I decided not to finish this book because I didn't feel a strong connection to the story or characters. I will not be rating it or writing a full review, but I appreciate the opportunity.

What a cute read by Kadie Scott! I found Max & Gina to be adorable! I loved how well they fit together!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Three rules to avoid any future matchmaking. A few white lies and a date for christmas. What will happen for the holidays in this romance?

An agent, a case that depends on a few secrets and an attraction that will warm you up fast!

Don't miss this fun read.

I can’t help it guys and gals, I love, love, LOVED this book! Let me put it to you this way, I absolutely hate New York City (psychotic, I know), and yet if it were in any way possible I would want to live in this world, and have a glass of wine with all of the characters. Maybe two glasses. Ok…a bottle. In my opinion, this is the perfect example of a quintessential beach read. Although, considering this novel takes place at Christmas time I guess it’s technically a better snowy cabin read. It’s quick, cute, funny, sexy and endearing. You can’t ask for much else. And did I mention there’s a puppy?!?! Squeeee!!! This was such a fun read I found it hard to put down. Seriously, the number of times I considered going in late to work with the excuse of “sorry, I was stuck reading a good book”, was too many times to count. Actually, come to think of it, it happened approximately three times, as I finished it in just as many days.

So let’s start with the premise of the novel; we’re dealing with a fake girlfriend tale here. When Max discovers Gina is keeping a puppy in a no-pets allowed apartment building, he blackmails her into being his fake lady love over the holidays to keep his matchmaking mother off his back. Honestly, fake girlfriend romance novels can really be hit or miss. Let’s face it, we all know how they’re going to end. Playboy guy will fall for said fake girlfriend, and before you know it their phony relationship isn’t so fake after all. But here was the absolute brilliance of this book; Gina fully acknowledges the ridiculousness of the situation.

Gina even warns Max that according to every romance novel ever, if she accepts this ploy they’re bound to fall in love. In my view, the best sure-fire way to make a cheesy story line work is to highlight the fact that it’s cheesy. Don’t hide it people, revel in it! The other positive aspect of how this rather common romance novel trope was handled was the fact that it doesn’t take long at all before both Max and Gina admit they’re not only attracted to each other, but also that their feelings extend beyond the physical. Their continued hesitation to transition from fake to real deals with the mutual assumption that they’re too different to ever fit into the other person’s life. It adds another layer of depth to the traditional fake GF story line.

Now while I really enjoyed the approach to the blackmail story, the absolute standout feature of this novel was the incorporation of Max’s OCD. On the surface, that actually sounds really insensitive, and makes me sound like a weirdo, so let me delve deeper into why I enjoyed this aspect so much. I have read many a romance novel featuring a lead with OCD, and many of them default into treating it like a kind of humorous character trait. Only meeting the love of his life does the male lead magically learn to unwind and not be so obsessive. This novel sort of starts off that way in that Gina’s carefree and colorful nature is at odds with Max’s structured life, and their little arguments over it are kind of silly and quirky.

However, after a while we see how deep Max’s OCD runs, and how it impacts his relationship with not only Gina, but his family as well. He knows that his need for organized structure is on the unhealthy side, and he feels Gina deserves better than that. He doesn’t want his obsessive nature to squash her zest for life, so he draws away from her. But the most heartbreaking moment had to be when Max finally confronts his family for all their teasing about his obsessive habits. He insists that he doesn’t need fixing, and that he’s not some sideshow to be laughed at. During this passionate scene there is one person who fully understands what he’s saying and is willing to stand by his side: Gina. That is why when push comes to shove this book is so much more than a simple fake girlfriend tale.

This is one of those few moments where I think I like the sequel even more than the first book in a series. And I liked book 1! I understand how fake girlfriend novels aren’t necessarily for everyone, and this one does have quite a few moments of cheesiness, but I definitely think it’s one worth reading. It starts off adorably silly, but as it goes on we uncover a surprisingly sensitive and vulnerable side of Max that is so heartfelt I couldn’t help but fall in love. As for Gina, she pushes Max’s buttons, but also brings out the best in him. Again, love, love, LOVE!!

This was a good read. The writing flowed well, and I thought that Max and Gina made a cute couple. It was hard to read about Max's OCD and not understand how no one in his family had ever tried to get him help when he was younger. His family, although loving, made fun of him for his tendencies. I'm not sure how they didn't see it. Gina was completely opposite to Max, and she was messy and spontaneous. I liked that they didn't try to change each other, just find a middle ground that worked for them. The ending was sweet, and I enjoyed it.
I voluntarliy reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

Everyone should know by now how much I love the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope in romance novels, so it should come as no surprise that when I read the synopsis for The Attraction Equation by Kadie Scott, I knew I had to read it.

Max Carter, FBI agent is great with numbers, but not so much with women. He follows a few simple rules when it comes to the opposite sex. There is no sleeping over, no personal information given and it’s for one night only. So, when his family keeps trying to set him up with women on Thanksgiving, he lies and says he has a girlfriend. Lo and behold his family wants to meet said girlfriend on Christmas. What’s a man like Max to do under these circumstances? Find a fake girlfriend to pretend to be his real girlfriend at Christmas. How hard can that be?

Gina Castillo is a vibrant woman full of color, for her rules were made to be broken. Hence, why she is sneaking in a dog to the apartment building with a no pets policy. Unlucky for her, she is caught by Max and instead of being ratted out, Gina is blackmailed into becoming his fake girlfriend over the holidays. But the more Gina gets to know Max she is hoping their fake relationship might turn into the real thing. Can Gina bring some color into Max’s orderly life or are they doomed right from the start?

On the surface, Max and Gina are very very opposite. Max is controlled and orderly whereas Gina is complete chaos. Gina lives life on her own terms and Max lives life according to careful planning. But,when they start spending time together, Max can’t help but feel an attraction to Gina even though he does not want to. Throw in a little dog that captures the heart of both of them and you have an intense opposites attract romance between two characters I have both come to love.

Max is not easily likable at first. He is rigid, stuffy, and follows his own set of rules. It is quite easy to see he is suffering through OCD which I will admit I don’t see portrayed in many romance books. So, this was really interesting to me. Sometimes, I found myself frustrated with Max, but then I would think back to my own quirks that might annoy other people, so in a way it also made Max relatable to me. Through all of Max’s own quirkiness you can still see he is a good and loving man especially when it comes to his family, the way he treats Gina and also in his handling of T-Bone, the dog Gina is giving to her brother come Christmas time. Gina I absolutely loved! She has a heart of gold, loves her family even if she didn’t grow up in the best of circumstances, and genuinely cares for other people. She also never tries to change Max and is understanding to what he is going through and tries to help him along the way. Gina is definitely the perfect match for Max.

I felt the flow of the story moved at a steady pace and never lulled for me at all. I found myself immersed in this cute romance and teetered back and forth from “awww how sweet” moments and “omg can I smack Max upside the head” moments. But through it all, I loved seeing Gina throw in some chaos in Max’s orderly world and show him that there is much more to life than numbers and control.

As a side note, I really want to thank the author for T-Bone being adopted through a shelter instead of a pet store. I am a huge shelter advocate and even though this story is purely fictional, it warmed my heart to see where T-Bone was rescued from.

The Attraction Equation is a fun opposites attract romance set around the holidays which made it a perfect read for me. If you enjoy an opposites attract story with a fake girlfriend trope, then you will love this story just as much as I have.

The Attraction Equation tells the story of an FBI agent, Max Carter, whose mother is trying to play Cupid while Max doesn’t want it. So to avoid his mother playing Cupid again he tells her he has a girlfriend when in reality he’s single. So he has to find a fake girlfriend for Christmas.

The Attraction Equation is the perfect read for winter or Christmas because it’s just so fun to read. It’s so fast paced and well written, and the story itself was so sweet and steamy. I really liked Max and Gina because they’re so cute together.

The Attraction Equation has a double perspective as well as fake relationship turning into a real one. It’s really cute and swoon-worthy as well as funny. Kadie Scott did an amazing job and I cannot wait to read the first book, The Wrong Kind of Compatible.

You don’t have to read the Love Undercover books in order.

Geek, control freak vs. free spirit!

Max is an FBI agent who spends most of his time reviewing and finding abnormalities in the finances for his cases. Max is OCD and he likes to have his life and everything around him to be exactly as planned and expected. His family is determined that he meet a nice girl and settle down and they are not beyond setting him up with various alternatives without his knowledge. Finding himself cornered, he blurts out that he has a girlfriend! But, he does not and his mother has already planned to meet this girl at Christmas!

Then he meets Gina at exactly the time he needs to figure out a solution to his self-made problem. Gina is leasing his neighbour’s apartment until the new year. And Gina is a spur of the moment type of girl! She met a puppy she fell in love with to give to her 10 year old brother for Christmas. But Christmas is a month away, and the apartment is no pets! She is busted by Max!

Max uses the situation to force Gina to act as his fake girlfriend to get his mother off his back, while he helps her hide the puppy until Christmas. The two are opposites, but these two have chemistry! Gina may be exactly what Max needs to shake up his well-ordered life!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

THE ATTRACTION EQUATION is a funny, fun twist on a pretend turns real romance. Max, I found to be irritating at times, but Gina was a joy. Her views on life are quirky and fun; she brings quite a bit of laid-back joy to the uptight agent. The dialogue is at times hilarious and other times very serious as you follow this "should not be attracted to each other" couple. I honestly could not put it down because I couldn't wait to see Max's reaction when he realized that his ordered, perfectly planned out life had taken a big hit, and her name is Gina.

THE ATTRACTION EQUATION might be considered a Christmas book as there is quite a bit of talk about holiday dinner and family (that somehow got put low in my "to read" pile) but it is a festive, fun read that will fit in at any time of the year.


You may find the complete review at: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=65746

FBI agent Max Carter likes his neatly planned life, he follows his own set of rules and does not deviate. The only hiccup in his life is a family that is determined to match make. Max doesn't want a girlfriend, fiancee, or wife in the near future. However when another plan goes awry Max makes up a girlfriend, now he needs to find one.

Gina Castillo is house sitting and she has also found the perfect gift for her younger brother, a dog. She just has to keep him hidden until Christmas but she is caught by her neighbor. Max decides to use the rule breaker to his own advantage. Gina is like a whirlwind though and Max isn't sure he can keep this strictly platonic. Does a crazy plan possibly lead to something more?

This was wonderful, I laughed pretty hard. I liked that Max was high strung and Gina was more of a free spirit. If your looking for a laugh this is the book to pick up. Charming.

I got this book to review and quite enjoyed it. It seems this is the second book in the series but it worked well as a stand alone novel. I loved the interaction between Gina and Max, it seemed to me in the start this is going to be another Christian Grey but he was better. I like that the author written Max with mental disorder (OCD), though I thought it could be done better. The ending is a bit cliche but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I would have paid for this book and wouldn't regret it.

The Attraction Equation is a sweet, funny friends to lovers, opposites attract little gem.

Hottie FBI Agent Max is so sick of his family's meddling and matchmaking that he makes up a girlfriend and blurts it out at dinner, a girlfriend his mom directs him to bring to the family's Christmas dinner. Yeah...but where is he going to get a fake girlfriend on short notice? Enter Gina, the woman who's taken over his neighbor's apartment for awhile. A woman he catches sneaking a little puppy in her hoodie. So Max gives her an ultimatum: play his fake girlfriend for his family or he'll get her friend kicked out of the apartment complex. Sounds vicious, right? But it's not really. It's all pretty lighthearted and funny, mostly due to Gina, who is the chaos to Max's order. The vibrance to Max's beige. The free-wheeling spirit to Max's OCD control tendencies. The creative set designer to Max's staid FBI agent. And soon enough, the love of Max's life, if he can see to admitting his feelings, even though he doesn't do relationships or love or any of that stuff.

I loved seeing the sweet, adorable Gina not judge Max's OCD tendencies. But I hated how much his family judged him for them, and all the kind of cruel remarks they made about his OCD. Had they never thought that he might have an actual diagnosable issue?! I guess not. Anyway, sometimes opposites attract fiction can be agonizing or verge on, or full on step over the line, of annoying and over the top. Not here in The Attraction Equation, though. Here it's sweet and cute and downright witty. Max and Gina are a fabulous, sexy couple who, once they give into their obvious attraction, are electric. If you're in the mood for something sweet and light hearted with some sexy thrown in, 1-click The Attraction Equation today.

*read an ARC of this book and voluntarily left a honest review*
I really appreciated how this book was not an exact carbon copy of the first book in the Love Undercover series, The Wrong Side of Compatible. I found the pace of the book to be a good balance to the "fake relationship" trope that Kadie Scoot decided to execute in this book.
Max Carter is a FBI agent that is a by the numbers, by the book, everything in order, control freak. The last thing that he wants or needs is for his meddlesome, matchmaking mother and family to stick their noses into his personal life... or lack of. So, at Thanksgiving dinner, Max finds himself lying about having an actual girlfriend, that he does not have, but needs because she is now invited to Christmas dinner.
Way to play by the numbers, Max... lol.
Gina Castillo is a bit more chaotic in her approach to life, but she is an aspiring Broadway set designer, which is just working in controlled chaos. Unfortunately, she is juggling several part-time jobs, subletting a BFF's apartment, and trying to hide an "illegal" Christmas gift named T-Bone in the same apartment. She has all her balls juggling at a good rate until she gets caught by a neighbor smuggling the dog into the "no pets allowed" apartment. Fortunately, the neighbor has a deal to make: pretend to be his girlfriend until New Years, accompany him to various events, and he won't report her and jeopardize her losing her BFF's apartment.
After Max blackmails Gina into being his pretend girlfriend for the holidays to get his family off his back, he thinks he has all his bases covered. What he doesn't anticipate is developing feeling for the chaotic woman and the more he is around her, he fells himself loosing up on his control.
What will these two choose to do when this arrangement comes to an end?
Will they test the waters and try a real relationship?
Or will the opposites attraction equation not be enough to work for these opposites?

This was a cute story; I enjoyed the characters and the situation that brought them together. This was a good, quick read and I look forward to more by this author.

The Attraction Equation was an adorable read. I always know if a book is written by Kadie Scott I'm going to have a blast reading it & this one did not disappoint.

This was a story of extreme opposites attracting & the situations they found themselves in was so entertaining. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Great read. Fast paced. Well written. Strong characters.

This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.I just love a good fake relationship romance and this one did not disappoint it had me laughing out loud at times.I just loved Max and Gina they were fantastic characters, when he finds her sneaking a dog into the building he decides to help her hide it if she will pretend to be his girlfriend and go to Christmas dinner with his family.The attraction between these was really strong and they were so great together this was a great read I really enjoyed it and think you will too.

So good funny and sweet with likeable characters. Great read

Just a quick review to say I thought this story was endearing and sweet. It was also sexy and had it's fun moments as well as emotional. Great new author to me and I can't wait to read more from them.

Your Next Cmas Movie!

Two people who have an undeniable connection regardless of how it goes against everything regarding their lives. Throw in hilarious antics, spot on banter and chemistry that leaps off the screen. Sprinkle in an adorable dog and this book will keep you reading long into a Christmas Eve.
I requested and was generously granted an ARC of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to write this review, I did so because I very much enjoyed the book.