Once Upon a Fake Date

Castleton University #2

by Jennifer Chipman

Audrey + Parker's Story. Full blurb to come.

fake dating, theater kids, popular girl x shy jock, childhood friends to strangers to lovers. Inspired by Sleeping Beauty.

Release date not finalized.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Retellings, College

338 pages, Paperback

Published January 4, 2025

Reviews

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars!

{I know I'm one day late, but happy publication day to one of my favorite books that I read in 2024}!!!! 🎊🎊

Fangirling, giggling, kicking feet in the air.

My heart is truly full (as expected) after reading this book.

Some tropes that I haven't included in my pre-review, but will include now:

-Sunshine fmc
- Cinnamon roll mmc
- Secretly vowed to marry one another when they were children
- Inexperienced mmc (if you know, you know) 😏

If you love college sport romance that are also inspired by Disney's most famous fairytales, you should definitely give this series a try. You will not regret it!!
____________________________
I opened my eyes very early in the morning today - around 5:30 a.m. - and saw that I have received an arc for this book!!!

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!!!
__________________________
''Where there is Sleeping Beauty retelling, there is me adding that book in my tbr-list.''

This cover is feeding my secretly hopeless romantic heart!!!! 😩

Update: I did read 'A Not So Prince Charming' and it was so cute! Now I need this book 10x more than I did before. I'm impatiently counting down the days till this book comes out.

——————————
I know I need to read the first book in this series first, which is inspired by Cinderella (also one of my favorite fairytales), but I NEED this book like I need oxygen.

Some tropes that this book will include so far:

- Sleeping Beauty inspired. As if I didn't make that already obvious from my first line.
- Theatre kids
- Fake dating
- Popular girl x Shy jock *screams then faints* (because I love this trope, but rarely see it)
- Childhood friends to strangers to lovers (Hello? My ALL TIME FAVE!!!!)

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖… 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆?” “𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉. 𝑻𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆, 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍.”

Fairytale inspired college romance? Say less! 👑✨ This spicy, swoon worthy, Sleeping Beauty inspired book was so freaking cute! 💤💖 It's already the second in the series, and I can't wait to see which princesses the author writes about next!

Short summary This book follows Audrey, who never expected to see her childhood best friend and longtime crush again until a Halloween party 🎃 where Parker shows up, casually letting her know he’s transferred to her college. SWOON! 😍

These two are absolutely gone for each other but don’t want to risk their friendship. So, when Parker wants to protect Audrey from her ex, the best solution is... fake dating. And OMG, isn’t it the BEST trope ever? 💕🔥

I adored the build-up between them, from holding hands to their first kiss to their spicy moments. Everything was so sweet and adorable because you could see how much their friendship meant to both of them 🥰 not only that but he was OBSESSED with her in the sweetest way and agh just 🧎‍♀️

Tropes
💕 college romance
💕 fake dating
💕 childhood friends to lovers
💕 theater girl x lacrosse boy
💕 he falls first
💕 his a protector AGH SWOON

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ Fake dating and fairytale retelling/elements ARE MY WEAKNESS so hopefully this one delivers hehe 🤞🤞

[Arushi♡ (catching up) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.50💫

“Hi, Dream Boy.”
“Rosie Girl, You’re the dream.”

To say I'm disappointed would be a lie, because I honestly wasn't expecting much.


𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙮 & 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 were nice people, likeable. Sometimes cute.

But! Audrey's whole personality was surrounded around the colour pink. I'm no hater of that colour, in fact I really like it but the problem was it was her entire personality. Remove that colour from this book and you'd have some 100 pages left, literally.


I wasn't connected to their story in a way I should have had in order to like it and I don't think that's my fault because I was really trying to. This was just cheesy with nothing on the side. The pacing also felt off, too rushed at times and sometimes excessively dragged on. By the end I was skimming through the pages.
Where I can see people liking this and rating it highly, this just wasn't it for me.


🆃🆁🅾🅿🅴🆂.・。.・゜✭・
● Sleeping Beauty inspired
● College romance
● Fake dating
● Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
● Lacrosse player x Drama student
● Famous girl x Shy guy
● Childhood crushes



P.S. You guysss🥲 I feel so stupid for thinking this is the last book in this series (I thought this was about two twin sisters) but there are going to be 2 more books. I was just so happy thinking I got over with this🥲



｡⁠:ﾟ﹏﹏﹏﹏⁠﹏﹏﹏﹏⁠﹏﹏﹏﹏⁠﹏﹏﹏﹏⁠﹏⁠﹏﹏﹏﹏⁠﹏⁠ﾟ⁠:⁠｡


↝Pre-read°｡⁠.ﾟ.⁠｡♡
Didn't enjoy the first one but I have to finish the series. Diving in with low expectations<3

[joni ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 4.3/5 ★

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎꒰🧾꒱ 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚞𝚙𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎

🎧
» today was a fairytale «
0:00 ─〇───── 0:00
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

release date: dec 10 (KU)

꒰ 💌꒱ 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 - childhood best friends who reunite in college. audrey ashford has been a hopeless romantic her whole entire life, she’s in her junior year at castoleton collage and is a drama student there, she dreams of being on broadway. parker maxwell just transferred there and is a senior in college. he’s her childhood best friend and long time crush. she hasn’t seen him in over 10 years and now their friends again, and she’s reminded of that. when her prick ex-boyfriend won’t stop bothering her, they decide to fake date and promise each other not to fall in love. parker has never been in love and relationships were kind of new to him. when kisses start feeling like more than just a kiss and they spend all their time together the lines between fake and real blur.

⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🤍 childhood best friends
💋fake dating
🤍 college romance
💋 musical theater x lacrosse
🤍 dual pov
💋 she falls first, he falls harder

꒰ 💗꒱ 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 - this book was actually so cute and adorable, literally such a perfect college romance and i loved it. was smiling and giggling the whole time, and i read this in a day!! (yay for my e-reader) they grew up together and were always spending time together until parker moved away one day and they became strangers. they meet at a halloween party and reconnect, their buried friendship coming back to them. childhood friends to strangers to lovers?!! like i’m going to eat that up for sure. this book does have spice but it’s easily skippable

────୨ৎ────

⁀➴ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

꒰🎀 ꒱ 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 - guys im actually obsessed with her and may need to steal her wardrobe asap like she’s goals. g.o.a.l.s !! my girl has the best style ever, is obsessed with pink, in a sorority house, and is super sociable. i wanna be her so bad (like my moodboard for her ughhhh) anyways i loved reading about her perspective and how in love with parker she was, like my girl was down BAD. (she’s so real tho like who wouldn’t love this man)

꒰📖 ꒱ 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩 - in love with this man. he was so sweet the entire time and has never loved anyone before. everything was so pure about him and he wanted the best for her always. he did go through some things at his old college and it’s why he’s hesitant about relationships. his friends/teammates shipping them and seeing he had feelings before he did was amazing. the way he’s been wanting to marry her since he was like 6?!! ahhhhhh like guys OMG (it’s giving gibsie!!)

────୨ৎ────

yall none of my quotes were saving, i was SO mad cuz like i has so many cute ones!! :(( idk maybe it wasn’t an epub or smth.

pinterest board


thank you to wordsmith publicity and the author for this arc!


ೃ⁀➷pre-review
4.3 ⭐️
really cute and super enjoyable, read this in 1 day!! 🫶🏽
rtc!!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so I knew going into this one that it was probably going to be hard for me. Sleeping Beauty retellings rarely go well with me. And despite me really enjoying the first one, this one fell flat.

First off, I'm going to say that Sleeping Beauty is my fave princess from Disney. She has been since I was a child and I adore the movie - the drawings, the colors, the music. I just love it. But for some reason when people retell it, they tend to focus on one thing - pink. Audrey's entire personality in this book was based around the color pink. Look, while the pink dress was not my princess fave (I preferred the blue dress), I get that Disney has made Sleeping Beauty synonymous with pink. But my gosh. Almost every paragraph had the word pink in it. We get it, she likes pink. It did not need to be mentioned 20 times a page. I hardly got anything else from her except she liked sleep (of course) and theater.

And as for Parker, he really only existed to make Audrey happy. Aside from him playing lacrosse and being in love with Audrey, couldn't tell you one thing about him. While KILLS me because Phillip is literally the best prince.

There were cute parts in it, but it really felt rushed. There was hardly any fake dating in it. Yes, they agreed to fake date, but that line disappeared really fast but yet it took forever to admit anything. It just felt rushed to get through it but also dragged out at the same time, if that makes sense.

I really wanted to like it. I loved the idea of it and their characters, when we met them in the first book, I was really looking forward to meeting them. But unfortunately, this one did not do it for me. But I am looking forward to the rest of the series and I will be checking them out.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolute and utter perfection! I’m still grinning, and kicking my feet, while the butterflies fly around my stomach. Audrey & Parker were so LOVER coded it wasn’t even funny. I’ve been waiting to read this book since last year when I finished Ella’s story, and it was so worth the wait!

Audrey and Parker were so obviously meant to be, and watching their story play out after falling out of touch as childhood best friends was seriously so perfect. The way their fake dating so naturally developed into real love, was always the endgame for them. All of their dates, and interactions were just so sweet and genuine, and literally filled me up with the warm and fuzzies. And their nicknames for each other… Rosie girl and Dream Boy? COULD THEY BE ANYMORE PERFECT??

The fact that this man just agreed to perform in a huge musical just *for* Audrey… I mean is he down bad or what? Parker is a virgin, so the buildup to the spicy scenes and the spicy scenes are soooo good! And one of my fave micro tropes; a spicy scene Jersey moment! I could go on and on about them all day, but you just need to read the book, so you can obsess over them with me.

I also love the Castleton University setting, it really is one of my happy fictional places. If you’re looking for a new Romance series to start this year that’s equal parts Spicy and Swoony, this is the one!!!!!

💗Sorority girl x LAX boy
🩵Childhood best friends who lose touch
💗Fake dating
🩵Friends to Lovers
💗Lover coded
🩵Sleeping Beauty vibes
💗He’s a virgin
🩵Jersey moment

Spicy chapters: 20, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36,

Fave Quotes:
“They say if you dream a thing more than once, it’s sure to come true.” I didn’t say anything. I just nodded. “Well, all my life, I dreamed about you.”

“Turn around. Let me see my name on your back, Rosie Girl. Show me whose girl you are.” Because make no mistake… She was mine, and I was going to prove that to her.”

“I know now why there wasn’t anyone else, Audrey Rose. Why I never wanted to be with anyone else. Because all my life, it’s always been you. I was always waiting for you.”

“It’s always been you, Rosie. In every dream, every vision, you were the one I wanted by my side.”

**Trigger warning for emotional abuse, DV

[Anca A · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Review: *Once Upon A Fake Dating* - Jennifer Chipman [18+]
4.3/5✨
3/5🌶️

I was super curious about this book, being a fairytale inspired story. Thank you so much Jennifer Chipman and Wordsmith Publicity for this copy!

Audrey or Rosie by her nickname, is the twin sister of Ella, the main female character from the 1st book of the 'Castleton University' series, 'A not so Price Charming'. Audrey had a wonderful friendship with Parker, but he had to move away. They kept in touch for a short time, but soon they will be strangers. That's until they'll meet again, after nine years.

Even from their first encounter, after so many years, they still felt like best friends and they still got those little sparks of love inside them. Because Aud had some issues with her ex-boyfriend, Parker and her agreed on a fake relationship, in order to escape the constant bugging from Duke, the annoying ex.

I liked the initial friendship Rosie and Parker had. It was so sweet and innocent. They constantly tried their best not to hurt each other and destroy their friendship, but because of that, they denied a real relationship to grow between them. Parker was the cutest boy ever! He was so gentle, protective and understanding with Rosie. A real golden retriever🤭. Maybe it was a bit too much miscommunication in this story, but I sort of understand why it was that way.

This story was sweet, with a very slow burn, but with a fiery explosion when things got more serious. I liked the fairytale inspiration, having a couple of references in the story.

✨Tropes
#BestFriendsToLovers
#FirstLove
#ReunitedLovers
#CinnamonRoll
#GoldenRetriever
#FairytaleInspired
#SportsRomance
#Hockey
#Theatre

[Litwak Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming, sweet, and unbelievably romantic. This book was like a dreamy fairy-tale! I am officially claiming 𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙐𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚 as my favorite Jennifer Chipman book. There was something so endearing and captivating about Parker + Audrey. They were so good together. Respectful, loving, kind, and deliciously hot. Soulmate coded. The way Parker was a total simp for Audrey Rose had me in a chokehold. The man was obsessed with his girl. I also loved that the timeline for this book lined up with A Not So Prince Charming. There was a scene with Parker towards the end of the first book that I was desperate to read from Parker + Audrey’s perspective. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. Overall, this book was the sweetest and most wholesome friends to lovers I’ve ever read. Dream Boy & Rosie Girl forever 🩷✨

"𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎, 𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚢 𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚎. 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎. 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞."

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇꜱ:
🩷 Fake Dating
🎭 Theater Kids
🎀 Popular Girl x Shy Jock
🫶🏼 Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
🧁 Cinnamon Roll MMC
✨ Inspired by Sleeping Beauty

A huge thank you to Jennifer Chipman & Wordsmith Publicity for providing me with an ARC of 𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙐𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚!

[Kendra Job · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Jennifer Chipman has done it again, she’s written another amazing book boyfriend who’s gonna make your high standards higher than they already are. Prepare to fall head over heels for Parker in ‘Once Upon a Fake Date.’
This is book 2 of the Castleton University series and although you can read this as a standalone I definitely recommend checking out book 1 as well to get to know Ella and Cam. Book 2 follows Ella’s sister, Audrey’s story. Audrey and Parker were best friends when they were kids until Parker moved away. Years later they finally reunite at CU. They’re in love with each other but neither of them knows the other feels the same and they’re both worried about ruining the friendship. Audrey is dealing with an ex boyfriend who just won’t leave her alone prompting Parker to ‘fake date’ her where he truly is the best boyfriend ever. This book will have you smiling and kicking your feet just waiting for the two of them to realize their true feelings. Go grab this book and be ready to put Parker at the top of your book boyfriends list when you finish!
Thank you Jennifer Chipman and Wordsmith Publicity for an ARC of this book! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to put next to ‘a Not so Prince Charming’!

[Ayanna S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review ✨

I absolutely loved this book , more than I truly thought I would , I've read Jennifers books and loved the two I read but this ? This was amazing. It was just so stinking cute like sugary sweet cute , probably the cutest story I've read yet , I love a hopeless romantic ,Rosie reminded me of myself so much in that aspect ,ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of a happily ever after ✨

Tropes : Fake dating
Second Chance
Lacrosse x Theatre girl
Hero MMC
Trauma
"Rosie Girl "
"Dream boy "

I can't wait to read this again tbh , this is definitely a read that stood out and was just it's own , I will always remember this. It makes me cry happy tears and swoon so hard. I have another book boyfriend, they just keep peeling up lmao

[yenbookthings · Rating 4 out of 5]

STOP EVERYTHING YOUR DOING RN AND READ THIS BOOK.

that’s all i have to say i want a Parker Phillip Maxwell in my life but i think it too late for that… ohhhh and the little snippets you get to cam and ella. ROSIE BETTER WATCH OUT, im eyeing her man. NOT THAT HELL EVER WANT SOMEONE ELSEEEEEEE.

p.s it does take a bit to get to any like smut stuff but man once you get there it’s like the beat wait EVERR

[TTP · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟

- H 13 // h12, now H 22, h 21
- Best friends to strangers to lovers
- Fake dating
- Second chance (almost 10 y later)
- Lacrosse player // drama student
- College romence

Cute, easy read with great friends. “It’s always been you” done right, since the H was always waiting for the h, even tho he never knew he would se her again.

Safety:
- Omd: h ex cheated on her, he is stalking her and treating her bad, so the h and H starts fake dating to keep him away. He shows up multiple times, but h is over her ex.
- Not really owd: H ex who also cheated on his with H best friend shows up, but H isn’t interested and never really was much interested in her when they dated. The ex cheated bc the H wasn’t giving her attention bc he wasn’t that interested in her.
- H is a virgin, only kissing and touching with his ex
- h have slept with a couple of guys

[Natalyastyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Author Jennifer Chipman, for giving me the amazing opportunity to read an Arc of your new upcoming Romance Novel🎀🎭🌸🩷✨
“Once Upon A Fake Date”
The Second installment in the-
“Castleton University Book Series”
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️read!!! I'm totally smitten with this book! The opening page drew me in and didn’t let go once✨
I tore the book up in no time!! It was everything and more to me!! Instantly became attached to the main characters in seconds with every suspenseful moment and witty banter they shared🩷Especially with it being a Sleeping Beauty inspiration only adds an extra layer of beautiful magic to tale that I truly admire and enjoy✨🎀
The Author's profound storytelling is truly showcased throughout every chapter there is in this tale, always giving us a captivating experience that you can’t get your hands off🤩I’m so excited for what comes next in the future of this amazing book series🌸🎀✨

“Once Upon A Fate Date,” stars two beautiful main characters-
(✨🎀Audrey Ashford & Parker Maxwell🥍✨)
As we journey through the pages, we're treated to a delightful exploration of College Romance, musical theatre, Sorority girl x lacrosse player, Fake dating, childhood friends to lovers, and fairytale-inspired banter. Each of these elements comes together to create a story that will enchant you and leave you craving more. The Author's passion for writing is skillfully woven into both the plot and the main character's narrative.

My lover girl Audrey🎀✨embodies the essence of love and kindness, possessing a presence that subtly reveals a captivating charm, that also comes with a affectionate and loving relationship she shares with her twin sister Ella, whom you can also discover more about in the first book of the series with Ella’s love story✨Audrey really draws you in with her narrative, as she personifies authenticity and compassion, crafting emotional depth into every instant, displaying extraordinary courage and vulnerability!! And qualities shining brightly through her love for musical theatre🎭 And with the same fervent passion, she lavishes her adoration on her beloved Parker🥹🩵whom she loves consistently especially since they were kids and always showing him a gentle and nurturing demeanor24/7 Conveying her affection in diverse ways that will leave you radiant with joy and more🩷

My new obsession/new book boyfriend-
Parker Maxwell💋🤍He's a true sweetheart, with a lover boy's charm, His words has a magical effect creating a bond that's hard to break and fills you with affection, especially when it’s combined with his beautiful soul. His loyalty and protectionism are irresistibly attractive, drawing you in with a force that's hard to ever forget and it’s touching when it’s for the girl he has always wanted & love since forever🥹The depth of Parker's love for his Rosie Girl, is awe-inspiring. He is utterly smitten, always yearning to be by her side, Captivating her senses and filling her heart with love. His every waking moment is dedicated to making her happy, and it's a profoundly emotional experience to witness the incredible bond they share, one that only grows stronger with each passing day🥹🎀✨🎭

“It’s always been you, Rosie.
In every dream, every vision, you were the one
I wanted by my side.”-Parker Maxwell💋✨

Pre-order
“Once Upon A Fake Date”
ASAP for a beautiful Happily Ever After Tale that you won’t be able to put down🩷
And you can do just that by visiting the author’s social @jennchipmanauthor on IG and also get the chance to check out teasers & character artwork please get the chance to check out her other beautiful previous work🤩

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedication: To all the pink girls, and to those who’ve ever felt like they were too much. Don’t ever change—you’re perfect just the way you are.

Audrey (FMC): 21 • Theater Girly • Loves Pink and Dresses • Twin Sister to Ella (book 1) • Hopeless Romantic • Favorite Hobby: Sleeping •
Parker (MMC): 22 • Lacrosse Player • Studying Architectural Design • Shy and Quiet • Cinnamon Roll • Year of No Distractions •

Tropes:
🎀 Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
🥍 Fake Dating
🎀 College Romance
🥍 Low-Angst
🎀 Theater kids
🥍 Popular girl x Shy jock
🎀 Virgin MMC
🥍 Nicknames
🎀 Inspired by Sleeping Beauty
🥍 Flashbacks

Rating: 🎭🎭🎭🎭 (4⭐️)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️(🐫, 👅, dirty talk, praise, 💦 in his pants)
T/W: infidelity (not MCs, referenced), minor physical violence (not MCs, on page), unwanted following (referenced), DV (referenced)

Fluffy and Fun and perfectly Pink! 💖 This book is filled with swoony moments, hot spicy scenes and fairytale magic. I adored Audrey and Parker. Their love unfolded like a Disney movie; we get peeks into the past which helped move the story along. Ms. Chipman wrote an adorable true love story filled with heartwarming moments and captivating characters, all that was missing were singing birds.

Favorite Line: “Once Upon a Fake Date,” I corrected. “And the boy loved the girl very much, but he was afraid to tell her. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship because he liked having her sunshine in his life. Liked all of her pink and the glitter she left behind.”

They say if you dream a thing more than once, it’s sure to come true. SLEEPING BEAUTY, 1959

I cannot wait to go back to Castleton U. I need the next Disney after dark fairytale.

I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.

[Pene|ope • Reading Slump, Send Help · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When I fell, I fell fast and hard. That was the curse of being a hopeless romantic."

Such a cute story! This was a retelling but also not? Like there should be a genre for the in between where it has just enough elements of the original tale to make it feel nostalgic while still being completely different. 

Anyway, these two finding each other again after losing each other when one moved away in their younger years was an adorable storyline. It's clear they were meant to be together. And the musical parts? *Sighhhhh* I loved those and wanted more of them.

‼️ Slight spoilers

This was pretty straightforward with little angst. There's some OM drama but it's someone the FMC doesn't want back. This is very much on the sweeter side of things, but it does take them far too long imo to admit their feelings for each other. There's some miscommunication that didn't need to happen, like how even after he's told her "it's always been you," and even that "it was never fake to me", she's still in confusion about their relationship for some reason. 

That was my biggest issue with the book. Other issues were things like an over abundance of details that t weren't necessary, and one part of the storyline just fizzling out after a certain point. I gave this 4 stars anyway because I liked the supportive relationship they had, the ending gav  me the warm fuzzies, and because the author didn't put ridiculous standards for sex on the FMC like so many books do.

I also liked the stories happening on the side with other characters. I'm interested in reading their books too.


Edit:
I came to review too fast and just saw there are epilogues I missed.

Once Upon A Fake Date By Parker Maxwell [AUDREY stands alone on stage while PARKER enters from stage left.]

... [PARKER gets down on one knee.]

SCREAMING THIS IS SO CUTE!

[Mads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Jennifer Chipman for sending this arc!!

Once Upon A Fake Date follows Audrey Rose and Parker on their path of childhood best friends to strangers to lovers. Throw in a musical, lacrosse, and relationship issues into it and boom, you have this book!!!!!

One thing about a book by Jennifer Chipman is I’m going to smile and kick my feet the whole time. This book gave me all the giggles and cutesy feelings. I love both Parker and Audrey Rose. I love Parker’s protectiveness!!! I love that both gave off golden retriever vibes because their relationship emitted so much positive and sunshine-y energy!!!! These two just made my heart swell. So many scenes were so cute and fun, it just made me smile.

The topic of domestic violence was brushed on as well. I sometimes feel that books don’t touch on topics well enough and include a difficult topic just to do so. But, I feel as if the author walked through love bombing, manipulation, gas lighting, and physical abuse in a meaningful way to the plot. With that being said, I mean the awareness to the topic was done well. Could we always include more information and such to a topic like DV? Absolutely.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting!! Thank you!!!

[lauren dedinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ so i rounded up

What to expect:
- fake dating
- college sports romance
- theater kids
- popular girl x shy jock
- cinnamon roll mmc x sunshine fmc
- sleeping beauty inspired
- childhood friends to strangers to lovers

once again jennifer chipman proves why she became one of my favorite authors last year when i found out about her books. i am truly and completely obsessed with her writing style and stories. if she writes it i am going to read it.

i absolutely love all things disney and this being inspired by sleeping beauty just made it 100 times better in my opinion. and now you add fake dating into the mix, YES PLEASE!!

i had so much fun reading this book. parker and audrey were just soo cute together. i never wanted it to end. i was giggling and kicking my feet in the air so much throughout the book.

i will most definitely be going back to read the first book, a not so prince charming soon.

thank you so much wordsmith publicity for this wonderful opportunity to read and review this arc🩵!!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Audrey at 8 years old and Parker are best friends until one day he tells her he's moving away. This breaks her heart and they try to keep contact but as usual life goes they loose touch.

They end up going to the same University after he transferred to Castleton from his first school. After so many years, they still felt like best friends and it's like time never stopped.

Audrey had some issues with her ex-boyfriend, Parker and her agreed on a fake relationship which leads to him helping her in her school theater play. They both tried to deny their feelings for each other but of course the time together made their heart grow fonder. Parker was such a protector

This story was sweet, with a very slow burn. Enjoyed the fairytale inspiration. Jennifer's writing is always so magical

Tropes
-Best Friends To Lovers
-First Love
-ReunitedLovers
-CinnamonRoll
-GoldenRetriever
-Fairytale Inspired
-SportsRomance
-Hockey
-Theatre

Thank you to the author and Wordsmith Publicity for gifting me this eARC

[Katie Thayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a sweet story

Once Upon A Fake Date by Jennifer Chipman

“Like at you. My knight in shining armor coming to save the day.” “I’ll always save you, sunshine.”

“I just kept it with me after that. Kept you with me all this time, even when we didn’t talk.”

“I know now why there wasn’t anyone else, Audrey Rose. Why I never wanted to be with anyone else. Because all my life, it’s always been you. I was waiting for you.”


Audrey and Parker’s story is so sweet. Childhood best friends torn apart when Parker’s family moves away. Only to run into each other at a Halloween party their junior year in college. They rekindle their friendship and start fake dating to keep Audrey’s ex boyfriend from bothering her. Except they realize that they have always loved each other.

Tropes:
Friends to Lovers
Fake Dating
Second Chance
Slow Burn
Virgin MMC

Spice starts at 60%🌶️

Spice: 2.5/4🌶️
Stars: 4⭐️

Available on Kindle Unlimited

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a cute second chance at love story! The Castleton University series are straight from a fairy tale. Each book thus far has been so cute, I can’t take it!

I just love a good childhood love story & how Parker & Audrey reconnected, so magical & just right.

The plot of the story, the connection/ reconnection between the two characters, the spice, it was all done really well.

My only critique would be the vernacular or grammar in the writing. There was a lot of we’d or he’d or I’d, when I think the contraction of words was used incorrectly. There were times where I’d had been used when it should have been I’ve. Once I noticed the incorrect usage, it was hard to not notice how often those contractions were being used.

Overall, it was a cute story and I’m looking forward to Izzy and Adam’s book!

✨Thank you Wordsmith Publicity and Jennifer Chipman for the ARC! ✨

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is childhood friends to lovers PERFECTION.

Parker and Audrey are the cutest, most adorable pair of cuties there are.

Their friendship chemistry was insane; how on earth they managed to hide their feelings from each other was nuts! They were head over heels for each other.

The whole fake dating aspect was just the cherry on top of the sundae. They could explore their feelings without scaring the other - not knowing the others feelings. It was the CUTEST.

there are no words to explain how cute Audrey and Parker are!

I love them so much.

Thank you Jennifer Chipman for the advanced copy. <3

[Evelyn (S'more Books Please) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audrey and Parker were childhood best friends until Parker's family moved away. After many years of no contact, they run into each other at a college Halloween party. The two quickly become inseparable again, meeting whenever they can between Audrey's musical rehearsals and Parker's lacrosse practice. When Audrey needs both a male lead to star opposite her in the musical and someone to prove to her ex that she isn't interested in him, Parker offers to audition and be her fake boyfriend. As very real feelings develop, Parker and Audrey must decide if they can risk their friendship for a chance at happily ever after.

I adored this book! Parker and Audrey are precious and I loved all the Sleeping Beauty references. Parker is such a sweetheart and I want to be best friends with Audrey. I so relate to her love of everything pink and sparkly. This was a feel-good book and I smiled a lot while reading it. The story is fun, engaging, and has excellent spice. The way Parker and Audrey support each other is beautiful and how all relationships should be. I can't wait to read more books in this series. Grab this book now!

Follow me on Instagram @smorebooksplease for more bookish fun!

[Eunoia]

self note:

skimmed + dnf for now

got bored; usual plot about fake dating, nothing new for me.


virgin mmc (lol) | had a gf, kissed before, until second base with gf; loved the gf (i think) | idk if has experience w other girls

non v fmc (d only thing i love here)

not my type of childhood friends to lovers book

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audrey’s junior year seems perfect—she’s landed the lead in the spring musical, and her childhood best friend Parker is back, now a handsome athlete. When Parker becomes her co-lead, she fights to keep their friendship intact despite her growing feelings. Parker, focused on lacrosse after transferring to Castleton University, didn’t expect to reunite with Audrey or fake date her for the musical. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is to pretend, and Parker is determined to show Audrey their love is real.


Ohh, from the very beginning, it felt like I was watching a Disney movie rather than reading a book. The "Sleeping Beauty" vibes were spot on—Audrey is the perfect comparison, everything pink, and she's the epitome of sunshine. On the other hand, Parker is a bit shy but incredibly sexy and protective—a true cinnamon roll, golden retriever type. Every line of his had me giggling—serious fangirling here.
Their story, from childhood friends to losing touch and then accidentally reconnecting, is just so adorable. The slow-burn romance was fantastic as they both tried to protect their friendship, even though it was obvious what they both really wanted. Their fake dating and fake relationship were so entertaining—her showing up at his games, and him stepping into the role of theater lead just for her.
Of course, it wasn’t all lovey-dovey. There was drama, like Audrey's issues with her ex and some miscommunication between her and Parker. At times, it was a bit frustrating, but their reasons were valid, and they definitely made up for it later with some spicy moments.
My only real gripe is the overuse of "pink" and "fake." Okay, I got it! But honestly, this might be one of my favorite reads lately. It grabbed me right from the start, and I flew through it—there wasn’t a single element I didn’t love. And the epilogues? Incredible. The author outdoes herself with every book (she’s in my top 3 authors), and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I know now why there wasn’t anyone else, Audrey Rose. Why I never wanted to be with anyone else. Because all my life, it’s always been you. I was always waiting for you.”

✔️college lacrosse player x theater girlie
✔️fake dating
✔️childhood best friends to strangers to lovers
✔️it’s always been you
✔️fairytale inspired
✔️no 3rd act breakup

3.5⭐️

This is a cute college/new adult romance that is perfect for those who love stories inspired by fairy tales! The references are very heavy-handed, so if that bothers you this won’t be the book for you, however after reading and loving the first book I knew what I was getting into. Unfortunately, for me, this book was not as good as the first one (and I was comparing them the whole time in my head because the FMCs of the two books are twins and the stories take place over the same timeline).

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story itself and the main characters, there are just so many editorial issues (e-book version), it felt like the book was never edited or proofed before publishing. I am not talking a couple of simple mistakes (those happen in every single book out there) — I am referring to the multiple major errors that pulled me out of the reading experience (sentences missing words and having no punctuation, wrong words used accidentally multiple times, sentences that were repeated multiple times, etc). They are the kind of errors that there is really no excuse for.

Now on to the good — this is how you do the “it’s always been you” trope. Though both MCs had other partners before the start of this book, the MMC waited for the FMC. He didn’t realize at the time that that’s what he was doing, but he was a virgin until they got together. He carried around a picture of them from when they were kids in his wallet and was willing to meet here where she was and be anything she needed him to be — best friend, fake date, boyfriend. They both knew from the start that they loved each other, but hid their true feelings because it was “fake”.

[Aditee Praharaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC 12- ONCE UPON A FAKE DATE
Author- Jennifer Chipman
Book 2 in Castleton University series.
Sleeping Beauty Inspired
Genre- childhood best friends to strangers to lovers, fake dating, musical drama, Lacrosse Player, it has always been you, shy MMC X extrovert FMC
Rating- 4.5 ⭐️

Distance makes the relation fond..

Blurb:
Once Upon A Fake Date…
Audrey
All my life, I’d been dreaming of two things: shining in the spotlight on stage and falling in love. When I landed the lead part in the spring musical junior year, it felt like everything was falling into place. Especially when my childhood best friend came waltzing back into my life. Only, he’d gone from a scrawny pre-teen to a handsome athlete, and it was hard to take my eyes off of him.
Especially when he ended up as my co-lead for the musical. But our friendship meant too much to me to risk. I wasn’t sure my heart could survive losing him again.
Parker
Transferring to Castleton University for my senior year was my chance to start over and focus on lacrosse and getting my degree. What I didn’t expect when my teammates dragged me to a party was finding the girl of my dreams... also known as my childhood best friend.
I was supposed to be focusing on lacrosse. Not volunteering to be the lead in the musical with her. Or fake dating her.
Except for when I saw her in my jersey, smiling just for me, I had a hard time remembering why this was supposed to be fake.
Which was why I intended to prove that I was the happy ending she’d always dreamed of.
One fake date at a time.

Plot:
If a Person is meant to stay in your life, he/she will stay no matter what, even they take detour or gap. That was for Audrey Rose Ashford and Parker Phillip Maxwell, childhood best friends. Twelve years old Audrey had decided that she would marry Parker when they would grow up. Parker had decided it when he was nine. However, Parker and his family moved away thus leading to a gap between them. They may had lost touch, but never thought.

Fast forward to the future where Audrey is in her second last year at Castleton University pursuing musical theatre. Her dreams of her real life Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After are still dreams. Her twin Ella is pursuing Fashion studies. She’s just been out of a horrible relationship with Duke, who shattered her confidence. Parker became a dream, her Dream Boy, which she sometimes visited but permanently stayed in her head…until Halloween.

Parker’s dream girl has always been Audrey, his Rosie, even after loosing contact. College life was going well until a fallout with his Lacrosse teammate(s) and girlfriend. The fallout ate away a piece of him. Seeking a fresh start, he transferred to Castleton University for his final two years in Architecture on his Lacrosse scholarship. They say whatever happens, happens for the good because had this not happened, he wouldn’t have transferred colleges AND had he not done that, Audrey would have just remained his dream girl- never to be real.

Despite being a jock, he had always been the shy nerd who opened up with people most comfortable with like his friends. Earlier, he was the life of the party- now gone with the wind. Seeing him all quiet and reserved, his teammates dragged him to all the campus Halloween parties. Blessing in disguise because at the last party, he meet Audrey again.

It had been years since they lost contact, it took them one night to become the best of friends once again. It also took them one night to revive and intensify their secret crush on each other.

As days fly by, their feelings grow. Yet, they don’t confess. Why- because they they don’t want to risk their friendship which they got back after years. Also, they were under the assumption that their crush saw them just as their best friend. The dilemma of best friends in love with each other….sigh! And then…the Love Gods set their main part of their plan into action.

Audrey was to star in a play. The hitch-her counterpart was under disciplinary action. Hence, he was no longer a part of the play. To make things worse, Duke was his understudy meaning he had a chance of being selected. Also, she told him that she was dating someone when in reality, she wasn’t.
It was here when Parker swept in to save the day, rather the play by filling out the role of her counterpart. He even suggested that they fake date in order to get Duke off her back, despite promising his coach no distractions.

Fake dating each other was the hardest thing they ever did because every moment, touch, kiss..everything felt real. Every time they were reminded it was all fake and it had a deadline, a bit of their heart broke. The cloud of dilemma was enormous, Dear Readers, so enormous that it took them real long to catch glimpses of each other’s true feelings- thats it’s all true, never been fake to them.

Parker was the first one to realise that they had a shot at this fake dating turning into real. The question is- Does their Once Upon a Fake Date turn into their Happily Ever After?

Opinion:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you have got to admire author Jennifer Chipman’s imagination, creativity and the plethora of themes in her book settings. College stories inspired from Disney Princesses, Space, Best friends Book club with their second generation in tow!! And, there are many more. Lets not forget that she is set to release 6 books this year!! Not me waiting for them. I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy her books, something I realised after finishing this book. Her books leave you serene and satisfied. As my friend said and I quote- her books are ideal to get out of a reading slump.

Audrey Rose Ashford, our blond, violet-blue eyed FMC is one of the sweetest FMC I’ve read. She’s sunshine always seeing the silver lining which sometimes makes her slightly naive.
Strong willed, yet so compassionate and understanding.
Extrovert.
Theatre suits her and vice versa. A natural
A pink girl through and through. She may be girly, but that never stopped her from playing around and getting hurt and dirt on her.
Adorable, you can’t help but adore and protect her from all evil. Every character in the book adores her.

Parker Philip Maxwell has always been her night in shining armour. A shy secret smart nerd pursuing architecture and yet a through jock being a wonderful Lacrosse player. He may have not been experienced but he sure is a quick learner. And his mouth 👄… Boy oh boy!!! The silent ones are the best ladies 😉 🔥 Parker Phillip Maxwell, you are the Man.

When they both meet each other after years, they were personality wise slightly shaken, broken and upset. They healed each, encouraged and completed each other. They were cheesy but they were true, still having their fun and friendship in their relationship. Sweet fluffy romance- Hands down!!
Describe the book in one word- Sweet. So sweet that it will raise your sugar levels.
Tropes nailed and justified- ✅. This book perfectly nailed the line- “Everyone knows that they are in love with each other except themselves.”
It’s book 2 in the Castleton series but can be easily read as a standalone.
HEA?- “And they lived Happily Ever After”
Overall- this book is recommended. Those who love a sweet, soft yet hot and spicy fluffy romance, this Author is for you. If you love a good childhood best friends to lovers story, fake dating, then this book is for you.

[Kiana H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was beyond excited to start this book after the first one. And the cherry on top it’s inspired by one of my favorite princess. Audrey and Parker from start to finish was everything I wanted. I absolutely love how Jennifer brings her characters to life and how the story flows. I would definitely read a not so Prince Charming before once upon a fake date so you can see Audrey before her story. But this can be read as a stand-alone if desired!! This is definitely in my top five stories written by Jennifer I can not wait for the next in the series 👀👀

[Yammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

once upon a fake date arc review

🎀 ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5


🏆 thoughts on the book:
I LOVE A GOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS STORY 😭 audrey and parker’s story was so freaking cute! anything that jennifer chipman writes, i’ll eat it up!! he two main characters are childhood friends until parker moves away. these two meet again a few years later at university when audrey is in her third year and park is in his fourth year. parker transferred to castleon university, playing for the school’s lacrosse team. they quickly connect back when they meet at a halloween party. they start spending a lot of time there, also getting dinner together and talking.

audrey is majoring in theater and parker is majoring in architecture but also plays for the university’s lacrosse team. audrey and parker start fake dating when there’s an ex of audrey that keeps on bothering her. with audrey getting the lead in the musical show, and her ex potentially getting the main lead role as well. the professor in charge of the program asks audrey if she knows anyone who could audition to be the new lead in the musical. parker volunteers to go for the role and parker has the idea to fake date audrey to help her from her ex. parker thinks that their dating will get the ex to stop bothering audrey. they plan to fake date until the musical performance shows. because that ex was a real piece of work and deserved everything that he got and way worse 😊 but as months pass by, it’s hard to tell what is real and fake.

both of them liked each other when they were younger, but then parker moved away. almost 10 years later, audrey and parker meet again and reconnect with each other. it seems that audrey and parker are moving too fast, but they have many years that they spent together as kids. but they are also spending time now learning about the people they grew up to be. parker pays a lot of attention to whatever audrey does. and it surprises audrey since no guy has spent too much time paying attention to her like parker does. parker is such a sweet, kind, and loving guy toward audrey 😭 and i don’t blame audrey for developing feelings for him. parker likes audrey just they way she is and makes it seen their his words and actions. there is constant reassurance from parker that audrey doesn’t have to change who she is and that she’s perfect just the way she is 🥹

growing up, audrey always watched princess movies and dreamed of having that same love for herself. audrey dated a few times but never found the love that she was looking for. audrey had given up on dating for a while, especially when her last ex cheated on her. she wanted to take a break from dating and wanted to focus on herself instead. the color pink seems to be a big part of audrey, and it is seen in everything that she does. with her clothes being pink, accessories being pink, or anything that she can get her hands on is pink. audrey thinks that might have been a flaw based on what her ex said, but parker makes sure that it’s what makes audrey herself. audrey goes through a lot in the book, especially with her ex. parker is there to help her out, and he helps her out in any way that he can. audrey has parker to lean on.

parker transferred to castleton univeristy on an athlete and academics scholarship. after something happened with his old lacrosse team, parker decided to transfer. parker had his mind straight on having no distractions for the year, not wanting to jeopardize his scholarships. parker started not wanting to get close to the other guys on the team, afraid of a repeat of what happened with his old lacrosse team. but also wanted to focus on lacrosse and school only, but that was until he met audrey again. parker always had a soft spot for audrey ever since they were kids. so getting the chance to be around audrey again, he wasn’t going to let her go again.

watching their relationship go from real to fake 😭🤚 there were times that i wished that i could talk to them because the times they needed to talk to each other would have helped them. but thankfully, they had people who pushed them after their realizations. audrey and parker went from childhood best friends to best friends in university it was as if they had been best friends for so many years. there was an awkward reconnection, but one that made it easy to jump back into that friendship they had many years ago.


🎀 spice chapters:
spice chapters: 20*, 23*, 24*, 25*, 29*, 31, 32, 35, 36
* chapters with partial scenes
some scenes are short, but i still added them here.


🏆 what to expect:
- lacrosse player x theater girl
- shy guy and extroverted girl
- childhood best friends
- they meet again after a few years
- it’s always been you
- everyone knows but them
- university students

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3/5 stars

POV: 1st person, Dual

Primary Tropes/Features: Friends to lovers, Fake dating, Sleeping beauty inspired, Possessive hero, Cinnamon roll hero, College/University romance, He Falls First

Secondary Tropes/Features: Sports romance (Lacrosse), Virgin MMC, Popular Girl/Nerdy Boy

Micro Tropes: Obsessed with her in his jersey, Who did this to you?, Blushing hero, Date auction, Nicknames

Content warning: A content warning is included in the book, but in my opinion does not cover all potential triggers. This book includes: Explicit sexual content (on page), Strong language (on page), Drinking (on page), Infidelity (discussed not seen), Minor physical violence (not between MMC & FMC, on page), Emotional abuse (discussed not seen), Separation violence (on page), Harassment (on page), Alludes to past physical abuse (events themselves off page), Love bombing (discussed not seen), Gaslighting (discussed not seen)

Once Upon a Fake Date was an enjoyable and sweet romance.

Audrey (Rosie) was an outgoing, bubbly and all round sunshiny heroine who loved all things pink and was both pretty and popular. I did wonder at first if she’d become more than this as she seemed to embody the stereotypical sorority girl but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I had come to like her by the end of the book. Her characterisation of a hopeless romantic who had lost herself and was trying to find her way back to who she once was, was an endearing and enjoyable journey. In contrast to Audrey, Parker was a shy, quiet, and nerdy athlete who embodied what it meant to be a cinnamon roll hero. His sweet and caring nature showed beautifully how good his intentions were and how he was the kind of character with only goodness in him. His characterisation and character journey was also an interesting one and I really enjoyed the exploration of his hidden bossy and flirty sides.

The two of them were childhood best friends unexpectedly reunited and it was like no time had passed at all. Their assumed one sided crushes soon re-ignited and so did those old thoughts and feelings of being stuck in the friend zone. It brought the tension and angst that comes from a friends to lovers romance but wrapped in a fake dating package that made their relationship enjoyable and honestly, at times adorable. I was invested in their sweet romance and them as individuals and by the end of the book was struggling to put it down.

Whilst having not read A Not So Prince Charming (book #1) in this series it was obvious the events of Once Upon a Fake Date were simultaneous with those of Ella and Cameron’s story. It didn’t detract from Piper and Audrey’s romance nor did it cause me any confusion. If anything I wanted to know more about what was happening between Ella and Cameron and it made me consider reading their story. There were other secondary characters featured in the book and whilst they brought both fun and hard scenes (see some of the triggers) which added to the overall plot, the main focus is on our main couple and secondary plots are not as prominent.

This was my first book by Chipman and I don’t think it is going to be my last. If all of her books are of sweet romances such as this then I will certainly keep her in mind for when the mood strikes. Until then however, Aurdey and Piper have been an enjoyable introduction into her work.

Favourite Quote(s):

“Are you… are you flirting with me?”
“Yeah. Took you long enough to notice, Rosie Girl.”

“Turn around. Let me see my name on your back, Rosie Girl. Show me whose girl you are.”

[Joanna- LifeWithPrinceMan · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ JOJO'S REVIEW ✨

📝 Audrey's best friend was always the boy next door. That is, until he broke her heart by moving away. Years later, she reconnects with Parker at a Halloween fraternity party. Audrey can't believe that her childhood bestie is now attending Castleton University! Their relationship picks up right where it left off. Yet both of them wonder if they are actually meant for something more. When a situation with Audrey's ex causes them to fake date for her protection, their relationship may be headed towards something even better than they ever could have imagined.

What To Expect:
✌️ Second in Series
2️⃣ Duel POV
🏫 College Romance
🎭 Theatre Girl + 🥍 Lacrosse Player
👧 Childhood Best Friends
💕 Fake Dating
😡 She's MINE!
🫠 Intense Yearning
🔱 Sorority, Preppy FMC
🥯 Cinnamon Roll MCC
🍒 Virgin MCC
🍓 He Loves How She Smells

I dove into this book immediately following A Not So Prince Charming. This story was precious! Audrey aka Rosie is this sweet, outgoing, pink-loving drama student. Meanwhile, Parker is a shy, reserved, hardworking lacrosse + architecture student. Seeing their friendship evolve into something more was EVERYTHING. You could have broke that tension with a sneeze! 🤣 OMG the way he loved seeing Audrey wear his jersey with his last name on the back...swoony.

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Heat Factor: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 /5
📍 Castleton University
Read if ➡️: You love a sweet, slow burn, no third-act-breakup romance.
Read 📅: Throughout the school year starting at Halloween.
CW ⚠️: Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, Stalking, Cheating
Best Quote💬: "I'm insatiable for you, baby. I'd have you for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you let me. Spend all day buried between these thighs."
Bonus Quote💬: "She was mine. She just didn't know it yet. I'd been in love with that girl for my entire life."

I think what I loved most about this book is that it felt different than Book 1, A Not So Prince Charming. While it's in the same universe with all the same characters, the romance is completely different. Book 1 became steamy and HOTTTT very quickly. This book on the other hand is a torturous slow-burn romance. The spice comes later, but it's gradual. I think that also can happen when a MC is a virgin. I would say, it is important to read Book 1 first because it really gives you background into Audrey's universe for the most meaningful read. I really loved this book, but sometimes I just wanted them to TALK TO ONE ANOTHER! Even with holding their cards (or feelings) closely to their chests, the Castleton University series will go down as one of my favorites. I love a romance that has REAL WORLD PROBLEMS be their uphill challenge vs. breaking up. 👏

One wish I had would be to have Chipman make this and Book 1 into a special edition tandem read. Both books are happening simultaneously at the same time. I would love to read these romances together for an even deeper connection for these adorable twin sisters. Also-I heard a rumor that Book 3 is coming. So, I will be looking out for that!

Jennifer Chipman is now an auto-buy author for me. Anyone loving heartwarming romances with some spice and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUPS should definitely pick this series up.

My Reviews on Castleton University Series
1️⃣ A Not So Prince Charming⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2️⃣ Once Upon a Fake Date⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫