What a charming debut! Definitely for fans of Abbey Jimenez and Sarah Adams. This was a sweet rom-com about Elle who leaves her Chicago apartment to tend to her ailing grandmother who has Alzheimers. When she arrives she realizes it isn't just her grandmother, but there is a VERY attractive live-in nurse named Adam. That is just what she needs. The two are mistaken by her grandmother as younger versions of herself and her husband and Elle and Adam play along that they are married.

It hits all the tropes and the humor was really sweet. It didn't get too spicy until roughly 80% in, so this is sllllllloooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww burn ladies. Sllllllooooooooowwwwwwwwww burn.

It was light and tender- and gave a really good idea of the difficult reality Alzheimers is for many.

Really well done for a debut!

Publishes 3.18

Content: a few f-words, some open door

“𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.”

This book was so sweet! 🥹🥰

Elle is just a girl living in Chicago, riding the train & recording her podcast 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓 when she gets a phone call that her grandmother’s Alzheimer’s is getting worse. Elle’s grandmother Lovie raised her & she knew this time would be coming, so she decides to go home & help care for her grandmother until she can find a more permanent solution. What she doesn’t expect to find when she shows up at her childhood home is Adam sleeping in her bed. Adam is the nurse who has been assigned to help care for her grandmother & these two can’t stand each other. But when Lovie thinks they’re a couple, these two have to fake it like they mean it for the sake of Elle’s grandmother.

I really enjoyed this book! When I thought back after finishing it what I would rate it, I went through my rating system & really enjoyed so much about this book. I tried to think of something that bothered me or I didn’t care for & I couldn’t find a single thing. I loved the relationship that Elle had with her grandmother & seeing the moments they had together was so precious. Watching Adam struggle with things in his own life, but still be there to help Elle with Lovie was the sweetest! I loved these two & honestly every character involved, and I can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on it! 😍

Fake It Like You Mean It is a super cute romance novel by debut author Megan Murphy! This book features a fake relationship, enemies to lovers, one bed, forced proximity, & Alzheimer’s disease awareness.

Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Murphy & Alcove Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a solid romance. I loved the forced proximity of the boundaries blurring between workplace into the personal. I had to drop a star unfortunately for the beginning set up. It felt so clear it was forced "enemies" to lovers when I feel like the stakes could have been just as high if they actually acted like real humans when they first met. The accusations and misunderstanding at first, sure, but it really made no logical sense for why he of all people she took issue with when she had no problems with past caregivers of her grandma and him to her to act professionally.

Overlooking that, the rest of this book was great! I don't normally gravitate towards terminal illness in romance but it didn't feel gratuitous. The sad parts and the angst felt familiar in a safe way, not too emotionally devastating which I thought was well done keeping this feeling like a romance vs fiction/story just about the FMC's journey.

Thank you to Alcove Press for the eARC.

**I'm giving this a 4star rating because my copy has no paragraph formatting, so reading the book was difficult because of my vision focusing issues. Based on the blurb and a brief flip through, I think this would be a book I'd enjoy, hence the preemptive rating. It sounds fun!

Thanks for the opportunity to review! I'm going to check this one out once it's published.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.75
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a debut novel and the blurb sounded great, but sadly there are parts that were a miss for me.

I personally think that with Adam’s POV we could have looked at situations from his perspective and it might have help understand WHY he went for Elle, after she is rude to him for no reason for most of the book.

The story of taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s and how it changes and progresses, was the good part of the book.

Elle infuriated me so much at her grandmother’s. The podcasts and the idea behind it sounded like a fun way to meet people and hear their stories, this is were Elle shined as she used it as a coping mechanism. Her being hostile towards Adam made the romance feel forced in the end. The Rom-Com wasn’t really romantic comedy-ing for me personally.

I was hoping for a “romance but more book” with the heavy topic of Alzheimer’s. I was hoping this would go deeper with Elle & Lovie’s relationship. Or Elle’s relationship with Alzheimer’s, but that could be me projecting as someone who has family with the disease.

If you’re looking for an easy read with loose fake dating, you’ll eat this up!

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

just finished "Fake It Like You Mean It" by Megan Murphy and I'm OBSESSED! 😭❤️ Seriously, this book is EVERYTHING! It's got the sweetest romance EVER, but also tackles Alzheimer's in such a real way. Like, they fake being married for her grandma?! Genius! 😂

The slow burn? 🔥🔥🔥 And hello, forced proximity/one bed trope! 🤭 You know I'm here for it!

Can you believe this is Megan Murphy's DEBUT?! I'm officially a fan! 🙌

stunning amazing beautiful and absolutley perfect!! i loved this debut!! the perfect amount of tension and banter and i simply could not put it down

Fake It Like You Mean It is a story that packs a punch with laughter from the romantic comedy vibes and heartaches from the raw elements of dealing with Alzheimer's. Megan Murphy put heart into this story and you can tell from how she writes the heartfelt scenes with Elle, the main female lead, and her grandmother Lovie. If fake dating is your go-to trope, you will love this one especially if you are particular about the reason how and why fake dating unravels in the plot. Elle and Adam's fake dating tension in this shined in this story!

I personally didn't feel a strong connection with Elle, but her humor was refreshing in the pages and provided a great break in between the heavier moments. In addition, I felt like the story did a lot of telling vs. showing when it came down to the descriptive scenes. There were also some moments in the book (purely language choices) that I wish had gone through a sensitivity review. Overall, I appreciated the focus on Alzheimer's and would love to see what others think about how this story depicts the reality of this diagnosis.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an early ARC of this book! Can't wait to see what Megan Murphy brings us in the future!

3.5 ⭐️

Aww this was such a wholesome story 🥹 It got me tearing up quite a few times (I related to Elle a lot).

Elle (podcaster) goes to live with her grandmother who has alzheimers. When she arrives she has THE meet cute aka she fall in to bed, but there is a guy in her bed 😅

Adam works for a firm that provides in house patients care and is there to take care of Elle’s grandmother.

And when her grandmother confused Elle and Adam for herself en her late husband, they start fake dating >> ugh such a fun story.!!

This book definitely dealt with a heavy topic, but it was handled so gracefully. Seeing Elle struggle and trying to figure out how to move forward with the situation was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.

The only thing that felt off to me was the romance. I feel like the potential was definitely there, but there were some “stange” (imo) moments that made it feel forced and a tad cringe.

Overall really liked it!!

I enjoyed this story so much! It really told a story filled with heart, honesty, and love.

Elle, Adam & Lovie are such unforgettable characters. Each for their very own, specific reasons.

Alzheimers is not an easy subject to read about. I can only imagine how hard it is to write about. I feel like the author kept it real, which as a reader is exactly how I want it.

I would recommend this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Fake It Like You Mean It by Megan Murphy.

Elle is a podcaster who leaves Chicago to help care for her grandmother, Lovie. Lovie raised Elle since she was three when her parents died in a car accident. Lovie’s Alzheimer’s is progressing and Elle hired AngelCare to help care for her grandmother. After Elle and Adam, Lovie’s RN, first meeting ends up being in Elle’s bed, the two don’t get off to the best start but must learn to work together to care for Lovie.

This was such a sweet story. The characters were so endearing, our main pair as well as Lovie and Ruth. Elle and Adam were so lovely together. I enjoyed reading the progression of their relationship. I thought the third act of this book was done so well!

If you enjoy fake dating and forced proximity, this is a romance to check out!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF. I will not be finishing. I tried to read this and it wasn’t pulling me in. I’m only reading because it makes me and reviewing so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio.

Elle moves home to help take care of her grandmother, Lovie, who has Alzheimer’s disease. The disease is advanced enough for Lovie to need full time care, enter Adam as the in-home nurse caregiver. Lovie mistakes Elle & Adam as her younger self and her deceased husband. Fake dating ensues. Elle was unrelatable (pre-teen girl like conflict/drama) in the beginning so it was difficult to stay engaged & keep reading. Fortunately, that child-like behavior went away as the story progressed. The Alzheimer’s storyline was handled with great understanding and respect for the situation. Anyone who is in a similar situation would be greatly benefited by having someone as calm, caring and considerate on their side as Adam.

This is a complicated review of a complicated book. It actually reads like two books - one, a romance, and the other, a family drama - and while I enjoyed both, I reacted differently to each.

First, the easy part. This was a sweet romance incorporating many of my favorite tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity. Our main characters, Elle and Adam, meet when Elle returns to her hometown to help care for her grandmother, Lovie. Lovie has Alzheimer’s Disease and Adam is her live-in nurse. Things get off on a sour note and get complicated when Lovie mistakes Elle and Adam for a couple in love. They play their parts to avoid upsetting her. The romance is cute. Adam is wonderful, there are tender moments, and the open door spice is steamy.

Now, the challenging part. Alzheimer’s is an awful disease that affects the patient and everyone who cares for them. The depiction here is strikingly authentic. This is not an, “Aw, shucks, Grandma forgot where she put the remote,” portrayal. This is Grandma doesn’t recognize me, Grandma is violent and combative, and Grandma is not the person I know and love. If you’ve ever loved or cared for someone with Alzheimer’s, you’ll recognize the heartbreak and utter devastation that accompanies this disease. It’s cruel. It’s horrific and Megan Murphy captures it with frankness and tenderness.

I alternated between the digital and audio versions of the book and it was an ideal combination for me. Alex Picard’s narration carried me through some of the more emotional parts.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Alcove Press for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

Came for the promise of fake dating and fun banter, stayed for the poignant story of a girl coming to terms with the grandmother who raised her succumbing to alzeheimers. This was at times emotional, at times hilarious (thank you for the Hocus Pocus jokes), and altogether a great read!!

Elle is a self-professed all or nothing kind of gal, but when life throws her into a muddled situation, she has to learn how to function, how to trust, and how to let go of total control. Enter Adam, home nurse, patient as a saint, here to take care of Lovie but also helping get Elle through the ups and the downs. Their relationship is tender, sweet, and full of heart- and it doesn't hurt that it brings a comfort to Lovie who sees them as herself and her husband when they first got married.

I think this was a beautiful book, and will absolutely be coming back for more from Megan Murphy (it doesn't hurt that she spells her name the right way)!! Thanks so much to Megan Murphy and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
This is a fun, entertaining, powerful read. Adam and Elle are interesting, wounded, relatable, intriguing, complex, strong, complicated, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. I loved the family aspects of the story. The subplot of dealing with a family member with Alzheimer’s is powerful, tear jerking and done with compassion and sensitivity.

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

Fake It Like You Mean It is beautiful and heart-wrenching. I loved watching Elle and Adam fall for each other and loved the glimpses we got into Lovie's past. I did struggle a bit with Adam at the beginning—he seemed rude for no reason, and as someone who has had my own share of health reasons, I just had a hard time with someone in his position being so hostile to the person who's dropped everything to come take care of their family. I also wished we'd seen more of his storyline resolve at the end. Overall I did like it though, and felt that the emotions really landed.

A huge thank you to netgalley, alcove press, and megan murphy for allowing me to read this as an arc.

I’ve had to take some time away from reading this because it’s hitting a little too close to home and I am not in the head space to read this without bawling my eyes out. I will do a full review on my goodreads account when I have finished but I wanted to take the time to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity and what I have read so far I’ve loved and I can’t wait to finish it when I’m capable.

Thank you to #netgalley #librofm and #alcovepress for an advance reader copy of this book. Four stars.