Reviews with content warning for Stalking - The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco

This was an interesting book and I definitely thought it had it's merits. I didn't love it, there were plot points that seemed a bit underdeveloped to me.

We read it for my book club and I enjoyed it.

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salomegf's review

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.5

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saphfics's review

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It was a perfectly okay romance book if not for the fact that I don't really liked the love interest.

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I am patiently waiting to hear about any of Talia’s new work. I decided to try and read some of her old work and saw The Princess Trap all over the book community and released it was a part of a series even though the characters don’t intertwine. I was interested to see if this book was better than the Princess Trap and it didn’t live up to my standards. The Brown Sisters are just unbeatable.

This book has two points of view. The first is Nik Christou, he is a footballing legend, and he has led a charmed life. He is rich, successful, and internationally adored. No woman or man has ever rejected him until a tattooed goddess blow his mind and captures his hear with just one kiss and now, he is in love. But she is not interested. The second point of view is Aria Granger, she has always been distrustful of men and has a disdain of love. Her tongue is as sharp as her winged eyeliner. She knows from experience that Nik, like any smoking-hot himbo with bags of cash, is too good to be true – so she’s determined to send this walking temptation packing. Fortunately, Nik’s devised the perfect strategy to win his woman . . . what could possibly go wrong?

I will always love Talia Hibbert and how she manages to write diverse characters, serious subjects, sexuality and mental health. I love her for it. A bisexual footballer, who is just all in love and shy – yet is like a horny teenager around Aria. A plus-sized black tattoo artist, who knows exactly what she wants and is nervous and damaged from a previous experience. I love these two characters individually. I liked the character development that happened individually.

I just felt like this book was a bit rushed compared to the previous work and I really didn’t enjoy the insta-love connection. I just thought Nik was a bit effing for how he came out with the truth. I would have liked the ex-boyfriend of Aria to be explored more as it was only briefly mentioned and then the weird almost conflict with one of Nik’s friends with the homophobia, I would have loved that to be explored more because Aria just went down his throat and that was the end of it.

I will carry on reading Talia Hibbert’s work old or new no matter what and hopefully I will enjoy the next book I read.

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racheldonna14's review

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emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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sophiasoler's review against another edition

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3.5

honestly? my least favorite of her books, although it is one of her earlier works so maybe that’s why. it felt a little clunky and rushed in the way her later books really don’t (part of what i love about them). i also just need a break from romance bc no you’re not in love one week in thank you.

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shyshy's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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cleo_reads's review against another edition

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4.5

Even better the second time. I love this book.

Joyful, ridiculous m/f bi romance between a cautious, sarcastic tattoo artist and a golden retriever of a playboy ex-footballer (British not American football). He falls in love at first sight and then realizes he has no idea what to do next. So he hires her to be his fake girlfriend. As one does. Hijinks ensue. Also a lot of sex in a fancy Spanish vacation home. The whole thing is ridiculous and over the top but the emotions felt real to me.

I liked that this takes a lot of common romance tropes and flips them around a bit so they’re less sexist and cringey. He’s an actual Greek millionaire, for crying out loud, but he also understands consent and he experiences actual consequences and actual emotional growth. And she’s hilarious and also practical and self aware.

According to the author’s note, this was 3rd in a series but she unpublished the first 2 books (because they’re romantic suspense and no longer represent who she is as a writer) - it’s been slightly updated and re-released.

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