Listen, when a book is marketed as erotica, I expect some heat. Some tension. Some actual action before the final stretch. But this? This was the slowest slow burn that ever slow burned—like waiting for water to boil on low heat.

The beginning and the end? Rushed. Everything in between? Dragged. I was invested, waiting for the moment things would finally ignite, only for these two to get it going on in the second-to-last chapter. SECOND. TO. LAST. CHAPTER. That’s a long time to be left high and dry.

If you’re here for a drawn-out, achingly slow romance where you have to work for a single kiss, this might be your jam. But if you’re looking for actual erotica? Yeah, this ain’t it.

Dana has been working as Nathan’s assistant for years. She is the glue the keeps everything together. Nathan needs to secure a business contract but in order to do so he must present himself as a family man. He enlists the help of his assistant, Dana. What could go wrong?

This has some steam but also a good plot.

Thank you NetGalley and BDA Publishing LLC for the digital copy of this book.

Fake It 'Til You Feel It had a lot of potential to be a cute story. It was a lot of fun and I loved the plot, but it was really rushed and left some details in the wind. I know this is a novella, so there isn't as much time for developing.

Some things I didn't love would be how Nathan had made such a huge deal about Dana being such a part of the deal because of how involved she is in the company and projects, but then she wasn't included in any of the business talk. He was also the one that was excited, having the excuse for fake dating to get closer to her, but he spent a lot of time confused about the progression of their relationship. There were also details during the spicy scenes that didn't make a lot of sense. And the end was a little silly, sweet but silly.

What I loved about this book was the story, who doesn't love fake dating? And I loved that they were stuck on a boat together. Even though the characters didn't have a lot of time to develop, it was still clear to see that Dana is strong willed but loyal and Nathan is cocky but caring.

Overall, I had a good time. Novellas are so much fun.

Many thanks to NetGalley and BDA Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Fake It 'Til You Feel It in exchange for my honest review!

The fake-dating trope? Ah yes, what a lovely way to present a rom-com, and it does help me have a solidly charming time with this novella. It deploys the one-bed trope and the workplace trope, too, with the latter especially sticking the landing in a manner that avoids annoying me. Sometimes, that particular cliche can be clumsily handled, but here, I vibe with Dana and Nathan's dynamic as they build up a decent amount of likable chemistry. I do wish I could have learned more about their history together, though, because it ends up feeling like there's a gap of substance that puts a bit of a distance between me and the MCs.

Overall, I'm officially rating Fake It 'Til You Feel It 3.5 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 3 stars. I'll be looking out for more of Fortuna Lux's writing.

Fake it Til You Feel it is a spicy, quick read but is somehow still a slow burn. When Nathan requests his assistant, Dana, join him for a weekend event to pretend to be his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees. But will they be able to resist each other once on a boat and sharing a bed?

I will never say no to fake-dating stories haha. Dana and Nathan match so good. They have a good banter going on and their chemistry is sizzling right from the start. This is one of those books that anyone can finish in one sitting. Super quick read!

I would've enjoyed this more if it were longer with more background. I felt like I just got thrown into the ocean without a lifejacket so to speak. The spice was nice though!

Fake It Till You Feel It was an enjoyable, spicy read, but it felt rushed. Since it’s a shorter book, there wasn’t much backstory to establish the characters’ connection before the fake dating began, making the romance feel underdeveloped.

While I always enjoy the fake dating trope, I think this story would have benefited from being a full-length novel. The pacing moved so quickly that it didn’t leave much room for deeper character development, which is a shame because I think I would have enjoyed it more with more build-up.

Overall, it’s a fun, fast read for those looking for a quick romance with spice. If you don’t mind a fast-moving plot, this one is worth checking out!

This novella is an enjoyable and quick read. It follows Dana, a savvy personal assistant to CEO Nathan, who asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend on a business retreat. Though they agree to keep things professional, they secretly have feelings for each other.

The story is fast-paced with fun fake-dating and boss/employee tropes. Dana is a confident, intelligent character, and while Nathan is charming, he’s less compelling. The chemistry between them feels natural, and there's no unnecessary drama, just a satisfying ending.

Overall, it’s a cute, light romance, but as a novella, it leaves you wanting more. If you enjoy playful dynamics and quick reads, this one’s worth picking up. I’m giving it 3 stars for its good writing and fun plot.

I liked the characters and the plot, but this short story felt too short.

While I was intrigued, I did not get enough of Nathan and Dana before being thrown into their story.

I did like the author's writing, the spice was good and am interested in more books by them.

Super quick and easy read about with an employee and boss fake date. There was very little background on the character and their life prior to their weekend trip. I would have liked more build up to the trip to really get to know the characters before getting thrown in.

This is a nice short book, that doesn’t take too long to read. I like how you are just kind of thrown into the book, there’s no backstory or huge development/details of the characters and it’s just the weekend getaway. I would consider this book more of a slowburn based on how far you have to get into the book before the 🌶️ scenes bug since it’s a shorter book it doesn’t take too long to get there. I absolutely love the tension build up between the characters and the anticipation the author is able to convey through the book

This is a quick, easy, fun read. I think I was annoyed too much at Nathan, as he was really arrogant, which I know as the boss, that is supposed to come with the personality, but it turned me off and made me like him less. By 30% in I was rooting for him to not touch her so she could just go home, so I do not think this book is for me. I did enjoy the writing style, and the cover is neat!

Thank you for the opportunity to leave honest feedback.

"Fake It Til You Feel It" by Fortuna Lux is an enticing story that intertwines the complexity of professional life with the raw, undeniable forces of attraction. The story kicks off with an incident proposal from Nathan to Dana—one that most would instantly reject. However, the underlying tension between them makes it impossible for Dana to say no, leading to an irresistible narrative full of twists and turns. As Dana and Nathan navigate their fake relationship for work, readers are taken on a journey filled with both humor and heart. What begins as a calculated facade quickly spirals into a web of unexpected emotions and undeniable chemistry. The author's ability to intertwine the “fakes” with real feelings is done masterfully, as we witness a brewing sexual energy that complicates their arrangement. The pinnacle of the story occurs on a yacht, where their suppressed feelings come to a head. Lux's writing shines in this moment, heightening every sense and tension until it bursts in a meticulously crafted scene that remains one of the top five intimate moments I’ve ever encountered in a book. The emotional build-up and release are worth the read alone. I highly recommend Fake It Til You Feel It to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted romance with layers of tension, humor, and deep connection. Fortuna Lux has created a captivating book that kept me gripped to my chair; I simply couldn’t put it down until the very last page.

A cute and short boss/employee fake dating romance in a fun setting of a yacht trip. I really liked the MMC and the chapters from his POV were some of my favorites.

Fake it Til you Make it is a quick boss romance. By quick meaning it's very fast paced, being under 100 pages it's just about Novella sized. You have the boss,Nathan, who springs a work trip on his assistant Dana. But it being a weekend trip isn't all, the potential clients they are meeting do better with a "family" setting so they have to pretend they have been dating. You then have the part where it escalates from the fake dating to something more, but what Dana doesn't know is that Nathan has had feelings for her for a while.

I received this ARC from publishers via Netgalley

#FakeItTilYouFeelIt #NetGalley.

Easy read, had me hooked from the first page finished this in once sitting as couldn’t put it down and was only a small amount of pages.

Short, sharp and cute. I loved this office romance, just wished it was more than a novella. Had plenty of promise. Loved that it was set on a yacht.

The description of this book alone had me hooked - I love a good office/boss fake dating romance!! This is my first book by Fortuna Lux, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What was crazy was being trapped on a cruise ship, which added an extra twist to the story - one bed trope, sign me up!

My only complaint is I wish this was longer - either way, it's a fun and easy read.


Thank you BDA Publishing LLC for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A quick little novella following a woman and her boss fake dating to impress clients. A lovely little romantic refresher, thoroughly enjoyable!