seriously addicting!
From beginning to end reading Willow and Zane fight through their own insecurities to realizing what they've known all along was just a sweet and delicious read!
I wanted to take my time but this was truly too good of a read to let it go and I can't wait to read about Bridgette!

The Real Thing is such a sweet, sexy friends-to-lovers, second chance romance. I awwwwed and oooohed and swooned the whole way through. Well, except in the beginning when Zane came across as a bit cavalier and kinda douchey. Have no fear though, he redeems himself in quick order and comes out looking like the sweet, sexy, ROMANTIC guy he actually is.

Willow and Zane have been friends for years. They grew up together in the small town of Sweetwater. He's her brother's best friend, and the man she gave her v-card to before she left for college, because he was the only guy she could trust that would follow her stupid rules about no feelings, no staying in touch, blah, blah, blah. But despite themselves, they stayed friends and kept in touch over the years, mainly through zany texts where he'd beg her to come over and hang out and she'd put him off with some ridiculous excuse. Now that he's an A-list actor, she has no time for the now dirty playboy, but when she arrives at a potential job site (she runs her own bakery now), and he ambushes her with a plea for help, what's a friend to do? Of course she agrees to help him clean up his image so he can land the role of a romantic hero. So they start a fake relationship, fake engagement, to be precise, regardless of whether or not it might expose Willow to the ridiculous paparazzi and just might make their dormant feelings for each other come to life.

I really like The Real Thing. Melissa Foster navigates classic tropes like an expert - fake relationship, friends-to-lovers, second chance, brother's best friend, small town, oh so many classic tropes, but executed so well. Willow and Zane are both adorable, sweet, well-rounded, likable characters with sexy chemistry all backed up gorgeously by their strong friendship that was just masking the romantic, lusty feelings they'd had for each other all those years.

This Sweetwater world that Melissa Foster has created is an interesting, sweet, sexy one that I can't wait to explore further.

This was such a sweet read! Great characters, one of my favorite tropes, and a fun storyline made this a quite enjoyable read. In true Melissa Foster style, The Real Thing is both sassy and sweet!

Here’s the breakdown: Willow and Zane grew up together in a small town. They practically grew up together. Once Zane leaves town to pursue his dream of acting, their relationship changes. They change, but remain in contact. When the Zane needs helps cleaning up his movie star man-whore reputation, he calls on the one person he knows will agree to help him…Willow.

What I enjoyed: I’m a sucker for friends to lovers and fake fiancé romances. When the reader knows the couple has the hots for one another even if they try to avoid acting on those impulses, it’s like the best tease EVER. The main characters are also great. They grew up with one another and share a special history. Because of that, it was really easy to root for their love affair. Their chemistry was off the charts. Zane is a bit cocky and Willow is as sassy as they come. I’m a sucker for both!

Overall, this was a super fun read! I recommend it to romance lovers who favor, fake relationships, friends to lovers, and brother’s best friends tropes.

The Real Thing is the first book in a new series by Melissa Foster. This time I won't bother you by telling you how much I loved the secondary characters because this is getting old pretty fast. I feel like I am always repeating myself when it comes to Foster's books because I love them for the same reason. They are like different cakes, but with the same basic recipe. The author is able to keep the good elements in each book she writes, but each character and situation is different. This is why I love reading a book by Melissa Foster. I always know I will enjoy her books. I enjoyed The real thing. I was a little annoyed at Willow because she made it seem like Zane was the bad guy from all those years ago, while that wasn't the case. She is the one who moved on so quickly after their night together and I am not mad at Zane for acting like a man whore even though he loved Willow. Both of them moved on.

I also didn't mind the deception on Zane's part because he was trying to be with the woman he loved. There is one thing that pops into my mind vividly every time I think of his and Willow's fake engagement which makes me like him a little more. I would have liked to see him picking out the ring himself though. Overall the book was good and I had a good time reading it. I am looking forward towards reading Bridgette's book.

Love this fun friends to lovers story with an engagement of convenience storyline!

Thanks to netgallery for this Arc here's my honest opinion.

so this is my first book by Melissa Fosters. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was funny. It was it kept me turning the pages. Once I started I read it straight through. I really enjoyed this book both of the MCs I liked (which is rare for me) I also liked the way Miss Foster writing style. I will definitely checking out more from her and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Sexy Zane Walker is no match for his life-long friend Willow Dalton or is he? Sweet and sassy Willow doesn’t put up with much and has spent years keeping her emotions in check, but can Zane breakdown both their walls and find a happy ever after that was always meant to be?

Melissa Foster gives us a whole new world in Sweetwater with a long list of characters that I’m sure will all eventually get their own happily ever afters, but Zane and Willow will hold a special place in my heart because they have to work to get theirs.

Secrets and lies, lust and laughs, family and friendships all come together in The Sweetest Thing and Melissa Foster brings us on another fantastic romantic journey. I love how Willow is so down to earth and isn’t afraid to put Zane in his place and Zane has to work a bit to find his way back into Willow’s world.

Hot and steamy meets friends to lovers in this newest release and I can’t wait to hear what you think! The writing keeps you turning the pages while the characters keep your heart reaching for more. You won’t be disappointed.

4.5 Stars

Steaminess: 4 Stars
Zane as a BBF: 4 Stars

Wonderfully sweet second chance romance. Swoony and sexy all at once. Cannot wait for the next in the series. 4/5 stars

I absolutely loved “The Real Thing” by Melissa Foster, a second chance romance and the start to her new Sugar Lake series. It’s a fun, flirty and sweet romance about Willow, a baker, and Zack, a Hollywood action star trying to become a leading man. The studio needs him to clean up his bad boy reputation so Zack convinces Willow to help him out by pretending to be his fiancé for a few weeks. Before long pretend becomes reality and past misunderstandings and hurt feelings are put to rest in a satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to reading more of the series!

Zane Walker is a notorious bad boy who has been told he has to clean up his act. So his first thought it to fake propose to his best friend and girl whose virginity he took.

Zane's always been in love with Willow, and I loved how apparent that was from the first pages. Zane did come across as a bit egotistical, but he really just cared about Willow and what she wanted.

Willow owns a bakery and is kind of stuck in her way about how she thinks things are supposed to be. When she asked Zane to take her virginity she made up all these rules and then got mad when he followed them. I kind of got annoyed at Willow more often than not, but she made Zane happy and eventually pulled her head from her butt so everything worked out.

I did feel like at times the drama seemed a little forced to add tension to the story, but otherwise, The Real Thing was a pretty solid book. I guess another downside to this story was how the story seemed so classic. Like many people have read this story before, a million and one times over.

If you're looking for a cute story about how young love emerged into something greater this is the book for you. Not overly original, but cute with decent characters.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
Willow Dalton is headed to what might be a catering job and she is running late. When she arrives, she sees him, Zane Walker, the boy from her past that was her brother’s best friend and also Willow's first. And she has loved him forever. But since that one night before she left for college, she has stayed away from him because she knows that Zane can break her heart and she cannot let that happen. So it is best to stay away from him.

Zane Walker is a big time action hero movie star and has the reputation to go along with it. He tells Willow he needs her to be his fake fiancée to help with his image so he can get a movie part in a romantic suspense movie. She knows this is a bad idea but she can't say no to him. Zane knows that being this close to Willow will not be easy on his heart and he will have to tell her the truth, which is he has been in love with her since her first saw her.

Will they tell each other the truth about their feelings? Can Willow trust him to tell her the truth, he is an actor after all? Will Zane choose his career over Willow when it is time to leave for LA? Will their love for each other win out in the end?

I am loving this new series and I can't wait for the next sibling. Melissa Foster did not disappoint and I hope you will enjoy this one as much as I did.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
Always a cause for much celebration... a new series from Ms. Foster! And once again a fantastic read, with lots of hints at who deserves, or is bound to get their moment of glory in the future – which for me, always raises a smile!

The story of love gone awry and a second chance being offered is not new, but Zane takes a very unconventional approach to winning over his childhood love, Willow. He suggests a fake engagement to help get him out of a jam, and then when he is sure that she is still the one, goes all out to make it come true.

It cannot be denied that in the beginning his behaviour is less than gallant, and one has to question Willow's decision, but soon enough we get the magic being woven by Ms. Foster's crafty mind, and are all in before we know it. There are some totally classic lines between these two which will definitely lift your mood and raise a smile. And some absolutely wonderful scenes which will have you jealous of the relationship that they are almost unwittingly forming.

The rest of Willow's family are fascinating, giving us plenty of treats in the future, and also providing an excellent foil to the madcap adventures of Willow and Zane here. And, whilst there are plenty of hints at what might happen with whom, there are a few distractors there too.

Ms. Foster, thank you for giving me a totally enjoyable and decadent Saturday treat.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
I think this book would have been a lot better were it not so sickeningly sweet. These two are almost too lovey dovey together, it was marginally unbearable. Other than that, it was a good read and I’m giving three stars.

Willow has been in love with Zane since childhood and though they’ve kept in touch throughout the years, she doesn’t expect him to ever be more than a good friend. She’s tricked into a job interview of sorts for her bakery and upon arriving finds out Zane tricked her and actually wants her to pretend to be his fiancée to better his image. The two quickly realize that faking it isn’t going to be an option as both of their hearts are involved and they decide to at least date while being “pretend engaged.” Zane is only in town to film his next movie and when the paparazzi gets ahold of Willows name, they begin digging up her past and come across some racy photos she took in her teen years, almost ruining her and Zane’s newly formed relationship. (I will say her reaction to these photos coming out was very juvenile.)

The bickering between the two main characters was pretty funny most of the time and I love Willow’s snarky attitude. The story had a strong plotline and I loved all of the characters – as always, with Melissa Fosters book I was left wanting more and can’t wait for her next release!


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Zane is in need of some serious help and the only person he can think of to ask is Willow. He's been in love with her for years and when he needs to clean up his reputation, he begs her to be his fiancée.

Willow has loved Zane since she begged him to be her first years ago. She doesn't like the man he's become and agrees to help him by being his pretend fiancée. Except she doesn't want it to end.

Only time will tell if they will overcome their differences and admit what everyone around them knows. Love can overcome.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
I love a good friends-to-lovers, second chance read and Ms. Foster delivers. Zane is Willow's brother's best friend. They've known each other most of their lives. He was her first and now, ten years later, he's a big-time actor with a bad reputation. He needs someone to pretend to be his fiancée. He's always had a thing for Willow, so it isn't a hardship to pretend with her. The relationship that develops is obviously one that was meant to be.

Zane and Willow are overly sweet but just as sexy, for them it makes a good combination. It's an over-the-top romance but so worth the read. I am a fan of Ms. Foster's writing and can't wait to see where she takes this new series.

This book is sweet, funny, romantic,and heartwarming . I highly recommend reading this book.

I was so excited to jump into this new series! I love second chance romances and this did not disappoint. Willow and Zane are worlds apart, and yet on many things they are so similar they can't even see it.
I love that you see the vulnerable side of both Zane and Willow, even though they both try to be the strong people they want everyone to see. Willow's back and forth made me a little crazy, but I can't say I would handle it any better.
I can't wait to see where this series goes, and which characters we will see in the future! I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book. #MSBB

Zane and Willow have always been friends so close that when Willow asked Zane to take her virginity before college they got right into it. Its been years since then and Willow works baking, meanwhile Zane is a bad boy actor who got to clean up his image a bit. Now its Zane asking Willow for a favor to be his fake fiance to show there is some what of a lovable side to his but that only seems to make things complicated between the two whens he accepts and lines time to get blurred where it seems they are more then just friends for real.

I love a good fake fiance book and this book just did it for me. I loved Willow's character shes the type of person to ask what she wants and get things done, shes not much to back down and if she got something to say shes just going to say it. I loved seeing their relationship. I loved getting to know about each of them in the past and how much they meant to each other. I enjoyed seeing how things where handled when things seemed to get tough, wondering if anything would backfire if everyone where to know the truth of them not really being engaged. I could see that the family really liked Zane so I was curious to see their reaction if they were to even find out about their arrangement. I loved how supportive Willow to Zane really helping him out when he needed it. Overall this was a pretty great book I enjoyed it!

Review: THE REAL THING by Melissa Foster http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-9NR
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 3.5 Stars

I’m going to start by saying that Zane was a little too good to be true, and Willow a little too emotional. Now that that has been said, I did enjoy this sweet romance with a sexy bite. It’s well written and a fast read, I found myself caught up in the lives of their friends and family. A good summer read.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle http://amzn.to/2wymRfp

New series with new characters and new issues, new truths, new funny situation and encounters. Welcome to Sugar Lake where this time around Hollywood meets Baker, second time around romance. Melissa Foster brings us her newest series with all the banter, charisma, chemistry, and hilarity of her other fun-loving series.

Zane and Willow have a chance this time to make a romance that have so much to make it real, if it wasn’t for the purpose of the public. Zane an actor in Hollywood and Willow a baker from his home town and a friend’s little sister. He did a favor for her some years ago and now he is in town to have a favor of his own. Neither figured that it would amount to much more than that. The desire and chemistry was there all along but time and distance has a way of changing perspective. At least that was the perception.

Foster delivers again with the sweet, sexy, cute, sassy, spirited, second chance at a first chance romance. Pick it up and you will have a good time. Good characters. Good pacing. Good writing. Good all the way around reading entertainment.

I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read the others when they come out.

It was a really nice change to see the H put himself out there and say what he feels and put his heart on the line. The h was torn but not really, she wanted him too but just needed a bit of time - but not a lot. That is what I really enjoyed - no push and pull - no unnecessary angst - something smallish towards the end, but you knew this would not impact them - they were strong. Everyone needs a Zane!

The secondary characters all added something and look forward to Bridgette's story.

This is a new to me author and I really enjoyed this story. This was a heartwarming romance I couldn’t put down.

The main characters Willow and Zane grew up together in a small town. As they grow older Zane leaves town to peruse his dreams of acting. With him being away their relationship changes. They have always had feelings for each other but they changed once he moved. With Zane back now so he can clean up his act to get different roles he wants Willow to be his fake fiancé.

The more time they spend together in their fake engagement the more they realize they have true feelings for each other. The only question is will Zane be able to convince Willow to give them a real chance?

I’m not going to give anything away so you’ll have to read it yourself. This was a great start to a new series. The perfect light hearted romance that’s told in both point of views.