Juego de mentiras

The Billionaire Games #1

by Olivia Hayle, Paloma Rico (Translator), Chloe Quinn (Cover Art)

Fingir una relación es fácil. Lo difícil es no enamorarse…

Es rico, insoportable y el mejor amigo de mi hermano. Yo soy la chica invisible en la que nunca se fijó. Ahora fingimos ser pareja en público, porque a él le conviene y, a cambio, él me enseña a ligar.

Las lecciones empiezan a cenas demasiado reales, miradas ardientes, noches peligrosamente íntimas. Existe una sola mi hermano jamás puede enterarse.

El problema es que cuando me toca y me mira así, ya no sé si forma parte de las clases o no…

No te pierdas esta comedia romántica de tensión a fuego lento

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Billionaire Romance, Enemies To Lovers

480 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2025

About the author

Hi there! I'm Olivia.
I write romance with billionaire heroes (despite never having met one in person). They're strong, ambitious, they don't need love... until they meet the women who change their minds.

I love witty banter, smart heroines, big cities and perfectly tailored suits. You'll find all four in every one of my books! 💜

➡ Explore the bonus content: https://oliviahayle.com/bonus-content
➡ Visit https://oliviahayle.com

READING ORDER
You can read any of the books as standalones, because each book follows a new couple. But if you ask me? This is my personal preference...

The Connovan Chronicles
- Best Enemies Forever
- The Perfect Mistake
- One Wrong Move

New York Billionaires
- Think Outside the Boss
- Saved by the Boss
- Say Yes to the Boss
- A Ticking Time Boss
- Suite on the Boss
- 12 Days of Bossmas

Seattle Billionaires
- Billion Dollar Enemy
- Billion Dollar Beast
- Billion Dollar Catch
- Billion Dollar Fiancé

Brothers of Paradise
- Dark Eyed Devil
- Ice Cold Boss
- Red Hot Rebel
- Small Town Hero

Standalones
- Arrogant Boss
- Look But Don't Touch
- The Billionaire Scrooge Next Door
- How to Honeymoon Alone

Reviews

[madi · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 60%

this started off cute, and i was honestly excited for the fake dating + brother’s best friend setup… but somewhere along the way, it lost me. the pacing was slow, the banter wasn’t landing, and the chemistry just wasn’t giving what it needed to give.

and listen… that scene where they’re literally just standing there watching people have sex?? like?? it was so awkward and not in a funny or spicy way — just weird. i couldn’t recover after that 😭

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ the cover was cute and i’m a fake dating girly so here we are 🤭

[aira · Rating 1 out of 5]

sorry but no

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Nora comes from a wealthy family and is a well-known model, but she dreams of becoming a fashion designer. She also has a stalker who’s been following her, so after moving to New York, her brother insists that his best friend keep an eye on her. For Nora’s safety, West suggests she move into his estate—which he’ll lose unless he gets married before turning 30.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Nora has spent her whole life trying to please everyone, but West teaches her to put her own desires and ambitions first. Their relationship is healthy and develops gradually—and that party scene was so hot! I also really enjoyed West’s friends and the way they joked around with each other.

But I was a bit thrown off by the whole stalker situation. The entire plot revolves around Nora being followed, but the resolution felt rushed. Honestly, it wasn’t what I expected. I also felt like the story dragged a little at times.

It’s a light romance with spicy scenes that makes for a lovely evening read!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓fake dating
✓brother’s best friend
✓roommates
✓virgin heroine
✓dating lessons

Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Hayle for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Anila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.25⭐️

I have seen this book pop up on my feed a few times and decided to give it a try.

I saw a lot of myself in the female lead Nora, especially when it came to her relationship problems and people pleasing tendencies. As for the male lead West, he was protective, but never to the point where it felt overbearing. On paper, they sound like great protagonists, but I could not bring myself to care about them. I didn’t feel that West and Nora had any sort of spark or chemistry between them. Their conversations felt so repetitive as well. It was always about Nora being too complaisant and then West praising her for the simplest things. I was over it after the first few times it happened.

The book was also way too long and the plot moved way too slowly. I honestly found myself getting bored a lot throughout the book and ended up skimming the last few chapters. There were definitely some moments that could have been removed to help the story flow better. The smut was pretty good though, probably the highlight of the book for me.

And so, I’m in the minority on this one and didn’t really end up enjoying the book.

[Dul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel so good inside. It's perfect when you need something happy to read. The characters feel like real people, not just people in a story. This novel really caught my attention and I found it hard to stop reading.

Nora moves to New York City to start her career in fashion design. She wants to leave behind her past life as a model and escape from a dangerous person who won't leave her alone. West Calloway, who is her brother's closest friend, becomes the person who keeps her safe. To protect Nora, they must act like they are dating even though they're not really together.

The excitement between them is unreal, but how they fit together is wonderful. The writer did a great job showing Nora's doubts, and I believe lots of people will relate to her. How they communicate with each other is fantastic. When they spend time together, everything feels so easy and lovely.

It's perfect for readers who love tales where the guy genuinely treasures and shields his partner. The romance between West and Nora feels honest and heartwarming.

Thank you for the ARC 🫶🏼

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the few DNF’s in a very long time because it constantly felt like he was “teaching” a silly virgin teenager how to act like a normal woman.

Zero chemistry between them and for a really busy and cold billionaire he suddenly had an awful lot of free time to spend on her.

[Dora Koutsoukou]

Flat and cold characters who couldn’t keep me engaged in their story, chemistry was lacking, predictable yet dragging plot, 🐌 burn.

Dnf @ 31%

[Dar ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stalker. A fake relationship. A billionaire best friend. What could possibly go wrong?

The Faking Game is everything I want in a contemporary romance—sharp banter, believable chemistry, and loveable characters. It follows Nora, a model quietly dreaming of becoming a designer, and West, the stoic billionaire heir who’s not only her brother’s best friend… but also the safest option when she needs to hide from a stalker. The solution? Move in to West’s gated estate. Pretend to date. Hope feelings don’t get involved (spoiler: they absolutely do).

But what surprised me most was how layered this story felt beneath the fun setup. Nora’s journey as a people-pleaser hit so close to home—constantly shrinking herself, putting others first, second-guessing every boundary she tries to set. Watching her slowly start to stand taller, say no, and ask for what she actually wants? That resonated on a personal level. It was validating in a quiet, powerful way.

And West? He sees the way she dims herself and refuses to let her do it. He calls it out. He challenges her. He praises her for taking up space—sometimes with words, sometimes with (very convincing) actions. His desire for Nora isn’t just romantic or physical—it’s rooted in who she really is, even when she doesn’t believe in that version of herself yet. He’s a mirror, a catalyst, a spark.

I gave this a solid 4 stars. It’s a bingeable read with smooth writing and great pacing. I did find the stalker plot’s resolution a little underwhelming and would’ve loved more depth in the side characters. Still, this ARC was a joy to read, and I can’t wait to see what Olivia Hayle writes next! If you love fake dating, brother’s best friend, and emotionally satisfying slow burns—this one’s for you.

──. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle
Release Date: May 25, 2025

[sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable and I equally loved the FMC and MMC. They were both mature and their growth throughout the book felt natural and organic. It was really refreshing. This is my first book by this author but I'm looking forward to the second one in the series 👀 the setup at the end already has me intrigued 🙂‍↕️

Thank you Olivia Hayle and NetGalley for the arc!

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

[poppi ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆

first olivia hayle book that i have experienced so far and i had a blast. the writing, the story, the characters.. everything was truly amazing.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊

i fell in love with west. i genuinely think there’s just something so beautiful about a book boyfriend named west because it seems to be a pattern. they’re always perfect.

the way that he pays attention to detail, does the smallest of things to ensure that his partner is happy. goes out of his way to make sure that she’s respected, that she knows her worth and how to stand up for herself. puts her protection above all else and makes sure that she’s out of harms way. allows her to take over his home, make the space her own and makes sure she has an area to create her fashion pieces and she’s able to express herself. nora is one lucky woman.

he’s even become a cat daddy by the end of the book. how can a man get more perfect?! he simply can’t.

nora herself is a little firecracker. i enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell and stand up for herself, allowing others to see who she truly is and letting go of the people pleasing that she’s always done her whole life. seeing her leave a career that she didn’t enjoy and only did to make others happy, to then starting her own fashion line and joining a competition and winning?! that was everything. but to see her stand up for herself to her family and put her own feelings first, was just everything.

i see bits and pieces of myself in nora and to see her happy in the end made me so happy. i truly think these two were perfect for one another and they compliment one another so well.

excited to see what book 2 brings. i know rafe will be just as incredible as west and i can’t wait.

[eve (semi hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s quite a lengthy book, but surprisingly it flowed very good and fast for me. While I’m not a fan of these tropes and honestly, i started it only because I thought he was celibate all the way in from the reviews - the book still worked out for me in the end.

Small push and pull at the end annoyed me, but i’m glad it didn’t last long.

I’m total sucker for proper, normal conversations between main characters in books, and it’s not that common in others, so i appreciate it here💗

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

The whole stalker plot just never works for me 😭 them finding out who it was, was so anticlimactic and boring. Romance was cute though, loved them

[Kayla_Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Billionaire romance
Best friend’s little sister
Fake dating
Virgin FMC
Sign me up!

West is tasked with protecting his best friend’s little sister Nora. She agrees to stay at his estate and he’s going to teach her how to date. The chemistry between these two was off the charts and I ate it up!! Talk about the perfect book boyfriend!

[Büşra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ayyyy aşırı aşırı aşırı çok sevdim. Bu kitap beni çok mutlu etti. Zaten abinin en yakın arkadaşı ve zorunlu yakınlık var en sevdiğim şeylerden birisi.😁
West ve Nora birbirlerinden nefret ettiklerini düşünüyorlar. Yani West Nora’nın kendisinden, Nora’da West’in kendisinden nefret ettiğini düşünüyor. Ama Nora stalker’i yüzünden New York’a geliyor ve hala bu olay devam ettiği için abisinin en yakın arkadaşı West’in yanında yaşamak zorunda. Ve bunların güvenlik işleri bu adamı yakalayacak. Öncelikle Nora çevresindeki herkesi memnun etmeye çalışan birisi kimsenin ona hayal kırıklığına uğramasını istemiyor. Bu yüzden kendinden çok fazla Ödün vermiş ve ne istediğini bilmiyor daha doğrusu ne istediğini biliyor ama kimse hayır diyemiyor. Ve bu sevgililik hayatında da böyle doğru düzgün bir ilişkisi olmamış ve bunu öğrenmek istiyor ileride mutlu bir aile kurmak için.

West Nora’ya hem hayır demeyi hem insanlarla tartışmayı hem de sevgililik olayını öğretiyor diyebiliriz. Çünkü onunla sahte sevgililik olayına ihtiyacı var.

İlişkilerinin ilerleme şekli çok hoşuma gitti birbirlerini tanıyarak başladı ve yanlış anlaşılmalar çözdüler. Buralar çok zevkliydi. Oldukça slow ama bir o kadar da alev alevdi çünkü malum bir şeyler öğretiyor bize.😌😈👉🏻👈🏻

Ben bayağı sevdim bu kitabı ve kesinlikle devamını diğer karakterleri heyecanla bekliyorum . Bu yazar gerçekten comfort comfort birisin😍

[mili ⋆˚✿˖° · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / maybe 3.75 ⭐️

Ahhh I don’t really know how I feel about this one. It started a bit messy for me, then I was totally invested, but after a while it felt repetitive in the dialogue, and honestly... it felt endless 😩

I still had fun reading it, but the length was definitely the biggest issue for me. I was also expecting something much more impactful from the stalker plot and it ended up feeling a little disappointing.

That said, I really loved how West supported Nora in setting clear boundaries and standing up for herself. I also really appreciated her character development, seeing her grow in confidence, learning to ask for what she needed.

Anddd let me tell you, definitely didn’t expect all that smut! 🤭 not complaining tho haha

I’m still curious about the rest of the series, so I’ll probably continue reading the next ones!

[flowergirl.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. This book needs to be talked about more!!

[Katie’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

"This is what it feels like, right? Like I've been given an extra dose of energy, of self-confidence, of happiness. Like I can't focus, can't think when you're not around. Like you're my favourite person in the world. The person I can be myself with."

Olivia Hayle knocked it out of the park with this one. Seriously SO cute, I absolutely loved this. She's been an auto-buy author for a while now for me, but I think this is her best yet.

So we have Nora and her brother's best friend, West. They've known each other for years but have always bickered- they both think the other can't stand them. Nora is a people pleaser who has a stalker problem and West is a control freak and newly in charge of her security team. I thought this story had solid reasoning for the fake-dating and forced proximity- they're trying to find out who is stalking Nora. She needs to be close to him for security, so she moves into his (golden age mansion) fortress of a house.

I loved these two. They begin doing some 'lessons' on dating, because Nora wants to learn how to date while also standing up for herself and not just doing everything the other person wants. I did think they became a little convoluted at times? Like West would try and give her orders or pick a fight, just so Nora would push back and learn to stand up for herself. But she knew he was trying to teach her, so it was like weird role-play arguments at times? Where they were bickering just for the sake of it

Anyways, these lessons on dating obviously became more and they start doing some physical lessons as well. This story begins to rely heavily on miscommunication- both West and Nora think the other is solely doing things because of the lessons, even though they both have feelings for each other. But it was so obvious they had feelings for each other? Like how did they not realize, they spend ALL their time together and were cuddling every single night, but still thought the other was doing it for the sake of fake-dating.

I also do wish the stalker plot went out with more of a bang. It was so integral to the plot and then in the end was a little anti-climatic.

[_romanticasdelnorte Corrección y maquetación · Rating 4 out of 5]

Últimamente estaba leyendo mucho mafiaromance o fantasía y me había alejado un poco de la romántica como tal, y este libro me llamó, me apetecía volver al cliché de relación falsa, millonario y además el mejor amigo de su hermano... todo un combo 🔝. Pues bien, he de decir que no solo es eso, tiene mucho más de fondo de lo que pensarías.

West es el mejor amigo de su hermano y su crush de pequeña, pero le quedó claro que ella sería la última mujer en su lista. Aunque en realidad él siempre se ha fijado en Nora pero está prohibida. Las hermanas no se tocan…

Ambos pertenecen a familias de dinero, ahora Nora tiene un acosador y pasar una temporada en New York para cumplir su sueño es la mejor forma de poner tierra de por medio, el problema viene cuando el acosador parece haber viajado también…

West será el encargado de su seguridad, acaban viviendo juntos y además, como su madre lo quiere casar por temas de fideicomiso, él decide que tengan una relación falsa para beneficio de ambos… Aunque no solo la protegerá, también será su maestro en las artes del amor, porque Nora no tiene prácticamente experiencia y es una persona que busca hacer siempre felices a los demás, sin pensar en lo que ella misma quiere o necesita.

Y esta es la mejor parte de la historia, porque West le enseñará a ponerse a ella por encima de todo, a cubrir sus deseos por encima de los del resto. Y no solo en el amor, le enseña a dirigir su propia vida, incluso si con eso lo único que va a conseguir sea que ella sea la mujer perfecta para otro…

¿Serán capaces de aceptar lo que sienten y arriesgar? ¿La amistad está por encima del ❤️? ¿Encontrarán al acosador?

¿Recomendamos? ❤️🔝 Sin dudarlo, pese a tener más de 450 pág con letra pequeña nos ha resultado hasta corta, desde el inicio sabrás que ambos están colados por el otro, aunque no son capaces de reconocerlo e irán ganando confianza poco a poco, con DPOV y un West que es todo un caballero, siempre piensa en lo que ella necesita, cuando precisamente le está enseñando a ella a hacer lo contrario… Es un tío 10. Es autoconclusivo pero te dejará con ganas de saber más sobre el resto de los amigos.

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estoy cansada de los ROMANCES MEDIOCRES con personajes genéricos y portadas súper preciosas 😭 Háganle justicia lpm ¿por que algo tan lindo si el contenido va a ser lo más INTRASCENDENTE del mundo?

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Quick Opinion: I'm not doing my typical review format because I feel like I spent enough time with this book. It was long. And it felt long at times. I liked some parts, others not so much. I didn't like the miscommunication, especially with the H encouraging the h to stick up for herself-- why didn't she do that more with her feelings for him?! The ending was what I would barely call an HEA ending because it didn't give me nearly enough closure for me they do get married (off page) and focuses more on setting up the next book. After 488 pages in my kindle app it was very disappointing tbh. I know this is kind of hyped right now, but it was 3 "just okay" stars for me.

[krislyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ um hello!!!!!! I loved this! This was the first book I’ve read of the author’s and I will definitely pick up more of her books! Her writing reminds me of Lauren Asher & I was sooooo here for it.

Nora & West!!!!! I love them both so much, I loved seeing their growth throughout the book, especially my baby Nora. I went in a bit worried just because I truly didn’t think this book should be as long as it was, but I was so wrong! I LOVE the fake dating trope, so this was right up my alley & I enjoyed this book so so much !!!!!

Also, whenever there is a cat involved, I will be reading.

[Canan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tam dozunda ve oldukça akıcı bir kitaptı. Bir iki noktanın hızlı geçtiğini düşünüyorum ama bunun dışında kendini okutan bir hikayeydi.
West ve Nora arasındaki flört dersleri yavaş yavaş, adım adım gerçekleşti. Aceleye getirilmemesini, hemen konuya geçmemelerini de sevdim.
West'in duyarlı tavırları, Nora'ya öncelik vermesi de tatlıydı.

Ben sevdim 😍 öneririm.

[aleerless · Rating 5 out of 5]

and that's why fake dating is the best trope ever

[♡❀Caroline. K❀♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Fake Dating
• Brother's Best Friend
• Dual POV
• Slow Burn

Nora is forced to move into her brother's best friend's estate, after a stalker disrupts her life and safety. West proposes a solution to send a message to the stalker... They should fake date.

Truly, I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. In the beginning, it was a bit slow. I wasn't sure where the book was taking us, with the amount of conflicts there were. But in the end, it did come to a satisfying conclusion. I did enjoy seeing Nora people's pleasing issues, it wasn't just an after thought in the book. You can see her progress throughout the book and not see it go to waste towards the end. This book was a fun and easy read for anyone who's interested.

Thank you Netgalley and Olivia Hayle 🫶🏾

[em · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m not sure how Olivia does it, but her books just keep getting better and better over time. this MIGHT just be my favorite book she’s ever written. it has all of my favorite tropes (fake dating, brother’s best friend, roommates, and dating lessons). West is an absolute angel (he’s protective, emotionally mature, strong, caring, and has a praise k!nk that i’m obsessed with). And then there’s Nora, who is officially one of my favorite fmc’s ever. She’s vulnerable, yet strong, and i love her personality so much. together West and Nora are fucking electric and i could not love them more. this is such a raw and vulnerable book and it fixed a part of me that i didn’t even know needed to be healed.

thank you so much to Olivia for letting me continue to be a part of her beta team! i love you and your books more than words can say 🫶🏻

[Paloma FC (in my reading era) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 / 5 ⭐️
3.5 / 5 🌶
Spicy Chapters: 30, 35, 37, 42, 43, 44, 50, 52, 61, 62 🔥
West (MMC) and Nora (FMC)

I was so excited to pick up this novel as I usually like the author's work, but this book was very disappointing for me. To say something positive, the spice is well written and hot 🔥 🥵, but the plot itself wasn't interesting.

OMG I got soooo bored... the MMC is so condescending towards the FMC and treats her like a toddler... They are both unrelatable and spoiled. I was tempted to DNF many times, but I somehow managed to finish it😮‍💨🙃 The plot dragged on for what seemed ages 🥱.

I'm not a fan of the silly nickname that the MMC's gives the FMC as "trouble". It's unoriginal and boring... but West's personality is also vainilla so I guess that it makes sense 🤷 .

I couldn't really connect with the MC's. They both come from wealth, with plenty of money & privilege throughout their life. I don't find the MMC particularly charming or charismatic, plus the "obstacle" for them not being together is simply that Nora is West's best friend's sister 😩🙄. I think that I am supposed to feel empathy towards Nora because she was threatened by a stalker, but it was hard due to her being a rich, pampered and a stunning model who is a virgin due to... what was it exactly? something that didn't make sense. I got the vibe that she thought that she was too good for most guys, but of course the author gave some excuse that I can't even remember after having finished book less than 5 minutes ago 🤦🏼‍♀️.

Oh, no! poor FMC who has a supportive and protective family. Oh no! she has loved ones that worry about her safety... Pleaseeeee, give me a break! what a spoiled brat, and ungrateful FMC...😩😤
Plus, Why doesn’t Nora have any friends?? She's so two dimensional, and a pathological liar, this is lazy writing, to say it mildly 😑 (Hello Pinocchio, is that you? 🤥🤥🤥 )

The FMC mentions her brother like a gazillion times... it's soooo repetitive, like most of the story 😵‍💫.

The MMC is way too "perfect". He says that he has a praise kink, that "he likes the woman that he is with to feel valued". Ok, tell me that doesn’t sound like a cheesy line 😩🤦🏼‍♀️.
Perhaps you'll enjoy this story... But for me its a: No thank you, next! 👋

Happy reading! 📚

[Linna • linnareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle 💕

I really enjoyed this one! I found the fmc to be incredibly relatable for a number of reasons and thought the mmc was absolutely perfect for her. While this is a 500 page book, it didn't feel anywhere near that long.

Nora has recently moved to New York for her career aspirations and to get away from her stalker. When something happens in her first few weeks there where she is no longer safe at her apartment, she ends up moving in with her brother's best friend West who has been asked to help keep her safe. The one and only West that she has had a crush on for years despite him being standoffish and appearing to not like her. So when they end up staying in the same house and West proposes they fake date to help keep her safe, they finally get to know each other more. The fake relationship ends up being a benefit to them both but Nora gets the added benefit of West offering to let her practice all aspects of being in a relationship with him including going on dates, kissing, and more.

In no way did I ever feel like West tried to take advantage of the fake dating relationship with Nora. He truly cared for her wanting to keep her safe and encourage her to be herself. It's the sort of classic case of the guy being grumpy on the outside but so down bad for her on the inside. It is a bit of a slower burn though progresses really well with the help of the fake relationship. The way that West so freely offers praise to her in all situations had me swooning! He wanted her to be open with him while also encouraging her to speak up and tell him what she is and isn't comfortable with.

While West was focused on keeping her safe he did so without being too overbearing. The whole stalker plot flows through the whole book but it does so without overtaking the story. At times I even forgot it was a thing keeping the book lower stakes. The focus is very much on Nora experiencing what it is like to be in a relationship with West.

🤍 brother’s best friend
👥 close proximity
🤭 fake dating
🐾 includes a cat
📝 dating lessons
✨ he likes to praise her
👏🏻 no third act breakup

dual POV
5/5 stars ⭐️
3/5 spice level 🌶️

[meggthereader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay I had a really weird relationship with this book. Like, I liked it….but I also didn’t if that makes sense? It just felt like it was so serious, the entire time. From the cover, I get rom com vibes but then when I was like half way through, I was like eh this is a little boring. Did I finish it? Of course. I had to find out the ending, which was a bit of a let down. But towards the end I actually liked it more than I did in the beginning.

I personally just felt like Nora was extremely jaded, she had no personality to her really. Like i get it, she was a model and was oh so beautiful and sweet, yada yada yada. She just fell a little flat to me. I honestly found myself enjoying reading the parts from West’s POV more.

Will I read the next one? Maybe, who knows at this point. I do know this. Fake dating is STILL one of the best tropes.

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Caitlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I literally don’t even know where to begin. I would have DNF were this not a book club pick, but I still wish I had. This was way too long and It contained basically every trope ever created. Nora needing to “practice dating” uhhh girl, that’s just called dating. She acted like a weird sheltered teenager, not a 24 year old billionaire with years of modeling experience. Then West treats her like she’s a child, the constant “well dones” were too much. Him pushing her to practice arguing?! It was so weird and dumb. And the stalker thing came to such a dumb resolution.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this book that isn't just 'dfkdsfkhjkdasdsjd'? Because I loved this book, so bloody fucking much. A thing to note before I get into my review. I am a 32 year old woman who is a virgin. I've never been asked out. Had my hand held. Kissed. None of it. Not by choice mind you. (There was a moment in college, briefly, where I thought good things would happen but we don't talk about it). Why do I note the review with that statement?

Because this book made me, in a way, feel absolutely seen. Our FMC is in her early-t0-mid twenties, a virgin who is a people pleaser and has a very hard time saying no. In any aspect of her life.

Both the FMC and MMC were incredibly well written. Their relationship growth was absolutely stunning, especially in the way they communicated, and especially when it became about sex. And while this book only has like 1-2 full on sex scenes --- this was a spicy book in so many other ways.

It had me giggling, kicking my feet. There was no 3rd act separation, there was no OW drama - though our MMC did get jealous quite a few times, which I LOVE. And one of my favourite side tropes happened here, though I do wish it had a more emotional payoff..

I loved this book. I want this book.

Sexy Times:
- Praise kink (and not just the 'good girl' during sex kind, but the proper kind!!!!!)
- Sex lessons (for everything - kissing, blow jobs, sex itself)
- It's always been you!!!!!!