I was expecting more of a fleshed out story from this book, but the characters and story lacked depth. I also found the way Beck talks to be unrealistic and, especially when listening to the audiobook, obnoxious.

This book hit all of the sweet and spicy spots just right.

When Connie stumbles across her next door neighbor, Beck's, secret that he has told his entire job that he has a fake wife, she takes it in her hands to help him fight his work bully. This leads to them spending two weeks together at a writers retreat having to act like husband and wife, when one of them has not even made out with another person, ever.

If you love a good cinnamon roll and a let me teach you trope, this book is for you. I cannot get enough of these two and want more more more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I did not like many of the characters and the narration dragged for me. I think that there will be an audience this book does super well with, I just am not in that audience.

This was not it for me. 2⭐️

The book is written in first person perspective of Connie, the curvy neurotic FMC. Connie is just her stage name - the reason for the need of a fake name remain, and shall always be, a mystery to me. She said it made her “sound cooler”. I guess there were already too many cool girls around her named Gertrude, so she went with the second hottest name she could think of.

Connie has been with some garbage men and trusts none of them. In this way, Connie is a GD genius. Then Connie meets her neighbor, a caricature of a nerdy American man who says “oh fudge”, probably also “jeepers”, “zoinks”, “oh gawrsh!” Beck is a 6ft-something cinnamon roll virgin in his 30’s who has never even been kissed, and is pretending to be married. Enter Connie/Hazel who steps in as his fake wife, and to show him the ropes of relationships.

At this point, the book turns into American Pie: Middle Aged Edition.

Pros: It’s sweet, funny, spicy, has a lot of tropes that people tend to like (one bed, fake marriage, inexperienced MMC x teacher FMC, forced proximity), curvy FMC rep. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was pretty good.

Cons: whiny FMC, constant (bad) miscommunication trope, the characters were not consistent at all with how they were first described. Mostly my qualm was that there were so many threads that were introduced and then completely unexplored so the characters felt shallow and boring. It could have been so good if the author had given us more on their whys. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the writing. Other than the spicy scenes, which were pretty good, the rest was boring and a little juvenile.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ARC of the audiobook.

This book feels like the author was asked to write a movie based on “How to Date for Dummies” but then turned it into a book - in the best way! I did feel that the beginning was a little jarring - it almost felt like I started the book on chapter 10 and it was difficult to connect to the characters. The MMC is definitely not my type of book boyfriend but loved how it all came together at the end. As the story continued I started to gain more appreciation for the plight of the characters. I think readers can relate to many of the characters in this book or know someone like them.

This was hallmark meets 00s romcom and I loved every second of it!

Beck, our MMC, is absolutely delightful and a huge cinnamon roll/golden retriever fake husband. He's a big-shot editor, a nerd, and the sweetest mid-30s man I've ever read about! His innocence is kind of unrealistic, but that's literally why I loved it LOL

Connie, our FMC, is sassy and untrusting (as she should be!) and really makes Beck open up during their fake marriage. She is the strong one in their relationship and really keeps Beck on his toes.

If you're looking for a cozy, hallmark, romcom style read, this is definitely for you!

Tropes:
-fake marriage
-one bed
-forced (ish?) proximity
-slow burn
-friends to lovers

An adorably hilarious unhinged fake marriage, I loved it. This is the book you read when you want to have a good time and escape from reality. Individually the characters are special and together they make a great team to fool a Beck’s coworker on a marriage that doesn’t exist.

3.5⭐️
We need to start by viewing this book as what it is… wonderfully hilarious, fluffy romance! 💖 And sometimes you just need that.

Henry Samuel Beckett aka “Beck” is the epitome of a jolly green giant. This adorable golden retriever of a man sports a mustache while rocking, bowties, and baking for his cute neighbor. 👨🏻The man is in touch with his emotions, all about consent, and in his own quirky way, supports Hazel to be the best version of herself.
Connie (actually Hazel) has always been suspicious of “nice guys” after being burned by every man she’s been with, and can’t imagine that Beck is as genuine as he seems.

🙅🏼‍♀️ Take logic out of the equation and we get a wacky and spicy time on a writers retreat! Tbh, the pacing goes back and forth… from slow burn and pining, to full blown spice! 🔥And the man curses like a 4 year old, so I wasn’t expecting much, but surprisingly hotter than anticipated. The banter and vibes pulled through, and again, taking logic out of the equation, I can rock with the ending. 👏🏼

TROPES:
❤️Fake Dating
❤️Virgin MMC
❤️Plus Size FMC
❤️Romantic Comedy
❤️One Bed


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to receive an ARC of this book and give a review! 💕

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein is a charming and playful rom-com that blends humor, heart, and a touch of fake-relationship magic. The story follows Connie, a woman who has always been wary of nice guys, convinced that behind their sweetness lurks something sinister. Enter Henry “Beck” Samuel Beckett—adorable, cheerful, and everything Connie doesn't trust. But when Beck confesses that he’s been lying about being married to avoid career fallout, Connie, in a moment of defense, becomes his "fake wife."

The setup is fun, but it’s the chemistry between Connie and Beck that truly shines. As they embark on a writing retreat, surrounded by a group of people who believe in their fictional marriage, the tension between them grows, leading to moments of vulnerability and undeniable attraction. Their first kiss, first touch, and nights spent together in a single bed spark a journey of discovery that’s both hilarious and heartwarming.

Stein expertly balances humor with genuine emotion, making Connie’s journey from skepticism to potentially finding love feel authentic and endearing. My Big Fat Fake Marriage is the perfect read for anyone craving a lighthearted romance with quirky characters, sizzling chemistry, and a sweet, satisfying ending.

Hilariously funny. Sweet and tender and incredibly sexy, this story kept me up at night as I made the mistake of listening as I went to bed. Didn’t realize until partway through that this story exists in the same world as Whrn Grumpy Met Sunshine so it was fun to see Mabel and Allie make an appearance. Loved how earnest Beck is and how sweet and deep he is. Rolled my eyes a bit at how long it took Hazel to get with the program. Confused about why they are staying with Doug at the retreat - where is everyone else staying? Would definitely read more by this author.

What a delightful surprise this story was! I wasn’t a huge fan of Beck at first, but he really won me over by the end. Despite there being a little too much miscommunication and self-pitying for my taste, the spice in this book was so weirdly wholesome that I ended up enjoying the story more than expected.

Will definitely be reading more of Charlotte Stein’s work. Would recommend this story to anyone who loves a good cinnamon roll hero, bookish vibes, or wonderfully unselfish MMC. :)

About the narration — perfectly done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this ALC and provide an honest review.

Absolutely not for me. The author seemed to want to set the FMC up as some quirky gal with a chip on her shoulder about men but she jumped to conclusions like aerial killer at the drop of a hat, she was rude and abrasive and honestly a bit dumb. I couldn't finish

This is your typical romance with plenty of smut and misunderstandings, but there are a few things that work for me whereas most traditional romances don’t.

First Beck. He is endearingly earnest and incredibly dorky. I love the nerdiness. I love that he can’t lie without feeling nauseated. I love that he’s the inexperienced one. And I love how he makes our girl heal and feel.

Hazel has a taste for toxic men, or she thinks she does, until Beck shows her how good being treated well can be. I kind of like how she’s the one with the experience and leads Beck down that merry road.

But of course the two are pretending to be fake married so of course there will be miscommunication.

It was a good time for me.

This one was a gosh darn delight to read! A fake marriage between the good-guy editor and the aspiring author who lives across the hall gets the forced-proximity treatment when they go on a writing retreat together with his coworkers.

Oh my heart, there’s just something about a love story between two good people falling for each other.

At a glance:
- Single POV
- Characters in their 30s
- British setting
- Ted Lasso-esque love interest
- Super smart nerds—one who has been told she needs to cover up those aspects of herself and one who proudly embraces his geeky side
- Curvy FMC
- Gentle giant love interest
- Cinnamon roll hero
- Fake marriage
- Neighbors
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
- Kissing (and more) lessons
- Food as a love language
- TV and film references

I thoroughly enjoyed Imogen Wilde’s narration and how she captures both the humor and vulnerability of the tale.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

This was a delightful read! It was so refreshing having such a nice/decent human MMC. I enjoyed the hijinks of navigating one bed and while being fake married. The narrator added to the enjoyment and flow of listening to the audiobook. Ready to dive in and explore the rest of the author's books!

What a fun book! It has a Bridget Jones's Diary vibe to it. Love the narrator as well. It was very easy to listen to and flowed well.

So this book is high on the spice level. Basically, we get a little bit of Hazel's backstory and then BOOM, the rest of the book is about s#$ and all that you can imagine about that! It was a good book and I did like the fake love troupe! I was just super surprised that we spent so much time learning about Beck's giant body and body parts. I loved the narrator too. She made it even more fun and interesting!

Charlotte Stein does it again!!! I absolutely adore her writing, it just flows and keeps me hooked! This story was just so much fun! It had a slightly zany premise, but Stein made it believable by having such amazing and hilarious main characters! I adored Hazel, and her insecurities hit me right in the feels. I adored seeing her discover her self worth and grow more comfortable with herself as the story went on. And Henry Samuel Beckett, what can I say about him that will do him justice?! I love him. He's just such a perfect cinnamon roll that needs to be cuddled and kept safe at all costs. They are so good together, their banter and cute scenes make me swoon a little-especially those emails! Also-the spicy scenes were HOT. None of them felt forced in, but each was organic to the story.

I also adored the audiobook narrator! Her accents were incredible, and she gave each character their own voice, so it was easy to get swept up in the story!

“My Big Fat Fake Marriage” by Charlotte Stein is a delightful blend of sweetness and spice, making it a truly captivating read. The humor between the characters is infectious, and the chemistry is undeniable. The romance is skillfully woven with a dash of humor and heart, keeping you invested in the journey of Beck and Connie. The spicy scenes are certainly memorable, adding a sizzling layer to this charming tale. Overall, it’s a fun and engaging read that will leave you smiling. 4.5 stars

This was such a sweet book! 💘 The perfect fluffy rom-com! Both characters were complex and struggled with confidence and feeling worthy of love. Their personalities were so lovable and I thought they fit together very well despite being somewhat opposite. I really liked the contrast between a very experienced and somewhat jaded FMC and an innocent and hopeless romantic MMC.

I did feel that many of the emotions and fears of each of the characters were somewhat repetitive and it made the story drag a bit. The second half of the book was EXTREMELY spicy (at least for me) and it got a little bit repetitive and drawn out as well. I would have liked a little more substance…

Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun cutesy romance read! The audiobook version had a lovely narrator, so definitely listen if that’s your cup of tea!