Plays Well with Others by Lauren Blakely

3 Stars

Dating lessons from my football-playing best friend? Sign me up!
So I'm throwing myself a breakup party, a glittery fete where I envision I'll lift a glass and celebrate being free and single again.
What I actually do: Drink too much champagne and blurt out to my best guy friend that I’d really like to get back on the horse.
But what I truly don’t expect is Carter’s answer – he volunteers as tribute.
With his sinful brown eyes and too-good-to-be-true body it’d be no hardship for me to say yes, though I certainly don’t want him to feel obligated to, um, service me, just because my failed, loveless marriage was a s-e-x desert.
But since the charming and confident pro football star owes five public dates to his dating app sponsor, we make a deal to help each other out.
Pretty soon, our public how to date lessons turn into, ahem, very private ones. And I’m a star student, graduating quickly from flirty banter and lingering looks to toe-curling, sheet-grabbing, mind-blowing hours of physical education.
The problem? Turns out learning to date again feels a lot like the real thing. Can our friendship withstand all these late-night bedroom sessions?
Especially since I’m suddenly longing for my best friend and there’s nothing fake about my feelings…

This was a cute friend to lovers book. Carter is super sweet, and Rachel is on the rebound after a cheating ex. He is obligated to go on dates and so to help his BFF get back out there he agrees to date her so she can get used to dating. The problem is they catch feelings for each other. It was a pretty solid read.

Book 2 How to Date

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Between Love and Loathing by Shain Rose

3 Stars

Fake dating my enemy so I can design my dream bakery should be easy … as long as I don't fall in love with him.

Dominic Hardy might be an award-winning architectural engineer with fancy degrees and considerable accolades, but he doesn’t know a thing about baking.

He doesn’t even like sugar.

So when my late stepfather’s will states that Dominic Hardy is set to inherit the Pacific Coast Resort he’d painstakingly designed, as long as my bakery can be plopped in the middle of it, it’s no surprise he balks.

And my jaw drops when another stipulation requires us to mutually approve plans for my bakery’s design.

His stuffy taste will never mix with my whimsical vibe.

But then Dominic comes to me with a proposal I can’t refuse. He’ll give me everything I want in my bakery as long as I agree to one thing:

Fake date him for five months.

Keep his ex away by pretending we’re in love.

Smile and stare into his piercing green eyes at a gala or two.

Maybe share a kiss.

Nothing extreme.

Five months of acting in love when I really loathe him and his filthy mouth.

Even when he’s using it on me.

This should be a cakewalk.

Except there’s a fine line between love and loathing, and I think I’ve made the colossal mistake of blurring it.

I need to stop bing reading or going into sequels with high hopes because this one fell short for me. This book was ruined by Dominic. He was a dick from the beginning by making assumptions about Clara that were wrong and that attitude continued well into their relationship. There was no redemption for him by the end of the book either. Clara was also a very weak willed woman. At least with her it is somewhat understandable because of how her mom and sister were with her but she just caved unless it helped someone else. She does end up standing up for herself more but it was never enough. She should have thrown Dominic to the curb and made him crawl back. Still love the writing style and world building this author does so I will look for another book from her.

Book 2 Hardy Billionaires

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Mother Faker by Brittanee Nicole

4 Stars

Moving with my three best friends and our seven kids into a dilapidated brownstone in Boston may have seemed like the most insane thing I’d do this year. Apparently the universe said hold my beer.

Because last night I got drunk and married my boss.

Don’t worry, it’s all fake. Or at least everything after 'I Do' will be.

Beckett Langfield is grumpy, rich and hates kids. I’m an overworked, overstressed, and overweight single mom. The only reason we’re getting married is because he needs to fix a PR disaster and I am available. As in sitting next to him, in a bar, when he has this brilliant idea.

Considering I just got divorced, I’m not looking to do that again. But Beckett makes me an offer that I literally can’t refuse, so I don’t.

He’ll help fix up our broken house and all I have to do is take a few pictures and pretend we’re happily married.

Easy peasy.

Now if someone could just remind him that it’s all fake.

I really enjoyed the chaos in this book. There were a couple of the women that frustrated me and I never felt they changed in the book. I loved the FMC and MMC in this book with the kids. It was a sweet story. Each women gets their own book with a different author so I will see how I like their styles.

Book 1 The Momcoms

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Who Invited the Demon to Tea by Marilu Moser

4 Stars

When I inherited my uncle’s old house, I expected the chipped paint, dust bunnies, (sort of) and a sprinkle of nostalgia. It was the sweet escape from a parent’s house every thirty-something year old woman needs. What I didn’t expect was the charming, pleasant, and tea loving force that would turn my world upside down.

The force in question came after reading a seemingly whimsically innocent nursery rhyme I found from a book long forgotten from childhood. A demon, who I unknowingly helped jailbreak.

What else was I supposed to do when faced with a handsome demon, but invite him to tea? I didn’t anticipate the fast friendship that blossomed between us. When the demon asked for my help to break his contractual obligation, I couldn’t resist. Except I didn’t realize agreeing to be his fake girlfriend would blur the lines of pretend and reality.

His freedom is on the line … but so is my heart.

Loved this book. It was sweet how Mendax fell for Davina. The book made me want all the tea bar one and you will know it when you read it. I’ve tried something that sounded like that and just … nope. The overall story was sweet and an easy read. I want more in this world and with the characters in it. The secondary characters were just as fun to read as Mendax and Davina.

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Fumbled into Love by Nicola Cubba

4 Stars

Deon Adams doesn’t date.

It’s a rule that keeps the quarterback’s heart safe. But, his rules change when a reporter digs up the past Deon has fought hard to leave behind. Now, he has to find a woman to take to a charity auction who will help him sell his lie. It can’t be hard to find a fake girlfriend, right? Realizing he’s in over his head, Deon's teammates help conjure a grand plan: Ask Nathalie Morales to act as his fake girlfriend.

It’s the perfect play. They have the history to weave a convincing lie, but Deon’s play call begins to crumble when Nathalie brings the light back into Deon’s life. How is he supposed to pretend their relationship is fake when his feelings are real? As the charity gala looms closer and with it, the end of their fake relationship, Deon is left with the most important play call of his life: Does he play it safe or risk it all and potentially fumble into love?

I loved this story and will be reading the other books in the series. One of the best things in this book was about the different kinds of love. Deon and Nathalie may have started fake dating but the slow move into friends with benefits into all out love was amazing. I loved that there was no big drama between them just both refusing to admit they love each other. When they finally do it was perfect. The marriage proposal was also the sweetest thing in the world. One of the best reads I had for the month.

Book 3 Seattle Mavericks

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Two Wrongs Make Right by Chloe Liese

3 Stars

Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn't be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.

Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash everyone's hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.

To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder: What if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?

I normally love Chloe Liese books but this one was just ok. Everyone of the characters irritated me. They all had issues and instead of talking about the issues they decided to pressure and push others to do what they wanted. Everyone was manipulating everyone. Concept was good but I just didn’t love it.

Book 1 Wilmot Sisters

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Double Pucked by Lauren Blakely

3 Stars

Trina finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her and gets the perfect revenge. She takes the VIP tickets to his favorite team and gets to meet his favorite players. The guys have a better plan for sweet revenge and want to spend the night with her. When they find out she’s between housing they ask her to be a temporary roomie with them as well as a fake romance. There is an expiration date on the relationship but will they decide forever is for them?

This was a super sweet why choose hockey book. Trina got the perfect revenge and got her HEA. The struggle the trupple have because they were in a 3-way relationship isn’t the norm in this world and people are being judgy about it. It was nice to see this because a lot of books gloss over any issues they might be having with others. Book flowed nicely and I liked the main characters. Will definitely be picking up more by this author.

Book 1 My Hockey Romance

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