*3.5 Stars*

Connie believes that she has all nice guys figured out and her neighbor is the worst of them. He is always polite, wears bowties and super cheery. Connie is sure he is hiding something under that facade. When Connie finds that his secret is a fake wife, she ends up playing the part at the upcoming writer's retreat. What starts out as a fake marriage, may turn into something real.

I really enjoyed this book. Beck is the best "cinnamon roll" character I have read in a while. Although his character seemed a little outrageous with his language and his overall demeanor, he was a fun MMC and enjoyed his interactions with Connie. Their relationship was a slow burn, but this book does have some spice. Overall, another great read by Charlotte Stein.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage is out March 11th.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review My Big Fat Fake Marriage. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book has a lot of potential, but I just wasn't able to believe Beck as a character. He felt too much like a unicorn. I understand that this is a work of fiction, but I still want to feel like there is a possibility that the characters could exist. He was too unreal. The concept of a big cinnamon roll/teddy bear of a man is one I'm fond of, but Beck was too extreme. I mean, he was a super-hot, super-nerdy, super-nice, super-naive, super-polite guy in his late 30s and a virgin? Nope. I think if his character was a bit more realistic (while still a dream guy) I might've enjoyed this more. The naivete and cluelessness were probably what felt the most unreasonable.

My other complaint is that Charlotte Stein's prose could get really rambly and hard to read. I don't know if that was a trait of the characters or if that's just how her writing was, but I often found myself getting lost in paragraph or reading a sentence over and over because it was so confusing. I think she's a good storyteller, so I'm going to try one of her audiobooks and see if that goes any better. Reading her writing just took a lot of effort for me, and I want reading to be relaxing and fun.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What a delightful read! A blend of humor, heart, and sizzling chemistry. From the first page, the story sweeps you into a whirlwind of fake relationships, unexpected feelings, and endearing characters that are impossible not to root for.

The protagonist’s wit shines throughout, making her incredibly relatable and fun, while the romantic lead is the perfect mix of charm and vulnerability. Their interactions sparkle with sharp banter, heartfelt moments, and genuine emotional depth that makes their dynamic both entertaining and swoon-worthy.

What sets this book apart is how it balances humor with tender moments, creating a story that’s as sweet as it is funny. The fake marriage trope is executed with a fresh twist, keeping the reader engaged and eagerly turning pages to see how the inevitable unraveling of feelings unfolds.

If you’re a fan of lighthearted romance with authentic characters, clever dialogue, and plenty of heart, My Big Fat Fake Marriage is a must-read.

Charlotte Stein has done it again! This was so fun and silly and sweet! Beck is just a cinnamon roll and I love him! And the spice in this book is perfect and hot!! I had such a good time reading this book, I couldn't put it done and I finished it so quickly! I can't wait for her next book!! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

Connie (or hazel? I don’t get it) lives next to to Beck who is her nerdy neighbor. He’s being bullied a work by some tool and she’s like oh I’m his wife and they do the whole fake marriage thing at a writing retreat.

I want to like this story line but the writing just seemed, to me, to ramble and the considering this takes places in the UK and Beck is American it’s kinda insulting how he’s sort of portrayed as a kind of rain man who communicates from a 1950’s American tv show with “golly gee”, “oh shucks”, & “darn”. He’s basically a 30 year old virgin and when he communicates in such a simplistic way, it’s a little cringey, especially come the more “spicy” scenes. It just sort of seems wrong like in a Forrest Gump/Jenny way.

I do WHOLLY love how his character is named for Quantum Leap, which the FMC is into as well but it it’s mentioned like three times but no fun quirkiness attached. This could have been a cute thing in the novel.

I was excited for this book because I love all of the tropes, but overall it was rather...disappointing. I had to read the first few chapters a few times because I didn't connect with either of the MC's that much. If I hadn't received this has an ARC, especially from NetGalley, I would have likely DNF'd it. It was just an ok read--nothing new, exciting or anything that stood out from the other books I have read recently. I read this during a slump so it's possible that was why I didn't enjoy it and it's totally possible that someone else could love this!

A good fake dating troupe romance! Actually pretending to be married, Connie and Beck navigate a new friendship while on a writing retreat/work trip. Connie is cynical about men and isn't sure what to believe about the cinnamon roll of a man, Beck. Their relationship is eye-opening for them both in very different ways. Charlotte Stein is the queen of spicy scenes and does not disappoint with this book!

I just don’t think this book was for me. This was very hard for me to finish because I didn’t enjoy the writing at all. The chapters were long and for no absolute reason. It was a lot of internal monologue and the FMC almost seemed like she had ADHD with how much her thoughts shifted. I also really hate how many sentences stated with ‘but’ because she changed her thought process that often.

Besides the writing the MMC really was cringey and gave me the ick. I understand this is cinnamon roll type but no person actually says the things he does. It’s weird. I genuinely like the cover and that’s about it.

This book did nooooot work for me. I saw someone else say that the male main character talks like Ned Flanders and WOW was that an astute observation.

The biggest thing that threw me off in this book was the dialogue. The line between witty banter and cringey overdoing it is soooo thin and this one rode the cringe line HARD. There were full chapters where nothing really happened beyond two characters having a conversation that went absolutely no where.

I love the concept and the artwork is BEAUTIFUL but the book definitely fell flat.

What a fun novel! A nice, easy, read-in-a-day rom com. It was a little Ted Lasso coded which is highly enjoyable to me.

These characters were unbelievably unrealistic. They were "oh golly gosh" every two seconds. While some might enjoy the cinnamon roll characters on steroids, this was not the book for me. Such a shame, too, because I'm obsessed with this book cover.

This is my first book by the author, Charlotte Stein, though I have heard good things about her book, Grumpy Sunshine. Also, the cover is adorable and I loved seeing a curvy mfc. But I struggled in reading it and almost DNF'd at chapter 5. I had a hard time getting past the first person narration and the mmc's way of talking. Once I read some other reviews that likened Beck to Ted Lasso, I started to understand the corniness a little better. I relate maybe too well to Mabel's internal struggle to deal with how she was raised. For some reason though, I still had trouble with getting into the book. I just kept thinking 'this is a lot'. Reminded me of when I read Kate Canterbury's In A Jam. I think I might just not be the right reader for this book.

My Pros:
Curvy heroine
Nerdy hero
Spice 4/5
Love the forced proximity trope
Cinnamon roll/golden retriever mmc and sassy black cat mfc

My Cons:
First person POV was overwhelming
Over the top mmc's dialogue
A few spacing and formatting issues
Frustrating communication issues between mfc and mmc

This story is heartwarming and sweet but a little cringey in parts. I tried to put myself in the FMC's shoes in this one to see what she saw in Beck and I do get it but from the outside, he's not for me. I also cannot get over the fact that he reminded me of Tom Selleck (the hair, the mustache, the short shorts) lol. That being said, I love the way Beck treats Connie (Hazel). He treats her like a treasure and loves her for who she is and that is something every woman deserves. I loved their little notes back and forth and the fact that they are able to be 100% themselves with each other. This one was a little insta-love but it works. Overall this was a fun read and I even laughed out loud a few times. 3.5 rounding down to 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Connie and Beck live across the hall from one another, secretly liking the other, in spite of a big misunderstanding to kick the book off. One thing leads to another and these two end up pretending to be a married couple at a writing retreat.

Shenanigans, of course. I prefer Stein's darker or paranormal works over these rom coms. However, if you enjoy fake dating/relationships, a husky cinnamon roll MMC, a plus size heroine, and some forced proximity, this could be for you!

3.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book was top tier cinnamon roll man. Sam Beckett you have my whole heart with your lovable self and your moustache. I love he was bigger to that they both had their issues to overcome. All in all that was the most giggly I have been over a book and I loved it I can’t wait to read it again and again

This was like if Ted Lasso was also a linebacker. Beck was such a doofy, dorky, delightful man and Hazel was such a messy, chaotic, wonderful woman. I had so much fun reading this and giggling at the absurd and ridiculous situations they got themselves into.

I could not relate to said situations at all, because they were truly bananas. But I was rooting for them nonetheless because honestly they both just really leaned into it and that’s how you know they’re perfect for each other. Now I have “is somebody gonna match my freak” stuck in my head because boy howdy did they.

Honestly, we all need more people in our lives that are just like “you’re weird and I’m weird and I like that”. Everything is better when you’re with people who let you be you out loud.

Oh.My.Goodness. Beck is a gloriously burly cinnamon roll who can't tell lies without suffering unseemly side effects and who has the unparalleled ability to find the upside to EVERYTHING. Connie (whose real name is Hazel, which is the side of herself she needs to relearn how to embrace thanks to parents who did their level best to force her into a mold of their choosing) is...not those things. Well, she could be those things if the little voice in her head (which probably sounds suspiciously like her mother) would let her wave her nerd flag more often.

The point? Hazel has convinced herself Beck is everything she could never want in a partner because he's just too kind and cheery and GOOD. Meanwhile, Beck has convinced himself Hazel is way too good for him and his nerdiness. The truth? They're kind of perfect for one another. Beck sees all the wonderful things in Hazel that she doesn't see. And Hazel would probably fight a mountain if she thought it had insulted Beck.

In other words, they're both what the other needs to be the best versions of themselves they could possibly be.

But it takes a while for them to get there. Hazel has to see Beck with clear eyes (and have him wax poetic about how pretty much everything she does turns him on) and Beck needs to embrace that Hazel wants him for him. Bow ties and blushes and all.

Seriously, THESE TWO. Once Beck started dirty talking, it was all over for Hazel.

Teeny, tiny camp counselor outfits, naughty Scrabble, a v-card holding man who is not afraid to worship at the alter of his lady, and a lady who has to work through her issues before she loses the best thing that ever crossed her path. MAN, I liked these two together!

I loved this so much! It was a feel good rom com! Lots of cheese with some spice! The chemistry was fantastic between our MMC and FMC, pacy plot that kept me entertained, will definitely be reading more by this author!

I didn’t dislike it but I didnt love it either. It was a good concept but something’s just missed for me. When Hazel happens to see Becks vision board all her alarms went off but only for him to confess the real issue which was he made up a wife and didn’t know how to get out of the mess he caused. I felt like I didn’t understand how they both developed the feelings that they eventually had for each other. They had a few basic conversations but most of the book was Hazels internal dialogue. I think having Becks side would have helped established some of these missing points. The last 6 chapters were mostly spice and not actually building on the relationship outside of how attracted they were to each other. So I was left with that they both thought each other were sexually attractive and that’s why they liked each other. I think the other thing I couldn’t get over was how Beck talked. It made reading certain scenes cringey to me because of the expressions he used. That just didn’t land for me.

Loved the characters in this book, especially the male protagonist. The two main characters were so good together! I will read more from this author, for sure.