This was a cute and enjoyable read! The story, the characters, and everything in between were great! I flew through this book so fast!

3.5 Stars

I liked parts of the book, some fun tropes and entertaining moments, but the pacing felt off and scattered. It goes too far, squeezing in too many ideas, and the good parts of the story struggle without enough room to build.

The Good: The animosity and semi-enemies to lovers trope works well. The amnesia/fiancé mix up was a great place to start and love that it’s not overly drawn out. The fake dating is then a nice segue into forcing these two to team up and keep focus on the business and small town problems, while also falling in lust/love.

The Bad: The ex-girlfriend angle is just one thing too far, especially since she’s so nice. I don’t see what it added to the plot. Instead it took away likability from Ellie and time that should have been given towards building romantic connection and much-needed humorous situations. The fall into lovers didn’t have enough layers for me, it was too abrupt and without believability. The third act breakup and reconciliation felt like an unbalanced mess.

It’s not all bad, it just wasn’t quite to my reading tastes.

It was a bit slow in the beginning, but I enjoyed the blossoming of Theo and Ellie’s relationship. I liked the fake engagement aspect and a sort of enemies to lovers. It was really cute and I could see how they started to like each other. Once they solidified the terms of their fake engagement, that is when the story picked up. I also liked the aspect of Ellie trying to set Sam back up with Theo when we all knew Ellie liked Theo too much. I hope Ellie incorporates more of her sewing with the deli.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Such a sweet book! I loved following them through their journey. I would definitely recommend this book!

Love You, Mean It

How do you know if you really love someone…

1. You can flatulate in front of them
2. You kiss them with morning breath
3. You stop shaving your legs

Every now and again someone twists my arm and gets me to read a RomCom.

I was first introduced to Jilly Gagnon with Scenes of the Crime, and if you can write dual genre’s you’re my kind of people.

Now, onto this sassy little number…

I was swooning throughout this entire book. I had all the warm fuzzies paired with a belly full of laughter. At times even slightly dizzy being so caught up in what was going on.

What I wanted was steam but what I got was so much more…

Teaser:

A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia.

Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco's Deli's very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).

With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.

And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.

I love romcoms. IThis has more of that fake dating/engagement type trope and an enemies to lovers things also going on. Now I will say that out of all the tropes that is my least type favorite but this one i did enjoy more then others. I liked the business aspect of it and trying to make sure that he family deli doesn’t get run out of town by a bigger superstore that is possibly coming in. Overall a cute book!

I enjoy any book that reminds me of Nora Ephron. This had that Fox Books, shop around the corner vibe early.

That being said, the beauty of a fake dating trope is the sexual tension building between the characters, the awkward humor, and forced interactions which they both secretly enjoy. Love You, Mean It kind of misses the mark here by letting the characters just dive right in.

Gagnon entertains us with a miscommunication/finding ourselves story, which is sweet, cute, and a little steamy.

This book was slow to start, and dragged through the middle. The premise was entertaining enough, but I thought Ellie and Theo's "relationship" was a bit one-sided, and their arc a bit flat. I saw Theo rubbing off on Ellie, but I didn't see that reciprocated in him until the very end, after their falling out (which, ouch. That was so harsh). I also would have loved to see Theo actually stand up to his father, the way Ellie has several times, as opposed to being mentioned in past tense/off page. The ending also felt a little abrupt; I personally enjoy books with epilogues. Ultimately, this one wasn't for me, but I can see why other people would like it.

Thanks to Ballantine and Net Galley for my advanced copy

Ellie Greco moved back to Boston to take over her family’s deli after her dad died 5 years ago. Even though this wasn’t her original dream for her life, she finds herself fighting for the deli when Theo, a real estate developer, announces a new gourmet food store is going to be moving into town, which would destroy her family business.

Ellie and Theo meet up at the proposed site of the new store. While there, Theo has a minor accident and has to go to the hospital. Determined to continue fighting for her deli, Ellie blurts out she is his fiancee so she can accompany him to the hospital. When Theo awakes, he doesn’t remember anything from the past 6 years. As his memory comes back and he learns Ellie is not actually his fiancee, Theo suggests they remain “engaged” as a way to save her family business and keep the new store from being built.

I really enjoyed the fake dating/ enemies to lovers tropes and how the characters had moments of growth throughout. I also thought the characters were relatable and had great chemistry. There were a few moments where Ellie’s actions annoyed me, but overall, it was such a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Dell for the ARC

This book was a fun, lighthearted rom com. A quick read perfect for a day at the pool. I loved that we got to see strong women even become friends despite wanting the same guy.

Ellie runs a deli in her hometown. Theo works for his dad and is managing the building where an Italian superstore could be coming. Ellie needs to charm Theo quick so her family's deli can survive. After a bump on the head Theo has amnesia, Ellie tells him they're engaged and hilarity follows!

Ellie and Theo had such good chemistry. The spice in this book was amazing. At first Theo wasn't my favorite but he grew on me! Ellie felt the same way!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Ellie is funny, smart, dedicated and steadfastly determined to support her dwindling downtown locally owned businesses. She is also struggling with being and doing what her parents, relatives and friends expect. She has given up on her own dreams in costume design to run the family’s Italian deli. Now she is fighting to save it as a large retailer threatens to put her out of business. But does she even know what she really wants for her future? How far will she go to keep the deli? Can she really fight a corporate giant and win? Her rash lie has her living in a world she has no experience being in. She thinks a fake boyfriend will work? Then a surprising ally offers to help and perhaps even be her friend. The double-cross could derail everything and leave Ellie looking like a fool without any future. You need to read this hilarious adventure to learn what the outcome is for Ellie. I giggled and laughed out loud as she learns some new things about herself and discovered what she really wants. A lighthearted, easy to follow rom-com with deeper life lessons about what really matters.
This was very different from a previous book I’d read by the author. She’s proven to be good at writing well in diverse genres. Can’t wait to see what she’ll do next! A digital advance reader copy of “Love You, Mean It” by Jilly Gagnon, published by Dell, was provided by NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Characters are fun to follow and I love a good fake dating trope! A few others are mixed in too {business, grumpy/sunshiney!}
Was a tad bit slow but ended up being a very fun read in the end

"Love You, Mean It" by Jilly Gagnon is a playful and lighthearted romantic comedy that delivers on its promise of entertainment. The story follows Ellie and Theo as they navigate a fake dating scenario with just the right amount of amnesia to keep things interesting.

This book has a fun and engaging storyline featuring dueling delis, a shockingly awesome ex, and alternating perspectives. With humor and a touch of heart, "Love You, Mean It" offers a great escape from reality and is perfect for fans of the genre.

Overall, if you're looking for a delightful and easy read that will make you smile, then "Love You, Mean It" by Jilly Gagnon is definitely worth checking out.

Very fun {and slightly spicey!} read!

Characters are fun to follow and I love a good fake dating trope! A few others are mixed in too {business, grumpy/sunshiney!}

Started a bit slow but I ended up enjoying

The plotline sounded promising but sadly, this book was not was not for me.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the idea of an amnesiac accident turned marriage of convenience that both Ellie and Theo were involved in. Instead of being resentful towards Ellie for lying to him for her benefit, Theo decides to go with her calling him fiancé and working out a mutually beneficial arrangement to save Ellie's deli and a building that holds great significance to Theo in remembering his brother. Throw in the addition of Sam, Theo's ex-girlfriend/fiance who is trying to uncover the truth, and there's one big disaster waiting to happen. However, Sam is more likable than Ellie is, and tells her she'll back off from trying to get back with Theo if what he and Ellie have is real. Instead of being honest with herself, Ellie denies any feelings towards Theo and agrees to help Sam out. This was nice until Ellie spoke with Theo, who vehemently denies any desire of rekindling a relationship with Sam, and instead of being respectful of him, Ellie takes that as a chance to push Theo and Sam even closer (side note this comes AFTER Theo basically confesses that he's falling in love with Ellie). Girl.... WHY??? I wanted to like Ellie, but I couldn't. It was weird enough that Sam was a more likable character than the female lead. If she was just honest and communicated how she felt, a lot of the drama could have been avoided, including a "breakup" towards the end (which I LOATHE entirely as a plot point). Not to mention that Theo was the only one really giving their relationship a chance and fighting for it towards the end.

Aside from these, I couldn't put the book down. The end of the book was not something I enjoyed, but nonetheless I would recommend this book because of all the tropes it has that I really love. The chemistry and tension that Theo and Ellie had was a delight as well. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it was the perfect little meet-cute story. A lot of times for romances I like dual POV’s, but I’m actually glad this one was just Ellie’s!

I liked how we got a glimpse in both Ellie and Theo’s lives. Obviously, they are two very different people who grew up with very different lifestyles. But they mesh together perfectly! I loved Ellie’s growth throughout the book and how Theo plays a part into it. I also love that the amnesia storyline was something rather short and sweet. I think that could have ruined it for me if it was dragged along, but I thought it was perfect.

I loved all the characters in this book! I often find myself disliking one of the main characters, and yet I loved Theo and really liked Ellie as well. I also loved the side characters! In a longer book I think those relationships could have developed more, but for this size I think the author did what she could.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It’s a perfect little romance and an easy read for anyone who might be in a reading slump!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

Love You, Mean It is a contemporary romance between two opposite characters, Ellie Greco and Theo Taylor. They're opposites in status and wealth, but both characters are working for their family businesses but have dreams of their own that they haven't been able to pursue.

Ellie works for her family's deli which is trouble of being shut down with the possible new addition of a big box store. Theo's family company is the one trying to open the store in town. After a minor accident and a little bit of amnesia the fake-dating trope appears. Ellie and Theo want the same thing, to preserve the integrity of the town and not open the new store. They start fake dating (pretending to be engaged) to hopefully terminate the store opening and turn it into something else, something that will benefit the town. Working so closely together and trying to fake the feeling of love, can definitely lead to some very real feelings.

Some of the book's trope include fake-dating, small town romance, and opposites attract.

It's a fun story to read, I would recommend it for anyone who would be thinking of reading it.

I received an e-Arc from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review!

This book was awesome! At first I thought it was gong to be little like a rom com movie I had in mind but boy I was so wrong! This book made me laugh at the thoughts of Ellie and what she would do to save her family's deli store! It was so fun to read!

This book was fast pace and held my interest in the story. I had to know what was going to happen next between Ellie and Theo. The web that Ellie was in, would it get untangled?? What would Ellie do next? What was her mind thinking?

I thought the interaction between Ellie and Theo was fun and interesting. There were some spicy bits which fit right in with the storyline! The banter between Ellie and Theo was very nice. Other than rom com, banter, flirting, and saving the building, both characters are real and they also discover things about themselves!

Ellie's family is awesome! I loved the vibe off of everyone.

Theo's family is a bit out of this world. I didn't like his dad at all. How rude he was was not a good trait.

I could not put this book down. I enjoyed it a great deal! The book comes out next year! It's a must read for those who love rom com, banter and more. I'm so glad I got to read it. I'm looking for more from this author!