This was actually more like a 3.5 star for me but I rounded up. It took awhile for me to get through even though it is a shorter read. It only started to pick up after about 65% of the way through. Although it was a cute and happy ending it took awhile to get there and the story didn’t feel as romance to me as just contemporary with the main component of the story being about Lovie and her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. It was an okay read for me but nothing too exciting and it did take me over a week to get through.

There were a lot of things in this book that worked well. Unfortunately the romance was not one of them.

Elle moves back to her childhood home to care for her grandmother who has Alzheimer. As it turns out, there’s a hot nurse living in her bedroom.

I couldn’t understand why Elle was so hostile towards Adam. Especially since she kept on objectifying him and dropping the vibrator in his presence, (which was a little cringe tbh). He was also a little rude and it was all so unnecessary, I hate forced enemies to lovers! They did have some chemistry, and I liked them, but I didn’t love them together.

What I really appreciated in this book was the part about caring for Elle’s grandmother Lovie. Elle’s struggles with accepting her situation were the most interesting, even if heartbreaking parts of this book. I liked Adam’s part in it too, he was supportive, understanding and very book-boyfriendy. They could have been friends all along, there was no need to create a fake conflict at the beginning.

There were a few plot holes and some not quite thought through bits, but overall it’s a solid debut and I might give this author another chance one day.

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

I thought at first I wasn't going to be able to finish this book. The similarities to my own grandmother's journey seemed too much to handle but then the author started to pivot away from that relationship after wrapping up the exposition of it. After getting past that point, I loved the book. The relationship between the FMC and MMC was cute and perfectly paced and damnit if that consent scene wasn't hot. I love that she touched on the mental aspect that comes from caring for a sick loved one as much as the physical of it.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy provided in exchange for an honest review!
"Fake It Like You Mean It' was somehow funny, cute and heartbreaking all at once.
The portrayal of Elle's loss and grieving the woman she once knew and her frustrations with the challenges she had to deal with were articualted so well! There was also a balance of the sadness with Lovie's situation and the silver lining of Elle finding Adam in the process, who was such a cutie by the way oml!
You can tell the author spent a lot of time working with the characters and giving them depth and dimension, we got to see many sides of Elle, her deep friendships her past traumas, not just her challenges with Lovie. Adam was really well developed as well, even though we didn't get his perspective, I felt like I really knew his character as Elle was getting to know him too.
All together a really good book ! Wouldn't recommend reading it at the start of exam season after own grandmother has passed away from alzhiemer's relatively recently like I did tho, that was a bad move on my part.

This was a debut novel to be so proud of!
It felt like a warm hug, and it was such a cozy read with such important topics and messages.

The story centres around Elle, an independent and successful podcast host who returns to the house she grew up in to aid in the care of her grandmother, Lovie; a strong and wise woman who raised Elle. Lovie has been living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis that is declining with each day, and while she tries to grapple with watching the grandmother she knew fade, she also has to deal with Lovie’s live-in nurse, Adam who she finds sleeping in her childhood bedroom. When Lovie mistakes the two of them for a couple, they decide to play along as to not upset what she perceives as her reality. It’s during this time Elle starts to question whether her fake feelings might actually be more than just pretend.

This book did such a good job with the enemies to lovers and fake dating trope! It felt smooth and the story didn’t feel over-the-top with how the characters brought the tropes to life. I also appreciated the slow burn aspect and it made everything that much sweeter because you saw Elle and Adam connect on a much deeper level. It was very sweet to see them connect on a deeper level and to see the ways each cared for Lovie. This care helped to deepen the love they felt for one another through admiration and appreciation watching each other approach an emotionally challenging situation.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was Elle’s career choice and how it weaved into her coping with Lovie’s diagnosis. It was such a unique idea to have her work through her emotions and connect with others by being vulnerable and I thought it all blended perfectly into the story.

I would highly recommend this novel and I look forward to her future works!

SO FREAKING GOOD! Really got me in the feels with the grandmother. Such a sweet love story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Elle’s grandmother, Lovie, has always been there for her, but when her Alzheimer’s begins to worsen, Elle returns to her childhood home to care for her. She doesn’t expect the handsome live in nurse to be sleeping in her old bedroom. The two start off on the wrong foot and tensions rise as they argue about the best way to care for Lovie. As if that wasn’t enough, Lovie is convinced the two are madly enough. In an effort to not distress Lovie, the two play along until she forgets. The only problem is she doesn’t forget. The longer they go through with this the harder it is for Elle to decide what’s real and what’s fake.

While this is a romance, the novel also deals with the very real and serious topic of caring for a loved one with a serious illness. Ms. Murphy handles the pain that Elle feels as she watches her beloved grandmother suffer with Alzheimer’s with sensitivity and grace. She doesn’t shy away from the difficulty and reality families face as their loved ones begin to loose themselves with this disease. This to me is one of the strengths of the novel. The complexity of Lovie and Elle’s relationship is very well-written, and you can tell Ms. Murphy did her research.

Adam was such a wonderful and caring person, and I really enjoyed his relationship with Lovie. He respects her independence and treats her with dignity and care. He deeply loves his job, and it shines through in Ms. Murphy’s writing.

The romance and the serious subject matter are very well balanced. There’s definitely an attraction between Adam and Elle, and I appreciate the slow burn as they navigate their relationship and also the care they provide to Lovie. Adam does grapple in the beginning regarding his relationship with Elle given the delicate nature of his role in their home, but I think there could have been a bit more indecision on his part, as he is the one with the most to lose. There is a power dynamic at play, as essentially Elle employs Adam, and I think that could have been tackled with the same thoroughness Ms. Murphy gave to Lovie’s Alzheimer’s. That being said, I loved the moments of them getting to know each other and slowly letting down their guards. The banter was fun, and there are moments of levity throughout the novel that keeps it from getting bogged down, this is due in part to the author really encompassing all of the emotions that come to play when dealing with the illness of a loved one. There are moments of frustration, nostalgia, humor, and definitely lots of love in this novel.

This was a fantastic debut novel, and I’m excited to read more by Ms. Murphy in the future.

I actually loved this!! The premise was really unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read—the Alzheimer’s part, not the fake dating of course. There was actually a lot of emotion depth to this, I feel like the focus was more than just the romance. There were aspects about self love, and how people’s personalities can change due to this disease. The author seemed very knowledgeable or well researched on the topic, which was great. I loved how Adam’s family was a factor as well, and that he was such a kind and caring protagonist. Even when they “hated” each other, he was always kind of her. I appreciated that, because in a contemporary novel, it’s hard to make enemies to lovers when the stakes aren’t literally life and death. This was very well done and worth reading!

This book was a solid 3 stars for me. Fun? Yes. Heartwarming? Yes. Ethically questionable? Absolutely.

And in what world is a health nurse not having mandatory breaks, sleeps in a patient’s family member’s bed, paying for things himself etc.

Now that’s out of my system, I can say that Elle was a cool FMC and I liked her grappling with her grandmother’s Alzheimers. She still got irritated, sad, and lonely, and Murphy explored that quite well. I found the parts where Lovie was hurting Elle quite painful in their treatment. Adam knew but did nothing? No one thought enough is enough? Yes the reasoning was explained at the end but I think by that point it’s too late in the book to give reason to the behaviour.

All in all it was a good book and I enjoyed the read if I pretended it wasn’t the ‘real world’ and ethics were cast aside.

This was such an amazing read. It truly got me out of a reading slump with the lovable characters, the laugh out loud moments and the unique story. I loved every second of it.

A winning and sexy romance that also is deeply heartbreaking. Lovie and her Alzheimer’s and how it affects her and her loved ones is written so well. It’s deeply emotionally resonant. It added a layer of true urgency to this book that this trope doesn’t always have.

tThe question "do you want to Netflix and chill with me?" was posed, and I reminded myself that I have free will and don't need to force myself to continue.

Some questionable ethics and logistics in this one. why are we making the home health nurse sleep in the same bed as his patient's granddaughter? why are we making the home health nurse pay for an expensive security system for his patient's house?

This book was fantastic! What a delight. Each of the three viewpoints was unique and compelling. There was relatability in the opinions on motherhood. I was constantly cheering for the characters despite their flaws, which made it believable. I adored Sasha and Ethan's chemistry. Additionally, Sasha's bond with Celeste demonstrated the life-saving power of female friendships. Strongly advised!

I started this book feeling a little unsure it was for me– but with a leading man like Adam Wheeler, how can you not fall in love? Overall, this ended up being such a cute story that I really enjoyed. The development between Elle and Adam, while Elle is experiencing so much hardship in watching her grandma, Lovie, progress with Alzhimers almost made the story more endearing to me.

Thank you to Alcove Press, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good book. The banter between Elle and Adam was really entertaining. The love and caring Ella had for her Grandmother was very heartwarming.

This was a very good read! I enjoyed reading about the characters and the plot was very interesting. I loved the story and would definitely recommend to a friend!

There is something so cozy about a romcom. They’re timeless joys. This book shows the raw and gritty and special moments of a relative with Alzheimer’s. It shows the support system it takes and the trials of finding the care needed. And of course who doesn’t love a rough start turned absolute head over heels love. Real life fairytales

Thank you so much for this eARC!

I loveeeee this book and was such an easy read for me. I can get on board with fake dating if it means making my grandmother happy. This is my first book by Megan Murphy and honestly, I enjoyed her writing.

Thank you to net galley for giving me this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of Elena armas and Ali hazelwood, I think you will love this. It’s funny, quirky, heartwarming at times, and steamy. I can really see the authors vision with the home health aid and patients grand daughter, it’s an adorable premise. The podcasts were my favorite part, and I loved how the FMC used them to cope with her situation.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m the target audience for this. I really had high hopes - I mean, forced proximity, one bed, it’s everything I love. But the humor didn’t work for me and the FMCs quirky attitude and clumsy actions grated my nerves. I struggled to relate to the characters, and the situation at times felt awkward to me in ways that I personally don’t enjoy. I also felt that the relationship went from “push and pull” to “let’s kiss” without enough of an acknowledgement, especially on the MMCs part. He was doing something very inappropriate in his workplace but he didn’t seem phased by that for the majority of the book. Maybe if we have his POV it could have worked more for me.

This book is very well thought out and well written. I think Murphy should be proud, and I would consider checking out another one of her books in the future.

Thank you Net Galley and Megan Murphy for the chance to read this arc.

I absolutely loved this book.

This story follows Elle and Adam, the nurse caring for her grandmother, and the romance and growth between the characters was so good. Elle’s grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s and confuses Elle and Adam for herself and her husband when they were younger. It was so cute the way she basically was their biggest fan, without even realizing how much she made them actually come together.

The story has enemies to lovers, close proximity and an amazing book boyfriend.

I only wish we had an update on Rita and Issac. I was rooting for them too Elle.