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Get paid to fake a relationship with the man I call the Prince of Darkness? I’m not that desperate. Oh wait. Yes, I am.
Working for Nathan West was supposed to change my life. His frosty reception should have been a clue to lower my expectations.
The tabloids are right. The wealthy philanthropist is entering his villain era. Despite me tap dancing around his royal grumpiness to make a good impression, he’s dead set on hating me. And the feeling is mutual.
He glares when I grin. Sneers when I smile. Scoffs when I stare.
(Considering tall men with dark hair and great butts are kind of my thing, I stare a lot.)
Nathan doubles down on his Prince of Darkness status when he asks me to pretend to date him. All systems are set to get the heck outta there until he offers to pay me…and I desperately need the money for my mother’s medical bills.
Now he listens when I talk. Cares when I’m hurting. Kisses me like we’re falling in love.
Everything we’re doing is a ruse to trick people into believing we’re perfect for each other.
Too bad I’m starting to believe the lie.
Working for Nathan West was supposed to change my life. His frosty reception should have been a clue to lower my expectations.
The tabloids are right. The wealthy philanthropist is entering his villain era. Despite me tap dancing around his royal grumpiness to make a good impression, he’s dead set on hating me. And the feeling is mutual.
He glares when I grin. Sneers when I smile. Scoffs when I stare.
(Considering tall men with dark hair and great butts are kind of my thing, I stare a lot.)
Nathan doubles down on his Prince of Darkness status when he asks me to pretend to date him. All systems are set to get the heck outta there until he offers to pay me…and I desperately need the money for my mother’s medical bills.
Now he listens when I talk. Cares when I’m hurting. Kisses me like we’re falling in love.
Everything we’re doing is a ruse to trick people into believing we’re perfect for each other.
Too bad I’m starting to believe the lie.
512 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2024
616 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Abby Brooks
54 books903 followersAbby Brooks writes heartfelt contemporary romance with small-town charm, found family, and happily-ever-afters that feel earned. Her stories feature relatable characters, emotional depth, and just the right balance of humor and heat—perfect for readers who love cozy communities, strong connections, and hope-filled love stories.
A lifelong storyteller raised in the Midwest, Abby draws inspiration from close-knit towns and the beauty of everyday moments. She lives in Ohio with her husband and their three cats and believes the best love stories are the ones that feel like coming home.
A lifelong storyteller raised in the Midwest, Abby draws inspiration from close-knit towns and the beauty of everyday moments. She lives in Ohio with her husband and their three cats and believes the best love stories are the ones that feel like coming home.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 8, 2024
2,5 🤔🤔⭐️s
Neither the storyline nor the characters thrilled me.
There were many conflicts and secondary characters and the romance wasn’t engaging.
Neither the storyline nor the characters thrilled me.
There were many conflicts and secondary characters and the romance wasn’t engaging.
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July 31, 2024DNF: Not a fan of the hero - at all. Apparently, he's supposed to be a good guy who has been acting like a jerk recently, but his actions in the first 75 pages were less than appealing.
July 24, 2024
If you love interconnected stories with heart and soul, then give this author a chance! Fake is her latest release and is part of a second-generation series featuring the Huttons and their children and spouses, a family you are sure to love. I love how this writer makes me feel part of their world and I get totally lost in the storyline.
In Fake, Nathan West is the son of famous singers and is build a custom new home. Even though he comes from wealth, he is so humble and generous with so much heart. In the past few books, he was in an unhealthy relationship with a woman who took advantage of him, and as a reader, I couldn’t wait for him to ditch her, realize his worth, and meet someone as passionate as he is.
I love how he meets our heroine, Mina Blake, by chance, as she shows up to the work site as his interior designer. They are off to a rocky start from the get-go, but trust in the process and you will get to know all the reasons behind their behaviors. It’s all not what it seems as they enter into a “fake” relationship.
I love how talented she is and her vision for his home, but am not a fan of her BFF, Fallon, who pens a slanderous social media column dishing the tea that is far from truthful. Mia learns a hard lesson in whom to trust, and admire how contrite she is and how he is able to forgive. There is tremendous character growth of both Nathan and Mia, and I loved being along for the ride watching their love story unfold.
Through the pages they open up and lean on each other, and as feelings develop, their fake relationship becomes very real. Love the support of her mom, whom Mia helps to take care of, and his family who can’t help but get into their business! They are protective of Nathan for good reason, and Mia more than proves her feelings are genuine.
This author does a wonderful job describing every unique character and gives them life. I really liked Benjamin, the architect for the project, and hope he gets a love interest in a future book, as well as Nathan’s cousin, Nick, who was recently injured in the military. Keep them coming Abby!
In Fake, Nathan West is the son of famous singers and is build a custom new home. Even though he comes from wealth, he is so humble and generous with so much heart. In the past few books, he was in an unhealthy relationship with a woman who took advantage of him, and as a reader, I couldn’t wait for him to ditch her, realize his worth, and meet someone as passionate as he is.
I love how he meets our heroine, Mina Blake, by chance, as she shows up to the work site as his interior designer. They are off to a rocky start from the get-go, but trust in the process and you will get to know all the reasons behind their behaviors. It’s all not what it seems as they enter into a “fake” relationship.
I love how talented she is and her vision for his home, but am not a fan of her BFF, Fallon, who pens a slanderous social media column dishing the tea that is far from truthful. Mia learns a hard lesson in whom to trust, and admire how contrite she is and how he is able to forgive. There is tremendous character growth of both Nathan and Mia, and I loved being along for the ride watching their love story unfold.
Through the pages they open up and lean on each other, and as feelings develop, their fake relationship becomes very real. Love the support of her mom, whom Mia helps to take care of, and his family who can’t help but get into their business! They are protective of Nathan for good reason, and Mia more than proves her feelings are genuine.
This author does a wonderful job describing every unique character and gives them life. I really liked Benjamin, the architect for the project, and hope he gets a love interest in a future book, as well as Nathan’s cousin, Nick, who was recently injured in the military. Keep them coming Abby!
July 28, 2024
I’m sorry but this book was so toxic? Negative? Not right? I can't find the right word, but I had to stop reading after 30 chapters and then skipped to the last four chapters just to see if it got better. There were so many secrets/dishonesty and the supporting characters were false and toxic as well. I would understand one of them having a toxic friend but both? I kind of wish Mina ended up with Ben, even though Nathan wasn't so bad, Ben would be better for her. Even though I didn't appreciate the suggestion of love triangle.
Not even Nathan's family could save the story, even though they were nice.
Not even Nathan's family could save the story, even though they were nice.
July 28, 2024
Sort of hated it, sort of loved it…
I’m not sure how to rate this. Technically- well written. No memorable errors. Definitely dragged a plethora of emotions out of me, which is a literary feat. So I’m giving 4 stars based on that. 🤷🏼♀️
Overwhelming feeling: frustration and anger for most of the book. Like I actually loathed Nathan for the first half, to the point it was difficult to keep reading. I almost quit multiple times. Just know going in that you are super going to hate him for while. I’m not exaggerating. Yes we get his POV and see his reasoning, which frankly is the ONLY reason I kept going, because by the second page I was thinking he was too much of an ass to bother with.
Is Nathan a good guy? At his core, yeah. He’s a great guy. He has a great heart. He’s doing amazing things to help people. He has the best intentions. But it’s easy to be charitable, and kind, compassionate when life is going well for you and that silver spoon is firmly lodged in place. It’s less easy when actual struggles happen, and frankly that says more about a person’s character to me. And he failed. Not completely- he still worked his rear off to keep the charity going. He was still committed to that. But he even admitted his reaction to being betrayed by his girlfriend was to spiral into drinking, womanizing (though admittedly it was mostly Dom that had the women), barbed wire around his heart, and basically being an asshole. Not a good look. And he was a raging asshole. There were moments he was an ass to Mina and inner monologues about taking pleasure out of hurting her. He made horrible assumptions about her that were way off base. He. Was. Awful. I could itemize all the ways, but I won’t. But it was bad. Swindling her out of 60% of her income was the tip of the iceberg (and that was the cost for him sending a single text 🙄), and for some reason after she she negotiates the same money back, it’s held over her head for the entire book as though she is a gold digger. This is legitimately money earned for a service she is providing as a designer btw, but because she leverages it by agreeing to fake date him in ADDITION to doing the job she was hired for it’s somehow gold digging ::deep breaths::
They both have despicable best friends. And apparently are both clueless to it. 🙄 Once I was able to move past my anger against Nathan, and believe their fledgling relationship, the anger transferred to their respective evil best friends. I have to say the fact that neither of them had any sort of karmic payback was supremely disappointing. Nathan didn’t even have a falling out with the mega douchebag. 🙄
I still sort of wish she had wound up with Benjamin, instead of just being business partners. I said what I said.
Overall- I enjoy this author and this world. They’re a great extended family. But this was a hard read for me. It took me all weekend when it typically would’ve taken me a few hours to blow through it. I just wanted to do other things because I was not enjoying it most of the time. After 50% I did get invested in their relationship, and felt better about it. I even liked them together. But God, their friends are awful. The ending felt like it was wrapped up in a pretty bow awfully quickly, with him deciding he would just take care of her money problems and it wouldn’t be an issue for him after all , and her mom deciding within five minutes of meeting him that she completely changed her opinion about all the red flags she warned Mina about even hours before. I’m not a fan of 180 changes.
Will I reread this book? Definitely no. Will I still read the next book? Absolutely.
I’m not sure how to rate this. Technically- well written. No memorable errors. Definitely dragged a plethora of emotions out of me, which is a literary feat. So I’m giving 4 stars based on that. 🤷🏼♀️
Overwhelming feeling: frustration and anger for most of the book. Like I actually loathed Nathan for the first half, to the point it was difficult to keep reading. I almost quit multiple times. Just know going in that you are super going to hate him for while. I’m not exaggerating. Yes we get his POV and see his reasoning, which frankly is the ONLY reason I kept going, because by the second page I was thinking he was too much of an ass to bother with.
Is Nathan a good guy? At his core, yeah. He’s a great guy. He has a great heart. He’s doing amazing things to help people. He has the best intentions. But it’s easy to be charitable, and kind, compassionate when life is going well for you and that silver spoon is firmly lodged in place. It’s less easy when actual struggles happen, and frankly that says more about a person’s character to me. And he failed. Not completely- he still worked his rear off to keep the charity going. He was still committed to that. But he even admitted his reaction to being betrayed by his girlfriend was to spiral into drinking, womanizing (though admittedly it was mostly Dom that had the women), barbed wire around his heart, and basically being an asshole. Not a good look. And he was a raging asshole. There were moments he was an ass to Mina and inner monologues about taking pleasure out of hurting her. He made horrible assumptions about her that were way off base. He. Was. Awful. I could itemize all the ways, but I won’t. But it was bad. Swindling her out of 60% of her income was the tip of the iceberg (and that was the cost for him sending a single text 🙄), and for some reason after she she negotiates the same money back, it’s held over her head for the entire book as though she is a gold digger. This is legitimately money earned for a service she is providing as a designer btw, but because she leverages it by agreeing to fake date him in ADDITION to doing the job she was hired for it’s somehow gold digging ::deep breaths::
They both have despicable best friends. And apparently are both clueless to it. 🙄 Once I was able to move past my anger against Nathan, and believe their fledgling relationship, the anger transferred to their respective evil best friends. I have to say the fact that neither of them had any sort of karmic payback was supremely disappointing. Nathan didn’t even have a falling out with the mega douchebag. 🙄
I still sort of wish she had wound up with Benjamin, instead of just being business partners. I said what I said.
Overall- I enjoy this author and this world. They’re a great extended family. But this was a hard read for me. It took me all weekend when it typically would’ve taken me a few hours to blow through it. I just wanted to do other things because I was not enjoying it most of the time. After 50% I did get invested in their relationship, and felt better about it. I even liked them together. But God, their friends are awful. The ending felt like it was wrapped up in a pretty bow awfully quickly, with him deciding he would just take care of her money problems and it wouldn’t be an issue for him after all , and her mom deciding within five minutes of meeting him that she completely changed her opinion about all the red flags she warned Mina about even hours before. I’m not a fan of 180 changes.
Will I reread this book? Definitely no. Will I still read the next book? Absolutely.
July 25, 2024
I absolutely fell in love with Nathan and Mina's story! When I say I was invested in these two, I mean completely and totally to the point that I felt every single emotion they had like it was my own. I laughed, got angry, swooned, and even had my eyes get watery at some points. I seriously just loved this book from start to finish, and now I can't wait for the next one!
August 24, 2024
4.5 stars
Fake is I believe the 3rd book in the author’s Hutton Family Next Generation series. Due to a health issue (which I suspect she incorporated into this story) its been a while between this book and her last in the series. I can tell you that IMHO she hasn’t lost her ability as a great story teller. In fact the only real criticism I have of this book is the title. It’s totally lacking in any creativity or imagination. I mean really is Fake the best she or her editors or publisher could do for a title for this fake romance turned real trope? I would humbly suggest Yours Truly, Mina Blake would have been a more fitting title and once you’ve read this story you’ll understand why.
When we last saw Nathan West (his mom is a Hutton) he was falling apart after discovering the woman he’d been with for 2 years, the woman he had taken care of and pretty much been a parent to her two girls was just using him for his money while cheating on him with other men. He’s pulled himself together enough to focus all of his energies on expanding Reversal of Fortune or (ROF as its mostly referred to in this story) while keeping his heart as he says, “wrapped in barbed wire.” Because he no longer trusts women. He hangs around with a sleezy, pessimistic rich guy named Dominic who connects him with wealthy potential donors to the ROF charity while Dom seduces their daughters and nieces etc. Dom constantly gives Nathan bad advice about how women who don’t come from money only see the men who do as a cash machine. And after Nathan’s bad experience he’s more than ready to believe him.
Mina Blake is an up-and-coming interior designer. Even though she has a steady workload much of her earnings go to pay for her mother’s medical treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at an expensive but effective rehab facility. With Nathan’s cousin’s (a carpenter) recommendation she is hired to work with a famous architect to help build Nathan a massive home on the ocean that Dom has told Nathan he should have because he’s rich and can afford it. Until then Nathan, a bit guilty over his inherited wealth (his parents are both famous musicians) had lived contentedly in a modest home that suited his needs. Mina has a best friend Fallon Mae who is Mina’s Dom, giving her a negative impression of rich guys. Fallon is also a paparazzi blogger who has been writing really negative things about Nathan on her blog without caring whether they are true or not. She justifies this to Mina telling her she wants to force Nathan to see how much he’s changed for the worse in the past couple of years. Fallon doesn’t know about Nathan’s personal crisis that turned him into a grumpy man or that he’s not going home with a different beautiful woman every night (Dom is) just because he’s been seen out with them. All Fallon really cares about is the more bad shit she can write about Nathan the more clicks she gets and the more money she makes. But she consistently makes excuses to justify what she’s writing to Mina as Mina gets to actually know Nathan.
Skipping all the details, the first couple of interactions they have. Nathan acts like a dick to Mina. Then he decides if she thinks he’s the Prince of Darkness he might as well act like him. So these two start out not really liking one another even though they have chemistry and Nathan knows it’s because he’s been a dick to Mina. Thanks to Fallon, Mina accidentally does something stupid involving Nathan and the handsome architect Mina has a crush on. Because Mina wants to stay on good terms with the architect hoping they can continue to work together on future jobs she asks Nathan to help her out. Nathan exacts a ridiculously high price to help Mina out of her jam telling her he wants a 60% discount on what she was charging him to work on his new house. Only reinforcing Mina’s impression that he’s an asshole. But Nathan needs a shield to convince his family he’s not just banging beautiful women as Fallon’s blog implies, offers to pay Mina to be his fake girlfriend for the six months it will take his new home to be built. Mina in need of money agrees. As Mina gets to know the real Nathan she realizes what a great guy he really is. As she meets all of Nathan’s cousins, aunts and uncles and his famous parents she realizes she had a lot of misconceptions about rich people. As Nathan gets to know Mina, he comes to realize she’s nothing like his ex but a beautiful, smart, snarky, caring person who doesn’t want anything from him. Dom keeps trying to fill Nathan’s head with his own cynicism for women who don’t come from money. Mina shares her interactions with Nathan and her feelings about him from the start. Fallon keeps warning Mina that she can’t trust Nathan because rich guys can’t be trusted. Mina makes Fallon promise that nothing she shares with her will appear in her blog. Mina doesn’t tell Nathan that her best friend is the blogger he despises. Well, you can guess how that is going to go.
There’s a secondary story line involving Nathan’s cousin Nick a Marine. I’m fairly certain his will be the next book in the series. I thought this book had a nice mix of laughs (Mina’s and Nathan’s verbal sparring was fun foreplay) drama as these two learn that first impressions or other peoples impressions aren’t always correct, and a few spicy sex scenes.
Fake is I believe the 3rd book in the author’s Hutton Family Next Generation series. Due to a health issue (which I suspect she incorporated into this story) its been a while between this book and her last in the series. I can tell you that IMHO she hasn’t lost her ability as a great story teller. In fact the only real criticism I have of this book is the title. It’s totally lacking in any creativity or imagination. I mean really is Fake the best she or her editors or publisher could do for a title for this fake romance turned real trope? I would humbly suggest Yours Truly, Mina Blake would have been a more fitting title and once you’ve read this story you’ll understand why.
When we last saw Nathan West (his mom is a Hutton) he was falling apart after discovering the woman he’d been with for 2 years, the woman he had taken care of and pretty much been a parent to her two girls was just using him for his money while cheating on him with other men. He’s pulled himself together enough to focus all of his energies on expanding Reversal of Fortune or (ROF as its mostly referred to in this story) while keeping his heart as he says, “wrapped in barbed wire.” Because he no longer trusts women. He hangs around with a sleezy, pessimistic rich guy named Dominic who connects him with wealthy potential donors to the ROF charity while Dom seduces their daughters and nieces etc. Dom constantly gives Nathan bad advice about how women who don’t come from money only see the men who do as a cash machine. And after Nathan’s bad experience he’s more than ready to believe him.
Mina Blake is an up-and-coming interior designer. Even though she has a steady workload much of her earnings go to pay for her mother’s medical treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at an expensive but effective rehab facility. With Nathan’s cousin’s (a carpenter) recommendation she is hired to work with a famous architect to help build Nathan a massive home on the ocean that Dom has told Nathan he should have because he’s rich and can afford it. Until then Nathan, a bit guilty over his inherited wealth (his parents are both famous musicians) had lived contentedly in a modest home that suited his needs. Mina has a best friend Fallon Mae who is Mina’s Dom, giving her a negative impression of rich guys. Fallon is also a paparazzi blogger who has been writing really negative things about Nathan on her blog without caring whether they are true or not. She justifies this to Mina telling her she wants to force Nathan to see how much he’s changed for the worse in the past couple of years. Fallon doesn’t know about Nathan’s personal crisis that turned him into a grumpy man or that he’s not going home with a different beautiful woman every night (Dom is) just because he’s been seen out with them. All Fallon really cares about is the more bad shit she can write about Nathan the more clicks she gets and the more money she makes. But she consistently makes excuses to justify what she’s writing to Mina as Mina gets to actually know Nathan.
Skipping all the details, the first couple of interactions they have. Nathan acts like a dick to Mina. Then he decides if she thinks he’s the Prince of Darkness he might as well act like him. So these two start out not really liking one another even though they have chemistry and Nathan knows it’s because he’s been a dick to Mina. Thanks to Fallon, Mina accidentally does something stupid involving Nathan and the handsome architect Mina has a crush on. Because Mina wants to stay on good terms with the architect hoping they can continue to work together on future jobs she asks Nathan to help her out. Nathan exacts a ridiculously high price to help Mina out of her jam telling her he wants a 60% discount on what she was charging him to work on his new house. Only reinforcing Mina’s impression that he’s an asshole. But Nathan needs a shield to convince his family he’s not just banging beautiful women as Fallon’s blog implies, offers to pay Mina to be his fake girlfriend for the six months it will take his new home to be built. Mina in need of money agrees. As Mina gets to know the real Nathan she realizes what a great guy he really is. As she meets all of Nathan’s cousins, aunts and uncles and his famous parents she realizes she had a lot of misconceptions about rich people. As Nathan gets to know Mina, he comes to realize she’s nothing like his ex but a beautiful, smart, snarky, caring person who doesn’t want anything from him. Dom keeps trying to fill Nathan’s head with his own cynicism for women who don’t come from money. Mina shares her interactions with Nathan and her feelings about him from the start. Fallon keeps warning Mina that she can’t trust Nathan because rich guys can’t be trusted. Mina makes Fallon promise that nothing she shares with her will appear in her blog. Mina doesn’t tell Nathan that her best friend is the blogger he despises. Well, you can guess how that is going to go.
There’s a secondary story line involving Nathan’s cousin Nick a Marine. I’m fairly certain his will be the next book in the series. I thought this book had a nice mix of laughs (Mina’s and Nathan’s verbal sparring was fun foreplay) drama as these two learn that first impressions or other peoples impressions aren’t always correct, and a few spicy sex scenes.
July 29, 2024
Nathan and Mina
I really liked this trip back to the Hutton family. I like getting to see all the Hutton cousins grown up and still a part of the larger family their parents created.
Mina and Nathan were a fun couple to follow. They started out as enemies who both misjudged each other. Mina grew up with a single mother who worked two jobs to support her and Nathan grew up in a huge family who had more money than they would ever spend in their lifetimes. They both had had experiences that clouded their judgment of each other, especially when it came to money.
As they spent more time with each other, they quickly found out their initial judgements were wrong but it took awhile for both of them to be brave enough to admit their fake relationship wasn’t fake anymore. They both had friends who were tainting their feelings and making them question each other’s integrity. Mina’s friend Fallon was probably the worst. She was awful and hypocritical. And I found myself wishing Mina would be honest with Nathan about her friendship. I think they could have saved a lot of heartbreak and angst if they had both trusted their own guts.
Overall this was a good read. I’m excited for the prospect of more stories from this family.
I really liked this trip back to the Hutton family. I like getting to see all the Hutton cousins grown up and still a part of the larger family their parents created.
Mina and Nathan were a fun couple to follow. They started out as enemies who both misjudged each other. Mina grew up with a single mother who worked two jobs to support her and Nathan grew up in a huge family who had more money than they would ever spend in their lifetimes. They both had had experiences that clouded their judgment of each other, especially when it came to money.
As they spent more time with each other, they quickly found out their initial judgements were wrong but it took awhile for both of them to be brave enough to admit their fake relationship wasn’t fake anymore. They both had friends who were tainting their feelings and making them question each other’s integrity. Mina’s friend Fallon was probably the worst. She was awful and hypocritical. And I found myself wishing Mina would be honest with Nathan about her friendship. I think they could have saved a lot of heartbreak and angst if they had both trusted their own guts.
Overall this was a good read. I’m excited for the prospect of more stories from this family.
October 13, 2024
“That check is for the design work. Not the dates. Not the kiss. Not our time together. Those are mine.”
Nathan and Mina do not start off on friendly terms but once it changes for them, things heat up! Nathan is nothing like the man who others try to portray him as. He has been hurt. He has felt used. The barbwire he wraps around his heart is tight and sharp. But Mina sees through the harsh exterior he newly displays. And when she gets a glimpse of the real Nathan West, she knows he is one she is capable of falling for.
Nathan allows his walls to come down with Mina. But of course there are outside forces that cause trouble. They learn those who are suppose to be your friends aren’t always worth the pain they cause. The strength of Mina and kind heart of Nathan shine through though. It just takes a bit to get the happy ending.
We get to see some of the Huttons as well. We watch them gather around each other in support. This family is full of truly good people!
The set up for the next book has my heart breaking already. I feel this one will hurt!
Nathan and Mina do not start off on friendly terms but once it changes for them, things heat up! Nathan is nothing like the man who others try to portray him as. He has been hurt. He has felt used. The barbwire he wraps around his heart is tight and sharp. But Mina sees through the harsh exterior he newly displays. And when she gets a glimpse of the real Nathan West, she knows he is one she is capable of falling for.
Nathan allows his walls to come down with Mina. But of course there are outside forces that cause trouble. They learn those who are suppose to be your friends aren’t always worth the pain they cause. The strength of Mina and kind heart of Nathan shine through though. It just takes a bit to get the happy ending.
We get to see some of the Huttons as well. We watch them gather around each other in support. This family is full of truly good people!
The set up for the next book has my heart breaking already. I feel this one will hurt!
August 2, 2024
The Prince of Darkness and Hot Mess need to figure out how to work together and it’s not going to be easy when they both have people chirping in their ears about how wrong they are for each other and who's using who. Past experiences have left Nathan jaded and he has put up a wall around his heart that is impenetrable until he meets his match in Mina. Nathan only sees people as wanting something from him not seeing him for who he really is and when the talk of money comes up between them, he sees Mina in the same light, but he couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s one person trash talking him online and she’s really digging in her heels too, and unbeknownst to him Fallon is Mina’s best friend, something she hasn’t been very forthcoming about yet. What started out fake turned real fast and when the truth comes out, how will Nathan handle it? I really enjoyed this book, actually the whole series and so happy I grabbed this from KU to read this week.
July 17, 2024
I knew it! I knew that Nathan’s story was going to be amazing but I wasn’t expecting so much involvement on my behalf. This is because I laughed, I got angry and I also shed tears. A little anticipation doesn’t ruin the entire story so allow me to say that Nathan has a big problem when dealing with relationships and he may seem a little bit irritable but it’s all a sham. Mina, on the other hand, is the complete opposite from Nathan; she’s too trustworthy and kind. The only villain in this story is Mina’s best friend and believe me when I say I hated her very much owing to her selfishness and nastiness. Well, Nathan really deserved a great story and I can’t contradict myself. When you decide to read this book, which I highly recommend, embrace all the love that will flow through the pages.
July 25, 2024
This series is absolutely fantastic. Abby Brooks has created another masterpiece with this one! Nathan and Mina are such a fun couple. I loved how they'd get each other so riled up only to disarm each other inadvertently at every turn.
These two have a lot of push and pull. Going from keeping up pretenses of "it's fake" to falling madly in love with one another without realizing it. I loved seeing their relationship change and grow and how they worked through when things got really hard. And the way Nathan helped Mina while respecting her independence was nothing short of swoon-worthy. I loved seeing both characters work through their own set of relatable struggles to be able to let love in, and get their HEA.
All the cameos were so heartwarming and it was nice to revisit old familiar characters in new ways
These two have a lot of push and pull. Going from keeping up pretenses of "it's fake" to falling madly in love with one another without realizing it. I loved seeing their relationship change and grow and how they worked through when things got really hard. And the way Nathan helped Mina while respecting her independence was nothing short of swoon-worthy. I loved seeing both characters work through their own set of relatable struggles to be able to let love in, and get their HEA.
All the cameos were so heartwarming and it was nice to revisit old familiar characters in new ways
July 26, 2024
4.5 stars 🌟
It’s not often the female lead in a story upsets me but I’m afraid Mina really had to work in this one to get my seal of approval…!!
Nathan is a bit prickly, grumpy and short tempered …but the more I got to know his story and understand his vulnerabilities the more I fell for this kind hearted, sensitive guy! He had really been through the wringer!
These two start a fake relationship which quickly morphs into so much more….but when secrets and truths come to light there may be no saving this fledgling relationship…and I have to say Mina is very lucky she got some tough talking from some unlikely sources….!
It’s so great to be back with this author and enjoying her stories…these families are all so brilliant and it’s great to get the next generation!
I’m hoping we get Nick next and fingers-crossed beautiful Charlie will be the one to whip him into shape!!!
It’s not often the female lead in a story upsets me but I’m afraid Mina really had to work in this one to get my seal of approval…!!
Nathan is a bit prickly, grumpy and short tempered …but the more I got to know his story and understand his vulnerabilities the more I fell for this kind hearted, sensitive guy! He had really been through the wringer!
These two start a fake relationship which quickly morphs into so much more….but when secrets and truths come to light there may be no saving this fledgling relationship…and I have to say Mina is very lucky she got some tough talking from some unlikely sources….!
It’s so great to be back with this author and enjoying her stories…these families are all so brilliant and it’s great to get the next generation!
I’m hoping we get Nick next and fingers-crossed beautiful Charlie will be the one to whip him into shape!!!
August 4, 2024
Fake was so worth the wait and Abby Brooks is back and better than ever! Which is saying a lot because I love her stories and the characters she writes stay with me long after I’ve finished reading! I adored Mina and Nathan - the push and pull, the banter, the vulnerability, the texts and the chemistry that was off the charts. The Hutton Family is everything and getting the cousins together made my heart happy. Fallon made me want to jump through my kindle and Mina was way nicer than I would have been. Nathan and her mom made me all emotional- read it so you can feel all the love! Fake was emotional, swoon worthy, fiery and fantastic! Can I fake date the “prince of darkness turned sweet prince” because I am definitely a hot mess and I need him to be my sunshine after a hurricane!
Tracey, Life Reads With Friends Book Blog
Tracey, Life Reads With Friends Book Blog
August 7, 2024
Mina is an up-and-coming interior designer. Who just landed a dream job with an architect, Benjamin, that she has had a huge crush on. When she goes to the first meeting with Benjamin and the client, Nathan. Nathan is extremely rude to Mina and even tries to exclude her. When an accidental text gets sent in Mina’s work chat. She’s completely embarrassed and tries to get Nathan to help her. So, Benjamin doesn’t know about her huge crush. Then when Nathan’s family comes down on him for becoming a ladies’ man. Nathan gets an idea that Mina should fake date him. But then lines start to get blurred!
This wasn’t your typical fake dating romance. Abby just sucks you in with her story! Their chemistry is off the charts! The banter between them is great! Nathan has been burned before. So, he definitely has trust issues. And Mina has a secret she just hasn’t found the right time to tell Nathan before it explodes! It is a wonderful book! I literally stayed up late just to finish!
This wasn’t your typical fake dating romance. Abby just sucks you in with her story! Their chemistry is off the charts! The banter between them is great! Nathan has been burned before. So, he definitely has trust issues. And Mina has a secret she just hasn’t found the right time to tell Nathan before it explodes! It is a wonderful book! I literally stayed up late just to finish!
March 25, 2025
This was a great story.. of course I’ve been missing up a little… the Fate, and Fire was supposed to be read first.. so I’m a little backwards… BUT!! Again this was a very good story.. I was a little surprised by the way Mina Blake and Nathan West got together.. especially since she was infatuated by her co-worker Benjamin Bancroft.. The hot sexy Designer with the accomplished Designed Firm. But it happened.. The Love Hate relationship was very amusing.. I don’t want to give away the story But!! I have to say The Fake relationship did them both some good.. Just don’t listen to Nathan’s friend and partner Dominick .. I really hated that guy.. plus I’m so very surprised by Mina’s friend Fallon Mae.. Oh boy! I was not happy with her…
You really have to read this book it’s amazing.. Just don’t do like I did and read them out of order.. 🥰🫶
You really have to read this book it’s amazing.. Just don’t do like I did and read them out of order.. 🥰🫶
November 13, 2025
Nathan got his heart broken when he realized the woman he was with was using him for his money. It turned him into a bitter person. He was hanging out with the wrong people and giving his family concerns.
Mina was working to be able to take care of her mother. When she got the job as the interior decorator for Nathan it was her dream job. It had her working with her secret crush but also put her in the cross hairs of Nathan. He saw her as just another person out to use him for money.
That's when he got the bright idea to ask her to be his fake girlfriend. Spending time with each other gave them a chance to really get to know each other. Nathan has been harassed by someone making a name for herself being bashing him on her blog. Unbeknownst to him she is Mina's best friend.
Therein lies the predictability of this book. When the truth comes out we know exactly how Nathan will act.
Mina was working to be able to take care of her mother. When she got the job as the interior decorator for Nathan it was her dream job. It had her working with her secret crush but also put her in the cross hairs of Nathan. He saw her as just another person out to use him for money.
That's when he got the bright idea to ask her to be his fake girlfriend. Spending time with each other gave them a chance to really get to know each other. Nathan has been harassed by someone making a name for herself being bashing him on her blog. Unbeknownst to him she is Mina's best friend.
Therein lies the predictability of this book. When the truth comes out we know exactly how Nathan will act.
July 25, 2024
Nathan and Mina
I received an ARC of this book two days and devoured it in one day. I very much enjoyed it. It’s always been Mina and her mother. Her father took off when she was young. Mina’s mother became very ill and Mina is working hard to pay for her medical care. Nathan had been Blossomed (previous girlfriend who took him for his money) so he doesn’t trust anyone. I enjoyed their dynamic and the way their story progressed. By the end I hated Fallon and I want to hate Dom (but I want to know more about his story). I can’t wait to read Nick’s story. Fire was my first book by Abby. I have to go read about Angela and his parents. I love the family dynamic and how close the cousins are.
I received an ARC of this book two days and devoured it in one day. I very much enjoyed it. It’s always been Mina and her mother. Her father took off when she was young. Mina’s mother became very ill and Mina is working hard to pay for her medical care. Nathan had been Blossomed (previous girlfriend who took him for his money) so he doesn’t trust anyone. I enjoyed their dynamic and the way their story progressed. By the end I hated Fallon and I want to hate Dom (but I want to know more about his story). I can’t wait to read Nick’s story. Fire was my first book by Abby. I have to go read about Angela and his parents. I love the family dynamic and how close the cousins are.
October 30, 2024
You could see what was coming a mile away and Mina was too stupid to keep anything to herself. I was so bugged she ran off and told her bff everything! There was no respect for her relationship with Nathan and no respect for him, taking things that should have been private and personal and rattling them off to a friend.
I also had a little bit of a hard time swallowing that Nathan had been with the previous girl for years. For years he had been used and didn't see it?! Kind of makes him look lame. And how did he run off and fall in love in 6 months after dating someone for years that was awful to him?
I also had a little bit of a hard time swallowing that Nathan had been with the previous girl for years. For years he had been used and didn't see it?! Kind of makes him look lame. And how did he run off and fall in love in 6 months after dating someone for years that was awful to him?
November 6, 2024
2.5
This book started off well. But it just went downhill. I didn't like the FMC. Nathan, the MMC is being portrayed as a villain by a blogger who happens to be the best friend of the FMC. Which is all lies. The best friend is doing this to get more subscribers and money. The FMC knows this; tells the best friend to stop. The best friend betrays her by writing personal details between the FMC and MMC which makes the MMC look even worse. The FMC still tries to give the best friend a chance. And in all the months that the FMC is with the MMC, she never mentions her best friend. If I were Nathan, I would be done with this.
This book started off well. But it just went downhill. I didn't like the FMC. Nathan, the MMC is being portrayed as a villain by a blogger who happens to be the best friend of the FMC. Which is all lies. The best friend is doing this to get more subscribers and money. The FMC knows this; tells the best friend to stop. The best friend betrays her by writing personal details between the FMC and MMC which makes the MMC look even worse. The FMC still tries to give the best friend a chance. And in all the months that the FMC is with the MMC, she never mentions her best friend. If I were Nathan, I would be done with this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2024
The Second Generation Huttons are back!
I was so excited when I saw the news that Abby Brooks was putting out the next installment of the Huttons second generation series. While the wait was long(understandably so) it was worth the wait! I loved Nathan and Mina.
Fake relationships are at the top of my favorite trope list, so I had high hopes, and was not disappointed. I liked the progression from loathe to love. Just overall really enjoyed this book.
Can’t wait for the next book…hoping for Nick.
Also, Fallon f*cking Mae can kick rocks.
Thank you Abby Brooks for the ARC.
I was so excited when I saw the news that Abby Brooks was putting out the next installment of the Huttons second generation series. While the wait was long(understandably so) it was worth the wait! I loved Nathan and Mina.
Fake relationships are at the top of my favorite trope list, so I had high hopes, and was not disappointed. I liked the progression from loathe to love. Just overall really enjoyed this book.
Can’t wait for the next book…hoping for Nick.
Also, Fallon f*cking Mae can kick rocks.
Thank you Abby Brooks for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2024
Another amazing installment from Abby!! Fake was her latest from the second generation of Huttons. It was full of grumpiness, humor, and second chances!
Mina just couldn’t seem to make a good impression with Nathan. No matter what she tried, he just wasn’t having it. So imagine her confusion when a text message lead to a relationship…it may have been fake to start with, but would that be how it ended?
This one had all the feels! I loved getting to watch them work their way through so many feelings and situations. Mina was so sweet and full of sass! Nathan was so broody and hot! And let me tell you…I wanted to throttle her so called friend!! Ugh…but Mina and Nathan only became stronger! Can’t wait to see the whole gang again in the next one!
Mina just couldn’t seem to make a good impression with Nathan. No matter what she tried, he just wasn’t having it. So imagine her confusion when a text message lead to a relationship…it may have been fake to start with, but would that be how it ended?
This one had all the feels! I loved getting to watch them work their way through so many feelings and situations. Mina was so sweet and full of sass! Nathan was so broody and hot! And let me tell you…I wanted to throttle her so called friend!! Ugh…but Mina and Nathan only became stronger! Can’t wait to see the whole gang again in the next one!
July 30, 2024
Guess who's back.. Abbys back...!!!
Oh my. So so many passages hilighted to quote. I honestly can not choose one. You are suxked in right from the beginning. Abby draws you in with her ease if writing style tgen has you hooked for the next word. You feel involved. Giving the characters advice in your head even though they arnt real.. But you feel as if theyv been a part of your life for years. From one hot mess after another. Life isn't always full of rainbows. But faking it till you make it. May just knock you off your feet xx.
Oh my. So so many passages hilighted to quote. I honestly can not choose one. You are suxked in right from the beginning. Abby draws you in with her ease if writing style tgen has you hooked for the next word. You feel involved. Giving the characters advice in your head even though they arnt real.. But you feel as if theyv been a part of your life for years. From one hot mess after another. Life isn't always full of rainbows. But faking it till you make it. May just knock you off your feet xx.
July 13, 2024
Abby Brooks does it again with this latest release. Combining beautifully written characters, a storyline that you will not want to put down and just the right combination of laughter, love and mayhem. Nathan and Mina might start off on the wrong foot and need to help each other out with a fake relationship, but in the end true love prevails and another HEA is in the books. This book wil make you laugh, will tug on your heartstrings and in the end it will put a smile on your face.
July 15, 2024
The wait is over for the next Hutton family member to meet their one and only. Nothing Fake about it. When Nathan meets Mina, he's fighting against the damage done by an ex and his image problems. Was it love at first sight, not if their fake dating is to be believed. Both Mina and Nathan had no idea they would find themselves in a real relationship. Their story was well worth the wait. You will not want to put it down until you've reached the end.
July 28, 2024
Absolutely loved this book.
Nathan and Mina most definitely don't appear to be a good match to begin with but the more you get to know them the more you see they balance each other as well as being there for each other when they need it, but some of their friends oh boy do they need to be kicked to the curb.
There are some highs as well as some lows not just for these two but also the Hutton family along wit unfortunately some vindictiveness that could tear Nathan and Mina part.
Nathan and Mina most definitely don't appear to be a good match to begin with but the more you get to know them the more you see they balance each other as well as being there for each other when they need it, but some of their friends oh boy do they need to be kicked to the curb.
There are some highs as well as some lows not just for these two but also the Hutton family along wit unfortunately some vindictiveness that could tear Nathan and Mina part.
July 25, 2024
I've read quite a few books by Abby Brooks and the Hutton series has by far been my favorite and now with the next generation makes me love it more! Nathan and Mina's characters were written perfectly. This book made me laugh out loud at some of the banter and it made me feel excited to see what would happen next. This was probably my favorite out of this new series so far.
July 29, 2024
Great story and characters!
I loved the ups and downs with both main characters. So frustrating with Fallon using Mina and never thinking she did anything wrong. I gave it 4 stars because I want an epilogue. What happens in the rest of their story. I am just one of those readers that likes everything wrapped up.
I loved the ups and downs with both main characters. So frustrating with Fallon using Mina and never thinking she did anything wrong. I gave it 4 stars because I want an epilogue. What happens in the rest of their story. I am just one of those readers that likes everything wrapped up.
August 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. And these characters. Although, there were times when I wanted to reach through the page, and slap the Mina and Nathan. Lol. And I just knew what was going to happen with a person. (Vague because spoilers) I could totally tell this person wasn’t as good as they appeared. This was a sweet, fun book, and I definitely recommend it.
December 24, 2024
So good!!!!!
I love this next gen of the Hutton family!
Nathan and Mina’s story is a fantastic fake boyfriend/girlfriend tale with a few twists and turns along the way.
Some miscommunication, a lot of leaving out details and 2 people who are determined to not fall. We get to ride along with this couple as they traverse the path to HEA.
Loved every second of it!!!!!
I love this next gen of the Hutton family!
Nathan and Mina’s story is a fantastic fake boyfriend/girlfriend tale with a few twists and turns along the way.
Some miscommunication, a lot of leaving out details and 2 people who are determined to not fall. We get to ride along with this couple as they traverse the path to HEA.
Loved every second of it!!!!!
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