I finished this book in a couple of days. It was a nice quick and easy read.

The love story was interesting enough to keep me intrigued.

Abbey and Ted are having relationship and career issues and decide to 'fake it til they make it' but they end up falling for one another.

My problem was with Abbey not telling her family that her ex cheated on her, I don't understand why she was so against telling the truth with this. It felt silly and unnecessary. I don't understand why Ted and Mike couldn't be told apart. Are they twins?

I recommend this book if you don't need much of a plot or huge build up to the romance. I liked that they were friends first but I don't particularly feel like they had much chemistry.

Thankyou to netgalley for the ARC copy to review


3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Laura Carter, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion

I typically l9ok for spice in my books.. that being said. I also love a good rom com.

Abby and Ted where fighting their own insecurities. And while this was a Rollercoaster and I feel like I had read this before I did really enjoy it.. it's like watching hallmark... I know the plot and what will happen but sitting through the story is calming and enjoyable.

3.5 stars. I will look for Laura's next books

Finally, the word “ratbag” gets used in a book. It should be used more often. As for the book overall, I have given it 3 stars. To me, giving a book the highest rating (in this case a 5 stars) would mean it contains an original idea that is compelling and well-written with excellent character development. Four stars is missing that mark in some way, and three is lacking even more. Perhaps, if I had recently started reading romance books, Fake It ‘til You Make It would rank higher, but given my experience in the genre, my standards are quite high.

This is a well-written book without question. Laura Carter has a gift for writing, and I believe the bones of this book are solid. Where I find flaws is in its originality and its capacity to be compelling. While I cannot say I have read this exact book before, I felt like I had because its plot and characters are not unique. In some ways, that does not hurt the novel because pulls from classics that we all love from romance (ex: the fake dating trope and the ending), but that also means it does not stick out among other works in the genre.

The other issue is with the story’s lack of a compelling nature. I think people often want to read romance because they desire to see a love that conquers all; it inspires them to hope for themselves and the world. This book made me smile, but it did not make me root for love in the way I wish it did. I am all for the fake dating trope because it usually serves a purpose to the story and gives the two characters a secret to bond them. This book adds another layer that means both characters lie about their identities to one another for the sake of their own insecurities. While the two are alike in that flaw, I did not find myself rooting for them to be together so much as for them to seek therapy. It seems unhealthy as well as unrelatable and unrealistic.

This was the first book I have read by Laura Carter, but I would be interested in reading another one of her books to see what else she has to offer.

Thank you NetGalley, Laura Carter, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Two people, pretending to be someone else to work through failed relationships and work life soon discover pretending to be someone else is too much work. If you enjoyed reading The Hating Game, you will likely enjoy this book! I love how the characters really got to know each other in this book and how close they are with their families. Both characters learn some self love and discovery through their pretending charades.

By Laura Carter

I'm super excited to be given the chance to read this book.

So abbeys boyfriend Andrew asks abbey for dinner and breaks up with her.

Abbey is invited to her parents wedding renewal and her family invite her ex. Abbey has to quickly think up a plan so she isn't on her own and this is where the fake dating comes in with her new neighbour.

I loved the quirky characters and the idea of being invited to a wedding an ex is going to as well.
I love that abbey thinks sod it and goes to get a whole new wardrobe what better way to get over a break up and this is where ted comes in.
Red is smoking hot and I am super jealous (new book boyfriend alert) abbey and ted have smoking hot chemistry that left me wanting more after I finished the book

4 stars

Before I start, I want to extend my heartiest of gratitudes to NetGalley and Laura for this wonderful ARC. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this.

Well, where to begin?

First of all, this book captured me. I fell so much in love with both Abbey and Ted and the absolute beautiful way their love story played out. They were so perfect, so wholesome and just bags of absolute laughter.

I sincerely loved how Abbey decided not to take shit from anyone and instead decided that she was better than that arse of an ex that she had. She got a whole wardrobe change, almost changed her entire career, changed her damn house and basically just woke up one day and decided to, well, slay.

And my oh my, Theodore, such a masterpiece. It's like Laura knew exactly what we needed in a book boyfriend and decided that she's going to give it to us, and give us she did, because Theodore, apart from being exuberantly perfect, was also flawed and I think that's the hottest part of him.

This book, despite having not one lick of smut, was so hot and damn the freaking intensity with which they loved, the damn tension between them was amazing and it really got me going ifykwim ;)

One thing, and quite literally the only thing I would say that kinda put me off about this book was that Abbey and Theodore were too similar. They were similar in a way that might not have worked, but Laura does a wonderful job of getting them together and making them stay that way.

All in all a wonderful read, and a highly HIGHLY recommended one if you're looking for something to just relax and blush and giggle like a schoolgirl with.

Rating:
Spice: 3/5
Story: 4/5
Grammar and Punctuations(because I have a problem clearly): 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this story and the character development! Abbey quickly became one of my favorite characters! I absolutely loved the dual POV and the chemistry between the two characters. I’m always a sucked for the fake dating trope and this was no exception! In some stories the endings feel very rushed, but this one ended perfectly!

I loved Abbey and Ted! Both of the main characters were relatable and lovable and I was so happy with how everything played out in the end!
It was one of those cute rom-coms that you don’t want to put down and stay up too late to finish reading!
I do with is had an epilogue that answered some questions we all still had at the end. Other than that I enjoyed it!

3.5/5 stars from me, thank you for the opportunity to review this book! It was a very easy rom com to read and I liked the chemistry between Abbey and Ted. Some parts just felt slightly unbelievable to me, like Ted not coming clean about who he actually was much sooner. The book also ended very abruptly and I would’ve liked to see an epilogue chapter to carry on the story a little more! Overall though a cute rom com which was easy to read.

This book was so much fun! I loved reading about Abbey's story and it was the perfect romcom! I laughed and was very emotional throughout the whole book. The chemistry between the characters was great, especially for people who look for a book that isn't on the spicy side!

As someone who loves a rom com i found fake it till you make it a really enjoyable easy read, however I did fine some parts a little cringey.
I found the characters loveable yet very relatable, I loved Abbey.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

I wasn’t crazy about this book. The main characters both suffered major break ups and work issues that made them doubt themselves. These issues started from childhood, the feelings of being the awkward nerd that didn’t fit in. They never found self esteem by thirty when they both have thrived, With Ted being a handsome millionaire and Abbey feeling she did well enough at her job to receive a promotion? I just didn’t care for their feelings of unworthiness that spilled over into this relationship that prolonged their truths to one another. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this book. It was hard to read and the premise wasn't promising. The chemistry between Ted and Abbey wasn't great.

Abbey and Ted both had messy endings to their long term relationships and end up living in the same building. Their initial impressions of each other leave them wanting nothing to do with each other…at first. This book contains the fake dating trope and forced proximity, so you can figure out where the plot is going, but the ride to get there is cute and easy to read. I read this in one sitting. Both Ted and Abbey are likable and easy to root for. Abbey’s sister Dee, and her best friend Shernette, are fun additions to the story. I would totally read a book centered around Dee and her storyline. I wish the author would have added an epilogue. The story just ends, and I was left wondering about parts of the plot that didn’t get answers. Overall, I would give this a 3.5. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in return for my honest review.

This was a very cute book! I enjoyed both main characters. It's not your typical 'fake relationship' story. I found myself smiling while reading it! There was one part of the story that missed an obvious error, but other than that, I loved the whole thing!!

Fake It 'til You Make It by Laura Carter ⚾
Overall Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Release Date: April 8, 2024

I thought this was a fun and cute read! I enjoyed it and found the readability pretty high as the story seemed to move at a pretty decent pace.

I really enjoyed the dual perspective on this one. I felt they were written equally well and even though some things felt a bit repetitive, I felt I understood both characters' motivations and thoughts.

As an Alberta girl I was both surprised and happy when the book mentions this as her hometown. It was fun finally having a story that is set (at least partially) in some places I actually know!

Fake It til You Make It is an absolute gem of a book. More substantial than the name or the cover would suggest, this is an engaging and witty story centering on Abbey and Ted. Both have recently had traumatic breakups and agree to fake a relationship to save face with their exes. However neither of them have been honest with the other, and when sparks start to fly, it's only a matter of time before trouble follows. My only complaint about this book is that I wish there had been an epilogue, I can't wait to read more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

1.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc.

I didn't like it. The writing was weird at times - especially with all those abbreviations. Seriously you have a character say stuff like "OMG" instead of "Oh My God" in a dialogue and that isn't somehow caught by an editor? Come on now. Or at the very beginning "We didn't have any IRL contact these past six weeks" JUST SAY IN REAL LIFE, IT'S NOT HARD.

I hoped I'd like this book, but alas, I didn't enjoy that at all. Ted let Abbey believe that he's his own brother without ever correcting her and coming clean. And Abbey lied about being an actress and that led to all sorts of misunderstandings and errors and confusion. I hate lying about your own identity and that's what they both did to each other. They both have been cheated on by their long-term partners and decided the best thing to do was... lie to each other about who they are? And it's all swept under the rug like it's not a big deal.

And what about the ending? I HATE open endings where loose threads aren't dealt with and they make holes in the story. What happens with Dee's baby daddy? Where does Abbey live? Is Ted successful or is Roman still an issue? I need answers! Seriously, an epilogue would be enough to tie all those loose threads together into a cohesive and satisfying ending. And yet we've got nothing.

I did not like this book and if her other books are similar, I will not read anything else by this author. The writing was cringe at times, pacing was off, and while I love fake dating, this one was a disappointment.

I just want to start this by saying I love the fake dating trope, it's one of my favourite romcom tropes and this one delivered on so many different levels.

Fake It 'til You Make It is a dual romcom that focuses on Abbey and Ted, both newly single and reeling from finding out that their partners have been cheating on them.
Abbey thought she had it all, her perfect job, and her highschool sweetheart she was sure was going to propose to her, until he didn't, instead of popping the question, he blinsides her by telling her that he's been cheating on her, and less than 24 hours later, a mistake at work costs her her job.
Ted also believed he had it all. His own business with his childhood best friend, the fiancee of his dreams... until he walks in on them together. Now he's hiding from the world in his brothers apartment.
They agree to fake date each other, Abbey to save face in front of her parents, Ted to avoid dealing with his ex.

Usually I'm not a big fan of characters lying to each other, but it was done in a way that was equally amusing and frustrating as they kept having to remember who they were pretending to be,
One of my favourite things about this book is the slow burn really feels like a slow burn, and when they start to fall for each other, it sthe real person they were falling for, which for me, I loved because it felt as though they would be okay in the end.
Also the mutual, 'What am I doing?' towards the end was *chefs kiss*, I was genuinley rooting for these two with my whole heart, and I was really sad to finish the book, as I could have happily stayed in the characters heads for so much longer.

Solid 4.5 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Laura Carter for the opportunity to read this early copy. All thoughts are my own.

Firstly I would like to thank both NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

im not too sure how or where to start about my feelings for this book; in summary, the story is well, cute? I suppose if you can look past the fact that both our characters, Abbey and Ted are basically the same person, in the sameish situation as each other relationship wise, however one is just wealthy and the other is what the title suggests - faking it oh and the obvious of one being female and the other male. Watching their relationship grow from weird annoying neighbour not quite enemies to fake dating to eventually I suppose lovers is quite nice; seeing them both having growth within themselves with I have to admit some funny moments I guess was quite wholesome? I think that’s probably the perfect word to describe this book, wholesome. I did catch myself smiling whilst reading this and also thinking ‘aww this is cute’ however sometimes I did catch myself thinking ‘okay enough with the pity party’

however some of the writing styling choices did baffle me. I’m not entirely sure why when we were reading in each of the characters pov and when they were quite obviously swearing the words ‘feck’ and ‘shet’ were used when at other times correctly spelt swear words were used? Maybe this is just a personal thing but im not sure why there was flip flopping between using swear words and not so obviously replacing them? it just seemed a bit childish and unneeded? like both of the characters were either in their late twenties/early thirties so i don’t personally understand the censorship? I mean while I was reading I just read over them with the actual words but I’d be lying if i said it didn’t bug me? I feel like all the words should be censored or used correctly or even not used at all if the actual words didn’t want to be used? I don’t know, as I said it baffled me.

I don’t want to draw too much comparison to The Spanish Love Deception however when it’s states “perfect for fans of Elena Armas” - I can’t help but compare the two. I would personally say the only thing that these two books have in common is the fake dating trope and wanting to save face in front of family: however for me that’s as far as it goes. This is book is far less spicy than TSLD and just doesn’t have that tension that TSLD had for me. It’s a wholesome watered down version for me and I feel awful for saying that but im not sure how else to say it?

Ultimately was this story readable? Yeah sure, did I find myself forcing to finish it at times? Honestly and sadly yes, would I recommend this book to someone who wanted the fake dating trope with little to no spice and a cute story? Actually yes this is probably the perfect book for someone who wants that; it’s a nice, wholesome, heart warming story, I just wish we got to see more of Abbey and Ted and what their life held in the future in a time skip epilogue or something after the ending.