This was reasonably cute. A fun, quick read. I think the amnesia aspect was rushed through for it to be used as a marketing trope but everyone may feel differently. I did enjoy reading Ellie and Theo evolving from ‘enemies’ to lovers but I didn’t love Ellie as a character on her own. She was very indecisive and in her own head - but does shine when among friends and Family. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

"Love You, Mean It" by Jilly Gagnon is a charming and witty read that delivers a perfect balance of humor and heart. The characters are relatable, and the story keeps you hooked from start to finish. A delightful book for fans of contemporary romance with a touch of sass.

Thank you @dellpublishing #partner and @netgalley for this advance reading copy of Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon. Pub date:4/30/24.

What a fun, devilishly humorous read of love, dating, faking it and what really matters in the end!

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, the very existence of Greco’s Deli is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm that is 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, she reluctantly agrees.

As someone who loves fake dating, I had high hopes going in, but the story left me with mixed feelings.

The book starts with a lot of “white privilege” being casually thrown around, which made it hard for me to connect with Ellie, the main character. I really wanted to like her, but she was too indecisive, judgmental, and negative for me to fully root for her. Ellie’s tendency to doubt herself and ignore what was right in front of her added to my frustration. On the other hand, Sam, who initially seemed like a disruptor, ended up being much more relatable. She grew on me as the story progressed, and I connected with her far more than I expected.

That said, the characters as a whole were well-developed, with plenty of depth, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry. While the angst sometimes felt over the top, it added to the drama in a way that kept me intrigued. The author’s writing style is clever, creative, and funny, with just the right amount of tension to keep you engaged.

Overall, while this book didn’t fully deliver for me due to my disconnect with Ellie, it’s still an engaging read with well-written characters and some great romance moments. If you can get past the initial challenges, you might find yourself enjoying the complex dynamics and playful banter that make the story shine.

Okay I am here for the tropes! Fake dating and enemies to lovers.

And a While You Were Sleeping vibe!

and also food. my heart.

And the name Theo is an automatic love for me because hello? Theo James. love. Clearly my fan cast 😂

I love that this story however was not with him having amnesia throughout the entirety of the book and they were able to come around and turn her lie into a scheme of sorts to help them both out. I do hate the circumstances though that brought Ellie back. I hate compromising dreams due to a something they feel obligated about. It's messy and I wish there was less self doubt but hey, that's your 20's and 30's summed up right?

Cute story if you like romance and mess.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

this was just ok for me. wasn't really my cup of tea. i didn't care too much for the main characters and was just pretty underwhelmed by the book.

I got so much whiplash reading this book. I thought it was going to be an amnesia romance, which had potential. Literally the next chapter, the amnesia is dropped and barely mentioned again. Ellie and Theo’s romance was cute enough, and I enjoyed seeing how they navigated friends and family issues while trying to convince everyone they’re in love and engaged. But nothing ever *felt*. The third act break-up happened in, like, chapter 21/24 and within another chapter and a half, it was resolved. And then the two start real dating. I’d say spoilers, but it’s a rom-com.

What killed me the most is that there was never a “I love you” moment. They both talked about how the fake engagement became real, but no one ever said “I love you.” Worse, no one gave me the “THEY SAID THE THING” moment by saying “love you, mean it.” How does a rom-com not have a big romantic declaration? All around disappointed in this book, but I also did get some enjoyment from it.

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this one, so it took me awhile to get to it and feel excited to read it. This book includes fake-dating and rom-com with a little amnesia in the mix. I do understand though why a lot of people didn't like it. This was just "okay" for me. Thanks so much for the copy in exchange for an honest review!

It’s a no from me. Characters who are not relatable and a story that didn’t pick up. It just felt kind of flat all over.

A fun, playful, tropey romantic comedy

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this review copy and the opportunity !

This book includes the fake-dating and rom-com tropes, with a little amnesia thrown in. I liked the premise of the book and its description, but it just did not work out for me.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are solely my own.

A fun, quirky enemies to lovers read that made me laugh out loud. The characters are fun and witty and the story is enjoyable. It is the typical enemies who then fake an engagement to get what they want, fall in love for real in the process, break up, and get back together “for real,” it is a fun read, although rather predictable.

I could not get into this book as I felt no pull towards the main characters. This made it difficult to get through.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group Ballantine, Dell, & Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Major Shop Around the Corner vibes in the best possible way. Cute story and the setting/family feud added to the story in a good way.

this book was an extremely sweet romance! it reminded me so so much of 'while you were sleeping', one of my all-time favorite movies! this was chalk-full of all of the right tropes that kept romance readers like myself on their toes! would highly recommend to all of my friends!

While You Were Sleeping is one of my favorite classic movies, so I tend to dig books inspired by it. Love You, Mean It had a sweet premise and I normally would love this kind of romance, but the main character Ellie did not work for me at all. She was really insufferable and judgy, I was actually shocked Theo felt anything for her. I was kind of hoping he'd get back with the ex to be honest. I would give the author another try, just needed characters I actually wanted to root for.

Let me be real, "Love You, Mean It" was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The premise—fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and a little amnesia—is all the ingredients for a fun rom-com, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite land.

First off, the characters—Theo and Ellie—weren’t particularly likable. Theo's a joke of a ML while Ellie’s negative Nancy attitude wasn't doing her any favors. I just couldn’t fully get behind either of them, and that made it hard to care about their fake engagement or their developing relationship.

The fake dating trope is a classic in romantic comedies, but here, it felt predictable and even cringey at times. I was hoping for more laughs or heartwarming moments, but the plot didn’t draw me in as much as I wanted it to. The pacing was off, the chemistry between the characters was almost non-existent, and I found it hard to stay engaged.

Overall, "Love You, Mean It" wasn’t particularly memorable. If you’re a fan of the fake dating trope and don’t mind a bit of predictability, this might work for you, but for me, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

Love You, Mean It is a delightful romantic comedy with a charmingly quirky premise. Ellie Greco, a talented costume designer, finds herself unexpectedly drawn back to her hometown and forced to confront the challenges of running her family's beloved deli. The author masterfully captures the complexities of family dynamics, the joys and frustrations of small-town life, and the unexpected ways in which love can blossom.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This is a fun, romantic comedy by a new-to-me author, with charming and quirky characters, sizzling tension, and heartwarming hilarity. For fans of the fake dating trope, this is one you are sure to enjoy.