Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Sullivan and St Martin's Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was really fun! Right from the beginning I was invested in the main characters life and the awkward things that she has to go through. I think we can all relate to some of the problems these characters have, especially the anxiety. It was portrayed so appropriately throughout the entire novel and it was nice to see someone battle with real life problems. I really adored most of the characters and I definitely enjoyed the radio dating idea! I would definitely recommend.

I’m obsessed with this book. That’s the first and most important thing. The second is how thankful I am to NETGALLEY and the publisher for granting me an early copy. This was absolutely phenomenal. I have never related more to a heroine. She deals with severe anxiety (as do I) but it was the way she dealt with it that really resonated with me. It was like my thoughts were written on paper. The best is, she has friends who look out for her! It was so fun to see that. The first chapter of the book it was clear how much her friend cared for her. Even if it was a little embarrassing. There are some complicated relationships in this but I loved them anyway. I loved the big grump, also known as Chris who turned out to be the cutest muffin for Everley. Even though he has his own struggles, with family and his feelings for Everley, I still loved him. From the beginning. This is all about sticking through the hard times and using the peopl who want to help you and coming to terms with your feelings. A new favourite of mine!

I liked this book. The romantic story was cute, slightly predicable but it was surprisingly clean, which I thought was nice. I enjoyed the realistic viewpoint of a person with anxiety and how real it seemed to me as a reader. I have anxiety as well and I liked how it portrayed and the support system Everly had. The squishy cat was awesome too. It was a cute story overall. It had good character growth with the main two leads and some of the supporting characters. Now I want to hear about Chris's brothers.

I really wanted to love this book, especially after getting to meet the author last night over zoom who is just a delightful person, but I just didn’t. I found the main character grating. I appreciate the representation of someone with anxiety, but Everly just seemed so focused on herself for the whole book. Chris and her best friend kept telling her that she was an amazing person, but I didn’t see any evidence to back up those claims and I was left feeling like Chris’s attraction to her, which I think was supposed to feel very real, just felt superficial. Mostly he talked about how she looked.

I also thought the book was strangely long. We didn’t see all the dates Everly went on, but there were multiple re-hashings of her not letting people in that didn’t really move the story forward. I found the level of judgement she put on Chris after finding out he’d been divorced really horrible after he’d been so understanding with her, but at the same time I found his constant suggestions that she “breathe” a little offensive instead of endearing.
I wished that Everly had gotten some kind of help with her anxiety instead of her big breakthrough being that she was strong enough to adopt cats. I also wish we’d seen more of her other dates and heard Simon’s side of the cheating story. In the book we learn that he’s going to do an on-air tell all with another station, but then we never hear anything about it.

I really appreciate the opportunity to read this one, and I do think the intention of showing a character with anxiety was a good one, but this one didn’t resonate with me.

I really enjoyed this book! This is a feel-good story with great characters that come to life on the page. Everly is relatable and sweet; I was rooting for her throughout the book. The depiction of her social anxiety is well done, poignant and realistic. I felt engaged in her journey as she faced her fears and worries, pushing herself to find happiness but also accepting herself for the great person that she is. The slow-burn romance between Everly and Chris is lovely and I liked how it evolved over the course of the book. I could see this being turned into a movie, one I'd definitely like to watch. A lovely book and highly recommended! Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

This book deals with a lot of issues. The most pressing being anxiety. Everley has a really horrible case anxiety but luckily she has friends who look out for her. There is also a lot of dysfunctional relationships that are present. Chris is struggling with his father and doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings for Everley. The story is a lot to take in but it is about friendship and sticking through the rough spots through for the long haul and the good that comes in the end.

This book took me by surprise. I thought it was going to be a YA novel, but it follows thirty year olds through their own kinds of challenges. Beyond that, it began slowly and I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy it, but the moment it picked up I could no longer put it down.

A genuine portrayal of social anxiety, chasing your dreams, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 your dreams, and figuring out what you want from life even if it’s not what you had originally dreamed of … this book captures it all. Coming to terms with who you are and who you want to be is something just about everyone will relate to. And then of course, there’s the love story.

This was the most adorable book that I have read about romance and a main character suffering with anxiety. I love how the author dug into the what the Everly felt like when she went through the panic attacks . She portrays this character with such real thoughts and feeling I truly fell in love with her kindness and how she tried to make everything right. I also love how Chris character talks about his feeling but not wanting to open up, so many people are like that today and this book gives you a close look at how relationships are today. I laughed, cried and just loved this story. I would love to see a movie about this book , and def more stories about these characters.

thanks to #netgalley and to #stmartinpress

Everly Dean has a history of really bad birthdays, but when she decides to surprise her boyfriend on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she's the one who receives the surprise--she catches him en flagrante with his assistant. To make things worse, she spills the tale to her best work friend, DJ Stacey, unaware that they're on air.

Everly, with Stacey's help, decides she needs to make some changes in her life and comes up with a list of goals, renamed "Ten Rules for Faking It." When station manager Chris comes to Everly with a plan to save both hers and Stacey's jobs, Everly grudgingly decides to step out of her comfort zone. She agrees to a sort of Bachelorette game, where she goes out on very public dates with guys who apply, then chooses which one she wants to see. The only problem is, she finds herself falling for the one guy who hasn't applied to date her.

TEN RULES FOR FAKING IT is an amusing, feel-good story with a happy ending. Like nearly all books, it was written at a time when people dated, went to bars, had parties--it all seems so dangerous now. But it was an entertaining distraction and a reminder of what life is usually like. #TenRulesForFakingIt #NetGalley

Everly is turning 30 and has decided she needs to grow up. She makes a list of rules of things that she needs to work on. I enjoyed the banter between her and her eventual love interest. Although predictable like most romantic comedies are, this one touches on anxiety and covers what it feels like to have a panic attack. Everly has a good support system in her best friend and boss and they handle her anxiety well. It was nice to see a book have mental illness that didn't just magically get better or pushed under the rug.,

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy to read and review. If you like Hallmark movies, you need this book! It could literally be a Hallmark movie. I had to recommend it to my best friend for that reason alone. 🙂
Everly is a producer for a radio show which stars her best friend Stacey. On her birthday, Everly mistakenly shares her rant about her now ex boyfriend when she doesn’t realize Stacey’s mic is on. Suddenly everyone wants to date Everly, except her very cute boss Chris. Chris and Everly end up planning out a dating competition to see who will win Everly’s heart bachelorette style. What happens when Chris and Everly have to fight a growing attraction.
This one was a slow burn (Hallmark style)! I loved all the characters, I can relate to Everly’a anxiety problems and Chris was the best. If you are in the market for a sweet read with likable characters, this is for you! Comes out December 29!

When Everly starts her thirtieth birthday by finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman, she decides to make a list of rules to help guide her life. Her best friend, Stacey, titles it, "Ten Rules for Faking It," and they make a plan to help her live by the rules they came up with. Everly is soon presented by her boss, Chris, with the opportunity to help out the broadcasting company she works for by being involved in a dating game, where she gets to go out with men she is matched with. The thought of putting herself out there like that terrifies Everly, but because of her rules, she goes through with it anyway. Although she isn't sure she will meet "the one" by doing this, she wants to help raise the station's viewing numbers and get out of her comfort zone. The farther along she gets in the game, however, the more she realizes that the person she truly wants may be closer than she thought.

Ten Rules for Faking It was such an enjoyable read! I loved the discussions of anxiety and family dynamics and appreciated how deep the author was willing to dive into these topics that aren't always seriously addressed in romances. However, I personally felt the story was lacking in the actual romance department. I kept waiting and waiting for the build-up, and although we see and feel the tension rising between Everly and Chris, I guess I just felt that the ending was anticlimactic and left me wanting so much more. Because the story ended at the very beginning of their relationship, we didn't get to see what they actually looked like as a couple, which I would have loved!

Regardless, this was a sweet read that addressed so many solid themes. I loved watching Everly grow through her anxiety, and watching Chris want to help her rather than push her way because of her "problems" was heartwarming. Would I recommend this book? Yes. It had me screaming into my sweatshirt at times because of the tension that I could literally feel rising off my screen. Just be prepared for that very slow burn that may become frustrating at times, but don't glaze over the important themes in the book!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing an ARC of Ten Rules for Faking It! This book is set to be published on 12/29/2020.

3 1/2 stars. This was my first book by Sophie Sullivan. Overall I liked the book. I particularly liked that the location was centered around a radio station. My only negative, at it might just be a personal preference, is that I don't like miscommunication or conflict that can be so easily resolved if the couple would just talk to each other. Other than that I enjoyed the hero and heroine and found it a fun and satisfying read. I do look forward to reading more from this author.

Everly has anxiety issues and hates being the center of attention. On her birthday she stopped off to bring bagels and coffee to her boyfriend only to find him in bed with his assistant. When arriving at work as a producer for a radio program, she did not realize they were broadcasting when she shared her morning with her best friend. To ease the tension and bring listeners to the program, her boss, Chris, decides to have men submit their bios for dates with Everly. This is hard for Chris because he has been interested in Everly since he signed on as station manager but dared not seek out a relationship. Everly finds a special spark when she is with Chris but dares not consider him as a suitor since he is her boss. This is an empathetic look into anxiety issues, friendship, and love. People change, relationships are worth pursuing, and true friends will help you through the hard times. Great book with wonderful characters and funny happenings are mixed in with the serious moments. Very cleaver and creative.

This book reminded me of another book that I read this year, "The Love Study" in that it is involving one character going through a dating competition, but instead falling in love with one of the people in the competition, someone else catches their eye.

I enjoyed the main characters Everly and Chris and liked how the book alternated between the two characters as it helped to share both of their stories. I also liked the conflict between Chris and his dad and the interesting element that it added to the story.

However there was almost too much miscommunication between the two main characters and that I didn't like.

Overall this was a cute story and I love how it all ended up.

Ten Rules for Faking It has a great premise. I'm a fan of Bachelor fanfic. Everly produces a radio show and after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her, she goes on a rant. On air. The attention spike for the station has them looking for a way to capitalize to gain advertisers and listeners.
There were several bright spots with some good one liners that had me chuckling, but overall I feel as if I wanted more. More dating disasters could have given it some more depth for Everly to be "brave". Or more of Everly doing for others to round out her character.
I liked how Everly's anxiety is shown throughout. I think there are a lot of people who brush it off and don't pursue help or some go to medication or therapy. One solution may not be best for all, but neither of these options are mentioned so I am left wondering why.
Everly's relationship with Chris is fun. I love the squishy cat and the supporting cast! I hope there is more of Stacey, Rob, and Noah in the future.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Found the novel excruciatingly slow and fairly repetitive when it came to the development of the plot and the hoops that the two key characters had to go through to get together.

Having said that, kudos to the writer for her effort to detail the emotions and stream of thoughts that goes through a person’s head when they suffer from severe stress and anxiety. It’s encouraging to see romance novels extending beyond the boy-meets-girl structure and shyly dipping their toes into further topics, especially mental health.

“Go ahead and laugh. This is thirty. I’m screwing it up, but you’re next, my friend. You’re next.”

There is nothing more relatable than having Everly as a main character. Her life is messy and unrefined. She has her dream job and a great set of friends but she is plagued with anxiety and chaos outside of her little bubble. This is such a great premise because I love how it gets Everly out there while discovering who she is. Chris is the perfect mixture of “Chris’s”. He “looks like Chris Pine, acts like Chris Hemsworth, smiles like Chris Pratt, and has a body like Chris Evans.” Chris is extremely cautious with Everly. He never pushes her out of her comfort zone to the point where she retreats and hides, but just enough so that she’s able to freely be herself on her own terms.

I love a slow burn romance. It allows the opportunity to see the foundations of the relationship build and it also leads to amazing tension filled scenes. The author did a wonderful job taking the reader on an enjoyable ride where we are rooting for Chris and Everly and swooning along the way. The writing is well executed. The author was able to elicit emotions that are typically seen with a first person narrative and give a sense of being inside the characters head, rather than an outsider looking in.

My main issues with the book came towards the end. There was a bit of a lull in the story. I typically love a good slow burn romance, but usually they are filled with tension and scenes that steal my heart. Though the build up to the main characters getting together doesn’t happen until the end, the story still has a fast pace. This one had some moments that gave me butterflies, but a majority of the time the romance took a back seat and the pace of the story slowed down. I had a hard time focusing on either Everly’s journey managing her anxiety or the epic romance storyline. The ending fell really short because of that and it seemed really rushed to wrap up the story.

Overall this was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters and this story, but how the ending played out felt out of place, rushed, and messy. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC

I absolutely loved this book. Like our heroine Everly, I also suffer from Social Anxiety and I have never felt more seen in my entire life than I did when I was reading this book.

Sophie Sullivan did a wonderful job capturing Everly's anxiety and all of the 5 million thoughts and feelings going through her head at any one time.

But honestly, let's be real. The moment I knew I was going to love this book no matter what was when the author mentioned quite possibly the best and most underrated show ever, Veronica Mars on the third page (give or take, I'm reading on a Kindle so the page numbers may be different.)

Something that is always really important to me is liking the hero and heroine and I thought both Chris and Everly were great and so sweet together and I was so happy that the book was told from both Chris and Everly's POV.

I Love how supportive Stacey and Chris are of Everly, I think it is so important to have strong supportive friends and Everly really needs them to lean on. It is so important to have people on your side that understand your struggles and are willing to stand up for you. Although Everly herself was not always the best or most reliable friend but I feel like she really grew throughout this story.

This is a total Slow Burn story so it was not steamy by any means, it doesn’t even get a steam rating, but honestly I was okay with that. The story itself drew me in enough that it did not feel like it needed the steam. 

This book releases on December 29th and I am for sure going to be buying a copy because I already want to read it again.

Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan is such a refreshing novel in the sense that it represented what I believe is sometimes an underrepresented subject; mental health. Specifically, generalized anxiety, panic attack disorder and social anxiety. The protagonist, Everly, suffers from it all. Sullivan does a phenomenal job accurately portraying the reality of these anxiety disorders!

I adored this story; it quickly became very special and very personal to me. I, too, suffer from anxiety disorders, but especially social anxiety. I’m certain this is why I immediately cared so much about Everly and her story. I could genuinely relate to most of her feelings.

The main three characters are well developed and multiple plot lines all come together in the end. The writing is succinct and the dialogue quick and realistic. Even the characters’ internal dialogues are well done.

This is not just a chicklit romance novel but includes elements of a family drama. Sullivan loops in several complex familial and marital relationship, again making this story relatable to most. Also carefully crafted is the delicate relationship between two women who are best friends — which is never a simple relationship!

Mental health and anxiety, family issues, realistic female friendships, some humor... and of course, romance! This story touches on a lot of relatable issues which I really appreciated.

The romance is believable with good chemistry and solid tension that builds. While this is a romance novel, that’s not the only story. Everly’s journey of accepting her own identity as a woman living with social anxiety is also a main plot line. And it’s a wonderful thing to see unfold.

I was cheering for and crying with Everly the whole book! I highly recommend this read.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sophie Sullivan for a copy of this book for review.