This was genuienly one of my favourite reads of the year!!

Fake Skating by Lynn Painter follows Dani and Alec, childhood besties. After a messy end to their childhood friendship, Dani returns to Minnesota & is super excited to reconnect with Alec. But Alec is a HOCKEY GOD and isn't as she remembered. There are definitely many twists and turns in this story!!

- Hockey
- Fake Dating
- Rekindling friendship.

AND can I just say Grandpa Mick?! Was truly one of my favourite characters in this whole book!!! Genuinely, the protective man we all need in our lives.

WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Thank you to the Author Lynn Painter, Simon & Schuster (Australia) & NetGalley for this eARC.

While I would quite literally read anything Lynn Painter writes, this book was such a stand out for me. Fake Skating is such a cute ya novel with the perfect romcom vibes. I could not put it down and I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole time because Dani and Alex were just too cute. I absolutely loved the childhood friends and fake dating tropes as it created the best yearning and kept me so excited throughout the whole book. I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with these characters and this storyline because I am completely obsessed. Thank you so much NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!!

If you’re a Lynn Painter YA fan like me, you’re gonna eat this one up. Because Lynn? She knows how to craft a book boyfriend—and Alec is no different. Cocky, athletic, loyal, protective…and secretly a total nerd. Basically, the blueprint.

Then there’s Dani. Sassy but shy, smart, brave, a fellow bookworm—you just want her in your corner.

And the fake dating? Please. We all know it was never fake. Childhood friends to strangers to lovers is my kryptonite.
All that history, the inside jokes, the slow unfurling of something that’s been there all along. Yes, yes, YES!!

Small-town setting? Loved it.
Side characters? Obsessed.
Grandpa Mick? A national treasure.
Found family, nostalgia, warmth—it was all there. This book was just too good!

I remember complaining recently that YA books felt too young for me. I should have prefaced that by saying anything Lynn Painter reads is not included because once again, she has knocked it out of the park with Fake Skating. What started out with "I'll just read a chapter before bed" became "hang on, I might have to keep going" for a couple of hours. I slept for a bit and then ended up waking early to finish the book because you guys, I COULD NOT PUT THIS ONE DOWN!

Childhood besties Dani and Alec are reunited when Dani moves to Alec's town and begins attending the same high school. Word begins to get around that the new kid knew Alec when younger and before they know it, the two are thrown into a fake dating situation which I guarantee you, will make you swoon! 

The two main characters are both so likable and you can't help but cheer on their happy ending, despite the obstacles that seem to get in their way. This was such an adorable book and one that I would definitely recommend to all my romcom friends. 

Mark your calendars - it comes out at the end of September!

<i>OMG this book was soooo good!!!! Definitely a 5 stars.

ˋ°•*⁀➷<b>"Dani Collins—that was my type. Period. I just hoped I was her type."</b>˙ ✩°˖🫐 ⋆｡˚꩜

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the chemistry in this book!! Everything about this book, the characters, the setting, the plot was soooo good. I haven't rated a book five stars in so long, and from the minute I started this book I just knew it would be a five stars read.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡𝓟𝓵𝓸𝓽⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

So the story starts by saying Dani and Alec were childhood best friends, visiting each other once a year, and having their first kiss with one another before Dani moves away and they don't see each other again. They both end up with some mixed feelings?? I guess with each other, and their friendship slowly fades away.

Until Dani is moving to Southview to forever live in Alec's town, and go to his school, and see him quite alot since they're basically family friends.

I loved the plot, because there was so much happening so I could never get bored, and I couldn't stop myself from giggling everytime they were forced to interact. I loved it.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓱𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓻𝔂⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

I think something that heavily contributed to this book being five stars, is the amazing chemistry and tension. I haven't been able to read such good chemistry in so long, and the amazing slow burn at the start really helped.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

The characters made me feel at home. Everyone just felt so real and gave such a homely feel (I know that might not make much sense but it's the only way I can explain it). There's a few characters who are not really my favourite, but they all added to the story and just made it feel so enjoyable.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

Amazing, the best, 5 stars.
One of the best romance books I've ever read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review, and thank you all for reading my review!!!</i>

4.75 ⭐️

Firstly thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, and I was so surprised that I was able to receive an early copy 🥹 - One thing about Lynn Painter is that she always delivers and this book has definitely become one of my favourites by her.

The banter in this book was insane 😩🤌, I was giggling or jaw dropped almost the entire time. Dani and Alec were perfect together and their chemistry was off the charts for sure. Both of them were so incredibly well-written and I fell in love with their characters. They were real people with real problems and the relatability was so refreshing. I definitely enjoyed seeing Dani soften through the course of the book, and she was such a sweet character. AND ALEC OMG?! He gives "when the book is YA but the MMC isn't" in the best way! Lynn Painter men and being obsessed with their woman >>>>

For me the plot line was predictable, and in the end that lowered my rating. But overall it was an AMAZING read and I can't wait until it releases so I can go buy a copy for my shelf!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Lynn Painter's YA books and this book is no different. I first discovered Lynn Painter through her book 'Better than the movies' which remains my favourite of her works. I was extremely excited when I got approved for this ARC and read the whole thing in basically two sittings (would have been one if I didn't have other things to do lol). Read this book if you enjoy YA romance and/or hockey romance books and like your romance books with an equal amount of plot.

Lynn Painter's writing is extremely easy to digest and reads and flows so well. In this book we follow Dani and Alec, two characters that I loved from page 1. I loved Dani's growth throughout the book and how we got to see her open up. I also really enjoyed the dual narration of this story and felt that it really positively added to the reading experience.

The 'heavier' family and divorce topics covered in this book - particularly with Dani's father - were handled really well and something I very much personally related to. I found Dani to be a very relatable character to myself at her age and felt a real connection with her.

The only reason this book wasn't a five star is because I didn't have that completely and utterly obsessed feeling that I had with Lynn Painter's other books. But still an incredibly enjoyable read that I will be thinking about for a while!

Thanks again to Netgalley and the Author for this ARC copy!!

❄️🏒Fake Skating Review 🏒❄️

Genre: YA Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: @simonschusterau, @simonteen
Release Date: 30th September, 2025
Rating: 5 ⭐️

I have loved Lynn Painter’s YA romance books. There is something magical that she puts into each of them that I adore. Which is exactly what happened with Fake Skating 🏒

Tropes:
•Fake Dating 💖
•Sports Romance (hockey) 🏒
•Childhood Friends - Strangers - Lovers 🫶
•High School Romance

The only thing wrong with this book is that there wasn’t more of it. We get to see Alec and Dani get to know this new, older version of each other and fall in love all over again.

I think we have all lost a childhood friend before, and Lynn Painter explains it perfectly. How there is a sense of homesickness for the person you once knew and Dani and Alec are both going through this after reconnecting.

Though Alec wasn’t the only one that Dani lost touch with, she also hadn’t heard from her Grandpa. The little things he did to try and fix their relationship was so sweet and I got a little emotional in those scenes. I lost my Pop last month and it hit a little close to home.

But let’s focus on Alec and Dani! If you loved Better Than the Movies, you’ll also love this one because it gives all of those happy feelings with them fake dating and just wanting them to be together! The banter was great, the side characters were fun, and you get ice hockey. Honestly what more can you want? The only thing I wish was that there was a bit more communication about why the stopped being friends.

I found myself smiling throughout the whole book and not wanting to stop reading it! I will continue to read every YA romance that Lynn Painter releases because they are always amazing and have some good underlying plot that the characters are dealing with which include good lessons.

*Thank you to @netgalley, @simonschusterau, @simonteen & @lynnpainterbooks for the early eARC*

This book captured my attention from the moment I had it in my grubby little hands. Lynn was able to recapture the vibes of the BTTM duology and she came out swinging! I truly loved so so much about this book. For the middle of August this book was my safe haven and I just loved the teen drama. At times I felt disconnected with the book, namely the pacing at the beginning and a little bit of the ending (there was a sub-plot that I didn’t feel like got resolved), but honestly, the good far outweighs any qualm I had with the book because Dani and Alec’s romance was so wholesome and sweet. I really loved watching the characters grow in this book - I felt like everyone complimented each other so well!

Also sidebar - but is Alec related to Liz from BTTM? there was a throw away comment about his cousin and I could’ve sworn he was hinting that his cousin was Liz, right? Either way, this is an easy recommendation from me. Painter delivered the warm fuzzies, the teen angst, and just all the perfect vibes.

My rating: 4.5☆

Lynn Painter once again delivers a swoony, laugh-out-loud rom-com that tugs at your heart just as much as it makes you grin. Fake Skating has all the ingredients of a perfect YA romance: childhood friends to strangers to fake dating, small-town hockey obsession, and the kind of chemistry that makes you want to hug the book to your chest.

Dani was such a relatable main character. Her social anxiety, her overthinking, and her need to prepare for everything made her feel so real. Watching her slowly come out of her shell, reconnect with her roots, and navigate the messiness of family life (especially her parents’ divorce) gave the story so much depth. Her bond with her grandad was both hilarious and heart-warming, and I loved how her vulnerability was never treated as weakness.

Alec completely stole the show. On the surface, he is the cocky hockey star, but underneath all that swagger is a boy still carrying the pressure of expectations and the softness of the kid Dani once knew. The way he saw Dani, even when she tried to hide, and how their banter seamlessly shifted into tenderness, made their romance feel inevitable and authentic.

Their dynamic was perfection. The teasing, the fake dating hijinks, the moments of pure vulnerability, they were the kind of couple you root for from page one. I laughed at their constant interruptions, swooned at Alec’s soft side, and maybe teared up once or twice when their walls finally crumbled.

Yes, the plot is a little predictable and the miscommunication lingers longer than it needs to, but honestly, that did not take away from how much fun this book was. Painter balances humour, swoon, and heartfelt themes of family and identity in a way that makes Fake Skating such a joy to read.

If you loved Better Than the Movies, you are going to adore this one. It is cute, heartfelt, and brimming with Lynn Painter’s signature charm.