Fake It 'til You Make It

by Laura Carter

Can a fake date fix everything? On a day Abbey thought would be the best of her life – her boyfriend is surely going to propose tonight, right? – it all falls he tells her he’s met someone else. And then to make things worse, she loses her job.

In an act of reimagination, she splurges her wedding savings on renting an apartment in a building she’s always dreamed of living in and kits out her wardrobe to match.

But when her family invites her ex – a close family friend – plus a date(!!) to her parents’ vow renewal, Abbey realizes her façade won’t be enough. There’s nothing for it but to fake one more thing – a romance. And she knows exactly who to ask... her hot new neighbor...

A laugh-out-loud fake-dating rom com, with a chemistry you’ll be thinking about long after turning the last page. Perfect for fans of The Hating Game and Elena Armas

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Audiobook, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 8, 2024

About the author

Amazon top 10 and internationally bestselling author of romcoms and sports romance, translated into multiple languages. Exploring relationships and getting under the skin of her characters is Laura’s passion. She takes inspiration from everything she loves from sports to law, from music and books to on screen romances, and from her own friends and family (shhhhhh, don't tell them!). Laura lives in Jersey, Channel Islands and loves nothing more than being active outdoors.

Rep'd by Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary Agency.

Connect with Laura through Facebook (@lauracarterauthor), Instagram (@lauracarterauthor) and TikTok (@laura.carter.author).

Learn more about Laura and her books here: www.lauracarterauthor.com.

Reviews

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.20!

"But God, I’ll miss him. I miss him now and we still have days together. It’s like the countdown to a vacation you wish you could continue forever."

This was expected from the moment I read Sama's review, I knew I was going to love it and this book did not fail to make me love it. It was so cute! I was laughing giggling (I dont giggle) and was kinda blushing (I dont blush either) at their interactions. Not gonna lie, I dont always have the best experiences with YA romances they come across as too cheesy or straight up cringe or some YA just add the filthiest smut there is at the end of the book. The writing did not disappoint either! I was fully invested in it and if I was not busy preparing for me exams, I would have binge read it. S0, safe to say that I am going to read more if this author's works.

The plot was also very entertaining we follow our main characters Ted and Abby who have both suffered from their partners cheating on them with their best friends and the way Laura wrote it was so good because the way they met and the circumstances were>> I loved it! So they both meet and I dont want to spoil but certain scenarios lead them to start fake dating eventually leading to Ted having to go with Abbey to her parents anniversary but also keep in mind there is this very blah trope miscommunication but I did not mind it THAT much, it's because both of the MC's lie to ach other about their real identity but they are obviously falling for each other and dont know how to communicate.

Abbey, I love witty characters who come up with great comebacks because the way she made me laugh proves why this book is labelled as a rom-com it was so fun to read about her. I honestly would have depressed myself to sleep if I was her because the first two chapters for her are a NIGHTMARE. I loved how she thought of ted as arrogant and stubborn + full of himself when he was neither and was just pretending LMAO.

Ted, when I tell you he stole the show for me!! He was the perfect cutest cinnamon roll to ever exist and I related to him so much! software engineer?! shy?!? dorky?!?!? I think all the men who take CS can relate to him. I love how he dealt with his problems and his ex gf also liked how he told Abbey that he's a professional athlete 😭😭😭 (mood) and the way man acted like one so easily?? kheir, I love how that lead to the start of their fake dating.

The romance for me was perfect! there was nothing about it that I would change. I was promised a clean romance with slow burn, angst and sweet heartfelt moments and it delivered on them all! It was the way that the tension was radiating off of them uuffff *chefs kiss*

The only reason why I did not rate it higher was because of the third act and how rushed it was, now I did not mind the third act breakup but it was done too late. We did not get to process anything because it was just one minute the thing happening and then the other everything was solved and I was like okayy! lets see how it goes from here and then I turn the page to find two horrifying words THE END like?? but besides that I really enjoyed it.

I read this one because of Sama and also because I wanted a clean romance because of Ramadan. I would recommend that you read it if you liked better than the movies or any cute YA romance.

*Thank you to Boldwood books for an E-Arc of this book in exchange for a honest review*
_____
Clean romance? Slow burn!? Friends to Lovers?!? Sama approved!?!? Sign me up!?

[sama ୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

fake it ‘til you make it 🧸ྀི
➝ an adorable, lighthearted romcom book <33

🎀 “This is what it feels like, what it looks like, to be yearned for.” 🎀

this book is so darn cute UGHH. it feels like a massive hug.
i needed this. something cute, something pure 😭🫶🏼

🙈 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 🙈

abbey and ted have just had devastating breakups. abbey thought her bf, andrew was gonna propose.. boy was she in for a surprise. she goes to dinner all giggly and excited - only to be informed andrew has been sleeping with another girl. brittany.

🫢“Brittany, she’s not like you. She’s different. Exciting.”

this was his version of an “apology” ugh i hate this man with such a burning passion-

so she decides to blow her entire wedding savings on starting a new life in New York. she buys a fancy apartment, with a huge walk-in closet everything she’s ever dreamed of. YAYY 🥹

now ted. ted is geeky, he works in finance, bit of a nerd. I love him SO MUCH 😩 his gf, fleur, is a model. a shopaholic. stuck up. annoying. also hate her so much. she ends up sleeping with ted’s best friend roman and he happens to walk in on them ☹️poor baby i want to give him a hug. so he’s a mess rn and he goes to his brother, mike’s apartment in New York. that’s right. neighbouring with our dear abbey😌🤌🏼 and they fall in love tehehehe.

just one problem- she thinks he’s his super cocky arrogant older brother mike, a baseball player. and he thinks she’s an actress. they don’t like eachother at first but soon form a beautiful friendship💗💗

💋 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 💋


જ⁀➴ TED 🥹💗

I AM OBSESSED WITH HIM. he’s so precious 😣 he’s a little insecure bless his heart so he thought pretending to be his cooler, confident older brother would make him more interesting.

🥲Guys like my brother and Rome can be arrogant but always get the girl. They keep the girl. Guys like me don’t get a look in. 🥲

I am always surrounded by ppl like this - overconfident and self absorbed - and may I say it’s not the most flattering look. ig everyone has a type but id much rather a cute shy boy like ted than a no-commitment man that flirts with anything with a pulse

જ⁀➴ THE ROMANCE 😽

that romance was literally so good im still in shock. i was squealing and i was dyingggg for them to get together ugh they’re so perfect. the tension was there 😩 they had so many almost-kisses and then stopped it was killing me but i knew i loved it deep down 🫶🏼🫶🏼 this book is sort of a sentimental reminder to always be yourself no matter what bc there’s always someone who’ll love you just as you are 💝

🫨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 🫨


જ⁀➴ THE ENDING 👎🏼

i was looking forward to when they finally got together and you know when that is?!?! the last page 😭 no epilogue, no elaboration just a simple i love you and POOF !! It’s over.

on the same sort of lines it dragged on a little at the beginning and then the ending was super duper rushed. she didn’t find out that he was pretending to be his brother until 30-ish pages until the end. that’s just not okay but it did have me on the edge of my seat a lot which probably explains why i was so addicted to this 🥹🫶🏼

🌻 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 🌻

➸ But God, I’ll miss him. I miss him now and we still have days together. It’s like the countdown to a vacation you wish you could continue forever.

➸ This isn’t real, I remind myself. You can’t miss what you don’t have

➸ “We might be the most compatible fake boyfriend and girlfriend known to man”

🩰 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 🩰

i totally, with all my heart recommend this book. 💗 this is in no way a literary masterpiece but idc. I ATE IT UPPP.

the title on goodreads killed me:
“Fake It ‘til You Make It: A BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, fake-dating romantic comedy from Laura Carter”

WHY IS IT SO LONG ?!?! i did in fact laugh out loud though i will admit so at least we know it’s not false advertising 😌

anyways go read this it’s so damn cute. no smut, minimal cursing. just some lighthearted romance that will have you giggling and screaming 🙈🙈

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

[fadheela ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

💌04/14/24

It delivered!! sama is going to be really happy now🤭 RTC real soon🤞🏻💕

💌04/06/24
Here I am reading another ARC, another day!😍 it's releasing in 2 days My bestie westie sama convinced me to go read this with her review as there is 0 smut😃 SO I KNOW FOR A FACT IF SAMA LOVES IT, I WILL LOVE IT, HEHE🤭💘

[⁠*⁠♡Lilac⁠*⁠♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute 🥰

Laura carter has restored my faith in YA romance books because despite the heavy miscommunication in this book, I enjoyed it a lot and the whole opposites attract trope was very well done.

I loved the characters!! There's always a problem of one character being too annoying for me and the other too good but here both Abby and Ted were amazing and such a pleasure to read because the way they interacted and their scenes had me giggling.

The romance had me throwing my feet in the air and screaming into my pillow, it was clean but oh so damn good!!! I loved how heartfelt it was.

I absolutely hated that ending which refrains from me giving this a four. I honestly don't know whythe author couldn't be bothered enough to write 10 more pages 🙄

[Zeph rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

besides the third act everything was nearly perfect!!! I just wished it was longer.


(review slump dont mind the short reviews)

[⋆ ༻ Rue ༺⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it and I enjoyed it except for the end I hated that.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The biggest issue with this book is that it is set in America/Canada but it is so obviously written by someone English. None of the phrases or slang used in the dialogue would ever be used in conversation by an American. Also no American uses whatsapp. I’m all for people researching and exploring to write about places they aren’t actually from but could we even have a crumb of forethought????

Beyond the language issues this was aggrevating to read. There was absolutely no good reason for these two characters to be lying to each other at all from the very beginning.

The chemistry between these two characters was really nice. Unfortunately it was soured by the underlying lies the entire time.

ARC from NetGalley and Boldwood Books

[Shrez (Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been putting off writing this review because I was struggling to find a way to say my thoughts in a nice way. Now, I would like to preface this by saying that just because this book was not it for me, doesn't mean it's a reflection on the authors ability as a writer.

"Fake It 'til You Make It" drew me in initially with the promise of "chemistry you'll be thinking about long after turning the last page" and a fake dating plot. This was definitely not the case; I was WAITING for the last page because I felt absolutely no chemistry but rather boredom.

Normally I do like a romance where there isn't excessive spice, this really could have been done better.

Abbey's character is super judgemental while claiming to be a girl's girl and a feminist... the author needs to pick what personality she wants to give her characters. A girl's girl would NOT use heavily judgemental language to describe other women, for example, “smells expensive but looks cheap”.

Ted was also very misogynistic which is very off-putting.

Also, the fact that it is basically waffle until almost halfway through the book didn't help.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[juju (hiatus) ｡&#x169b9;°‧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

the spanish love deception carbon copy, sorry. (I hated tsld so I think you know how I feel about this)

[Dana Negro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aside from loathing all the characters in this book, finding zero chemistry between anyone, and rolling my eyes at 90% of the dialogue, the thing I really couldn't get past was the language choices. Don't use British slang when not even a single character is British ... and if I never hear a professional athlete referred to as a 'sportsman' again, it will be too soon. Gah, this booked killed me.

[because_she_reads (Mira Jade) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Surprisingly really enjoyed this book, a fun rom com with cute banter and tension.
The ending with the family confessions made me cry haha I’m always a softie for family love 🫶🏻

I wish we got more of the real Abbey and Ted together! I also wish we got more apologies from Andrew and his vile mother!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

”I’m just not the kind of woman who fakes it until she makes it.”

PLOT SUMMARY
Abigail (Abbey) Mitchell has the perfect life – until in the space of 24 hours, she doesn’t! Her boyfriend of 4 years whom she has known her whole life, Andrew, instead of proposing fesses up to cheating on her, and she loses her job as an auditor. Her checklist of making it all by the age of 32 is not looking very likely (a “gigantic hot mess” as she would say). Devastated, she splashes out her wedding fund on six months’ rent in the hotel in New York that she always dreamed of staying in.

She bumps into her upstairs neighbour, 32, blonde hair blue-eyed, Theodore (Ted) Thomas, a nerd who has his own tech company Vanguard RED Industries (which has developed some of the key software packages Abbey has used for business) – and is also hiding from the world due to his fiancé Fleur cheating on him with his business partner and ex-best friend Roman. Along the way, both of them get caught up in lies: Ted pretends he’s his sporty baseball player brother Mike due to a misunderstanding, and Abbey pretends she is an actress to cover up Ted encountering her embellished Tinder bio.

With Abbey’s parents’ vow renewal and the unfortunate fact that Andrew is going to be there, she comes up with the idea that she and Ted should pretend to date each other so that she doesn’t have to expose Andrew as being a cheat and deter people from bringing them back together. Of course, Ted and Abbey are conflicted about their feelings for each other, with their own secrets and external factors like their exes wanting to reconcile driving them further apart.

This is a present-tense, first-person narrative, dual POV told by Abbey and Ted.

[Contains some spoilers]

POSITIVES
This was a very sweet story and at times very amusing (I was definitely smiling throughout). The author’s note at the end (and epigraph) dedicates this to “every person who thought they had to be someone else to be loved… stop doing it because you are enough and the good people around you already know that”

What a very touching thing to say, and I like that the whole premise of the book is this. Most people go through this feeling at some point: that they are not good enough as themselves. It explains a lot of why this was written the way it was as both Ted and Abbey feel they have to reinvent themselves to be ideal for the other person: Ted thinks a baseball player is cooler than a programmer to be with an actress whereas Abbey believes being an actress is better than an auditor knowing Ted’s ex is a model and believes him to be a sporty guy. However, when they are their true selves, aka nerds, they are more alike than they think!

Indeed, I especially appreciated the tech nerd aspect of this book, being one myself. Therefore, Laura’s reference to programming here and there, merging it poetically with the narrative was nice:

"The way her attention is fixed on me, it’s like she’s trying to read my source code. I hope she can find my next instruction in there and tell me what it is because I’m clueless."

I like Abbey’s "what I want to say is" vs "what I actually say is" moments which, as she grows more confident, align and she says exactly what she wants to say (such as chapter 16 and chapter 48). Unfortunately, this is few and far between. I would have liked more of confident Abbey. She is my favourite character.

I adore the parallels. Of both of them saying to the other at some point: ‘The world is full of shitty humans and you are not one of them’

There were some hilarious moments and descriptions, such as what Abbey says about her younger sister Dee: "I love her for what she is, and in spite of what she isn’t" or when she says to Ted ‘Goodnight, my knight in chauvinist armor’!

And then there were very heartwarming moments which I must say did change my opinion on some characters, like Abbey’s mother Anna. The chapters near the end where both Ted and Anna respectively have a private heart-to-heart chat with Anna shows how completely wrong Anna was to withhold that Andrew did not treat her well and how Anna also admits she was wrong to keep pushing things about being with Andrew and wished she had been a better mother.

NEGATIVES
For me, I am all about similarities as not always opposites attract. However, there were a bit too many parallels: siblings, both family-oriented, life being perfect then not, significant other cheating on them then wanting to get back together. Indeed, I think the latter annoyed me because both Fleur and Andrew want to reconcile with Ted and Abbey respectively, and behave like narcissists so again there was a lot of repetition. Surprised they don’t ever meet each other in this book as they would be perfect for each other! Even Abbey’s mum is like that, keeping on pushing the idea that Andrew is perfect for her without knowing the details.

I also felt the pacing was off: I am a fan of the fake dating trope but it felt like there wasn’t actually enough of it. There was the slowest of slow burns and a low amount of spice but I did not mind it. The start dragged out too long, as did the pretence, and then everything wrapped up so quickly at the end. What happened after the airport? What about the legal case between Ted and Roman? I honestly wanted to see Ted (or Ted and Abbey together) tackle the issue of Roman and Fleur. Therefore, I think an epilogue should have been considered. Ted could have had another GQ Interview about his solo success or something. Anything to clear things up.

I would have liked to have seen Dee clear things up with her unborn child’s father Brett. Perhaps this is part of a future series of books but being able to read a book as a standalone is ideal.

*⁀➷ Favourite quotes
•‘I’ve got you,’
•"I can’t help wondering what would have happened if we had met under different circumstances. If we had met first. Before Andrew. Before Fleur. Before I became Mike. Because I think possibly, maybe, we’d have been a good fit."
•‘if you want, I’ll happily marry you by the time you’re thirty and make babies with you by the time you’re thirty-two. Not because those things are on your checklist but because I want those things too, and I only want them with you.’


I am honoured to have been selected as an ARC reader for this book, and I’d like to thank Laura Carter and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some bits on descriptions were a little cringe, but only happened a few times. Overall the story was very enjoyable. I truly enjoyed Ted, he was so lovable. Abbey was so relatable and just dealing with so much while trying to find herself. It was interesting to see how both MCs decided to be deceitful in pursuit of changing their current situations and how all of that unfolded. When it all came to light, I was shocked. I truly loved how it played out and how the ended was wrapped up nicely! I got all teary eyed because it was so cute and sweet!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Boldwood Books to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[Tasha Metzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a slow start for me on this one. I also knew where it was headed — I only wish they just spoke their truths earlier!

“For what it's worth, you do know me, Abbey. It wasn't all a lie. In name and job title maybe but the bits in between, they were me. I just got swept up in the lie. Swept up in us. In you. And think... I think in another time and place, we could be pretty perfect for each other.”

It was a cute little romantic story of faking it until you’re literally making it into a true relationship.

[Misiamm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book.

‘Fake It ‘til You Make It’ was a fast and easy read. Unfortunately, not very entertaining.
The premise of the book is that two people, Abbey and Ted, who went through recent breakups due to cheating partners form a fake relationship to keep face in front of Abbey’s family and friends on her parents’ vows renewal. To add another fake layer to their deception, they both lie to one another about who they really are - Abbey pretends to be an actress and Ted pretends he’s his brother Mike, an MLB athlete. This causes all kinds of problems, confusion and misunderstandings and brings drama to their story. It also caused a big annoyance to me, as it’s hard to root for two lying people who are not honest with almost nobody in their lives and instead of dealing with their issues to solve them, they run away from them. In addition to that, the characters are very one dimensional, they have jobs and interests they don’t seem to know much about (as in they are described in such a generic way, it sounds like the author has no clue what they actually mean, but used buzz words and popular themes), their personalities seem to be limited to managing lies and feeling sorry for themselves due to their breakups.
The storyline pace feels wrong as well, there is a very long introduction to the characters, plot and lies, then short culmination of the events when the party takes place and lies are revealed, even shorter fall out due to lies reveal and the shortest ending where the characters come back together after deciding the lies are part of life and they love one another. We get too much time on honing the lies and false narratives of their lives and not enough time to learn how about them when they deal with their feelings, the reveal of the truth, the fights and drama.
The whole story and characters seem lazy and lacking depth.
1,5/5 rounded up.

[Emily Gray · Rating 1 out of 5]

absolute waste of time. 89% of the book was them lying to each other about who they were....

[Cait Ireen | caitireenreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️
1/5🌶️

This book was alright. There were moments I liked, but certain eccentricities of the writing that were consistently taking me out of the story. I also don’t really like when the characters are willingly, knowingly and purposefully lying to each other throughout the entire book. I understand this is the premise of the story (it’s in the name!), but it mostly felt yucky.

[hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate when I can't provide a glowing review of an arc, but this one didn't work for me.
However, you may enjoy this more than I did if you like:

- low-spice romance
- spending a weekend flying through a lighthearted read
- an ULTRA slow burn
- a quirky, people-pleasing FMC who says things like "sugar and pies and berries!" in frustration

Now, onto my personal thoughts. (Pls remember that the things that bothered me won't bother everyone and are in no way a personal attack on the author).

I would have loved to see Ted and Abbey come into their own more. We didn't get to see Ted finally take control and end it with Fleur. He didn't confront Roman for being a horrible friend and person. Abbey didn't gain the confidence she deserved. She didn't even make Andrew suffer basically at all. I felt like they weren't super fleshed-out characters to begin with, and seeing so little development by the end of almost 350 pages was a bit disappointing.

Another issue that continued to take me out of the immersion was the author trying hard to make the book feel distinctly "modern" when it doesn't seem like it is where she is most comfortable writing. In one moment Abbey is a strong modern feminist telling Ted not to call her "babe" or any other "massively misogynistic term" ever again (which I found odd on its own but to each their own ig), only for her to turn around and think another girl "smells expensive but looks cheap" in her "hooker sandals." Don't worry, she feels bad about thinking it, until the girl (MAYBE!?) teases her about being dressed in her pajamas at a party. Tim is a great feminist man who consciously doesn't offer to help Abbey into a kayak in case he comes across as anti-feminist instead of just "manly," (also odd) but watch out if you have on "unnatural" lipstick or wear fake eyelashes. Further odd moments include the reference of eHarmony as a superior online dating platform, capri pants, "shorts and a blazer combo," and the misuse of the word "gaslighty."

I also found the pacing challenging to work through, where too much time was dedicated to the build-up, and the true conflict and ultimate resolution felt quite rushed. I feel like I deserved a treat after hearing their repetitive inner monologues for so long, and I love the pining after the fake dating breakup. I feel like they brushed past a lot of things and Ted could have groveled a bit more.

[Lauren Self (lauren.shelby.reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. While fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, this was not done very well.
The entire book is based in America, yet it felt like I was reading a British based book. It wasn’t just fake dating, but complete fake personalities where the two people lied to each other the entire book. I did not feel they had any chemistry and did not have any interest in how the story went. I ended up DNFing around 60% because it was an absolute chore to read. Give two stars because I know it takes a lot of time and effort to write a book.

Many thanks to the publisher and the offer and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

[nia · Rating 1 out of 5]

took the title too seriously and that genuinely ruined the entire thing. this had the potential to be SO much more than it actually is, the execution was bland as hell

[Jemimah Rankcom-Toll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5

Fake It til’ You Make It follows Ted and Abbey, both heartbroken and recently single, causing them to both be living in the same New York apartment. Ted needing an excuse to get away from his cheating ex and business partner while Abbey needs a date to her parents vow renewal. The two hatch a mutually beneficial plan to Fake Date each other, and hopefully get back at their exes in the process.

I think the biggest strength of this book is how compatible and believable the chemistry between Abbey and Ted was. The author did such a good job of making me believe that they were falling in love and root for them as a couple. Ted and Abbey and two adorable dorks who are perfect for each other. I adored reading each of their POVs hearing them crushing on each other and reading the tension build.

I have a couple of problems with the book. Firstly, the first half felt slow and took me a little bit to get into. The second half flew by and had a great climax and ending, but I did almost DNF in the first 40%. Secondly, I think I just have a problem with reading romances that have a deception or lying plot line. I find it frustrating watching characters pass up these opportunities to come clean to each other. I also feel like it’s difficult to make the reader believe a couple could move past a reestablish trust. Also, loads of unanswered questions at the end like Ted’s company and business partner, Abbey’s job and her living arrangement. I would really enjoy an epilogue added on that tied up some of those loose ends.

Overall, I agree with the blurbs statement of “For fans of The Spanish Love Deception and the Hating Game”. If you love Fake Dating and looking for a sweet, low spice romcom, definitely pick this up.

[Yara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly what was there that was not to like?

The characters were fully fleshed out, we saw their struggles and I did connect to them a lot both of them were very fun to read about, the romance was very cute possibly my favourite part of the book would be the romance because it was not spicy but very cute and tender, I liked that. The plotline was very cliche' but its a romance book at the end of the day so I did not mind that part about it. The only thing that I had a problem with would be its ending, it could have been longer, and we could have gotten a better more proper ending but other than that it was a solid read.

[Yna from Books and Boybands · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and author Laura Carter for sending me an eARC for this book!

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake It 'til You Make It is the first book I have read by Laura Carter and I really enjoyed it. Abbey Mitchell is ready for Andrew, her boyfriend of four years, to propose at their quiet, romantic dinner. Instead of a proposal, he tells her that he has been cheating on her and that he wants to break up. She is devastated, and when she quits her job as an auditor before being fired for massive mistakes the next day, she is floundering. Her sister and best friend, convince her to fake it 'til she makes it, so she empties her wedding fund account, rents an apartment for 6 months in an extremely expensive building she has always wanted to live in, and buys a new, classy wardrobe to present the new Abbey to the world. She meets a neighbour in a meet cute in the lobby, and she has no desire to spend more time with him. When she can't sleep due to the banging from upstairs, she storms up to complain and finds out it is the same man she met the day she moved in. Ted aka Mike, is hiding out from the disasters in his life. His self-esteem is at rock bottom and he feels the only way anyone would be interested in him would be if he pretended to be someone else, thus he becomes his brother, Mike, the baseball star. As Abbey and Ted spend more time together, they begin to really like each other, but will it work when they both realize they are faking it and trying to be someone else?

I really enjoyed this story, despite not being a big fan of lying and miscommunication. That is a testament to how well this story is presented. Both Abbey and Ted are sweet characters, who have been wronged and are feeling vulnerable. Their self-esteem is low and they both believe they have to change if they want to have a successful life. I wanted them to realize that what happened to them was on their partners, not them, and eventually they will. I enjoyed their meet cute and several encounters. Their banter was great and I laughed often. The secondary characters played vital roles in this book from being the supportive family and friends, to the cheating partners who I disliked, just as the author intended. The descriptions in Alberta of the mountains, streams and hiking areas were wonderful and left me yearning to visit there again. Abbey's family are dealing with several issues, specifically the sisters feeling they have let their parents down, and the scene at their parent's vow renewal was a hoot, although devastating for Abbey. The relationship development was bumpy, and although it was fake, it seemed real to me, especially as they finally accepted that their feelings weren't fake. This is a fun rom-com, with some serious issues: pleasing your parents, betrayal, trusting your instincts, self-esteem, following your dreams and personal growth. I do recommend this one.

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just finished this deliciously cute book! It came at a time when I wanted to read something very cute! Although, I did chuckle a lot at the male narrator's voice when he was doing the female voices... they kept me entertained.

It was a very cute story of misdirection and mistaken identity. Abbey was just adorable, albeit naive FMC and she was someone I wanted to wrap up and cuddle. Although she was pretty badass when she needed to be! Ted / Mike, I just loved him. It was nice to see a man struggle with who he wanted to be and what he should be like! All the while, trying to navigate through heartache and betrayal.

Laura's writing sucks you in and takes you on such a fun adventure. It's my first with this author, but I know I will be back for more. The book she has written here, feels so realistic, like something that could happen. It had so many feels to it. I love that romance was a slow burn, but the attraction was instant. It wasn't an insta-love but it was a nice build-up. Life threw everything at Abbey but she still faked it and got through despite it all. To be honest, as much as a sports guy is hot, who doesn't love a numbers man?

I would love a spin to see how Dee or Shernette are getting up to as well as Abbey. These characters are loveable and I have enjoyed every minute of my time with them!

[Kassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and would give it a solid 3.5 stars. Overall, I would recommend this book for someone looking for a light and relaxing weekend read.

The book focuses on Ted and Abbey, roommates who have just gone through breakups. They decide to fake date, as Abbey requires a date to take with her to her parent's vow renewal , and Ted wants to leave his ex, who cheated on him. The chemistry between Abbey and Ted was very strong and real. The book truly engaged me as a reader and I loved seeing the couple together.

However, I also felt that the book lagged in the beginning, and ended abruptly. If the buildup had been condensed a little more, and there was some resolution for the couple's future, I would have enjoyed reading about them some more.

Overall, I thought that this book was a good read, and I would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[amreadsall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was a easy breezy read, I managed to finish it in a couple of hours , the writing was simple to read through. Fake dating / Romance trope was well done, the individual characters were well developed and given enough back story for the reader's to believe why they took certain choices in their actions.
But do not get into this expecting depth or load of meaningful , soul reflecting love story, it in fact feels very instant with the way the characters realized their, love, their personal issues and solutions for them which they never pondered much on before . It's more like fluff that you want to read and forget later.

While the story was very predictable, I found it to be a good choice to spend a late afternoon to be entertained with a quick read.

It's a 3.25 / 5 🌟 read.

Thank you Netgalley, author Laura Carter & Boldwood Books for sharing the ARC in exchange for honest review.

[Roisin Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

switched it up and tried somethin new.. it was meh, felt like a lot of it could have been condensed and played more into the ‘fake relationship.’ do i want a boyfriend now though? yes, yes i do 🙃

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute read. enjoyed it!

[lina ✰ · Rating 1 out of 5]

i cannot remember the last time i was so frustrated by a book. i genuinely could not stand listening to another word of this audiobook, to the point where i pulled out the ebook just so i could skim the last few chapters. the only reason i finished this really quickly is because i knew i would never pick it up again if i didn't, and i wanted the privilege of writing a well-informed mean review.

the deceptions in this book just do not make sense. they are childish, unrealistic and something no real person would ever do--and what's worse, they are completely needless. if this plot had just consisted of some cute fake-dating with some character growth, i would have been happy. instead, i kept getting disappointed to see these stupid little deceptions get dragged on. the way it was revealed also just made no sense. if abby can google him and not catch it, why can her dad tell based on one magazine spread. even the way she forgave him felt fake. not to MENTION, the resolution of her interfamilial conflicts was entirely unrealistic and felt like it was just done because the book was coming to an end and so things needed to start being resolved somewhere.

it's a real shame because i enjoyed 'the law of attraction' by laura carter, and i do want to continue reading her other books. but i have no clue what the hell this was.