I loved The Great Dating Fake Off. Nora and Sebastian had really strong chemistry from the moment they met.

By attending the wedding, they were forced to be around each other. They tried to pretend they weren’t falling for each other because they were at the wedding with other people and attending on opposite sides.

The banter was so good throughout the whole book and I laughed in so many spots. I look forward to reading more from Livy Hart in the future.

A fun twist on the fake dating trip with two couples in a fake dating relationship! There were so many cute and humorous moments, I was laughing out loud during so much of this book. Sebastian and Nora are both in fake dating scenarios, but can’t fight their attraction to each other. The plot is quick moving, and the character arcs are well done! 4.25 stars

This was a cute book by Livy Hart. I do like Livy's books and fake dating is my go to trope. This is a fun read.

This was a wonderful romcom mixed with real life issues. I loved the way that they tried to stay away from each other and how they couldn’t. I truly enjoyed the personality of the FMC and how the MMC could not keep his eyes or hands off of her.

Not going to lie I thought I was going into a cute contemporary romance, but honey, the steam was steaming.

So grateful for entangled and Netgalley for this ARC. I highly recommend.

A fizzy, rambunctious romantic comedy of best friends you're willing to lie for, family members you're willing to lie to for some peace, and a spark that makes all the rest that much more complicated.

Fake dating, feuding families, AND forced proximity? You can’t get better than that! This book is so funny! I really Enjoyed it and I think a lot of other people will as well

*The Great Dating Fake Off* by Livy Hart is a rom-com full of fake dating antics, forbidden attraction, and family drama.

Nora has finally found a home in Grand River after a lifetime of moving around to follow her mother’s dreams and relationships. Now, she manages a cozy bookstore-café for her friend, Benji, and feels like she’s finally settled.

Enter Sebastian, a wanderer by nature, who works for a boys and girls club, traveling across the country to set up new centers for underprivileged communities. He grew up in Grand River and is back temporarily to help his grandmother. When he stops by Nora’s bookshop, sparks fly instantly—but before they can even begin to explore it, they find out they’re both posing as fake dates for their best friends at the same wedding.

This story has plenty of cute moments and a solid dose of spice once the romance finally gets going. However, the numerous characters made the story a bit hard to follow, and there were a few subplots that felt unnecessary. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read, though not my favorite from Livy Hart. I’d rate it 3 stars.

Hi Angela. It's Author once again, gave us a laugh out loud romcom. The plot in this book was entertaining and fascinating. It also was hilarious and I enjoyed the almost front of me to lovers five. It had everything I enjoyed in a romance, and I really enjoyed the main female lead the most. I also enjoyed the competition and the whole aspect that the character based the story off of.

This was a cool twist on the fake dating trope that I am totally here for! 😍

✅ Fake Dating
✅ More Fake Dating? 🤣
✅ Family Drama

What happens when you meet someone that you could potentially fall for and then run into them when you’re pretending to be your best friend’s date to a destination wedding?

I loved watching this story unfold!

Livy has done it again!!! One of my very favourite authors, I started this book but unfortunately was going through some hard life times and didn’t get a chance to finish reading it until now. I finished it on audio and WOWZA she cannot be beat! I looooove Seb and Nora, I adore the double fake dating trope, and as someone with a large nosy meddling family I could relate to these Italian meddlers scenarios so much. The scene where they are buying flowers is so special to me, and I cannot wait to devour Livy’s next book 💞

Such a fun read! The connection and spice was exactly what I've come to expect with this author, but I was surprised at how fun and ridiculous the family/friend aspect was. She's an auto-buy author for me!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this advance reader's copy for an honest review.

Livy Hart always brings the heat, and this story is no different. There are sparks between Nora and Sebastian from the start when they have a chance meeting at her bookstore, but things really heat up when they are both plus ones at a family wedding that has all the makings of a modern day Hatfield & McCoy situation. With the bride & groom's families at odds, Nora & Seb partner up to try and keep the peace but end up falling into bed instead. Unfortunately, they are discovered by the mother of the bride and all hell breaks loose and the wedding is called off.

At this point, the story takes a turn and the reader gets a little more immersed in the saga of Rosalina and Enzo, the ill fated bride and groom. To be frank, while I don't quite understand how this couple got together in the first place, I found their love story more enjoyable and platable than Nora and Sebastian. Curious if other readers feel the same in the end about the supporting characters in this book versus the main characters.

A perfect fun read with a new twist on fake dating (it’s with different people 😉), an Italian Wedding with feuding families, forced proximity, and an instant pull between the main characters.

I feel like the concept of this sounded really good at first. However, it got really complicated by having so many characters and there was a lot going on. Also, I’m starting to notice that I am not a fan of insta-love when it unless it is done a certain way, I just don’t think this one was for me.

Dear Admin Of Entangled Publishing

My name is Gueorguieva, I'm writing to you in regards to the ARC of The Great Dating Fake Off book you sent me through NetGalley back in May. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review it before it was published. I've read the book and here are my thoughts on it:

The way I would describe this book is as if Carrie Bradshaw were to narrate Mama Mia🩷🤣. It’s witty, and fun while also discusses important issues about family, love, and sacrifice. This story’s main characters Nora and Sebastian are both fake dating their friend to appease both their friend’s family at a big Italian wedding😱. The catch is they start having feelings for one another which jeopardizes their promise to their respective fake dating partner Benji and Alessia.

The only criticism I have about the book is its use of American references, it may seem a bit daunting for international readers such as myself. I feel like that should be taken into consideration if the writer aims to market to a wider audience. Since a lot of the references are written for comedic purposes I feel finding a balance of references and other forms of comedic writing might benefit the book 🫶🏻. But overall, I gave this book a 4.07 ⭐️ (The same rating I gave Ana Huang's Twisted Games). So a very high praise for the book and Livy as the writer 👏🏻

Great book! I was disappointed that the fake dating wasn’t the main characters and were others. The title kinda alluded to that. Lots of characters, so it can be overwhelming. Keeping track of everyone was hard for me.

The Great Dating Fake Off by Livy Hart was such a cute story! From the big Italian families that hate each other, to the pickleball matches, the mechanical bull rides, and the special meals, this story was just a fun one to read. Nora and Sebastian meet because of work and instantly like each other, and what a coincidence it is when they not only show up at the same big Italian wedding, but do so as fake plus ones for both of their best friends. The way they fight their chemistry and their own personal hurdles just makes them coming together so much sweeter. I will say, I don't think the name super fits. When I picked this out, I expected it to be a cooking competition or something like that because of that famous show. There is a little cooking in the story, but it just kind of threw me off when I read the synopsis and it didn't match expectations. Overall, it was a good little love story with some laughs, a few heartfelt moments, and a good slow burn. I'll definitely be picking up some of Livy's other books after reading this one!

✨ Publication date: May 7, 2024✨

The Great Dating Fake Off is a rom-com by Livy Hart featuring fake dating, forbidden love and family drama.

Nora spent her life moving from place to place chasing her mother’s dreams and boyfriends. She finally found a place to call him in Grand River where she manages a book shop/cafe for her friend Benji.

Sebastian moves around a lot. He works for a boys and girls club and travels across the country opening up new clubs for communities in need. He grew up in Grand River and is back for a few months to help his grandmother out.

When Sebastian walks into the bookshop there is instant chemistry between him and Nora and before they can even explore the attraction they are interrupted and find themselves on the same wedding trip as their best friends fake dates for the same wedding.

They agree that in order to pull it off, they need to stay away from each other for the week but it’s next to impossible as they are thrown together at random. They can’t seem to deny their attraction but if someone finds out it could ruin this wedding for more than one couple.

Nora thinks Sebastian may be the one but he’s leaving shortly to take on his next big project and she needs a place to call home. Can they get through this wedding week as other peoples dates? And even if they do, what possible relationship can they have?

This was a cute story and the spice was good when we got there, but there were a lot of characters to keep track of. There were some plot things I didn’t think were necessary to the main story either. I enjoyed this one but it’s not my favourite from this author. This is a 3 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #livyhart #thegreatdatingfakeoff

Rating: 4.5/5
Steam: 3.5/5

Thank you to Amara/Entangled for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

You had me at "over-the-top Italian wedding," and Livy Hart delivers a delightful romp filled with fake dating antics, laugh-out-loud moments, and sizzling chemistry. I have adored Livy's past books, as she always strikes such a balance of steam and humor.

The chemistry between Nora and Sebastian is off-the-charts; you could practically feel the steam rising off the pages. Their banter is a highlight of the novel, packed with witty one-liners that had me laughing out loud.

The double fake dating premise is executed hilariously, adding layers of complexity and fun. While Benji initially rubbed me the wrong way, he ultimately redeemed himself by the end of the book, showing that even the most unlikely characters can surprise you. I also found myself wishing for a spinoff about the bride and groom, exploring how they fell in love despite their feuding families—a story I’d love to dive into!

One of my favorite quotes perfectly encapsulates their dynamic: “Have I earned the right to call you by your last name like your best friends do?” “Wear the name out. Someday it could be yours.”

The Great Dating Fake Off is a charming and entertaining read that balances humor and romance beautifully.

This was an 18+ contemporary romance with fake dating, forced proximity and soooo much drama.

The characters:
I truly loved both the main characters in this book. Sebastian was beautifully clueless and such a gentleman, always willing to go above and beyond for his family and those around him. Nora was so sweet and protective, despite having a guilt complex larger than the Himalayas. The two of them together were incredibly funny, especially as they got to know each other more and began to cultivate a relationship. Benji (my favorite side character) was quite possibly the most socially anxious book character I have ever come across but somehow that worked so well in his favor. I do really need to see a Benji x Gia story-line.

The Plot:
Oh my gosh, where to start?? The basic plot is they meet, want to date, don't date, fake date each other's friends, fall in love, get accused of heinous things, break up before they start and then have their happily ever after. Now, to go more specifically. I loved the plot elements that surrounded platonic friendships, the things you will do for your friends and complicated family relationships. There was a long term feud between two families, resulting in a marriage almost ending before they even got to the wedding day. This plot took us on a journey of fun, laughter, heartbreak and second chances.

I honestly loved every second of this and, in fact, it got me out of a reading slump!

4.5 stars.