This is a romance, with a twist. A great take of the right person at the wrong time trope. This love story captured my attention and I was all in from beginning to end. Filled full of angst, instant chemistry, steamy scenes, as well as an interesting family dynamic.

Briar agrees to be her new boss Burke’s fake fiancé for eight weeks while visiting his family’s private island. If they can pull this off, she will walk away $1 million richer and her boss’s father gets to spend his last days thinking his son is happily in love again.

But there’s one big problem…Dorian, the man Briar met at a bachelorette and bachelor tropical getaway a year ago, the man she spent three gloriously, delicious nights with, and who asked her to wait for him for two years, is the brother of her boss! Oh yeah, she is in deep heartbreak mode over it and since she signed an NDA, she can’t tell him that their relationship is fake.

The way this story is told was what had me captivated. It switches back and forth from a year ago to present day from both Briar, and Dorians perspectives. With every trip to the past their chemistry grows, as you are forced to watch them in the present, pretending to not know each other, while really both of their hearts were breaking. The pining was epic! I have always loved dual POV since you can see what is going on in their mind. But this was all so emotional. Will they be able to weather this situation and come out on the other side? You will need to read to find out!

I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

Dorian and Briar met a year ago and had an instant connection, except for at the time their lives were in different places. A year later their paths cross again in a rather unexpected way.
There is so much angst in this story from the start. You can feel the chemistry and all the tension between Briar and Dorian. I loved in the beginning that the story was switching between past and present so we could get the full history between these two but also see how things are going between them now.
I felt for Briar because of the situation she was in and the fact she couldn’t tell Dorian the truth, you could feel him breaking and trying not to let Briar get to him more than she already has. These two are so perfect for each other and you really can’t help but root for them to find their happily ever after.
If you’re looking for an enemies to lovers, angsty, slow burn, second chance, grumpy/sunshine, close proximity romance check this one out.

Angsty, slow burn perfection, Fake-ish is a wonderfully complex story of finding the love of your life, at exactly the wrong time. The chemistry between Dorian and Briar is impeccable and their emotion fuels this story beautifully. It has a few twists and turns that keep you completely engaged and the ending is so, so satisfying. Highly recommend!

5 Stars ... Extradorinary-ish

I thought this book was going to be a comedy ... but I was so wrong. Don't get me wrong it was funny at the beginning, but mostly this book cut my heart out of chest, threw it on the ground and then stomped on it a few times. I was just not expecting that and I couldn't put this book down! Dorian was so real ... he said exactly what he thought and was not fake in the least. Briar put herself in an impossible situation ... but she was only trying to set herself up for a better future. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2023!

Dorian and Briar meet at a bachelor/bachelorette weekend and they hit it off right away. Because the timing is wrong, before they part, they agree to meet again in two years and continue was they started. The following summer Briar agrees to be her boss's fake fiancé and he'll pay her a million dollars ... all she has to do is spend the summer on his family's island with his family. But never in a million years did she think that she would come face to face with Dorian ... her boss's younger brother.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley.

Fate certainly stepped in here when it brought Dorian and Briar together for a destination bachelor/bachelorette extravaganza. Their connection undeniable. The plan? To wait two years to be together once the band he manages ends their tour. What could possibly go wrong with that plan? Turns out a whole lot. Plenty of drama, betrayals, heartbreak and outright lies leave a tangled web for more than just these two. Entertaining from beginning to end with me hoping these two would get their HEA.

Thank you to Author Winter Renshaw, Montlake Romance and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. It was my first book by the Author and I was HOOKED!

This story had all of my favourite tropes: fake dating the millionaire, and a second chance with her one true love... although these men are not one in the same!

We get to witness Briar share an explosive few days with Dorian and see the heartbreak as they agree to wait for each other over the next 2 year's as the timing isn't right. Skip forward a year, and Briar agrees to act as the fake fiancee of her boss Burke... and never imagines she'll be stuck in close quarters with Dorian too! Throw in an NDA and its a wild ride!

I thoroughly enjoyed not just the story but the writing style and will definitely be looking further into the Author's works. I couldn't put this book down and cycled through so many different emotions as the story progressed. I would highly recommend this book and may even gift it myself this Christmas!

I knew from the blurb that if this book was written well it was going to be spectacular and i wasn’t wrong. The chemistry, the angst, the yearning and everything between Dorian and Briar was fantastic and addicting, I could not stop reading once I stopped. I loved the dual timelines between the 3 days Briar and Dorian fell in love along with the current timelines.

There were so many twists and turns throughout the story as Briar navigated her fake relationship with her boss Burke who turns out is Dorian’s brother. Briar’s desperation to tell Dorian all about it but can’t due to an NDA and the feelings between them that only grew.

Highly recommend this book!

Fake-ish was a fun and enjoyable read. When Briar goes on a joint bachelor/bachelorette party little does she know the grump she met and had a fling with and promised to wait 2 years to see again will come into her life a year later. When Briars boss asks her to play his fiancee in exchange for a million dollars she agrees. Little does she know the real reason she is there and who his brother is. When she finds out everything her boss told her was a lie she backs out of the contract. Not only for that but shes in love with Dorian the brother and she know he is the only one for her. Now that he hates her thinking shes just out of the money she gives it all up and leaves. Only when Dorian finds out he goes after her. The love these two have is amazing. I loved Dorian.

I’ve become an ardent fan of Winter Renshaw’s work lately, most especially after reading “The Dirty Truth,” “Love & Kerosene” and “You or Someone Like You” and now Fake-ish. I’ve always enjoyed her style of writing but I think these last 4 books have really shown her growth as an author. The well-developed characters and secondary characters, the emotional connection and the story lines have been fantastic. I find myself becoming quickly invested and find it hard to step away once I start reading her work. Each one of these I mentioned are standalones and not part of any series so you could read any or all of them in any order. I know I’m reviewing Fake-ish but I had to gush a little about Ms. Renshaw’s writing because I’ve so enjoyed these last several reads.

As the blurb implies, this is a contemporary romance about two characters who find themselves the soul mate of the other only at the wrong time. What follows is a face-paced story line that gives you just enough bits and pieces to intrigue you but keep you guessing and turning the pages. I really liked Dorian and Briar, but it was the unique and quite ingenious plot that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

As I’ve implied lately in my reviews, I’ve come to enjoy a “less is more” approach when it comes to the steamy scenes and Fake-ish had the perfect amount of spice and chemistry without overdoing it. I’m looking forward to the next great read from this author. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

I received this book as an ARC for an honest and voluntary review.
This book was different for Ms, Renshaw only in the fact it wasn't as spicy as some of her other books. It had the tried and true formula of angst and slow burn that she is so skilled in creating,
Briar and Dorian cross paths in the Dominican Republic while attending a combined bachelor/Bachelorette party. Dorian the groom's college roommate and Briar the brides cousin. Neither are really into the bar hopping party scene and stay on the sidelines of that adventure, until they miss the party bus not once but twice. Fate gave them a night to remember. Neither are in the right place for a relationship and agree to meet 2 years later.
However, the following summer Briar's boss offers her a deal she can't turn down. I mean what single girl is going to turn down a million dollars to be an actress for the summer and pretend to be his fiancee? Easy Peasy right? Nope.
Turns out that Burke, her boss is Dorian's older brother. The sparks continue to fly between Briar and Dorian, but she's bound by a NDA and can't say a word. Trust me it is eating her up inside.
I don't like spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out how it all turns out... but it's a Winter Renshaw book, so of course it's going to be an epic ending.

Winter Renshaw delivers a romance with a twist. 

As the main characters Dorian and Briar who are both anti marriage meet when attending a joint bachelor/bachelorette trip to Dominica. But whilst everyone is having the time of their lives Dorian and Briar are in tropical hell.

Until they get talking at the bar and an instant connection is born, and by the end of the trip the pair are completely smitten. 

In fact, they believe they are in love with each other. 

But decide to go their separate ways. As neither is in the right place for romance.So they make a pact to contact each other in two years. That way Dorian will be free of his work responsibilities and able to concentrate on Briar.

However, two years is a long time to wait, and anything can happen.

And Briar just a year later finds herself faced with an offer she can't refuse. When her new boss, the non-charismatic, intimidating and moody Burke offers her a million dollars to be his fake fiancee. For eight weeks whilst visiting the private island where his frail father resides. In order for him to gain his portion of his inheritance. The only stipulation is Briar has to sign an NDA and can't tell anyone EVER!!

Which she agrees to do in the hope that Dorian will never have to find out.

What she doesn't count on is Burke having siblings including a brother...

A brother that happens to be Dorian.

And now the three of them are stuck together with the rest of Burke's family on a private island for eight weeks. With Dorian believing his time with Briar meant nothing. Whilst it really meant everything.

But how can Briar make Dorian believe this without disclosing the truth?

And with a little spice and lots of angst. This was an enjoyable read. That seamlessly moves between the past and the present and was full of complex characters, quarrels, drama and things left unsaid. And I was fully engaged and happy to see that Briar and Dorian finally got their happy ending-ish.

This was a page turner for sure. Back and forth, mixing past and present until we had the whole story. Very well done. The family dynamic was nothing short of soap opera worthy, and with this author - always a twist. I enjoyed this one a lot, a fake relationship unlike any other I've read. I really liked the characters, well thought out, flaws and all, they all had their reasoning, no matter how supperficial, but then even Nicola had moments you could appreciate her.

What I liked most about this right person/wrong time romance was the way that Dorian and Briar had all of the emotions but realized they were too much to handle at that point in their life. Putting aside such intensity to allow life to settle is a huge gamble. The other thing I liked most was the way that Dorian and Burke are such opposites: one cares too little about the money, the other cares too much. One has feelings and emotions, the other is more monotone/robotic.

Very predictable story but still loved it. The leading couple are prefect for each other and it kind of drives you nuts that their perfect connection is interrupted by the unworthy brother but of course it’ll all work out … gotta love the HEA

***I was kindly provided with a free advanced readers copy by Netgalley and Montlake Pub. and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.***

4.5 stars! Near......at long distance!

Fake-ish tells the story of Briar and Dorian, two strangers at a joint bachelor and bachelorette party in the Dominican Republic, two anti-marrige individuals, two believers in true love.
Winter Renshaw delivers a well crafted concept where the right person happens at the wrong time, an insta attraction, two connecting souls in three days/nights of passion and a promise to be kept for two years.
Will they be able to wait for one another?

Meanwhile, Briar's boss offers a simple contract with a strict countour (NDA), a six months gig, with mutual benefits, to serve a purpose for Briar's boss, a very stable bank account for Briar....and it's not like she's breaking her promise, she isn't.
What she wasn't counting on was for Burke Rothwell's brother to be Dorian, the man she fell in love with on a weekend in a tropical island, a man with betrayal in his eyes the first time he sees her on the arm of his older brother, one year after the promise they made.
What ensues is a battle of concealed words, feelings and explanations, the hurt of deception on Dorian's part, the obligation to remain silent about her predicament on Briar's, a fortune to divide, or not, set on the proof of institutionalized action or future one.

Renshaw is a master of 'mise en scene' creating the right plot, the props and the perfect atmosphere to a tale where everybody's acting in its own way. Burke and Nicola pretending to fulfil their father's desire for his children to honor the institution of marriage, Briar bound by a contract and its NDA clause, Dorian acting like it doesn't kill him inside to watch the 'love birds' and Redmond Rothwell observing all the time while professing that what is set, is to remain set.

What I loved the most was how Briar and Dorian were able to connect and sediment said connection in such a short period of time. At the end of that weekend, they knew they were it for each other, the time just wasn't right.
What was expecting was that, in such a disconcerting situation, the level of angst and its representation, as tension, internal conflict, actions and reactions to be off the charts high and I didn't feel it. I wanted for my soul to break and be put back together and, IMO, if it weren't for Nicola to hear what she did, something completly at random, they would have gone separate ways, just like that.

The end, I absolutely loved!
Redmond Rothwell was an intelligent and savvy businessm that made the fortune he did by having his eyes wide open and observant. I think, what he wanted was for his children to be passionate about something to the extent of fighting for it, doesn't really mattering what. And they were, each to their own accord, but the most genuine of the three was Dorian and Redmond knew it.

It was fake-ish, but never love-ish!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
I got a few laughs about the wedding party forgetting about and leaving behind Dorian and Briar. Twice! As dysfunctional as the Rothwell family is, I can't believe the eldest spilled the beans. But the will revealed how much the father knew his three children's heart. Serious, heart-wrenching, and entirely believable.

I loved Dorion so much! Him and Briar were so good together. They had such a strong connection from the very start and their chemistry was off the charts. These two had it all and my heart felt for both of them in the situation they were in. I'm so glad that they were able to figure things out in the end. They were so real and genuine and I'm glad they remained that way at the end.

Winter Renshaw never disappoints, and this was no exception. She just knocks it out of the park each and every time! I always look forward to her stories and can't wait for what is next! Winter Renshaw is one of my favorite authors and I can't recommend her books enough. Fake-Ish is one of my new faves, this one is a must read!

The premise of this book intrigued me. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I was curious to see how this story would play out, especially when I found out that Briar couldn't tell Dorian that her relationship with his brother was fake. At the beginning of the story, I thought that at some point Dorian's brother and sister would have some redeeming qualities and grow on me, but they didn't. I was surprised by how much I disliked them by the end of the book. Overall, this is a sexy, swoony, entertaining and fun second chance romance with a little bit of angst that I throughly enjoyed. I loved the little twist with the inheritance and Briar and Dorian's happily ever after.

Briar and Dorian (love the names by the way) meet each other at a combo Bachelor/Bachelorette party for Briar's cousin and Dorian's college roommate. They commiserate together about how odd the party is ; they are not the long-term marrying kind, but find a spark between them and spend the whole weekend together. Dorian is a band manager whose life is crazy and he's not the marrying kind, however, Briar sparks something in him he feels all the way to his core and ultimately promises to wait for each other for 2 years.

Briar goes back to New York to live her life and winds up in a situation where she is pretending to be engaged to her "boss" Burke. Burke's family owns an Island and they are spending 8 weeks with Burke's family (his father is unwell, but Briar is unaware of this fact. Briar knows Burke has a brother and sister and they will also be on the Island, However, she doesn't know who his brother is... This is where the story plot thickens and gets exciting.

You'll have to read the story to find out the rest of the story.

OMG ! Ms. Renshaw never disappoints with her writing. There is just enough angst, drama and spark to keep you reading till the end and wanting more!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and plot were so unique. I wasn’t as happy going from present to past all the time though. I would have preferred the back story and then the unfolding of the present. But I didn’t hate it enough to not finish the book. Dorian and Briar had such a great connection. I’m happpy they get their HEA!