This was a fun romcom and entertaining overall.. thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review.

Ellie dreams of leaving her small town for a career in costume design. But when her family’s deli is threatened by a gourmet department store, she desperately pleads her case to Theo, the landlord’s son. An accident leaves Theo with amnesia—and believing they’re engaged. Ellie reluctantly plays along, hoping to save her family legacy. When Theo’s ex resurfaces, Ellie must choose between friendship, family, and an unexpected romance.

Ellie and Theo seem very different on the surface, but they’re both scarred by loss. They share the same values and insecurities. While the chemistry between them is strong, they both need to work on themselves before they’re ready for a relationship (Ellie especially). The book really feels more like chick lit than rom com, focusing a little more on Ellie’s character arc and a little less on the swoony romance. The author does a good job of showing the prickly heroine learning to open up and become more vulnerable.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Love You, Mean It was such a cute read! There was so much happening in the book that I was always eager to open it up. The plot is familiar to those who have seen While You Were Sleeping and You've Got Mail. I'm interested in reading more from Jilly Gagnon in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Love You, Mean It hits shelves on April 30, 2024.

I wanted more sparks here. There were so many tropes and it felt messy. Fake dating, enemies to lovers, second chance, family drama, and secrets? I wanted more of ONE of the tropes, so the relationship felt more believable. I did enjoy the dinner scene in the beginning and thought it kicked off the novel with a bang, but was bummed to not see much of her Ellie’s fiery side after that. She got wishy washy as a character and it was hard to root for her amidst all the drama and secrets. Overall, it was cute. For the authors first dive into romance it was still enjoyable and I’d read more of what she comes up with after this.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I went back and forth on how to write this review but I decided ultimately I wasn’t a huge fan! I liked the story well enough but the main character grated on my nerves so bad I had a hard time even finishing!

Not only does she come off as very negative but her attitude towards other people put me off from chapter 1! When I read a book I want to relate to the main character not despise them and roll my eyes at least twice a chapter.

I am giving it 3 out of 5 stars because I did enjoy the storyline.

I loved this! It was so sweet and fun and emotional. I laughed so hard at theo and ellie. The start of their fake romance is so funny to me. I had a great time with this one! The importance of small business, family, and friendship.

A fun, light romance that ticks off a lot of boxes - enemies to lovers, fake dating, amnesia, love triangle, slow burn - but it might be the plotline of our heroine coming to terms with moving back to her hometown that touched me the most.

But, as a romance, it gives me everything I need - likable characters, not insurmountable obstacles, medium-level spice and a happy ending.

Love You, Mean it held all my favorite tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Enemies to lovers, and especially...fake dating, so I was really hoping to love this book! Ellie and Theo's meet-cute happens pretty early in the book and it hooked me from the get-go, which was promising, but the book slowed down a lot after this, and as it turns out, has one heck of a terrible protagonist. Ellie is just not a good person. She acts younger than she is. She does Sam really wrong. And she said the absolute worst thing she can say to Theo, who immediately forgives her, but as the reader, I cannot. Theo was ok, but that's the problem. He was just ok. As a character, he was a bit bland, and did not seem at all interested in Ellie outside of the physical. I did like Sam and Everett's relationship, so I may keep reading. But I did not care for Ellie and Theo much at all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Jilly Gagnon for allowing me to review this rom com. I don’t think I was the reader for this one. I struggled to enjoy the book because of the main character. I thought this was a lighthearted rom-com and it just seemed a bit heavier than I expected. Thank you again for allowing me to review this book.

I tried to read this multiple times and I couldn't get into it. I wanted to love it so much and I'm super bummed that I couldn't get into it. I had to DNF this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I usually love a fake dating trope, because it’s a romance book so everyone falls in love in the end. This book fell a little flat for me. The characters moved too fast and also too slow, and there wasn’t good development along the way. I felt like it was just missing something, but it was also too long. I just don’t think this was the book for me.

I enjoyed this one but I didn't love it. Something about the pacing felt slightly off, especially with the ending.

I received an advanced copy for review.

Love you, mean it is a little bit you’ve got mail (with the small local shop threatened by the big box store) a little bit while you were sleeping (not for long) and a fake engagement. Ellie moved home after the death of her father to take over the family deli, but when it’s threatened by an incoming superstore, she has the opportunity to fake a relationship with the son of the owner of the man behind the new store. As their fake relationship develops, they have real feelings, but Theo’s family isn’t buying the relationship and his ex wants him back.

I love the idea of the big Italian family, and wish we’d seen them more! Ellie was a frustrating character for a while, but she overcame it in the end.

3.75 ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine/Dell for the arc!

I really enjoyed this book! I love a well done fake relationship/engagement story line. The characters in this one were so cute together even when Ellie is trying to set Theo up with his ex. Their chemistry was totally there even when Ellie tried to pretend it wasn’t, she really couldn’t fight it. There was some miscommunication but I’m starting to realize… when is there not? The audio was really entertaining and the narrator kept me engaged. I binge listened in one day so I definitely recommend this one.

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon is a new contemporary romance novel. The story in Love You, Mean It is full of romance tropes such as enemies to lover, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attracting and fake dating.

Ellie Greco always had dreams of becoming a costume designer but five years ago her father passed away leaving the family in need of someone to help run the family business, Greco’s Deli. Returning to her hometown of Milborough Ellie has since put everything she has in the deli.

Now however the deli is being threatened when Ellie learns the Taylor family who are the local landlords are set up to offer a space to a huge box store that may put them out of business. Ellie vows to meet with Theo Taylor and see if there is anything she can do to stop tha deal but before she knows it she is in a fake relationship with Theo to possibly benefit them both.

Considering that fake dating is one of my top tropes in romance I really went into Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon thinking I would absolutely love this story. However, this one starts off with a lot of “white privilege” being tossed around which really turned me off of the main character. I just don’t enjoy this type of heavy real world hot topics with racism being brought into something that is meant to be light and fun and from that moment I just couldn’t bring myself to really root for the romance. Overall, I’ll give this one two and a half stars, some will love it but it just wasn’t for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I read about 20% of Love You, Mean It and I really wasn’t enjoying it. I didn’t like the characters and the plot was feeling like a poorly executed patchwork of 90s movies. I talked to a few friends who also read arcs of the book and they didn’t enjoy it. Then I read good reads reviews and they were pretty mixed as well, so I’m making the decision to not waste my time finishing the book. Disregard the star rating.

This was a pretty cute read. Ellie Greco runs her family deli that is supported and beloved by the neighborhood she grew up in. As a college grad, and grown adult, living back in her hometown is not ideal. Ellie has many talents, not just for cooking up her family deli recipes or tolerating picky customers. Ellie's livihood is challenged when she discovers that the big Italian chain store is coming to town and looking to settle in her neighborhood. She knows the developer - and hates him and his Doucelroy family, but is forced to see out Theo to beg him not to sell and work with the Mangia Company. Before she can get out the door from the dismal meeting with an arrogant pig, Theo is hit in the head and has amnesia. What should she do with this golden opportunity? Tell him she is his fiance, of course!

This was a light and easy read. Theo, his family, and their world felt very inspired by the Huntzbergers—Gilmore Girls fans will know. Theo was very Logan, but minus entitled party boy phase.

Full transparency, I almost DNFd because of the early amnesia plotline. It seemed unnecessary and bit too wacky, but luckily it was dropped pretty quickly.

I really struggled to like Ellie for a lot of the book. She had a huge chip on her shoulder and read as very judgy as she constantly assumed Theo was insulting her based on class. I did really enjoy Ellie’s extended family. They brought a lot of life and humor into the story, especially her grandma.

Really I could have used a bit more depth to the relationship between Ellie and Theo. The steamy scenes never felt earned to me.

Overall a lighthearted rom-com for the Team Logan girlies.

Thanks to Netgalley & Dell for the advanced eBook!

This was a very enjoyable read. One that I would recommend to people that want a quick easy read. I think the thing that really got was the introduction of the ex-girlfriend who at times was more likable than the FMC

Look, this book sat in my currently reading folder on my kindle for WEEKS, and I just never once reached for it eventually.

The premise of the story was what drew me in, but after starting it.. I just dont know what happened