—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my favorite romance books of the year. I think that should be enough.
But to say why, this was the best fake engagement romance i’ve read. Go into it blind and have the most fun.

3 stars.

Bianca is graduating with a Ph.D. However, no one from her close circle shows up at the party. The only one who arrives is Xavier, whose own Ph. D is also about to be completed soon. A little drunk, Bianca and Xavier come up with a plan to get Bianca to startle her close circle a little, as they think that marriage and family additions are the most important things in life.

A fake engagement, what better plan could there be! Bianca and Xavier begin to feel an attraction towards each other (or rather give in to the attraction they've always felt). However, the thing has its due date - after graduation, Xavier will move to another continent for work.

This book was light and pleasant to read. Good romantic tropes - fake engagement and forced proximity. I recommend the book to those who like light romantic literature.

Gosh, I freaking love Jennifer Hennessy books. They feel like a warm hug and I always come out of them with a smile on my face. There is just something about them that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It was cute overall but I was also kinda bored. The chemistry between the two characters was great and I loved how they supported each other. The idea of complex relationships with friends and family is nice to see as well. I just wish the author had plotted the book a bit differently. The premise itself is a little flawed but so is most fake dating so you can overlook that. But then it's a lot of "we shouldn't be we do anyway" for pages on end without any real escalation or plot. It's just two people pining for each other and a lot of other people in their life being bad at relationships. Also as someone who actually HAS degrees in archaeology, can authors please contact people in those professions before writing about them? Because Xavier's job doesn't work like that. at all. Also the ending is not very satisfactory. Like yes it is an HEA, but it doesn't really explain how they solve the reason they decided not to be together in the first place.

I loved this book! I was immediately drawn into Bianca’s world. I related so deeply to the struggles she was having with the people she loved most. Bianca and Xavier overcame a lot even if I was shouting for them to just FIGURE IT OUT! Great read, definitely recommend.

yall this book 🥰🔥✨😆!!!!!!

this was so fast-paced and from the start threw you into a whirlwind romance with fake engagement (which yall know is right up my alley) and two lovable characters that you just immediately admire. the plot was definitely different than what i’ve read before and i adored.

i saw a lot of myself in bianca, and i loved her characterization so much. her and xavier were perfection!! and i loved seeing the growth of their relationship and seeing how both of them sort of grew with each other. it was realistic, super sweet, & sooo swoony i was in love 🥰🥰

Interesting take on relationships in contemporary society!

Degrees of Engagement centres around Bianca Dimitriou, a woman who has just completed her PhD - her biggest accomplishment and pride and joy - but finds herself alone in her celebratory party. All her friends and family send their apologies, but also excuses for not being there, but she is alone nonetheless. She feels like this is the type of accomplishment her family and friends don't value, as opposed to events related to relationships. As a sort of payback, she orchestrates a fake engagement to Xavier Byrne in a drunken decision to prove her point. Xavier was a fellow PhD student with whom she had been building up quite a tension over her degree and this fake arrangement starts eventually to seem more real than pretend to both of them.

I really liked this romance! I thought the take on how relationships are viewed and valued by society, as opposed to professional accomplishments, was quite interesting. It challenges the idea that only relationships can make you happy and fulfilled while also saying that romantic connections are also, but not necessarily the most, important. Xavier was a real green flag. He really respects and admires Bianca and that was great to see. Overall, a very fun read which also challenges conservative ideas of the position romantic relationships should have in our lives.

Thank you very much to Headline Eternal/Headline and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this! Bianca and Xavier were great characters, and the way the fake engagement trope was woven into their story of pining for each other as friends for years was crafted excellently. The romance was both sweet and spicy, and I also really appreciated the viewpoint of striving for the kind of love and life that works for you - one that doesn't necessarily live up to the expectations of others.

The only thing that knocked this down personally for me was the writing style being third person present, which just isn't one I vibe with.

Cute, cute, and cute! I adored the characters and the proposal. Stories like this one melt my heart and make me feel good. I think Jennifer did an awesome job with this book! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

5/5 stars, would recommend for purchase in all libraries to add vibrancy to their romance collection. Recommended for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey and Emily Henry.

Hit all the feels and had me laughing out loud… Will propel you to your happy place. A must read!… Feel-good romance… Truly heart-warming… Such a cute read! I started and finished in one day – what can I say?

This book is so cute it made me sick. From the beginning to the end I have been kicking my feet and giggling. I seriously need a hot, sexy, and smart man like Xavier Byrne to be in my life. I find intelligence so attractive and the fact that this book is about two people in graduate school at USC is everything. Jennifer Hennessy I need to shake your hand because this book is so well written and engaging. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF READING THIS BOOK 5/5 STARS!!!!

"Degrees of Engagement" is a romance written by Jennifer Hennessy.

Light, effervescent and fun novel that unfortunately did not fully convince me. I loved the premise of this book and started out with great enthusiasm, only to come away lukewarm. I admit that I am not particularly fond of romance written in third person, because they usually give me a feeling of detachment, preventing me from connecting with the story and characters, and "Degrees of Engagement "is a romance written in third person. I tried to connect with the narration, but I really struggled and this affected my overall enjoyment. In the end, however, it is a book that I enjoyed and kept me entertained a lot, although it did not completely win me over.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.