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Not For Keeps
Analyse and her daughter, Maya, have been doing just fine by themselves. Being a single mom isn’t always easy, but in the small town of Lake City there’s always someone willing to lend a hand.
Things aren’t perfect, but they’re perfectly hers. Until Nico, Maya’s father and the man that walked away from her, comes back into town with one goal in A second chance with Analyse.
Blindsided by his return, Analyse does the only thing she can think of—pretend she’s dating her brother’s best friend, Mateo. Lake City’s most charming firefighter and notorious flirt.
It’s supposed to be fake. A temporary fix. But with every lingering glance and stolen kiss, it gets harder to remember where the pretending ends and the real feelings begin.
And even though Analyse’s heart is falling fast, she knows one thing for
Mateo was never meant to be hers, and this relationship is not for keeps.
Things aren’t perfect, but they’re perfectly hers. Until Nico, Maya’s father and the man that walked away from her, comes back into town with one goal in A second chance with Analyse.
Blindsided by his return, Analyse does the only thing she can think of—pretend she’s dating her brother’s best friend, Mateo. Lake City’s most charming firefighter and notorious flirt.
It’s supposed to be fake. A temporary fix. But with every lingering glance and stolen kiss, it gets harder to remember where the pretending ends and the real feelings begin.
And even though Analyse’s heart is falling fast, she knows one thing for
Mateo was never meant to be hers, and this relationship is not for keeps.
- GenresRomance
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
October 17, 2025
I was selected as an arc reader and let me tell you i rated this book 4 stars for actually representing people of color main characters and having another language in here i appreciated that so much it’s rare to have that in books. Our female main character Analyse is a single mom to Maya who she’s raised since the minute she found out she was pregnant with Maya since her ex ditched her while being pregnant and never came back until 7 years late which was not a good move for him to do because what the heck dude who does that😭😭. Anyways Mateo our male main character he is hilarious and cares about Analyse even in the beginning he pretended to be her boyfriend which was so sweet ugh i love him honestly my girl deserves a good man really enjoyed this book. But he was definitely one of the characters that suffered in silence my poor baby im glad they were able to support each other.
my favorite quotes were: “What happened to hello? How are you? How’s your week been?” -Mateo i just thought it was funny lol
“And I would’ve died without ever having told you how I feel about you. How much you mean to me. I love you, Mateo. I love you so much that it scares me. I thought I knew what love was. I thought I understood what being in love meant. But now I realize that I didn’t know real love until you came along. You’ve changed me, Mateo “altered my chemistry in a way that I could’ve never imagined. In a way that means my body could never be away from yours. My soul, my heart, could never be without you”- Analyse
“I love you, too. You and Maya. I love you both so much. I couldn’t survive it if I lost either of you. Chula, tu eres mi alma y mi vida. I’d run into that building all over again for you both. Every single damn time without a question. I know it hurt you that Nico left, trust me I want to lay that motherfucker out, but I need you to know that you’re not alone anymore. Maya isn’t alone. I love that little girl like she’s my own. She’s our girl. Our babygirl. And I promise you that I’ll be the father she needs, I’ll be everything you both need forever, if you’ll have me. As soon as you’re better, I’m gonna make an honest woman out of you, because you’re mine. You always have been.”
my favorite quotes were: “What happened to hello? How are you? How’s your week been?” -Mateo i just thought it was funny lol
“And I would’ve died without ever having told you how I feel about you. How much you mean to me. I love you, Mateo. I love you so much that it scares me. I thought I knew what love was. I thought I understood what being in love meant. But now I realize that I didn’t know real love until you came along. You’ve changed me, Mateo “altered my chemistry in a way that I could’ve never imagined. In a way that means my body could never be away from yours. My soul, my heart, could never be without you”- Analyse
“I love you, too. You and Maya. I love you both so much. I couldn’t survive it if I lost either of you. Chula, tu eres mi alma y mi vida. I’d run into that building all over again for you both. Every single damn time without a question. I know it hurt you that Nico left, trust me I want to lay that motherfucker out, but I need you to know that you’re not alone anymore. Maya isn’t alone. I love that little girl like she’s my own. She’s our girl. Our babygirl. And I promise you that I’ll be the father she needs, I’ll be everything you both need forever, if you’ll have me. As soon as you’re better, I’m gonna make an honest woman out of you, because you’re mine. You always have been.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2025
Fake dating, real feelings… and one very complicated second chance.
Analyse’s life in Lake City isn’t perfect, but it’s hers until Nico, the man who walked away, returns wanting a second chance. To protect her heart (and her daughter’s), she pretends to date Mateo her brother’s best friend and the town’s charming firefighter. 🚒
But what happens when the line between pretend and real starts to blur? 👀
💖 I loved the bond between Analyse and Maya she’s such a devoted mom. The firefighters and friends always make sure Maya feels loved, and Mateo has been there since day one. 🥹 ✨ Mari and Anna’s friendship is everything! And the Latinx representation? It made me feel so seen.
💌 Big thanks to @untoldstoriespr & Jasmine Ahmad for this ARC!
Analyse’s life in Lake City isn’t perfect, but it’s hers until Nico, the man who walked away, returns wanting a second chance. To protect her heart (and her daughter’s), she pretends to date Mateo her brother’s best friend and the town’s charming firefighter. 🚒
But what happens when the line between pretend and real starts to blur? 👀
💖 I loved the bond between Analyse and Maya she’s such a devoted mom. The firefighters and friends always make sure Maya feels loved, and Mateo has been there since day one. 🥹 ✨ Mari and Anna’s friendship is everything! And the Latinx representation? It made me feel so seen.
💌 Big thanks to @untoldstoriespr & Jasmine Ahmad for this ARC!
October 6, 2025
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Not For Keeps was such a sweet fake dating, single mom romance. Fake dating is so hit or miss for me, but this was done in a way that reminded me why this trope does work sometimes!! Things between Anaylse and Mateo felt real from the get go and you could just tell there was so much care and respect for each other. I loved them with my whole heart.
Before I continue about how much I loved Mateo and Analyse, I have to talk about how special the relationship between Maya and Analyse was. The author wrote the most genuine, loving mother daughter relationship that I have read in a long time. I was legit tearing up within the first few chapters with the way Analyse comforted Maya regarding the whole situation with her absent father. She was such a good mother and it made me so happy to see that Maya not only had her, but also an incredible support system. That they both did, really.
I like how Mateo talked such big talk at the beginning of the book saying he wouldn't fall in love, but my man definitely fell first and fell harder lol. It was really sweet honestly. He was enamored with both Analyse and Maya and it delighted me to no end watching him show up for them time and time again. No two girls more deserving of his love and attention!! Though there were obstacles in the way, I think deep down, his girls never had to question the way he felt about them. It was incredibly heartwarming. The romance between Analyse and Mateo was a slow burn built on such a strong foundation. I loved seeing them develop their connection into something more - it felt so natural and meant to be.
The found family in this was one of my favorite parts!! They're such a good group of friends and I love the ways they show up for each other. I can't wait to read more books from these characters. Also really loved reading about diverse characters. I related to them in so many different ways and felt like being around my own friends.
This was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last. Despite this being the second book in this series, it completely read as a standalone (but definitely made me want to go back to the first!) so if you don't mind some spoilers, you can totally read out of order.
Not For Keeps was such a sweet fake dating, single mom romance. Fake dating is so hit or miss for me, but this was done in a way that reminded me why this trope does work sometimes!! Things between Anaylse and Mateo felt real from the get go and you could just tell there was so much care and respect for each other. I loved them with my whole heart.
Before I continue about how much I loved Mateo and Analyse, I have to talk about how special the relationship between Maya and Analyse was. The author wrote the most genuine, loving mother daughter relationship that I have read in a long time. I was legit tearing up within the first few chapters with the way Analyse comforted Maya regarding the whole situation with her absent father. She was such a good mother and it made me so happy to see that Maya not only had her, but also an incredible support system. That they both did, really.
I like how Mateo talked such big talk at the beginning of the book saying he wouldn't fall in love, but my man definitely fell first and fell harder lol. It was really sweet honestly. He was enamored with both Analyse and Maya and it delighted me to no end watching him show up for them time and time again. No two girls more deserving of his love and attention!! Though there were obstacles in the way, I think deep down, his girls never had to question the way he felt about them. It was incredibly heartwarming. The romance between Analyse and Mateo was a slow burn built on such a strong foundation. I loved seeing them develop their connection into something more - it felt so natural and meant to be.
The found family in this was one of my favorite parts!! They're such a good group of friends and I love the ways they show up for each other. I can't wait to read more books from these characters. Also really loved reading about diverse characters. I related to them in so many different ways and felt like being around my own friends.
This was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last. Despite this being the second book in this series, it completely read as a standalone (but definitely made me want to go back to the first!) so if you don't mind some spoilers, you can totally read out of order.
October 12, 2025
First off I would like to thank Untold stories PR and Jasmine Ahmad for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Jasmine Ahmad has done such an amazing job with this book. Not for keeps follows the life of Analyse, a single mom in the town of Lake City. In this small town, everyone knows everyone and the sweetest found family is formed amongst Analyse and her friends and family. Analyse and her daughter Maya have the sweetest relationship. All of their moments together melted my heart, especially when Nico, Maya’s father tries to come back into the picture after seven years of not being around. I loved how Analyse never forced Maya to feel a certain way and would constantly check in with her and make sure that she was okay. Maya was practically Analyse’s little mini me and seeing them just having a happy life together surrounded by people who truly cared for them made my heart happy.
Then enters Mateo. He is Analyse’s brothers best friend and the two of them find themselves in a fake relationship when Nico keeps trying to win back Analyse and Maya. Mateo has always been there for Analyse and Maya but this time, things were different. He would constantly make sure the two girls were safe and happy and would spoil them with love as best he could, even if it meant bringing little treats to them both. Even though Mateo thought he would never be the settling down type, he quickly lost that mentality whenever he was with Analyse and Maya. Even Maya loved him and was always so happy to see him which made my heart melt as well. Mateo is the type of guy that listens and remembers everything, even the littlest things. He also was such a great supporter of Analyse and made her see just how much of an amazing mom she was and helped protect her and Maya from Nico whenever they had run ins with one another. In better terms Analyse and Mateo were meant for each other and they made the perfect little family with Maya.
Overall, this book was just such a sweet contemporary romance that I am so happy I read it!
Jasmine Ahmad has done such an amazing job with this book. Not for keeps follows the life of Analyse, a single mom in the town of Lake City. In this small town, everyone knows everyone and the sweetest found family is formed amongst Analyse and her friends and family. Analyse and her daughter Maya have the sweetest relationship. All of their moments together melted my heart, especially when Nico, Maya’s father tries to come back into the picture after seven years of not being around. I loved how Analyse never forced Maya to feel a certain way and would constantly check in with her and make sure that she was okay. Maya was practically Analyse’s little mini me and seeing them just having a happy life together surrounded by people who truly cared for them made my heart happy.
Then enters Mateo. He is Analyse’s brothers best friend and the two of them find themselves in a fake relationship when Nico keeps trying to win back Analyse and Maya. Mateo has always been there for Analyse and Maya but this time, things were different. He would constantly make sure the two girls were safe and happy and would spoil them with love as best he could, even if it meant bringing little treats to them both. Even though Mateo thought he would never be the settling down type, he quickly lost that mentality whenever he was with Analyse and Maya. Even Maya loved him and was always so happy to see him which made my heart melt as well. Mateo is the type of guy that listens and remembers everything, even the littlest things. He also was such a great supporter of Analyse and made her see just how much of an amazing mom she was and helped protect her and Maya from Nico whenever they had run ins with one another. In better terms Analyse and Mateo were meant for each other and they made the perfect little family with Maya.
Overall, this book was just such a sweet contemporary romance that I am so happy I read it!
October 22, 2025
thank you Untold Stories PR for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!!
i know i’ve only read two books by jasmine, but she’s a new auto buy author for me!!!! i absolutely loved Not for Keeps!!
in this we are following single mom, Analyse and her daughter Maya. one night, Analyse’s ex and Maya’s father shows up at her door, unannounced after being gone for seven years. Nico left before Maya was even born and now he wants to be a father and get back together with Analyse. As she’s telling him he has no right to just show up, Mateo, our mmc, her brother’s best friend and a firefighter, pulls into her driveway with treats for Maya. As soon as Analyse spots him, she quickly comes up with a plan to pretend he’s her boyfriend to keep Nico off her back. Now, Mateo and Analyse need to keep up the act to keep Nico from getting any ideas and keep up the charades for their nosy neighbors who think Mateo is nothing but a flirt.
my absolute favorite part of this book was Mateo’s relationship with Maya. he really treated her like she was his own daughter and it just warmed my heart. His relationship with Analyse was so effortless, i genuinely forgot they were in a fake relationship! he was so sweet and attentive with both of them. i loved the healing they did separately and how their fake relationship was exactly what they both needed. the found family in this was so good!! I was so happy to see Mari, Seb, and Anna again along with getting to know the other firefighters more! the food in this book made me so hungry, especially the firefighter family dinners and celebrating the holidays together. i loved the we got more of the firefighters and the jobs they went on. my only wish was that we got more of Analyse and Mateo’s relationship before they agreed to their fake relationship. we get little snippets of them, but i wanted more. i would’ve read hundreds of more pages about these two characters. i cannot wait for the next book in this series!!!!
read if you love:
fake dating
single mom x player
teacher x firefighter
puerto rican fmc x dominican mmc
latine characters
found family
small towns
celebrating holidays durning the ‘ber months
i know i’ve only read two books by jasmine, but she’s a new auto buy author for me!!!! i absolutely loved Not for Keeps!!
in this we are following single mom, Analyse and her daughter Maya. one night, Analyse’s ex and Maya’s father shows up at her door, unannounced after being gone for seven years. Nico left before Maya was even born and now he wants to be a father and get back together with Analyse. As she’s telling him he has no right to just show up, Mateo, our mmc, her brother’s best friend and a firefighter, pulls into her driveway with treats for Maya. As soon as Analyse spots him, she quickly comes up with a plan to pretend he’s her boyfriend to keep Nico off her back. Now, Mateo and Analyse need to keep up the act to keep Nico from getting any ideas and keep up the charades for their nosy neighbors who think Mateo is nothing but a flirt.
my absolute favorite part of this book was Mateo’s relationship with Maya. he really treated her like she was his own daughter and it just warmed my heart. His relationship with Analyse was so effortless, i genuinely forgot they were in a fake relationship! he was so sweet and attentive with both of them. i loved the healing they did separately and how their fake relationship was exactly what they both needed. the found family in this was so good!! I was so happy to see Mari, Seb, and Anna again along with getting to know the other firefighters more! the food in this book made me so hungry, especially the firefighter family dinners and celebrating the holidays together. i loved the we got more of the firefighters and the jobs they went on. my only wish was that we got more of Analyse and Mateo’s relationship before they agreed to their fake relationship. we get little snippets of them, but i wanted more. i would’ve read hundreds of more pages about these two characters. i cannot wait for the next book in this series!!!!
read if you love:
fake dating
single mom x player
teacher x firefighter
puerto rican fmc x dominican mmc
latine characters
found family
small towns
celebrating holidays durning the ‘ber months
October 17, 2025
I wasn't too sure what I was going to expect from this book other than a cute festive Fake-Dating romance, but what I found was a home.
This book ties in two of my cultures, being American and being Hispanic/Latino.
I will generally cry with books that sad and sweet, but this one made me cry for another reason.
I lost my dad a few years ago and he was really the only person I would speak spanish with since he was an immigrant from Mexico, and he when he died, the place I called Home did too.
I hadn't realized how much I had lost when he passed, but I had stopped speaking spanish, I lost those little nuances of the langue. As soon as Analyse said "mija" I just started crying, and I continued with the crying! Jasmine did a wonderful job of weaving in Hispanic/Latino culture throughout the entire story.
The dynamic between Analyse and Mateo is super charming and warm.
Analyse being a single mom absolutely warrants her feeling guarded with her heart but most importantly with her daughter. So will she allow Mateo to be in her life as more than a friend after their "fake dating" plan?
Mateo is a mystery to everyone in town.
He drifted in town one day and found a place amongst the ranks of the Fire Department. Mateo mystery is that he is very guarded from everyone. He is everyone's go to guy but who is Mateos go to person? Will he tell Analyse his secrets and give her his heart?
The grief in this book is felt even before any of it is mentioned, just like the way grief changes our way of life. Everything becomes different and it becomes quiet and then without warning, it comes crashing at the least expected moment, like with the word "mija" but as its said in the book, "They're with me - in every breath, every heartbeat, every step forward."
I read this book as an ARC.
My review is honest and mine alone.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your book. I can't wait to read more from you.
This book ties in two of my cultures, being American and being Hispanic/Latino.
I will generally cry with books that sad and sweet, but this one made me cry for another reason.
I lost my dad a few years ago and he was really the only person I would speak spanish with since he was an immigrant from Mexico, and he when he died, the place I called Home did too.
I hadn't realized how much I had lost when he passed, but I had stopped speaking spanish, I lost those little nuances of the langue. As soon as Analyse said "mija" I just started crying, and I continued with the crying! Jasmine did a wonderful job of weaving in Hispanic/Latino culture throughout the entire story.
The dynamic between Analyse and Mateo is super charming and warm.
Analyse being a single mom absolutely warrants her feeling guarded with her heart but most importantly with her daughter. So will she allow Mateo to be in her life as more than a friend after their "fake dating" plan?
Mateo is a mystery to everyone in town.
He drifted in town one day and found a place amongst the ranks of the Fire Department. Mateo mystery is that he is very guarded from everyone. He is everyone's go to guy but who is Mateos go to person? Will he tell Analyse his secrets and give her his heart?
The grief in this book is felt even before any of it is mentioned, just like the way grief changes our way of life. Everything becomes different and it becomes quiet and then without warning, it comes crashing at the least expected moment, like with the word "mija" but as its said in the book, "They're with me - in every breath, every heartbeat, every step forward."
I read this book as an ARC.
My review is honest and mine alone.
Thank you for the opportunity to read your book. I can't wait to read more from you.
October 23, 2025
I could not put this down 😍 Holy fuckkk!! Analyse and Matteo had me hooked, and obsessed 😩 The absolute angst, chemistry and yearning 🧎♀️ Thank you so much, Jasmine, for this ARC 😍❤️
Mateo Rodriguez 🧎♀️ This man yearned and he earned 😏 Golden retriever, sunshine, protective, possessive, handsome, rich, firefighter, always steps up for Analyse and Maya, tall, Latin, kinky, filthy mouthed, hiding a traumatic past, always there for his friends, obsessed, can't stop thinking about her and won't let them go 🥹 Mateo had both of us giggling and blushing uncontrollably. He always make her feel safe, and comfortable 🥹 There is absolutely nothing this man won't do for his girls 😩 If Analyse asked him to bark, he won't even think 😂🔥 That little surprise he had for her 🫦 Had me kicking my feet and blushing! I adored his bond with Maya so much 😭
Analyse Garcia 🧎♀️ One of my top 5 FMC's of all time 😏 She had me kicking my feet, cheering her on and smirking! Sunshine, protective, Latina, strong, feisty, fierce, possessive, spicy, intelligent, an incredible teacher, loves her daughter with everything and is a brilliant mom, beautiful, kinky, loves true crime podcasts, yearns for the hot firefighter, can't get enough of him, and can't stop looking at him especially when he steps up for her and Maya 😏❤️ Analyse is incredibly protective of Mateo, and is there for him. Even when he says he is fine 🥹 She always lets him know that he's not alone! I adored seeing her with Maya, their scenes were so frickin cute. And her scenes with Mateo 🥵 I could not stop smirking 😈
The spicy scenes 😩🥵 Holy fuck!!! Jasmine you had me squirming and blushing 😂 Mateo and Analyse are kinky and I love it!! The writing, characters and storyline are brilliant! I can't wait for the next book in the series and to read Sebastian and Mariana's story 🧎♀️🫦❤️
Mateo Rodriguez 🧎♀️ This man yearned and he earned 😏 Golden retriever, sunshine, protective, possessive, handsome, rich, firefighter, always steps up for Analyse and Maya, tall, Latin, kinky, filthy mouthed, hiding a traumatic past, always there for his friends, obsessed, can't stop thinking about her and won't let them go 🥹 Mateo had both of us giggling and blushing uncontrollably. He always make her feel safe, and comfortable 🥹 There is absolutely nothing this man won't do for his girls 😩 If Analyse asked him to bark, he won't even think 😂🔥 That little surprise he had for her 🫦 Had me kicking my feet and blushing! I adored his bond with Maya so much 😭
Analyse Garcia 🧎♀️ One of my top 5 FMC's of all time 😏 She had me kicking my feet, cheering her on and smirking! Sunshine, protective, Latina, strong, feisty, fierce, possessive, spicy, intelligent, an incredible teacher, loves her daughter with everything and is a brilliant mom, beautiful, kinky, loves true crime podcasts, yearns for the hot firefighter, can't get enough of him, and can't stop looking at him especially when he steps up for her and Maya 😏❤️ Analyse is incredibly protective of Mateo, and is there for him. Even when he says he is fine 🥹 She always lets him know that he's not alone! I adored seeing her with Maya, their scenes were so frickin cute. And her scenes with Mateo 🥵 I could not stop smirking 😈
The spicy scenes 😩🥵 Holy fuck!!! Jasmine you had me squirming and blushing 😂 Mateo and Analyse are kinky and I love it!! The writing, characters and storyline are brilliant! I can't wait for the next book in the series and to read Sebastian and Mariana's story 🧎♀️🫦❤️
October 22, 2025
4 🌟
2 🌶️
Fake dating
Single mom teacher x firefighter
Friends to lovers
Small town
Found family
Not For Keeps completely stole my heart. It’s the perfect mix of fake dating and single mom sweetness, but what really stood out to me was the bond between Maya and Analyse. Their relationship felt so real, full of warmth, trust, and unconditional love. Analyse is such a beautiful example of a devoted mom, and seeing the strong support system surrounding them made the story even more special.
But the moment Mateo stepped into their lives? Game over. The way he treated Maya like she was his own had me melting. Every scene between them just radiated love and gentleness. And his connection with Analyse? Effortless. It didn’t even feel fake, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Mateo swore he wouldn’t catch feelings, but that man fell hard and fast and I was living for it. He adored both Analyse and Maya so deeply, always showing up for them in the sweetest ways. You could tell that, no matter what obstacles popped up, his love for those two never wavered.
Their romance was a slow burn, but one that built from genuine friendship and emotional connection. It was tender, steady, and so perfectly “meant to be.”
And don’t even get me started on the found family vibes, the friendships, the loyalty, the constant showing up for one another? Pure gold. I can’t wait to dive back into this world and spend more time with these characters.
Thank you Ember Literary and Jasmine for this arc opportunity! So grateful!
2 🌶️
Fake dating
Single mom teacher x firefighter
Friends to lovers
Small town
Found family
Not For Keeps completely stole my heart. It’s the perfect mix of fake dating and single mom sweetness, but what really stood out to me was the bond between Maya and Analyse. Their relationship felt so real, full of warmth, trust, and unconditional love. Analyse is such a beautiful example of a devoted mom, and seeing the strong support system surrounding them made the story even more special.
But the moment Mateo stepped into their lives? Game over. The way he treated Maya like she was his own had me melting. Every scene between them just radiated love and gentleness. And his connection with Analyse? Effortless. It didn’t even feel fake, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Mateo swore he wouldn’t catch feelings, but that man fell hard and fast and I was living for it. He adored both Analyse and Maya so deeply, always showing up for them in the sweetest ways. You could tell that, no matter what obstacles popped up, his love for those two never wavered.
Their romance was a slow burn, but one that built from genuine friendship and emotional connection. It was tender, steady, and so perfectly “meant to be.”
And don’t even get me started on the found family vibes, the friendships, the loyalty, the constant showing up for one another? Pure gold. I can’t wait to dive back into this world and spend more time with these characters.
Thank you Ember Literary and Jasmine for this arc opportunity! So grateful!
October 1, 2025
Analyse is a single mom raising her daughter in a small town with the help of family and friends. When her daughter’s father comes back into town with the intention of winning her back, Analyse decides to fake-date her brothers best friend, and the town’s most flirtations firefighter, to keep him at bay. After spending so much time together the lines between real and fake begin to blur. Both Analyse and Mateo have to confront their pasts to see if they have a future together.
Tropes:
•Small town
•Brothers best friend
•Fake Dating
•Single Mom
•Latinx Main Characters
•Teacher FMC
•Firefighter MMC
•Found Family
I adored this book! I read it in a single day and fell in love with this town and the found family of this little group. Mateo was incredible and little Maya was just a ball of sunshine. Analyse was such a strong FMC who didn’t take anyone’s sh-t. This town was full of messy people and I ate it up. I was also surprised to get all the fall and holiday vibes which I wasn’t expecting but it made the read all the better for this time of year!
I haven’t read the first book in this series but I’ll definitely be going back to get Seb and Mari’s story!
Please read the content warnings as there are heavier themes of grief, along with a scene involving an active structure fire with victims trapped.
Not For Keeps releases on October 14, 2025.
Thank you to Jasmine Ahmad and Untold Stories PR for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Tropes:
•Small town
•Brothers best friend
•Fake Dating
•Single Mom
•Latinx Main Characters
•Teacher FMC
•Firefighter MMC
•Found Family
I adored this book! I read it in a single day and fell in love with this town and the found family of this little group. Mateo was incredible and little Maya was just a ball of sunshine. Analyse was such a strong FMC who didn’t take anyone’s sh-t. This town was full of messy people and I ate it up. I was also surprised to get all the fall and holiday vibes which I wasn’t expecting but it made the read all the better for this time of year!
I haven’t read the first book in this series but I’ll definitely be going back to get Seb and Mari’s story!
Please read the content warnings as there are heavier themes of grief, along with a scene involving an active structure fire with victims trapped.
Not For Keeps releases on October 14, 2025.
Thank you to Jasmine Ahmad and Untold Stories PR for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 11, 2025
After reading Back to You by Jasmine Ahmad, I was excited to read this one! First of all, I juts have to say, I see such a growth in Jasmine as a writer. I rated Back to You as 5 stars, but the writing on this was even more lively! This book tells the story of Analyse and Mateo, who start fake dating to keep Analyse’s ex from trying to get back with her. I feel like sometimes fake dating can be so predictable, but to me, there was so much more to this book than Analyse and Mateo. Analyse is a single mom and her relationship with her daughter Maya is just everything!!
She is just the most caring, attentive mom. ANNND Maya loves Mateo, as he already helped take care of her before their fake dating arrangement... and throughout the book, THEIR relationship grows... and I literally cried!!! Mateo’s love for Maya was truly unconditional and independent of his love for Anlayse, and this was just so precious. Plus... this community!!
The friendship between Mari, Analyse and Anna and honestly, their entire friend group with the firefighters is just soo cute and sooo well-written! It is so hard to write fun/happy scenes and make them entertaining! Plus, it was such good Latinx rep, with so many cultural elements, traditions, meals... Also, this book has so many fall vibes and holidays! I wasn’t expecting it!! With all of this, it also deals with prety heavy and deep topics, and I love Jasmine’s ability to balance the depth and warmth of her characters.
She is just the most caring, attentive mom. ANNND Maya loves Mateo, as he already helped take care of her before their fake dating arrangement... and throughout the book, THEIR relationship grows... and I literally cried!!! Mateo’s love for Maya was truly unconditional and independent of his love for Anlayse, and this was just so precious. Plus... this community!!
The friendship between Mari, Analyse and Anna and honestly, their entire friend group with the firefighters is just soo cute and sooo well-written! It is so hard to write fun/happy scenes and make them entertaining! Plus, it was such good Latinx rep, with so many cultural elements, traditions, meals... Also, this book has so many fall vibes and holidays! I wasn’t expecting it!! With all of this, it also deals with prety heavy and deep topics, and I love Jasmine’s ability to balance the depth and warmth of her characters.
October 14, 2025
4.5/5 stars, but I rounded up because the banter between the friend group was fantastic!
I received and ARC of Not For Keeps and am leaving my honest review.
Not For Keeps is book 2 in the Lake City Series and I did not read book 1, but that didn't hurt my understanding of the characters one bit. Analyse is a single mom with one of the absolute best friend/family groups around. Her daughter Maya has the best little village she could ever want.
I'm assuming that Mateo was established as a flirt in the first book of the series because he backs away from that quickly. There is some slight OW drama, but Mateo steps into the fake boyfriend role so well. The dual POV lets us hear how he feels about Analyse and Maya. The way he describes Analyse as a mom is the sweetest thing, but then add in all the little things he does to make Analyse feel seen and he becomes the best book boyfriend.
I mentioned the banter at the beginning, but it should be brought up again. I laughed out loud at so many different points. The Council of Chaos (also known as their group chat thread) and any gathering the whole crew had made me wish the scenes were always longer. They tease each other so well, but love and lift each other up when needed.
I enjoyed this book so much and immediately added the first book, Back To You, to my TBR. This is a book village I want to keep reading about.
Thank you to Jasmine and Untold Stories PR for the ARC!
I received and ARC of Not For Keeps and am leaving my honest review.
Not For Keeps is book 2 in the Lake City Series and I did not read book 1, but that didn't hurt my understanding of the characters one bit. Analyse is a single mom with one of the absolute best friend/family groups around. Her daughter Maya has the best little village she could ever want.
I'm assuming that Mateo was established as a flirt in the first book of the series because he backs away from that quickly. There is some slight OW drama, but Mateo steps into the fake boyfriend role so well. The dual POV lets us hear how he feels about Analyse and Maya. The way he describes Analyse as a mom is the sweetest thing, but then add in all the little things he does to make Analyse feel seen and he becomes the best book boyfriend.
I mentioned the banter at the beginning, but it should be brought up again. I laughed out loud at so many different points. The Council of Chaos (also known as their group chat thread) and any gathering the whole crew had made me wish the scenes were always longer. They tease each other so well, but love and lift each other up when needed.
I enjoyed this book so much and immediately added the first book, Back To You, to my TBR. This is a book village I want to keep reading about.
Thank you to Jasmine and Untold Stories PR for the ARC!
October 15, 2025
**ARC REVIEW**
Not For Keeps by Jasmine Ahmad is a sweet, heartwarming fake dating/single mom romance that hits all the right emotional notes. The character dynamics are strong, and the writing is engaging and easy to sink into. I especially appreciated the use of Spanish throughout — it added a beautiful layer of authenticity and culture to the story.
I absolutely loved the mother-daughter bond between Analyse and Maya. Analyse’s devotion to her daughter was so touching, and it was always clear that Maya’s well-being came first. Mateo’s relationship with Maya was equally heart-melting — his care for her, as if she were his own, made their scenes together some of the most memorable.
The chemistry between Analyse and Mateo was palpable from the start. Their fake relationship felt anything but fake, and watching it slowly turn into something real was so satisfying. The banter between them was funny and natural, and the spice level was just right. The side characters also added a lot of charm and depth, really bringing the small town of Lake City to life.
If you love tropes like small towns, found family, brothers’ best friend, and fake dating — Not For Keeps is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to Jasmine Ahmad and Untold Stories PR for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Not For Keeps by Jasmine Ahmad is a sweet, heartwarming fake dating/single mom romance that hits all the right emotional notes. The character dynamics are strong, and the writing is engaging and easy to sink into. I especially appreciated the use of Spanish throughout — it added a beautiful layer of authenticity and culture to the story.
I absolutely loved the mother-daughter bond between Analyse and Maya. Analyse’s devotion to her daughter was so touching, and it was always clear that Maya’s well-being came first. Mateo’s relationship with Maya was equally heart-melting — his care for her, as if she were his own, made their scenes together some of the most memorable.
The chemistry between Analyse and Mateo was palpable from the start. Their fake relationship felt anything but fake, and watching it slowly turn into something real was so satisfying. The banter between them was funny and natural, and the spice level was just right. The side characters also added a lot of charm and depth, really bringing the small town of Lake City to life.
If you love tropes like small towns, found family, brothers’ best friend, and fake dating — Not For Keeps is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to Jasmine Ahmad and Untold Stories PR for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
October 9, 2025
I received this book as an ARC, however I will be giving my honest review of this book.
When I give something 5 stars, it means I enjoyed it so much that I after the book is done I continue to think about it. It also means that I want to reread it over and over. This book is 5 stars for me. The plot was engaging, the love is evident not just with the FMC Analyse and MMC Mateo. It’s also very evident between Analyse with her daughter Maya, but also with Maya and Mateo. You can tell he truly loves both girls through his words, but also his many actions.
Analyse needs a fake boyfriend when her ex (the father of her child) comes back into town. Mateo shows up at the right time. They keep up the charade and realize that it’s not an act at all. They both have scars, but are patient with each other and have a genuine love for each other. The found family is this book is very touching to read. I adore Analyse and Maya’s relationship. She truly is a wonderful mother and so strong. She is definitely someone to look up to. No matter what is happening with herself, she never burdens Maya and does everything she possibly can to make her happy.
💜 Brother’s Best Friend
💜 Fake Dating
💜 Single Mom
💜 Found Family
💜 Small Town
💜 Latinx main characters
💜 Teacher FMC x Firefighter MMC
When I give something 5 stars, it means I enjoyed it so much that I after the book is done I continue to think about it. It also means that I want to reread it over and over. This book is 5 stars for me. The plot was engaging, the love is evident not just with the FMC Analyse and MMC Mateo. It’s also very evident between Analyse with her daughter Maya, but also with Maya and Mateo. You can tell he truly loves both girls through his words, but also his many actions.
Analyse needs a fake boyfriend when her ex (the father of her child) comes back into town. Mateo shows up at the right time. They keep up the charade and realize that it’s not an act at all. They both have scars, but are patient with each other and have a genuine love for each other. The found family is this book is very touching to read. I adore Analyse and Maya’s relationship. She truly is a wonderful mother and so strong. She is definitely someone to look up to. No matter what is happening with herself, she never burdens Maya and does everything she possibly can to make her happy.
💜 Brother’s Best Friend
💜 Fake Dating
💜 Single Mom
💜 Found Family
💜 Small Town
💜 Latinx main characters
💜 Teacher FMC x Firefighter MMC
October 14, 2025
Thank you Untold Stories and Jasmine for this arc. This was such a cute book. Maya is a little sweetheart and Matteo had me giggling and kicking my feet. I just need to go and read the first book!
Synopsis
Analyse and her daughter, Maya, have been doing just fine by themselves. Being a single mom isn’t always easy, but in the small town of Lake City there’s always someone willing to lend a hand.
Things aren’t perfect, but they’re perfectly hers. Until Nico, Maya’s father and the man that walked away from her, comes back into town with one goal in mind: A second chance with Analyse.
Blindsided by his return, Analyse does the only thing she can think of—pretend she’s dating her brother’s best friend, Mateo. Lake City’s most charming firefighter and notorious flirt.
It’s supposed to be fake. A temporary fix. But with every lingering glance and stolen kiss, it gets harder to remember where the pretending ends and the real feelings begin.
And even though Analyse’s heart is falling fast, she knows one thing for sure:
Mateo was never meant to be hers, and this relationship is not for keeps.
Tropes:
Small town
Brothers best friend
Fake Dating
Single Mom
Latinx Main Characters
Teacher FMC
Firefighter MMC
Found Family
Synopsis
Analyse and her daughter, Maya, have been doing just fine by themselves. Being a single mom isn’t always easy, but in the small town of Lake City there’s always someone willing to lend a hand.
Things aren’t perfect, but they’re perfectly hers. Until Nico, Maya’s father and the man that walked away from her, comes back into town with one goal in mind: A second chance with Analyse.
Blindsided by his return, Analyse does the only thing she can think of—pretend she’s dating her brother’s best friend, Mateo. Lake City’s most charming firefighter and notorious flirt.
It’s supposed to be fake. A temporary fix. But with every lingering glance and stolen kiss, it gets harder to remember where the pretending ends and the real feelings begin.
And even though Analyse’s heart is falling fast, she knows one thing for sure:
Mateo was never meant to be hers, and this relationship is not for keeps.
Tropes:
Small town
Brothers best friend
Fake Dating
Single Mom
Latinx Main Characters
Teacher FMC
Firefighter MMC
Found Family
October 17, 2025
5/5 ⭐️ | 3/5 🌶️
Our FMC, Analyse, is a single mother to her seven-year-old daughter, Maya. When her ex suddenly shows up at her doorstep hoping to “be a family” again—after ghosting her from the moment she got pregnant—Analyse has no choice but to shut that down. And what better way to do it than to say she’s unavailable… because she has a boyfriend.
Cue Mr. Mateo—her brother’s noncommittal best friend. What starts off as just a favor quickly turns into something more. But in a small town, gossip spreads fast, and Analyse and Mateo find themselves tested as they try to define what they really mean to each other.
This book had me locked in from start to finish. I never once got bored or felt the urge to rush through it just to get to the end. I loved how important family and friendship are in this story, and how we really get to see the dynamics within this amazing friend group.
The drama in this book? I was NOT expecting it at all! The number of times I was shocked or on the verge of tears was too many to count.
If you’re looking for a book filled with romance, real-life struggles, drama, and a touch of spice—this one’s for YOU.
Our FMC, Analyse, is a single mother to her seven-year-old daughter, Maya. When her ex suddenly shows up at her doorstep hoping to “be a family” again—after ghosting her from the moment she got pregnant—Analyse has no choice but to shut that down. And what better way to do it than to say she’s unavailable… because she has a boyfriend.
Cue Mr. Mateo—her brother’s noncommittal best friend. What starts off as just a favor quickly turns into something more. But in a small town, gossip spreads fast, and Analyse and Mateo find themselves tested as they try to define what they really mean to each other.
This book had me locked in from start to finish. I never once got bored or felt the urge to rush through it just to get to the end. I loved how important family and friendship are in this story, and how we really get to see the dynamics within this amazing friend group.
The drama in this book? I was NOT expecting it at all! The number of times I was shocked or on the verge of tears was too many to count.
If you’re looking for a book filled with romance, real-life struggles, drama, and a touch of spice—this one’s for YOU.
November 1, 2025
this book tugged at my heart strings in ways i wasn’t prepared for. Analyse and Mateo flowed so perfectly together and i loved their banter and flirty relationship. the way Mateo was so all in and so protective of not only Analyse, but Maya as well?! that man is heaven sent. this book is perfect for people who love found family. its SCREAMS comfort and seeing the emotion and relationships from the village Analyse has made this such a cute emotional read. i loved the emotional intelligence Mateo had, and how he wasn’t afraid to show his emotions to Analyse once he was comfortable and felt safe with her. his story was so heartbreaking, and seeing him be able to turn that around in a way he needed was so perfect. Maya is the CUTESSSST little girl and the way she was written to be so brave and intelligent, made the story that much more emotional. i also felt like the ending was so perfect for them, it tied their story together so well and it makes me excited to see them grow (if there’s a book three)
also, the reggaeton mentions?! the PERREO?!?!? the food?! a latinx romance that screams representation!!!
also, the reggaeton mentions?! the PERREO?!?!? the food?! a latinx romance that screams representation!!!
October 13, 2025
Unfortunately i didn’t finish this. I dnf’ed it at 55%.
I could not connect with the story, and more than once i tried to go back and continue but really struggled.
I LOVED the spanish. I love how many cultural bits there were in this book & i imagine it will make some latinos feel really at home reading books with their language and culture! & i personally loved that.
What i couldn’t get into unfortunately was how rushed everything seemed. As always this is my personal opinion, but i felt that we don’t have any build up at the start of Matteo and Lyse. We just know he’s a friend and out of nowhere he’s filling into this role for Lyse but it feels kind of out of nowhere. There was no build on their friendship before this. Not only while it’s obvious he’s always pined for her, she seems to not care to much about him to suddenly being jealous and even masturbating to the thoughts of him, which really threw me off at that point.
I might try again in future but i really feel like this book just wasn’t the one for me.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it however!
I could not connect with the story, and more than once i tried to go back and continue but really struggled.
I LOVED the spanish. I love how many cultural bits there were in this book & i imagine it will make some latinos feel really at home reading books with their language and culture! & i personally loved that.
What i couldn’t get into unfortunately was how rushed everything seemed. As always this is my personal opinion, but i felt that we don’t have any build up at the start of Matteo and Lyse. We just know he’s a friend and out of nowhere he’s filling into this role for Lyse but it feels kind of out of nowhere. There was no build on their friendship before this. Not only while it’s obvious he’s always pined for her, she seems to not care to much about him to suddenly being jealous and even masturbating to the thoughts of him, which really threw me off at that point.
I might try again in future but i really feel like this book just wasn’t the one for me.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it however!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2025
Arc review: thank you Jasmine for letting my arc read this book!!
This book was so cute, funny and heartwarming! This was a fast read with a lot of chaos of what I experience in a Mexican household! I loved every second of it and the sense of family this book has made my heart full and reminded me of the people I have around me and made me appreciate them more!
In this story we follow Analyse who is a single mom raising her daughter in a small town with the help of family and friends. When her daughter's father comes back into town with the intention of winning her back, Analyse ropes in her brother’s best friend to fake date her, to keep him at bay. But lines between real and fake begin to blur.
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book! I definitely recommend!!!
Tropes:
✨ Small town
✨ Brothers best friend
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Single Mom
✨ Latinx Main Characters
✨ Teacher FMC
✨ Firefighter MMC
✨ Found Family
This book was so cute, funny and heartwarming! This was a fast read with a lot of chaos of what I experience in a Mexican household! I loved every second of it and the sense of family this book has made my heart full and reminded me of the people I have around me and made me appreciate them more!
In this story we follow Analyse who is a single mom raising her daughter in a small town with the help of family and friends. When her daughter's father comes back into town with the intention of winning her back, Analyse ropes in her brother’s best friend to fake date her, to keep him at bay. But lines between real and fake begin to blur.
I can’t wait for everyone to read this book! I definitely recommend!!!
Tropes:
✨ Small town
✨ Brothers best friend
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Single Mom
✨ Latinx Main Characters
✨ Teacher FMC
✨ Firefighter MMC
✨ Found Family
October 5, 2025
ARC reading Review
Overall 4/5
Spice 3/5
This is Mateo and Annalyse’s story. She’s a single mom and he’s a firefighter/brothers bestie/her friend. Her baby daddy reappears claiming to want a relationship with his daughter and wanting her back. So to avoid that Annalyse says Mateo is her boyfriend.
Let the fake dating begin.
I love fake dating tropes and this one did not disappoint. The only thing that made it sweeter was the fact he was in love with her first and from the beginning. He showed her he paid attention and he already had a relationship with her daughter. For me it was just a matter of Annalyse realizing her feelings and everyone spilling them. I loved it. And that first spicy moment ooo was it fire. And that traumatic intense scene had my heart racing.
Great read. I gave it 4/5 because it took me a little to get into it and there were some foreign language words that weren’t translated. I don’t like having to google for translations.
Overall 4/5
Spice 3/5
This is Mateo and Annalyse’s story. She’s a single mom and he’s a firefighter/brothers bestie/her friend. Her baby daddy reappears claiming to want a relationship with his daughter and wanting her back. So to avoid that Annalyse says Mateo is her boyfriend.
Let the fake dating begin.
I love fake dating tropes and this one did not disappoint. The only thing that made it sweeter was the fact he was in love with her first and from the beginning. He showed her he paid attention and he already had a relationship with her daughter. For me it was just a matter of Annalyse realizing her feelings and everyone spilling them. I loved it. And that first spicy moment ooo was it fire. And that traumatic intense scene had my heart racing.
Great read. I gave it 4/5 because it took me a little to get into it and there were some foreign language words that weren’t translated. I don’t like having to google for translations.
October 9, 2025
4.5⭐️ SO Good!
I may or may not have stayed up until 2am to finish this. Once I started, I could not put it down.
Having been a single mom to a little girl myself, and later finding the man who stepped up to fill the gap in my baby’s life… well this book just felt so real. It’s the perfect mix of swoon, tension, and heart. The chemistry between the main characters feels natural and not fake at all. It captures the true feelings of being a single mom who’s scared to let someone in and trusting them not to break you all over again. The writing is easy to read, addictive, and full of feelings. It’s one of those stories you start for the romance and stay for how real it all feels. If you love emotionally charged, slow-burn love stories that linger long after the last page, this one’s a must-read.
Thank you to the author(and team) for the ARC! I can’t wait to see more from this family of characters!
I may or may not have stayed up until 2am to finish this. Once I started, I could not put it down.
Having been a single mom to a little girl myself, and later finding the man who stepped up to fill the gap in my baby’s life… well this book just felt so real. It’s the perfect mix of swoon, tension, and heart. The chemistry between the main characters feels natural and not fake at all. It captures the true feelings of being a single mom who’s scared to let someone in and trusting them not to break you all over again. The writing is easy to read, addictive, and full of feelings. It’s one of those stories you start for the romance and stay for how real it all feels. If you love emotionally charged, slow-burn love stories that linger long after the last page, this one’s a must-read.
Thank you to the author(and team) for the ARC! I can’t wait to see more from this family of characters!
October 10, 2025
Latinx Contemporary Romance stories tend to be less mainstreamed within the genre and I don’t understand why! One of my favorite tropes to read is fake dating so knew I had to support this latest release.
Growing up in a Hispanic household I understand the definition and importance of family. While reading this story I was able to grasp the family Analyse and Mia have. Not everyone’s perception of family is equal but this story went full on into embodiment of what it could look like despite it not being formed in the traditional way.
Mateo’s attentiveness towards Analyse and Mia was probably my favorite part of the whole book. His assurance for her and for her daughter is what woman strive to have from their partners and I’m so happy they found their way towards each other even if they had to start out with a lie.
These opinions are all my own. I was fortune enough to receive this ARC by the author herself. My honest review and personal rating for Not for Keeps is 4 stars.
Growing up in a Hispanic household I understand the definition and importance of family. While reading this story I was able to grasp the family Analyse and Mia have. Not everyone’s perception of family is equal but this story went full on into embodiment of what it could look like despite it not being formed in the traditional way.
Mateo’s attentiveness towards Analyse and Mia was probably my favorite part of the whole book. His assurance for her and for her daughter is what woman strive to have from their partners and I’m so happy they found their way towards each other even if they had to start out with a lie.
These opinions are all my own. I was fortune enough to receive this ARC by the author herself. My honest review and personal rating for Not for Keeps is 4 stars.
October 11, 2025
This was a small-town romance that started as fake dating between the leads which shifted to real feelings. Neither of them planned to fall but love doesn’t need permission.
Their chemistry felt so natural and you could see how much they genuinely cared for each other with every scene.
I loved every bit of this book, the relationship between Analyse and Mateo, their friendship group and of course, little Maya. I loved how brave and full of life she was, her interactions with her mum and others made this story more beautiful. I adored how Mateo cared for her like she was his own and their little moments together were so sweet.
The sense of friendship and community really stood out in this book. And somewhere along the way, Mateo didn't just fall in love, he found a family.
If you’re into fake-dating, brother’s best friend and single parent tropes, this book is definitely for you.
October 16, 2025
2.5 ✨ rounded up
Thank you to Untold Stories PR and Jasmine Ahmad for the eARC! I appreciated getting to read your story early for my honest feedback.
Honestly the tropes for this book were the reason I immediately ran to apply for this book.
✨ small town
✨ single mom
✨ fake dating
✨ teacher X firefighter
✨ brothers best friend
✨ found family
✨ Latinx main characters
Now all of these were good, but the story itself fell a little flat for me. It had so much potential, but the pacing in the end felt sooooo rushed. Their relationship kind of went from 0 to 100 real fast. I know they’d known each other for years, but I think I just wanted more build-up—and maybe for the epilogue to take us a bit further into the future than six months.
As a mom, I also wanted to punch Maya’s father (like, sir, please chill). But the relationship between Analise and Maya? Absolutely perfect. Tender, sweet, and believable.
“𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒔. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏—𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”
Thank you to Untold Stories PR and Jasmine Ahmad for the eARC! I appreciated getting to read your story early for my honest feedback.
Honestly the tropes for this book were the reason I immediately ran to apply for this book.
✨ small town
✨ single mom
✨ fake dating
✨ teacher X firefighter
✨ brothers best friend
✨ found family
✨ Latinx main characters
Now all of these were good, but the story itself fell a little flat for me. It had so much potential, but the pacing in the end felt sooooo rushed. Their relationship kind of went from 0 to 100 real fast. I know they’d known each other for years, but I think I just wanted more build-up—and maybe for the epilogue to take us a bit further into the future than six months.
As a mom, I also wanted to punch Maya’s father (like, sir, please chill). But the relationship between Analise and Maya? Absolutely perfect. Tender, sweet, and believable.
“𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒔. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏—𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”
September 26, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! Mateo and Maya have the sweetest relationship which makes it so easy to fall in love with him! Analyse is a single mom and her daughter maya has never had her dad around and now all of a sudden the wants to show up and make an effort, luckily my man Mateo is there to save the day and wrangles Analyse into fake dating so Maya’s dad doesn’t think he has a chance. They are so cute together and I love the Latine aspects and language in the book. The story is so easy to read and get into, it flows so well and isn’t over complicated. Although there are some heavier aspects like grief in this book I really found it lighthearted and sweet. The relationship that forms between Analyse and Mateo is just delicious. And even though this story is filled with chismosas I still absolutely loved and adored this couple!
October 11, 2025
4.5 stars for this touching love story.
I was really impressed with this book. It gave me a little taste of Latinos without being overwhelming, which is great since I don't speak Spanish but am always curious about other cultures. But the best was how entrenched you feel in all the emotions as you read. The anger, sadness, hope, desperation, fear, and of course, desire. You can't help but cheer for the main characters to get their HEA. And kudos to Mateo for being strong and outspoken kind of person instead of one who just takes the easier routes - very hot! I'd recommend to all.
I received an advanced copy of the book and am leaving an honest review.
My rating system:
5=will read again
4=recommend to everyone
3=recommend to anyone liking that particular writing style/trope
2=do not recommend
1=DNF
I was really impressed with this book. It gave me a little taste of Latinos without being overwhelming, which is great since I don't speak Spanish but am always curious about other cultures. But the best was how entrenched you feel in all the emotions as you read. The anger, sadness, hope, desperation, fear, and of course, desire. You can't help but cheer for the main characters to get their HEA. And kudos to Mateo for being strong and outspoken kind of person instead of one who just takes the easier routes - very hot! I'd recommend to all.
I received an advanced copy of the book and am leaving an honest review.
My rating system:
5=will read again
4=recommend to everyone
3=recommend to anyone liking that particular writing style/trope
2=do not recommend
1=DNF
October 19, 2025
Holy cow did I experience a rush of emotions with this one! Mateo is an absolute heartthrob. Not only is he a hot firefighter but he’s loving and down to earth. He literally would do anything for his girls - including Analyse’s daughter Maya. When fake becomes real, the passion between these two goes up in flames. Matteo protects Analyse like no other including her heart. This man wears his emotions on his sleeve and boy was it beautiful.
Analyse is a such a strong mom to Maya often putting her needs aside to protect Maya. She grapples with her feelings to Mateo due to not wanting to break Maya’s heart and her own traumatic past with Maya’s father. Mateo fights like hell to break down her walls. The tender moments between these two were emotionally packed and heartfelt. This was a beautiful story of love, finding family, and healing.
Analyse is a such a strong mom to Maya often putting her needs aside to protect Maya. She grapples with her feelings to Mateo due to not wanting to break Maya’s heart and her own traumatic past with Maya’s father. Mateo fights like hell to break down her walls. The tender moments between these two were emotionally packed and heartfelt. This was a beautiful story of love, finding family, and healing.
October 24, 2025
It has been out for a week now but I received this as an ARC
I saw it was about a single mom, brother’s best friend, AND fake dating and I was instantly in! I really enjoyed this one. This book is book 2 in the series, I hadn’t read the first one but you don’t HAVE to to enjoy this book, but now that I’ve read it I’m going to have to go back to the other one to get the rest of the story
Analyse is an elementary school teacher and a single mom in a small town living her best life until one day her ex, Nico, who abandoned her while she was pregnant, reappears wanting a second chance. That’s where Mateo comes in, our single firefighter, sort of play boy comes in, he becomes her fake boyfriend to try and help keep Nico at arms length.
I like how @authorjasmineahmad told this story and it was a fun read
I saw it was about a single mom, brother’s best friend, AND fake dating and I was instantly in! I really enjoyed this one. This book is book 2 in the series, I hadn’t read the first one but you don’t HAVE to to enjoy this book, but now that I’ve read it I’m going to have to go back to the other one to get the rest of the story
Analyse is an elementary school teacher and a single mom in a small town living her best life until one day her ex, Nico, who abandoned her while she was pregnant, reappears wanting a second chance. That’s where Mateo comes in, our single firefighter, sort of play boy comes in, he becomes her fake boyfriend to try and help keep Nico at arms length.
I like how @authorjasmineahmad told this story and it was a fun read
October 24, 2025
Analyse is used to doing motherhood alone. Yes she has a tribe but she doesn’t have a partner beside her helping her through the trenches.
Her daughter’s dad Neco shows up one night hoping to win her back. He says he wants to be apart of Mayas life. She wants them to form a relationship but she doesn’t want Neco back. Her brothers best friend happens to show up at the right time and he steps in to save her as her boyfriend.
We all know how faking it goes. This book was beautiful written so you could feel included and involved with the unfolding of the story. It kept you gripped and turning the page to see what would come next.
Definitely a more plot than spice book, the scenes were there but not the whole story. It definitely brought some heat but it wasn’t all it brought because it was a beautiful story line!!!
Her daughter’s dad Neco shows up one night hoping to win her back. He says he wants to be apart of Mayas life. She wants them to form a relationship but she doesn’t want Neco back. Her brothers best friend happens to show up at the right time and he steps in to save her as her boyfriend.
We all know how faking it goes. This book was beautiful written so you could feel included and involved with the unfolding of the story. It kept you gripped and turning the page to see what would come next.
Definitely a more plot than spice book, the scenes were there but not the whole story. It definitely brought some heat but it wasn’t all it brought because it was a beautiful story line!!!
October 10, 2025
First I would like to thank Jasmine Ahmad and Ember Literary PR for the ARC.
First time reading Jasmine’s book and definitely a fan now.
I loved the Latinx representation and everything about it. Found family, small town, fake dating, brothers best friend, and single mom are by favorite tropes.
The story revolves Analyse, Maya, and Mateo.
Analyse and Mateo pretend to fake date due to the abrupt arrival of Nico, aka Maya’s sperm donor. The plan was to pretend until Nico gave up trying to get her back. But as time goes the lines begin to blur and feelings are being caught. A unexpected event leads to another and at the end we are graced with a beautiful ending.
Readers should read the content warnings before proceeding.
5⭐️ for me
First time reading Jasmine’s book and definitely a fan now.
I loved the Latinx representation and everything about it. Found family, small town, fake dating, brothers best friend, and single mom are by favorite tropes.
The story revolves Analyse, Maya, and Mateo.
Analyse and Mateo pretend to fake date due to the abrupt arrival of Nico, aka Maya’s sperm donor. The plan was to pretend until Nico gave up trying to get her back. But as time goes the lines begin to blur and feelings are being caught. A unexpected event leads to another and at the end we are graced with a beautiful ending.
Readers should read the content warnings before proceeding.
5⭐️ for me
October 10, 2025
"Something I thought was not for keeps became my forever."
love a good small town romance, especially when people in it are nice—a community that allows support each other whether it is to stand on one's ground or when the other can't be strong anymore. not for keeps is heartwarming and cozy. i loved every character especially Analyse and Mateo who were what each other needed, Analyse being the strong single mom who would do anything and everything for her daughter and Mateo, who knows how to show up. Mateo is THE guy; major green flag.
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i would've loved this book even more if the pacing was better. there were parts where it felt too fast, while dragged in others. some parts also felt out of place, like it was included for the sake of conflict. still, a great read!
love a good small town romance, especially when people in it are nice—a community that allows support each other whether it is to stand on one's ground or when the other can't be strong anymore. not for keeps is heartwarming and cozy. i loved every character especially Analyse and Mateo who were what each other needed, Analyse being the strong single mom who would do anything and everything for her daughter and Mateo, who knows how to show up. Mateo is THE guy; major green flag.
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i would've loved this book even more if the pacing was better. there were parts where it felt too fast, while dragged in others. some parts also felt out of place, like it was included for the sake of conflict. still, a great read!
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