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Forever is the Sweetest Con
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Expected 16 Jun 26292 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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December 22, 2025I couldn't put this book down. It was so good. Its part romance, part adventure.
The characters are contestants on a "love islands" meets "survivor" type dating show, which, honestly, seems like a really good idea for a show. The FMC, Cleo, needs money so she agrees to go on a dating reality show in the Canadian wilderness in hopes of winning the prize money. To do that, she partners up with a fellow contestant to fake a relationship to win. Then, things go wrong. The last half of the book was very suspenseful. I really liked the twist and that it wasn't simply a romance book.
The characters are contestants on a "love islands" meets "survivor" type dating show, which, honestly, seems like a really good idea for a show. The FMC, Cleo, needs money so she agrees to go on a dating reality show in the Canadian wilderness in hopes of winning the prize money. To do that, she partners up with a fellow contestant to fake a relationship to win. Then, things go wrong. The last half of the book was very suspenseful. I really liked the twist and that it wasn't simply a romance book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ok so the gist is that Cleo is in a bit of a bind after her ex left her drowning in debt and she's expected to pay for his fuck ups. The stars magically align and she ends up on a dating show with a cash prize for the winning couple. She is looking for money, not love. But are things really what they seem? Can she make it out of this show unscathed? Is it all too good to be true?
So… yeah. I liked this! It's not my usual genre but I think the added mystery/survival element helped make this more enjoyable for me.
The pacing was, unfortunately, one of my biggest gripes. It takes about 20% to REALLY get off the ground. I do like how our main couple met but the story slowed down after that first meeting. I'm torn. I also felt like the third act breakup/separation happened at a weird time?? And it seemed to last forever given how short this book is. (60-80% if you're curious). And the last third of the book is wild. Things go off the rails. I haven't decided if it hurts or helps the book.
And the characters!! I liked our main couple together. Mostly. Cleo is an acquired taste but every time you see the vulnerability beneath her mask, it makes the frustrating bits worth it. There's some stuff left unanswered or expressed very vaguely that I wish we'd delved deeper into but that might just come down to personal preference. Same with the love interest, Kei. I really wanted to crack that boy open even further. We got SOME stuff, which was delightful. But… I don't know, you guys. I just wanted MORE. More pages! More time with these characters spilling their guts and doing things.
The support cast was decent. Obviously not really fleshed out but it wasn't just our main couple that had moments to shine. I'd like to say more about a few of them but it would be spoilers, so I'll refrain.
The writing style isn't anything special but it's also in first person, so it's very much done on purpose. The author leans into Cleo's voice and I loved that. The only time I was unsure of the voice and writing was pre-show bullshit.
There were comments about women's bodies that didn't bother me at first because I figured it was commentary on how fatphobic, fake, and problematic reality tv is. But… it kinda all stayed surface level. Which isn't the end of the world! But I was definitely disappointed. We did get a very brief discussion of a past ED, which was nice. I guess what I'm getting at is the average person isn't necessarily going to feel represented in this book. It's not an unforgivable sin, but it's worth noting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fake relationship type of romance. Bonus points if you watch reality tv. It's a closed door romance for those who care (didn't bother me).
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
So… yeah. I liked this! It's not my usual genre but I think the added mystery/survival element helped make this more enjoyable for me.
The pacing was, unfortunately, one of my biggest gripes. It takes about 20% to REALLY get off the ground. I do like how our main couple met but the story slowed down after that first meeting. I'm torn. I also felt like the third act breakup/separation happened at a weird time?? And it seemed to last forever given how short this book is. (60-80% if you're curious). And the last third of the book is wild. Things go off the rails. I haven't decided if it hurts or helps the book.
And the characters!! I liked our main couple together. Mostly. Cleo is an acquired taste but every time you see the vulnerability beneath her mask, it makes the frustrating bits worth it. There's some stuff left unanswered or expressed very vaguely that I wish we'd delved deeper into but that might just come down to personal preference. Same with the love interest, Kei. I really wanted to crack that boy open even further. We got SOME stuff, which was delightful. But… I don't know, you guys. I just wanted MORE. More pages! More time with these characters spilling their guts and doing things.
The support cast was decent. Obviously not really fleshed out but it wasn't just our main couple that had moments to shine. I'd like to say more about a few of them but it would be spoilers, so I'll refrain.
The writing style isn't anything special but it's also in first person, so it's very much done on purpose. The author leans into Cleo's voice and I loved that. The only time I was unsure of the voice and writing was pre-show bullshit.
There were comments about women's bodies that didn't bother me at first because I figured it was commentary on how fatphobic, fake, and problematic reality tv is. But… it kinda all stayed surface level. Which isn't the end of the world! But I was definitely disappointed. We did get a very brief discussion of a past ED, which was nice. I guess what I'm getting at is the average person isn't necessarily going to feel represented in this book. It's not an unforgivable sin, but it's worth noting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fake relationship type of romance. Bonus points if you watch reality tv. It's a closed door romance for those who care (didn't bother me).
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
December 28, 2025
I found the premise of this book to be super interesting. I enjoyed the pace and the reality tv show take on it. I was a little taken aback by one of the twists, but definitely shocked. I loved the thrill of the last part of the book. Cleo and Kei were good together and I continued to root for them throughout.
I would have loved for a bigger epilogue for them and on page closure with the conflict.
Closed Door Romance
I would have loved for a bigger epilogue for them and on page closure with the conflict.
Closed Door Romance
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The last half of this book had me gripping the edge of my seat! A refreshing romance novel with a suspenseful plot.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews