I have been WAITING for Julian Winters' adult romance debut and gosh!!!!!!! What a way to storm onto the scene of a new genre. This was so much fun!!! I love the fake boyfriend trope so so much, and this was such an incredible take. Looking forward to more from Julian!!! Would literally read his grocery lists, thank you.

Oh my gosh this book was so good!!! I fell hard for Denz. His struggle to find his place in the world was very relatable and I was rooting so hard for him to find it. I loved all the conversations about how being a gay Black man added extra pressure to Denz and made the bar for success that much higher. It was a joy watching Denz and Braylon fall into old patterns as they were fake dating and I was very invested to see how these new versions of themselves would work it out. The main obstacle to their relationship was painfully realistic and I felt for both of them as they struggled to find a path forward that made sense for both of them. It was ultimately so satisfying to see them both find a way to make their relationship work while still honoring who they were individually. That is peak romance to me. Their banter was fabulous and the chemistry was off the charts. Not only were the two main characters compelling enough to steal my heart, I also fell for the side characters. I'm particularly invested in Jamie and I hope he gets his own book soon. If you love fake dating romcoms definitely pick this one up!!

DNF--Usually I love Julian Winters' books, but this one jumped back and forth too much in the beginning, both in place and time, without connecting up. What with the crappy news getting crappier, the LA fires, and the rest of it, I needed a more linear read.. So I won't be reviewing this one online.

I've had my eye on this book for a minute, so thank you so much to Saint Martin's Press for sending me an ARC!

For the fans of second chance romances, fake dating, believing in yourself and working through career struggles, this is for you. Fun fact: I am actually NOT a second chance romance fan BUUUUUT I've had my eye on this book for a while because the concept sounded so, so great to me. While I don't dip my toes into this trope often, books like this have me swooning over a second chance romance storyline.

When Denz has the chance to prove himself to his father to be promoted to CEO of their family business, he grabs the opportunity to prove that he is a serious person. The only problem is he lied about having a boyfriend, then proceeds to convince his ex that broke his heart to pretend to date him. Thus commences a story filled with the complications that come with your first love, figuring out what you want in life and how to not be terrified of it all.

While this was my introduction to the writing of Julian Winters, I was here for every part of it. I loved the storytelling component of this entire book and while yes, it is a romance book, it is also a story about family and figuring out how to just be a human. Winters walks his readers through the experience of being a queer Black man in all its complexities and balances out the heavier plot points with humor and tenderness. I really loved how different Denz and Braylon were and how we get a lot of insight into why each of them are the way they are. I loved Denz's family and every bit of complexity his relationship with them added to this story - within that, this book could be triggering for some depending on your own relationship with your family, so be mindful.

All in all, this book contains multitudes, and I absolutely loved it. I cannot recommend it enough, and I'm so excited to read more from Julian Winters.

'I Think They Love You' by Julian Winters is a second chance romance set in the world of event planning. Denz has fallen into a workaholic lifestyle working for his family's event planning business. He runs into his ex-boyfriend and enlists him to be his fake boyfriend so Denz can prove to his family that he's responsible enough to take over the family business.

It's a fun, open door romance, with flashbacks to the college relationship of the main characters. It encourages the reader to explore familial expectations, as well as assess their own goals. I enjoyed the large cast of characters, family, and found family.

Thank you to Julian Winters and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of 'I Think They Love You.'

Julian Winters is such a fun writer, and I know I can always count on him to create a unique, reflective love story with a creative diverse cast. His first foray until adult books is no exception.

In "I Think They Love You," Denz has worked hard to prove himself to his family with the hopes of someday taking over the successful 24 Carter Gold after his father retires. But when his meddling aunts imply that maybe he isn't mature enough for the role because of his lack of relationship, he manages to stumble his way into a mutually beneficial fake dating situation with his ex who broke up with him brutally a few years back. Denz can look like a responsible adult to his family, and his ex, Braylon, can prove himself to his boss through 24 Carter Gold's connections.

Over the course of the story, we get to watch as Denz evolves out of his self-absorbed ways into a genuinely caring, responsible young adult as he falls back in love with Braylon and discovers the truth of what he wants for himself and his life. It does take a while to get a grasp on Braylon, since we're stuck entirely in Denz's PoV and trying to figure out what happened to cause their falling out, but he makes for a great love interest. The cast of secondary characters are all also lovely - especially his sister and assorted relatives/coworkers!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

I Think They Love You follows Denz Carter, son of a workaholic CEO, as he impulsively lies about a rekindled relationship with his ex in an attempt to convince his family that he is capable of taking up his father's mantle.

As far as romance novels go, this one was just the right amount of cute and heartfelt! Denz was a bit of a frustrating lead character, but that made it all the more fulfilling to watch him grow and change over the course of the novel. The rom com vibes were immaculate, never too focused on the Serious parts of the plot to feel like a drag, but never flippant or silly, either. I'm always a fan of fake dating, and always a fan of second chance romance, so this scratched both those itches for me. Outside of Denz, I think the supporting characters -- especially Braylon -- could have used a bit more fleshing out, and I would've been willing to trade at least one of the spicy scenes for some more solid character work. I also would've liked a pace that felt a bit more fluid -- there were some clunky moments -- but overall my gripes with this read are generally minimal, and I had a really fun time. I'll definitely be diving into some more Julian Winters in the near future!

What can go wrong with fake dating, second chance romance, family drama and we can't forget to mention there's only one bed for Denz and Braylon.
I initially feared the story might feel tense and stressful, given that it revolves around Denz's quest to become the next CEO of his family’s company. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much warmer and more supportive his family was than I expected—despite their intensity. The story balanced its high-stakes setting with plenty of humor, and the writing had a fun, romcom vibe that made the book a joy to read.

Denz was a compelling main character, and I really enjoyed watching his growth—from someone who’s initially pretty self-absorbed to someone who becomes more considerate and thoughtful toward others. The romance was another highlight; I’m a sucker for second-chance love stories, and the chemistry between Denz and his love interest had some truly sweet, heartfelt moments.

That said, I do wish Braylon had been more fleshed out. By the end, I still didn’t feel like I knew him as well as I would’ve liked. I think the story would’ve benefited from a dual POV to give more insight into his character and perspective.

This review is my opinion and my opinion only.
Julian Winters is a new to me author, and I’m glad I gave this story a chance. The story is engaging and I had a hard time putting the story away. The quality of writing is amazing. Julian Winters knows how to pull you into the story.
This story is a second chance/fake boyfriend. Denz and Braylon were together in college, but had to break up, Years later, they accidentally ran into each other at a coffee shop. Denz told his family that his playboy ways was over and he had a serious relationship. Braylon agreed to be his fake boyfriend. What happened next? You need to read the book!
I really enjoyed the story!

I couldn’t put this down! For his adult debut, Julian Winters gives us a second chance romance with so much chemistry and the perfect amount of angst - I was rooting so hard for Denz + Braylon!! I loved what Denz had to learn and define for himself and seeing these two fake date themselves into realizing that maybe their feelings never disappeared did things to my January heart. I also loved getting a queer black story by a black author!

Denz’s family created a premier event company in Atlanta and he has always felt uncomfortable being in the direct spotlight. He used the four years of college to get out of the limelight and to his surprise fell in love and then got his heart broken. It is five years later and he is working hard at keeping his distance from a real personal life. His father’s retirement announcement shakes things up and helps him figure out the important things in life.

I don’t read nearly enough queer romance considering it’s one of my favourite genres. There were a lot of things I enjoyed about this one, and overall, it gave me those wonderful warm, fuzzy feelings that you can only get from a romance book.

I loved the exploration of finding out who you are and where your home is. As someone who’s moved around her entire life and is not remotely secure in her current living situation, moving scares the hell out of me. So it was nice to read about the idea of finding your place in the world.

I also loved Denz and Braylon. Their chemistry was perfect, and I loved both of their personalities. And all of the side characters were amazing too!

Unfortunately, the main thing I didn’t like about this one was how slow it felt. My ratings are mainly based on vibes and how I feel while I’m reading, and I often felt like I was just trying to get through the book. This brought down the rating for me.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for my gifted copy!

This book was such a treat! I Think They Love You delivers a swoon-worthy queer romance packed with ALL the best tropes—second chance romance, fake dating, only one bed—and every single one is executed so well.

Denz and Braylon’s journey of rediscovery is filled with longing, tension, and so much heart. Their chemistry crackles on the page, making every moment—whether tender, messy, or downright hilarious—feel completely immersive. I had so much fun tagging along as they navigated old wounds, new feelings, and the undeniable pull between them.

With vibrant characters, beautifully written emotions, and a story that balances depth with pure rom-com joy, this book is a must-read for romance lovers. Highly recommend!

I Think They Love You is a heartfelt story about finding yourself in the midst of reconnecting with the love of your life under less than ideal circumstances. Our main character Denz is tired of being seen as irresponsible and flighty by his family so when his father announces his retirement in an effort to prove to himself and his family he throws his hat into the ring. During this time he also announces to his family his imaginary long term boyfriend. Whoops.

When his original plan for a fake boyfriend falls through life throws him a lifeline or curveball according to Denz by having his ex, Braylon, that conveniently broke his heart, is the right place at the wrong time. The two make a deal for mutual help over the next couple of months but falling back in love with one another was clearly inevitable.

There’s plenty of character building, romance, and hilarious moments to keep you interested. Overall a super cute second chance, fake dating, rom com right in time for Valentine’s Day. 🥰

thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for a eARC of this story in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5 ⭐

Big thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Let’s start with the main character, Denz - because, well, he kind of drove me up the wall. He had major “I can do it” energy but lacked the follow-through, which made it frustrating to watch him fumble through situations that felt solvable. His whoa is me attitude didn’t help, especially considering he had a pretty good life. Maybe I’m projecting, but when the story revealed why his ex left him for London… I was completely on the ex’s side. It felt like an issue that could’ve been fixed, yet Denz chose to wallow instead.

Bray (sorry, BrayLON- as he insists) was a bright spot. He had a good head on his shoulders and felt like his own person, rather than just a love interest. I actually cared about his success, whereas the rest of the story felt inconsequential.

One thing that didn’t quite work for me was the rushed timeline. Maybe it’s because I’ve planned big events before, but it felt like assignments were given, and bam—next chapter, the event was happening. The pacing made it hard to feel fully immersed in the process. That said, I did enjoy the fake dating aspect, especially with the added twist of fake dating the one that got away. It brought a fresh take to a classic trope.

Overall, while this book wasn’t for me, I can see its appeal - strong themes of family, sex positivity, and LGBTQIA+ representation will definitely resonate with many readers. But without a connection to Denz, I struggled to stay invested.

Unfortunately, this one lands at 2.5 stars for me. Thanks again to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read it early!

A Really cute and adorable love story. I think they Love You pulls you in from the first page and it's impossible not to love this one.

Julian Winters writing is really fresh and captivating and readers definitely will enjoy the story. Highly Recommend it to all readers.

A wonderful Adult romance where fake dating for ex's brings them back together. Actual character growth is a must for me in second chance romances and this one did it perfectly. BIPOC characters, heart, banter and steam make this the complete package.

2 Stars—A book that will work for a lot of people, but I am unfortunately not one of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing me with an ARC of “I Think They Love You” by Julian Winters in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a basic romance that’s heavy on the tropes and light on everything else, this will probably make a good, easy read. However, I struggled to get into it, and I struggled to get through it. And now, having finally made it to the end, I’m struggling to find something to say about it.

For all intents and purposes, it's a perfectly serviceable romcom with a ridiculous (and I mean that in the best of ways) premise, a big quirky cast of friends and family, and some cavity-inducing sweetness to balance the spicy scenes. But this is one of those adult books that reads like YA in everything from the way the dialogue works to the tone of the narration (I haven't read anything by Winters before, but I'm not surprised to find out that he's known for his YA fiction). While this kind of thing works for a lot of readers, I just wasn't charmed by the writing and couldn't get invested in Denz and Braylon's story.

Absolutely adored this book!! It's sweet, funny and spicy story about second chances, fake dating , working for a family business and finding your way in life. Highly recommend this book.

There's a lot going on in this M/M second chance romance novel: the main character, Denz, is trying to impress his meddling family so he can become CEO of the family event-planning company. I thought I'd enjoy the professional and family plotlines, but they didn't add up.

Probably because Denz - disorganized, anxious, and delusional about his own abilities - wasn't a character I particularly liked or rooted for, and his family was aggressively awful to each other most of the time. The bright spots were Braylon, the cinnamon roll love interest with a misplaced British accent, and Kami, Denz's girlboss sister who doesn't let anything slow her down.

3.5 stars? 4 stars? I don't know. I rolled my eyes at Denz just about every paragraph, but I also kept turning pages.