Sylvie Young is a psychic-medium with a mysterious past who helps people connect with their deceased loved ones. Unbeknownst to Sylvie, Thomas Holmes, an audience member at one of her shows, is actually an undercover reporter who is determined to expose Sylvie as a fraud. Okay, so maybe she does some research before her shows and tells people what they want to hear, but some of it is real. Can Sylvie prove to Thomas that she has psychic abilities before he destroys her career?

I wasn’t expecting this story to have so much depth! Sylvie and Thomas had their own agendas for digging into the past, but they found themselves on an emotional journey together. I loved getting both of their perspectives during their quest to uncover the truth behind Sylvie’s psychic abilities! Sylvie had no recollection of her life prior to being adopted, and her attempts to recover her repressed memories were heartbreaking. Thomas also dealt with difficult unforeseen circumstances along the way, and as he spent time with Sylvie, he started to wonder if she was more than just a “grief vampire.” Why was everyone keeping secrets from Sylvie? What really happened in her childhood? Is she the real deal? The last quarter of the book had me furiously flipping the pages to find out! This was a fantastic blend of mystery, intrigue, family drama, romance, and self-discovery!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy.

Sylvie is a psychic-medium who is on the verge of fame: selling out live shows and even getting a TV show. Thomas is a journalist hell bent on proving Sylvie is a "grief vampire" lying to vulnerable people to make money. Thinking she can gain sympathy from Thomas, Sylvie brings him to her childhood home to meet her parents. Unexpectedly, the two try to unearth the mystery of who Sylvie is, where she came from, and why isn't information on her adoption easily available to her.

My favorite aspect of this book is the elegant story telling of the characters. Its dual POV allows for the reader to figure out who to believe. There are times when Sylvie and Thomas withhold the truth, and the emotions pour out of them at the perfect moments. You may be on one person's side, and then re-think where you stand by the end.

This was the perfect summer read: an enemies to lovers forced proximity romance mixed with a journey to uncover big family secrets.

Honestly, I could write a long, in-depth review of this book because there's a lot to say, but I don't want to give it that much space. Usually, when a book disturbs me this much, I'll simply omit it from my public reviews. However, in this case, I do feel a responsibility to say something because both the story and the book, as a thing that is coming out into the world, are concerning, and I don't want anyone to mistake this for something harmless.

Some of It Was Real is baffling and alarming. The author has clearly done her research and understands the murky world of psychics and mediums who promise grieving people a chance at connecting with lost loved ones. The problem is she seems fine with it — or at least with presenting a rosy version of it in fiction. Instead of seriously engaging with the ethical dangers or even attempting to balance healthy skepticism with an open mind, the author fully commits to the idea that her (anti)heroine is the genuine article and doing something good in the world — even when the protagonist herself admits that she fakes psychic connections as often as she makes "real" ones. The result is a bizarrely "feel-good" story about a young woman overcoming (but not seeking actual therapy for!) her traumatic past to embrace her calling as a psychic-medium, enthralling even her biggest skeptic along the way. This approach not only saps any compelling tension from the plot but is also disturbingly close to full endorsement of the "grief vampires" that are existing, manipulating, and thriving in our society. I believe we should leave room for wonder and admit there are things — maybe even supernatural things — that science can't explain, but we still need to be responsible about how we explore those questions, especially when the story is not fantasy but firmly rooted in our real world and how it operates. But this book is not interested in engaging with complexity or even uncertainty, which is a shame because the setup is fantastic and could have been something great. However, the casual whitewashing holds it back as a literary work and also reveals a lack of awareness about what it's contributing to the real-world narrative. At best, Some of it was Real is a cheap spiritualist fairy tale. At worst, it's an irresponsible handling of a delicate subject, with concerning implications related to fraud, manipulation, and mental health issues.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think the first thing readers need to know about this book is that it is not a light romance. This book deals with serious themes of trauma, and while there is definitely a side of romance, these issues take precedence and there are some quite dark moments. However, it was a really moving story, and my heart broke for Sylvie as she struggled with identity and her relationship with her adoptive parents. You don't have to believe in psychics and mediums to appreciate this plot. While readers should go in knowing it's not a romcom, it is definitely worth the read.

Based off of the gorgeous cover you may think that Some of It Was Real is a romance - but is it so much more than that. Full of bright spots, this story explores deeper themes of identity, grief, personal beliefs and the complexity of family.


Sylvie is a psychic medium who just landed the gig that will skyrocket her career. Thomas is a skeptical journalist with personal reasons for needing to discredit Sylvie's supposed intuition. When Thomas offers Sylvie the chance to prove herself before printing an article that will reveal her as a fraud, the two (plus their furry sidekicks) set off with their own thoughts on how the time together will play out. Neither of them could expect what they'll actually discover about each other, and themselves.

I LOVED this one - and was happily surprised by the mystery element of Sylvie's story. (Romantic Mystery is an underrated genre for sure). The rotating POVs were well done, and well used, and I appreciated the evolution of the characters individually, and as part of their shared experiences. I really liked Sylvie as a character. She felt very authentic in her self-doubt and the ways she struggled with how she presented herself and how she perceived herself. Some of my favorite parts of the story were her readings and the ways she connected with people. Thomas grew on me, but I don't think he evolved as much as he thought he did. I was satisfied with their story, but I think he's still a bit of a jerk.

So many great topics of discussion. This would be a great book club read!

I loved this book. My biggest suggestion would be to go in open-minded. I knew there was a psychic and a skeptical journalist and a mystery to be solved. I didn't know if there would be a romance or what the tone of the book would be. And that approach worked well for me.

This is told in a dual POV from both Sylvie, the psychic, and Thomas's perspectives. Thomas, the journalist, is hoping to expose Sylvie as a fraud. They strike a deal and commit to a week together. On their journey they delve into each other's secrets and regrets and backstories. They also each have pets that are characters in and of themselves (a Great Dane named Moose for Sylvie and an older cat, Christopher Robins, for Thomas). I inhaled this book. There are themes of grief, trauma, regret, hope, belief in oneself (and lack thereof) and connection. It will stay with me. The best endorsement is that I immediately went to Goodreads to see what other books the author has written. I am here for them.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

Some of it Was Real is a fresh, unique, and unputdownable book.

Some of it Was Real was one of those books that I wasn’t too sure about. The synopsis is quite different from the usual romance books that I would normally pick. But I am thrilled I took a chance on this book because boy, was it good! This book hooked me right from the first chapter, and I could not put it down (I went to bed at 4:00 am, thank God it was a Friday night). This one of those stories that draws you along and has you trying to guess at the mystery surrounding Sylvie’s past. Nan did a fabulous job creating a unique and different romance mystery novel. The mystery component in this book was masterfully written and had me guessing to the bitter end. If you like a good mystery, you should check out this book.

For those who are unsure if they like books in the romance genre or don’t enjoy romance books with a lot of that cheese, then this book is perfect for you. The romance-y lovey dovey stuff takes a backseat in this story. The main focus is on Sylvie and whether Thomas can prove that she is a fraud and also trying to solve the mystery around her childhood. There is definitely no love lost between Thomas and Sylvie. For a good part of this book, Thomas does not like Sylvie. His hate for what she does for a living just oozes from the pages. Thomas truly believes Sylvie is a fraud, but you know how that saying goes, “never judge a book by its cover.” As the story progresses, Thomas realizes that there is more to Sylvie than meets the eye, and maybe, just maybe, she is the real deal. Both main characters in this book are well written and fit well together (when they don’t hate each other). I especially loved Sylvie; she is a tough-as-nails, intelligent woman who, at the same time, can be completely unsure of herself and feel a bearable amount of anxiety. I like how Nan had Sylvie trying to cope with these battling emotions and questioning herself and whether her career is as deplorable as Thomas says it is.

As I had said, romance isn’t a big part of this book. There are a few spicey, tender, heartfelt moments between Thomas and Sylvie, but that’s about it. Even the ending leaves you guessing what will happen between these two. As a couple, I don’t know if they can work. Thomas’ attitude towards Sylvie’s psychic abilities may have changed by the end of the book, but I don’t know if it has changed enough to live in Sylvie’s world.

There are some pretty adorable animals in this book. Moose and Chris almost steal the spotlight in this story at times. But I did want to say that there is a scene in this book that may be a trigger for some. Chris, short for Christopher Robin, is an older cat who ends up being put down in the middle of this story due to her age. I struggled with this part of the book because it’s the moment that I will dread (hopefully many years down the road) with my own cat. So, I really had a hard time reading this bit.

You will love this book from beginning to end.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book review: Some Of It Was Real by Nan Fischer

Some Of It Was Real is a women’s fiction novel with elements of the supernatural, mystery and romance.

Sylvie is a young woman in her twenties that is on the verge of stardom for her abilities as a psychic-medium. She is starting to sell out venues and has a tv show offer on the table when she is approached by an LA Times reporter (Thomas) planning on doing a smear piece on popular psychics. In order to clear her name and show him that her abilities are real she agrees to let him meet her (estranged) adoptive parents and accompany her to her next show. But as she reunites with her cold and standoffish parents she realizes there is more to her origin story than she was told and both her parents and adoption social workers are keeping secrets. As Thomas helps uncover her past they also deal with his mother and aging cat which pushes them closer and closer. But the newspaper story is still on the table and he doesn’t believe or respect what she does.

This book is difficult to categorize but would probably be considered women’s fiction. It’s too serious to be “chick lit” and the darker elements and mystery keep it from being strictly romance (although there are some pretty detailed love scenes). As far as characters go, I thought the author did a interesting job depicting Sylvie’s psychic abilities which is a mix of audience research, intuition and things that can’t be explained away scientifically. But I did find her parents a little over the top in their cruelty and selfishness. Although I believe that people often have children (or adopt) for reasons that may not be completely altruistic Sylvie’s parents were practically villainous in their anger that she wouldn’t take over the family farm which didn’t give a very nuanced representation on the page. Thomas’s mother was also cruel and selfish in her own way which made both of them struggle in intimate relationships although they were both devoted to their pets (which I appreciated). As a former foster parent some of the social services coverups that go on throughout the book didn’t feel realistic or likely and I was giving that part of the plot serious side-eye but the mystery was solid enough to keep my interest. I also found it very convenient that Sylvie, Thomas, their families and everyone they needed to talk to or interview all lived near each other in Oregon although both of the main characters live in L.A.

Overall, I felt like the tone of this book was kind of all over the place. When it started I thought it wasn’t going to get as dark as it did and it was going to be more about proving Sylvie’s abilities and falling in love. But as we get more into the journey the story turns into a downer with sickly pets, mean parents and a lot of cruelty and violence in Sylvie’s origin story. Thomas was often nasty and difficult with his doubts and his own complicated history with death and psychics which made him a not-so-great love interest which took away from the romance despite the fairly explicit love scenes.

Some Of It Was Real has a strong start and interesting premise but I felt would be best for audiences that enjoy darker content, family drama and mystery with their romance.

3.5 stars

Will taking a trip down memory lane help to put it to rest …

An other new to me author, when I was first offered to read it I knew nothing about this book, and thought I would pass it, until the blurb caught my eyes. The paranormal aspect of the story definitely sold it to me.
But as a reader of romance first, I would not qualify this book as one, it is more fiction with a romantic side, as the end is left open, to the reader to write the rest.
This book is journey into the two characters’ past and wounds.
And while they began as enemies, part of their road trip was as partners, not really friends but someone to push the other forward.
I am not sure I like Thomas and Sylvia much at the beginning.
Thomas is too set on his view of Sylvia, very prejudiced, as whatever she can do or tell, he refuses to walk away from his pre written script even for a comma.
Sylvia too is in denial, her fears and past shames hold her back, enabling her to open the doors of her past.

And while they are adults, their story feels like a coming of age tale, as they shred the suit of their old life, exploring their wounds, resolving the unspoken, breaking the doors of buried secrets. As it is not only Sylvia who is searching for answers, Thomas will have to face too his demons.
An initiatory trip as they grow and molt to accept who they are and make their own choice.

This was not the romance story I expected, yet I loved this story, and devoured it in no time, it is moving, surprising and fulfilling as the heroes who become who they must be.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Some of It Was Real by Nan Fischer is the story of a psychic-medium. Sylvie Young has an eidetic memory; however, she can't remember the first six years of her life. Sylvie likes to prep before her readings by doing research about her audience. Thomas Holmes is a journalist writing about how psychics are frauds. His intention is to expose Sylvie Young. The truth is a lot more complicated than they both know.

Sylvie Young entered the foster system as a young child. Her adoption took less than a month to approve. Sylvie's foster folder holds only one sheet of information. Sylvie Young needs answers.

Thomas Holmes is determined to uncover the mystery surrounding this Young psychic-medium. He plants fake info and audience members for Sylvie to read. The two collide.

As the pair agree to go on a trip to make sense of Sylvie's past, lies, murder, mistakes, and more are brought to light. Can Sylvie and Thomas handle the truth?

I enjoyed this read. It's full of mystery and a little romance. The story pulls on your heartstrings. You will hate, love, and cry with the characters.

Not your typical romance novel!

This book was a fun surprise! This is such a unique story with lots of depth, family and personal drama, and a little bit of romance and a lot of mystery.

I’m not a big believer is psychics or mediums but I find the idea of them fascinating. This book explores the life of Sylvie Young, a medium who is on the cusp of superstardom and journalist Thomas Holmes who is determined to expose her as a fraud. The psychic and skeptic made for a great read!

It was so interesting to watch them struggle with their relationship as they dealt with their own history and traumas. The author has created really complex characters with a great mash up of genres. Pick this up for something different to read!

"...every dream has a price..."

Some Of It Was Real is the second book I've read by Nan Fischer and I really enjoyed it. I had pretty high hopes for this book going into it because I had really enjoyed The Speed Of Falling Objects. I thought maybe it was just the premise of that book that I loved so was worried I wouldn't love Some Of It Was Real as much, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had worried for no reason. Fischer is an excellent author, her work is incredibly readable. I was thoroughly invested in Sylvie's life, anxious to uncover the secrets of her past right alongside her.

𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 Berkley Publishing i𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Thank you Berkley for the #gifted copy.

Every now and then a book takes you by surprise, and this is that time. Sylvia is psychic who doesn’t know the whole truth of her family until a LA Times reporter tries to dispute her gift.

Together, they set out on a trip so the reporter can further investigate her abilities on her psychic tour. They also look into the missing years prior to her adoption. Some of it is Real connects two broken people to confront their demons. This novel is part mystery and romance.

You’ve never met Sylvie Young, but chances are she already knows all about you. See, Sylvie is a young psychic-medium, quickly making a name for herself in the industry. Devout followers travel far and wide in the hopes that this up and coming talent will select them out of an audience full of believers, and even a handful of skeptics.

Among the critics is struggling journalist Thomas Holmes. Hell bent on proving Sylvie and others like her are mere “grief vampires”, he attends a show and plants some false leads. When Sylvie takes the bait, he feels he has the proof that he needs to expose the con. Not only does he relish the idea of taking Sylvie down, he also knows writing this story could put him back on the path to professional success.

But in his quest to find the truth, Thomas needs to get to know Sylvie better. Sylvie, in turn, knows she has to prove herself or risk the reputation she worked hard to build. As Thomas and Sylvie learn more about each other, the reader learns more as well. In the process, secrets are uncovered, and more truths are revealed. Can Thomas and Sylvie discover what’s real before lies destroy them both?

Some Of It Was Real is an interesting story about truth tellers that, ironically, had a hard path to predict. I’ve always been intrigued by psychics and mediums, full well knowing there are a lot of frauds out there. I also believe that for every five frauds you encounter though, you’ll come across someone who is legit. That’s what drew me to this story in the first place.

However, the further I got into the book, the less this became about psychics and their questionable talent, the more it became a mystery about unearthing past truths. They even threw a little romance in just to keep things interesting, or to complicate matters more, you choose.

All cards on the table, this story wasn’t what I was expecting going in. A genre bending blend just served to make Some of It Was Real, somewhat confusing.

Some of it Was Real by Nan Fischer is the type of novel you sip like tea rather than gulp like Gatorade. Sylvie and Thomas take you on an emotional journey of discovery, temptation, and belief in something bigger than us.
Sylvia, a psychic on the edge of her big breakthrough in both her career and personal life, is tasked with either making Thomas understand her career as a psychic or watch her future go up in flames. Thomas, a journalist for the LA Times, sets out to debunk psychics, indicating that they cheat and essentially steal from those who follow them. Sylvie becomes his most tried subject in the expose, as he too has both his personal and professional life on the line. By the end of their journey together, readers are cheering for the success in their personal lives, knowing their professional turnout will take care of itself, as it often does in life.
Add in Moose and Chris, their beloved pets, and this is a story anyone will love.

Too many coincidences but I can let it slide because this book is about a medium after all and it’s part of the ‘discourse’ the characters have.

The sex was so cringey. Maybe because it was from the man’s perspective? Maybe because it’s a journalist sleeping with a source? Maybe because it felt like it came out of nowhere?

Speaking of voices, this is a dual POV romance, which I think was the right choice for a doubter/believer narrative. However, the voices weren’t quite distinct enough for me. It wouldn’t take too long for me to switch over, but even a small pause is not good. I want to know who is talking right away and not have to second guess whose POV I’m in when I pick up the book.

I wanted more subtlety. OF COURSE the journalist hates mediums because his mom has been duped by them. I just wonder is there another way to get this tension without having such a pointed backstory? Can it be a little more complicated?

The ending was also very dark and I came here for romance, not true crime.

CW for adoption trauma, death of a family member, death of a pet.

Not the skeptic to lovers rom com I thought it would be- but so much better. Well, it is a skeptic to lovers novel but there's more to Sylvie and Thomas than I expected. She's a 24 year old psychic (or is she?) and he's a journalist writing an expose. So much changes for both of them when they travel together. along with her dog Moose and his cat Christopher Robins, to her next performance in Portland, stopping along the way at her adoptive parents' home. And that's where everything changes. Thomas was unable to find any info on Sylvie before age 6 and she has no memory of that time but she's been told her bio-parents died in a plane crash. What did happen? No spoilers. Both Sylvia and Thomas give their pov in what became a real page turner for me. Is Sylvie for real? What is Thomas' secret? These characters leapt off the page, along with, btw, the animals. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It wasn't what I expected but the plot and the storytelling drew and wrapped me into their world. It's a terrific read.

what a super fun book this was!! i truly enjoyed this one a lot!! i'm so thankful to netgalley for supplying me with yet another huge hit of a book!!

Short synopsis: Sylvie is a psychic medium on her way to stardom, Thomas is an unbelieving journalist with a desire to prove her a fraud. Together they are on a mission to unearth Sylvia’s hidden past and find out what is real.

My thoughts: Romance mixed with mystery, two of my favorite genres… count me in!

This story was told so well, with amazing main characters. I felt for Sylvie as she tried to reconnect with her adoptive parents and as she dug into her past. I liked how she made a point of telling Thomas how her visions affected her physically. And the tender way she spoke to others about things she’d seen.

I liked how Thomas was honest about his skepticism the whole time, but was still there to hold her hand when she needed a friend.

And the animals Christoper Robin the cat and Moose the Great Dane just added to the story!

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Romance and Mystery
* Digging into complicated pasts
* Family pets
* Psychics and clairvoyant

Some of It Was Real by Nan Fischer is one of my top books of 2022. When I received the ARC, I thought it would be a fun, light romance that I was sure I would enjoy, and it was that, but so much more! I just loved this mix of romance, suspense, and mystery all with wonderful writing and unique characters.

Sylvie Young is just starting to become famous as a psychic-medium. She has sold out events and a television show offer. She tells her audience about how she discovered her abilities. She doesn’t tell the that her parents died in a car crash when she was very young, or that she doesn’t speak with her adoptive parents anymore. Or, that she can’t remember a thing before she was adopted at the age of six.

Thomas Holmes, a reporter for the LA Times, is writing an article about “grief vampires”, and it’s personal for him. His last story was a disaster and he has something to prove. Also, his widowed mother spends her time visiting physics and mediums in a desire to connect with her late husband and find closure. He needs to prove that Sylvia is a fake, which shouldn’t be too hard as he doesn’t believe any psychics are real.

Thomas wants to know Sylvia’s background for his article, but she doesn’t remember anything before she was six years old. They make a deal to work together to try and find out her history. Sylvia wants to prove to Thomas that her gifts are real.

I was very surprised by this book. I knew it would be good, and I expected a light romance with some issues, but I didn’t expect such a well-rounded story with mystery, suspense, and a lot of heart-wrenching emotion. The mystery of Sylvia’s background was fascinating to follow. Thomas and Sylvia both have great reasons to stay away from each other, but I enjoyed the slow-burn romance as they worked together, and sometimes worked against each other.

I also liked how the author kept me on the edge of my seat. Both Sylvia and Thomas are trying to manipulate each other to prove their own points, and I never really knew who (if anyone) was being truthful, or who has something to hide (or not?) Does Sylvia have the gift? If she does, how can she prove it to Thomas? What happened to Sylvia during the first 6 years of her life? Why do her parents no longer talk to her? Why does Thomas dislike Sylvia’s profession so much? And so many more questions!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction and romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.