Member Reviews

Lori has been best friends with Jace and Aiden since they met while at university, and she's been in love with Aiden for almost the same amount of time. But she has never had the courage to tell him how she really feels and when he meets Kirsten and they decide to get married, Lori decides the only way to save face is to fake date Jace.

Only problem is, Jace has been in love with Lori the same amount of time she's loved Aiden and he's never told her. But he's always been there for her as a sounding board about her feelings for Aiden, and now she wants him to pretend he's in love with her. He agrees and he loves having free rein to touch her and kiss her but he's starting to get confused between what is real and what is pretend.

For Lori, she soon realises that being with Jace is what she wants and her feelings for Aiden disappear almost overnight. Was she ever really in love with him? Or just infatuated with him? She's attracted to Jace and when things start to get a bit hot and heavy between them, he puts a stop to it and admits he's in love with her. Telling her he can only go further if she loves him too otherwise he won't be able to come back from that. This is one of the parts where I really like Lori, she knows her feelings for Jace are real but she's agreed to take things slow to fully explore how she feels about him and what she wants from him. I think this is really mature of her and shows just how much she cares about Jace and his feelings.

Unfortunately there is a third act break-up which I really don't like, but they get over it really quickly. So quickly that within minutes of talking to each other they're getting married in secret while at Aiden's wedding! It's not until their wedding night that they finally sleep together, which is actually quite sweet.

I enjoyed this book, and I really liked Lori, Jace and Aiden. They work through all their feelings quite well for the most part with only minimal screaming and disappearing acts. I thought it was well-written and the characters were relatable, especially when Lori is trying to assess her feelings for Jace, she wants to make sure he's The One before she goes full in to the relationship. I didn't like the third act break up or Jace's disappearing act, they'd all been so mature up until that point so it was a little disappointing for that to happen when a simple conversation could have solved a load of drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

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I do love the Fake Dating trope as it feeds into my enjoyment of books where there’s an early start to a relationship. It’s Complicated didn’t disappoint and had me invested from the opening pages.

Lori is a perfect protagonist and I absolutely empathised with her dilemma as she was set to watch her secret crush marry his fiancée. Determined to finally get Aiden’s attention on a romantic level, she embarks on a fake relationship with her other best friend, Jace. All of this is included in the synopsis, so please don’t worry that I’m including spoilers.

Jace and Aiden were both gorgeous characters, and I must admit to being surprised that Lori had never considered Jace as an option in the years of their friendship. Both guys were text book handsome and loved their friendship with her. They even shared a workplace which made for some real laugh out loud moments.

Whilst there was some serious sizzle in the fake relationship, Neither Lori nor Jace acted on their developing feelings. In fact, Jace was the perfect gentleman who dodged almost every opportunity to maximise on the situation.

The pace is perfect and I found myself unable to put the book down as I wanted to see how their fake relationship would pan out. This is a clever, sassy story that delivered on all levels. I loved it!

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This is a book about a love triangle done right! A friendship that can’t be broken no matter who loves who… Lori figuring out that what she had with her best friend was really love and that the crush she had on her other was really just that - a crush….

Lori is a wonderful mess of a character - between the animals, being blind about love and saving books… she is so fun.

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I am such a huge fan of Camilla Isley’s writing, and have read many of her other books and totally loved them. It’s Complicated is another one of those amazingly written stories, which I read in just two days – I loved it that much.

The story revolves around 3 friends who have been the best of friends since college, through medical school and even know working together in a medical practice partnership. Lori, Aidan and Jace have been the best of friends, but their friendship carries some secrets that even the three of them are not all aware of. Lori is head-over-heels in love with Aidan and has been since college. He has zero idea of Lori’s feelings, but Jace has spent many years aware of Lori’s feelings for Aidan. The one thing that Lori isn’t aware of his that Jace is also in love – with her – but he has never said a single word about his feelings.

Things all of a sudden become very complicated within the friendship group, as Lori ropes Jace into a fake relationship to try and make Aidan jealous – and realise that it is really Lori he wants, and not his very soon to be wife – Kirsten. Jace struggles initially with the fake-dating situation with Lori, but soon realises that he wants to be honest with Lori and tell her his true feelings – that he is in love with her.

I am not going to give any spoilers, but I can 100% say that if you read It’s Complicated you will not be disappointed at all. I devoured the book in just two days, and (I rarely say this about many books) but would happily re-read It’s Complicated again I loved it that much ♡

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Lori has had a crush on one of her best friends, Aiden since they met in college. When she receives the wedding invitation and realizes he is actually going to get married to someone else, she rushes to her other best friend Jace for comfort.

A cute love triangle (sort of) story.

A great beach read or when you just want something easy to read without having to concentrate too much.

It was easy to see where the book was going. It just happened a little too quickly to be realistic.

Lori is the most quirky of the friend trio. Her untidiness, the cats and the chickens seemed just a little too much for one character in comparison to the other characters who had little or no quirks.

Overall a fun read. Also not my usual genre so it may appeal more to others who normally read this type of book.

3.5 stars round up to 4

Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the arc.

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A breezy and quick lighthearted beach read. I was a little worried going into this about the love triangle aspect, but it actually turned out to be the type of love triangle that's actually pretty palatable, in that it's immediately very obvious who the final pairing will be and there's pretty much no internal debates about picking between two love interests.

Overall, this was pretty, albeit standard, concept and setup. The third act conflict dropped this from a 3.5 to 3 for me though because the conflict was too contrived and wasn't resolved in a satisfactory way.

Content: closed door

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Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a copy of this ARC.

I wanted to love this so badly but it was unfortunately not the one for me. In the beginning Lori was quirky and cute, but she quickly slid into annoying territory. She’s very much “not like other girls” and scoffs at everything traditionally feminine. It’s fine if that’s not something you’re into, but all the other female characters were villainized and she comments about how having guys as friends is easier, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. There are a few other examples and it didn’t make her sympathetic to me. By the end, Lori did warm up to Aiden's fiance so there is a bit of growth, but in my opinion it was too little too late. The other POV is Jace and I liked him a bit better, but I didn’t find him to be too unique.

Also, I didn’t like the writing too much. There is some backstory on the three of them and some of Lori’s hobbies, but it seemed everything was just thrown together and nothing was too fleshed out. It felt very dry and there was a lot of exposition. The dialogue didn’t feel genuine and the declarations of love were cheesy. I liked the fake dating in the beginning and how she starts to see Jade in a new light, but she just falls in love with him so quickly and forgets about the 15 year long crush on Aiden in a way that doesn’t make sense.

I’m so sad about this but I know I’m in the minority here. This is also a closed door romance, so it could be a good option for you if you’re looking for that in your romances.

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This was such a sweet book! I loved the characters, and their love story. The dialogue was realistic and enjoyable.

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From the blurb:
Lori has been in love with her best friend Aiden since college. Now Aiden (handsome, fair, All-American dream doctor) is getting married, and Lori desperately needs a date to the wedding.
So she asks the best man, Jace (tall, dark, and brooding), to pretend their platonic friendship is something more not to have to face the worst day of her life alone.
Fake dating one best friend to forget the other should be easy… Plot twist—it’s not. When Jace starts acting like the sweetest, most attentive boyfriend, Lori begins to wonder if she’s been seeing him wrong all this time?
They've been an inseparable trio since freshman year, but now everything is changing — and that's not even bringing Jace's feelings into the mix.
Basically? It’s complicated.

I love the close friendship of these three from their college graduation in the same field to their shared medical practice and volunteer clinical work. Seeing this slow burn romance from both perspectives of Jace and Lori in alternating chapters added even more emotion and enjoyment to the story. I felt that the last 10% of the book was rushed and a little awkward but I still enjoyed the story.
Thanks to Boldwood through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

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First, I want to thank Camilla Isley, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and. NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Dang!! Camilla Isley’s latest Rom Com sure is complicated!! Infact, she will put an everlasting smile on your face, love in your heart, however It’s Complicated getting to that point!

Well now I need to listen to The Way I Loved You by the iconic Taylor Swift. Camila dedicates this book to us if it feels like this song is the soundtrack of our lives.

It’s Complicated is a book I didn’t know I needed! This book cracked me up left and right!! It is such a fun and easy read that can be devoured in one sitting!

Jace, Lori and Aiden’s story was a unique one that I totally loved! I don’t think I ever have read a book that was so complicated but yet so good!

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I really enjoyed Its complicated and since have gone on to read several more of Camilla Isleys books.
This was a fun, fast paced, easy to read rom-com novel. I really enjoyed the characters especially Jace who was the perfect not so bad-bad boy! I found this the perfect escapism and think it would be a great beach read

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Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Ms. Isley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was a cute, fluffy, easy-reading contemporary romance. I can see quite a few readers liking this. It just.... wasn't for me.

I had some smaller issues with the story (I don't love closed-door romance, I also didn't resonate with the strong quirky cat-lady vibe (never mind the rescue chickens), and I like Taylor Swift just fine but I think as a theme Taylor's music and general zeitgeist is/was overused). Furthermore I found the "rescue books" perplexing: if you want to save books so much, why don't you BUY the ones you want instead of purchasing digital copies? Why bring home physical copies of books you don't actually want to read...? I ... don't get it.

But my main problem with the story is that Lori has been in love with Aiden for 15 YEARS and suddenly after one kiss from "fake boyfriend"/real best friend Jace, she is falling out of love with Aiden and catches some serious feelings for Jace. I don't buy it. I felt like Lori's quick pivot to Jace made her seem like a weak, wishy-washy character and made her feelings seem insincere. I didn't buy poor Jace as a "bad boy" either. Dating a few different women in 15 years does not a bad boy make. The ending seemed very rushed as well. I was not on board with Lori and Jace's impulsive decision at the end. It seemed out of character for a pair of people who took 15+ years to figure out their relationship.

Don't get me wrong, it's a cute story, and I'm sure it will hit the spot for a lot of readers. It just wasn't for me.

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Just finished "It's Complicated" by @camillaisley, my first from her collection, and I'm already eager to explore her backlist! 📚 This fast-paced, fun read kept me hooked with its clever plot twists, leading to a well-deserved happily ever after. 🎉 Perfect for romantic comedy fans, it seamlessly blends laughter with heartfelt emotions. 😄 Totally surprised by how much I enjoyed it; a quick, entertaining gem with My Best Friend's Wedding vibes minus the over-the-topness. Can't wait to dive into more from this author soon! 👏📖 Also, Swifties, rejoice – it's filled with delightful song references! 🎶

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"It's Complicated" by Camilla Isley delivers a delightful romantic comedy that skillfully navigates the complexities of friendship, unrequited love, and the unexpected twists of fake dating. Lori's long-standing crush on best friend Aiden, coupled with Jace's hidden feelings for her, creates a captivating love triangle within their inseparable trio. As Aiden's wedding approaches, Lori turns to Jace for solace, sparking a fake dating plan that sets the stage for hilarity and heartwarming moments. Isley's writing is engaging, filled with humor, and captures the essence of the characters' relationships. The dynamics between the trio, forged through college and medical school, add depth to the narrative. The plot twists and turns, keeping readers hooked until the well-deserved happily ever after. "It's Complicated" is a charming and entertaining read, perfect for fans of romantic comedies that blend laughter with heartfelt emotions.

Very grateful to the publisher for this copy, opinions are my own.

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It’s Complicated was such a good time! I loved the history and friendship between Aiden and Jace and Lori and the romance between Jace and Lori absolutely sizzled. Their chemistry was great and I felt like I was in on their friend group from the jump. The antics from the fake dating and real feelings against the backdrop of the impending wedding were so fun! I loved this and if you’re looking for a more feminist but equally swoony take on my best friend’s wedding, you’ll probably love this too!

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Romance au cœur d'un trio amical.

Lori est amoureuse de son meilleur ami Aiden depuis l'université. Maintenant qu'Aiden va se marier, Lori a désespérément besoin d'un date pour le mariage. Elle demande donc au témoin, Jace, de prétendre que leur amitié platonique n'est pas si platonique pour ne pas avoir à affronter seule le pire jour de sa vie. Faire semblant de sortir avec un meilleur ami pour oublier l'autre devrait être facile… Ce n’est pas le cas. Lorsque Jace commence à se comporter comme le petit ami parfait, Lori se demande si elle ne l'a pas mal jugé durant toutes ces années. En résumé, c'est compliqué.

Je m'attendais à un vrai triangle amoureux, mais je n'ai pas été déçue que cela n'en soit pas un. Les trois personnages principaux sont très attachants et leur complicité est touchante. J'apprécie les fausses relations dans les romances, mais je n'ai pas adhéré à la manière avec laquelle Jace et Lori se lancent dans celle-ci, cela m'a paru puéril. Le manque de communication qui prend une place importante dans le récit détonne avec leur profonde amitié et leur affection les uns pour les autres. Et, la fin de l'histoire semble trop précipitée.

Une romance légère et agréable, qui manque un peu de justesse. Toutefois, j'en ai apprécié l'humour. Il m'en faudra plus pour me décourager de lire les prochains romans de Camilla Isley.

Merci à Netgalley, à l'autrice et aux éditeurs pour cette lecture.

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This was an easy light-hearted romance - one that can be read in a day. It definitely had some complicated relationships at play - a fake romance and almost-love triangle - among three long time friends - Lori, Aiden, and Jace.

I thought the star of the story was Jace who loves Lori but can’t get her to really see him. He’s hot, sexy, really gets Lori, knows just how to talk with her, is open about what he wants with her. And he only gets better and better as the story progresses. A BBF.

I would have given this book a higher rating but thought the writing needed more work. Less tell and more show, more energy/action, less repetition/going in circles among the three, and please no OTT elements. Nevertheless, Isley spread little writing gems here and there throughout that give it spark and make you really pay attention.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Camilla Isley NEVER disappoints. It's Complicated is a fast, emotional-filled, love triangle to satisfy any rom-com lover. This was exactly the type of book I needed today. Quick, fun, full of heart, and that will-they-won't-they. I'd definitely recommend this beach read for anyone taking a nice island or beach day read!

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It’s Complicated

3.5 stars

I received an ARC copy of this novel for an honest review.

Overall I think this was a cute friends to lovers story. The unrequited love triangle is usually a good shout for an easy read, and this book was just that.

There are definitely some sweet moments - Jace’s vows to Lori/Lola (not sure why she has different names throughout though!) for example are particularly sweet - if a bit dramatic.

I think my main issue with this book was that everything felt rushed. She fell out of “love” with one friend and into love with the other quickly. There was no real impact on the trios friendship - their friend accepted the new relationship very quickly despite his initial reaction. The ending in particular felt rushed - the resolution could have been a bit slower and a real in-depth consideration of the characters and their relationship but this was rushed into a HEA tied with up in a bow.

I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author in the future.

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5 ⭐️

Camilla Isley’s books are a breath of fresh air!!!

This book follows three best friends: Lori, Jace and Aiden— entangled in a love triangle. Lori is in love with Aiden who is getting married, so she asks Jace to pretend to be her boyfriend for the wedding. But things get confusing when Jace starts acting like a real boyfriend, and Lori isn't sure how to feel about it.

So, this might be my new favourite book by this author? This was so good, I couldn’t put it down! The tension between both main characters was out of this world— you could feel it from the very beginning. The banter, the drama and the rom-com aspects… everything was absolutely amazing. This author never disappoints —having a great time is guaranteed.

If you’re looking for a quick, short and delightful read with a lot of Taylor Swift references, this one’s for you!

Read if you like:
🌼 friends to lovers.
🌼 fake dating.
🌼 he falls first.
🌼 love triangle.
🌼 closed-door romance.

Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It’s Complicated by Camilla Isley will be coming out on February 23rd.

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