Fake Skating is an absolute delight! Lynn Painter delivers another charming, laugh-out-loud rom-com with heartwarming characters and sizzling chemistry. The fake-dating trope is perfectly executed, leading to a truly swoon-worthy and unforgettable read. A definite must-read for any romance fan!

This book was super cute! The beginning was slow but once it got going I couldn’t put it down! Liked all of the characters, but felt a bit long which is why I rounded down. If you were a fan of Better than the Movies, and like the typical fake dating trope, you’ll love this book.

“I felt almost homesick for the person I used to know.”
Wow Lynn Painter did it again! The banter in this book was AMAZING. I love both of the main characters and their friendship was so wholesome. Alec was sooooo cute and I love how obsessed he was with Dani even when he was pretending he wasn’t. The fake dating was done so well! I love how he was the one adding music to all their moments as well it was so cute to see. It was the sweetest YA romance and I loved the hockey and all the friendships in this little town.

I love a Lynn Painter book, and this YA take on fake dating (with a very fun and punny title) is near the top of the list for me. Readers will be wondering if Dani and Alec can find their way back to one another, or if miscommunication will cause them to stay apart. It's going to be a great fall read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

4.25⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & Lynn Painter for the ARC in exchange for review 🫶🏻

I loved this. It was so cute. Alec & Dani were absolutely precious and so down bad for each other. Throw in the fake dating SOLD

Spice: no spice, kisses only
Language: whew I was shocked at how many f-bombs were in this book. I'm not even kidding you, it was over 300 & there were only 314 pages? It turned me off more than the teenage drinking & implied weed usage. Such unnecessary use of foul language for a book geared toward teens??

5 stars

Any YA book Lynn Painter writes, I will read, and I was especially excited to learn that her next book was a small town hockey romance. This is by far my new favorite Lynn Painter book. I loved Dani and Alec’s relationship and the genuine community in their town. There was a bit of miscommunication, which is a trope I don’t tend to enjoy, but the miscommunication wasn’t a huge conflict in this book. Overall, this was a such a sweet hockey romance with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

From Better Than the Movies to The Do-Over, Lynn Painter knows how to write the perfect YA Rom-Com. Before reading Fake Skating, my expectations were exceptionally high. Now, I can safely say that Painter has crafted yet another swoon-worthy story that will have you smiling till the very last page.

If you love…

Sports Romances 
Fake Dating
Childhood Best Friends
A Small Town Community

Fake Skating is the perfect read for you!

As always, you can expect Painter's classic witty banter, a lovable cast of characters, many moments that’ll leave you blushing, and a heartwarming ending. 

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lynn Painter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was swoon worthy from start to finish! It was so fun to see Dani and Alec find themselves again after growing apart as children. The internal dialogue was absolutely perfect for teenagers - cringey at times- but exactly what I expected and enjoyed!

In the beginning I was a bit nervous this would turn into a love triangle, but oof Benji was put in his place so many times idk how he didn’t end up with whiplash. It was amazing.

If you love fake dating tropes, childhood sweethearts, slow burn & closed door romance, and second chances, this is the book for you!

Thank you for the opportunity of an eARC, and I am leaving this review willingly.

Such a cute, angsty romcom! a hockey romance with fake dating, what more could I ask for tbh? Watching Dani and Alec rekindle their bond and get to know each other again as teens was so fun and heartwarming.

Dani moved away when she was younger and as a result ending up losing touch with Alec. Once she comes back to Southview, she is forced to face him on her first day at her new school, not at all terrifying right? Well let’s add that he’s the star of the hockey team now.

Their connection felt so natural, with the added sweetness of already caring about each other pre move. It was really lovely to watch them fall in love while Dani also grew to love her life in Southview again.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for letting for letting me this book in advance.

Dani and Alec’s story was super cute. It’s a perfect romance for YA, that want to read a hockey story. Hockey, a little romance and a little drama is what you get from this book.

Oh my gosh, this reminded me of all the reasons why I love Lynn Painter’s YA contemporaries. The banter! The sexual tension! The chemistry! This is a clean read (nothing beyond kissing) but Dani and Alec more than made up for it with the fake dating tension! I love every scene they had together. I really liked that Dani was a military kid looking for her “home base” so to speak and I really felt for her having to start all over again her senior year of high school and how hard that would be. There’s no girl hate either; just a nice friendship that develops between the girls. Alec was a sweetheart (except to Ben who totally deserved it). Normally I enjoy one POV character’s perspective more than another, but in this case, I enjoyed following both Dani and Alec. This definitely had the flavor of Better Then the Movies so fans of that book (me!) will definitely enjoy this one as well. There’s a decent amount of language which I wasn’t a fan of but personally so that detracted for me a bit. Overall I’d definitely recommend this one, especially if you enjoy the fake dating trope — this book does it really well! I can’t wait to read Lynn Painter’s next YA contemporary!

Perfect Lynn Painter book! Reminiscent of Better Than the Movies, but with equally great characters and storyline! Love the hockey and Minnesota references. Lynn makes you feel like like you're freezing your butt off in Minnesota too. Dani and Alec are adorable, funny, and supportive. Cute banter! Loved the whole cast of characters and found family and friends! Great book!

Fake Skating was one of (if not the most) anticipated reads of 2025 for me. Lynn Painter’s books — and her YA books in particular — always capture something so timeless and hopeful and wholesome. And this one was no exception. Dani and Alec’s relationship was so sweet and pure, and I was so sad when the book was over! Alec was yet another classic Lynn Painter YA obsessed MMC, and Dani was smart and strong and everything you want in an FMC. I love fake dating, and I love hockey romances, and I love Lynn — so I knew this book was basically made for me. I think I literally sent a message to someone the day the book was announced and said “Lynn painter fake dating hockey romance might save me” (and it did).

3.5/5 rounded up to 4/5

Lynn Painter delivers a cute story of Dani and Alec going from friends to fake dating to lovers. The altering POVs allow the reader to understand both sides of the relationship. Some parts of the book are a tad cliche and cringey to read; however, the plot of the book is good. Childhood friends who reconnect after Dani moves back to their hometown in the middle of their senior of high school. They fake-date which eventually turns real and they get their happily ever after. It is a simple read and there is nothing all that surprising about it. I would not say this is my favourite Lynn Painter book, but I would still recommend.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.


I never thought I would see the day where a Lynn Painter book wasn’t set in Omaha!! We still got a little shoutout with Offutt though and this book still had tswift mentions don’t you worry.

This was super cute. I loved these characters and all the angst at the beginning. I really enjoyed the backstory for how these characters met as well as history with their families.

There were a few things left unanswered with the full details from the past, but I loved it. I really want a follow up story to see what happens in the future for these two!

super cute sports romance story! loved the fake dating and the two main characters of Alec and Dani! A fast and light hearted read, perfect for the summer!

Lynn Painter's books are just fun to read and this one didn't disappoint. I would highly recommend it!

I love Lynn Painter's books but I stand by the fact that no YA romance should be over 400 pages. Because of that, I had a really hard time with this one. In addition to the fact that it felt way too long, there were several instances of miscommunication, in which the characters could have easily fixed their frustration with each other if they had an open communication. Towards the end of the book, I found myself skimming the dialogue because it was painfully predictable.

THIS. 🌟 THIS is the Lynn Painter we all know and love. 🌟 Lynn Painter is a YA romance powerhouse and she proves it with his book. 🌟

If you are looking for something to scratch your 🎬 Better Than the Movies itch, Fake Skating is it!

Dani and Alec are both loveable characters and I really liked most of the side characters here a lot. Even though Alec is somewhat of a hockey prodigy, he is just cocky enough to be absolutely loveable still. And Dani seems to be shy and untrusting, but I was still rooting for her and her story the whole time. I think Dani's grandpa Mic is my favorite though. Something about a grumpy, cold grandpa trying to connect with his granddaughter that melts my heart.

And even though I'm not typically a second chance or friends-to-more romance type girlie, I ate this story up. I think because they are actual teenagers, all the intense feelings and silly interactions seem so genuine. Plus the pacing and plot were perfect.

🩵 If you are looking for a 🏒 sports romance (hockey) and 👫 friends-to-lovers feel, this is a must! 🩵 I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a cute YA romance. 🩵

I will continue to read absolutely everything Lynn Painter writes!

*Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for this arc!*

Lynn Painter does it again, nailing this hockey romance! I was hooked from the first chapter, and while the middle dragged a teeny bit for me, the ending really brought it home. The characters stole by heart, and I loved the cozy mix of fake dating, shared history, adorable banter, and swoony moments. Overall, a great feel-good read!