just a short thought: lynn painter has done it again. i will forever read everything she writes, even her grocery list at this point.

Fake Skating has all the vital aspects of a Lynn Painter young adult romance. Structurally and plot wise, this book reminded me the most of BTTM. Both sets of main characters have known each other since childhood, both set of characters have to fake date, both books have utterly whipped mmcs, and both books have fmcs that love rom-coms.

3.75/5 ⭐️

I'm Guilty of loving Lynn Painter's adult books more than young adults. I mean, yeah, I enjoyed myself a lot, but I think I'm a little bit too old to read high school romance, but that was actually pretty cute..... I think is perfect for people who are in a reading slump. It's clean mostly ( has only kisses) and I'm always up for childhood friends to lovers books

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Shout out to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for approving my request 💕💕

Lynn Painter has done it again with another amazing romcom!! I can't recommend Fake Skating enough to all of my fellow romcom lovers!

ARC Review – Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (rounded up to 5 because I ate this up and would love a college sequel!)

Fake Skating was the perfect blend of swoony, sharp, and sincere. I flew through it in less than 24 hours because I just couldn’t put it down — Lynn Painter truly never misses when it comes to YA rom-coms.

This one delivers all the fake dating gold you’d expect (and love) but also handles real-life struggles with surprising emotional depth. Alec, the MMC, was written so well — a hockey-playing heartthrob who’s charming and funny, but quietly drowning under the pressure of everyone’s expectations. You can really feel the weight of his future pressing in on him, and that gave his character such grounded, emotional depth. Honestly? He gave major Wes Bennett vibes in the best way (and yep — he’s Liz’s cousin from Better Than the Movies, so the music references are chef’s kiss).

Dani, the FMC, is blunt, overthinks everything, and battles social anxiety in a way that felt deeply relatable and honest. Some of the tension in the book definitely comes from her struggles to open up — but it made sense. She’s a character that makes you root for her because you see yourself in her.

The book also touched beautifully on themes like divorce, military family life, and the complicated mess of teen identity — without ever losing the spark or fun. And don’t even get me started on the friend group. Their scenes gave me so much joy, and I’m genuinely hoping we’ll get more from them in a college-set follow-up or spin-off (just like Nothing Like the Movies).

Fake Skating is funny, fast-paced, and full of chemistry — with just enough vulnerability to break your heart a little. I’m so thankful to NetGalley for the ARC, and I already can’t wait to see what Lynn Painter gives us next. There’s no one doing YA rom-coms quite like her. 💫🏒⛸️

I have all of Lynn Painter’s YA romance novels in my classroom library. Better Than the Movies is my go to recommendation when students tell me they want to read a romance. So, I was really excited to read Fake Skating ahead of its release!

There was so much to love about this book. Both Dani and Alec are really likable characters. I love that we get a dual perspective, because while some students might relate to Dani, others might appreciate Alec’s perspective. I thought Dani’s character had some great character development and I loved that her growth wasn’t just because of a boy— or, for a boy. I also love how thoughtful and reflective she was— particularly when it came to her father. While she didn’t always act in mature ways, I thought she worked hard to maintain a healthy perspective (even when the adults her life didn’t). We don’t always give teenagers credit and I appreciate that Lynn Painter did. I also appreciate that both characters are working through their own challenges outside of their relationship. I thought Painter did a good job balancing it all out. Setting was also great and I got a great sense of the culture of this place and the role hockey played in all of that. It felt authentic. Loved Grandpa Mick.

In the end, this book is FUN. And, teenagers will enjoy it.

This book was so cute and brought me back to OG Lynn Painter. I loved the side characters and the main ones. This book at times felt cliche but its a romcom so thats expected. This book was fast and a good palate cleanser.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

This book was at the top of my 2025 most anticipated releases, so getting to read it early was a dream come true.

Lynn Painter could write anything and I’d read it. Her writing style is smooth, fluid, and purposeful. This story flowed well, was entertaining, and had tropes but did so without being cliche.

Overall, a very entertaining read that I’d recommend for young adult readers.

I'd rate this so much higher because it was such a good vook- great banter, interesting characters with compelling back stories, a grumpy grandpa. So much to love...

But this is a book marketed to teens- Amazon says 14+ and it had the *f* word a lot along with lots of other profane language. So that was majorly disappointing. I get that it's high schoolers and hockey players and maybe that's part of the culture. But if this was a movie it'd be rated R and the same people it's marketed to wouldn't be allowed to see it so why should they be allowed to read it? I would be a 5 ⭐ read with a little less language.

I know I'm a mom and not a teenager so take it for what's it's worth.

Fake Skating is a hilarious and heartfelt fake-dating romance that delivers all the charm and emotional depth readers expect from Lynn Painter. Dani’s return to her small Minnesota town sets off a slow-burn friends-to-lovers story filled with witty banter, swoony moments, and authentic teen emotions. Alec is the perfect balance of soft and steady, and his dynamic with Dani made me root for them from page one. The dual POVs add richness to both characters, especially as they navigate complicated family situations and personal growth. Painter captures the energy of high school hockey culture and the awkwardness of rekindled childhood friendships with ease. The language and themes skew slightly mature for YA, and I found myself wishing for a few more pages at the end to tie everything up. Still, this is a fast-paced, feel-good romance that I’d happily recommend to fans of fake dating, small-town stories, and Lynn Painter’s signature style.

personally i think this wasn't painter's best book as the pieces were there, a 2nd chance, lost letters, childhood best friends, hockey, and so on. however, all the reveals about what happened in the past came so early as this story is told in dual perspectives. i don't usually mind miscommunication because that's part of life but reading the characters feeling that way over and over again and them not doing anything about it made me further removed from the romance. however, the lynn painter magic with getting the teenage voice correct and the small town atmosphere (along with grandpa mick) right is still there. loved as a lighter read in between some heavier ones.

Lynn painter’s YA books make me feel so warm and fuzzy and this one’s no exception. I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so loveable, the fake dating trope is one of my favorites, and the dual POVs were written so well. I felt like I was just reading a constant stream of thoughts from the both of them and it’s exactly how I thought in high school. You can feeeeeeeel the chemistry off the page, even though they created some of the silly situations they put themselves in.

As a young’n who moved around a lot until high school, I really related to Dani and her way of thinking about how to fit into a new place. Some of the sentiments were an ode to younger me.

Loved the community, the romance, the silliness, AND the grumpy grandpa 🫶🏼

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC!!!

So I’m not much of RomCom reader. I am much more of a spicy book reader. However, my students have been obsessed with this author‘s books and I had read one before but didn’t really remember it so when I saw this on Net Galley I figured I needed to read it so I would know what the hype was with my students. Here’s what I’ve learned…..the hype is well deserved. This story was funny, sweet, had just the right amount of romance for a YA book, and had a storyline that had me rooting for characters and finishing the book in a day. I will 100% be buying this book when it comes out for my classroom and will happily be recommending it to my students as an appropriate romantic read for them.

4.5 ⭐️

Omg high school me would’ve declared this my fav book and I wish I got to read it then. This was the perfect YA romance!!! I love Lynn Painter so much. Her characters and stories feel so real and they are so comforting!!

Alex and Dani had me swoooooning. I related extremely hard to Dani and felt so called out! And Alex had me blushingggg. This story was truly so fun and everyone will love it!!!! I only wished we got more of a past pov, but other than that it was lovely. Lynn never lets me down!!!!

Thank you SO much to Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy! Fake Skating out Sept 30!!!!

So when I heard Lynn Painter was writing a hockey romance? Immediate yes. I’ve loved her YA books before, and Fake Skating delivers more of what she does best: witty banter, messy teen feelings, and heart squeezing moments that make you root for the characters, even when they’re being a little ridiculous.

The story follows Dani and Alec, who are childhood best friends that haven’t seen each other in years. Now they’re high school seniors in a hockey obsessed Minnesota town, and Alec has gone from nerdy sidekick to full blown hockey star. Through a series of misunderstandings (classic), they end up fake dating, and obviously feelings start flying.

✨ Fake dating
✨ Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
✨ Dual POV
✨ Bantery goodness
✨ Hockey setting that actually feels legit

I loved the premise and the slow shift from old friends to something real again. Alec and Dani’s dynamic is equal parts sweet and chaotic, and their chemistry shines through even in their more stubborn moments. I also appreciated the emotional depth when it came to family dynamics and the pressure of expectations, especially in a town where hockey is practically religion.

That said, I wish a few plot points had been fleshed out more because it felt like there were a lot of threads that didn’t get as much development as I’d hoped. And heads up: this is marketed as YA, but it has a lot of profanity and some intense kissing scenes. Not necessarily for younger teens, in my opinion.

Still, it’s fun, fast paced, and full of heart. If you’re a Lynn Painter fan or a sucker for fake dating with a sports twist, go ahead and add this one to your fall TBR. It’s got just enough sweetness to balance out the sass.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for the eARC of this book.

This was another smash for Lynn Painter. The longing and aching of a good adult romance but it is YA and precious. I did not want to put this down and read the first 70% in one sitting. Sleep was disrupted for this but it was worth it.

4.5 stars ⭐️

Lynn Painter is my daughter’s favorite author, and I love that we can both read and enjoy her young adult novels together. These books typically steer clear of "spice" while still delivering meaningful stories.

In Fake Skating, Lynn Painter delivers a well-executed dual POV and a fresh, fun take on the fake dating trope. As Dani and Alec navigate their pretend relationship while facing the uncertainties of life after senior year, their chemistry and emotional depth make it easy to root for them. The story balances humor and heart, reminding readers that while high school can be fun, many students are also dealing with real-world struggles beneath the surface.

Parents of young teens may want to be aware that this book includes a significant amount of profanity (enough that a film adaptation could earn an R rating), as well as scenes involving teen drinking, drug use, and physical fights. These elements may not be suitable for all readers, though older teens may not think twice about any of it.

Overall, it's a heartfelt, engaging story with depth, and I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fake Skating is a typical Lynn Painter book, with the inclusion of hockey players, and that's not a bad thing. I loved all the vibes it gave me. Superb. I want more.

definitely a solid 3 stars 🌟 even though I’m obsessed with her books, this one wasn’t my favorite. I can’t lie, I had a good time overall while reading but boy how I wanted to scream sometimes, all the miscommunication and the whole drama with her dad had me pulling my hair in frustration

that aside, I actually liked pretty much everything else. Alec gave me major Wes vibes (especially from book two) and Dani, even though super frustrating at times, was also really relatable

if you enjoy her other books, you’ll probably like this one too!!

First off, thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing me an ARC.

I was so excited to read this! I love the banter and humor in Lynn Painter’s writing.

Dani and Alec are summertime best friends in Dani’s mother’s hometown. Every summer she comes out for a month and they reconnect their friendship. After Dani’s grandma’s funeral they fall out of touch. That is, until their senior year of high school when Dani’s parents get divorced. Dani and her mom move in with her grandpa Mick and she learns to navigate another new school and her friendship with Alec. Then throw some “fake” dating and hockey into the mix and you have the bones of Fake Skating.

I really liked the character development. I enjoyed getting to know Dani’s new friends and her grandpa Mick a lot. I liked the story overall and read it quickly.

One aspect that I didn’t enjoy was that there was so much more profanity in this book than Painter’s other YA books or her adult book that I read. There were many instances of the teenagers swearing while speaking to adults or vice versa, and while I can see that happening sometimes, I definitely don’t see it happening with the frequency portrayed in the book.

The actual number may change in the final copy, but here are the totals according to my kindle’s search function.

Usage of the F word:
Better Than the Movies (YA) - 5
The Do-Over (YA) - 18
Happily Never After (Adult) - 100
Fake Skating (YA) - 268