I really enjoyed this book and even though it was a cliche Valentine's Day book, it was very well written and I'm so glad I gave it a chance.

It took me a while to pick up the book but I finally did.

Or not finally because I sadly wasn't a huge fan of it.

The story itself is pretty short (only around 140 pages) but it felt much longer. I had a really hard time getting into the story and until the end I couldn't really connect to the characters.

I really wanted to like the story because I love fake dating romances but the whole story felt a bit off. It all happened way too fast for me and the story felt rushed most of the time.

Maybe I would have liked the story more if it was longer and the story was build up different.

Quick fun read! Great read for the start of the year going into valentines day! If you want something easy and give u the valentines feels, I’d def recommend this one!

I only got 7% into this book and my god. It's super repetitive. The mc doesn't know how to talk about anything other then her ex boyfriend and how old she is and how she doesn't want a relationship. Listen we get it but please move on and stop talking about your shitty ex boyfriend Charlie Kung. ughhh

A quick read! Cute characters but not as developed as I would have liked. It was enjoyable but not a favorite.

Thank you NetGalley and Jackie Lau!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I really wanted to love this book because the concept sounded right up my alley: a sweet fake dating romance with a twist, featuring Helen, a reserved character who's just trying to move past a viral breakup humiliation by roping in a friend to play the role of her new beau.

But honestly, I struggled to get into it. It's not that it's a bad book—far from it. The writing is lively, Helen is an appealing character in her quiet strength, and the love for the hero's height was a refreshing change. It's just that, for some reason, I couldn't fully connect with the story or the characters as much as I hoped. Maybe it was the pacing or perhaps the way the fake dating trope unfolded—something just didn't click for me.

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of moments that shine. And there's a warmth to the storytelling that I think many readers will appreciate, especially those looking for a cozy, feel-good romance.

All in all, while this book didn't fully land for me, I can see its appeal. It's got a lot of heart and some genuinely sweet moments. If you're a fan of the genre and looking for something that ticks off the boxes of a comforting romance with a bit of a twist, it might just be your cup of tea.

3.5 Stars

Not Your Valentine was a cute contemporary romance featuring fake dating between friends.

Helen Tsang went viral last year when her boyfriend publicly broke up with her on Valentine's Day by saying "It's not me, it's you. You're holding me back". Since then she's received many pitying looks from her parents, her friends, and even the bubble tea shop guy. With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, Helen is desperate to prove she's moved on so she convinces her long-time friend Taylor Li to be her fake boyfriend. But Helen didn't anticipate how right it would feel to be with Taylor and now she's in over her head with unexpected feelings.

The premise of Not Your Valentine sounded like a lot of fun so I was looking forward to picking this one up. Helen went through the ringer with her ex-boyfriend and despite saying she's moved on, no one really believes her because she hasn't dated since the incident. I will say that was one thing that annoyed me about this book, no one would take her word for it that she had moved on solely because she didn't want to date again. She can have moved on from what happened and still not want to date.

Fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes so I really liked that aspect of Helen and Taylor's relationship. It was obvious from the start that Taylor wasn't faking with Helen and I'm surprised it took her so long to see it. The way Taylor teased Helen about various Valentine's Day traditions was fun as he was more of a romantic than she was. I will say I did get a bit annoyed at times with her being anti anything romantic. It got to the point it felt like she was being contrary just to be contrary and not for a real reason. The connection that formed between them was great and I liked that their friendship wasn't jeopardized. When their relationship progresses, the steamy scenes are very well done.

Overall Not Your Valentine was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it if you're looking for a quick contemporary romance.

This book was SO short holy moly. Now, normally I like a nice, fast read, but this one felt like it really dragged at certain points. I almost feel like if the book was longer, it would have worked better????? I don't even know if that makes sense tbh lol.

Finally! I have been trying to get to this book since it first came out! NOT YOUR VALENTINE by Jackie Lau did not disappoint either. This was my first time reading Jackie Lau and I have now found a wonderful author to follow and I’m excited to get to read her backlist.  NOT YOUR VALENTINE is the story of Helen who was dumped last Valentine’s Day and how her friends are very worried about her as she hasn’t dated since. Her family is also nagging her that its time to move on. Her mother even suggests she set her up. Helen is beyond embarrassed and says she already has a boyfriend. She doesn’t but this is where we meet her friend, Taylor!

If you love RomComs, not only is NOT YOUR VALENTINE sweet but it gives nods to all the big romantic gestures you’ve grown to love in RomCom movies and books. There is so much to love about NOT YOUR VALENTINE. Helen and Taylor are really funny! Their conversations are filled with plenty of banter and history.  NOT YOUR VALENTINE is such a lovely and sweet story. I’ve never read Jackie Lau, as I said, but I truly love the way she writes. Her words flow so easily and she hooks the reader from the very first page. I am now on a quest to devour every single one of her books, I think I just discovered my new to me favorite author!

Jackie Lau has left me in tears from giggling so much and crying for more. I now know I will devour everything this awesome author writes and do it all easily with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. I really loved NOT YOUR VALENTINE. Wow wow wow!! From the very first page I was emotionally invested in Helen and I just wanted her to be happy and to smile again. My only complaint about NOT YOUR VALENTINE would be I wish it were longer and not a novella. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Helen and Taylor. Beware! This story is going to make you hungry, very hungry!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I go absolutely crazy for holiday themed books = but this lacked so much content for a well executed novella.

grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, but this wasn't it for me...

Some parts of this book felt out of place for me but overall the story had plenty of moments that had me want to continue reading.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a really good premise: our main character decides to get a fake boyfriend to convince people in her life that she's moved on from her terrible ex. She chooses her best guy friend and I thought we were gonna go uphill from there.
I really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, the book failed in the execution of the plot. Our main character's entire personality was her going to the bathroom and hating on the heart shape. Oh yeh, and fantasizing about her fake boyfriend.
I got passed the half way mark and then lost interest in the story.
I wish this had been a better time, but alas, it is what it is.

Read this a year late but just in time for the Valentines' holiday. It was a cute short read. Felt a little too short and the characters needed a little bit more development. I liked it overall and thought the cover was so cute! Thank you for the ARC.

This book was super cute and one I would pick up again. I was familiar with Jackie Lau but never had the opportunity to read one of her books. What was I missing? Thank you SO much to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me this book in exchange for my honest review!!

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This book was a short and sweet one! The one and only Grumpy/sunshine trope which I personally can never get enough of. I enjoyed the humour and the romance of this and overall it was a fun, cute read I really enjoyed!
Thanks to Netgalley for the arc!

I love a good fake-dating trope but this one wasn't for me, despite being so short. I couldn't get into it and DNF'd it pretty early on.

Quick Summary: A forget me not romance

My Review: Not Your Valentine by Jackie Lau is a lighthearted, standalone rom-com. It's a quick read that is surprisingly robust.

About the Book: After a particularly brutal Valentine's Day break up goes viral, Helen Tsang decides to go into a dating hibernation period. Only her girlfriends, her family, and Taylor Li, her closest male friend, can breach her self-imposed fortress of solitude. When she opts to begin fake dating her long-time confidant, she soon realizes that charcuterie, chocolate, marshmallows, and flowers cannot hold a candle to a heart shaped I Love You.

My Final Say: This story was a pleasant surprise type of read. The leads were so easy to like and relate to. They each had a unique backstory that made them endearing. It felt good to cheer for them. I wanted them to make it.

Other: Readers who enjoy stories where the underdogs get the love they deserve will adore this light, spicy gem.

Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🍬🌶

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Kobo Originals), and to NetGalley, who provided access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions on this novel.

What I like about Jackie Lau's books is that she writes romcoms but includes serious topics in a wholesome way and of course the descriptions of delicious food. This book is no different!

I love books with a female grump/male grump dynamic. The female main character was very relatable. She has a very visual and literal way of thinking. She takes things people say literally, which makes her giggle sometimes, while also getting the meaning behind them. I’d never seen that represented in a book, so that was very nice to see.

The conflict is a bit predictable but it's also only 125 pages, so no wild plot twists were expected.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley. I am a new reader for Jackie Lau and while the blurbs seem nice and the covers
are cute, there seems to be something missing from her writing for me personally. For a holiday novella this was short and sweet, I would have liked more depth in the character development and romance.