Connie distrusts “nice guys” until she meets Beck, her friendly, bow-tie-wearing neighbor. When Beck lies about being married to avoid workplace scrutiny, Connie agrees to pose as his wife at a company retreat. As they spend time together, their fake relationship starts feeling real, challenging Connie’s trust issues.

Told from Connie’s witty, introspective perspective, the novel balances humor, emotional depth, and slow-burning romance. This lighthearted romance features fun tropes like fake marriage and close proximity. While entertaining, the story’s believability is questionable—especially Beck’s character, whose inexperience feels exaggerated. If you enjoy feel-good, escapist reads and don’t overanalyze realism, this book may be worth picking up.

I loved this book! Connie and Beck live opposite each other, and when he is need of a fake wife she volunteers. I loved the character of Beck!

I absolutely loved My Big Fat Fake Marriage! The characters felt so real, and I was completely invested in Hazel and Beck’s story.

Hazel has been burned by too many so-called "nice guys" to trust easily. Beck, on the other hand, is so genuine and honest that lying makes him physically sick. When they connect, it’s electric—but Hazel can’t believe it’s real. No man has ever been this open with her before. Why should Beck be different?

This book does an incredible job of portraying Hazel’s self-doubt and how past experiences shape the way we navigate relationships. Instead of being framed as an "untrusting woman who just needs to let love in," Hazel is complex, her fears valid. Even among her best friends, she feels like an outsider. Watching her slowly realize that maybe—just maybe—she doesn’t have to change to be loved was so powerful.

Hazel’s inner voice is sharp, dirty-minded, and hilarious—she constantly thinks things she’d never say out loud, and I loved that about her. The story’s pacing kept me hooked—I couldn’t wait for the next stolen kiss or to see how the big reveal of feelings would play out. Would Beck fight for Hazel, or would his respect for her choices hold him back? Set against the backdrop of a retreat for aspiring authors, Hazel’s personal growth unfolds alongside her journey as a writer—the more she explores emotions in her work, the more she starts to understand her own.

Beck is one of the most refreshing heroes I’ve read in a long time. At 37, he’s never been in a relationship and has no experience with physical intimacy. But he knows who he is, and he never pretends to be someone else. The dynamic between him and Hazel—her worrying that she’s corrupting him, him being completely sure he wants this with her—was so well done. And when things finally heat up? It’s worth every moment of the slow build.

This book is funny, heartfelt, and incredibly sexy. The only-one-bed and forced proximity tropes are executed perfectly, but what really makes this story shine is the emotional depth. Watching Beck and Hazel navigate their fears while slowly falling for each other was such a joy.

And Beck? Move over Xaden and Rhysand—Samuel Beckett is the new book boyfriend gold standard!

I'm a complete goner for anything with a cinnamon roll/golden retriever MC, especially when HE may be a little on the inexperienced side! The fact that Beck was hiding a whole lot of knowledge under that bow-tie wearing façade was a complete bonus!

Connie was the epitome of a brittle but outwardly confident shell hiding a soft but bruised heart. She wanted love and just always got burned. She did get in the way of own happiness at times and the miscommunication/angst was a bit strong occasionally but oh that foreplay scene was fire!!!!

I did have to get over the non-swearing of Beck. I get why teachers and so on may need to constantly temper their language but it just struck me as weird. (Mind you I'm Scottish and swearing is an artform here LOL). When the little white lies and half-truths started to become real, the chemistry between these two really kicked in.

Sometimes the pacing was a wee bit off and you do have to suspend your belief in certain things to get the plot to move on but it was still a highly enjoyable read and it's nice to see the guy as the one who needs "saving" and "educating" for a change.

This book had some laugh out loud moments.

A little more spice than I was expecting.

An enjoyable read.

I loved this! Charlotte Stein has a very particular style and it absolutely works for me. This romcom is funny and silly and so swoony. It's stream of consciousness first person POV from Connie (aka Hazy - so cute) who is jaded and disappointed in men. She's kind of sort of set up with Henry Becket (aka Beck) who lives across the hall and has invented a wife..

There's a few things happening - This novel follows on from When Grumpy Met Sunshine, Connie is a friend of its main characters, Mabel and Alfie, and so is Beck. Where Alfie was Roy Kent, so Beck is Ted Lasso. Beck is being bullied at work, and Connie steps up for him, which results in her offering to be his wife at the writers retreat. Author Charlotte has tackled bullying in a number of her books, exploring it from different perspectives. This one is particularly satisfying as the bully is bested in such a brilliant way - I cheered for Beck! That aside though, the book is really about Beck and Connie falling in love, and doing it through their growing intimacy. There's a huge gap in their experience and this is explored in ways that are tender and delicious. It's definitely erotic romance 🌶 🌶 🌶, and so much of their growing connection is through their words - both spoken and written. Once they get going, only one bed works so well for them!

Even with all the humour, Connie observes things about herself and Beck which are perceptive and uncomfortable - there's plenty of wisdom here about relationships and gender, tidily hidden among all the steam: "It wasn't until I learned to hide my cleverness that I got dates and made friends".
"Life is too short to live it based on someone else's idea of cool".
"He's the one who knows nothing yet you're the one learning, my mind whispers." This is a gem!

Thank you Charlotte Stein, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Okay, so I'm a big fan of the whole "fake relationship/marriage" trope and the blurb of this book sounded good, so I decided to take a chance on it. The beginning was very sweet and cute and I liked Hazel & Beck together. But the writing made it kind of hard to get into the plot. The side characters also felt unnecessary because they did not have much of a role or any significant impact. And the dialogue sometimes made me cringe tbh. I also did not like When Grumpy Met Sunshine by the author for the same reasons but I thought this one would be different. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The spicy scenes were also cringe and if the execution about both of their insecurities was done well and not repeated so much, maybe I would've enjoyed the book more. I wanted to like it but this book was just not it for for me, ngl.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

This was not what I expected the novel to be. No, it wasn't bad!

Connie distrusts nice guys, they will do a 180 sooner than later and hurt her. Also, her mother told her what men are looking for in a woman and she tries her best to be that kind of woman (like contacts instead of glasses, heels not flats), although deep down she is a different person.

Beck loves bow ties, is a cinnamon roll/sunshine character and inexperienced when it comes to women. His outward appearance and behaviour make him nerdy, and I kept wondering whether he was supposed to be neurodiverse.

Beck and Connie live across from each other and often meet in the hallway or lift. When Connie asks about Beck's wife, the latter acts strange. Soon Connie finds out about the wife being an invention to make Beck look more "normal", but it's hard for him to keep up the charade. To make life for Beck easier Connie agrees to play his wife on a 14-day writing retreat both are attending, and lay the groundwork for a divorce.

What I liked about the book was that both MCs had issues to overcome. Beck is secretly very confident, but projects an aura of haplessness that sometimes turns him onto a doormat. Connie needs to unlearn what her mother and society told her and become herself. Both do not trust that the other person might be attracted to them beyond the physical.

This is where the story dragged for me. They both tell each other their wants and feelings, they tell each other that the are into the other one and both are so jaded from previous experiences that they don't trust in what the other says. Being in Connie's spiralling mind (first person POV, stream of consciousness-y narration) all the time made this very repetitive.


That all said, the novel was compelling to read, I couldn't put it down once I had started. But I nearly yelled at Connie several times to get her head out of her $%&/ and trust that when Beck says he is into her he actually means it, because the guy can't lie.

There's just something about Charlotte Stein's writing that I'm completely obsessed with. Her characters are an irresistible mix of quirky, silly, and weird in a good way. They don't fit the mould and it's not only refreshing to see but so crazily well written that I can't help but devour her stories. Connie has had many experiences with men and romance that no doubt the majority of women can relate to and they have understandably made her wary and mistrustful but that's where the incredibly wholesome and kind Beck comes in. I don't think I've ever wanted to defend a character so fiercely as I did Beck. This pie-baking, note-taking, mustachioed mountain of a man with his aversion to lies, and self-deprecating nature, has brought out my protective instincts. Connie didn't stand a chance. Now I was totally here for this romance, loving how these two built each other up and defended each other from a certain office villain, and really grew in confidence with the support. While all this is happening, we're getting a whole load of humour woven into their interactions - even the spicy or spice-adjacent scenes. There's certainly a heap of h*rny wordery going on and perhaps I could have done with a smidge more of the plot and relationship development but I also did enjoy the slightly silly approach Charlotte Stein was taking that made the whole thing amusing and a little ridiculous without feeling over the top. My final thoughts: It was a highlight to see Alfie and Mabel again (but especially Alfie - the big, lovely oddball).

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Okay, so this was CUTE, but also kinda ridiculous—and I mean that in both the best and most unhinged way possible. Fake marriage? Forced proximity? A nerdy, bowtie-wearing book editor who says things like oh fudge? Yep, we’re in rom-com land, baby

this book was right up there with everything you want from a feel good romance. and thank goodness for a few more relatable characters! and actually for me it really hit home how this lie weve been told and( happily went along with im sad to say) that we need to read about "hot" guys "pretty girl in terms of societal norms is chipped away at here. because heaven forbid a plus sized heroin. but no she was and these characters were just as lovable and the plot just as brilliant.
this book had me fizzing with a bit of giggles, a bit of steam and an all round romp of a read.
our two main characters are each others allies and its so heart warming to see. they protect eachother, of course via a fake marriage and having to fool everyone they know. but what happens completely turns all their lives upside down. in the best of ways. our heroin doesnt believe in herself. but Beck, beck chips away at her defense and starts showing her just how great she is.
the relationship felt so rewarding to read. the way they were equal in their cheerleading. the way they just fit together. and the twisty fun plot points along the way made it even more special.
its weird and yet great because this book was such a feel good fun book and still had me feeling all the emotions.

I’ve read a fair few of Charlotte Stein’s books, and let me tell you—she never misses. My Big Fat Fake Marriage delivers everything I love in a contemporary romance: sizzling chemistry, emotional depth, and a fake relationship setup that had me grinning like an idiot.

At the start, we meet Connie—or so we think. Turns out, her real name is Hazel, and she’s as wary as they come. Enter Beck, the human embodiment of sunshine, a walking, talking warm hug in the shape of a man. He’s a misfit and owns it unapologetically, which just makes him all the more irresistible. The way he immediately starts dismantling Hazel’s defences? Perfection. These two fit together like the last pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and I was obsessed.

Hazel has some trust issues, self-esteem struggles, and doubts about her writing—but the moment Beck needs her, she’s all in. She agrees to fake-marry him, and in the process, they become each other’s fiercest protectors. Watching Hazel stand up for Beck against bullies? Chef’s kiss. And the way Beck does the same for her? My heart melted into a puddle.

If you’d told me I’d fall head over heels for a mustachioed cinnamon roll, I’d have laughed in your face. And yet, here we are. He’s like an incredibly attractive Ted Lasso—pure, kind, a little goofy, and utterly devoted. The way he loves Hazel, without conditions or hesitation? SWOON.


This book had me feeling things. It’s sweet, it’s spicy (very spicy, in the best way), and it’s packed with so much emotion that I didn’t stand a chance. Watching Hazel and Beck fall in love was pure joy, and I adored every second of it. An easy, enthusiastic five stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this book because it looked like it had everything I would enjoy. It was nice, weird in the best sense, with characters that are interesting, but somehow I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

The main thing that was underwhelming was that I expected something really funny and it felt forced. The first 2/3 of the book were trying to much to be funny in a way that wasn’t organic. I mostly found Connie’s thought process chaotic as a result, and it didn’t work as well as I had hoped. The last third, once it got more serious between Connie and Beck and when Connie’s started to really see and appreciate Beck, was when I started to enjoy the book - a bit too late. From that point it was much better and I just wished it had been like that much earlier.

This was one of those books that has all the ingredients to be a 5 star read for me (fake dating, cinnamon roll love interest, plus size MC) but something just didn't work for me. I found the story didn't really flow for about 3/;4 of the book although I really enjoyed the ending.

Well, that was fun! Seriously, I was looking for something light, fun, and this book brings cost to spice - just think hit chocolate with a hint or cinnamon or ginger to make your tongue tingle!

Connie has been a little burnt by life, specifically the men she’s allowed into her life in the past and now her new neighbour Henry Samuel Beckett AKA Beck is seriously setting off all her internal alarms! No man could be this genuinely sweet or lovely! It must be an act! Yet, somehow despite all her best intentions and suspicions, Charlotte agrees to join Beck on a writers retreat, as his fake wife.

What follows is a total cinnamon roll of a romance, populated by characters who don’t feel like glossy extracts from Hollywood, but feel real. Just like us, bad hair days, rumpled, real size not Elphin sized! And I loved this, I loved the references to seriously old TV programmes - Quantum Leap, Star Wars and their banter was so real and funny!

And there’s the spice, trust me this book is 🌶️🌶️🌶️ and I have zero regrets! I absolutely loved everything about this warm, chunk filled, absolute chocolate croissant of a book! And didn’t even realise or need to know that this is the 2nd book in a series, at least while devouring it. I’m definitely going to look up the first one now!

It was okay. Not the most riveting story but a good pallette cleanser. The 2 main characters were just okay. Grumpy Vs sunshine but with a twist.

Strong Ted Lasso vibes here! A cosy little grumpy x sunshine romance. The characters felt like real, relatable people and I think everyone who has read this wants/will want a Beck in their life. Defo recommend

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for giving me an ARC to review!

3 stars!

The first thing I liked about this was how much as a softie/cinnamon roll Beck was. He was nice, had some lil cheekiness to him but was a delight to read. The book started off a little slow? I'm not sure if that is the right way but I wasn't invested. Probably because how Beck spoke, which to me just made me laugh but also took me out because I just couldn't get in to it the way I hoped. Then I was. Goddamn. But then I slowly began to lose some interest towards the end BUT I did enjoy Beck and Connie/Hazel together and their dynamic. Even when things got serious.

Clearly not the strongest hit for me, but it's a hit among others! Twas very cute!

Fresh from finishing a novel about serial killers, I was looking to read something lighter and along came My Big Fat Fake Marriage. I’ll be honest, a couple of chapters in, I wasn’t sure the book was for me - the grumpy x sunshine plot line felt like it was laid on a bit thick with the “nice guys don’t exist” perspective. I wasn’t convinced that as reader, I could lust for a man that says “Golly” in a non ironic way.
But boy, am I glad I carried on reading and proved completely wrong too. Almost immediately, those thoughts were brushed aside as I was swept along with the plot and I binge read the book in a day. I loved the fake marriage storyline and loved the spicy scenes even more. I was totally won over and rooting for the characters.

If Grumpy vs Sunshine, forced proximity and fake dating are your go to romance tropes, you need to add this to your TBR list right away. It’s the perfect lighthearted but steamy read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! Does a Beck actually exist?! He was so awkwardly adorable. Hazel was a great character and I loved her loyalty and protective nature. It was nice seeing Mabel and Alfie from When Grumpy Met Sunshine (which I enjoyed even more than this one). My only issue was that it all happened really quickly. I would’ve liked to have had a bit of time at the writers retreat and then the bulk of it spread over a longer period of time in their usual day to day lives.