𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 🥳
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★★★ (5⭐️)
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book. The Faking Game earned its rating in every possible way. The writing was beautiful, and while it’s a slow burn novel, the pacing was good and kept me invested from beginning to end. I loved the mystery and drama woven into the story👌🏾 it will definitely keep you flipping pages, especially as you try to figure out who the stalker is.

The story had everything you could want! 🥹Romance, tension, growth, and a lot of spice. And I mean… the praise kink in this book?????
SO. DAMN. SEXY 😻😻

The story follows Nora, who ends up moving in with her brother’s best friend, West, after being targeted by a stalker. What starts as a protective arrangement quickly turns into a fake dating setup👀one that benefits them both but slowly starts to blur into something real. Their chemistry is unreal, and the slow unraveling of emotions and hidden truths kept me completely hooked.
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What I loved most about this book is that it wasn’t just hot and swoony—it was full of heart. It beautifully explored themes of healing, self-worth, and the power of putting yourself and your feelings first, and refusing to feel guilty for doing so. It’s about learning to stand your ground, say no, and grow into the best version of yourself. As a young woman reading this, so much of what Nora did, went through, and felt was incredibly relatable and made the story feel even more empowering. There were so many validating, real moments—especially if you’ve ever struggled with people-pleasing or putting your own feelings on the back burner. But beyond all of that, this is still very much a romance novel at its core. It gives you swoony tension, heart-fluttering chemistry, and tropes like enemies to lovers and brother’s best friend. It’s sweet, emotional, sexy, and fun—all wrapped into one unforgettable read.

The romance in this book was so heartwarming and cutesy—it completely pulled me in. From the start, there’s clear tension between Nora and Wes, giving off that addictive enemies-to-lovers vibe with a brother’s best friend twist. As the story unfolds, their connection deepens in such a beautiful and unexpected way. I loved how they both opened up more through their “lessons,” slowly letting their walls down. Wes paid close attention to her in ways that felt so genuine—remembering little things she never realized he noticed—and Nora, in turn, trusted him in a way she hadn’t trusted anyone else. You could really feel how much she wanted him, not just physically, but emotionally, instead of trying to find someone new or moving on. Their bond felt deep, real, and intentional. The slow burn made it all the more satisfying, and the growth in their relationship—from tension to vulnerability to love—was everything I wanted to see.

Loved it. We love a brothers best friend romance who also teaches her how to stick up for herself. West is a feminist icon and all that Nota is feeling is so relatable and just never talked about. I definitely loved that aspect so much and look forward to the rafe’s story!!!!

i utterly devoured this book. in one night, this book had me crying with emotion, crying with laughter and just on a true rollercoaster - as any good book should.
i’m always a sucker for a brother’s best friend romance, especially a billionaire based one, and this one did not disappoint. west and nora are two completely lovable characters, as are their friends and loved ones, and were the perfect balance of relatable and unrelatable. i cannot wait for rafe’s book and getting to arc read this was one of my greatest pleasures.
i fully recommend this to any romance reader, and any fan of ana huang should come running to read olivia’s work!

"He identified one of my core fears within one lesson. I'm terrified of making people upset. I'm a people-pleaser to my core, with everyone but him. And he's challenging that."

This line hit me like a punch to the chest. I immediately connected with Nora's fear of disappointing others and constantly putting everyone else's needs before her own. Watching her relationship with West evolved felt natural and deeply satisfying. The pacing of her growth through the "lessons" never felt rushed or fake- it was organic, vulnerable and real.

West was the perfect counterpart to Nora. Gentle but firm, he respected her boundaries while still challenging her mindset. He helped her realize that saying "non" doesn't make you a bad person. For anyone who's ever felt like they had to shrink themselves to keep others comfortable, Nora's journey will resonate with you.

The banter between Wet and Nora was perfect and let's be honest - West's praise game was A+. And the kind of emotional support he was giving her was top romance.

I'm a sucker for a best friend's little sister trope, and Olivia absolutely nailed it. The flashbacks were a great touch, adding emotional depth and history without interrupting the present-day flow.

Overall, this book gave me all the feels, full of self discovery, empowerment and laughs and I highly suggest you add it to your list of books to read.

Thank you for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review - it was such a joy to read!

Nora and West are dynamite. We have a lovely couple that shouldn’t be drawn together: ahem, brothers BFF, she’s off limits, she’s a virgin… enter West, who just can’t help himself except to her. I’ll allow it. 😆 This book was delicious. I also want dating lessons from West and I’m old and married. The whole premise of the book was she asks for dating lessons and he needs a fake girlfriend so win-win.
Until they discover things about each other such as: a marriage clause to keep his family home… but hello forced proximity, they’re already sharing said home.
I love Nora’s character and the friendships she develops throughout the book. Including with the MMC, because let’s face it: they are a match in every way.
This book was surprisingly sizzling with a side of praise and this girl approves. I’m hoping this turns into a series, because I want more of these boys and the women that break them.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle completely surprised me—in the best way.

I really liked this one. The characters were well-developed, emotionally layered, and genuinely compelling. Nora was easy to root for, and West? Sexy, funny, and exactly the kind of protective, charming love interest I wanted for her. Their chemistry was off the charts.

The plot had everything I was looking for: fake dating, opposites attract, slow burn tension, and just the right dose of drama. I especially loved the subtle thriller subplot—Nora having a stalker added a nice edge and created the perfect excuse to throw her into her brother’s best friend’s arms (which I obviously loved).

If I had one gripe, it’s that they both kept assuming the other was faking their feelings the whole time—even though neither of them ever was. Just communicate, please!

This book delivers on:
💍 Fake dating
🔥 Opposites attract
🛡️ Protective MMC
⏳ Slow burn
💼 Heir to an empire
🌶️ Spice: 4/5

Plus, the author sets up book two perfectly, and I can’t wait to dive in.

I received this arc from NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: May 25 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

This book just completely grabbed me with its charm and the way it explores the push and pull between these two West and Nora.

What I really, really loved about this book is the chemistry between them practically leaped off the page. You could feel the sparks flying every time they were in the same room. It wasn't just about the physical attraction, though there was PLENTY of that! It was about the slow burn, the forbidden glances, the little moments of vulnerability they shared.

Nora is a character you can't help but root for. She's kind and a bit insecure, but she’s also strong, determined, and has a quiet fire in her. Watching her come into her own throughout the story, thanks in part to West's unintentional support, was so satisfying. She starts off a bit shy and unsure of herself, but West's…ahem… "lessons" really help her to realize her worth and find her voice.

And West? He's the kind of brooding, ridiculously attractive hero with a hidden soft side that just makes you swoon. The way he starts to see Nora, not just as his best friend's little sister, but as a desirable woman, is truly captivating. He goes from being emotionally unavailable to completely smitten and a really good boyfriend.

Olivia does a fantastic job of building the tension between them, making you desperate for them to just give in to their feelings. And when they finally do? Fireworks! Seriously, the chemistry between them is sizzling, and the intimate scenes are beautifully written.

I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, but trust me when I say that this is a must read for any romance lover. It's funny, heartwarming, and steamy, with characters you'll fall in love with and a story that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. Get ready to clear your schedules, because once you start this book, you won't want to put it down. I can’t wait for everyone to read it as well!

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Billionaire romance, virgin fmc, roommates to lovers, brother’s best friend, fake dating

Absolutely devoured The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle in only a few hours. It’s impossible to put down once you start reading it. It’s the perfect trope combination of fake dating, forbidden love, forced proximity, brother's best friend, and billionaire…all wrapped up in a bow.

Let’s start with Nora. She’s been raised to be a people-pleaser, so she typically does what everyone else wants her to do. That is until she decides to move to New York and enter a design competition…which no one in her family seems to take seriously. The worst part? She has a creepy stalker who has followed her from Europe to NYC requiring her to have increased security.

That’s where West comes in. He is her brother’s best friend and oversees her security. It only takes one incident before he has her move in with him. Did we mention that Nora is insanely attracted to West? And the feeling is mutual although he refuses to act on it because of her brother.

It’s only a matter of time before West breaks…especially when they decide to fake a relationship to send a message to her stalker and get West’s mother off his back about getting married. Plus, Nora wants to get more experience dating so she creates a list of things for West to help her with…countdown until they can’t keep their hands off each other.

This book is full of tension between Nora and West, twists and turns, and incredible spice. Highly recommend adding it to your TBR list if you love a fast-paced romance novel that you won’t want to stop reading.

Thanks again to Olivia Hayle and NetGalley for providing an ARC of The Faking Game!

I signed up for this ARC just a couple days before the release date... I know, crazy right?

I went into this, thinking it would be a fun read. I love books like this--I mean would doesn't like a good brother's best friend, fate dating trope.

But this fell flat for me. I DNF'ed at 10%. The writing wasn't my style, and I just couldn't' connect to the characters or to the story.

I apologize for the sucky review, I know there will be a lot of people who will enjoy this! I hope you have a good release!
-Review will be posted after a week-

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Our protagonists are West and Nora—and between them, a stalker, a to-do list, a protective brother and an upcoming wedding (maybe not)

What I liked

• Nora. Sweet, vulnerable, and raised in a sheltered environment.She’s always saying yes to please others, but deep down, she’s ready to find her voice and stop letting fear control her life.
• The relationship between the protagonists! From the very first moment, their chemistry is obvious. There's tension, banter, and the way they grow closer and learn to trust each other happens so smoothly, you can’t help but experience it with them.
• The side characters. I really enjoyed the whole group dynamic! I’m already looking forward to their own stories!

What I didn’t like

• The stalker subplot felt a bit weak to me.
• From the middle onward, some chapters could have been cut to keep the story moving a bit faster.

First-person narration, dual POVs, nice writing style, perfect for binge reading, and well-written spice!

Do I recommend it?
Absolutely! It’s the first book I’ve read from this author, but it definitely won’t be the last!

Thankyou for this ARC copy of The faking game.
I absolutely devoured this book in one day!

The story follows Nora who is an heiress and a model and finds herself the target of a stalker. When she moves to NYC her brother asks one of his best friends West to keep her safe.

This book contains fake dating, brothers best friend, touch her and die and praise kink. It is deliciously spicy, fun and heart warming. I loved that it also had mystery/thriller elements that you don’t often get with romance.

The Faking game is the first book in The Billionaire games series and I can’t wait to read the next books in the series!

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley for the ARC! I was pretty excited about this book since it contains a ton of my favorite tropes (brother's best friend, fake dating, etc.), but ultimately, I never felt connected to either of the MCs. I am someone who can typically read a contemporary romance in one to three days, but it was so difficult for me to stay invested in these characters and their relationship.

I am super glad a lot of the other reviewers seemed to love this book, I think it just wasn't for me as I didn't love the dynamic between the characters, and felt like the stakes of their romance were too low. For one, I am not a fan of the virgin trope, since it tends to always be the FMC who is less experienced and feels less relatable to me, not sure why, but I just tend to not like reading it. On top of that, the story felt like insta-love (even though they weren't up front about feelings early on), and I really dislike that trope; I prefer more conflict. Lastly, I also didn't love the double rich person dynamic, I think there is more intrigue when one person is super wealthy; it just felt like a pointless element of the story. The characters could have just as easily been two middle-class people with similar circumstances; the wealthy element added nothing to the story, from my perspective.

Overall, I could see why someone who loves the tropes mentioned above would love this book, but I think it just wasn't the right combo for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a light-hearted, uplifting read that is well paced to keep you interested and invested in the story. The author presents a concept that feels very familiar and resonates deeply, particularly for women who identify as people pleasers or "yes" women. I have read this author's work before and look forward to the next in this series!

Review as posted on Instagram and Goodreads:

Before you read this review, add this to your summer tbr immediately!

Okay, now that you’re back, let me tell you why you need to pick this up.

First of all, these tropes (which are all executed perfectly)

🎀 fake dating
🎀virgin fmc
🎀 he is helping her practice dating…and other things 😉
🎀 brother's best friend
🎀 billionaire mmc
🎀 forced proximity

if that didn’t convince you, let me tell you that this book was incredibly well written. the pacing was perfect and kept me gripped the entire time.

i loved seeing the mmc (west) help out fmc (nora) grow into herself, gaining confidence whilst there relationship bloomed.

also, the setting!! based in new york, nora has to stay in wests family estate to avoid a stalker.

p.s. there is a cat.

Okay, now get off Instagram and read this book!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

TW: the fmc has a stalker throughout this book

Nora and West are a match made of chaos. A conveniently, inconvenient situation that comes together and finds it's home. Hayle takes over the top drama and finds a sense of humor in the irony of it all. The Faking Game is tart and sweet with a hint of sass and a dash of heart.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book. This is the first book I’ve read by Olivia Hayle and I had the hardest time putting the book down. I loved the storyline and the growth of the main male and female characters. The Faking Game has a great storyline and had some intrigue for sure in what was going to happen. Not to mention all the steam radiating from the pages. Throughout the book there were times where I blushed, where I laughed, where I was angry, and overall just happy. That is all the making in my opinion of a great book! I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was the first book I’ve read by Olivia, and it was great! The Faking Game is a well-written, brothers best friend/billionaire romance with a lovely FMC and a MMC that had me swooning the entire time (the level this man takes praise kink to in unreal). The beginning felt a little slow and the ending felt a bit anticlimactic. That being said, the book was fun and I definitely enjoyed it! Looking forward to reading more from Olivia!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Tropes:
❣️Fake dating
👥Dual POV
🛏️One bed
🧍‍♂️Brother’s best friend
🧍‍♀️Best friend’s sister
🫂Forced proximity

I can never stop reading a fake dating, billionaire romance. There’s something about it when done right and this book is no exception. I love love the relationship between Nora and West - they’re both so good for each other. West brings out the realness in Nora and Nora challenges West in a good way.

The first half of this book really started off strong, it had me giggling over the banter, tension and drama. The way West is so protective of Nora is not too overbearing, it just hits right. He’s always in denial of his true feelings for Nora and we all know she’s more than “just a sister”. I also can’t stop reading the fake dating aspects in this book because it’s something that I’ve never read before where I guess it’s relatable in a sense when Nora is dealing with her people-pleaser problem. It’s very wholesome to have West by Nora’s side all the time to help her understand who she really is and also for him to understand her.

One thing about this book that did not really interest me is the stalker drama and the reveal at the end, it just feels flat and I did not really care about it that much.

But overall, this book is so good - I can’t strop reading it! Side note: I love West’s friendship group and I can’t wait to read Rafe’s story next!

P.S. Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Hayle for giving me this ARC to read!

it had a lot of potential to be great but remains suspended in the okayish zone. I think there were a lot of openings for a more ambitious setting, but the book never takes off into the sky and cycles around the highway on ground.

nonetheless, it was a decent read.

Ok, I’ll admit it: I judged this book by its cover when I requested it. Sexy modern Mr. Darcy? Say less. Add in fake dating and I’m already strapped in.

This was an enjoyable, low-stakes read that didn’t try to be deeper than it needed to be. Nora is a model heiress from an LVMH-esque fashion dynasty who just wants to design clothes instead of being the face of them. When a stalker situation escalates, she winds up with a security detail—and a fake, live-in boyfriend in the form of her older brother’s best friend.

Enter West: grumpy, protective, and very much not immune to his best friend’s little sister. The “dating practice” premise didn’t fully land for me, but I appreciated how it evolved—especially when it gave West space to support Nora as she found her voice and learned to push back. And the way he fell? Fast, hard, and <i>so</i> soft about it. The pining. The restraint. The aching awareness of her presence. Delicious.

<b>Other highlights to note:</b>
💕Chemistry that simmers and grows—none of that instant soulmate stuff, just believable tension with a slow build payoff
🏰 Old money aesthetic in a jaw-droppingly gorgeous house (West, if you’re looking for a roommate…)
✨ Banter that made this a bingeable delight
💚 Praise kink—like, aggressive levels of praise kink
🌸 Some surprising emotional depth tucked into an otherwise breezy read
🍃 A cameo tease at the end that definitely worked on me—I’m in for the spin-off

This didn’t linger for me the way I prefer my faves to, and I didn’t fully connect with Nora on every level, but it was still a good time. Olivia Hayle is new to me, but not for long—I’ll be back.

<b>TL;DR:</b> Sexy fake dating with a protective older brother’s best friend, a praise kink that deserves its own spotlight, and just enough pining to keep things interesting. The perfect light read when you want to escape to a billionaire’s estate for a fling.