Only Lynn Painter can make a grown woman reader care deeply about a pair of fictional high schoolers! Perfect for fans of Jenny Han, this book was the perfect blend of teenage nostalgia, swoon-worthy tension, and tender hearted character growth. I’d absolutely recommend this to any lover of romance!

Fake Skating wasn’t my favorite YA read. While I enjoyed the fake dating setup and the lighter take on sports romance, the characters felt underdeveloped, the pacing dragged in the middle, and important issues were resolved too quickly. The alternating POVs didn’t always flow, and some elements like the playlists felt forced. Overall, a decent concept, but this one just didn’t work for me

This book was genuinely so much fun and everything I could ask for in a YA rom-com. Childhood friends to lovers? Fake dating?? Hockey!? Sign. Me. Up!! I loved reading about Dani and Alec's relationship and how they reconnected and fell in love. I could see so much of myself in Dani and I just couldn't help but root for her and her happy ending! I think the only thing that felt different from Painter's other YA books is that it wasn't quite as lighthearted or "funny" (it was still funny), like I'm used to Painter's FMCs as the lighthearted ones, and this time I think it was more the MMC, and I think that really showed in the two POVs. But I still enjoyed reading it. I will forever read Painter's YA books <3!

Giving me all the winter vibes 4.5⭐'s

Lynn Painter is here to entertain, while possibly making you cry with all the teenage angst. She does such a great job of getting you all in your feels and the nostalgia of reliving your high school days.
Such a cute story about relearning to be comfortable in your skin, relationships and all the pressure that comes with entering into adulthood. I honestly loved it, but wish the ending/conclusion would of been stretched out a bit more.

*Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC inn exchange for my honest review.

Fake Skating is the second YA book I’ve read from Lynn Painter. I enjoyed it slightly more than Better Than the Movies. The story alternates between Dani and Alec’s perspectives. Overall, the plot is decent, but the book runs longer than necessary. This one leans more plot-heavy than romance-heavy, which works fine. Dani and Alec’s characters are underdeveloped. Even with her family moving frequently because of her father’s military job and her parents’ divorce, Dani never puts in much effort and everything comes too easily to her. Alec’s POV is inconsistent and the playlists and song references come across as forced compared to how naturally they worked in Better Than the Movies. Major issues are introduced only to be resolved within a single chapter which is underwhelming. The middle of the book drags, while the last few chapters, where there’s more to explore, rush through important moments. There’s a lot of cursing, which some readers might dislike, but since the characters are teenagers, it matches the story. Overall, Fake Skating is a decent YA read though it could have been stronger with more character depth and better pacing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

While not my favorite Lynn Painter book so far, I still enjoyed this cute YA romance. Sports romances are kind of a hit or miss for me. It did not get heavy into the sports aspect which was nice as sometimes I feel books can become overly focused on it, but it was nice to focus more on the main characters, their lives, and the romance. The mcs were cute, and I always love a good fake dating story. However, this seemed a little too YA for me at times. Definitely pick it up as it is a cute story, and Lynn Painter can really do no wrong. Just don't expect it to be Better Than the Movies and you'll have a good time.

Lynn Painter has done it again. This is such an amazing and cute romance. Alec and Dani are such a cute couple and are strong characters on their own. Really could not give enough praises, read it in one day. I will continue to read every book Lynn puts out.

I read two Lynn Painter books back to back and I loved this one! I love this kind of book - has sports, adult romance, fake dating. Check check check. The characters were real and they were perfect for each other. I wish the miscommunication at the end was solved sooner but overall, will recommend to my sports loving friends. Thanks so much for the ARC!

This book perfectly captured the YA romance genre with its authentic emotions, slow burn romance, and the fun fake dating trope!

Set in a small town where everyone knows everyone, it follows Dani as she returns to Minnesota after her parents’ divorce and finds herself face to face with Alec, the childhood best friend who once promised to stay in touch but didn’t.

Their sweet but awkward reconnection, complicated feelings, family secrets, and the pretend relationship made such a great read!

I also loved seeing Dani’s bond with her grandfather.

Lynn Painter truly is the queen of YA!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Teen for the ARC.

Fake Skating is Lynn Painter at her best. It is charming, funny, and full of heart. Dani and Alec’s chemistry sparkles, the banter is sharp, and the wintery hockey setting makes it extra cozy. I loved the authentic teen emotions, the slow-burn romance, and every moment with Grandpa Mick. Sweet, swoony, and impossible to put down.

Another homerun from Lynn Painter! From the very first page, the writing pulled me in and refused to let go. This young adult sports rom-com is equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

What starts as a fake-dating arrangement in the characters' senior year quickly turns into something deeper, and their rekindled friendship blossoms into a romance that had me grinning from ear to ear.

Yes, the story is a bit predictable—but in the very best way. I didn’t mind one bit because watching Dani and Alec’s relationship unfold was pure joy. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the book captures all the excitement, vulnerability, and sweetness of first love.

Beyond the romance, the novel also explores themes of authenticity versus perception, navigating complicated emotions, vulnerability, and the idea of found family. It balances humor with heart beautifully, making it a standout in the YA romance space.

Am I in my romcom era? I guess I am because I love this one! Lynn Painter does YA books like no other and this was so so cute.

I adore fake dating in any content so I loved that part! It felt like a lot of common tropes were used but never felt over tropey and just cute and fun!
I really loved Dani and she felt relatable and Alec I grew to understand him a lot through out the book! The romance was sweet and loved the banter. I’m not a huge hockey/sports romance fan usually but this wasn’t overwhelming at all and I actually enjoyed it in this one. Plus the side characters were great I adore Grandpa Mick and the plot with him!

Absolutely loved this book! More to come on Goodreads soon! Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review.

Lynn painter is such a lovely writer. I really enjoy the POV so you can see exactly how the relationship is growing and the challenges ahead. Her writing is real and easy to digest, the perfect YA romance novel.

This book has so many tropes, miscommunication leading to not talking, child hood sweethearts that are reunited in high school, hockey star and the Harvard book nerd... Any it's wonderful!

Lynn painter new books will always go to the top of my TBR list!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars-- What a cute book! I love small-town settings and sports themed romances. It instantly takes me back to high school and living in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone. It was very nostalgic in that sense. I liked Dani's character evolution and Mick's too. My only con is I really dislike miscommunication tropes. Fake dating is always a fun trope, but miscommunication issues is always frustrating to me. I prefer for them to happen later in the book and then fixed if they have to be used at all. To know there's a miscommunication problem right from the jump and have to wait until the end for it to be fixed is frustrating. Other than that, this was a quick read with some fun banter.

Fake Skating hit all the feels! Dani and Alec’s childhood friendship turned complicated teenage reunion had me hooked. I loved the small-town hockey vibe and the fake relationship twist that brought all the drama and sweetness.

This story is about reconnecting, facing family secrets, and figuring out those messy feelings we all try to dodge. If you’re into heartfelt, swoony YA romance with a bit of nostalgia, this one’s a great pick!

Fake Skating is pure fun, full of witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and a romance that feels both swoony and real. Lynn Painter nails the fake-dating trope and gives it an ice-skating twist that makes the story fresh and exciting. The characters have undeniable chemistry that makes every scene sparkle. I couldn’t stop smiling while reading and absolutely loved every page.

4⭐️

This is a hard one to rate I think from an enjoyment level this is a 5⭐️ and more. I love Lynn Painter and this gives me the same feels as Better Than the Movies. However it if I look at this closer and not entirely on how it made me feel there are some flaws that are hard to look past dropping it to a 4.

First I thought the characters were great I loved Alec and Dani but I really loved Grandpa Mick and him trying to connect with his grand daughter. This was so sweet and one of my favorite parts of the book.

Where I struggle is how fast the relationship came together and the overall conflict with the two main characters and the conflict with Ben. It never was explained why Ben hates Alec and why Alec/friends hate Ben. Other than him being a bit of douche. There was so much centered around this and it just fell flat.

It also was pretty obvious what happened years ago between Alec and Dani. Yet when we got to the point it was brushed over rather quickly and it was like nothing happened.

So overall it's a really lovely book I just felt the ending was rushed and nothing was really explained that well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

Classic Lynn Painter goodness! Fun banter, deep moments and lots of humor. I always enjoy LP’s YA romances and this was no exception. I love the way her books make me so nostalgic for my teenage / high school years. Dani is a relatable FMC (I was also a little nerdy and shy in my day) and Alec definitely won me over throughout the story. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, when done well. I also loved Dani’s relationship with her grandfather, so sweet. A solid 4 star read, would recommend! Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for my e-ARC!

This book had all of Lynn’s signatures - witty banter, lots of emotion, and plenty of humor! I really enjoyed this YA romance. While a little slow at times, and I found myself rushing through some parts, the last 25% really delivered.

Some of the subplots felt lackluster and could have been developed a little better, but I enjoyed the main romance itself. It was also little difficult to judge the age and maturity of the characters, as they sometimes felt older than their age but in other aspects felt younger.

Overall I would recommend this as a quick and flirty YA romance! Loved the hockey romance aspect too. I gave this 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4 for the purposes of this review.