This was such a cute read !! I always love a good exes to lovers story and this was no exception. A little spice with some humorously sweet moments really made this such a great book !!

I will admit it started out a little rough for me because it read a lot like YA but as the book went on I started loving it. Denz and Braylon had such a sweet “fake” relationship that obviously had real feelings that developed into a very real relationship. They’re such a sweet couple I found myself unable to put the book down after about 60% lol

Definitely hope this one gets to have a romcom movie moment in the future !

It seems like I need to be in a specific mood these days in order to enjoy a rom-com. I'm happy to say that this book hit the spot. It has the perfect mix of humor, heart, and second-chance romance. It also dives into themes of identity, family expectations, and the complexities of love. While it embraces familiar rom-com tropes, it does so with such charm that even the most trope-weary readers will find themselves swept up in Denz and Braylon's story.

The book follows Denzel "Denz" Carter, an ambitious 20-something who finds himself in a professional and personal bind. With his father announcing his retirement as CEO of their family's extremely successful event planning company, 24 Carter Gold, Denz and his sister are competing to be named the next CEO. Where his sister effortlessly pulls events together and is meticulous in her approach, Denz can be a little forgetful. If he wants this job, he's going to have to step up his game and prove himself worthy and responsible rather than flighty and non-commital. In a moment of panic, Denz lies about being in a stable relationship, only to realize he now has to produce a boyfriend to play the part.

Initially, Denz enlists his best friend and roommate, Jamie, to play the role of his significant other. But when Jamie bails, Denz is left with no choice but to turn to Braylon, his ex-boyfriend - the man who shattered his heart by leaving for England after graduating from college - leaving Denz alone, heartbroken and confused. But now that Braylon has returned, Denz feels like Bray owes him this, plus it could help Braylon with his own career goals, so - win-win. What follows is a whirlwind of fake dates, staged family events, and mounting sexual tension that makes it impossible for either man to ignore the unresolved feelings simmering between them.

The fake-dating and second-chance romance tropes are undoubtedly predictable, but I didn't mind them. In fact, that's part of the appeal of this book. Both Denz and Braylon are flawed but deeply relatable. Denz's struggles to prove his worth to his family while grappling with his own insecurities feel incredibly real. Similarly, Braylon's reasons for leaving - and his attempts to make amends - are explored with sensitivity, making him more than just a brooding romantic lead.

The supporting cast adds another layer of richness to the story. Denz's family is delightfully chaotic, from his no-nonsense father to his overachieving sister and nosey aunties. Their interactions - equal parts loving and cutthroat - paint a vivid picture of what it's like to grow up in a family where success is both an expectation and a pressure cooker. Winters captures these dynamics with humor and heart, making the family dynamic just as compelling as the romance.

One of the most endearing aspects of the novel is its unapologetic celebration of queer love. The relationship between Denz and Braylon feels authentic, layered, and deeply personal (and when the spice hits, it's just right). Their banter is sharp, their chemistry palpable, and their emotional connection undeniable. This authenticity elevates the romance, making it feel more rewarding and impactful than the standard fare you get when a straight person writes a gay romance. While it's true that love is love, the experience is definitely different.

Ultimately, this book is a reminder of why we turn to rom-coms in the first place. It's not just about the swoon-worthy moments (though there are plenty of those); it's about the joy of seeing characters learn, grow, and discover that they're deserving of love - in all its messy, complicated glory. Whether you're in the mood for a feel-good romance or simply looking for a story that celebrates queer love and Black joy, this book is a must-read. And if you're anything like me, you'll turn the final page wishing for your own Bray - and maybe a family as entertaining as Denz's.

Julian Winters can literally do no wrong!!!! Every book I read of his becomes an instant favorite. I loved his characters in this one so much! Denz and Braylon were amazing! This book has a mix of second chance romance and fake dating. I’m not always a fan of second chance, but I was just rooting for the both of them the entire time. Everything in this book was so well done. There were some heavier moments, but also so many laugh out loud moments too. Each character just felt so real.

I was not ready for this book to end. I could stay with these characters forever because I loved them so much!

The memorable characters in this book captured my imagination! I loved the family dynamics and the distinct personalities of each member. The lavish parties were fun to imagine with all their lush detailing.

Denz and Braylon were couples goals! Their interactions were so flirty and fun. It was a slow burn leading up to some great spice. I appreciated Denz’s journey as he gained confidence and learned to be his own person and not just a shadow of his family’s expectations.

I really enjoyed this romance and recommend it for MM romance lovers.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to review this ARC.

DNF at 46%. I think I’m fatigued of fake dating, because this book did not work for me. And the story tried to combine it with second chance, for some reason, and I just didn’t care about whether the characters got together.

I’ve heard about Julian Winters since his debut, but it took his first adult romance for me to finally crack the seal. I Think They Love You is a super sweet second-chance fake dating contemporary romance full of great friendship and family moments. It gave me lots of feeling reading this, and I love how things worked out not only for Denz and Braylon, but also for Kami and the rest of the Carters. I’m hopeful for a continuation following Jamie and Jordan; I saw that setup coming pretty early on and with the ending, I want more. There was some stuff about the idea that Denz couldn’t possibly be serious if he wasn’t in a serious relationship that I didn’t super like, but overall this was a delightful read that I had trouble putting down.

If you’re looking for an escapist new-adult romance, this book might be for you. I couldn’t get past the fact that Denz is barely capable of holding down a job, much less being CEO. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters is an adorable rom com about two young men who lose each other only to be forced back together to both accomplish their goals. Denz and Bray were college sweethearts until they went their separate ways at graduation. Fast forward a few years and Denz is competing against his sister to be named CEO of his family’s company. He knows being in a serious relationship would help him look more grown up in the eyes of his family…and then he runs into the long lost love of his life—Braylon. They agree to “fake date” to both help each other move forward in their respective career paths and then go their separate ways…only how does that work when you never really got over each other?

This story is adorable! I loved all the characters. This would make an adorable movie!

This is a second chance & fake dating romance. The book was okay, a bit predictable. It had some cute moments.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in return for a honest review

A fun second chance romance fake dating messy family tale that celebrates queer life. Denz and Braylon never expected to be back together, whether for real or for show, but now they area and the dialogue-and the spice- flies. It's fun and it's got some funny bits. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Second chance AND fake dating, PLUS it's Black AND queer?!?! This book was made for me. And I somehow loved it even more than I expected to. I honestly don't even have the words for how much I loved it. I will be reading Julian Winters' entire backlist immediately, I am OBSESSED.

What a beautiful, trope filled book.

While this had literally so many tropes, I didn't mind it at all. I love a second chance romance so much and I was fighting for them the entire time. I also do love a messy family because it just adds to the realness of the characters and what they are going through together. Also, top tier communication and #consent is sexy.

I Think They Love You was such a cute and quick read! I'm a total sucker for second chance romances, and absolutely adored Denz and Braylon's story!

I Think They Love You
Julian Winters

Wow, this book was not what I expected.

Fake dating, check.
Romcom, check.
Second chance romance, check.
Lovable MCs, check.
LGBQ, check.
Spicy spice, check and check.

This book has it all. I loved it, this is a short and sweet review, but there’s not much more I can say about it.


A big thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NegGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martins Press & Julian Winters for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I totally appreciate a second chance romance when the first break up happened before life was lived. Denz and Braylon broke up right after college as they set out to begin their careers. Perspectives were gained, minds grown, time passed, - now they are both who they need to be for each other.

I loved getting to know Denz family and would love a novella about Kamila & Suraj!

I was actually fairly surprised by how much I ended up loving this book. I was always going to like it to be clear, but I fell in love with Denz, and his family. I found that the setting and like characters, while familiar took on a fairly fresh new take on it which I really enjoyed.

My favorite thing in any book is when the author puts as much thought into the supporting characters as the main characters, and Julian Winters went above and beyond for everyone in this book. From the sisters to the aunts, even the coworker's family; no character is too small to receive a storyline.

This book has everything I could ask for. The characters, family drama, fake dating, and friendships are all exactly what I want in a story. Julian captured the perfect level of cheesy rom-com to serious storyline, and I absolutely loved it.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.

Julian Winters is definitely an author I want to read more from. The writing style was great and had me hooked immediately.

I really loved Bray as both the ex and fake boyfriend. He was funny and charming and he felt so incredibly real. I would have loved to have had his POV throughout this book.

I loved a lot of the side characters as well. Jordan, Jamie and Kami were all absolutely wonderful.

**SPOILERS BELOW**

Denz, on the other hand, frustrated me more and more as the book went on. He’s disorganised to the point where it made me, the reader, anxious. And yet he thinks he can be CEO? I understood him feeling the need to prove himself after his family made out like he wasn’t capable, but proving yourself is in ACTIONS, not just saying you can do something then constantly needing other people to cover up your mistakes.

All his self esteem issues didn’t really make me feel sorry for him because he wasn’t actively trying to make any of the changes he needed to make. Braylon kept telling him his family was wrong about him but all I was seeing was them pointing out his genuine flaws that wouldn’t make for a good CEO. He’s enough AS A PERSON, which is important, but not for CEO, the position he spends the whole book trying to prove he’s worthy of.

Maybe I missed the point?

There were definitely moments I enjoyed in this one, but overall not entirely for me.

4.5 stars. I absolutely loved reading this romance. Winters has been on my radar forever, but when I saw the description for his adult romance debut, I knew I had to read it! The things I loved the most:
* the lovers to enemies to lovers relationship
* fake dating
* the relationship between Denz and his family (really I loved most of the large tight knit family dynamics they had and I laughed more than once at some of their interactions)
* the amount of growth that Denz, his sister (whose name I'm drawing a blank on at the moment), and Braylon all experience throughout the book
* the depth of the personalities of some of the characters, particularly Denz and his dad
* I also loved the deep and tight relationship Denz had with Jamie
* I am a huge fan of Atlanta, and I loved the book being set there
Some of the secondary characters could have been a bit more fleshed out (there are a lot of them and I think some decisions had to be made), but I would love to see a sequel where more of that happens. If you are looking for a queer romance with lots of depth and personal growth then definitely pick this one up!

if you are a fan of second chance romance and loveable characters, this book is for you!

there is a lot of depth to this story, which initially held me back from reading it for so long. i found it difficult to get into at first and needed time to come back to it, and i am so glad i did! i loved reading about denz and braylon and watching their fake love turn into something more. i also love seeing the personal growth in these characters as we go on in the book.

also, i don’t usually comment on covers of books unless they’re a major part of the story. however, i was obsessed with the cover of this book when i saw it on netgalley and it was one of the things that drew me to this book. i think it’s beautifully done and the colors are gorgeous.

thank you to netgalley & the publishers for the opportunity to receive this as an arc!