If faking love is this easy… how do you know when it’s real?
When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.
Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend…
Release Date: Mar 24, 2020
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: William Morrow
Price: $10.99
My first McFarlane book probably won’t be my last.
I’ll say this book wasn’t what I expected. For some readers the heroine only POV may be a turnoff. Others may feel the subject matter hits too close to home, but in the end, I suckered up to the love story evolving between our heroine and the playboy co-worker she meets along her journey.
Laurie is a successful lawyer. She’s got the job and the man, a man she’s been with since college. The same man who decides that after eighteen years of being together he doesn’t want children and doesn’t want to be with her. Devastated Laurie does the only sensible thing, hatch a plan with the playboy of the office to make her ex jealous.
Of course, our hero, Jamie, gets something out of the deal. He’s trying to make office partner at the law firm where both he and Laurie work. Jamie is a nice guy, though he’s glued to social media and ensuring he doesn’t have a night without a date. Our hero’s hang ups are not too deep. No, this book involves a climb for the heroine who has been emotionally hurt in the worst of ways – note: I am not deep diving here because this book relies so heavily on what the heroine has gone through.
What I enjoyed about the book is the budding romance between the characters, the slow burn, and build to the finale. I enjoyed Laurie’s true reactions and rollercoaster of emotions she experienced after her break up and the confidence it takes to rebuild.
Things I didn’t enjoy included Laurie’s predilection for letting people walk all over, even towards the end of the book. I wasn’t a fan of only living in Laurie’s head and would have enjoyed a little time in Jamie’s. For pacing the book took too long to ratchet up, with almost 15-20% of the story dedicated to Laurie’s breakup, which while the story started there, the love story started later. I think this book couldn’t decide if it was women’s fiction or a romance.
Mid-way through this book is where I got emotionally involved in a big way. I wanted the happy ending, and all things to be resolved. Of course, the best romance books don’t turn out the way you expect, apart from the HEA.
For readers who enjoy Kristin Higgins and Talia Hibbert.
~ Landra
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