Faking It... At First

Tennessee Terrors #2

by M.J. Fields

A fake dating, steamy baseball romance
Faking it … at first

Some things—like O’s—are easy to fake, but love isn’t one of them.

DELILAH

Getting involved with the wrong label while rising to the top threatened my career in ways I never saw coming.

Canceled.

Now my new label has just the solution: A perfectly staged, totally fake relationship, complete with public dates, hand-holding for the cameras, and no chance of falling in love.

No strings. No risk.

DAMIEN

I’m one of baseball’s top players, on the field and off. But now, my sponsors are breathing down my neck. Either I clean up my playboy image, or I may lose them and millions of dollars. My agent suggests a fake relationship with an up-and-coming country music sweetheart.

Sounds good to me.

Between late-night songwriting sessions, fiery arguments that turn into something else, and a kiss that wasn’t meant for the cameras, the line between pretend and real starts to blur. And when the stakes get higher, Delilah and Damien have to ask themselves:

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 … 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴?

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Baseball, Fake Dating

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

MJ Fields is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels. She lives in New York with her daughter Miss A, smoochie faced Newfie, Theo and the newest member to the 'fields crew, rescue diva / holy terror Eleanor.
When she’s not locked away in the cave, she enjoys doing home improvement projects, spending time with her family, attending live music and sporting events, the theatre, singing off key, dancing to her own beat, listening to audio books, and reading of course.

Forever Steel!

Join MJ's mailing list ➜ http://bit.ly/MJFNews
Visit her website here ➜ https://mjfieldsbooks.com
Stalk her Facebook here ➜ facebook.com/MJFieldsBooks
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Reviews

[Sonia N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book Wrecked Me In Such A Good Way

To say I liked this book would be an understatement! Because I absolutely loved this book, but then again MJ Fields books are always 5 stars ⭐️!
I fell in love with Damien! He is a gorgeous professional baseball player and he also has to clean up his act. In comes beautiful Delilah a country music singer in need to be discovered.
The storyline is so well written and it has great attention to details. I so enjoyed reading how they fall in love. I also loved TT the baby racoon. But wow the ending is priceless! Such a beautiful romance with all of the feels!

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in this impressive series, and this is Damien and Deliliah’s story.
Deliliah’s debut as a county music star is in jeopardy after some bad press, and the wrong label, and her new PR team come up with a solution of fake dating, Damien, one of the top baseball players. Damien has his sponsors breathing down his neck, and he needs to improve his playboy image, so a fake arrangement between him and Delilah will be mutually beneficial. But what happens when fake becomes reality?
This is a well written easy to read story, with friendships, emotions, fake relationships, engaging and realistic characters, humor, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Lou Li Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

When MBL superstar needs to clean up his image, his agent wrangles a fake dating situation to improve his image. Little did Damien know he’s being set to fake it with a strong, fierce, full of sass fighter Delilah. She matches his banter and attitude toe to toe and less than 48 hours into the charade - Nothing feels fake. It’s intense, it’s ridiculously hot and it’s consuming! Couldn’t put this down and read it in one sitting! The chemistry between these two! They just click and it’s beautiful to see. Book 2 from the Tennessee Terror series, a stand alone, each one featuring one of their MLB players.

I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own

[Bel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fun, feel-good read with just the right mix of swoon-worthy romance and heart.
Damien Donovan is a baseball player for the Tennessee Terrors—charming, sweet, and honestly just the kind of guy you root for. Delilah Monroe is a country singer trying to make it big while working a telemarketing job and doing side gigs, all while living above a laundromat with her best friend. She’s been through a lot, especially after being shunned by the music industry for speaking out against a shady producer, but she’s still chasing her dream.
When Damien’s PR team comes up with the idea for him to fake-date Delilah, it’s supposed to help both of their careers—but the chemistry between them is instant and very real. Damien falls fast, and he falls hard. And who can blame him? Delilah’s strong, talented, and just genuinely lovable. He knows she deserves all the happiness in the world, and he’s ready to give it to her.
This is a sweet, easy read that’ll leave you smiling. If you’re into fake-dating, lovable characters, and a hero with a heart of gold, definitely give this one a shot.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone loves a bit of fake date to love. I loved this one, such a fun read. We are only 2 books into the series and I hope the rest are just as good as this one 👏🏼 I was instantly in love with both Damien and Delilah’s characters and this book hits some real life problems that makes you totally relate. The way they all encouraged and supported each other was beautiful!

I wish we had more about the team from Damien’s perspective. His team wasn’t included much and it seemed more about Delilah’s dreams but I still absolutely loved this read and I will definitely be reading more from M.J. Fields.

I really hope Rae gets a story. I need more of her.

[Colorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

A professional baseball player needs an image cleanup and a talented singer songwriter needs visibility. Their agents come up with a plan - a fake relationship. If there isn't insta-love, there's definitely instant attraction, combined with a sense of common roots. While Damian is now very successful, both come from hardscrabble backgrounds. Both Damian and Delilah have strong work ethics, care deeply about family and friends and have a very protective relationship with a younger sibling. Both are very likable and their relationship is believable. (There are some Cinderella aspects to the story as Delilah's life turns around and Damian takes care of her.)

This is a relatively short book (less than 300 pages) and the author takes short cuts in resolving some plotlines. An issue relating to sexual harassment of young musicians is introduced at the beginning and is wrapped up very quickly with a somewhat confusing explanation. Also, the author introduces several characters that I think are probably from earlier books and it was just a little bit confusing to track some of the names. Both reasons are why I rated this 4 stars versus 5.

While I don't consider this a Christian romance, the main character and some supporting characters are deeply spiritual and there are references to God and Christ.

[XenyMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sing it simple, sing it true. They can’t take the truth outta your voice.”

This was a sweet, inspiring, and fast-paced story about not giving up and following your dreams.

Damien finds himself in a situation where he needs to clean up his image, not for himself, but for his brother who is new in the league and gets associated with everything Damien does. For this reason, he enters a fake dating agreement with Delilah, a country singer whose image and reputation got ruined when she spoke up against her previous agent and could use the boost to her career.

Delilah and Damien didn't expect to have the instant connection they do, one that was there even before they knew who the other was. I loved all the layers to Damien and how there was a lot more to him than meets the eye. I also loved how he always believed in Delilah, and how he was there for her and her girls giving them anything and everything they needed to make their lives easier.

I also quite enjoyed the family dynamics, the hilarious pets, and how Delilah, Rae, and Harlan were always there for each other when they didn't have anyone or anything else. These girls are definitely bff goals.

Quote: “Don’t you go questioning the rain when your garden’s finally blooming. Some prayers get answered later than we want, but they get answered when they’re supposed to.”

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ARC Review⭐️

Faking It…At First by @mjfieldsbooks
Book 2 in the collaborative series Tennessee Terrors
Available NOW
4/5 ⭐️
2.5-3/5 🌶️

This book is the sweetest thing! Such a fun, banter filled, feel good read that had me swooning and rooting for the found family they created!

Damian, a MLB playboy, needs to clean up his image and Delilah, a tick tock sensation that was undeservedly “cancelled”, team up to fake date by their respective management teams in an attempt to save both their careers. The chemistry between the both of them is instant, cute and meaningful meet cue will have even the coldest of hearts melting, he falls first and they both soon realize that maybe this whole relationship wasn’t fake.

This is a sweet, easy read that’ll leave you smiling. There’s the perfect mix of swoon worthy romance and lovable side characters, some cuddly critters too, that will leave you wanting more. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series plays out.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all LOVE Rae. She is the honesty bringer, best friend and hype girl we all need.

Damien is one of the most thoughtful, golden retriever mmc’s and so dreamy. SWOON. He was such a great character.

Delilah was a bit of a mess for me. I like her character traits but her life was a little too chaotic and didn’t really come together to add up for who she was in the story. I get she had been through a lot but it just all felt a bit disconnected in places.


Personally, for the most part, I enjoyed their story but I felt like some of it was too rushed and then some parts that I read felt like they randomly popped up and didn’t fit that particular spot. I struggled with the huge difference in lifestyle’s that they had between then and how it just suddenly clicked making a HEA for everyone.

This is only my personal opinion and I know that others loved it and I am so glad they did! Not every book is for everyone and that is ok. ❤️

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!

I was intrigued by Damien and Delilah when they were briefly mentioned in the first book of this multi-author series, and they more than lived up to my expectations. The fake part of their dating story lasted about as long as it took for these two to meet face-to-face because they sizzled from the start.

I loved that Delilah was able to stand up for herself with Damien after all she’d been through before meeting him. He is initially described as an out of control player that has his sponsor brands nervous over his behavior at spring training, but Damien is such a protector and focused on his game. I loved how thoughtful he was with so many of his gestures and gifts for Delilah and her best friend and younger sister.

I loved the inclusion of characters from what I now know our characters from MJ Fields’ previous series. I’m definitely interested in reading her other series. This was the first book I’ve read from this author in years (read 1 book of hers in 2020), but it will not be my last!

I received an ARC from the author and Wordsmith Publicity; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

[Terra Drynan-Werder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by M.J. Fields and boy did I enjoy it. This series is so good and I am loving the characters more and with each book. I knew Damian's book would be good and not what we expected and boy was I right. Delilah was a delight and quite the spitfire. This made me laugh more than any book I have read in recent memory. The supporting characters were...well characters to say the least and they added so much to the story. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book for my honest opinion.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was witty, fun and addressed health issues that make the book seem even more relatable and real. The moment TT turned up I got so excited and I just knew what was going to happen 😍 This is the first book I have read from M.J Fields and I will be sure to go and read more from this author.

This is the first book of a new series written by different authors and can be read as a stand alone.

[Rhianon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had an issue with the flow of this. It felt really choppy at times and scenes ended abruptly. A lot of details that were important to the plot were not explained well or at all. It was all super vague and I spent most of my time confused.

It also needs a lot of editing. Lots of typos and that made it even harder to stay engaged.

The story had a lot of potential. Needs a good editor.

[Alecia (The Staircase Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faking It… At First by MJ Fields is the second book in the Tennessee Terrors Series! If you love baseball playing heart throbs and country music sweethearts, look no further and pick this one up! My heart was invested in Delilah and Damien’s romance!!

Delilah Monroe was once an up and coming country star, until she found out how quickly and easily the country music industry can and will turn on someone for one of their high ups. Now, Delilah lives her life working a dead end job and playing random venues for a little bit of money. She’s still writing her music and singing songs, and that is more than she can ever ask for in a city so cruel.

Damien Donovan gained a reputation as a playboy who will never settle down, and his sponsors and endorsers have taken this lifestyle as a negative. When a few threaten to drop him, his agent decides drastic plans call for drastic actions. And that’s where the fake relationship plan is hatched. Now to get, social media country music sensation, Delilah Monroe on board with the plan is all he has to do.

But neither Damien, nor Delilah, are about to realize how quick the line between the fake plan and real feelings blur… Oh My Heart!

My Thoughts:

I thought nothing would out play my feelings for the first book in the Tennessee Terrors Series, Diving Catch by Lauren Runow…. And then Faking It… At First by MJ Fields arrived on my kindle! This book has taken over the roll as top favorite novel in this series! Damien and Delilah’s story came as a surprise! I loved the baseball player and Country Music sweetheart premise. But of course, if you put two of my favorite past times in one place, I’m going to love it!!!

Let’s dive into these characters, starting with Delilah. I loved how she rose above the ashes of her failed career and made something great of herself. She didn’t let the perverts in the industry stunt her creativity. Instead she continued to do what she loved by sharing her voice in dive bars and on social media. Now, setting her career to the side for a moment, I also loved how caring her character is. Her best friend has Lupus and there isn’t a moment during a flare up that Delilah isn’t by Rae’s side fighting this fight with her. I loved that bond between the two of them. Heck, I loved the bond Delilah shared with every character in this book. Her heart is pure and solid. Her happiness had me feeling so much joy!

And then we have Damien. OH Damien Donovan, what have you done to my heart! This man is solid! He’s a protector by nature and I have to say his character was perfect for Delilah’s character! He’s a protector but he also understands how important Delilah’s dreams of becoming a country music singer are. He’s not afraid to watch her soar her wings a fly. I loved how he called her his song bird and how he embraced her need to be there for her best friend. This man was overwhelming in the best ways! My heart couldn’t get enough of him.

I loved the chemistry from the very start of this novel. I had that one in a million feeling right from the start that this novel was going to be a five star read, and that feeling came true! Also, I loved how there was no angst between Delilah and Damien!! They were solid from the very start! Sometimes I appreciate when authors don’t make unnecessary drama for romance couples that I’ve come to love and respect. And this fact had me loving their growth that much more. Everything about this novel had me smiling and melting in one way or another!

I said this before and I’ll say it once again, it’s going to be hard to bump this novel out of the first place spot within this series! Damien and Delilah stole my heart, and I have a strong feeling this book will be my favorite by the end of the series! Well deserved, MJ Fields! Well deserved!


_________



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[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series that I have read and I enjoyed it from start to finish. I have been a fan of Ms Fields for a while and this standalone read makes the cut too.

In this installment we get Damien and Delilah's story and where it was supposed to be a fake relationship from the start it turned into an instant kind of romance. Delilah was fresh from a scandal with a singing reality show and down on her luck. She needs to rehab her image as she signs on with a recording label in order to make her dreams come true and improve not only her life but that of her best friend and her sister. She agrees to this fake relationship but still does not trust many people and continues to work for her dreams but the attraction between her and Damien was undeniable as well as unavoidable from hello.

Damien has been a playboy in baseball but his playboy ways are going to start to interfere with not only his career but potential career opportunities for his younger brother who has just started playing professional baseball as well. He too agrees to the fake relationship as a way to repair his image but what he did not expect was the instant attraction and desire to protect Delilah from hello.

This was a great read. The characters were well written and the chemistry was off the charts. I enjoyed the banter between not only them but the supporting characters as well. I also enjoyed the appearance of characters from the Steele world and the Jersey Jags series. Where this was supposed to be a fake relationship, forced proximity read it quickly turned into an instant romance kind of read - especially with how swoony Damien turned out to be.

Overall, this was a great read as I mentioned before and I would recommend it to others.

[Isabella Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ARC REVIEW⭐️

♡”𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪…𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩, 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚.” ♡

What a way to end the month of April. This read was so sweet and so much fun! I couldn’t stop smiling through the whole things. A quick read that will have you giggling, swooning. Fake dating with Cinderella vibes, where the prince is a hot pro baseball player? YES PLEASE!!!

Damien…resident MLB playboy who needs a MAJOR image revamp. His management thinks fake dating with someone sweet as pie will do the trick. But this girl is feisty and sassy and goes toe to toe with any man who crosses her path.

Delilah is a struggling county music singer. She’s gone through the wringer to get her career up and running. From being unjustly cancelled to having to publicly call out some d bag review producers trying to take advantage of her, she’s up for almost anything to help her career. So when her management suggest fake dating the hottest baseball player in the league? She’s in!

Only one problem…it takes less than 2 days for this situation to go from fake to VERY REAL…one steamy kiss that was definitely not for the cameras changes everything and these two are left wondering if this could be something real. And it definitely is.

They both share similar backgrounds and bond over things in their past. I love how Damien takes care of Delilah in every way. And I love how Delilah lets her guard down and accepts it realising that not everything comes with a price. Sometimes people love you because they want to and you deserve it. The spice was minimal but it didn’t even matter because the relationship that formed between them , the banter and chaos was enough to keep me hooked till the end ❤️

⚾️Baseball Romance
🎤Fake Dating
⚾️Forced Proximity
🎤Insta-Lust
⚾️Cinderella Vibes
🎤Country Musician FMC
⚾️Pro Baseball Player MMC
🎤Mild Spice
⚾️Dual POV
🎤Found Family

[Samantha Bosnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Tennessee Terrors, I would have read the first one. This is Damien and Deliha’s story, and I love the song choices the MJ Fields picked for this book, it made you feel it. Great attention to detail with the story line and the character building.

If you love books that have the following you need to read this one as well:
Friendships
Emotions
Fake relationships
Humor
Chemistry
Entertainment, making you laugh throughout the book.
Baseball Romance
Insta/Lust

Deliha’s debut as a country singer is in jeopardy after some bad press. Wrong label, but now she has a new PR team, and they have come up with a plan to help her win the hearts of fans. Hmm?

Damien is a baseball player, and his sponsors are threatening to back out if he doesn’t change his playboy ways, his agent comes up with a great idea to help save his image. Hmm?

FAKE DATING!!! Deliha and Damien are bullied into this fake dating scheme to save their careers. When he sees her, its insta love/lust. Oh, this is going to be good.

“Don’t go question the rain when your garden’s finally blooming. Some prayers get answered later than we want, but they get answered when they’re supposed to.”

Damien sure is hoping she will fall.

“I love you…I know it, I mean it and I won’t stop saying it, because being anywhere with you feels better than home.”

OK Damien is now in the top 5 for book boyfriend.

“You are out of your damn mind if you think any of that’s gonna help me to stop thinking about you. Because flaws? Flaws are human. Flaws are Real. But you Deliah, you are freaking lethal.”

The ending is just a moment in time, and you don’t want to miss it!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had everything I usually love—fake dating, forced proximity, and two leads with great chemistry and potential. I really enjoyed Delilah and Damien as characters. Delilah’s rising-star vulnerability paired with Damien’s reputation as a cocky pro athlete made for some charming (and chaotic) moments.

That said, the plot itself felt a little scattered at times, and the pacing was hard to keep up with. There were moments I had to reread or pause because the transitions felt a bit too abrupt, or the scene structure didn’t quite land for me. The writing style also didn’t flow as smoothly as I hoped, which made it harder to fully sink into the story.
It does pick up around the halfway point though—maybe the first half just felt a little off because the pacing was really slow.

Still, the heart of this book lies in the characters and their chemistry—and they carried it well. I loved how Damien and Delilah’s relationship developed. I could clearly picture them as the perfect couple—handsome, beautiful, and so emotionally synced. I especially adored how Damien cared for and loved Delilah. That said, I do wish some of the spark between them had been explored just a little more.

If you’re in the mood for a fiery fake relationship with real emotional stakes and a splash of chaos, this one might just hit. And I still enjoyed the read—especially since it’s part of a series that feels important to the overall story.

Rated: 3.5 stars – Still rooting for Damien & Delilah, just wish the plot had been smoother.

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily sharing my honest review.

[Travis Peak · Rating 2 out of 5]

A complete mess

I'm being generous and giving this 2 stars because there is an outline for a simple romance story, but I honestly can't remember the last time I've read a book that was written and executed so poorly. I had to reread several paragraphs because it felt like a lot of stuff was left out. It felt like whole chapters were missing at some points. This has to be a first draft that mistakenly got published. There was clearly no editor involved. Misspelled words. Incomplete sentences. Why did they fake date? How does dating a serial playboy who recently had explicit photos of himself leaked to the public help a girl that is reeling from a recent scandal? Furthermore, why is she a public outcast at all? The author doesn't a terrible job of explaining what actually happened with Delilah and why everyone hates her. The fake dating makes no sense as a trope because the whole book covers about 12 days and they never actually go on a date. 2 major things happen in between chapters. Her friend amd sister find out it's a fake romance and he finds out that Rae was also abused by their former manager. We don't see these things happen. There just mentioned at the start of a new chapter and quickly brushed aside. This author clearly had somewhere to be because predictably, the only scenes she let play out were the spice scenes. Reading this book was like trying to understand a 45 minute story a 3 year old is telling you.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is the story of Delilah and Damien. He is a MBL superstar who has a reputation that is basically in the gutter. He needs to clean up his image and his agent has a plan. He needs to fake date Delilah in order to help clean up his image. He is doing all this because he really cares about his brother and his image is affecting this brother. He tends to be associated with all that Damien does just because their bothers and this isn't fair. He would do anything for his brother. So, he agrees to fake date Delilah who is a country singer who has a reputation and image that go ruined when she spoke up against her former agent, who was horrible and could use the boost it would give her image, herself. What they never counted on was the connection they had from the very beginning. It isn't like they don't know who the other is and had little crushes like we all do on stars. But in person that chemistry is electric. A living breathing thing all on its own. She has a great group of BFF's that you are going to leave and and there is a hilarious pet in this book. I loved that Damien is like peeling an onion while reading the book and we got to discover all of his many amazing layers. This is a really great book that you do not want to miss.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book 2 Tennessee Terrors Series!

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

This steamy fake dating romance between Damien, a cocky pro baseball player, and Delilah, a rising country music star with a PR crisis, hits all the right trope-y beats—but M.J. Fields manages to inject it with just enough heart, heat, and angst to keep you turning the pages.

The setup is deliciously dramatic: both characters are in need of an image fix, and the solution? A picture-perfect fake relationship that’s anything but simple. From the moment Damien and Delilah agree to their public arrangement, sparks fly—both in their staged appearances and behind closed doors.

You’ll swoon for Damien as he slowly sheds his bad boy armor and root for Delilah as she fights for her career without losing herself. The chemistry? Off the charts. The emotional stakes? Higher than a stadium fly ball. And when the line between fake and real starts to blur, their slow descent into something true feels inevitable in the best way.

If you love celebrity fake dating, sports romance, and a slow burn with just the right amount of heat, Faking It … At First delivers a grand slam. It's tropey, tender, and totally addictive.

[Cindy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was such a fun read. It was very emotional and tugged at my heartstrings.

Damien is a charming and fun baseball player who needs some help with his image. His team hires Delilah who is an up and coming country singer. She has had some tough times trying to make it in the music business.

Damien and Delilah are supposed to be fake dating. But after Damien sees her and hears her beautiful voice singing in a bar he automatically likes her. Then as they get to know each other he respects her for who she is. He is so sweet to her and to her sister and friend. They are like one happy family.

I loved Delilah so much. Her character was so strong and really stood for what is right. She was determined to make it out of her living situation for her sister and her friend. Damien was an awesome male lead. He came from a great family and was a great role model. He fit so well with Delilah. People looked up to them since they were celebrities.

I look forward to reading more from this author and this series.

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy. This is my opinion.

[World Of Books 65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Step up to the plate and get ready to swoon, because MJ Fields delivers a home run with Faking It … At First — a can’t-put-down fake dating baseball romance that’s as fiery as it is heartfelt.

Damien is a major league player in every sense of the word—on the field and in his headline-making personal life. With his image in need of a serious cleanup, he’s thrown a curveball when country music star Delilah agrees to a PR-perfect fake dating scenario. But sparks fly faster than fastballs when these two opposites collide.

Delilah, needing her own brand refresh, signs on for the charade, but it doesn’t take long before the lines blur. Between steamy late-night songwriting sessions, that crackle with tension, and a kiss that was definitely not for the cameras, the chemistry between them threatens to blow their cover—and their hearts wide open.

MJ Fields brings the heat, the heart, and the humor in this sizzling addition to the Tennessee Terrors series. With unforgettable characters, emotional depth, and a romance that slides right into your soul, Faking It … At First knocks it clean out of the park.

Up next? We can’t wait to see which Terrors player finds love next.

[Kay Hertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still smiling so hard my cheeks hurt!

Overall: 4 ⭐
Plot: 5 📌
Spice: 2.5 🫦

Absolutely delicious, green flags, swoony, mildly spicy (explicit but not overly so w/zero real k!-nks)!

Two beautiful souls finding love, solace, and support in one another with a dash of Cinderella vibes!

Absolutely LOVED the side characters and I really hope we get to see their stories play out as well!

A couple places the w/dialogue wasn't clear about who was talking or what exactly the discussion was about, making it feel like I'd lost my place or skipped a few pages. A few times I actually flipped back a couple pages to re-read to make sure I hadn't glossed over information. Hence the 4 instead of 5 stars. I'm not sure if it was during the editing process where maybe a cut section led to the loss of clarity? Nothing horrible enough to not read this lovely story - just enough to make a note.

(Full review to come!)

Thank you to MJ Fields & Wordsmith Publicity for the opportunity to read and review this book!

All opinions are my own.

Check out my full list of 4+ Star Reviews of 2025!
https://amzn.to/4gTe2y0

[Lisa Petty (Book Bangers Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Holy Overeries, this book will have you begging for more. If you have read any of M.J. Fields' books, you know that she doesn't disappoint, and this one, well, you won't put it down. She has introduced us to a new couple to fall in love with and a few we have already fallen for. Delilah was a rising star with the voice of an angel when someone brought her down; now she's fighting back to regain what she had and to ensure that her sister is taken care of. She and her best friend Rae have had a rough go of it, but things are looking up for Delilah, and it comes in the form of a tall, dark, and handsome baseball player. Baseball is all Damien has ever loved and known. He lives by the motto of having a good time, but now he's about to face a rude awakening because his labels are about to drop him. The solution is a fake relationship, but these two share something in common: the strength to take care of those they love. When they come together, their friendship forms a bond that soars high. They support one another in everything they do. But can they have a love like no other? Or will they fizzle out at the last music note? Man,I loved this story so much.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Tennessee Terrors series. I'm so in love with this multi author series. I knew reading M.J. Fields story was going to take me on an emotional roller coaster, but so fun along the way. I loved this book so much. I pretty much read it in a day. I finished up the last couple chapters the next morning. To my delight there are cameos from some of my favorite people in Fields' writing world. I may have fangirled a bit. I loved Damien and Delilah together so much. Be prepared to swoon with Damien. That man is prime book boyfriend material. He may not want to do feelings, but he sure does them well. I loved how he knew how important Delilah's family is and always thinks to include them. Some of my favorite parts of the book is when Delilah and Damien's family gets together. What Delilah and her best friend Rae went through broke my heart, but this book gives them the justice they so deserve. I guess the one thing I will complain about it was wasn't long enough for me. I could have kept on reading this couple. They are just that good. I can't recommend this one enough. The rest of the authors in this series have some big shoes to follow just saying.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that the connection and the love between the characters radiates off the pages so deep into your heart that at times you are consumed by the intensity. Faking it.... At First was that book for me. Two people who needed each other to fake it to make it, so to speak, however from that very first moment you could feel something way stronger than just pretending. Damien stole my breath at the ways he wanted to protect her and all the people that were in here world. Delilah was a battler, a young woman with strength even when she was at her lowest. The way she went into bat for the people who were her family and the way she was so much more to Damien was something better than a homerun. A story that had me losing sleep because I just couldn't put it down, one that had my emotions all over the place from laughing to crying in a matter of pages. Please note the tears were not bad, it was due to the emotions this book pulls from you. To be perfectly honest I wanted their story to be a never ending kind.

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soo darn adorable! I loved Damien and Delilah soo much! Damien is a professional baseball player who is getting himself into a little trouble during offseason. His actions are going to ruin his brand deals….unless he can clean up his act. But his agent comes up with a plan…a fake relationship to clean up his name. Delilah is a struggle country artist who has had a few bad breaks…and some bad press. But a relationship with a famous baseball player should fix all that right?!? This fake relationship definitely did not stay fake for long…and I enjoyed every part of it. These two truly found each other when they needed each other. They truly became each others biggest cheerleaders. These characters had fun banter and undeniable chemistry. Delilah and her girl gang were strong, supportive and been through a lot together. Their story was truly inspiring and I loved how it was a big part of who Delilah was. Im a big fan of this author and she truly never disappoints. I can’t wait to see what she brings us next. As for this series, I’m truly enjoying this journey and I’m ready for the next book!

[Lilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Damien, his girlfriend has always been his career: baseball. When he is forced to fake date Delilah for their mutual benefit, he slips into the role easily but soon finds himself feeling more for her. For Delilah, she has been wounded in the past, and she now has a new opportunity to pursue her dreams again—to become a country music singer.

I totally enjoyed the pacing and the plot, it was a page turner for me. Every character, including the side characters, were well-written. I would love to read Rae and Ty’s stories someday and see them getting their Happy Ever After.

And the lyrics for “More Than Gone” was so good. I wished it could have been recorded and I could listen to the actual song. It was tough to read the ending because I knew I would miss sweet (AND hot!) Damien Donovan and his forever love Delilah.

Ps. I can’t wait for the next book in the Tennessee Terrors series.

[Whitney Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is a stand out baseball player and she is a Nashville songbird. When the opportunity suits both of them to be set up and fake date, why not… after what happened to Delilah in the song house she could use some redemption and Damian Donovan is playboy who is being questioned by his sponsors. They come from different worlds but there is something about Delilah that is undeniable to Damian. As the season starts, Delilah has opportunity to sing the national anthem and do it while being branded as his. As they get to know each other, Damian learns a lot about Delilah and her sister Harlan and connection with her best friend Rae. It’s an inseparable group and she is dedicated to them, works hard to support. Damian realizes quickly he is falling in love with Delilah and wants to spend more time with her than anything and will this turn from fake to real and does she reciprocate and can her career take off?