I keep attempting to read Whittall without success. She is a talented writer but somehow I just can’t warm up to her plots and characters. They are well-developed but not for me.

A really enjoyable read. I loved the setting being Toronto which is a city I am very familiar with. So many of the locations I could recognize and picture. The characters felt so realistic and I wanted to consume the book as fast as possible to see if they would confront Cammie. I found this a really thoughtful book as well with a lot of empathy toward trauma, mental health and just overall sadness. How these things can cause different reactions in people and different coping mechanisms. Definitely one I recommend picking up.

I deeply enjoyed Whittal's 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 (released and read in 2016), so you can imagine my anxious anticipation to pick up her newest release. Sadly, this read like it was written by a completely different author.

Being mistaken as a thriller in more early reviews than I can count, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒌𝒆 is actually consistent with the authors' usual narrative: a multi-perspective account of characters dealing with contemporary and realistic issues like grief, loss, mental health and interpersonal relationships. The addition of a scam artist, and inevitably, themes resembling a thriller storyline, just made this one feel more forced rather than genuine for me. I would have liked to see it (the scam) be a catalyst early on, instead of the driving force of the entire book–it didn't add intrigue, just annoyance.

I felt like both the characters and I were strong-armed into suspending our beliefs about Cammie (the con-artist's) intentions and then told to react and deal with it realistically and calmly, but none of it felt purposeful? The amount of exposition in here took away from an opportunity to help us truly understand the characters, especially Cammie, which may have been the point, but ended up painting her as an entitled gnat rather than a possibly misunderstood butterfly–it made ALL of the characters feel as relatable as cardboard cutouts.

Two people hurting from loss + 1 con artist ready to take advantage of them = a super interesting and fun novella called The Fake by Zoe Whittall. 

The Fake involves Shelby, whose wife has just died, and Gibson, who just went through a divorce. Enter… Cammie. Shelby and Gibson don’t know each other but Cammie makes sure they each know OF each other and kind of pits them against the other to garner more sympathy and attention from Shelby and Gibson. She’s a master emotional manipulator and it’s really interesting to see how this plays out throughout the novel. 

At just over 200 pages, it’s the perfect length for this story! I loved this one and couldn’t get enough!


Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollinsca for my ARC of this one!

The Fake by Zoe Whittall is a sad, while engrossing novel about a pathological liar/con artist who takes advantage of good people going through hard times.

An interesting story from a psychological perspective

This is a rapid review as I had read a fellow librarian's ARC and was waiting to see it pop up on NetGalley and be approved for it.

Synopsis: (it will help for this title as it is very twisty)
**************************************************************************
A con artist can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth just to be in their presence. But when the jig is up, they ghost, and you’re left wondering if you ever mattered

After the death of her wife, Shelby feels more alone than ever—until she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman unafraid of what anyone else thinks and whose own history of trauma draws Shelby close. When Cammie is fired from her job and admits she is in treatment for kidney cancer, Shelby devotes all her time to helping Cammie thrive. But Shelby’s intuition tells her there are things about Cammie’s past that don’t add up. Could the most real thing about Cammie be that she’s actually a scammer?

Gibson is almost forty, fresh from a divorce and deeply depressed. Then he meets and falls in love with Cammie. Suddenly, he’s having the best sex of his life with a woman so attractive he’s stunned she even glanced his way, and for the first time ever he feels truly known. This is the kind of desire and passion that musicians have been writing love songs about for centuries. But Gibson’s friends are wary of Cammie, and eventually, he too has to admit that Cammie’s dramatic life can feel a bit over the top.

When Shelby and Gibson find out Cammie is a pathological liar, they struggle to understand what they really want from her—sometimes they want to help her heal from whatever causes her to invent reality, and sometimes they want revenge. But the biggest question of all is: how honest can Shelby and Gibson be about their own characters?

This is quite the book: we all know pathological liars (whether we admit to it or not) but Cammie just goes too far, romantically with both a woman and a man!  The book is twisty and turny and the ending satisfying: I will recommend it to my readers who would be interested in it as it is a wonderful book...I just have to watch my audience as I have a lot of clients who would not appreciate the LGBTQIA aspect of at ALL...hey, to each their own.

#shortbutsweetreviews

This book is well written, as per usual, but I didn't connect with the story as much as I did with the author's previous two novels. 
Con artist Connie goes through life taking advantage of people and lying her way to get what she wants. That is until Shelby and Gilford, her latest victims get together and try, for the last time, to come to her rescue. They thought by appealing to her from a good, honest place, they could help her. But their intervention fails, and they have to accept that Connie is who she is and move on with their lives. 
Whittall's writing style is raw and poetic. She has a way of making you feel emotions while reading as if you’re living inside the story she’s telling. 
I hope I’m explaining it well, because not many authors can achieve this way of reaching their audience. It’s a gift, and she’s got it. 
I recommend any of her books, although my favorite is the Best Kind of People.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by HarperCollins Canada.

A con artist can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth just to be in their presence. But when the jig is up, they ghost, and you are left wondering if you ever mattered.

After the death of her wife, Shelby feels more alone than ever—until she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman unafraid of what anyone else thinks and whose own history of trauma draws Shelby close. When Cammie is fired from her job and admits she is in treatment for kidney cancer, Shelby devotes all her time to helping Cammie thrive. But Shelby’s intuition tells her there are things about Cammie’s past that don’t add up. Could the realest thing about Cammie be that she is actually a scammer?

Gibson is almost forty, fresh from a divorce and deeply depressed. Then he meets and falls in love with Cammie. But Gibson’s friends are wary of Cammie, and eventually he too has to admit that Cammie’s dramatic life can feel a bit over the top.
 
When Shelby and Gibson find out Cammie is a pathological liar, they struggle to understand what they really want from her—sometimes they want to help her heal from whatever causes her to invent reality, and sometimes they want revenge. But the biggest question of all is: how honest can Shelby and Gibson be about their own characters?

The reader is aware from the back cover synopsis of "The Fake" that Cammie is a liar, and there is not much else revealed about her character or the other characters to keep you motivated to read. There is no big event and nothing really happens.  None of the three main characters are particularly likeable, and there is not much of a story or even a mystery to solve. I just felt like there was also not much of a plot other than a girl scamming two people at once. There was no real story arc. Yet, just like being unable to turn away from a train wreck, I could not put this book down. This book just did not leave much of an impression on me. Unfortunately, I would not recommend it.

Delighted to include this title in the March edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction, for the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

This was such an wild read.
It's a heartbreaking read that has you really feeling for Graham and Shelby and how easily Cammie was able to take advantage of them in their vulnerable states.
Cammie's character was so well written, her lies and deception were so quick witted and easy that it kept the story interesting. I found myself struggling to put it down and dying to know when the lies would blow up.
Graham and Shelby navigating their recent life changes and grief is so real and relatable - it really paints a picture and perspective of life and all the curveballs that come our way.
Edit Review

I just devoured this book.  

THE FAKE by @zoe_whittall takes place in Toronto and is about Gibson, who is recently divorced and Shelby, whose wife just died. They both come into contact with Cammie, a young, charming, beautiful, and troubled woman and drama ensues. 

Whittall's writing is so full of tension and sharpness and she is such an expert storyteller. Her portrayals of mental illness are so powerful, empathetic, and rich. With heavy and meaningful themes of grief, connection, and what it means to tell the truth, THE FAKE still manages to be a really fun romp that has you holding your breath for what's next. 

It comes out this March and if you're looking for a well-crafted, quick read about people it feels good to root for, this is a great pick. Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollinsca for the ARC!

There was a lot going on here in such a short amount of time. It was quite entertaining in a little over 200 pages but I felt the characters didn't have much depth. Still a nice quick read.

After having loved The Best Kind of People, and having The Spectacular on my want to read shelf for a long time, I was excited to get the opportunity to read Whittall’s latest novel, The Fake.

A con artist who tells a man she meets in a bar and a woman she meets in a grief support group that she is getting treatment for kidney cancer and has lost family members to suicide, Cammie is an easy person to enjoy being around. She blows other women out of the water in the sex department where it comes to Gibson and feeds Shelby’s hysteria. Gibson and Shelby both have suspicions about Cammie’s honesty but is it in their interest to blow it all up?

At points The Fake reads like a good psychological suspense but if you look beneath the salaciousness of the con it asks important questions about what we get out of relationships we engage in. 

Not my favourite by this author but still worthy of a read. 

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollinsca for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. The Fake publishes March 21, 2023.

Zoe has quickly become one of my favourite authors in the past couple of years. Her voice always feels fresh, and the stories she tells are so compelling. 

The Fake had me invested right from the first page when we hear from Cammie and her twisted history and backstory. We then transition POVs away from Cammie, hearing exclusively from Gibson, Cammie’s love interest, and Shelby, Cammie’s new best friend. Both Gibson and Shelby are both grieving the loss of their spouses, the former from divorce and the latter from death, and they are quickly swept up in Cammie’s charisma. 

Too bad she’s a big ol’ con artist. 

Phew - this book was a big dose of anxiety, but in the best possible way. I was INVESTED. And also, I think many a reader will feel seen somewhere in these pages. The story was so real. It was like I knew these people, once upon a time. 

I truly loved how very Toronto this book is. Set in places I used to live or spend time, it was very nostalgic for me. 

Anyway, this book is really really really good and I’m so grateful that I was one of the lucky early readers. Whittall is a gift and I’m going to keep coming back for more. 

Out March 21st!

Shelby and Gibson and two people who are going through challenging times in their lives. Enter Cammie, a young, charismatic, beautiful woman who breathes new life into both of theirs. 
For Shelby she's suffering through deep loss and Gibson is trying to move on after getting recently separated from his wife and unfortunately for them both Cammie is a con artist and a liar and they are about to find themselves deep in a world of deception.
A short read that is beautifully written, The Fake is the story of longing and loss and what happens when nice people get taken advantage of. 
Please find attached my spoiler free youtube review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PKQNfdKg30&t=252s

I was instantly captivated by Zoe Whitall’s storytelling abilities. The Fake was so emersive and captured the feelings of grief and longing so well.

2.5 stars

This was an interesting enough read to not warrant a DNF. In part due to the length being so short.

The plot line was original and unlike anything I’ve read before - con artist/pathological liar manages to entrap people, earn their trust, and then steal from them or ruin their lives in the process. 

This novel has the reader diving headfirst into the story without any real character development or background information. The only character the reader comes to learn the most about is the con artist, however there are still pieces missing from the story.

Due to the nature of the story, I understand the element of relationships being rushed. However, it still felt awkward and choppy. 

To tie it all in, the third person perspective felt more like a screenplay or script rather than a book. I’m not anti-third person and in fact have many top reads written in that perspective. This just wasn’t it for me unfortunately.

Would I recommend this book? Probably not. For what it’s worth, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to read it, but it just wasn’t what I was looking for.

This novel opens with Cammie trying to set the record straight. Are we going to believe her, or are we going to believe Shelby, who has an anxiety disorder and is hiding in her closet with her dog when we meet her? Are we going to believe Gibson, who’s been floundering since his separation from Veda? 

The Fake is a tense novel, unravelling the stories of Cammie, who meets Shelby just after the death of her wife, and Gibson, just after his split. Both Shelby and Gibson are so glad, separately, to have such a good and loyal friend as Cammie, though Cammie’s initial impression starts to falter after a while. This was entertaining, but no surprises here: Cammie is a con artist, I mostly kept reading to see how it shook out in the end. I’m not sure the framing worked as well as it could have, with notes from Cammie opening and closing the novel, but nothing in between. I wasn’t blown away but it was a fine afternoon read.

The thing I’ll get out of the way first is that, if one were to come at this as a fan of Whittall’s more popular books, The Best Kind of People and The Spectacular, then one might be apprehensive at the outset. The premise: a scam artist suddenly appears in the lives of a new lover and a new friend, appears light and possibly shallow. It could definitely be confused as a departure from her very complex and relationship focused past works. The Fake, at first glance, seems like a simple story and, really, it is. What’s deep and engrossing about it isn’t on the surface. It’s what floats up from the depths of the story when you put it down or think about it after it’s over. The beauty of this story and of Whittall’s storytelling skill is that lurking just out of the picture and unbeknownst to the reader, she is working on what may feel like a small topic in a much bigger way. Yes, it’s easy to vilify the scammer. She’s taking advantage of a man who’s just gone through a painful breakup and a woman whose wife has just passed away. What’s not so obvious or common a consideration is the way that the scam fit so perfectly and easily into their lives. Finishing The Fake may even lead the reader to contemplate how the scammer may have worked in service to those she manipulated. It’s all a set up for a complicated reorganization of inter-relational roles and how deception may be alive and well in ways we never anticipated or appreciated.

Heather O’Neill said “My perspective on lies and liars has forever changed after reading this book.” I think that anyone reading this book may be at risk of having the same thing happen to them.

This was a fun and quick romp. The writing was easily accessible and enjoyable. I loved reading about Cammie, the con artist and the people that she cons. Is it really that bad? What does it mean to seek help? Who is really helping who? Loved the Toronto setting and relatable feelings.