This was a super cute read! It had some of my favorite tropes; fake dating/engagement and reverse grumpy sunshine. This book was such a wholesome romcom that had me laughing out loud. I mean, every chapter starts with a cheesy pick-up line! I loved how it was able to make me laugh while also portraying real feelings.

Mae is a small-town librarian who befriends an NFL player named Chris who is spending time in the off-season in her small town. Chris had some negative media coverage involving a scandal in Vegas. He enlists the help of Mae to form a fake engagement to help with his image. Mae is the person who takes care of everyone else first, so what happens when Chris is always there for her and helping her.


Tropes
Reverse Grumpy X Sunshine
Friends To Lovers
Fake Dating/Fake Engagement

*Thank you to the Bookouture and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! *

I loved Mae's witty sarcasm. Most of it is an internal monologue, but she had me laughing out loud more times than I could count. I want every single one of her bookish t-shirts in my wardrobe!

And on the flip side, I also had tears, the ahhhhhhhhh sweet kind.
I adore Ali and would kill to have a BFF like her on my team because who else will seek hilarious revenge on my enemies?

Chris had me swooning, and I'm not the swoony type it takes a lot, and Chris just did it for me.. All I could picture in my head for him was Sawyer from Lost, I think it's the size, the accent, and his nicknames for Mae and how he's a total softy. A serious cinnamon roll.

I loved how he made Mae feel, and his interest in reading romance novels was just plain fun. Showing interest in one of her interests was way more intimate for me than anything behind closed doors.

Like many have said, I really didn't even notice the lack of physical intimacy between them, and it "suits me" 100%. His thumb strokes ( those opposable thumbs! His touches and their actual banter and sweet chemistry were plenty.

And now I'm desperately sad that Two Harts is fictional, because I just want to visit that library and be friends with Mae.

I went into this book blind and I was pleasantly surprised. All I remembered after requesting this title was the fake dating romance trope and that alone is usually enough to make me love a book. And this book definitely delivered!

When Mae finds football-player Chris Sterns asleep in her library, it sets them up for a great scheme. Chris has suffered a dent in his reputation, but he knows the perfect way to get out of the funk: stageing a fake relationship with the librarian he just met! When Mae agrees, it turns their world upside down. But can they complete this scheme without catching feelings?

At first glance, Mae and I are so similar! Booklovers, caregivers and just very weirded out when someone attractive gives us any hint of affection ;)
The chemistry she has with Chris is amazing and I love how they could be snarky, caring and totally in love without either of them noticing. The writing and the dialogue are incredible in this. Super comfortable and will keep you reading!

Definitely a book that'll have you kicking up your feet and laughing out loud.

Book Review 📚

The Fake Out by Sharon Peterson - 4/5 ⭐

Each and every chapter started with a, cheesy as anything, pick up line! That was a fabulous addition to the book and made me chuckle every single time. Peterson is on to something good with this awesome, heartwarming rom-com. It was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed it! More so as I don't usually enjoy rom-com, so it's definitely good if I managed to finish it 😂

Characters - Mae is a independent as anything, a little bit of humour but has this HUGE heart. She's phenomenal, I really love her. Chris is the hot, everyone wants him, football player. Again, a fabulous character that is really well written. Together they form an alliance to have a "fake engagement" after Chris hits a bit of trouble in the press. Seems like a simple enough idea, both have some great banter and formed a good friendship? What could go wrong?

The book is worth the read if only just for the banter between our two MCs, it's honestly so amazing and had me giggling like a school girl, sometimes I passed giggle and full in belly laughed 😂 great writing, great story and just a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

It all begins in the adorably small town of Two Harts. Mae is the daughter that does it all. The one to take care her mother, who is recovering from a stroke that happened within the past year. The one to pay the bills. The one to manage the library. The one to help out with raising her younger sister while her mom recovers. And the one to take care of her friend, Ali. She is a lady of many hats. Working two jobs to pay the bills does not leave room for much else, but Mae does not mind. She enjoys her comfortable routine. To her surprise, her world is about to be turned upside down, and in the best way possible. One day, Chris Sterns shows up in the library, except that he is asleep and it is after-hours. Mae just wants to close and go home. Upon waking him up with her best librarian whisper-yelling, the witty banter between them begins where he somehow ropes Mae into a two-person book club. Not only that, but when things take a turn for the worse and Chris' reputation is put on the line, he somehow manages to rope her into something else... a fake engagement.

This book is an adorable romantic comedy that will have you quickly soaring through it. It has an adorable grumpy x sunshine trope where the guy is the sunshine! We don't normally see that a lot in books, so that was exciting! Also, you will fall in love with all of the characters. <33

The first part of the story dragged for me. I got the need for a fake engagement, but Mae was just a bit annoying for me 😅 I get that she was used to taking care of things and the people that she loved. She also had practice keeping emotions in and instead being a tough nut to crack. Chris took all that in stride, understanding her but at the same time showing up and helping her out whether or not she wanted it. Eventually, she had to decide whether she wanted to be with him or not.

The big highlight for me in this story were the pick-up lines at the beginning of each chapter. So cringy yet also drawing a laugh out of me.

I expected to love this, seeing as fake dating is one of my fave tropes, but this just wasn't for me. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not your typical romance and yet you are rooting for Mae and Chris to work out. Mae is not where she thought she would be in life, working as the librarian in her home town, but her mom and sister need her. She stumbles across Chris sleeping in her library and the banter between them begins. Little does she know he’s a famous football player who came to a small town to cool off after a video was released about him. Everyone has a secret to hide and when Chris discovers Mae he turns to her to help protect his by becoming fake engaged.

Every chapter begins with corny pickup lines that leaves you cringing that people actually use them. You won’t want to put the book down as you uncover more about each character and what they are willing to do to protect the people they love. You can tell this is not the authors first book and you instantly are adding her other books to your TBR pile. We all need realistic romances in our lives.

I enjoyed the witty sarcasm and skeptical attitude of the character. While the point of view of Chris was not immediately revealed, his actions and thoughtful comments gave a glimpse into his emotions. Mae, a librarian, was portrayed as grumpy and overburdened with trying to solve everyone's problems which led her to the brink of burnout. However, her encounter with the playful and endearing Chris changes everything. The story delves into deeper themes such as fatherhood and serious illnesses, handling them with sensitivity and compassion. Although the book was an ok read, I personally did not connect much with the characters or the romantic aspect of the story. Nevertheless, it may appeal to other readers.

Clean romance, Sunshine/Grumpy, fake dating. Small-Town Rom-Com.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC, all opinions are my own.

“You suit me.”

A cheerful contemporary romance with unexpected turns is called "The Fake Out" by Sharon M. Peterson. This book is a pleasant escape into a world of love, humour, and unspoken truths thanks to its clever premise and entertaining banter. Mae Sampson, a librarian in the sleepy town of Two Harts, whose routine is upended when charming and gorgeous all-star NFL player Chris Sterns begins visiting the library to get away from his devoted admirers. Despite Chris's propensity for teasing, she finds herself getting dragged into his orbit as their paths cross.

With funny bits and touching dialogues, the embarrassing incident with the protagonist's unintentionally blasting audio and the subsequent mishap sets the stage for a tale full of amusing binders. The fake engagement adds an element of fascination and creates a number of amusing scenarios and unexpected difficulties. Readers are led on a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations as the protagonist and Chris starts their unusual reading club and negotiate the difficulties of their newfound bond.

The chemistry is undeniable, and their banter gives their romance a charming flare. A delightful romance arc is created by the changing dynamics and the protagonist's growing fondness for Chris's optimism and charm. The plot is lighthearted and fans of rom-coms looking for a fun and uplifting read will find it to be the perfect pick because of the captivating writing style and the clever plot. Get ready to be engrossed in Mae's journey as she negotiates the complexity of love, trust, and the potential for a phoney engagement that could have more at stake than meets the eye. (And the most hilarious pick-up lines!!).

A fake engagement to save the reputation of a famous golden retriever footballer and the local library?

In the story "The Fakeout" by Sharon M. Peterson, we see the cute story of Chris and Mae. As a librarian, Mae is used to being the local grump. While closing one night, she finds Chris, asleep on a table. Chris is trying to leave the rumours that have ruined his reputation, he falls for Mae's firey personality and her love for everyone around her. Their love story is well-written and enjoyable.

I loved Mae's character, she has a guard up due to her past. Her way of processing is understandable and the way she refuses to feel and help is SO RELATABLE. She is somewhat of a glass child, forced to grow up so early on and wants to always protect her Mum and sister. Mae may seem childish at times, but being forced to grow up early, she never had a childhood and was able to process the emotions. Chris is the same, as he's the oldest and is a Glass child. He understands Mae on another level. His career helped him with processing, unlike Mae. I was annoyed by some of the childish acts, but remember the reason she is the way she is. I loved this book, I can't wait until/or if it's released on audio! It is going to be one of my favourites of all time!!!

It's somewhat of a clean romance, just kissing and no shirts. I highly recommend this book!

Thankyou to NetGalley for this amazing read!!!

When they have a book club together and they're texting about a pirate themed romance novel:

Chris: That thing they did in chapter 9 on the plank. Is that even possible?

Mae: Maybe you don't have a good imagination.

Chris calling her immediately:
"EXCUSE ME, I have a great imagination!"

5/5 ⭐

This was such a cute book!
I was giggling and smiling the whole time I was reading it.

What could bring together a small town's grumpy librarian and a sweet and handsome all-star NFL player? A steamy audiobook playing loudly at the wrong time, apparently.

I'm a sucker for the reverse grumpy x sunshine trope so I ate this up. 😅

This book got everything you need in a good romance book:
grumpy girl & sunshine boy ✅
forced proximity ✅
fake engagement ✅
he falls first ✅
TENSION ✅
this is just business, we don't have feelings for each other (yeah, you do 😅) ✅

I need to have a physical copy of this book so I can tab the hell out of it at my favorite scenes.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the e-arc of this book!

Thank you so much to Bookouture, NetGalley and Sharon M. Peterson for granting me an ARC for 'The Fake Out' 💖

SO FREAKING GOOD - Sharon must be putting crack in this thing cause I am addicted to her books and she's definitely become an insta-buy author for me 🤩
Chris was the epitome of golden retriever boyfriend energy and it worked so well with Mae's grumpiness. I loved Mae's relationship with her sister - it felt so true and real as a sibling relationship and Chris' sisters were so FUNNY, them rating their engagement photos by holding up the cards had me laughing so hard. There was a lot going on but everything fit together so well and definitely made this so easy to read (I finished in about 3-4 hours).

This books includes:
- Clean romance
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Marriage of convenience
- Sports romance
- Small town

I loved this book! The cheesy pick up lines at the start of each chapter had me laughing. Some I’d heard before but all of them cracked me up! This was a reverse grumpy/ sunshine story along with some other tropes thrown in. I loved how curvy girl had the hot football player chasing after her. Mae was full of snark while Chris was a champ taking it in stride while being a big teddy bear. The supporting characters made the book all the funnier. “Actually it was a great book, easily my top -twenty favorites. I didn’t have one favorite book and I didn’t trust people that did. Well done Ms. Peterson. On another note, after the fact, I realized her other book was Th Do-Over which was another fantastic read!

65 five chapters!! Not very well-written ones, at that. Cliche librarian, caricatures of community members, over-the-top family villainy.

The highlight was Chris. Chris is a gem. Mae, however, is antagonistic and bitchy towards Chris for no discernable reason. Mae's plus size rep was well done, though: not a focus or concern but presented as a straightforward characteristic.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC

What can I say? This one ticks all my "trope" boxes:
🏠 small town romance
👫 friends to lovers
🌞 reverse grumpy sunshine

This book was just a pleasure to read. It was funny (literally laughed out loud in places), swoony, heartwarming and all around so enjoyable!!

The pick up lines at every chapter opening were one of my favorite parts. The banter between Chrisand Mae was wonderful. I wanted to spend more time with Chris' sisters, and Iris, and Ali... everyone was just so much fun.

It is all very predictable in the best way possible - it would definitely be a great comfort read to pick up time and time again. There is great chemistry and classic antics and it just read like a big cozy hug.

“ Because this was for show: it was fake.
But fake had never felt so real. “

💕 Fake dating
🏈 Sport Romance
❤️ ‘He takes care of her when she’s sick’
📚 Bookworms
☀️ reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
👰🏻‍♀️ Fiancees of convenience
🥑 “Clean” Romance
🏘 Small Town

Mae doesn’t have a simple life. Her father is a con-man and abandoned his family, her mother is recovering from her strokes so the bills keep adding up and her job at the local library is threatened. She’s only trying to keep her family above water when she meets Chris. He’s sleeping in her library and overhears her romance novel audiobook playing in the quiet room. From that moment, he’s determined to befriend the serious and grumpy librarians. Did he mention he’s a famous football player ? Or that is in trouble with a charity he’s supposed to be a role model of ? Or maybe that he needs something… or someone…. to help him silence some nasty rumors ? Because he does, and while Mae might be his only hope, Christ just might be hers.

I LOVED IT. IT WAS AMAZING. Reminds me of a weird blend between : the wall of winnipeg, book lover and Window shopping. (If you have read those books and like this book please let’s be friends ??) I’m always a fan of marriage of convenience or Fake Dating but I don’t know. This one really hits all my favorite tropes and storylines.

I don’t know what else I could say for this book so here’s a quote that almost made me cry (and you’ll understand why when you will read this book) :

“Dad looked right at her and said : ‘I tell you I love you all the time, I just don’t say those words. But you suit me just fine.”

This was so good, I was happy squealing (something I almost never do at a book).

A heartwarming, swoonworthy romantic comedy that ticked all the right boxes. I read all of this in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

'Because this was for show; it was fake. But fake had never felt so real'.

Synopsis
Our FMC, Mae, is going through a time of hardship - working two jobs to pay her mothers medical bills. One of her jobs is in the local library, and that's where she meets Chris.. asleep.

'Cows had brown eyes. He had cow eyes. Nothing remotely interesting about that. Unless you were a female cow on the prowl. Which I was not'.

Turns out, Chris is a hot shot, famous football player, but news articles have been released that puts him in a bad light. To solve this problem, they come up with a plan.. a 'fake engagement' contract. This will give the news something else to talk about.. and a beneficial relationship for the both of them - for Chris, good news coverage, and for Mae, help with medical bills.

What could possibly go wrong with a 'fake engagement'? Especially when real feelings come to light. 

Thoughts
Honestly could not put this book down. The tension between Mae and Chris was 'chefs kiss', brilliant banter and a swoonworthy romance. The amount of times I had to say outloud, 'just tell him you love him already!'.

The pick up lines throughout had me snorting in places, both at the start of chapters and through Chris's character, in this reverse grumpy/sunshine romantic comedy!

'Is that a mirror in your pocket? Because I can see myself in your pants'.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC copy, this review is voluntary.

Mae is a small town librarian who finds a hunky football player asleep amongst the books one evening ... And finds herself fake engaged to a human ball of sunshine!

This was a sweet and funny romance with one of my favourite tropes - grumpy / sunshine - and I'll definitely be picking up more from the author!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

What a joyous romance than had me hooked from the beginning. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

This is a very heart melting swoon worthy book. I couldn't put it down. I would watch this as a movie on repeat!! Loved this!!
I just reviewed The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson. #TheFakeOut #NetGalley
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