Lynn Painter does it again! Fake Skating is everything I want in a YA rom-com: childhood best friends, a small-town setting, a fake dating trope, and just the right amount of emotional depth.

Dani returns to her hometown for senior year, feeling like a stranger after her parents’ divorce. The only thing that feels familiar? Alec—her former best friend and now the town’s golden hockey boy. Except… he pretends barely remember her.

But thanks to a perfectly chaotic twist of fate, the two end up fake dating—and that’s when the magic kicks in. Painter brings the banter, the feels, and all the nostalgic warmth of growing up and growing back into people you thought you lost.

I laughed and I felt. The tension was just right, the character growth was so satisfying, and the small-town hockey vibes gave me serious comfort-read energy.

If you loved Better Than the Movies, this one is a no-brainer. Painter’s signature mix of witty dialogue and heart-melting romance makes Fake Skating a must-read for any rom-com lover.

It’s snowing in summer!! Fake dating?? Childhood besties to enemies to lovers?? MUTUAL PINING?? After Nothing Like the Movies, Lynn Painter won me back over — this book was so good.

I love my girl Dani 🫶🏼 overthinking queen. She is me and I am her. AND ALEC BEING LIZ’S COUSIN?? Lynn Painter’s Literary Universe where everyone is connected to everyone >>>

Alec grew up to be an archetypical bad boy but OH HES SOFT FOR HER!! And I hate Benji like omg he’s such a creep get away from our girl. I love love love the exploration of family in this book and how complicated family dynamics can be. At the end of the day, I’ll read anything Lynn Painter writes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

❄️Thank you to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster for the ARC!! All opinions are my own. ❄️

fake skating (arc) by Lynn Painter review 🏒📖⛸️🫶🏻✨

♾️⭐️!!

Let me begin by saying WOW. Miss Lynn never disappoints and totallyyyy lived up to the hype with her very first hockey romance! I had to physically get myself to put down this book to savor it and not devour it in one sitting (because I mean I totally could have).

Let’s talk about our mmc. If you think Wes Bennett is amazing just wait until you meet Alec! The yearning in this book was SO apparent. From the minute Dani steps into school Alec can’t help but put himself in her path at every. chance. he. can. get. And his lines? Oh so swoonyyyy. Lynn writes the BEST tension and kiss scenes on this planet.

& our bookish “Dani girl” 🥹✨ come on that nickname is just too cute!! I feel like in so many aspects I related to her. My heart was breaking each time she referenced how hard it had been making friends in the past — but no fear! Alec and their little found family were the kindest to her and she deserved nothing less!

You really do get a little bit of everything in this book and it works very seamlessly. The banter (hilarious of course), a bit of a frenemies to lovers situation, fake dating, childhood sweethearts, GAH shall I go on? Just read the book. You will literally be giggling at how ADORABLE these two are.

In unison we all say *thank youuuu Lynn Painter!!🙂‍↕️🫶🏻✨*

Thank you endlessly @simonteen for this arc!! 🤍 #SimonTeenInfluencer #FakeSkatingBook

Out on 9.30.2025 🩵⭐️✨

I'm a simple librarian. I see a Lynn Painter book an I must read it. This was so cute! Small town. Fake dating. Childhood friends. Enemies to Lovers. So many good tropes rolled into one.

Growing up, Dani couldn’t help but follow around the adorable son of her mom’s best friend. Funny, kind of nerdy, and a little soft, Alec was always down to hang with Dani when they were little. From play dates on the playground to sneaking into movie theaters, Dani and Alec were inseparable. Until Dani moved away. Alec promised they’d stay in touch—except, they didn’t. Flash forward and Dani is back in Minnesota for her senior year, she and her mom living with her grandfather. Dealing with the fallout of her parents’ devastating divorce, Dani wouldn’t mind a nerd-out with the cozy and comforting Alec (and maybe a chance to confront him on his MIA status for all these years). But teenage Alec is nothing like the kid Dani remembers. He’s a hockey star in a town where hockey players are worshiped as gods. Dani’s place as his shadow has been taken up by drooling female fans…and he loves it. Dani is resolved to ice out her former best friend until an unlikely series of events brings them together—and forces them to fake being a couple. Once forced together, the former childhood sweethearts begin to reconnect, unearth complicated family secrets, and face their true feelings towards each other…including the real reason Alec has been pushing Dani away all these years.

Thoughts
This was super cute and fun! It’s not very deep as the main characters are seniors in high school but, I gave it extra points because I love them both so much. It definitely felt like high school but I usually go into Lynn Painter’s books with that in mind. I think this one might be one of my favorites of hers.

Fake Skating was another enjoyable and heartfelt YA book from Lynn Painter. The characters, romance and story were absolutely charming.

It’s dual POVs of the main characters, Dani and Alec, and there are some great tropes like childhood best friends to strangers, fake dating, found family, dislike to love and a hockey romance.

The overall premise was entertaining and fast-paced. The childhood friends and fake dating elements were enjoyable and led to some amusing and heartwarming moments. I loved all the secondary characters and the hockey aspects as well.

Dani and Alec each had their own personal struggles throughout the story. The pressure of hockey, getting into college and family issues made them feel relatable. Their character growth was done so well.

I will say though, I wished there had been just a bit more discussions regarding Alec’s hockey career and Dani’s relationship with her father. Certain subplots weren’t as developed as I’d hoped as well.

The romance between Dani and Alec was really cute though. They had so much history and a strong connection despite their slight animosity. I loved seeing them reconnect again through their fake dating scheme and finding their way back to each other.

Overall, a delightful read with a sweet YA romance.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Cute book! Childhood friends turn sweethearts, then add a misunderstanding, a new school, and a hockey rival to the mix. Thank you NetGalley!

This is taking the number 2 spot for favorite Lynn Painter YA books. This book has all the hallmarks of a Lynn Painter book: yearning, a boy who is just gone for his girl, and self-discovery for both the FMC and the MMC. I loved the setting and the integration of hockey, and I loved the dynamic side characters.

I LOVED this! It took me a little bit to get hooked, but once the fake dating started I could not put it down. Alec might be my new fav Lynn Painter man! I can’t wait for everyone to obsess over him with me after this comes out! my only complaint was the DIABOLICAL amount of swearing! there must have been two hundred f bombs at least lot to mention the other swear words 😭

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and the author for this arc! 3.5 stars! It was so exciting to read this arc because I absolutely adore Lynn Painter's writing. I loved the small town setting and close knit characters. While I did not particularly enjoy the specific conflict and resolution, this book gave me everything that I look forward to in a Lynn Painter novel. I'll read anything she writes! Thanks again for the opportunity!

I just always feel honored whenever I receive one of Lynn Painter's books early.
I will never get over this book. I am so glad that Lynn finally did a hockey romance. I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Ugh. Childhood best friends to enemies to fake dating to lovers???? Please, what more could I ask for. Dani and Alec were just so cute together. I thought the plot was well timed including the third act break up.
And grandpa is maybe my favorite character reading parenting books???
I always knew it would be hard to top Nothing Like the Movies for me but Lynn absolutely did it here.

Lynn Painter and YA go together like peanut butter and jelly! So good!

They are best friends growing up and live for their summers together. They end up ghosting each other for years and are brought back together when she moves back into town.

She’s the new girl that claims to be a book nerd and he’s become the MVP of the hockey team. They begin to fake date and as always it becomes more! I loved it. The only thing I would change is some of the language…it’s YA for goodness sakes. Other than that, it’s perfect!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC!

Fake Skating Honest ARC Review:

4.5⭐️

I loved Fake Skating. This book had it all. Small town with plenty of quirks, complex main characters, interesting sub characters and a romance with plenty of banter.

This is a great read for fans of Hannah Grace!

Childhood sweethearts reunited in a small hockey town. Dani and Alec were best friends growing up. Unfortunately a misunderstanding led the two to get a rocky start when Dani returned.

The two were quite different than they were when they were younger. Dani and Alec must overcome obstacles before they can connect and repair their relationship.

Fake Skating was humorous, heartfelt and romantic. I enjoyed reading it. This is definitely one to add to your TBR!

Thank you Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for sharing this ARC with me.

OH MY GOD.
see this is why i love Lynn Painter 😭 This is by far my fav out of all of her books.
The characters feelings didn’t feel fake or forced and the YEARNING is always top tier and unmatched.

Sweet YA romance

Dani and Alec are former childhood best friends and first loves who reconnect years later in their small hometown after a painful fallout. With unresolved feelings, family drama, and a fake dating twist thrown into the mix, their second chance romance is filled with tension, banter, and slow-burning chemistry that had me hooked.

Dani’s journey of finding her voice, reconnecting with her grandfather, and rebuilding trust is emotional and empowering. Alec’s charm and hidden vulnerability make him the perfect book boyfriend. And Grandpa Mike? Scene stealer.

With laugh out loud moments, emotional depth, and all the best tropes fake dating, childhood friends to lovers, and second chances this book had me laughing, swooning, and tearing up. I didn’t want it to end.

Thank you Lynn Painter for once again giving me everything I need.

This, as every single Lynn Painter book, had me giggling and kicking my feet like I’m 13 once again. This might even be a new favorite for me of her books. She tells the story of childhood friendship so beautifully, while emphasizing with what each character is dealing with outside of the relationship.

10000/10. Everyone needs to read this book.

Lynn Painter has another hit on her hands with Fake Skating. This great YA novel will have every hockey romance girl asking for more. The story of Dani and Alec is complex, to say the least. Childhood friends turn sweethearts, then add a misunderstanding, a new school, and a hockey rival to the mix. I see this becoming a hit movie. This was a low-spice book that would be appropriate for 14+. The only concern would be a few foul words. Thanks to NetGalley, Lynn Painter, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for this advanced ARC copy for my honest review.

This YA romance was absolutely delightful. It can be difficult to write a believable fake dating romance, but the rationale behind the plot--Dani and Alec decide to fake a romance to rehabilitate his reputation and help her get the extracurricular credit she needs to get into her first choice college--worked really well. Painter manages to weave several plot threads together--Dani's transition to a new community, This is a tightly plotted romance novel that leaves room for both characters to grow, and the payoff is satisfying.

Wow I loved this book. I think I read it in less than 48hrs (could’ve been less if I wasn’t busy). I was so charmed by the entire thing. The friends to stranged to high school sweetheart kinda hit right with me. I fully celebrate the fact that this is a dual POV and both of them made me feel seen in some things. Dani with her moving and finding a stable home but also going after harvard for university. Then you have Alec who has the whole pressure of the town to win that Hockey tournament plus providing for his family. Reading about their childhood as best friends and seeing them reconnect by faking a relationship was very fun. The best part, of course was when they decide their fake relationship is very real. I also have to mention how well they both separately had their problems and then at the end when it came together, they just went through it together. The happy ending was very emotional too that made me feel touched by the story.

thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an arc

like in true lynn painter fashion, this romance ya couldnt let anyone down
it was very cutesy and comforting, if you like her other novels, im sure you will enjoy this one as well
my only complain is that i would maybe have prefered this to be a little shorter and it would have been perfect