A review by halffast
Act Like It by Lucy Parker

4.0

A theater actress is asked to fake-date her surly coworker to help improve his public image and boost their play's falling ticket sales. Lainie was a wonderful heroine. She was intimidated by Richard at first but knew just how to handle his prickly personality, and his grumpy walls slowly come down for her amidst delicious scenes of physical and emotional tenderness. I loved how she stood up for herself and others, and fought for her and Richard's future as a couple. I also enjoyed the elusive "sick bed" trope where Richard helped take care of Lainie when she fell ill. Was really bummed the book was fade to black (there's some intimacy but nothing super explicit). There were a few loose ends plot-wise that could've been wrapped up better (Lainie's charity, Richard's public image, what happens to the theater/play). This book was delightfully British and I recommend it for a low-angst, fairly quick read.