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Wildwood Society #1
The One Month Boyfriend
Fake dating my sworn enemy to make my ex so jealous he can't see straight?
Worth it.
Silas and I agree on one thing, and one thing only: my ruthless, heartless, narcissistic jerk of an ex-fiance needs to be taken down a notch.
So we do what anyone would do: we pretend to be a couple.
Even though Silas and I are polar opposites. Silas is a loud, cheerful, over the top showboat. He’s his hometown’s golden boy, the Marine who came back to rescue kittens from trees and walk old ladies across the street.
And me? I'm the awkward new girl who freezes up around strangers and can’t make small talk to save my life.
It shouldn’t work. We can barely have a conversation without arguing. There's no way we should be friends, let alone dating, except... Everyone believes it.
Especially my ex.
Now I'm having way too many real fantasies about the man who gets on my last nerve. My fake boyfriend is starting to feel a whole lot like a real one.
The kisses feel real.
The way he protects me feels real.
The night we spend together in a hotel bed feels very real.
This was supposed to be fake, but I think I might have fooled myself most of all.
Worth it.
Silas and I agree on one thing, and one thing only: my ruthless, heartless, narcissistic jerk of an ex-fiance needs to be taken down a notch.
So we do what anyone would do: we pretend to be a couple.
Even though Silas and I are polar opposites. Silas is a loud, cheerful, over the top showboat. He’s his hometown’s golden boy, the Marine who came back to rescue kittens from trees and walk old ladies across the street.
And me? I'm the awkward new girl who freezes up around strangers and can’t make small talk to save my life.
It shouldn’t work. We can barely have a conversation without arguing. There's no way we should be friends, let alone dating, except... Everyone believes it.
Especially my ex.
Now I'm having way too many real fantasies about the man who gets on my last nerve. My fake boyfriend is starting to feel a whole lot like a real one.
The kisses feel real.
The way he protects me feels real.
The night we spend together in a hotel bed feels very real.
This was supposed to be fake, but I think I might have fooled myself most of all.
430 pages, ebook
First published May 24, 2022
1188 people are currently reading
7900 people want to read
About the author
Roxie Noir
44 books3,504 followersRoxie is a romance author by day, and also a romance author by night. She lives in Los Angeles with one husband, two cats, far too many books, and a truly alarming pile of used notebooks that she refuses to throw away.
She's the author of the Loveless Brothers series, the upcoming Wildwood Society series, and a bunch of other books that are also delightful.
If you need updates or free stories, you can sign up for her newsletter: http://roxienoir.com/newsletter
She's the author of the Loveless Brothers series, the upcoming Wildwood Society series, and a bunch of other books that are also delightful.
If you need updates or free stories, you can sign up for her newsletter: http://roxienoir.com/newsletter
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April 19, 2025
RATING: 3.5 stars to The One Month Boyfriend ★ ★ ★
There were three highly influential reasons I wanted to read The One Month Boyfriend. The first: the very attractive cover design. The second: I have close to a dozen Roxie Noir novels and thought it was about time I read one. And the third (and biggest driver): the dedication to the 'unlikeable' heroine presented an opportunity I didn't want to resist. I couldn't not indulge the unfolding of such a tempting paradigm. As with any book belonging to a widely connected series, you'll admittedly feel on the outside looking in if you dive into The One Month Boyfriend without having a considerable grasp on Noir's Loveless series. I probably should have been a tad more switched on and read something from that series before picking this up. Since I hadn't, I felt a smidge out of touch with the introduced side characters, their romantic pairings, the series name and the origins of Wildwood itself. I was clueless to the interconnection despite this being first in a fresh collection and dove in believing it was the genesis of an unlinked saga entirely. It wasn't, but that didn't make it any less of a credible read. Just a confusing one in places. I've garnered the impression that fans of Noir's Loveless series were charmed by Silas as the mysterious, gregarious but troublemaking side character. From what I hear, Silas's story was well in demand, having assumed what I think was an on-the-sidelines supporting role while his fellow towners and companions partnered up in the name of love. This new series sets afoot his own romance in the form of an opposites attract, enemies to lovers, awkward fake relationship, let's-make-your-ex-boyfriend-jealous romp. I did enjoy this well written, well-textured, sober representation of a hostile, disharmonious faux romance but I'll also get into the complications that deemed this a difficult read to rate for me.
I have to say that as a contemporary romance contender, the writing and storytelling has great quality. It's thoughtful, talented, textured, well scripted and very slice of life in a manner that speaks to its authenticity. The characters (central and supporting) are complex, troubled, imperfect and intense in their own respective ways but still have a connective camaraderie that speaks to the tight dynamic of a group of people who care acutely about each other. The mental health content in regards to traumatic service, PTSD, anxiety in its various forms, social anxiety, fear-based spiralling, catastrophism, and negatively-primed inner and outer discontent was very well rendered through Kat. There was a solid grasp on the abrasive complexities of unmasked anxiety, catastrophe thinking, overanalysis, its respective situational triggers and the hyperfixations of thought born of fear and uncertainty. Fuelled by the wilds of the imagination and inflamed by disastrously imagined scenarios that upend all sense of clarity was believably propelled through this romance's heroine. This was via Kat mostly and it's worth mentioning that there are some on page panic attacks. The uneasiness, the fretfulness, the foreboding, the overthinking, the gnawing, chafing feeling that feels like steel spikes on your skin and hot lava under it, the boiling tempest within that can look and feel like distance, coldness, irritability, anger and unkindness on the outside. It was well represented. The issue was, I'm still undecided on how I feel about both main characters, as a pair and as individuals. Kat's anxiety was experientially palpable but appeared rather vague, with some allusions here and there to situational triggers, and wasn't supported by necessary commentary that could have communicated her issues better. In addition, there was some incoherent commentary voiced via her perspective that felt a tad non sequitur. If you're going to slip in comments that open a window to questionable statements, it's fair to say that some explanation might accompany the monologue. Whether born of her anxiety or legitimate past experience, I can't possibly know whether her thoughts are credible or not.
I understood the origins of Silas's inner turmoil to some extent, but Kat's was more obscure. We understand that Kat feels the extremes of it; in social settings, in conversation and in everyday life. As much as I was majorly looking forward to the take on the 'unlikeable' heroine, I couldn't make distinction between who Kat was and whether her reactions were always anxiety-based or just her. I didn't understand her outside of her anxiety, and that's a disturbance I was trying to work through and just couldn't grasp. I wanted to understand more of her as an individual and a person, more of her history and backstory, and I didn't. I had a separate but equally perplexing interpretation of who Silas was. Perhaps the author intended to demonstrate the distortions of character and personality, the depersonalisation that mental health conditions can evince in becoming the living form of an anxiety or PTSD disorder, but I'm still undecided on how I felt with the characterisation comprehensively. The mental health rep was well-defined by comparison but the characterisation was frazzling and intense in a way that needed words but didn't always have the words. The unsaid that needed to be said created a distance that didn't feel bridged. Although there was an understanding between Silas and Kat in relation to their separate anxieties, how they had the tact to help each other in those very raw moments of losing themselves, the lack of an emotional connection was a missing limb.
According to the blurb, we have a 'loud', 'cheerful' golden boy hero but I didn't feel that was achieved in its deliberate outward effect. What the author attempts is to have those qualities be performative for Silas, as he masks how he feels and who he is very often. I'm assuming the author was attempting a reverse of the 'soft inside, hard outside' trope. Silas is even described in similar terms, an approximation of 'iron on the inside, all charm and smiles on the outside.' He was contained and frayed but quasi-composed, which is often the case with masked trauma; we're always hiding who we are, what we are, how ugly the things we feel can feel. Those adjectives are deliberately peripheral but I still didn't understand who I was supposed to understand him to be. One could say that he was supposed to perform as the charming, easygoing, quick-to-smile bachelor on the periphery who's masking the darkness within him under such a guise. He comes across as an intense someone with an inner darkness that simmered, threatening to break free, his every interaction with Kat maintained that subtextual intensity which implicates his traumatic history as a serviceman. Based on the blurb, he wasn't quite what I thought he was going to be though. Either through his characterisation, behaviour or lack of definition, I found him to be underwhelming in parts. Perhaps his complexity could have been better underpinned, and I think I was hoping for more from them as individuals, and as a budding pair.
Although the romance was purposefully irritable, tense and unwieldy, the story wasn't at all made leaden with the mental health content. There was subtlety, a great lack of it for needed developments but it was still interesting, snarky, pointed, sober and honest. It was authentic, if not entirely fulfilling. Silas and Kat might be there for each other during some intense moments, but I think the author could have spared space to really anchor their romantic connection and strengthen their interactions with meaningful moments while still permitting both characters to remain true to themselves. While still sympathetic to and in mind of their mental health conditions. Unfortunately I didn't feel that their connection was well expressed but I did appreciate the honesty in the experiences they've both ostensibly had with past therapeutic interventions; you can do the 'right' things and implement the 'right' protocols to help you through an episodic, reactive period or the general living, but the reality often looks a lot different in the day to day. Is much more challenging in the face of using the learned tools. The techniques aren't always effective, the trauma still sits like a waiting beast with hackles raised and one eye open and the ongoing nature of their afflictions Is something to be lived with, not bespelled away by practiced techniques. Though they definitely can help.That was especially evident through Silas and his reflective thoughts of suicidal ideation that once left him in a tailspin. He clearly still struggles a lot. Silas's experiences really felt a part of him and Kat's anxiety felt just as much an albatross to her.
The enemies to lovers theme was introduced really well but I don't think it held well for me. Perhaps it was their respective psychological troubles that thwarted a deeper connection but despite how deep Kat's anxiety dwells, the relationship didn't hit that point of real, heart-embracing intimacy for me. I can appreciate their relationship growth; how sincere, realistic and no-nonsense they were with each other but I was waiting for them to connect with some pivotal moments that would bind the relationship building between them. There were times where I really enjoyed the careful build up, and there were times where I felt sidelined, irritable and confused. I will say that the author creates a discomforting atmosphere effectively. They're both quite layered and complex, both very imperfectly human, but I was expecting a deeper romantic connection for that reason. Even though it didn't happen in quite a memorable way, that's not to say that the story nor the relationships were without credibility. There was an understanding shared, but without a legitimate emotional connection. Things happened without always happening. The way they often related with each other was coarse, perplexing and baffling, and I did struggle at times with it. What took place was an uplifting, hopeful but honest and occasionally humorous representation of how two unlikely opposites could come together in spite of the darker, grislier parts of them. But also of how friendships can carry a great weight and lessen it in the same breath.
What I really did enjoy was the dynamic of the male friendship group. There's a subtle but significant bond between Silas and his friends; they tease, they taunt, they prod but there's a deep and gentle intimacy between them all. I haven't encountered healthy male relationships in fiction very often and this did flip the script with that in a very readable way. They talk, they embrace, they hug, they worry, they support and the interrelationships felt healthy. They all come together like a de facto family, and when Kat explains how they once ended a night with hugs for everyone, I felt the warmth of family in that. It was touching and connective. They all seem present for each other. Silas's history of grief was another great example of this, in the way the story briefly hints at how his friendship with Levi was his safest haven during the most traumatic period of his life. As aforementioned, I may not have read the preceding series, which Is why I felt a disconnect, but I could appreciate the relationships between them, even as I didn't know them very well. Despite a sense of something unexplored and unvoiced about the pairing, I have to say that there was a believable development between them as two chalk-and-cheese opposites who can't quite stand the sight of each other (to begin with).
Perhaps a more defined navigation between being a general support to the other and developing an otherwise romantic relationship should have been a more clearly outlined priority. But that said, I could appreciate the author's choice in playing with friction and exploring how the two of them relate and would eventually come together, even as I understand how they might have been paired with more suitable love interests. The gradual transitional movement from enemies to lovers was a believable strength of the novel, and the slow burn was very grounding. The bedroom scenes were scorching and the storytelling talent is certainly promising. Heavy themes meld suitably with humour, acceptance, friendships, steam and an interracial fake relationship romance. I will likely read more Roxie Noir romance, but all my qualms factored in, this was a tad anticlimactic as there was a struggle to find and form connection with what I was reading. I therefore didn't connect with it as much as I'd hoped to. Promising though, and I would definitely recommend this.
________________________________
Visit my blog: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @TheVicarious1
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
________________________________
There were three highly influential reasons I wanted to read The One Month Boyfriend. The first: the very attractive cover design. The second: I have close to a dozen Roxie Noir novels and thought it was about time I read one. And the third (and biggest driver): the dedication to the 'unlikeable' heroine presented an opportunity I didn't want to resist. I couldn't not indulge the unfolding of such a tempting paradigm. As with any book belonging to a widely connected series, you'll admittedly feel on the outside looking in if you dive into The One Month Boyfriend without having a considerable grasp on Noir's Loveless series. I probably should have been a tad more switched on and read something from that series before picking this up. Since I hadn't, I felt a smidge out of touch with the introduced side characters, their romantic pairings, the series name and the origins of Wildwood itself. I was clueless to the interconnection despite this being first in a fresh collection and dove in believing it was the genesis of an unlinked saga entirely. It wasn't, but that didn't make it any less of a credible read. Just a confusing one in places. I've garnered the impression that fans of Noir's Loveless series were charmed by Silas as the mysterious, gregarious but troublemaking side character. From what I hear, Silas's story was well in demand, having assumed what I think was an on-the-sidelines supporting role while his fellow towners and companions partnered up in the name of love. This new series sets afoot his own romance in the form of an opposites attract, enemies to lovers, awkward fake relationship, let's-make-your-ex-boyfriend-jealous romp. I did enjoy this well written, well-textured, sober representation of a hostile, disharmonious faux romance but I'll also get into the complications that deemed this a difficult read to rate for me.
I have to say that as a contemporary romance contender, the writing and storytelling has great quality. It's thoughtful, talented, textured, well scripted and very slice of life in a manner that speaks to its authenticity. The characters (central and supporting) are complex, troubled, imperfect and intense in their own respective ways but still have a connective camaraderie that speaks to the tight dynamic of a group of people who care acutely about each other. The mental health content in regards to traumatic service, PTSD, anxiety in its various forms, social anxiety, fear-based spiralling, catastrophism, and negatively-primed inner and outer discontent was very well rendered through Kat. There was a solid grasp on the abrasive complexities of unmasked anxiety, catastrophe thinking, overanalysis, its respective situational triggers and the hyperfixations of thought born of fear and uncertainty. Fuelled by the wilds of the imagination and inflamed by disastrously imagined scenarios that upend all sense of clarity was believably propelled through this romance's heroine. This was via Kat mostly and it's worth mentioning that there are some on page panic attacks. The uneasiness, the fretfulness, the foreboding, the overthinking, the gnawing, chafing feeling that feels like steel spikes on your skin and hot lava under it, the boiling tempest within that can look and feel like distance, coldness, irritability, anger and unkindness on the outside. It was well represented. The issue was, I'm still undecided on how I feel about both main characters, as a pair and as individuals. Kat's anxiety was experientially palpable but appeared rather vague, with some allusions here and there to situational triggers, and wasn't supported by necessary commentary that could have communicated her issues better. In addition, there was some incoherent commentary voiced via her perspective that felt a tad non sequitur. If you're going to slip in comments that open a window to questionable statements, it's fair to say that some explanation might accompany the monologue. Whether born of her anxiety or legitimate past experience, I can't possibly know whether her thoughts are credible or not.
I understood the origins of Silas's inner turmoil to some extent, but Kat's was more obscure. We understand that Kat feels the extremes of it; in social settings, in conversation and in everyday life. As much as I was majorly looking forward to the take on the 'unlikeable' heroine, I couldn't make distinction between who Kat was and whether her reactions were always anxiety-based or just her. I didn't understand her outside of her anxiety, and that's a disturbance I was trying to work through and just couldn't grasp. I wanted to understand more of her as an individual and a person, more of her history and backstory, and I didn't. I had a separate but equally perplexing interpretation of who Silas was. Perhaps the author intended to demonstrate the distortions of character and personality, the depersonalisation that mental health conditions can evince in becoming the living form of an anxiety or PTSD disorder, but I'm still undecided on how I felt with the characterisation comprehensively. The mental health rep was well-defined by comparison but the characterisation was frazzling and intense in a way that needed words but didn't always have the words. The unsaid that needed to be said created a distance that didn't feel bridged. Although there was an understanding between Silas and Kat in relation to their separate anxieties, how they had the tact to help each other in those very raw moments of losing themselves, the lack of an emotional connection was a missing limb.
According to the blurb, we have a 'loud', 'cheerful' golden boy hero but I didn't feel that was achieved in its deliberate outward effect. What the author attempts is to have those qualities be performative for Silas, as he masks how he feels and who he is very often. I'm assuming the author was attempting a reverse of the 'soft inside, hard outside' trope. Silas is even described in similar terms, an approximation of 'iron on the inside, all charm and smiles on the outside.' He was contained and frayed but quasi-composed, which is often the case with masked trauma; we're always hiding who we are, what we are, how ugly the things we feel can feel. Those adjectives are deliberately peripheral but I still didn't understand who I was supposed to understand him to be. One could say that he was supposed to perform as the charming, easygoing, quick-to-smile bachelor on the periphery who's masking the darkness within him under such a guise. He comes across as an intense someone with an inner darkness that simmered, threatening to break free, his every interaction with Kat maintained that subtextual intensity which implicates his traumatic history as a serviceman. Based on the blurb, he wasn't quite what I thought he was going to be though. Either through his characterisation, behaviour or lack of definition, I found him to be underwhelming in parts. Perhaps his complexity could have been better underpinned, and I think I was hoping for more from them as individuals, and as a budding pair.
Although the romance was purposefully irritable, tense and unwieldy, the story wasn't at all made leaden with the mental health content. There was subtlety, a great lack of it for needed developments but it was still interesting, snarky, pointed, sober and honest. It was authentic, if not entirely fulfilling. Silas and Kat might be there for each other during some intense moments, but I think the author could have spared space to really anchor their romantic connection and strengthen their interactions with meaningful moments while still permitting both characters to remain true to themselves. While still sympathetic to and in mind of their mental health conditions. Unfortunately I didn't feel that their connection was well expressed but I did appreciate the honesty in the experiences they've both ostensibly had with past therapeutic interventions; you can do the 'right' things and implement the 'right' protocols to help you through an episodic, reactive period or the general living, but the reality often looks a lot different in the day to day. Is much more challenging in the face of using the learned tools. The techniques aren't always effective, the trauma still sits like a waiting beast with hackles raised and one eye open and the ongoing nature of their afflictions Is something to be lived with, not bespelled away by practiced techniques. Though they definitely can help.That was especially evident through Silas and his reflective thoughts of suicidal ideation that once left him in a tailspin. He clearly still struggles a lot. Silas's experiences really felt a part of him and Kat's anxiety felt just as much an albatross to her.
The enemies to lovers theme was introduced really well but I don't think it held well for me. Perhaps it was their respective psychological troubles that thwarted a deeper connection but despite how deep Kat's anxiety dwells, the relationship didn't hit that point of real, heart-embracing intimacy for me. I can appreciate their relationship growth; how sincere, realistic and no-nonsense they were with each other but I was waiting for them to connect with some pivotal moments that would bind the relationship building between them. There were times where I really enjoyed the careful build up, and there were times where I felt sidelined, irritable and confused. I will say that the author creates a discomforting atmosphere effectively. They're both quite layered and complex, both very imperfectly human, but I was expecting a deeper romantic connection for that reason. Even though it didn't happen in quite a memorable way, that's not to say that the story nor the relationships were without credibility. There was an understanding shared, but without a legitimate emotional connection. Things happened without always happening. The way they often related with each other was coarse, perplexing and baffling, and I did struggle at times with it. What took place was an uplifting, hopeful but honest and occasionally humorous representation of how two unlikely opposites could come together in spite of the darker, grislier parts of them. But also of how friendships can carry a great weight and lessen it in the same breath.
What I really did enjoy was the dynamic of the male friendship group. There's a subtle but significant bond between Silas and his friends; they tease, they taunt, they prod but there's a deep and gentle intimacy between them all. I haven't encountered healthy male relationships in fiction very often and this did flip the script with that in a very readable way. They talk, they embrace, they hug, they worry, they support and the interrelationships felt healthy. They all come together like a de facto family, and when Kat explains how they once ended a night with hugs for everyone, I felt the warmth of family in that. It was touching and connective. They all seem present for each other. Silas's history of grief was another great example of this, in the way the story briefly hints at how his friendship with Levi was his safest haven during the most traumatic period of his life. As aforementioned, I may not have read the preceding series, which Is why I felt a disconnect, but I could appreciate the relationships between them, even as I didn't know them very well. Despite a sense of something unexplored and unvoiced about the pairing, I have to say that there was a believable development between them as two chalk-and-cheese opposites who can't quite stand the sight of each other (to begin with).
Perhaps a more defined navigation between being a general support to the other and developing an otherwise romantic relationship should have been a more clearly outlined priority. But that said, I could appreciate the author's choice in playing with friction and exploring how the two of them relate and would eventually come together, even as I understand how they might have been paired with more suitable love interests. The gradual transitional movement from enemies to lovers was a believable strength of the novel, and the slow burn was very grounding. The bedroom scenes were scorching and the storytelling talent is certainly promising. Heavy themes meld suitably with humour, acceptance, friendships, steam and an interracial fake relationship romance. I will likely read more Roxie Noir romance, but all my qualms factored in, this was a tad anticlimactic as there was a struggle to find and form connection with what I was reading. I therefore didn't connect with it as much as I'd hoped to. Promising though, and I would definitely recommend this.
________________________________
Visit my blog: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @TheVicarious1
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
________________________________
July 21, 2022
Estuvo bonito.
A mí me das el trope de Fake Romance y yo lo leo.
Al principio me costó agarrarle a la narración, me perdía en muchas partes, pero una vez que te acostumbras todo mejora.
El conflicto también estuvo medio raro.
Pero la parte de la relación de ellos que es medio enemies to lovers y el fake dating estuvo genial, me gustó mucho el romance, el desarrollo y la pareja que hacían.
Yo pensé que iba a ser de esos libros medio rosas, mojigatos, pero HERMANA si tiene escenas spicy y bastantes
A mí me das el trope de Fake Romance y yo lo leo.
Al principio me costó agarrarle a la narración, me perdía en muchas partes, pero una vez que te acostumbras todo mejora.
El conflicto también estuvo medio raro.
Pero la parte de la relación de ellos que es medio enemies to lovers y el fake dating estuvo genial, me gustó mucho el romance, el desarrollo y la pareja que hacían.
Yo pensé que iba a ser de esos libros medio rosas, mojigatos, pero HERMANA si tiene escenas spicy y bastantes
May 23, 2022
Despite the heavier issues this book dealt with, it was actually a pretty light read. Kat and Silas were so cute and fun together. There are a lot of scenes with them together as a pretend couple that is usually missing from other stories with this trope.
I appreciated the diversity of both Kat and Silas. They were original and unique with struggles that were written in a way that shone a light on the issue without whacking me over the head with it. The evolution of their relationship from enemies to each other’s happy ever after was beautiful and accented with some intense chemistry and steam that ignited the page.
I loved the inclusion of characters we’ve met before and the way they gave each other a hard time while also being there when they needed someone to have their back. This is a lengthier book but had a good pace to it. Overall, a great read that had me cheering this couple on.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
I appreciated the diversity of both Kat and Silas. They were original and unique with struggles that were written in a way that shone a light on the issue without whacking me over the head with it. The evolution of their relationship from enemies to each other’s happy ever after was beautiful and accented with some intense chemistry and steam that ignited the page.
I loved the inclusion of characters we’ve met before and the way they gave each other a hard time while also being there when they needed someone to have their back. This is a lengthier book but had a good pace to it. Overall, a great read that had me cheering this couple on.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
September 10, 2023
The mental health rep in this book was excellent. I appreciated that Kat (h) and Silas (H) navigated some tough moments including panic attacks, PTSD, negative inner voices, and catastrophizing (which I applaud the author for specifically using this term since it's one I wasn't even aware of a few years ago). I knew that several GR friends had enjoyed this book, but somehow missed that some heavier topics, like the mental health aspect, were covered, though the story itself still has plenty of humor, romance, and steaminess.
I also liked that even though Kat and Silas have a negative history from their college years, and they start off with dislike and friction, they were still able to banter and be supportive of each other in tough moments. The book has the fake relationship trope with the mission of making an ex uncomfortable, but the pull between these two as shields were lowered and vulnerabilities exposed made it clear that they were perfect for each other long term. Silas is a lawyer whose firm wanted to see him settled down so the fake relationship benefits him in that way, plus he served in the military with Kat's ex and wasn't a fan. Kat is a project manager for programmers and had moved to their small town after the collapse of her relationship so is trying to build something there til her ex threatens that with his presence. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, sort of om drama in that the h's ex is working in her office for a month causing her stress but not because he wants her back, and neither are virgins (H hadn't been in a relationship in a while and leaned more towards rare encounters and h had been broken up with the ex for a year).
I liked how neither Kat or Silas felt pity for the other and how their care for each other was sincere, but also often no-nonsense. They each had that something the other one needed and the way they fit together was so perfect, but also something they had to work towards seeing. The fake relationship begins with rules and their chemistry during the PDA moments and dates begins pushing at those rules and what they think they want from the other. Some great scenes helped with this from going to karaoke to time at a fairground. The build-up was slow but spicy and the steamy times, once they got there, were fantastic. I always enjoy how this author writes steam. In this case there was some dirty talk and an element of control at play.
I loved how non-toxic Silas' friendships with his guy friends were! There's hugging and emotional support and love. I did feel a bit confused at first because I wasn't sure where Wildwood came into this and I thought I missed something so I would have preferred this was clear earlier. There was also casual discussion about a side character, who I wasn't sure who she was until a bit further in, making me also feel like I was missing something there. Kat also has a great best friend who was funny and caring. Silas' sister June, whose book is in the Loveless series that's also in this small town, didn't get as much page time as I expected, I would have thought she would have popped up earlier. But overall, the side characters really added to the story and set up the possibilities for the other books in the series. Shout out to Silas' cat though because Beast sounded adorable and I loved the scenes with her.
The communication about moving from fake to real dating felt so natural and there's no third act breakup. The story didn't fall into a lull, there was still anxiety over what was happening with Kat's job and a different kind of crisis pops up in the third act. The ending though had more of a HFN feel for me. I think because even though the epilogue is an adorable scene that was super cute, I wasn't completely sure if they were married or not. Marriage isn't a requirement for my HEAs, but they are, I generally like to see it on page or a mention of the wedding. The epilogue wasn't relationship focused and it threw me off slightly, even though they're clearly still in love and I think living together. I don't know if I'm explaining that well so I'm sorry. I am very excited for book 2, Gideon's book, because he was my favorite of Silas' friends (other than Levi, whose book I've already read).
I also liked that even though Kat and Silas have a negative history from their college years, and they start off with dislike and friction, they were still able to banter and be supportive of each other in tough moments. The book has the fake relationship trope with the mission of making an ex uncomfortable, but the pull between these two as shields were lowered and vulnerabilities exposed made it clear that they were perfect for each other long term. Silas is a lawyer whose firm wanted to see him settled down so the fake relationship benefits him in that way, plus he served in the military with Kat's ex and wasn't a fan. Kat is a project manager for programmers and had moved to their small town after the collapse of her relationship so is trying to build something there til her ex threatens that with his presence. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, sort of om drama in that the h's ex is working in her office for a month causing her stress but not because he wants her back, and neither are virgins (H hadn't been in a relationship in a while and leaned more towards rare encounters and h had been broken up with the ex for a year).
I liked how neither Kat or Silas felt pity for the other and how their care for each other was sincere, but also often no-nonsense. They each had that something the other one needed and the way they fit together was so perfect, but also something they had to work towards seeing. The fake relationship begins with rules and their chemistry during the PDA moments and dates begins pushing at those rules and what they think they want from the other. Some great scenes helped with this from going to karaoke to time at a fairground. The build-up was slow but spicy and the steamy times, once they got there, were fantastic. I always enjoy how this author writes steam. In this case there was some dirty talk and an element of control at play.
I loved how non-toxic Silas' friendships with his guy friends were! There's hugging and emotional support and love. I did feel a bit confused at first because I wasn't sure where Wildwood came into this and I thought I missed something so I would have preferred this was clear earlier. There was also casual discussion about a side character, who I wasn't sure who she was until a bit further in, making me also feel like I was missing something there. Kat also has a great best friend who was funny and caring. Silas' sister June, whose book is in the Loveless series that's also in this small town, didn't get as much page time as I expected, I would have thought she would have popped up earlier. But overall, the side characters really added to the story and set up the possibilities for the other books in the series. Shout out to Silas' cat though because Beast sounded adorable and I loved the scenes with her.
The communication about moving from fake to real dating felt so natural and there's no third act breakup. The story didn't fall into a lull, there was still anxiety over what was happening with Kat's job and a different kind of crisis pops up in the third act. The ending though had more of a HFN feel for me. I think because even though the epilogue is an adorable scene that was super cute, I wasn't completely sure if they were married or not. Marriage isn't a requirement for my HEAs, but they are, I generally like to see it on page or a mention of the wedding. The epilogue wasn't relationship focused and it threw me off slightly, even though they're clearly still in love and I think living together. I don't know if I'm explaining that well so I'm sorry. I am very excited for book 2, Gideon's book, because he was my favorite of Silas' friends (other than Levi, whose book I've already read).
June 22, 2023
DNF 🤦🏻♀️ I already don’t like Kat. To save face in front of her douchebag ex she pretends she’s dating Silas. Silas then says she’s owes him a favor of going to dinner at his bosses house, since she sprung a fake relationship on him in front of half the town & her ex. In her inner monologue she then thinks: (at 9%)
“He’s a handsome white guy who gets to disregard whatever rules he wants and run roughshod over anyone else, and he doesn’t even know it. He thinks I owe him.”
What the fuck does him being white have to do with anything? She owes him for saving her lying ass. For this to come up so quick in the book, literally for no reason, it cements my skepticism in reading more books from Roxie Noir.
11% we learn that Silas “ruined” 😢 Kat’s senior year in college when she was teaching a geology course. He came in hungover, bruised… blah blah blah. He had just gotten out of the freakin Marines. Kat suffers from mental illness but can’t stop being so self involved to see that he’s clearly suffering from PTSD? Any moron knowing he was in the Marines would be able to deduce that by his behavior. I can’t deal with this holier than thou bitch.
Every negative/imperfect interaction she has she attributes to white people, micro aggressions, and sexism. This isn’t the kind of person I want to read about.
💊 Side note: what person experiencing so many panic attacks goes anywhere without making sure they have their anti anxiety meds?!
The first two books in the Loveless brothers are the only good ones, the rest are garbage 💩
“He’s a handsome white guy who gets to disregard whatever rules he wants and run roughshod over anyone else, and he doesn’t even know it. He thinks I owe him.”
What the fuck does him being white have to do with anything? She owes him for saving her lying ass. For this to come up so quick in the book, literally for no reason, it cements my skepticism in reading more books from Roxie Noir.
11% we learn that Silas “ruined” 😢 Kat’s senior year in college when she was teaching a geology course. He came in hungover, bruised… blah blah blah. He had just gotten out of the freakin Marines. Kat suffers from mental illness but can’t stop being so self involved to see that he’s clearly suffering from PTSD? Any moron knowing he was in the Marines would be able to deduce that by his behavior. I can’t deal with this holier than thou bitch.
Every negative/imperfect interaction she has she attributes to white people, micro aggressions, and sexism. This isn’t the kind of person I want to read about.
💊 Side note: what person experiencing so many panic attacks goes anywhere without making sure they have their anti anxiety meds?!
The first two books in the Loveless brothers are the only good ones, the rest are garbage 💩
March 17, 2023
This is Silas and Kat's story. We got to know Silas from the Loveless brothers series. He's that crazy best friend that would take a special kind of woman to put up with him. Kat was a brilliant choice for him. Silas himself described her as teeth and claws at one point and it really does fit her. She's socially awkward, says things she probably shouldn't, and yet it made her exactly what Sila's needed. This was a couple that you never thought would fit together. They seemed more enemies than anything, but once they are forced to be together, it made them really take a look at each other and see more than the surface. I liked that.
January 17, 2025
4,5 stars. Rounding up because I was dreading the third act breakup and it didn’t happen. 😌
I didn’t know a book about two people with mental health issues could be so comforting.
Review laziness is not over, but I can manage bullet points 😃
- enemies to lovers
- fake dating
- mental health rep
- great communication (I loooooved the way they moved from fake dating to real dating)
- no third act breakup ❤️
- lots of spice
The book is currently free on Amazon, thanks BookBub for letting me know.
I didn’t know a book about two people with mental health issues could be so comforting.
Review laziness is not over, but I can manage bullet points 😃
- enemies to lovers
- fake dating
- mental health rep
- great communication (I loooooved the way they moved from fake dating to real dating)
- no third act breakup ❤️
- lots of spice
The book is currently free on Amazon, thanks BookBub for letting me know.
May 29, 2022
Favorite Quotes:
God, I love air conditioning. The pinnacle of human achievement.
‘...if you want me to break into his car and put shrimp paste under the floor mats, I will.” Now that’s the kind of friendship I need. “In August, no less,” I say. “Can you imagine?” “I don’t want to.” “My cousin’s friend’s roommate said someone did it to her once when she left her car somewhere for a whole weekend, and it smelled so bad she called the cops because she thought there had to be a dead body in there,” she says, comfortingly. “Wow,” I say, my chin digging into her shoulder. “One of the cops puked. She had to sell the car for scrap.
My face goes hot. My lips go cold. My body is somehow every temperature at once, I can’t feel my fingertips, and I think I might pass out from the sheer, all-consuming blinding rage. It feels like someone hooked my brain stem to a car battery, it’s so forceful, so palpable that I swear if I move at all I’ll send shockwaves through the room.
I’ve had one drink and I feel like I’m made of night air and fireworks.
Sentences feel like tetris when I’m like this: all pieces that could easily fit together if only I had enough skill and speed to make it work, which I never do.
My Review:
This is a fun and humorous read despite being filled with a cast of complicated and fractured characters with a multitude of issues they struggle with on a daily basis. Some were obvious and some were masked. This clever scribbler obviously knows a thing or two about anxiety and the ridiculousness of the scenarios the sufferer can conjure to endlessly fret over.
The characters were well-textured and frequently annoying yet oddly endearing and endlessly entertaining. I unequivocally adored Silas, and I knew I would, based on this wily writer’s skills.
While the overall plot was a common one, the storylines were original, authentic, highly amusing, smirk-worthy, atomically steamy, and unpredictable. Just like every other book by Ms. Noir that I’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon. The gal has mad skills and remains near the top of my list of favorites.
God, I love air conditioning. The pinnacle of human achievement.
‘...if you want me to break into his car and put shrimp paste under the floor mats, I will.” Now that’s the kind of friendship I need. “In August, no less,” I say. “Can you imagine?” “I don’t want to.” “My cousin’s friend’s roommate said someone did it to her once when she left her car somewhere for a whole weekend, and it smelled so bad she called the cops because she thought there had to be a dead body in there,” she says, comfortingly. “Wow,” I say, my chin digging into her shoulder. “One of the cops puked. She had to sell the car for scrap.
My face goes hot. My lips go cold. My body is somehow every temperature at once, I can’t feel my fingertips, and I think I might pass out from the sheer, all-consuming blinding rage. It feels like someone hooked my brain stem to a car battery, it’s so forceful, so palpable that I swear if I move at all I’ll send shockwaves through the room.
I’ve had one drink and I feel like I’m made of night air and fireworks.
Sentences feel like tetris when I’m like this: all pieces that could easily fit together if only I had enough skill and speed to make it work, which I never do.
My Review:
This is a fun and humorous read despite being filled with a cast of complicated and fractured characters with a multitude of issues they struggle with on a daily basis. Some were obvious and some were masked. This clever scribbler obviously knows a thing or two about anxiety and the ridiculousness of the scenarios the sufferer can conjure to endlessly fret over.
The characters were well-textured and frequently annoying yet oddly endearing and endlessly entertaining. I unequivocally adored Silas, and I knew I would, based on this wily writer’s skills.
While the overall plot was a common one, the storylines were original, authentic, highly amusing, smirk-worthy, atomically steamy, and unpredictable. Just like every other book by Ms. Noir that I’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon. The gal has mad skills and remains near the top of my list of favorites.
May 23, 2022
I loved the Loveless brothers and was very excited to find out we would get a book about Levi's best friend Silas. I just finished reading an advanced copy of the book and I hate to say that I didn't love it. It was an okay story. A story I could relate to because both characters suffer from anxiety and so do I. So I know what it feels like to be anxious all the time and I unfortunately know what a panic attack feels like. The author did a great job at portraying anxiety. What I didn't feel was a connection between Silas and Kat. There were too many things left unsaid. And while I could appreciate that in some situations, like when he recognized her impending panic attack and took control, making her feel better without over analyzing the reasons and she did the same for him, at some point I expected there to be a conversation about it and there was only one small one that explained his reasons, not hers. It was just this thing they knew about each other but never discussed.
So this is an enemies to lovers story which is my favorite trope. Silas told people at work he has a girlfriend when he doesn't and has run out of excuses as to why she never comes to any company events. He does this to show his boss he is in a stable relationship in hopes of a promotion. Kat is working at a company that her ex fiance's company has merged with and he is sent to her office for one month to audit the place. Silas and Kat's ex Evan, have history and don't like each other, so when the three of them are at the same event, Kat pretends Silas is her boyfriend and with pleading eyes, gets Silas to agree. Later they come to an agreement to fake date for one month. Then the typical happens, they spend more time together and start to develop real feelings. But nothing really happens. There's no real story line going on except for trying to make Evan jealous. There was no big make or break moment and other than their sexual encounters, there was no chemistry. There was no more mention of the promotion and whether or not Silas gets it. It was like the story was all about anxiety and sex, nothing else. Then there was Silas' friends and I only remembered one of them, a Loveless brother, although they were written in the book like I should already know who they are. Maybe I just forgot as it has been a long time since the last Loveless brother book, but I honestly have no clue who they are or how they fit into Silas' life.
This story just fell kind of flat for me. I gave it 3.5 stars because I could feel the anxiety like it was my own. The author either has anxiety or knows someone who does because I could feel it. I liked Silas, even though he was a lot less mysterious as he had been written in previous books, and I liked Kat. We hear their thoughts and reasons, but they never really communicate them to each other. Maybe that was the point, that they didn't need to because they understood? I don't know, but it didn't work for me. Maybe my hopes were just too high after Seth's book, the last in the Loveless brothers series, because I loved that book and gave it a raving 5 star review. So maybe that's part of it, and that I just expected something, I don't know, more? Either way, this story just didn't do it for me.
Bookstagrambrielle
So this is an enemies to lovers story which is my favorite trope. Silas told people at work he has a girlfriend when he doesn't and has run out of excuses as to why she never comes to any company events. He does this to show his boss he is in a stable relationship in hopes of a promotion. Kat is working at a company that her ex fiance's company has merged with and he is sent to her office for one month to audit the place. Silas and Kat's ex Evan, have history and don't like each other, so when the three of them are at the same event, Kat pretends Silas is her boyfriend and with pleading eyes, gets Silas to agree. Later they come to an agreement to fake date for one month. Then the typical happens, they spend more time together and start to develop real feelings. But nothing really happens. There's no real story line going on except for trying to make Evan jealous. There was no big make or break moment and other than their sexual encounters, there was no chemistry. There was no more mention of the promotion and whether or not Silas gets it. It was like the story was all about anxiety and sex, nothing else. Then there was Silas' friends and I only remembered one of them, a Loveless brother, although they were written in the book like I should already know who they are. Maybe I just forgot as it has been a long time since the last Loveless brother book, but I honestly have no clue who they are or how they fit into Silas' life.
This story just fell kind of flat for me. I gave it 3.5 stars because I could feel the anxiety like it was my own. The author either has anxiety or knows someone who does because I could feel it. I liked Silas, even though he was a lot less mysterious as he had been written in previous books, and I liked Kat. We hear their thoughts and reasons, but they never really communicate them to each other. Maybe that was the point, that they didn't need to because they understood? I don't know, but it didn't work for me. Maybe my hopes were just too high after Seth's book, the last in the Loveless brothers series, because I loved that book and gave it a raving 5 star review. So maybe that's part of it, and that I just expected something, I don't know, more? Either way, this story just didn't do it for me.
Bookstagrambrielle
August 23, 2022
Me costo agarrarle pero me terminó gustando mucho! Los protas tienen mucha química y la historia aunque cliché estuvo bonita
May 24, 2022
Hoisted by my own expectations
3 stars
The first book I ever read of Roxie Noir’s - Enemies With Benefits (which I absolutely adored, by the way) - was also the first time I was introduced to Silas. And I fell in love with this boyish charmer as he raced around a darkened winery with his night vision goggles and a quad bike. He’s popped up on the edges of all the subsequent Loveless books and each time, my anticipation for Silas to get his own story, grew and grew. I was practically vibrating with excited expectation.
It’s like when there’s a hot guy that’s on the edge of your friend group that you are absolutely smitten with. You dream about your life together, your marriage, your children. And then you finally go on that first date…and he’s not nearly as fantastic as you hoped or wanted him to be. I’m so sad to say that, for me, that was this book.
Obviously Silas is going to be more than just the boyish charmer that I first met in Enemies With Benefits. He’s got layers, depths and understandable hidden trauma. I still liked him in this book, but I felt that he’d lost a little of his spark - or perhaps my expectations were just too high. Even more so, with knowing him on a deeper level, I had a better idea in my mind of the kind of woman that was Silas’s perfect partner. And Kat was definitely not that.
Kat’s a hard person for me to have an opinion of because, well, I think she was a lot like me. Not just enough for me to feel a kinship with her, but so much that she irritated me. I applaud any author highlighting mental health issues but when it gets to the point that I feel I’m reading a blow by blow of the worst points of my own issues, I’m tapping out. I didn’t like her in the way I don’t like the way I sometimes act and behave. It was uncomfortable for me.
Equally, I couldn’t see any chemistry between Silas and Kat. It was great that they could help each other through their struggles but that’s no basis for a lasting relationship. Sure there was the sex scenes but they didn’t hit the mark for me.
Another reviewer expressed their confusion over the secondary characters in the book and I’m so glad. I, too, was confused as to the relationships in the group and as I was reading the banter I wondered if I was missing something as I just didn’t get it. I’m sure more will come out as the series continues but right now, it befuddled me! Also, the reasons for the fake relationship seemed flimsy at best and almost pointless after certain incidents in the story.
I realise I’ve gone hard for this book. I also realise that much of my opinion is probably based on ridiculously high expectations that just would never be able to fulfilled, as well as personal issues that meant I wasn’t as receptive to the story as others may be. I still loved Roxie Noir’s writing style and do look forward to moving on from this book and reading future books in the Wildwood Society series. I’m still giving this 3 stars and hope that if you read this book, you love it like I wish I could have.
January 3, 2025
Rocky start for me, but once passed the 20% range, it got great. Freaking steamy and their connection was fire. Loads of anxiety issues along with PTSD and tons of triggers.
May 24, 2022
Really loved this! Silas was charming and slightly goofy but with some real depth, and Kat was prickly without being bitchy, which I think is incredibly hard to do. Made me laugh several times, and of course the steamy scenes were fantastic. Also, love a romance with an external conflict and no shoehorned breakup!
June 22, 2023
You know when the book is way to long for it's own good? Yeah that happened. It dragged on for so long that i had to skim and skip and gallopp my way through it
October 19, 2024
I want to start by saying that the narrators of this audiobook were not good. The female narrator mispronounced at least a dozen words. It was like it was a computer that pronounces things based on common pronunciation of specific letter combinations rather than, you know, how people actually talk. It is hard to choose the worst one, but the one that sticks with me is that she pronounced archipelago, as ARCH-ah-pa-LAY-go. Also, she said ex-cape for escape which came up several times and really worked my last nerve. Additionally, her voice for the male characters was just bad. The male narrator also wasn't good, but at least he knew how to pronounce common words, so there is that. I tried not to count the bad narration in my assessment of the book, but it is hard to fully separate the two.
I adore Roxie Noir, This is my 4th series and I hope there is no end in sight. Her newsletter is the only newsletter I read religiously. She is smart and funny, she has a great ear for dialogue, and her couples are sexy and funny and, as the youngins say, goals. Of the Roxie books I have read, about ten books thus far, this was my least favorite. I would say a 3.5. The sexy times are delightfully sexy, and I like Silas' character (whom we know fairly well from the Loveless series since he is Levi's best friend and Rosie's brother) but Kat is so unpleasant and she catastrophizes constantly. (My ex did this, and it is terrible to live with. It saps all the fun out of life.) I know it is because of social anxiety, but she is both awkward and plain mean a lot of the time. Why do these men fall in love with her (there is an ex in the picture, so there are at least two men who have)? And do we want Silas to take on this high-maintenance woman when we know from earlier books that he has PTSD from his time in the Marines? I get that she understands him and can help him deal with his ghosts in a way that people without mental health challenges would not, and I get that he needs someone to keep him in line and give him structure. I just wish she was nicer. Certainly, she gets nicer, but for the first half of the book I actively disliked her. By the end though I mostly forgave and forgot and found that I was glad there was a foot for every shoe.
I adore Roxie Noir, This is my 4th series and I hope there is no end in sight. Her newsletter is the only newsletter I read religiously. She is smart and funny, she has a great ear for dialogue, and her couples are sexy and funny and, as the youngins say, goals. Of the Roxie books I have read, about ten books thus far, this was my least favorite. I would say a 3.5. The sexy times are delightfully sexy, and I like Silas' character (whom we know fairly well from the Loveless series since he is Levi's best friend and Rosie's brother) but Kat is so unpleasant and she catastrophizes constantly. (My ex did this, and it is terrible to live with. It saps all the fun out of life.) I know it is because of social anxiety, but she is both awkward and plain mean a lot of the time. Why do these men fall in love with her (there is an ex in the picture, so there are at least two men who have)? And do we want Silas to take on this high-maintenance woman when we know from earlier books that he has PTSD from his time in the Marines? I get that she understands him and can help him deal with his ghosts in a way that people without mental health challenges would not, and I get that he needs someone to keep him in line and give him structure. I just wish she was nicer. Certainly, she gets nicer, but for the first half of the book I actively disliked her. By the end though I mostly forgave and forgot and found that I was glad there was a foot for every shoe.
June 26, 2023
5 stars - loved this!! I have zero notes.
Opposites attract (she’s prickly, he’s the golden boy type) + fake dating to spite an ex. The story dealt with some heavy issues (mental health struggles), but Kat and Silas’s relationship had a lot of sweetness/romance and I really felt the connection. Their jagged edges fit so well, and there were so many moments where they were both thoughtful and supportive of each other. I loved how their dynamic went from antagonistic to antagonistic-in-a-fun-and-trusting-way. The steam was also excellent.
Seriously loved this so much.
Opposites attract (she’s prickly, he’s the golden boy type) + fake dating to spite an ex. The story dealt with some heavy issues (mental health struggles), but Kat and Silas’s relationship had a lot of sweetness/romance and I really felt the connection. Their jagged edges fit so well, and there were so many moments where they were both thoughtful and supportive of each other. I loved how their dynamic went from antagonistic to antagonistic-in-a-fun-and-trusting-way. The steam was also excellent.
Seriously loved this so much.
September 15, 2023
My favorite kind of new contemporary romance author to find, one where the leads are decent people just trying to get through their days and who make each other better! Would recommend if you are into same.
October 6, 2022
I love fake dating book but they have to make sense, this just meh. Roxie's Enemies with Benefits was much better.
October 27, 2024
boooooooorrrrriiiinnngggggg
January 4, 2025
Fake dating FOR SPITE with someone you hate made for a fun af read.
The mental health rep was also so well done.
Full rtc!
The mental health rep was also so well done.
Full rtc!
June 16, 2023
This was kinda hard to finish. I liked Silas, but Kat was so hard to like. She was somewhat relatable until I realized she's just straight-up rude, but she gets away with it because she's awkward-dorky-nerdy. Given her personality in this book, I seriously find it hard to believe she dated Evan for as long as she did. What a terrible man, and you would think she would be one of the first people to see through him. And I know she thinks about this too, but that's just my opinion. Like many reviews pointed out, the whole reasoning behind the fake dating didn't make much sense to me. It's odd they would do so much for someone they don't really care about (staying at the same hotel as Evan just so he could see them make out is crazy). Then, when they finally start dating it doesn't feel like it at all cause Kat treats him as a booty call, and it was strange to me. Sometimes she'd be insensitive and kinda rude, but that'd just be simp material for him which was crazy to me? I know he hates pity, but there's something in between pity and whatever the heck she says. And then his whole i-dont-want-sweetness-i-want-your-claws-and-teeth thing, and I was frankly just tired. It was also quite long. But his friend group seems really great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2022
For everyone that has read the Loveless brothers series and has been waiting for Silas' story, well it is here and it is everything that we have been hoping for. If you haven't read the Loveless brothers books I really feel that it is essential to at least read Break the Rules first to really appreciate Silas' character. We first met him in Enemies With Benefits and since he is Levi's best friend and is an unofficial extended family member of the Loveless brothers his character has appeared throughout the series. He's a smart, funny, quirky lawyer in their small town and I always felt that he had a lot of layers and in The One Month Boyfriend we finally get to peel them back. Kat also works in town with a geological company and he and Kat have a history that dates way back to college. When Kat's ex shows up at her company due to a recent merger this high strung gal is on the brink of implosion. Who comes to her rescue with a crazy plan? Silas! He needs a fake girlfriend to attend office functions with him and she needs a boyfriend to piss off her ex. It's the perfect plan if these two can actually get along! I loved everything about their story. I love that neither Kat or Silas is perfect beneath the picture that they present to the outside world. I love their banter. I love their humor and heartache. I have had a special place for Silas ever since he rode that riding lawn mower wearing night vision goggles in Enemies With Benefits. So do yourself a huge favor and not only read this book but go back and read the Loveless Brothers books because they are all smart, funny and spicy too! Told from dual POV and plenty of heat it really is the perfect summer read.
May 21, 2022
This book is on my "must read again" list. I first met Silas in the Loveless Brothers series, which I cannot recommend enough. I have been looking forward to reading about Silas, and I have to admit that I like this one just as much as the Loveless series, maybe more.
Kat and Silas carry a lot of baggage into this story, and it takes some reading persistence to let that unfold to better understand their personalities, quirks, and relationship history. Despite some ugly history between them, years in the past and when they were nearly strangers, it is nothing short of FUN to listen to their snarky banter as they (of course they do) fall for each other after inadvertently getting themselves into a fake dating scenario.
Given all of that, this story has some layers, and for a rom-com, that is refreshing. The writing is fun, often metaphorical, and is simply interesting to read and hard to put down. (I read an ARC copy, and I expect it went through some additional copyediting to get those typos taken care of.)
The characters make this story, because even though they may think they have reasons to hate one another for things that happened in the past, they are always good to each other. There is an honesty in their behavior with one another, even while they are faking a relationship, that allows the reader to root for them and hope that they end up together.
These characters bring issues of PTSD and anxiety into the heart of the story, and their reactions to each other in these moments are mature, deep, and often emotional - but only in good and sometimes hilarious ways. Kat's tendency to be unapologetically blunt - a rule follower who doesn't mince her words (and doesn't always follow her own rules) - is my favorite character trait in this book, and I love that Silas likes it too.
Roxie's stories always make me want to step into the community of friends that she creates. The secondary characters, friends of Kat and Silas, I expect, may provide the pavement for the next stories in this series. At least, I hope there is more coming soon.
Kat and Silas carry a lot of baggage into this story, and it takes some reading persistence to let that unfold to better understand their personalities, quirks, and relationship history. Despite some ugly history between them, years in the past and when they were nearly strangers, it is nothing short of FUN to listen to their snarky banter as they (of course they do) fall for each other after inadvertently getting themselves into a fake dating scenario.
Given all of that, this story has some layers, and for a rom-com, that is refreshing. The writing is fun, often metaphorical, and is simply interesting to read and hard to put down. (I read an ARC copy, and I expect it went through some additional copyediting to get those typos taken care of.)
The characters make this story, because even though they may think they have reasons to hate one another for things that happened in the past, they are always good to each other. There is an honesty in their behavior with one another, even while they are faking a relationship, that allows the reader to root for them and hope that they end up together.
These characters bring issues of PTSD and anxiety into the heart of the story, and their reactions to each other in these moments are mature, deep, and often emotional - but only in good and sometimes hilarious ways. Kat's tendency to be unapologetically blunt - a rule follower who doesn't mince her words (and doesn't always follow her own rules) - is my favorite character trait in this book, and I love that Silas likes it too.
Roxie's stories always make me want to step into the community of friends that she creates. The secondary characters, friends of Kat and Silas, I expect, may provide the pavement for the next stories in this series. At least, I hope there is more coming soon.
May 28, 2022
there's not enough fake dating books in the world for me to satisfy...i will read this trope until my last breath and i'll enjoy all of them <3
“You’re being very dramatic,” she says, voice low. “This isn’t a soap opera.”
i love it when the couple acts like ADULTS as they should!!! there was so much potential for a third act break-up and i'm so glad she didn't do that
loved this book, loved silas and his friends and kat <3 can't wait to read about the boys
“You’re being very dramatic,” she says, voice low. “This isn’t a soap opera.”
i love it when the couple acts like ADULTS as they should!!! there was so much potential for a third act break-up and i'm so glad she didn't do that
loved this book, loved silas and his friends and kat <3 can't wait to read about the boys
May 30, 2025
⭐ 4.25
🌶️ 2
🥵 Spicy chapters: 26, 30, 32, 36
📚 Tropes/Themes: hate to love, enemies to lovers, fake dating, mental health rep, snarky banter, praise, good girl, they heal each other, small town, opposites attract
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🧠 Triggers: panic attacks, PTSD, mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation, alcoholism, mentioned of drug addiction
🛍️ Available: Now
💬 Well I feel bad that it took me so long to get around to finishing this, but it's a great book! I've been a fan of Silas since Levi and June's book obviously so I was excited to finally get a chance to read his HEA.
Silas is just....idk my heart just aches for him. I was going to describe him as a golden retriever MMC, but I think he's actually more of a burnt cinnamon roll because of all the shit he's dealt with. And it made me so happy to see how Kat was able to peel away those layers to get to his squishy swoony insides. He also just seemed so overwhelmingly realistic. I mean he's a book boyfriend so I know he's a little hyped up but I think that he was a very relatable character.
To be completely honest for a while I really just thought that Kat was kind of a bitch who refused to give Silas the benefit of the doubt and it was annoying lol. Probably it's because (again) I already knew about Silas from the other books so I had an image of him in my head already built up and Kat had totally misunderstood him. I knew in the back of my head that I was wrong but I guess I got so caught up in the story that it took me a while to remember that. Once we started to learn more about her as a character I liked her a lot. I also appreciated how we saw Kat trying to work through her anxiety, trying to remind herself that "it's all in her head". I can definitely relate to a lot of that.
The story itself is another perfect example of Noir's typical snark and sarcasm which I looooovvvvvve- it's why I'm such a fan of her writing. I feel like the banter in this book was especially excellent though. I don't know how many times I highlighted their little quips and back and forth barbs.
I guess my only real complaint is the third act drama seemed out of place. It was definitely hinted at throughout the book so the setup was there but it wasn't really centered around the MCs so it felt confusing. I guess I expected Kat and Silas to be more involved in it? My guess is that it's to set up a later book.
Either way still another fabulous book from Noir, and I can't wait to read the next one!
🌶️ 2
🥵 Spicy chapters: 26, 30, 32, 36
📚 Tropes/Themes: hate to love, enemies to lovers, fake dating, mental health rep, snarky banter, praise, good girl, they heal each other, small town, opposites attract
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🧠 Triggers: panic attacks, PTSD, mentions of suicide/suicidal ideation, alcoholism, mentioned of drug addiction
🛍️ Available: Now
💬 Well I feel bad that it took me so long to get around to finishing this, but it's a great book! I've been a fan of Silas since Levi and June's book obviously so I was excited to finally get a chance to read his HEA.
Silas is just....idk my heart just aches for him. I was going to describe him as a golden retriever MMC, but I think he's actually more of a burnt cinnamon roll because of all the shit he's dealt with. And it made me so happy to see how Kat was able to peel away those layers to get to his squishy swoony insides. He also just seemed so overwhelmingly realistic. I mean he's a book boyfriend so I know he's a little hyped up but I think that he was a very relatable character.
To be completely honest for a while I really just thought that Kat was kind of a bitch who refused to give Silas the benefit of the doubt and it was annoying lol. Probably it's because (again) I already knew about Silas from the other books so I had an image of him in my head already built up and Kat had totally misunderstood him. I knew in the back of my head that I was wrong but I guess I got so caught up in the story that it took me a while to remember that. Once we started to learn more about her as a character I liked her a lot. I also appreciated how we saw Kat trying to work through her anxiety, trying to remind herself that "it's all in her head". I can definitely relate to a lot of that.
The story itself is another perfect example of Noir's typical snark and sarcasm which I looooovvvvvve- it's why I'm such a fan of her writing. I feel like the banter in this book was especially excellent though. I don't know how many times I highlighted their little quips and back and forth barbs.
I guess my only real complaint is the third act drama seemed out of place. It was definitely hinted at throughout the book so the setup was there but it wasn't really centered around the MCs so it felt confusing. I guess I expected Kat and Silas to be more involved in it? My guess is that it's to set up a later book.
Either way still another fabulous book from Noir, and I can't wait to read the next one!
June 13, 2023
A great read to hit my yearly reading goal!!!
I honestly didn't think I would like this book, but I'm so glad I did. It's an enemies to lover romance, I personally think they both had "good" reasons to not like one another, it wasn't something like "I just don't like you" thing. But they both got over it, thankfully.
They had banter right from the beginning of their fake relationship, which made me laugh so much. I felt like the meshed together well when they weren't screaming at one another lol Thankfully the screaming doesn't last long!
The chemistry started off subtly, both seeing things they liked that they didn't notice before. When the romance finally began to spark, you could just feel the chemistry between them. And I'm glad they didn't pull away from it, yes they had "rules" and tried to keep things pg, but they fell into their feelings. There was spice, I really enjoyed it and honestly some parts surprised me! In a good!
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS! I can't stand miscommunication, I know it's fictional, but we are adults and don't like that bs. So I'm so glad that all throughout this book, the two of them were honest about their feelings and there wasn't any third act break up.
There are some tough subjects in this book ( ), but I think they were written extremely well and though I don't like any of those things (like people dealing with them) the author made them feel real and not some non important thing. If that makes sense.
Overall, I'm happy about this book. And I want to read the series, though I'm extremely happy with this one!
I honestly didn't think I would like this book, but I'm so glad I did. It's an enemies to lover romance, I personally think they both had "good" reasons to not like one another, it wasn't something like "I just don't like you" thing. But they both got over it, thankfully.
They had banter right from the beginning of their fake relationship, which made me laugh so much. I felt like the meshed together well when they weren't screaming at one another lol Thankfully the screaming doesn't last long!
The chemistry started off subtly, both seeing things they liked that they didn't notice before. When the romance finally began to spark, you could just feel the chemistry between them. And I'm glad they didn't pull away from it, yes they had "rules" and tried to keep things pg, but they fell into their feelings. There was spice, I really enjoyed it and honestly some parts surprised me! In a good!
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS! I can't stand miscommunication, I know it's fictional, but we are adults and don't like that bs. So I'm so glad that all throughout this book, the two of them were honest about their feelings and there wasn't any third act break up.
There are some tough subjects in this book ( ), but I think they were written extremely well and though I don't like any of those things (like people dealing with them) the author made them feel real and not some non important thing. If that makes sense.
Overall, I'm happy about this book. And I want to read the series, though I'm extremely happy with this one!
May 24, 2022
I haven't read Levi's story so I don't know much about Silas prior to this book. I was able to follow along with this book without confusion.
I think the premise of this book was very interesting. I love a good enemies to lovers book and this started out very well but then it just switched to them not being able to keep their hands off each other. They talked about their past so they understood each other but it just felt too instant.
I did like how the author talked about anxiety and panic attacks. Both characters deal with lots of things and I like how they both helped each other.
I love authors who write diverse characters and the small moment of micro-aggression is relatable as an Asian American. The thing I got tired of was the author's constant reminders of how Kat was Asian via Asian glow mentioned several times and her references to white men. It got repetitive and redundant.
Overall, this book was okay but not my favorite. It felt like the story dragged on and nothing really happened. It just missed the mark for me but I still love other books by this author.
I think the premise of this book was very interesting. I love a good enemies to lovers book and this started out very well but then it just switched to them not being able to keep their hands off each other. They talked about their past so they understood each other but it just felt too instant.
I did like how the author talked about anxiety and panic attacks. Both characters deal with lots of things and I like how they both helped each other.
I love authors who write diverse characters and the small moment of micro-aggression is relatable as an Asian American. The thing I got tired of was the author's constant reminders of how Kat was Asian via Asian glow mentioned several times and her references to white men. It got repetitive and redundant.
Overall, this book was okay but not my favorite. It felt like the story dragged on and nothing really happened. It just missed the mark for me but I still love other books by this author.
August 30, 2024
I did not expect to like it so much to be honest.
There's not much I didn't like in this book. I loved the FMC, with her flaws because I could relate to her. Loved the portraying of the catastrophizing anxiety. I saw some reviews saying she was immature but bro, that's how the mind works, it's mental illness.
I also loved how they went to fake relationship to real relationship, like adults, not fighting the inevitable lust/feelings. They had a great chemistry, great banter, I loved them together.
And cherry on top of the cake ✨ no miscommunication, no 3rd act break-up ✨
AND EVEN BETTER, in the epilogue
There's not much I didn't like in this book. I loved the FMC, with her flaws because I could relate to her. Loved the portraying of the catastrophizing anxiety. I saw some reviews saying she was immature but bro, that's how the mind works, it's mental illness.
I also loved how they went to fake relationship to real relationship, like adults, not fighting the inevitable lust/feelings. They had a great chemistry, great banter, I loved them together.
And cherry on top of the cake ✨ no miscommunication, no 3rd act break-up ✨
AND EVEN BETTER, in the epilogue
May 28, 2022
I felt like even though this was the first book in the Wildwood series, there must have been books I was supposed to read first. There were characters and backstories that were established that I didn’t know. It was still and enjoyable read.
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July 21, 2025I really don't know why I keep trying these types of romance books when they're clearly not for me 🙃
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