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Fake Boyfriend #3
Joueur
Ollie
Note à moi-même : ne jamais – jamais – faire son coming out à un parfait étranger dans des toilettes publiques. (Même si cet étranger est un adorable intello super mignon.)
Ma famille est persuadée que je ne serai jamais heureux en restant dans le placard. Mon hargneux ex-petit ami ainsi que ma carrière en berne peuvent en témoigner. Alors un faux petit-ami me semblait être la solution parfaite pour que ma famille me fiche la paix. Et j’avais même trouvé le mec parfait. Peut-être que j’aurais dû commencer par lui demander son nom ?
Lennon
Note à moi-même : éviter d’omettre une information capitale quand on se présente peut sauver des vies (ou des carrières).
Quand j’ai fait la rencontre de la star du hockey Ollie Strömberg, je ne l’ai pas reconnu. Je suis journaliste sur le foot, pas le hockey ! Et puis, nous n’étions pas censés nous revoir. Mais voilà, mon rédacteur en chef en a décidé autrement.
Ceci est une leçon que j’aurais dû retenir depuis le lycée : les sportifs n’aiment pas les intellos. Pire, les athlètes de haut niveau détestent les journalistes. Surtout ceux qui connaissent leur plus grand secret.
#Sexy #FauxPetitAmi #MM #Sportif
*Chaque tome peut se lire séparément
Note à moi-même : ne jamais – jamais – faire son coming out à un parfait étranger dans des toilettes publiques. (Même si cet étranger est un adorable intello super mignon.)
Ma famille est persuadée que je ne serai jamais heureux en restant dans le placard. Mon hargneux ex-petit ami ainsi que ma carrière en berne peuvent en témoigner. Alors un faux petit-ami me semblait être la solution parfaite pour que ma famille me fiche la paix. Et j’avais même trouvé le mec parfait. Peut-être que j’aurais dû commencer par lui demander son nom ?
Lennon
Note à moi-même : éviter d’omettre une information capitale quand on se présente peut sauver des vies (ou des carrières).
Quand j’ai fait la rencontre de la star du hockey Ollie Strömberg, je ne l’ai pas reconnu. Je suis journaliste sur le foot, pas le hockey ! Et puis, nous n’étions pas censés nous revoir. Mais voilà, mon rédacteur en chef en a décidé autrement.
Ceci est une leçon que j’aurais dû retenir depuis le lycée : les sportifs n’aiment pas les intellos. Pire, les athlètes de haut niveau détestent les journalistes. Surtout ceux qui connaissent leur plus grand secret.
#Sexy #FauxPetitAmi #MM #Sportif
*Chaque tome peut se lire séparément
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2019
1254 people are currently reading
4899 people want to read
About the author
Eden Finley
70 books7,858 followersEden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are mostly full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She lives to create an escape from real life for herself and her readers.
She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.
She lives to create an escape from real life for herself and her readers.
She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,570 reviews
December 20, 2018
Wow, this feels like some big ole' Eden Finley book 1 déjà vu, because once again...
I have nothing but LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for this story.
At 24, NHL player Ollie had zero problem with the fact that he was gay, but his entire family took major issue with him not coming out yet, as they didn't understand that the issue was way less about shame and way more about holding onto a job in hockey that he truly loved.
So after one family dinner, accidentally coming out to a stranger in the bathroom, and an offer of assistance from said stranger, Ollie found himself introducing his (*cough-fake-cough) boyfriend, Clark, to his large, supportive family.
Except Clark was actually Lennon, a sports journalist and the very last person that Ollie would've chosen to come out to, if he'd known he was putting his one big secret in jeopardy beforehand.
Every little thing about this book was on point. Nope, not even a single niggle that I can think of. This story had the perfect blend of feels, insecurities, angst, steam, and snarky banter.
Plus, a reporter that looked like a blond Clark Kent falling for a Nordic God of a jock? Umm, YES, PLEASE!
I fell in love with Ollie's family immediately, but could see from a mile off that the fake boyfriend lie was going to be a difficult one to escape, and it was.
“When are you going to tell them the truth about me?” he whispers.The big secret, that Clark was in fact Lennon came to a head, when Ollie's brothers were talking shit about Ollie's situation and Lennon came to his defense, which I adored, because *that* was when the true, bone-deep feelings actually became apparent between the MC's.
I shrug. “At our engagement party?”
Matt's little brother, Jet, was an amazingly-fun character, too. Talk about being a total little spitfire, full of piss and vinegar.
“I’m only here because of my roommate.”The humor was a thing of beauty in this story, especially when everyone and their grandmother kept calling Ollie "pretty".
Jet raises his hand. “That would be me. He wanted to go home, but I convinced him to stay for at least five drinks.”
“Two.”
“Okay, seven.”
I’m learning really fast that negotiating with Jet is pointless.
“There’s that fuckin’ pretty word again. I’m not pretty. I’m wicked badass.”Along with Lennon's jealousy.
“Of course, you are, baby.” I pat his cheek.
Even though I’m being condescending, he has this weird smile on his face as if I just told him he’s won the Hottest Man on Earth competition. Which, in all fairness, if it was a thing, he could totally win.
“There you go calling me pretty again,” he grumbles.And the sexy times, which began with a somewhat-daring blowjob taunt.
“You are kinda pretty.” Soren turns to us from the passenger seat with a charming smile showing off the dark scruff on his face.
Ollie chuckles at me. “I think you’re growling. Are you trying to growl? Fuck, that’s adorable.”
I didn’t know it was possible for someone to call me a pussy with just their eyes, but Lennon pulls it off flawlessly.Finley didn't disappoint in her avoidance of contrived drama and the ever-dreaded Big Misunderstanding, either, as neither were anywhere to be found, Praise the Lawd.
The slow burn in this story was exquisite, but when the MC's realized and admitted their true feelings, it felt believable and pretty damn sublime.
Ugh. I sound like a puck bunny. I gasp. I’m Ollie’s puck bunny! I chuckle at myself, because even though I’m joking, I don’t actually mind the sound of that.The book ends with a strong HFN, headed towards an HEA, complete with a few personal sacrifices, willingly offered up, once what was truly important blessedly made its way to the forefront of the MC's minds.
So with all that said, this story gets ALL 5 STARS from me and I'm dying to read the last two books in the series.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
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January 10, 2019
5 Stars!
My favorite in the series thus far!
Their meeting was unconventional and by chance. Their arrangement was only supposed to last for one meal. They were sure they wouldn't see each other again. But fate had other plans for this hockey player and this sports journalist.
Lennon is a sports reporter for a magazine who was recently reporting on football until a few papers he wrote on a certain hockey player got him transferred to writing for the sport he never knew much about. Meeting Ollie that one night sparked his interest in not only the player, but the sport he was playing. Lennon is attracted to Ollie and has a thing for jocks. Lennon has a past with these types of guys. The jock closeted types and he has sworn to stay away from those kinds of relationships in the future. But then there is Ollie. He's different if not the same. Lennon can't help the pull and need to help this sweet guy out. Even if he knows it will only end in heartbreak for him.
Ollie lives and breathes hockey and he has sacrificed a lot in his life to play the game and make it his career. Recently one of those sacrifices was his relationship with his long time boyfriend Beau. Beau wanted to be important enough to Ollie for him to come out. Ollie wanted Beau to realize that coming out would make him the only out hockey player and he didn't want to be the poster gay boy for the sport. He has pressure from his family too who believes he'll only truly be happy with who he is if he's out and proud. But Ollie is proud and is out to the people that are important to him. He just isn't ready to be out in his job until he's made it further in his career especially now that he's been traded and is still trying to find his footing on his new team.
Lennon and Ollie play it fake for his family to get them off his back. They didn't think they'd see each other again but with Lennon now reporting on hockey it was just a matter of time before they ran into each other again. Only when they do things don't go so great because things come up that didn't when they first met. Like Lennon's real name. Or the fact that he's a sports reporter who has been the one recently reporting on Ollie who hasn't taken to kind on what Lennon has been reporting on him. Ollie is angry. Lennon is confused on what he could possibly be mad about because he doesn't believe what he's written has put Ollie in a bad light. But soon things get even more complicated when Lennon runs into Ollie's parents again and they are still under the impression that he and Ollie are still in a relationship. What follows this is a sweet fake relationship that soon turns serious when real feelings start to come into play.
I really loved this one. This author really knows how to keep the trope of fake relationships fresh and entertaining. I love this trope and gobble up every book that comes out in this series. I can't wait for the next one.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite in the series thus far!
Their meeting was unconventional and by chance. Their arrangement was only supposed to last for one meal. They were sure they wouldn't see each other again. But fate had other plans for this hockey player and this sports journalist.
Lennon is a sports reporter for a magazine who was recently reporting on football until a few papers he wrote on a certain hockey player got him transferred to writing for the sport he never knew much about. Meeting Ollie that one night sparked his interest in not only the player, but the sport he was playing. Lennon is attracted to Ollie and has a thing for jocks. Lennon has a past with these types of guys. The jock closeted types and he has sworn to stay away from those kinds of relationships in the future. But then there is Ollie. He's different if not the same. Lennon can't help the pull and need to help this sweet guy out. Even if he knows it will only end in heartbreak for him.
Ollie lives and breathes hockey and he has sacrificed a lot in his life to play the game and make it his career. Recently one of those sacrifices was his relationship with his long time boyfriend Beau. Beau wanted to be important enough to Ollie for him to come out. Ollie wanted Beau to realize that coming out would make him the only out hockey player and he didn't want to be the poster gay boy for the sport. He has pressure from his family too who believes he'll only truly be happy with who he is if he's out and proud. But Ollie is proud and is out to the people that are important to him. He just isn't ready to be out in his job until he's made it further in his career especially now that he's been traded and is still trying to find his footing on his new team.
Lennon and Ollie play it fake for his family to get them off his back. They didn't think they'd see each other again but with Lennon now reporting on hockey it was just a matter of time before they ran into each other again. Only when they do things don't go so great because things come up that didn't when they first met. Like Lennon's real name. Or the fact that he's a sports reporter who has been the one recently reporting on Ollie who hasn't taken to kind on what Lennon has been reporting on him. Ollie is angry. Lennon is confused on what he could possibly be mad about because he doesn't believe what he's written has put Ollie in a bad light. But soon things get even more complicated when Lennon runs into Ollie's parents again and they are still under the impression that he and Ollie are still in a relationship. What follows this is a sweet fake relationship that soon turns serious when real feelings start to come into play.
I really loved this one. This author really knows how to keep the trope of fake relationships fresh and entertaining. I love this trope and gobble up every book that comes out in this series. I can't wait for the next one.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2018
I have loved all the books in this series, though I have to say that they seem to get better and better with each book. So it shouldn't be surprising that this one is definitely my favorite...so far !! I had so much fun reading it ;) And most of it is because of Clark ...
Ollie is a hockey player in the NHL. He's gay, he's proud, but he isn't fully out. The only people who know are his close family and they support him 200 %... It's the 200 instead of a 100 that seems to be the problem here. They are a bit too pushy when it comes to him coming out. They feel he can only be happy if he shouts it from the rooftops...but Ollie isn't ready for the consequences of being the only gay player in the NHL...
He shares his grievances with a stranger...in the bathroom of a restaurant, while out with the family. Not really knowing who he just laid everything out for.
Lennon feels bad for Ollie. Being a sports reporter, and being gay himself, he knows all about how hard it is coming out in their world... He wants to help Ollie out by pretending to be his new boyfriend. Maybe if the fam sees he is happy, they will leave him be.
And so it begins...
I had an awesome time reading this book. It was funny and snarky and a high Lennon is the best thing ever !!!! It was also sweet and very HOT.
I want to give some major credit here to Ollie's family. They were great and half the fun I had, came from them ;)
My whole family has been overprotective of me since my mom outed me to myself when I was fifteen.
There was some drama, with the ex-boyfriend, who I really didn't care for. What a douche...It wasn't a very angsty read, I would definitely call this a "feel good" book. Which shows exactly how I felt when I finished it.
I can't wait to see what's next and I am dying to read Jet's story because I have a little crush going on.
I highly recommend this series ;)
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January 30, 2019
3.75 stars
I enjoyed this one, but book 2 is still my favorite.
-It was sweet and fluffy
- Funny
-Hot
-Ollie and Lennon are so adorable. Ollie's family is goals.
Can't wait to read Talon and Miller, Jet and Soren books.
I enjoyed this one, but book 2 is still my favorite.
-It was sweet and fluffy
- Funny
-Hot
-Ollie and Lennon are so adorable. Ollie's family is goals.
Can't wait to read Talon and Miller, Jet and Soren books.
January 9, 2019
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Enter Giveaway HERE.
Deke is the third installment of Eden Finley's Fake Boyfriend series and brings us to Ollie, closeted hockey player, and Lennon, a out and proud journalists that gets roped into helping him out in an odd situation. Ollie may still be in closet to most of the world, but his family and friends all know that he's gay, which puts him in the hot seat whenever they're around and want to know why he's still hiding who he is. Enter Lennon, the perfect fake boyfriend to get Ollie's family off of his back.
First, I just need to say that Ollie and Lennon are freakin' amazing. I loved these two so hard with their back and forth banter and the clear as day attraction to each other. They were honestly just super adorable together and Lennon was a sweetheart and so understanding with Ollie I could have just tackle hugged him. It had me swooning over both of these boys.
I also really loved how Ms. Finley handled Ollie's situation with being closeted and in the spotlight. It was done with so much compassion and I thought it brought up a lot of thought provoking points. His family was amazingly accepting of Ollie but they didn't fully understand what he was going through and seeing how that played out was a great part to this story.
To sum up, Sweet Neil Patrick Harris this is a fantastic book and you need to read it!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Enter Giveaway HERE.
Deke is the third installment of Eden Finley's Fake Boyfriend series and brings us to Ollie, closeted hockey player, and Lennon, a out and proud journalists that gets roped into helping him out in an odd situation. Ollie may still be in closet to most of the world, but his family and friends all know that he's gay, which puts him in the hot seat whenever they're around and want to know why he's still hiding who he is. Enter Lennon, the perfect fake boyfriend to get Ollie's family off of his back.
First, I just need to say that Ollie and Lennon are freakin' amazing. I loved these two so hard with their back and forth banter and the clear as day attraction to each other. They were honestly just super adorable together and Lennon was a sweetheart and so understanding with Ollie I could have just tackle hugged him. It had me swooning over both of these boys.
I also really loved how Ms. Finley handled Ollie's situation with being closeted and in the spotlight. It was done with so much compassion and I thought it brought up a lot of thought provoking points. His family was amazingly accepting of Ollie but they didn't fully understand what he was going through and seeing how that played out was a great part to this story.
To sum up, Sweet Neil Patrick Harris this is a fantastic book and you need to read it!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2019
I liked Deke by new-to-me author, Eden Finley, but the longer I sat on my review, the fewer positive things I could come up with about the story. Huh.
Ollie's family dynamics were memorable and well written, but the fake-boyfriend set up was kind of an awkward fit here. I didn't quite get it, and the romance felt a bit abrupt and thrown together from that point forward.
I love, love, love hockey romances, but we barely get any hockey details here. It was a hockey romance in name only, and though there are talks about teammates, team dynamics, and trades and the like, there wasn't any playing action, which I missed.
The book felt like the start of a romance rather than the whole deal. There were clandestine meet-ups and a bunch of sex, but the love, love, love wasn't developed enough for me. The dialogue and humor were a bright spot, but, though I enjoyed it, it wasn't a stand-out in my book.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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Ollie's family dynamics were memorable and well written, but the fake-boyfriend set up was kind of an awkward fit here. I didn't quite get it, and the romance felt a bit abrupt and thrown together from that point forward.
I love, love, love hockey romances, but we barely get any hockey details here. It was a hockey romance in name only, and though there are talks about teammates, team dynamics, and trades and the like, there wasn't any playing action, which I missed.
The book felt like the start of a romance rather than the whole deal. There were clandestine meet-ups and a bunch of sex, but the love, love, love wasn't developed enough for me. The dialogue and humor were a bright spot, but, though I enjoyed it, it wasn't a stand-out in my book.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
August 13, 2021
HELLO FIVE STAR READ. This was so freaking cute!? Ollie is a professional hockey player and is openly gay to his family but not ready to be out to the sports world. HIs family is almost too supportive, though, and constantly pressures him to come out to the world. To get them off his back, Ollie meets Lennon in the bathroom of a restaurant during a family dinner and they spontaneously decide to be fake boyfriends for his family. They have dinner together and go their separate way. They can't stop thinking about each other, but Ollie is working on integrating with his new hockey team and Lennon has transferred to writing about hockey as a sports journalist and is trying to make his way in the sports journalism world. I loved this book so so much and how adorable Ollie and Lennon were together. They didn't want to like each other and Ollie wanted to keep the grudge he has against Lennon because of how he wrote about him in some articles (nothing malicious, just some truths Ollie didn't want to admit). Ollie's family was amazing and I loved how much they were involved in the story. They do end up having to fake date again and I just loved how they had to decide if they wanted to make a relationship work and figure out how they would since they didn't live in the same city because of their jobs. I just couldn't put this book down and would recommend it as an amazing sports romance!
July 14, 2023
“When are you going to tell them the truth about me?” he whispers.
I shrug. “At our engagement party?”
I enjoyed this story while I listen to it, but there wasn’t much stood out as unique for a gay hockey romance. Solid storytelling, and I appreciated the dialogue around tops vs bottoms.
I wish there had been a little more hockey in this book.
Narration by Iggy Toma and Alexander Cendese was well done.
September 25, 2019
Audio - 4.25 stars
Iggy Toma - 5 stars
Alexander Cendese - 3.5 stars
Story - 4.5 stars
My favorite of the series so far.
Iggy Toma - 5 stars
Alexander Cendese - 3.5 stars
Story - 4.5 stars
My favorite of the series so far.
February 4, 2022
they gave me butterflies!!!!!🦋🥰 so cute and so sweet. i’m so in love with their love!
December 22, 2018
just what the dr. ordered
i picked out a ton of dark sexy reads for smutathon but they all kind of left me... sad. this was such a nice change of pace and definitely redeemed this series for me after a less than stellar book 2.
i definitely can affirm that eden finley writes some pretty excellent, sexy, MM romance that imo does not fetishize gay men. she takes care when writing her books in exploring the actual experiences of her characters rather than just having 2 hyper masculine swoldiers fuck repeatedly.
in this book, professional hockey player Ollie is out to his family and friends but has a hard time coming out in his profession. he isn't ready to let the world know. deke explores the differences between supporting lgbt in theory and what it actually means to support your gay friends/family in PRACTICE. i love the way this was explored and thought it was handled beautifully.
i also loved Ollie's love interest, Lennon and how he was the one to show Ollie that you can have someone supportive that doesn't encourage you to jump out of the closet immediately. that it's okay to do things on your own terms.
in general i found the story incredibly realistic, sweet, and sexy. the ending was equally realistic as well.
this is a book that i'd definitely reread, and i'm so excited to see what the rest of this series has in store. someone needs to gimme that jet/soren story like... yesterday.
i picked out a ton of dark sexy reads for smutathon but they all kind of left me... sad. this was such a nice change of pace and definitely redeemed this series for me after a less than stellar book 2.
i definitely can affirm that eden finley writes some pretty excellent, sexy, MM romance that imo does not fetishize gay men. she takes care when writing her books in exploring the actual experiences of her characters rather than just having 2 hyper masculine swoldiers fuck repeatedly.
in this book, professional hockey player Ollie is out to his family and friends but has a hard time coming out in his profession. he isn't ready to let the world know. deke explores the differences between supporting lgbt in theory and what it actually means to support your gay friends/family in PRACTICE. i love the way this was explored and thought it was handled beautifully.
i also loved Ollie's love interest, Lennon and how he was the one to show Ollie that you can have someone supportive that doesn't encourage you to jump out of the closet immediately. that it's okay to do things on your own terms.
in general i found the story incredibly realistic, sweet, and sexy. the ending was equally realistic as well.
this is a book that i'd definitely reread, and i'm so excited to see what the rest of this series has in store. someone needs to gimme that jet/soren story like... yesterday.
January 14, 2019
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Cute, But Not Awesome*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
The third book in the series centers around the winger in the NHL (hockey) for the Dragons, Ollie Strömberg (24) and sports journalist/reporter who works for Sporting Health Magazine, Lennon ‘Clark’ Hawkins (how old?). The two meet when Ollie is hiding from his family in the bathroom. Lennon agrees to pretend to be his boyfriend so Ollie's family will back off. And then they'll never see each other again. Or so they thought.
Before any of them can start tormenting this guy who’s doing me a favor, I cut them all off.
“Guys, this is …” Fuck, I didn’t even ask him his name, and all I can think about is how much he looks like a blond Superman. “Clark.”
I knew this was a bad idea for a reason. Pulling it off is going to take more than saying This is my boyfriend, so now you can stop acting like dicks.
He glances in my direction, and I want to apologize for panicking, but what kind of boyfriend doesn’t know his partner’s name?
“And who is … Clark?” Ma asks, giving him the same stare down she gave Amanda when Nic first brought her home.
“He’s, uh—” My voice cracks like it did when I was twelve years old, and I have to clear my throat. “This is my boyfriend.”
6 months later Ollie finds out the truth of who ‘Clark’ is; none other than the journalist who keeps ranting about his playing. The two start a friendship that soon leads to more, but it can't become more because Ollie is still in the closet in the sports world. Overall, the book wasn't all that bad. It was cute and had charm to it, but just like the other books in the series, it's not all that and something - at least for me - is missing. Just can't put my finger to it. I do have to say, however, that I liked that the ‘twist’ isn't Ollie finding out who Clark really is, but rather it's about coming out.
I’m only in sports journalism, and the amount of shit I get from coworkers annoys the crap out of me. Like them saying I should be writing fashion instead of sports because, you know, the fashion and gay gene are one and the same. It’s mainly said in jest, but they don’t understand how it’s insensitive and inappropriate—probably because they’ve never had to deal with being put in a box and told that’s where they belong.
Quotes From Book:
Other Characters:
→ Ash, Ollie's ex-boyfriend from his was 19 to 6 months ago (the day he met Lennon). Ash is also Max's best friend and business partner.
→ Victor ‘Vic’ and Nicklas ‘Nic’, twin brothers, both personal trainers for MMA fighters, and Leo, (the tall, lanky brother) coaches basketball, and Max, a tattoo artist. All Ollie's brothers.
→ Amanda, Nic's wife. They have two kids together.
→ Tommy Novak, Ollie's teammate (until Ollie got traded from Boston to New York) and best friend. Tommy is married to Maddox’s sister, and Maddox happens to be Ollie's agent’s boyfriend. The reason Ollie met Damon (the agent) was because of Tommy’s connection to him.
→ Harry, Lennon's editor.
→ Matt Jackson and his husband, Noah Huntington, friends of Lennon. Noah and Damon are best friends.
→ Jet ‘JJ’ (20), Matt's little brother who is has a job as a DJ for Ollie's games, though he sucks at it. He's a musician. Becomes Lennon's temporary roommate.
→ Bjorn and Petrov, teammates of Ollie.
→ Kessler, the right-winger on Ollie's line.
→ Kevin, a coworker of Lennon.
→ Johnson, The Pat's star quarterback who was recruited to replace Marcus Talon at the beginning of the season, is on the injured reserve list. Talon is the main character in next book?
→ Ilya Malik, the defense player who Boston traded Ollie with.
→ Ava, the Dragons team’s PR and media person.
→ Camille, the GM’s assistant.
→ Caleb Sorensen and Kip Healy, New Jersey players.
I’m not out, so I shouldn’t get shiny things like happiness to play with. That’s what they seem to think.
And that’s why I’m hiding in the bathroom of this dingy bar-slash-restaurant before we’ve even been served dinner. We came to the Honey Bee so the whole family could be together. Ma already complains she doesn’t see us all enough, but in our defense, we’re five dudes with shit going on in our lives. I think she’s more upset she doesn’t get to dote on all of us now we’re grown-ups. And by dote on, I mean butt in.
She’s a meddler through and through, but I get the brunt of it. I’m her baby—the youngest—and also the gayest. My whole family has been overprotective of me ever since my mom outed me to myself when I was fifteen.
Yup. That happened. Because Ma knows everything. Apparently.
Tonight, all I’ve heard is how lost Ash is without me and how relationships need compromises to work.
“Be the person that you needed growing up, struggling to believe you could be anything you wanted to be,” she’d said not ten minutes ago.
Changing Gus Kenworthy quotes to suit my situation doesn’t help, Ma.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Three.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - None? Both the main characters? Dunno.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? -Sure, I think.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5 stars.
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March 8, 2025
|| 4.0 stars ||
This book started off really great: I was immediately into the story and halfway in love with the characters. My excitement did dwindle down a little bit as the novel went on, but it definitely kept me more than entertained throughout.
Ollie and Lennon have a bunch of chemistry and the tension between them before they 'really' get together is through the roof. They are both very likable and bounce off of each other extremely well. I especially liked Ollie as he was such a sweetheart without ever being over-the-top with it. His easy personality really made me want him and Lennon to work out, but without Ollie's career getting hurt in the process.
The side characters were sub-par, and although they provided some humour, I got quite annoyed at Ollie's family. Their good-natured ignorance did grate a bit, but I more so got annoyed at them continually trying to push Ollie back to his ex-boyfriend. Like, why?
Anyway, this all gets resolved neatly, so in the end, it luckily wasn't much of an issue, and the whole thing did make for some interesting scenes to read about.
I do think the side-plot next to the romance could have been a bit more developed, but I suppose the reason I'm reading this novel in the first place is the romance, and thus there's a big chance too much of the other stuff would have only just bored me.
Long story short, this third instalment of this series doesn't come near the love I had for the first book, but it was still super fun to read and I can't wait to continue with the next book. Talon and Miller have captured my interest ever since we were introduced to them in Trick Play, and I have very high expectations for their romance. I hope it entails a lot of pining. I don't know why I think it will, I just have this feeling.
'Fake Boyfriend' series:
1. Fake Out - 5.0 stars
2. Trick Play - 3.5 stars
3. Deke - 4.0 stars
4. Blindsided - 3.5 stars
5. Hat Trick - 4.5 stars
6. Final Play - 2.5 stars
Novellas:
2.5. Rebound - 2.5 stars
3.5. It's Complicated - 1.5 stars
Other Eden Finley books:
‘Famous’ series - var. ratings
‘CU Hockey’ series - var. ratings
‘Cash Me Outside’ series - var. ratings
‘Mike Bravo Ops’ series - var. ratings
‘Puckboys’ series - var. ratings
This book started off really great: I was immediately into the story and halfway in love with the characters. My excitement did dwindle down a little bit as the novel went on, but it definitely kept me more than entertained throughout.
Ollie and Lennon have a bunch of chemistry and the tension between them before they 'really' get together is through the roof. They are both very likable and bounce off of each other extremely well. I especially liked Ollie as he was such a sweetheart without ever being over-the-top with it. His easy personality really made me want him and Lennon to work out, but without Ollie's career getting hurt in the process.
The side characters were sub-par, and although they provided some humour, I got quite annoyed at Ollie's family. Their good-natured ignorance did grate a bit, but I more so got annoyed at them continually trying to push Ollie back to his ex-boyfriend. Like, why?
Anyway, this all gets resolved neatly, so in the end, it luckily wasn't much of an issue, and the whole thing did make for some interesting scenes to read about.
I do think the side-plot next to the romance could have been a bit more developed, but I suppose the reason I'm reading this novel in the first place is the romance, and thus there's a big chance too much of the other stuff would have only just bored me.
Long story short, this third instalment of this series doesn't come near the love I had for the first book, but it was still super fun to read and I can't wait to continue with the next book. Talon and Miller have captured my interest ever since we were introduced to them in Trick Play, and I have very high expectations for their romance. I hope it entails a lot of pining. I don't know why I think it will, I just have this feeling.
'Fake Boyfriend' series:
1. Fake Out - 5.0 stars
2. Trick Play - 3.5 stars
3. Deke - 4.0 stars
4. Blindsided - 3.5 stars
5. Hat Trick - 4.5 stars
6. Final Play - 2.5 stars
Novellas:
2.5. Rebound - 2.5 stars
3.5. It's Complicated - 1.5 stars
Other Eden Finley books:
‘Famous’ series - var. ratings
‘CU Hockey’ series - var. ratings
‘Cash Me Outside’ series - var. ratings
‘Mike Bravo Ops’ series - var. ratings
‘Puckboys’ series - var. ratings
January 10, 2019
Another win for me from Eden Finley. Third in her series “Fake Boyfriend”, it can be read as a standalone, but I would suggest to read the whole series if you enjoy romances set up in the sport world, with a low level of angst, but a high amount of banter and steam.
So, this time, we get the story of Ollie, a hockey player, and Clark, aka Lennon, a sport journalist.
Ollie breaths hockey and is unwilling to risk his career by outing himself, apart from within his family. Said family is on his back about his break-up with his long-time boyfriend, so when a guy he has just met agrees to play “new boyfriend” during a family dinner, Ollie jumped on the occasion to get some rest from the familial pressure.
Ollie even finds funny to name his partner in crime “Clark”. Little does he know how close to the truth he is…Yep, you can guess the link between Clark and Lennon, the sport journalist 😉
From there, it’s a series of encounters between Ollie and Lennon over months of the Hockey season. A great recipe with a little bit of anger, a tad of friendly meddling, a big portion of sparks and an even *bigger* portion of banter and humor, nicely served on a “slow- burn” platter decorated with delicious “cock-blocking” moments, by a waitress going at a perfect writing pace.
As the reader who put this book in my radar wrote : ” A reporter that looked like a blond Clark Kent falling for a Nordic God of a jock? Yumm, YES, PLEASE!”. And **Yumm** I did…a LOT !!
ARC of “Deke” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
So, this time, we get the story of Ollie, a hockey player, and Clark, aka Lennon, a sport journalist.
Ollie breaths hockey and is unwilling to risk his career by outing himself, apart from within his family. Said family is on his back about his break-up with his long-time boyfriend, so when a guy he has just met agrees to play “new boyfriend” during a family dinner, Ollie jumped on the occasion to get some rest from the familial pressure.
Ollie even finds funny to name his partner in crime “Clark”. Little does he know how close to the truth he is…Yep, you can guess the link between Clark and Lennon, the sport journalist 😉
From there, it’s a series of encounters between Ollie and Lennon over months of the Hockey season. A great recipe with a little bit of anger, a tad of friendly meddling, a big portion of sparks and an even *bigger* portion of banter and humor, nicely served on a “slow- burn” platter decorated with delicious “cock-blocking” moments, by a waitress going at a perfect writing pace.
As the reader who put this book in my radar wrote : ” A reporter that looked like a blond Clark Kent falling for a Nordic God of a jock? Yumm, YES, PLEASE!”. And **Yumm** I did…a LOT !!
ARC of “Deke” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2019
4.5 Stars!
Bumped my rating of book 1 up to 5 stars (rounded down to 4.5). Deke came in a close second to book 1 and was much improved from book 2.
I really liked Ollie and Lennon.
I love that there's no real big drama/break-up. Each book has a moment where one of the characters sort of loses all brain function and acts like an idiot but they always realize they were being idiotic rather quickly and things move on nicely. This I can handle.
I am so glad EF decided not to end this series and is giving both Jet and Talon books!
Can. Not. Wait.
Bumped my rating of book 1 up to 5 stars (rounded down to 4.5). Deke came in a close second to book 1 and was much improved from book 2.
I really liked Ollie and Lennon.
I love that there's no real big drama/break-up. Each book has a moment where one of the characters sort of loses all brain function and acts like an idiot but they always realize they were being idiotic rather quickly and things move on nicely. This I can handle.
I am so glad EF decided not to end this series and is giving both Jet and Talon books!
Can. Not. Wait.
January 9, 2019
*4.5 stars*
Sports romance and a fake relationship seem like two tropes that don't go together in m/m books, right? Well, in this book they did go together and they were perfect for each other!
Ollie is a hockey player, he's out and pretty open about his sexuality with his huge family and some close friends, but he's still closeted when it comes to the rest of the world. His family is super supportive and they are all pushing for him to come out, to the point of Ollie feeling pressured about it. With his relationship with his childhood sweetheart over, his family won't let up about him coming out and winning his ex back.
Lennon is a nerdy sports journalist that loves his job. When he meets Ollie under some awkward circumstances they hit it off and he agrees to play his boyfriend for one evening so Ollie's family would stop pressuring him. They don't have time to make proper introductions so Lennon finds himself being refered to as Clark.
Fast forward six months, a trade for Ollie, a few articles and a reassignment for Lennon and they meet again, only this time Lennon's true name is revealed and Ollie storms out.
The whole story was very captivating. With the fake relationship, the journalist and the closeted athlete hitting it off, the ex making an appearance, the large and fun Stromberg clan and a collection of good friends I didn't even notice the book coming to an end.
There are a lot of funny moments that made me laugh out loud, thankfully when no one else was around. The banter between Ollie and Lennon was great and when drunk Lennon couldn't think anything without also saying it out loud made for some hilarious moments.
The meeting with Ollie's ex was very interesting to see. They had a lot of history together and it showed immediately but I liked how they behaved to each other. It's difficult to move on after so many years together and I liked that there was no evil ex, just someone that Ollie wasn't meant to be with but still cared about. I liked how civil they both were even if a little sad that they were no longer together.
This book deserves a big, bright star for there not being a last minute break-up-make-up scramble to create drama. There was no need for that because the plot was enough by itself to keep the reader's attention.
There was a press conference somewhere near the end and now you're all thinking "a press conference at an m/m sports romance book? what else is new..." but you'll never guess how that went!
The fourth book of the series is going to be about Talon and Miller, there won't be a fake boyfriend trope and I can't wait to get my hands on that one!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*
Sports romance and a fake relationship seem like two tropes that don't go together in m/m books, right? Well, in this book they did go together and they were perfect for each other!
Ollie is a hockey player, he's out and pretty open about his sexuality with his huge family and some close friends, but he's still closeted when it comes to the rest of the world. His family is super supportive and they are all pushing for him to come out, to the point of Ollie feeling pressured about it. With his relationship with his childhood sweetheart over, his family won't let up about him coming out and winning his ex back.
Lennon is a nerdy sports journalist that loves his job. When he meets Ollie under some awkward circumstances they hit it off and he agrees to play his boyfriend for one evening so Ollie's family would stop pressuring him. They don't have time to make proper introductions so Lennon finds himself being refered to as Clark.
Fast forward six months, a trade for Ollie, a few articles and a reassignment for Lennon and they meet again, only this time Lennon's true name is revealed and Ollie storms out.
The whole story was very captivating. With the fake relationship, the journalist and the closeted athlete hitting it off, the ex making an appearance, the large and fun Stromberg clan and a collection of good friends I didn't even notice the book coming to an end.
There are a lot of funny moments that made me laugh out loud, thankfully when no one else was around. The banter between Ollie and Lennon was great and when drunk Lennon couldn't think anything without also saying it out loud made for some hilarious moments.
The meeting with Ollie's ex was very interesting to see. They had a lot of history together and it showed immediately but I liked how they behaved to each other. It's difficult to move on after so many years together and I liked that there was no evil ex, just someone that Ollie wasn't meant to be with but still cared about. I liked how civil they both were even if a little sad that they were no longer together.
This book deserves a big, bright star for there not being a last minute break-up-make-up scramble to create drama. There was no need for that because the plot was enough by itself to keep the reader's attention.
There was a press conference somewhere near the end and now you're all thinking "a press conference at an m/m sports romance book? what else is new..." but you'll never guess how that went!
The fourth book of the series is going to be about Talon and Miller, there won't be a fake boyfriend trope and I can't wait to get my hands on that one!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*
December 18, 2018
Best one yet imho. Eden takes things to another level with the third entry in the Fake Boyfriend series and gives us a wonderfully snarky relationship between a sports journalist and a closeted ice hockey player.
I loved pretty much everything about this narrative, from the smart and nerdy Lennon to the sweetly vulnerable Ollie.
Either way, this story had me wrapped round its little finger from the off, when Ollie bumps into Lennon when he's escaping his overprotective and insanely supportive family by hiding in the Men's Loo and outs himself by accident.
Lennon's a wonderful character, he's funny, a bit scared from teenage experiences and a bit determined to not let Ollie ruin his career because they're falling for each other. The scenes with Ollie's family, who know him as Clark because he looks like Superman's alter ego, were among the best in the book.
There's appearances from our other favourite pairings, Maddox and Damon and Noah and Matt just to reassure the reader their happy ever afters are still firmly on track and we get some new pairings which have now been confirmed by Eden as the subjects of books four and five (and I personally cannot wait for both!)
This book was just a delight to read, a bit of angst, lots of amazing chemistry and some joyously emotional and physically connected smexy times and very little in the way of miscommunication plot drivers.
Everything felt organic, the romance between the two was well paced and felt utterly believable and I loved it all. Put it this way, I started reading it at 11pm and went to bed at 3am when I'd finished it :)
#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
I loved pretty much everything about this narrative, from the smart and nerdy Lennon to the sweetly vulnerable Ollie.
Either way, this story had me wrapped round its little finger from the off, when Ollie bumps into Lennon when he's escaping his overprotective and insanely supportive family by hiding in the Men's Loo and outs himself by accident.
Lennon's a wonderful character, he's funny, a bit scared from teenage experiences and a bit determined to not let Ollie ruin his career because they're falling for each other. The scenes with Ollie's family, who know him as Clark because he looks like Superman's alter ego, were among the best in the book.
There's appearances from our other favourite pairings, Maddox and Damon and Noah and Matt just to reassure the reader their happy ever afters are still firmly on track and we get some new pairings which have now been confirmed by Eden as the subjects of books four and five (and I personally cannot wait for both!)
This book was just a delight to read, a bit of angst, lots of amazing chemistry and some joyously emotional and physically connected smexy times and very little in the way of miscommunication plot drivers.
Everything felt organic, the romance between the two was well paced and felt utterly believable and I loved it all. Put it this way, I started reading it at 11pm and went to bed at 3am when I'd finished it :)
#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
January 18, 2019
I don’t think I’m one for sports books or books about athletes. This whole closet thing always bugs me. Why did I read this then? Because I liked the first book (or I was in a good mood when I read it), and I read all the raving reviews for this one, so I’d thought I’d go for it.
And while there was nothing really wrong with this book, it didn’t wow me either. I think what actually bothered me the most is that both Ollie and Lennon were so careful with their relationship status. I love a good passionate couple, who just love nothing more than to be together. These two were still saying they were only just starting out when I was at 80%. Therefore I had the feeling I wasn’t really reading about their relationship. More about how they met. The relationship happened after the book.
So while I liked Ollie and Lennon as people, I didn’t care for the whole ‘we can’t be together because you’re a famous hockey player and you can’t be publicly gay’ thing. It put a damper on the whole falling in love I like so much in romance.
Now I think I’m one of the few to feel this way about this book, so don’t let my review stop you from reading it.
And while there was nothing really wrong with this book, it didn’t wow me either. I think what actually bothered me the most is that both Ollie and Lennon were so careful with their relationship status. I love a good passionate couple, who just love nothing more than to be together. These two were still saying they were only just starting out when I was at 80%. Therefore I had the feeling I wasn’t really reading about their relationship. More about how they met. The relationship happened after the book.
So while I liked Ollie and Lennon as people, I didn’t care for the whole ‘we can’t be together because you’re a famous hockey player and you can’t be publicly gay’ thing. It put a damper on the whole falling in love I like so much in romance.
Now I think I’m one of the few to feel this way about this book, so don’t let my review stop you from reading it.
January 19, 2019
I really enjoyed this:
-Fake boyfriend trope lite
-Frenemies
-Friends to lovers
-UST
-Opposites attract
-Character growth
-Easy, quick pace
-Great main and secondary characters
-Nice relationship development
-All tied up with a HEA
Deke by Eden Finley is probably one of my favorite fake boyfriend books. I typically don't care for them, but it wasn't drawn out. This was a fun, romantic, feel-good story.
4.5 Stars
Can't wait for the next two books.
-Fake boyfriend trope lite
-Frenemies
-Friends to lovers
-UST
-Opposites attract
-Character growth
-Easy, quick pace
-Great main and secondary characters
-Nice relationship development
-All tied up with a HEA
Deke by Eden Finley is probably one of my favorite fake boyfriend books. I typically don't care for them, but it wasn't drawn out. This was a fun, romantic, feel-good story.
4.5 Stars
Can't wait for the next two books.
January 11, 2019
I enjoyed the humor. There were times I laughed out loud. The romance itself however, was just ok for me. The sports angle was flash and go. There wasn't any "on the ice" action I could sink my teeth into.
I'm digging for things to say but I'm drawing a blank. Maybe it's only that I read this after reading an exceptional series so it had a hard time measuring up, but the best I can give it is 2.75 stars.
I'm digging for things to say but I'm drawing a blank. Maybe it's only that I read this after reading an exceptional series so it had a hard time measuring up, but the best I can give it is 2.75 stars.
October 8, 2019
This was a really enjoyable read. It had two super sweet main characters, lots of humor and minimum angst.
I loved seeing the characters from previous (and future) books. Jet is so much fun, I can't wait for his story.
*************
Re-read 10/2019:
I reread this to refresh my memory before reading Max and Ash's short story. I'm glad I did, because I enjoyed it even more the second time around.
I loved seeing the characters from previous (and future) books. Jet is so much fun, I can't wait for his story.
*************
Re-read 10/2019:
I reread this to refresh my memory before reading Max and Ash's short story. I'm glad I did, because I enjoyed it even more the second time around.
January 14, 2019
El tercero de la serie y me ha gustado tanto, o incluso más, que los anteriores. No es alta literatura, pero son libros muy entretenidos. Los protagonistas son monos, deportistas, sexys, buenas personas, inseguros, con defectos... y viven una historia de amor absolutamente adorable. El persodista nerd y el jugador de hockey, todo muy cliché, pero cuando funciona es por algo. Muy interesante además la aparición de una familia que intenta apoyar lo que puede al deportista gay, pero que quizás lo hace de una forma equivocada, a veces con las mejores intenciones creemos saber qué es lo mejor para los demás.
Gran punto a favor del libro la presencia de los secundarios, a los que conocemos en su mayoría de libros anteriores.
Aquí estoy esperando los siguientes.
Gran punto a favor del libro la presencia de los secundarios, a los que conocemos en su mayoría de libros anteriores.
Aquí estoy esperando los siguientes.
September 14, 2019
It’s been so long since I first read this book but I never reviewed it coz I loved it too much and wasn’t sure what to write except some incoherent gushing. But I thought I’ll give it a try after recently rereading it.
Eden Finley has quickly become a favorite author and as a fan of the fake boyfriend trope, I really love this series a lot. The writing is fast paced and funny and there were so many moments where I laughed out loud. At the same time, it was also quite emotional in some family scenes and I thought that was a nice touch. I also thought that this book had a much better development of friendship between the main characters than the first two books in the series. The banter is also not just restricted to the MCs - side characters play prominent roles and it was awesome to see them all together. The main theme in the story is not just about the difficulty of coming out while being a pro hockey player, but also that it’s not easy even with the unconditional support of family and friends.
I absolutely adored both Ollie and Lennon. Right from their first hilarious meet cute to pretending to be boyfriends, finding the truth about each other’s jobs to trying very hard not to act on the intense attraction between them but just being helpless in the face of it - I thought it was all just so much fun to read. Ollie doesn’t feel ready to come out to his team or the world, but he is slowly feeling frustrated about not being able to share his life with anyone. And as a sports journalist, Lennon understands his predicament very well and completely supports him every step of the way. They were just so sweet and adorable together and I completely fell in love.
Matt’s brother Jet plays quite a significant part in helping the two of them realize their true feelings about each other, and every single scene he was present was a laugh riot. Even Noah and Matt show up a little and I still can’t decide who is sassier, Noah or Jet. Ollie’s giant family (pun totally intended) are also fun to be around, though they could get a bit overbearing at times. I especially loved how they all accepted their mistakes when Lennon explained the situation but never stopped teasing him. Even Talon and Miller make a small appearance which is such a tease, making us want to read their book immediately.
Finally, I just want to say that when I first read this book, it was my favorite of the series. But having also read Blindsided by now, I really can’t decide between the two. If you like sports romances and/or the fake dating trope, I definitely recommend this series. It’s sexy, fun and very entertaining with awesome characters. Now I’m just waiting for the release of the short stories (especially because we never get an epilogue for Ollie and Lennon) and I’m highly excited for Jet and Soren’s book.
Eden Finley has quickly become a favorite author and as a fan of the fake boyfriend trope, I really love this series a lot. The writing is fast paced and funny and there were so many moments where I laughed out loud. At the same time, it was also quite emotional in some family scenes and I thought that was a nice touch. I also thought that this book had a much better development of friendship between the main characters than the first two books in the series. The banter is also not just restricted to the MCs - side characters play prominent roles and it was awesome to see them all together. The main theme in the story is not just about the difficulty of coming out while being a pro hockey player, but also that it’s not easy even with the unconditional support of family and friends.
I absolutely adored both Ollie and Lennon. Right from their first hilarious meet cute to pretending to be boyfriends, finding the truth about each other’s jobs to trying very hard not to act on the intense attraction between them but just being helpless in the face of it - I thought it was all just so much fun to read. Ollie doesn’t feel ready to come out to his team or the world, but he is slowly feeling frustrated about not being able to share his life with anyone. And as a sports journalist, Lennon understands his predicament very well and completely supports him every step of the way. They were just so sweet and adorable together and I completely fell in love.
Matt’s brother Jet plays quite a significant part in helping the two of them realize their true feelings about each other, and every single scene he was present was a laugh riot. Even Noah and Matt show up a little and I still can’t decide who is sassier, Noah or Jet. Ollie’s giant family (pun totally intended) are also fun to be around, though they could get a bit overbearing at times. I especially loved how they all accepted their mistakes when Lennon explained the situation but never stopped teasing him. Even Talon and Miller make a small appearance which is such a tease, making us want to read their book immediately.
Finally, I just want to say that when I first read this book, it was my favorite of the series. But having also read Blindsided by now, I really can’t decide between the two. If you like sports romances and/or the fake dating trope, I definitely recommend this series. It’s sexy, fun and very entertaining with awesome characters. Now I’m just waiting for the release of the short stories (especially because we never get an epilogue for Ollie and Lennon) and I’m highly excited for Jet and Soren’s book.
June 11, 2021
Deke is the 3rd book in the Fake Boyfriends series by Eden Finley. It was a fun read and the book had its cute/hot/dramatic moments. Although, I didn't love reading this story. Deke gets 3 out of 5 stars from me.
The story is about Ollie, an NHL player and Lennon, a sportjournalist. The beginning is actually pretty original and enjoyable. Ollie is visiting a restaurant with his family but seeks refuge in the men's room. Enter: Lennon. Next: Ollie comes out to Lennon by accident. Also: He asks Lennon to be his fake boyfriend for the night. Lastly: Lennon says yes and so behaves as the perfect boyfriend. The night is even so great that... neither men actually want to say goodbye to this fake relationship.
Okay so I have some doubts about Deke. On the on hand, I actually liked both MC's and the story was fun too. On the other, I didn't love the story as a whole. Especially Ollie's family were so ignorant at some points. His ex-boyfriend was a douchebag tbh. He put a lot of the blame on Ollie for their dysfunctional relationship while he was equally or even more in the wrong. At one point, Lennon asked Ollie if his ex was controlling... and he answered no?! Common sweetie, he totally was! The sad part is that Ollie accepted himself as the cause/blame to everything. And yes eventually his mom apologizes and all but like it doesn't excuse all of the years his family plus ex practically forced him to come out. They didn't acknowledge his reasons why he couldn't do it yet and that is so sad.
I would recommend Deke to anyone who loves fake dating M/M romance books. Both Ollie and Lennon were amazing men who have the best morals. Their personalities are great but other characters in this book are not the greatest. Except for the MC's from the previous stories.
The story is about Ollie, an NHL player and Lennon, a sportjournalist. The beginning is actually pretty original and enjoyable. Ollie is visiting a restaurant with his family but seeks refuge in the men's room. Enter: Lennon. Next: Ollie comes out to Lennon by accident. Also: He asks Lennon to be his fake boyfriend for the night. Lastly: Lennon says yes and so behaves as the perfect boyfriend. The night is even so great that... neither men actually want to say goodbye to this fake relationship.
Okay so I have some doubts about Deke. On the on hand, I actually liked both MC's and the story was fun too. On the other, I didn't love the story as a whole. Especially Ollie's family were so ignorant at some points. His ex-boyfriend was a douchebag tbh. He put a lot of the blame on Ollie for their dysfunctional relationship while he was equally or even more in the wrong. At one point, Lennon asked Ollie if his ex was controlling... and he answered no?! Common sweetie, he totally was! The sad part is that Ollie accepted himself as the cause/blame to everything. And yes eventually his mom apologizes and all but like it doesn't excuse all of the years his family plus ex practically forced him to come out. They didn't acknowledge his reasons why he couldn't do it yet and that is so sad.
I would recommend Deke to anyone who loves fake dating M/M romance books. Both Ollie and Lennon were amazing men who have the best morals. Their personalities are great but other characters in this book are not the greatest. Except for the MC's from the previous stories.
September 28, 2019
Reread (audiobook): 3.5 Stars
September 2019: I liked reading this more than listening. There is something about Iggy Toma in here that didn’t work for me. He lacked the intensity that Alexander Cendese brought to the characters. Great story, however!
Original ebook review February 2019:
I love this series!!!
That said, I cannot wait until this one comes out in audiobook!!
So, fake boyfriend....one of my favorite tropes! Eden Finley rocked it again in this third book of the series. While this could be read as a standalone, couples from the first two books make solid appearances here and being in the loop as to who they are would make this a much filler reading experience.
I loved the setup for this one--fastest fake boyfriend setup ever! I won't spoil it for you, but it was funny as hell.
So, the gay, tattoed hockey player and the gay, nerdy sports journalist....they work as a couple--fake and not. They are bantery and snarky....and hot!!
There is no angst in here, just a little stress, some hockey, and a solid HFN for the guys.
I can't wait for the next two books in the series even if they won't be fake boyfriend tropes!!
September 2019: I liked reading this more than listening. There is something about Iggy Toma in here that didn’t work for me. He lacked the intensity that Alexander Cendese brought to the characters. Great story, however!
Original ebook review February 2019:
I love this series!!!
That said, I cannot wait until this one comes out in audiobook!!
So, fake boyfriend....one of my favorite tropes! Eden Finley rocked it again in this third book of the series. While this could be read as a standalone, couples from the first two books make solid appearances here and being in the loop as to who they are would make this a much filler reading experience.
I loved the setup for this one--fastest fake boyfriend setup ever! I won't spoil it for you, but it was funny as hell.
So, the gay, tattoed hockey player and the gay, nerdy sports journalist....they work as a couple--fake and not. They are bantery and snarky....and hot!!
There is no angst in here, just a little stress, some hockey, and a solid HFN for the guys.
I can't wait for the next two books in the series even if they won't be fake boyfriend tropes!!
December 24, 2019
Since reading the first book in this series I have found myself stalking this author. I don't even think before one clicking a book written by Eden Finley, she's a sure thing.
Ollie and Lennon are both really likeable characters and their slow build relationship is very refreshing. Their hidden desire for each other is hard to hide. The story flows really well with enough ups and down within the plot to keep you turning the pages. I love this author's writing style, she writes beautifully.
Ollie and Lennon are both really likeable characters and their slow build relationship is very refreshing. Their hidden desire for each other is hard to hide. The story flows really well with enough ups and down within the plot to keep you turning the pages. I love this author's writing style, she writes beautifully.
November 14, 2025
Great challenge re-read.
I'm not wrong; this series is
Sexy, nuanced fun.
I knew it would take a head injury to get me to try audiobooks...
I love this whole series, and I am a total sucker for the fake boyfriend trope. In fact, I blame this series for really setting me up with it. Ollie and Lennon (or Clark) are a terrific couple. I think I like Lennon best, and his growth from a struggling sports writer to one willing to carve out his own journalist niche was terrific. He is one of the most interesting of non-sports boyfriends (second only to Jet, my beloved!).
There's not really a lot here, of course, but back in the day, when Eden Finley was writing books that connected characters with plot and offered so much more than cheap thrills, there was no one better. I wish she'd get back to these kinds of books. Definitely worth a reread.
I'm not wrong; this series is
Sexy, nuanced fun.
I knew it would take a head injury to get me to try audiobooks...
I love this whole series, and I am a total sucker for the fake boyfriend trope. In fact, I blame this series for really setting me up with it. Ollie and Lennon (or Clark) are a terrific couple. I think I like Lennon best, and his growth from a struggling sports writer to one willing to carve out his own journalist niche was terrific. He is one of the most interesting of non-sports boyfriends (second only to Jet, my beloved!).
There's not really a lot here, of course, but back in the day, when Eden Finley was writing books that connected characters with plot and offered so much more than cheap thrills, there was no one better. I wish she'd get back to these kinds of books. Definitely worth a reread.
June 7, 2022
therapy is nice but hockey romance is faster and cheaper
September 16, 2025
4.5 ⭐ / Deke is a near-perfect MM romcom. Where the first two books in the Fake Boyfriend series lean into wild, over-the-top setups, this one feels cohesive and grounded. Eden Finley’s growth as a writer is clear, and the break between books really shows.
Ollie and Lennon are endlessly lovable. Their arcs aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, but they’re handled with such heart and authenticity that it makes the story shine. The ending does run a little long and could have been trimmed for tighter pacing, but even so, the book is pure joy from start to finish.
This is the first time in the series that I fully get the hype.
Ollie and Lennon are endlessly lovable. Their arcs aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, but they’re handled with such heart and authenticity that it makes the story shine. The ending does run a little long and could have been trimmed for tighter pacing, but even so, the book is pure joy from start to finish.
This is the first time in the series that I fully get the hype.
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