What do you think?
Rate this book
Smitten
In the cutthroat world of luxury hotels, Eve, 48, reigns supreme. But when a high-profile conference demands a plus-one, the formidable CEO finds herself in unfamiliar territory.
For Eve, a single woman in a sea of power couples, securing crucial deals means finding a fake girlfriend—fast. Her unlikely choice? Alex, 32, a brilliant but overlooked social media specialist from her own company.
It's meant to be a simple business one weekend of make-believe to navigate a couples-oriented networking event. But as the drinks flow and facades crack, Eve's icy walls begin to thaw.
In a whirlwind of age-gap tension and forbidden workplace attraction, both women find themselves risking more than just their careers. As their pretend romance blurs into reality, Eve and Alex must decide if what they've found is worth upending everything they've built.
For Eve, a single woman in a sea of power couples, securing crucial deals means finding a fake girlfriend—fast. Her unlikely choice? Alex, 32, a brilliant but overlooked social media specialist from her own company.
It's meant to be a simple business one weekend of make-believe to navigate a couples-oriented networking event. But as the drinks flow and facades crack, Eve's icy walls begin to thaw.
In a whirlwind of age-gap tension and forbidden workplace attraction, both women find themselves risking more than just their careers. As their pretend romance blurs into reality, Eve and Alex must decide if what they've found is worth upending everything they've built.
- GenresLesbianContemporary
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 17, 2024
32 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 19, 2025
⭐ 4.75 Stars
This book was a pleasant surprise.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it wasn’t perfect.
Eve and Alex’s story is a sweet romance between a hotel company boss and the hotel’s social media manager. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the romantic moments were well-written.
It was an easy and fun read. However, I felt like the story could have had more realistic conflict, which was missing. Still, I would definitely read it again in the future.
What I loved most was the SO MUCH tension and longing between the characters. This is something I often miss in many popular books.
Overall, you should give it a try. I had honestly such a good time reading this.
This book was a pleasant surprise.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it wasn’t perfect.
Eve and Alex’s story is a sweet romance between a hotel company boss and the hotel’s social media manager. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the romantic moments were well-written.
It was an easy and fun read. However, I felt like the story could have had more realistic conflict, which was missing. Still, I would definitely read it again in the future.
What I loved most was the SO MUCH tension and longing between the characters. This is something I often miss in many popular books.
Overall, you should give it a try. I had honestly such a good time reading this.
March 7, 2025
This was a delightful little novella. Its short and fast paced, and sometimes lacks a little detail, but overall was a very enjoyable read. It goes all-in on a bunch of delightful tropes (it was almost like a checklist, in the most complimentary way possible) and hits a lot of fun-novel buttons.
There was longing, pining, a bit of annoying miscommunication, and some wonderfully explosive chemistry. There was very little angst or conflict in this novel, which is a pro or con depending on what your looking for.
I am giving this one 4-stars because I think it was missing whatever “special something” would be needed to get a higher rating; sometimes being short is a detriment. That said, I have nothing at all to complain about really, and no reason to give it anything lower.
My Rating: “B”
Converted Rating: 4-Stars
There was longing, pining, a bit of annoying miscommunication, and some wonderfully explosive chemistry. There was very little angst or conflict in this novel, which is a pro or con depending on what your looking for.
I am giving this one 4-stars because I think it was missing whatever “special something” would be needed to get a higher rating; sometimes being short is a detriment. That said, I have nothing at all to complain about really, and no reason to give it anything lower.
My Rating: “B”
Converted Rating: 4-Stars
July 22, 2025
Smitten
New-to-me author, Ava Steele
Fake dating
Ice queen & social media specialist
Age gap
This was a quick and enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
New-to-me author, Ava Steele
Fake dating
Ice queen & social media specialist
Age gap
This was a quick and enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
September 27, 2024
Spicy whirlwind romance
Career-driven hotel executive Eve pays Alex, her social media manager to be her strictly professional fake girlfriend at a business conference. But it doesn’t take long for very real attraction to complicate their pretend relationship.
Smitten is a spicy and engaging sapphic age gap romance that can easily be devoured in one sitting. Eve is an intriguing character with her mix of ice queen businesswoman facade that conceals relatable vulnerabilities, and creative, warm-hearted Alex makes a perfect, though unlikely match for her. The sizzling chemistry that builds between them as they pretend to be romantically involved jumps off the page, and it’s entertaining to see how they work out the many complications that stand in the way of their happiness.
Fans of shorter sapphic reads with plenty of heat and a whirlwind romance will mirror this book’s title and be Smitten by Eve and Alex’s story.
Career-driven hotel executive Eve pays Alex, her social media manager to be her strictly professional fake girlfriend at a business conference. But it doesn’t take long for very real attraction to complicate their pretend relationship.
Smitten is a spicy and engaging sapphic age gap romance that can easily be devoured in one sitting. Eve is an intriguing character with her mix of ice queen businesswoman facade that conceals relatable vulnerabilities, and creative, warm-hearted Alex makes a perfect, though unlikely match for her. The sizzling chemistry that builds between them as they pretend to be romantically involved jumps off the page, and it’s entertaining to see how they work out the many complications that stand in the way of their happiness.
Fans of shorter sapphic reads with plenty of heat and a whirlwind romance will mirror this book’s title and be Smitten by Eve and Alex’s story.
November 12, 2024
Awww!
How sweet. It's nice to read a romance where the characters work through their fears without the all the drama. Though Eve and Alex's relationship started out a farce, two realize that there was something between them worth fighting for. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and see the romance play out. I recommend this for anyone who loves a HEA where the characters are mature enough not run at the first sign of trouble.
How sweet. It's nice to read a romance where the characters work through their fears without the all the drama. Though Eve and Alex's relationship started out a farce, two realize that there was something between them worth fighting for. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and see the romance play out. I recommend this for anyone who loves a HEA where the characters are mature enough not run at the first sign of trouble.
October 12, 2024
On soooooo spicy wink.
A 5🌟 for steamy, hot roller coaster with a HEA. Past, present meets up for a weekend neither expected. 🔥 moments that leaves you cooling off to get ready for another read from the amazing author, Ava 😉
A 5🌟 for steamy, hot roller coaster with a HEA. Past, present meets up for a weekend neither expected. 🔥 moments that leaves you cooling off to get ready for another read from the amazing author, Ava 😉
September 29, 2024
5 Stars
Excellent read for anyone wanting a fun fast age gap read. Excellent characters & dialogue. Absolute 5 stars for an afternoon read
Excellent read for anyone wanting a fun fast age gap read. Excellent characters & dialogue. Absolute 5 stars for an afternoon read
November 24, 2024
I liked that there was an older character in terms of representation in the romance space, but am not one of the folks super into the age gap thing. There was just something missing about the dialogue in this one, felt forced. It had high enough stakes that the conflict part could really have been more messy or dramatic, but that didn't happen, thus making the resolution not entirely satisfying and more like, shrug. Just thinking that it might have been more drawn out in terms creating tension. Whatever it was, I think that the spice was the thing the writer did best on the page, but I was not really vibing on the story.
February 16, 2025
Honestly, not as bad as I expected it to be. I normally don't read fauxmance or novellas but I've been so starved for age gap novels that I gave this one a shot. It wasn't realistic in the slightest, but the communication between Eve and Alex was better than a lot of full length novels from more established authors... Which is kind of sad, really.
The thing that held this novel back from a 4 star review for me was the spice. After the leads realise they have real feelings for each other, the remainder of the novel is more or less just sex. That wouldn't be the worst thing if the scenes also helped develop the characters, but they're so generic they could have been taken from any random novel.
Overall, could be better, could be worse.
The thing that held this novel back from a 4 star review for me was the spice. After the leads realise they have real feelings for each other, the remainder of the novel is more or less just sex. That wouldn't be the worst thing if the scenes also helped develop the characters, but they're so generic they could have been taken from any random novel.
Overall, could be better, could be worse.
October 7, 2024
First time reading this author's book and it didn't disappoint. I loved the book and the story, it's always good when a young woman melts an ice queen. The character had such a stick up her ... I was wondering if anyone could free her of herself. I'm looking forward to more books by this author.
October 16, 2024
Great
Ooo this was a good book..Like the s..scenes could have had more vocabulary between the characters during them but stilll good.. read this book..I will check out others books from this author.
Ooo this was a good book..Like the s..scenes could have had more vocabulary between the characters during them but stilll good.. read this book..I will check out others books from this author.
November 6, 2025
I don't know. for me it was not pleasant to read a fake romance when also being an "insta-love" when you usually expect for a fake romance to be a "slow burn". I rarely saw any real personal interaction between Eve and Alex, dont think they really know each other.
November 11, 2024
Short, easy read. Great chemistry.
May 30, 2025
A really good, short, no contrived angst, romance with MCs I was rooting for. Will read other books by this author.
March 10, 2025
Currently perplexed with the fact that the two ladies that are the key characters; both acting the way they are. They are not aware that the moment they arrived any person will notice the lack of even the most innocuous types of PDA that neither party are willing to display. Especially the one named Alix she is the one who though claims to be all in doesn't express it. Ridiculous😝❗. It would seem that these two just needed the right motivator. Good story😝😜😛😘❗🔥🔥🔥🔥
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😘❗
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟😘❗
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews