Happy Fake Wife, Happy Fake Life

Champion Cove #1

by Millie Banks

Three days. One fake marriage. And chemistry that doesn’t feel pretend at all.

Have you ever been kissed so hard that your brain short-circuited? Yeah… me too. That’s probably how I ended up at my friend’s wedding with a fake husband in tow.

Here’s the story: I ducked into a cute little town for some liquid courage—and ran straight into my college frenemies. After listening to them drone on about my ex bringing his perfect fiancée, I downed a shot of tequila and made a beeline for the door.

That’s when I found myself corralled into the arms of Nix Fuller—former Chicago hockey star, all sharp jawlines and dangerous confidence—who practically inhaled me with a kiss before announcing he was my plus one. My husband, apparently.

It should’ve ended there. One fiery kiss. One impulsive lie.

But since the mean girls were watching, I decided to dive headfirst into the role of happy fake wife. I mean, it’s only for three days. What could possibly go wrong?

Except Nix is far too good at this game.

Every look he gives, every touch that lingers, sets my heart—and everything else—on fire.

Until the lines blur… and this fake marriage starts to feel a little too real.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Hockey, Second Chance, Hockey Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2023

About the author

From a very young age, Millie Banks just wanted to tell people the stories that were swirling around in her head. She dreamed of being an author, but was raised to be practical and find a “real” job. She followed that playbook for years until she finally decided to be impractical. Now she spends her days writing romantic comedy and romantic suspense novels filled with alpha heroes and the feisty women who drive them wild. In her free time, she enjoys snuggling on the couch with a book, a fluffy blanket, and an even fluffier dog. She is an avid yogi and plans to still be able to do the splits on her 100th birthday. Her favorite character from her books is Mack from The Trident Trilogy.

Millie Banks is the pen name for author Donna Schwartze.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

When several elements of a book are extreme, it does a disservice to the story. The ex boyfriend's jerk level- extreme, the nastiness of talk by old acquaintances - extreme, the instant camaraderie with people in a place you just walked into... Add these with instalove and a MOC that was barely a plot line in this book, this book was just lackluster.
Emory and Nix had their moments, but that's all they were... Moments. This book lacked in many areas. The drama side of it also was a deterrent, not an added bonus.

[nikkyireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God. I am still drying my eyes. This was absolute perfection and hands down my favorite book by Donna.

✨️Alpha Ex Hockey Player
✨️Smalltown
✨️Second Chance
✨️Enemies to Lovers
✨️Fake Marriage
✨️Dual POV

I'm college Nix witnesses Emory and her boyfriend in a heated discussion. When the boyfriend shoves her to the ground, he cuts in and ends up walking Emory home. They spend the night talking, but Nix has practice and has to leave. When he returns the next day, he's told she withdrew from school and left.

Five years later, she walks into his bar in small town Champion Cove, NC. He immediately recognizes her, but she doesn't recognize him. Her college "friends" show up and are teasing her for being single and living with her parents when Nix jumps in to save her with a passionate kiss and announcing he's her husband.

This book literally has everything. The plot immediately sucked me in. I wanted to know what happened to Emory and why she left school, and I love that we didn't have to wait to the end to find out.

The side characters are absolutely loveable, and I honestly struggle to pick a top 3. I love that we get cameos from characters in Donna's other books. They are weaved into the story so seamlessly. Nix is the perfect protective,  possessive alpha but an absolute sweetheart. I was laughing out loud, crying, sitting on the edge or my seat and swooning throughout the entire book. I can't wait for the next book, and I hope we get more from the side characters!

[Ambriehl Khalil]

far too dramatic

[Krystal - nerdy_book_lover_1987 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I loved Emory and Nix's story! This was such a good second chance romance with a side of suspense and an adorable dog and five year old boy! Emory is an amazing mom and a great person. She's attentive, sweet and protective. Nix is protective and is stubborn about it as well. They had great chemistry together and were so fun to read! I was ready to jump through the book several times during all the suspense scenes! Such a wild ride of a book! Highly recommend!

[Jess Morgan]

Having now encountered many bullshit excuses for main characters to enter a fake relationship, I've concluded that there's only one, fourfold non-bullshit excuse: (1) One partner is queer. (2) It's a historical romance, set during a period in which open queerness was basically unthinkable and marriage was an economic and legal necessity. (3) The queer partner becomes super-BFFs with the het partner, and they have many fun platonic adventures together. (4) They openly condone and even celebrate each other's secret real romances.

Needless to say, the excuse in Happy Fake Wife, Happy Fake Life by Millie Banks is considerably richer in bullshit than that. Just about every facet of the FMC's excuse falls apart at the slightest "OR YOU COULD JUST NOT!" Amazing the lengths to which some authors will go to sell a trope, which apparently is worth more than strong characterization. What will it take for "FMC who makes decisions that make sense" to become a marketable bullet?

Five years ago, FMC Emory had a scumbag boyfriend named Connor who falsely accused her of cheating and physically pushed her away during the ensuing argument. So Connor can fuck off into the sun forever. Awesome. Hockey-playing MMC Nix Fuller, who knows neither of them, comes to Emory's defense. He comforts her verbally and walks her back to her apartment. That's about it, as far as we can tell. It's a memorable enough moment. The blurb had me wondering if he kicked off the fake relationship without ever having met her once.

Present day. Emory can't decide if she should attend the North Carolina wedding of a college classmate with whom she hasn't been in touch. She's already landed in Asheville, but she's hesitating to exit the airport. So why did she even board the plane?

"My parents are making me. My dad literally pulled me out of his car at the Boston airport this morning and shoved me toward the terminal. They want me to get out of my comfort zone and try and have a fun weekend for us."



Emory is at least 21 years old. She could have found her own transportation away from BOS and gone somewhere else. She could have refused to get into her dad's car. She could have thrown away the invitation the second she opened the envelope. SHE COULD HAVE JUST NOT. See what I mean?

But it's okay, reassures the random old couple she meets at AVL:

"Maybe the bride misses you. Weddings can be perfect places to rekindle old friendships."

"Or romances," Frank says, his sweet old eyes sparkling again as he takes Janet's hand. "Janet and I dated in high school, then didn't see each other for almost fifteen years. We started dating again after reconnecting at a friend's wedding, and now we've been married almost forty years. Maybe you'll rekindle some flames with an ex-boyfriend."

You know, Gramps is making some sense here. If Connor is attending this wedding, Emory might finally have the chance to set his car on fire.

Oh, and some other traveler adds that the guy who owns some bar in the town where the wedding is happening is a "smoking hot" "retired hockey player." Lonely Planet should start listing available book boyfriends in its city guides.

So Emory goes to that bar, and...



But she doesn't remember Nix at all, even though he instantly recognizes her. Being the ex-hockey player here, and a defenseman at that, he should have had too many concussions to make this possible. He should also be repelled by Emory pounding back tequila shots before dinner and giving him increasingly shitty attitude as he tries to flirt with her. I should probably not be repelled by him cutting her off and withholding her keys, since, well, tequila, but here's why I am anyway:

(Inner monologue:) You're not fucking going anywhere. At least not until I get some answers. Let's start with why you disappeared after that night we spent together in college.

The night during which they didn't even kiss. What's your excuse, dickwad?

By now Emory has spilled her guts about the wedding to the entire bar staff. One of the bartenders encourages Emory to take Nix as her plus-one. Emory doesn't want to because "he's so arrogant." Then Nix's sister, also on staff, barges into his office to browbeat him into asking Emory out. She can just tell that he knows Emory because he's actually paying attention to a woman, quite unlike all the Other Girls:

"And why doesn't she remember you? I mean with all the girls you've slept with, I could understand you not remembering her, but they always seem to remember you."



This book is part of a series, so these two women will only get lives of their own when they get FMC status. In the meantime, the sister's job is to know way, way too much about Nix's sexual history. She probably keeps a log.

We're still at this damn bar nearly a fifth into the book. By now two other women have arrived. They get names, but since their purpose is to be the catty alpha cunts who make Emory feel bad enough to do the stupid thing she's about to do, we'll call them the Christies. IYKYK. They bought Connor's story that Emory was the cheater. And like all catty alpha cunts, they never forget:

"Ugh, you haven't changed at all. You're still a huge bitch."...

"I seem to remember you doing a little cheating of your own. Maybe if you hadn't run away, you could have worked things out with your boyfriend."...

"You could have RSVP'd no. You're bringing back a lot of drama that no one needs this weekend."...

"Good lord, she's still single. I bet she'll be all over [my husband, who she called out seconds ago for regularly cheating on me back in the day] this weekend."



I need to point out that the Christies remember Emory from college, despite their high-school-ass behavior. Boston College, at that, which has a student population of over 15,000. You're stretching my powers of disbelief suspension far beyond their limits, Millie. But Christie #2 is absolutely correct that Emory, who just said she "didn't even want to come," could have RSVP'd no. Why is it so damn difficult for an FMC to commit to her preferences?

Nix interrupts in the guise of Mr. Emory and makes with the smoochy without being asked. Emory's brain tells her going along with this "will backfire." But because the smoochy was good, she goes along with it until the Christies leave in a sputtering huff. When she tries to object, Nix throws her over his shoulder and carries her into his office, and nobody stops him.

There is literally no character in this story I don't hate right now.

All the way from the office to Emory's hotel, she consistently refuses to allow Nix to play Mr. Emory, despite his very annoying flirting and everyone else's very annoying wisecracks. She sticks with this through her happy reunion with the bride. Only her decidedly less happy reunion with THIS FUCKING GUY breaks her:

"Are you going to turn around? Don't get me wrong. I could look at your ass all day. It's still one of the most beautiful sights in the world....

He runs his tongue over his lips as he slowly scans my body. "It seems no matter how hard I try, I can't find anyone as good as Emory Hart."...

When I turn to walk away, he grabs my arm. "Don't walk away from me. I came to this wedding just to see you. I was thinking we could have a little fun this weekend. You know? For old times' sake."...



And, conveniently, Nix is still there and sees it all. There you have it, shitty men. You only need to be slightly less shitty than the last one.

Guess who else saw that? The Christies! Nix remembered Connor, but some other guy tagging along with them has no clue, so Christie #1 has to fill him in:

"His name's Connor Albrecht. He's Emory's ex-boyfriend. They dated for about six months in college before she dumped him out of nowhere and completely broke his heart." She looks over at me. "Didn't you know he would be here? He's a groomsman. He works with [the groom]."

She expects anyone to believe Connor has a heart after that display? Believe me, the snippets I quoted above don't even begin to cover his grossness. And Nix, now fully in Mr. Emory mode, really should extend the threat of physical violence he made to Connor to this lady:

The one who keeps touching [Nix's] arm leans on the desk next to [him]. "Not only are you gorgeous, but you're rich, too? How did Emory get so lucky?"...

She weaves her way into our space again and splays her hand over [his] forearm. "Emory, why didn't anyone know you were married to this god?" she purrs....

The arm toucher circles back around. "Unless you want to be the stripper for the evening, Nix," she says, running her hand over [his] bicep. "I'm sure we could all get behind that."



I guess it wouldn't be very gentlemanly if he snapped off every single one of her Lee Press-Ons in one twist. I'll do it!

Anyway, the fake marriage is on. But right after Nix drops Emory off at the bachelorette party, she quietly tells the rapidly inebriating bride the truth. Brilliant. Great move. I'm sure it won't backfire in the most humiliating possible way at all.

Fucking Connor is there and gets handsy with Emory again. The bride, who was led to believe he wasn't toilet scum, orders him out. He hints at having done something bad that Emory agreed to keep a secret in exchange for never seeing him again. She's the one who ends up leaving, thanks to another Nix intervention. And only now does he remind her of the first time they met, which infuriates her to the point that she tries and fails to walk up the mountain without him.

PEOPLE. COMMUNICATE. GAH.

When I woke up, I was still angry. Mainly at myself. I never should have come to this wedding.



But she can't, because "the airline change fees cost almost as much as my original flight did."

Pardon me one moment. (two minutes of research later) Greyhound will get you there for $210. It takes 29 total hours of driving, but I dare say that's preferable to this.

The bride texts Emory to inform her that the groom is a good 'un and tossed Connor out of the wedding party. Okay, cool, but has anyone checked if he actually left town? How do we know he's not hiding in the mountains right now, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be gross again?

Just kidding. He totally is.

Nix's sister, who's a lawyer, shows up. She ran background checks on Emory and Connor without being asked, because she knows what genre she's in. She shares details of Connor's criminal record, which includes something involving her and a gag order. We get to find out in way too much detail, which I will not share so as not to trigger any readers, so let's just say this:



That Emory retained the sister's legal services is enough to send Nix back to her side (say it with me) without being asked. The rehearsal dinner is that evening, so she does need an escort, if only to shut up the Christies. The bride spends way, way too much time describing Nix's ass and encouraging Emory to give it a little pinch, or a big pinch, or many pinches of unusual size. She's so eager for this to happen that she releases Emory from any obligation to attend the reception. Instead she can enjoy a mountain-view picnic of wine, cake, and some delicious podunk North Carolina pizza with Nix.

I'm so doing this with Mr. Jess soon. We live near good pizza.

Nix and Emory go back to the hotel and fuck.

Then they go to his house and fuck.

There's a dog involved.

The dog isn't involved in the actual fucking. This place isn't that podunk.

At last, the wedding. The bride whips her bouquet in Emory's direction and loudly forces her to take it after she ducks.



So now's as good a time as any for Nix to try talking Emory into moving in with him:

"Whoa, you need to pump the brakes. I've only known you for two days."

He narrows his eyes. "Five years."

"No, you've known me for five years. I've known you for two days."

And that's not even true! He didn't know anything about her! He didn't even know her last name for most of that time, so he couldn't creep her socials! Forget pumping the brakes, someone needs to disable the guy's engine!

The groom swoops in to warn Emory that Connor may still be lurking. Yeah, we know. But Emory can't catch a break, so she has to leave the next morning anyway because of a family crisis. But she left him a note, and he has her basic contact information now, so even though she says she has to "get back to [her] real life," which implicitly doesn't include him, he hasn't completely lost her again. All he has to do is refuse to give her any space and keep demanding her attention.



Emory's real life involves a five-year-old boy named AJ.

Yes, the thing Connor's going to hell for has something to do with this. I'll say no more.

Pretty much every named town resident orders Nix to go to Concord to support Emory through the family crisis. The last he heard from her, she had reached home safely and asked for space, then went quiet for six days and counting. But the local wise old Vietnam veteran had PTSD that the love of his life couldn't fix, so "[i]f [Nix] feel[s] so strongly about this girl, [he] need[s] to go get her."

That ex was right by his side for a year and gave up. This ex asked for space after a single weekend. These situations are completely different.



Nix goes. AJ likes him. Emory's parents like him. Everyone gets the whole truth out. Emory makes Nix swear not to get involved, because that might "make Connor angrier and more irrational."

Connor forces his way into the family's house that night, angrier and more irrational. But her father is on the premises, so all he does is scream idle threats at Emory in AJ's presence. She tells not-involved Nix all about it, so he tracks Connor down in New York and goes right over there to get involved. Too late, though. He got indicted for embezzlement and isn't available for a good thrashing. And because he's probably going to a minimum-security white-collar resort, he'll stay unavailable. OR WILL HE?

Emory and AJ go back to North Carolina. AJ instantly becomes part of Nix's family, including multiple siblings and the dog. Because Emory has the survival skills of a goldfish, she gets herself and AJ lost and out of data range on a walk.

Okay, I'll cut to the chase. Connor shoots the dog.

HE SHOOTS THE FUCKING DOG.



And you know what happens next? Emory gets her ass into Connor's car and leaves her sobbing child alone in the woods with the dog.

No book I've reviewed has caused a fatal machine check exception error like this. You know what would have prevented all this? If you'd just followed your gut and NOT GONE TO THE WEDDING, YOU STUPID, STUPID WOMAN.

Nix finds AJ and the still-alive dog, because Connor's ammunition just barely grazed her butt. Meanwhile:

Before I left for college, Mom took me to a self-defense class.... One of the first lessons the instructor taught us was never get into a car with your attacker. Make him do what he's going to do at the original location. And where am I now? In a car, speeding away from the original location.

There is not enough all-caps STUPID in the world.

Nix and his merry band of side characters save the day. Everyone but Connor, who hopefully is going to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison this time, is free and safe. Emory and AJ plan to move in with Nix within two months. The book ends with their AJ-endorsed engagement.



And now we have the real excuse for a fake relationship: because otherwise you might be dumb enough to get stalked by a crazy guy with a gun.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many stars for Happy Fake Wife, Happy Life! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is one of those books you can’t put down until the last page, making it the perfect binge-read. Happy Fake Wife, Happy Life is a new series--but if you even remotely enjoyed the Blitzen Bay crew, you will easily become obsessed with Champion Cove. This book can be read as a standalone, but prepare to add her other books to your TBR.

Nix and Emory perfectly blend stubborn, comedic, heartwarming romance. Nix will melt your heart from the start and leave you feeling swaddled in bliss with a smile. Emory is a courageous heroine, exuding strength, resilience, and a fierce love for her family.

I loved purposely going into this book without expectations or knowledge about the plot because it made every twist and turn even more exciting!


Dual POV
Enemies to lovers
Second chance romance
Small town perfection
Ex-hockey player
Charming secondary characters
Underlying drama with a dash of mystery
A little bit of spice and a lot of everything nice


I think this is my new favorite DS book, but I will never definitively choose one because I love each story so much 🤗.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series! And I want Hawk’s HEA now more than ever! 🥰🥰🥰

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convincing you to read 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 (𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞) 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 (𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞) 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

Alpha Ex Hockey Player
Disappearing Stubborn Heroine
Small Town
Second Chances
Fake Marriage
Witty Banter
Toe-Tingling Spice
Binge Read


In college they spent one night together talking after he witnessed her and her boyfriend arguing and him shoving her to the ground. He leaves the next morning before she wakes and later finds out she withdrew from the college and disappeared.

Five years later she walks into his bar for a college friends wedding. When the mean girls show up teasing her about still being single he can't sit by so he decides to walk right up to her and give her the most breath taking, toe curling kiss and then proceeds to call her "my wife" .... 😍

Her books are so much fun! Most include military or sports characters. She writes the best banter and has created the most snuggly scenes and dreamy locations. All of her books are available on Kindle Unlimited!

Chronological Timeline: (all of her books)
Eight Years
The Only Reason
Wild Card
Truth or Tequila
The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay
Raine Out
No One Wants That
Leave It On The Field
Pretty Close To Perfect


Note: The books follow a chronological timeline, but if you don’t read them exactly in that order, you’ll still be fine.

[Courtney Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Gosh. I’ll admit, I was sad when Donna said she was introducing new characters and was leaving the characters I knew (from the series I loved immediately upon reading) behind… but oh my gosh, I should have known she would deliver! This was one of my favorite books of hers yet, I devoured it… probably too quickly… but I just couldn’t put it down. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I did squeal in excitement when Nix received some help from his friends. 😜 Seriously, go read this book immediately. You will not regret it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Phoebe Epifano · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day (night) read.

A super cute small town romance with an ex-hockey player who is super grumpy on the outside but mushy on the inside. Fake marriage for the weekend to save the sassy female main character, Emory, from college “friends”. Super cute HEA with some great banter and side characters (I see you small town community that knows everyone and everything).

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly this there was no enemies here at all. Good story line but the writing was so amateur especially for her 10th book

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book literally made me cackle. The subject matter did get serious. Loved this story.

[Keely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: Still a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read this time around. Nix 😍 he’s definitely one of the good guys. He may be grumpy at times, but he shows how much he loves and cares for this family through his actions. He was so sweet with AJ as well. Can’t wait to read more about the Fuller siblings.

Donna has done it again. Another book…like all her others that I couldn’t put down and read in less than a day. She created another little town (Champion Cove) that I’d love to visit, since it’s sounds adorable and beautiful, along with being filled with great people that keep you on your toes. Emory had to leave college because of an ex, which is how she met Nix briefly back in college. Fast forward 5 years and she finds herself going to a wedding for her college roommate that she doesn’t want to really go to, but guess what she walks into Nix’s bar and he helps her make the best of her weekend away. Even protecting her from her crazy ex from college. Emory and Nix are perfect for each other and their families seem like they are the best as well. Can’t wait to read more in this series and hear more about all the people of Champion Cove.

[Madison · Rating 1 out of 5]

•I personally thought it was terrible. No offense to Donna Schwartze but it was not very good. First the description describes the first few chapters. It was cute at first. Definitely had some good funny banter scenes but no sexual tension or anything. At the bar when Nix first says "she is my wife" was good . I'm a sucker for a good fake dating/marriage. But they fake dated for like 2 hours then Emory told everyone it was a joke. What was the point in the first place?!?! Secondly it was hecka confusing with AJ . Wasn't even announced until 50% in the book. Then out of nowhere Connor( ex- boyfriend , father of AJ) shows up and harasses Emory. Then kidnapped her. At the end btw. Good suspense tho. I thought it was weird how they got engaged but never said "I love you" and at the end Nix was going to adopt AJ. But like I said no I love you. Just thought it was strange.

•Nix - good guy very stubborn which I like . I liked him and his family. But I didn't like he called Emory "baby" bc Connor called her that.

•Emory - I like her but I wish fake dated Nix and didn't tell her friends it wasn't true.

•AJ - cute kid

•I also loved the town/townspeople

[Louise Pike (books.magic.escape) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Fake Wife Happy Fake Life by Donna Schwartze. I've been counting the days down for this book and brand new series, and was so excited when it finally landed on my kindle. I have read all of Donna's books and it all started with me getting an arc of Truth and Tequila. From there I was obsessed with her books. This read was no different, I was sad to say goodbye to the old crew. But OMG I don't know how Donna does it, but you fall in love with these new characters from page one. I devoured this read like all her books.

"𝙄 𝙣𝙖𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣--- 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨."

This read is enemies to lovers and second chance romance, which is my favourite genre. We get both of the main character's POVs which I love. Nix and Emory are our new main characters. Emory is wow full of secrets. I loved her character, she is stubborn just like me haha but in a good way, and she deals with more than she lets everyone around her know. I really enjoyed getting to know her as the book went on. There was a character in this that I absolutely despised and once you read it, you will know who I mean. Nix HOLY HOTNESS, I love Seb out of Truth and Tequila but oh man Nix lol these guys are drawing haha. Nix is well an old college guy she meets, but Emory 5 years later walks into his bar but doesn't remember him. Nix he is grouchy when he wants to be but very protective to the ones he loves. Nix is a retired Hockey player, and he is full of secrets too. But Nix and Emory have all these secrets but will it ruin them or bring them closer and stronger than ever.

"𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚."

We do have some of the old characters that return and yes I screamed with excitement lol. This had so many laughable scenes, which I was in stitches. The banter between them all never fails, and it just gets even better when a certain character returns. I was like yep and here he is lol. Amazing as always Donna, cannot wait till the next book, because yes this is gonna be a series and i'm so over the moon about hearing that news. Brilliant romance full of laughs and thrilling reveals that will keep you captivated to the book.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖. •••• when the MMC has this inner monologue while hearing her argue with her jerk bf…. give me this man!!!

I have honestly not read one book that compares to the funny banter that Donna creates between such a large group of people. It’s addicting and I love every single character (except Connor 🤬). I laughed pretty much this entire book, other than the serious moments that are squeezed in. They give the perfect balance for a quick read and I am so in love with everyone in Champion Cove, NC!

Emory and Nix are both stubborn as hell, with a bit of a sweet tooth🧁, amazing chemistry and they don’t give way to any frustrating miscommunication. 🤌🏻 Nix helps Emory through a hard situation and proved that he will be there no matter how much she fights with her stubborn ways. 😂

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.”

“𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐—𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅. 𝑨𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏.” Nix 🥹🫶🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and an extra ⭐️ for including my fave man from previous books.. (Butch) 🫶🏻

ℛℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒾𝒻 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓁ℴ𝓋ℯ…
🥸fake relationship
✌🏻second chance
🌄small town
😝hilarious banter
🙅🏻‍♀️enemies to lovers
💪🏻protective MMC
💁🏻‍♀️feisty FMC
👯‍♀️found family
🙋🏻‍♂️he falls first
🧁lover of sweets
🐕best doggo
🫢some suspense
⚠️may include triggers

[Mary Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to see a totally new book/new series start from Donna Schwartze with a completely different cast of characters, even though I absolutely LOVED her last 3 interconnected series. The main characters here are Nix and Emory who actually met 5 years ago in college when Nix broke up a fight between Emory & her then boyfriend and they ended up talking all night. 5 years later Nix is a retired pro-hockey player who owns a bar in a funky small town, and Emory is passing thru on her way to the wedding of her college roommate she hasn’t seen since then. He recognizes her right away as the girl he had an immediate connection with; she has no clue who he is. And then everything gets crazy, funny, spicy and fabulous!!! So many interesting characters that we’ll hope to see in future books! Witty dialogue, great writing and characters you are totally invested in, cheering for their happily every after. I fell for Nix and Emory…and I think you will too!

[Lynn M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donna Schwartze has done it again. Nix and Emory are the perfect follow up characters to her previous books. Emory is the type of strong female character (with a strong side of sass) that you expect from Donna and Nix is the best kind of cinnamon role. I was excited to get this ARC last weekend and could not put it down once I started it. The relationship between Nix and Emory has all the chemistry (and laughter) you would expect. Donna’s way of weaving both the past and present of these characters tells the story of a couple who met and then life got in the way. While the tale appears to be light and flirty between the main characters Donna always adds a bit of mystery element that keeps you guessing. I was really excited to see a few familiar characters from her previous books and can’t wait to see where this series goes next as there are so many possibilities with the Champion Cove crew.

[Rosie Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read any of Donna’s other books and loved them then this one will not disappoint at all. Completely different story but same feel good, page turning, hooked from the beginning writing. Binged this in 5ish hours. I will be going back to read again. This book made me feel just such a range of emotions while reading. Of course, I finished with a smile and am excited to read what Donna writes next. I can’t wait to fall more in love with these characters as this series (?) plays out. I will admit that I was a little sad to move in to a new ‘cast’ of characters. But these new ones did not disappoint!! And some familiar friend made it even better! And shout out to Donna for allowing me to be an ARC reader and having the chance to read this book a bit early.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Donna Schwartze's books because she creates communities of characters that the readers are invested in and she creates a community with her readers. This book is the start of a new community and is the perfect book to start reading books by Donna Schwartze.

This book did not disappoint. It contains all of the elements of a Donna Schwartze book; characters that you love and would like to meet one day, villians that make your skin crawl, some steam, and enough suspense that keeps you from wanting to put the book down. I really hated the antagonist of this book and felt the hated deep in my gut. And I am really debating changing my next vacation to Champion Cove, NC so I can pet some fish and stop for some really delicious baked goods.

[Laura Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Fake Wife, Happy Fake Life by Donna Schwartze had me hooked from the beginning! Once again, Donna has built an irresistible couple around a crazy meet cute...can you really call it a meet cute?!? Nix falls first and that was 5 years ago! Emory fights it, even when she needs Nix to be her fake husband for the weekend. Soon, she realizes that this guy is something special, but there are still things that are likely to keep them apart.

Like all of Donna's books, Happy Fake Wife, Happy Fake Life makes you want to play hooky and finish it in one sitting. I love the way Donna develops her characters and gives us an amazing read every time!

I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next story!

[Ash Reads Again Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

insta-everything

The first quarter of the book was good but after that, so many things happened so quickly. I understand that sometimes, people can easily feel safe and comfortable around people they just met, but this happened to everyone who met each other for the first time. Insta-love, insta-friendship, insta-family. In reality, insta-love situations probably end in divorce. Insta-friendship and entrusting your child with them usually ends in sexual abuse. I get that people read romcoms to get away from these bitter realities. I get that this is fiction. Other people may like books like this, but it really isn’t for me. One star for the humor, particularly the dialogue at the bar, one star for AJ and Hulk.

[Emily Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
Truth and Tequila has always been my favorite book by Donna but man this one has me second guessing.
Getting the ARC for this book made my whole week and honestly I had a very hard time putting it down so much so that I was EXHAUSTED the next day lol. The chemistry between Emory and Nix was adorable. Hulk and Aj had me crying happiness🥹 I loved the small town vibe and as always Donna is amazing at making you feel apart of the story. Loved that some old faces made an entrance! There is suspense,laughter, love, lust, sadness and happiness, all the things that make a great book! Cannot wait for the next one😊

[Linsey Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donna does it again!! I read this book in one day bc it’s THAT good! Nix and Emory met in college and by chance run into each other 5 years later. The relationship between them is so sweet and Nix is so loving and protective. Emory has some “drama” with her ex so it does get suspenseful near the end AND we even get to see one of our favorite characters from her other series. Definitely read this book! There hasn’t been a book Donna has written that I don’t love, she is automatic on my TBR! If you read this one and love it (which I know you will) read her other eight books, nothing but love for Donna 🥰🥰

[Cathy London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, Funny Romance and a Villain

Want a romance with snappy dialogue, lovable side characters, a bit of steam, a hot Alpha, and a woman who gets the happy ending she thinks she can never have? You found it!

Nix is a grump and a softie with a fierce protective side (aka Alpha). Emory is a strong woman who has overcome tough circumstances and decided to face her old college frenemies to attend her sweet roommate’s wedding. Let the sparks fly!

I was privileged to receive an ARC. I have read all of Donna’s books and love the way she develops her main and supporting character relationships.

[Gabby Koskyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

DONNA DOES IT AGAIN! ANOTHER STEAMY ATHLETE NOVEL!!!

I could not put this book down! I loved starting
the book in Nix’s POV, sets the whole setting and theme of the book!

Be prepared for a lot of comedic relief,
the supporting characters are hilarious! Nix stole
my heart from the very first page. What’s
hotter than a hockey playing softie that ends up opening a bar!
Emory is a breath of fresh air,
a strong independent woman if you will!

Anytime you combine enemies to lovers trope, a small town, a hottie ex-athlete and some spice, it’s going to be a 10/10 book!

A quick real, be prepared to be sucked in til the
very end!

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

unexpectedly heart wrenching

I thought this was a cute fake dating romcom lol. The first half is, I suppose, but then it gets a bit darker and more action/suspense-y.

I really loved the first half. It was lighthearted and the whole town of Champion Cove was the best! They all had hilarious banter and it was great. I wouldn’t mind more books about the people in that town either!
The second half was also pretty good. I wasn’t fully expecting all of that to go down but I enjoyed the end result. AJ and Hulk were great additions to the second half. I loved them.
Overall, a pretty great book! I’d recommend it:)

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was a crazy ride. From fake marriage to DV to hidden child to kidnapping. I did not see all that coming when I read the summary of this book lol.

It's also a bit misleading to call it second chance or even enemies to lovers. There was very little of either in this book. They met 1 time 5 years ago, and she didn't even remember him at all. Is it really 2nd chance if there was never a relationship to speak of the first go round?

Pros: Champion Cove (the side characters are fun) / little AJ
Cons: everything to do with Connor / how quickly Nix & Emory jump from you forced a kiss on me to I want to have your babies

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emory and Nix

Emory and Nix met briefly in college but then she up and disappeared while he was playing in hockey championship. While Nix never forgot Emory, she doesn’t remember him when they meet again.
Nix, retired from NHL after a short career, finds himself in Champion Cove where your business is everyone’s business but they take care of their own.
When Emory finds herself in a tough situation with her ex, it’s Nix to the rescue.
Dramatic romantic comedy with great characters and lots of laughs. Quite a bit of ex drama. Lots of chemistry but slow burn. Spicy, sweet and adorable.

[Anna Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this audio! Recorded in dual in case you're not a fan of those, but I really enjoyed this story!

I loved the banter at the start, the way these two come together was brilliant! The history was something that at first seemed like it was going to be all fluffy and wholesome, until we learn the involvement of the ex - who is a HUGE douche. I lived the entanglement of it all, the story of Em with Connor was horrific but it added so much grit to the story. I loved Nix's protective nature and his immediate love for AJ.

A great story if you're in need of banter with some suspense, but please check trigger warnings as there are some sensitive scenes involving DV and pregnancy

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rom-com that wasn't all that funny to me, "Happy Fake Wife, Happy Fake Life" had what seemed like a lot of mood swings and not too funny parts. That didn't make it a unenjoyable read however, just not what I thought the book would be. I found Nix to be a little stalker-ish, as well as overly possessive. Emory was rude at times and not what I would call friendly. In spite of these opinions, I found myself reading as quickly as possible to find the resolutions. I enjoyed the book, but prefer a story with a little more humor and realistic characters...or do I mean unrealistic???