Thank you to the author and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and can be found below.

The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle
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A stalker. A fake relationship. A billionaire best friend. What could possibly go wrong?

The Faking Game is everything I want in a contemporary romance—sharp banter, believable chemistry, and loveable characters. It follows Nora, a model quietly dreaming of becoming a designer, and West, the stoic billionaire heir who’s not only her brother’s best friend… but also the safest option when she needs to hide from a stalker. The solution? Move in to West’s gated estate. Pretend to date. Hope feelings don’t get involved (spoiler: they absolutely do).

But what surprised me most was how layered this story felt beneath the fun setup. Nora’s journey as a people-pleaser hit so close to home—constantly shrinking herself, putting others first, second-guessing every boundary she tries to set. Watching her slowly start to stand taller, say no, and ask for what she actually wants? That resonated on a personal level. It was validating in a quiet, powerful way.

And West? He sees the way she dims herself and refuses to let her do it. He calls it out. He challenges her. He praises her for taking up space—sometimes with words, sometimes with (very convincing) actions. His desire for Nora isn’t just romantic or physical—it’s rooted in who she really is, even when she doesn’t believe in that version of herself yet. He’s a mirror, a catalyst, a spark.

I gave this a solid 4 stars. It’s a bingeable read with smooth writing and great pacing. I did find the stalker plot’s resolution a little underwhelming and would’ve loved more depth in the side characters. Still, this ARC was a joy to read, and I can’t wait to see what Olivia Hayle writes next! If you love fake dating, brother’s best friend, and emotionally satisfying slow burns—this one’s for you.

I’ve read all of Hayle’s books and this is by far my favourite. This was perfectly paced. Swoony, full of tension and I just loved both the main characters. Their relationship developed in such an organic way despite the situation. The spice was delicious. The whole story was delicious

This was a total page turner and to make things better it kicks off a series too - double good news! This was a good old fashioned romance and then there is a twist in it. West and Nora agree to fake date which suits them both, only things are never that simple and feelings happen. Whilst this isn’t a new plot, this tale is very well told. There is a family dynamic to play into the relationships., irritating and involved mothers and brothers, and a stalker which adds a frisson of danger. A great book, that totally hooked me and made me fall in,love with the characters. I can’t wait for book 2.

Ooooh, Olivia you've done it again. I absolutely loved West and Nora.

I loved how he built up Nora's security little by little, always by her side. Always making things happen effortlessly, he's a beauty.

And her, I loved how we saw her slowly growing up over the course of the book, and slowly asking for what she wanted without realizing it.

Just when you think you can't read anything else from Olivia that you love, she goes and gives you these little gems.

Wow, what a book. I enjoyed it a lot, the characters were fun to follow, I would love to read more about Amber, she seemed great for sure. It didn't take me too long to read this book as I kept wanting to know what was going to happen to the main characters, the chemistry between them was off the chart and I was not disappointed. I will for sure check out more books from this author.

This book is definitely spicy, but I thought it was well done. I definitely prioritize the plot over the spice so I was impressed with how much it added without taking away from the story.

I gotta love fake dating and this definitely did not disappoint.

This brother’s best friend + forced proximity romance was a fun read. Very spicy in the best way. You will definitely want to add this to your summer reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Olivia for providing access to this amazing ARC.

This is my first time reading anything from Olivia Hayle and she did not disappoint. With some billionaire romance novels, I have a difficult time getting into the story because they are solely focused on wealth and status. That is definitely not the case with this story at all, they are definitely more privileged than the average individuals, but I felt that the billionaire status was more of a background detail that didn't take away from the story.

I was absolutely feral for Nora and West the entire book and of course I am a sucker for a good enemies to lovers romance, especially when it includes a brother's best friend and secret relationship trope. I absolutely devoured this book in about a day.

As a fellow people-pleaser, Nora's character is so easily relatable and I was able to connect with a lot of the challenges that she struggled with. A large majority of my relationships in life were built on the people-pleasing foundation - so girl I get it. I found myself begging for more as West took her through dating practice and lessons and loved reading dual POVs.

Highly Highly recommend reading this book if you love a good enemies to lovers spicy romance.

Publication Date: May 25th, 2025

This was such a fun easy read. It checked a lot of boxes for me and was very enjoyable. We have Nora who is being stalked, and her brothers best friend who is also a billionaire (of course haha). They decide to fake date to draw out the stalker. I think a lot of people, myself included would relate to Nora, and her people pleasing tendencies. The perfect amount of spice to keep things interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

ARC PROVIDED VIA NETGALLEY

Olivia Hayle delivers a fun, steamy take on the fake dating trope with plenty of heart. The chemistry between West and the heroine crackles, and the emotional growth feels genuine. The characters are layered and likable, making it easy to root for them. A swoony, addictive read with just the right edge.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle

I felt a little thrown into the story within the first few chapters, which made me worried about pacing. Well, I had nothing to be worried about! West and Nora’s relationship blossomed as they transitioned from “hating” one another to fake dating to crossing that line West never thought he would cross with his brother's best friend.

West really sees Nora for who she is and isn’t afraid to verbalize it. He made her feel safe which allowed her to be her true self and not the people-pleaser she has always been. And the praise?? West had me melting in my seat.

I am not a fan of the virgin trope but in this situation, it was executed perfectly. I understand the need to feel totally comfortable with someone to embrace the intimacy. I really loved how she started standing up for herself and doing things she wanted to do, not what others told her to do.

Overall, I loved this book and the characters. This is only my second Olivia Hayle book but I will for sure be working my way through her catalog.

The Faking Game started off a little slow for me, but once it found its stride, I was hooked. The chemistry between the main characters builds gradually, and while it took me a bit to fully settle into the story, I ended up really enjoying the journey.

The fake dating trope is always a fun setup, and this one delivers with moments of humor, tension, and just enough emotional depth to keep things interesting. The character dynamics felt authentic, and the slow burn payoff was satisfying by the end.

If you're in the mood for a light, charming romance that takes a bit to warm up but finishes strong, The Faking Game is worth a read.

This book had all the ingredients I typically love—best friend’s brother, billionaire MMC, fake dating, and even a hint of suspense with a stalker subplot. So I was genuinely excited going in, especially with the added fashion-world backdrop and the Paris-to-New York setting. Unfortunately, despite the promising premise, this one fell a little flat for me.

Nora, an aspiring fashion designer, finds herself in a complicated situation after moving to New York to chase her dreams—namely, her stalker has followed her across the Atlantic. Her brother’s solution? She should stay with his best friend West—a billionaire mogul and Nora’s childhood crush. Cue the tension… or so I hoped.

I’ll be honest: this book was slow. Painfully so, at times. The first half dragged on with very little payoff, and I struggled to stay engaged. While I appreciate a well-executed slow burn, this one lost too much momentum early on, to the point that the chemistry between the characters started to feel flat. It wasn’t bad writing—far from it. The prose is clean and vivid, with some fresh, engaging descriptions—but the plot itself lacked urgency and purpose for a long stretch.

The second half improved. The pacing picked up, the romance heated up, and the spice was genuinely well done. But by then, I was already feeling disconnected. I found myself putting the book down more often than not, and it took me far longer to finish than usual.

In the end, while there’s definite potential here—and readers who love slow, simmering romances might enjoy it more than I did—I personally found the lack of narrative drive hard to overlook.

Final Thoughts:
Great tropes and strong writing, but a sluggish plot and delayed payoff made this a tough read for me. A decent second half, but it wasn’t quite enough to redeem the slow start.

It's a billionaire fake dating summer, for sure. West Calloway is to die for!! Kind of obsessed with him to say the least. If you're into billionaires, fake-dating, and brother's best friend....this is literally perfect for you. ALSO, finally a FMC who isn't insufferable and "not like other girls." So refreshing!

However, I think that the book could've been shorter overall. There were parts that were drawn out that I felt didn't need to be, while there were other parts that I wish we got more of. I also felt that the resolution of the stalker plot point was very anticlimactic, which was disappointing. It is clear now that it was just a plot device for Nora to move in with West, and for what's to come next in the series, but I wish it was more grandiose.

The...learning...aspect of this book was also pretty interesting to me to say the least. I enjoyed the more PG portions of it, but then things got pretty bizarre, like I didn't need that much detail. I didn't hate it, but I felt weird reading it? I think? I honestly can't decide. I know that it's part of the allure of the book, but this trope was new to me so I'm warming up to it!

Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. I quite literally stayed up all night reading it! I am really looking forward to the rest of this series, and I think the author set up the other 3 friends well. I usually hate reading about side characters, but I really enjoyed Rafe, Alex, and James, and I am looking forward to their stories. This is a solid 4 stars for me.

[This review will be posted on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, & TikTok by May 25, 2025, as some sites won't allow reviews yet. The link to my Goodreads review is attached. Thank you so much for the advanced copy, I really enjoyed it!}

First of all, this book seems so loved! Which I’m always happy to see. Maybe I’m a little prejudiced against billionaires? I just wasn’t feeling West enough to trudge through at this time. I found a lot of the things he said and did unfair. 500 pages is a lot for a contemporary romance in my opinion, but I’m open to picking it up again.

This is the first Olivia Hayle book I have read and it definitely won't be the last. I was hooked from the first page.

Nora is one of the most well developed FMC's I have had the pleasure of following and I loved seeing her grow throughout the book. West is most certainly a man written by a woman, with the most delicious praise kink and incredible banter with Nora. I was hesitant with the amount of tropes this book utilises, but they all are incredibly well written and serve the story well. I also see a lot of myself in Nora, which I loved.

Something I love about Olivia's writing is her powerful dialogue. From smutty scenes to love confessions, it never feels unrealistic or too over the top dramatic. Some scenes even had me giggling and blushing - especially the one with the vibrator (IYKYK...)

I am SO excited for the next book in this series and will be requesting to read it! I have fallen in love with these characters so easily.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such an easy, addictive read (I may or may not have stayed up until 3am two nights in a row because I just couldn’t put it down).
The story follows Nora, the younger sister of West’s best friend. After a series of events, Nora ends up living with West, who steps in as her temporary protector. While under the same roof, they strike a deal that leads to latenight conversations, undeniable chemistry, and a deeper understanding of each other.
If you're into forced proximity, forbidden love, fake relationships, and billionaires with the softest heart, this one has it all. I especially loved seeing Nora come into her own, learning how to set boundaries, finding her voice, and learning to put herself first. And the spice? Chef’s kiss. It was hot and steamy in the best way, without ever going too dark.
Thank you Olivia Hayle and NetGalley for my arc!

This was my first Olivia Hayle book and I loved it I will be reading more from her immediately. Nora and west were such a great match and balanced each other so well.

Thank you to the publisher and Olivia Hale for my review copy. These are my thoughts:

Nora is a fashion model and heiress to a luxury empire. West is the billionaire Calloway heir and very sought after bachelor. He is also Nora’s brother’s best friend. When Nora needs protection against a stalker, her brother calls West for a favour. He is to keep her safe and protected in the fortress that is his family home. Not happy that her dating plans will be put on hold, Nora and West come to an agreement: in exchange for pretending to be his girlfriend, West will give her “dating lessons”. All sounds fun and easy until secrets and feelings begin to surface and lines begin to blur. Of all the dangerous and reckless things West has done in his life, this little arrangement might just be his undoing.

This was a fun, cute, sweet and spicy read.
Nora was inexperienced when it came to dating and to men and at almost 25, she felt that being a virgin was a big “failure”. She was also a chronic people pleasure and struggled to be her most authentic self. West was a grumpy and busy rich man, being cornered into finding a wife - which he didn’t want.

I really liked Nora and West. Individually, they were more than met the eye and together they became quite the duo. I liked seeing their friendship evolve and how he helped her come out of her shell and stand up for what she really wanted, instead of agreeing and being a version of herself that others expected.
West really liked to praise her and she thrived on it. For a virgin, she was very curious and it made for some funny moments. West was kind and patient and answered all her questions.

Olivia really knows how to write a billionaire romance. Her setting are rich and her characters shall never want for anything. Her characters are also characters are sexy and the spice is “spicin’”!

Loved the little teaser at the end for Nora’s brother’s story! This is a series I’m going to want to keep reading.

[Spice: 3/5]

I really enjoyed this one! It was fast paced yet a slow burn which built up nicely to the spicy scenes and the emotional connection between the love interests. I also liked how the author handled the main characters people pleasing tendencies and could definitely relate to her character. Overall it was a great enemies to lovers romance with a good storyline and fleshed out characters.