This was such a cute story, and although it took me sometime to get into the story, I think what Siera London did with Amarie and Eli story is nothing short of charming and cute. The setting was so endearing, and the Calvary family was a joy to read about. Seeing Amerie and Eli fall in love was such a treat, being opposites on many things made it so much more interesting and charming.

However, despite all, I don't think this is going to be a very memorable book for me. It was just what I needed to read in the moment. A small town romance that can make you smile and feel all fluffy inside.

I liked it but how they fell for each other wasn’t believable to me. It felt like a forced connection. Or rather it felt like it was a random decision stemmed from lust. I loved the small town aspect and the found family. I also wanted to know what happened to the ex wife. But it was okay, overall.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was well written and funny (I LOVED the Prince reference, btw). It was a little hard to follow, as each conversation was intercepted by half a page of description between the characters' conversation - so I had to re-read sections to really follow the story.

Amarie Walker, has been cheated on, lied to, lost a pet, the final straw is her Prince has broken down. What will she do? Will she make a new life, in a new town with strangers. full of energy Amarie becomes the joy of Service, West Virginia, and the Calvary Family, Enjoyed the banter between Eli and Amarie, and the relationship the Calvary brothers had with their mother.
The story was a great combination of Rom-Com, Sweet Romance, Small Town, and Enemies to Lovers trope. There were some slow sections, I wanted to know about the brothers, here is hoping they get a story would enjoy spending more time in Service, West Viriginia.
Thank you Grand Centeral Publishing, NetGalley, and Siera London for an ARC of Fake It Till You Make It above is my honest review

This book starts off with Amarie Walker finding herself in Service, West Virginia after leaving a toxic relationship and a bigger city to start over on her own. In doing so she finds a job listing for a position at Calvary Clinic ran by Eli Calvary and basically forces herself into the job and his family in a sense. Eli has his own issues to face with his ex-wife and getting over the trauma she put him through financially. and trying to save his family clinic.

The storyline is what made me want to read the book but I felt it moved a little slow and took a long time to get to the part where Amarie becomes Eli's "investor" as written in the synopsis. Once that part was written in the story I felt it took off from there and started to move faster sometimes too fast as there were some scenes that could have used some more attention or time like Amarie's relationship with her mom.

Overall I enjoyed the book once it picked up but there was some unnecessary drama that could have been left out in my opinion and more focus on some of the other relationships brought up in the book as mentioned above. It was four stars for me and I would recommend if you are looking for a cute romance read and don't mind a slow take off.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet small town romance featuring an animal clinic! It's a slow burn but well worth the wait as sparks fly from the moment they meet.

Recommended!

Amarie's car breaks down in a small town while she is already done on her luck. She decides to stay there and gets a job at a veterinarian practice. She meets Eli and his family and forces herself to the job. There's a lot of tension between the two with Eli being a grumpy the world is on his shoulder problems. The story is cute and Amarie is not who Eli thought she was and starts breaking down his walls. I thought the story was cute especially with Eli's family and the small town. I love that Amarie found genuine friendships and fell in love with the town. I didn't enjoy the break up act but did enjoy the story regardless of it.

Thank you @readforeverpub @netgalley for a copy of this.

The good, the bad and the weird;

Fake it Til You Make it: tells the story of Amarie, who is fresh out of a toxic relationship down in her lock, and without any financial blanket to start over, she finds herself in the small town. There she finds Eli, the stuck up stubborn, very stern, orderly army vet who runs his families veterinary clinic, Amarie jumps in to offer her social media expertise to help Eli and his family with their business and eventually the family dad to make sure they can keep their family home and the business. The two immediately buttheads and sparks fly, but are Amarie and Eli ready to see where those sparks take them?


The good part about this book was the aesthetics of the small town, and Leah, Eli's mother, and the other towns people overall. They are immediately welcome and chatty and inviting towards Amarie, who is a city girl through and through. And they don't think it's odd that she found her way into this town, and they are happy to have her there. I thought that was great, and it allowed her to really become, a part of the community easier, especially during this period of her life where she didn't have anywhere else to go. Likewise, I found that although Eli was the oldest son, he couldn't really scramble to have his siblings or his mother not welcome Amarie in themselves. His stubbornness is really what holds him back from realizing that Amarie can be the one to help him and his family through the difficult time.



The parts of the narrative that I struggled with were the pacing and approach to Amarie and Eli's relationship, and how it developed. I thought there were very odd moments where they were saying things that had double meanings, like with their flirting. And also the lack of a genuine organic connection that brought the two together. It felt like their connection came more from the close proximity, and just simply based on the fact that they had not been close or intimate with another person in a very long time.

So when they found themselves in those close situations, their physical attraction just took over. And for me, that's what I felt like was the majority of the "romance" element of the book; them relying on the physical attraction rather than on an emotional or intimate connection.

So I didn't really find I was invested in their relationship much at all. I do appreciate the fact that the author centers, Amarie's actions and her issues with relationships on how her parents 's relationship affected her growing up. The relationship that she gets out of is actually , a mirror version of her parents's relationship and it was very toxic.

I think readers who appreciate, tropes in romantic comedies and readers, who like cheesy romances, will really like this book, Fake it Till You Make it because it does deliver on this meet-cute situation between our main leads. As well as delivering on the small town community that is not only a setting for the book, but also a very strong presence in the narrative.

Amarie Walker is fresh out of a terrible relationship and decides to leave D.C. for the small town of Service, West Virginia. Eli Calvary runs a veterinary clinic and is in financial trouble which may cost him his family’s clinic and land. In order to try and save the family business and land, Eli forms a partnership with Amarie which leads to the pair falling in love.

I enjoyed Amarie and Eli’s love story and, since they’d both been hurt in their past relationships, the growth it took for them to get to that point. I loved the focus on family and community throughout this book.

Some of the dialogue is cringey. Example: I don’t think people in the characters’ age group use the term “kitty cat” in the bedroom (I don’t care if he is a vet). Some of the conversation between Amarie and Vali also felt forced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 56%

this sounded like a really fun sweet read and i was so excited for it, but unfortunately the execution was so poor. the writing was pretty bad quality and there were too many references to instagram and tiktok.

the characters, ngl i don’t even remember their names?? I wanna say Amy..?? idk.

“She pulled up her mental big girl sexy panties, because she hated thongs, lifted one shaky finger, and pressed the vintage doorbell.”

“Oh, don’t be sorry, honey biscuit. Be ready” She winked and sashayed off.

😣😣 i found myself cringing loads.. and just being very bored + uncomfortable. This just didn’t work out for me and that’s ok!! We all like different things. I hope you enjoy this if you read it, definitely more than i did.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion!!

Fake It Till You Make It by Siera London is a delightfully crafted romantic comedy with a strong emotional presence. Prolific author Ms. London ably uses the trope of enemies to lovers in this story of personal growth, love, and resilience. Amarie Walker had a very unstable childhood where she watched her mother suppress her needs and desires to bolster and support her husband. Amarie finds herself in an almost identical situation as the unpaid force that augments the media presence of her philandering fiancé’s medical practice. With limited resources and an elderly car, Amarie escapes this existence and lands in a small town in West Virginia. Embracing this fresh start, she seeks employment at the local vet clinic owned by Eli Calvary. While their initial meeting is anything BUT cordial, Eli soon comes to realize that Amarie possesses a particular set of skills that just might save his struggling clinic AND his family’s land. Eli and Amarie are both skittish and wounded by partners who should have loved them. Will they be able to trust each other and build a professional and lasting personal relationship. This story is extremely cute and well-written; Ms. London embellishes her story with many moving pieces, and they all come together in a rich tapestry.
I received an advance copy of the ebook from Netgalley. All review opinions are my own.

This was a nice story. I loved the main character Amarie. She was a woman that knew her worth and therefore she was not afraid to walk away from any situation that no longer served her, or diminished her value. I recommend the book to people that enjoy romance with a strong female lead.

I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book by Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley.

Enjoyable book with fun characters, solid writing, and unexpected events. I read this book in a day, while it started a little slow, it picked up quickly and I wanted to know how it ended. I loved the depth of the character of Amarie and the romance she experiences. I’d recommend reading this book!

This was a super cute and fun read. I really loved each character and hope this will become a series so that I can get to know the town and people better. The banter between them was perfect! The romance was a little sudden but I still enjoyed the book. This was my first time reading this author and I will definitely be reading her again!

I enjoyed the storyline and the main characters. The story was sweet but a little too slow for my liking.I really had some unanswered questions unless the author is planning on having another part to this book.

Review: Fake It ‘Till You Make It by Sierra London

I had the opportunity to obtain an advanced reader copy of Fake It Until You Make It by Sierra London. The book follows Amarie Walker, a young woman who strives to start fresh after being taken advantage of and cheated on by her no-count ex-Fiancé. She winds up in a small West Virginia town called Service, hoping to leave her old life behind, along with the demons from her past that come with it.
Amarie believes she’s a failure, mainly because her parents are constantly criticizing her; amplifying her “failures” and never lauding her accomplishments. She is a graduate of nursing school, however she’s had difficulty passing the licensure exam; probably due to test anxiety. They also critique her love life. They want her to marry man who is financially successful, but morally bankrupt. She’s given up on so many things, including love.
She hasn’t, however, given up on herself. This is why she decides to leave her past behind and travel to a place where no one knows her background so she can focus on healing and chasing her dreams.
Having no money, no working car, and no resume, she’s dropped off at a potential employer: a veterinary clinic in this small, beautiful town. This is when the Calvary rescues her. Literally: their family name is Calvary.
Her love interest is the oldest Calvary son: Eli. Eli is a grump. Amarie is sunshine. Eli is also healing from a failed marriage in which is unfaithful ex-wife ran off with his money and another man. He’s jaded and exhausted, however he’s more loyal that any other man she’s known. He’s trying to save his family’s land and he only has a short time to do it.
Amarie sees the his vet clinic as a way to use her people and medical skills, so she makes herself indispensable with her brilliance, wit and charm.
I won’t give any more details other than the fact that I did get a little nervous in the third act, but that’s the way many authors do things. Regardless, it is a sweet story that takes some unexpected turns, but it’s an enjoyable and satisfying read.

This story was so sweet!! I loved each and every moment of the journey with Amarie and Eli. I loved how the author made sure we could clearly see their individual narratives. I also loved how the two characters faced their traumas and past hurts head on. The story was real and relatable. I could see myself in Service, snacking on Leah’s homemade biscuits, seeing Ruth and Phoebe tend to the city’s cats and kittens, calling on Kanaan to tend to my vehicle and chatting it up with Gracie Lou. Amazing job Siera! Can’t wait to see how Noah and Tobias’s love stories bloom!

This is a feel good pretend partner to lover romance. It is about a strong, smart, and talented woman who is getting out of a toxic relationship in the city, and settling into small town life.

The Calvary family is that dream family in the country. Three hot sons and a mother anyone would love to have become a mother in law. Together the family along with the help of the city gal work to save the family business and homes.

This is a can't put down, funny, and heart warming story that has something for everyone. I highly recommend it!

Welcome to Service, West Virginia, where doors and hearts are always open.

Well, most of them, anyway.

When Amarie Walker leaves her fiance' of six years - yes, six years - all she knows is that she needs a change. A change of jobs, a change of scenery, and most important, a change of heart. After talking herself into a job as an assistant for the sexy, local grouchy vet, Eli Calvary, Amarie finds herself taking on the challenge of helping the family with her unique set of skills, and making friends along the way.

To call Eli Calvary bitter is an understatement. Divorced and nearly broke, he now has to determine how to save the family property and clinic. His problem? He's not only stuck in his ways, but feels that he is the only one that can do it. When he meets Amarie, he is hard pressed to believe this fish out of water can help him achieve what he perceives as an insurmountable goal.

As he opens himself to her ideas, he also finds himself opening his heart. Until a situation appears to ruin their happy ever after.

I loved the character development in this story. Although the attraction was there from the beginning, the characters took the time to get to know each other and learn to trust again before making the decision to move forward. Not to mention how time and time again, regardless of her our self-doubts, we discover a strong intelligence and caring in Amerie.

I highly enjoyed this story. And I'm hoping we will hear more from the residents of Service!

This was a solid good book. I enjoyed the small town setting and the strong family connections we get to read about along the way. The story dealt with the realities of being deceived by someone you loved and how to move on and become better from it. I loved that our main couple was interracial and hope to see more of. Eli and Mari together were so sweet and good together. One thing that bothered me a bit was it seemed like I missed their relationship go from strangers to friends and then friends to lovers. Overall, I’d recommend this to someone that’s looking for a quick good read.