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The Fake Family Deal
With his company stalling, he needed to do something drastic,
But a fake family, the whole scheme broadcast on national TV?
That prove be a step too far,
Especially when their fake family is gate-crashed by a very real pregnancy!
HER
Three weeks, for six million dollars…
I’d have to be insane to turn that down.
Even if it is being offered by an infamously cold, grouchy billionaire who would never do something so stupid as to feel a real emotion,
Even if I do have to pretend to be in love with him on TV,
Even as I start to think there might be more to Ellis than meets the eye…
It’s bad enough that I’m feeling some affection towards him. I’ll be damned if it turns into anything else.
At the end of the day, I’m doing this for my baby girl. Nothing else matters.
But just as I start to wonder if that kind, human Ellis was just an act after all,
I find out there’s another baby on the way!
HIM
My business has always been my baby, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure it succeeds,
…even if it means pretending to be in love with a woman who hates me, and a father to her baby to boot.
I don’t like that Marina’s seeing through me, to some unfamiliar, kinder version of myself.
I don’t like that I’m starting to miss her and her daughter when they go home for the night.
We both have to keep our eyes on the prize and not mess this up,
The ruse was only meant to last for three weeks,
Then I crossed a line, and we both knew we could never go back…
But a fake family, the whole scheme broadcast on national TV?
That prove be a step too far,
Especially when their fake family is gate-crashed by a very real pregnancy!
HER
Three weeks, for six million dollars…
I’d have to be insane to turn that down.
Even if it is being offered by an infamously cold, grouchy billionaire who would never do something so stupid as to feel a real emotion,
Even if I do have to pretend to be in love with him on TV,
Even as I start to think there might be more to Ellis than meets the eye…
It’s bad enough that I’m feeling some affection towards him. I’ll be damned if it turns into anything else.
At the end of the day, I’m doing this for my baby girl. Nothing else matters.
But just as I start to wonder if that kind, human Ellis was just an act after all,
I find out there’s another baby on the way!
HIM
My business has always been my baby, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure it succeeds,
…even if it means pretending to be in love with a woman who hates me, and a father to her baby to boot.
I don’t like that Marina’s seeing through me, to some unfamiliar, kinder version of myself.
I don’t like that I’m starting to miss her and her daughter when they go home for the night.
We both have to keep our eyes on the prize and not mess this up,
The ruse was only meant to last for three weeks,
Then I crossed a line, and we both knew we could never go back…
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2024
333 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 14, 2024
I loved this story. Ellis and Marina have such a fun relationship.
Read
August 23, 2024Was there steam? Yes. One scene... not super detailed. Honestly, should have been closed door.
This book was... not great. There were a lot of plot holes. I can suspend belief some in a contemporary romance. Afterall, it was still fiction, but so much of it was just incorrect. The whole ruse and why Mariana was chosen made ZERO sense. Why he was famous when he was just the creator of a vapid app also made zero sense. He was treated like a celebrity, but he just made an app. That's it. I get that we know, in theory, who Mark Zuckerberg is, but he's not constantly in headlines. No one is flocking to him when he goes out in public. Maybe I just don't read the right headlines, but the author made it seem like Ellis was Chris Evans or some equally famous actor.
The characters were one dimensional. They had no backstory. No growth. Ellis hinted at his lack of a father growing up, but it never got into it. Mariana barely mentioned her baby daddy. You knew nothing about either of their families. Ellis grew up rich, and somehow, without a father figure, but he never spoke to Mariana about. He was vapid and shallow when it came to looks, but for some reason, wanted to be a great boss? But only if his employee looked good, of course. He also made it very clear that the only reason he was interested in Mariana was because he found her attractive, and that really didn't change. He never grew out of that very disgusting mindset. There was a lot of pages and words, but not a lot of depth. I still don't remember what was talked about half of the time. No scene stands out. Their relationship didn't grow on the page. They just hated each other one chapter then loved each other the next. No in between.
I also have a HUGE problem with how this book was marketed. It was SUPPOSED to be a steamy romance with unplanned pregnancy. Like I said in the very beginning, there was only one sexy scene that was barley even worth mentioning. It may as well have been closed doors. It's like, half a chili pepper on my scale.
Now for the 'unplanned pregnancy' trope. Given my own personal trauma, I had a real issue with this trope for a long time. I've been trying lately to face it, though, which is why I've been picking up books that has this particular trope marked. Just like it was barely considered steamy, this book should have barley been considered an 'unplanned pregnancy'. The pregnancy wasn't a focal point. It didn't drive the plot. It was kind of thrown in there during the last 15% of the book with no rhyme or reason. It even explicitly said that the characters used protection on more than one occasion, but SOMEHOW.
I'm not going to assign a star rating, but I think you know how many stars I would have given it at this point.
I'm going to stop ranting now and hopefully find a book that's actually enjoyable.
This book was... not great. There were a lot of plot holes. I can suspend belief some in a contemporary romance. Afterall, it was still fiction, but so much of it was just incorrect. The whole ruse and why Mariana was chosen made ZERO sense. Why he was famous when he was just the creator of a vapid app also made zero sense. He was treated like a celebrity, but he just made an app. That's it. I get that we know, in theory, who Mark Zuckerberg is, but he's not constantly in headlines. No one is flocking to him when he goes out in public. Maybe I just don't read the right headlines, but the author made it seem like Ellis was Chris Evans or some equally famous actor.
The characters were one dimensional. They had no backstory. No growth. Ellis hinted at his lack of a father growing up, but it never got into it. Mariana barely mentioned her baby daddy. You knew nothing about either of their families. Ellis grew up rich, and somehow, without a father figure, but he never spoke to Mariana about. He was vapid and shallow when it came to looks, but for some reason, wanted to be a great boss? But only if his employee looked good, of course. He also made it very clear that the only reason he was interested in Mariana was because he found her attractive, and that really didn't change. He never grew out of that very disgusting mindset. There was a lot of pages and words, but not a lot of depth. I still don't remember what was talked about half of the time. No scene stands out. Their relationship didn't grow on the page. They just hated each other one chapter then loved each other the next. No in between.
I also have a HUGE problem with how this book was marketed. It was SUPPOSED to be a steamy romance with unplanned pregnancy. Like I said in the very beginning, there was only one sexy scene that was barley even worth mentioning. It may as well have been closed doors. It's like, half a chili pepper on my scale.
Now for the 'unplanned pregnancy' trope. Given my own personal trauma, I had a real issue with this trope for a long time. I've been trying lately to face it, though, which is why I've been picking up books that has this particular trope marked. Just like it was barely considered steamy, this book should have barley been considered an 'unplanned pregnancy'. The pregnancy wasn't a focal point. It didn't drive the plot. It was kind of thrown in there during the last 15% of the book with no rhyme or reason. It even explicitly said that the characters used protection on more than one occasion, but SOMEHOW.
I'm not going to assign a star rating, but I think you know how many stars I would have given it at this point.
I'm going to stop ranting now and hopefully find a book that's actually enjoyable.
July 15, 2024
Her Lessons to Enrich His Life -
Marina knew her interview hadn’t gone well when she noticed the CEO was no longer interested in what she was saying, so she was shocked when she received a call directly from him offering her a different job. When Ellis was asked to partake in an event that would benefit his company, the only person that came to his mind to help him achieve his goal was Marina, so he did everything possible to convince her.
The beginning of their relationship was filled with harried and awkward moments, but spending time together allowed them to get to know each other better and for their attraction to each other to grow. The tension between Marina and Ellis led to them embarking an ongoing sexual relationship, but everything changed once the time limit for the agreement was over. Unfortunately, neither Marina nor Ellis was able to function well once they were back in their regular lives, which makes them really unhappy.
However, Ellis soon realises he wants to be with Marina, so he strives to convince her and finds out that she had been keeping a life changing secret from him, which he is extremely happy about, so he convinces her to give them a chance at a happy life together. Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary journey filled with passion, desire, and heart-melting moments between a grump who has given up on relationships and a single mother who has so much love to give. Grab a copy of this book now and indulge yourself for a few hours.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Marina knew her interview hadn’t gone well when she noticed the CEO was no longer interested in what she was saying, so she was shocked when she received a call directly from him offering her a different job. When Ellis was asked to partake in an event that would benefit his company, the only person that came to his mind to help him achieve his goal was Marina, so he did everything possible to convince her.
The beginning of their relationship was filled with harried and awkward moments, but spending time together allowed them to get to know each other better and for their attraction to each other to grow. The tension between Marina and Ellis led to them embarking an ongoing sexual relationship, but everything changed once the time limit for the agreement was over. Unfortunately, neither Marina nor Ellis was able to function well once they were back in their regular lives, which makes them really unhappy.
However, Ellis soon realises he wants to be with Marina, so he strives to convince her and finds out that she had been keeping a life changing secret from him, which he is extremely happy about, so he convinces her to give them a chance at a happy life together. Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary journey filled with passion, desire, and heart-melting moments between a grump who has given up on relationships and a single mother who has so much love to give. Grab a copy of this book now and indulge yourself for a few hours.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 5, 2024
Great story
Another great story by this talented author.
I love Ellis & Marina’s story. I loved the characters and the storyline, I immersed myself in the story, felt all the emotions, laughed and cried and heaved a sigh of relief at the happy ending.
I love that Layla doesn’t feel the need to fill her books with unnecessary angst. You still get all the emotions but she doesn’t drag it out, I really appreciate that and eagerly await my next read by this talented author ❤️
Another great story by this talented author.
I love Ellis & Marina’s story. I loved the characters and the storyline, I immersed myself in the story, felt all the emotions, laughed and cried and heaved a sigh of relief at the happy ending.
I love that Layla doesn’t feel the need to fill her books with unnecessary angst. You still get all the emotions but she doesn’t drag it out, I really appreciate that and eagerly await my next read by this talented author ❤️
September 15, 2024
I liked the billionaire turned family man but I don't understand how no one caught onto them faking their relationship over the 3 weeks of filming. They had conversations while people filmed them that a married couple wouldn't really have. (Among a few other things that made me question how would that work) If you can look past the logistics of that it's not bad, typical "grumpy" guy who falls unexpectedly but the filming lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
Cute Cute Cute
A delightful little story with all the fun and entertaining characters. Marina and her baby daughter have a contract with billionaire Ellis to be his fake wife in his TV show for three weeks. She does not like him until he starts interacting with her daughter. As he lets himself get into the roll of husband/daddy, she falls in love with him. A delicious little love tale you won't want to miss.
A delightful little story with all the fun and entertaining characters. Marina and her baby daughter have a contract with billionaire Ellis to be his fake wife in his TV show for three weeks. She does not like him until he starts interacting with her daughter. As he lets himself get into the roll of husband/daddy, she falls in love with him. A delicious little love tale you won't want to miss.
July 12, 2024
Nooooo.
Dude was a total asshole.
The premise had so many holes you could launch a ship through it.
The romance was...not.
Heat index: a couple of quick sex scenes, little detail and one instance of explicit language.
Profanity meter: 1 instance of harsh profanity, otherwise intermittent mild swearing.
Dude was a total asshole.
The premise had so many holes you could launch a ship through it.
The romance was...not.
Heat index: a couple of quick sex scenes, little detail and one instance of explicit language.
Profanity meter: 1 instance of harsh profanity, otherwise intermittent mild swearing.
July 21, 2024
Argh!
The Fake Family Deal is not my favorite Layla Valentine book. To me, it had many disconnects ( like the capabilities of a nine month old baby; scenes that jumped from point A to C and no matter how many times I reread, it still felt like sentences or a paragraph was missing).
The Fake Family Deal is not my favorite Layla Valentine book. To me, it had many disconnects ( like the capabilities of a nine month old baby; scenes that jumped from point A to C and no matter how many times I reread, it still felt like sentences or a paragraph was missing).
July 26, 2024
This was Ellis and Marina’s story. Three weeks, for six million dollars… she’d have to be insane to turn that down. Even if it’s being offered by an infamously cold, grouchy billionaire who would never do something like feel a real emotion. She just has to pretend to be in love with him on TV. It was an interesting read. And am voluntarily leaving this review.
August 28, 2024
Heartfelt and cute
I loved Marina & Ellis. The way they came together was unique which made it even better than the typical relationship of convenience books. The way the author humanized the billionaire more to how us regular folk live was a nice touch too. This is a new author for me. I'll definitely be reading her work again. Thanks
I loved Marina & Ellis. The way they came together was unique which made it even better than the typical relationship of convenience books. The way the author humanized the billionaire more to how us regular folk live was a nice touch too. This is a new author for me. I'll definitely be reading her work again. Thanks
April 17, 2025
Sweet (too sweet?)
Having previously read Layla Valentine I thought I'd give her another try. Unfortunately it just reinforced my initial impression of her books. They are Mills & Boon through & through. Which is fine if that's what you like & Ms Valentine certainly writes well enough, it's just that this style of book is definitely not for me.
Having previously read Layla Valentine I thought I'd give her another try. Unfortunately it just reinforced my initial impression of her books. They are Mills & Boon through & through. Which is fine if that's what you like & Ms Valentine certainly writes well enough, it's just that this style of book is definitely not for me.
July 18, 2024
Arc review I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Ellis Whitlock is a work alcoholic and when he needs a fake wife and child ,he gets marina and her daughter lila. This is a beautiful story I liked how she gave him a heart.
August 2, 2024
Beautiful romance.
This novel kept me laughing and crying all along the story.
I'm ready for the second one in this trilogy.
I hope that reaches the same level of this first one.
Thank you Layla (whatever your real name is.
This novel kept me laughing and crying all along the story.
I'm ready for the second one in this trilogy.
I hope that reaches the same level of this first one.
Thank you Layla (whatever your real name is.
August 4, 2024
Great read....
This was such a sweet book. Great story. Wide range of emotions. Very relatable characters. I would definitely recommend!! And I look forward to more works by this author.
This was such a sweet book. Great story. Wide range of emotions. Very relatable characters. I would definitely recommend!! And I look forward to more works by this author.
August 6, 2024
From deal to real
The Fake Family Deal in the Deals and Desires Series is fun to watch the uptight billionaire come down to earth and enjoy life with his make believe family. Good characters. Good right to the end.
The Fake Family Deal in the Deals and Desires Series is fun to watch the uptight billionaire come down to earth and enjoy life with his make believe family. Good characters. Good right to the end.
August 28, 2024
Wrapped up too easily
Good premise. I liked how the author had her characters evolve into a relationship but after the black moment it wrapped up too easily and quickly.
Good premise. I liked how the author had her characters evolve into a relationship but after the black moment it wrapped up too easily and quickly.
September 11, 2024
Ellis & Marina
This didn't hit the mark for me unfortunately. I found Ellis an ass throughout, Marina bland & how did nobody call them out on their 'marriage' given how obvious it was.
This didn't hit the mark for me unfortunately. I found Ellis an ass throughout, Marina bland & how did nobody call them out on their 'marriage' given how obvious it was.
October 16, 2024
Good Read
This is a different read for me. A romance with out the harshness. Very good book to read. Marina deserved to be truly loved by Ellis.
This is a different read for me. A romance with out the harshness. Very good book to read. Marina deserved to be truly loved by Ellis.
March 5, 2025
Absolute pisser BAHAHA
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews