Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

What a great read! Fake Skating is a small town romance for younger adult readers that explores our struggles to be true to ourselves, using its romance to support the characters rather than add to those struggles. Dani has just moved to her Grandpa’s house with her Mother following her parents divorce and a childhood of constantly being on the move, except for magical summers at the house where her best friend, geeky Alec, was a touchstone for her. Alec is not happy about this move and Dani is shocked her childhood buddy isn’t so geeky anymore as the town’s teen hockey god. There’s a lot of catching up between the two given they both think the other stopped writing years ago and thanks to a little comedy of errors that lands them in a fake relationship. Dani especially had some very real conflicts to work through separate from Alec while he has some demons and tragedy to work through. Together this teens were part of a lovely story about friendship and strength, and the romance was the perfect foil.

Lynn Painter is a favorite author of mine. Her latest, Fake Skating, is available this fall. I loved it. Pick this one up.

I absolutely love all of Lynn Painter's books, and this one was just as amazing. I really enjoyed this book. It shares a beautifully heartwarming and sweet story about first love and friendship. The characters are incredibly lovable, and her writing style, as always, was fantastic. The book was really easy to read and had some really funny moments. Don't just walk, run to get this book right now.

I want to thank Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book was so cute! I love the dynamic between the two MCs. So much chemistry. So funny. Lynn Painter does it again!

5 ⭐️

This was so good 😭 literally everything I want in a romance. The fake dating was executed perfectly, the tension was tensioning, & I loved Alec & Dani’s dynamic so much. I love how romantic Lynn Painter writes her characters. I was literally giggling to myself at some of the scenes & loveddd every part of this book.

If you loved Better Than The Movies, you’re going to love this one!! I am literally obsessed!

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and the QUEEN Lynn Painter for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Secondly, WOW. I loved this book so much. Fake Skating may be a Young Adult novel, but the deeper themes in this story were so heartfelt, real, and raw. I loved the second chance of it all with Alec and Dani. Watching them reunite and fall for each other in such a sweet and vulnerable way had me feeling all the emotions. Their banter? TOP TIER. Dani is such a complex character. Her journey through daddy issues, social anxiety, and themes such as bullying and losing and then finding her light were so relatable and were handled with such depth and care. Fake Skating was altogether a tender story full of friendship, forgiveness, and love. 5 stars all around for this one!!

hank you to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review

» Little League - Conan Gray «
0:53 ─〇─────3:25
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

✧˚ · The last thing I needed was for Dani Collins to be beautiful and a student at Southview · ˚✧

My playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/f...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- 6 stars
Dual First Person POV
Spice Level 🌶️ - 1.5/5
⤷ descriptive make out sessions and sexual comments made, some jokes alluding to characters hooking up
Age rating - 15+
⤷ frequent cussing, partying and drinking and smoking weed, some violence

⁺˚⋆｡° 🏒 My Thoughts 🏒°｡⋆˚⁺
Best.
Lynn.
Painter.
Book.
Ever.

Did I read this in one day? Yes.
Did I lose a butt ton of needed sleep before camp? Also yes.
Did I regret it? Heck to the NO

I freaked out the second I saw the ARC in my inbox and binge read it immediately. This is by FAR Lynn Painter’s best book yet, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it’s published. Not only is the cover ADORABLE but the entire book is too. She did not disappoint whatsoever.

Also I’d like to give a shout out to my girlie jenoodle!!!!! Thank you for buddy reading this epic book with me and getting to swoon and freak out over all the different parts together! 💕

⁺˚⋆｡° ❄️ The Plot ❄️ °｡⋆˚⁺
Lynn Painter did not fail to deliver, it was everything I had imagined and more. The chemistry was perfect. The characters were perfect. The plot was perfect. The entire book was perfect. The only thing I had trouble with was the excessive cussing but I was able to tune it out after awhile.
She addressed the struggles of divorce, military families, expectations put on teens, and social anxiety so so well. I was able to relate to all the different characters while also swooning and laughing my butt off at different parts.

⁺˚⋆｡° 🥅 Characters 🥅 °｡⋆˚⁺
➥ Alec: THIS MANNNNNNNN. Bro forget freaking Wes bennet and give me Alec. I’m blushing thinking about this hottie. He was so swoony and I literally burst into giggles any time he so much as breathed. A book character should not do these things to me, why can’t my mans be real 😭😭😭
╰┈> Falling Faster - Dylan Espeseth ♫₊˚.
➥ Dani: Soooo Dani was literally me and it freaked me out. From her social anxiety to her obsessive overthinking and bluntness. I felt soooooo called out, but it was nice to have a character who got it. Her character made me feel heard and seen, and that I wasn’t insane for having a panic attack at simple parties or having to plan everything out beforehand. She was easily my favorite Lynn Painter fmc tho she was frustrating from time to time due to commitment issues.
╰┈> Panic Attack - PEGGY ♫₊˚.

⁺˚⋆｡° 📚Conclusion 📚 °｡⋆˚⁺
GOOD LORD READ THIS BOOK
YOUR LIFE WILL NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT IT.
IM BEGGING YOU.
*clears throat*
I’m calm, I’m calm. Totally not having a mental breakdown bc I can never read it for the first time again hehe *sighs*
But the second this gets published you better be hopping in your car and zooming over to the bookstore to get your hands on this book. It’s worth every. Freaking. Penny.
Can’t wait to see y’all’s thoughts when you read it!!

★★★★☆
Fake Skating by Lynn Painter Huge thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers & NetGalley for the eARC! 💌

okay. listen. this book??? felt like snowflakes melting on your palm and first crush butterflies.

❄️ Childhood Sweethearts
🤍 Fake Dating
❄️ Sports Romance (Hockey)
🤍 Second Chance Romance
❄️ Small-Town Setting
🤍 Family Drama
❄️ Opposites Attract
🤍 Coming-of-Age

the vibe is sooo wintery small-town teen movie-core but like, if the emotional beats actually hit. 🫶

DANI
queen of overthinking and lowkey awkwardness.
i loved her. her voice felt so real—messy, raw, and full of that post-divorce, “who even am I anymore” confusion. her jealousy, her loneliness, the awkward nostalgia of coming back to somewhere that used to feel like home? UGH. it was giving depth.

ALEC
you will want to give this boy a hug.
popular hockey star with an actual soft center. he’s a little confusing, a little guarded, a lot ✨boy✨ but it makes sense once you get his backstory. also he listens to Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga… like sir. pls get in line. 💿

the romance?
childhood besties ➝ strangers ➝ fake dating ➝ real feelings 💘
the way they slowly opened up again?? like watching frost melt off glass. and the locker room scene… iYKYK.

this was a warm mug of cocoa with just a little emotional ache stirred in.
perfect for fans of Better Than the Movies, Betting On You, or literally anyone craving a swoony, soft YA romance with fake dating and family feels.

this book gave me frostbite and heartburn in the best way possible.

Lynn Painter never misses. This book was absolutely incredible. I loved it so, SO much.
Dani was painfully relatable and I loved her instantly. As a former military child trying to fit into a civilian world, she got me in a way no other FMC has before and it was so special to share that with her (especially since she’s a Lynn girlie 🥹🤭💕)

This book, this story, these characters— were absolutely everything to me. Thank you Lynn for writing these absolute masterpieces and for sharing them with us. I can’t wait for the world to meet and love Dani and Alec as much as I do 🫶⛸️💗

I have loved all of Lynn Painter’s books, and this one did not disappoint. I love how she doesn’t make me feel old since this book is about high school age kids dating. The banter and dialogue between the characters is great. I love the way she can intertwine song lyrics and music into the story. I love that touch. Dani and Alec are adorable and I loved seeing their relationship pick up and evolve. Great book!

I’m such a sucker for a Lynn Painter YA romance, so when I found out she was doing a hockey book? Immediate yes.

The setup was super cute, and I loved the history between Dani and Alec, the childhood connection, the tension, the slow-build reconnection, it all felt really natural and sweet. Their dynamic had me rooting for them from the jump, and that snow scene?? Could melt ice lol.

One of the things I always appreciate about Lynn’s writing is how she weaves in messy family stuff. Dani’s situation hit close to home for me, and it made her journey toward healing and self-worth feel really genuine.

That said, the pacing didn’t totally work for me the whole time. The miscommunication tropes felt a little overdone, and the constant “honey” and “babe” moments started to lose their charm after a while. Plus, this one definitely had more language than I remember from her other YA books, not a huge deal, but it did start to feel a little extra. It almost read more like a new adult book trapped in a high school setting.

Even with that, I still flew through this in two days and had a great time. If you’ve liked Lynn’s other books, this one will totally deliver the same vibes. I especially loved seeing Dani step into her own and the way anxiety and panic attacks were portrayed with actual care and understanding. Overall, such a fun read and Lynn will always be an immediate buy author for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Simon and Schuster Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Fake Skating is definitely one of my favorites by Lynn Painter! While I don’t usually gravitate toward YA books, Lynn has a way of making them incredibly likeable and authentic. What really sets her apart is her ability to write high school characters exactly as they should be - not too cringey, not unrealistically mature, but just right. It’s refreshing to see characters that truly feel like real teens.

I also adore a good best friends to strangers to lovers storyline, and this one hit all the right notes. The FMC and MMC had fantastic chemistry, and I enjoyed their internal dialogues through the dual point of view. It added so much depth and connection to their relationship.

The only part I struggled with was Dani’s relationship with her dad. In my opinion, he never truly got better, and I felt the resolution to their issues was glossed over too quickly. That was the only part of this story that was a bit disappointing for me.

Otherwise, this was a cute, quick read that I would definitely recommend to fans of contemporary YA romance. Lynn Painter continues to deliver heartfelt and relatable stories!

Thank you, NetGalley! I’ve always requested Lynn Painter. Her books are kind of hit or miss from me but I’m always interested regardless. This was a hit for me.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

ARC provided by the publisher Simon & Schuster, in exchange for my honest review.

Dani and Alec used be childhood best friends and would spend their summers together every year, until Dani moved away and they suddenly grew apart. But now Dani is moving to Alec's town after Dani's parents got divorced. And Alec is not the cute nerdy boy she used to know, he's the popular star hockey player. And after they get caught in a awkward position in the boy's locker room one day after Alec's practice, they need to start fake dating to save face.

No one does YA romance like Lynn Painter and this one did not disappoint in the slightest. It had all of my favorite tropes like fake dating, sports romance, they're childhood sweethearts, and the BANTER was top tier.

I love Alec and Dani together, they were so cute. And I will say Alec was the BOLDEST out of all of Lynn Painter's MMC. The book was super easy to read and it never got boring at any point in the story. Such a great romance book, can't wait for you all to read it!

Lynn Painter with another fun story! A hockey romance suitable for YA audiences. Dani and Alec looked forward to their summers together, but when Dani and her family moved out of the country, they lost touch. Now, years later, Dani and her mom are back for good. Dani and Alec reunite as seniors in high school, and discover how much the other has changed. Some mutually beneficial fake dating, hockey, and the drama and humor we love from Lynn Painter, make this a highly entertaining read..

Lynn Painter has done it again! I devoured this in under 24 hours.

This has got the perfect mixture of the fake dating trope, the classic wit you can expect from a Lynn Painter book, add in a fun hockey trope, and spun it into a story that had me grinning throughout. The slow burn tension had me completely hooked.

The chemistry is off the charts. The emotional depth hidden under all that snark…. STABBED ME IN THE HEART.

I especially loved the balance of humor with vulnerability especially talking about mental health / anxiety.

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

Rating: 4 stars

Let me just start this review by saying that I loved everything about this book (this applies to everything Lynn Painter has ever written). She has that formula down for writing perfect stories and characters that you end up thinking about even after you've finished reading.

Fake Skating starts off when Dani and her mom move back to her childhood hometown following her parents' divorce. (I will admit, the beginning of the story seemed a little Wattpad-y, but it quickly got better once we were introduced to more characters.) Dani hopes to reunite with her childhood best friend, Alec. They haven't spoken much since she moved away, and they both promised to keep in touch---but didn't. Dani decides to try and reconnect with him, only to find that he's changed a lot since they were kids. A series of mistakes leads them to fake a relationship, but soon they both start hoping for more.

Lynn Painter's past books have been filled with vibrant, unique characters, and Fake Skating was no different. Even the side characters had personalities and backstories (no 2d characters here!) She perfectly captured the feeling of living in a freezing cold, hockey-obsessed town (I would know).

The ending did seem a little 𝘵𝘰𝘰 perfect, but sometimes a happy ending is a good thing! I personally wouldn't enjoy a rom-com if it didn't end exactly the way I wanted, with the leads together and the obnoxious jerk in jail or something.

The one issue I had with this book was the language. Lynn Painter's other books had some language as well, but nothing like this one. Maybe it was only because she was writing about hockey players, but I found that the cursing was a bit amped up in this novel, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have because of it.

Overall, this book was absolutely amazing! I can't wait to see if we get a follow-up novella for these characters, or even a second book (please!)

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read at this.

I'm a sucker for Lynn's rom-com stories, even more so for her writing for the YA crowd. With this I can see she was getting into the sports romance trend. She certainly does her research and gives a plausible teen into hockey with a hockey obsessed community.

But what about the story and romance? Eh. That's where it fell apart for me. These two were friends as kids, and then spent five years away from one another, and when reunited both have changed. One has become introverted, the other becomes popular hockey god. I was on board until I was wondering why we got a couple chapters of him being rude / mean to her, and then continuing to be rude mean to her, over something that he witnessed when he was a kid. And, I mean, she was staying away from him a bit because he had stopped writing to her, but he was following her around and trying to figure her out / meddle with her. It got annoying.

Then, the incident that leads to them fake dating. Lynn seemed to write this character that he was rather antagonistic but as soon as she starts crying he comforts her. It was really poor writing.

I just found their relationship to be a very poor enemies to lovers, or friends to lovers. Since I got no chemistry from them whatsoever. The villain of the piece shows up once in a while and doesn't really do much than just to be there for two crucial moments, which link to why the male lead was anti towards her in the beginning.

This book is a two, but I'm giving it a tentative three because if you like hockey romance sans sex then you'll probably have fun with this, but to me it was her weakest.

Lynn Painter’s books are always so much fun to read! She continues to write the best romantic comedy stories and this is one of my favorites so far. I enjoyed all the elements of this story: the fake dating, the easy banter, the unraveling of family secrets and the satisfying reconnection of childhood sweethearts. And the hockey is exciting too! I always know I’ll have a good time with one of Lynn’s books in my hands! I can’t wait for the next one!

Lynn painter has done it again. The queen had written the perfect rom com i can't believe it but I think this might be my new favorite book of hers. When I saw I got accepted for an arc you would not believe the scream I let out I'm a huge Lynn painter girlie and I can never get enough of her writing. Alec and Dani's relationship was sooo cute and I can't wait for this book to come out!
Run don't walk to pick up your copy in September!!