Scan barcode
A review by sarajoe80
The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky
funny
lighthearted
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
3.0
First of all, thank you NetGalley, Timothy Janovsky, and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this book via ARC.
TL/DR: solid fake-dating romance, but the game show plot was not plotting.
Read if: you are looking for a queer fake-dating with a small plot and supportive family
Don't read if: you are working trough family grief. While the author deals with it respectfully, one of the main aspects of this book is Holden's grief around his late mother.
This book was a 3-star read for me. While there were some elements that I liked, it had a lot of elements that made me roll my eyes throughout the reading.
What I liked: first of all, I am a Leo fan, he is immaculate and lovely and way more mature than the main character. I liked the dynamic between Holden and Leo, even more the scenes with Leo's mother. I also loved that this book dealt a lot with family issues and trauma (especially around Grief), and I genuinely teared up a chapter from the end. Both guys have very supportive families and there was no "coming-out" trope, which, as a queer person myself, found relieving.
What I did not like: I did not like some of the tropes of this book, especially the third-act breakup 3 chapters from the end, and the miscommunication that Holden has . What mainly made me pick 3 stars is because the book seems to be all focused around the game show, yet there is only one or two chapters 70% into the book where there is an actual game show, it made me want to know more about it.
TL/DR: solid fake-dating romance, but the game show plot was not plotting.
Read if: you are looking for a queer fake-dating with a small plot and supportive family
Don't read if: you are working trough family grief. While the author deals with it respectfully, one of the main aspects of this book is Holden's grief around his late mother.
This book was a 3-star read for me. While there were some elements that I liked, it had a lot of elements that made me roll my eyes throughout the reading.
What I liked: first of all, I am a Leo fan, he is immaculate and lovely and way more mature than the main character. I liked the dynamic between Holden and Leo, even more the scenes with Leo's mother. I also loved that this book dealt a lot with family issues and trauma (especially around Grief), and I genuinely teared up a chapter from the end. Both guys have very supportive families and there was no "coming-out" trope, which, as a queer person myself, found relieving.
What I did not like: I did not like some of the tropes of this book, especially
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content