תעמידי פנים שזה אמיתי, בשבילי

You Belong With Me #2

by Whitney G., וויטני ג’י (Author's Hebrew Name), טל לוי אסקרי (Translator)

אנא השאירו הודעה לאחר הביפ... טטיאנה, ארבע לפנות בוקר עכשיו, ואני לא יכול לישון כי אני שיכור וער לגמרי מהמחשבות עלייך. איך הייתי כמעט שלך, ואת היית כמעט שלי... החיים שלי כרגע בבלגן אטומי, וכל קריירת הקרבות שלי בסכנה. אז, אני חייב לעשות כמה שינויים גדולים.

מכיוון שאת עדיין חייבת לי את הטובה ההיא מלפני שנים, אני צריך לפדות אותה עכשיו. אני צריך שתעמידי פנים שאת הארוסה שלי במשך תשעים יום. רק תשעים יום. אנחנו לא צריכים לדבר מאחורי דלתות סגורות, ואנחנו לא צריכים לנסות להיות חברים שוב. אנחנו אפילו לא צריכים להתנשק – למרות שאני יכול להבטיח לך שאף גבר לא נישק אותך טוב יותר מעולם... אני יכול להבטיח גם שלא ניגע זה בזה, למרות שבפעם האחרונה שנפגשנו, נראית כאילו את רוצה אותי מחדש (אל תכחישי את זה).

בכל אופן, אני רק פודה את החוב הפתוח ההוא שנשבעת שאף פעם לא יהיה מאוחר מדי לממש. אני לא מבקש הרבה. אני רק רוצה שתעמידי פנים שזה אמיתי, בשבילי.

Genres: Sports, Romance, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

380 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2023

About the author

Whitney G. is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author. Her books are currently published in over a dozen languages.

She lives deep in the Tennessee woods and spends most of her time drinking coffee while penning dirty-talking alpha males.

Find out more about her next project at www.whitneygbooks.com

(Be sure to sign up for "The F.L.Y. List" as that's the best way to receive new release updates. Link: eepurl.com/hbhVOf )

You can also connect with Whitney on Instagram and Facebook.

Reviews

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Fake-it-second-chance stars

I’ve definitely missed Whitney G’s signature banter, and I’m so glad this book is FULL of it 😮‍💨. I couldn’t stop smiling and giggling like a lunatic 🤣.

Travis is an MMA champion, famous, and is undefeated until he loses for the first time. He’s been messing up ever since, losing endorsements/sponsors left and right and he needs to fix this asap. His manager and handler are going to help him fix his deteriorating image, suggesting he finds someone to “fake settle down with” and be “engaged to”, and then he remembers something…

Someone from his past owes him a favor… and it’s time to remind her of it 😅.

Tatiana’s a retired figure skating and she’s struggling financially, BIG time 😬. Her beauty company isn’t doing well, coaching isn’t too profitable (her TikToks aren’t making her money either 🤣) and she’s getting red notices on her bills. Her best friend/used-to-be-her-skating-rival, Penelope (book 1 h) has helped her before, but she needs to find a solution herself.

And then Travis shows up at her apartment and asks her to marry him; it’s time for him to cash in on the favor she owes him.

So they might hate each other and have a past where they used to spend whatever spare minute they had on their relationship years ago and now there’s animosity, but he needs that favor now. It’ll only be for 90 days… what could POSSIBLY go wrong 🤣😈👀?

What I liked/loved: possible spoilers
—THE BANTER!!! Omg… it’s so so good 😮‍💨🤌🏻. Sure. I was like a crazy lady smiling/giggling to myself while reading this, but hey… I didn’t even care 🤣. I couldn’t stop highlighting. These two banter and volley back and forth faster than a ping pong championship game. It only added to the delicious tension. Both Travis and Tatiana knew exactly what to do or say to get on the other one’s nerves 🤣

—the tension 👀. Oh LAWD, it is 🔥up on these kindle pages 🥵. The way the room temperature spikes when these two are in the same room should be illegal 😅. They are drawn to each other, like moths to a flame, and can’t help but want to kiss or insult each other, and I👏🏻was👏🏻here👏🏻for👏🏻it 😮‍💨. The tension between them made my tummy flutter in the best way 👀

—the 🔥. Oh LAWD. With banter and tension like that ^^, what else could we expect? Jeeezus 🥵. I wasn’t ready 💦. Let’s just say Travis is a giver 😮‍💨😉 and he doesn’t hesitate to get the job done 🔥 ( we see a past scene at about 37%). He’s also a good teacher too. Plus, seeing how *compatible* they are in the present made their reuniting scene even more ✨explosive ✨🔥 in the 60%s

—the flashback scenes in the past ❤️. Ermagod. This was GOLD!!! From the moment these two meet, there’s this chemistry that’s undeniable👀. So many of these scenes made my heart melt 😭. It made their connection even deeper than I could’ve possibly imagined 🥹

—the swoony scenes 🫶🥹. I was a puddle of goo, and I’m not even ashamed 😭🤣

—their meet cute 🤣🤣🤣. Not Travis texting Tatiana horrible things and forcing her to block him 💀

—Tatiana being extremely gorgeous, which means there’s…

—OMD 😈. Oh yes… there’s A LOT of men that want Tatiana 💁🏻‍♀️ Bahahaha. Travis has his work cut out for him 🤷🏻‍♀️ because

—he’s so JP 😅. As he should be 💅 MINEMINEMINE. Those poor men don’t know what they’re getting into when they see his champion MMA fighter trying to flirt with his woman 🤣

—no real owd 👏🏻. We get scenes where there are fans around Travis, but he ONLY has eyes for Tatiana 💁🏻‍♀️

—the contracts 🤣

—the sacrifices 😭🥹. Ugh… 🥹

—the angst ☹️. I got emotional a few times; its been a while since a Whitney G book made me get teary eyed

—PENELOPE AND HAYDEN 😭. God. I miss those two!!! I looooved their book!!!!! Seeing Penelope with her swollen belly made me feel super happy ❤️

—the side characters 🤣. Poor Ralph and Madeline 😅. They have their work cut out for them

What I wanted more of/didn’t like: SPOILERS
—not having their ages/years detailed. What I mean is that we don’t know how old anyone is or how long they’ve been separated for 😬 which is weird with a second chance 😅. I like knowing 😅. We only know that Tatiana is older than Penelope and that Travis is older than Penelope; so I wanna say Tatiana and Travis are around the same age? Maybe. I wish we had more specific details; it would’ve allowed me to picture and engross myself even more

—Tatiana’s “family” 😑. I wanted to smack them! Ugh. This made the angst worse because Tatiana was so lonely ☹️. I feel like we didn’t get a true resolution to them. We don’t find out what happens with them at the end 😏

—a better epilogue 🫣. I’m becoming greedier with my epilogues 🤣. I was just sad when I got to the end 😭

—there are some typos/grammar mistakes, but nothing that took me completely out of the story

Overall, I loved this 🥰

⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating*/sharing/owd
-cheating*- the h’s ex cheated on her with multiple women
-both MCs are very hot so people are drawn to them, causing jealousy
-brief drug use (the h gets high off weed Krispies and brownies)
-OMD- men want her. One even touches her cheek when the OM and h were playing poker and the H goes ballistic 😅. Two of the h’s exes show up, one proposes. In the past, the H witnesses him kissing OM when they’re broken up
-praise kink/spanking/hate sex/dirty talk
-virgin h/H hasn’t had sex in over a year (originally when they’re first together)
-condoms
-separation of many years/neither are celibate but it’s implied the H has been around more than the h/no details were given on when was the last time either were with anyone
-HEA/epilogues/months later/no time on the second one/bonus epilogue newsletter

[Corina · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can I say, a new book by Whitney G. will always be on the top of my TBR pile.

Sadly this one was just ok, but at least it didn't end up being a DNF.

An enemies to lovers romance where the couple really pushes each others buttons. A bit too much hot and cold and push and shove at times. The chemistry was there, but the real romance was being drowned out by the drama between the couple.

[Floripiquita · Rating 3 out of 5]

#Popsugar24 Reto 43: Un libro de romance sobre segundas oportunidades

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whitney G should go back to her roots. Because this same old recycled formula is getting quite tiring. And, this book was lame and boring.

[Pikolina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historia tonta ...
Por cierto, he leído la edición española que se titula TE ESPERARÉ SIEMPRE, que no se por qué no tiene su propia ficha creada.

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretend, It’s Real, For Me by Whitney G. is a standalone contemporary romance.
Tropes:
⭐ slow burn
⭐ enemies to lovers
⭐ fake marriage
⭐ forbidden / secret lovers
⭐ second chance
⭐ sports romance
⭐ dirty talking hero

Pretend, It's Real, For Me by Whitney G. is a hooking romance set in the world of MMA, where we follow the captivating journey of Travis "the punisher" Carter and his sister’s ex-nemesis and now best friend Tatiana Brave, whose complex history is explored through dual POV and well-executed flashback time lapses.

From the very first page, the hate-love banter between Travis and Tatiana crackles with electrifying chemistry, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, eager to witness the sparks ignite. The dynamic between these two characters is a delight to behold, as they exchange witty remarks and playful banters faster than a championship ping pong game. This banter only intensifies the delicious tension that permeates throughout the story.

Whitney G. expertly navigates the emotional rollercoaster of a fake fiancé arrangement, allowing readers to experience the mounting struggle of keeping their true feelings concealed from the world and each other. The elaborate and often ridiculous contracts they create for their faux marriage add a delightful touch of humor and endearment to the narrative.

One of the highlights of the story is the funny and ironic meet cute that drew me into their past. Their history is skillfully unraveled, offering an understanding of their connection and making their journey towards a HEA more enjoyable.

While the slow burn and angst contribute to the palpable anticipation, at times, I found myself eager to delve into the gooey, swoony part of their romance. However, this longing only underscores the author's skill in keeping readers invested and engaged.

Though the story is entertaining, there were a few loose ends that I felt could have been addressed more thoroughly. Certain aspects of the plot left me yearning for more closure, but overall, Tati and Travis’ dynamic overshadowed these minor concerns.

Whitney G.'s writing captures the essence of each trope, creating an engaging romance.

★ I received an ARC of this title from the author. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
★See all my book edits on Instagram

[Mtve41 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did anyone edit this book before it was published? This fleeting tale telling will land you a massive migraine.

Excessive repetitive inconsistent and incomplete flying from one scene in the story to another. The characters are as brain less as expected with no real depth of emo. Convince me the guy on the cover looks like a possible mma fighter. He looks like Ken if anything. 😬

What a deranged way to meet someone!! I understand WG was brain storming for unique ways to meet-cute but she doesn’t know when to stop. The wackiest of ways to meet people in your life. Definitely not entertaining. DNF.

[Literary Child (Tania) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Настільки класна історія і наскільки ж фігово авторка подала деякі взаємодії між героями, бо вони були абсолютно нелогічними та кострубато написаними

[Ivonne. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Más malo que el anterior, solo leí esta bilogía porque se eligió en un grupo de lectura.

[Ana (Aeternam Dea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Te esperaré siempre, es una novela que juega con dos líneas temporales, entre pasado y presente, un elemento del que se sirve para componer un mapa literario del todo completo. En todos y cada uno de sus capítulos, se observa la intención de destacar, pero sin necesidad de aludir a cierto componente novedoso, por tanto, se trata de una novela acostumbrada, con un romance bien acotado a los elementos que mejor definen al género y por supuesto, a la temática, lo que hace, que no se eche en falta absolutamente nada.

Habilitar a sus protagonistas, de personalidades levemente complejas, de un dramatismo casi imperceptible y con un carácter sumamente carismático, les hace centrar la atención en sus peculiaridades y en la evolución propia dentro del relato. Aunque ambos compartan un pasado, su historia de amor se configura visualmente de manera atractiva, aportando detalles con cada página y giros argumentales no del todo abruptos, pero de construcción medida.

Tras haber leído ya una cantidad importante de los libros de esta autora, como lectora no puedo hacer más que declararme su fan incondicional. Sus historias, siempre logran contener todos aquellos alicientes necesarios, capaces de encandilar, por encarnar el romanticismo más perfecto.

Es un libro que, como viene siendo costumbre en Whitney G., se lee a las mil maravillas. El romance, desde el punto de vista de su autora, cuenta con un color, no del todo diferenciador, pero si revestido de una agilidad que no se desprende en ningún momento de ese toque inconfundiblemente cómodo y natural.

Reseña completa: https://aeternamdea.blogspot.com/2024...

[Amanda Kintner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this so badly because shes a great author but this just wasn't it. The book jumped around way too much between past and present it was hard to focus. Tatiana was unbearable. They had zero connection. The editing issues weren't horrible but with us waiting so long for this book, I was hoping that could have been fixed. I understand this is someone's "baby" and they put alot of work into it and I respect that. I just wished for more from this book. It had everything to be a great book but at 60% I had to throw in the towel.

[Shon]

I’m having a good time going thru Whitney’s catalog 😭

[Олександра Кандиба · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ця книга мені сподобалася більше. Вона була глибшою та чуттєвішою, також милою та смішною.

[Kors Chick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to pretend I didn’t read this

Hmm…where to start?? This book was childish and schizophrenic in its delivery. The constant going back and forth in time sequence was unnecessary and unwanted. The Cinderella wannabe family drama was unrealistic and annoying. The characters were unappealing and two-dimensional. I tried. I really tried to finish it but it was really bad. I stopped at 64%. Only positive thing I could say was that the author has cut down on the use of the word “devour.” I only counted 2 instances prior to me giving up on the book.

[Letras Lidas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually love Whitney's books but Tati is the most selfish, immature, idiot person ever. And she never truly loved anyone but herself and maybe her mother, because she's no longer alive.

[Sonia De la rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Marty Sandvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Travis meets Tatiana he is immediately attracted to her despite the fact that she's his little sister Penelope's arch nemesis. The two of them start up a friendship talking on the phone for hours at a time and that soon develops into a relationship between the two. Travis becomes Tatiana's first, and her first love and soon it is obvious that the two of them belong together. Penelope still doesn't know and after a skating accident she is injured and Tatiana breaks up with Travis, breaking both of their hearts. Years later she moves in with Travis' sister and the two go from being enemies to best friends and she and Travis pretend that they don't know each other and the other never existed.
When Travis' MMA fighting career seems to have reached an all time low he needs a favor and asks Tati to be married to him for ninety days so that he can improve his image and keep his sponsors. She agrees and the two of them avoid each other at first. Travis convinced that if he is an ass he won't fall for her again and be hurt. Problem is neither of them ever stopped loving each other and the more time they spend together the steamier things become.
I really loved this book the flashbacks were not confusing at all and I loved that Tatiana and Travis had such a rich history. I really felt for Tatiana dealing with her neglectful father and hateful stepmother and stepsister. I loved how protective Travis was both of his sister and Tatiana and I understood why Tati didn't think that he put her first in the past. I was glad that in the end Travis beat the fighter that he lost to and got his championship back. Hayden, Penelope, Travis and Tatiana all deserved a happy ending and I was so happy to see that they got one.

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis “the punisher” Carter is a great MMA fighter with quite the reputation. Tatiana Brave is his sister’s friend that he used to secretly date but that didn’t end well. Well, now he needs her help! An arrangement, you could say, to be his fake fiancé. Too bad keeping their real feelings under lock and key might be harder than first planned for. This goes back and forth from past to present so you know how they met and the history these two share. I loved Travis’ sexy banter with Tati. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers with silly and sweet moments woven in and one very awkward “Vegas Special” scene! Get ready to swoon for this MMA fighter! Told in dual POV

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, it's most definitely real - the only thing that's pretend here is well...nothing.

Whitney writes another phenomenal romance with the fake romance, enemies to lovers tropes and does it well.

The story is told from both Travis and Tatiana's POVs and goes back and forth between past and present. I absolutely love the chemistry and banter between these two. They both know how to push one another and it just adds to their relationship.

The story moves at a fast pace and Whitney keeps things entertaining the whole time. The secondary characters add perfect touches to round out the story.

Pretend It's Real, For Me is a must read.

[Sonia N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tatiana and Travis ❤️🔥

As always I Love Whitney G’s books!
This story goes from Tatiana and Travis’ past to present. So we can understand their story. She is a champion skater and Travis sister is her competition. They unfortunately hate each other and their banter was funny to me.
But I couldn’t understand Tatiana’s attitude and reasons for leaving Travis. I found myself not liking her and loving him. But, I eventually learned to like her and I loved the ending.
I would definitely recommend this book!

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars for plot, but the BANTER and tension totally makes this 4 stars.

This book is really more about Travis than Tati, even though it's a dual POV and starts with Tati. I say that I feel like it's more about Travis because he's the one who really pushes for them and there are more answers to him than questions by the end. I have a few questions about Tati at the end that aren't answered so it's the reason I say this is more about Travis.

If you haven't read the first, Break-Up With Him, For Me, I recommend it because this timeline parallels Penelope's and Hayden's. You don't need to know it, but it gives a little insight into what's going on with a few interactions that Tati has with Penelope It also gives you some insight on why Travis missed Penelope's competitions.

The best thing about this book? THE BANTER and the sexual tension is off the charts. Travis and Tati have immediate chemistry and I adored Travis for it too. Have to give props to Travis, for all his faults with perhaps how he handled Penelope, he definitely redeems himself in ways with Tati (except my one niggling thing, maybe). Whitney G always writes great banter and this is no different. Adored it for that alone.

I did struggle a little with Travis's reasoning for missing Penelope's competitions. I both understand it and don't think it's acceptable. There's a good quote in the book that pretty much sums up his reasoning, but it makes it harder for me to justify Tati's misgivings about him too. I also struggled a little with the end of the book (from the climax to the end). It was interesting on the timeline as it replicated their first time with their second chance. I just struggled a little with how quick it was? Maybe not as fleshed out? I'm not sure, but it didn't work for me as a climax. The epilogues were okay, but I kind of wanted more (I'm greedy!). Which makes me remember there was a strange absence of "time" in this book. We don't know how long time passes in the past sequences and we don't know how much time passed from the present to the past. We also don't know the actual age gap between Travis and Tati. The age gap isn't a big deal, but it's something I always calculate in books so it was strange to be missing that.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I do think I like Penelope's and Hayden's better (minus their climax - one of my least favorite tropes), but this was an excellent book in the series and the bantering was much more than book 1 so it's solidly a great follow-up for me!

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this enemies to lovers story with two characters that gave as good as they got. The banter between Travis and Tatiana was fun and engaging. I didn't want to put this down.





Tatiana's relationship with Travis' sister set this up perfectly. So many times it's the heroine's brother that doesn't know what's going on so this puts a fresh spin on it.





Travis had all the alpha goodness I wanted. He was possessive, protective and jealous. Add in his MMA status and he was completely drool worthy.





This was a great read and perfect for the summer!

Standalone
Dual POV
Safety no ow/om drama, both have been with others during their separation
Triggers some family issues

[Caroline F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one.

”He was my first everything.”

The story moves back and forth between the present and the past, as the author pieces together Travis Carter and Tatiana Brave’s love story. Sometimes I wished we’d had the story in proper chronological order and other times, I thought it worked well.

”I’m not pretending to have feelings for you…..I haven’t been pretending for a while now.”

The hot chemistry between the characters was very much there, but there was a definite push and pull between them, too, due to the nature of their connection. There was also the author’s signature banter between all the characters which made me laugh. This was a great, fun read with a cocky hero with a soft heart, and a snarky heroine who just wanted to be someone’s number one.

[Pame · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estuve casi una semana con esta lectura.
Tiene todo lo clásico de siempre y es super adictivo peeero acá se extendió de más repitiendo lo mismo y no me llamaba tanto continuar con la lectura.

Después armo reseña cortita y lo sumo.

[Nancy❤The❤Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read by Whitney G.

Whitney is one my one-click authors. No matter what she writes, I'll read it. I love the banter in this book. It gets me all giddy and smiling like a school girl.

[Viviana]

I received an ARC from the author.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

[Dux [My week is Booked] · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. The worst book I’ve read in a long time!
I’ve read others by this author that I’ve enjoyed a lot so I’m considering this an outlier.

You know the cute part about a marriage of convenience book? Where they interact everyday and are sharing the same space… this doesn’t have that.
They are immature children. Bickering when they’re near each other- never having any real conversation (yet somehow still in love with each other and not admitting it). They go weeks not speaking to each other at all and communicating through an assistant (maybe this is where Ariana and Tom Sandoval got the idea?)

Tatiana Brave is not brave. She was so maddening with her poor communication and her secret keeping from her alleged best friend. Her insane lack of boundaries with her toxic family. Just no.

The acknowledgment of feelings in a second chance romance WITHOUT communicating about the first reason they broke up… all the way in the 80% ish range of this book. Ooof.

This was a hard no for me. Maddening.

[Carmen Cayuela riquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si leisteis Te esperaré todas las noches conocisteis como secundarios a Tatiana, mejor amiga de Penelope y a Travis, su hermano mayor, pues aquí son los protagonistas.
La historia comienza con un flashforward y de ahí nos va narrando capítulos en pasado, con ambos puntos de vista, donde nos narra cómo se conocieron; y también tendremos capítulos en el presente donde veremos ese reencuentro después de tantos años y cómo han llegado al planteamiento de cómo empieza el libro.
No os quiero hacer más spoiler porque creo que es un libro que os va a sorprender.
Me ha gustado mucho ver cómo Tatiana y Penelope pasaron de archienemigas a mejoras amigas, vemos todo ese proceso.
Travis era un amor en el pasado y lo es aun más en el futuro, cómo cuidó de su hermana, cómo protege a Tatiana, cómo la quiere después de tantos años.
Cuando se juntas son uma bomba, estalla todo, y aunque sus conversaciones son de lo más sarcásticas al principio porque ella no quiere saber nada de él, cuando a Tatiana le toque pagar el favor que le debía (no os lo diré, tendría que leerlod) vera que nunca dejó de amar a Travis.
En serio, tenéis que leerlo, os vais a enamorar de esta historia como lo he hecho yo, hacía tanto que no leía a la autora que había olvidado por qué me gustan tanto sus historias.
Ojalá nunca dejen de publicarla en español.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does have some great banter between our main couple Tatiana and Travis. Travis leaves his sister's skating competitor Tatiana mean VM (which were interesting). Travis needs to clean up his image after his championship loss, so the idea of fiancee/wife comes to fruition. Tatiana owes him a favor. I will say the past and present chapters were really hard for me to keep up with. I really enjoyed the ufc/mma scenes as Whitney did a great job depicting those scenes. This does have some great steam and tension.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.