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A review by maddiebees
The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine, fake dating, and celebrity romance? This book was targeted at me with all of my favorite things and I am so glad I was able to read it before it comes out next month!
When Chris Sterns finds his way to the small town of Two Harts, Texas in order to escape some drama that’s following him, he meets the local librarian Maebell Sampson. The pair find a way they can help one another and strike up a deal: she gets fake-engaged to him so some of the heat is taken off his back from a little tabloid issue and she gets paid a handsome fee that she plans on putting towards her mother’s medical bills—but we know it’s never quite that simple! Maebell suffers severely from older sister syndrome and we know that I am a sucker for that so I immediately fell in love with her; she’s so strong but still vulnerable and I think that’s such an important factor in her character. Chris is the epitome of a golden retriever man—I swear you can hear his tail thumping. I adore a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with a grumpy FMC and sunshine-y MMC so this was perfect for me.
I loved the rapport between Maebell and Chris; there was some fun quippiness but it definitely didn’t sacrifice anything in the relationship building department despite that. The conflict and resolution felt very realistic and I loved the little fumbles on the way to the grand gesture. It was just such a fun, charming read and I highly recommend romcom lovers giving it a shot when it comes out!
Reading this made me super excited to read other works by Sharon M. Peterson! Thank you to NetGalley, Sharon M. Peterson, and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my review!
When Chris Sterns finds his way to the small town of Two Harts, Texas in order to escape some drama that’s following him, he meets the local librarian Maebell Sampson. The pair find a way they can help one another and strike up a deal: she gets fake-engaged to him so some of the heat is taken off his back from a little tabloid issue and she gets paid a handsome fee that she plans on putting towards her mother’s medical bills—but we know it’s never quite that simple! Maebell suffers severely from older sister syndrome and we know that I am a sucker for that so I immediately fell in love with her; she’s so strong but still vulnerable and I think that’s such an important factor in her character. Chris is the epitome of a golden retriever man—I swear you can hear his tail thumping. I adore a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with a grumpy FMC and sunshine-y MMC so this was perfect for me.
I loved the rapport between Maebell and Chris; there was some fun quippiness but it definitely didn’t sacrifice anything in the relationship building department despite that. The conflict and resolution felt very realistic and I loved the little fumbles on the way to the grand gesture. It was just such a fun, charming read and I highly recommend romcom lovers giving it a shot when it comes out!
Reading this made me super excited to read other works by Sharon M. Peterson! Thank you to NetGalley, Sharon M. Peterson, and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my review!