Denz and Braylon were everything I needed and more. 🥹 these two met in college and instantly became inseparable. Well graduation came along and they went their separate ways. Denz went to Atlanta to be closer to family and Braylon went across the sea to London. Five years later these two run into each other again and Denz needs Braylon’s help with something. He needs him to be his fake boyfriend so he can impress his family. We all know how this is gonna go 😂 but oh man I loved their journey. These two are funny, they are swoony, they are steamy. I just love them both so much. This was my first book by Julian and I absolutely cannot wait to read more!!!

Funny, witty and heartfelt. This was one of the best rom-coms I've read this year! I loved seeing this story fold out and can't wait for more from this author.

Its a perfectly paced wonderfully detailed rom com ripe for a Tyler Perry adaptation. Just enough spice to be exciting without being overly raunchy.

I don't give out 5 stars a lot, but when I do it's definitely added to my re-read list.

When Denzel “Denz” Carter’s workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his family members that he’s capable of commitment, Denz impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship.

Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to seal the deal on the CEO position. Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship with: Braylon, the man who broke his heart. Braylon’s sudden reappearance in Denz’s life turns everything upside down. But, apparently, he needs Denz’s connections to the mayor to win his own promotion. So, they strike a deal. It’s all business until the funny texts and the confusing kisses leave Denz struggling to separate this temporary arrangement from the affairs of his heart.

This book was brilliant. Laughter and tears and spice and all things nice! I love books that bring family into it, and fake dating is one of my favorite tropes of all time. Pick this one up! You will not regret it! 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I was completely surprised and blown away by this book. It feels like it was written in the RWRB universe, which obviously gives me all the feels.

Feels extra contemporary. You have these "young adults" (not YA) navigating through work life, grief, "sibling-hood", friendship and past loves. All while finding their true selves. I laughed, cried and screamed at them.

Really looking forward to read more from this author!

Brief overview:

I Think They Love You is a story of Denz, who starts fake dating his ex in order to impress his parents while trying to earn a promotion at the family company. Denz is a social media wiz feeling the pressure to fit into his family and keep them proud of him and his accomplishments.

My thoughts:

It was a cute romance story. Very full of tropes, such as the one bed, second chance romance, and third act breakup. If you like your romances filled with tropes, you'll love this! Overall a cute queer romance that was very easy to read. Super lovable main and side characters.

I love a 2nd chance relationship, especially if there’s a fake relationship tied to the situation. I really enjoyed this. My only complaint is that since it’s so short, it could have benefited from a second POV.

I liked the second change romance/fake dating combination, and also the fun family all in business together and way up in each other's personal business as well. I could Denz really relatable and was definitely cheering for him and Bray to get together. But mostly, I enjoyed all the quirky side characters surrounding him and all the good character growth amongst them. It was a sweet, fun story.

This is a cute and fun rom-com that's chock full of tropes - an ex-boyfriend suddenly back on the scene, plenty of family drama, a fake dating romance, and a steamy "only one bed" hookup. The premise is pretty ridiculous: Denzel has to prove to his family he can be a serious person by demonstrating he can be in a serious relationship, all to get a shot at a job he does not seem remotely qualified for. He recruits a friend to be the fake boyfriend, only to be stood up, and instead his ex shows up - or happens to be walking by - at just the right time.

I loved the chemistry between Denzel and Braylon. The flashbacks to college, the cheesy pick up line jokes, and the "barely able to resist" kisses are everything romcoms are made of. The family drama and career plot felt to me to be very un-serious, between the interfering aunties and the family group chat. They seem to care much more involved about Denzel's love life than the family business, even when he's on the verge of losing major clients.

While the book hints at some heavier themes, including grief and abandonment, I didn't really feel it got very heavy into the emotions or angst. Even when it may have been justified, the emotional responses felt understated, especially between Denzel and Braylon's reunion. I think this book could've leaned much more heavily into the angst and made for a more fleshed out story. As it stands, this is a perfectly cute and light rom-com with some pretty funny moments.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. This was a cute book. I love the fake relationship trope and they were able to fit in the only bed thing. The story telling was compelling and I was sucked in and had to know how it ended. I enjoyed reading this book.

Why am I crying?? Oh wait, I know why, its because I love Denz and Braylon so dang much!! This second chance romance is filled with so much heart and laughter and sweet, silly moments...and more than a little bit of angst as Denz strives to prove his worth to his family/comapny/the world. I really hope the side characters get their own story too!

Posted to Goodreads

Denz convinces his ex boyfriend to fake date him so he can get promoted to CEO of his family business. Julian Winters is an established YA author and this was his first book in the adult category. I must say, I am impressed! I usually find spicy scenes to be at least a little cringey but that was not the case with this book. Winters did a great job developing the character of Denz. Braylon was a little annoying a times, particularly because he lived in London for a few years and seemed to make it his entire personality. I'd be happy to read another Julian Winters book and would highly recommend this one.

The family dynamics in this book felt realistic and I especially enjoyed seeing those interactions on paper. I love that Denz has a healthy, competitive bond with his sister and the friendships were a delight too. It's time to represent loving families where everyone cares about each other and can be nosy. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to show close-bounded families that don't have the best ideas or privacy, seeing how the unit of the family works differently in different cultures but also differs with every case. (I'm saying this as a brown person)

This book fits in really well with the tropes of second-chance romance and fake dating; the writing is very wholesome. I think Braylon could've been fleshed out better because the focus was mainly on Denz and I'd like to have seen more of Braylon and his character arc. Apart from reading the unique combination of fake dating with an ex (something I don't think I've read before and was intrigued by), the family interactions take center-stage in my opinion. I found this to be a highly engaging read and there's little I can complain about, so I recommend it!

It took me far longer than I like to get through this book because of life's business, but the story was a super charming second chance romance.

Denzel (not that one) and Brayden were college sweethearts whose romance ended due to Brayden moving to England and Denz moving to Atlanta. Neither really let the other go and that is clear from page 1. The find their way back together and fake dating madness ensues. There are wild family dynamics and crazy Auties thorughout the book that were all a bit overwhelming and irritating at times, but that was also the point.

I loved the banter and the heart of this book and will definitely read more by Julian Winters.

Julian Winters has been one of my favorite YA authors for years and needless to say, I was more than a little excited to read his adult debut, I THINK THEY LOVE YOU. I loved it every bit as much as I thought I would and I can't wait to read what he does next. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advance copy!

- M/M
- Second Chance
- Sweet, Spicy, AND plays with your emotions
- Fake Dating
- Learning to be who you are instead of what you think you’re supposed to be

This is, quite literally, the BEST rom-com I’ve read in such a long time. The characters were lovable—real, witty, smart, flawed—and the problems they faced and bonds they held together had me both crying my eyes out and laughing all at the same time! The conflicts felt real and had my heart aching, the spice had me giggling and kicking my feet, and the wholesome parts had me clutching my pearls because I wanted the best for them! Denzel and Braylon have to be the best second chance romance I’ve ever read! And the family aspects were so amazing, because it wasn’t just about romantic love, but familial and platonic love as well! I wouldn’t change a single thing about this book, it was absolutely 10/10 amazing!!

P.S all the references to marvel & rom-com movies were just so so so cute!!! UGH HOW CAN ONE BOOK BE SO PERFECT!?

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’ Press for the ARC!

This romance novel was cute, spicy, and full of early 20’s relationship and career angst.

Things I loved in this story:
- The BIPOC characters
- Complex family/sibling dynamics
- MC Denz was funny, relatable, and had a great internal monologue
- The business of high-society event planning is a fun setting for drama
- Denz’s sister was fantastic
- The fact that Bray kept making French toast grilled cheeses (which I now need to attempt myself)

Things I didn’t love as much:
- The fake dating trope didn’t actually seem necessary or believable for the plot
- The characterization of Braylon never really made him feel like a real person to me. It felt like something was missing with him, and I could never really put my finger on why!
- Braylon somehow acquired an English accent after living in the UK for only like two years after university?!

Overall enjoyable, 3.5 stars from me.

I'll read anything Julian Winters writes! Hope to see more adult romances from him and can't wait to see what's next.

I love love love this book! 'I Think They Love You' is a queer second-chance fake-dating romance, and it is simply amazing. The characters had great development and realistic relationships with one another. Dent's growth in particular was so well-written. All of the characters are flawed but they love each other anyway, and that's what makes it so beautiful. I cannot wait for Winters's next book.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"I Think They Love You" is a poignant and insightful exploration of modern relationships, identity, and self-discovery. The author skillfully navigates the complexities of love, especially through the lens of technology and social media, offering a fresh perspective on how connections are formed in the digital age. The characters are relatable and well-developed, each grappling with their own desires and insecurities. The pacing is steady, though some sections feel a bit repetitive. Despite this, the writing is sharp and reflective, making it an engaging read. Overall, it’s a thoughtful and emotionally resonant novel that will resonate with fans of contemporary fiction.