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My Fake Canadian Wife
When Dora receives a letter from the immigration service in Canada saying she will be deported soon, as her visa is expiring, a friend suggests she marry a woman. Since she doesn’t currently have a girlfriend, faking a relationship might be her only option since she can’t muster the desire to return to school for advanced photograph studies.
Abby is a reserved librarian who seems enthusiastic about helping with the marriage plan. As the two girls get to know each other through dates in snowy Toronto and meeting Abby’s family for Christmas, Dora starts to wonder how much of this relationship they are faking and how much is real.
25,800 words
Abby is a reserved librarian who seems enthusiastic about helping with the marriage plan. As the two girls get to know each other through dates in snowy Toronto and meeting Abby’s family for Christmas, Dora starts to wonder how much of this relationship they are faking and how much is real.
25,800 words
97 pages, ebook
First published January 7, 2019
6 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 7, 2019
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Did I just start 2019 off with the cutest sapphic relationship set up, that also featured a pan love interest? Wow, the blessings for this new year already! Friends, I loved this. And if you’re looking for something diverse, something hella cute, something super romantic, and something that’s a really quick read, then look no further.
“Why was it so hard to find good mainstream media where you could see two girls falling in love with a happy ending? Even harder if I wanted to find stories with black girls. Brazilian black girls falling in love? Mostly, I’d only found them in indie and self-published books. Maybe it would be easier to enjoy more media if everything I tried to watch didn’t look as white as the walls of my apartment.”
My Fake Canadian Wife is an ownvoices story for the Brazilian and the queer representation. Our main character, Dora, is a lesbian and is an aspiring photographer from Brazil, who moved to Canada to go to school, and is still currently living there. Sadly, their camera broke so they are currently working as a barista at a local café trying to save up money. That is, until Dora receives a letter from immigration telling her that she hasn’t updated her student Visa and that she is going to be deported if the situation isn’t corrected.
Dora is feeling helpless, and unsure if she wants to move back with her family in Brazil, but a coworker introduces her to Abby, who is a librarian, pan, adorable, and totally willing to marry Dora to keep her in the country. But first, they have to see if they are both willing to commit to something like this, and they have to find out if they even like being around each other for long periods of time. And what better way than for Dora to spend Christmas and the holidays with Abby and her family? And they both learn a lot about themselves and the kind of relationship that they want and need.
Last year, I fell in love with The Melody of You and Me which starred a pan main character who fell for a Filipino girl, and at this point I think M. Hollis is writing stories specifically for me and my interests. Even though both of these stories are filled with very real and challenging situations, but are heartwarming, sapphic stories that just fill my body and soul with so much pure joy and happiness.
Overall, I just loved this and I really appreciate the stories that M. Hollis keeps writing. They always make me feel so seen, and I always have the biggest smile on my face while reading their stories. I’ll be the first to say that this story is a little predictable, but that didn’t make me love it any less. I hope 2019 is filled with f/f romances like this! And I hope M. Hollis never stops writing them, especially after reading the author acknowledgements because you can really tell they put a lot of themselves into this beautiful story and it really shines through.
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The quote above was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.
Content and trigger warnings for talk of cancer and talk of the loss of a loved one.
January 8, 2019
this was such a cute f/f fake dating romance
January 7, 2019
When Brazilian Dora gets a letter from the department of immigration to say that her visa to stay in Canada is coming to an end she has to start figuring out what her options are to stay. Her options seem to be limited to going home, further study or getting married. Her friend from the restaurant she works at says her friend is willing to marry Dora if that’s what she decides. Dora and Abby get talking and try to get to know one another.
I think that if one was going to marry a complete stranger, this is probably a very realistic portrayal of what it would be like. They’re awkward around each other and often don’t even seem to be particularly friendly. The writing starts out as fairly stilted but as they get to know each other better, the writing becomes more relaxed too.
Initially I didn’t like Dora much because she seemed quite spineless and directionless. I was never entirely sure of Abby’s motivation. In spite of this, I still enjoyed the read. The secondary characters and the thread they had going provided some good interest. Abby and Dora grew on me and I liked where it ended. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Book received from Netgalley and NineStar Press for an honest review.
I think that if one was going to marry a complete stranger, this is probably a very realistic portrayal of what it would be like. They’re awkward around each other and often don’t even seem to be particularly friendly. The writing starts out as fairly stilted but as they get to know each other better, the writing becomes more relaxed too.
Initially I didn’t like Dora much because she seemed quite spineless and directionless. I was never entirely sure of Abby’s motivation. In spite of this, I still enjoyed the read. The secondary characters and the thread they had going provided some good interest. Abby and Dora grew on me and I liked where it ended. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Book received from Netgalley and NineStar Press for an honest review.
January 16, 2020
Weak dialogue, poorly executed plot and the worst of all, no chemistry between the MC and her love interest.
January 9, 2019
My Fake Canadian Wife is a cute novella about a Brazilian woman, Isa(Dora) living in Canada who needs to find a way to stay because she didn't quite take care of her Visa status.
Her co-worker, Paige, pimps out her childhood friend, Abby, to fake marry.
This is a short and sweet faux romance. Nothing super unique.
Because of the length, got a good effort of building some depth, but was left wanting more emotion/feeling from Dora.
Overall, it was an enjoyable quick and light romance.
I received an ARC from Ninestar Press through Netgalley for an honest review.
Her co-worker, Paige, pimps out her childhood friend, Abby, to fake marry.
This is a short and sweet faux romance. Nothing super unique.
Because of the length, got a good effort of building some depth, but was left wanting more emotion/feeling from Dora.
Overall, it was an enjoyable quick and light romance.
I received an ARC from Ninestar Press through Netgalley for an honest review.
January 1, 2019
This is my first f/f romance with a fake marriage trope and I was excited to read it. And though the story took some unexpected turns, it was a pleasant and sweet experience.
Dora is a very confusing protagonist and I’m not exactly sure what I feel about her. I could totally feel her anxiety about the deportation and about not wanting to go back home because she has already come to love Toronto like her own. However, she seemed very resigned to her fate and didn’t seem very proactive in trying to change her visa situation. I really liked Abby more and would have loved to read her POV. She could be both assertive and shy, and I could totally see that she was developing genuine feelings for Dora, despite Dora’s own cluelessness. And I just felt that Abby was more concerned about Dora’s visa situation than she was herself, which just made me slightly angry. However, I liked the way the uncertainty was resolved and the ending was very cute and optimistic.
The writing is very easy to read and I finished it pretty much in a single sitting. I think the author did a good job bringing Dora’s resignation (which almost felt like laziness) to life and then gave her that touch of inspiration to move forward with her future plans. It’s always great when the author is able to make me change my opinion about the main character and it definitely helped me come to agree with the direction the author took this story in. I also loved that both our main characters have supportive friends who always have their back. I always enjoy good female friendships.
Overall, this is a cute story of falling in love but I would have definitely loved to get to know the two MCs better. Give this a try when you want something short and fluffy.
Dora is a very confusing protagonist and I’m not exactly sure what I feel about her. I could totally feel her anxiety about the deportation and about not wanting to go back home because she has already come to love Toronto like her own. However, she seemed very resigned to her fate and didn’t seem very proactive in trying to change her visa situation. I really liked Abby more and would have loved to read her POV. She could be both assertive and shy, and I could totally see that she was developing genuine feelings for Dora, despite Dora’s own cluelessness. And I just felt that Abby was more concerned about Dora’s visa situation than she was herself, which just made me slightly angry. However, I liked the way the uncertainty was resolved and the ending was very cute and optimistic.
The writing is very easy to read and I finished it pretty much in a single sitting. I think the author did a good job bringing Dora’s resignation (which almost felt like laziness) to life and then gave her that touch of inspiration to move forward with her future plans. It’s always great when the author is able to make me change my opinion about the main character and it definitely helped me come to agree with the direction the author took this story in. I also loved that both our main characters have supportive friends who always have their back. I always enjoy good female friendships.
Overall, this is a cute story of falling in love but I would have definitely loved to get to know the two MCs better. Give this a try when you want something short and fluffy.
January 19, 2019
I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
M. Hollis's books continue to be a safe haven for queer women and I'm so grateful for her.
This book is about Dora, a lesbian girl from Brasil living in Canada, who has to find a way to not get deported because of her expired visa. One way would be to get married, and when a friend of a friend, Abby (who is pansexual), seems willing to fake a relationship with her, the two have to spend some time together to have proof of their relationship.
What I always love in M. Hollis books is the relaxed atmosphere, which is always very queer-positive and comforting. The writing always goes straight to the point but I wouldn't say it's a case of too much tell and little show. It just does what it's supposed to do, especially in books that are on the shorter side (this one is around 100 pages).
With that said, one of the reasons I love the fake relationship trope is to get to that moment when both characters are so deep into the act that their own feelings start coming to the surface and they forget for a second that the relationship is fake. This is something I didn't really feel happened in this book, and I sort of missed it. Everything played out very safely and neatly but I wish I could said that I rooted for the couple more than I did. I know it's supposed to be short, but for a romance, I felt like it ended at what would've been the 40 or 60% mark on a full-length novel with a similar premise.
In any case, I really appreciate the kind of stories this author puts out because they always find a way to make you feel safe and seen in your identities. I definitely recommend this book if you want a soft romance that's low on angst and with a cozy, winter atmosphere.
M. Hollis's books continue to be a safe haven for queer women and I'm so grateful for her.
This book is about Dora, a lesbian girl from Brasil living in Canada, who has to find a way to not get deported because of her expired visa. One way would be to get married, and when a friend of a friend, Abby (who is pansexual), seems willing to fake a relationship with her, the two have to spend some time together to have proof of their relationship.
What I always love in M. Hollis books is the relaxed atmosphere, which is always very queer-positive and comforting. The writing always goes straight to the point but I wouldn't say it's a case of too much tell and little show. It just does what it's supposed to do, especially in books that are on the shorter side (this one is around 100 pages).
With that said, one of the reasons I love the fake relationship trope is to get to that moment when both characters are so deep into the act that their own feelings start coming to the surface and they forget for a second that the relationship is fake. This is something I didn't really feel happened in this book, and I sort of missed it. Everything played out very safely and neatly but I wish I could said that I rooted for the couple more than I did. I know it's supposed to be short, but for a romance, I felt like it ended at what would've been the 40 or 60% mark on a full-length novel with a similar premise.
In any case, I really appreciate the kind of stories this author puts out because they always find a way to make you feel safe and seen in your identities. I definitely recommend this book if you want a soft romance that's low on angst and with a cozy, winter atmosphere.
September 24, 2019
4.5 stars
This was everything I ever needed - cute, funny, at times swoon-worthy, but still tackling important and serious topics (f.e. death, immigration). I recently read another sapphic fake marriage book and I must say I preferred this one more. I'm glad that Dora and Abby's interactions didn't seem that forced and that they actually thought the whole thing through. The ending was such a pleasant surprise and made me love the book even more. Maria Hollis can do no wrong at this point.
This was everything I ever needed - cute, funny, at times swoon-worthy, but still tackling important and serious topics (f.e. death, immigration). I recently read another sapphic fake marriage book and I must say I preferred this one more. I'm glad that Dora and Abby's interactions didn't seem that forced and that they actually thought the whole thing through. The ending was such a pleasant surprise and made me love the book even more. Maria Hollis can do no wrong at this point.
January 12, 2019
I normally don't like novellas as I find them too short but this one felt like it was just the right length.
It is the first time that I read about one of the main who identifies as a pansexual and would've liked to have seen the author delve more into that.
If you're looking for a cute short romance read, then I suggest this book.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-KP
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It is the first time that I read about one of the main who identifies as a pansexual and would've liked to have seen the author delve more into that.
If you're looking for a cute short romance read, then I suggest this book.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-KP
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2019
A sweet story. Nice characters though Dora sometimes annoyed me with her indecisiveness and immaturity. Stil a nice Short read. 3 stars
January 25, 2019
This novella was just as cute and fun as promised! Read the full review on my blog.
September 9, 2019
rep: lesbian mc, pansexual li, f/f romance
how'd they fall in love if they had 0 chemistry?
July 27, 2020
very very enjoyable book!! and the best part is that they Say the word lesbian omg it wasn't a dream
December 31, 2018
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute holiday romance.
Dora who receives a letter from the immigration will be deported. When her friend suggest she marry a woman.
Since she not in the relationship she meets librarian Abby who all for helping her out and when they go on dates to get to know each other and spend time with Abby family they start to wonder is this a real relationship or are we still pretending.
I like this story because it remind me of the holiday movies on tv which I find a bit hiarlious when they could easily to do a same sex couples in these movies cause let's be honest basically every holiday movie has the same premise.
This was a cute holiday romance.
Dora who receives a letter from the immigration will be deported. When her friend suggest she marry a woman.
Since she not in the relationship she meets librarian Abby who all for helping her out and when they go on dates to get to know each other and spend time with Abby family they start to wonder is this a real relationship or are we still pretending.
I like this story because it remind me of the holiday movies on tv which I find a bit hiarlious when they could easily to do a same sex couples in these movies cause let's be honest basically every holiday movie has the same premise.
January 16, 2019
This was good. Predictable, but nice MC's and a sweet romance. Overall an OK read.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2019
This was a cute light read. Dora, who is from Brazil, is living in Canada on a student Visa. She get a letter from Immigration that says she will be deported in a year. Dora loves living in Canada, but isn't sure how she is going to stay until her co-worker suggests she get married. Enters Abby who is her co-worker's best friend. She is quiet, shy, and for sure an introvert.
I have read a few of the fake wife/girlfriend for various reasons and this falls in line with my feelings on the others. Cute. Since, it's a novella, the author has lots of ground to cover. It does seem rushed at times, but overall it works. What I liked most is that Dora has to figure out what she wants. She is portrayed at being indecisive and it shows in her interaction with Abby. There is a lack of chemistry in the beginning, but as the story progresses you get to see an attraction between the two main characters.
Overall, I liked it. I would rate this one a 3.5 star.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the Publisher for an honest review.
I have read a few of the fake wife/girlfriend for various reasons and this falls in line with my feelings on the others. Cute. Since, it's a novella, the author has lots of ground to cover. It does seem rushed at times, but overall it works. What I liked most is that Dora has to figure out what she wants. She is portrayed at being indecisive and it shows in her interaction with Abby. There is a lack of chemistry in the beginning, but as the story progresses you get to see an attraction between the two main characters.
Overall, I liked it. I would rate this one a 3.5 star.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the Publisher for an honest review.
January 20, 2022
I Enjoyed This One
While I do wish that the book was longer—I think it could have allowed for a bit more character depth—I did still enjoy this book.
The book opens with Dora finding out that her living situation in Canada is in jeopardy and she only has a few months to work out her visa situation. So one of her friends suggests a fake marriage. I really enjoyed what the author did with this storyline, the time we spent watching Dora and Abbie getting to know one another and the time spent over Christmas. But I loved the turn the story took. It was an outcome I did not expect and I loved it.
Other things I loved: that Dora was a black Brazilian girl—that’s a narrative I haven’t seen often—and Dora’s internal voice. I did not like her roommate as much. The French to Vietnamese thing was one issue, but beyond that, I feel like I couldn’t get a good enough read on her. Maybe we’re supposed to like her, and she clearly cares after the gift she gives Dora but… I didn’t fully believe it. Maybe that was intentional on the author’s part.
Overall, I thought this was a fun, quick read with a surprising but satisfying twist. It’s also an own voices story.
While I do wish that the book was longer—I think it could have allowed for a bit more character depth—I did still enjoy this book.
The book opens with Dora finding out that her living situation in Canada is in jeopardy and she only has a few months to work out her visa situation. So one of her friends suggests a fake marriage. I really enjoyed what the author did with this storyline, the time we spent watching Dora and Abbie getting to know one another and the time spent over Christmas. But I loved the turn the story took. It was an outcome I did not expect and I loved it.
Other things I loved: that Dora was a black Brazilian girl—that’s a narrative I haven’t seen often—and Dora’s internal voice. I did not like her roommate as much. The French to Vietnamese thing was one issue, but beyond that, I feel like I couldn’t get a good enough read on her. Maybe we’re supposed to like her, and she clearly cares after the gift she gives Dora but… I didn’t fully believe it. Maybe that was intentional on the author’s part.
Overall, I thought this was a fun, quick read with a surprising but satisfying twist. It’s also an own voices story.
January 9, 2019
aaah My Fake Canadian Wife was really cute and full of fluff, I loved it ♥ It's not your usual fake dating + wedding in the air trope, I really liked what M. Hollis did with it.
This is a slow burn crush, realy slow between Isadora, a Black Brazilian lesbian photographer and Abigail a pan librarian.
Dora is a loveable mc: she works at a coffee shop because her camera broke down and she can't find a job resolving around photography. She lives with her friend Julie, a rich girl who was very supportive and nice.
I also loved Paige, Dora's coworker. She and her girlfriend Cam are writing short movies. It was interesting to see their passion for what they do. Cam is Vietnamese.
And then, there is Abigail. We don't know a lot about her but there is a reason for that. I don't want to give to much away so I will just say that she was interesting.
Dora and her fake a relationship because Dora will be deported if she can fix her situation.
tw a dead character who had cancer is mentioned + stress about being deported.
This is a slow burn crush, realy slow between Isadora, a Black Brazilian lesbian photographer and Abigail a pan librarian.
Dora is a loveable mc: she works at a coffee shop because her camera broke down and she can't find a job resolving around photography. She lives with her friend Julie, a rich girl who was very supportive and nice.
I also loved Paige, Dora's coworker. She and her girlfriend Cam are writing short movies. It was interesting to see their passion for what they do. Cam is Vietnamese.
And then, there is Abigail. We don't know a lot about her but there is a reason for that. I don't want to give to much away so I will just say that she was interesting.
Dora and her fake a relationship because Dora will be deported if she can fix her situation.
tw a dead character who had cancer is mentioned + stress about being deported.
January 13, 2019
Reviewed by Jenn for Diverse Reader
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This is my first book by M. Hollis and my first F/F book and I really enjoyed it.
This was a quick read and I admit that I would have liked more of Dora and Abby. I have always been a fan of fake relationship books and this one is really sweet.
All the scenes with Dora and Abby being at Abby’s family home for Christmas were my favorite. I loved seeing Abby show Dora what their life could be like together. Dora is a character that needs a person like Abby in her life, even if she’s not ready to admit it.
Relationships are hard, even fake ones. The only thing I can’t help but wish for is more, I would have liked to go deeper into Abby and Dora. There is something there that makes me care about both women, I’d love to see more of them.
I just found myself wanting more because I genuinely liked these women!
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This is my first book by M. Hollis and my first F/F book and I really enjoyed it.
This was a quick read and I admit that I would have liked more of Dora and Abby. I have always been a fan of fake relationship books and this one is really sweet.
All the scenes with Dora and Abby being at Abby’s family home for Christmas were my favorite. I loved seeing Abby show Dora what their life could be like together. Dora is a character that needs a person like Abby in her life, even if she’s not ready to admit it.
Relationships are hard, even fake ones. The only thing I can’t help but wish for is more, I would have liked to go deeper into Abby and Dora. There is something there that makes me care about both women, I’d love to see more of them.
I just found myself wanting more because I genuinely liked these women!
January 1, 2019
This is a nice novella... it's sweet, but I have to say there wasn't as much chemistry as I expected them to have, and not much interaction between Abby and Dora besides some polite conversing... I expected more somehow...
August 2, 2020
Well written, believable, sweet. The thing holding me back from really loving it, though, is that I love marriage of convenience stories and that doesn’t actually happen here. Other than that disappointment, the story gave me the sorts of warm, sweet feelings I was looking for.
October 12, 2019
I was provided an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
I had my preconceived notions on what this story might be like before beginning the book, but I was pleasantly surprised I was wrong. In the story, Dora, a young Brazillian woman who had been in school in Toronto, finds herself in danger of being kicked out of the country due to her visa expiring after she graduated. A friend of hers comes up with an idea for her to stay in the country. All she has to do is marry a friend of hers, Abby, live with her for 2 years and she is home free.
I expected that the two would start their fake relationship and would learn that they had feelings for each other that would lead to them getting married for real. But in this story, that doesn't fully happen. The two seem very uneasy with each other once they start going down the path of having a fake relationship. It felt like neither woman was fully into the relationship, which I found a little unrealistic. I would have thought that Dora would put more into the relationship since her status in the country was at stake. Maybe she had more of a moral issue with lying about their relationship, which I have to give her credit for.
For a short novella, I found it to be a charming and sweet story. It left me wanting more from Dora and Abby, maybe either another novella or a full-length story of their actual relationship. I would love to read more about how their fake relationship may have an effect on their real relationship, especially with Abby's family. I am hopeful that a follow-up story will come.
I had my preconceived notions on what this story might be like before beginning the book, but I was pleasantly surprised I was wrong. In the story, Dora, a young Brazillian woman who had been in school in Toronto, finds herself in danger of being kicked out of the country due to her visa expiring after she graduated. A friend of hers comes up with an idea for her to stay in the country. All she has to do is marry a friend of hers, Abby, live with her for 2 years and she is home free.
I expected that the two would start their fake relationship and would learn that they had feelings for each other that would lead to them getting married for real. But in this story, that doesn't fully happen. The two seem very uneasy with each other once they start going down the path of having a fake relationship. It felt like neither woman was fully into the relationship, which I found a little unrealistic. I would have thought that Dora would put more into the relationship since her status in the country was at stake. Maybe she had more of a moral issue with lying about their relationship, which I have to give her credit for.
For a short novella, I found it to be a charming and sweet story. It left me wanting more from Dora and Abby, maybe either another novella or a full-length story of their actual relationship. I would love to read more about how their fake relationship may have an effect on their real relationship, especially with Abby's family. I am hopeful that a follow-up story will come.
January 28, 2019
Cute novella with a fake dating trope. But I just wish there was... more? There wasn’t much space given to really develop the relationship between Dora & Abby. I don’t mean the lack of sex (kisses only in this book), but the kind of intimacy that develops between two people in a relationship wasn’t there yet; it felt like their story was just beginning and then it was over. They always felt like friends instead of two people who liked each other, even though I got the impression Abby had a crush on her and Dora didn’t realize it (maybe I’m wrong). Good bones, great premise, just lacking a bit in the execution. Still, this is a sweet, low angst read (even with Dora’s immigration woes).
December 27, 2021
I liked the fact that the main character was Brazilian. I also liked the fact that she was an immigrant and the soapy sort of premise but both main characters were severely lacking in personality especially Abby. The book never explained why she was willing to lie to her family for a complete stranger or risk all the trouble that would stem from getting caught faking a relationship, nor did I see how these people fell in love at the end of it. Not only was there a lack of chemistry and romance. I didn't even get the vibe the characters had moved past the acquaintance stage. I received an arc of this in exchange for my review.
January 7, 2019
Ok, first off – that cover is GORGEOUS. Secondly, a Canadian f/f fake romance novella? Heck yeah!
After graduating from college in Canada with a photography degree, Dora’s coasting along at her barista job when she finds out that her student visa is expiring. Dora doesn’t really want to go back to Brazil, so luckily her best friend has an idea – marry her friend Abby! From a date at a Brazilian restaurant to a Christmas family trip, getting to know each other is a lot of fun, but is a fake relationship enough to build a real romance on?
I thought Dora was an interesting, if grumpy, heroine. She almost read as a bit depressed to me, though I’m not sure that was the intent, as she’s dissatisfied with her life even before the visa news. She wants romance – she browses Tumblr for pics of cute girls kissing and watches romance movies – but hasn’t had much luck finding a girlfriend in Toronto. Though she loves photography, an accident has left her camera-less and without a creative outlet. Even a few dates in, Dora’s still very unsure about their fake relationship, and some of that comes out as frustration at Abby. Though Dora states that she believes that you need to work to get what you want, she’s so passive at times that it felt like Abby cared more about her visa status than Dora herself did! Abby is a nerdy librarian, described by Dora as always surrounded by books. She’s constantly reading – even while en route to dates via public transportation with Dora – and is rather serious, though she has a gamut of interests, from Abba to heavy metal. Dora initially thinks Abby is straight, though I’m not sure why, and it’s a quite funny scene when Abby disabuses her of that notion.
Oddly enough, I felt like Abby’s growing feelings about the relationship were clearer than Dora’s, even though the book is solely from Dora’s POV. I did think the relationship felt a bit underdeveloped, even for a novella, as I didn’t get much chemistry between the two of them. And I think that comes down to my main criticism of the book. While it reminded me a bit of a Jackie Lau book (from the trope-y title to the Canadian setting), it’s more simplistic. While Dora’s obviously worried about her immigration status, it doesn’t extend to the depth of emotion you’d find in a JL book – it’s got neither the emotional lows nor the almost over the top silliness that balances that out. The premise also immediately reminded me of Christina Lauren’s Roomies, though, luckily, this nicely sidesteps the legality of the issue – .
That’s not to say I didn’t like the book. It’s quite sweet, from their first date is at a Brazilian restaurant, to making flash cards with silly “get to know you” questions, to “acting” like a couple for a short film for Dora’s roommate. The crowning bit is when they go to Abby’s family’s house for Christmas. It is a novella, so it’s a quick read, and I thought it was well-paced. I also liked that each character had great female friendships. Dora and Abby share a good friend – the one who introduced them – and Dora also has a supportive roommate.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but think it was missing something, so I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. I definitely think that Ms. Hollis has a great voice, though, and I’ll be on the lookout for her next book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After graduating from college in Canada with a photography degree, Dora’s coasting along at her barista job when she finds out that her student visa is expiring. Dora doesn’t really want to go back to Brazil, so luckily her best friend has an idea – marry her friend Abby! From a date at a Brazilian restaurant to a Christmas family trip, getting to know each other is a lot of fun, but is a fake relationship enough to build a real romance on?
“I stared at the street ahead of us, thinking of how much I always walked on eggshells when it came to my life. Waiting for things to happen on their own wasn’t going to fix my problems anytime soon. Abby and I could go for it, and if we decided it wasn’t worth it, then we could stop. But as I looked back at the cute girl by my side, a new fear came to me.
Two years living together was a long time. Enough time to maybe fall in love with Abigail or end up hating her guts.”
I thought Dora was an interesting, if grumpy, heroine. She almost read as a bit depressed to me, though I’m not sure that was the intent, as she’s dissatisfied with her life even before the visa news. She wants romance – she browses Tumblr for pics of cute girls kissing and watches romance movies – but hasn’t had much luck finding a girlfriend in Toronto. Though she loves photography, an accident has left her camera-less and without a creative outlet. Even a few dates in, Dora’s still very unsure about their fake relationship, and some of that comes out as frustration at Abby. Though Dora states that she believes that you need to work to get what you want, she’s so passive at times that it felt like Abby cared more about her visa status than Dora herself did! Abby is a nerdy librarian, described by Dora as always surrounded by books. She’s constantly reading – even while en route to dates via public transportation with Dora – and is rather serious, though she has a gamut of interests, from Abba to heavy metal. Dora initially thinks Abby is straight, though I’m not sure why, and it’s a quite funny scene when Abby disabuses her of that notion.
Oddly enough, I felt like Abby’s growing feelings about the relationship were clearer than Dora’s, even though the book is solely from Dora’s POV. I did think the relationship felt a bit underdeveloped, even for a novella, as I didn’t get much chemistry between the two of them. And I think that comes down to my main criticism of the book. While it reminded me a bit of a Jackie Lau book (from the trope-y title to the Canadian setting), it’s more simplistic. While Dora’s obviously worried about her immigration status, it doesn’t extend to the depth of emotion you’d find in a JL book – it’s got neither the emotional lows nor the almost over the top silliness that balances that out. The premise also immediately reminded me of Christina Lauren’s Roomies, though, luckily, this nicely sidesteps the legality of the issue – .
That’s not to say I didn’t like the book. It’s quite sweet, from their first date is at a Brazilian restaurant, to making flash cards with silly “get to know you” questions, to “acting” like a couple for a short film for Dora’s roommate. The crowning bit is when they go to Abby’s family’s house for Christmas. It is a novella, so it’s a quick read, and I thought it was well-paced. I also liked that each character had great female friendships. Dora and Abby share a good friend – the one who introduced them – and Dora also has a supportive roommate.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but think it was missing something, so I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. I definitely think that Ms. Hollis has a great voice, though, and I’ll be on the lookout for her next book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 11, 2019
Aww, my little gay heart couldn’t handle how sweet this was. My Fake Canadian Wife is an adorable and wholesome sapphic story about Dora who’s been sent a letter saying she’ll get deported if she doesn’t rectify her situation, and Abigail, a pansexual librarian who’s willing to marry Dora to keep her from getting deported back to Brazil.
• First things first let’s talk about how important #ownvoices books are. This has a Brazilian, lesbian protagonist, just like the author and it’s really great to see. It’s just so much better to hear about others stories instead of the straight, white narrative we’ve been spoon fed forever.
• For a novella, this was a really well developed story. M. Hollis grounds the story in Toronto, gives every character personality and backstory, and develops a believable romance in 100 pages. That’s very impressive in my opinion.
• I will say that I found the start to be a bit info dumpy and I don’t think the writing is that special or memorable, but the pacing was great as I mentioned.
• The romance also gave me all the feels. Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes. There’s just something about the tangled up feeling and what’s real and what’s fake that really gets to me. The relationship never feels insta-lovey or unbelievable which it could have easily fallen into.
• As much as this is a very wholesome read, it also discusses deportation and cancer. Both topics are dealt with respectfully and in no way overshadowed the romance but only enhanced it as it gave the characters backstory.
If you’re looking for a diverse, sapphic love story that still discusses important themes, look no further. I’d definitely be interested in looking into more of M. Hollis’s work.
• First things first let’s talk about how important #ownvoices books are. This has a Brazilian, lesbian protagonist, just like the author and it’s really great to see. It’s just so much better to hear about others stories instead of the straight, white narrative we’ve been spoon fed forever.
• For a novella, this was a really well developed story. M. Hollis grounds the story in Toronto, gives every character personality and backstory, and develops a believable romance in 100 pages. That’s very impressive in my opinion.
• I will say that I found the start to be a bit info dumpy and I don’t think the writing is that special or memorable, but the pacing was great as I mentioned.
• The romance also gave me all the feels. Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes. There’s just something about the tangled up feeling and what’s real and what’s fake that really gets to me. The relationship never feels insta-lovey or unbelievable which it could have easily fallen into.
• As much as this is a very wholesome read, it also discusses deportation and cancer. Both topics are dealt with respectfully and in no way overshadowed the romance but only enhanced it as it gave the characters backstory.
If you’re looking for a diverse, sapphic love story that still discusses important themes, look no further. I’d definitely be interested in looking into more of M. Hollis’s work.
February 7, 2019
Review: https://bookswithwingss.blogspot.com/...
(3.5) If there's something I can tell you is that I can always count on M. Hollis to write adorable, heart-warming, sapphic stories with interesting characters and plots. The idea for this book is definitely what made me interested in it in the first place. It's an own voices book about a lesbian, Brazilian girl who is an aspiring photographer. She moves to Canada to pursue a new life but when her visa expires she has to find a new way to stay in the country. After analyzing a lot of options she encounters her coworker's best friend, Abby, who is a pansexual librarian and who wants to marry Dora to help her stay in the country. They start hanging out so they can learn about each other before they officially marry and they even spend Christmas at Abby's place with her family, faking a relationship.
This is a gorgeously written book. As I said, I always love how M. Hollis constructs cute and interesting f/f relationships. I love how she isn't afraid to write harrowing and challenging situations in the middle of her fluffiness and how the resolutions aren't always what you expect them to be. I think this book in particular is written from such a personal place for her and I could feel that through the pages. I appreciated what she had to say about the topics that were touched here. I also felt that she held these characters close to her heart and that she wrote them with a lot of love and care. I adore the awkwardness that they had at the beginning and how realistic it felt when they didn't know what to say to each other but also the slow progression into a friendship and then a relationship.
The problem that I had with this novella is one that I had with her other books as well and that's that they're too short. In this one, I couldn't fall completely in love with the relationship because we didn't see a lot of it. We were supposed to know that they were talking and getting close but it was all in a montage rather than a deep descriptions of feelings and that's just a preference but I like to see the falling in love part more than the beginning and the resolution. I didn't mind very much because I knew going in that it was a novella, but I still was left wanting more. I would have liked to see more from Abby as well since I liked her character a lot because of the dichotomies of being shy but also super upfront when needed. Overall, this was a very beautiful story and I adored seeing what we got from their relationship. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for something soft, fluffy and easy to read!
(3.5) If there's something I can tell you is that I can always count on M. Hollis to write adorable, heart-warming, sapphic stories with interesting characters and plots. The idea for this book is definitely what made me interested in it in the first place. It's an own voices book about a lesbian, Brazilian girl who is an aspiring photographer. She moves to Canada to pursue a new life but when her visa expires she has to find a new way to stay in the country. After analyzing a lot of options she encounters her coworker's best friend, Abby, who is a pansexual librarian and who wants to marry Dora to help her stay in the country. They start hanging out so they can learn about each other before they officially marry and they even spend Christmas at Abby's place with her family, faking a relationship.
This is a gorgeously written book. As I said, I always love how M. Hollis constructs cute and interesting f/f relationships. I love how she isn't afraid to write harrowing and challenging situations in the middle of her fluffiness and how the resolutions aren't always what you expect them to be. I think this book in particular is written from such a personal place for her and I could feel that through the pages. I appreciated what she had to say about the topics that were touched here. I also felt that she held these characters close to her heart and that she wrote them with a lot of love and care. I adore the awkwardness that they had at the beginning and how realistic it felt when they didn't know what to say to each other but also the slow progression into a friendship and then a relationship.
The problem that I had with this novella is one that I had with her other books as well and that's that they're too short. In this one, I couldn't fall completely in love with the relationship because we didn't see a lot of it. We were supposed to know that they were talking and getting close but it was all in a montage rather than a deep descriptions of feelings and that's just a preference but I like to see the falling in love part more than the beginning and the resolution. I didn't mind very much because I knew going in that it was a novella, but I still was left wanting more. I would have liked to see more from Abby as well since I liked her character a lot because of the dichotomies of being shy but also super upfront when needed. Overall, this was a very beautiful story and I adored seeing what we got from their relationship. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for something soft, fluffy and easy to read!
January 7, 2019
I got this done rather quickly, as I love a good fauxmance. I enjoyed this to a point, but wished it was a little longer, and the characters developed more.
Dora is a Brazilian in Canada on a student visa that has recently expired. In order to stay in the country Dora comes up with a plan to get married to a Canadian woman. She's reluctant, especially after meeting with the lovely but seemly straight Abby who has agreed be the wife. Abby knows its risky but is willing to help Dora out.
To be honest, it was more like a cute meet that ended up being a real romance. Abby did most of the emotional labor, as Dora was still very unsure as to how to proceed with the relationship. I felt like they meshed well together, but just didn't have enough time to actually get to know each character.
Over all, this was a good debut for M. Hollis, but I just wish she was given a little more time to expand on the plot.
I received this ARC from NineStar Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Dora is a Brazilian in Canada on a student visa that has recently expired. In order to stay in the country Dora comes up with a plan to get married to a Canadian woman. She's reluctant, especially after meeting with the lovely but seemly straight Abby who has agreed be the wife. Abby knows its risky but is willing to help Dora out.
To be honest, it was more like a cute meet that ended up being a real romance. Abby did most of the emotional labor, as Dora was still very unsure as to how to proceed with the relationship. I felt like they meshed well together, but just didn't have enough time to actually get to know each character.
Over all, this was a good debut for M. Hollis, but I just wish she was given a little more time to expand on the plot.
I received this ARC from NineStar Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
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