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Faking it with the Green Beret

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Green Beret Captain "Big John" Bryson returns from deployment to learn his girlfriend cheated and his dog died. Except it turns out his ex lied and really dumped his beloved mutt at the shelter. Forget the ex, John just wants his dog back.

The reunion with his dog land the oversized duo living in a tiny home as protection detail. John's not faking his feeling for Boss's adopted owner, but can he earn the abuse survivor's trust to give them the future they've both dreamed of?

Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2022

308 people are currently reading
137 people want to read

About the author

Tracy Brody

12 books419 followers
Tracy Brody has written a series of single-title romances featuring the Bad Karma Special Ops team whose love lives are as dangerous as their missions. A SHOT WORTH TAKING and IN THE WRONG SIGHTS won the Golden Heart® for romantic suspense in 2015 and 2016. DEADLY AIM was a four-time finalist in the Golden Heart.

She is now working on a romantic comedy series featuring Army heroes and hopes to make you laugh and cry and fall in love with her characters.

She has a background in banking, retired to become a domestic engineer, and aims to supplement her husband’s retirement using her overactive imagination. Tracy began writing spec movie and TV scripts, however, when two friends gave her the same feedback on a script, saying that they’d love to see it as a book, she didn’t need to be hit over the head with a literal 2” x 4” to get the message. She joined RWA® and developed her craft and is still working on using commas correctly

Tracy and her husband live in North Carolina. She’s the proud mother of a daughter and son and now a mother-in-law. She invokes her sense of humor while volunteering at the USO. You may spot her dancing in the grocery story aisles or talking to herself as she plots books and scenes while walking in her neighborhood, the park, or at the beach on retreats with friends.

You can connect with her on:

https://www.facebook.com/tracybrodyau...
https://www.instagram.com/tracybrodyb...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy...

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5 stars
262 (51%)
4 stars
161 (31%)
3 stars
71 (13%)
2 stars
13 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
1,384 reviews13 followers
November 8, 2022
I have never read anything by Tracy Brody before, this was great! When Green Beret Captain John returns from deployment he finds that his dog died or given to a shelter. John tracks down his dog (Boss), who was adopted by Elizabeth. John is enjoying Elizabeth's company; she has a past history of being a domestic violence survivor. Elizabeth works as a counselor, and helps women of domestic violence with housing. Anything and everything can happen between Elizabeth and John; especially when Elizabeth asks John to be her "test Subject." Love the plot, so real, the setting great, and the fantastic interesting characters. A must read!! I will be reading more of Tracy Brody!!
1,149 reviews
November 8, 2022
*****Faking it with the Green Beret (ARC) by Tracy Brody: Love the way the song title chapters are woven into the story!

This is the hardest review I’ve ever written because I know I can’t do it justice.

This story evolves around a serious topic, but is an evolving love story too. Written in a heartwarming way, with honesty, humor, love, acceptance. Where good people support however they can, and victims /survivors overcome as best they can. An inspiring read!
—PTators
2 reviews
October 29, 2022
I was hooked in the first 5 pages! The song references are spot on throughout this page turner. John is a perfect mixture of a tough military man with a big heart and a soft side. Elizabeth is trying to recover and get her life back! The path they travel has its ups and downs, hilarious moments-I laughed out loud but felt deeply connected to their story. Tracy has done it again, written a book that made me lose sleep to se what happened next. The supporting characters add to the flavor of the romance with funny stories and a commitment to help others. Love flows all around, but Boss really steals the show! This is a must read and leaves you feeling so good about people and proud of our military.
28 reviews
November 2, 2023
I'm not gonna write you a love song...

But Tracy Brody certainly has and it's pretty damned good. They characters are three dimensional, funny and wonderful.. I've found my new favorite author.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
1,873 reviews27 followers
November 16, 2022
Remember that old adage - Never Judge a Book By is Cover? Let me tweak that - Never Judge a Book By Its Title. We shouldn't judge anyway, but I digress. This is book 2 in Tracys series Faking It. I have not read book 1 and was not lost. I actually started reading it with hesitation. The title. I am so pleased, thrilled, happy to find out I should have just trusted Tracys talent. I am in love with John (our Green Beret). I am in awe of Elizabeth, what she has been through, what she chose to do with her life. Though I am in love with John, Boss (4 legged) has my heart. This book provided all the feels and dealt with abuse in a sensitive and caring way. I loved the different points of views and the secondary characters. When John was on the pages I could just see some of the deployed I had written and supported through the years. I am not a fan of Faking it tropes as 90% of the time you know what the plot points will be and its just a miss with me. That was not the case here. Never judge a book by its cover or title, you could be missing out. If I had to some this up in one sentence I would say - Faking it with the Green Beret provides feels, enlightens, entertains and is good for the soul. Thank you for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #fakingitwiththegreenberet #tracybrody
149 reviews2 followers
November 20, 2022
I loved, loved, loved this story. I would give it 10 stars if I could! There are some triggers in the story regarding domestic abuse. If this is a trigger for you, this may not be the book for you. But, with that being said, there is nothing graphic and the support “Big John” gives Elizabeth, who is suffering from PTSD domestic abuse is beautiful. He is so patient and tries so hard to help Elizabeth….I would love to have a “Big John” too!!! The story of the road to their HEA has stayed with me long after I finished the book. I loved “Big John’s” gentle sense of humor and Elizabeth did too. I’m going to read this story again. I highly recommend!
Profile Image for Kari.
Author 3 books78 followers
November 21, 2022
This book was so sweet and touching. Tracy Brody has an excellent way of creating relatable and fascinating characters. You want to meet these people in real life just to be their friends. Faking It with the Green Beret was a delight to read. John is the perfect cinnamon roll of a hero: gentle, charming, kind, and funny. It doesn't hurt that he's also a tall, hunky, muscly soldier who adores his huge mutt, Boss. Elizabeth's story is all too real, and her growth from someone who has closed off her heart to relationships to being willing to let in John (and Boss) is so satisfying. This is a great read.
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Profile Image for Maria.
7 reviews
May 11, 2023
Even Better

As the second book in the series, I enjoyed this even more & loved the cameos from characters in the first book. I thought the interactions & story between John & Elizabeth was wonderful! I can’t wait for the third book!
42 reviews
September 11, 2023
So awesome

I liked the characters and their pets, the book is a really good one a must read, I read it in one afternoon couldn't put it down,.
Profile Image for Michaela | Reading in the Heartland.
3,666 reviews67 followers
October 25, 2022
When this book began, I had to remind myself what genre it’s in as I wasn’t finding anything near comedy, but just as soon as that had happened I found myself laughing out loud. Oh man. I could just picture everything. I just finished a batter women romantic suspense novel and was intrigued that I’d be reading two in a row. Similar threads, both enjoyable, but this one is definitely keeping a smile on my face with the humor. I didn’t want to put it down. I cannot wait for more of this series!

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
6,522 reviews27 followers
July 25, 2023
I love Tracy's books and this one was no exception and even though it dealt with some pretty hard topics it didn't come across as preachy but definitely got the point across

Green Beret Captain “Big John” Bryson returns from his deployment to find his wife gone and his dog dead he misses the dog the most Then he discovers that she lied his dog isn't dead but actually went to a shelter now he wants Boss back The only problem is that Boss has gone to live with Elizabeth Carroll a woman who survived domestic abuse and has turned her life around to help other abuse survivors When John steps in to help one of her women she decides to let him stay on her property Soon these two are falling for one another but can a man that doesn't trust love and a woman who barely survived it actually have a future With a lot of humour they may find their way to a HEA
124 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2025
Sweet story, but too slow moving

This was a pretty good book, the idea behind it is a good one. Soldier comes home from deployment, surprises his live in girlfriend and finds out she has reunited with her ex and even gotten rid of his dog. So, of course he tries to find it and meets Elizabeth, the woman who had adopted the dog from the shelter his so called girlfriend took him to. Elizabeth is a counselor that has a small property with a few tiny homes on it that house abuse victims. She is also an abuse victim herself and has not dealt with her own demons. The entire book is very slow moving and bland. To me, there was way too much psychoanalysis and not enough action. No spice at all, and the interaction between the two main characters felt stiff and not at all real.
Profile Image for Julie.
418 reviews2 followers
August 8, 2025
This is a slow burn. Not labeled that, but when you figure out that Elizabeth has major trauma, you know this is going to be slow. What I did not expect was that at the pinnacle of their first sexual experience, it would cut to a hyperlink to an extra/ bonus scene to sign up for and download. WTF. I PAID FOR THIS? I have never run into this before
— Aug 05, 2025 11:43PMFaking it with the Green Beret


This is better than I'm rating it, I'm just tired. This is a great story idea, the soldier and his Boss (dog) hooked me. It showed up in romance, but this is more than that. It's a great read for those who have patience and those who have trauma, or those who have lost faith in people.
I'll drop a story with crappy plots, overly dramatic antics, cliff hangers, or dumb characters, and now I'll add completely skipping over romantic, sexy times as well.

It's a DNF for me.
1,348 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2023
Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic

I think this KS the best story I have read in a while. I lived the characters and how he worked so hard to be a part of her life and how his love gave her strength to move on in life. This was a well written perfect story.
802 reviews
March 6, 2023
Truly a Sweet Story

A fabulously sweet love story. Kinda saw it coming but not straight away. A wonderful job of dealing with trauma and PTSD from a female, non-military situation and domestic abuse.
Thank you for your time, talent and The Story.
2,824 reviews20 followers
March 29, 2023
Review of Faking it with the Green Beret

I absolutely loved this book and I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves military romance novels. She is a wonderful writer.
Profile Image for Jeanne Estridge.
Author 4 books91 followers
October 27, 2022
If you enjoyed any of Brody’s previous books, either from the Bad Karma series, or the first book in the Faking It series, Faking It with the Bachelor, you’ll love this one, too.

Captain John “Big John” Bryson returns from an overseas deployment to learn that his girlfriend has not only dumped him—she also dumped his dog, Boss. John immediately gets to work tracking down his lost pooch only to learn Boss has been rehomed.

Elizabeth, Boss’s adoptive mother and psychologist, runs the Oasis, a retreat for women recovering from abusive relationships. The property consists of Elizabeth’s house and three tiny houses. While John is at the Oasis visiting Boss, one of Elizabeth’s tenant’s ex-boyfriends shows up and starts making threats. This naturally calls up all of John’s protective instincts and he sends the abuser on his way.

But it’s clear the man may come back. Since John has no place to live (he leased his house when he moved in with his ex-girlfriend), he takes up residence in a vacant tiny house in exchange for rent and protective services for the Oasis. (The scenes where this six-foot-five guy tries to accommodate himself to this ridiculously tiny house are pure comedy gold.)

But it’s not all fun and games. Although John and Elizabeth grow more and more attracted to one another, Elizabeth’s history with her own abuser makes it difficult for her to trust men—especially an oversized one like John Bryson.

The book is filled with Brody’s signature likable characters—honest, patriotic people trying to live useful, positive lives.

I received a copy of this book through Bookfunnel in exchange for my honest review (but I also bought a copy of my own).
3,531 reviews40 followers
October 28, 2022
The story of John Bryson and Elizabeth Carroll is a very touching and sweet .
John is a Green Beret Captain that upon his return from deployment decided to surprise his girlfriend. The surprise was on him, when he finds her in a gala with her supposedly ex . Worse, was that Boss, his much beloved dog , had been taken to a shelter.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth , a counselor for abused woman and owner of tiny houses she rents to those needing a safe place, has adopted Boss.
Looking for his dog, John meets Elizabeth. While he’s searching for a woman to marry and have kids, Elizabeth, is not. Her past still haunts her.
But fate has it’s own agenda as these two develop feelings.
In this touching , at times heartbreaking as well as heartwarming story, the reader gets a chance to see these two seemingly opposites, be perfect for each other.
Kudos to the author for bringing to light the reality of domestic abuse . More should be done for these individuals.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
2,495 reviews41 followers
November 19, 2022
Green Beret Captain “Big John” Bryson returned from deployment to find that not only did his girlfriend cheat on him, but she took his dog Boss to the shelter. Able to find out who had adopted Boss led him to Elizabeth Carroll. Elizabeth, a counselor, rents tiny homes on her property to women who have been abused. This gives them a chance to feel safe and to slowly get their lives back. When one of the abused women is threatened, John offers to stay on the property to keep them safe. This is a difficult decision for Elizabeth as she is still dealing with trauma from an abusive father and her controlling ex-husband. She tries to stay away from him, but he slowly becomes a comforting yet exciting presence in her life. As he shows her that he cares, dare she step out of her comfort zone and grasp this chance at love? A beautiful love story full of promise and second chances. I really enjoyed the chapter song choices, which brought back many pleasant memories. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation, from the author, for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)
Profile Image for Gray.
202 reviews
November 20, 2022
Yes, a good military/fall in love, etc. I like the characters. The main ones Green Beret Captain “Big John” Bryson and Elizabeth Carroll and of course the dog Boss are good.

What I didn't like is some scenes fell like were rushed. The story is ok. Bryson isn't the 1st soldier who got cheated by a boyfriend/girlfriend.

The trail of the story helps to provide the meeting between these two souls and everything for a dog and the safety of the residents of The Oasis.

The story had Bryson and Elizabeth in a place called "The Oasis" a shelter for abused women. Not only the women needs help but Bryson too.

The author really provide a well written story with just a simple bumps. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Miranda Liasson.
Author 24 books3,107 followers
February 5, 2023
Tracy Brody wrote a story packed with emotional depth the kept me turning the pages! You will fall in love with John, a green beret, and Elizabeth, a therapist who works with women who have suffered abuse, as they bond over his dog that his ex took to the shelter while he was deployed (!)... and just guess who the dog ends up with. A great beginning, which only gets better as we discover how John has a true heart of gold and is just right for Elizabeth, who has suffered abuse herself. This is a story of hope and healing, and it has great emotional depth as well has moments of humor. And a great and creative bonus is that every chapter comes with a song suggestion that will keep you singing as you read!
2,075 reviews16 followers
November 11, 2022

This is Captain John “Big John” Bryson and Elizabeth's story. When he returns from a deployment overseas he learns that not only his girlfriend dumped him but also his dog. Now begins the journey of having to find Boss his dog. While searching he discovers the Boss has been rehomed. This is where he discovers Elizabeth, (Boss's adoptive mother) she is a psychologist who runs a retreat for women who are recovering from abuse. When he is visiting Boss, one of her tenant's ex's starts making threats, this brings out the protective side of John. Now this story begins, so settle back and enjoy

Profile Image for Avid Reader.
806 reviews7 followers
November 19, 2022
An emotional read which shows the lasting impact of past trauma and the courage it takes to move past it. John is a green beret who never feels good enough and fears rejection. Elizabeth is a counsellor runs a small sanctuary to give abused women someone safe to go to. The chemistry between the two is there but to reach their hea they will both need to overcome their own fears. A beautiful story with great supporting characters and an awesome dog. Loved it. I received an early copy from the author and I am reviewing voluntarily.
Profile Image for Brandy.
426 reviews
November 25, 2022
I want a John of my own.

My favorite of Ms. Body's books so far. And I have loved them all. I loved Elizabeth and felt for her. I loved that she became a counselor to help other women. I just loved John. He is my new favorite book boyfriend. I loved his sense of humor. His off key singing. His heart. His love for his dog, Boss. And I loved how patient and loving he was with Elizabeth. I thought that they were perfect for each other. And their meet cute. I just adored this book and didn't want to put it down. A definite for your must read.
Profile Image for Sarah Kate.
219 reviews
November 25, 2022
It was ok. So John becomes a security guard while on leave. The problem i had with this book, the reason for 3* is I liked the characters and I loved Boss. But 1. the author really underused John, you get a little bit of drama in the beginning and thats about it. The other problem I had was not only did John tell everyone he was a green beret, but they way he spoke to others made him sound like a gossiping women. I also think the "romance" part took a very long time to get to. Not really a series i will follow.
Profile Image for Tammy.
214 reviews2 followers
November 26, 2022
I really enjoyed this story and was surprised by the content. This is a a slow-burn with a story that slowly unfolds. The H is great - who could not love him. He loves dogs and is definitely a gentle giant with a ton of patience. The h is a survivor who is now helping others, just because she can. Watching the two of them fall in love was wonderful. This was not love at first sight, but instead their love grows as they get to know each other. This is a clean romance unless you choose to download a chapter from the author.

Highly recommend this story.
Profile Image for Laurel.
61 reviews
October 16, 2023
Loved it!

I definitely recommend this book. Two damaged but not completely broken people and an enormous dog, all come together to build a great story. The plot is cleverly woven with past tramas and disappointments, but neither heavy handed nor over simplified. Hope and potential joy kept me reading Pat into the night. This book builds with character growth, a dose of romance, and just the right ending. Sweet but not sticky, this was a great weekend read. I see more Tracy Brody books in my near future.
Profile Image for Stacey.
486 reviews1 follower
Read
October 23, 2024
Going to tag this one as just not for me.

John's sweet and all. And his relationship with his dog is awesome. Elizabeth is a little guarded and closed off.... and I just didn't really get it. Don't get me wrong, this topic NEEDS a slow burn sort of introduction, but I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe it's because I'm really on a kick where I'm reading in first person?

I just don't think this book is a rom-com. There's some cute moments in the first 20% of the book, sure. But rom-com? There's no banter here.

Maybe I'll give this one a shot later?
Profile Image for Kylie Kidd.
Author 9 books18 followers
April 16, 2025
Big John and Boss are the best. I would love to be on the protective end of John's radar. He is so caring and genuine despite the career path he is in which could very well have hardened and scarred him. I enjoyed seeing his growth and watching the slow burn romance develop. I did get a bit bored with some of the musical references. But that's just my opinion. Even without the "bonus intimate chapter", I would call this book a PG-13+ read in terms of heat level. Overall, I found it a hard to put down book.
9 reviews
April 22, 2025
Eh. It was ok.

This book has been in my TBR for way too long, but I finally finished it. I wanted so badly to love this story. John was everything. And Boss was perfect. Elizabeth, not so much. I didn't care for her character. I get that she had some pretty deep issues, but she annoyed me at every turn. Or maybe it's because it seemed like it took 75% of the book for ANYTHING to happen. The only reason I gave it 3 stars is because of the ending. For me, it was fairly perfect wrapping everything up.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews

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