imagine my fave trope (fake dating) and least fave trope (second chances) come together to make the perfect rom com. I enjoyed this story line so much. There were so many heartfelt serious scenes. And the steam was coming off these pages. The MCs were likable and relatable. I enjoy a plot with black excellence. This is my first read by this author but not my last.

It was really sweet to see this as Julian Winters' adult debut. I've always thought that their other books were so sweet but lacking a bit of connection for me as an adult. Though I do love YA, it was so refreshing to read a favorite author in a genre I felt I could connect to more.

Although modern books are not really my favorite genre, Winters just takes so much care with their characters, I would read them in any scenario.

this was a cute second chance romance with fake dating, lgbtq+, and a very prominent family dynamic.

in this book you follow our two mmc’s Denz and Braylon. they had previously dated in college when Braylon was going back to Europe and didn’t even give Denz the chance to go with him. then flash forward to the present, Denz is up for the CEO position of his family’s company, 24 Carter Gold, and none of his relatives thought he was settled down enough to take over, so he blurts out that he has a boyfriend and the lies just spiral from there. he originally intended to bring his best friend in when he has a run in with his ex and they decide to fake date as a mutually beneficial arrangement.

i really enjoyed the dual timeline, however, i would’ve appreciated a little more clarification on when the timelines were switching because it would be different chapters, but occasionally, i couldn’t tell if it was the past or present.

i also really enjoyed the side characters, they felt like an actual family which is what they were written as which was very nice. they had the sibling bickering down pat😂

i also enjoyed the characters, however, the lack of communication really started to bother me after a while. they would say one thing and do another. i can understand the parts that were there for tensions sake, but come on guys, did you learn nothing from the first go around?

all in all, if you’re looking for a sweet, a touch of spicy, MM romance focusing heavily on growing their romance rather than just lust, i would definitely recommend this!

This book has fake dating & a second chance romance in this same relationship! It’s almost too good to be true! The only thing I didn’t like is all the miscommunication. Can we please get a romance novel that doesn’t rely on that overused trope?

For some reason, despite really looking forward to reading this book, I simply couldn't get into it and ad a hard time finishing it. Frankly, I think this was entirely my fault and not due to the book, as I like the premise of it and found myself laughing and really appreciating the charaters. I am actually looking forward to giving it another go when I'm in the mood to read a nice romance.

I Think They Love You is a sweet second-chance romance set in Atlanta. I loved that the conflict and resolution between the characters felt realistic. It made sense to me that the characters would break up when they went different ways after college but then find their way back to each other.

Denz's character arc was my favorite part. He changes a lot throughout the book, and it's satisfying to watch him grow. While his relationship with his family isn't perfect, I enjoyed getting to know them as side characters.

I'm excited to read more from Julian Winters, and hope he keeps writing adult romances.

✨ Review ✨ I Think They Love You by Julian Winters; Narrated by André Santana

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, St. Martin's Griffin and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

After dating in college, Denz and Braylon cross paths again - Denz is trying to earn a bid for CEO of 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning business and Braylon is trying to grow the LGBTQ nonprofit he works for. They decide to fake date to help both achieve professional success, and they start falling for each other again.

Second chance is one of my least favorite tropes but this one really worked for me. I like that they had a chance to learn and grow and experience life for a bit before their lives crossed again.

I loved the range -- swanky parties and more down-to-earth outreach via Braylon's nonprofit; fancy clothes and french toast grilled cheeses.

The only thing I didn't buy was that Braylon was gone for a few years and now had a British accent that he couldn't part with lol.

🎧 The audio narration was great -- with distinct characters built around both Denz and Braylon's voices! The flashbacks were a little jarring via audio sometimes, but overall, I enjoyed listening to it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Setting: Atlanta
Length: 10 hours 49 minutes
Pub Date: Jan 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ second chance
⭕️ LGBTQ+ characters
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ swanky events and fashion

This was my first book by Winters, so I didn't have any expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised. Both main characters were lovable and one of the best second chance romances out there.

This was really cute.
I am not a big fan of second chance romances because the original break up is usually over something ridiculous.
This one though?
I get it and I am here for the redemption!
Add in some fake dating and I was practically salivating.
Denz & Braylon were everything for me and then the author threw in some entertaining family drama and my heart nearly exploded.
I will 100% be looking for more from Julian Winters!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

This book was written very well, and the characters all felt like real people going through real problems. The story is cute and sweet and feels similar to a Hallmark movie. The jokes were funny and the relationships both romantic and platonic felt genuine and were really fun to read.

I love a second chance romance. Add in a fake dating storyline, and I am set. I Think They Love You by Julian Winters is a swoony rom-com that gives multiple levels of representation. I enjoyed Winters foray into adult fiction.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This book was ok but I thought it would have been even better if it was Dual POV! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thanks to St Martins Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

Denz and Braylon are so adorable in this second chance romance between two men who were college sweethearts. Denz is trying to land the CEO job for his family business when he runs in to Braylon and right away, its like very little has changed.

This was a fun and adorable book and I love how Denz and Braylon pick up the pieces of their lost relationship. They were so cute and it was great to watch them go from fake dating to real understanding.

This one was cute but it left much to be desired. I feel like a lot of contemporary romances these days are missing the yearning and the chemistry part of the romance so it feels like it’s cute but that’s all.

I loved that this was a second chance romance. This was fun and had likeable characters. Nothing stood out too much to me though.

Thank you to SMP Romance for the free book. These opinions are my own.

I adored both Denz and Braylon so much. This book is a second chance romance. The two of them were serious in college, but Braylon moved away to work in England. Now he's back, and the two enter a pact to fake date and help each other's careers.

I think this book showed the pressures of becoming an adult and moving into your own role separate from your parents so incredibly well. Denz and Braylon were both so authentic, and their struggles were so relatable. I also loved getting to know Denz's family, especially his adorable nephew.

I loved Denz and Braylon together and kept rooting for them throughout.

Most of all, I am so grateful for a book the celebrates safe queer spaces for youths. Braylon's job working with LGBTQ youth was inspirational.

I'm planning to read more from Julian Winters and am so glad I read this.

4.25 stars

This was a fun time and I can definitely see this being one of a lot of people’s favourite books. But, sadly this just wasn’t the book for me. The banter was good I just had a hard time caring about the characters.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"Denz stared back. It was that careful, curious gaze only queer people know. The one used in public when you’re deciding if the other person is trustworthy. If entering their space is safe."

“What’s horny, Uncle Denzie?”
"A triceratops.”

"I loved you all through college. Loved you when you left. Damn it, I loved you even after you broke my heart.”

It's all there. The tightrope every queer person walks in a public place. The fear. The uncertainty. The hope. Then there's the comedy. Dad jokes that make you groan and laugh. At last there's the romance. The swoony moments, the heartbreak, the passion, the chemistry, the sexy banter, the sacrifices and the love.

You get it all in the sweet and spicy I Think They Love You with the creatively funny, yet very smooth writing from author Julian Winters.

Denz fell in love with Braylon in college but father issues for both of them led to a break up. Now Denz is trying to convince his Dad that he can take over their firm. To prove his commitment he tells him he has a steady boyfriend. Through a series of mishaps Braylon is back in his life and, since Braylon needs Denz's connections for his non profit job, and Denz needs a boyfriend, they fake it.

What makes this second chance, fake dating RomCom special is the couple's sexuality is never an issue for their families. The disconnect is their own fears and self doubt.

I read and listened to the book. Voice actor Andre Santana's vulnerability throughout this love story grabbed my heart. It also made the love scenes more sensual.

If you enjoy witty banter, nosy Aunties, adorable nephews, sincere story telling and sensual love making I think you will love this queer RomCom.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have really enjoyed Julian Winters' YA novels and I really enjoyed this first foray into adult fiction. The characters were all relatable and their internal struggles felt very real. I love Winters' writing style, and always find it immensely readable. The only thing that personally put me off a bit was the wealth of the family and society that the story revolved around, and that is because I identify more with a less affluent class, and I simply can't relate to that level of wealth and power.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a really cute romance! I loved Denz, his family, and Braylon! The family dynamics were fun, but also realistic, and I enjoyed the family business part of the story. I liked that several characters had moments of true vulnerability, showing that we are all human and have more in common than we are different. Overall, it was a great story with a satisfying ending and I will be checking out more of this author’s work!