The ending was great. The writing was horrible. I almost dnf at 60% but I wanted to see how it ended. They acted like kids most of the time.

I feel like the advice I’d give this author is that sometimes less is more. I feel like this book was too wordy and redundant and yes, I’m going to say it, too much sex. It felt like more a stream of consciousness, thoughts and an internal monologue, with no real events happening, only her thoughts on the events happening.

Fake dating yes, but fake marriage? How can you fake a marriage?
Also, a MMC who is over 30 and practically inexperienced? But super cute, perfect, practically a catch?
She is so perfect that it seems almost too fake. A little too sci-fi for my romance reading.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love good fake anything in romance because it always leads to such a fun and hard earned HEA. Fake marriage is the faux du jour in Charlotte Stein’s “My Big Fat Fake Marriage.” Not only was this book sweet, it was funny in a way that surprised me. The levity might be my favorite part which is a feat in contemporary romance.

3.75 ✨️ This was a sweet and cute story. I love reading books about plus sized characters. Also, characters who don't always have the most sexual experience, especially when its a man. In a lot of books, it's always the other way around. Although the timid and unsure guy isn't usually the type of mmc I usually read about, I did enjoy this story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

I loved when grumpy met sunshine so i was excited for this one!

i appreciated the low-angst and the doorstep pies. i liked the bow ties and suspenders. the notes and emails were super cute.

but..

it just didnt quite get there for me. i wanted it to span a longer time frame. i wanted more "my wife" moments. i wanted more of them post-retreat. i wanted to punch Doug in the throat most of all.

thank you to netgalley and st martins for an ARC of this book.

would still read another by same author.

When Connie sees her nice neighbor being bullied about talking to her ("a real woman"), she throws caution to the wind and announces herself as his wife. Now, Connie must accompany him to a writer's retreat he is hosting and pretend to be his wife.

Pros:
- Likeable and believable FMC
- Funny banter
- Angst
- Spicy Scenes

Cons:
- MMC was too innocent and naive


If you like:
- Single POV
- Fake Marriage
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Neighbors
- Forced Proximity
- He Falls First
- One Bed
- Opposites Attract
- Plus Size MMC & FMC
- Slow Burn

A nice bit of fluffy romance, but I didn't really connect with either of the main characters. The male MC felt a bit too much like a caricature, and while the female MC's personal growth was great, the romance never landed for me.

I have read another arc from this author and had a good time. So i accepted this one thinking i would have JUST as good of a time if not better. Im not sure if it was just me not really being in the mood for this one? I found the main character insufferable. As well as the way the love interest talked like he was an elderly man and so insecure. I can get down with a cinnamon roll man, but this dude was just pathetic.

I would have loved if there was more communication throughtout the book between the characters instead of them just putting thoughts and words into each others heads without ever stopping to ask how the other REALLY feels.

Clearly, romance is not my main genre lol I was really looking for a breezy couple of day read but it took me two months to read this one.

Also, heads up. About 65-85% seemed like one long sex scene and it got really tiresome.

I'm a big fan of Charlotte Stein's work, so I was looking forward to My Big Fat Fake Marriage. The premise was intriguing, but I struggled to connect with the characters. Henry's naivety felt a bit overdone, and Connie's internal monologue, while meant to be humorous, often just felt exhausting. It was a bit of a rollercoaster, and while there were moments of genuine charm, the overall experience left me feeling a little…disappointed. The character's inner thoughts and actions did not sit well with me.

Loved the representation and the story itself. This is what romance is supposed to be. Just a sweet story that I want to read again.

The side characters reminded me of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding, with limited faith, more modern characters and romance. The romance was cute and felt authentic. The pacing, plot, writing was definitely wordier than I would have liked but it was evenly paced. The setting was in a romance reader's dream.

Perfect if you like:
Fake Situationship
Slowburn
Close Proximity
Cinnaroll level sweetness
BOW TIES!

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this arc!

Umm hello romance!! I absolutely fell in love with this story and the characters. I loooooove a good romance and this just hit the spot for me!!

Thank you for the opportunity to review Charlotte Stein's latest novel, My Big Fat Fake Marriage. I, unfortunately, had some difficulty connecting with the characters and the story of the book. I found the story hard to follow and the narrative was a little all over the place. I did read the author's previous book and enjoyed the reference to the characters, but half way into the story, I found it was progressing slowly.

Adorable and sweet, but kinky. A forefront to the "cozy kink" genre. You will fall in love with Charlotte Stein's writing while reading her work with her earnest characters and steamy language.

This slow burn, forced proximity, fake marriage romance was a lot of fun to read!

Loves:
-the slow burn
-the banter
-the MMC, Beck, has major golden retriever energy (picture Ted Lasso but more burly and tall)
-bookish setting
-the forced proximity, fake marriage romance

Dislikes:
-some plot holes and parts that did not make sense
-Beck, the MMC, was sexually inexperienced but did not seem that way at all
-the ending felt a little rushed
-Connie/Hazels inner monologue was hard to follow at times and felt like rambling
-the title of the book

Overall, if you are looking for a spicy yet sweet fake marriage romance, you’ll enjoy My Big Fat Fake Marriage

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

👨🏻BOOK REVIEW👨🏻
My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein (OUT 3/11!!!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Man oh man I devoured this book!!! Picture if Ted Lasso was 6’ 5” and burly, and that’ll give you Henry Samuel Beckett. With how this book opens, I was not sure what to think of our MMC, but lordy did I fall in love with him quick!

I equally loved Hazel and how much I could relate to her. She hides her true self and her quirks and the bits of her that she thinks are unlovable, because she’s always been told that that’s the reality. Throughout the book, she learns that this isn’t the case and that someone CAN fully love her, the real her! I related to this so much. We also see a similar journey with Beck, and I loved seeing them grow side by side!

This is my second read from this author, and her writing style is so unique and truly one of my favorites. You really feel like you’re reading/hearing the inner workings of the characters’ brains and because of this, they really come alive. Her books are always so hilarious and this was no exception!

And trust me, it delivered in the spice department too. Mannnn, did it. When reading the first half of the book or so, you really don’t expect it to go the way it does. And I won’t spoil anything here but while our MMC may be inexperienced, he knows how to make a lady blush. 😮‍💨

✨TROPES✨
💍Fake marriage
🛌One bed
👨🏻Burly mustached MMC
⏳Plus size FMC
📝Writing retreat
👰‍♀️”My wife”
😮‍💨Inexperienced wholesome MMC

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein is a fun and a little bit silly romance novel about an American book editor and a want-to-be English writer who happens to live down the hall from one another.

Beck is a big man and an even bigger nerd; from being teased and bullied his whole life, he still very much sees the good in people and wants to be kind and courteous to everyone. Connie, on the other hand, has a distrust in people who are nice since no one has ever truly been nice and meant it. While I had a good time reading, I found myself being uninterested in the characters and storyline. I usually eat a fake dating slow-burn romance up, but this one just didn't hit. How both of them just refused to communicate effectively. Like I said, I had a good time, but this isn't a book I am reaching for again. I think it definitely could be someone's cup of tea more than mine.

Tropes:
📖 Fake marriage
🔥 Slow-burn tension
💖 Inexperienced but secretly confident MMC
✍️ A bookish setting
🛌 Only One Bed

Thank you, NetGalley & St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for the copy for an honest review!

This is my second attempt at reading something from this author, and again, I could just not connect. It's frustrating because both blurbs drew me in, but I could not connect with the writing and the characters.

Connie doesn't trust nice guys. At any moment, they could reveal some horrible secret. Her neighbor, Henry Samuel Beckett, is no exception. He's sweet and cheery, and he loves bow ties.

He finally reveals his secret. He's been single his whole life. In a moment of panic, he told everyone at work that he is married. Connie decides to play his fake wife while they attend a writing retreat. They need to convince the people around them that their marriage is real.

As the tension builds Connie begins to wonder if this relationship might be real after all.

Thanks so much to the author, St Martin's and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

I could not get into this book. I found Connie too whiny and Bennet far too self-deprecating. Not my cup of tea; I will not be reviewing elsewhere.