Charlotte Stein brings her signature blend of humor, heart, and heat to the fake marriage trope in "My Big Fat Fake Marriage," creating a delightfully engaging contemporary romance that feels both familiar and fresh. When cynical aspiring writer Connie meets Henry Samuel Beckett—a cheerful, bow tie-wearing editor who's fabricated a wife to impress his colleagues—she finds herself reluctantly stepping into the role of his fake spouse at a writing retreat.
Stein excels at character development, particularly with Connie's guarded nature and trust issues around "nice guys." Her internal conflict feels genuine as she struggles to believe that Beck's sunny disposition isn't hiding something sinister. Beck himself is wonderfully written as the kind of genuinely good-hearted hero who feels authentic rather than too-good-to-be-true. The author skillfully builds the romantic tension through forced proximity and shared vulnerability, making their growing connection feel organic despite the fake premise.
The writing retreat setting provides the perfect backdrop for both romantic development and comedic moments as the couple tries to convince everyone their marriage is real while navigating their own growing feelings. Stein's trademark wit shines through the dialogue, and she handles the transition from fake to real emotions with her usual deft touch. The steam level builds naturally alongside the emotional connection, delivering satisfying payoff for both the romantic and physical tension.
While the fake marriage plot follows expected beats, Stein's execution and character work elevate the material. Fans of her previous work will appreciate the emotional depth beneath the humor, and newcomers will find an accessible entry point to her distinctive style. A charming, steamy read perfect for anyone who loves reluctant hearts finding their match.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

I really enjoyed this rom com! Give me fake marriage + a Ted Lasso inspired teddy bear hero + badass plus size heroine + forced proximity any day of the week. Their meet cute (or, meet disaster) made me LOL and I loved seeing how their fake arrangement evolved into genuine, heartfelt partnership. At 8 hours 4 minutes, it’s a quick romp and will leave you grinning.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage is a delightful and light read. Charlotte Stein’s unique humor is evident in this fun twist on a fake marriage, and the witty dialogue and odd situations kept me grinning the whole time. It’s the perfect feel-good story for a relaxing weekend.

Although it doesn’t explore deeply into themes, that’s what makes it appealing. If you’re looking for something romantic and charming this book truly delivers.

Thank you @macmillanaudio for the free audio! #MacAudio2025

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein was chock full of timely pop culture references that I found quite enjoyable, laugh out loud funny, and played the fake dating/marriage trope very well! I normally am not into nice guys, but this book has an amazing nice guy that you can't help falling in love with. It is a sweet and hopeful story, but also full of spice. You will love this one.

Hearts: 5
Review: I love both of the main characters and that they are so different personality-wise. Connie is funny and has a dirty mind. Beck is a real nice guy, not a fake one. He is a furry, gentle, teddy bear, giant, sweetheart and I’m in love! The book was well written and entertaining throughout.

This is the kind of male hero in romance I want to see more of. He was very sweet, kind, and he has a great mustache. We need more men like him as we enter the next phase of the MeToo movemnet.

Steamy, hilarious, and full of heart—My Big Fat Fake Marriage turns a fake romance into a wild ride of real feelings and irresistible chemistry.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I absolutely loved it! I would rate it a 4.5 if I could, it was that enjoyable. The teddy-bear MMC was just adorable with his mustache and sweet temperament and I think all women have had bad experiences in past relationships so seeing the FMC work through her baggage in order to create a positive relationship with her fake husband was really special. I cannot wait to read more by this author since this was such a great and fun read!!!

This was a first time read for me by this author and what a charming story. What starts as a classic “fake relationship” setup quickly turns into something far more heartfelt and swoony in this utterly charming rom-com. I also listened to this as an audiobook and very much enjoyed that as well. The story delivers warmth, wit, and just the right dose of emotional vulnerability.

Connie is delightfully cynical—a woman who’s learned to brace for the worst, especially when it comes to “nice guys.” Enter Beck: bow tie-wearing, sunshine-dispensing, absolutely-too-good-to-be-true Beck. But underneath the cheery façade lies a man who’s never been in a relationship and just lied to his entire workplace about being married.

The fake marriage trope has been done many times, but this one stands out thanks to sharp dialogue, believable chemistry, and an undercurrent of sincerity that makes you root for both characters from the start.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This was a wonderful story. Our main characters formed a great pair. The fake relationship trope was very well done.

Okay, so this was CUTE, but also kinda ridiculous—and I mean that in both the best and most unhinged way possible. Fake marriage? Forced proximity? A nerdy, bowtie-wearing book editor who says things like oh fudge? Yep, we’re in rom-com land, baby! 🎩💕

Beck was the human embodiment of a golden retriever—so sweet it gave me cavities 😍. But I won’t lie, the fact that this man made it to his 30s without so much as a kiss?? Sir, HOW?? Connie, on the other hand, has been burned by love too many times to believe that someone like Beck is actually as good as he seems. Cue miscommunication, internal angst, and, of course, one bed. 💘

The writing style was a little much at times (Hazel/Connie’s inner monologue was like a spiral that never stopped spiraling), and the pacing was slow in places 💤. But the vibes? The vibes were fun. The banter? Solid. The spice? Surprisingly good for a book featuring a man who literally says fudge. 😏🔥

If you love:
📖 Fake marriage
🔥 Slow-burn tension
💖 Inexperienced but secretly confident MMC
✍️ A bookish setting
🍬 A romance sweeter than a sugar rush

…then you’ll enjoy this one! Just don’t think too hard about the plot logistics, and you’re set. ✨

I wish I had remembered what I thought about this author's last book before I picked this one up, because I feel exactly the same about this one. This started as a cute, witty rom-com. I liked Connie, and I loved Henry's awkwardness. I can see how his G-rated dialogue could be perceived as cringy, but I thought it was endearing. The fake dating trope was fun, and I liked how Connie was so quick to stick up for Henry with his annoying colleague. However, about halfway through, that all went out the window. For about 8 chapters, the only thing Connie thought about was Henry's "member". Any relationship building ceased. I am not a prude by any means, but this was not even spicy; it was completely cringeworthy and such a turn-off. I almost didn't make it to the end to see how the relationship wrapped up. I do not think this author is for me. If you like spice with no substance, definitely check this one out.

3.5⭐️ I listened to this one on audio and enjoyed the narration of the story. I really enjoyed the writer/editor aspect of the storyline. The writing retreat sounded like a lot of fun and the interactions between the two MCs at the retreat definitely built the tension and deepened the fake wife/marriage storyline.

This book definitely plays into some of the common romance tropes - teddy bear MC (achingly sweet - almost too sweet for me), fake marriage, one bed. Overall, I thought the storyline was good - the interactions between the MCs were engaging - I definitely felt like some of the dialogue was a little cringy and the MMC was almost too sweet for me, but overall an enjoyable and quick read.

Thank you to the publisher for the physical copy as well as the ALC and eARC. Of course, special shout out to the illustrator who is one of my all time favorites!!

This was adorable! What a refreshing read in this romance genre. The hero was written so wholesomely and watching our heroine fall in love with him was believable and went at the perfect pace. It was a lovely story about two charming and lovely people who deserve the world. Bravo!

I'm a sucker for a fake dating troupe! I found this read enjoyable. The in experienced MMC who has made it into his 30's with never being kissed, a bookish backdrop and a slow burn. This one was a good one! I feel like making it that late in age with nothing as much as a kiss is a little outlandish but that's just me. It did become a little slow at times but I enjoyed the banter of the story so i can overlook the slower areas.

Cinnamon roll MMC, sassy FMC and a fake marriage trope (it's in the title 😉). I really enjoyed the consent and message of it being ok to like what you like sexually. The spice was excellent! There was a lot around pleasing each other without it being sex. Beyond that the characters annoyed me a little bit. I don't know exactly what it was, possibly the narration? I'd still recommend for a light hearted, spicy romance.

Connie is an aspiring writer who is attracted to all the wrong men. Beck is a bear of a man who's never had a girlfriend. The problem is, he's told his work colleagues about his fake wife. Somehow, Connie ends up stepping in as Beck's fake wife at the writer's retreat she was supposed to be attending (and that he was coordinating). But as each reflect on all the reasons why a real relationship between them couldn't work, they also start to be drawn more and more into each other's dearest fantasies.

The question is, can they take a fake relationship and make it real, or would it be the biggest mistake of their lives?

I really enjoyed the development of these characters and their relationship, but felt it relied much too heavily on the open-door, physical connection. I don't need to be in the room with them as they're experiencing each otehr. Honestly, it feels awkward. So, while I would have loved to have given this a higher rating because I did enjoy these characters and this relationship and I appreciated having plus-size MCs, I was too distracted by the significant number of steamy scenes.

Thank you to Charlotte Stein, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This book took an old trope and made it new again! I have to be honest I’m a bit over the fake dating trope but I loved this fake marriage story. The characters felt so real and the whole situation was so unreasonable and kept me wanting to read more. Definitely a must read and the narration is done wonderfully!

This was so cute!! I wasn’t sure what to expect for the narration of Beck, but I enjoyed it.

I was really glad we also got a little glimpse at Mabel and Alfie because I love them so much!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I did not know this was part of a series and I was so obsessed with these dorks that I finished this book before reading the first. I'm normally a big stickler for reading a romance series in order because I have to know all the easter eggs. I don't feel like I missed too much other than their introduction and finding out why they were "set up" together. Is Beck an almost unbelievable character? 100%. There's no way this gorgeous, kind, idiot hasn't been hit on by some equally clueless woman? He was a star basketball player! He is jacked. I don';t care how dorky he is. He is someone's type (mine). As that is to say that I did love the rapport between these 2. I loved that Connie was equally baffled by Beck's entire existence.