A big thanks to Tamara Lush and netgalley for giving me an E-ARC.

I dnfed this book because i do not have time to read this book but i did enjoy it.

If you love:
- fake dating
- dual pov
then this is for you!

A funny real-life Cinderella story that makes you think about how different your life could be if just one or two things go a different way.

Evie is so much more than she seems, since her parents died in an accident she's had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She takes care of her little sister, works two jobs, and skips meals to make ends meet.

Alex is trying to prove himself to his grandmother to try and take his place at the company his grandfather founded. With a reputation that's more bad boy than a businessman, he has a lot to prove.

Through a chance meeting Evie and Alex meet and come up with a plan that will save both of them if they can only stay away from the chemistry that's building between them. But since when has doing the right thing turned out to be the right thing in the end?

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Webtoon Book Group for providing an advance copy of this ebook, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

First off, a big thank you Tamara Lush and NetGalley for the e-arc of Crash! It was such a fun read, and I didn't realize it was the second in a series, so I'll definitely be going back to read the first book!

Crash is a dual POV romance novel that has all the feels and quite a bit of spice! Evie Cooper is a 21-year-old intern working for Alex's family business. When he accidentally mistakes her as his temporary PA the last week of her internship and has her sit through a crucial business meeting with his steely grandmother, he realizes she could be the key to helping him become CEO of the business instead of his sleezy cousin.
Alex proposes a fake engagement plan to Evie (a-la Pretty Women), and she can't help but to say yes. Even though she is attracted to Alex and isn't that intimidated by the 10-year difference, her main motivation is the money she's getting out of the fake engagement. Money she needs to pay off her own student loans and to support her younger sister. They just have to get through summer family plans and convince Alex's grandma that he's ready to settle down and take over the business. As they get further and further into their engagement, the feelings are starting to feel nothing but fake. Will everything work out? Or will their relationship crash and burn?

Crash was so much fun to read and contained so many fun romance novel tropes! Fake dating and forced proximity are always fun for me because even if the characters can't stand each other and want time apart, they literally can't. And since Crash is a dual POV book, I got to read how both Alex and Evie were falling for each other, and I LOVE reading about the guy falling in love.
I am rating this book a 3.5 rounding up to 4 stars. While I loved reading it, some of the writing fell flat/I wish more plot points were more developed. I wish the ending was a bit longer (I could have gone for some groveling) and I wasn't satisfied with how they left things with Alex's family. The epilogue was great, and hopefully there will be a sequel that will provide more resolution!

The best thing to happen in a long time for both Evie and Alex stemmed from this blistering fauxmance, and I was here for every scorching second.

With its Pretty Woman-esque vibes and the delicious tension of ruse vs. real with a maturity and depth that complimented Lush’s craft, Crash was a WORD contribution to the fake engagement trope. The setup of their fake proposal had me swooning, and I just loved how Evie’s passion and maturity manifested throughout the story as a whole. And grams! Oh, I just adored her character!

Despite his privilege, Alex still had his insecurities, and his growth was well established and executed within the timeframe allowed for. Similarly, Evie’s situation and personal battles were concise and believable in their portrayal, and I was both moved and in awe of her outlook and determination. Her concerns and fears felt real, and her emotions and experiences brought a depth to this often lighter narrative.

The only thing I really felt was missing was I would have liked to see a bit more of that awkward tension as their skill of play pretend was put to the test. I just love experiencing those lines blurring as the very real attraction is masked behind the show they put on, and I would have liked to have seen more of this happening in place of the dominant set-up that has been established. Otherwise, the attraction was evident, and the spice on point for what I’ve come to expect from Lush, and I know fans will devour these two - and be back for seconds!

This was an easy, fun read with a little sex and swoon appeal that’ll see you fall heart first in love with these two, and it is available to read NOW!

Thank you to Netgalley and W by Wattpad Books for the advanced copy. This is my honest review.

Fake fiance, big business, snobby (no, we should say sh!**y) family - and that's just the first few chapters.

Alex and Evie take us on a journey where fake friendships and relationships turn into the best thing in each others lives - and I liked where they took us.

There is great chemistry between our lovelies, and you know that they are going to steam up the pages as the book

There are some characters I would like to get more of in the future, so fingers x

I didn't realise that this is the second book in the Pretenders series (the first one dealt with Alex's sister Savannah's love story). You can read Crash as a standalone, but if you want to read Drive, do it first, as there will be multiple spoilers in the second book.
If you love the fake dating trope, you know it's all about the motivation, the tension, the suspense -will they get discovered? if they do, what will happen next? will they admit their feelings are anything but fake?
Evie Cooper has a very good reason to consider her charming boss's proposal. For the last two years Evie has been raising her teenage sister Sabrina after a tragic death of their parents in a car accident. If only marketing internships paid more. When due to a mix-up with a temporary assistant, Evie's existence is brought to his attention, Alex can't help thinking Evie might be the solution to his immediate problem of proving to his grandmother he has changed his lothario ways and is ready to settle down with a nice, steady girl... It helps that Grandma Eleanor already likes Evie and suspects Alex and Evie are an item. Eleanor is about to choose her successor and the CEO of the company. The only two contenders are Alex and his slimy cousin Beau who has already caused Alex a lot of heartbreak. On the other hand, Evie is desperate for a bit of break, but bills keep piling up and Sabrina is still too young to help her out. Plus, kind-hearted Evie is definitely on team Alex as far as his rivalry with Beau is concerned. But will their ruse succeed once they are surrounded by Alex's family? and will they manage to separate their fake courtship from very real feelings that are beginning to emerge and grow?
I have to admit life has dealt Evie a tough hand...Still, the money exchange fake dating is probably one of my least favourite scenarios in this trope. Also, while I could totally understand how a twenty two year old can feel crushed by poverty, I still think Alex could have helped Evie without any stipulations or conditions. He did behave in a very entitled way, coming from the world of privilege.
Dual POV narration worked really well in this book, adding to our understanding of the protagonists and their feelings. The story is entertaining and very easy to get into which is partly due to the writing style full of interesting, memorable detail. I would definitely like to read more books by Tamara Lush.
Recomended to anyone who likes the fake dating trope, poverty Vs privilege, family drama and opposites attract-and, of course, anyone who loves a good HEA at the end of their romance book.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Crash by Tamara Lush
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 323 / Genre: Romance

Happy Pub Day for Crash by Tamara Lush!

With a reputation for being Atlanta’s most eligible playboy, Alex Jenkins must prove himself the better heir to head his family’s corporation against his swarmy but married cousin Beau, who’s expecting his first child with Alex’s ex-fiancé. In order to put himself in a better light to his grandmother, who is the one to make the final decision, he pays his marketing intern Evie Cooper $100,000 to pose as his fiancé for the summer to make him look more stable. What could go wrong? Delicious sexual tension and undeniable passion only to be ruined by mean rich people who look down on a hard-working orphan who put her personal life on hold to take care of her sister after their parents die in a tragic car accident. You know, all the elements needed for a fun and steamy fake-dating romcom.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty fun read. And best of all, it was sexy on the inside without the awful half-naked man candy on the outside. {{CRINGE}} I hate those stupid covers! 🙈

Thank you @wbywattpadbooks and @netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

"If there's one thing I'm good at, it's details." "I see the trees, not the forest."_

I love the fake date/marriage trope, and the book gave me soft and sweet romantic vibes when I was tired of the usual romance kick-offs like the sensational friends to lovers, enemies to lovers trope. The book left me feeling a little bit 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' but in a gentler way.

The intern's tasks, such as mail checking, file organising, and using post-it notes, seem exaggerated to me. More than Alex and Evie, I found myself rooting for Alex's grandmother and Evie's sister, Sabrina. The author has a very convenient writing style that pulls the reader in quickly.

This book deviates from the standard story arc by featuring chapters from both characters' points of view, which adds depth to the story by revealing more about "what they think of and going through" in their minds—especially in the context of the "fake love" trope. I hope there will be more about their relationship in the future (sequel) 

 " To hope for love." (3.5/5 stars)

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #Crash in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such an easy read. The characters were adorable, the plot was engaging. I am a sucker for fake dating tropes, I absolutely adored Evie and Alex together. Their chemistry was palpable and the tension was everything. Overall I really enjoyed myself while reading and will 100 percent be reading more from tamara lush.

*** 4.5 ⭐️ ***

A little Pretty Woman-ish without the prostitution angle (although that IS a fine line in this story). While I’m not the biggest fan of the trope of fake dating/fake engagement for another person to advance in their chosen career path, this story did play out adequately. The differences between the respective upbringings and backgrounds of the MCs were well defined from the start (tragedy and poverty vs privilege and wealth), which carried the story along. I did not read the first book in this series, but this book stands alone quite well.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest opinion.

I really enjoyed reading this. This is my first Tamara Lush novel and it won’t be my last; I really enjoyed the conversational tone of her writing and found it very engaging. It’s light and fun and suited the story perfectly.

The romance is good. The dynamic between Evie and Alex worked really well for me. I’m a sucker for romances of this kind and I really enjoyed how Alex wanted to take care of her. He was very sweet and caring and they were really cute together. The love scenes were hot and well-written and fit the tone of the book perfectly.

I enjoyed a great deal of this book, but towards the end, when they got into the drama surrounding Alex’s family, I think the story lost a lot of its charm. Some of the scenes in that part felt very jarring tonally, and I didn’t like how his family suddenly turned on them both. I just think there were better ways for that part of the plot to happen. As a result the ensign felt quite muddled and I found it a bit melodramatic in a way that didn’t suit the rest of the book, in my opinion.

That said - it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book as a whole, which I read quite easily and had a lot of fun with. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted contemporary romance with a fake relationship, boss/employee romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Death of a parent (in past), traffic collision (in past), grief, panic attacks, anxiety, death of a grandparent (in book), on-page sex, virgin FMC.

The plot summary for Crash appealed to me. Sadly, the book just did not deliver. Neither of the main characters were likeable. and their words and thoughts did a terrible job of making me understand what they saw in each other. Evie was in a tough position, raising her teenage sister, but was just too whiney about it and seemed to live in the midst of. a never ending self pity party. As far as I could tell, most of what Alex had going for him were looks and money. Smarts were not in evidence. I gave up about a third of the way through.

Paying to have a fake engagement ✔️
Sexual chemistry and both are falling for each other ✔️
Awkward social interactions with extended relatives ✔️
A showdown to put snotty people in their places ✔️
Dreams coming true✔️

Obviously this book checked many boxes and more. I loved how Evie told Alex’s relatives the truth about Beau and Rose, who both needed to be shoved in the pool. Alex’s mom was a two faced as anyone else on his family, besides his Gran.
A heartfelt read that makes one believe social classes don’t matter.

Evie Cooper is a 22-year-old intern at Jenkins Corporation, struggling to make ends meet and take care of her younger sister, Sabrina, who is about to graduate high school and head off to college. Evie has been Sabrina's sole caretaker and breadwinner since their parents died in a car accident a few years earlier. Near the end of her internship, Evie crosses paths with Alex Jenkins, one of the company's managing directors and grandson of the company's namesake. Alex is handsome, successful, and almost ten years older; he's also trying to convince his aging grandmother that he's the right man to take over the CEO position. All he needs is a fake fiancee to convince Gram that he's ready to settle down and get serious...

I really enjoyed this book! It was fast-paced, sexy, and I found myself wishing I were reading when I had to do other things. I couldn't wait to get back to it! The chemistry between Evie and Alex jumped off the page and I loved how their relationship developed and they supported each other through so many trials and tribulations. The only thing I would have changed was to make the book a bit longer - the ending felt a tad rushed and I wish we would have gotten more insight into their relationship once it was truly solidified. I also wish the epilogue gave a little more information as to what had happened since the ending, but overall, a fabulous romance.

TW: Death of a loved one, mention of cheating, panic attacks/anxiety

3.5/5

Crash is a fake dating romance between the director of the company, Alex, and his intern, Evie. That right there threw me due to the power dynamic that goes on in the relationship. All in all I didn't really enjoy it but I do know of people who would enjoy reading this due to the "lovemaking" scenes.

This is a very quick read, that was written very well. I'm wondering if ther is going to be a part 2 because there is a lot that didn't get resolved.

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me with a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This was a good book I really enjoyed it alot thanks for letting me read it was fun entertaining and everyone loves a good age gap romance

Holy smokes! Ok, first off, fake dating is not usually my preferred trope, but this book may have made me decide to give more of those a chance! Evie and Adams “relationship” has so much growth, and those she has weaknesses, Evie is by no means a weak character. Add in a cast of interesting supporting characters and you have a super enjoyable romance novel. For me personally, I’d say this had a medium amount of spice to it. Definitely may by a hard copy to hold on to!

If someone asks me what is the perfect rom-com I would say Crash!
A beautiful and gripping story
dual POVs and fast-paced
Romantic but not cheesy
Age Gap
Fake Engagement
Alex and Evie's chemistry was everything 😍😍😍
Not a typical Billionaire / Poor girl story it was more felt and down to earth.
A to Z PERFECTION.

A glimpse inside the story:

Evie is 22, an intern at the Jenkins Company 
Struggling with financial problems and loans
Her parents died years ago and that's when her life stopped as a young woman.
She is now the carer for her sister Sabrina who's about to graduate and go to College but for that to happen Evie needs money and a permanent job ASAP.
Alex is the managing director at the Jenkins Company.
He is in rivalry with his cousin Beau who is seen by the family as the perfect gentleman whereas Alex is a reckless playboy.
They both want to be the CEOs of the company but first Alex has to prove them wrong.

When a coincidence brings them together, Alex sees Evie as the perfect candidate and the idea of a fake engagement crosses his mind. Evie is in desperate need of the money and she is mesmerized with Alex, so it's a WIN-WIN deal😎😉. Lucky us fate has amazing plans for them.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #Crash in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded down to 3⭐️)

Publication Date: January 24th 2023

Author: Tamara Lush

Review: Don’t get me wrong I liked this book. It was an easy read BUT it took me a lot longer than usual to read this book it took me almost a week. I really liked the dynamic between Alex and Evie I loved how he truly cared for her from the start even when the family found out the plan. I wanted more with the family tho after they told them about Rose and Beu I wanted more of that drama.. because I loved that twist.

All around an enjoyable read just took me a little longer than normal.

3.5 stars. Thanks to Negalley and Wattpad Books for this e-ARC. Im not gonna lie I was into this book but was like meh its like any other fake dating story I was waiting for the something that set it apart from the other stories, the something that would make me remember it when I saw the cover again. Like they say better late than never and then the Something happened and I ate it up and thanks for giving me a ending instead of just leaving me hanging.