You had me at Grumpy Sunshine...

This story is a quick witted feel good romance.  Elle and August are opposites. Elle is sunshine in  human form and August is a thundercloud.  Their meet cute was far from cute.  It would have been so romantic if Elle actually swooned for August, but realistically speaking, she literally fainted in his arms because of a severe migraine.

The repartee between these two was a joy to read.  August is thrown for a loop by Elle as she always seems to delve into his inner most thoughts and really know how he feels. This story was lighthearted, entertaining and spicy.  A laugh a minute is always guaranteed in a Nicole Snow story.

Almost Pretend written by Nicole Snow. Here is a fake fiancée story with Elle, who is an out of work children's illustrator and the sexy grumpy CEO August, who comes to her rescue and finds himself stuck in a net of his own doing. These two burn quite hot and I loved reading of all their little barbs and snarky comments to each other. I love the story of the child author and how she brought them closer together. I love all of Ms Snow's books and I never miss a new release. Do yourself a favor and put her on your TBR list!

This book is one of the most humorous and entertaining I have ever read...Elle Lark and August Marshall, what a pair! He's a grumpasaurus and she's like "A small, fuzzy-hell raising bunny." (Those are Nicole's colorful descriptive words) This is now my favorite Nicole Snow book. August needs Eleanor to pretend to be his wife since she passed out and he swooped her up in his arms before she went down, which was extremely kind of him. But wait...he's not a kind person. He's a crabby grouch with no filter. The only thing going for him is he's extremely handsome AND a billionaire. Eleanor on the other hand is gorgeous and has a delightful personality, although a little bit on the quirky side. I loved every character in the story. Nicole Snow has written a book that will capture you from the first page and not let go. I hated it to end! Kudos to Nicole for writing another amazing story.

Almost Pretend is a grumpy billionaire, contemporary romance that is another delizioso read from author Nicole Snow.
I’ve found myself enjoying this genre lately and Ms. Snow is one of those authors that does it just right.
The MFC in this new one, Eleanor, suffers from intense migraines and barely makes it through one on a flight seated next to billionaire August Marshall who keeps their interactions to a bare grumpy minimum.
In the terminal after landing she has another attack and surprise, surprise who catches her as she passes out but August.
Trouble soon follows as the media turns the incident into all kinds of speculations as to their relationship forcing August to come up with a plan to soothe the savage beasts.
This story was well written, very emotional, and heart tugging good as an MMC you love to hate, and MFC who is more than the sum of her parts embark on a journey that brings enlightenment to them both, BUT the road won’t be an easy one, and I was kept very much entertained along the way.

Elle is chaos personified, everything August finds detestable in his life but after coming to Elle's rescue at the airport when she passes out from a migraine, August needs her help. Being August's fake fiancee doesn't seem so hard so Elle agrees but when she starts to get feels for the sexy grump she knows she is in trouble. August needs to learn to open up if he wants a future with Elle or he could lose her forever in this fun read.

I absolutely love Elle's character and all of her quirkiness. Love the connection between Elle and August and how Elle pulls August out of his funk. Love their ending.

Elle and August have what might have been a meet cute, but despite Elle’s attempts, it wasn’t! August is grumpy and rude, Elle’s suffering from a migraine, but August can’t deny his inner hero and takes care of her. And so begins a wonderful grumpy/ sunshine romance ! I loved Elle’s happy artist demeanor and August’s gruff fixer persona. Set in Seattle with references to other Nicole Snow characters like the Winthropes.

What's better than the stoic grump you sit beside on the plane ride from hell being the one who scoops you up when you pass out in the airport and makes sure you get home safely? When the same grump shows up the next day with a proposal to help find you a job with your favorite author and save his image... simple right? Or it would be simple if your grumpy savior wasn't hiding a soft heart under his emotional armor...
I completely enjoyed all the angst, sweetness and swoon moments in August and Elle's story.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I enjoyed the balance of story and spice in this story. Elle and August had a great relationship and the side characters were adorable.

I did find the pace dragging at times . I'm not sure why this is.

A swoon worthy story to read. August is the growly billionaire who doesn’t know how to express his feelings. Elle is a sparkly ray of sunshine who can always find a smile. This grumpy meets sunshine story is a delightful adventure from start to finish. Readers will totally love the characters as they go from one crazy event to the next. The teasing dialogue between the characters will leave readers with a smile on their face throughout the story. The plot is a marvelous show of love of all people as they are. This is a definite must read!

This was a very enjoyable read with some of my favorite tropes…grumpy/sunshine, fake relationship, age gap, billionaire romance. I loved how sweet and sunshiny Elle was and just always tried to look for the bright side of everything! There was a sad side to that but I don’t want to spoil anything. She was so opposite of August but I think he really needed that to bring him out of his self imposed isolation from real life and relationships. He has had a tragic relationship that just made it hard for him to trust but he couldn’t help but be pulled in by Elle. The whole concept of Inky was adorable! I absolutely loved how much both of these characters would do for the people they loved! The banter and teasing between them was pretty comical! I enjoyed this story! This is my honest opinion of this complimentary copy of this book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would go as far as saying I think it’s one of my favourite Nicole snow stories. Great characters who are multidimensional. Side characters you are cheering for and touchy subjects handled with empathy and sincerity.

"Almost Pretend" by Nicole Snow offers a familiar romance setup—billionaire businessman August Marshall and eccentric artist Elle Lark engage in a fake relationship that eventually leads to true love—but what sets it apart is the power of Snow's writing. Her poetic and evocative style transforms the common trope into an emotionally charged journey. The interplay of humor, heartbreak, and sensuality pulls readers into the story, creating a captivating reading experience.

The plot revolves around August rescuing Elle at the airport after she faints from a severe migraine attack, leading to media buzz and a fake engagement proposal from August to salvage his tarnished reputation. In return, Elle gains an apprenticeship with August's renowned aunt, children's book illustrator Clara Marshall. Their interactions are filled with contrasting personalities: August is grumpy and brooding, with a history of betrayal and public scrutiny, while Elle is an embodiment of chaos, positivity, and vibrancy.

As they navigate their fake relationship, both August and Elle face complex emotions that grow into something real. The underlying secrets and lies within August's family publication company threaten to derail their blossoming relationship, but the author's careful pacing and detailed character development make their journey compelling. Despite their efforts to resist falling in love, they find themselves drawn closer with each passing day, leading to an eventual happy ending that is both heartfelt and rewarding. The book's conclusion provides a satisfying resolution, showcasing August's transformation and Elle's bright spirit.

Elle Lark is moving back home to Washington to help the Grandmother who raised her because her Grandmother won’t rest and give her injured knee a chance to heal. Even though Elle’s parents are still alive they have never been much of a presence in her life. Ellesuffers from debilitating migraines and on her flight home she is suffering from a horrendous one. The only thing keeping her sane is the hot broody man who is her seat mate. August Marshall is a fixer in the corporate world moving in to save a struggling company then moving on to the next. He and his sister were raised by his Aunt Clara after their parents died. He is on the plane to Washing to save his family business’s children’s publishing company and keep his Aunt’s ex partners daughter from her claims that Clara stole the beloved character Inky from her father and destroyed their lives. When Elle passes out in the airport from her migraine pain, August is there to catch which propels their lives together in a bazaar fake engagement that turns their lives upside down. This is the grumpy/sunshine story that will have you laughing, angry, crying and falling in love with the characters.

August and Elle are complete opposites but my loooord, they are a d o r a b l e together.

While August refuses to admit that Elle is making him feel alive, Elle is fangirling over her idol. Who just happens to be August’s aunt.

The push and pull between these two are enough to keep you on the edge, waiting for that perfect rele- moment they finally give in to their feelings.

The downside is that this book is a slow burn but once the spice starts spicing… 😏🥵

Spice: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Overall:4/5

I couldn't put August and Elle's story down, Nicole Snow did a fantastic job on it, the plot was strong, it was written well. Elle and August, their journey was a bumpy one, they had their ups and downs, August needed someone like Elle, she was perfect for him, the two were actually well matched even though they were complete opposites. The connection was strong, they were drawn to each other, the chemistry was sizzling, they were perfect together. Their journey had it's challenges but they were strong. This is a great story, I'd recommend reading it, plus, you could never go wrong with one of Nicole Snow's book, she's very talented, love her stories. I'm looking forward to reading more.
Thank you, Nicole Snow. Wonderful work ❤️

4.5 ⭐️s…What a delightful, LOL, fake engagement, grumpy/sunshine romance filled with witty banter, fun & flirty, what the heck am I doing, chemistry filled journey for August and Elle. Will August figure it out before he loses Elle to his past? Loved it!

I love when there is a new grumpy billionaire out there who has just been waiting for his other half to bring some sunshine to his life. In this case August Marshall is the billionaire grump and the ray of sunshine is children's illustrator Elle Lark. Their first meeting happens on a plane, poor Elle suffers migraines and this is an area I personally resonate with and was handled extremely well. August becomes her unknowing knight in shining armor and then her fake fiance all in the space of a day.

There is always great emotions with her characters and a bunch of fun animal references and as always my favourite part of all these novels are the epilogues that have the best HEA moments that always wrap up these stories leaving a giant smile on my face.

Thankyou to netgalley for access to this arc.

Nicole Snow has been one of my auto read authors and this did not disappoint! Super easy to read and I love how fun the plot is

Those familiar with Nicole Snow’s billionaire series will recognize her signature style in this book. She’s the best at writing alpha-holes who are so much more than they seem. This book is no different.

August Marshall is a billionaire grump-ahole, who’s lost his zest for life after being betrayed by his ex-wife. Hes sworn off love altogether. He’s wounded and lashes out as his protective armor. August meets Elle Lark, an upcoming book illustrator, on a flight. Both are heading home to help their families. Elle suffers from debilitating migraines and gets one while on the flight. August reluctantly rescues her at the airport after she collapses. His heroics go viral. To save them both from the media storm, August suggests they fake an engagement. August convinces her of the engagement by allowing her to work with his grandmother who is Elle’s favorite childhood author. His grandmother has seemingly given up her most famous character and is carrying around secrets of her own.

Elle is bubbly and vivacious and tends to be impulsive. She’s also not afraid to say what she thinks. But she often uses her smile as a mask, which August notices immediately. As August and Elle spend time together for appearances, August finds her intriguing as well as exasperating. Elle sees beneath August’s gruff demeanor to the good man he is inside. If only he’d see himself the same way maybe they could have a real relationship.

You will love this book if you are into grumpy/sunshine, billionaire, age gap and hidden family secrets. August and Elle are quite different but wounded in ways they both get each other. They are perfect for each other. And their banter is quite entertaining. Grumpy/sunshine books like this can almost seem predictable but the journey from beginning to end is what keeps us coming back for more again and again.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake & Nicole Snow for the ARC opportunity.