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Lovin' the Pines #0.5
Faking It With My Ex
It was a proposal I couldn't resist... Too bad it was from my billionaire ex.
Now I have to pretend to like a fake fiancé I hate.
Of all the small towns in the world, he chose MINE to host his engagement party.
You should have seen the look on my face when I found out he got ghosted by his own fiancé!
Ha! Looks like he finally got a taste of his own medicine.
I feel smug until he barges into my office with a last-minute proposal.
Pretend to be his fiancé for one night, and he’ll buy one of my massive properties.
He’ll avoid looking foolish in front of his entire family.
And I’ll impress mine.
What could possibly go wrong? Oh, I don’t know...everything.
It’s all just fun and games…until it isn’t.
Faking It With My Ex is a sweet and swoony small town, enemies to lovers romance with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed.
Now I have to pretend to like a fake fiancé I hate.
Of all the small towns in the world, he chose MINE to host his engagement party.
You should have seen the look on my face when I found out he got ghosted by his own fiancé!
Ha! Looks like he finally got a taste of his own medicine.
I feel smug until he barges into my office with a last-minute proposal.
Pretend to be his fiancé for one night, and he’ll buy one of my massive properties.
He’ll avoid looking foolish in front of his entire family.
And I’ll impress mine.
What could possibly go wrong? Oh, I don’t know...everything.
It’s all just fun and games…until it isn’t.
Faking It With My Ex is a sweet and swoony small town, enemies to lovers romance with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed.
137 pages, Unknown Binding
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374 people want to read
About the author
Kristine W. Joy
19 books365 followersKristine W. Joy is an Amazon Bestselling Author who loves creating sweet and swoony stories full of sizzling chemistry and laugh-out-loud banter. She prefers her coffee iced and her kisses hot. When she's not dreaming up romance novels or writing from a cozy coffee shop in Northern California, she is spending time with her hubby and two young sons. Becoming a published author was a lifelong dream. Becoming a momma was the inspiration to make it a reality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 3, 2026
Faking It With My Ex by Kristine W. Joy is a sweet, small‑town, second‑chance romance novella about Sonia and her billionaire ex, Alistair, who haven’t spoken meaningfully since a summer romance eight years ago, only to be thrown back into each other’s orbit when his engagement falls apart and he asks her to pretend to be his fiancé for one night so he won’t embarrass his family, a deal that might just reignite old feelings they thought were long buried. It’s a cozy fake fiancé story with nostalgic hurt feelings and warm familial dynamics that sets the tone for the Lovin’ the Pines series.
From the very first pages I felt that delicious mix of tension and longing as Sonia meets Alistair again in her small mountain town, a place most of the story’s heart seems rooted and where her protective, quirky brothers add a lively backdrop to every scene. Watching Sonia’s internal conflict about whether to help the man who once broke her heart made me feel tender for her strength and vulnerability, even when the plot leaned into familiar genre tropes and breezy pacing.
There were moments that made me smile, especially as their banter and old memories surfaced, and I appreciated how the story explored second chances and how chemistry doesn’t always fade just because time does. That said, some parts felt a little rushed and uneven, and I wished for deeper exploration of the characters’ emotional arcs, but I still found the novella enjoyable for its lighthearted warmth and the way it made me hope for something real between these two.
Because of its sweet emotional beats and cozy setting, I’m giving Faking It With My Ex 3 out of 5 stars, a gentle recommendation for fans of enemies‑to‑lovers or second‑chance romance who love small‑town charm with their heartfelt sparks.
From the very first pages I felt that delicious mix of tension and longing as Sonia meets Alistair again in her small mountain town, a place most of the story’s heart seems rooted and where her protective, quirky brothers add a lively backdrop to every scene. Watching Sonia’s internal conflict about whether to help the man who once broke her heart made me feel tender for her strength and vulnerability, even when the plot leaned into familiar genre tropes and breezy pacing.
There were moments that made me smile, especially as their banter and old memories surfaced, and I appreciated how the story explored second chances and how chemistry doesn’t always fade just because time does. That said, some parts felt a little rushed and uneven, and I wished for deeper exploration of the characters’ emotional arcs, but I still found the novella enjoyable for its lighthearted warmth and the way it made me hope for something real between these two.
Because of its sweet emotional beats and cozy setting, I’m giving Faking It With My Ex 3 out of 5 stars, a gentle recommendation for fans of enemies‑to‑lovers or second‑chance romance who love small‑town charm with their heartfelt sparks.
February 27, 2023
This story was not bad but I think an epilogue would have answered some of the questions that I had left.
August 24, 2022
What a sweet second chance romance that will warm your heart. If you like enemies to lovers and second chances you'll love this book. It'll grab your attention right at the beginning and keep you page turning. You'll love Alastair and Sonia story. They had a summer of love eight years ago and then parted ways. They reconnect when he's in her small town for engagement party. The only catch is the bride to me ghosts him. Not wanting to be humiliated in front of his family Alastair asks Sonia to pretend to be his fiance for one night. My oh , what could go wrong. Talk about a roller coaster, this book will have you in stitches. It's overflowing with drama, secrets and angst. Oh and did I say, explosive chemistry? This is a great book that I know you will enjoy. I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 4, 2022
It grabbed my attention right away. This was such a sweet second chance romance, but also a roller coaster at the same time. I really enjoyed the book and bonus it’s billionaire! Sonia did surprise me a bit though and I loved that!
July 7, 2023
I really wanted to like this one, but struggled to stick with it. The plot seemed a little all over the place and unrealistic, and the writing style wasn’t what I was hoping for. I did love the setting for the story though!
April 4, 2025
An entertaining novella, but the pacing or something was off for me.
May 31, 2023
So cute! I’m a sucker for the fake to real thing troupes so I enjoyed it thoroughly. Also I couldn’t help but love that Alistair and Sonia were once together many moons ago.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2025
Not worth the time spent reading it. Just a bit weird.
August 26, 2022
I was not a fan of this trope, even though it was a fake relationship. While I knew that this was a novella, the characters were flat.
February 26, 2024
Kristine W. Joy has crafted not just a fun and engaging read but opened the door to a whole community of characters in The Whitfolk Series that I cannot wait to get to know each better. A fun, flirty, and well written story, Faking it With My Ex represents the best in the clean romance genera that has just enough angst and drama to keep the story balanced, but which always keeps the humorous aspect of Comedy at it's heart. Although cross listed as an Inspirational Romance, do not miss out on this fun book because of this category ... this is just a good solid clean read that doesn't have an agenda other than providing a quality ROM COM.
I loved everyone that I met in this book, and Joy has crafted primary and secondary characters that will just leave you asking "When is the next book coming out? And, "Whose book will it be?" Filled with best friends and a slew of Brothers with personalities that are all distinct, unique, and equally well developed, anyone picking up this book with crave to see how Alistair and Sonia's story will continue. And should those books be slightly longer I would have no problem reading them.
If you are looking for a book with laughs that begin right on page one, all you have to do is click "Look Inside" to see how Joy changes up the normal Rom Com's initial focus on the female characters and see that Alistair's voice begins a very human story, and wonderfully vivid thinking, than there's Sonia's introduction to the 'surprise' of her EX staying in the family's resort and you'll find yourself sharing a wonderful dynamic and well crafted banter that easily fits into the best tradition of a 1940's MGM Katherine Hepburn / Spencer Tracy movie. I promise, you'll be chuckling along, and rooting for the couple, as you click pages and watch them fall in love again while trying to remind themselves this is just Faking It. Into this mix you'll also find Sonia's Brothers, her best friend, Alistair's Family, and his missing Fiancée and you'll be left turning pages late into the night to see how it all will work out.
Joy's writing style is so vivid and direct that you truly see the events happening and her ability to capture characters is more than just telling you what they think, but ensures that you understand and feel what they are. Well balanced and delivering on all the promise of the summary I can easily see any reader wanting to find out how much a "cabin" in Whitfolk costs and moving right in.
(But I promise not to give more of the plot away. Grab this book and discover for yourself this excellently crafted and paced book)
I loved everyone that I met in this book, and Joy has crafted primary and secondary characters that will just leave you asking "When is the next book coming out? And, "Whose book will it be?" Filled with best friends and a slew of Brothers with personalities that are all distinct, unique, and equally well developed, anyone picking up this book with crave to see how Alistair and Sonia's story will continue. And should those books be slightly longer I would have no problem reading them.
If you are looking for a book with laughs that begin right on page one, all you have to do is click "Look Inside" to see how Joy changes up the normal Rom Com's initial focus on the female characters and see that Alistair's voice begins a very human story, and wonderfully vivid thinking, than there's Sonia's introduction to the 'surprise' of her EX staying in the family's resort and you'll find yourself sharing a wonderful dynamic and well crafted banter that easily fits into the best tradition of a 1940's MGM Katherine Hepburn / Spencer Tracy movie. I promise, you'll be chuckling along, and rooting for the couple, as you click pages and watch them fall in love again while trying to remind themselves this is just Faking It. Into this mix you'll also find Sonia's Brothers, her best friend, Alistair's Family, and his missing Fiancée and you'll be left turning pages late into the night to see how it all will work out.
Joy's writing style is so vivid and direct that you truly see the events happening and her ability to capture characters is more than just telling you what they think, but ensures that you understand and feel what they are. Well balanced and delivering on all the promise of the summary I can easily see any reader wanting to find out how much a "cabin" in Whitfolk costs and moving right in.
(But I promise not to give more of the plot away. Grab this book and discover for yourself this excellently crafted and paced book)
June 14, 2025
This second chance story is about Alistair and Sonia who had a short relationship during one summer eight years ago. Alistair broke up with Sonia but suddenly he is back in the small mountainous town where all of Sonia and her brothers have settled. But he is coming to arrange his engagement party and wedding to his fiancée, Millicia, an attorney.
Sonia is very disgruntled having to see Alistair on a regular basis while he is in her town. But on the day of Alistair and Millicia's engagement party, she suddenly goes missing and is unreachable. Alistair, being a coward, begs Sonia to act as his fake fiancée temporarily as he does not want to disappoint his sickly father and the rest of his extended family who will be arriving to attend the engagement party.
Sonia has never stopped loving Alistair and she agrees on condition that Alistair purchases a piece of property from her family's property development business.
However, the more this pair pretends, the more they realise that maybe the other is their person and their other half. Sonia's brothers and Nancy were interesting auxiliary characters who were likeable and Sonia was an endearing person but I did not like Alistair - that guy needs to develop a spine!
The book was interesting enough and the writing was good. I did somewhat enjoy the book but disliked Alistair a lot. The book definitely needed an epilogue as I felt the ending was too abrupt. There is some swearing and this book is closed door, with kisses only. I rate this book 3.75*.
Sonia is very disgruntled having to see Alistair on a regular basis while he is in her town. But on the day of Alistair and Millicia's engagement party, she suddenly goes missing and is unreachable. Alistair, being a coward, begs Sonia to act as his fake fiancée temporarily as he does not want to disappoint his sickly father and the rest of his extended family who will be arriving to attend the engagement party.
Sonia has never stopped loving Alistair and she agrees on condition that Alistair purchases a piece of property from her family's property development business.
However, the more this pair pretends, the more they realise that maybe the other is their person and their other half. Sonia's brothers and Nancy were interesting auxiliary characters who were likeable and Sonia was an endearing person but I did not like Alistair - that guy needs to develop a spine!
The book was interesting enough and the writing was good. I did somewhat enjoy the book but disliked Alistair a lot. The book definitely needed an epilogue as I felt the ending was too abrupt. There is some swearing and this book is closed door, with kisses only. I rate this book 3.75*.
August 28, 2022
Reader’s Notes:
– this is told from Alistair & Sonia’s points of view
– there is some innuendo
Review:
I loved Sonia and her brothers! 😂 I loved their ribbing and how well they knew each other (personality-wise and what they would and wouldn’t do wise). I also liked seeing hints of who’s probably going to get together later in the series, it’s gotten me so excited! As for Sonia and Alistair, I enjoyed their bickering while trying to appear civil. It was fun to see Alistair pick the littlest thing to get Sonia to talk to him. And then when they are in the fake relationship, I loved seeing how well Sonia fit with his family and how comfortable they both got when they started to really fall for each other again. 😍
Sonia had her heart broken. And now the heartbreaker behind it is back. Sonia doesn’t want anything to do with Alistair, she just wants to protect her heart and do her best for the family company. But when Alistair requests she pretend to be his fiancée and in exchange he’ll buy one of their biggest properties, Sonia can’t turn away the opportunity of helping the family. And in the process, she begins to realize how much her heart still longs for Alistair and just how hard the ‘break-up’ will be on her when the time comes…
Alistair is happily engaged to the perfect woman. He can’t wait to have his family finally meet her and give his father one last happiness by seeing him married. But when his fiancée doesn’t meet him when expected and no one can tell him why, he panics. He doesn’t want to disappoint his dad, so he asks Sonia to stand in as his fiancée. She’s the only available lady nearby on such short notice, but maybe the past can work in their favor. Alistair finds himself enjoying his time with Sonia as his fake fiancée and at times forgets that it isn’t real.
When the real fiancée finally shows up, will Alistair fight for his love for Sonia? Or will he keep the promise he made to the woman he asked to be his wife?
– this is told from Alistair & Sonia’s points of view
– there is some innuendo
Review:
I loved Sonia and her brothers! 😂 I loved their ribbing and how well they knew each other (personality-wise and what they would and wouldn’t do wise). I also liked seeing hints of who’s probably going to get together later in the series, it’s gotten me so excited! As for Sonia and Alistair, I enjoyed their bickering while trying to appear civil. It was fun to see Alistair pick the littlest thing to get Sonia to talk to him. And then when they are in the fake relationship, I loved seeing how well Sonia fit with his family and how comfortable they both got when they started to really fall for each other again. 😍
Sonia had her heart broken. And now the heartbreaker behind it is back. Sonia doesn’t want anything to do with Alistair, she just wants to protect her heart and do her best for the family company. But when Alistair requests she pretend to be his fiancée and in exchange he’ll buy one of their biggest properties, Sonia can’t turn away the opportunity of helping the family. And in the process, she begins to realize how much her heart still longs for Alistair and just how hard the ‘break-up’ will be on her when the time comes…
Alistair is happily engaged to the perfect woman. He can’t wait to have his family finally meet her and give his father one last happiness by seeing him married. But when his fiancée doesn’t meet him when expected and no one can tell him why, he panics. He doesn’t want to disappoint his dad, so he asks Sonia to stand in as his fiancée. She’s the only available lady nearby on such short notice, but maybe the past can work in their favor. Alistair finds himself enjoying his time with Sonia as his fake fiancée and at times forgets that it isn’t real.
When the real fiancée finally shows up, will Alistair fight for his love for Sonia? Or will he keep the promise he made to the woman he asked to be his wife?
August 14, 2022
This is a Sweet Enemies To Lovers Romance novella.
This is a very well-crafted romance. I had no idea what to expect when Alistair shows up 8 years later in Sonia's town. (They once spent a summer of love together, but he left to go back to the city.) And believe me, it's practically Sonia's town. Her and her brothers own most of it. Alistair is there to set up an engagement party for him and his fiancé, but when the fiancé doesn't show up, he makes a rash decision to ask Sonia to play the part, so his family isn't devastated. At first, she agrees to spite him, but soon all her old feelings come flooding back. I won't spoil it, but this was a really good novella. I liked how each brother had a different reaction and how protective they were. I loved her best friend Nancy, she was the smartest one of the bunch! I know it was a shorter book, but I even liked Lily, the Inn worker. Sonia has so many brother's, there is potential for all kinds of love set-ups here! And the description of Whitfolk makes me want to visit this foresty-heaven vacation spot. Awesome story! I can't wait to see what Kristine W. Joy does with this series in the next book...Stuck With My Ex's Best Friend. It releases in September 2022. Can't wait to read it.😁👍💙❤️
This is a very well-crafted romance. I had no idea what to expect when Alistair shows up 8 years later in Sonia's town. (They once spent a summer of love together, but he left to go back to the city.) And believe me, it's practically Sonia's town. Her and her brothers own most of it. Alistair is there to set up an engagement party for him and his fiancé, but when the fiancé doesn't show up, he makes a rash decision to ask Sonia to play the part, so his family isn't devastated. At first, she agrees to spite him, but soon all her old feelings come flooding back. I won't spoil it, but this was a really good novella. I liked how each brother had a different reaction and how protective they were. I loved her best friend Nancy, she was the smartest one of the bunch! I know it was a shorter book, but I even liked Lily, the Inn worker. Sonia has so many brother's, there is potential for all kinds of love set-ups here! And the description of Whitfolk makes me want to visit this foresty-heaven vacation spot. Awesome story! I can't wait to see what Kristine W. Joy does with this series in the next book...Stuck With My Ex's Best Friend. It releases in September 2022. Can't wait to read it.😁👍💙❤️
August 21, 2025
MC: Sonia and Alistair
POV: First person from both Sonia and Alistair
Thoughts: Overall, this is a sweet closed door romance, that is well written with interesting characters. I like the relationship between Sonia and her brothers. The relationship between Sonia and Alistair fell a little short for me and Alistair himself didn't sit well with me. Alistair is engaged when he arrives to town, but he flirts with Sonia just for fun and he gets a thrill knowing that he can rile her up. He then gets butterflies of anticipation while waiting for his real fiancé to arrive thinking that she (the real fiancé) is his perfect match. When she doesn't show and he asks Sonia to be his fake fiancé it only takes what looks like one day with Sonia to fall in love with her, forgetting all about his real fiancé. While Alistair and Sonia did have what seems like a summer romance eight years ago when they were 18, he left and didn't really give her a second thought, so to fall in love that quickly while still engaged to someone else makes him seem fickle.
Related Books: Prequel to the "Lovin' the Pines' series which is about Sonia's five brothers
POV: First person from both Sonia and Alistair
Thoughts: Overall, this is a sweet closed door romance, that is well written with interesting characters. I like the relationship between Sonia and her brothers. The relationship between Sonia and Alistair fell a little short for me and Alistair himself didn't sit well with me. Alistair is engaged when he arrives to town, but he flirts with Sonia just for fun and he gets a thrill knowing that he can rile her up. He then gets butterflies of anticipation while waiting for his real fiancé to arrive thinking that she (the real fiancé) is his perfect match. When she doesn't show and he asks Sonia to be his fake fiancé it only takes what looks like one day with Sonia to fall in love with her, forgetting all about his real fiancé. While Alistair and Sonia did have what seems like a summer romance eight years ago when they were 18, he left and didn't really give her a second thought, so to fall in love that quickly while still engaged to someone else makes him seem fickle.
Related Books: Prequel to the "Lovin' the Pines' series which is about Sonia's five brothers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2022
3.5⭐
Romance level: kissing, innuendos.
I loved how sassy and fierce Sonia was. She was not taking anything bad thrown her way.
Alistair loved teasing her and getting under her nerves. I liked their chemistry and I liked them interacting with their families. All of Sonia's brothers were this overprotective and sweet men. I see a lot of potential for their stories haha I can't wait.
I won't lie, I was hoping for him to clear past things up. I think Sonia deserved to have the healing she needed & the situation discussed. I was waiting for his apology & him showing her how serious he was now.
I was pleasantly surprised by the last bits of the book! I was like it can't be this easy for him and then bam! The twist! I was so here for it
Sonia's brothers were MVPs. Alistair needed to get his head out of the gutter and make things straight again. Although it seemed like a quick fix , I was still happy to read he worked for it. It was a cute ending. Book 2 coming next!
🍁
This novella was free for newsletter subscribers! Now it's available on Amazon 📖
Romance level: kissing, innuendos.
I loved how sassy and fierce Sonia was. She was not taking anything bad thrown her way.
Alistair loved teasing her and getting under her nerves. I liked their chemistry and I liked them interacting with their families. All of Sonia's brothers were this overprotective and sweet men. I see a lot of potential for their stories haha I can't wait.
I won't lie, I was hoping for him to clear past things up. I think Sonia deserved to have the healing she needed & the situation discussed. I was waiting for his apology & him showing her how serious he was now.
I was pleasantly surprised by the last bits of the book! I was like it can't be this easy for him and then bam! The twist! I was so here for it
Sonia's brothers were MVPs. Alistair needed to get his head out of the gutter and make things straight again. Although it seemed like a quick fix , I was still happy to read he worked for it. It was a cute ending. Book 2 coming next!
🍁
This novella was free for newsletter subscribers! Now it's available on Amazon 📖
August 14, 2024
This book was such a cute romance story! I'd give it 3.5 stars actually rather than 3!! I looved the way that it was easy to follow along with and read..about 100 pages so you can easily get through the whole story in one (or more) sittings.
I would have liked for there to be more trauma bonding between the main characters though and for us to have a better insight into their past history. Second chance novels aren't really my thing because I love all the backstory I can get but this book was just sooo cute that I'm very happy I read it regardless of the missing (in my opinion) indepth backstory! I really enjoyed the brothers as well and how youre able to tell that each of them has such distinct and different personalities without even seeing much of them..yet! It seems like each of the brothers has (or will have) their own novel/story being in their own perspectives. I absolutely love that!! It sounds so fun and I can't wait to read more about them!
If you want a really cute, short and fast romance story with a guaranteed happy ending..this is the one for you!
I would have liked for there to be more trauma bonding between the main characters though and for us to have a better insight into their past history. Second chance novels aren't really my thing because I love all the backstory I can get but this book was just sooo cute that I'm very happy I read it regardless of the missing (in my opinion) indepth backstory! I really enjoyed the brothers as well and how youre able to tell that each of them has such distinct and different personalities without even seeing much of them..yet! It seems like each of the brothers has (or will have) their own novel/story being in their own perspectives. I absolutely love that!! It sounds so fun and I can't wait to read more about them!
If you want a really cute, short and fast romance story with a guaranteed happy ending..this is the one for you!
August 21, 2022
Faking It with my Ex #1 by Kristine W. Joy.
A brand new author, whom I found via Bookfunnel.
The author's words for this story are:
Faking It With My Ex is a sweet and swoony small town, enemies, to lovers romance with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed.
When I received this book, I wondered if I could get into the story and feel the characters within. I was pleasantly surprised that I did, I found Faking it with my Ex to be written beautifully with very strong main characters and an excellent storyline. There’s nothing more satisfying than reading a book that is well-written, I highly recommend this book to all, I will not leave any spoilers, as I believe the book needs to be purchased for the full effect.
Thank you, Kristine, for this excellent story, and I can truly say without a doubt that I will be reading more of your books:)
A brand new author, whom I found via Bookfunnel.
The author's words for this story are:
Faking It With My Ex is a sweet and swoony small town, enemies, to lovers romance with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed.
When I received this book, I wondered if I could get into the story and feel the characters within. I was pleasantly surprised that I did, I found Faking it with my Ex to be written beautifully with very strong main characters and an excellent storyline. There’s nothing more satisfying than reading a book that is well-written, I highly recommend this book to all, I will not leave any spoilers, as I believe the book needs to be purchased for the full effect.
Thank you, Kristine, for this excellent story, and I can truly say without a doubt that I will be reading more of your books:)
August 28, 2022
Thank you to Kristine W. Joy for an e-copy of "Faking It With My Ex"!
Overall, I rated this novella a 3.5/5 stars.
This book follows Sonia & Alistair. Sonia has had a crush on him for forever, and he's in town looking to buy a summer home, valued at 6 million dollars. Despite all of Sonia's brothers dissuading her from holding up her end of the deal to serve as Alistair's fake fiance' in order to appeal to his family, she follows her heart and the two of them become very close while his real fiance' has appeared to have gone AWOL. Which woman will he end up with in the end, Sonia or Millicia? You'll have to read this sweet but somewhat rushed novella in order to find out! I feel like if it had been turned into a full-length novel and been slightly slower-paced, this novel would've gained an even higher rating from me!
Overall, I rated this novella a 3.5/5 stars.
This book follows Sonia & Alistair. Sonia has had a crush on him for forever, and he's in town looking to buy a summer home, valued at 6 million dollars. Despite all of Sonia's brothers dissuading her from holding up her end of the deal to serve as Alistair's fake fiance' in order to appeal to his family, she follows her heart and the two of them become very close while his real fiance' has appeared to have gone AWOL. Which woman will he end up with in the end, Sonia or Millicia? You'll have to read this sweet but somewhat rushed novella in order to find out! I feel like if it had been turned into a full-length novel and been slightly slower-paced, this novel would've gained an even higher rating from me!
August 7, 2022
Realising The Errors Of His Ways -
Alistair may have thought he had moved on from Sonia after he broke up with her, but seeing her again years later and spending time with her, brought all his suppressed feeling back. Unfortunately, their second chance at a forever doesn’t come easily. This was a really exciting story to read, with the interesting characters and intriguing storyline, that was filled with subterfuge, angst and romance. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will definitely be reading more in the future.
I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Alistair may have thought he had moved on from Sonia after he broke up with her, but seeing her again years later and spending time with her, brought all his suppressed feeling back. Unfortunately, their second chance at a forever doesn’t come easily. This was a really exciting story to read, with the interesting characters and intriguing storyline, that was filled with subterfuge, angst and romance. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will definitely be reading more in the future.
I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 21, 2022
Alastair and Sonia had been together several years ago when he broke up with her. She hates him now. Them he shows up in her small hometown to have his engagement party with his family. Then he shows up in her office wanting her to be his fake fiancé for one night. His fiancé has stood him up! He doesn’t want his family to know. He agrees to buy a large piece of real estate that she’s trying to sell. They make a deal as it’s one night only, what could possibly happen? I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
October 15, 2022
Any story that starts with “Faking” you know is going to have angst. Add “Ex” and you’re in for a ride! I had to admire Sonia. She carried on with her duties, despite her feelings, which Alistair played upon. I was certainly on Sonia’s side when he didn’t stand up for her. An emotional roller coaster. Alistair had a long way to go to make up for all the ways he screwed up, but he was (eventually) ready to put himself out there and grovel. I liked how this story intertwined with the previous story.
I received a free Advance Review Copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
I received a free Advance Review Copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
August 25, 2022
Fun book about the ex who made billions. A fine line between love and hate means be careful who you do favors or business with! With family at the core of the book, this made a great display of loyalty, loving, and family dynamics no matter what. Bonus points for many fun and silly things along the way.
Enjoyable characters (well except that one...), perfect location, bears, and true friendship blend together to make this a fun read and an author to look forward to reading her future books!
Enjoyable characters (well except that one...), perfect location, bears, and true friendship blend together to make this a fun read and an author to look forward to reading her future books!
November 29, 2022
Watch out for bears
He was her first boyfriend when they were teenagers and she never got over him (and has been mad ever since). He came to her small town in the middle of nowhere to throw his engagement party and get married. But the fiancé never showed up. There is a convoluted tale of fake fiancés and overprotective brothers and other twists. Cute story, clean but with closed door.
He was her first boyfriend when they were teenagers and she never got over him (and has been mad ever since). He came to her small town in the middle of nowhere to throw his engagement party and get married. But the fiancé never showed up. There is a convoluted tale of fake fiancés and overprotective brothers and other twists. Cute story, clean but with closed door.
September 24, 2023
I read 70 percent of this book and just couldn't. The leading man is a mess. He flirts with his ex and sends her drunk texts when he is waiting for his fiancé, who he loves so much, to come to their engagement party. The girl is no better, does she hate him or like him. It's a mystery. I did not buy this story at all. There is no falling in love in this. The book also just felt odd like it was a part of a different story. I just can't explain it. Not my thing.
March 13, 2025
I had actually forgotten I read this book and forgot to leave a review, picked it up again and skimmed through it quick again but now that I've read it, I recall how I felt about the book before and I feel the same way now.
The book was a quick read but it was all over the place, just lots of chaos happening and not the kind I would like reading where another fiancee is involved etc. I couldn't really connect with the characters as well. This book didn't really hit the mark for me.
The book was a quick read but it was all over the place, just lots of chaos happening and not the kind I would like reading where another fiancee is involved etc. I couldn't really connect with the characters as well. This book didn't really hit the mark for me.
September 19, 2022
Faking It With My Ex is sweet enemies to friends novella. It is everything you want in a second chance romance! Sonia lives in the town of Whitfolk, which was designed by her brother Silas. Her ex comes to town and they pretend to be engaged for the night. But of course, things don’t go as planned.
This is my first story by Kristine W. Joy, but it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading more stories about Sonia’s brothers. Many thanks to The author for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This is my first story by Kristine W. Joy, but it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading more stories about Sonia’s brothers. Many thanks to The author for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
August 12, 2025
This book was…..not good. I mean, it had promise but the actual writing was just bad. While it seemed kinda Hallmarkish to begin with, it was just so choppy. Nothing flowed very smoothly for me. While I read the whole book, I felt like I wasted my time with it. At this point, I am not interested in reading any of the other books in this series.
December 22, 2022
Fun, uncomplicated read — my favorite kind! Plenty of turmoil within the enemies to lovers (though mainly just light teasing, nothing truly unkind) and an adorable, snowy setting… the ideal winter night read!
October 14, 2023
Wow! This book was perfect. I laughed out loud, I cringed, I was unreasonably pissed at a fictional character 😂
I love thé sibling relationships and their occupations, I mean honestly… dream life!
I’m excited to read more of Kristine’s books!
I love thé sibling relationships and their occupations, I mean honestly… dream life!
I’m excited to read more of Kristine’s books!
October 2, 2024
Such a good book. Kept me going til the end,couldn't get enough. I love that it shows young love can be just as real as any other love. Sometimes we just need to give ourselves a chance to be happy and not worry about everyone else thinks. That is exactly what happened here and I'm here for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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