Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - I Think They Love You

I received an ARC of this book for free via Goodreads giveaway. This has not impacted my final rating.

We love a family that supports its queer members 🫶

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itsjustprecious's review

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funny hopeful 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

4.25

I Think They Love You is a heartfelt story about finding yourself in the midst of reconnecting with the love of your life under less than ideal circumstances. Our main character Denz is tired of being seen as irresponsible and flighty by his family so when his father announces his retirement in an effort to prove to himself and his family he throws his hat into the ring. During this time he also announces to his family his imaginary long term boyfriend. Whoops.

When his original plan for a fake boyfriend falls through life throws him a lifeline or curveball according to Denz by having his ex, Braylon, that conveniently broke his heart, is the right place at the wrong time. The two make a deal for mutual help over the next couple of months but falling back in love with one another was clearly inevitable.

There’s plenty of character building, romance, and hilarious moments to keep you interested. Overall a super cute second chance, fake dating, rom com right in time for Valentine’s Day. 🥰

thank you to St. Martins Press via NetGalley for a eARC of this story in exchange for my honest opinion.

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bookishkellyn's review

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emotional funny

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

4.5

Now this is a rom-com! Awkwardly running into the ex who broke your heart and moved away was funny enough, but he’s still fine and now sounds like John Boyega? (I was howling laughing at the foolery even though the author was dead serious.) I loved almost everything about this queer, fake dating, second chance romance. The chemistry, dad jokes, sprinkles of spice, flashbacks, and lack of toxic masculinity were top tier. But lowkey, everyone in the Carter family (except the nephew) irked me.

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lettuce_read's review against another edition

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5.0

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the_queer_bibliophile's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, this is going to be a book I think about for days after finishing it. I absolutely adored Denz, Braylon, and their chemistry together! Their banter had me laughing from start to finish, and the way they connected throughout the book tugged at my heartstrings. Plus all the incredible background characters had me chuckling as well, especially Jamie and Jordan. I also liked that the author brings up important topics, like how being a person of color affects how people view you and how you do your job. Also how being gay or queer in general can affect this as well. I also adored the narrator and thought they matched this book perfectly.

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tonyaf'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

4.25

Two of my favorite romance tropes are fake dating and second-chance romance. Fake dating is always fun and usually results in at least a little pining (which is a requirement for me to get truly invested in a relationship). Second-chance romance can, when written properly, produce character and relationship growth that makes the happy ending feel earned. I Think They Love You is a prime example of how to do both of those tropes really well.

The book starts with Denz, the main character, preparing for a big event where his boyfriend, Braylon, will meet his family for the first time. After, we jump five years in the future, and see Denz run into Braylon again for the first time, a few years after their breakup.

Denz soon encounters a situation that makes him feel like he needs to present himself as being in a stable and committed relationship. When his best friend, Jamie, is suddenly unable to pose as his new boyfriend as planned, Braylon steps in, and the two are forced to deal with their lingering feelings and broken hearts.

The story is mostly told in the present but there are flashbacks sprinkled in that fill in their history. Through both timelines, their love for each other is clear. Denz and Braylon are a great example of the kinds of pairings I love in fiction: two people who really see each other (flaws and all) and push each other to be better and happier. These two had me laughing out loud and crying onto my Kindle at various points in the book!

Denz goes through some great character growth that I think will be relatable to many people. We don't get Braylon's POV but he's such a loveable character. Even without his POV, his personality shines through and the changes he brings about in Denzel are profound.

This story has a big focus on family: living up to family expectations, grieving lost parents, and found family are all themes. Denz's relationship with his family plays an especially large role in his life and the story. He has a close family filled with fun and realistic characters. His sister, Kami was a highlight for me. There are also parents, aunties, friends, cousins, and co-workers who fill out the cast.

One thing I really liked, as a romance fan, was all the references to rom-coms. Denz and Jamie love romance movies, so some big moments refer to some of the greats in the genre. There's also a quote about why romance appeals to so many that I adore and think other romance readers will too.

I Think They Love You is a solid romance that does the second-chance romance and the fake-dating tropes right. It's emotional, sweet, funny, spicy, and everything that most romance readers look for.

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