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The Heart of the Matter
Summer is a liar.
She doesn’t want to be one, but with a mother and aunt that won’t stop meddling in her romantic life, what else can she do, but make up a fake boyfriend to get them off her back? So what if all she does is complain about him? That’s what boyfriends are for, right?
Or so she thinks, until her family holds an intervention, and Aunt Zen tells her she’s providing Summer and her imaginary boyfriend six therapy sessions. She’s got to get out of it. There is no way she can go to couples’ therapy without a man.
Unable to escape the situation, she reaches out to her friend Lacy for a solution—any solution. Lacy has one, but it’s ridiculous—who would go to therapy with a perfect stranger?
Chase is toxic.
At least, that’s what his last girlfriend told him when they broke up. Haunted, he’s looking for ways to fix himself. When a friend from college suggests going to couples’ therapy with a perfect stranger, part of him wonders if this is his way to redeem himself. What does he have to lose?
United in the deception, Summer and Chase go to therapy. But when their attempts to be a convincing couple blur the lines between reality and fiction, both must face the truth about who they really are, and what they really want.
She doesn’t want to be one, but with a mother and aunt that won’t stop meddling in her romantic life, what else can she do, but make up a fake boyfriend to get them off her back? So what if all she does is complain about him? That’s what boyfriends are for, right?
Or so she thinks, until her family holds an intervention, and Aunt Zen tells her she’s providing Summer and her imaginary boyfriend six therapy sessions. She’s got to get out of it. There is no way she can go to couples’ therapy without a man.
Unable to escape the situation, she reaches out to her friend Lacy for a solution—any solution. Lacy has one, but it’s ridiculous—who would go to therapy with a perfect stranger?
Chase is toxic.
At least, that’s what his last girlfriend told him when they broke up. Haunted, he’s looking for ways to fix himself. When a friend from college suggests going to couples’ therapy with a perfect stranger, part of him wonders if this is his way to redeem himself. What does he have to lose?
United in the deception, Summer and Chase go to therapy. But when their attempts to be a convincing couple blur the lines between reality and fiction, both must face the truth about who they really are, and what they really want.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 3, 2026
7 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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December 29, 2025i enjoyed this SO much!
one of the tag-lines i saw for this is "fake relationshp, real therapy", and of course that got me straight away. i already love fake dating/fake courtship, so when i saw that it was this premise with the draw of therapy as the main goal? yes please! it's lighthearted, ridiculous, fun with actual depth that sneaks in.
i adore that our mmc is an anxious person who actually FEELS anxious. i haven't seen anything in fiction that mirrors my actual experience as a (sometimes cripplingly) anxious person, but Chase fully gives that. along with "weird little himbo", which of course is a complete draw for me.
Summer is also a great fmc! she's real, down to earth, and flawed; she also has a really interesting job and problems and a life outside of the mmc, which is SO important in a romance imo.
i loved the journey to get to the end, i loved the snark and the wit, and i ADORE how before the main romance issues could be solved, Summer had to fix the problems in her life that her lying had caused. AND she got to do so while calling her family (healthily!) to account for the toxic environment that had led to her feeling as though she needed to.
it was the perfect, feel-good ending for me.
i took ages to read this bc i'm at the grubby end of finishing my own book, but this is a delight that can be EASILY imbibed in a day because it goes down so well!
one of the tag-lines i saw for this is "fake relationshp, real therapy", and of course that got me straight away. i already love fake dating/fake courtship, so when i saw that it was this premise with the draw of therapy as the main goal? yes please! it's lighthearted, ridiculous, fun with actual depth that sneaks in.
i adore that our mmc is an anxious person who actually FEELS anxious. i haven't seen anything in fiction that mirrors my actual experience as a (sometimes cripplingly) anxious person, but Chase fully gives that. along with "weird little himbo", which of course is a complete draw for me.
Summer is also a great fmc! she's real, down to earth, and flawed; she also has a really interesting job and problems and a life outside of the mmc, which is SO important in a romance imo.
i loved the journey to get to the end, i loved the snark and the wit, and i ADORE how before the main romance issues could be solved, Summer had to fix the problems in her life that her lying had caused. AND she got to do so while calling her family (healthily!) to account for the toxic environment that had led to her feeling as though she needed to.
it was the perfect, feel-good ending for me.
i took ages to read this bc i'm at the grubby end of finishing my own book, but this is a delight that can be EASILY imbibed in a day because it goes down so well!
January 3, 2026
“…the truth is, despite all of my protests, complaints, and general negativity, there is only one problem with my boyfriend. He’s not real.”
This was such a FUN way to kick off my 2026 reading. Think contemporary romance with peak 90s rom-com energy, witty banter, and two characters you can’t help but root for from page one.
Fake dating.
Real therapy.
What could possibly go wrong?
…Only about a million things—and I loved every single one of them.
Summer and Chase are inherently good people doing something slightly unhinged for very understandable reasons, and watching them try (and fail) to keep this relationship “strictly fake” is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. The therapy sessions were a standout for me—funny, awkward, and surprisingly insightful—as both characters start uncovering truths about themselves they didn’t even realize they were avoiding.
This is one of those romances where the hero is an absolute gentleman, the heroine is lonely and tender-hearted in a way that feels real, and the slow emotional build makes every moment of connection feel earned. It’s witty, it hits you right in the feelings, and the ending is deeply satisfying.
If you love fake dating, forced proximity, romantic tension that gives you butterflies, and swoony romance with heart-you’re going to want to pick this one up.
Heart of the Matter by Rebekah Isert is available TODAY! Linked in stores!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content / Trigger Notes: Lying, workplace bullying, psychological abuse (not between main characters), poor family relationships, romance—kisses only (very mild mention of making out). Recommended for mature tweens and up.
This was such a FUN way to kick off my 2026 reading. Think contemporary romance with peak 90s rom-com energy, witty banter, and two characters you can’t help but root for from page one.
Fake dating.
Real therapy.
What could possibly go wrong?
…Only about a million things—and I loved every single one of them.
Summer and Chase are inherently good people doing something slightly unhinged for very understandable reasons, and watching them try (and fail) to keep this relationship “strictly fake” is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. The therapy sessions were a standout for me—funny, awkward, and surprisingly insightful—as both characters start uncovering truths about themselves they didn’t even realize they were avoiding.
This is one of those romances where the hero is an absolute gentleman, the heroine is lonely and tender-hearted in a way that feels real, and the slow emotional build makes every moment of connection feel earned. It’s witty, it hits you right in the feelings, and the ending is deeply satisfying.
If you love fake dating, forced proximity, romantic tension that gives you butterflies, and swoony romance with heart-you’re going to want to pick this one up.
Heart of the Matter by Rebekah Isert is available TODAY! Linked in stores!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content / Trigger Notes: Lying, workplace bullying, psychological abuse (not between main characters), poor family relationships, romance—kisses only (very mild mention of making out). Recommended for mature tweens and up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Heart of the Matter hooked me from the very first pages with its brilliant premise: a fake couple heading into couples therapy together. It’s a setup ripe for humour, and the book absolutely delivers on that front. But what surprised me—and ultimately won me over—was how much heart sits beneath the comedy.
Summer and Chase’s relationship unfolds with a gentle warmth that feels both tender and deeply satisfying. Their connection grows slowly, almost shyly, and watching their fake relationship slip into something real was one of the book’s greatest pleasures. Both characters are sensitive, sweet, and quietly vulnerable, the kind of people you can’t help but root for. There’s an innocence to them, even in their thirties, that makes their emotional journey feel especially poignant.
The author also handles their contrasting family backgrounds with real care. Those dynamics add depth without ever weighing the story down, and they highlight the book’s thoughtful exploration of what healthy relationships—romantic or otherwise—can look like.
I found myself racing through the chapters, eager to see how everything would unfold, and the ending was every bit as satisfying as I hoped. Warm, funny, and full of heart, The Heart of the Matter is a story that lingers long after the final page.
Summer and Chase’s relationship unfolds with a gentle warmth that feels both tender and deeply satisfying. Their connection grows slowly, almost shyly, and watching their fake relationship slip into something real was one of the book’s greatest pleasures. Both characters are sensitive, sweet, and quietly vulnerable, the kind of people you can’t help but root for. There’s an innocence to them, even in their thirties, that makes their emotional journey feel especially poignant.
The author also handles their contrasting family backgrounds with real care. Those dynamics add depth without ever weighing the story down, and they highlight the book’s thoughtful exploration of what healthy relationships—romantic or otherwise—can look like.
I found myself racing through the chapters, eager to see how everything would unfold, and the ending was every bit as satisfying as I hoped. Warm, funny, and full of heart, The Heart of the Matter is a story that lingers long after the final page.
January 3, 2026
Rebekah Isert does it again!
This may just be her best work yet! The characters are fully believable and fleshed out, the dialogue as always is wonderful, and the idea behind it all is so smart.
Even though it’s not my regular genre at all, (it’s Romance) I thoroughly enjoyed the book the entire time!
Really though, check this one out guys!
This may just be her best work yet! The characters are fully believable and fleshed out, the dialogue as always is wonderful, and the idea behind it all is so smart.
Even though it’s not my regular genre at all, (it’s Romance) I thoroughly enjoyed the book the entire time!
Really though, check this one out guys!
December 30, 2025
This was such an enjoyable read! The humor was fantastic and the romance was sweet and relatable. I loved the story that the romance followed, yet there were times I was so annoyed with the characters. I loved this story and it had the perfect ending. This was a great fake dating kisses only romance!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the first romance book I've read in a while. Fake dating, realistic MMC/FMC characters, AND therapy? It was so funny, cute, and even made me tear up a couple times. If you're looking for a good romance with no spice (hard to come by these days), then definitely get this book! It's definitely going on my "Read Again" list!
January 15, 2026
The Heart of the Matter is the first book that I have read by Rebekah Isert, and it did not disappoint. It was quite an interesting and unique concept for a fake dating story – because who wouldn’t go to couple’s therapy with a stranger to keep your family from meddling with your love life?! Summer and Chase are both delightful and good people. Their therapy sessions were awkward and funny, but so soul searching for each of them. It was amazing how they were able to learn about themselves while carrying on this fake relationship. The connection that slowly develops and grows through their therapy assignments is tender and real. I just really enjoyed their journey with getting to know each other. Summer is so tenderhearted, and Chase is such a gentleman that their fake relationship naturally turns into more. I would recommend The Heart of the Matter if you are looking for a fake dating story with laughs, heart, romance, and finding oneself.
Tropes: contemporary romance = tenderhearted FMC = gentleman MMC = fake dating = strangers to more = forced proximity = meddling family = sweet kisses
Happy reading!
Tropes: contemporary romance = tenderhearted FMC = gentleman MMC = fake dating = strangers to more = forced proximity = meddling family = sweet kisses
Happy reading!
January 8, 2026
Just okay. I didn’t mind the first half of the book. It kind of had a different spin on fake dating that was unique with the therapy visits. But I had a hard time with the last bit. I just could not see people in their 30’s struggling to communicate so much, especially after participating in therapy together. The other age-related issue I had was that having them in their 30s seemed a bit incongruent with the YA vibe of the book. Her “great googly moogly” expression, very hyperbolic name, the “never-been-kissed” trope, and the overall lack of communication just seemed like more of a YA novel. And having the MMC and FMC ages 35 and 33 seemed to miss the target audience of the book.
I did like the characterization of the MMC and FMC, however all the supporting characters were pretty one dimensional. That being said, I really was invested in the characters figuring themselves out and finally ending up together.
I did like the characterization of the MMC and FMC, however all the supporting characters were pretty one dimensional. That being said, I really was invested in the characters figuring themselves out and finally ending up together.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hello, can someone explain to me why almost every single book I’ve read this year seems to have been written for me?? Seriously I felt soooo related to Summer. No, my family has never been so pushy about my love life that I felt the need to make up a boyfriend. But other than that, Summer is my girl! And Chase is a dream! What an amazing MMC. This book was so fun, made me laugh out loud, and at the same time so incredibly sweet and healing. It seriously made me wonder if all relationships should start by going to therapy together. Haha!
I received an advanced copy from the author.
I received an advanced copy from the author.
January 9, 2026
Summer has a problem with her boyfriend, and she's complained about him so much that her mom and her aunt are paying for both of them to go to therapy. The only problem Summer has with the situation is the fact that she doesn't have a boyfriend she made him up. Summer's best friend and roommate suggested a name of someone who can be Summer's fake boyfriend. What a web we weave....
I loved this book. Summer's awkwardness with relationships, Chase's patience. This is my first book by Rebekah Isert, I hope she has written more books.
I loved this book. Summer's awkwardness with relationships, Chase's patience. This is my first book by Rebekah Isert, I hope she has written more books.
January 4, 2026
Adore this book
What I really loved was how realistic it was.
I think we have all asked ourselves "am I the problem in this relationship" and this book covers that feeling and growth so stinken well.
Plus I just can't get over that they went to couples therapy together. Absolutely amazingly hilarious!
The romance = swoon!
Love love love
What I really loved was how realistic it was.
I think we have all asked ourselves "am I the problem in this relationship" and this book covers that feeling and growth so stinken well.
Plus I just can't get over that they went to couples therapy together. Absolutely amazingly hilarious!
The romance = swoon!
Love love love
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book made me happy! It has endearing, relatable characters. A fun premise: fake dating plus couples therapy. Plenty of charm and a enough humor that will bring a smile to your face, but not distract from the story. Warm and fuzzy with lots of heart. Definitely give this one a read!
I recieved an eARC from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I recieved an eARC from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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