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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was pretty cute. I enjoyed the fun banter and the characters. There were several spicy scenes that felt slightly out of place with the cuteness of the rest of the book and I thought things dragged at times, but over all I ended up enjoying this much more than I thought I would.
It was a good book, it wasn’t perfect. I received an ARC copy from Entangled Publishing so there were grammatical errors I noticed that hopefully were fixed before the book was actually released. I don’t know if it was just me but the whole wedding week felt like a different book from the rest of the storyline. Introducing us to so many characters in both of the families was very confusing. I think the readers needed a family tree like Benji provided Nora. I found the back and forth between Nora and Sebastian to be so tiresome at times I had to put the book down and take a break from it. This was my first Lily Hart book and my first fake dating trope book. The whole “I love you but I shouldn’t.” follows every other romance novel storyline. Overall, it was a decent read.
emotional
funny
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
This was my first book by Livy Hart and I loved it. I loved the family dynamics and the interplay between the families. I loved the progression from insta love to a deeper connection. This book had all of the emotions!
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
Let me start by saying, I love Hart's writing style and I always enjoy her ability to set a scene and make you feel like you are there, living in the moment with the characters. The Great Dating Fake Off had me immersed in the setting, but I struggled to find an attachment to our main characters and did not find myself invested in what happened to them. The chemistry between them was apparent when they were privately enjoying each other's company (this spice was spicing and I did not cringe a single time), but it was a bit too instalove for me. With that being said, I think that element sets this story and couple apart from our normal fake dating storylines, but for that reason it lacked the tension I normally enjoy from this trope and utilized life events to create the "will they/won't they scenario.
I actually enjoyed the side characters and found myself looking forward to the entire group being together to see what shenanigans would ensue.
Overall a fun read, I just struggled to find myself invested in the main characters.
I actually enjoyed the side characters and found myself looking forward to the entire group being together to see what shenanigans would ensue.
Overall a fun read, I just struggled to find myself invested in the main characters.
Ugh, this book just gave me all the same feels as any of my favorite 2000s romcoms. Our FMC, Nora, is so sweet and charismatic and might as well be the epitome of sunshine. While we do get some idea of her past and the things she's gone through, this book is most definitely meant for sweet romance and good laughs - not for diving into trauma. Seb, our MMC, is equally as charming and down BAD for Nora almost immediately.
I can't say that the overall plot line was my favorite (thinking 3rd act breakup and then trying to save everyone else). At moments I felt like the story could have concluded earlier or was ready to conclude so at times I felt like it was dragging a little bit. Dual POV is great but it also can give you the sense of like "if you would just talk to each other, this wouldn't be a problem."
Overall, this was such fun and sweet read that will definitely make me consider picking up more of Livy's books!
I can't say that the overall plot line was my favorite (thinking 3rd act breakup and then trying to save everyone else). At moments I felt like the story could have concluded earlier or was ready to conclude so at times I felt like it was dragging a little bit. Dual POV is great but it also can give you the sense of like "if you would just talk to each other, this wouldn't be a problem."
Overall, this was such fun and sweet read that will definitely make me consider picking up more of Livy's books!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
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
5 STARS!
Livy Hart is one of my favorite authors. She is incapable of missing and only knows how to write hit books. "The Great Dating Fake Off" is another winner. I absolutely LOVED Nora and Sebastian. They might be one of my all-time favorite book couples. Hart really knows how to write banter, how to write longing, how to write pining. What starts as insta-love very quickly turns into something much deeper and much more profound. Nora and Sebastian YEARN for each other so deeply that you feel it in your bones. Fake dating with a twist, wedding shenanigans, large, headstrong families, decades-old beef, intense spice, and self-discovery combine to make one heck of a riotous, sexy, meaningful, theatrical, swoon-worthy novel. I seriously love every single thing about this book. I love the setting, I loved the characters, I love their jobs, I loved the friendships, I loved the family dynamics (mostly because they bring the drama!!), and I loved the love!! This book is well-paced, well-thought-out, and has a well-earned ending. Another winner for Livy Hart.
Thank you to NetGalley, Livy Hart, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Livy Hart is one of my favorite authors. She is incapable of missing and only knows how to write hit books. "The Great Dating Fake Off" is another winner. I absolutely LOVED Nora and Sebastian. They might be one of my all-time favorite book couples. Hart really knows how to write banter, how to write longing, how to write pining. What starts as insta-love very quickly turns into something much deeper and much more profound. Nora and Sebastian YEARN for each other so deeply that you feel it in your bones. Fake dating with a twist, wedding shenanigans, large, headstrong families, decades-old beef, intense spice, and self-discovery combine to make one heck of a riotous, sexy, meaningful, theatrical, swoon-worthy novel. I seriously love every single thing about this book. I love the setting, I loved the characters, I love their jobs, I loved the friendships, I loved the family dynamics (mostly because they bring the drama!!), and I loved the love!! This book is well-paced, well-thought-out, and has a well-earned ending. Another winner for Livy Hart.
Thank you to NetGalley, Livy Hart, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced