Elle Maxwell

This book was such a great read and it had my emotions all over the place, but in a good way. Mackenzie and Graham have been in love every since high school but one incident shatters their illusion of happily ever after and has Mackenzie believing that love doesn’t truly exist and it is a mere illusion we tell ourselves. She goes 5 years without seeing or hearing anything from Graham and all of a sudden, he is popping back into her life and she isn’t sure how to handle all the emotions that are resurfacing. Graham has been through quite a bit in the last 5 years and the worse of it is he lost Mackenzie so he is back and is trying to prove to not only her but himself that he can do better and be a better man for her. I felt so bad for Graham, yes he made some mistakes but he more than paid for his part in destroying his and Mackenzie’s lives yet he still doesn’t see his worth and he struggles with how to do that. I loved that the chemistry these guys had together because I think that help get Mackenzie to lower some of the walls, she built around herself. I also loved how we got to see how people in Graham’s situation must deal and cope with life out of where they have been. It really sheds a light on how sometimes people are treated poorly and judged wrongly and it broke my heart. I also loved how once Graham saw that he could do more for others he set out to help and he went above and beyond to do that. He more than proved several times he was worth so much more than he gave himself credit for and Mackenzie finally got to see he is truly the man she always thought him to be. A great second chance romance story about redemption and finding your worth for not others but yourself as well.… (mehr)

I absolutely loved the concept of this story where Walker and Audrey find themselves in a situation that not only is funny, but they find impossible to say no to. When they sign up for this assignment by romance author Victoria, they are both in for a surprise. The setup is they fake date for 60 days to compare real life people and romance couples differ/same, neither one can pass up on the money for different reasons but it’s a no brainer easy yes until things get awkward. As these two start out getting to know each other in this weird setup they seem like complete opposites where Walker is this cocky playboy who has dreams of his own and Audrey who is polite, shy, and makes everything awkward princess. The more time they spend together and the assignments that they are required to do lead them into this fake relationship where lines start to blur, but with both having deep insecurities how will they overcome those or will they? The texts, journal entries, dates, and so much more where my favorite and had me laughing, but the way both of their parents treated them broke my heart. Walker’s dad is just as awful as Audrey’s mother, I loved how Walker stood up for her to her mother, but I wanted both to finally stand up for themselves to them. This book will make you swoon, fall in love, and crave for more and I really hope Luke gets a story because he was an amazing character all his own. A great read!!!… (mehr)

4.5 stars!!

I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It made me laugh, and made me feel things as the characters did. I loved how easy it was to differentiate the two MCs' voices--Walker was more crass, while Audrey had a sweeter "vibe" about her chapters. I liked that they had conflict both within and with out of the relationship, and I especially loved Victoria's "interference" with their arrangement. It was a new take on a common trope, though admittedly it is one of my favorite tropes--fake dating. Add in only one bed and I'm sold!

I knocked off half a star because I didn't *love* Walker. He was just a little difficult for me to relate to, but I do appreciate his character growth. His relationship with his brother was interesting, and it made sense as to why he was the way he was. Overall, though, this was a cute, clever, funny, witty book, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thanks for the ARC!… (mehr)

Holy Fricken Hannah… Go Fake Yourself by Elle Maxwell!!! I ate this book right up. It wasn’t a book that had me laughing every page or wanting to break my phone every chapter (maybe just the last few chapters mkay? And maybe just some random places 😂) but I was sure as heck invested from the first page until after the end.
We’ve all read the fake dating trope but this takes it to a whole new level.

Famous romance author, Victoria Trulette, is wanting to write the next best selling book. But wants something real rather than “typical fake dating trope fiction”. So she hires a young male, our hero Walker, and a young woman, our heroine Audrey, to live out a “real” fake dating experience. They are strangers who have to live together and share one bed while convincing everyone they are madly in love with each other. Victoria makes our protagonists participate in certain events, or challenges as they are often called, so she can really see how this real life fake dating experience works.

I won’t go in to all the details but OH MY LANTA (no spoilers for you!). This was a whole fresh take for me. And. 👏🏻 I. 👏🏻 Was. 👏🏻 Here. 👏🏻 For. 👏🏻 It. 👏🏻 I bet you all heard me swooning across the country and yes that was me you heard yawning all day because I was up all night reading.

Honestly, I was just blown away. Is it the most amazing book I have ever read throughout my entire lifetime?… no… but did I sure love it to pieces and want to scream it from the mountaintop? Abso fricken lutely.… (mehr)