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adrienanthony's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, and Toxic relationship
mels_reading_log's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book centers around Holden’s desire to participate in a supermarket game show, his version of Supermarket Sweep. It was he and his mom’s favorite show when she was alive. The only problem is he needs a partner. In walks the sexy, game loving Leo and his problems are solved. They just need to fake date for the producers, win the show and not get their hearts broken for real…easy peasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
imstephtacular's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Cancer, Grief, Death of parent, and Cursing
Minor: Terminal illness, Racism, Death, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Biphobia, Classism, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I absolutely adored this book! Quick premise is that Holden James is dumped in a restaurant by his longtime-boyfriend Buckley (I'm convinced everyone whose name begins with B is an absolute asshole in all fictional worlds lol), and then he goes to LA to audition for his favorite TV show, Madcap Market! This was the TV show he watched with his late mom before she passed away, and Holden is clearly still deep in grief. He meets Leo Min at his hotel, as Leo is the faux concierge and they have a steamy encounter.
Then, they get the idea of auditioning for the TV show together, even though the show typically takes couples or contestants with a lot of shared history. So what's the solution?! They fake date! Although, I will say they at least say that this is their very first few days of dating but they create a fake past five months of virtual friendship. Most of the book takes place over the few days that they prepare to audition, with Holden making Leo watch past episodes and them sharing past relationships and traumas.
I loved that this was a different spin on fake dating, as both Holden and Leo are very clear in their attraction to each other, so that is not a secret nor is it fake! So their fake dating is moreso for the cameras, but it really does feel like the beginning of a relationship for Holden at least. We get first-person POV of Holden only, so I can only assume Leo felt the same (though it is clarified at the end too lol). Anyway, I loved that they came up with the fake dating idea AFTER they had both already decided they were interested in each other, so I wasn't left wondering as I usually am with fake dating if it felt real for either of them. I personally felt it was quite clear that these two wanted to be with the other. They just were focused on winning $100k more in that particular moment!
Learning more about Holden and Leo was everything I love about the romance genre - we are given bouts of goofy and/or sexually tense banter, and then the characters let us in a bit, through the cracks that they *swear* are not there. Leo is still grappling with the unraveling of his last situationship, while Holden confronts why his past relationship with Buckley never stood a chance, and reckoning with his own accountability beyond their incompatibility. The third-act conflict was so utterly human and as a romance reader, you gotta know things will work out. However, I was so incredibly proud of the choice Holden made in order to move forward with intention and hope, rather than desperately hanging on to threads of the past.
Janovsky has been a bit of a slow burn for me - Boy Meets Boy #1 & #2 were okay (for me), then "New Adult" exceeded my expectations, and now this book has become my favorite of his! I will read anything he writes next, and I am so excited to say I am indeed a fan!
steam rating: 3/5 - this is dare I say, Janovsky's steamiest book!?
see content warnings below & take care while reading <3
I absolutely adored this book! Quick premise is that Holden James is dumped in a restaurant by his longtime-boyfriend Buckley (I'm convinced everyone whose name begins with B is an absolute asshole in all fictional worlds lol), and then he goes to LA to audition for his favorite TV show, Madcap Market! This was the TV show he watched with his late mom before she passed away, and Holden is clearly still deep in grief. He meets Leo Min at his hotel, as Leo is the faux concierge and they have a steamy encounter.
Then, they get the idea of auditioning for the TV show together, even though the show typically takes couples or contestants with a lot of shared history. So what's the solution?! They fake date! Although, I will say they at least say that this is their very first few days of dating but they create a fake past five months of virtual friendship. Most of the book takes place over the few days that they prepare to audition, with Holden making Leo watch past episodes and them sharing past relationships and traumas.
I loved that this was a different spin on fake dating, as both Holden and Leo are very clear in their attraction to each other, so that is not a secret nor is it fake! So their fake dating is moreso for the cameras, but it really does feel like the beginning of a relationship for Holden at least. We get first-person POV of Holden only, so I can only assume Leo felt the same (though it is clarified at the end too lol). Anyway, I loved that they came up with the fake dating idea AFTER they had both already decided they were interested in each other, so I wasn't left wondering as I usually am with fake dating if it felt real for either of them. I personally felt it was quite clear that these two wanted to be with the other. They just were focused on winning $100k more in that particular moment!
Learning more about Holden and Leo was everything I love about the romance genre - we are given bouts of goofy and/or sexually tense banter, and then the characters let us in a bit, through the cracks that they *swear* are not there. Leo is still grappling with the unraveling of his last situationship, while Holden confronts why his past relationship with Buckley never stood a chance, and reckoning with his own accountability beyond their incompatibility. The third-act conflict was so utterly human and as a romance reader, you gotta know things will work out. However, I was so incredibly proud of the choice Holden made in order to move forward with intention and hope, rather than desperately hanging on to threads of the past.
Janovsky has been a bit of a slow burn for me - Boy Meets Boy #1 & #2 were okay (for me), then "New Adult" exceeded my expectations, and now this book has become my favorite of his! I will read anything he writes next, and I am so excited to say I am indeed a fan!
steam rating: 3/5 - this is dare I say, Janovsky's steamiest book!?
see content warnings below & take care while reading <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Medical content, and Cursing
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, and Death of parent
fanboyriot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Read For:
Fake Dating
Light Dom/sub
Strangers to Lovers
Game Show/Reality TV
Insta-Love (but done right)
This book was so much better than I was thinking it would be. Everything was written so nicely. The characters, the relationships, the drama, the plot, it was all so entertaining and enjoyable.
Fake date to get on a game show then realize you caught feelings? Love this idea and how it all played out. It was wholesome, cute, funny, spicy, and just amusing to read.
Holden and Leo have such a great dynamic. I loved their chemistry and how they helped each other. Finding each other when life was less than the best. The self healing was also nice to see. Holden dealing with the grief of losing his mother and getting rid of his ghost-like mindset, and becoming himself again was written really nicely. This book was amazing!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and HARLEQUIN - Romance, for this eARC of this book.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Release Date: 23, January 2024
POV: First Person
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rep: MlM, Gay MC, Gay Korean-American LI
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
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