Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Alright, ya'll. This is a perfect example of this genre. I see some people in the comments saying that it is not believable and the characters don't have enough depth, etc. Which may be true, but that isn't the requirements of this genre. If you want deep character-development and literary merit, then this isn't the genre for you. If you want escapism romance with some steam and some snark, then pick this book up. It is tropey, and steamy, and billionairey, and snarky, and fun.
After a medical emergency send Elle fainting into the arms of billionaire tabloid bad boy August, they become fodder for the gossip news which tarnishes both their reputations at the worst times. To counteract this, August demands they pretend to be engaged. Elle agrees because he's rich and is going to pay her and she has a crush on him because he's broodish and cute and has a beard (duh). Elle, of course, doesn't know her own pixie-like beauty and August, despite the wall he's built around his heart after a bad break-up (and I mean BAD), finds he's falling for her for real. They are both helping his beloved aunt regain her muse to continue writing a children's book series about a penguin that now-illustrator Elle loved as a child. But, of course, things get in their way along the way.
Tropes - grumpy-sunshine, fake dating, billionaire, alpha male with a heart-of-gold, third act break up but not because of miscommunication, snarky/quirky/tiny female MC
This book was just what I needed to cleanse my reading palette from all the heavier literary fiction and mediocre thrillers I've been reading lately. It even had me laughing out loud a few times at their banter although I wouldn't really classify it as a rom-com.
If you like billionaire romances with STEAM, then you'll enjoy this read. If you are looking for something that's going to resonate with your soul, this is not it. :)
Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Snow, and the publisher for allowing me to review an ARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
After a medical emergency send Elle fainting into the arms of billionaire tabloid bad boy August, they become fodder for the gossip news which tarnishes both their reputations at the worst times. To counteract this, August demands they pretend to be engaged. Elle agrees because he's rich and is going to pay her and she has a crush on him because he's broodish and cute and has a beard (duh). Elle, of course, doesn't know her own pixie-like beauty and August, despite the wall he's built around his heart after a bad break-up (and I mean BAD), finds he's falling for her for real. They are both helping his beloved aunt regain her muse to continue writing a children's book series about a penguin that now-illustrator Elle loved as a child. But, of course, things get in their way along the way.
Tropes - grumpy-sunshine, fake dating, billionaire, alpha male with a heart-of-gold, third act break up but not because of miscommunication, snarky/quirky/tiny female MC
This book was just what I needed to cleanse my reading palette from all the heavier literary fiction and mediocre thrillers I've been reading lately. It even had me laughing out loud a few times at their banter although I wouldn't really classify it as a rom-com.
If you like billionaire romances with STEAM, then you'll enjoy this read. If you are looking for something that's going to resonate with your soul, this is not it. :)
Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Snow, and the publisher for allowing me to review an ARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I loved the disability rep with Elle. As someone who suffered from migraines, I could heavily relate, minus the fainting. I would have the onset, the pain, and not being able to withstand loud noises or bright lights. It is such a debilitating issue.
August, he was not my favorite, initially. He was a complete jerk, and asshole, still is, but the way Elle softened him, loved it. I did want to castrate him like Lena threatened when he and Elle first had sex and he kicked her out of the room. And when he was going off on Clara and snapped at Elle, telling her it was none of her business and he didn’t want her.
The age difference was very blatant. Elle was very immature and acted every bit of 23, and that was annoying at times, well, majority of the time. I guess me being 35, it was just a lot. She was immature and insecure. And the way she forgave August after he apologized through a damn letter. There’s no way I would accept that. I need to hear those words.
I loved the banter with Lena and Grandma. They were freaking hilarious. I also loved Clara. She and Grandma would definitely get along.
I also liked the LGBTQIA+ rep with Clara and Yvette. As a queer woman, I couldn’t imagine living during the time when they were younger and same sex relationships were frowned upon. It made sense why Clara was so willing to give up the Inky sketches.
Marissa needed to be bent over somebody’s knee and spanked, and I don’t mean that in a naughty way. She’s one of those people who the rod should not have been spared as a child, however, Yvette keeping the reality of what was going on as Marissa was growing up, somewhat contributed to that, but Marissa is too grown to act the way she did.
Overall, it was an okay read.
August, he was not my favorite, initially. He was a complete jerk, and asshole, still is, but the way Elle softened him, loved it. I did want to castrate him like Lena threatened when he and Elle first had sex and he kicked her out of the room. And when he was going off on Clara and snapped at Elle, telling her it was none of her business and he didn’t want her.
The age difference was very blatant. Elle was very immature and acted every bit of 23, and that was annoying at times, well, majority of the time. I guess me being 35, it was just a lot. She was immature and insecure. And the way she forgave August after he apologized through a damn letter. There’s no way I would accept that. I need to hear those words.
I loved the banter with Lena and Grandma. They were freaking hilarious. I also loved Clara. She and Grandma would definitely get along.
I also liked the LGBTQIA+ rep with Clara and Yvette. As a queer woman, I couldn’t imagine living during the time when they were younger and same sex relationships were frowned upon. It made sense why Clara was so willing to give up the Inky sketches.
Marissa needed to be bent over somebody’s knee and spanked, and I don’t mean that in a naughty way. She’s one of those people who the rod should not have been spared as a child, however, Yvette keeping the reality of what was going on as Marissa was growing up, somewhat contributed to that, but Marissa is too grown to act the way she did.
Overall, it was an okay read.
Age Gap romance
Grumpy x sunshine
Fake relationship
This is a fake engagement romance. He is grumpy and she is sunshine. She is helping him save his reputation. Their relationship is overall sweet and the banter between these two is incredible. This book is funny and the dialogue between the 2 main characters is amazing. The teasing and outright directness of both make for an interesting read. I would recommend this as a lighthearted romance read.
Grumpy x sunshine
Fake relationship
This is a fake engagement romance. He is grumpy and she is sunshine. She is helping him save his reputation. Their relationship is overall sweet and the banter between these two is incredible. This book is funny and the dialogue between the 2 main characters is amazing. The teasing and outright directness of both make for an interesting read. I would recommend this as a lighthearted romance read.
Grumpy MMC meets sunshine FMC in this fake dating story. The latest novel by Nicole Snow does not disappoint. Elle is a 23 year old moving back to her hometown of Seattle from NYC to help her grandmother. She suffers from anemia and migraines, and flying often triggers those migraines. Such is the case when she boards the plane. This is when she first encounters August. He's a broody, somber billionaire occupying the aisle seat to her window seat. He's busy typing away on his laptop completely ignoring the fact that Elle needs to get past him to get to her seat.
By the time they land, Elle thinks the worst of her migraine is behind her, but boy is she wrong. As she exits the plane, she passes out in the terminal. And who is there to catch her? None other than August, of course. Unbeknownst to them, pictures of August rescuing Elle make it to the tabloids. To save his reputation and his family's legacy, August convinces Elle to become his fake fiancé.
This went from a 3 to a 4 star for me simply for the banter between these two characters alone. She's sarcastic, chaotic, and witty. He's broody and serious.
Through the trials and tribulations, will fake become real?
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
By the time they land, Elle thinks the worst of her migraine is behind her, but boy is she wrong. As she exits the plane, she passes out in the terminal. And who is there to catch her? None other than August, of course. Unbeknownst to them, pictures of August rescuing Elle make it to the tabloids. To save his reputation and his family's legacy, August convinces Elle to become his fake fiancé.
This went from a 3 to a 4 star for me simply for the banter between these two characters alone. She's sarcastic, chaotic, and witty. He's broody and serious.
Through the trials and tribulations, will fake become real?
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
this was like this perfect combo of grumpy meets sunshine with a side of fake dating. i was all in right from the start!
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Almost Pretend follows an illustrator named Elle who’s full of sunshine and a stone-cold, grumpy billionaire named August with the ever classic trope of fake dating.
I fell in love with the opening chapter! Elle’s mysterious and confusing seat-mate on the plane who is secretly chivalrous in subtle but important ways had me already swooning. I absolutely loved the banter in the beginning, it kept the story light and fun. You couldn’t help but love Elle’s antics throughout.
With a chronic illness representation I appreciated, this was a cute story, even if I was cursing August through a lot of it. My biggest complaint is how long the chapters were. I’m also sad her chronic illness issues seemingly disappeared after the first chunk of the book, as I really enjoyed August’s observant, white knight displays making him easy to love in those moments. Overall, this was a really cute book and the story hit many good tropes!
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book! The main characters had the witty banter that I’m a sucker for and the pace of the book worked great.
Elle was a ray of pure sunshine paired off with the grumpiest of grumps made for an entertaining story time.
Got this as an ARC. Highly recommend reading this book when it comes out!
Elle was a ray of pure sunshine paired off with the grumpiest of grumps made for an entertaining story time.
Got this as an ARC. Highly recommend reading this book when it comes out!