MaryJanice Davidson's The Love Scam was a fun and entertaining read. I enjoyed it. It is getting four and a half stars from me.

I'd rank this as an amusing beach read- if we were allowed to go to the beach this Summer. Instead, read it in your backyard and laugh as the kids run through the sprinklers. I think many romance readers that enjoy a bit of laughter mixed with their love story will enjoy this one!

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book at all. The premise sounded interesting when I requested the book, but it did not live up to my expectations. The plot and the characters became confusing as the book progressed. I guess it was supposed to be a parody but it fell flat for me.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start by saying I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley because it’s the only reason I finished this travesty. What the heck was this supposed to be? The story is disjointed and makes so little sense and the dialogue is horrible. It reads like everyone is in on the joke but you and you are left to fend for yourself and figure it out.

I feel like I took one for the team reading this so you don’t have to.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me through NetGalley. This book was just absolutely wonderful. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just couldn’t put it down. I just lost myself within this amazing story. I most definitely will read more by this author.

The Love Scam
by MaryJanice Davidson

The Love Scam is a contemporary rom com with some twists and turns thrown in! Twins Rake and Blake couldn’t be more different. Blake is serious, responsible and generally disapproving of his brother Rake. Rake is a heavy partying train wreck of a man. The question is ... how do they end up in Venice, with their hefty bank accounts drained? Two other characters enter the story - Claire who appears to dislike Rake immensely (do we see a romantic connection coming?) and Lilith, a sweet, bright child. Is she Rake’s daughter? and how could he be unaware of the situation?

So many questions! No spoilers here, though
*wink wink*

I give The Love Scam a 3 star rating. It’s a good, light read that’s perfect for beach or poolside reading. Here’s one to add to your vacay TBR list.

Thank you to Saint Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for my complimentary ARC e-copy

I really liked the premise of this book and I did enjoy the writing. However, I felt unable to truly connect with the characters so the whole story felt a little detached. It was a good enough story to keep me interested but I ended up feeling disappointed and unsatisfied. I would recommend it for the writing which I found entertaining.

Unfortunately , I couldn't finish this book .
I couldn't connect with the characters or the story .
But the writing style was good .

3 1/2 Stars

The Love Scam by MaryJanice Davidson was a fun yet complex read. As the hero Rake Tarbell caught up with what all was going on so did I. The heroine, Claire Delaney had her act together as she "babysat" Rake while falling for him. I liked the reference to "the nuclear option" when Rake and twin brother Blake found themselves penniless - temporarily. One of the best parts of the story was Lillith, the super-smart, very mature young girl who is a major part of the story.

The main characters in this book were kinda crazy and obnoxious, and not necessarily in a good way. I think zip was hoping for a little more White Collar-esque scam than a fake romance for tabloids. Once i decided I didn't like the characters it was easier to find the plot of this book enjoyable and a fun romp in Europe. A generally zi like to like my main characters though so this book didn't really hold that for me. I was also holding for a lot motor descriptions as far as Venice went, but maybe I was not interested in playing along.

Rake Tarbell wakes up hungover in a hotel room in Venice Italy. He has no clue how he got there. Through bad luck, he finds himself without money, identification or phone. By chance, he meets Claire Delaney who he talks into helping him out.
Finding himself helpless for the first time in forever has humbled Rake. He agrees to help Claire with some charity work in exchange for meeting his basic needs and hopes of a phone. Along the way, Rake finds out that the little girl with Claire, Lillith, may in fact be his daughter.
Over the course of a week, Rake does his best to help Claire and get to know Lillith. There are however a few surprises along the way.
Opinion
I had forgotten how much I love to read MaryJanice Davidson’s work. I have read several series by her and loved them. This book was just as good as the rest.
It is a cute story. It isn’t until more than halfway through that we see where the scam from the title comes in. If you’re quick, you may pick up on the clues.
The book references another book multiple times and I plan on going back and reading it. If I read the clues correctly, the stories are simultaneous.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the story. It was a good romance and kept it clean for the most part. Having Lillith there added to the overall cuteness of the book. Claire and Rake are able to help each other work through some old problems and help each other grow.

Description
Claire Delaney has one mission and one mission only: introduce rich, handsome bachelor Rake Tarbell to the seven-ear-old daughter he never knew he had. Claire has followed him from Las Vegas to Venice, determined to make this happen. So what if she’s noticed that he's not just handsome, but drop-dead gorgeous and charming as all get-out? When it becomes clear that Rake and Lillith need her help, Claire knows she just can't walk away...

Rake Tarbell is in trouble. The wealthy and carefree bachelor woke up horribly hungover, completely broke and with no idea how he ended up on the other side of the world. Now an odd, but irresistibly beautiful woman is telling him that he is the father of an adorable little girl and that he needs to step up. Rake doesn’t know if this is a nightmare or a dream come true. But then Rake and Claire’s adventure-filled days turn into romantic nights as they search for answers that can only be found in their hearts.

My Review
Great romance! The Love Scam is a great adventure with a mix of romance.

Received as an ARC from netgalley for an honest review and opinion. Really enjoyed reading this book. Lots of plot twists and loved the setting being throughout Europe. What's not to love in a book with Europe, drama, and love.

This book was a light read. I did enjoy it. While it is the first book I have read from this author it will not be the last !

The love scam- Mary Janice Davidson
I thought this was a good cute quirky rom com. Very easy to read.
Thankyou to both netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

A quick light read that's the perfect antidote for a pandemic lock-up. The word play alone had me smiling.
Thanks netgalley for the e-review edition of this book.

This rom-com was heavy on the comedy and the tropes. The thread of the story and the romance got kind of lost under all of the tropey stuff. It was a unique story and engrossing at times!

What a ride? This was a quirky novel where I got to brush up with my Italian. Loved the role of family in this book. This book is not for everyone but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was funny.

I will be interviewing MaryJanice next week for the podcast. The episode will air publication date.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this early copy!

Did not finish - I did not connect with the plot and writing and decided to put it down.

Such a cute rom-com. I really liked Rafe and Clare, even if some of Rafe's descriptions were a little too vivid for my taste. Overall, a cute read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.