Title: Fake It Till You Make It
Author: Leigh Donnelly
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Food
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023
I loved this WAY more than I expected. Admittedly, I didn’t have huge expectations going into it, but still. This was far, far more enjoyable than I was anticipating. Probably in part because both the leads in this romance were involved in the food industry. And, as a lover of all things food, I’m preprogrammed to enjoy any story with such a theme.
I’m such a lover of relationships that start with a fake ruse and forced proximity. I love that the beginning of this was even more awkward – asking a man you just met to pose as your fiancé. And pretty much yelling in his face every time she felt awkward… although you kind of know exactly how it will all work out; the pure awkwardness was brilliant and enjoyably cheesy.
Both the leads in this novel have incredibly narcissistic exes. Both act out in different ways. And the male ex is not just narcissistic, but abusive. It made for a great challenge to the romance – not so much in getting over the damage of the past (which there is some of). But in getting over their constant manipulations and insanity in the presence. The narcissism is actually kind of scary in moments.
In fact, the narcissistic exes take such centre stage throughout this story as conflict that I was expecting a bit more of them in the epilogue. I kind of liked that although they are so central to the conflict, they’re effectively forgotten about in the ending. The best punishment ever for these horrible individuals.
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