Although illustrated covers aren’t my thing, this one gave me pause. Also, the title opened my curiosity, so when I started reading I Think They Love You; the unexpected joy I had from chapter one onwards meant this well-written story got my full attention.

The protagonists share history and present as circumstances would have it, begin to fake-date. This could lead to a second chance; however, Denzel aka Denz hasn’t forgotten what happened years back and is not only trying to be cavalier about opening himself up to love again but also super busy proving his worth to his father–the possibility of taking his place as CEO in the family-run company.

There are a couple of things that I truly liked. Denz is far from perfect; but relatably frustrating, lovable and hot. And despite having a memory like a sieve, he manages to come out smiling roses. The competitiveness between his sister for the position never felt exaggerated, her generosity bowling me over. Who, on earth, lends a hand when there is so much at stake? Has she got the comeuppance on him? Read and you’ll find out.

The Carter family dynamics are exceptionally well put together. They are, in brackets, protective of their own even though there were a few long faces when Denz presented his once-upon-a-time boyfriend, they accept Braylon with open arms. Food for thought. These two’s attraction is so well described that how could some family members ever realise it wasn’t just a farce?

I had a few issues connecting to Braylon. I felt his distance; most probably because his voice was missing. That said, his British connotations were something that the author could have refined a tad because I for one, (Brit through and through) don’t speak like this; but hey-ho, it’s all about the story which is original if not entirely queer!

Great banter, laugh-out-loud scenes and steaminess bound, but the third act threw me. This easy-to-read love story with all its sprinkling of drama is a must-one-click. Bravo to the author who brought home the importance of family balance, forgiveness and a storyline twist which was perfectly construed.

This book was so good!

The writing was superb, the seamless jumps back in time, moved the story along without making it clunky, and goodness did I love Denz and Braylon.

This is a second chance romance, with faking dating, and real big feelings. I teared up multiple times while reading, but I was smiling twice as much.

The secondary characters were amazing, and really brought this book to life. Overall this was a really enjoyable read!

Julian Winters is one of the kings of queer YA romances. So I was excited to read his first queer adult romance, and I was just delighted with I THINK THEY LOVE YOU. ♥️

Julian admits to being obsessed with rom coms, and it shows in this book. His narrator and main character, Denzel Carter, makes regular references to rom com movies, in particular to his very special WTN (Will Thacker Nights) - swoony movie nights with his best friend, Jamie. I just loved how much this book gushes over NOTTING HILL (in which Hugh Grant plays Will Thacker, WTN VIP) and THE PROPOSAL and others - and makes many other modern references, too, like the hellscape that is FB and the youthful joy that is MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO to the hottest Jonas brother (Nick ofc) to the new millennium’s Nicholas Cage (Adam Driver) iykyk - hey I don’t make the rules, but I agree with the pop culture rules of Denzel Carter. 💕

In this romcom, Denzel is the social media manager of his family’s very successful Atlanta event production business, 24 Carter Gold. It’s a high-pressure operation, but Denz is very good at his job, as is his sister, Kami (an events manager), and his cousins and his aunts and his mother and his father. The big wrinkle is that the patriarch has announced his early retirement and seems to have pitted Denzel and Kami, an unflappable genius, against each other in an event production competition, of sorts. Does Denzel really want it, though? Does Kami, for that matter? What can go wrong? 🎈

Part of the problem is that most of his family doesn’t take Denzel seriously, so his work is cut out for him, and he decides he needs a fake boyfriend to show everyone that he can be serious and successful. Enter Bray, Denz’s ex, back from London (five years after he had abandoned Denz for a job there) and in a new job at an LGBTQ+ youth center, where he’s program director. Bray - who now seemingly snootily goes by Braylon and drinks TEA - also needs Denzel’s help, as Denz has connections with high-powered philanthropists. What could go wrong? 🥰

Well, plenty, of course. Braylon needs to get back in the Carter family’s good graces, because they hate what he did to Denz. Denz needs to bring his A+ game to outshine his sister, and this all occurs in the context of Black professionals in the business and non-profit worlds who have to be five steps ahead of their competition because, well, the racism that does, indeed, exist in this world - oh, and in the real world. 💔

It’s a complex set of circumstances, and it doesn’t all play out as you’d expect, but it is, at its core, a lovely rom com. It’s funny, it’s poignant, it’s sweet, it’s sexy, it’s surprising, it’s bittersweet, it’s painful, it’s family, it’s love. 💖

This is a wonderful contemporary romance featuring our hero, struggling to know himself personally and professionally and to understand if his ex is (again) right for him; a strong and no-nonsense family; messy situations; second chances; fabulous side characters; and, yes, a lovely ending. 💞

The best love stories are always complicated, but they are so, so worth it. 💝

This was a good mm romance with some laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt emotions, and a pinch of spice. I enjoyed the fake dating and one-bed tropes and the spice delivered. Denz and Bray’s journey from exes to fake boyfriends—and maybe something more—was sweet and had its share of swoon-worthy moments (that "9 and 1" line from Bray? 🫠).

Denz’s family was a major highlight of the story. The family group chat and the aunties brought humor and energy to the book. The side characters truly shone, sometimes even more than the main couple. Kami’s big moment near the end was a satisfying payoff!

However, the pacing dragged in the middle, and I found myself skimming chapters to get to the resolution. While Denz and Bray’s chemistry was charming, I felt the story would’ve been more engaging with a dual POV.

This was my first book by Julian Winters, and overall, it was a solid read. If you love fake dating, second chances, and fun family dynamics, this might be worth checking out!

**Spice rating:** 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

**Overall rating:** ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thanks to NetGalley, SMP, and Dreamscape Media for the advance copies of the ebook and audiobook. I ended up preferring the ebook for the quicker pacing!

This is a rom-com lover’s dream. Sweetly predictable and a joy to watch their journey back to each other. I just adore Denz in all his chaos, from ghosting the barista at his favorite coffee spot to messing up at work and trying so hard to prove himself despite everyone doubting him no matter how hard he succeeds. But mostly, thinking he can fool his tight-knit family into believing the lies he tells them–and himself–about his first love, Braylon. The flashbacks to college years are bittersweet, as is reconnecting with Braylon and learning just how lonely he’s been and how he gets by with ties to the queer community. It’s got the comfort of the fake dating trope but with the depth of complex characters. One of my favorites by Julian Winters.

Julian Winters was already an auto-buy author for me, but I THINK THEY LOVE YOU just solidifies it, with a hilarious, hot, and delightful adult debut. This book focuses in on Denz and his close-knit family and their family business, and the intense pressure that comes with the desire to please your parents—and losing sight of yourself in the process.
Celebrity (adjacent) is one of my favorite tropes combinations in the fake-dating category, second only to second-chance, and this book has BOTH. I consumed this book faster than Denz and Braylon can consume a grilled cheese french toast.
Mandatory read for romcom lovers!

Denz runs into his ex in the ultimate meet-cute. Then when he desperately needs a fake boyfriend to impress his family, who just happens to walk by?

I was laughing and shaking my head at Denz when he runs into Braylon after a few years apart after their breakup. Talk about having a bad day. Oi Vey!

There are many funny moments in I Think They Love You. Julian Winters nicely balances the drama of self-identity and family pressures with humor. The struggle of being “good enough” I think is one that everyone can identify with and how it can touch so many areas in our lives. The author brings forth every bit of drama from Denz, he can be a little dramatic (chuckle). There are painful moments as you can only have with family. Plus, the chuckles that family dysfunction can only bring.

I think the only real issue I have here is how much Braylon has changed. He only went to London for two years and everything from his accent to all of the food tastes changed. Now, I know people grow. But I have lived all over due to the military and my accent did not change in such a dramatic way. (They met five years ago. They were together for a year. Brayon has been back working in Atlanta for a year. His father died two years ago, and he left London shortly after his death. Sooooo…that makes his stay in London only two years, right?)

I love the secondary cast of characters. Family drama can be hysterical, and Denz’s family brings it. In saying this, I really want to read Jordan and Jamie’s romance. Jamie is a hoot and holler and all I can picture is a good time.

This romance is a winner for me. It has everything: romance, steam, humor, realistic story, great characters, and a happy ending. I think you’ll love this book.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Firstly, thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book. Second chance romances are always tricky, and to make it more complex is when it's a single POV. I spent the whole time as confused as Denz about what Braylon was thinking with his actions? I do also love a loud family that is supportive and scary, which is totally the Carter family. This book left me with some questions at the end about certain plot points but it is undeniable the spark between them. I also loved the references to all the rom come and omg Jamie. He needs a book of his own. And maybe some sweatpants action. I love me some sweatpants that don't hide one's true feelings.... Or lust. Same same. I do have to say that I wasn't fully invested in Denz as a character. I am not sure why it is, but maybe because his denial was so huge I didn't quite identify with him and his situation. Also, I found the title a bit confusing, first thinking that maybe it was due to pronouns of one of the MCs, but it didn't seem to have much bearing on the plot itself. In any case, it was an enjoyable read.

Steam: 🔥🔥
Heart flutters: ❤️❤️

Julian Winters wrote such a beautiful second chance romance. Denz is such a beautifully flawed human, and, when he runs into his ex Bray again, he’s trying to figure out who exactly this man is now that years have passed. They fake a relationship to prove how serious Denz is as a person to his family, and the rest is history. So many raw, real emotions across the entire spectrum were written on the page in honestly one of the most perfect ways. The epilogue was a fantastic wrap up, and the last line is my favorite.

Here’s a winning second chance, fake dating romance featuring two BIPOC gay men, a big, opinionated family (with gossipy aunts), one bed, super spice, and some really fun banter. It was so addictive and I couldn’t put it down.

Denzel Carter, only son to the CEO of the wildly successful party planning service, 24 Carter Gold, Kenneth Carter, who just announced his retirement. So, of course, Denz puts his name in the running to be considered for his replacement…as does his sister, Kamila.

But while he knows his family loves him, he’s always been seen as the fun and less serious sibling. He knows he needs to prove himself, and in a fit of stupidity, claims he’s in a committed relationship. Then, in a mixup of romcom proportions, Denz ends up asking his one true love - who ghosted him years ago after graduation when he went to London for a job - to be his fake boyfriend.

Cue the confusion and misunderstandings. Also the meddling aunties and the family group text.

Braylon agrees in the hopes that he can get some help for his new venture, the one that brought him back to Atlanta, an LGBTQIA+ teen center.

The two make an agreement and so a fake dating relationship begins.

While this doesn’t introduce anything revolutionary, there’s a lot that works. The growth Denz shows is notable. Starting out somewhat immature and self absorbed, he faces a lot of what he believes are shortcomings to realize he deserves happiness and the opportunity to find it outside his family. And Braylon and Denz are sweet together. I loved Bray’s texted dad jokes and the shyness he showed when things got physical. It’s a tender romance that also addresses what it’s like to be a queer man of color in the world.

I’ve not read any of Winters’ YA books, but I’m happy to report this feels like a fully adult romance (which can’t be said of all YA authors who try to transition).

It has such a big heart!

It was terrific and I’m hoping that what seemed like a set up for a second book featuring Jacob and Jamie happens because I’d read the heck out of that one, too.

I Think They Love You (pub. date January 28, 2025) is Julian Winters' adult rom-com debut, and it's lovely. Winters has written many YA novels, including Right Where I Left You, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and several others that I need to get to.

Told from the perspective of Denz, whose Instagram is "notthatdenzel" and who is the only son of the Carter family, which runs the Atlanta event-planning business 24 Carter Gold. He specializes in social media and promotion, while his older sister Kami is a driven event planner. They are put into competition with each other when their father announces his retirement, and wants to give family a shot at CEO before bringing in someone from the outside. His family, including aunties, who are all part of the family business, don't think he's serious enough for the job, as he's been enjoying his mid-20s life of no strings and too many lemon martinis, after his ex Bray went to London after graduation because he couldn't wait for Denz to make up his mind about coming along.

They run into each other at a coffee shop, Denz already late with a task for the company that was his responsibility, and he finds out that Bray is back in Atlanta, goes by Braylon now, his father passed away, and he's executive director of a LGBTQ+ youth center. Bray needs a favor from Denz to get more funding for the center, and Denz needs a fake boyfriend to show his family he can be serious, until the CEO position is decided.

And so begins their second chance romance. Winters fleshes out their first relationship, which lasted most of college, through flashbacks, but the second one is satisfying all by itself, without their shared history. They set up rules and a timeline, which of course get broken by mutual consent.

It is super-cute, funny, and the spicy scenes are hot. I loved the supporting characters--Denz's best friend Jamie, sisters Kami and Nic, Denz's parents, aunties, and cousins. I suspect a follow-up book possibility for a couple of characters.

It was completely weight-neutral. There were no negative descriptions of body size, as I've come to expect from Julian Winters, as Right Where I Left You was explicitly fat-positive.

I found this book to be a fun, entertaining, and low angst read! The author did a great job of incorporating all the classic elements I associate with second chance romance and faking dating without seeming predictable or boring.

I think second chance romances can be difficult to get right, since the whatever caused the past break-up needs to simultaneously be severe enough to justify a break-up and also something small enough that it can realistically be forgiven and overcome. I thought the author hit the balance well!

Denz has a big family, and I enjoyed reading about his relationship with his siblings and extended family. Braylon (the love interest) is so loveable and cute.

Highlights:
- set in Georgia
- fake dating
- second chance romance
- event planner x non-profit employee

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy! You can pick up I Think They Like You on January 28, 2025.

I absolutely adored this fake dating, second-chance queer romance! Julian Winters proves once again that he's the king of writing these hilarious, relatable romance stories full of love, laughter, and a bit of heartache.

Denzel "Denz" Carter has spent his whole life trying to live up to the expectations of his chaotic, successful family. He's constantly working to prove himself (even after a few mishaps) and show that he could take over as CEO of the family business from his dad one day. Part of showing his seriousness? Being in a serious relationship. Enter Braylon, his ex who left him for London 5 years ago (and who happened to be in the right place at the right time when Denz told his family about his new "relationship"). As the two work out a mutually beneficial deal to fake date, we see them fall in love all over again as adults, finding the same grooves they familiarized themselves with in college while exploring new ones.

Denz and Braylon's love story was the perfect mixture of sweet and sexy, and I also really appreciated the emphasis on family relationships as well. We see Denz's ties to his sisters, parents, aunties, and more grow and change throughout the story. This is a book just as much about familial love as romantic.

All in all, if you love fake dating and second-chance romance, this is your book!

4,5 stars

Second chance fake dating your ex? Yes please! This story really tackled the struggle between familial expectations and what one actually wants out of life. Denz thought what his family wanted from him and what the world expected of him was what he had to want himself. It wasn’t until Braylon re-enters his life and almost leaves without him again that he finally allows himself to decide his own path. Braylon made a tough decision 5 years ago based on his dad’s advice to leave Denz behind. But was London even what he wanted? Now his father is gone and he’s pursuing a career in non-profits back in Atlanta. As these two reconnect, they have to come to terms with the heartbreak they both experienced while falling back in love with someone who is fundamentally different than they were in college. A lovely story of growth and first love. I do wish we had gotten Braylon’s POV though be ause I wanted to see even more of his personality and growth.

The audiobook narrator was great and even had different voices for Bray and Braylon which was great and easier to differentiate between past and present (because written, it wasn’t always clear when we went back to the present time). I do wonder if the British accent was too strong for only living there for 4 years.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC and ALC!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Fake dating, second chance romance. I liked both of the main characters and loved the sister. The love story between the two MMCs felt very realistic to me, including the breakup when they graduated from college. They both never stopped loving each other and it was obvious to everyone!

Honestly the only thing that I really didn't like about this book was the fact that Braylon moved to London after graduating from college, lived there for three years and then moved back to Georgia a year before the beginning of the book. Yet he has a British accent?! That is not how accents work! And it still wouldn't be that bad if it hadn't been mentioned at LEAST twenty times (no joke) like it was his most interesting character trait. They talked about it so often that halfway through the story I was thinking it had to be a bit, like he was faking the accent for some reason that had to do with the story. But nope! His "British accent" was just mentioned every few pages for no real reason and it made me crazy.

Thanks to netgalley and St Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

A fake romance leads to second chances for Denz and Braylon in this heartfelt story.
Denz needs a relationship to prove his personal stability in his quest to become CEO of his family’s business. An accidental run in with the boy who broke his heart sets up this rom-com. There is nothing to not like here. A quick read with two likable characters, a boisterous inclusive family, contemporary scenarios and lots of spice.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins press for this read.

I definitely did not think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I laughed.. I cried and I loved the Carter family!
Denz and Braylon’s second chance at love is worth the read!

This is my first book by Julian Winters, and the story and characters that he built in this book currently has a chokehold on my heart. This very witty, funny, and heartwarming book was exactly what I needed to read this past week.

I am a sucker for fake dating and this book may be one of my favorite fake dating books that I’ve read. Not only is it fake dating, but it’s fake dating an ex and second chance romance. Denz and Braylon are such lovable characters and I was rooting for them the entire time. (Do I sense new book boyfriends for me?!)

Winter’s also made this book so much fun with all of the Rom Com references throughout the entire book. As a sucker for romantic comedy movies, I knew every character and movie reference that was made and it helped me know exactly what the characters were thinking and feeling by using those references.

If you are a fan of fake dating, queer dating, second chance romance, and romantic comedies, this book is for you! Do not sleep on this book when it comes out next week into the world.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this gifted copy.

4.25 stars, rounded down
——————

I Think They Love You is a cute queer, fake dating, second chance romance that had me kicking me feet the whole time!

I was super excited to be invited to read this book. The premise immediately caught my eye and the execution was immaculate. I love the idea of spinning these common tropes together with that “boy who broke your heart” twist buried within it. There were certainly parts that escalated quicker than I expected or felt necessary, but overall, I really enjoyed the plot. Our main characters were really fleshed out and the character growth was great. I loved watching Denz grow into himself over the course of the book and grow into this relationship with the boy who broke him. Bray was a good counterbalance, but I would have loved to see his POV and perspectives of the events, too. That’s my main critique. I think this particular story could have easily been multiple POV, following both men and their emotional journeys. The cast of side characters are well handled. I loved Denz’s overbearing family and the ways they allow and help him grow. I wish we could have seen Bray’s dad more, but the death really developed him as a character. This book is a really good balance of character and plot driven that I appreciated.

I’m not even joking when I say I sat down with this book and read the entire thing at once. I could not put this one down. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author in the future.

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this free digital review copy.**

"I Think They Love You" is a spicy romance novel that's not afraid to go deep into the lives of its characters, exploring grief, expectations, and second chances at love. It included several well-known romance tropes while still feeling original, and it had me staying up late to keep reading and even shedding a tear.

It's really sweet how close and supportive Denzel's family is, yet at the same time they can be each other's biggest critics, and the expectations placed upon the younger generation are very difficult to reach. In contrast, Braylon is all alone after the recent loss of his father, and Denzel's family has a difficult time getting over the past history these men have to accept that Braylon is back in Atlanta after living overseas for several years post-college (and post-relationship with Denz). Reuniting after so much time apart is messy, but meaningful, and it was clear to me from the start where most of this novel was going.

There were many pop culture references that date this novel in a way that worked perfectly for me; I got so many of them, which is frankly shocking because I'm not a big pop culture person, but the main characters being just my age really helped.