Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC of Hate to Fake It to You! This book is a pretty solid romantic comedy. The comedy works better for me than the romance for me but overall it's a cute and entertaining story! I feel like this could be a good for a beach read or something like that! I feel like it's easy to read in one sitting, and works well for a relaxing read!

The setting was my favorite part! I've been to the North Shore of Oahu and this book was a fun way for me to almost relive my memories there! I think that speaks to how well Amanda Sellet did with the setting! I haven't missed the shave ice I had there like this in years. I felt the love Sellet had for this place and really appreciated that! Very well-done aspect of the book!

Books dealing with social media/influencers are never my favorite, but I actually did appreciate it in this book! The satire of it being about how influencers aren't really who they say they are on social media was pretty good. The book might've been a tad drawn out on this faking it plot, but it's a good idea for a story!

The characters are also good, but didn't do much for me personally. None of them really stuck out to me. I think some people will find Libby and Jefferson's chemistry to be more engaging than I did, and so I want to recommend this book to anyone who reads the description & thinks they might be interested. It is a sweet romance, even if not exactly my cup of tea, and it's a pretty funny book!

This was sweet, adorable, exactly what you think it will be by looking at the cover and I mean that in the highest form of a compliment.

Sometimes you want a book that looks happy and makes you feel happy and that was Hate to Fake it to You!

If you’re looking for a getaway novel full of vibrant descriptions of gorgeous Hawaiian scenery, a sweet or amusing meet-cute, and/or a fulfilling romcom story, this is NOT the book for you.

I admit, the cover art is almost always what gets my attention first. My decision over whether to read the book lies in the blurb. The premise sounded interesting enough: an Instagram account that started as a joke starts to gain a following, which leads to a “fake-it-‘til-you-make-it” scenario of made-up people and personalities, a potentially lavish weekend, and the first spark of love interest. Oh, and there’s goats. Who doesn’t love a silly goat trope?

While the blurb is truthful enough, this book fell completely flat for me. The characters are horribly two-dimensional. The little depth that Sellet attempts to write into some of her characters is nowhere near enough, nor written well. A few sentences tossed in here and there give us a very barebones background on our main characters, and NO background at all on the supporting characters.

There are also too many loose ends left at the end of the book. I have so many questions that will never be answered, but honestly, the book didn’t even interest me enough to make me want to ask those questions.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I struggled to get into this story. The characters were surface level and I didn’t connect with them. I wanted to live it but it was just okay for me.

Libby works as a free-lance writer and a waitress. She has created a fictional online character, Lillibet. Jefferson is a wildlife photographer who rescues Hildey in a storm. Lillibet is Hildey’s hero, and she convinces Jefferson to go to Hawaii to meet her. Libby must pretend she has money and a husband and enlists Mr. L and his luxurious home. Libby hopes Hildey will hire her to write for a magazine. Things get complicated as Jefferson and Libby become attracted to each other. I really liked how Libby struggled to maintain both herself and Lillibet. It created a lot of humor. This is a great book with wonderful characters and events that entertain. I enjoyed watching Libby come to terms with her own person.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review!

I was drawn to this book because the cover had the promise of a cutesy beach romance with goats. While I guess I kinda got that, this book didn't really do it for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and the plot was such a struggle for me to get through. I hated the influencer aspect--the intro of each chapter was pretty cringey. Many other reviewers described this book as being incredibly funny, but I actually felt like it tried TOO hard to be funny. The only part that I actually adored was the part where the goat ate her bikini top...but meh. I'm sure a lot of other people will probably enjoy this, but I unfortunately did not.

Every character in this book was insufferable. That's it. That's the whole review (not really but it might as well be)

I had a hard time with this book. For starters, I felt like I could not understand the premise of the book just by reading it. It seemed like there was a lot of information that wasn't given that would've really helped the story. I had a hard time figuring out that the fmc did for work as well as what she wanted to do. It felt like these aspects were kind of glossed over even though they were pretty crucial to the plot. On a similar note, it took me a while to piece together the story of her blog and how it started.
When it jumped to her meeting Hildy and moving into the house with her fake husband it felt like there were chapters missing and the story would've benefited a lot from some more explanation of how we got there.
Libby and Jefferson's "romance" felt like instalove but without any of the chemistry. We were expected to believe that they immediately had feelings for each other but that wasn't really ever shown. They were both so uninteresting and every scene with them together had about as much chemistry as wet cardboard. Not to mention that the majority of this story takes place over three days?? I had a hard time believing that that was enough time for them to develop real feelings especially when the entire situation was based off of several lies on both their parts.

The friends in this book were horrible to Libby. they were constantly encouraging her to make bad decisions and go against what she wanted. They were also reliant on her to fix all of their problems which I thought was so unfair. Jean in particular was insufferable, blaming Libby for their financial problems and her inability to get a stable job when she was a grown adult and for sure should've taken responsibility for that. She was also incredibly mean to Libby and the apology we finally got was lackluster at best.

This book was supposed to be a love letter to Hawaii but since it was about 95% meaningless dialogue it felt like it could've taken place almost anywhere. I didn't really get the feel for the setting that I was hoping for,

All in all, this was not the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC

Libby had created an online persona, Lillibet, who Hildy idolizes. Jefferson is a wildlife photographer who happens to save Hildy in a massive snowstorm and this gains the attention of the media. Hildy talks Jefferson into taking a trip to Hawaii to meet Lillibet. Throughout the book, you get a glimpse of the local lifestyle and hotspots in Hawaii, which I think is very unique in books. Libby is totally relatable and quirky. Jefferson is definitely a dreamboat who talks about his emotions! I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a rom-com with some insights into Hawaii.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book just wasn't it for me. The main characters (Libby/Lillibet and Jefferson/JJ) don't meet until 20% into the book - at which point, I'm already losing interest. The whole plot is based on lies and deception - making it feel improbable that these two would see past that. I wasn't crazy about the cast of characters - JJ and Libby seemed the most intriguing (Jean seemed to not care about her friend and was manipulative, Mr. L was cringy, Hildy was superficial).

By the time L & JJ meet, I have to say that I felt like I already devoted so much time to reading and getting to meet them together, that I forced myself to stick out the rest of the book.

Maybe it's a generation thing (I'm finding it harder and harder to put my millennial self into the shoes of Gen Z characters, let alone "influencers") but I found the book and story improbable and inauthentic.

3.5 stars! Hate to Fake It to You was such a sweet, fun romcom. I loved how it incorporated elements of the iconic Classic Hollywood screwball comedies—Sellet clearly appreciates this genre, and has a real talent for translating the silly, over-the-top antics from those types of films over to a modern setting. Additionally, I always enjoy books with a social media/influencer angle, and I thought that aspect of the story was so well-done. Including Lilibet's captions at the start of each chapter was a fun touch that also gave more insight into this whole persona that Libby has created, and how different Lilibet is from her true self. The Hawaii setting was another highlight for me—the descriptions of the culture, food, and scenery were so vivid and detailed, and beautifully written! Sellet masterfully draws readers in, making it feel as if we are also on this whirlwind Hawaiian holiday.

However, as far as romantic comedies go, while I felt like the book did a fantastic job of the "com" elements, I found it to be a little bit lacking in the "rom" department. I loved Libby's character and the development she undergoes throughout the story, as she tries to follow her dreams of becoming a journalist while somehow still keeping up the "Lilibet" charade. I also enjoyed the side characters, particularly Hildy and Keoki, and seeing Libby's dynamic with each of them! But I didn't really feel that same connection to Jefferson, or their chemistry as a couple overall. I would have liked to get more of a sense of his personality—I think that would have added more depth to their relationship, too. Overall, Hate to Fake It to You was a hilarious, entertaining read that will immediately have you planning your own trip to Oahu! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review this!
This is shelved as a rom-com, and the com is very heavy in this. I loved the 'not quite an influencer' angle as Libby and her friends try to convince a rich socialite that they're actually self-help influencers. That entire setup led to some really funny interactions that had me actually laughing while reading. Libby/Lillibet is actually a really well developed character with a great deal of nuance as she tries to become the journalist she always wanted to be while 'life' gets in the way. I thought it absolutely could have delved into this even more, but it was a great base storyline.
The rom arc, on the other hand, I didn't love? Libby and Jefferson are cute together, but I was never really bought into their story. It was a just ok B line and I'm not sure it really elevated anything. I think their attraction could have been fleshed out so much more.
This is just a personal preference, and just a note: this is told in alternating POV's but from third person close: I think that didn't help in really developing the romance. I think I needed to be in their heads more, which you just can't get from third person close.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Hate to Fake It to You was a laugh out loud and entertaining romantic comedy. I loved the family and friends dynamics and I have been left wanting to visit Hawaii! The character chemistry was wonderful to read and experience along side Libby/Lilibet. Highly recommending this book to anyone and everyone who wants a fun, distracting rom-com that will leave you wishing for your own experiences on the islands.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

This book is a romantic comedy based in Hawaii. The cover are and the synopsis was interesting to me so I thought this would be a book that I would enjoy. Sadly, I just could not get into the book at all. The pace was very slow and I felt like it dragged on.

The way the characters were introduced to us left me asking a lot of questions. I did enjoy the reading the lilibet posts at the beginning of the chapters, they were ridiculous and funny but the actual plot and characters just weren’t my favorite.

Although I didn’t finish the book (I got through 65%), I think it’s good but it’s just not for me and I know that someone else will enjoy it more than I did. Overall, I give this a 3 star rating.

This book was surprisingly refreshing, definitely a plot I’ve never heard of. Libby is short on money with her family (found family, friends) in her hometown of Hawaii - and she pretends to be an influencer as a joke. Until it isn’t a joke and she gains traction and has to follow through with all the the she posts about!

Enter Jefferson, a photographer who has a sharp eye and can tell something is off from the start! Libby and her friends (they’re HILARIOUS) embark on an adventure to not tell the truth.. but we all know how that goes.

I will admit it took a few chapters to get into the book (each chapter begins with a snippet of Libby’s posts) but once I got into to, it flowed pretty well!
I can also appreciate how Amanda pulled in piece of culture and food from Hawaii and made them shine - not cringe! Also worth to mention this is closed door romance!

Hate to Fake It To You releases July 16, 2024!
Special thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a cute rom-com filled with friends, family, and humor. I loved this as the scenario and locale were portrayed so vividly. Definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you Net Galley for a chance to read this eARC. I wanted to love it but early on it was a struggle to read. The characters in this book were a miss for me. Besides Hildy everyone was lackluster or just unlikeable. It was a cute read but very very slow and at many times (especially the beginning) hard to follow and I wasn’t sure what the story was about at first, I got so confused that I had to read the bio to understand as it was not clear in the opening. The jokes missed, as I didn’t find a lot of them funny. This is just my opinion but it left me wanting more, more explanation, more background, and more substance.

Sellet has a talent for writing witty dialogue and beautiful description. The plot is a pretty standard romance that drew me in with a cast of warm characters that I would like to know myself.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute story and I literally laughed out loud several times.

You can always make yourself look better on social media- Libby Lane gets firsthand experience on how this can really come back and blow up right in your face.

Libby is your ordinary girl, working as a waitress, just trying to get by in life. Lillibet is the glamourous Instagram influencer ready to create the perfect aesthetics and give out the best advice to all of her followers. When Hildy Johnson travels to meet Lillibet in real life to potentially give her a new job opportunity, Libby and her friends have to bring Lillibet to real life and embrace all the chaos that creates!

I will definitely be on the lookout for new reads from this author!

This book definitely checks the boxes for zany and screwball comedy. The situations were bizarre and over the top. I laughed out loud a few times.
Unfortunately, where it fell short for me was the romance, which was my main reason for picking up this book. Our MCs didn’t meet until over a sixth of the way thorough the book, and they were both presented to each other as involved with another person, so the fact that they kept having romantic feelings for each other was making me cringe rather than root for them. These two shared so few conversations that I really had a hard time caring whether they ended up together or not.
That said, I did find the book to be well written, and I really enjoyed it as a love letter to Oahu. I would read more by this author, but this one wasn’t for me.

I will admit I had a hard time getting into this one, and sticking with it. I think this is more a me problem than anything. This is a good read, but just not for me unfortunately. Felt like lots of parts kind of dragged on and were unnecessary in a sense.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this ARC!