Faking it (Losing it Book 2)

Losing It #2

by Cora Carmack, Marga Blankestijn (Translator)

Wie houdt er nou niet van foute mannen?
Max houdt zeker van foute mannen. Maar ze heeft een probleempje. Haar ouders willen langskomen en verwachten de ideale schoonzoon te ontmoeten. Niet haar ruige, vrij onbeschofte vriendje die in een band speelt en een grote tattoo in zijn nek heeft. Ze vreest dat haar ouders hun financiële steun zullen intrekken wanneer ze ontdekken dat ze al een tijdje niet meer eerlijk is geweest. Dan ontmoet ze Cade.
Cade is net naar Philadelphia verhuisd en probeert zijn acteercarrière van de grond te krijgen. Max krijgt Cade zo ver dat hij zolang haar ouders in de stad zijn doet of hij haar vriendje is. Alleen hadden ze er geen moment op gerekend dat Cade haar ouders met zijn charme en zijn acteertalent zo volledig voor zich zou innemen! Nu willen ze absoluut dat hij met kerst komt logeren. En hoe langer ze doen alsof, des te echter het allemaal begint te lijken…

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Young Adult, College

313 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2013

About the author

Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult Romance and YA fantasy. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora lives in Austin, TX, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss and her dog Sherlock. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.

***Please note: I am rarely on goodreads, so if you're trying to get a hold of me, the best places to find me are Twitter, Facebook, my blog, Instagram, and via email (coracarmack(at)gmail(dot)com).

Reviews

[Sasha Alsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faking it was a decent book! I really enjoyed Losing It but FI didn't really live up to my expectations. I loved Cades story but I felt like the ending of the book was really rushed. Wasn't a bad book just a bit rushed at points

[Chiv]

UPDATE: 04/06/2013
After going through Cora's blog (with a bit of stalking) I've compiled a list of all the Bonus Scenes & Chapters that she was so kind to share with us. I highly recommend buying this book because from these teasers, you can really see that she put a lot of effort into this novel.
So here's the list:
CADE'S POV WITH KISSING
BRIEF SNIPPET OF FAKING IT FROM CADE'S POV
CADE'S POV
MAX'S POV
MORE OF MAX'S POV
CADE AND MAX'S FIRST KISS
BONUS SCENE #1
BONUS SCENE #2
CHAPTERS 1 & 2

note: If I've missed any please feel free to add them in the comments.

Also you can find her novella Keeping Her, HERE. It's basically Losing It from Garrick's POV. How awesome is that?

UPDATE: 14/02/13

OMG CHECK OUT WHAT I SAW TODAY IN A STORE...LOOK FAMILIAR?



FAIL GIRLING BEFORE BOOK:

COVER PHOTO + DESCRIPTION!?!??! I've waited so long for this moment.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for until it’s already knocked you flat on your back.

4.5 Cade Lovin’ Stars!!!


Oh Cade... I remember how much I adored this guy in Cora’s debut novel Losing It. I was so happy to find out he was getting his own book!



Cade is in PA, going to get his masters in theater. Cade is the good guy, the best friend. My heart broke for him in the beginning of this book. He is still not over Bliss. But he has to move on. She is with Garrick, and things are getting more serious between the two of them. Bliss invites Cade to their Thanksgiving, but he just can’t do it. So he makes up a story about going home. He is in a coffee shop, stewing, when he sees her. A girl named Max. She is with her rockstar boyfriend, and he can’t help but notice her.



Music is the only thing important in Max’s life. To be able to continue living her dream, she has to appease her conservative parents. That means the few times a year she see’s them, she covers her tattoo’s, hides away her boyfriend of the moment etc. When they show up unexpectedly for Thanksgiving, she knows she is in big trouble. They hear her flavor of the month ‘Mace’ in the background and want to meet her new beau. She can’t introduce Mace to them. But then she see’s him. Cade is sitting alone, looking handsome and respectable. She gets him to play along for a while and he charms the pants right off mom and dad. He is an acting student.

‘My name is Cade Winston. MFA student, volunteer, mom-hugger, and your boyfriend for the next twenty-four hours. It’s nice to meet you.’

‘Max Miller- musician and raging bitch. I’m sorry for slapping you.’

Max and Cade just have to get through 24 hours together. They go their separate ways and plan to meet in the morning. Then they end up seeing each other that very night at Max’s bar. Cade can’t take his eyes off Max. She is the first girl that makes him forget all about Bliss. She has a bit of a situation, and Cade saves the day. They both start to fall for each other a little bit that night. Cade lets her in a little bit, telling her some of his pasts. She knows he is special, but she also knows he is way out of her league.

‘You’re Golden Boy. You’re good at everything. You’re sweet, gorgeous, and probably stop to help little old ladies cross the street. If you can’t compete, the rest of us are completely fucked.’

I just... this wasn’t my life. Things like this didn’t happen to me, and if they did, it never lasted. Girls like me didn't’ get guys like Cade.

The more Cade see’s Max in her family dynamic, the more he understands why she is the way she is. Max and Cade have both suffered pretty big losses . Even though they both appear to be strong on the outside, their pasts are both full of pain and they both have a fear of the future.

“Pain changes us. Mine made me want to be perfect, so that no one would ever want to leave me again.”
I inhaled deeply. “Yours made you Golden. Mine just made me angry.”
“Your pain made you strong. It made you passionate and alive. It made us both who we are.”

There is some angst, a little drama and back and forth, but Cade and Max really start to care for one another. Their lives get more intertwined and things get more complicated between the two.

Never before had I fell so intensely and so quickly. Max swept into my life like a hurricane, and I never stood a chance.

Max pushes people away. Cade lets people go. It is their pattern. When real feelings are there, and they are no longer ‘Faking It’ can they let go of the past and move forward?

‘There are some things that are worth fighting for, no matter the outcome, and you are one of them.’

This was a great follow up. If you enjoyed ‘Losing It’, I think its safe to say you will also enjoy ‘Faking It’. I actually liked it better. Cade was just AH-mazing! Max really grew on me. I loved the two of them together! A brilliant mixture of romance, humor, heat, and angst. It was smart, sexy and fun! A very enjoyable read.

[Cora Carmack]

So... I wrote this book about two people that don't go together at all on paper-- your traditional boy next door and a kickass bad girl. To be honest, I didn't even know how they were going to work out when I started the book, but they *might* have turned out to be my favorite couple I've ever written. And well... FAKING IT is their story.

I hope you all enjoy reading about Max and Cade, and that you can identify with their struggles to be themselves in a world that's constantly pushing us to fit other people's ideas of what it means to be pretty, successful, or good.

And remember... Nice guys need love, too!

FYI... the book is currently on sale for $2.99 for a limited time only! So get it now before the price goes back up! http://www.amazon.com/Faking-It-Losin...

[littlebookbosomed bookreview]

Did I read that right?

It's about Cade...
About Cade...
Cade...
Ca-...

OH MY BUTTERFLYING GOD! IT IS CADE!



Pheewww~ Calm Down Nadd!

I hope the cover is as sexy as Losing it. Th dude is HOT! And i also hope, Bliss and Garrick appeared in this book *Fingerscrossed

Expected publication: June 4th 2013 by HarperCollins

WHAT?! DO YOU THINK I'M FINE?



March 10 2013

THE COVER IS OUT! I'M LATE I'M LATE! GARGHH!!UNBELIEVABLE! Goodness! Why does the DUDE look like "LIAM HEMSWORTH" WHY?


May 18 2013

I WANT TO BUY THIS BOOK! UGH! MONEY MONEY! PLEASE MARRY ME!!!

[Kassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I liked this one more than the first one and I really enjoyed Losing It. This one has more depth and emotion to it which helped me connect with the characters.

[Beth Hudspeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I freaking Love Cade. He is so adorable!

Golden Boy and Angry Girl:


Cade is the best friend of Bliss in Losing It and I have to admit, for a time there I was really rooting for him because he was so sweet with her and just really loved her, but he got his heart broken in the end.

I let people go.

Cade has recently moved to Philly from Texas to pursue his acting career, go to grad school and try to leave the past behind him. It has been really hard considering Bliss and Garrick are in the same city until a hurricane with tattoos blows into his life. Now Cade has an acting gig he just can't pass up - being Max's fake boyfriend. Cade is trying to get over some things in the past and just maybe Max will be his ticket out of the heartbreak hotel.

"Even the good things from our pasts still only belonged in the past"

Max is trying to get through some things in the past and work through some things in the present. Mostly with her parents acceptance. She is hiding her true self from them because she knows they won't approve of her choices with her body or with her boyfriends. When her parents surprise her with a visit she has to think fast and make a bold move. She sees this clean cut "golden boy" at a table alone and asks for his help. Little does she know, this could be the best choice she could have made.

“I give up. In the war for my parents’ approval, I’d lost to a complete stranger.”

I ended up liking Faking It much better than Losing It. There seemed to be more real emotions and a real love story unfolding. Not to mention Cade is like the kindest, most lovable person ever. I loved how rough around the edges Max is, she doesn't take shit from anyone. I loved how Cade doesn't try to tame her or smooth her over, he embraces her as she truly is, but somehow her walls do break down around him. He gets through to her like no one else. There was more of the pressure to sort of "fit in" that came into play in this as well. It was more centered on Max to conform or fit in to her family's notions of what she should be and how she should act. I don't like that concept, but I'm glad Max finally fought back.

I HATED BETHANY, her brother's wife! I just wanted to slap her through the pages! UGH.

Cade was probably my favorite character from Losing It so I was so happy for him to get his own book and love story. He is the sweetest!

I'll just leave these here:
“There are some things that are worth fighting for, no matter the outcome, and you are one of them.”

“I’ll take my chances against your fickle heart if it means it’s mine.”

[Jessy MelodyofBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mit Faking it habe ich den zweiten Band dieser Trilogie gelesen. Zwischen den beiden Bänden ist für mich eine lange Zeit von bald drei Jahren vergangen, weshalb ich mich nicht mehr in allen Details an die Ereignisse von Chade in Band 1 erinnern konnte.
Aber erst einmal etwas zum Inhalt (Achtung, könnte auf Band 1 spoilern!!)

Chade befindet sich an einem Punkt in seinem Leben, wo alles den Bach runter zu gehen scheint. Während eines Treffens mit seiner besten Freundin und viel wichtiger, seinem Schwarm, muss er bemerken, dass seine Liebe für Bliss keinen Zukunft hat.
Als seine Welt zusammenbrechen droht lernt er durch einige Umstände Max kennen. Sie ist wild, speziell und heiß - und absolut nicht der Typ Frau, der auf Chade steht. Doch wie es der Zufall so will kommen die beiden sich näher, doch diese Nähe ist mit einigen Hindernissen gespickt, denen sie augenscheinlich nicht gewachsen sind.

Ich bin gut wieder in die Geschichte gekommen und finde, dass Cora Carmack einen sehr leichten und angenehmen Schreibstil hat, durch den man nur so fliegt.
Die Sprache und Wortwahl ist einfach gehalten. Auch die Umschreibungen sind eher minimalistisch.
Sowohl Chade, als auch Max habe ich als zwei sehr interessante Charaktere empfunden, die großes Potenzial aufweisen. Dieses wurde in meinen Augen jedoch nicht gänzlich ausgeschöpft.
An manchen Punkten hätte ich mir mehr Hintergrund, mehr tiefe und mehr Emotion gewünscht.
Zwar steckt hinter der lockeren Liebesgeschichte, eine tiefsinnigere Story, die leider aber erst auf den letzte Seiten sehr lapidar angerissen wurde.
Auch die Auflösung ging mir viel zu schnell und reibungslos.
Alles in allem eine nette Geschichte, für den Frühling oder Sommer, wenn man einfach mal abschalten möchte.
Deshalb 3,5 Sterne von mir.
Wie hat sie euch gefallen?

[Wendy Higgins]

I loved Cora Carmack's first book, Losing It - it was adorable and hilarious. But her follow up book, Faking It is just plain gorgeous. It has those same witty, funny elements that I'd come to love from this author, but added a level of in-depth emotion that had me crying at the end, in the best possible way and feeling ALL the feelings.
I'm a huge fan of book bad boys, as you all know, but Cade is the ultimate good guy. We have a good boy and a seemingly bad girl. It's a delicious turning of the tables. And don't get me started about the steamy scenes!!!!
I loved Cade in Losing it, but I fell hard for him in Faking It. Not to mention I totally have a girl crush on Max. She rocks.

This book is NA - new adult, not YA.

[Kristin (KC) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars...An endearing read!

This was a very sweet and entertaining story. While I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first installment, Losing It, I did appreciate that it was a unique read and that it was able to separate itself entirely from its predecessor.

Faking It candidly follows the perpetual good-boy Cade, who is miserably fighting off his residual feelings for Bliss (heroine from Losing It.) The author does a fantastic job exemplifying the heartache of unrequited love. But, luckily for Cade, his heartache is short lived as the quirky and uniquely gorgeous Mackenzie Miller, aka 'Max', stumbles into his life.

Max Miller—musician and raging bitch. I’m sorry for slapping you.

Max is a tough, rocker girl with one arresting weakness: the inability to stand up to her controlling and judgmental parents. When she spots Cade at a local coffee shop she immediately knows HE is the perfection of which her parents would approve. Max hatches a plan to appease her parents by introducing Cade as her boyfriend...and so a 'fake' relationship ensues.

My name is Cade Winston—MFA student, volunteer, mom-hugger, and your boyfriend for the next twenty-four hours. It’s nice to meet you.

What I love most about this author is her ability to make the reader laugh; her random one-liners are hilarious and she truly excels at creating entertaining internal dialogue. This book did start off with all those qualities I adore, but sort of lost its comedic mojo as the story progressed. I understand that the plot became progressively more serious, but I found myself missing the sassiness of the storytelling.

That said, this book was still a fun read for me and I enjoyed how it all unfolded. The alternating perspectives were executed perfectly and offered amazing insight to both characters. I enjoyed the slow progression of the fake-turned-real relationship between Max and Cade, and their connection sweetly sizzled. Cade was an incredibly swoon-worthy hero and proved that good guys don't always finish last. I loved how he challenged Max to become comfortable in her own skin—something many of us have struggled with at certain points in our lives. All-in-all, a very fun and sexy story of a 'golden boy' and an 'angry girl'!

There are some things that are worth fighting for, no matter the outcome, and you are one of them.

Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Romance/NA
▪ Steam Caliber: Moderate
▪ Romance: Fake-to-real relationship
▪ Characters: Sweet and charming hero. Tough-girl heroine.
▪ Plot: A humorous love story focused on being true to and accepting oneself.
▪ Writing: Entertaining and engaging.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Alternating Dual Perspectives
▪ Cliffhanger: None

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another guilty pleasure read from Cora Carmack. I really like the story though it's cliche. The drama is enjoyable and I find it better than the first book. Good thing it's about Cade Winston, Bliss Edwards's best friend.

After being "best-friend-zoned" by Bliss, he's nursing a broken heart and trying hard to move on from her. He pretends to be okay in front of her and her boyfriend. It's kinda awkward and I can't help feeling bad for him. When he was approached by a girl and asked a favor to pretend to be her "boyfriend", he too curious to say no on this rebel chic.

Max Miller has a passion for music. With her tattoos and different get up, she's rebellious in the eyes of her conservative family. She's tired of being controlled and pretend to be someone she's not for her parents' sake. She wants to be free and pursue her dreams as a musician.

Between the two perspectives, Max stood out more. Her story is deeper and relatable. Pretending to be someone you're not to please others takes away happiness. I like Cade for being supportive and love her for what she is. He's a good guy and deserves to be loved. These two shared a good chemistry and I like their angst and banters. Overall, it's a great read.

[Viri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es mas bien un 3.5 de los buenos porque a pesar de que al principio no podía ver a los protagonistas como una pareja, la autora supo llevar su relación de una manera tan sutil que ni siquiera se donde estuvo el punto de inflexión porque fue de alguna forma normal.

Cade y Max son lo más opuesto que puede haber en la tierra y aunque podría haber quedado calva de tanto tirarme los pelos con esos motes de la chica enojada o el chico de oro, fue una historia bonita y muy entretenida que me leí en un santiamén.

No puedo comprender aún a la cuñada que me pareció odiosa pero toda la lucha interna de los protagonistas contra sus demonios estuvo muy buena porque me permitió conocer más cosas de ellos de las cuales no tenía ni idea.

No se que tan bueno fue que leyera este libro sin leer el primero antes pero si digo la verdad, no me hace falta leerlo. Su historia es preciosa y SIMPLE, porque a veces no necesitamos villanos o situaciones rebuscadas para hacer una historia profunda y simple. Aunque llena de clichés. ¡¡¡Yo amo los clichés!!! Y si nos ponemos a reflexionar TODOS los libros tienen algo de cliché en ellos.

En conclusión, si quieres una historia entretenida, bonita y con personajes muy bien desarrollados esta es tu historia. No se de que va el siguiente libro pero seguro que me lo leo porque la autora tiene una pluma que hace que quieras seguir leyendo aunque sean las 2 de la mañana (no es que me desvelara eh, para naaaaaaada) hahaha.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

If all "new adult" romances were written like this, I could get on board with it. Sexy and fun!

3.5 stars

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would be Faking It if I didn't say I loved this story!

Cade Winston- 'MFA student, volunteer, mom-hugger, and your boyfriend for the next 24 hours.'

Max Miller- 'musician and raging bitch.'

Max needs the perfect boyfriend to get through the holidays with her over controlling parents. Cade just happened to be in the right place when Max needed him most.

Their pretend relationship turned into them both feeling:



They had to conquer their past before they could move forward:

'She cried until the events of the morning disappeared,until the present took a backseat to the past.'

SERIES:

No cliffhangers. Spinoffs

Novella:

(#1.5)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you love it when you pick up a second book by an author that you like well enough, but maybe weren't completely bowled over by, and then discover after reading that you are now a bonafide fan? When you realize just how much the author has grown as a writer between her debut and her sophomore effort? And isn't this is especially sweet when it's two books connected in a series? When you have that little moment of thankfulness that you decided to go ahead and keep reading her work, because you soon learn that she has upped her game tenfold? THAT was the feeling I had after reading Faking It, the companion to 2012's wildly successful self published New Adult work, Losing It, by author Cora Carmack.

I read Losing It and did enjoy it. I mean Cora Carmack can write some steamy romance to be sure. But I never reviewed it fully for one reason or another. By the way, if you are looking for a GREAT review of Losing It might I point you in the direction of my friend Christina's awesome blog, A Reader of Fictions? She wrote a fabulous, heartfelt review of Losing It back in May that I loved.

But after finishing Faking It, I knew that I had to write down just how impressed I am with the development of Cora Carmack's writing style. Faking It proves that Carmack has honed her skills but thankfully did not lose any of the playful, sexy edge that everyone loved about Losing It.

Faking It centers around Cade, a secondary character from Losing It, and Max. Here comes the spoiler for Losing It so skip down if you have not yet read that book.

**Spoiler**

In Losing It, Cade was Bliss' best friend and secretly in love with her. Like Bliss, Cade was an acting student and took the same class with Bliss that Garrick taught. Bliss and Cade share a kiss in Losing It, and afterwards he tells her that he is in love with her and wants to be more than friends. In the end, Bliss chooses Garrick over Cade, breaking his heart in the process. Even worse, all three characters, Bliss, Garrick and Cade, end up in Philadelphia for grad school, and Cade has to witness Garrick and Bliss' bliss firsthand.

** End Spoiler**


When we meet Cade at the beginning of Faking It, he is struggling. Still brokenhearted and alone, he has managed to finally convince himself to stop the wallowing and move on.

By a weird stoke of luck, Max and her rocker boyfriend Mace happen into the same coffee house as Cade. When Max receives a surprise phone call from her parents informing her that they are in town for Thanksgiving, and literally right around the corner, Max panics. Mace is not exactly the type guy to take home to your parents. Max quickly devises a plan. She gets rid of Mace, and after a cursory glance around the diner, spies Cade sitting by himself. Noting his all American, golden boy good looks she moves in for the kill. Would he consider pretending to be her boyfriend for just a few minutes to get her parents off her back? Lucky for Max, Cade had already noticed her when she came in. Even luckier, Cade is an ACTOR. He agrees.

There is your set up and you can imagine what happens next. The parents LOVE Cade. And Cade loves the acting. He's good. Really good. Too good in fact because soon Max's parents are insisting he join them for Thanksgiving at Max's apartment the next day. And so the story takes off.

So there are some differences here between Losing It and Faking It. First off, we have a dual narrative, both Cade and Max's pov's are shared with the reader, Losing It was told strictly from the pov of Bliss. And while Losing It was more about the good girl trying to be a little bad (and usually failing miserably) here Max is most definitely a bad girl protagonist, complete with a host of insecurities and emotional baggage. The really heavy kind. On the other side of the coin, there is an undeniable chemistry between Max and Cade not unlike Garrick and Bliss's in Losing It.

This book is definitely a case of opposites attract. Cade is that perfect mix of big-hearted and kind, wholesome (but not TOO wholesome) and super duper swoony. Seriously, I liked him as a male lead so much more than Garrick. Something about those Texas boys;)

But Max is the showstealer of this book. She's a broken girl, trying hard to make the world believe she is tough as nails when really she is is a sloppy mess inside. I loved Max's confidence and I loved her witty banter back and forth with Cade. Because of her tragic past history (which doesn't totally reveal itself until the last part of the book) she has a lot of issues with self loathing. This was probably the only part of Faking It that irked me. I get why she felt that way but I was beyond ready for her to climb out of that hole and move forward. Enough is enough, chica, time to get over it.

That minor annoyance aside, what I loved most about Faking It was that unlike Losing It, sex was not major focus. Don't flip out on me, romance fans. There are still plenty of sexytimes in this book. Stay with me here and I'll explain;) In Losing It, Bliss, a virgin, is obsessed with losing her V card. But in Faking It, neither Cade or Max are virgins so even though they are wildly attracted to each other, it felt as if Faking It focused more on the emotional aspects of a romantic relationship instead of the physical aspects. And this really made all the difference to me. Yes, there are some high drama moments in this book (like I said, Max especially has got a lot of past issues she is dealing with like self loathing issues and deep seeded insecurity) but they never overpowered the book for me. There were sexy moments, and funny moments interspersed throughout. I guess what I am trying to say is it felt balanced to me. But what I appreciated the most was that although there are a whole lotta steamy, sexy, swoony scenes, there are just as many conversations about emotional intimacy and trust, something that both Cade and Max and struggled with in the past.

And I would be remiss if I didn't talk a little about the role music plays in this book. If you read this blog you know I am a raging fan of music themes in books. In Faking It, Max is an aspiring musician in a band. There are some really awesome scenes written in when Max explains how she get's lost in her music. For Max, it is a very real, emotional part of who she is, very much like a visual artist or a writer feels about their craft. Having an art background myself, I understand getting caught up in your art. Like Bliss's connection to acting in Losing It, Max's music added another layer to her personality and I really liked that.

This book also has some fabulous secondary characters (you know I love them), characters I definitely would not mind reading more of in the future. I am thinking of you Milo and you Spencer! It seems like Carmack likes to pluck some of these secondaries out and explore them further and I would love to get a better read on either of those two boys:)

In the meantime I will anxiously await the third book in the series entitled Finding It. This one will take us to Europe (travel themes, SCORE!) to follow Bliss and Cade's friend Kelsey who is taking the summer after college graduation off to "find herself." Oh how I love those kind of books! And my e-ARC had an excerpt from Finding It included at the end and WHOA, I am already fully on board with this one. If history is any indication than I expect Carmack to wow me even more with the third installment in this companion series. It's set to release in October and I will be waiting:)

So to sum it all up: if you enjoyed Losing It then I think it's a given you will love Faking It. Even if you were like me, liked it well enough as a palette cleanser but not a lot more, then I encourage you to give Faking It a try! I think you will find it has a lot more emotional depth and is more sophisticated than it's predecessor. And I think you will be impressed by Carmack's enhanced writing chops as well. I know that I will be on the look out for more of her work in the future because I believe she's a writer that is just getting started and is definitely going places:)

[Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I love a story that takes a romance “norm” and entirely swaps the sexes of it, I really do. In the case of Faking it that norm is tattooed punk male and preppy female.

Meet Mackenzie Max:



And Cade:



(Okay, okay maybe not the whole fully-clothed-in-the-pool part, but I imagine you get what I’m implying here.)

Cade played a role in Losing it that I didn’t really care for all that much, the other guy, but now after the ending of that one he gets his story. And his story starts off with a meet-cute that is adorable but unrealistic. They meet in a coffee shop but not by accident or by bumping into each other (both these being unrealistic too) but because Max’s parents call her while she is there and drop the little surprise that they are in town and totally want to meet the lovely, fabricated boyfriend she has just told them all about. So after she shoves her completely different boyfriend out of the coffeehouse, Max saunters over and offers to pay Cade to pretend to be her boyfriend. *laughter* Oh romance genre how you make my eyes roll, sometimes

As is the calling card of NA, Max and her parents don’t get along because of a horrifying past event that remains unknown for most of the novel. Her parents disapprove of her life choices – namely her desire to become a professional musician – and she spends all times in their presence hiding her tattoos, piercings and dulling down her punky hair colours.

They stumble around and some crazy assumptions are made between the two of them. Ultimately this is a cute love story. I like that Cade is a good guy without being the “nice guy” trope. He’s assertive, strong and persistent but never crosses the line into stalker material. He respects her, yet also challenges and admires her.

I’ll take my chances against your fickle heart if it means it’s mine.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

|2.7 I just want to forget the whole thing stars|

Blurb: Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.



I'd like to say that I loved this book as much as I loved Losing It, but that isn't true. I had every reason to like Max and I did but not as much as I should have. I could relate to her way more that I did it with Bliss but she was just a bit to over the top for me. I'm not sure if I liked how things ended up at the end.

It took me too long to finish this book and I felt as forced to continue reading as Max and Cade's relationship.

Like, I get that he needed something different and Max was pretty cool but I just don't like them together. I feel that the relationship was way too forced.
I didn't know what I was reading half of the book and I just didn't see how this experience helped Cade. He got over Bliss, yes, but what else?

Cade had issues and I just can't see how any of them got resolved. Maybe I'm being too harsh but I felt disappointed at the end and the chapters where lyrics were involved, again, forced. I didn't feel the emotions all the lyrics were trying to make me feel so I had to fly through them.

There were good scenes but I just didn't like the book.

[Lina Lovegood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auch den 2. Band fand ich wirklich gut, ich mochte Cade schon im ersten Band und auch Max ist mir sehr sympathisch, vor allem, weil sie einen ähnlichen Stil hat wie ich selbst. Deshalb konnte ich mich gut mit ihr identifizieren. Die Story ist interessant, es fehlt meiner Meinung nach jedoch ein wenig die Tiefe, um dem ganzen 5 Sterne zu geben.

[Jo ★The Book Sloth★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm...Once again I find myself in a dilemma. I know I enjoyed the book but I'm not sure whether to give it a good rating or a very good one. I think I liked this one more than Losing It so I will give it a 4,sth.

I have to say I love Cade. He appears so sweet and calm and then he does sth and you see the fire brewing beneath the surface. The fight scene was such a turn on. I liked him way more than Garrick and I actually wanted him to end up with Bliss in the previous book but I'm glad he found his own HEA because I liked Max more than Bliss as well.

Max was exciting. She was so different from Cade's previous crush that there was no comparison. Where Bliss was cute and sweet, Max was bold, filled with fire, except when it came to her family. In front of them she was in constant terror. Yeap, we have a tortured heroine but she fought her pain by embracing life and living on edge. I liked the fact that for once the heroine wasn't some innocent maiden.

Generally the story was nice but kind of predictable. Typical love story, bad girl falls for good boy and vice versa without much to add, but when a recipe works why change it?

PS. I can't wait for Kelsey's book but I also want a book on Milo and maybe Spencer?

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I. Love. Cade. And I was so excited to learn that there was going to be a book about him. Having said that, I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first one.

But WHY, Katy?!? How can you say such a blasphemous thing about a book about Cade?!?

Don't get me wrong, it was cute, and I enjoyed some if it very much. Cade was just perfect in just about every way. He was sweet. He was charming. He was witty. And he was heartbroken in a way that made you want to be the one who made it all better.

But I was disappointed that Carmack made this book too cliche. The book had your typical perfect character, and your typical "wrong" character, and the frustrating tension and drama that goes along with the "I can't be with you because we're too different, and I'm not good enough for you."

The book started off really strong with a feisty, no-nonsense Max who gave Cade a good run for his money. But then, you find out what a coward she really is. I mean, I understand what she's going through. I really do. My parents were strict and very hard on having me become the person they want to be. And I would understand if it was about her being who she really is (like they knew how she changed when she went off to college) and just getting her parents to accept her for who she is, and I understand taming the rebellion down a little when you come home for a visit, but to see her going from that character to such an extreme opposite and realize what she has been hiding, it was just a little disappointing.

And with how she treated Cade? Oh, come on. With "Losing It," there were a lot of reasons why Bliss and Garrick couldn't be together their teacher-student relationship, her not being physically ready, etc. With this one, she didn't have a good reason. I would have though differently if it was because she thought Golden Boy hold her back from becoming who she really is and in a way forcing her to become that perfect girl that she used to be and hated so much. But that wasn't the case. It was just her thinking she was not good enough for him. That is why I was ready to yell at her for being such a stupid girl.

Setting that aside, I did enjoy the book. I really thought the way they met was pretty cute, and I had to smile at the flirting and taunting that they threw at each other. There were some really good lines, great moments and electric chemistry.

Overall, it's a pretty good read. I was just disappointed Carmack chose the cliche good character/bad character route, and that Max was an inconsistent character that frustrated me at times.

[Carmen de la Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otro placer culpable leído de Cora Carmack. Me gusta mucho la historia, aunque es algo tópico. El drama es agradable, aunque no lo encuentro mejor que el primer libro. Menos mal que se trata de Cade Winston, el mejor amigo de Bliss Edwards.

Después de haber sido "el mejor amigo de la zona" de Bliss, está curando un corazón roto y tratando de seguir adelante enfrente de ella. Él pretende estar bien delante de ella y de su novio. Que cuando este le dice que le propondrá matrimonio a Bliss fue un poco incómodo y no pude evitar sentirme mal por él. Cuando una chica se le acercó y le pidió un favor para fingir que era su "novio", él también sintió curiosidad por decir no a este chic rebelde.

Max Miller tiene una pasión por la música. Con sus tatuajes y diferentes levantamientos, es rebelde a los ojos de su familia conservadora. Está cansada de ser controlada y pretende ser alguien que no es por el bien de sus padres. Ella quiere ser libre y perseguir sus sueños como músico.

Entre las dos perspectivas, Max se destacó más. Su historia es más profunda y relatable. Pretender ser alguien para no complacer a otros quita la felicidad. Me gusta Cade por apoyarla y amarla por lo que es. Es un buen chico y merece ser amado. Estos dos compartían una buena química y me gustan su angustia y sus bromas. En general, es una gran lectura.

[D.G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

**2.5 stars**

Faking It is the third book in a row I've read where a main characters's sibling has died in a car accident - I didn't know this before picking any of the books. Maybe because I saw this handled in a more mature, less self-pitying way in the two other books, I couldn't stand how Max, the heroine in this one, used her sister's death (which happened 9 years ago) as an excuse for all her shitty behavior towards Cade.

Max and Cade are very different. She's full of tattoes and bad attitude while he's polite and put together. Her nickname for him "golden boy" says everything. But Max had been hiding her real self from her very conversative parents (they don't even know about the tattooes) so she convinces Cade to play her boyfriend for a day becuase she knows he's the kind of guy that her parents would approve.

Even with their aparent differences, an attraction grows between them. I love opposites attract tropes so this was working for me until Max suddenly freaks out and decides that nothing can happen between them because...

I'm toxic! I destroy everything I touch! He's too good for meeee! I'm too fickle! I'll stop liking him and then I'll hurt hiiiiiim!!!!



The "I'm not good enough for him/her" is one of my most hated tropes ever. He's a grown man! Let him decide who he dates!! If you want to clear your concience, just warn him!



Alternately, she also thinks:
One day he'll realize we're too different! And then he'll leave meeeee!

Hmmm...didn't you say you were fickle? Most likely, you'll dump him before he dumps you! What is there to worry about?

What follows is more whining about how she's so horrible, they were so different, blah, blah, blah. I wanted to slap her silly. I've never seen so much angst about absolutely nothing.

The disfunctional relationship with her parents made sense to me. She was young that I understood that she hadn't found the strenght to be herself and confront them. I would have wanted to know more about the relationship with her sister - if she was so hurt 9 years later, it meant they were really close but we saw none of that. In the other two books I've read with dead siblings, this was the case but both had managed to move on with their lives the best they could. Max seemed to be so paralyzed with grief (and I understand a measure of guilt) but I don't think this was explored fully. She came out as whiny instead of sympathetic to me.

Cade was too much of a good guy. I would have wanted to see some bite from him - the fight didn't count because he's the knight in shining armor type. I also would have wanted to see more about his life as an actor. He didn't go to even ONE audition! How did he expect to make a living?

The best part of the book for me was discovering a new narrator: Dan Bittner. He narrated the Cade parts and he was very good. I really hope to see him in more adult romance in the future.

After reading this, I'm not sure I want to continue the series. Maybe I'll just wait a while and see.

[Rikke Simonsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Åh, hvor jeg dog knuselskede den her bog! Den første bog i serien var sød, quirky og romantisk - hvor denne bog er rå, hot og frustrerende (på den gode måde!). Jeg var vild med handlingen, og karaktererne var SÅ fascinerende og alsidige. Cade er så så så skøn, og jeg kunne fangirle for evigt, men det sparer jeg jer for. Udover at forelske mig i skønne Cade, så kunne jeg identificere mig selv (eller meget af mit fortidige jeg) med Max, hvilket var ret nervepirrende, men utroligt spændende.

Karakterparret Max og Cade rummer så mange egenskaber, at der helt sikkert er noget for enhver at relatere til. Om ikke andet, så til deres tanker og følelser. Jeg synes, at den her bog havde mere dybde end den forrige, hvilket også gør, at den får fuldt stjernehus herfra. Den var perfekt at læse i sommerdagene, og når jeg tænker på den, så er det med et stort smil på læben og en varme i brystet.

"(...) Det er hårdt at leve. Og hver dag bliver vores fødder tungere, og vi får mere bagage. Så vi stopper op og trækker vejret, lukker øjnene, nulstiller vores sind. Det er naturligt. Så længe man åbner øjnene igen og går videre." - citat side 202.

Jeg kunne godt lide det faktum, at vi møder Bliss og Garrick igen, men at de ikke får lov til at fylde alt for meget. Det minder lidt om "Anna og det franske kys"-serien - bare på et lidt mere 'voksent' plan. Det er derfor med sommerfugle i maven og kriblen i fingrene, at jeg venter spændt på den sidste bog i serien - også selvom den kommer til at handle om andre karakterer. Cora Carmack er helt sikkert en forfatter, som jeg gerne vil læse mere af.

[Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again this book is what you expected it to be, I almost didn't finish it. I have come to conclusion that all new adult books are the exact same. Am i wrong?

Wasn't bad, but its always the same freaking story.

[Νόρα · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια ευχάριστη ιστορία αγάπης όπως και το προηγούμενο βιβλίο της.Έξυπνοι διάλογοι,άρτια δομημένοι χαρακτήρες,όμορφες τοποθεσίες,δυνατά συναισθήματα και πολύ καρδιοχτύπι.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Cora Carmack's writing in Losing It, so when I had the chance to review her new release Faking It, I knew I had to read it ASAP. And just look at that cover! I knew just looking at this one that Faking It was going to be fantastic New Adult romance.

Cade has never gotten over Bliss, despite the fact that she's now in a serious relationship with a dreamy British guy who was her professor the year before. No matter how hard he tries, Cade can't get rid of his feelings and heartbreak. But one look at Max and all thoughts of Bliss fly out the window. Max is everything Cade isn't; she's rebellious and not afraid to speak her mind, not to mention her dyed hair, tattoos and piercings. Cade, on the other hand, is Mr. Perfect, always there when you need him. But when their two worlds collide and Max needs Cade's help to convince her parents that her life as a musician is the right path for her, Cade is completely captured by her passion and resilient attitude. Can Cade really figure out what's beneath the hard girl exterior, and can Max be the answer for Cade finally finding someone who just might like him too?

I wasn't sure what I had thought of Cade in Losing It, but boy do I love him in this book. Cade is just so sweet and handsome and gosh darn perfect. Okay, so we learn that he's got problems of his own with letting people go and everything, but he's perfect to me! And I love how he falls for someone so not like him, which is Max. Max is such a dynamic character and I really loved how there were so many layers to her character that Cade tried to peel back as they got to know each other more and more.

What was best about this book, though, was how not perfect their relationship was. Cade and Max have so many ups and downs from the moment that they meet, which makes the story so intriguing and interesting. You never knew what would set one of them off or where they would be in the next chapter. I was definitely on the edge of my seat with this one. And talk about chemistry! Cade and Max are so wrong, yet so right for each other. It's perfect!

If you're a new adult fan, you definitely have to pick up Cora Carmack's books! Losing It was awesome and Faking It is even better! And in this one you get alternating points of view with each chapter (switching between Max and Cade), which means you get so much more from each of the characters and their stories. So go out and pick this one up when it comes out. I promise, you're going to love it!

[Λίνα Θωμάρεη · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming

[Dee Montoya · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Fearless Stars***

This book was very enjoyable, the writing style and plot kept me interested throughout but I in the end the story really didn't feel unique, the whole opposites attract drama has been way over done before...

Mackenzie or Max as she prefers people to call her is a punk rock tattooed beauty who hides her true identity from her parents in order to get financial support from them. Keeping them happy pretending to be something she's not is what she's been doing for years. One day they surprised her with an impromptu visit and she needs to find a clean cut guy to pose as her boyfriend, because her actual boyfriend is a drummer, who's jobless and is full of tattoos and piercings, something her parents would never approve of. That's when Max notices the hot guy in the coffee shop. Cade is the guy who's always trying to be perfect. He's handsome, sweet, and always a gentleman. But being a good guy hasn't worked out for him in the past and so when Max propositions him to act as her boyfriend he thinks of it as the perfect opportunist to escape his own problems.

After the meeting of the parents goes better than it was expected, Cade and Max find it difficult to part ways and they start hanging out as friends, but their sexual tension and the attraction between them is growing by the minute, problem is Max has a boyfriend...

The relationship becomes a salve for both Max and Cade's past wounds but can they both learn to be fearless and bring down the walls that separate them and accept each other, even though they are an odd fit?

I was able to notice right away that this author was a great writer, I loved how music was a big part of the plot. I enjoyed Faking it it and I'm sure I will be reading more books from tis author in the future.

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

…We should live like we smoke — Inhale the present and exhale the past.

Max parents are ultra conservative… and she’s the opposite of that. With tattoos, lead singer of a rock band and with a tattooed boyfriend named Mace she is everything that her parents despise. So when they decide to make a surprise visit, she does the only that makes sense in the moment: ask a good guy to be her pretend boyfriend. (Yes, because that’s the solution everyone would choose, right? :P Well, Max is definitely not everyone!)

Cade is the chosen guy. He is everything that Max believes not be able to make like her for who she is, and Cade believes that a girl like Max will never be happy with a guy like him. Both haunted by ghosts of the past, they are too afraid to try to change that. Lack of communication, people!!

I liked this book. Probably more than the first one, because I connect more with Cade and Max that with Bliss and Garrick. It was nice saying them again, but I was kind of sad how Bliss and Cade’s relationship ended… it made sense, but was sad nonetheless.
Cade is a really great guy, Max is awesome and this is good and light book. If you need a pick-me-up book, this is perfect!

You can go read it now ;)

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm being generous giving this 3 stars I think. But I enjoyed it enough for 2 stars to be too low.

It's fun, flirty fiction that you don't really have to think about.

The characters are as likeable as they can be, but are pretty interchangeable - the nice guy and the Rebel Sue. Insert conflict and "unlikely" attraction and BAM, you're done.

There was a definite aversion to the word "nipple" in this book. Think of any other way to describe nipples and you'll find it, you just won't find the word nipple. It kind of made this seem pretty immature. Readers of this series are big girls and can take care of themselves and comfortably read the word NIPPLE.

I don't love this series, but I'm addicted to it. I know I'll read on, almost like the sort of morbid fascination as you pass a car crash that has you gaping out of the window.

I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.