The Cupid Dilemma

by April Asher

In the new paranormal romance from bestselling author April Asher, a down-on-her-luck wedding planner demigoddess and a Muse-less rockstar agree to a fauxmance that quickly turns anything but…

A lover of love and a champion for happily ever after. Those were two of many things people expected from Aphrodite’s daughter. To Adalyn Whitlock, ‘love’ paid the bills, and currently, not well. Business was dropping at Happily Ever Forever, with her latest wedding planning catastrophe ending in a negative social media storm and her sister Maxi’s matchmaking ability on the fritz. To top it off, there’s an ex-boyfriend calling her ‘the Anti-Aphrodite’ and paparazzi pics linking Addie to her new client’s older brother.

Phoenix ‘Nix’ Cross—song writer and drummer of the hot new band, The Stone Talons—was no saint, but he was far from the womanizer the band’s image rep bestowed on him. If anything, he was a romantic, hopeful to find a love like the one in which his parents shared. With the band’s star quickly rising and the record label pressuring him to deliver the band’s next hit, Nix’s writer’s block couldn’t have come at a worse time. But when he opens his door to his irate new next-door neighbor, Nix feels the brief flash of inspiration for the first time in ages. And it just so happens that his new Muse is none other than his little sister’s new wedding planner.

With Addie needing an end to the public relations nightmare and the record label breathing down Nix’s neck, the pair agree to a fauxmance. But what happens when the emotions turned on for the cameras don't turn off?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

Also writes under April Hunt.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cupid Dilemma by April Asher
Book Blurb: In the new paranormal romance from bestselling author April Asher, a down-on-her-luck wedding planner demigoddess and a Muse-less rockstar agree to a fauxmance that quickly turns anything but…

Rating: ****
Feels: Giggly, Warmth, Invested, Pleased
Style: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance
First published May 12, 2026 : 352pages

Such a fun ride !! I was giggly , blushing and just thoroughly entertained throughout this sweet paranormal romance. Addie doesn’t believe in love , and as the daughter of Aphrodite that can be an issue !! Things take a spicy and unexpected turn for her when a hot rock star moves in next door !!! Nix aka Phoenix is the bad boy of the band … or is he ? Hot musical neighbor is in need of a muse and our girl is in need of some good PR for her wedding / matchmaking busy. Fake dating cuteness ensues !!! Loved the found family between Addie’s extended family , can we say fun with gods and goddesses and Nix’s band mates including a Gargoyle 😍😍 Loved the light paranormal twist to this contemporary romance setting and all the absolutely amazing banter !! This was a perfect weekend read for me.

Favorite Quote: She was also the daughter of Aphrodite ... and Love - was most unfortunately - her middle name.

This book has:
- Fake Dating
- He Falls First
- Grumpy X Sunshine
- Neighbors to Lovers
- Demi Goddess & Rockstar
- Crazy family gatherings

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨🏹 The Cupid Dilemma 🏹✨

This was a cute paranormal romance that was maybe a little too cheesy for me at times. But I still enjoyed it! 💕✨

I actually really liked the audiobook narration a lot🎧💜

The ending was sweet, even if it was a bit predictable, and overall it was a fun, lighthearted paranormal romance. 🏹💘

💘 What to Expect
Fake Dating
Neighbors to Lovers
Demigoddess FMC
Rockstar MMC
Forced Proximity
Paranormal Romance
_ _ _ _

⭐ Star Rating: 4 Stars
📅 Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Cupid Dilemma is a fun sorta paranormal Rom-Com that gives the reader almost exactly what they expect for the entire ride. It is a fauxmance, fake dating story with muse aspects to it.  I enjoyed this, it was like eating a fun size snickers bar.  You enjoy it but it is over in two bites and you want another one right away.

Addie runs a matchmaking and wedding planning business with her sister and cousin.  They have or had a decent business but for some reason her sister's matchmaking mojo is on the fritz and Addie has just had the worst wedding possible for an influencer and has been deemed the Anti-Aphrodite in the press.  She needs some good press and fast.  Enter Phoenix the bad boy drummer of an indie Rock Band.  He is struggling with new songs to finish out their record, that is until he met Addie.  After a short interaction with her, he was able to pen a few good lines.  Phoenix offers up his notoriety, popularity and influence to be Addie's fake boyfriend to help with the Anti-Aphrodite label and get some good press, she just needs to be his muse.

There are some very predicable moments the lead to PDA opportunities and help to create the tension between Addie and Phoenix as the reader wonders how long will it take for them to realize they have something real between them.  I did like the dialogue between all the characters and feel like that was the best part of the story.  How Addie talks with her sister, cousin and Nix made me laugh at multiple points in the story.  I enjoyed the dual PoV so the reader has insight to the thoughts and motivations of each character.  Phoenix's motivations and grand gesture at the end were some of my favorite parts.

Like I said, this was enjoyable.  I was a little disappointed there wasn't more world building around the Greek God aspect and other paranormal aspects of the story.  It was a little all over the place and I wasn't sure if there were more Gods in play from other cultures or only the Greek Mythos.  There are shifters also and Gargoyles; the paranormal aspects felt like it was just a toss-up of a bunch of cool things that may or may not go together, kind of like polka dots and paisley.  I was also confused if all the humans know about the paranormal world or just a select few.

This is a great vacation or beach read when you want something that is an easy fun read but you know what your getting so it is easy to put down and enjoy other things too.

"On a scale of one pearl to an entire string, how many pearls do we want people clutching wen they see us?"

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book called, The Cupid Dilemma. This is about Addie, she is a demigoddess, the daughter of Aphrodite, and she doesn't believe in love yet she owns a wedding planning business with her sister. The business is struggling after some wedding mishaps, and she is now being labeled the "Anti-Aphrodite" on social media. Phoenix is the songwriter and drummer in a rock band where the record label gave him the "bad boy" image, but lately he hasn't felt inspired when trying to write new music for the band. Until he meets Addie. When Phoenix's sister hires Addie as her wedding planner and then paparazzi pictures of Addie and Phoenix together end up on social media, people begin to speculate if they're a couple. So they get the idea for a fake romance to solve both of their problems. Addie's "Anti-Aphrodite" label would go away and business would improve if everyone thinks she's in love, and Phoenix can use Addie as his muse because when he's around her he finally feels inspired to write new music. But with sparks flying from the moment they met, this fake romance has real feelings involved real fast!
I absolutely loved this paranormal romcom! It was a reverse grumpy sunshine, fake dating, rockstar romance with Greek gods (with a side character gargoyle as Phoenix's friend and Cerberus's puppy as Addie's pet!) The tension between Addie and Phoenix was done so well, their connection felt so genuine, and their banter was absolute perfection! Addie starts as closed off and not believing in love, but her growth and character development throughout the story was so beautiful. Phoenix was a bad boy on the outside with a heart of gold on the inside, he was perfect. This was such a sweet, funny, and entertaining paranormal romcom! I loved everything about it! I would really love to get more stories in this universe, either more of these two or of the side characters, because I didn't want this book to end! 💛📚

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC of The Cupid Dilemma, in exchange for an honest review.

[Nikki Bogard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like standing backstage at a sold-out concert while accidentally falling in love.

Adalyn and Nix absolutely consumed my life for the duration of this story. What starts as a fake relationship to fix reputations and survive public scrutiny slowly becomes something achingly real, and I was hooked every second of the way.

Addie is desperately trying to save her wedding planning business after becoming the internet’s newest disaster headline, while Nix is fighting creative burnout under the crushing pressure of fame. Together, they become each other’s escape from the chaos—and honestly? Their connection felt effortless.

The emotional tension in this book was EVERYTHING. The lingering touches. The staged kisses that suddenly didn’t feel staged anymore. The way they saw through each other’s public personas and connected with the vulnerable parts underneath.

Nix was such a refreshing MMC. Beneath the rockstar image is someone soft, loyal, and quietly desperate for something real in a world built on performance. And Addie’s journey with self-worth and expectations gave the story so much emotional weight.

This romance was sweet, messy, tender, and full of heart.

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I had a good time with this book and it was a quick read. I generally enjoy fantasy and tend to love a fake dating trope. I liked the characters and the writing style, although it did read as immature at times.

My biggest disappointment with the book was its lack of world building. From the start I was unsure how Olympus was tied in New York City; if it coexisted or if humans did/didn’t know. Some of my questions were answered in the book, but it was overall fuzzy.

In the same vein, there were many character traits mentioned about so many different characters in the book, but there was not a lot of character building. I wish background character relationships were established with our main characters before their lives began to intermingle. It felt like a lot going on without knowing our characters truly.

I felt like there were many sub-plots and side missions that took away from the story (e.g dad’s girlfriend, amazing race) and more scenes should’ve built up Addie’s internal conflict.

With that being said, there were plenty of scenes that had me screaming, giggling, and kicking my feet.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the most fun I’ve ever had with a fake dating fauxmance (yes, I’m stealing the term haha). When April told me about this story idea over a year ago, I was absolutely feral for it, and wow, it did NOT disappoint. Aphrodite’s daughter running a match-making/wedding service and not believing in love and a rock star who can’t write a song to save his life at the moment being NEIGHBORS and falling into this thing? I ate this story line up, and truly could not get enough. Nix and Addie were both adorably hilarious in their own ways, I loved the scenes with their respective families and the tie-ins with Olympus, and the way this entire thing played out was just sweet and plain old fun. I would absolutely recommend this book over and over again, and I kind of maybe sort of hope we get some spinoffs about the rest of the band mates/Addie’s sister and cousin? I literally loved every single character (except the stupid managers) and OMG THE SPICE!!! April kicked it up ten notches on the slice and it was freaking amazing. Might be my new favorite book by the author, truly!!

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Addie is the daughter of Aphrodite and doesn’t believe in love. With her sister, Maxi and her cousin, Bailey, they host a matchmaking and wedding planning business, Happily Ever Forever. After a wedding gone wrong, Addie is in desperate need of a PR win. The drummer of the Stone Talons, Phoenix, is in desperate need of a muse to write music. Sister of the drummer of the Stone Talon, Naiomi, is in desperate need of a wedding planner after being scammed. Since Naiomi is busy with her PhD, Addie and Phoenix plan her wedding together and have a fauxmance to help with Addie’s image and Phoenix write his songs. Lines become blurred after they spend more time together and play up their PDA.

Addie is unsure of her role as event planner after multiple wedding mishaps but is determined to stick around and make things better for her sister and cousin. Phoenix is unsure of his continuation in the Stone Talons and is torn between supporting his bandmates and following his passion of being a song-writer. They’re both a crossroads in their lives and trying to find the next write step. They’re also both in their 30s which I had to remind myself out because they both act a decade younger. Addie and Phoenix are a fine couple and have some cute moments like the Central Park scavenger hunt and their trip to Coney Island.

The rationale of Addie and her motivations hinge on her Greek mythology ancestry, however, because the worldbuilding is lacking, we never understand why they are included and how they fit into this urban fantasy world. We know there is portal to Olympus that looks eerily like Central Park in New York City and that like beetlejuice, Aphrodite and Eunice can be summoned by repeating their names three times. There are also other supernaturals like Easton, Phoenix’s bandmate, who is a gargoyle shifter. The paranormal and Greek mythology relies on the reader’s knowledge to fill in the gaps.

I think better worldbuilding and descriptions of places could have better anchored this story. I never had a good understanding of where certain places are. Addie and Phoenix live in the same building in NYC presumably near Central Park. Addie takes the subway and buses, so we know we’re in a city. Addie’s dad lives in the suburbs, I think. Phoenix’s uncle and parents live on the outskirts of the city, I think. But how these places all fit together is unclear. Again, like the paranormal and Greek mythology, the geography relies on the reader’s knowledge of New York City.

The third act breakup was also confusing because Addie incited the breakup but Phoenix completed the grand gesture (at his sister’s wedding nonetheless, yikes).

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a romance reader who can never resist a good fake dating setup, The Cupid Dilemma was an easy book to enjoy. April Asher leans fully into the charm of the trope, delivering a light, playful story that knows exactly what kind of fun it wants to be. I also loved the setting of New York inhabited by descendants of Greek gods and supernatural creatures.

Addie Whitlock, daughter of Aphrodite, enters a fake dating agreement with Phoenix “Nix” Cross to salvage the tainted reputation of her wedding planning business. In exchange, she has agreed to become Nix’s muse to get him out of his song writing funk. The fake dating dynamic is the real highlight here. Watching the characters navigate their pretend relationship, complete with forced proximity and gradually blurring lines, was genuinely entertaining. Asher does a nice job building romantic tension, and there are plenty of moments that made me smile, especially when the characters start catching real feelings despite their best efforts to keep things “just an act.”

While the chemistry was solid, I occasionally wanted more complexity from the characters and higher emotional stakes to really elevate the romance. Overall, The Cupid Dilemma is a fun, cozy romance that delivers on its premise. If you’re a fan of romance—especially fake dating—you’ll likely have a good time with this one. A solid 3.5-star read that’s perfect when you’re in the mood for something sweet, familiar, and easy to enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sam Lue · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars

Adalyn Whitlock is the daughter of goddess Aphrodite, yet she couldn’t be more against the concept of love. After some awful press, Adalyn decides to fake date someone in hopes of improving her image. It so happens she lives right next door to the perfect candidate; Rock star drummer Phoenix Cross.

The Cupid Dilemma is a paranormal romance book. I found it to be an easy read, and the world building was acceptable. The idea of an anti-love demigoddess partaking in a fake relationship with a rock star is amusing. The dialogue between the characters was juvenile, and I had to remind myself they were in their 30s.

Adalyn Whitlock’s aversion to “love” felt forced. She had a decent relationship with her mother, although she claimed otherwise. Phoenix Cross was a romantic at heart, but he had to play the bad boy for the audience. The conflict in this story was resolved with ease, which left much to be desired. I wish the best for April Asher’s future projects.

A warm thanks to April Asher, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm always down for an April book and this was a fun read.

I really liked Addie and Nix. They're both snarky and loyal and so damn good. Together they have instant chemistry and it was delightful reading them navigate the fauxmance into more. There's also a really good group of supportive friends.

Plot wise, it was good. I wish there was some sort of explanation as to why everyone knew about these supernatural beings and or why the portal to Olympus was in the middle of a park, but here we are. Besides those things, it was nearly all fluff and very low stakes.

Overall, it was a quick and fun read and I can't wait for whatever is next from April.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC.

The Cupid Dilemma was a perfect light hearted romance. I am a big fan of April Asher and got sucked into this book. I finished it in a day.
Our FMC, Addie is a wedding planner who has not been having the best of luck lately. Our MMC, Phoenix, is a musician that is struggling to write songs. When their paths cross a fake relationship/muse contract is put into place. Whatever could go wrong?
I love the paranormal setting and the sweet, yet steamy, novels that April puts together. This book is the perfect romance to add to your list. 5⭐️

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read. I liked A Simple Twist of Fate better but this one was fun too, albeit slightly more predictable. Phoenix was such a sweetheart. He’s for sure a cinnamon roll and I loved him. Addie was a little frustrating. Like I get it sucks to have Aphrodite as your mom but wow, way to take going the opposite direction of your parents to the extreme. I did love Aphrodite, Maxie, Bailey, Naia and East and the band! This was a really fun group of secondary characters. I enjoyed this one even if Addie wasn’t my fave. I’ll def be reading whatever April writes next!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Julia Noack · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Melissa (BWM) Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐, 2.25🌶️

This was a fun and cute read! I loved the premise of Aphrodite’s daughters working as a team in the love/ marriage/ wedding industry, and our FMC being anti-love. I didn’t get REALLY invested in the story or romance, but still enjoyed the read and loved the unique take on an Olympus-adjacent world adaptation.

Thank you NettGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Dreamscape Media for an eARC and ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun paranormal romance! It's an easy, light-hearted paranormal rom-com, and the premise hooked me immediately. A wedding planner who happens to be Aphrodite’s daughter but doesn’t believe in love fake dates her rockstar neighbor? Love it! Both characters have reasons for wanting to be in a fake relationship, but neither plans to catch feelings. The story had a rom-com movie vibe from the start, and it was easy to get swept up in Addie and Nix’s relationship as the lines between fake and real started to blur.

One of my favorite things about this book was the romance. No surprise there! lol Addie doesn't believe in love, which is ironic considering she's a wedding planner. And Phoenix “Nix” Cross was fantastic. Underneath his bad-boy rock star image, he was entirely different. He's so sweet, romantic, supportive, and completely gone for Addie. I loved how protective and patient he was with her, especially because Addie spent so much of the story fighting her feelings and trying to convince herself that love wasn’t real. Their chemistry was great, and the fake-dating trope worked really well here with all the sexual tension underneath all the staged moments for the cameras.

The mix of a modern New York romance and setting with Greek mythology elements was an interesting combination. I also liked Addie’s sister and cousin. What a great trio! They added humor and energy to the story, and I enjoyed their family dynamics. The world itself definitely asks you to suspend disbelief a little since gods, magical creatures, and Olympus are just casually part of everyday life, and there were times when I questioned some elements of the worldbuilding, but overall it was interesting.

There were a few moments where the dialogue felt a little repetitive, especially with the constant references to the fauxmance agreement. I also would have loved a little deeper worldbuilding because the paranormal aspects of the story were interesting enough that I wanted to know more about how everything worked. Still, those things didn’t stop me from enjoying the book overall.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look I wanted to like this, I really did. I love a Greek mythology twist and paranormal romances. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this one.

Fake dating, contract, lots of family and friends, rock star, she doesn’t believe in love, he falls first. Low stakes, steamy.


Warning there is a third act breakup, while miscommunication doesn’t actually show up there are some annoying moments with the record label. I couldn’t get over the lack of tension or any meaningful conflict despite several aspects that could have presented as much bigger conflicts.

[Jazelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cupid Dilemma Book Review 🦇

What would you be the god or goddess of?❓

To Adalyn Whitlock, ‘love’ pays the bills, and currently, not well. Business is dropping at Happily Ever Forever, with her latest wedding planning catastrophe ending in a negative social media storm. With the world calling her 'the Anti-Aphrodite,' she turns to Phoenix "Nix" Cross—songwriter and drummer for the hot new band, The Stone Talons. Despite the womanizer image rep bestowed on him, Nix is a romantic. When Nix opens his door to an irate Addie, Nix feels the brief flash of inspiration for the first time in ages. And it just so happens that his new Muse is none other than his little sister’s new wedding planner. With Addie needing an end to her public-relations nightmare and the record label breathing down Nix’s neck, the pair agree to a fauxmance. But what happens when the emotions turned on for the cameras don't turn off? 🦇

Oh I am SQUEALING, I am SWOONING, I am ALL heart-eyed for Addie and Nix. Let's break it down. 🦇

I started my Bookstagram journey with a Supernatural Singles ARC, so I adore being able to read an April Asher romance every year. And honestly? They keep getting better and better. This is my favorite Asher supernatural romance by far! 💘

April Asher is the QUEEN of paranormal romances. Her worldbuilding is natural and easy to step into. 💘

I adored Adalyn's Anti-Aphrodite reputation versus bad boy Nix's romantic mindset (the dichotomy of an Aphrodite offspring not believing in love AND a rockstar with a womanizing reputation going all heart-eyed). 💘

He falls first and harder and it's SO good. 💘

The flirting. The flirting is SO good. 💘

The smut doesn't overshadow the main plot or character development, which has lately been a rarity. It's also not instant. There are little dates, moments that allow the chemistry to build naturally, scenes that get the tension to sizzle before it finally bursts -- romance done RIGHT. 💘

Asher excels at creating a cast that doesn't overshadow the lead couple, but still holds space and purpose to the story. I'm hoping we get to see every member of the band find love. 💘

Thank you for adding a non-binary character to a world with gods and shifters. And a background sapphic ship. THANK. YOU. 💘

April Asher! Two questions: Would you say all your supernatural books are in an interconnected world, AND will this story continue for Maxi and Gavin? Because I NEED the latter. I'm SO down for that story. 💘

Recommended for fans of Bride and Good Spirits. 🦇

The Vibes ✨
Paranormal Romance 💘
Grumpy / Sunshine 💘
Wedding Planner / Rockstar 💘
She's His Muse 💘
Touch Her & You Die 💘
Fauxmance / Fake Dating 💘
Forced Proximity / Neighbors 💘
True Love / Soulbonds 💘
Banter / Top Tier Flirting 💘
Dual POV 💘
He Falls First 💘
Curvy FMC / Tattooed + Pierced MMC 💘

Playlist 🎶

Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. # 🦇

Quotes 💬
“Am I to guess from the casual ensemble that you’re my neighbor? Did you stop by to ask for a cup of sugar? Because I’m sorry to say that I don’t usually keep the stuff on hand. I drink my coffee black as a starless night.” “I’m not here for sugar.” “Then what exactly are you here for?” His gaze slid down her body. “Unless that daydream I’ve been having since running into you at the wedding is finally coming true.”

"Since you’re asking me to give up my inspiration, I’ll need to find another. You up for the position?”

“Teach me, Master Yoda.” Addie pushed up the sleeves of his leather jacket. “Star Wars references, Miss Whitlock?” Phoenix teased. “You just may be my soulmate.”

"On a scale of one pearl to an entire string, how many pearls do we want people clutching when they see us?”

“If my girl wants to ride the unicorn, she’ll ride the unicorn.”

The kiss that had just tilted his world on its axis and quite literally knocked a sweet melody into his head.

"My demigoddess Muse.”

Addie stole the breath from Phoenix’s lungs and he wasn’t sure if he wanted her to give it back. He’d always thought this spot enchanted, too, but it paled in comparison to the magic emanating from the woman standing in front of him. She inspired feelings he’d never felt before.

"What's on your mind, rock star?” “Our first kiss.” A little, nearly inaudible gasp left Addie’s lips. “The kiss?” “As lovely as it was, all I’ve been able to think about since is how much I wished our first time had been just for us.” He gently tilted her chin up. “Not in front of a crowd of thousands. Not for the benefit of a cover story. And with no polite pearl limitations.” “An entire strand?” Addie asked on a whisper. “An entire strand.” His lips danced into a smirk. “A kiss that would imprint on us both for a damn long time if not forever.”

“Tell me you’re not the least bit curious what it would be like between us and I’ll back off right now. But if you can’t stop thinking about it, and want it more than you want your next breath— just like me . . . then say so. And then the next music genre that will be spilling from my apartment will be your pleasure-filled moans.”

"Want to experience some bad ideas with me?”

“If this is the end, I want to permanently etch every facet of you onto my soul,” Phoenix admitted unashamedly. “Adalyn Love Whitlock”— he slowly brushed his lips against hers in a whisper of a kiss—“ you will always and forever be my goddess of love.”

Imagery
Sir-Axe-A-Lot
Club Olympus
Coffee
Baby Cerberus
News Clip: “Naughty Nix or Knightly Nix: Who Is Nix’s Mystery Damsel?”
Fauxmance Arrangement and Muse Agreement (FAMA)
Angry Athena Artery
Warning label: The man should come with a warning label, one that read DANGER: WILL MAKE YOU FANTASIZE ABOUT HAPPILY EVER FOREVER.
The Stone Talons

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and April Asher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

What if the daughter of the Greek goddess Aphrodite doesn't believe in love? Better yet, what if she's a wedding planner in the thriving metropolis of modern-day New York? Those two conundrums are at the heart of The Cupid Dilemma, a new rom-com by April Asher.

The story follows Adalyn "Addie" Love Whitlock, one of Aphrodite's daughters, as she tries to navigate love and life in thriving, bustling NYC. Working as a wedding planner with her sister Maxi and her cousin, Bailey, she co-owns and operates Happily Ever Forever, an all-in-one matchmaking and wedding planning service. After steadily growing a following on social media and finding a string of devoted clients that found their ever-afters, the Happily Ever Forever team experiences a downtown in their success. First, their once-perfect matches start going awry. Then, their dreamy weddings start having mishap after mishap. Finally, after a fire breaks out at the wedding of a spoiled Bridezilla, the team finds themselves the subjects of cancellation and social media attacks, all of which threaten their livelihood.

But when a chance encounter at that very wedding introduces Addie to Phoenix "Naughty Nix" Cross, a member of darling indie band The Stone Talons, an opportunity to reverse their fortunes drops into their laps. Addie will fake date Nix, bringing her publicity, while Nix can find his musical mojo again with Addie as his muse. Everyone wins, right? Not so fast.

As their relationship blooms and Addie and Nix get to know each other, what was supposed to be a no-strings-attached arrangement (a "Fauxmance Arrangement and Muse Agreement", or FAMA) suddenly becomes far more complex than they could have ever guessed. As pressure from his label to create the Talons' stereotypical "panty party" sound and Addie finds herself in danger of catching feelings, the two must search their hearts to find what really matters, and whether the "anti-Aphrodite" truly is what she's claimed.

There's a lot to enjoy about this book. The thriving, vibrant setting of New York stands out as the reader follows Addie and Nix from their first "non-date" at an axe-throwing bar, to an "The Amazing Race"-style scavenger hunt, to the sparkle and shine of the indie music awards. Addie's sister Maxi and her cousin Bailey offer comic relief throughout the novel, and it was fun to see little touches of Greek mythology appear throughout the novel (wait 'til you meet Do-Re-Mi), but I wish the author would've expanded upon that a little more. The novel leans heavily into online culture and meme-speak, which helps to drive the pace of the novel, but I think it will appeal most strongly to a young adult audience (late teens/early 20s). The drawback to the constant banter and back-and-forth is that we struggle to really know who the characters are and who they value, which makes it harder to root for them. I enjoyed seeing Phoenix's protectiveness and yearning for Addie, but other than "I don't believe in love", it was harder to parse Addie's core personality traits and what makes her tick. I also think that there were segments in the novel that got to be a bit repetitive (especially when mentioning the FAMA/fauxmance).

I think you'll enjoy this book if you love the fake dating trope and are looking for a low-stakes rom-com that you can enjoy with a cup of coffee on a lazy afternoon. There are plenty of cute moments throughout the novel and it's fun to dream up the idea of dating a sensitive rock star who wears a playboy mask to the rest of the world. While it wasn't the perfect book for me, I think there are a lot of people who will swoon at Addie and Phoenix, and will enjoy seeing whether they find their Happily Ever Forever.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Spicy Bubblegum Paranormal Romance. This is another of those books where the 2* reviews are so wrong as to be laughable. I don't know what is happening with those reviewers of late, but they used to be at least somewhat more reliable, pointing out things that were actually problems from certain perspectives rather than just completely not getting a book at all or even making shit up about it. So ignore those bastards. Seriously.

What we *do* get here is exactly what I said in the title of this review - a fun spicy bubblegum pop paranormal romance that never takes itself overly seriously and just has fun with its premise. We get the children of Greek gods living in NYC - along with a singular "they" most often presented as female but always using "they", so do with that what you will with no judgements from me either direction there. We get a band full of mythological beings that is essentially virtually any teen/ early 20s rock band of any era of the last 50 yrs or so. To the level that my own mind was essentially making them a mashup of Sum 41/ Good Charlotte/ etc (because that was my own era of that age) but with griffins and gargoyles and phoenixes.

Yes, a lot of this is quite silly from a "Serious Romance Reader" perspective. It isn't meant to be "Serious Romance Reader" approved. This is light summer reading specifically targeted at that very late teens/ early 20s ish "new adult"/ starting their career set that these characters themselves are, with a lot of the issues common at that age.

Now, for the "clean" vs "spicy" romance debate, this one definitely comes in fairly spicy. Somewhere between a habanero and a Carolina Reaper, you're definitely going to feel the heat here... but you may not be rushing off to find a private area yourself. Unless, perhaps, you *are* that late teens/ early 20s ish target audience (or someone who still acts like it even at more advanced ages), in which case, well, hey, do what you need to do. So "clean" romance crowd... this one may not send you to the emergency room, but you're probably going to be reaching for the smelling salts and maybe checking your pulse to make sure it isn't too high. Might be best for y'all to just skip this one, unless you're feeling particularly adventurous. (But if you *do* read this one despite these warnings, please don't 1* it for being too spicy - I already warned you about that!)

The paranormal aspects here are done in a fairly realistic way that doesn't require much of a leap... but also requires that you not think too deeply about it. Just follow the jump through the portal and don't worry about how it works or where they actually are. This is bubblegum. It isn't supposed to be deep or thoughtful. Just enjoy the spectacle and keep moving. You'll be fine. If you're one that can't help but think too deeply about even bubblegum... again, this may not be the book for you. I think one of the best illustrations I can give that a lot of people may be somewhat familiar with is how Loki just shimmers his armor on in his first scenes with Captain America in The Avengers or just shimmers his way into other realms in those early MCU movies. If that isn't something you can handle in novel form without deep explanation... this probably isn't the book for you.

But for those looking for exactly what this book is - fun spicy bubblegum paranormal romance, again - hey, this one works on a lot of levels and will very likely be something you'll enjoy.

Very much recommended.

[Franky · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.0⭐

(+) :
- I like paranormal rom-com where the paranormal characters are just living amongst the normies and that’s normal. I always appreciate where it’s not a story about “oh no we’ve been found out” or “oh no we can’t be found out”.
- I liked Nix and I wish we got a bit more of what made him tick besides being “ex-bad boy who wants to write love songs”. I understood why he loved love and why he liked Addie and that was all fine.
Addie was also fine. She was grumpy and didn’t love love despite her origins and work but it made sense and added to her development. The end to her character arc re: her origins was also kind of nice, if not a bit (quite a bit) flimsy.
- It’s a cute cover. I like the pop of yellow against the purples and pinks and the skyline is nice.

(-) :
- I really struggled with the world of this book. It was just a grab bag of paranormal character ideas (Greek mythology, shifters, …gargoyles?) and it just became really messy. I was especially disenchanted with the use of the Greek Gods. I’m just kind of…tired of them being a catch all for Gods. I get it. They’re the most well known. But if you’re not going to actually use the mythology in SOME WAY (yes I know I’m outing myself as a nerd here I know I am aware) then just…have them be generic goddesses. Have her just be the God of Love or whatever. Also Athena was NOT just the Goddess of War. UGH.
- The muse contract was confusing af. I barely understood the pearl levels when they were introduced and then they just kept being mentioned and barely elaborated on. It was just too much.
- The slang or operative word usage in this book made me physically cringe multiple times over. Do NOT use “unalive” in a printed book. We are not being censored as of yet. This is not TikTok. “For the Win” has been dead slang for like a decade. And WHO is using ‘World War Z’ as a reference in the year 2026?? Wild. Wild behavior.
- I lost track of who all of the band members were. Except for the BFF/Soon-to-be brother-in-law, I got them all blended together and mixed up and did not care in the end.
- And speaking of the band - their whole “brand” was just…a whole suspension of disbelief I couldn’t get behind. We’re supposed to believe that they wouldn’t be able to write love songs? And they have to keep writing “panty” songs? And then their concerts involve panties being thrown at them as a core moment? YEESH. Sign me up for whatever the anti-newsletter would be to never even know about tickets if this band existed.
- Yo what is this title? The Cupid aspect BARELY plays a role in this. Why is this the title? Why not save this for the sister’s book? (if there is one).

(?) :
- No seriously - what IS this brand for the band and why can’t they just write love songs?? It’s not like their The Lonely Island.


WILL I READ THE NEXT ONE? : No. This is my second time trying April Asher’s work and I really just don’t think her writing is for me.

(HOW LONG) DO I THINK THEY’LL STAY TOGETHER? : Who knows. I don’t care enough.

*Thank you to SMP & Netgalley for providing this ARC!


SIMILAR BOOKS :
- 'Sounds Like Love' by Ashley Poston
- 'Wolf Gone Wild' by Juliette Cross
- 'A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon' by Sarah Hawley
- 'All Superheroes Need PR' by Elizabeth Stephens

[Kerbuhbuhbear · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is super cute and intriguing!

Adalyn Whitlock, daughter of Aphrodite and demigoddess, doesn't believe in love. Her business is going up in smoke, and she decides to start a fauxmance with her next door neighbor, rock star Phoenix Cross, to help breathe new life into her business.

A fake relationship trope romance novel, this book would be a great beach read and contains moments that made me teary eyed because I'm a sap who loves love!

The author did a great job creating characters I cared about and wanted to know more about. This book is a fun escape for a few hours. There were times I felt taken along for the ride, like watching a movie, and I think this book would make a fun rom com movie to watch.

However, be prepared to suspend your disbelief while reading this book.

The world is one where humans and Greek gods/goddesses and other fantastical creatures (like gargoyles) live together. This is not explained, and, as the reader, you are expected to accept this. I wish the author would have added some information about how/why the world is like this. It did not need to be explained in great detail necessarily, but just a few lines from a character or something in the narrative that gave a short explanation about how this world came to be would have quelled my intrusive thoughts about, "Why is no one batting an eye that there is a gate to Olympus in Central Park?" Like 3 girls conjuring a golden gate seemed like a totally normal thing to onlookers. Additionally, this is a really interesting world to live in, and, as the reader, I did want to know more about how this world works and came to be, and why this is the norm. I feel like, along with decreasing my incessant questions about the world, it would have made this story more vivid, deep, and it would have been easier to suspend my disbelief.

I felt the dialogue was cringey at times and almost immature. A lot of it came off as cheesy and unrealistic. Sometimes cheesy is ok, but there were multiple times reading this book that I cringed and thought, "This dialogue could be better."

There were also a good amount of continuity issues. For example, there was a scene in the book where a mouse ran up Phoenix's jeans, and then it was brushed off with, "It was here a second ago." I suppose you could imply from the writing, that Phoenix kicked the mouse out of his jeans, but a mouse running up your pants is a big deal and they don't leave pants easily. This loop could have been closed in a better, more clear way. This was also not the only continuity issue present in the book. There were multiple times where I was left asking, "What happened to x? How did we get here with no explanation?"

Despite these issues, the book was still a fun, quick read, especially if you're looking for a sweet, escapist romance. Better execution of world building, dialogue, continuity, and going deeper into everything would have made this 5 stars for me.

Spicy level is 3-3.5.

Thank you Netgalley, April Asher, and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC.

[Ashleigh Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! It definitely makes me sad that we do not live in a world where Demigods, Griffons, Gargoyles, etc actually exist. I loved visiting the characters and the world in The Cupid Dilemma. I want to be friends with every single one of the characters in this story. If you are looking for a fun read with fake dating and shenanigans mixed in, this is the book for you.

In The Cupid Dilemma, the reader is introduced to Adalyn "Addie" Whitlock a daughter of Aphrodite, who runs a match making and wedding event planning business with her sister. But the business is not going so great. Every wedding she keeps planning has one disaster after another, eventually earning Addie the nickname the "Anti-Aphrodite." Which isn't technically wrong because Addie doesn't really believe in love. But it is a problem when you are in the business of selling Happily Forever Afters. Enter Phoenix "Nix" Cross, the resident bad boy drummer with a reputation that precedes him. Phoenix has recently lost his mojo when it comes to song writing.

So what do Addie and Phoenix do? Come to agreement. They will fake date to fix Addie's reputation as the "anti-Aphrodite" and she will agree to be Phoenix's muse to help him with his song writing. What could go wrong with this fauxmance?

April Asher did a great job in creating a believable and tension filled fake dating scenario. You could fill the chemistry between the two main characters coming off the page. I loved that neither character was afraid to give as good as they got. The banter between Addie and Phoenix was unparalleled. I loved the juxtaposition of Phoenix's experience with Addie's inexperience. I also really enjoyed how Phoenix kept pushing Addie to come out of her shell and allowed her the space to not be so rigid. While Addie, help Phoenix truly realize what he wanted, both personally and professionally. They were a great sounding board and mirror for one another. I also really enjoyed all the small moments where you could see both Addie and Phoenix falling for each other. They were not always big in your face moments, but the more subtle and nuanced moments that make a book and characters feel believable.

The addition of Addie's sister and cousin, plus Phoenix's bandmates and his sister rounded out a great cast of characters. I want to go back and visit some of the character's getting their own happily ever after. And to see Addie and Phoenix's story grow.

My one wish would have been to spend a bit more time with Addie and understanding why she felt that love didn't exist and how potentially being the child of Aphrodite impacted her view of love. I do feel that it would have added a layer to the character and given the reader a bit more insight to who Addie was. I also would have loved to know how Phoenix felt knowing he was dating the daughter of Aphrodite. Did he care? Did he wonder if she would make him fall in love with her?

Overall, I would absolutely recommend The Cupid Dilemma!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this early release digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cupid Dilemma by April Asher is an absolute triumph and quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had with a fake-dating "fauxmance." This delightfully sweet, funny, and entertaining paranormal romcom features a flawless blend of a reverse grumpy-sunshine dynamic, rockstar romance, and Greek mythology. The storyline is completely addictive, keeping you hooked from the very first page with its perfect banter, genuine emotional connection, and off-the-charts tension that April Asher kicks up ten notches when it comes to the sizzling spice!

The story introduces us to Adalyn "Addie" Whitlock, a demigoddess daughter of Aphrodite who ironicaly doesn't believe in love, even though she runs a struggling wedding planning and matchmaking business, Happily Ever Forever, with her sister. Following a series of public wedding mishaps and an ex-boyfriend smearing her name, a negative social media storm labels Addie the "Anti-Aphrodite," threatening to ruin her livelihood entirely.

Enter Phoenix "Nix" Cross, the brilliant songwriter and drummer for the rising rock band, The Stone Talons. While his record label pushes a reckless "bad boy" and womanizer image on him, Nix is actually a secret romantic at heart who is currently suffering from a brutal case of writer's block. When Nix opens his door to find his irate new next-door neighbor—who happens to be his little sister’s newly hired wedding planner—he experiences a sudden, blinding flash of creative inspiration. Addie is officially his new muse.

When paparazzi photos of the two of them together leak online, they hatch a mutually beneficial plan to fake a romance to solve both of their public relations nightmares. If the public thinks the "Anti-Aphrodite" has finally fallen in love, Addie's business will recover, and in exchange, Nix gets to keep his muse close by to finish the band's next hit album. The only problem with their foolproof deal is that the sparks fly instantly, and the emotions turned on for the cameras refuse to turn off as real feelings become involved real fast.

Addie’s character growth throughout the novel is beautiful to witness as she slowly lowers her guard, while Nix is the ultimate book boyfriend—a rugged rockstar on the outside with a heart of gold on the inside. The surrounding universe is incredibly vibrant, filled with wonderful family dynamics, clever ties to Olympus, and amazing side characters, including a hilarious gargoyle best friend and a tiny Cerberus puppy.

The brilliant audiobook narration by Joy Belmont and Tim Paige brings the story to life perfectly, capturing every bit of the humor, heart, and heat. It is a spectacular romance that leaves you desperately hoping for a spinoff series about the remaining bandmates and Addie's sister.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certain things are expected of you when you're one of Aphrodite's daughters. Not believing in love, happily ever afters, and planning a streak of disasterous weddings (the fire department gets called out more than once) aren't anywhere on that list. But that's Adalyn "Addie" Whitlock's life at the moment. She runs a matchmaking and wedding planning agency with her sister and cousin and is watching it go down in flames (literally). They need a big success to pull things back- and a big name would be even better. When they agree to plan the wedding of a rock star in a month, things might get back on track.

Except fellow band member and brother of the bride is Phoenix "Nix" Cross -aka Addie's new neighbor. He's suffering song writer's block and think's Addie's the Muse to get his songs flowing again. She could use some positive press to help her business. The answer? A fauxmance as they plan his little sister and best friend's wedding. What could go wrong?

I'm always up for a fauxmance (why have we not been using this term forever?). How long will it take them to work out that it's real? Who falls first? Why did they think the fake out was a good plan in the first place? It's always fun. While the why here was pretty typical, how they went about it wasn't: they got to just hang out and be themselves. It led to some very fun dates and watching the chemistry build between Nix and Addie was great.

While Nix was a well-developed character, I did sometimes want more from Addie. Why does she not believe in love? She hasn't had any traumatic relationships- though yes, plenty of decently bad dates. Her parents aren't together but don't fight and Addie seems to get along with them as well as most adult children with their parents might. It was kind of a big miss that it never got explained or developed. But otherwise I enjoyed the flirting, the heat, the getting-to-know-you dates, the quirky humor of the the characters and the book.

The Cupid Dilemma's world-building and humor grabbed me from the first chapter. Mixing "normal" contemporary with Greek myth descendants and it not being something you hide (her dogs are from Cerebus' latest litter and play in the park with them like any other dogs would) was a great twist. I'm hoping for much more in this world to explore. Demigoddesses, shifters, gargoyles, humans all living together- more please!

Definitely recommend for romance lovers, even if you don't normally go for any kind of paranormal vibes. I'd call this "paranormal lite" but still enough to satifsy everyone. Fake dating trope lovers will enjoy!


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Title: The Cupid Dilemma

✍🏾 Author: April Asher- I've read A Simple Twist of Fate and gave it 5⭐

📅Publication date: 5/12/26 | Read: 5/12/26

📃 Format: e-Book 347 pgs.

Genre:
*Paranormal Romance
*Fantasy
*Adult Fic

Tropes:
*fake dating
*fated mates
*small town
*magic
*rising rock star/demigoddess pairing
*cozy
*family drama

👆🏾POV: 3rd person dual

⚠️TW: cyber bullying, sexual harassment, ex-boyfriend drama

🌎 Setting: NYC and Olympia

Summary: Addie's event planning business is a disaster, especially after a social influencer bashes her online. Phoenix is feeling the pressure to produce hits for the band's rising success. After a botched fire rescue and loud music complaint, Addie and Nix agree to a fauxmance. She will get positive press and business, and he'll get inspiration with her as his muse. They spend a lot of time together with staged dates while Addie tries to save Nix sister's dream wedding. Can they keep to the FAMA contract, or will they let love rule?


👩🏾 Heroine: Adalyn "Addie" Whitlock-Happily Ever Forever event planning business w/ sister and cousin

👨🏾 Hero: Phoenix "Nix" Cross-songwriter and drummer of The Stone Talons, w/ writer's block and has a false "womanizer" reputation.

🎭 Other Characters:

*Karleigh Kincaid-social influencer, fire hazard at wedding planned by Addie
*Bailey-Addie's cousin/business partner/ their mother is Athena
*Maxine "Maxi" Whitlock-the cupid matchmaker, Addie's sister
*Aphrodite-goddess of love, Addie's mother
*Simon Whitlock-Addie's human father
*Naiomi-Nix's little sister, getting married to Easton (brother's BFF)/in grad school
*Lani and Judd Cross-Nix's parents
*Gavin, Easton, and Xavier- Nix's bandmates
*Roger Kinkaid-a music investor for the record label NAS that signed the band
*Marcus-The Stone Talons' manager
*Do-Re-Mi-Addie's three-headed dog

🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the take on cupid, opposites attract, and fake dating. Addie and Nix were sweet as neighbors and later lovers. I even liked the wedding planning stuff along with some of the best date ideas ever. I hope for more in this world-Gavin and Maxi maybe?

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 4/5 🌶️

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, and April Asher for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

[Mary Gramlich · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Asher excels at turning a fauxmance into a burn the pages romance



Adalyn Love Whitlock is the anti-romance daughter of the Goddess of Love Aphrodite so convincing people the Happily Ever Forever event planning business she runs with her sister and cousin is sometimes a hard sell to the customers. She occasionally thinks love is our there but then gets a first date smack in the head that reminds her, nope not happening. Phoenix ‘Nix’ Cross writes, produces, and creates music with his band and loves being with his mates and having the rock and roll life, but lately he is reconsidering that maybe there is something else besides hard rock life that can include some love songs.



All of Nix’s thoughts come together with clarity when he meets Adalyn and realizes his next-door neighbor is more that beautiful and self-assured, she is turning into his music muse. Nix is writing from the heart and the songs he is creating are not making the label happy, but he is sure feeling his stride. When Addie and Nix come up with the idea to have everyone get off their cases about dating and marriage by churning out a faux-romance the last thing either of them expects is to feel a lot less faux and more romance than expected. When Adalyn is hired to be Nix’s sister’s wedding planner and they are in the same location next to each other regularly the more attracted they become to one another. Addie needs this event to up her ratings and turn the business into a positive since her last few events have not only gone South, but they also potentially may have left the country. So, Nix is going to be right by her day and hopefully night as they figure out how to make the wedding a success, and a relationship come together.



With every passing day, and long extended nights of love Addie becomes more panicked about what is really happening as Nix is drawn into the glory of what he knows is love. What Addie fights with every love addiction, her ability to see a love match is coming into focus and that is the last thing she can handle right now. Nix is fighting for them and Addie is figuring them out with a lot of familia help so maybe she can do love, or maybe it is just a phase.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a cute book with an interesting concept. The character connection was written very well. I was rooting for Adalyn and Phoenix from the moment they met. I always enjoyed sinking into the story when I picked the book up, yet there was always something holding me back from fully investing my time. It didn’t have a pull over me.

Both Addie and Phoenix are fully fleshed out characters. I understood what made them tick, and the ups and downs of their fauxmance made sense to the way each of them thought. I think what I struggled with was the world-building. I didn’t think I was one to need a lot of world-building, especially for a more contemporary type of book. Fantasy or straight paranormal, yes…give me the world-building. But a contemporary magical-realism-type paranormal, where mythological and paranormal creatures aren’t secret, and Gods and Goddesses walk among humans openly, doesn’t usually need much work in that department. Yet it may have needed more than what was here. Since this is a new-to-me author, I’m not sure if her universes tie together, and there’s the assumption you’ve read her other work?

The third act breakup didn’t play out as I had thought. In fact, it was kind of a dud. As I was reading, I hated thinking about how certain “bad guy” characters were going to get revenge, or at least get what they wanted, from this couple. But when it came time for things to fall apart, it was a bit ridiculous. I feel those characters would need to know Addie and her insecurities much more than they did for them to think their plan would work…yet it did work. It was kind of weak. But the actual fallout of the breakup was fantastically angsty and desperate, just as I like it.

That being said, I enjoyed myself with this story. There are many soft moments between Addie and Phoenix, and many that sparked flames. This would make a great book for summertime reading. Not too deep, engaging while reading it, but not so engaging you can’t put it down to go splash in the pool with the kids or go on a hike with your honey.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adalyn “Addie” Whitlock is not having a good day, as the wedding planner to a social influencer, she needed this event to go off without a hitch, but luck has not been on her side for months and today is no exception. You would think that being the daughter of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she would have all things love in the bag, but when the reception goes sideways and the bride takes to social media, Addie’s life becomes a nightmare. With her business, Happily Ever Forever, on the brink of ruin, she needs a miracle! Enter her oh so sexy rock star neighbor, Phoenix “Nix” Cross, the man who may make her rethink her long held beliefs on love.

Phoenix “Nix” Cross is the drummer and songwriter for the popular band The Stone Talons, but lately his creative juices have dried up and with the record label demanding new music, he is feeling the pressure. But when he meets his gorgeous demigoddess neighbor, and feels the music again, he offers to make a deal with her, they will have a “fauxmance” and she will be his muse. At first, she resists, but when she steps in to help his sister plan her wedding and sees the benefits of being linked to Nix, she agrees. But when the fauxmance starts to feel real, will they grab their chance for HEA or will Addie’s fear of love rip them apart?

OMG – what a cute story! I loved Addie and Nix immediately, their chemistry was amazing and I couldn’t put this book down. This book had it all, likable characters, fantastic secondary characters, steamy love scenes, witty banter, a hero with a heart of gold, a possessive and protective nature while still giving bad boy vibes (Yum!), a very cute three-headed puppy, wrapping up with a very sweet and satisfying ending. Overall, I found this to be a delightful, light, fun read, but I did think the world building was a bit weak, and fantasy aspect was too understated, however, even that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of this book! Highly recommended and I am really hoping this is the start of a new series!!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *