Fake It 'Til You Make It

by Louisa Masters

When Sci-Fi Geek lands Sophisticated and Sexy, fan fiction dreams can come true.

Tech billionaire Michael Jones has always been a stereotypical geek at heart. Shy, socially uninterested, and crazy for Star Wars, he’s spent years creating a mask that helped him become the rags-to-riches phenomenon of the century.
There’s just one person who can crack the façade. One person who turns him into an incoherent, bumbling mess: James Jennings.
The sophisticated older brother of Michael’s best friend, James has been the centre of Michael’s fantasies from the moment they met. But those dreams can never come true, because why would a suave, successful, wealthy businessman want someone who’s just faking his way through life?

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Friends To Lovers, Short Stories, Novella

55 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2018

About the author

LOUISA MASTERS started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels. Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.

Reviews

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!!

This was a no fuss, no muss, friends to lovers story as one awkward guy who’s been crushing for forever on his best friend’s brother for years, just might have a chance when they reconnect at a party. Oh yes!

Peppered with some awkward, some cute and funny, and plenty of geeky things to enjoy and appreciate, this went down the hatch oh so easily, and I really have not one complaint.

A nice quick shorty for when your romantic self needs a dash of nerdy goodness with a satisfying romantic win!

[Meags · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

This was a lite and breezy little romance read, featuring my fave falling-for-my-best-friend’s-brother trope and plenty of geektastic pop-culture references to keep me entertained.

I liked the themes and I appreciated the (local) Melbourne setting. I didn’t appreciate the fade-to-black sex scene though!

It was too short to really dig in deep with the characters or their romance, but it served as a lovely palate cleanser regardless.

[Drusilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me giggle. You should probably at least like Star Wars otherwise you won't like the geekiness of it all.
Michael tells how he stumbles through life and has always been in love with his best friend's brother. And surprise surprise, all of a sudden, after ages, he starts talking to James.
It was really fun to read the few pages, just don't expect depth and the sex scenes are unfortunately fade to black, but it was still really wonderful.

I am the master of the social mask. There’s only one person who can crack it. And he’s crossing the room toward us. ☺️

Breathe. Calm. Zen. Feel the Force.
It’s a mantra I’ve used a lot over the years, usually accompanied by images of clean, clear waterfalls washing away all the social anxiety and leaving me the picture of poise, lightsaber in one hand, standing in a badass pose. 🤭💖🤭

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

How cute was this story? SOOOOO cute!

Really, this was such a fun, sweet shorty. Exactly what I needed. I really enjoyed it!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute short story about a guy who has had a crush on his best friend's older brother and finally they get together. It's not explained why they didn't get together sooner, which I don't care. They found the right moment to become a couple, it was sweet, silly, and I had fun reading it. Mike is such a dorky spaz, and James while not a spaz is equally as dorky as it turns out. :) I do indeed recommend this for the light hearted fun this was.

It's currently showing as free on Amazon US (not sure about other locations): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...

[Meep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, funny, nothing deep. 'Glethsk' it made me smile, what more can I ask?

Though the George worship is a bit much!

[Kim Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

New to me author. This is a mm contemporary story set in Melbourne Australia. Loved Michael the geek and James together. Told from Michael ‘s POV. I’ll read more from this author.

[Mina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sweet, nothing too special about it.

[Courtney Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorably funny

I grabbed this because it was free and looked cute, and I’m SO glad I did! It had me giggling many times. I’ll definitely look for more from this author.

[SC · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh man, ok. let's me start by saying that I have been apparently incredibly spoiled by fantastic MM authors, so my expectations may just be a little too high. Therefore, this book, was just not on my level. That means, I'm NOT going to gloss over the parts that I didn't like. Let's start.

I do not enjoy reading books about grown men, behaving like they're 15. I'm sorry, I just don't. I don't like characters that play the whole "oh that's not really me, I just pretend to be cool and collected and awesome but I'm really a huge nerd/dork" going on. But that's minimal to my three biggest sticking points with this book.

1. George Lucas/Star Wars. OMFG. Was it truly necessary to make incessant references, through what I assume is the entirety of the book ? I only made it to the 1/2 way point but I think it's a pretty solid assumption that the author didn't realize it was getting freaking annoying. Because it was. Have sex with a guy ? "Holy George Lucas !!" Just no. And the references are made in every single chapter, sometimes more than once, not just sporadically.

2. Pinky & The Brain. Do you guys remember that cartoon? Pinky would throw out "Naarf" in the middle of a conversation. Ok, so this super successful, smart, savvy businessman does that. In public. While speaking to actual people. Way to make him look like a total idiot author !!!

3. And this is where I called it quits. Apparently, for YEARS, this guy has had a major crush on his BFF's older brother. Gets tongue tied when he sees him, is basically in love with the guy right? So finally, finally they get together - btw, we don't get that allegedly epic night of sex, just barely a hint of it - they've made plans, and get this ..... he actually tells this guy he has been in love with for years, that he will be late, because of Pokemon.

POKEMON !!!!!

How old is he supposed to be ? Almost 30 I think ? How the hell is this guys, who's also wanted to be with him supposed to feel, knowing that his date will be 2 hours late because he's playing a stupid video game ? Where the hell are his priorities ?

YES, I am aware it is fiction. The thing is, fiction does not have to be bad, it doesn't have to be poorly written, and it does not mean I have to settle for mediocre plots and characters. Not when there are truly incredible books written by numerous MM authors, that are also free.

[Dig · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 * rounded up.

I got to read this for free so I'm going to try to be nice. It was funny and parts of it was really good. But I think the whole family chiming in with 2000 dollars each into a pool/bet that's been running for 10 years was a sort of white privilege that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I am a huge nerd. NERD AF. And were I white, privileged, MAN who grew up w/ little to no financial troubles in my life, I probably would have made my life being a nerd/geek like this kid over here who would rather play a rpg game with his friends than keep his boyfriend, who he's been pining over for 15 years, waiting.

I don't see anything wrong w/ making your guy wait for you while you play a video game but as someone who has pined over a person in the past, when you get that person, everything else takes a back seat. So I didn't feel the romance, and the longing to be "real." or well "realistic."

However, I did like the premise. I liked that the MC was successful business man who was kind of a shy nerdy introvert and he finally gets his man but it just went to a level I don't care for.

And these are the DIG comments no one asked for.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story. Really just a short story, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was adorable! Mostly discrete scenes with the backstory at the first scene, without a lot of connective filler between, but still rather cute overall, with a pretty great ending.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg this was a lightening fast read that adorable!!! I would have loved to read a longer version of this story.

[Leia Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, not bad, but nearly all parts of it felt over the top.

[Lawson Brook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice short story

I enjoyed reading this short story. It was well written and kept my interest. The only thing that let it down, in my opinion, is the lack of sexual content. There was a fade to black, where I thought we were going to read about their bedroom antics. I liked the characters and overall it is worth reading

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/5/2019)! 🎁

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable short story!

[Mary Gk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for something fluffy and funny and nerdy and a friend suggested this quick read and I absolutely loved it! It delivered and left a smile on my face!!!

[Heather Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a lot of fun!

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short sweet romance!

I loved it! It was everything you can ask for a short story, it has a cute setting, some funny moments and characters so endearing that I still have the fuzzy feeling of ‘awww <3’

[Brandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fake It ‘Til You Make It by Louisa Masters is a short story about Michael, a tech billionaire who has always been a stereotypical geek at heart, and James, the sophisticated older brother of his best friend. James has been the centre of Michael's fantasies from the moment they met, but he doesn’t think those dreams can ever come true. What would James, who’s suave and successful, want with some who’s just faking his way through life?

The ONLY reason that this book has two stars is because it’s short and somewhat funny. Beyond that, I genuinely didn’t enjoy it.

The writing was alright, but often awkward. This book is chock-full of phrases and instances where Michael seems to prove he’s “A Nerd”. From Michael tripping over himself, speaking in gibberish, and having some very odd narrative thoughts about How Different He Is, way too much was done to make this attractive, rich white man seem socially inept.

It was uncomfortable to read because it was so, SO overdone, and I didn’t enjoy it. Two examples that stuck out to me the most are under spoilers:

“Did I forget to mention I’m that guy? Totally uncoordinated. Socially inept. Supergeek. Walking cliché. The kind of “character” people see on TV shows and call “unrealistic.””

““Har har nice Geneva home not like.”
Kill me now. That was supposed to be me chuckling suavely and saying that Geneva is nice but not like home, but instead I sound like a demented Yoda.”

Beyond that, the plot moves quickly, though fairly well-paced for a story of its length. I enjoyed how Michael and James came together, and the way it was revealed that Michael hadn’t been the only one with a crush. The plot revolving around their family is fun and wholesome, which was enjoyable to read if not very impactful.

I found the ending a bit strange, and the reveal about James… very unnecessary and handled oddly. Still, the book did end on a happy note, which is something I, personally, always like to see.

Overall, this was a fast, easy read that was hindered by its attempt at being different. It isn’t one I’d recommend, nor is it something I’d read again.

[Ollie Z Book Minx · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. mostly cute until the end. I truly don’t understand why James, who prides himself on being someone who gets to see “the real” Michael, fearing that he can’t be himself with Michael—despite being together for weeks—is a good thing. like WHY is Michael so thrilled that James was willing to deny part of his identity in order to be with him. not that he should’ve been hurt or mad—cuz this insecurity really wasn’t about him and those options centre him—but it shouldn’t have thrilled him, imo. I’d be sad if I found out my partner didn’t think she could be herself with me—especially wrt something I’m passionate about—and I’d want to know how I could better support her.

also I get why the bet is meant to be cute but it was a v odd way to show they’d been mutually pining for ages.

[Miranda Beazley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and sweet romance that had me unconsciously smiling. It’s a sweet romance about a self professed geek who’s had a crush on his best friends brother since they met. It was light hearted and fun. And I could completely relate to the characters, being a bit of a nerd myself and a husband who has some geeky tendencies. If you’re looking for a short sweet feel good read this one is definitely for you.

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake it Till You Make It

LOL.... Just Lol..

This book was Funny! 100% Rom-Com.

Super Cute. Totally Likeable and Realistic characters. I am really glad I picked this book up. I needed all those laughs, right from page one. The storyline was fun. Michaels personality was endearing. Him and James were cute as a couple. This book was cute. Would totally recommend.

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm...

This was so cute. I loved the instalove, the family, best friend, and the nerd stuff. I did not enjoy the fade to black sex scenes. Either add them or don't, but going part way is awful.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Ms. Masters may be becoming one of my new favorite authors. Unbelievable adorkable characters that I'd love to have even more of.

[Books beloved · Rating 2 out of 5]

dont know why i bought it. interesting but underwhelming.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea but it was just too short for so much story.

[llv]

rating: dnf

I've had this on my TBR list for a while and decided to give it a chance. I just couldn't get into the story.