Read this book within 24 hours. It is just that good! If you enjoy fake dating which turn into real feeling troupes this one is for you. West and Nora start fake dating due to Nora being stalked by an unknown. They start fake dating to try and draw him out and for west to protect Nora; one thing leads to another!

Hoping this will be part of a series. Definitely been left open for this possibility.

This was a fun one! It’s my first Olivia Hayle book and I really enjoy her writing style. Also loved the cover!

Nora and West were WONDERFUL together. Chemistry was off the charts and everything you want in a romance novel. Major tropes are best friend’s younger sister and fake dating/lessons in dating. And it was SPICY!

The only thing stopping me from giving this a 5 is that I didn’t like how Nora was so ashamed and embarrassed of still being a virgin at 24- that’s still so young! It was brought up multiple times and it took me out of the story a bit. It was also really long, but I was so invested that I absolutely sped through it. Can’t wait for the next one!!

🩶 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 🩶
💖 Title: The Faking Game
🖊️ Author: Olivia Hayle
📘 finished: May 16
📅 release date: May 25, 2025
Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🎧 currently on loop: “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine + “The Archer” by Taylor Swift
(vibe = soft ache, full heart, warm chaos)

☁️ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ☁️
💍 fake dating
⏳ slow burn with maximum tension
🖤 brother’s best friend
🔥 spice level: slow, sweet, and soul-deep

🌙﹒₊˚✧༚｡⋆

🩶 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓
This book had me feeling everything. From chapter one I knew I was in deep. Olivia Hayle doesn’t just write romance, she writes emotionally improving characters and The Faking Game is that and more.

Nora and West are magnetic. She's being stalked by someone while he carries the weight of generations. Their connection is instant, intense, and impossible to ignore. But this isn’t a story about glam or influence. It’s about two people finding home in each other when the world demands perfection from them.

🌙﹒₊˚✧༚｡⋆

🖤 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐀
She’s determined, sharp, and quietly unraveling under expectations. I loved watching her rediscover herself on her own terms with someone who truly sees her.

✨ 𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓
He’s calm, composed, and deeply gone for her in a way that’ll ruin you a little. His love is steady, intentional, and the kind that makes you believe in being chosen fully and without hesitation AND MY GOD, I LOVE HIM.🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

🌙﹒₊˚✧༚｡⋆

📌 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫
Their chemistry builds like a MEGA storm. It’s soft glances and sharp words. It’s quiet support and burning tension. Their moments together had me on edge, waiting, hoping, and feeling ALL THE EMOTIONS AT ONCE.

🌟 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞
If you're craving a romance that's emotionally rich, achingly slow, and full of meaning, The Faking Game delivers it all. It’s not just about falling in love. It’s about healing, trusting, and choosing each other again and again.

💭
Huge thank you to Olivia Hayle, the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.Completely OBSESSED.

How have I never heard of Olivia Hayle before?! Preparing to buy everything in the backlist... Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, at its absolute best.

at the start i felt like there was a little trouble connecting with the characters, but the connections rapidly gew throughout. all the characters felt real, not just flattened or simplified. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

The book was cute, it was fun to see Nora’s development throughout the book. You go girl! It’s a slow burn book but an also a happy feeling book. It’s such a summer book. Feel good vibe. Loved the group chats that was such a fun thing to read every couple of chapters. Loved the Costa Rica trip, and the friend group. Would love to have another book on Nora’s brother because I need to know more about the summer wedding and the takedown of the company.

Thank you Olivia Hayle, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange this is my honest review.

The Faming Game by Olivia Hayle is an enjoyable sexy, slow burn, fun romance that I found myself salivating for the next chapter.

Hayle introduces the beautiful model, fashion designer, people pleaser Nora, who is learning to set boundaries in her life. All she wants to do is live her life even with her stalker on the loose. Her brother places her in the care of one of his best friends, the handsome West Calloway, one of the richest most eligible bachelors around, with a marriage deadline. Through a misunderstanding they are presumed dating and Nora’s brother encourages the ruse to help catch the stalker. Nora is forced to live with West in his mansion. Nora can’t help but be pulled towards West, and West wants nothing more than to break he and his friend’s “no sisters rule”.

Nora is a classic innocent female heroine while West is the classic aloof billionaire and honestly there is nothing wrong with that. I loved reading Nora’s dating lessons, I have not read a romance novel with that before this and the lessons were fun and spicy. I also loved how West helped her discover herself and help her meet her goals. They truly helped each other grow.

The burn is slow and it made me want to shake sense into them. Nora’s brother can mind his own business and not dictate what they can cannot do. “Code” be damned, West and Nora are perfect for each other. There is a 5 year age gap between them (Nora is 24 and West is 29) and she is a secret virgin and that dictates a lot for her. Their denial of their and each other’s feelings is so strong and they just keep justifying their actions as “practice”, because that steamy kiss is totally “practice”. Overall I found this to be a 4/5 star read and hope to have more in this universe of characters Hayle has created. Buy or pre-order The Faking Game May 25, 2025.

The Faking game is he first book in the Billionaire Games series by Olivia Hayle. This was the perfect book to start a new series. This book has everything that Im looking for in a romance read, and is a must read if you like: faking dating, brothers best friend, slow burn, billionaire mmc, dating lessons, and praise kink.. Like the author, I love a billionaire hero and West is no exception. Nora is a fashion model, wanting to transition to becoming a fashion designer, but a stalker is making that difficult. Enter West, her brother’s best friend and who was her teenage crush is now tasked with her protection. The realize that the best way to protect Nora is for them to start fake dating. One of the things that I really enjoyed reading in this book was the character development of Nora and how she went from a people pleaser in the beginning of the book, to someone who is self confident. I feel like that is something that readers can relate to. The relationship between West and Nora was swoon worthy!!! The chemistry between them lead to well written spice scenes. I enjoyed reading the text conversations between the four best friends. It makes me so excited to read the next book. This book is on the longer side, around 500 pages so I wasn’t able to read it all in one sitting like I usually do with books that I love. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much NetGalley for allow me to review this book. Brother’s best friend is probably one of my favorite tropes… I love the character growth in the book. I felt like these characters were very compatible. This book made me want more so I look forward to the next book.

This is how you do a brothers best friend RIGHT !!!!

This book was so cozy/romantic. I loved both of the MMC AND FMC. they were relatable and I love how strong Nora is. They had believable growth and had me rooting for them the whole time.

This is the first time I have read this authors work but I will definitely read more by her in the future!!

The book was good. I liked it. The brother’s best friend trope never disappoints. I liked how the evolution of the relationship between the two protagonists was portrayed but especially the growth in confidence of the FMC. She became fiercer throughout the book thanks to the MMC who helped her stand for herself. The ending did not disappoint and I am very much looking forward to Rafe’s book! I’m really intrigued!

I've shared the ARC reviews on Storygraph and Fable. My Instagram post review will be out on release day (May 25).

Loved the story!! This was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. It kept my interest and kept me wanting to find out the ending.

HELLO??? This book was spectacular from start to finish!!

When Nora and West strike a mutually beneficial agreement, neither expects to catch real feelings. After relocating to New York to escape a ruthless stalker, Nora is left with no choice but to move in with her brother’s best friend West, the guy she can’t stand. Desperate for a solution, they decide to fake date to kill two birds with one stone: lure out Nora’s stalker by making him jealous and reckless, and get West’s mom to stop pressuring him about marriage. But when the fake relationship soon turns into dating lessons, lines start to cross and rules get broken.

THIS BOOK!!! WAS SO CUTE!!! I will be thinking about it forever. I immediately signed up for an ARC because of the cute cover, and the story lived up to the cuteness! I was so insanely eager to pick this book back up every time I stepped away from it and now I’m sad it’s over. West and Nora had the most fiery banter ever. I absolutely ate up the way Nora constantly pushed West’s buttons. Fake dating is my favorite trope and it was executed perfectly here! The stalker plot was a great added touch, and I did not predict who the stalker was at all. I was eagerly awaiting Nora and West to finally share their feelings with one another. Their chemistry was so strong, and West was very obviously the perfect man for Nora from the very beginning.

There is one thing I hate about this book…Book two isn’t out yet. Olivia, if you are ever looking for beta or ARC readers in the future, please call me. 🙏


ARC reviews have been shared to the following platforms: Goodreads, Fable, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Threads. See links below.

Instagram and threads posts have been scheduled for release day on May 25.

I loved reading this ARC so much thank you for allowing me to read it early.

This book was so good I could not put it down I would find myself reading it any free time I had no matter where I was. Everything about this plot and the tropes had me giddy. Brothers best friend, billionaire, fake dating, forced proximity are all some of my favorites!
When Nora is forced to move in with her brothers best friend (West) because of a stalker things start to heat up between the two of them. And the line between fake and real starts to blur. West and Nora’s chemistry and banter was so good and well written I cannot wait for book 2!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I thought this book started very abruptly. There was no real ‘introduction’ to the plot. Other than the very rushed beginning- I did really like the book. I wasn’t expecting the stalker to be whine I thought. I also really just loved the dynamic between West and Norah. Bring on book 2!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Billionaire romance
Best friend’s little sister
Fake dating
Virgin FMC
Sign me up!

West is tasked with protecting his best friend’s little sister Nora. She agrees to stay at his estate and he’s going to teach her how to date. The chemistry between these two was off the charts and I ate it up!! Talk about the perfect book boyfriend!

rating — 4.25 out of 5 stars.

i am exceedingly picky when it comes to fake dating. i’ve been trying to get out of the habit of saying it’s a trope that i dislike, because that isn’t true at all – i’ve just become frustrated after reading one too many books where they refuse to commit to all the yearning and drawn-out angst that a proper fake dating storyline can give you. when i requested this book on a whim, that same old hope sprang eternal within me – and i’m happy to say that she did it, folks!

i will say, this was a tad long. i don’t really think that any romance book really has any business being 500+ pages in this economy, and there were definitely some scenes i felt could have been cut here and there while maintaining the same character growth and relationship development. which, speaking of – loved both of those in this book! there are so many flat characters and rushed relationships aplenty in the romance world these days, and i felt like there was the perfect balance of action and drawn-out yearning in this book. beautiful, delicious, i ate it up. i do wish the stalking plot had a better resolution than it did (it felt kind of random and low-impact, but idk! it got her into west’s house, so whatever i guess). i still had a blast, though – olivia hayle, you have charmed me. i will be seated for the rest of the series!

Nora and I are one in the same. I’m also a huge people pleaser so it was nice to read her journey to becoming stronger and more assertive in her life!
West and Nora had great chemistry from the very first scene and it just kept getting better. Fake dating is my favorite trope so I knew I was in for a treat.
My only gripe is I think this was a bit too long. There were a few scenes that were dragged out but then there were two or three scenes I wanted more of and they were cut short.
This is my first Olivia Hayle book and I’m intrigued to pick up more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC!!

DEAR LORD WAS THIS GOOD.

Was it long? Yes. Was it worth every single agonising second that I spent with Nora and West? Oh hell yes.

I read this in a day, and it was phenomenal. It's genuinely one of the best fake dating tropes I've ever read. And Olivia Hayle made me enjoy a billionaire romance, and I'm not even mad about it.

Genuinely, this was fantastic, and it's so so so well worth reading.

I am OBSESSED. The Faking Game delivered everything I crave in a romance. It’s a brother’s best friend, fake dating, forced proximity, spice lessons, slow burn tension, romance and so much more. West and Nora had undeniable chemistry, and I loved watching their connection shift from playful to protective and passionate. Their banter? Gold. Their character growth? So satisfying.

Nora’s transformation from a people pleaser to someone owning her worth hit me in the feels. And West? The grumpy, secretly softy who respects boundaries and helps her heal? I swooned—hard. If you love dual POVs, family drama, and steamy slow burns that actually deliver, this one’s a must-read.