This was a very entertaining book that I read in two days. The first part takes place in a week-long wedding (with two feuding italian families) and the main characters are both fake dating for the week - only not with each other.
I really enjoyed this twist on fake-dating romance and I enjoyed all the interesting characters. I rooted for Nora and Sebastian from the start and I would have liked to read more about Benji, he seems to be such an interesting person.
All in all a very enjoyable book.

This book was giving me Hatfield & McCoy vibes. I enjoyed the main characters for the most part. All were very likeable. I felt like the book was a little long though. I was really hoping to like this book more but that just didn't happen.

I just loved this so much...I can imagine doing this for my best friend. This literally blends all the best parts of an Italian family. One of the best rom-com's of the summer.. The character's so well developed. The humor is on point. It's seriously just charming. Trust me, It's a Must Read! Picture lively banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and heartwarming connections—all wrapped up in a delightful package. You’ll be rooting for Nora and Sebastian as they navigate the chaos of wedding wars and family secrets. Go grab it! Thank you so much Entangled Publishing!

Oh Livy, whatever you are currently working on, you can put it aside for now and begin the sequel for this one. What a beautiful story.

If you are a lover of Emily Henry this is a great book for you to pick up. We got not only one fake dating troupe but TWO in this lovely book. Follow along with Nora and Sebastian as they try and fight against their pull to each other and remain in their (fake) relationships long enough to support their friends. Can they do it? Or will they succumb to the pull they have toward each other.

To make matters better (for us, or worse for them) this book had generations of Italian family drama that comes to a head during a wedding week. This book made me laugh, cry and wish I could be part of it.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️


Nora jumps into help her bestie Benji as his fake wedding date to his sister’s wedding. There she meets the cute stranger Sebastian that Alamo asked her out. He is also posing as his besties fake date to her brother’s wedding.

As so begins the hilarious fake dating debacle. This is a sweet romance. It at the end is there a chance for Sebastian and Nora or will he ride off to his next project.

Sweet romance to make your heart feel good.

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Thank you Livy for another amazing book!!! Livy Hart this is my favorite so far. Sebastian is wonderful. This story was clever, sweet, made me cry and laugh out loud!!

The raw vulnerability between these two main characters was outstanding. I felt everything they felt. I loved it from the 2nd chapter on! The understanding and compassion through out this story was outstanding. The complex family dynamics from all sides was real. No one has a perfect family. In the end they all work together! I loved that. Ultimately love conquers all. 🙂

And let me just finish by saying I will never look at a Photo Booth the same again! 🥵🥵🥵🥵

It only took me so long to read because I started a brand new job while reading it.

Thank you Net Galley and Brittany Zimmerman for the ARC. I am going to suggest this story to every person I know!

Livy Hart can do no wrong when it comes to writing romance. Sebastian and Nora were 🔥. My only gripe was there were too many characters and too many nicknames. I couldnt tell the two families (who weren’t even related to the main characters) apart very well. Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled publishing for this earc!

This book has exceptionally likeable characters and dual points of view. Nora is thrilled to be putting down roots for the first time in her life. She enjoys having her own place, getting to know people and working for her close friend in his bookstore. Sebastian’s job usually requires travel to set up youth clubs in new locations. He has returned to his hometown temporarily to help his grandmother for a few months. Meanwhile, one of Sebastian’s friends (the brother of Sebastian’s BFF) is engaged to marry Nora’s boss’s sister. A few days of pre-wedding activities at an Adirondacks resort are planned to try to bring the bride’s and groom’s large warring Italian families together. Nora and Sebastian become fake dates on opposite sides of the aisle to help get their friends deal with their families and get through the minefield of wedding festivities. Sparks fly (turning into adult heat), but Sebastian’s time in town is limited. This book has humor, plot twists, excellent supporting characters and plenty of romance. The story was so engaging and well-written that I honestly couldn’t put it down. Recommended! I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this book and think you will to. OS CUTE

I was pleasantly surprised with how easily I got into this story. Rom-com is not usually something I read very often. But this was definitely worth it and was an amazing slumpbuster book for me.
The spice was spicing, while there isn’t a ton of spice where there was it was great.
The found the spin on the fake dating trope Livy Hart took to be quite hilarious.

This book was ok. The chemistry between the two MCs felt forced and overshadowed by everyone around them. It had fun premise but just fell flat.

"The Great Dating Fake-Off" by Livy Hart is a delightful rom-com that offers a refreshing twist on the fake dating trope. The story follows the charming and witty protagonist, Chloe, who finds herself in a hilariously awkward situation that requires her to team up with her seemingly perfect yet frustratingly annoying neighbor, Max. What starts as a mutually beneficial arrangement to keep their meddling families at bay quickly evolves into a heartwarming and laugh-out-loud journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance.

Hart's writing is engaging and filled with humor, making it easy for readers to become invested in the quirky characters and their evolving relationship. The chemistry between Chloe and Max is palpable, and their banter is both sharp and endearing, adding depth to their dynamic. The author does an excellent job of balancing the comedic elements with genuine emotional moments, creating a well-rounded narrative that is both entertaining and heartfelt.

One of the standout aspects of "The Great Dating Fake-Off" is its relatable portrayal of the complexities of modern dating and the pressures of familial expectations. Hart's clever use of the fake dating trope serves as a vehicle for exploring themes of authenticity, vulnerability, and the importance of being true to oneself.

Overall, "The Great Dating Fake-Off" is a fun and feel-good read that will leave readers smiling long after the final page. Livy Hart has crafted a charming story that is perfect for fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedies. Whether you're a seasoned rom-com enthusiast or new to the genre, this book is a must-read.

this was cute and funny!!!! definitely spicy as well. there is a lot of humor with lots of lovable characters.

“The Great Dating Fake Off” is a rom-com by Livy Hart. In this book - think fake dating (two couples) where one person from each of the fake couples have an attraction to each other … toss in a big Italian family wedding where (a la Romeo and Juliet) there’s some obvious tension between the two families. This was a nice escapism read for me. It was a bit predictable but my main issue with this book was that I kept getting the characters confused (the couple getting married had a number of side characters - as did the two main characters - it was a lot to untangle, especially in the beginning). However, it was a very cute idea and I think if there had been fewer characters I would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. But, I’d try another book by this author and recommend it to people who like dual POVs, large family dramas, and some decent steam.

the writing was fine. the spicy scenes were fine. overall, this book is fine.

my main issue is with the characters. there were far too many characters and dynamics to keep track of, and none of them felt properly developed enough. i just didn't care about anything that happened or if the two leads would end up together, especially with the insta-love-ness of it all. it's unfortunate, as i think i would've given this a higher rating had the characters been kind enough to not ruin it for me.

<i>thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review</i>

*ARC REVIEW*

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had been putting it off…just wasn’t in the mood for a rom com. This kinda reminded me of my big fat Greek wedding 🤣 I laughed out loud multiple times. The love story is the cutest.

Give it a read!

What could go wrong with a fake Italian wedding and two fake couples? We’ll find out in The Great Dating Fake Off! This was a funny romcom that I enjoyed from beginning to end.

This was my first book by Livy Hart and definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely fell in love with the characters from their very first interaction when they both were rambling to one another because they were nervous.

Two very Italian families who are sworn enemies (think Romeo and Juliet minus the dying part) have to come together when one family member from each side is set to be married. The crazy banter from the relatives had me dying.

As someone who is both Italian and from Long Island, this book was scarily so relatable. The family dynamics and the call outs to both North Shore Farms and Adventureland was wild. Yes, I do know what and where those are. 😂

Fake-dating is one of my favorite tropes and I love how this book put such a unique twist on the trope. I’m glad the truth about the fake-dating wasn’t overly drawn out and the truth was revealed with plenty of the story left to tell! This was such a cute, light-hearted rom-com and I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you so much @entangled_publishing for the arc! The Great Dating Fake-Off releases August 6! 💗

I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me of a 90s romcom movie. It was just such good banter and a fun plot. So both the main love interests meet before and kind of are attracted to each other but don't end up getting together. Each of their best friends has a valid reason for wanting them to "fake date for a wedding, turns out they're going to the same wedding. Normally, they could pull off the fake dating, but hiding their mutual attraction turns out to be harder than it looks. Also, they're on different sides of bride and grooms family, who coincidentally hate each other for generations. The truth is ultimately revealed when the female love interest's fake mother in law catches her the morning after from not her son's room and it ruins the whole wedding. The bride and groom call off the wedding, and couple thinks that's the end of their relationship. But they end up helping the bride and groom get back together and thus they resume their relationship. Ultimately its a HEA.

I loved this twist on the fake-dating trope! One fake-dating couple is always fun, but two fake-dating couples at the same wedding hooked me. The characters are easy to get to know and like (although Benji has some mopey-teenager energy.) I love the forbidden, very sexy attraction between Nora and Sebastian that stops them from being good fake boyfriends/girlfriends to their non-significant others. I was surprised at the way everyone got outed, and I felt anxiety over how the author was going to resolve a long-distance issue. I also loved the multiple pop culture references and the banter. I felt all the emotions in this upbeat rom-com. Entertaining book!