This is book #4, in the Real Love series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and understanding, I recommend this series be read in order.

Barrett has to "pretend" date another reporter, so they can make ratings magic. Not a stranger to the publicity stunt genre - he decides to go for it. Then he meets the elusive Catarina.

Catalina has never been so insulted. She already has a boyfriend - why must her boss play this game? Barrett is no prize. Ratings is the key here. Only the attraction she is feeling seems to be mutual.....

This book was sparks galore from almost word one. The very sexy characters banter well. The book has a great pace, and lots of heat to keep one turning the page. This is a great addition to the series.


***This book was provided by Netgalley and its publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Usually, in books about a bad boy, he is reformed. He has seen the error of his ways, or at least he does so rather quickly so you can like and connect with him as a reader.

Barrett. Not so much. He's a jerk. A grab the waitress, say rude things to everyone, show up when he darn well pleases jerk.

I loved him anyway.

Barrett and Catarina have an instant spark, and a connection. The problem? She is dating someone else, and is assigned by her magazine to also date Barrett. Something Barrett has little to no issue with, and really, that is the first problem between them.

The others are their attraction, the fact that they work together, and the fact that he can be a complete ass.

Their chemistry was fantastic, and in an enemies to lovers story, you have to be willing to believe they are enemies. This worked.

I know I have heard there are some reviews for this one that say he is too much of a jerk, but, he really wasn't...he was himself. And, you like him by the end. I promise.

I recommend this title.

This book will leave you laughing and crying and the interactions between Barrett and Catarina. The love hate relationship between these two is pretty hilarious. Catarina is writer and is paired up with Barrett to do a dating segment. Barrett is a former football player with the past of being a player and being demeaning to woman. Catarina doesn't want to fall for the bad boy while she is dating North. Which boy will she end up with? The one from the trailer park or the country club boy.

I think this might be my favorite of the Real Love books!

Barrett and Catarina are characters that initially seem at odds with each other, but watching them get to know each other was genuinely fun.

Normally, I’m all about the heroine, but in this book Barrett really is my favorite character. He’s so much more complicated than he appears to be. Watching the layers be peeled back to reveal the true man underneath the bad boy was a pleasure.

Catarina was a good foil for Barrett and a fairly strong character in her own right.

My only complaint was that the conflict between Barrett and Catarina seemed a bit manufactured and forced. It worked, but didn’t really jive with their background.

Overall, Rumor Has It was a fun read that is worth snuggling into!

Catarina and Barrett are great together. Their banter kept me smiling the whole book. Catarina is a journalist that has a popular dating column. Her editor comes up with an idea that she fake dates a “bad boy” ex football star. Enter the arrogant, gorgeous Barrett who immediately gets under Catarina’s skin. He pushes her buttons, but she is learning there is more to him than he lets on. Their romance is sweet and endearing. Ms. Lemmon always writes such swoon worthy romances. This is yet another great addition to the series.

This is such a fun series by Jessica Lemmon. She had me laughing through out the entire book.

I liked these characters Barrett and Caterina. Barrett has women falling all over him. He has no problem get a real or fake girlfriend. Caterina is a journalist assigned to date a bad boy and write about it. So doesn’t care for cocky football players and knows she’ll have no prolem keeping it just work. That all changes after they share a kiss.

The banter and chemistry of these two was spot on. I really enjoyed this book and the others in this series.

Rumor Has it had me laughing so hard I cried. Then it had me crying so hard I couldn’t breathe. I loved the humor and chemistry of this couple in this story. Jessica Lemmon is new to me, but I will be adding her to my TBR shelf. Barrett and Catarina are complete opposites when it comes to their careers and relationships. I loved his nickname for her and really got into their dates. Rumor Has It felt real but also had an escape feeling. I am still thinking of some of the lines and scenes in this book. I will be rereading it. Great summer read.

I am loving this book! I was only just able to start it and will edit my review later on, but I love it so far. There's snark and humor and of course the sexual tension, and dont forget the boring boyfriend! This is actually my first book by Jessica Lemmon, and I am kinda kicking myself for waiting so long to read her books!

4 stars

Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon is a well written, entertaining and enjoyable read.
The storyline kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed watching Barrett and Catarina's relationship develop.
It took me a little while to connect with Barrett as he wasn't very likable in the begging but by the end I was very happy to have read their story.

The Real Love series has been a joy to read, each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all.

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Rumor Has It is book 4 in the Real Love series but it's the first that I've read.

Catarina is a journalist who has to 'date' The Bad Boy of the NFL, Barrett, for a series of columns for the magazine she works for. Barrett is trying to save his career as a broadcaster after being caught on a hot mic. Catarina is a perfectionist and hates this assignment. Barrett is arrogant and does his best to live up to his nickname.

I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and fake relationship stories. This book was so funny and once these two succumbed to the insane chemistry between them, there was an intense amount of heat. After reading Rumor Has It, I have to go back and read the first three books in this series!!!!

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

What a fun read!

This time we meet Barrett and Catarina. They have to work together for a relationship column in order to show how it is to date a bad boy.

Ok, I have to say I wanted to slap Barrett silly in the start of the book. He was such a jerk! LOL. Catarina is a bigger woman than me, ‘cause I would’ve punch him after that first day. :-P But I’m glad she stuck to him, because he proved himself to be worthy of her.

I liked Catarina, I liked her independent spirit, and her more vulnerable side. It was great to see her with Barrett and how she let her walls come down. And it was the same for Barrett, acting all bad boy, but really, just a big ol’ heart (loved him with his nephew!).

Just fun all around and a fun addition to the series. <3

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*

Rumor Has It is the latest in the “Real Love” series by Jessica Lemmon. I’d say it’s a complete standalone, as I have not read the others in this series and didn’t have an issue.

Catarina Everhart is relationship columnist for a magazine. She’s been given the assignment of “dating” the former NFL bad boy, Barrett Fox.

Barrett makes it a little tough to like him as a reader in the beginning of this book. I’d say Catarina - our heroine - would probably agree. He’s arrogant and a bit much sometimes, slowly but surely, he’s shown in a new light. We see the real him, not the image he projects to the world.

I liked their banter, and I found them to have a sizzling chemistry.
The push and pull had me flipping the pages, anxious to see when they’d finally give in.

This story was missing something I could not pinpoint, but was otherwise an enjoyable read.

Rumor Has It, is a quick, funny and entertaining book. I enjoyed the author’s writing and look forward to reading more.

Jessica Lemmon has done a wonderful job with this series. Catarina has a problem. One six feet of smart ass, former defensive line man Barrett Fox. Catarina is a type A, uptight do right personality who follows the rules while Barrett Fox is known as the Bad Boy of the NFL. What happens is that Catarina's boss assigns her to date Fox for a column that starts off as a publicity stunt/advertising money bonanza. Since Catarina remains the consummate professional and does as she's told, she spends more time with Barrett. In the process she finds that he isn’t really such a bad boy and in this finds her heart getting entangled with his. She learns that this is a man who is more than just a former NFL bad boy who now wants to get into field reporting. There is so much more to him than the bad press. Barrett also learns things about Catarina and finds himself softening towards her and in this process learns something unexpected as well: its better to be on Catarina’s good side than her bad side. What you have is an enemy to lovers’ romance that has really great push/pull, drama, angst, tension, action and romance. I enjoyed the characters, the fresh plot and the zing and chemistry between the main characters. Jessica Lemmon did a fantastic job in writing this book and I look forward to reading what she writes next.

My Rating: 4.5 stars *****
“I received an advanced copy of this book from the author at no cost to me."

While I loved the first three books in this standalone series, it was not the case with Barrett and Catarina’s story. I actually had to put it down numerous times and walk away, which for me is unheard of with a Jessica Lemmon book. I’ve always been a fan of the sexy banter between her characters, which was still present for the most part. But the lack of chemistry and like-ability, at least in my opinion, wasn’t enough to save this book for me.

This was a good read for me. I haven't read this author before, but the writing caught my attention from the start. It flowed well, and I thought the story was a good one. I wasn't a fan of Catarina for most of the book. She was snobby and stuffy, and looked down her nose at Barrett for a long time. I was happy to see her finally get over herself, and see that not everyone has to be a "Northrop" to be a good mate. Barrett was funny for the most part, but his temper did get he best of him in the end. I really felt like more should have been done to Mia. She was let off the hook WAY too easy, and then to continue on as if nothing happened was annoying. I would have liked a little bit of a look into their future as well. I feel like an epilogue is a must :) All in all I enjoyed the book, and I will be reading this author again!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

Frankly, I did not enjoy this book. I read about half of it, and I could not stand the hero. He seemed fine from the heroine's point of view but when they switched to his point of view, he seemed like an entirely different person. And what a worse person that was. There was basically very little chemistry between the couple, and I couldn't really stand them together.

4 STARS
Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon

When I first started reading this book I thought I'd read this story before but was pleasantly surprised as I continued through. The story is strong however the character development could have been stronger. There is one piece of the story that will upset some readers (as indicated in other reviews) in this evolving climate. I'm a woman and strongly encourage this change. That said, this is FICTION and Barrett is remorseful however that doesn't come out until much later in the story. The author put this in play and should have let it evolve a bit more giving the readers more opportunity to understand Barrett. Again, if the characters were a tad more developed readers would have accepted him and his past.

The story was sold as a bad boy but is Barrett truly a bad boy orrrrrr misunderstood? Barrett is likable and a former football star. Most of what we hear about him is based on perception and assumptions...thus Rumor Has It.

Catarina is also likable to a point. She is almost too perfect if that makes sense, her only flaw being that she settled for a past relationship...but haven't we all? It would have been more intriguing if she was flawed in some untypical way.

Please understand this is still a 4 star read and I was entertained. Would I recommend this book, yes. Rumor Has It is a lighthearted fun read.

Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon was a very enjoyable enemies to lovers story that was fun to read. It was funny, sweet and charming with great characters!

Barrett Fox’s NFL career ended after an injury sidelined him. He jumped back by becoming a sport broadcaster, which ended when he made some very inappropriate comments that were caught on his mic. Seemed he is out for the count, right? Not this guy. He has the opportunity for to change his image and he is ready to jump on the chance.

Catarina Everhart is driven and smart. She takes her career seriously and is ready to do what is needed to get the job done. But when her boss suggests some “dates” with Barrett she can write about, she is anything but enthusiastic.

The last thing Catarina wants is to fake-date Barrett, but when forced by her boss, she finds herself not wanting to like the arrogant ex-jock. Barrett is used to women falling all over him. But Catarina has no time for him, even if their chemistry is explosive! I loved the banter between Catarina and Barrett.

The more time Catarina spends with Barrett, the more she sees different sides to him than what is portrayed publicly. Can they find a way passed their differences and find love? I enjoyed Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon. The story was captivating and engaging and had me both laughing and swooning!

Happy reading!

Well, my fellow romance book loving friends, I’m not sure where or how to begin my review on this latest release by Jessica Lemmon. As always, I certainly did enjoy the writing style, especially due to Catarina, the sassy heroine. Surprisingly, this author can pull off first person dual POV without bludgeoning us with overuse of the word “I”. Nothing sets off eye twitching episodes quicker for me than repetitive use of that particular pronoun. So I can’t help but give a special shout out of acknowledgment and gratitude for doing so.

You could definitely feel the attraction and chemistry between this main couple, once Catarina got over her instant dislike of Barrett, which at first was well earned. You also got a glimpse into Barrett’s problems, poverty stricken past, and how fame and fortune didn’t buy this famous bad boy, former NFL football player love and loyalty. It was also endearing how he was able to push his loser sibling issues aside in order to be able to reach out and help another family member who needed him.

With that being said, there is no rationale or reasoning that lets a guy completely off the hook for bad behavior. The past is the past, folks. It doesn’t have to determine the future. It is a choice to become narcissistic and obnoxious. Barrett came across both of those in the very beginning. Fortunately, his character took a turn for the better once this couple actually started getting to know one another.

However, Barrett certainly made it difficult to like him at first. Inappropriate flirtatious remarks had me raising an eyebrow a time or two. But it was at 30%, while he is on a work related fake date with Catarina, that he earned a major penalty flag from me. Illegal contact/holding came to mind due to the manner in which he grabbed the backside of a complete stranger. Her later off-screen giving him her phone number didn’t speak well of her, either. Handsome or not, any self respecting woman wouldn’t have put up with that. She betrayed her sisterhood and own dignity with that move. Oh, and you’ll likely take issue with the reason he got fired from his last job in the first place. I simply have no words to describe those imbecile remarks, making the reason he got in this predicament of his current job situation a hard pill to swallow. Yeah, he reached out and tried to make amends several times because he claimed he didn’t mean it, but funny thing is once words are spoken you can’t unspeak them. It got the job done painting him as a knucklehead hot head, that’s for certain.

What I especially wasn’t a fan of was his past history/occasional references to an on and off again former lover/fiancee of six years, a woman named Beth. Nor Barrett’s admission during their very frequent breakups, he took advantage of numerous one night stands just because he could. Though he claimed to be loyal while they were together, he didn’t bat an eye about sleeping around during their frequent separations. At 40%, a mental comment about make-up sex after he went cave man jealous when Beth showed interest in another guy wasn’t appreciated, as well. Nope, this avid romantic at heart just doesn’t appreciate that OW type commentary. Despite the fact some tried to use it as an example he could do a long term relationship. Unfortunately, it was obviously a very dysfunctional one.

Already in a rocky relationship of her own, Catarina, the heroine, had enough sense to see right through Barrett, despite their instant attraction. When that relationship sank, Barrett is barely holding himself back from moving in for the thrill of kill in seducing Catarina, whom he calls Kitty Cat.

With dancing around each other that evolved to doing the tango between the sheets, these two unlikely love birds take their work relationship to a whole new personal level. They truly start to enjoy each other’s company, along with their smexy time together.

Rumor has it book 5, America’s Sweetheart, is in the works now. With zero details currently available, I have no clue who it will feature.

Here’s to hoping my review was insightful in some way in helping you decide if this book is a good fit for you.

Title: Rumor Has It, Series: Real Love (Book 4), Author: Jessica Lemmon, Pages: NL, fake dating relationship for work, very steamy scenes, stand-alone, celebrity/very sure of himself hero that hides his soft side, sassy at first resists him heroine, has a boyfriend briefly in beginning, former other woman/fiancee references, no epilogue, dual first person POV. Rating: 3.5 stars

Book 1 - Eye Candy
Book 2 - Arm Candy
Book 3 - Man Candy
Book 4 - Rumor Has It
Book 5 - America’s Sweetheart

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

Catarina Everhart isn’t very excited about her latest assignment. Her life is order and this is everything but that. Always focused on her career, everything else has paid the price.

Barrett Fox isn’t where he thought he’d be after a career-ending injury along with an on-air lapse of judgment and he’ll do whatever it takes to get back into broadcasting. Playing the role of the “Bad Boy of the NFL” for a little longer is sure to get him noticed

I have read other works by this author and was happy to get my hands on this one. The plot was a bit different though no less intriguing and I loved getting to know the characters as well as revisiting a couple from a previous book.

I was immediately pulled into this book and hooked all the way through. I felt like the characters were very well developed and I loved the interactions between them.

I look forward to reading more by this author and would definitely recommend her to a friend,