Connie has been deceived by the "nice guy" before, and Beck is one that fits the description to the tee. Beck was a true loverboy. He was super sweet, kind, and overall a gem of a character. I love Stein's character development throughout the story, and embodied one of my favorite tropes so well. Highly recommend!

Charlotte Stein, you have my heart. As a real life plus size FMC, I love how the author makes you feel. She's funny and writes toe-curling stories. I just love her writing.

I don’t think this author is for me.

Another bundle of tropes that I love (fake marriage, forced proximity), but the execution did not work for me. These characters don’t feel genuine, they feel like caricatures of archetypes. Beck is a cinnamon roll/golden retriever on steroids, to the point of ridiculousness. I could not take anything he said seriously, and the lack of character development just made that harder. Connie is wary of nice guys because she’s been burned in the past - that is pretty much her only personality trait. Overall, this was too sticky sweet, with characters that were not developed enough.

This was a fun, sweet, enjoyable read. Beck, the male MC, was almost too "good" to be true.

But as for tropes I LOVE a forced proximity, and a fake marriage.

Great palate cleanser of a read, but nothing groundbreaking.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage is set in the same world as Charlotte Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine and it’s as much of a delight.

I adored Beck, the cinnamonest roll (cinnamon rollest?) of all cinnamon rolls. He is an absolutely perfect mix of quirky and endearing, and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with a similar MC before. He’s big and hairy, with love handles the FMC just wants to bite. Beck has never been kissed before and Charlotte Stein handles everything surrounding that so beautifully (and hot, obviously).

The conflict is mainly centred around neither of them believing the other could actually be in love with them. It’s so obvious that Beck is head over heels with Hazel, and while Hazel’s background sort of explains why, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief. I also thought the resolution for the villain was a little unexpected and rushed. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is such a sweet romance. Beck is a cinnamon roll hero who is such a sweetheart. And Hazel burned one to many times is a skeptic. Reading Beck slowly win her over with is kindness and caring was a breath of fresh air. In a world of cozy romances, this one is a standout. I cannot wait for the next book by Charlotte Stein.

Loved this book!!! It was such a fun read, and I loved how I can relate to the main character!! This is one book I had to run to preorder it was so good!! It is definitely a must read!!!

Connie doesn't trust nice guys and then she meets Henry. She struggles to believe he is real. Then he tells her his secret. he is single but he ells everyone at the publishing firms where he works that he is married. Connie and struggling writer ends up being his fake wife so they can head off to a writing retreat. Being together Connie wonders if this could be the real thing for her.

It's a feel good pallette cleanser from reading dark fantasy. It's fast paced and a heart warming story.

Charlotte Stein's *My Big Fat Fake Marriage* is a delightful romantic comedy filled with humor, heart, and a dose of absurdity. It follows Connie, a witty aspiring writer wary of "nice guys," and Henry "Beck" Beckett, a cheerful editor who claims to be married despite being single.

Their dynamic is the heart of the story, showcasing sharp banter and moments of vulnerability that make their connection feel genuine. Stein expertly blends humor and heart, crafting snappy dialogue and tender romantic moments set against the backdrop of the quirky publishing world.

While the fake marriage premise isn’t groundbreaking, Stein’s execution brings freshness, exploring themes of vulnerability and self-worth. Although some secondary characters could use more development, the story remains charming and engaging.

Overall, *My Big Fat Fake Marriage* is a heartfelt and laugh-out-loud read, perfect for fans of lighthearted, emotionally resonant rom-coms.

The "Fake Relationship" trope is one of my all time favorites, so I requested this book right away.

The amazing bits:
* Plus sized main characters, which is referenced, but not focused upon.
* My favorite kind of MMC- Professional nerd on the street, sleeper agent freak in the sheets.
* Low angst conflict, there is a minor third act blip, but it resolves quickly.
* The spice was spicy, like even hotter because it was well written. At least twice I made this face 🫢 and had to put the book down while I basked in the glory of Stein's writing.

The questionable bits:
* You have to really suspend that belief. The series of events and "facts" that had to happen to make this "fake marriage while at a criminally romantic retreat" happen is a stretch even by fiction standards.
* At first blush the characters are not super tolerable or even into each other. The chemistry really doesn't smolder until a bit later on, so you do have to have faith.

Overall though, this was a fun romp that is an entertaining five-star read for me.

Here’s a blended review in your voice, emphasizing the tropes and excitement about the book:

After reading this book, I can confidently say two things: Charlotte Stein has solidified her spot on my favorite authors list, and Beck might just be my ultimate book boyfriend. He’s the perfect cinnamon roll hero—gentle, sweet, a little nerdy, an avid reader, and so thoughtful it hurts. And let’s not forget he’s great in bed. His dynamic with Connie is everything I didn’t know I needed. She’s warm, insightful, and carries her own insecurities that balance Beck’s character beautifully, making their connection feel authentic and deeply moving.

From their shy first interaction to Connie jumping to defend Beck from his office bully, I was hooked. The witty banter and pop culture references had me grinning like an idiot or laughing out loud, while the steamy scenes left me biting my lip. I couldn’t put this book down, and the moment I finished, I found myself diving back in for a re-read.

If you’re into grumpy/sunshine, fake marriage, and forced proximity romance, My Big Fat Fake Marriage is your next must-read. It’s like Ted Lasso meets When Grumpy Met Sunshine—a top-tier "two clueless dummies in love but they don’t know it yet" romance that had me squealing and kicking my feet the whole way through. Seriously, don’t sleep on this one!

I had a lot of fun with My Big Fat Fake Wedding! The fake-marriage premise hooked me right away, and Connie and Beck’s chemistry was pretty charming. Beck’s sweet, bubbly personality contrasts nicely with Connie’s more cynical side, and I liked watching them gradually open up to each other.

That said, the story felt a little predictable at times, and some of the conflict felt forced. While the setup was cute, the secondary characters and the retreat setting didn’t fully come to life for me. Still, if you’re into rom-coms with lots of humor and light romance, this one hits the mark. It's sweet, but not without its hiccups.

Actually 2.5⭐️

I really wanted to like this book more, but it was too unbelievable for me.

Beck’s character didn’t seem real at all and Hazel’s (Connie for the first few chapters?) annoyed me.

Neither character had strong backstories and everything felt rushed.

I probably would not recommend this to others.

Connie and her new neighbor, Beck, end up in a fake marriage to help Beck get his terrible coworker off his back. Connie has only ever had bad experiences with men, so while Beck seems like a sweet and wholesome guy, she is waiting for the other shoe to drop. It turns out that Beck might actually be just as sweet as he seems and might actually really like Connie. But she knows this is all fake and there's no way they could work in real life. She is too jaded and used up for someone like Beck. Beck has no experience and obviously wants a perfect wife. Connie can't be that and she won't corrupt him. However, when they realize they may have to practice kissing to help make their fake marriage believable, they find there's an unexpected connection there they can't deny no matter how much they try. Ultimately, Connie has to decide if she's worthy of someone like Beck and Beck has to realize he doesn't have to be "cool" and experienced to be with someone like Connie.

I typically like fake dating and forced proximity tropes, so this book could've been right up my alley. However I think it fell too much into telling and not showing the relationship grow between Connie and Beck. The beginning of the book felt weighed down by overdone dialogue. Beck was supposed to be an American from the Midwest, but spoke like a Brit from the 1930s. There were lots of loose threads that I wish were explored further. Connie mentions not feeling like she lived up to her parents expectations, but there are no specifics on what these are. She mentions bad dating history but it's all very vague. She seems to want to be a writer, and is going on a writer's retreat after being encouraged by her friend, but we don't know her specific goals. The spicy scenes were not my style personally, again the author is fond of lots and lots of lengthy dialogue.

Overall, just not to my particular taste. I did think Beck was sweet and wish we had gotten to know him a little better, and that some of the physical interactions could have been traded for more depth in the characters.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC for review.

This book was adorable & sexy all at the same time! Beck is such a sweet cinnamon roll that needs to be protected at all costs. I really enjoyed how Hazel grew more comfortable with her likes/interests throughout the book & that it wasn’t focused on her being comfortable in her body - I love that was never a question or a doubt. Overall, I enjoyed this & would recommend!

I think I’m getting old…. This was such a fluffy read. However, I find myself getting the ick in certain phrases that they have used…

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for access to this E-ARC! So cute! Loved the plus-size rep & the characters. Fast-paced & fun concept too. Will definitely read more from this author.

Overall ok.
What worked for me: more experienced FMC showing the MMC the dirty talking ropes, cinnamon roll MMC who likes the FMC for exactly who she is. Pretty spicy once things get going.

What didn’t: The set up for the fake marriage didn’t feel compelling to me, the OTT “aw shucks” of Beck: I know he was modeled on Ted Lasso (which I’m down for) but some nuance or realism was missing here, possibly due to lack of Beck’s perspective.

Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

3.5 stars
This is a spicy, fun, entertaining read. Beck and Hazel are interesting, wounded, strong, relatable, intriguing, entertaining characters. The path to their HEA was not easy, but enjoyable to read. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story. I enjoyed the growth and acceptance of the characters through the course of the story. What didn’t work for me personally was that from the middle to the end, it was chapter after chapter of sex scenes – that became the focus of the story. The story is easy to read and get into.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.