April Hamilton is sick of her family butting into her personal life, so she hires Theo Banks to be her pretend boyfriend during a family reunion. Neither of them expect to have their feelings turn around and start to feel like the real thing.
This was a great romantic comedy and Lauren Blakely always does a wonderful job of including the tiniest details in her characters, which draws you in as a reader, and makes the story even more believable.

Lauren Blakely never fails to bring us a sweet, funny, steamy romance that you will be engaged with from the first page. I love her spin on the fake-boyfriend-for-hire trope

She has given us great characters in Theo and April. These two together are witty, sweet and oozing lots of chemistry. I loved how they instantly jumped into impromptu storylines. This just showed how in-sink and perfect for each other they were. 

This is one hell of a must read!

My 4.5 star review is posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2066958171

It will be posted on blog and social media upon release and links will be updated at that time. LINKS UPDATED July 10

4.5 stars
April Hamilton is heading home to her family reunion on Wistful, Connecticut. But she needs a buffer to keep her matchmaking family from setting her up and attempting to woo her back home from Manhattan. She loves living in the city and pursuing her untraditional career that she has become successful at. When her male best friend bails on her, she has no choice but to hire a ringer.

Theo Banks comes recommended by her friend. He is a bartender and man-for-hire. He will gladly play any type of boyfriend she needs for a small fee. He has his reasons for needing to earn money and this job can certainly help him get free of his debts.

He is not a gigolo, and he has rules not to get involved with clients. And April is not in the market for a real boyfriend as she has her own trust issues and is on a "man break". But from the beginning they have a spark, a connection, and fun rapport. They can improv stories of their fake relationship, fantasies, and they get along well. And as they spend more time together, the physical attraction keeps growing. But they are in the middle of a reunion full of nosy family members.

As the group plays games, Theo and April's games become more serious and the stakes keep rising. April is sweet, smart, funny, feisty, and kind. Theo is charming, intelligent, resourceful, and caring. There is real attraction, real liking, and jealousy all mixed up in their fake dating story. Pretend kisses are turning real. Lines are getting blurred. I loved seeing them get pushed out of their comfort zones, and realize that they might be getting a bit too attached than they are supposed to.

But they are really from two different worlds where she is from a happy privileged family and he is not. Theo has a past that he is not proud of, and is afraid of being vulnerable and risking both the job and losing April. But her biggest issue is being lied to, so the longer he keeps his mouth shut, the more he risks looking bad. 

It is all a bit confusing especially for April to determine what is real and what is fake. Theo is great at thinking on his feet and making her feel special. But he is holding back and eventually it is all going to come out. Will she just see him as another male liar or will he be able to convince her of his real intentions?

This is a humorous, sweet, and swoony fake-to-real-relationship story with quirky characters, secrets, and a bit of mystery. It is told in dual points of view which is critical since Theo is slower to reveal his secrets. Their banter is witty, fast-paced, and fun. This couple is easy to like and relate to. I enjoyed the time spent with her family and all the crazy reunion shenanigans. But at the heart of this story were two people who really needed to find a true connection, but were both afraid of looking for it and not sure how to keep it once they did.

I loved this book. I thought it was such a cute love story. April and Theo are series relationship goals. I love the way they met. April needs to hire someone to go to a family function. I think most people can relate with meddling family members. Her parents and pretty much her whole family still lived in the small town she grew up in and wanted April to fall in love with someone who lived there so she'd move back. I liked how real the story was. It didn't seem like a novel it seemed like something that was happening to a friend. The author has an amazing writing style that just sucks you right in immediately! I loved how easy it was to love all of the characters in the book. I loved the little details too. I would highly recommend this book!

3.5 stars. Not an easy review, as I liked the beginning and the end, however, the story lagged IMO through the middle of the story. While potentially this could be my own issue, I just found that it was way to easy to put down the book and do something else. I can't say what needed to change in this area of the book, because I really can't pinpoint what it was. I liked the couple and the side characters and parts of the book were funny, yet the middle was rough, and I was close to not finishing but I did and I liked the ending. Overall, a good story. *I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

I have read several Lauren Blakely books before but this one almost felt lighter and more of a summer/beach read to me.  Lots of humor and silliness to keep me laughing but even amongst the pages of humor was a love story that was forming.  I enjoy Love for hire reads and this one went to the top of my list for rereads in this trope.  Loved the characters and how well they all meshed together.  It was one of those in your face love stories but unless the characters were looking for love they didn't realize it was right in front of them.  Theo and April had a chemistry that not many have together and it was felt page after page.  Enjoyable read through and through.

3.75 stars--THE REAL DEAL by Lauren Blakely is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, romantic comedy story line focusing on body painter April Hamilton, and twenty eight year old bartender Theo Banks.

Told from dual first person perspectives (April and Theo) THE REAL DEAL follows the fake relationship between twenty-eight year olds body painter April Hamilton, and bartender Theo Banks. April Hamilton dreads the annual family reunion where she will knowingly become the target of her mother and aunt’s need to play matchmaker to her self-imposed singlehood. Hoping to avoid said matchmaking April answers a Craigslist ad offering a boyfriend-for-hire, the perfect foil to the family busybodies. Enter bartender and ‘actor’ Theo Banks, the man with whom April will fall in love. What ensues is the fake to real relationship between April and Theo, and the fall-out as Theo’s past reveals more than he had hoped to tell.

Theo Banks is in desperate need of a financial infusion when his brother’s past comes looking for payment. A boyfriend for hire as finds our hero coming face to race with his future, a future that will all but be destroyed when his brother unknowingly reveals the truth. Theo doesn’t do relationships, and lets April know that the boyfriend for hire is only a platonic arrangement, a platonic arrangement that turns into something more.

The relationship between Theo and April is fun and flirty; sexy and sassy that continues to push the boundaries of their platonic arrangement. Theo and April compliment one another; work together as though they have known one another for a lifetime, and in the end the palpable sexual attraction cannot denied. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

THE REAL DEAL is a fake romance trope; a passionate and heart warming story line of family, friendship, forgiveness and love. The premise is entertaining, engaging and fun; the romance is intimate; the characters are colorful and sassy. THE REAL DEAL is an enjoyable, inspiring and uplifting story line.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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Wow! I have never read a Lauren Blakely book I didn't enjoy immensely. Theo and April were such a well matched couple. April has a family reunion to go to and she is tired of her family always trying to set her up with a man as well as trying to get her to move back to her hometown. What's a woman to do? Well, seems Theo is able to offer his services as a boyfriend for hire. What starts out as a way for April not to have to deal with what appears to be her meddling family; soon turns into something more than just a boyfriend for hire when the two start falling for one another. In true Lauren Blakely style this a a wonderful rom com, with a bit of a cameo from a character mention from another of her fabulous books. You will have to read the book to find out who it is. I really enjoyed the way April and Theo bounced stories of their romance off one another when coming up with a background story for her family of how they met. I rally liked how those stories seemed to fuel the fire of the feelings they had for one another. Even though they knew that what they originally agreed upon neither could seem to help the bit of jealousy they felt at times. I found that so sweet. This is a really well written story and the ending was just perfect. wonderful HEA. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. Provided by Netgalley.

This is a go-to author for me.  The Real Deal is like a Hallmark move but spicer.  A rom-com, but the good parts don’t “fade to black.”

April is a small-town girl in a big city trying to make it big.  She needs a pretend boyfriend to get her family off her back - she is not ready to settle down.  Cue Theo - for hire boyfriend in Craigslist.  Nuts!  

April’s and Theo together were a heady combination.  The role-playing and dirty banter was out of his world.  Light-hearted and funny for the most part except for when Theo’s past comes into play, this book is a sit by the pool and read in one session book.

Loved it.  Go read it. You’ll love it too.

The Real Deal
Lauren Blakely

April Hamilton needs a buffer for the annual Hamilton-Moore Family Reunion. Every time, April comes home, someone from her family sets her up on a blind date trying to lure her back home to Wistful, a small town community on the edge of Long Island Sound. Everyone knows everyone. But April loves her job as a body painter. She makes a comfortable living working on commercials, magazines, and movies. April is one of the best. Why would she want to leave New York City for the humdrum of small town living where she would be limited to face painting at the ice cream social. What's a girl to do? She bribes her gay best friend to pretend to be her boyfriend. But Xavier is a male model who gets a last minute modeling gig--two days before the reunion. Xavier doesn't leave her in a complete bind. His neighbor is a bartender with a side gig--boyfriend for hire. 

Theo Banks is not the boy next door, but he can be if need be--for a price. His Craigslist ad lists a number of things that he can do. All of it is completely platonic. No, kissing which has never been a problem...well until April. The moment he meets her. He wants to throw all his rules out the window. He has to remain focused. He needs to pay off his brother's debts to ensure that Heath stays on the straight and narrow. Heath needs and deserves a second chance after spending the last two years in prison for fraud and bond scams. Theo hasn't always been a boy scout either. Both brothers have had to hustle their way through college. Life hasn't been kind to either of them. That's another reminder to Theo to keep his business deal with April completely professional. But the more time April and Theo spend together the more both of them develop true feelings for each other. How can they survive with so many lies and other people in their path?

"The Real Deal" by Lauren Blakely
What a wild ride !!  I usually steer clear of stories with steam heat...  but... maybe because of the way it was presented...  it was okay, and, I was not totally turned off.  For me I just enjoyed the meeting of two people who .... well,,, learn that sometimes other people are safe and will take really good care of you in all the ways that count.  By the way I give this a 5-star review and am very grateful that I was gifted a copy of this story via NetGalley.

As successful as April’s career as an artist in NY is her relationships with men have been the exact opposite. After the latest in a line of debacles she has decided to embrace the single life as men aren’t worth the trouble they bring. The only problem with her plan is that she is supposed to be attending a family reunion and the last thing she wants is to be matched up with everyone in sight, so she decides to hire the “boyfriend experience” to share her pain.

Theo has almost paid off the debt he owes but he was finding that his career as a bartender wasn’t doing it fast enough, so he hires himself out part-time as a boyfriend with no benefits. He has perfected the skill of fitting in anywhere, but he wasn’t prepared for April.

They have an instant attraction to each other and the sparks flew both in and out of bed. What started out as a business arrangement soon developed into much more but is it enough to overcome his past?

I loved these two together as although they have totally different backgrounds they couldn’t be more perfect for each other. Humorous banter, hot chemistry and heartfelt emotion and great characters make this a book that you won’t want to put down. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I adore Lauren Blakely and everything about her books give me that happy, feel good kind of joy deep down to my soul. And coming off a week where a family friend was buried after losing her battle with cancer, losing a family friend and her daughter in an accident and a friends Uncle being hospitalized...I need to read about love, humor and some joyous happily ever after more than ever! Thank you Lauren for sharing your immense talent and beautiful words that in times like these are pure perfection. I usually read for an escape and entertainment. This week - it was more therapeutic than ever.

The Real Deal is a perfect fake relationship becomes more type of story. Filled with unique, relatable characters that I was head over heels for from the start. Perfect witty banter and humor. And my absolute favorite aspect of this particular book was the intense build up. The chemistry and attraction between Theo & April was immediate and undeniable. The banter and wittiness as they made their backstory up improv style is utterly brilliant! I loved loved loved the slow burn that sizzled. Starting on their train ride - whew I was panting and turned on like it was happening to me. All from reading this amazing authors words. Pure talent! And this pull continued to build and spark through their journey from fake to "The Real Deal". Gah such a perfect title to this great read.

Not only are Theo and April perfection in every way, we get a full cast of fantastic supporting characters. I kinda want to be a part of the Hamilton family myself. They are so fun. This storyline of a family reunion and games is inspiring. I am inspired to use some of these ideas at my own family reunion next summer.

Lauren Blakely doesn't disappoint with The Real Deal! The fake boyfriend/fiancée/husband is a particular favorite of mine (when well done), so I was really looking forward to reading this one. 

April is trying to avoid the matchmaking machinations of her well-intentioned family and hires Theo to be her fake boyfriend to get them off her back. April and Theo are adorable together right from the get-go. They have amazing chemistry and their connection is palpable. Although April's family is acting out of love, it's hard for April to have them continually think of her as a hapless artist struggling to make ends meet in the "big, bad city". This story was as much about the growth of her and Theo's relationship as it was about her finally feeling strong enough to speak up to her parents about her success. 

And Theo certainly doesn't come into the story baggage-free. In fact, he's got a whole train full of oversized bags that need dealing with, and eventually is. Again, there's a lot of growth on Theo's part, separate and apart from his relationship with April. 

You can't help but root for them and it's particularly sweet when they do get together in the end.

Book Boyfriend: 💋💋💋💋
Theo Banks has a rough upbringing and a bad past. His parents died when he was a young teenager so he and his brother were sent to live with his aunt. She took zero interest in them so they had to try to figure life out for themselves. In order to pay for college, they did some shady things. Now Theo is working to get his life back on track and pay back debts that loom over him. He’s funny, creative, and sweet.

Strong Female Lead:💋💋💋💋
April Hamilton is a painter. She paints bodies for media (tv, movies, commercials, magazines, etc.). She does very well for herself, but on the relationship side she’s pretty much sworn off all relationships. She was burned badly not too long ago. She loves her family and friends. She’s funny and creative. She’s kind and caring.

Plot:💋💋💋
April’s family is notorious for trying to set her up with a local boy. When it’s time to go back for the family reunion, she decides to try to get her family off her back, by hiring a boyfriend for the week. April and Theo both start to develop feelings but neither is sure what is real and what is part of their arrangement.

Steamy Factor:💋💋💋
There’s a lot of sexual tension through most of this book. However, it gets real hot.

Overall:💋💋💋
This book was cute. Some parts had me laughing out loud. I love the creativity between the two characters. The have a great back and forth banter with each other. However, I feel like the plot has been done before. Definitely enjoyable, but left me wanting.

I tend to like Lauren's book she has some of the most hilarious books out there, and while I can't say I found this was one of them I liked it but didn't love it. I liked April and I liked Theo and honestly was happy that they found each other and where able to give it a go, I even have to say that I liked the secondary characters, so then why didn't I love it you may be wondering. It was the story in itself, we have April hiring Theo as her pretend boyfriend to get her family off of her back from having significant other and moving back to her hometown, I think what I kind of got tired of was that as they met and were putting together a story on how they did and to make it believable they continued to do it thru out story and I got tired of it, but that is just me. Besides that I enjoyed everything else. Enjoy!

I just loved Theo and April. Theo was so perfectly swoony, and I loved the way he and April bounced off each other, making up their stories that sounded so perfect all while weaving their real feelings into the mix. Both had troubles in their past that made them cautious of what they felt happening between them, but the tension was amazing as it grew into a nice little fire. I’ve enjoyed every Lauren Blakely book I’ve read, but this is definitely one of my favorites. I never expected the bad boy Craigslist ad-poster to be as amazing as he turned out to be.

4.5*

The Real Deal is the perfect summer read! It's sweet, funny, and sexy- everything you could want from a Lauren Blakely book. The whole fake relationship between April and Theo was terrific and so entertaining. They had such amazing chemistry and their banter was the definition of witty! 

I loved April's independence and Theo's determination. Theo's a little different than most of Ms. Blakely's heroes- he's strong and confident, but he has a vulnerability that I found completely endearing. Even with all their differences and life experiences I thought April and Theo were a perfect match. I really enjoyed their getting-to-know you talks and stories and how that led to them forging such a deep connection. 

Family plays a huge part in this book- the good, the bad, and the not really ugly. April's family was seriously awesome and crazy and a whole lot of fun. The women especially had very obvious and definite intentions when it came to her love life - all done with love, of course! And it made for some laughs, that's for sure. Theo's family story is a little sadder. He didn't have the loving upbringing April did, and although it had a profound effect on him, he didn't let it color his outlook on life. 

Theo and April may have started off as a pretend couple, but by the end there was nothing fake about their love!

NO SPOILERS!

The Real Deal was a sweet, sexy, hilarious, and entertaining standalone romantic comedy, and I absolutely loved it! The storyline and characters were phenomenal, and I loved Lauren Blakely’s writing style and sense of humor. Ms. Blakely is one of my go-to authors when I’m looking for a feel-good and humorous romantic comedy, and she completely blew me away with The Real Deal. It has definitely been one of my favorite novels from her so far!

   The storyline was incredible and even better than I imagined. The boyfriend-for-hire concept wasn’t necessarily new, but I loved the twist that the author put on it. The Real Deal had heart, humor, heat, as well as amazing characters, and I absolutely loved everything from beginning to end. There were several plot twists that I wasn’t expecting when I started this book, but I loved how everything came together. Lauren Blakely truly did a fantastic job with this story, and I can’t wait to read more from her.

   The characters were phenomenal, and I loved all of them so much. Theo and April were especially close to my heart, and I loved them dearly. I loved their personalities and red-hot chemistry together, and how their relationship progressed throughout. I loved reading the book from both Theo and April’s point of view, and all of their banter and interactions with each other. The start of their “relationship” was certainly unconventional, but I loved how things worked out in the end. Lauren Blakely definitely didn’t disappoint with any of the characters in this book, and I really enjoyed Theo and April’s families. They were a little crazy every now and then, but their hearts were in the right place. There were plenty of funny and entertaining moments that made this book incredibly enjoyable, and I loved the romantic and steamy times as well. Theo and April’s story has been one of my favorites from this author so far, and I absolutely loved the conclusion. It was even better than I expected, and I couldn’t have been happier.

   The Real Deal was another sweet, sexy, and entertaining standalone romantic comedy, and I would HIGHLY recommend it! Lauren Blakely always creates amazing, memorable, and laugh-out-loud stories, but she especially did an outstanding job with The Real Deal. I loved this book so much, and I was ecstatic with the outcome to Theo and April’s story. Lauren Blakely is definitely one of the queens of romantic comedy, and I can’t wait to devour more from her in the future!

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Blakely is a one-click author for me.  I always enjoy her stories.  I was a little worried about the way this one started out. The first chapter or so is written in a quirky banter-style that was somewhat difficult to get lost in.  Once the characters start to interact, all of that resolves and you fall in love with these playful characters. Nearly everyone in this story has an off-beat sense of humor and I found myself laughing through most of it. This was romantic, witty, and fun just as you would expect from this author.  The angst is there, but kept to a minimum making this a great read. I love that April is a strong female lead. Theo is sweet and flawed and you love him immediately.