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Heather Bay #4
Like I Pretended
Pretending to be in love never felt so real. Henry Lu hates being a superstar. Action movies have left a sour taste in his mouth and filming a queer period drama on the Yorkshire coast sounds like the perfect antidote. Meeting grumpy coffee shop owner, Alex, is the cherry on top.
Alex isn't impressed with the appearance of Hollywood royalty in his life, especially because Henry refuses to accept that Alex doesn't like him. But when rumours about the production draw the attention of stuffy streaming service bigwigs and the ire of Henry’s superhero franchise, Henry and Alex must put on a show and fake a relationship to smooth things over.
Alex doesn’t want a relationship, and Henry isn’t good at them, but their arrangement is only supposed to be for a few months, then they'll both be free to go back to their lives. The only problem is that pretending to be in love never felt so real.
Like I Pretended is a slow burn contemporary MM romance featuring a sunshine Hollywood superstar whose never been told no, a grumpy coffee shop owner who wants to be left alone, bad attempts at flirting, terrible catering, and finding home.
It is book four in the Heather Bay series and while it can be read as a standalone, it’s best enjoyed as part of the series.
Alex isn't impressed with the appearance of Hollywood royalty in his life, especially because Henry refuses to accept that Alex doesn't like him. But when rumours about the production draw the attention of stuffy streaming service bigwigs and the ire of Henry’s superhero franchise, Henry and Alex must put on a show and fake a relationship to smooth things over.
Alex doesn’t want a relationship, and Henry isn’t good at them, but their arrangement is only supposed to be for a few months, then they'll both be free to go back to their lives. The only problem is that pretending to be in love never felt so real.
Like I Pretended is a slow burn contemporary MM romance featuring a sunshine Hollywood superstar whose never been told no, a grumpy coffee shop owner who wants to be left alone, bad attempts at flirting, terrible catering, and finding home.
It is book four in the Heather Bay series and while it can be read as a standalone, it’s best enjoyed as part of the series.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 20, 2023
57 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Novak
64 books590 followersCharlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.
She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters – because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that love comes in all shapes and sizes.
Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…
She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters – because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that love comes in all shapes and sizes.
Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
July 31, 2023
Sweet, simple, quick read. Low angst. I would have liked things to be a little trickier to resolve or for Alex to hold out a little more but overall this was nice easy reading.
Fake dating between a movie star and a grumpy normal coffee shop guy. Set whilst filming a British period drama, referred to as a gay Bridgerton (I would totally watch this!) Lots of characters from this authors other books - I think there was about 10 other couples featured so if you like to know everyone I’d recommended reading the Roll for Love series first and the rest of the Heather Bay series.
Fake dating between a movie star and a grumpy normal coffee shop guy. Set whilst filming a British period drama, referred to as a gay Bridgerton (I would totally watch this!) Lots of characters from this authors other books - I think there was about 10 other couples featured so if you like to know everyone I’d recommended reading the Roll for Love series first and the rest of the Heather Bay series.
February 12, 2024
Alex is definitely my favourite character in this series. I love prickly, blunt and emotionally traumatised characters over anything else.
This was so sweet and definitely the most angsty in the series so far, but I'd still say its low angst overall and keeps up the feel good factor.
Also, for some reason I've been picturing Alex with dark hair ever since he was described as having a moody rockstar look in book 1, but he's actually blonde like his brother Spencer! My automatic visualisation of that character description is always dark and broody and I have no idea why 😂 My brain totally failed to recast him though, so I just couldn't picture him as blonde at all!
This was so sweet and definitely the most angsty in the series so far, but I'd still say its low angst overall and keeps up the feel good factor.
Also, for some reason I've been picturing Alex with dark hair ever since he was described as having a moody rockstar look in book 1, but he's actually blonde like his brother Spencer! My automatic visualisation of that character description is always dark and broody and I have no idea why 😂 My brain totally failed to recast him though, so I just couldn't picture him as blonde at all!
June 29, 2023
Loved this book big time. I've enjoyed all of this small town Yorkshire set series so far but this is definitely a favourite.
Grumpy cafe and book shop owner Alex has been on the periphery of all the books in this series so far and has always fascinated me.
Henry Lu has been on my radar since the Hollywood hotshot turned up in Charlie's previous series, and I've been dying for him to get his HEA.
I don't think I'd have ever put these two together though but it's absolute genius!
No plot spoilers here but I loved watching these two lonely people finding out they had more in common than they thought and that being in each other's company brought happiness.
It's a sort of slow burn ish romance but they're insanely hot together once they start to let down the walls.
There's the usual humour and found family that's been at the heart of all the romances in this setting and now we have Theo and Laurie's to come and bring it on!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Grumpy cafe and book shop owner Alex has been on the periphery of all the books in this series so far and has always fascinated me.
Henry Lu has been on my radar since the Hollywood hotshot turned up in Charlie's previous series, and I've been dying for him to get his HEA.
I don't think I'd have ever put these two together though but it's absolute genius!
No plot spoilers here but I loved watching these two lonely people finding out they had more in common than they thought and that being in each other's company brought happiness.
It's a sort of slow burn ish romance but they're insanely hot together once they start to let down the walls.
There's the usual humour and found family that's been at the heart of all the romances in this setting and now we have Theo and Laurie's to come and bring it on!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
August 23, 2024
Another really good book in this series! I still think I liked book three better, but still did like this. I really loved all the appearances from past characters.
July 20, 2023
Rating: 4
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
MM | opposites attract | fake relationship | grumpy / sunshine
I smiled and swooned so much while reading Like I Pretended, Henry and Alex was just such an adorable couple!
I loved the interactions and back and forth between these two - Alex was a total grump and while he and Henry were quite the opposites of each other, they worked great as a couple. The attraction and sparks between these two were just undeniable.
While they started out as fake dating, things never felt very faked with the easy connection they had right from the start. I adored their first meet and how Alex kept calling Henry out throughout the story. Very entertaining and funny!
It was sweet to see them get to know each other and how comfortable they were together. I loved their communication and how they both felt safe enough to open up and shared things with each other. Considering how closed-off Alex was, it made my heart happy to see him trust Henry that way. They were really good for each other.
Like I Pretended was a heartwarming read; Charlie Novak writes these sweet and swoony stories so well, and I always end up loving her characters. I very much enjoyed being back in Heather Bay with this little found family. I’m also super fond of Theo and so happy that we’re getting his story next!
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
MM | opposites attract | fake relationship | grumpy / sunshine
I smiled and swooned so much while reading Like I Pretended, Henry and Alex was just such an adorable couple!
I loved the interactions and back and forth between these two - Alex was a total grump and while he and Henry were quite the opposites of each other, they worked great as a couple. The attraction and sparks between these two were just undeniable.
While they started out as fake dating, things never felt very faked with the easy connection they had right from the start. I adored their first meet and how Alex kept calling Henry out throughout the story. Very entertaining and funny!
It was sweet to see them get to know each other and how comfortable they were together. I loved their communication and how they both felt safe enough to open up and shared things with each other. Considering how closed-off Alex was, it made my heart happy to see him trust Henry that way. They were really good for each other.
Like I Pretended was a heartwarming read; Charlie Novak writes these sweet and swoony stories so well, and I always end up loving her characters. I very much enjoyed being back in Heather Bay with this little found family. I’m also super fond of Theo and so happy that we’re getting his story next!
July 28, 2023
Well, I got to 17%, but after the, what, fourth or fifth reference to why Alex is a shit, I'm out. There's this repetition, which to me always feels insulting, but also, I'm just not buying into the setting or the filming. And then, trying to teach Henry Regency dances on set rather than beforehand? That is just dorky. Maybe had I read the first three books, this sketchiness would be diminished, but this is hardly the first later-in-a-series novel I've tried. It's been done better.
Ultimately, it is the beating me over the head with Alex's past while making Henry a shallow lust machine that's killed my interest in continuing.
Ultimately, it is the beating me over the head with Alex's past while making Henry a shallow lust machine that's killed my interest in continuing.
July 9, 2023
Henry’s book at long last. Yay! Alex is perfectly prickly, and snarky, and …well everything for him. I love these characters so much. I knew I would. I have been dying for Henry’s book ever since we met his brother Jason in the Roll for Love series. There is just something about Charlie Novak’s characters that makes me fall in love with them and read them over and over. Henry has been in the closet for the longest time, and now he isn’t. But what happens when the company that makes his movies start questioning his lifestyle and worrying about images? The solution…a fake boyfriend. Which just happens to be one of my all time favorite tropes. Both men have been hurt and guard their hearts in different ways, but both men are equally guilty of falling even when it would be grossly complicated. But love has never been anything but full of complications, especially when it feels so right! This book is soooo goood!!! These two are perfectly swoon-worthy and definitely deserve to be next on your TBR list. These men have a lot to say so pay attention people!
August 5, 2023
4.25 stars
October 8, 2023
Hollywood in Heather Bay
Alex, the grumpy, snarky Co-owner of Novel Tea hasn’t had a date in years and doesn’t ever plan to have one. He’s was burnt nearly 10 years ago by an ex, and none of his friends knew about it.
So when the star of a TV series being filmed in Heather Bay walks into Novel Tea and threw some flirty lines at Alex, he lashes out at him and calls him an a…….e, slaps him down in front of staff and Henry’s entourage.
Henry Lu, action man star of stage and screen is gobsmacked. Is he losing his touch, his charm? He needs to get to the bottom of this horror show, in front of his Co stars too. 😱.
How it came about that these two, Alex and Henry, needed to pretend to be in a relationship, a fake boyfriend relationship, is something only Hollywood could devise.
******************
‘Like I Pretended’ was one of the Heather Bay series I was most looking forward to reading, just based on the cover alone. For some reason I was a bit disappointed as I didn’t feel much passion between the two MC. I know it started out fake but I expected the chemistry between them to ignite when feelings became involved. Didn’t happen for me here.
Another weird thing, Henry being bisexual was never mentioned, yet, the big love and hurt of his life was with a woman named Emma. That was a bit of a downer to know.
Apart from those niggles, Heather Bay and this bunch of friends still captured my heart. I liked seeing the strong friendships develop between new friends when new partners introduce their friends into Heather Bay initial group.
The final Book is Theo and Laurie’s story ‘ Like I Wanted’, is next on my list. I’ll be sad to leave Heather Bay behind.
Maybe Charlie Novak will write a book 5 years on with a house party where all the couples, maybe a few kids, plus more dogs, cats and maybe even a Guinea pig for Theo.
I’ll keep wishing.
Alex, the grumpy, snarky Co-owner of Novel Tea hasn’t had a date in years and doesn’t ever plan to have one. He’s was burnt nearly 10 years ago by an ex, and none of his friends knew about it.
So when the star of a TV series being filmed in Heather Bay walks into Novel Tea and threw some flirty lines at Alex, he lashes out at him and calls him an a…….e, slaps him down in front of staff and Henry’s entourage.
Henry Lu, action man star of stage and screen is gobsmacked. Is he losing his touch, his charm? He needs to get to the bottom of this horror show, in front of his Co stars too. 😱.
How it came about that these two, Alex and Henry, needed to pretend to be in a relationship, a fake boyfriend relationship, is something only Hollywood could devise.
******************
‘Like I Pretended’ was one of the Heather Bay series I was most looking forward to reading, just based on the cover alone. For some reason I was a bit disappointed as I didn’t feel much passion between the two MC. I know it started out fake but I expected the chemistry between them to ignite when feelings became involved. Didn’t happen for me here.
Another weird thing, Henry being bisexual was never mentioned, yet, the big love and hurt of his life was with a woman named Emma. That was a bit of a downer to know.
Apart from those niggles, Heather Bay and this bunch of friends still captured my heart. I liked seeing the strong friendships develop between new friends when new partners introduce their friends into Heather Bay initial group.
The final Book is Theo and Laurie’s story ‘ Like I Wanted’, is next on my list. I’ll be sad to leave Heather Bay behind.
Maybe Charlie Novak will write a book 5 years on with a house party where all the couples, maybe a few kids, plus more dogs, cats and maybe even a Guinea pig for Theo.
I’ll keep wishing.
April 9, 2024
4,5⭐️
Finally Henry’s story, since his first appearance I was excited to read his live story and he found the perfect match with Alex who doesn’t hesitate to turn him down and call him out.
Henry just wants to be seen and loved as him and not as the famous actor, so when pictures of him and Alex having a coffee are released, he asks him to be his fake boyfriend even if he is convinced that Alex would never agree, little does he know.
Alex is the member of the group who has the more sass, but mostly he’s hiding his fears and his broken heart, he doesn’t want a boyfriend or a fling. But seeing Henry’s situation and Henry’s pouting, he agrees to help him with his scheme which turns real sooo fast (they’re so good for each other). It’s time to let the past go and start building something new even if it’s scary, they find peace together ❤️
Another beautiful story, I loved their interaction and all the cameos !! They just go with their life, taking risk to be together and just love each other.
Finally Henry’s story, since his first appearance I was excited to read his live story and he found the perfect match with Alex who doesn’t hesitate to turn him down and call him out.
Henry just wants to be seen and loved as him and not as the famous actor, so when pictures of him and Alex having a coffee are released, he asks him to be his fake boyfriend even if he is convinced that Alex would never agree, little does he know.
Alex is the member of the group who has the more sass, but mostly he’s hiding his fears and his broken heart, he doesn’t want a boyfriend or a fling. But seeing Henry’s situation and Henry’s pouting, he agrees to help him with his scheme which turns real sooo fast (they’re so good for each other). It’s time to let the past go and start building something new even if it’s scary, they find peace together ❤️
Another beautiful story, I loved their interaction and all the cameos !! They just go with their life, taking risk to be together and just love each other.
July 23, 2023
Review - Like I pretended by Charlie Novak
5 🩵
Oh my goodness…. It honestly feels like i have been waiting for Henry's story for forever!!! But my god was it worth the wait, he and Alex are *chef’s kiss*.
These two are a great example of opposites attract. Alex is such a little grump and Henry is all sunshine and rainbows. From their first meeting they had me chuckling. I love how Alex just calls Henry out and how he just treats him like a normal person not a celebrity. After being spotted together Alex and Henry end up “fake dating” but to be honest nothing about it felt fake. I wanted to give them a shake so they’d see how they felt about each other. Alex has always felt closed off in previous books but something about Henry has him lowering his walls and opening up to him and it was lovely to see. Both these guys are a little lonely and seeing them grow together gave me butterflies. I really enjoyed getting to see the heather bay boys again. I honestly love this friendship group so much. Charlie as always sucked me in from the first chapter and i found it hard to put this down.
I received a copy from the author in return for my honest review
5 🩵
Oh my goodness…. It honestly feels like i have been waiting for Henry's story for forever!!! But my god was it worth the wait, he and Alex are *chef’s kiss*.
These two are a great example of opposites attract. Alex is such a little grump and Henry is all sunshine and rainbows. From their first meeting they had me chuckling. I love how Alex just calls Henry out and how he just treats him like a normal person not a celebrity. After being spotted together Alex and Henry end up “fake dating” but to be honest nothing about it felt fake. I wanted to give them a shake so they’d see how they felt about each other. Alex has always felt closed off in previous books but something about Henry has him lowering his walls and opening up to him and it was lovely to see. Both these guys are a little lonely and seeing them grow together gave me butterflies. I really enjoyed getting to see the heather bay boys again. I honestly love this friendship group so much. Charlie as always sucked me in from the first chapter and i found it hard to put this down.
I received a copy from the author in return for my honest review
September 6, 2023
Sweet and funny
I loved Alex and his gruff, no sh*t manner. I liked that he's still no nonsense and speaks his mind but became a little softer around the wedges with Henry's involvement.
The meet-cute with Henry is perfection!!! From their first meeting their relationship dynamics are totally set up and were so funny to watch their back and forth evolve.
I love Heather Bay and all its wonderful characters. It's a before collection of unique personalities that make up a perfect found family.
Filled with so much heart, swoony emotions and a bit of sass here and there!! Highly recommended.
I loved Alex and his gruff, no sh*t manner. I liked that he's still no nonsense and speaks his mind but became a little softer around the wedges with Henry's involvement.
The meet-cute with Henry is perfection!!! From their first meeting their relationship dynamics are totally set up and were so funny to watch their back and forth evolve.
I love Heather Bay and all its wonderful characters. It's a before collection of unique personalities that make up a perfect found family.
Filled with so much heart, swoony emotions and a bit of sass here and there!! Highly recommended.
July 13, 2023
This was exactly the type of book I needed this week. It wasn't angsy, it wasn't particularly spicy, and it wasn't rot your teeth out sweet. The best way I can think to describe it is like a huge warm hug. I was invested from page 1, although knowing a bit about the characters before starting helps lol. The story kept my attention and I didn't want to put the book down which is amazing with my current lack of sleep.
I love how Novak's books are all interconnected. It's great getting cameos of some of my favorite characters plus I start getting invested in characters before their books are released. Henry and Alex have both been in books before and it was fun learning more about them and watching them get their HEA. Their relationship worked out pretty easily, but they did have a couple little bumps along the way. There were a few spicy scenes, but the story is much more plot and character focused. Heather Bay is such a quaint little town, and the world building and imagery is fantastic. It's one of those places you wish was real so you could go visit.
This is probably my favorite in the series (although I'm really looking forward to Theo and Laurie's story). It was a great combination of sweet and romantic with plenty of sarcasm and sass thrown in.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest opinion.
I love how Novak's books are all interconnected. It's great getting cameos of some of my favorite characters plus I start getting invested in characters before their books are released. Henry and Alex have both been in books before and it was fun learning more about them and watching them get their HEA. Their relationship worked out pretty easily, but they did have a couple little bumps along the way. There were a few spicy scenes, but the story is much more plot and character focused. Heather Bay is such a quaint little town, and the world building and imagery is fantastic. It's one of those places you wish was real so you could go visit.
This is probably my favorite in the series (although I'm really looking forward to Theo and Laurie's story). It was a great combination of sweet and romantic with plenty of sarcasm and sass thrown in.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest opinion.
August 15, 2023
not my favorite couple but still enjoying the story and series
Rating: 4🌈
After the high bar set by Like I Needed, any following book has a good chance of not meeting the expectations that story laid out. Like I Pretended doesn’t but it’s not because it doesn’t try hard.
It’s got Alex, tattooed, grumbly younger brother to Spencer and co-owner of the marvelous shop Novel Tea (say that fast), a cozy place to drink coffee, tea, and read books.
As with all the romances, hints about this one have been embedded in the other books. The tv show being filmed up at the castle, famous film stars in the village, Alex’s strange behavior lately. Everything gets revealed here.
Alex has been a notoriously prickly personality throughout the series, with only some background explanations. He and his brother were basically abandoned by their parents and he’s got high walls around him. I have enjoyed watching him and his interactions with the found family of friends over the series.
No , it’s Henry Lu that’s problematic. I’m not sure what my expectations were with a famous film star in this scenario but Novak’s Henry Lu stuck pretty much to the selfish, handsome, and pandered to famous actor personality that’s very hard to connect with.
This is familiar territory. The stuck up actor who gets shot down by the grumpy hot storefront owner or whoever the local person is. So an author needs to work on writing this story and relationship between them out with new depths and elements. Novak only partially does this.
The best part is letting her created location of Heather Bay and its sublime locals do their part in carrying their narrative heft here. They charm the book pants of the reader and Henry Lu every chance they get. Whether it’s the book club or the members of that fabulous found family that’s been finding their own HEA, or just the breathtaking scenery of the Yorkshire countryside and coast, that’s where you’ll find the heart here.
It’s where Henry himself eventually becomes someone they and the reader can accept as well.
But before then, it’s the elements in the story that just don’t get a follow through or are treated like a less than meaningful aspect of the story when it’s indicated they are meant to be much more.
Examples.
- [ ] Fake boyfriend aspect that disappeared immediately. There’s all this angst over this scenario but it disappears without almost a trace and further discussion.
- [ ] The deep, dark secret that Alex has been hiding and his been the source of his pain and bitterness at the other couples. Boom! Gone , revealed, dealt with in a couple of sentences.
- [ ] Ditto for Henry.
If an author writes about a subject as a major topic, then don’t then dismiss it as being something that can be done with minimal page time.
What does work is the awareness that one doesn’t throw away a career and home to run away with a person who’s concentrating his job. There’s a need for communication for any relationship to work here. That’s the adult part that makes me love this book , Alex, and the series.
Henry and Alex also have wonderful intimate moments of joy, laughter, and of course, they get their own special gift from Theo at the end.
If you’re reading this and the series, make sure to get your free stories about each couple from the author. Definitely a “Cherry on the top” offering!
Are they my favorite couple? No. But did I enjoy the story? Absolutely. It’s Heather Bay after all.
Adore the series and this found family of grand characters! Join in the experience and journey. I’m recommending them all, read them in the order they are written.
Heather Bay series :
- [x] Like I Promised #1
- [x] Like I Wished #2
- [x] Like I Needed #3
- [x] Like I Pretended #4
- [ ] Like I Wanted #5 - Sept 28,2023
Rating: 4🌈
After the high bar set by Like I Needed, any following book has a good chance of not meeting the expectations that story laid out. Like I Pretended doesn’t but it’s not because it doesn’t try hard.
It’s got Alex, tattooed, grumbly younger brother to Spencer and co-owner of the marvelous shop Novel Tea (say that fast), a cozy place to drink coffee, tea, and read books.
As with all the romances, hints about this one have been embedded in the other books. The tv show being filmed up at the castle, famous film stars in the village, Alex’s strange behavior lately. Everything gets revealed here.
Alex has been a notoriously prickly personality throughout the series, with only some background explanations. He and his brother were basically abandoned by their parents and he’s got high walls around him. I have enjoyed watching him and his interactions with the found family of friends over the series.
No , it’s Henry Lu that’s problematic. I’m not sure what my expectations were with a famous film star in this scenario but Novak’s Henry Lu stuck pretty much to the selfish, handsome, and pandered to famous actor personality that’s very hard to connect with.
This is familiar territory. The stuck up actor who gets shot down by the grumpy hot storefront owner or whoever the local person is. So an author needs to work on writing this story and relationship between them out with new depths and elements. Novak only partially does this.
The best part is letting her created location of Heather Bay and its sublime locals do their part in carrying their narrative heft here. They charm the book pants of the reader and Henry Lu every chance they get. Whether it’s the book club or the members of that fabulous found family that’s been finding their own HEA, or just the breathtaking scenery of the Yorkshire countryside and coast, that’s where you’ll find the heart here.
It’s where Henry himself eventually becomes someone they and the reader can accept as well.
But before then, it’s the elements in the story that just don’t get a follow through or are treated like a less than meaningful aspect of the story when it’s indicated they are meant to be much more.
Examples.
- [ ] Fake boyfriend aspect that disappeared immediately. There’s all this angst over this scenario but it disappears without almost a trace and further discussion.
- [ ] The deep, dark secret that Alex has been hiding and his been the source of his pain and bitterness at the other couples. Boom! Gone , revealed, dealt with in a couple of sentences.
- [ ] Ditto for Henry.
If an author writes about a subject as a major topic, then don’t then dismiss it as being something that can be done with minimal page time.
What does work is the awareness that one doesn’t throw away a career and home to run away with a person who’s concentrating his job. There’s a need for communication for any relationship to work here. That’s the adult part that makes me love this book , Alex, and the series.
Henry and Alex also have wonderful intimate moments of joy, laughter, and of course, they get their own special gift from Theo at the end.
If you’re reading this and the series, make sure to get your free stories about each couple from the author. Definitely a “Cherry on the top” offering!
Are they my favorite couple? No. But did I enjoy the story? Absolutely. It’s Heather Bay after all.
Adore the series and this found family of grand characters! Join in the experience and journey. I’m recommending them all, read them in the order they are written.
Heather Bay series :
- [x] Like I Promised #1
- [x] Like I Wished #2
- [x] Like I Needed #3
- [x] Like I Pretended #4
- [ ] Like I Wanted #5 - Sept 28,2023
July 5, 2023
One of my favorite aspects of Novak’s writing is that not only does each series portray a fantastic cast of well-developed primary and secondary characters, but each of these series also takes place in the same shared universe. I’ve been looking forward to Henry’s story since meeting him via his brother in Proficiency Bonus ages ago, and Novak has seeded the details for the appearance of a world-famous actor in the tiny town of Heather Bay make total sense. The relationship that develops between Henry and Heather Bay native Alex begins with vibes of opposites attract, but I appreciated that Alex’s adorable grumpiness is a feature of his character instead of a cliché dislike of the television production occurring in the town.
Alex may be spiky, but he is a genuinely good guy who cares for his home and his friends. I was immediately interested to learn what made him swear off relationships, but it sets up a fantastic dynamic with Henry. While Henry tries to figure out what is different about Alex, these characters trip and fall right into the fake relationship trope! Novak makes it relevant to the relationship arc while sliding some thematic subtext into the story about the ridiculousness of pop culture corporations only wanting to recognize queerness in a specific way.
We do eventually learn what caused Alex’s “emotional wound” as he gets comfortable enough to share more of himself with Henry. On the surface, it might appear that said wound heals quickly, but enough time has passed since the initial issue that I was okay with the low-angst resolution. I would argue that Alex had already done 99% of his healing and was holding onto the wound more out of habit than anything else. He just needed that last push of genuine interest in someone else (i.e., Henry) to take that last step.
On Henry’s side of the not-so-fake relationship, I also appreciated that Novak shows a lot of the actual hard work of being an actor. This ties directly into both Henry’s character development and the final conflict of the book. Though the circumstances surrounding the dark moment for Henry and Alex were a bit predictable, the angst doesn’t linger and the resolution is properly swoony (dare I say right out of a movie?).
This was another enjoyable book by Novak, who has grown so much as a writer in the few years that I’ve had the pleasure of reading her. I’m looking forward to the final book in this series while also dreading the end of yet another extended window into the lives of so many wonderful characters. But as I mentioned above, there’s a decent chance I’ll get to catch up with a few of them in future stories!
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
Alex may be spiky, but he is a genuinely good guy who cares for his home and his friends. I was immediately interested to learn what made him swear off relationships, but it sets up a fantastic dynamic with Henry. While Henry tries to figure out what is different about Alex, these characters trip and fall right into the fake relationship trope! Novak makes it relevant to the relationship arc while sliding some thematic subtext into the story about the ridiculousness of pop culture corporations only wanting to recognize queerness in a specific way.
We do eventually learn what caused Alex’s “emotional wound” as he gets comfortable enough to share more of himself with Henry. On the surface, it might appear that said wound heals quickly, but enough time has passed since the initial issue that I was okay with the low-angst resolution. I would argue that Alex had already done 99% of his healing and was holding onto the wound more out of habit than anything else. He just needed that last push of genuine interest in someone else (i.e., Henry) to take that last step.
On Henry’s side of the not-so-fake relationship, I also appreciated that Novak shows a lot of the actual hard work of being an actor. This ties directly into both Henry’s character development and the final conflict of the book. Though the circumstances surrounding the dark moment for Henry and Alex were a bit predictable, the angst doesn’t linger and the resolution is properly swoony (dare I say right out of a movie?).
This was another enjoyable book by Novak, who has grown so much as a writer in the few years that I’ve had the pleasure of reading her. I’m looking forward to the final book in this series while also dreading the end of yet another extended window into the lives of so many wonderful characters. But as I mentioned above, there’s a decent chance I’ll get to catch up with a few of them in future stories!
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
August 28, 2023
I can’t even begin to explain how much I was looking forward to this book. Ever since the very first one I’ve been really interested in reading Alex’s story and getting to know him better. Also Henry since we originally met his character back in the Roll For Love series. At last the long wait can come to an end!
Right from the start I knew I was going to absolutely love Alex and Henry together. I love their interactions together right away and how Alex isn’t afraid to speak his mind towards Henry or anyone else for that matter.
Early on you can tell something has happened to Alex in his past to cause him to shy away from relationships or even hooks up. I think the way the relationship development starts out with Alex and Henry works out great because it gives Alex space to grow into his feelings and open up and the excuse to spend time with Henry and get to know him and slowly fall in love. With Henry he’s use to people jumping right into bed with him and not having to work too hard for much. With Alex it didn’t come easy and he made him take his time to slowly get to know Alex and have someone else in his life that doesn’t just like him cause of his fame but because of him. I really loved seeing the comfort of them being together and what they bring to each other.
I loved all the little moments we got with them spending time together and just getting to know one another. One of things that kind of disappointed me was a lot was told to us rather than shown. I wanted to read a lot more scenes with them together but instead we just got told. It did unfortunately take away from the story for me, not by much but still did. I did enjoy the dumpling scene we got with them, it was a lot of fun to read.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading this book. I think I went into this with such high expectations that some things fell flat to me. Nothing against the book or author but for me personally I wanted a little more out of the story. With all that said I am looking forward to the last book in this series and finally get to read more about Laurie and Theo. They have been such a mystery this whole time so I’m really excited to know more about them. Also to see where the author goes from here with a new series.
Right from the start I knew I was going to absolutely love Alex and Henry together. I love their interactions together right away and how Alex isn’t afraid to speak his mind towards Henry or anyone else for that matter.
Early on you can tell something has happened to Alex in his past to cause him to shy away from relationships or even hooks up. I think the way the relationship development starts out with Alex and Henry works out great because it gives Alex space to grow into his feelings and open up and the excuse to spend time with Henry and get to know him and slowly fall in love. With Henry he’s use to people jumping right into bed with him and not having to work too hard for much. With Alex it didn’t come easy and he made him take his time to slowly get to know Alex and have someone else in his life that doesn’t just like him cause of his fame but because of him. I really loved seeing the comfort of them being together and what they bring to each other.
I loved all the little moments we got with them spending time together and just getting to know one another. One of things that kind of disappointed me was a lot was told to us rather than shown. I wanted to read a lot more scenes with them together but instead we just got told. It did unfortunately take away from the story for me, not by much but still did. I did enjoy the dumpling scene we got with them, it was a lot of fun to read.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading this book. I think I went into this with such high expectations that some things fell flat to me. Nothing against the book or author but for me personally I wanted a little more out of the story. With all that said I am looking forward to the last book in this series and finally get to read more about Laurie and Theo. They have been such a mystery this whole time so I’m really excited to know more about them. Also to see where the author goes from here with a new series.
July 26, 2023
Really Enjoyable
This is a grumpy/sunshine, fake boyfriend, slow burn romance, set in the small town of Heather Bay.
Henry is a Hollywood actor who is tired of the superhero roles he has been playing and so accepts a role in a TV period drama, a gay period drama. He is not only tired of the roles he has been playing but also the personal role he has been playing as a straight man and so accepting the TV role he decides to come out.
Alex has lived in Heather Bay his whole life and owns the local coffee shop Novel Tea with his brother Spencer, who now lives with Alex’s best friend Noah. Alex has a large and loving chosen family around him (books 1-3) but he is the grumpy prickly one of the group, a loner who has secrets even his best friend doesn’t know about.
When Henry and some of his fellow actors visit the coffee shop and he meets Alex the attraction is instant, but Alex isn’t impressed with Henry’s fame and turns him down flat. This only makes Henry more determined and up his coffee intake.
The studio Henry is contracted to are not happy with their star playing a gay role or coming out so when photos start to appear on social media of Henry and Alex they want Henry to talk Alex into playing his boyfriend for a few months.
I wasn’t sure I liked Henry at first. He seemed to have an ego the size of a house but it was mostly tongue in cheek and as they spent more time together so their feelings grew and they found they actually had a lot in common. They had both been hurt in the past and were dealing with it in different ways but the thing they both shared was loneliness.
An enjoyable book and I loved their HEA.
This is a grumpy/sunshine, fake boyfriend, slow burn romance, set in the small town of Heather Bay.
Henry is a Hollywood actor who is tired of the superhero roles he has been playing and so accepts a role in a TV period drama, a gay period drama. He is not only tired of the roles he has been playing but also the personal role he has been playing as a straight man and so accepting the TV role he decides to come out.
Alex has lived in Heather Bay his whole life and owns the local coffee shop Novel Tea with his brother Spencer, who now lives with Alex’s best friend Noah. Alex has a large and loving chosen family around him (books 1-3) but he is the grumpy prickly one of the group, a loner who has secrets even his best friend doesn’t know about.
When Henry and some of his fellow actors visit the coffee shop and he meets Alex the attraction is instant, but Alex isn’t impressed with Henry’s fame and turns him down flat. This only makes Henry more determined and up his coffee intake.
The studio Henry is contracted to are not happy with their star playing a gay role or coming out so when photos start to appear on social media of Henry and Alex they want Henry to talk Alex into playing his boyfriend for a few months.
I wasn’t sure I liked Henry at first. He seemed to have an ego the size of a house but it was mostly tongue in cheek and as they spent more time together so their feelings grew and they found they actually had a lot in common. They had both been hurt in the past and were dealing with it in different ways but the thing they both shared was loneliness.
An enjoyable book and I loved their HEA.
July 15, 2023
This is the first book I've read from the Heather Bay series, but it worked great as a standalone. Superstar Henry was a mix of conceited, kind, and hopeful. Coffee shop owner Alex was prickly, blunt, and snarky. These men were different in so many ways, but both were cocky, lonely, and unable to resist each other.
The interactions between Henry and Alex, as well as those that involved their friends and family, were funny and real. It made me happy to see how easily Henry's vulnerability coexisted with his cool confidence. I also liked how Alex's often sarcastic, sometimes bitter, protective shell hid a heart afraid of abandonment. With both men's issues, their story could have been painful and angsty, but it really wasn't. Instead, it was warm and sweet. Henry soothed Alex's sharp edges, and Alex gave Henry a person to call home.
One of my favorite things about this romance was that neither Henry nor Alex made drastic changes to their behavior to be together; they just opened their hearts. Each fell for the other because of, not in spite of, their actions and attitudes. They opened up to each other in a way they couldn't with anyone else. They made me love them so much, I am excited to go back and read the previous books in this series.
I can't wait to read the stories of the other couples and spend more time in Heather Bay. Based on this one, I'm sure I will enjoy them greatly. I hope for future books in this world. And I'll be reading Alex and Henry's story again.
The interactions between Henry and Alex, as well as those that involved their friends and family, were funny and real. It made me happy to see how easily Henry's vulnerability coexisted with his cool confidence. I also liked how Alex's often sarcastic, sometimes bitter, protective shell hid a heart afraid of abandonment. With both men's issues, their story could have been painful and angsty, but it really wasn't. Instead, it was warm and sweet. Henry soothed Alex's sharp edges, and Alex gave Henry a person to call home.
One of my favorite things about this romance was that neither Henry nor Alex made drastic changes to their behavior to be together; they just opened their hearts. Each fell for the other because of, not in spite of, their actions and attitudes. They opened up to each other in a way they couldn't with anyone else. They made me love them so much, I am excited to go back and read the previous books in this series.
I can't wait to read the stories of the other couples and spend more time in Heather Bay. Based on this one, I'm sure I will enjoy them greatly. I hope for future books in this world. And I'll be reading Alex and Henry's story again.
July 25, 2023
I have been impatiently waiting for Henry's story since he showed up in the Roll For Love series. Alex is so grumpy that I knew he'd be a great MC . I'm so happy that they got their book together.
Movie star, Henry Lu has a reputation as a player even though he's not. When he comes out to the world and takes on a passion project where he plays a queer character, the production companies have a problem with the optics of it all. The director on his current project comes up with a solution.. Hopefully the surly guy who owns the coffee shop that rejected his previous advances goes along with it.
Alex is still bitter over a previous relationship. He's been alone for 7 years and tells himself that he's ok with it. When Henry asks him to be his fake boyfeiend, he gives in easier than he e enough expected. What is more unexpected is the very real feelings he has for Henry. They start dating for real and fall pretty hard for each other.
There were a few hiccups in their story. This is fairly low angst but some past hurts and new fears cause them both to act rashly before they get their act together. They have loads of chemistry so this book is what I'd consider high steam.
I definitely recommend this book. It might just be my favorite in the series. I will add a minor TW.. there is some homophobia brought up. It's not overt but it does exist as part of the reason Henry asks Alex for help.
I'm so excited for the next book!
Movie star, Henry Lu has a reputation as a player even though he's not. When he comes out to the world and takes on a passion project where he plays a queer character, the production companies have a problem with the optics of it all. The director on his current project comes up with a solution.. Hopefully the surly guy who owns the coffee shop that rejected his previous advances goes along with it.
Alex is still bitter over a previous relationship. He's been alone for 7 years and tells himself that he's ok with it. When Henry asks him to be his fake boyfeiend, he gives in easier than he e enough expected. What is more unexpected is the very real feelings he has for Henry. They start dating for real and fall pretty hard for each other.
There were a few hiccups in their story. This is fairly low angst but some past hurts and new fears cause them both to act rashly before they get their act together. They have loads of chemistry so this book is what I'd consider high steam.
I definitely recommend this book. It might just be my favorite in the series. I will add a minor TW.. there is some homophobia brought up. It's not overt but it does exist as part of the reason Henry asks Alex for help.
I'm so excited for the next book!
July 26, 2023
Henry & Alex finally get their book
Some fun tropes (celebrity boyfriend + fake dating + grumpy/sunshine + been hurt before + slow burn) with a dash of British snark and a drop of queer history.
When Hollywood superstar Henry Lu, on location in Yorkshire, goes looking for decent coffee, he meets grumpy but gorgeous, coffee shop owner Alex. But Alex shoots down his attempt at flirting and calls him on his BS, making it clear he is not interested in a relationship even with a Hollywood star, one of the few people to ever do that. Henry is intrigued, but before he can try to break through Alex's walls, they get snapped by paparazzi and then the future of his queer movie is put into question. Henry needs to be seen to be in a relationship with Alex and Alex surprises even himself by agreeing to fake dating.
This is book 4 in the Heather Bay series and features Henry Lu (and a few other secondary characters) from Novak's Roll for Love series.
This is a sweet, slow burn of a story with Novak's signature self-deprecating snark. It brings together 2 characters who have been on the edge of quite a few books already. Really enjoyable, especially having read the other books first.
In this you'll find:
🌈 MM romance with some spice
🌈 Low angst slow burn
🌈 Celebrity/local
🌈 Fake dating
🌈 Grumpy/sunshine
🌈 British Asian bisexual MC
🌈 Gay MC
🌈 Small town Yorkshire
🌈 Coffee shop owner
🌈 Pressures on queer actors
🌈 Found family
🌈 A HEA
Some fun tropes (celebrity boyfriend + fake dating + grumpy/sunshine + been hurt before + slow burn) with a dash of British snark and a drop of queer history.
When Hollywood superstar Henry Lu, on location in Yorkshire, goes looking for decent coffee, he meets grumpy but gorgeous, coffee shop owner Alex. But Alex shoots down his attempt at flirting and calls him on his BS, making it clear he is not interested in a relationship even with a Hollywood star, one of the few people to ever do that. Henry is intrigued, but before he can try to break through Alex's walls, they get snapped by paparazzi and then the future of his queer movie is put into question. Henry needs to be seen to be in a relationship with Alex and Alex surprises even himself by agreeing to fake dating.
This is book 4 in the Heather Bay series and features Henry Lu (and a few other secondary characters) from Novak's Roll for Love series.
This is a sweet, slow burn of a story with Novak's signature self-deprecating snark. It brings together 2 characters who have been on the edge of quite a few books already. Really enjoyable, especially having read the other books first.
In this you'll find:
🌈 MM romance with some spice
🌈 Low angst slow burn
🌈 Celebrity/local
🌈 Fake dating
🌈 Grumpy/sunshine
🌈 British Asian bisexual MC
🌈 Gay MC
🌈 Small town Yorkshire
🌈 Coffee shop owner
🌈 Pressures on queer actors
🌈 Found family
🌈 A HEA
July 20, 2023
Like I Pretended is the new book in the Heather Bay series, this is Alex's story. This is a grumpy
/sunshine, fake boyfriend, opposites attract romance.
Henry is a famous movie star but he doesn’t wants to do more actions movies and he wants to do something different, so he is part of the TV series for a queer period drama that is going to be filming on Heather Bay. Alex and his brother are the owners of a coffee shop in Heather Bay, he loves his small town were he has lived in all of his life, he is grumpy and he is not impressed with the hot movie actor and his flirting. I love the interaction between Alex and Henry, there’s a constant back and forth with these two. Henry have to know why Alex don’t like him and is doing everything to charm him, but Alex isn’t giving in. As they get to know each other they build a friendship and are through in to a fake boyfriend relationship. Alex and Henry arrangement is supposed to be for a few months but pretending to be in love was never to feel like real. Both Alex and Henry have been hurt in the past and have different ideas of how to deal with it, Alex close off himself and is afraid of being hurt, instead Henry is the kind of guy of learn and moves on, but Alex is different he don’t want him because he is famous or rich, but could they make it work? I like the romance between them, Alex and Henry are so different and that was what makes it work for them, they were perfect together! I really have a great time reading this book! Enjoy!
/sunshine, fake boyfriend, opposites attract romance.
Henry is a famous movie star but he doesn’t wants to do more actions movies and he wants to do something different, so he is part of the TV series for a queer period drama that is going to be filming on Heather Bay. Alex and his brother are the owners of a coffee shop in Heather Bay, he loves his small town were he has lived in all of his life, he is grumpy and he is not impressed with the hot movie actor and his flirting. I love the interaction between Alex and Henry, there’s a constant back and forth with these two. Henry have to know why Alex don’t like him and is doing everything to charm him, but Alex isn’t giving in. As they get to know each other they build a friendship and are through in to a fake boyfriend relationship. Alex and Henry arrangement is supposed to be for a few months but pretending to be in love was never to feel like real. Both Alex and Henry have been hurt in the past and have different ideas of how to deal with it, Alex close off himself and is afraid of being hurt, instead Henry is the kind of guy of learn and moves on, but Alex is different he don’t want him because he is famous or rich, but could they make it work? I like the romance between them, Alex and Henry are so different and that was what makes it work for them, they were perfect together! I really have a great time reading this book! Enjoy!
July 21, 2023
**4.5**
Like I Pretended brings us Alex's story, the grumpy one of his friendship group. It also gives me some of my favourite tropes - fake boyfriend, grumpy/sunshine/opposites attract.
Henry's world couldn't be any more different to that of Alex's. Alex runs a cafe in Heather Bay with his brother, a small town that he has lived in all of his life, whereas Henry goes all around the world as a famous movie star, but is now in town filming a TV series for a gay regency romance. I love how the two men interact, a constant back and forth with Alex giving very little in the way of positivity but when Henry has to find out why Alex won't just give into his charm and fame, they instead build a friendship that both men come to rely on. It isn't helped by them being photographed together and the crazy media circus making assumptions that lead to possible trouble with the higher ups at Henry's job. A fake relationship is a way to make everyone happy, well, except Alex but that's just par for the course. Both men have been hurt in a past relationship and have taken different paths in how they deal with it. Spending so much time together, alone and with their friends and family has them soon looking at things very differently but can it work when they come from such different worlds?
I really enjoyed this romance and how the relationship builds between the two men. Henry was very deserving of his own story when we met him in another of Charlie's series, Roll For Love, and Alex is his perfect partner, balancing his ego whilst giving him a place to call home.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Like I Pretended brings us Alex's story, the grumpy one of his friendship group. It also gives me some of my favourite tropes - fake boyfriend, grumpy/sunshine/opposites attract.
Henry's world couldn't be any more different to that of Alex's. Alex runs a cafe in Heather Bay with his brother, a small town that he has lived in all of his life, whereas Henry goes all around the world as a famous movie star, but is now in town filming a TV series for a gay regency romance. I love how the two men interact, a constant back and forth with Alex giving very little in the way of positivity but when Henry has to find out why Alex won't just give into his charm and fame, they instead build a friendship that both men come to rely on. It isn't helped by them being photographed together and the crazy media circus making assumptions that lead to possible trouble with the higher ups at Henry's job. A fake relationship is a way to make everyone happy, well, except Alex but that's just par for the course. Both men have been hurt in a past relationship and have taken different paths in how they deal with it. Spending so much time together, alone and with their friends and family has them soon looking at things very differently but can it work when they come from such different worlds?
I really enjoyed this romance and how the relationship builds between the two men. Henry was very deserving of his own story when we met him in another of Charlie's series, Roll For Love, and Alex is his perfect partner, balancing his ego whilst giving him a place to call home.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
January 18, 2024
Charlie Novak novels are always like a nice cup of tea for me - familiar, warm, and cozy. Perfect for a snowy day.
This is a low angst, mid to low spice, fake-ish relationship romance between a famous Hollywood actor and the unimpressed, grumpy coffee shop owner he’s becomes enamored with.
I read the first 3.5 books in the series (three novels and a novella) almost a year ago and I’ve been sitting with this one on my TBR since it was released. While the book is theoretically able to be read as a standalone (according to the author’s website), all previous books in this series and two books in a different series are heavily referenced to the point that I found myself googling/re-downloading other books to remind myself who the hell these people were. Highly recommend reading them in order or you’ll need a diagram to remember the nine other couples referenced throughout the story.
This is a slow burn. I think it was past the 60% mark before we got any action. And I felt like a perfectly good 🍆 piercing was being wasted by how low spice this was. Still open door but very few scenes.
Overall, it was a nice quick easy read and a nice palate cleanser amongst all the dystopian paranormal darkish romances that I’ve been motoring through lately.
June 29, 2023
4.5 stars.
Loved this sunshine/grumpy romance. 😍
Alex has such a prickly exterior, is full of snark and has a great sense of humour. He’s also sweet and would do anything for the people he loves. Henry is a very charming Hollywood superstar whose attempts at flirting with Alex fall very flat. Not a great first impression but Henry has to follow up and find out why Alex was only the second person ever to dismiss his flirtations.
So begins a flirty and fun friendship between these two wonderful characters. Circumstances have them pretending to be boyfriends and after some suitable slow burn timing it all becomes very real. Henry and Alex have both experienced heartbreak before but this time they know what they have is worth the risk of wanting it all.
I loved the banter between Alex and Henry, their chemistry together and the found family members from previous books who added their special brand of humour to keep things interesting. This can be read as a standalone but I believe the experience of Heather Bay is enhanced if you read the series in order. I can’t wait for Laurie and Theo’s story to be released later in the year.
Loved this sunshine/grumpy romance. 😍
Alex has such a prickly exterior, is full of snark and has a great sense of humour. He’s also sweet and would do anything for the people he loves. Henry is a very charming Hollywood superstar whose attempts at flirting with Alex fall very flat. Not a great first impression but Henry has to follow up and find out why Alex was only the second person ever to dismiss his flirtations.
So begins a flirty and fun friendship between these two wonderful characters. Circumstances have them pretending to be boyfriends and after some suitable slow burn timing it all becomes very real. Henry and Alex have both experienced heartbreak before but this time they know what they have is worth the risk of wanting it all.
I loved the banter between Alex and Henry, their chemistry together and the found family members from previous books who added their special brand of humour to keep things interesting. This can be read as a standalone but I believe the experience of Heather Bay is enhanced if you read the series in order. I can’t wait for Laurie and Theo’s story to be released later in the year.
July 3, 2023
This is the first book in this series that I have read.
I very much enjoyed meeting all the MCs from the previous books.
Alex is a cranky, no b.s. guy who is not at all enamored by Henry, the extremely hot actor who came into his and his brother's coffee shop. In fact, he berated Henry for his lame pick up line. Henry had to work to win Alex and it was a great to watch.
I just really enjoyed the back and forth between Alex and Henry as they navigated their attraction, paparazzi, nosey town folks and friends.
Every page of this book pulled me in and made me care about these men and their families. Their pasts left them with scars, but together they figured out who they needed to be in order to find happiness.
The snarkiness, flirting, teasing and over all wonderful characters make this a fantastic read. Let's not forget the connection and love that grows between Henry and Alex. With the support and love of their friends and family, these two characters thrive and give me the HEA I wanted.
I highly recommend this book.
I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.
I very much enjoyed meeting all the MCs from the previous books.
Alex is a cranky, no b.s. guy who is not at all enamored by Henry, the extremely hot actor who came into his and his brother's coffee shop. In fact, he berated Henry for his lame pick up line. Henry had to work to win Alex and it was a great to watch.
I just really enjoyed the back and forth between Alex and Henry as they navigated their attraction, paparazzi, nosey town folks and friends.
Every page of this book pulled me in and made me care about these men and their families. Their pasts left them with scars, but together they figured out who they needed to be in order to find happiness.
The snarkiness, flirting, teasing and over all wonderful characters make this a fantastic read. Let's not forget the connection and love that grows between Henry and Alex. With the support and love of their friends and family, these two characters thrive and give me the HEA I wanted.
I highly recommend this book.
I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.
July 16, 2023
Will there be inevitable heartbreak between a globetrotting celebrity and a loyal small town boy? Fourth in series (Heather Bay), can be read as a standalone but might be more fun if read in order. Fake boyfriends. Found family. Slow burn. Dual POV. Henry is in Heather Bay to star in a new TV show and certainly doesn’t expect the local coffee shop owner to be entirely uninterested in his flirting. Alex has sworn off relationships, and even a gorgeous famous actor can’t tempt him, but when Alex is asked to be Henry’s pretend boyfriend it feels right to help instead of saying no. Both Alex and Henry are likable, committed to their friends, and slowly realize that being friends is easy and the attraction undeniable. I enjoyed that they took time to get to know each other, communicated honestly, did not back down from the risk of a broken heart, and were romantic with each other in a sweet and swoon way. Every interaction between Alex and Henry was entertaining, their conversations and steamy times. Loved seeing all the found family secondary characters from this series and fun cameos from the author’s Roll for Love series. 4.5 rounded up
August 31, 2023
1.5 stars
DNF at 36%
This is a decently well-written book and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that the book acknowledges that persistence is harassment, not romantic. I also like the author’s support of sex workers, even if I typically avoid sex work in my romance novels because I don’t like other person content. (It’s only side characters that are sex workers in this book, not the MCs.)
But I can’t get behind other person content, and the actor MC kisses and does sex scenes as part of his TV show. Normally I can deal with it if those things are glossed over in these kinds of books, but it’s not in this novel.
The non-famous MC was MEAN. He jabbed at and tore down the famous MC, and that was supposed to be part of the reason the famous MC was attracted to him. Ideally, the non-famous MC should not fawn over the famous MC, but he also shouldn’t be mean to him for no reason except for the author to show the reader that the non-famous MC is “cool”. It’s not cool to be mean for no reason, and it’s not attractive either. It doesn’t make you quirky or different to be mean to someone everyone else worships, it just makes you a bad person.
DNF at 36%
This is a decently well-written book and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that the book acknowledges that persistence is harassment, not romantic. I also like the author’s support of sex workers, even if I typically avoid sex work in my romance novels because I don’t like other person content. (It’s only side characters that are sex workers in this book, not the MCs.)
But I can’t get behind other person content, and the actor MC kisses and does sex scenes as part of his TV show. Normally I can deal with it if those things are glossed over in these kinds of books, but it’s not in this novel.
The non-famous MC was MEAN. He jabbed at and tore down the famous MC, and that was supposed to be part of the reason the famous MC was attracted to him. Ideally, the non-famous MC should not fawn over the famous MC, but he also shouldn’t be mean to him for no reason except for the author to show the reader that the non-famous MC is “cool”. It’s not cool to be mean for no reason, and it’s not attractive either. It doesn’t make you quirky or different to be mean to someone everyone else worships, it just makes you a bad person.
October 12, 2023
This was very adorable. A cute story about a famous actor who falls for a coffee house owner. Alex is snarky and unimpressed with the famous actor and Henry is confused as to why Alex wants nothing to do with him when he’s The Henry Lu.
Reasons I Recommend:
1) So much fluff! A little bit of a slow burn as it starts off with fake dating
2) Alex’s friends are very interesting and entertaining and
3) Love the low angst and guaranteed HEA at the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quote: "I like the sound of that." He looked me up and down, and I knew he was taking in my eyeliner, tattoo sleeves, and dark nail polish. "Unusual things can sometimes be the best."
I stared at him, expression neutral. "Ser-iously? You're going with that?"
"With what?"
"Unusual things can sometimes be the best," I said sarcastically. "If you're trying to flirt with me, don't. You're not good at it." Someone snorted and another one of them muttered, "Ouch."
#briereads #brierecommends #2023goodreadsreadingchallenge #reviewedongoodreads #reviewedoninstagram #bookworm #lovetoread #idratherbereading #mmromance #likeipretended #charlienovak @charlienwrites
Reasons I Recommend:
1) So much fluff! A little bit of a slow burn as it starts off with fake dating
2) Alex’s friends are very interesting and entertaining and
3) Love the low angst and guaranteed HEA at the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quote: "I like the sound of that." He looked me up and down, and I knew he was taking in my eyeliner, tattoo sleeves, and dark nail polish. "Unusual things can sometimes be the best."
I stared at him, expression neutral. "Ser-iously? You're going with that?"
"With what?"
"Unusual things can sometimes be the best," I said sarcastically. "If you're trying to flirt with me, don't. You're not good at it." Someone snorted and another one of them muttered, "Ouch."
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July 26, 2023
There is something about Charlie Novak’s books that just feels like coming home to me. Maybe it's the fact that a majority of her stories are all somewhat interconnected, which is my favorite type of book to read. Like I Pretended finally gives us the story for Superstar Henry. An Action Movie Star, Henry is feeling very stagnant in his life, though he appreciates what he has. In comes Alex, who just blows him away from the start, but Alex has ghosts of his own that he’s just not sure he will ever be able to get past. We see these two men who seem so very different on the surface but not so different underneath, where it counts, come together in one of the most touching stories of love I’ve read. I laughed, I cried and I just smiled the whole time I read it. Can’t recommend this higher to everyone though I do feel that it will help if you at least read the previous books in the Heather Bay series and Charisma Check from the Roll for Love series where Henry is first introduced. Can’t wait to see what the author brings us next as their books are always on my must read list.
October 1, 2023
3.5 stars
This was a nice addiction to Heather bay series.
Alex was not my favourite member of the group, but I could appreciate him a little more in this story: he has a bad breakup no one knows about when he was about 20, the man he was in love with decided to move away and Alex swear off? from relationship since then.
Henry is funny, charismatic, sweet and honest, he's been hurt too in the past and he hasn't had serious relationships either.
What I loved more about this story is that there was no miscommunication between them and the thir act breakup is more like a fight that is quickly resolved.
In this book several characters from other Charlie Novak's books make an appearance or are mentioned: Jason and Lewis from Proficiency Bonus, Izzy and Edward from Charisma Check (both from Roll For Love series) and Eli and Tristan from Always Eli (Forever Love series).
I'll read the next book for sure, because Theo and Laurie intrigued me since the start of the series.
Recommended
This was a nice addiction to Heather bay series.
Alex was not my favourite member of the group, but I could appreciate him a little more in this story: he has a bad breakup no one knows about when he was about 20, the man he was in love with decided to move away and Alex swear off? from relationship since then.
Henry is funny, charismatic, sweet and honest, he's been hurt too in the past and he hasn't had serious relationships either.
What I loved more about this story is that there was no miscommunication between them and the thir act breakup is more like a fight that is quickly resolved.
In this book several characters from other Charlie Novak's books make an appearance or are mentioned: Jason and Lewis from Proficiency Bonus, Izzy and Edward from Charisma Check (both from Roll For Love series) and Eli and Tristan from Always Eli (Forever Love series).
I'll read the next book for sure, because Theo and Laurie intrigued me since the start of the series.
Recommended
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