Fake Skating by Lynn Painter is a fun YA romance, obviously based around hockey. Dani and Alec were inseparable as kids before Dani moved away. Years later, Dani returns to town as a high school student. excited to reconnect with Alec, only to find that he is a hockey star. One thing leads to another and Dani agrees to fake date Alec. But is it really fake? Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is Lynn Painter’s newest YA romance and I often think her YA books are better than the adult novels because the character’s have more depth and backstory. Dani and Alec were childhood friends who got together every summer, but they had a falling out and haven’t spoke in years. Dani who up until now lived on military bases and moved around a lot. Due to her parents divorce she and her mother are going to live in the same town as her grandfather which is the town she visited every summer and saw Alec. Through a series of events Dani and Alec fake date. Will they rekindle their friendship or possibly become something more?
This book was cute as expected, but it also had a lot of heart and depth. The characters were great and the grandfather became my favorite. The story is a bit formulaic and kind of predictable, but that adds to the charm of Lynn Painter’s books. This will easily fall into the category of a comfort read. If you’ve loved Lynn’s other books then you’ll enjoy this one too. There are a few nods to older books, but you could still read this one first and you’d enjoy it right out of the gate.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for this E-ARC via NetGalley!
I wish that we had teen romances like these when I was in high school 🏒

Childhood friends to enemies to fake dating to lovers is what you’ll find in this one! Dani moves to her mom’s home town when her parents divorce and comes face to face with her childhood best friend now known as “Zeus”.

Hockey rules this town and her new high school. Zeus ghosted her years ago and she’s still hurt by it. When Zeus needs an image rebrand and Dani needs an extracurricular for Harvard, they fake date.

The fake dating slowly becomes real. But with Dani’s dad constantly trying to make Dani choose while Zeus has to mask his injuries, will they survive it?

I thought this was a fun coming of age story that addresses the teenage problem of not having any control over their lives and finding their way!

Review

I always love a Lynn painter book, I've read three of hers and I am obsessed with her so going into this, I had high expectations for sure. The premise sounded very interesting for sure! Her dad sounds horrible and that first kiss. What happened after that first kiss to make him feel that way about her? Interesting seeing it from the other pov. I wonder what's going on with the grandpa and the moving. Benji? The dinner and seeing grandpa again. I liked hearing alecs pov on this. The twins and the fact that she didn't know about them because her mom was very wary about talking about that life around her dad, crazy! The dinner. He can't stop thinking about her and the bonfire. His mom texting him about Dani! She loves Harvard. The hockey talk at breakfast and the first day of a new school. Cassie? The rules and she seems nice. Hmm how do they know her through Zeus? Wait he's Zeus?! He thinks she's cute and he hasn't even seen her yet!! The prep rally and the no extracurricular activities? She got knocked out?!? Her figuring it out! Them having class together. Them running into each other! Him trying to ignore her and failing. The library and Cassie. No eating at school? Him trying is very sweet. Olympics?!?! Damn that sounds so sad and the accident. The speeches. Co manager? The postcards sound interesting. The practice and her dad seems like a dick! Her crying and him helping. Damn. This is when the fake dating comes into play i guess. Benji? Why do they hate each other still and what happened with the postcards anyway? Damn he was the guy he fought. The phone call and the backstory. Him coming to pick her up and burrito? That entrance. Lunch and the gummy bears. Them omg I wonder how Alec is after that whole day of pretending! The wreck sounds so painful. Ow. That's so fucked up. The dinner and him almost falling. Them kissing and her grandpa coming out to see it. The conversation about everything. Damn he cleans up nice! She makes hockey sound so interesting!!! Omgggg! The dare and the aftermath. Benji? The 20 questions part! Wow she's super smart but left school so quickly after meeting him? No wonder grandpa hates her dad. Damn wtf. Them talking and dating. He's down bad. The patch part. The changes and him thinking all about her. They are both down bad. This new sport and her grandpa and her was adorable!! The friends banter! Her drinking omg and the hurt he felt after eavesdropping. Diet Pepsi and no alcohol? The game sounds serious. The walk and the kiss. Her dad is such a dick!! The dinner and what is happening? The jersey and the milkshake was so sweet. Him finally being ready and her being the person for him! Woah wtf?!?! Eww. They won! She loves him?!?! Yayyyy! Woah and the spot. Of course Benji shows up! He deserves to get punched and why did she bring him there? His parents being honest to him. Woah Ben sucks! End things? Disgusting. No.. he brought it up! The breakup was so heartbreaking, they better get back together. Her dad just left? Horrible man. Them coming over and her learning she has real friends. The panic attack. Him being upset about the breakup and what kind of playlist? Hahah. He's listening to exile? The hype of Gaga and he seems so sad, he can't even be happy about the game. She told her grandpa everything?!?! They watched from afar and not Kyle tripping Benji! Haha! Ugh her dad again! Her finally standing up for herself to her dad! Hell yeah girl! Wait what and the postcards? He threw them out?!? Wtf is wrong with him. Alec is down? They are going to the hospital. They won?! Yay! The snack and the surgery. Lynn after my own heart by putting role model in here awww. Oh no! Damn the proclamation that they are back together! Them together is so cute omg! Omg busted. Not the nurse calling her out. Them. The postcards live on and Harvard. Damn girl walking all the way there no issues. They won, she got into Harvard and that is near where he is playing hockey, so cute. I loved this book so much!

Quotes: "the girl who'd laminated our decoders had left the chat, and now Dani Collins was somebody that I used to know."

"He kisses me like he plays hockey."

I rated it five out of five stars!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced copy of Fake Skating!! Whenever I want something sweet, cute, and cheesy Lynn Painter's rom-coms never fail me! This one was no different, I loved Dani + Alec, I loved the hockey aspect to it, and all the songs! Such a short fun read! If you like childhood-lovers to friends, fake dating, sports romance and much more be on the look out for this book's release on September 30!

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love Lynn Painter’s books, especially her YA books. When I saw that this new Lynn Painter book was coming out and that it was a childhood friends-to-lovers hockey romance, I just about peed my pants from excitement. Even with these being common themes in romance books nowadays, I never had a doubt in my mind that Lynn Painter would deliver, and she absolutely did.

Dani and Alec have to be one of my new favorite Lynn Painter couples. Their story of how they grew up together and were each other’s first loves is so sweet and wholesome. We know that Lynn Painter writes insane banter, and I think this might be some of her best work in that department.

I really love how in each of her books Lynn Painter writes her characters so uniquely and they all have defining characteristics that make the easily memorable. She also does a phenomenal job at bringing some element of struggle into her books while keeping them lighthearted and fun. She touches on some real struggles that people go through making the characters feel relatable.

I think my favorite part of this book that makes it stand out from Lynn Painter’s other YA Rom-Coms, was the introduction of Dani’s Grandpa Mick. Mick is Dani’s grumpy grandpa who also happens to be a retired hockey legend and the towns local celebrity. Even though he is grumpy, he truly values Dani as is granddaughter and wants a relationship with her. Mick experiences similar struggles to Dani and can relate to her in that way, which makes their relationship very unique.

This book was and easy 5 stars for me and I would highly recommend this book to anyone! Probably one of my favorite reads of 2025. Huge thank you to Simon Teen for sending me and ARC of this book.
Go preorder Fake Skating now, out on September, 30th 2025!

What can I say except for Fake Skating is an utter gem of a YA novel. Once again (like in Better Than the Movies and Nothing Like the Movies), Painter creates a rich, timeless, and inviting world within a page or two (no joke). Whether you are 15, 25, 35, or 65, Dani and Alec’s story enraptures you to the point at which you forget how old you actually are, quickly returning you to your teenage self. While there are a few flaws for sure (I would have loved it if we were privy to the conversation Dani needed to have with her mother, Hannah, and Dani was honestly too forgiving of her father re: his choices), Fake Skating on the whole is a straight shot of joy and excitement to one’s veins.

Alec is such a breath of fresh air re: teenagers in this day and age, so certain and comfortable with his feelings (is it cynical for me to believe that he may not be indicative of any Gen Z teen?). Dani was a tiny bit frustrating at times, but her arc was wonderfully developed.

I have yet to read any of Painter’s adult fiction for fear that they pale in comparison to her YA entries. Is it too much to ask for her next follow-up stat?

I hope that anyone who reads Fake Skating enjoys it just as much as I did.

Thank you SO much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!

WOW! Just wow, I loved this book. I’m immediately hooked/drawn to stories that have the fake dating trope AND it’s written by Lynn Painter?? immediately yes. Absolutely, give me the book!!

This story follows two high school seniors Alec and Dani (Daniella) who were childhood best friends. They had a falling out, but were reconnected when Dani moves to Southview for her senior year.

Alec or “Zeus” is an ice hockey player who’s always had a soft spot for Dani. He is, in my opinion, better than THEE Wes Bennett. I’m not even joking, I think i’ve giggled more times in this book than I ever did in BTTM and that books is incredible!!! However, Fake Skating is just a refreshing, new, and exciting story that Better than the Movies doesn’t have. Alec is just chefs kiss in this story. So understanding, just so boyfriend coded. I was a little annoyed how he acted standoffish for a bit and then immediately started being nice to her. I wish there would’ve been more of a slow burn OR he just didn’t act like that. That’s my only concern for him. If I could give him a song it would be “Just Keep Watching” by Tate Mcrae!


Dani is a military kid who moves around a lot and finally gets to fit in at Southview… and gets to fake date their star hockey player. She’s so adorable!! I feel like her and Liz would get along so so well. She loves to read and read and read. I loved her communication with everyone and overall she’s the best! I liked how the author explained her social anxiety and I got to relate to her experience with school/mental health. We could’ve dove deeper into that, but I liked how it didn’t over shadow the book. The story is meant to be a rom-com, not depressing. If I could give her a song it would be “Mirrorball” by Taylor Swift!

Overall I loved Fake Skating! I finished it in a day and it’s a lovely story. Though, if I were to be honest, I wished that the miscommunication they had at the end was more dramatic than it was. I’m a sucker for drama and that’s the only thing I would change. I feel like Dani talked more about it with her Grandpa than she did with Alec. It felt a bit rushed towards the end with that. Anyways, If you’re a fan of Better than the Movies or Lynn Painter in general, please consider picking this up on September 30th!

Lastly, Thank you Netgalley & Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for letting me read and explore the world of Lynn Painter once again :)

Thanks to NETGALLEY for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lynn Painter. She has such a way with whimsy and romcoms. I feel like this book really captured the high school experience, childhood sweethearts reunited vibe while also touching on harder topics like absent parents, medical expenses, moving and not knowing where home really is, and finding yourself.

Alec and Dani’s relationship was cute and fun. Some of their miscommunication could’ve been easily resolved, but then where would the conflict and resolution be, right? Their cute moments added lightheartedness to the story, and their banter was fun. I feel like they really represented a high school couple. They weren't overly mature--they made some mistakes personally and with each other--but they weren't childish either. Painter is very good at portraying age appropriate characters, which I love.

Overall, a cute fun read with a satisfying ending.

**Lynn Painter delivers again with a sweet, small-town hockey romance perfect for YA readers.**

The story follows Dani and Alec, two high schoolers who spent their summers growing up together. Dani, from a military family, returns to a small Minnesota town with her mom to live with her grandfather—reuniting with Alec, now a rising hockey star. Their rekindled friendship quickly turns into something more, set against a backdrop of fake dating, childhood sweethearts, family drama, and a classic coming-of-age journey.

Told through dual POV, the story is charming and heartfelt. While I found the ending a bit abrupt and the overall tone a little too sweet for my personal taste, it never dragged—I stayed engaged the entire time. I’ve just come to realize I may be aging out of YA romances. That said, this isn’t a knock on the book or on Lynn Painter, who continues to craft enjoyable, well-paced stories.

As a high school English teacher, I appreciate having a wholesome romance to recommend—one that doesn’t rely on sexual content to create emotional depth between characters.

**Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC.**

4.5 stars.

A sweet young adult novel with charming and heartwarming moments.

Readers of Lynn Painter will be thrilled with her latest novel for young adults. Even adults will enjoy this book from beginning to end.

Looking forward to reading more of her books and definitely recommend this upcoming release!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dani's parents have gotten a divorce, and she and her mom are moving to Minnesota, moving back in with her grandfather. Although she has visited in the summer many times, it will be very different to live there, and in particular to move halfway through her senior year. She is brilliant and wants to go to Harvard. Her father is in the air force and her mom married him at age 18. Dani is not sure she wants to reconnect with her childhood friend Alec, because they wrote to each other for awhile but then he ghosted her.

Ony to find that Alec is now a high school hockey star and the kids all call him Zeus. She and Alec are accidentally caught in a compromising situation, so they agree to fake dating to save his reputation with the hockey scouts and her reputation at a new school and for college applications. Dani also becomes a manager of the hockey team, which is convenient because her grandfather was a star player in the NHL.

Lynn Painter is really the master of the YA romcom, I appreciate that they have good story content aside from the romance. They aren't spicy but they do have realistic dialogue and funny banter. This was well paced and a fun setting. It reminded me of the couples in Better than the Movies and Nothing Like the Movies. I would have liked a little more from the side characters, as they were interesting and had good personalities of their own. It feels like most small towns and the culture of high school sports.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published September 30, 2025.

3.5/5⭐

LYNN PAINTER WROTE A HOCKEY BOY.

YOU GUYS!!!!! We all know Lynn Painter writes the best contemporary men and Alec is no exception- he dishes out the banter, is a deep thinker, and PLAYS HOCKEY. I love love love him.

What I didn't love was how achingly slow the beginning of this was. It took around 35-40% for the fake dating to start and then there were no 'ground rules'. Y'know when the two leads say "don't do----" or "we can-----" well that didn't happen in this one and it was very hard to be in on the tension when the only tension was from their shared past and not because of the "oooo we agreed we can't do this". And the shared past thing NEVER GOT RESOLVED. I'll accept your open ended ending Lynn, but you have to resolve the relationship conflict that the characters struggle with the entire book- otherwise what was the point of having it in there??? If it is that important to the characters (and it WAS) then please talk about it before the book ends.

Enough negativity though. DUDE the flashbacks were everything- I love the childhood friends trope so much and Alec and Dani were sooooo cute. Also the way that Cassie took Dani under her wing and she got to finally have a real friend group- sobbing. Dani's relationship with her grandfather was also so sweet and he was a hilarious addition to the story. While Alec and Dani didn't start bantering until half way though their banter was the signature Lynn Painter level of sarcasm and teasing and just AHHHHHH. The hints of The Notebook in this one were easy to guess but also is the cutest trope so I'll let it slide. The little nods to BTTM??? YES PLEASE.

I adore Lynn Painter guys- and this book is def worth the read!!!

Thank you to Simon Teen, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet title. This was my first Lynn Painter for YA and it was just as wonderful as her adult titles. A great read!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I enjoyed that it was a clean hockey romance book, something that my teens are asking for. I cannot wait to purchase this title for my library!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn Painter is already the queen of YA romance but this just confirms it even more. I love hockey romance and fake dating so I already knew I would enjoy it. Painter had me at the edge of my seat with the hockey drama and romantic tension. I would 100% recommend this book.

Another win by Lynn Painter! I loved it and I know my students will too. It’s great to have an appropriate hockey romance to suggest to my students who want to read some of the more spicy books they see on BookTok.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, and the publishers Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the eARC!

This is not my typical romance read, I mean, hockey for SURE, but firmly YA. However, this was a good book for those in a reading slump that enjoy a good childhood friends to coming of age second chance romance. While it feels a lil weird to be reading about high school MCs, it also reminded me of my two years teaching and the hope/joy I felt in the classroom.

I really enjoyed Dani, the FMC, as she was the perfect overthinking queen and had the perfect touch of playfulness to her personality. She was balanced with Alec, the more cocky jock type but none of the character’s personalities felt “over exaggerated” it felt more genuine. This also had the perfect touch of romance in the “spiciest” thing that happens is a good kiss, so no need to feel a certain way about that. I do wish that the male POV (Alec), his dialogue was edited to sound more teenage-boy-like? At times it felt a little forced/awkward, and I think having a 'real boy' comment might be helpful for his POVs to sound more genuine.

All that being said, Lynn Painter really nailed this book to a tee and it was a solid read. Thanks again to the publishers and NetGalley! ⭐️

I love the idea of this book - it's right up my alley! Childhood friends that reconnect in high school after a falling out...with hockey!? The fake dating trope was a bit flimsy tbh, but still very sweet and swoony. There were some moments that I really loved later on, mainly all cute romance scenes, but a lot of things just didn't work for me.

This was my first Lynn Painter, so it may not be the norm, but the writing felt very...cringey to me? (especially Alec not being able to go two chapters without telling us the exact song he was listening to. This was a bit strange and drove me crazy!!!!! I also do not believe he listens to Adele y'all). I felt that Benji played too big of a role for only being a side character, and his part in the later conflict was not needed. A lot of the plot just felt clunky to me.

I had to remind myself it's a dual POV YA in first person, and to temper my expectations. I'm just not the target audience! I also don't think fans of Ice Breaker would enjoy this, but 14+ YA readers who want to try hockey romance may (only kissing and not overly descriptive, but lots of language fyi).

*Online reviews to be shared after release

the BEST. BOOK. EVER.

okay so bttm has always been my favorite book of all time, my last expectations were for this. book. to actually (kinda) surpass bttm. I ACTUALLY LOVE THEM BOTH SO MUCHHH in different ways for different reasons. I LOVE FAKE SKATING.
⭐️6/5