What do you think?
Rate this book
Love You, Mean It
A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia.
Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco's Deli's very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.
She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).
With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.
And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco's Deli's very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.
She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).
With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.
And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2024
47 people are currently reading
21914 people want to read
About the author
Jilly Gagnon
9 books430 followers**Please note I rarely check messages here -- find me on instagram, @jillygagnon, for contact!**
Jilly Gagnon is the author of the young adult novel #famous and the suspense novel All Dressed Up. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Toast, The Hairpin, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others.
She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her two cats. She loves terrible television and well-crafted Manhattans.
Jilly Gagnon is the author of the young adult novel #famous and the suspense novel All Dressed Up. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Toast, The Hairpin, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others.
She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her two cats. She loves terrible television and well-crafted Manhattans.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 932 reviews
October 1, 2023
Coincidentally, this marks the third romance novel I've delved into over the past month, all of which revolve around a plotline reminiscent of the beloved movie trope found in "While You Were Sleeping." Normally, I wouldn't gravitate toward stories that share such a similar concept, especially when they often involve one of my favorite tropes: fake dating. However, each author brings their unique perspective and creative ideas to the table, offering readers fresh and entertaining outcomes.
The story of Ellie and Theo unfolds as a classic enemies-to-lovers narrative, born out of the circumstances that fate has thrown their way. Ellie, determined to rescue her upscale gourmet food store—a cherished family business endeavor—is faced with an unyielding obstacle in the form of Theo Taylor, the strict property manager. Their first encounter takes an unexpected turn when the ceiling literally collapses, and Ellie finds herself escorting the very man who had initially rejected her store's prospects to the hospital. In a moment of spontaneity, she blurts out that she is his fiancée while they wait for his treatment. Enter Theo's short-term memory loss, causing him to forget his attractive fiancée, leading him to take her word as truth and believe in their fictional happily ever after—until his memory gradually returns, and he recalls their less-than-favorable first meeting.
Rather than harboring resentment for her deception, Theo proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement to Ellie, one that may help salvage their Mangia business deal. Ellie, though skeptical and hesitant to trust Theo, finds herself at a crossroads, torn between beggars not being choosers and reluctantly agreeing to play along.
However, the situation takes a complicated twist when Theo's ex-girlfriend, Sam, enters the scene and senses that something peculiar is afoot between Ellie and Theo. Sam is determined to uncover the truth.
Ellie faces a challenging dilemma, torn between nurturing her budding friendship with Sam and grappling with her own suppressed feelings for Theo. Sometimes, doing the right thing can be the most arduous task when the heart yearns for what it wants.
Pros: I relish the execution of the "While You Were Sleeping" plotline interwoven with the fake dating trope.
Cons: My enjoyment was marred by the involvement of Theo's ex-girlfriend, who, ironically, turned out to be a more likable character than Ellie. Ellie's wavering decisions, her tendency to bury her feelings and deny her emotions, as well as her propensity for creating unnecessary angsty and dramatic situations, became exasperating. In fact, I had initially considered giving this book a 3.5-star rating, but Ellie's character pushed me to lower my rating to 3 stars, despite my appreciation for the various tropes, the delightful deli business setting, and the sizzling chemistry between Ellie and Theo.
I remain optimistic about reading more books by this author in the near future, with the hope of encountering heroines who are less prone to self-sabotage and more relatable.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for generously providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter
The story of Ellie and Theo unfolds as a classic enemies-to-lovers narrative, born out of the circumstances that fate has thrown their way. Ellie, determined to rescue her upscale gourmet food store—a cherished family business endeavor—is faced with an unyielding obstacle in the form of Theo Taylor, the strict property manager. Their first encounter takes an unexpected turn when the ceiling literally collapses, and Ellie finds herself escorting the very man who had initially rejected her store's prospects to the hospital. In a moment of spontaneity, she blurts out that she is his fiancée while they wait for his treatment. Enter Theo's short-term memory loss, causing him to forget his attractive fiancée, leading him to take her word as truth and believe in their fictional happily ever after—until his memory gradually returns, and he recalls their less-than-favorable first meeting.
Rather than harboring resentment for her deception, Theo proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement to Ellie, one that may help salvage their Mangia business deal. Ellie, though skeptical and hesitant to trust Theo, finds herself at a crossroads, torn between beggars not being choosers and reluctantly agreeing to play along.
However, the situation takes a complicated twist when Theo's ex-girlfriend, Sam, enters the scene and senses that something peculiar is afoot between Ellie and Theo. Sam is determined to uncover the truth.
Ellie faces a challenging dilemma, torn between nurturing her budding friendship with Sam and grappling with her own suppressed feelings for Theo. Sometimes, doing the right thing can be the most arduous task when the heart yearns for what it wants.
Pros: I relish the execution of the "While You Were Sleeping" plotline interwoven with the fake dating trope.
Cons: My enjoyment was marred by the involvement of Theo's ex-girlfriend, who, ironically, turned out to be a more likable character than Ellie. Ellie's wavering decisions, her tendency to bury her feelings and deny her emotions, as well as her propensity for creating unnecessary angsty and dramatic situations, became exasperating. In fact, I had initially considered giving this book a 3.5-star rating, but Ellie's character pushed me to lower my rating to 3 stars, despite my appreciation for the various tropes, the delightful deli business setting, and the sizzling chemistry between Ellie and Theo.
I remain optimistic about reading more books by this author in the near future, with the hope of encountering heroines who are less prone to self-sabotage and more relatable.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for generously providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
April 16, 2024
Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon is a new contemporary romance novel. The story in Love You, Mean It is full of romance tropes such as enemies to lover, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attracting and fake dating.
Ellie Greco always had dreams of becoming a costume designer but five years ago her father passed away leaving the family in need of someone to help run the family business, Greco’s Deli. Returning to her hometown of Milborough Ellie has since put everything she has in the deli.
Now however the deli is being threatened when Ellie learns the Taylor family who are the local landlords are set up to offer a space to a huge box store that may put them out of business. Ellie vows to meet with Theo Taylor and see if there is anything she can do to stop tha deal but before she knows it she is in a fake relationship with Theo to possibly benefit them both.
Considering that fake dating is one of my top tropes in romance I really went into Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon thinking I would absolutely love this story. However, this one starts off with a lot of “white privilege” being tossed around which really turned me off of the main character. I just don’t enjoy this type of heavy real world hot topics with racism being brought into something that is meant to be light and fun and from that moment I just couldn’t bring myself to really root for the romance. Overall, I’ll give this one two and a half stars, some will love it but it just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Ellie Greco always had dreams of becoming a costume designer but five years ago her father passed away leaving the family in need of someone to help run the family business, Greco’s Deli. Returning to her hometown of Milborough Ellie has since put everything she has in the deli.
Now however the deli is being threatened when Ellie learns the Taylor family who are the local landlords are set up to offer a space to a huge box store that may put them out of business. Ellie vows to meet with Theo Taylor and see if there is anything she can do to stop tha deal but before she knows it she is in a fake relationship with Theo to possibly benefit them both.
Considering that fake dating is one of my top tropes in romance I really went into Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon thinking I would absolutely love this story. However, this one starts off with a lot of “white privilege” being tossed around which really turned me off of the main character. I just don’t enjoy this type of heavy real world hot topics with racism being brought into something that is meant to be light and fun and from that moment I just couldn’t bring myself to really root for the romance. Overall, I’ll give this one two and a half stars, some will love it but it just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
September 24, 2023
This was an okay read of a girl trying to help her family business survive after learning of the threat of a large property developer bringing a franchise to town.
I almost quit after the first chapter as the main character, Ellie, is very hard to root for. She is very negative, seems to dislike herself, acts surprised when anyone likes her, and judges everyone she meets without looking past their status or clothing to get to know them as people. She also bases her self-worth on what she does rather than who she is - acting like a martyr when she does anything good - and pushes people away with her sarcasm rather than show any sort of warmth or kindness.
Suffice to say it's a huge surprise when a man she judges and is horrible to seems to find her lovely and wants to spend time with her. And it's the same with him - he does some nice things but he is very lacking in the warmth and kindness department too.
Overall, I think this could have been a decent read if I'd liked Ellie and Theo. Sadly, I did not.
I almost quit after the first chapter as the main character, Ellie, is very hard to root for. She is very negative, seems to dislike herself, acts surprised when anyone likes her, and judges everyone she meets without looking past their status or clothing to get to know them as people. She also bases her self-worth on what she does rather than who she is - acting like a martyr when she does anything good - and pushes people away with her sarcasm rather than show any sort of warmth or kindness.
Suffice to say it's a huge surprise when a man she judges and is horrible to seems to find her lovely and wants to spend time with her. And it's the same with him - he does some nice things but he is very lacking in the warmth and kindness department too.
Overall, I think this could have been a decent read if I'd liked Ellie and Theo. Sadly, I did not.
January 12, 2024
Cute love story that I couldn’t put down.
*Enemies to lovers
*fake dating
*foodies
There’s so much happening in the book I never felt bored. Ellie trying to grow up and make friends, finding out what she wants for her future and the possibility of a real relationship out of her fake one. The one thing I do wish was for it to not end so abruptly. I want to know more about what happens with Theo and Ellie. A second book would be perfect or a second book in the series following Sam, or Bella.
Thank you To NetGalley, Jilly Gagnon and Dell for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
*Enemies to lovers
*fake dating
*foodies
There’s so much happening in the book I never felt bored. Ellie trying to grow up and make friends, finding out what she wants for her future and the possibility of a real relationship out of her fake one. The one thing I do wish was for it to not end so abruptly. I want to know more about what happens with Theo and Ellie. A second book would be perfect or a second book in the series following Sam, or Bella.
Thank you To NetGalley, Jilly Gagnon and Dell for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2023
This was a fun romcom, and I really liked the premise of how the main characters meet. Ellie and Theo meet while Ellie is trying to save her family business, the ceiling falls which leads her to get amnesia and claim that Theo is her finance. The meet-cute happened pretty early in the book and hooked me. After that, the book's pace slowed but was still enjoyable. There is a bit of business rivalry, drama, dislike to love, business deals, and lovely, heartwarming friendships. I liked the romance, especially because I felt like the characters had a lot of time to develop their friendship and the relationship. Definitely read this if you like sweet romcoms with good characters and a smidge of steam.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for this arc for an honest review.
3.5/5
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for this arc for an honest review.
3.5/5
July 30, 2024
Typically like a good fake dating trope. However, I just couldn’t get sucked into this one. I finally got more into it after the dating started, but then I just thought meh. Nothing bad really to say but I’m not raving either.
September 26, 2023
The synopsis sounded fun, and I thought I would enjoy this romantic feel-good chick-lit. However, it quickly failed to hold my attention. The characters and narrative pace didn't do it for me.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2024
October 21, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell
April 30, 2024
3.5 stars
Love You, Mean It was a cute romance. Normally, I’m not a big fan of the fake dating trope but it worked well on this story. A few bumps along the way, but overall it was an enjoyable read.
After Ellie’s father died five years ago, she gave up her dream of designing theater costumes to move back to her hometown and run the family’s deli. Word on the street is a fancy gourmet food store is in development in the area which could put Ellie’s shop out of business. So she sets up a meeting with Theo Taylor who works for his dad’s property management firm and is handling the project. She hopes to change his mind and eventually they come up with plan that could be mutually beneficial.
My synopsis makes the fake dating scheme sound creepy but trust me, it’s not and it’s one of the few times I’ll say it logically makes sense for them to pretend they are in love. It helps that I liked both characters and they had some chemistry. I appreciate how the author chose a better path for Theo’s ex than the stereotypical route.
My only slight criticism is things got a bit messy in the last quarter or so of the book. Some fine tuning and more development were needed to take this book to the next level. A good romance with some heart and humor but it didn’t reach its full potential. That said, I’d be interested in checking out another book by this author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Love You, Mean It was a cute romance. Normally, I’m not a big fan of the fake dating trope but it worked well on this story. A few bumps along the way, but overall it was an enjoyable read.
After Ellie’s father died five years ago, she gave up her dream of designing theater costumes to move back to her hometown and run the family’s deli. Word on the street is a fancy gourmet food store is in development in the area which could put Ellie’s shop out of business. So she sets up a meeting with Theo Taylor who works for his dad’s property management firm and is handling the project. She hopes to change his mind and eventually they come up with plan that could be mutually beneficial.
My synopsis makes the fake dating scheme sound creepy but trust me, it’s not and it’s one of the few times I’ll say it logically makes sense for them to pretend they are in love. It helps that I liked both characters and they had some chemistry. I appreciate how the author chose a better path for Theo’s ex than the stereotypical route.
My only slight criticism is things got a bit messy in the last quarter or so of the book. Some fine tuning and more development were needed to take this book to the next level. A good romance with some heart and humor but it didn’t reach its full potential. That said, I’d be interested in checking out another book by this author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
January 16, 2024
1 Star
SPOILER RIDDEN REVIEW - I HAD TO RANT. BOOK IS NOT PUBLISHED UNTIL APRIL 2024
Halfway through this book I had a serious debate with myself about DNFing. I ended up deciding that there was enough time for these characters to redeem themselves and that I’d give them the chance to do so. It was wishful thinking.
Ellie Greco, 28, has been running her family’s deli for the past five years following the death of her father. The deli is called Greco’s Deli, by the way. After her last name? Okay, just want to make sure we’re all AWARE OF THIS. Theo Taylor, 30, works for his dad’s real estate company. They just acquired a building and plan to lease it to this fancy deli. It’s guaranteed to drive Ellie out of business, so Ellie arranges a meeting with Theo to… I don’t know, convince him not to do it? The two went to high school together, so there’s some familiarity there. In the meeting, Theo’s like, “We can’t just not put this other deli here just because it competes with you.” Which, like, yes makes sense to me. Before Ellie can plead her case further, a freak accident occurs that causes Theo to get knocked out. In order to follow him to the hospital, Ellie lies and says she’s Theo’s fiancee. When Theo wakes up and realizes Ellie’s lie, he suggests the two continue the charade. He apparently doesn’t want the deli coming into town either. He has other visions for this building, so if they act as each other’s fiancee then his father might be persuaded to not run his new “daughter-in-law” out of business.
While this is happening, Theo’s ex-fiancee, Sam, shows up. She can see through Ellie and Theo’s fake dating. She thinks it’s a brilliant idea in order to help Ellie save her deli, but asks Ellie if it’s okay for her to try to swoop back in once they’re done with their ploy. Ellie’s like, “Oh, yeah, no problem, there’s nothing going on between me and Theo.” Um… this is after Ellie and Theo had sex! Ellie plans a double date to hopefully have Theo start checking out Sam, but the whole time he just keeps trying to be grabby with Ellie and she lets Theo! Sam is like, “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?” And Ellie’s like, “We’re just faking!” After a third incident, Sam again questions Ellie and Ellie AGAIN denies, and then not 5 MINUTES LATER SHE’S BANGING THEO IN THE PARKING LOT. AND SAM SEES AND IS LIKE WTF I LITERALLY GAVE YOU ALL THE CHANCES.
Yeah, Ellie is just the shittiest romance protagonist. I didn’t feel any chemistry between her and Theo outside of horniness. The entire novel she’s complaining about the rich. At one point she judges Theo’s uncle by thinking, “His greatest achievement in life had been his last name.” Like… same with you! You failed as a costume designer in New York! You inherited a family business at 23! IT’S LITERALLY CALLED GRECO’S DELI AFTER YOUR EFFING LAST NAME! Ellie and Theo have an argument, and in it she throws out that Theo’s dead younger brother would be “sO DiSaPPoiNteD iN YoU.” She is immediately like, “I take it back,” but, no, b*tch, it’s been said. And it was so out of pocket and unnecessary. And then Theo decides to just forgive her even before she offers him an apology lasagna.
I was hoping Theo would end back up with Sam and Ellie would change and be a better person following that whole catastrophe, but nope. I mean, Sam does end up with someone better than Theo at the end, so good for her, but Theo and Ellie get together at the end and it’s just so… ugh. Disappointing? That in a romance book these two awful characters get happily ever after? I mean, Theo wasn’t as awful as Ellie, but he just felt so bland to me. They had sex way too soon and then afterwards he seemed to only want to keep having sex with Ellie and didn’t care enough about her family or business issues.
Give me a book following Sam and Everett’s relationship. And leave these two numb skull’s out of it.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
SPOILER RIDDEN REVIEW - I HAD TO RANT. BOOK IS NOT PUBLISHED UNTIL APRIL 2024
Halfway through this book I had a serious debate with myself about DNFing. I ended up deciding that there was enough time for these characters to redeem themselves and that I’d give them the chance to do so. It was wishful thinking.
Ellie Greco, 28, has been running her family’s deli for the past five years following the death of her father. The deli is called Greco’s Deli, by the way. After her last name? Okay, just want to make sure we’re all AWARE OF THIS. Theo Taylor, 30, works for his dad’s real estate company. They just acquired a building and plan to lease it to this fancy deli. It’s guaranteed to drive Ellie out of business, so Ellie arranges a meeting with Theo to… I don’t know, convince him not to do it? The two went to high school together, so there’s some familiarity there. In the meeting, Theo’s like, “We can’t just not put this other deli here just because it competes with you.” Which, like, yes makes sense to me. Before Ellie can plead her case further, a freak accident occurs that causes Theo to get knocked out. In order to follow him to the hospital, Ellie lies and says she’s Theo’s fiancee. When Theo wakes up and realizes Ellie’s lie, he suggests the two continue the charade. He apparently doesn’t want the deli coming into town either. He has other visions for this building, so if they act as each other’s fiancee then his father might be persuaded to not run his new “daughter-in-law” out of business.
While this is happening, Theo’s ex-fiancee, Sam, shows up. She can see through Ellie and Theo’s fake dating. She thinks it’s a brilliant idea in order to help Ellie save her deli, but asks Ellie if it’s okay for her to try to swoop back in once they’re done with their ploy. Ellie’s like, “Oh, yeah, no problem, there’s nothing going on between me and Theo.” Um… this is after Ellie and Theo had sex! Ellie plans a double date to hopefully have Theo start checking out Sam, but the whole time he just keeps trying to be grabby with Ellie and she lets Theo! Sam is like, “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?” And Ellie’s like, “We’re just faking!” After a third incident, Sam again questions Ellie and Ellie AGAIN denies, and then not 5 MINUTES LATER SHE’S BANGING THEO IN THE PARKING LOT. AND SAM SEES AND IS LIKE WTF I LITERALLY GAVE YOU ALL THE CHANCES.
Yeah, Ellie is just the shittiest romance protagonist. I didn’t feel any chemistry between her and Theo outside of horniness. The entire novel she’s complaining about the rich. At one point she judges Theo’s uncle by thinking, “His greatest achievement in life had been his last name.” Like… same with you! You failed as a costume designer in New York! You inherited a family business at 23! IT’S LITERALLY CALLED GRECO’S DELI AFTER YOUR EFFING LAST NAME! Ellie and Theo have an argument, and in it she throws out that Theo’s dead younger brother would be “sO DiSaPPoiNteD iN YoU.” She is immediately like, “I take it back,” but, no, b*tch, it’s been said. And it was so out of pocket and unnecessary. And then Theo decides to just forgive her even before she offers him an apology lasagna.
I was hoping Theo would end back up with Sam and Ellie would change and be a better person following that whole catastrophe, but nope. I mean, Sam does end up with someone better than Theo at the end, so good for her, but Theo and Ellie get together at the end and it’s just so… ugh. Disappointing? That in a romance book these two awful characters get happily ever after? I mean, Theo wasn’t as awful as Ellie, but he just felt so bland to me. They had sex way too soon and then afterwards he seemed to only want to keep having sex with Ellie and didn’t care enough about her family or business issues.
Give me a book following Sam and Everett’s relationship. And leave these two numb skull’s out of it.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2024
Love You, Mean It
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Author: Jilly Gagnon
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco's Deli's very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.
She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).
With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.
And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiancee, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
My Thoughts: Ellie left the small town for a few years and lived her dream, designing theatre costumes. When her father died, she came back to run the family business, a deli. However, when Ellie finds out that her landlord may be renting out to a fancy gourmet deli, it will put her out of business and will put an end to her family’s legacy. Ellie is meeting with the landlord/property manger, Theo, about renting to the fancy deli. The ceiling literally falls on top of Theo, knocking him out cold. Ellie then panics and says Theo is her fiancee. He then has amnesia from being knocked out, so he actually believes her. After he regains his memory, he wants to keep the engagement ruse up for a little while to benefit them both until they can end the Magig deal. Two problems arise, his cold father and then Theo’s ex-finance, Sam, shows up out of the blue. The ex-finance proposes her own deal, one that makes Ellie have to decide what is her priority, the beautiful friendship with Sam, the romance that she did not realize she was missing, or the end of her family’s legacy. It seems this year, I have read more than usual of the faking dating / Sleeping in Seattle type of books. Faking dating is one of my favorite tropes for a romance novel. This follows the tropes of fake dating and enemies to lovers.
I really wanted to like Ellie’s character, but I had a hard time connecting. Ellie could not make a solid decision on anything, she was too wavering; she was negative, she was very judgmental, and could not believe anyone would like her; she also had a tendency to compartmentalize her feelings and deny herself what is right in front of her. Sam, while initially you want to dislike her for disrupting what Ellie and Theo had going, grew on me and I connected with her. Having said that, the characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, sometimes over the top angst, definite chemistry, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, creative, funny, had appropriate tension, and was engaging.
While I love the premise, I felt like the plot execution fell a little short. This was my first read by Gagnon. While I did not love the storyline, I would give other books by this author a try. I felt like the ending was rushed and abrupt. This book had romance, friendships, self-worth, standing in your truth, business rivals, angst, drama (sometimes unnecessarily), and of course, business arrangements. I would recommend to other readers as it was a fun story overall.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Author: Jilly Gagnon
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco's Deli's very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.
She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).
With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.
And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiancee, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
My Thoughts: Ellie left the small town for a few years and lived her dream, designing theatre costumes. When her father died, she came back to run the family business, a deli. However, when Ellie finds out that her landlord may be renting out to a fancy gourmet deli, it will put her out of business and will put an end to her family’s legacy. Ellie is meeting with the landlord/property manger, Theo, about renting to the fancy deli. The ceiling literally falls on top of Theo, knocking him out cold. Ellie then panics and says Theo is her fiancee. He then has amnesia from being knocked out, so he actually believes her. After he regains his memory, he wants to keep the engagement ruse up for a little while to benefit them both until they can end the Magig deal. Two problems arise, his cold father and then Theo’s ex-finance, Sam, shows up out of the blue. The ex-finance proposes her own deal, one that makes Ellie have to decide what is her priority, the beautiful friendship with Sam, the romance that she did not realize she was missing, or the end of her family’s legacy. It seems this year, I have read more than usual of the faking dating / Sleeping in Seattle type of books. Faking dating is one of my favorite tropes for a romance novel. This follows the tropes of fake dating and enemies to lovers.
I really wanted to like Ellie’s character, but I had a hard time connecting. Ellie could not make a solid decision on anything, she was too wavering; she was negative, she was very judgmental, and could not believe anyone would like her; she also had a tendency to compartmentalize her feelings and deny herself what is right in front of her. Sam, while initially you want to dislike her for disrupting what Ellie and Theo had going, grew on me and I connected with her. Having said that, the characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, sometimes over the top angst, definite chemistry, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, creative, funny, had appropriate tension, and was engaging.
While I love the premise, I felt like the plot execution fell a little short. This was my first read by Gagnon. While I did not love the storyline, I would give other books by this author a try. I felt like the ending was rushed and abrupt. This book had romance, friendships, self-worth, standing in your truth, business rivals, angst, drama (sometimes unnecessarily), and of course, business arrangements. I would recommend to other readers as it was a fun story overall.
May 6, 2024
While there are many familiar tropes throughout this rom-com, it still felt fresh and fun due to hilarious circumstances and enjoyable characters! A great summer read!
April 14, 2024
⭐️3,75
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure about the amnesia thing because that can go very wrong very quick but I think it was used really good in this book as a starting point.
I liked the characters and I‘m always here for a not-really-the-bad-guy-bad-guy. Theo was so much maturity and even tho Ellie could be annoying sometimes it also made sense.
Bella was also a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed her with Ellie and the whole family dynamic.
I could have done without the whole Sam angst but I guess she was important for some other parts of the story.
I‘m absolutely no fan of unnecessary third act breakup plots and unnecessary drama and to be honest in this book was it beyond an unnecessary and stupid reason. I do get it at some level but it would have been SO easy to just communicate and have a book without a fight.
Overall I really enjoyed it!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an earc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure about the amnesia thing because that can go very wrong very quick but I think it was used really good in this book as a starting point.
I liked the characters and I‘m always here for a not-really-the-bad-guy-bad-guy. Theo was so much maturity and even tho Ellie could be annoying sometimes it also made sense.
Bella was also a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed her with Ellie and the whole family dynamic.
I could have done without the whole Sam angst but I guess she was important for some other parts of the story.
I‘m absolutely no fan of unnecessary third act breakup plots and unnecessary drama and to be honest in this book was it beyond an unnecessary and stupid reason. I do get it at some level but it would have been SO easy to just communicate and have a book without a fight.
Overall I really enjoyed it!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an earc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2024
This was an entertaining book overall. I was a little surprised to see how much the first couple of chapters were a duplicate of "While You Were Sleeping" (which reminded me of how much I liked that movie and that I should re-watch it!), but it quickly came into its own.
It was a typical enemies to lovers, to being in love book with several different monkey wrenches thrown into the mix.
I would have liked to have seen less inner dialog, extra-long descriptions of inanimate objects, and perhaps an epilogue to see how Ellie and Theo were doing in the future.
This was a very fast read, and it appealed to me quite a bit. I tend to stay away from books like this because I think they wouldn't appeal to someone my age, but if all these types of books were written with a mix of characters like this one, I would be more tempted to read more of them.
It sure is a book that I'm going to recommend!
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Dell/Random House, the author, and NetGalley.
It was a typical enemies to lovers, to being in love book with several different monkey wrenches thrown into the mix.
I would have liked to have seen less inner dialog, extra-long descriptions of inanimate objects, and perhaps an epilogue to see how Ellie and Theo were doing in the future.
This was a very fast read, and it appealed to me quite a bit. I tend to stay away from books like this because I think they wouldn't appeal to someone my age, but if all these types of books were written with a mix of characters like this one, I would be more tempted to read more of them.
It sure is a book that I'm going to recommend!
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Dell/Random House, the author, and NetGalley.
June 25, 2024
I feel as though Jilly Gagnon just proved she is adept at writing all different genres, and I love how she went from mystery/thriller to romance with Love You, Mean It. Ellie is sassy and sarcastic in all the best ways and has the mouth of a sailor, so this isn't just some super sugary romance. The characters start as basically enemies with Theo not being particularly helpful until the ceiling problem where he gets a bit of amnesia and Ellie pretends to be his fiancée to make sure he is ok. Things get more and more interesting from there, and I really enjoyed the way Gagnon added fake dating into the mix! It is my favorite romance trope and it worked well here.
The audiobook is narrated by Amanda Ronconi, and she was the absolute best as Ellie. Her voice, tone, and narration perfectly fit the character in my opinion, and I loved listening to her. There was a bit of tinniness that I picked up on in the audio which may have been an editing thing, but otherwise, it was fantastic. There is also plenty of family and small-town drama mixed in with the romance and I loved all of the different elements. There was some spiciness mixed in, which after reading her thrillers kind of threw me for a loop! Overall, I was really satisfied with Love You, Mean It and there were plenty of laughs along the way.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The audiobook is narrated by Amanda Ronconi, and she was the absolute best as Ellie. Her voice, tone, and narration perfectly fit the character in my opinion, and I loved listening to her. There was a bit of tinniness that I picked up on in the audio which may have been an editing thing, but otherwise, it was fantastic. There is also plenty of family and small-town drama mixed in with the romance and I loved all of the different elements. There was some spiciness mixed in, which after reading her thrillers kind of threw me for a loop! Overall, I was really satisfied with Love You, Mean It and there were plenty of laughs along the way.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
January 26, 2024
Normally I am a sucker for fake dating, but this book fell a little flat for me. I think my biggest obstacle was that I really did not like the female main character. I found her annoying and well, she complained endlessly, and it just grated on my nerves. She also seemed to self-sabotage then get upset about it. It was confusing to me. Theo on the other hand seemed like a decent enough of a character, but he couldn’t carry the whole book. I also struggled with the pacing. The book started off with a nice clip to it, then it fizzled and came to a screeching slow down, much like hitting rush hour traffic, which is also frustrating. I also struggled with how Theo lied to Sam about his relationship with Ellie. While they were “fake dating” they did actually hook-up rather quickly despite not liking each other, and then Theo told Sam nothing was going on. That just rubbed me the wrong way. The chemistry between Theo and Ellie was also lacking, and I just couldn’t root for them in the end.
While I was hoping to get a nice fluffy rom-com to cleanse my palate, I got a book that will stick with me, but not good the best reasons.
While this book was a miss for me, it might not be for you so take this review with a grain of salt.
Thank you to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I do with this book all the success it deserves.
While I was hoping to get a nice fluffy rom-com to cleanse my palate, I got a book that will stick with me, but not good the best reasons.
While this book was a miss for me, it might not be for you so take this review with a grain of salt.
Thank you to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I do with this book all the success it deserves.
May 5, 2024
It's While You Were Sleeping coded! Well, for a while, at least.
Ellie Greco runs her family’s decades old deli. She was an aspiring costume designer, but after her father's death, she returned home. She loves the place. It means a lot to her, but it definitely isn't where she thought she'd end up. But when her grandmother lets her know that a high-end grocery store chain is moving in, it's going to threaten her family's deli. Maybe even close it.
So she reaches out to Theo Taylor, her cousins ex and the son of the man who's bringing the grocery store to town. Their meeting goes bad. I mean, really bad, Theo gets injured and gets amnesia. Ellie wants to make sure he's OK, and so she claims to be his fiancee.
When he snaps out of it, Theo asks, "Why not keep up the fiancee bit and work together to get the deal closed?" Because Theo has his own reasons.
Oh gosh, this romcom gets pretty funny. Ellie is a fish out of water with Theo's family. And while she wants to help out Theo's ex, who wants to get back with him (it's a new friendship!), some pesky feelings get involved.
Of course, these people need to be honest, lol. But it was so enjoyable.
Ellie Greco runs her family’s decades old deli. She was an aspiring costume designer, but after her father's death, she returned home. She loves the place. It means a lot to her, but it definitely isn't where she thought she'd end up. But when her grandmother lets her know that a high-end grocery store chain is moving in, it's going to threaten her family's deli. Maybe even close it.
So she reaches out to Theo Taylor, her cousins ex and the son of the man who's bringing the grocery store to town. Their meeting goes bad. I mean, really bad, Theo gets injured and gets amnesia. Ellie wants to make sure he's OK, and so she claims to be his fiancee.
When he snaps out of it, Theo asks, "Why not keep up the fiancee bit and work together to get the deal closed?" Because Theo has his own reasons.
Oh gosh, this romcom gets pretty funny. Ellie is a fish out of water with Theo's family. And while she wants to help out Theo's ex, who wants to get back with him (it's a new friendship!), some pesky feelings get involved.
Of course, these people need to be honest, lol. But it was so enjoyable.
October 18, 2024
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love You, Mean It
Author: Jilly Gagnon
Romance
Thank you so much Netgalley, and Dell for this ARC! I really enjoyed this one. Ellie is stuck in her hometown helping her family with their little deli business. When a new competitor enters the scene, she makes it her mission to confront the owner of the property management companies son, Theo, in an effort to stop their advances! Within an hour of their meeting, Theo suffers an injury leading to some amnesia which gives Ellie the brilliant idea to pretend they are engaged! To make matters worse, Theos ex arrives. It was silly and entertaining, and the story really flowed. I was a little mad at myself for putting this one off for as long as I did. I thought it was YA but it is most definitely not. I really enjoyed this book, and all of the characters involved. It was light hearted and a cute read.
Love You, Mean It
Author: Jilly Gagnon
Romance
Thank you so much Netgalley, and Dell for this ARC! I really enjoyed this one. Ellie is stuck in her hometown helping her family with their little deli business. When a new competitor enters the scene, she makes it her mission to confront the owner of the property management companies son, Theo, in an effort to stop their advances! Within an hour of their meeting, Theo suffers an injury leading to some amnesia which gives Ellie the brilliant idea to pretend they are engaged! To make matters worse, Theos ex arrives. It was silly and entertaining, and the story really flowed. I was a little mad at myself for putting this one off for as long as I did. I thought it was YA but it is most definitely not. I really enjoyed this book, and all of the characters involved. It was light hearted and a cute read.
May 7, 2024
3.5 stars. I was in the mood for a comforting and tropey romance, so I picked this one up, and before I knew it, I had inhaled half the book. Ellie currently runs her family's Italian deli but faces a threat when the local Taylor family wants to bring a fancy Eataly-type store to town. Ellie finds an unconventional ally in Theo Taylor and romance circumstances bring them together to try to tank the deal.
Overall, this was really fun and genuinely funny. The story is deftly able to juggle fake dating, enemies to lovers, and even a little light amnesia. I think this could have benefitted from also having Theo's point of view since he felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Ellie, who I loved as a main character.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, this was really fun and genuinely funny. The story is deftly able to juggle fake dating, enemies to lovers, and even a little light amnesia. I think this could have benefitted from also having Theo's point of view since he felt a bit underdeveloped compared to Ellie, who I loved as a main character.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 19, 2023
I received a free copy of, Love You, Mean It, by Jilly Gagnon, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Ellie Greco is in trouble she lied about having a fiancee to save her families deli. I just did not find this book believable, or likeable.
Read
July 2, 2024DNF at 22%.
I don’t like any of the characters and the pacing is off already, among other things. Really sad about this because I actually thought I would like it + it has a great cover:(
I don’t like any of the characters and the pacing is off already, among other things. Really sad about this because I actually thought I would like it + it has a great cover:(
April 4, 2024
Love You, Mean It is a rom-com, full of playfulness and sharp humor. Ellie Greco has been managing her family's deli after the death of her father. After the residents and the Greco family learns that a gourmet food department store is looking to move into the neighborhood, concerns rise for the longevity of the family legacy.
Ellie approaches Theo, the landlord of the vacant building. Although they attended high school together, they ran in very different circles, and she has trouble keeping her prejudices at bay despite aiming to persuade him to reject the tenancy of the big-time competition, allowing her family's deli to continue to flourish.
Gagnon uses a mesh of familiar tropes in fun and engaging ways — you know where this is going, but the journey there is definitely a ride featuring tiny unexpected turns and bankable charm. With enemies-to-lovers and grump-to-sunshine paving the way, I enjoyed this gem from beginning to end.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
Ellie approaches Theo, the landlord of the vacant building. Although they attended high school together, they ran in very different circles, and she has trouble keeping her prejudices at bay despite aiming to persuade him to reject the tenancy of the big-time competition, allowing her family's deli to continue to flourish.
Gagnon uses a mesh of familiar tropes in fun and engaging ways — you know where this is going, but the journey there is definitely a ride featuring tiny unexpected turns and bankable charm. With enemies-to-lovers and grump-to-sunshine paving the way, I enjoyed this gem from beginning to end.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
April 23, 2024
DNF at 50ish%. I couldn’t care less about Ellie or Theo as main characters and they had no chemistry. I was looking forward to this based on the author’s previous works (thrillers). This one sadly just did not work for me.
September 27, 2023
This was a cute and fun read with just a little spice.
My first time reading anything by this author, but I would definitely read other books of hers.
I enjoyed the characters, and the overall concept of the story. Fake dating, amnesia, family/business/ and similar to a grumpy/sunshine trope.
I will say I felt the beginning was quite slow for my taste and maybe a little too in depth on the business aspect because my attention faltered a little. Once getting past the first few chapters I really enjoyed the story. Did I enjoy every little aspect, no. Did I feel there were some plot holes, yes. I’m just not one to critique every little detail of a book. My overall opinion is that it is a cute read and I didn’t have to overly think which I appreciated. I enjoyed it and would recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for reaching out to me with this e-arc.
Be on the lookout! PUB date 04/30/24
My first time reading anything by this author, but I would definitely read other books of hers.
I enjoyed the characters, and the overall concept of the story. Fake dating, amnesia, family/business/ and similar to a grumpy/sunshine trope.
I will say I felt the beginning was quite slow for my taste and maybe a little too in depth on the business aspect because my attention faltered a little. Once getting past the first few chapters I really enjoyed the story. Did I enjoy every little aspect, no. Did I feel there were some plot holes, yes. I’m just not one to critique every little detail of a book. My overall opinion is that it is a cute read and I didn’t have to overly think which I appreciated. I enjoyed it and would recommend.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for reaching out to me with this e-arc.
Be on the lookout! PUB date 04/30/24
April 13, 2024
4.5 - OK!! I did not expect to love this book as much as I did but, WOW, something about this book really hit perfectly for me. Love You, Mean It is a book about Ellie and Theo, who knew each other when they were younger, but are brought together when Theo's family business is attempting to take over the businesses where Ellie's family's small deli operates. This is a typical enemies to lovers, fake dating trope, but something about these characters, their vulnerabilities, the CHEMISTRY and the story hit different for me.
Ellie is someone who has lost her way in life, after losing her father and being forced to take over running her family's small business. She left behind her life and dreams of being a costume designer/working in fashion in New York City and instead got stuck what she always dreamed of escaping: staying in her hometown to run her family's deli. When Ellie is informed that the Taylor family business empire is planning to buy out a lot of the local buildings to build a shopping mall and essentially run her deli out of business, she is forced to confront Theo Taylor to try and persuade him to stop the deal. Theo is a very vulnerable man, someone who also is still struggling with the tragic loss of his younger brother and working with his father, who he doesn't see eye to eye with. Theo hasn't chosen his career or his path either, but refuses to allow his father to run the business in a destructive way. Ellie and Theo make a deal after an accident lands Theo in the hospital: they will pretend to be engaged in the hopes that they can persuade the Taylor family business from pursuing the shopping mall deal.
I think one of the main reasons I loved this romance was because the chemistry was OFF THE CHARTS. I love it when there is the good old enemies to lovers trope, especially when both characters really do not like each other or trust at each other at the beginning, but slowlyyyy you see them tearing their walls down. Ellie and Theo really completed and complemented each other so well and I was living for the moments where you could see one person slowly falling for the other. Honestly, I could have read another 100 pages of this book! I loved the confrontation and how the way that the two felt about each other forced them to truly examine themselves and the mistakes they had been making in their own lives. There was so much growth in this book, with both characters individually and as a couple. I finished this book like a week ago and I find myself continuing to think about Ellie and Theo. I cannot recommend this romance enough and I hope everyone checks this book out when it is released on April 30th!!
Thank you NetGalley and Dell Romance for providing me with this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!!
Ellie is someone who has lost her way in life, after losing her father and being forced to take over running her family's small business. She left behind her life and dreams of being a costume designer/working in fashion in New York City and instead got stuck what she always dreamed of escaping: staying in her hometown to run her family's deli. When Ellie is informed that the Taylor family business empire is planning to buy out a lot of the local buildings to build a shopping mall and essentially run her deli out of business, she is forced to confront Theo Taylor to try and persuade him to stop the deal. Theo is a very vulnerable man, someone who also is still struggling with the tragic loss of his younger brother and working with his father, who he doesn't see eye to eye with. Theo hasn't chosen his career or his path either, but refuses to allow his father to run the business in a destructive way. Ellie and Theo make a deal after an accident lands Theo in the hospital: they will pretend to be engaged in the hopes that they can persuade the Taylor family business from pursuing the shopping mall deal.
I think one of the main reasons I loved this romance was because the chemistry was OFF THE CHARTS. I love it when there is the good old enemies to lovers trope, especially when both characters really do not like each other or trust at each other at the beginning, but slowlyyyy you see them tearing their walls down. Ellie and Theo really completed and complemented each other so well and I was living for the moments where you could see one person slowly falling for the other. Honestly, I could have read another 100 pages of this book! I loved the confrontation and how the way that the two felt about each other forced them to truly examine themselves and the mistakes they had been making in their own lives. There was so much growth in this book, with both characters individually and as a couple. I finished this book like a week ago and I find myself continuing to think about Ellie and Theo. I cannot recommend this romance enough and I hope everyone checks this book out when it is released on April 30th!!
Thank you NetGalley and Dell Romance for providing me with this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!!
June 30, 2024
Love You, Mean It is an adorable rom-com story with a wonderful plot, relatable characters and an inspiring ending which is, no spoilers... happy and satisfying!
Ellie Greco works at her family's place of business, Greco's Deli. This was never her plan. She had been going to college to become a clothing designer but felt obligated to abandon her dream when her dad died, and she had to come home to take over for him. So, she put her own ambitions aside to help her family navigate this sad situation.
But suddenly she discovers her family business could be in danger. A huge chain gourmet store called Mangia is trying to move into a building very close to the Greco Deli. If this does happen, they will never be able to compete with them. As they try to consider their next move, her sister mentions Theo Taylor, a boy her sister had dated back in college whose father owns the building. She suggests perhaps Ellie plead her case with him.
Enter Theo who Ellie takes a dislike to immediately. Theo comes from a very wealthy family whose father is not very liked. But he's the property owner of the building and she will do anything to salvage their life's work.
At Ellie and Theo's first meeting which does not go very well, something occurs which leads Theo to end up in the hospital. Ellie feels terrible and decides she needs to stay with Theo in order to make sure he's okay. She tells all the hospital personnel that she is his fiancé. Theo wakes up and for a while does actually believe she is his finance.
But, after his recovery, he and Ellie decide to continue the charade in hopes that Theo's father, thinking they are getting married and will become part of the family will do the right thing and cancel the deal.
But, of course, that's not what happens, and Ellie and Theo find themselves in this awkward situation of having to pretend. Or...gulp...are they pretending? Humorous chaos ensues and they will certainly discover more about each other than they ever imagined.
Love You, Mean It is a lighthearted, uplifting read with wonderful messages about how life can change in an instant, but perhaps by believing in yourself you never have to let your dreams die.
Thank you #NetGalley #Dell #LoveYou,MeanIt #JillyGagnon for the advanced copy.
Ellie Greco works at her family's place of business, Greco's Deli. This was never her plan. She had been going to college to become a clothing designer but felt obligated to abandon her dream when her dad died, and she had to come home to take over for him. So, she put her own ambitions aside to help her family navigate this sad situation.
But suddenly she discovers her family business could be in danger. A huge chain gourmet store called Mangia is trying to move into a building very close to the Greco Deli. If this does happen, they will never be able to compete with them. As they try to consider their next move, her sister mentions Theo Taylor, a boy her sister had dated back in college whose father owns the building. She suggests perhaps Ellie plead her case with him.
Enter Theo who Ellie takes a dislike to immediately. Theo comes from a very wealthy family whose father is not very liked. But he's the property owner of the building and she will do anything to salvage their life's work.
At Ellie and Theo's first meeting which does not go very well, something occurs which leads Theo to end up in the hospital. Ellie feels terrible and decides she needs to stay with Theo in order to make sure he's okay. She tells all the hospital personnel that she is his fiancé. Theo wakes up and for a while does actually believe she is his finance.
But, after his recovery, he and Ellie decide to continue the charade in hopes that Theo's father, thinking they are getting married and will become part of the family will do the right thing and cancel the deal.
But, of course, that's not what happens, and Ellie and Theo find themselves in this awkward situation of having to pretend. Or...gulp...are they pretending? Humorous chaos ensues and they will certainly discover more about each other than they ever imagined.
Love You, Mean It is a lighthearted, uplifting read with wonderful messages about how life can change in an instant, but perhaps by believing in yourself you never have to let your dreams die.
Thank you #NetGalley #Dell #LoveYou,MeanIt #JillyGagnon for the advanced copy.
November 19, 2023
(2.75★)
The fake dating romance Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon centers on Theo Taylor and Eleanor Greco, two business owners.
This novel had a lot of needless lengthy paragraphs that focused more on the deli and company than on the main characters. There was just too much going on, and at some point I started to skim and wanted to dnf.
Also, I found that I preferred Sam—the other woman—to Eleanor, and I felt sorry for Sam instead of Eleanor. Plus, Eleanor's attempts to reconcile Sam and Theo since she knew Sam still loved him, while also still sleeping with Theo behind Sam’s, back felt so pathetic and dirty.
However, except from Sam, I absolutely disliked every character because the girl was just plain boring and the guy was overly conceited.
Though things did improve a little bit, and Eleanor and Theo's situation began to take on new interest.
Overall, because so much happened in this book, I'm still not sure if I liked it or not.
*Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and to the author, Jilly Gagnon, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
The fake dating romance Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon centers on Theo Taylor and Eleanor Greco, two business owners.
This novel had a lot of needless lengthy paragraphs that focused more on the deli and company than on the main characters. There was just too much going on, and at some point I started to skim and wanted to dnf.
Also, I found that I preferred Sam—the other woman—to Eleanor, and I felt sorry for Sam instead of Eleanor. Plus, Eleanor's attempts to reconcile Sam and Theo since she knew Sam still loved him, while also still sleeping with Theo behind Sam’s, back felt so pathetic and dirty.
However, except from Sam, I absolutely disliked every character because the girl was just plain boring and the guy was overly conceited.
Though things did improve a little bit, and Eleanor and Theo's situation began to take on new interest.
Overall, because so much happened in this book, I'm still not sure if I liked it or not.
*Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and to the author, Jilly Gagnon, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
April 15, 2024
I was initially drawn to this book because of its premise--in an effort to save her family's deli, Ellie meets with Theo Taylor, son of the owner of the property management firm that's about to put her out of business. But when Theo is hit in the head and experiences amnesia, Ellie panics and pretends to be Theo's fiancee. When Theo regains his memory and realizes the truth, he makes a pact with Ellie to keep up the ruse so they can save her deli, which he has his own reasons for wanting to protect.
A common critique I've seen with this book is that Ellie is an unlikable main character, and I have to say, I completely disagree. I really liked Ellie and found it easy to root for her. Sure, she makes some frustrating decisions, but I'd rather have a flawed character than a perfect one any day.
In fact, I enjoyed most of the characters in this book, and I thought the characterization was (mostly) done very well. The side characters--Bella and Sam, mostly--were great, and Gagnon did a great job of making Theo's father Ted extremely unlikable, as he was supposed to be. Theo's character was a different story, though. I found him harder to root for as he seemed to embody the rich boy stereotype of being pretty out of touch, judgmental toward people who had less than him, and just overall not being a very nice person.
I've read that the plot is reminiscent of the movie While You Were Sleeping, but I unfortunately haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment on that component. But I have plenty of other thoughts on the plot.
The first act of the book I felt could've been stronger. Everything felt very easy and convenient--Ellie pretending to be Theo's fiancee, everyone immediately believing it, Theo being on board right away to help her save her deli even after he realized she's been lying... and even though Ellie and Theo are in a fake relationship, they start developing real feelings very quickly that verged on insta-love.
The second act is where this book really shined. The chemistry between Theo and Ellie was strong, Sam (Theo's ex) became more involved and I really enjoyed her character, and the characters faced actual obstacles and the plot became much less convenient, which I appreciated.
The third act is where everything fell apart. I was prepared to give this book a fairly high rating until the third-act breakup hit. Don't get me wrong--Ellie and Theo both said some unfair things to each other, but Theo crossed several lines when he insulted her, her living situation, and blatantly judged her for having less money than him. Ellie retaliated and said his brother would be disappointed in him (which I feel is a fair critique after everything he said), and apparently that was too far. Ellie ended up being the one to grovel and apologize, and Theo was incredibly stubborn about accepting her apologies given how rude he was, and he never even apologized to her about the things he said! And Ellie never asked for one or even noticed that she didn't receive one. The whole ending fully turned me against Theo, and I honestly think Ellie could do better.
Overall, though I do love a fake dating trope, there are plenty of other fake dating books I would recommend before this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Publishing for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
A common critique I've seen with this book is that Ellie is an unlikable main character, and I have to say, I completely disagree. I really liked Ellie and found it easy to root for her. Sure, she makes some frustrating decisions, but I'd rather have a flawed character than a perfect one any day.
In fact, I enjoyed most of the characters in this book, and I thought the characterization was (mostly) done very well. The side characters--Bella and Sam, mostly--were great, and Gagnon did a great job of making Theo's father Ted extremely unlikable, as he was supposed to be. Theo's character was a different story, though. I found him harder to root for as he seemed to embody the rich boy stereotype of being pretty out of touch, judgmental toward people who had less than him, and just overall not being a very nice person.
I've read that the plot is reminiscent of the movie While You Were Sleeping, but I unfortunately haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment on that component. But I have plenty of other thoughts on the plot.
The first act of the book I felt could've been stronger. Everything felt very easy and convenient--Ellie pretending to be Theo's fiancee, everyone immediately believing it, Theo being on board right away to help her save her deli even after he realized she's been lying... and even though Ellie and Theo are in a fake relationship, they start developing real feelings very quickly that verged on insta-love.
The second act is where this book really shined. The chemistry between Theo and Ellie was strong, Sam (Theo's ex) became more involved and I really enjoyed her character, and the characters faced actual obstacles and the plot became much less convenient, which I appreciated.
The third act is where everything fell apart. I was prepared to give this book a fairly high rating until the third-act breakup hit. Don't get me wrong--Ellie and Theo both said some unfair things to each other, but Theo crossed several lines when he insulted her, her living situation, and blatantly judged her for having less money than him. Ellie retaliated and said his brother would be disappointed in him (which I feel is a fair critique after everything he said), and apparently that was too far. Ellie ended up being the one to grovel and apologize, and Theo was incredibly stubborn about accepting her apologies given how rude he was, and he never even apologized to her about the things he said! And Ellie never asked for one or even noticed that she didn't receive one. The whole ending fully turned me against Theo, and I honestly think Ellie could do better.
Overall, though I do love a fake dating trope, there are plenty of other fake dating books I would recommend before this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Publishing for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2023
Ellie and Theo decide fake dating will help them thwart the plans his father's commercial real estate has lease space to a gourmet food chain that would put Ellie's family deli out of business. (This comes after a short amnesia tangent.) As with all fake dating stories, feelings develop, miscommunication complicates things, and a vicious fight brings about the third act break up. Of course the happily ever after comes shortly after.
Was this predictable? Yes. Was it also a lot of fun to read? Absolutely! This story was especially delightful because Ellie's and Theo's families are ones any New Englander would recognize. I only wish we got the scene where Ellie goes to dinner at Theo's family home contrasted with one where Theo went to one of Ellie's family dinners.
The conflict between big-box stores and downtown businesses is one New Englanders know as well. While this was most a fun romp, the chain vs. family business was a good storyline that I enjoyed.
Was this predictable? Yes. Was it also a lot of fun to read? Absolutely! This story was especially delightful because Ellie's and Theo's families are ones any New Englander would recognize. I only wish we got the scene where Ellie goes to dinner at Theo's family home contrasted with one where Theo went to one of Ellie's family dinners.
The conflict between big-box stores and downtown businesses is one New Englanders know as well. While this was most a fun romp, the chain vs. family business was a good storyline that I enjoyed.
April 20, 2024
Romance books are not my go-to. There are a couple of authors that I will read in this genre, but they are few. There was a lot to love about Love You, Mean It. I enjoyed the small town charm. It had all the hallmark-esq, feel-good vibes without all the cheesy-ness. Well, there was some cheese as MC Ellie was a deli owner, but none that made me roll my eyes. The banter was on point, and I loved the side characters. It was refreshing to see women supporting women, especially with Sam's character. She could have been written in an unflattering way, but you end up rooting for her even when it's not necessarily what you want. My main issue with the book and the majority of romance books in general is that it was open door and graphic in nature. It's just a personal preference. I honestly wish these things were disclosed up front so that you could make a decision about whether you wanted to start a book or not. Had I known, I probably would have passed on this book. It didn't come into play until about halfway through, and by that time, I was invested in the fake dating between Ellie and Theo. The writing was well done aside from the foul language that was not needed and I would love to read more by Jilly Gagnon if things could be a little less explicit but I understand that I am not the intended audience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 932 reviews