I'm not sure Lynn Painter has ever written anything I don't like, and this is no exception.

There was good character growth, though not as much as I think there has been in other of her books. The dialogue didn't snap as much either, but it was still such a fun read.

I love how the fake dating resolved in this plot a lot more than a lot of others I've read, simply because it didn't get weird because of miscommunication.

Also, before I forget, Dani's dad is a dick. I am not a fan of how that storyline resolved.

This was so cute and honestly really hard to stop reading. Once it hit its stride, I was hooked Dani and Alec’s dynamic gave me exactly the swoony, childhood sweethearts to fake dating to real feelings vibe I wanted.

But I’m knocking off a star because those first few chapters were rough. The pacing felt slow, and the characters were acting super immature for high schoolers. I get that it’s meant to be lighthearted and fun, but it threw me off at first.

Still, once the story got going I loved the cozy small town setting, the hockey energy, and the sweet romance.

Buddy read with my bb <a href=https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/176974963-kitkat>kitkat</a> go check out her review 💗




Pre read: I GOT THE ARC!! 🧎‍♀️‍➡️🧎‍♀️‍➡️ thank you queen Lynn Painter

Lynn painter knows how to do YA and then add in hockey and second chance romance and clearly I was in. I easily read this book because hard not to love Alec and Dani. You watched their romance simmer and then loved the friend group dynamics and the relationship with her grandpa. Lynn painter is an autoread for me and she delivered with this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Second chance romance mixed with fake dating and hockey? Say less. Dani and Alec’s chemistry is everything—from fiery banter to those quiet, emotional moments that made me melt. The scenes with her grandpa had me tearing up. I eat up any YA book that Lynn Painter writes, and Fake Skating just might be my new favorite.

I don’t think I can get disappointed with Lynn Painter… as someone who skips spicy scenes and loooooves hockey romance, this was perfection. A clean hockey romance, what else do I need???

Dani moves in with her grandpa, at the place where she used to spend all her summers as a kid. Her ex best friend Alec still lives there and now they go to the same school. Fake dating, miscommunication, intrigue, hockey, best friends to “lovers”.

I rated this book 4 stars and you should absolutely read it!

There is nothing quite like a Lynn Painter book to pull a girl out of her reading slump. I love her YA and adult books, and Fake Skating is no different.

Fake Skating tells the story of Alec (Zeus) and Dani, childhood best friends who reunite in their senior year of high school when Dani moves to Alec's hometown. Dani is surprised to realize that her clumsy and awkward 7th grade bestie has grown into a local hockey star with NHL prospects and is revered at his school and across the town. Alec quickly realizes that his outgoing 7th grade bestie has turned into a gorgeous young woman with social anxiety issues. However, a "ghosting" incident in their past makes them reluctant to communicate with each other until they are forced to fake date when Alec needs to clean up his image with a "good girl" to boost his NHL prospects and Dani needs to add an extracurricular to her already stellar transcript to get accepted into Harvard.

The chemistry between Alec and Dani is amazing, the banter is witty, and their emotional growth is realistic and satisfying in the end. The setting adds a cozy background and the supporting characters add to the story without taking away from Alec and Dani. This book is emotional, adorable, and will stick with me for a while.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my review. I loved every second of this one!

This was such a fun and heartfelt read! I really enjoyed the main character—she was shy, smart, and refreshingly sassy. Her social anxiety was portrayed in such a real and relatable way that a few scenes genuinely made me emotional. The depiction of how overwhelming high school can feel—especially when it comes to friendships and fitting in—was so well done.

As a hockey romance fan, I loved that aspect of the story, and the chemistry between the leads had some really sweet moments.

One thing to note: the language felt a bit excessive for a YA title, particularly the repeated use of the F-word. While I understand it’s meant to reflect a certain voice or edge, it sometimes felt distracting and may not sit well with more sensitive or younger readers.

Also, the miscommunication trope was a bit frustrating at times, but it does add some tension and conflict that some readers might enjoy.

Overall, this is a charming and funny YA romance with a lot of heart. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

4.5 stars, rounded up!

I really enjoyed this one! As a big fan of the better than the movies series I was/ am very excited to see that Lynn Painter releasing a sports romance book. I was so intrigued and as a previous hockey player I was so excited to see Fake Skating as the title and premise! I was instantly hooked.

I'm also a sucker for second chance loves and the yearning paired with the banter was AMAZING. it was such a fun read. There were a few eh moments though such as the dad being a bit to much of a red flag and verge of abusive tendencies.

I also wanted just a tad bit more on the big climatic miscommunication part one page was to quick for the plot and resolution of that moment but ti was still enjoyable all around.

This was so fun as all Lynn Painter’s books are!!! Lynn Painter always delivers a fun romcom that makes me giggle but also has a good amount of depth! I love her YA and her adult books and was SO excited for a hockey romance by her (we know I love a hockey romance) I had so much fun reading her! I am so happy she did a hockey romance and I loved that it was childhood friends :’) I loved the found family/friendships and the romance was really sweet especially at the end!!

Thank you Simonteen for the arc!!!

First of all, a massive huge big thank you for the ARC! As a longtime Lynn Painter and Better Than the Movies fan, I had high hopes for this one, and it totally delivered. The vibes were immaculate.

Lynn has such a gift for writing layered, relatable characters, and this cast was no exception. I was super invested in Dani and Alec’s dynamic—the banter, the tension, the chemistry—it all felt believable and fun. The fake dating setup made sense for the story, and even though the plot wasn’t anything super new (I could see the ending coming from a mile away), it was still such an enjoyable ride from start to finish.

I especially loved how Dani’s anxiety and overthinking were portrayed. It felt real without being overdone. And honestly, I need more of Mick, the grandpa and her mom. And her mom’s friends. And pretty much everyone else in that town. That’s how you know it’s good - when you care about every single side character!

Was the blackmailed third act breakup annoying? Yes. Was the miscommunication frustrating? Absolutely. Did I eat it up anyway? You know I did. I do think the “big conflict” could have been resolved a lot earlier with a single honest conversation, but alas… YA drama must YA drama.

If you’re looking to fill the Better Than the Movies–shaped hole in your heart, this is it. And if you haven’t read Better Than the Movies yet… what are you doing? Go read that first, then come back for this one!

Absolutely loved this book. The second chance lovers. The angst. The banter. The yearning. Thank you Lynn Painter, Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers!

This should satisfy fans of Better than the Movies. It’s a YA hockey romance with everyone’s favorite tropes: fake dating and friends-to-lovers/childhood friends/second chance (they’re former best friends). There’s a small-town setting and Gilmore Girls vibes. There’s height difference (she’s tall, but he’s much taller). She's has social anxiety and panic attacks, and he’s a popular jock.

I like both of the main characters, Dani and Alec, and their POVs. Alec’s is a little repetitive on the expletives (I don’t have a problem with the cursing, but let’s get more unique with them), however, it does feel like a genuine portrayal of a teenage boy. Personally, I could do without all of the music references throughout. Alec is a cousin of the FMC, Liz, in Better than the Movies, and I think we could leave that to just Liz, you know? I’m not a music girlie, and the references seem obscure and don’t add much.

I like the family dynamics as well. Dani’s grandpa is so gruff and so adorable, and her dad is such. a. red. flag. Dani is too quick to forgive him, and so is the book. This guy to me screams “no contact.” He’s manipulative and abusive, and as a parent, I just can’t with him.

All together, it makes for the next YA romance obsession.

this was cutieeeee!!
as always, lynn painter wrote a sweet, fun YA romance that is definitely not lacking in tension & chemistry!
i honestly don’t have a ton to say about this one. i enjoyed myself the whole time. the couple was super cute and i love the second chance romance/childhood sweethearts vibes! for a YA, there was quite a bit of heavy make out scenes & to be honest some of the kissing scenes were written kind of weird? (like talking about “diving into her mouth over and over”)
the big “secret” or conflict that was the overarching theme of the book was that there was a miscommunication when they were younger & then the third act breakup was just unnecessary and predictable.
also, the language in here was too much. 256 F words?? be so for real. i think lynn is a great writer & i know she can come up with some better vocabulary than that (i work with middle school & high school students & NONE of them use even CLOSE to that kind of language)
i thought the chemistry was great and even got butterflies during some of the romantic scenes. i loved all the references to music and the song lyrics that were included!
while i have some complaints, i thought it was fun and recommend it if you can handle strong language. i loved betting on you much more!
🔥NO SPICE🔥 just make out scenes
🤐LANGUAGE🤐about 260 uses of the F word & frequent use of other swear words. some other curse language as well.

I absolutely loved this book! The relationshipand friendship between Dani and Alec was perfect. There is miscommunication and when they figure it out, everything is tied nicely together.

OMGOMGOMG!!! I loved it! Devoured the book in two days, and I already want to reread it. Just like every Lynn Painter YA book, I will buy 5 for my high school library, and all of them will be checked out all the time.

Alec and Dani’s relationship was so cute, and even though “fake dating” is a troupe used often, Painter delivers banter and angst like no other. Hockey books are some of my favorites, and Dani’s grandfather being a hockey star added a fun element to the story. I love that her grandpa would research how to talk to her, and he made her better. It was PERFECT!

Thank you, Lynn Painter and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC of this book! Please never stop writing!!!

the best YA book lynn painter has ever written. this book was so quick & easy to read, and it took me out of my reading slump. it was such an adorable read with the childhood friends/second chance trope. alec (the guy character,) was so caring and i loved how he couldn’t fight his feelings for dani. both the main characters matched so much & they had sooo much banter. it was such a well thought book, and the ending was so adorable that i was sad the book was over.

hey siri…play so high school by taylor swift.

oh my… I have so much to say but I can’t!!! I honestly cannot wait until release day so I can put my full review out there because I am bursting at the seams.

What I can say for now is … Lynn Painter, you never fail to amaze me. This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, and smiling like an idiot the entire time. I’m a sucker for Lynn’s books and an even bigger sucker for hockey romances. Those two together??? OH MY LAANTAAA. It was everything.

I resonated with dani so much. I loved the representation of mental health and panic attacks in this book. I adored her so much. She was sweet, funny, and so real. And Alec noticing the little shifts in her and being so happy to see her shine again?? I melted. That man is a walking green flag.

Now… I do have one tiny thing to say. The miscommunication plot? I needed more. Like yes, I know they love each other, but I wanted that conversation, that moment where they really work through it instead of skipping past it. One page just wasn’t enough. I needed to feel the resolution before we moved on to the real romance part. Because I was rooting for them so hard, and I wanted that emotional payoff. Same thing with the whole ordeal with the father. What he did was very unforgivable and yes sure he’s her father but talk. it. out. please!!!!

BUT can we talk about the pet names??? “Baby,” “Honey,” “Baby girl” — I ate it UP. Every single one. I was swooning, smiling, twirling my hair. Alec could call me any of those and I’d just pass away right there. He was giving book boyfriend of the year and I will not be taking questions.

Anyway. I have SO much more to say. But for now… just know I’m obsessed and counting down the seconds until release

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. I thought this story was a cute childhood sweethearts/fake dating to real dating vibe.

I knocked one star off because I felt the pacing at first was slow and there a little bit of immaturity to the main characters for their age. I don’t really relate to the main characters since I’m not that age group, but I enjoyed the overall story.

I'm sorry but I've just gotta be honest and say Lynn Painter never misses with these YA romance novels. They always hit for me. I'm not saying they're perfect but I'm smiling at my little ARC like a loser! 4 stars!

A new YA+ romance book with tropes such as fake dating, childhood sweethearts, missed connection & hockey-romance.
⛸️
Dani spent her whole life traveling thanks to her military father, but the one month a year in the summer when she would get to go to her mom’s hometown and spend time with her mom’s best friend’s son was the highlight of her year. Unfortunately after Dani and Alec kiss for the first time, the notes they sent throughout the year to one another just stop. Dani has always wondered why in seventh grade she stopped hearing from him, but now it’s the last few months of her senior year and her parents’ divorce brings Dani and her mom back to Minnesota. Teenage Alec is nothing like the nerdy boy she grew up with. Now he’s a hockey god named Zeus that seems like a popular playboy on campus. When the two get into a compromising position they have to fake date to save Alec’s reputation as he tries to make it into the NHL, but spending time together they realize there has been a lot of hurt on both sides, as well as miscommunications that are blocking a happy ever after.
🥅
I adore Lynn’s romance books whether they are middle grade, young adult or adult. She just speaks to my heart and uses my favorite tropes. This one is going to be appropriate for our old high school readers and they’re going to eat it up when it releases September 30! Check out the Spotify playlist associated with the novel!

CW: medical content, injury, car accident, hospitalization, toxic relationship, parental abandonment, anxiety attacks (on page), alcohol, violence, physical assault, drug use

Not 5 ⭐️ because of random f-bombs for no rhyme or reason and the songs included throughout were distracting.