Another charming and gorgeous novel by Swati Hegde! I couldn’t put this novel down, and I’m someone who isn’t really into romance. I love the slow-burn, fake dating story, and how wholesome the characters are. Can’t wait for Hegde’s next book!

I really wanted to like this book but am so annoyed at it lol. Although the book is set in India, I'm unsure of who the audience for this book is bc it doesn't seem to be Indians. I like the banter and the writing style but the western lens threw me off:

- use of millions and hundred thousands instead of lakhs and crores
- RSVP and +1s (?????) to weddings (since when do you need +1 / a date to an Indian wedding?)
- a semester at BII apparently costs 5 lakhs (this might actually be true tho -- looking it up)
- the hypocrisy of asking the men she dates to not care about what their parents think but making every decision for her own life based on whether her parents would approve
- too much telling instead of showing: paparazzi following the niece of a Bollywood director? Are they like the Kapoors or Khans or Bachchans? If they are, why not show that through name-dropping them like the other random name-drops (Gucci??)?
- wanting to be independent but routinely using your family's trust fund

The thing that deeply disappointed me tho are the quotes at the beginning of chapters -- what a missed opportunity to highlight some of the iconic Bollywood lines!!! Instead, in a book about Bollywood royalty, we get quotes from American sitcoms :sob:

Overall, a cute read that'd probably be more appreciated by a western audience than the people it's meant to represent.

"Can't Help Faking in Love" was a fun take on the fake dating trope.

Harsha has struggled to feel a sense of belonging within her Bollywood mogul family. Upon returning from America, she is determined to live life on her own terms, with her own lack of money. Veer, is her friendly neighborhood barista with dreams of being in Bollywood.

With her cousin's wedding fast approaching, Harsha does not want her family to see her as a failure and hires Veer to pose as her fake boyfriend.

While the outcome of this trope is always predictable, the journey told by Swati Hegde to get there was a fun read.

Thank you to Dell for selecting me for this ARC.

So first of all what I liked. That cover is stunning! The characters were likable, I enjoyed the fake dating aspect, and I loved the setting.

Now, what didn't quite work for me. I didn't like that money was a factor in them being a part and the pacing was a little slow.

Overall though this was a cute read that I enjoyed for the most part.

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

"Can’t Help Faking in Love" by Swati Hegde is a sweet and light romance with two tropes I always enjoy : fake dating and friends to lovers. Set against the vibrant backdrop of a big Indian wedding, the story follows Harsha and Veer as they team up for a mutually beneficial (and slightly ridiculous) arrangement that, of course, turns into something more. The chemistry between the main characters is cute, and I appreciated the cultural details and Bollywood flair. However, the story felt a bit boring, and while it had its charming moments, it didn’t stand out much from other rom-coms I’ve read. A pleasant, feel-good read if you’re in the mood for something light.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Swati Hegde’s writing! Harisha was such a great main character and it was so hard to not connect with her. It was such a well done take on a classic trope with some twists along the way!

Thank you @NetGalley and @RandomHousePublishingGroup for the arc. Harsha is so wonderfully developed and knows herself. Veer is the sweetest barista who has a major crush on her, but is also trying to give his brother a better life with college on the horizon. They make a plan for Veer to be her fake boyfriend to a family wedding and Harsha under estimates their chemistry, because it is a short drop to love. So cute.

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

This is a fantastic desi take on a well-loved classic trope that adds unique charm. I loved the characters, and can confirm that women write the best male characters. With the fake dating trope, we all know the reveal and potential aftermath is half the fun. I appreciated how the author chose to go about this in the story, and that it wasn't as drawn out as it could have been. The focus was definitely on the development of their evolving feelings and their relationships with their respective families.

3.75 🌟

This was a fun, cute fake dating romcom! Harsha needs to save face at a family event so decides to enlist her cute local barista as her fake boyfriend. Of course, fake dating soon leads to real feelings!
The pacing felt a little off in this, but it was an all around enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

When Harsha finishes school she goes back to India and is determined to make it on her own with out the help of her families money, considering they are big names in Bollywood. She runs into Veer, the barista, at a coffee shop she frequents. Veer is trying to make it as a Bollywood star, but also trying to support his brother through business school. So what naturally happens when Veer needs money and Harsha is willing to pay someone to be her fake boyfriend. To make the façade seem real they go on dates and really treat it like they were dating. Will the truth that they both hide from each other come to light before they find out they are falling for each other?

This was the fastest I’ve finished a book in a long time. Low spice, but a strong plot that carries you away with it. I loved the characters and thought they had great banter together

Thank you to Dell Romance for the ARC! This one had some cute moments but it honestly never drew me into the story. I think it could be a hit for someone else but for me it was a three star. Thanks for the early copy!

Sweet and fun fake dating romance. It took me a minute to get into the story but once I did the reading picked up.

Harsha needs a boyfriend for her cousin's wedding and has decided to set up a contract with a cute barista. Veer needs money for his brother's tuition and this seems like an easy easy to earn it.

This story is set in India and I enjoyed reading about a completely different lifestyle and culture.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Romance for the e-arc. These opinions are all my own.

I found this book to be a cute, breezy read. I'm a big fan of the fake dating trope, so I was excited to pick this one up. However, it didn't totally engage me like other romance novels with similar plots. I don't know that I completely believed the FMC's reasoning for wanted to pretend to be in a relationship with the MMC. (I understood and supported his reasoning much more haha). I did enjoy their growth as a couple over the course of the book, and I loved the representation of India/Bollywood that this book offered. I think this could have benefited from being a little bit longer so that the characters had a little more time to breathe, and to deal with some of the B-plot a little more smoothly.

Overall, this book was enjoyable and I would recommend it if you're looking for something quick and light to read. It won't be a new favorite for me, but I had a good time with it.

Have you ever felt that you didn't get the love & attention from your family that you needed? Well, if that describes you, then you should read this book! Harsha has followed the path that was laid out for her. When everything begins to collapse, she decides to take a different path & try something off the beaten path. This is a great book. that I highly enjoyed.

Harsha comes from a wealthy but emotionally cold family. She cuts ties with them to be independent, but has a credit card to fall back on in case her life as a photographer doesn't work out. Veer is an unemployed actor working as a barista to support his family. His brother's scholarship fell through, so the family is in dire need of money. When Harsha's boyfriend dumped her so his family could arrange a marriage for him, she left alone. Her mean cousin sees her with Veer at the coffee shop and assumes that they're dating. This gives them the idea to fake date in exchange for money. What could possibly go wrong?

There are some cute moments, especially if you like the fake dating trope. Harsha's family are truly terrible people, and I felt bad for her every time she had to interact with them. Her relationship with Veer was so patently fake, though, it was hard to get a sense of them as a real couple. I wish them well, since the trope is a fun one. It just fell a little flat.

I read Swati Hegde’s first book and mostly enjoyed it, but unfortunately this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I was kind of annoyed at the narration style in general, and especially annoyed at the FMC and MMC. They are both a bit… oblivious? Naive? Too innocent? I’m not sure what exactly it is, but they felt a bit juvenile to me to the point that it got on my nerves. The villains were too villainous, the protagonists got on my nerves, but the story flowed well overall.

Thank you to Dell, Swati Hegde, and NetGalley for the eARC!

Okay, I have had time to process this book and center my thoughts. I was an okay book. There were a lot of cute moments in this that I enjoyed, but overall it didn't blow me away. Sadly it wasn't one of those fake dating book that had me squealing and enjoying all the shenanigans and those moments of will they finally admit their feelings.

I was here, I had a lovely time reading it. I just did not love this book.

I initially wasn't so sure of this book, I didn't feel connected to the characters but as I continued to read that slowly changed. I found myself absolutely eating up the intense level of family drama and found myself laughing more than once at the crazy family antics! I also really grew to love the chemistry that was truly next level between Harsha and Veer! I love that it started as fake dating on her side... but was it ever fake on Veer's side? Not really, and I thought that knowing that just made it cuter.

I loved how quick of a read this one was as well, and really find myself looking forward to Swati's next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.