This book is all spice and not much else.
This is a fake dating plot on holiday.

There was a third act breakfast which seemed completely unnecessary to me and the fmc was annoying at times too.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the advance listening copy!

This being my first alc, and it being a “spicy”/ “steamy” book did have me looking over my shoulder to see if any heard the sounds leaking from my headphones!

This was a solid romance, and a fun read (listen?)! This being the third Talia Hibbert book I’ve read I can definitely say I’m a fan of her writing!

There were definitely some parts of the story that I did find myself cringing at, but I just chocked it up to me not understanding British humor.

I wish this did delve more into the fake relationship aspect because once the horniness took off there was no looking back until close to the end of the book with the revelations, and confessions.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐎
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚒𝚍𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 #𝟹
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗮 #netgalley
⏳ 07𝗛 50𝗠
🎙️ Rooke Kingston & Harvey Fuller

🤎𝙵𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
🤎𝙲𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚢 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚎
🤎𝙷𝚎 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝/𝙾𝚋𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚘
🤎𝙱𝙸𝙿𝙾𝙲 𝙼𝙲𝚌
🤎𝚂𝚎𝚡 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝙵𝙼𝙲
🤎𝙱𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚡𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝙼𝙲

❝ ᴀ ꜰᴀᴍᴏᴜꜱ ꜰᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟᴇʀ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴀ ᴘʟᴜꜱ-ꜱɪᴢᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ꜰᴇʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀᴛ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ, ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴡᴏʀɴ ᴏꜰꜰ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴀ ʀɪᴄʜ ᴘʟᴀʏᴇʀ. ꜱᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ? ʜɪʀᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʜɪꜱ ꜰᴀᴋᴇ ɢɪʀʟꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʜᴇʀ ꜰᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ, ᴇᴀꜱʏ, ʀɪɢʜᴛ…? ❝

I love Talia Hibbert’s work, if you’re looking for a diverse and plus-size character representation, look no further because she has it all. This was pretty much an insta-love, everything basically went down in a week, Nik fell fast and hard and Aria couldn’t help but fall for him too. And she delivered some smoking hot smuts in here involving lots of toys🔥

Of course, their fake dating turns into real feeling very quickly, but just when they’re ready to take the next step the revelation happens. And this is the part that I have some issues with, I don’t understand why Aria was mad. I mean she can be a little upset, but no, she went all ballistic like he just murdered her puppy, it was wild. Fortunately, she wasn’t mad for too long and Nik doesn’t have to grovel too hard (I don’t think he needs to do more than an apology anyway🤷‍♀️). I love the epilogue! I’m a fan of time-jump epilogues that show their future, such a delight.

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧
Keep in mind that the story was told from a third POV, and this is a dual-narrator audiobook. This was a quick listen, and I had a good time listening to it. I think both narrators have done a great job portraying their respective characters, well done.

✨ 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 DREAMSCAPE MEDIA 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝙸'𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✨

I liked this, but it just didn't feel like Talia Hibbert. I found myself wanting to skip ahead and wanting more from the story overall. I love Talia Hibbert, but this one just wasn't my speed.

This one is a short cute romance with an interesting backstory. I loved the chemistry between the protagonists and would definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for a short captivating romance.
I loved listening to the audiobook, the female narrator is the best narrator I ever listened to and made me want to listen to more audiobooks (and I’m not an audiobook person!)

Talia Hibbert is truly a master of steamy, diverse romances that are just pure delight! The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco is a perfect sexy summer read featuring hot himbo (bisexual!) ex-footballer Nik and sexy and snarky tattoo artist Aria. When a chance encounter between the two results in a mind blowing kiss, Nik can’t stop thinking of how to get Aria to spend more time with him. He concocts a ridiculous scheme and hires her as his fake girlfriend for a weeklong vacation in Marbella with his football friends, where fake feelings and very real desire quickly deepen into something more.

This is a fluffy and seriously sexy read. There are some heavy themes around Aria’s trauma from a stalker who used her to get at her best friend, but I think one of the weaknesses of the book is the uneven way that her trauma is portrayed: it’s a light and fluffy instalove story with a incongruously heavy backstory. That being said, this would be an excellent book to read by the pool or on the beach—3.75 stars rounded up!

This was a fun romance - Talia Hibbert is the queen of spicy and diverse romances and this book is no different. However, there were some aspects of the story that really didn’t work for me.

I really liked both of our main characters, and I feel that Hibbert dove into their personalities enough to make their chemistry and story simultaneously entertaining and believable. The Spanish setting was summery and fun, and I did enjoy the general plot.

However, I was a little put off by the cascade of periphery characters in this story - there were so many of them and I feel that rather than adding to the story, they just confused me. My biggest issue lies in the backstory of the FMC, which I understand was written to be a traumatic event, but honestly just seemed ridiculous. Personally, I feel that if you’re going to include subject matter as serious as kidnapping and attempted murder, it has to be taken seriously and not glossed over as it was in this book.

Overall this was a (mostly) fun and summery romance that I enjoyed reading as an audiobook. I’d recommend it to romance readers, although it wasn’t a favourite of mine. 2.5/5

Absolutely hysterical, heart-felt, and overall the perfect romcom! Talia does diverse, spicy romance like non-other.

I highly recommend the audiobook as the narration was top notch.

Thank you!

This book was SPICY! This is an earlier work by Talia Hibbert re-released with a new name. Although I'm normally a fan of her books, this one was too heavy on the spice and too light on the relationship, which is one thing I've always loved about her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a steamy novel! I enjoyed the fake dating troupe and how it shaped the relationship in the book. This was a fun, quick and amusing read.

The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco was alright. It’s certainly not a new fave Talia Hibbert book of mine but I like it okay. The audiobook was well done!

Thank you @dreamscape_media for a copy of this audiobook. This one left me wanting more from the story to character development. I felt all the characters were a bit flat and the supporting characters didn't add much other then that Nik slept with them. The story is full of sex scenes which is good but also felt like that was all to it. There was a scene where they are playing soccer which was fine but Aria was playing in a bathing suit. How uncomfortable is that.

Rooke Kingston and Harvey Fuller did a good job with the narration.

For the most part, this is a light read that’s only heavy on the steam. While there is a content/trigger warning, the many of the elements noted appear only briefly.

Nik is a newly retired athlete trying to decide what is next while Aria is overcoming drama and trauma from a horrific relationship a year prior. Nik falls first, instalove at its finest and Aria is more resistant but eagerly dives into fake dating.

It could have done a bit more—gone deeper into character development, etc—but perhaps it didn’t really need to.

The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco by Talia Hibbert
Re-Release Date: 5/28/24
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I absolutely adore Talia Hibbert and was so giddy to get an advance audiobook of the re-release of The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco in exchange for my honest opinion (thanks @netgalley)! This is a short and steamy romp that made for a fast and fun listen!

It’s always interesting to read a beloved author’s earlier titles (this book was originally published in 2018) because you see elements of what has made you adore an author in a way that isn’t fully formed yet. I felt the same way when I read Merry Inkmas last year by the same author!

The narration on this audiobook was very well done and the spice was fab as it always is with Hibbert! I do wish we had a little more character building, but for only 202 pages it was a delight! Check this out if you want a fast and flirty vaca or beach read for sure!

Talia Hibbert can do no wrong in my eyes!!!! I will read anything she writes. I'm working my way through her catalog in 2024. I genuinely think she's one of the best rom-com writers right now. The way she writes banter between her characters while balancing that out with the romance and sweetness is just IMMACULATE.

Nik an Aria are no exception. I actually think they've had some of the best banter out of Talia's couples so far. I genuinely believed their chemistry even after such a short time as friends. The progression and tension between them was just SO GOOD I LOVE THEM.

This one is utterly delectable and totally bingeable.

When Greek millionaire Nikolas Christou meets British tattoo artist Aria Granger by chance at his mother’s hotel, he’s a goner. He needs to figure out a way to keep her in his life, so he concocts a plan to get to know her. He’ll pay her to fake date him during an upcoming annual trip with friends to Spain. She’ll protect him from unwanted advances while he gets to spend time with her. It’s a win-win in his mind, but Nik has never been in a relationship. And Aria? Well, she’s sworn them off.

He’s a bit of a Golden Retriever. She has a tough exterior but a big, gushy heart.

And their chemistry is 🔥🔥🔥.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Retired footballer, who was a total playboy (until he met her)
- Aspiring tattoo artist
- Bi MMC
- Plus-sized FMC
- Fake dating on vacation
- He falls first (and hard)
- Only one bed
- Banter, banter, banter
- So much delicious heat between the two
- Toys 👀

I highly recommend listening to this one on audio, especially to hear the phrases that Nik murmurs to Aria in Greek. Rooke Kingston and Harvey Fuller nail these characters. I loved their accents.

4.75⭐️

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Media. All review opinions are my own.

Author Talia Hibbert has a great way of creating emotionally, diverse characters with a lot of baggage that are totally deserving of a happy ending! In The Fake Boyfriend Fiasco, Aria is a recent survivor of a traumatic event caused by her ex-boyfriend. She’s not interested in dating or men at this time.

Coincidentally, former professional footballer, Nik meet her at this time and falls hard! With no chance in sight of a date or way to get to know each other better, he comes up with the plan to his fake girlfriend ladies at bay…

This book was filled with lots of spicy chemistry and attraction as these two move there and do something with real substance! I love how you can always find such great diverse characters, both racially and sexually in Hibbert’s writing. Full of sex positivity and true affection!

The narration by Rooke Kingston & Harvey Fuller creates a great balance between the two characters. I really enjoyed their nuanced representation of both Nik and Aria. This was an easy listening experience and I really enjoyed it.

3.5 rounded up

Another fun, SPICY AF, dual POV, fake dating, vacation romance between a tattoo artist and a pro soccer player. There was great chemistry between the two BIPOC leads, lots of sex positivity and plus size rep. I loved the audio narration by Rooke Kingston and Harvey Fuller. While this was the third book in the Midnight Heat series it definitely can be read as a standalone and is perfect for fans of authors like Tessa Bailey. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I feel silly discovering this book as late as I have.
Which makes me so grateful to netgalley for approving this title.
OMGGGGG this book is written in my exact font.

Plus size baddie, that can dress to the nines. I need more glam plus size baddies in romance by the way. Fake dates a famous footballer and the chemistry is so real and so hot, that my headphones melted as I listened.

I love that each and every obstacle gets solved and everything ends in the best HEA. Not to mention the beautiful epilogue.
I love love the queer rep and the surrounding characters. This book is perfection! I am obsessed.

Narrators were amazing too!

Oh how I love the fake boyfriend fiasco!!!!
The book opens with her ex husband being a psycho, and well I was hooked from there. She’s down for anything a real fun party girl who is also a tattoo artist ! He’s a bad boy who is so good just for her, they both have the best banter and the jealousy top tier.
There is a romcom little mishap towards the end of the book that makes you believe that this is over, but this is just where she is able to finally confess to him what has happened to her in the past. though I wish there was much more talk about what had actually occurred to her in her other marriage a little more detail a little more thrill in that area. I absolutely love this book. I love the aspect. I love the romance. I love the banter. I love the friendships within the book and I highly recommend this Audiobook!
Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this book. It was so much fun.