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Fake Engagement Collection #2
Something New
It was a fake engagement. Laura Lee never meant to fall in love… After losing her job and her grandmother, Laura Lee can barely drag herself out of bed. She's confused, lonely, and stuck in a rut. When Aiden is hired as the handyman next door, Laura Lee finds purpose again in more ways than one. The first day on the job, Aiden finds a clue about his birth mother. Needing a reason to stick around after hours, he turns to his new neighbor for information—a meeting that leads to a beneficial friendship which spins out of control as the words, “We’re engaged,” slip out of his mouth in an effort to stay close to his source. Laura Lee is too head-over-heels to correct him, and makes it her mission to convince him his slip of the tongue is really true love. Will their growing feelings be enough to keep them together, or is their friendship destined to end when his search does?
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2020
13 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Rabe
28 books115 followersAfter going on over 150 first dates, Jenny has a a wealth of dating experience. She lives with her husband and three kids near the mountains, drawing inspiration from the constant ups and downs of relationships. When she's not writing clean, swoony romances, she's following some other dream to make a difference in the world.
Check out her inspirational romances under the penname of June B. Anderson.
Check out her inspirational romances under the penname of June B. Anderson.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 9, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ (rounding to 5 as if you are a romance reader you will likely love this book as I enjoyed it and am not a romance reader)
I always know when I pick up a Jenny Rabe book that it will be sweet, cozy, and have a happy ending! :)
This sweet romance book is the second in Jenny Rabe’s collection of fake engagement stories. This book had an element of mystery to it, and I did not call the ending early on in the book (which I count as a big win since I often immediately call the endings of books). I could see this becoming a hallmark movie!
In this book Laura Lee was a sweet character who was dealing with some hurt and difficult times from her past, and Aiden was a misunderstood guy who was currently walking through some acutely difficult problems in his life. Neither character was one that I found I could relate to strongly, but I do think they were a good match for each other. One of my favorite elements of this book, aside from just the mystery portion which I enjoyed, was the way the story line brought you between the past with letters/stories and present where you could imagine two storylines happening in the same location but at different times. I also feel like Jenny does a really good job of researching the professions she uses for characters in her books which adds to the realism (even for side characters).
I didn’t connect with the characters in this book as much as I did the first book in the series, but of course that is just personal preference. It also speaks to how much I enjoyed the first book in this collection, as again, I rarely reach for a romance book! I also do feel like the romance in this book was a bit more front stage (I am not a big romance reader so I tend to read less center stage romances with lots of pining), but it was still an enjoyable read that was clean and held a positive message even throughout the difficult and negative situations the characters were walking through.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this collection of books to any romance reader. I also appreciate that her books are always on the sweet, clean side and I don’t have to worry about what content will pop up.
Potential spoilers ahead so do skip if concerned, but I know when I research books I want to find reviews where people go over the content level in books to make sure it’s one I would enjoy before I pick it up, so if you are like me here is my review of the content below:
Content:
•No profanity
•The romance is clean (For this book/series so far: it is not including any fade to black/closed door scenes at all, and in all her books I have read ~ marriage is referenced and no explicit scenes occur (no implied/fade to black/closed door) before or after marriage)
•There is lots of pining for each main character in this book and discussion of attraction etc., but again nothing going beyond kissing
•Reference to drug use/addiction- not explicit in any way
I always know when I pick up a Jenny Rabe book that it will be sweet, cozy, and have a happy ending! :)
This sweet romance book is the second in Jenny Rabe’s collection of fake engagement stories. This book had an element of mystery to it, and I did not call the ending early on in the book (which I count as a big win since I often immediately call the endings of books). I could see this becoming a hallmark movie!
In this book Laura Lee was a sweet character who was dealing with some hurt and difficult times from her past, and Aiden was a misunderstood guy who was currently walking through some acutely difficult problems in his life. Neither character was one that I found I could relate to strongly, but I do think they were a good match for each other. One of my favorite elements of this book, aside from just the mystery portion which I enjoyed, was the way the story line brought you between the past with letters/stories and present where you could imagine two storylines happening in the same location but at different times. I also feel like Jenny does a really good job of researching the professions she uses for characters in her books which adds to the realism (even for side characters).
I didn’t connect with the characters in this book as much as I did the first book in the series, but of course that is just personal preference. It also speaks to how much I enjoyed the first book in this collection, as again, I rarely reach for a romance book! I also do feel like the romance in this book was a bit more front stage (I am not a big romance reader so I tend to read less center stage romances with lots of pining), but it was still an enjoyable read that was clean and held a positive message even throughout the difficult and negative situations the characters were walking through.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this collection of books to any romance reader. I also appreciate that her books are always on the sweet, clean side and I don’t have to worry about what content will pop up.
Potential spoilers ahead so do skip if concerned, but I know when I research books I want to find reviews where people go over the content level in books to make sure it’s one I would enjoy before I pick it up, so if you are like me here is my review of the content below:
Content:
•No profanity
•The romance is clean (For this book/series so far: it is not including any fade to black/closed door scenes at all, and in all her books I have read ~ marriage is referenced and no explicit scenes occur (no implied/fade to black/closed door) before or after marriage)
•There is lots of pining for each main character in this book and discussion of attraction etc., but again nothing going beyond kissing
•Reference to drug use/addiction- not explicit in any way
February 3, 2021
Absolutely LOVED This Sweet Romance
This was an excellent book. I loved the characters. I could easily empathize with them. They both were broken in beautiful ways and grew together. The fake engagement circumstances were abrupt and kept me turning pages to see what happened. I really didn’t want to put this one down. There was also a bit of a mystery to figure out who Aiden’s mother was. Laura Lee was sweet and lovable as well (she’s also a great protagonist). If you’re looking for a clean, sweet romance, look no further!
This was an excellent book. I loved the characters. I could easily empathize with them. They both were broken in beautiful ways and grew together. The fake engagement circumstances were abrupt and kept me turning pages to see what happened. I really didn’t want to put this one down. There was also a bit of a mystery to figure out who Aiden’s mother was. Laura Lee was sweet and lovable as well (she’s also a great protagonist). If you’re looking for a clean, sweet romance, look no further!
February 15, 2025
What a great love story! Aiden is definitely a contender for book boyfriend material! A construction worker with a side gig, Aiden lives a somewhat transient life. A family mystery and neighbors of Laura Lee bring unexpected changes for all involved. The answer? A fake engagement of course!
I felt sprinkles of Hallmark and Nicholas Sparks in this sweet romance by Jenny Rabe. What a romantic and emotional combination!
Definitely one of my favorites by Jenny!
I felt sprinkles of Hallmark and Nicholas Sparks in this sweet romance by Jenny Rabe. What a romantic and emotional combination!
Definitely one of my favorites by Jenny!
June 17, 2020
I enjoyed this book even more than Something Old, book 1 in the series. The characters are different, so they can definitely be read out of order. The plot had a bit of a twist than typical fake engagement story lines, which was refreshing. Jenny kept my attention throughout the whole book and I love the wholesome romance that she weaves between the characters.
July 19, 2020
Not really, but in the story there is a large difference in wealth between Laura Lee and Aiden. But the story brings out the hurts and grief of long ago and currently as well. There is mystery that needs to be solved of family, and a funny "fake engagement" that grows into more. I really did enjoy this book, and am so happy with the lovely ending.
February 12, 2021
Another great read by the author! I've read a few books by Jenny and this one didn't disappoint either. Laura Lee moved to town a few years ago and is struggling to find out what she wants to do with her life. Aiden moves to town to be close to his ailing father and find his mom. It's a sweet clean romance that I would recommend to others.
June 16, 2020
I adore how light hearted this romances are. Even when touching on heavy topics Jenny’s writing leaves me with peace and happiness. I loved the connection these characters had to each other as they work together to solve an interesting mystery. Definitely my newest favorite in romance!
June 16, 2020
I read and read tons. I have read all Jenny's books. This was my favorite. It had mystery with a unforeseen twist. Some of it was predictable but not All. Jenny did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.
February 22, 2021
Heartfelt
Every word from beginning to end had me laughing, crying, and loving every second. I was heartbroken during parts and shocked when things were revealed. I was left wanting more but happy how it ended.
Every word from beginning to end had me laughing, crying, and loving every second. I was heartbroken during parts and shocked when things were revealed. I was left wanting more but happy how it ended.
June 18, 2020
Such a cute story! I couldn't put it down!! It was just the book I needed to get out of my funk. It took me into a whole new place and I never wanted it to end. I loved every bit of it.
December 23, 2023
This was so good. Great writing, great story, and great characters!!
I received a copy of this book from the author, but I am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion here.
I received a copy of this book from the author, but I am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion here.
December 4, 2024
Cute fake engagement romance with a bit of mystery.
June 16, 2020
Jenny Rabe has done it again with a clever, clean, romantic story. The characters are nicely developed and the story is well paced. There are just enough additional people introduced to fill in the plot without making it hard to follow. Besides the problem for Laura Lee of what to do with the rest of her life since she no longer has financial needs, she is now faced with a choice between two handsome young men each trying to win her affection. Then there is Aiden and his struggles with caring for his dying father and the mystery involving his mother. There are a lot of stories out now with the male lead as a billionaire. Aiden is much easier to relate to as a hard working lovable guy who just happens to be gorgeous.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I am delighted to report that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to more of her stories.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I am delighted to report that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to more of her stories.
June 11, 2020
This was an original Fake Fiancé Romance that I can get behind. The story was fresh and nothing like anything I have read recently. There was just enough mystery for it to be fun.
I really enjoyed the character development and the way the mystery brought several pieces together. There was laughter, sadness, and hope throughout that helped me to connect to the story and the characters.
I am really loving Jenny Rabe’s Fake Fiancé Series and look forward to the next installment.
I was given an eARC by the author and this is my honest review.
I really enjoyed the character development and the way the mystery brought several pieces together. There was laughter, sadness, and hope throughout that helped me to connect to the story and the characters.
I am really loving Jenny Rabe’s Fake Fiancé Series and look forward to the next installment.
I was given an eARC by the author and this is my honest review.
June 16, 2020
Another great read by the author! I've read a few books by Jenny and this one didn't disappoint either. Laura Lee moved to town a few years ago and is struggling to find out what she wants to do with her life. Aiden moves to town to be close to his ailing father and find his mom. It's a sweet clean romance that I would recommend to others.
June 15, 2020
Something New was a great romance that was fast paced and clean. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other. It had some mystery which added a fun twist to the story.
I did receive a copy from the author; this is an honest review.
I did receive a copy from the author; this is an honest review.
June 16, 2020
I loved this story. I loved the clean romance with just a hint of mystery. I couldn't put this down as I couldn't wait to find out the answers to the mystery. I can't wait for the next Fake Engagement book!
June 17, 2020
I'm thoroughly loving this collection. The 1st book was great. The 2nd did not disappoint. I love how the characters are real and relatable. I couldnt put the book down. I highly recommend this book.
June 16, 2020
I’ve read a few books by Jenny and she just keeps getting better and better! What a fun and cute read! Loved the characters and storyline. Couldn’t wait to get to the end to see how it ended! I
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews