(ALC provided by NetGalley) Forced proximity + a touch of enemies to lovers with a poetic feel. I really enjoyed this story and it was different than other cookie cutter romances. Some of the inaccuracies with the insurance/medical care talk annoyed me. I feel like that could have been researched better (i.e. Medicare doesn’t pay for long term care). The relationship was fasssst but it did come together nicely at the end. Narration was great and perfectly selected for this book.

This was a very cute romance, I did find that the enemies to lovers part was a little forced but it was still enjoyable. They had some chemistry not the best but I feel that everything around is what made this storyline better.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Elle is a podcaster happily living and working in Chicago. But then she has to go home, to the house where she grew up. Her grandmother, Lovie, has Alzheimer’s Disease and is living at home but needs advanced care. Elle needs to get Lovie on her insurance so she can afford a secure setting for Lovie, but that takes time. In the meantime, Lovie has around the clock nurse care from a nursing team including Adam. Adam and Elle don’t get along but Lovie thinks they are a couple. So they fake a relationship around Lovie.

Can you guess where this is going? I don’t usually read romance books but it seems that the how of a couple falling in love is the focus, not whether it will be a happily ever after ending. So although it was predictable, the way Adam and Elle’s relationship evolves is engaging to watch. This book was also surprisingly emotional. Well, not really surprising since Lovie’s diagnosis isn’t just a plot point, it’s a main focus. I thought the author did a good job portraying this disease and how it affects Lovie and the people that love her. It’s an important topic to bring attention to.

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook that I got for free from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. Like I said, not my usual genre, but I found I really got into the story and felt for the characters. Although parts were predictable, the focus on Alzheimer’s was unique. The narrator did a good job figuring out how each person would present themselves and was able to bring life to the characters. This was an emotional read but was worth the effort.

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.

LOVE MEGGG!! This book is EVERYTHING! So heartfelt but funny and such great banter! I loved everything about it and was wrapped up!
Tropes include:
-fake dating
-forced proximity
-enemies to lovers
-caretaking
-all the banter

Check the trigger warning because while this was a wonderful love story, it deals with heavy issues. What a story. I loved the main characters and their love. The narrators did a wonderful job. I was sucked in early on.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fake It Like You Mean It
By: Megan Murphy

What a unique & original story!! However, not reading the summary came back to bite me once again. This book has a major trigger warning that is a huge part of the plot -- Alzheimer's disease. Elle, the FMC, goes home to help care for her grandmother, Lovie, who is living with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a huge trigger for me so it was an emotionally difficult read for me but it was good overall! This is a fake dating romance with a very unique twist. The MMC, Adam, is Lovie's in-home nurse who happens to look just like Lovie's late husband/ Elle's grandfather. Due to Lovie's loss of memory, she believes Elle is a younger version of her and that Adam is a younger version of her late husband. So, in order to not distress her in her disoriented condition, Adam and Elle go along with Lovie's belief that they are a young version of Elle's very much in love grandparents. But will it just be an act or will they begin to form feelings??

This was a sweet story with very original aspects! I believe the author did an amazing job of giving beauty to a family's difficult experience with Alzheimer's, however I would encourage anyone who is triggered by this heartbreaking disease consider how prevalent it is to the storyline before reading.

The audiobook narrators were great!

Trigger warnings: Alzheimer's disease, abuse and aggression as a result of Alzheimer's, loss of parents

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Fake It Like You Mean It is a debut novel from Megan Murphy.

This love story is about more than just romance! It follows the the FMC Elle as she returns home to be with her grandmother Lovie, who’s Alzheimer’s disease is quickly progressing. After Elle takes a long train ride from Chicago to northern Indiana, she finds Lovie’s nurse Adam sleeping in her childhood bed. Chaos ensues.

On the romance front, this story will have lots of your favorite tropes:
🩺Enemies to lovers
🩺Fake dating
🩺Slow burn
🩺One bed
🩺Open door spice

Now, I recognize for a lot of readers, the romance of it all is the reason you pick up the book in the first place. But for me, the real reason I’d recommend this book is the realistic, compassionate, and at times heart wrenching portrayal of loving someone through their decline from Alzheimer’s.

The love Elle has for Lovie is not deterred by the way their relationship has changed as Lovie forgets who her granddaughter is. There are good days and bad days along the way. Elle’s navigation of these challenges gives this story so much depth.

I didn’t relate to Elle as the romantic lead of this novel as much as I did to her being a family member of someone with terminal illness. It was hard for me to make the flip back in forth between compassionate granddaughter to slightly suggestive co-carer when the story focused on her romantic connection with Adam—who, as a MMC I really liked.

Fake It Like You Mean It will be available on March 18, 2025. Thank you to Megan Murphy, Dreamscape Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#bookreview #fakedating #enemiestolovers #onebed #netgalley #bookish #review #audiobook #indieauthor

This was a fun rom-com vibe while also has serious and personal topics addressed such as grief, parental loss and Alzheimers. It did almost have elements of a contemporary romance which I enjoyed! The FMC and MMC were cute and their enemies to lovers trope was sweet to follow. The FMC was at times frustrating for me and felt a bit intense with her annoyance of MMC without reason. The book overall felt a bit slow for me and it did start to drag about half way through which lowered my rating. However, this is an impressive debut in relation to the writing style and plot driven elements. Megan did a great job handling some intense topics while applying laughter and emotion together. I was super touched at the moments between the FMC and her grandmother. Overall, enjoyable read and very cute romance story!

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 enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrator.

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

I liked the story I did end up shedding a few tears towards the end. For this being a debut novel it is very well written. Elle lives in Chicago as a podcaster she gets a phone call telling her that her grandma Lovie is going to need round the clock care because of her Alzheimer s diagnoses. Elle returns to her childhood home to take care of her grandma, she up meeting the nurse Adam who happened to be asleep in her bed. They don't get off to a good start. When they are stuck together, they have to try to keep it civil that is until lovie thinks that Elle and Adam are her and husband bobby so they end up start fake dating so it wouldn't cause to many ripples in her routine. After a while they started to be nice to each other and then slowly they start to fall for each other. Elle is stubborn and closed off after things that happened to her in past, she feels like she has to leave people before they leave her. Throughout the story Elle feels like she has no control of anything where she does have a podcast platform, she comes up with the idea of she will create a podcast that focuses on the life of an Alzheimer family member to give light and help with processes her feelings as well she decides to give the proceeds to charity.

I am once again blown away by a debut novel. Megan Murphy knocked this emotional love story out of the park. As someone who lived with an Alzheimer's patient, the look into the disease is real and raw, giving the book so much depth. Adam and Elle's love story is beautiful with tension and individual growth. I promise this book is worth your tears! As I read this via audiobook, it would be criminal of me not to discuss how deeply incredible Alex Picard is at narrating. She made every emotion come to life. Thank you for this ARC Dreamscape Media!

“I love myself too much to ever risk getting lost in someone else” “ I don’t think you’ve loved the right people if you’ve lost yourself because of them. Love is supposed to make you more yourself not less”. A beautiful, touching and full of love story. Alzheimer is a difficult disease for the patient but also for the people around them and Megan Murphy’s touch is great. The audiobook with Alex Picard makes an excellent story an even better. The character’s emotions, feelings, and thoughts really touch you. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC copy of this book. This is my honest review.

4⭐️

**Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook**

Elle must leave Chicago and her usual podcasting aubjects to go home and take care of her grandmother, Lovie, who has progressing Alzheimer disease. There she is met by Adam Wheeler, the home nurse caring for Lovie. It might go okay if it wasn’t for the fact that Lovie thinks Elle and Adam are a young Lovie and her husband. They must now fake date for the sake of Elle’s grandmother. Grump Adam turns sunshiny, one bed trope, and a lot of other beautiful growing points along the way.

I enjoyed this audiobook. There’s a good story with some medical representation. I like that you can track the growth of Elle and Adam’s characters. What I really enjoyed is that Elle has positive self imagine projected to the world, is torn down by Lovie some, and builds herself back up. And of course, I love the romance arc for Elle and Adam. I would read one of Murphy’s books again!

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.
I'm newer to audiobooks but Alex Picard's narration was engaging and I enjoyed it.

Elle is a podcaster (who even got her name on Jepordy) that puts her life on pause for the woman that raised her. Lovey, her grandmother is suffering from dementia and Elle decides to return home to help ease the transition. Adam happens to be the at home nurse who butts heads with Elle immediately. Lovey thinks that Elle and Adam are together forcing her granddaughters hand into faking a relationship with the hot at home nurse. The banter between Elle and Adam is too cute- the little touches, snide remarks, Elle’s thoughts, their whole relationship. The audio version made me want to keep listening and I binged it in a weekend. The narrator did a great job at Elle’s emotions. I’ll be patiently waiting for Megan to write another! For the first book by Megan I am impressed!

Fake It Like You Mean It by Megan Murphy is a contemporary romance that I really enjoyed event though at times the book isn't sure if it wants to be women's fiction or a "tropefull" spicy rom-com. Elle is a successful podcaster who returns to her childhood home to care for her grandmother, Lovie, whose Alzheimer's disease is rapidly progressing. When Elle arrives she finds Adam, Lovie's live-in nurse, occupying her old bedroom. Their initial interactions are marked by tension and misunderstandings. Queue the enemies to lovers trope.

Lovie, in late stage Alzheimer's, believes Elle and Adam are younger versions of herself and her late husband, Bobby and that they are in love. Enter stage right the forced proximity and fake dating tropes. I thought this was ludicrous until I did some googling and found that there have been cases of Alzheimer's patients mistaking someone else for their younger selves.

Murphy doesn't need tropes to hook readers which I think she'll find as she grows as an author. Her portrayal of Alzheimer's disease is both compassionate and realistic, capturing the emotional toll on both the patient and their loved ones. Lovie's character is depicted with depth, showcasing moments of clarity intertwined with confusion, reflecting the unpredictable tragic nature of the illness. Elle's struggle to cope with her grandmother's deteriorating condition is authentic and moving.

Elle's persistent attitude towards Adam, despite his evident kindness and dedication to Lovie's care, is perplexing and doesn't make sense at times. Additionally, the spicy scenes and dirty talk amidst the heavy themes of caregiving and the progression of Alzheimer's kind of gave me the ick. Mind you, I love spice, but there is a time and a place for that and it was a smidge off-putting.

While problematic at times, Murphy's debut novel shines in its depiction of familial bonds and the realistic portrayal of the challenges of caring for a loved one with a debilitating illness. The narrative is filled both with funny banter and raw emotion, and the character development, particularly Elle's journey towards acceptance and understanding, is beautiful.​ It is a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and personal growth.

2.5 stars.

As the great Randy Jackson once said "It's a no from me dawg". I am petty and I hold a grudge. So I still don't forgive Adam (the MMC) for being such a douche canoe in the beginning.

So Lovey (I listened to the audiobook so I may be misspelling her name) is Elle's grandmother who raised her. Lovey has Alzheimer's and is declining quickly. Elle goes back home to Indiana (she is Chicago podcaster) to be with her. Unbeknownst to her, the care service she uses to take care of Lovey has hired a full time nurse to stay with her the majority of week. When she gets home she unexpectedly finds him in her bed in the middle of the night. They are both super nasty to each other in the beginning. Adam is very judgmental and rude toward Elle. I think I hold it against him more because he is a nurse. As a fellow nurse, I can say with certainty that you cannot be a jerk to families just because you do not think they are supportive enough. Also he just started staying with Lovey full time so how does he know that Elle is not supportive? I understand the author was going for Enemies to Lovers but it never really made sense to me why he would be so hard on her.

I was mad at him the whole first half of the book. The second half did improve and the romance was cute and the writing was not bad. But I don't believe he ever apologizes so I do not forgive him!

I do think the book treated Lovey's Alzheimer's well and did not shy away from the realities of being a caregiver to someone who used to take care of you. So I wouldn't necessarily write off this author, I just really was not a fan of the MMC.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio ARC. This was my honest opinion.

This book pleasantly surprised me. I wasn't super hooked at the beginning; I found myself cringing a little at her initial description of him. Once I got through that though, there was a deeper, reflective story underneath.

As someone who has seen the toll dementia can take on a family, this book really struck my heart. I truly did feel Elle's grief of losing her grandmother even while she was still alive. And the romance was slow and flowed right along with Elle's character growth. As Elle began to let go of the control she wanted over who her grandmother used to be, she let Adam in to help her support her grandmother as she is now. This book doesn't shy away from showing the pain of dementia, but also celebrates breakthrough moments and finding joy in the pain.

I almost wish I got to hear more about their experience growing up. We had glimpses of it, but I wanted to see more of who Lovey used to be before Dementia to feel like I knew her more (even though the romance was the point of the book of course). Overall, I enjoyed this book and really connected with it.

I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO SOB MY EYES OUT MULTIPLE TIMES, but this was such a surprise in the best ways!

Fake It Like You Mean It is absolutely a sweet romance story of two people who are dealing with different things / traumas from the past. You watch them fall for each other and grow as individuals and as partners. BUT it is also so much more than that.

The Alzheimer’s representation in this book is done so very well. The way that the FMC was handling the entire situation was beautifully written in a sense that it was painful, joyous, hopeless, hopeful, and absolutely so accurate to what those in that situation will feel. When she got there at the end when Angie called her I was simply a mess. It was such a beautiful moment and I was so glad that she got to have that.

I really loved Adam. He was a strong character who was super supportive to our FMC, but also had his own growth and story as well.

I really LOVED the narration. The narrator did an absolutely outstanding job. She kept me entertained and into the story the entire time. I would absolutely recommend consuming this via audio.

You’ll find:
-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Only One Bed
-Snowed in Together

& LET ME JUST ADD. this was a DEBUT. this is OUTSTANDING for a debut novel. 👏🏼 YOU DID THAT.

Truly i loved this book. It touched me in such a special place in my heart. If you’re looking for a beautifully sweet romance that also touches on real world, tough topics, i can’t recommend this one enough.