond heist sounded like my kind of thing, and, if altered slightly, I do think this woould make a great premise for a film. Considering the action-packed synopsis, I was expecting Love & Other Scams to be fast-paced, with twists and turns, and for me to fly through it, but that wasn't the case. Instead, I found it to be one of my more slower reads recently, with an almost plodding quality to the narrative. I also didn't find myself reaching for it too often over the other books I had on the go. Saying all of that, I did really enjoy this book as a story about old friendships and a blossoming romance, but I just wouldn't consider it to be a heist novel, as it felt as though the conclusion to that storyline was just shoved in at the end with no real build-up.

Love And Other Scams // PJ Ellis 💍💰
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

forced proximity✅
fake relationship✅
friends to lovers✅

~ Cat has a dangerously dwindling bank balance. She also has: a month before her landlord kicks her out, a surprise wedding invitation from rich mean girl, Louisa
 and a secret talent for con artistry 💵

~ A priceless jewel the size of a cocktail olive is glinting on Louisa’s finger… when Cat meets her ideal plus one, Jake – who’s gifted at hustling and posing as the perfect boyfriend – this wedding becomes a once in a lifetime opportunity. After all, how hard can a diamond heist be? 💍

***

~ a very very easy five stars for me, constantly wondering how Cat is going to navigate each day, scrambling to make rent and planning the biggest heist 😳

~ it was lovely to see such character development from both Cat and Jake, letting their walls down and for cat finally opening up about how she’s felt since being a little girl to her dad, Jake and most importantly herself🫶🏻

~ the dramas that unveil within the immediate group of the wedding tribe on the actual wedding day… had my jaw to the floor… i could not believe it!!!!

^ cannot recommend enough honestly🤍 ^

~ Release date: 16th March 🌷

This ultimately just wasnt for me. i didn't find the characters likeable and didn't warm to them. The story is fine but not enough to grip me.

Although I found parts of this book likeable and interesting the fact I really struggled to connect with the main characters was an issue to me. Possible just not to my taste as I can see so many others have loved this book

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it missed the mark. I was so close to dnf'ing it on multiple occasions while reading it due to the fact that:
1. Cat (FMC) was annoying and judgy. I didn't like how she comes from a good education but felt the need to do the heist instead of getting a job like a normal person with a degree would do.
2. Jake (MMC) was very basic and tbh the premise said he wanted to steal her heart but honestly didn't get that vibe.
3. There is no suspense or urgency for the heist to take place as neither character have idea what they would do if they got the money
4. The ending was lackluster and wasn't wrapped up well
5. It didn't make sense that the heist would involve Cats best friend from university, like I get why she hates her but we only find that out later in the book
6. All the characters except Harper were just awful humans and I didn't root for any of them
7. The romance was not good in this book cause like 60% in they sleep together and bam are in love and then we get the conflict at 80-90% of the book and the remaining was that rubbish excuse of an ending.

I'm sorry but I don't recommend reading this.