2/5 stars
3/5 spice
📍UK

Dorky, awkward, utterly ridiculous rom com

Tropes & themes:
-fake marriage
-plus sizes love interests rep
-forced proximity
-neighbors
-very vulgar (in a quirky fun way)
-bookish (she’s a writer, he’s an editor)
-inexperienced MMC
-2 dorks
-one bed
-cinnamon roll MMC
-overly honest but also zero communication

I REALLY wanted to love this one. Unfortunately, I did not.

Here’s why:
It was too ridiculous for me. The cover definitely got me for this one. And the title. I almost DNFed a couple times. I’m not a romcom person, and was irritated that there were not really any other characters? But I appreciate the representation of individuals who are weird, awkward and still finding love.

The whole book is ridiculous internal monologue by the FMC and dialogue between the 2 of them. Felt like we could have heard more about where they were, dialogue with other characters, about the writing retreat….

MMC uses words like “oh gosh” “oh golly”. Because he’s supposed to be a polite American…?

FMC uses a fake name? But that’s never addressed again really. I feel like we could have unpacked that more.

40% of the book is them being horny but not communicating about it and being in denial that they can do something about it. But still doing something about it??

For example, they were nonstop horny teenagers. These are supposed to be 30 yr olds. In a chapter, they go from chaste kissing for show, to 3rd base OUTSIDE at a work retreat surrounded by others but STILL were in denial that they liked each other.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5! so cute and funny. thank you to netgalley for the arc!

i loved connie’s internal monologue. however, the oafish-ness of beck got tiring after a while. i liked it for most of the story, but it just ended up feeling too far-fetched. also, i didn’t expect it to be as sexually graphic as it was. overall, the story was fun though!

i listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator as well!

I loved the other book in this series, grumpy sunshine and those characters show up briefly in here. I enjoyed this and it was funny and sweeet but not as good as the first one

Never have I wanted a man to be real more than I do Henry Beckett *insert heart eye emoji*
This fake dating love story has me hopefully for love and making me want to download dating apps again. I was giggling, kicking my feet, and biting my lip at the steamier scenes.
Within half an hour of finishing this audiobook I was recommending it to my friends.
The narrator was PHENOMENAL. She had me so invested that I listened to it in one sitting.
5/5 stars

I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. I previously tried a book by Charlotte Stein and really disliked it, but I was intrigued by the premise of this one, so decided to give her another shot. I do feel better about her writing with this one, but I am not sure she is an author for me.
Some things I liked:
- This was fake dating/marriage done well. There was a legitimate reason for needing a "wife" and even for how she would benefit from the arrangement too.
- The FMC and MMC did a pretty good job of communicating with each other almost throughout.
- Good narration on audio and goes down super easy, like finish in a sitting easy.
Unbelievably sweet MMC (just dreamy, almost)
Some things I didn't:
- Unbelievably sweet MMC. He was too wholesome most of the time. To the point of pulling me out of the story. He IS dreamy, but I would be so incredibly suspicious of him in real life.
- Dual narration would have been ideal here and may have helped the believability of the MMC.

Overall, good brain candy, but nothing I will return to in the future.

Connie Evans has always been wary of men, having been deceived and hurt in the past. This skepticism leads her to engage only in casual relationships, avoiding deeper connections. Her perspective begins to shift when she and her reclusive neighbor, Henry Samuel Beckett—affectionately known as Beck—find themselves unexpectedly trapped in an elevator. During this encounter, Connie learns that Beck, despite his cheerful demeanor and penchant for bow ties, has fabricated a story about being married to fend off intrusive questions from his colleagues.  

Recognizing Beck’s predicament, Connie agrees to pose as his wife during an upcoming writing retreat. Beck’s character is portrayed as endearingly awkward, often using expressions like “oh gosh” and “golly,” which, while highlighting his wholesome nature, can come across as overly naive for a romantic lead. The intimate scenes between Connie and Beck are undeniably passionate; however, Beck’s clumsiness paired with Connie’s assertiveness renders these moments somewhat uncomfortable and clichéd. Additionally, while the narrator effectively captures Connie’s persona, the portrayal of Beck lacks depth, failing to fully convey his unique quirks. 

Overall, while the narrative offers a lighthearted experience, it falls short in fostering a genuine connection with the characters, making it challenging for readers to become fully invested in their journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and McMillan audio for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Beck appears to be an absolute nice guy, but Connie's met enough nice guys to know that they're never actually very nice. The more she gets to know Beck, the more she starts to believe he might be the real deal, even as she gets pulled into his lies about having a wife.

I loved the premise of this book, but I could not get into the story. It starts out very slowly, and I wasn't invested in the characters. While I could understand that Connie's perspective coming from a place of trauma and hurt, her entire personality was just grumpy and Beck's personality was just sunshine and kind of clueless.

I was lucky enough to receive an audio ARC of this book. At first it was hard for me to get into it as this was my first audiobook. The story does start fairly slow but once Hazel and Beck get to talking in the hallway it gets a little interesting. The story then picks up once Haze agrees to play as Becks wife during the retreat they’ll be going on. I will say it is pretty predictable in regards to what will happen the rest of the story and how they fall for each other. What I didn’t see coming was the smut that I came across lol. The cover gives such innocent vibes, but as they say never judge a book by its cover.

This book was an absolute riot -- adorable, over the top and completely unhinged in the best way. Fake marriage, forced proximity - tropes I enjoy.
Some minor pacing issues for me - but no big deal. Some of Connie's inner thoughts were a lot ot handle. The banter was great. Romance was on point. Definitely read this one if you are looking for: slow burn build up, fake marriage, a shy MMC, a bookish setting and a sweet romance.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio the author and @netgalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5) I bump up for public places/outdoor space. This one is deliciously descriptive.

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Unique, steamy, and hilarious romcom audiobook entertainment! It’s so good I’ve already listened again.
🤩 Imogen Wilde has a gorgeous English accent and is such a pleasure to listen to. This book works perfectly with one narrator because it’s in first person single POV. She’s really, really good at the conversations.
🤩 If you like a reluctant, inexperienced golden retriever MMC at all, or just want to try one to see if you do, you need Beck and Hazel in your life.
🤩 Hazel and Beck are so supportive and lovely to each other, but in a very fun, quirky, horny way.
🤩 Neighbors to lovers.
🤩 Fake is my favorite, especially with forced proximity and only one bed at a writing retreat.
🤩 Secret attraction and pining.
🤩 The booty conversation and moment—it’s all written so well, with fabulous characterization, and made me smile so much.
🤩 Slowwwwwww burn to oh so open and honest and sensual and detailed and beautiful.
🤩 The hot tub scene!! Is everything!
🤩 All the great communication in emails and in person.
🤩 Putting nasty Doug in his place.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Scumbag Doug is written so well. I hate him, but I love what he brings out from Hazel and Beck.

4 stars for the story but about 2 for the narration. Imogen Wilde delivers on the female main character who is from England but mostly misses on the male main character, from the US. Author Charlotte Stein has written a well-developed story with a wonderful arc for character development, for both of them, and I enjoyed being witness to their growth.

That stated Beck, the male protagonist, is unlike any adult man I have ever met. He is awkward and shy, likes to wear bow ties, and tries to be easy going, even when being harassed by a co-worker; that part is not completely unbelievable. The part that is unrealistic is the way he speaks - he is supposed to be extremely smart yet talks like he is Gomer Pyle from the Andy Griffith show; if the reference is unfamiliar, he constantly uses words like golly or gosh to express frustration or when upset. Listening to a narrator not quite get the male voice, combined with a flat US accent, and adding in the way Beck speaks, made the audio much less enjoyable. It was annoying, as the plot was well developed, the tension between Connie and Beck was palpable, and their interactions became quite steamy as the book progressed.

Recommendation: read not listen, but do check it out!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and have written an objective review.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!
This book is far too freaking cute for it's own good.
Beck is this nerdy, awkward cinnamon roll of an addiction that I could not get enough of.
Hazel and Beck were AMAZING and I loved every second of this book!
This is out in the world today and I highly recommend you go get all the swoons too🥰
Much love to @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for my ALC!😘

This was my first time reading author Charlotte Stein’s work, and I really enjoyed My Big Fat Fake Marriage, which I read through a mix of ebook and audiobook. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, St Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for early access to both media in exchange for my honest opinion.
Connie has not had very good interactions with men. Enter her neighbor - who Connie at first thinks is a serial killer, for very good reasons. However, once that misunderstanding is cleared up, she offers to jump in and play his fake wife, as he had previously made up a (complicated) relationship which he had told his coworkers about. Connie goes on a retreat with him, as his fake wife, and they plan a fight to prompt their fake divorce. But he is a complete cinnamon roll, and Connie finds herself feeling very not-fake feelings. There are a few really steamy scenes, and I couldn’t put this one down once I started reading/listening to it. It’s available now everywhere!

This was my first Charlotte Stein book. I loved the dynamic and chemistry between Hazel and Beck. These characters resonated with me, specifically with dating. I loved their nerdy quirks and how Hazel and Beck complimented each other. This was a fun and quick read!

Connie has little trust in men; the nice guys aren’t really nice; they have hidden secrets. Henry Samuel Beckett lives in the apartment across from Connie and he really is a nice guy; he’s an editor, loves to wear bowties. He’s charming, smiles a lot and is cheerful but Connie doesn’t trust him…no one is really that nice.
Beck does have a secret hidden underneath his sunny personality. He’s never been married but he told everyone at the publishing house that’s he’s married. Connie finds herself not only defending him but pretending to be his wife. They attend a writing conference, and the people there doubt they are married. Things change when they spend their nights sleeping side by side. The tension between them grows until it finally explodes.
I like this book, its cute and its funny but the whole premise is rather silly. The characters are sweet and funny. Beck is in his 30s and yet he’s never kissed…that’ a little strange. Connie is down on love. She’s been hurt before and determined to protect herself. The writing was inconsistent and the pacing was s..l..o..w. The banter was fun. The secondary characters lacked depth. All in all this was a fun read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

So this book started off pretty strong. I liked how protective Hazel was of Beck. Beck is a true golden retriever cinnamon roll. The best gentleman I've ever read. There was nice chemistry between the two. The narration was also done very well.

However, once they became romantically involved it seemed that was all the plot became. I wasn't getting much fake dating and wished more of the book took place outside of the bedroom.

1 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wish I had enjoyed this book more than I did. I got excited by the premise and the cover because it looked so cute. I had some trouble connecting to the characters and then after chapter 17, I just skimmed past parts of the book because it got a bit spicier than I tend to read. The connection between the characters didn't make sense and they knew each other for 2 weeks before they started saying I love you. I thought the narration was good. I did appreciate the fact that the MMC was very sweet but in some ways he was almost too sweet? I didn't know how to feel about it.
Closed door mods: Chapter 17-Epilogue

This was such a cute read. I think Charlotte’s writing has come so far since her debut. The banter between MCs was easy and felt natural. The characters were the right balance of confident and vulnerable.

I am OBSESSED with Becks. He must be protected at all costs, that beautiful cinnamon roll, golden retriever of a man. Think Ted Lasso vibes, but if Ted could also throw down.

I also loved that both the MMC and FMC were plus. It was a great dynamic and I appreciated that Connie had some things to work through from her upbringing but was also confident.

The audio was enjoyable and I would really recommend this medium. It was a quick listen and the narrator was great for Connie! I do really think the story and audio could have benefitted from dual POV. There were so many times that as a reader it would have been beneficial to be inside his brain.

I also didn’t love when Connie was self deprecating about her sexual history, calling herself a slüt just because she’s had a few partners.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Charlotte Stein for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

Reading the description for this made me really excited to get into it, and I'm happy to say it was even better than I expected it to be.
Connie/Hazel is a great main character, witty and funny. She's distrustful of "nice guys" and so avoids her new neighbor, Beck, like the plague. But after finding out his secret, that's he's made up a wife for his conservative job to get off his back, she ends up helping him by standing in as his fake wife during a retreat they're both participating in. I think this is the first romance book I've read in a while that had a "cinnamon roll" MMC, and I have to say I found him quite adorable and likable. His speaking was dweeby, but in the best, most endearing way. I really enjoyed the back and forth between these too.
The only critique I have is that while the spicy scenes were great and bountiful, I would have loved a lot more fluff/romance building between these two. That's a personal preference, I always enjoy the actual romance building in books a lot more, and with these two likable characters I would have loved to have more of their banter and cute moments for them (which they both deserve).

My Big Fat Fake Marriage was such a great audiobook! I was hooked right away! These characters felt so genuine! It was quite spicy.