Four out of Five Stars
One sentence summary: Single dad, Daniel, is in need of a fake fiance; and who's better to play that part than his lifelong best friend?
First thought: I was hooked on the first page and at 15% in, this book was exactly what I needed. I had started, paused, and DNFed multiple books before getting this ARC and then I finished Best Fake Fiance in less than 24 hours!
Why I read it: I requested this ARC because it's my favorite trope!
POV: First Person Present Tense, Alternating M|F
Setting: Small Town, Virginia
Tropes: Single Dad, Childhood Friends, Fake Relationship, Friends to Lovers
Our Heroine: Charlie. First, she's a carpenter- and I loved that we're breaking gender roles here. She was charming, flighty, and overall fun. Honestly, she felt like a real person to me. I think it's strange when romance authors substitute cuss words, but Charlie talks just like my friends and I do. She feels genuine, even if she's over forgetful.
Our Hero: Daniel. After getting custody of his daughter, and that hanging in the balance, Daniel becomes a bit more type A. It's clear that his wild days are behind him, but it's fun to watch Charlie pull that out of him. I like his drive and passion for family and the way he interacts with his brothers is super fun. I think family is the best Rom-Com material, and Roxie Noir knocks this family out of the park.
Overall thoughts: A lot of parts of this book filled my crunchy little soul. Vegetarians and environmentalists, brewing your own beer, and DIYing some furniture. I was ready to leave MD for this VA town. I loved the character development for the full cast, and even the town felt like it's own person with adorable traditions and romantic hideaways.
As for our couple, they didn't grow or change much- and we didn't really watch them fall in love, more like lust, and that's okay. It felt like it was always there anyway. But it was nice to see Daniel and Charlie find balance in each other.
The sexy scenes: If all the books I've read this summer, this one might have had the most sex scenes in both amount and detail. That's fine with me as a reader and something I used to seek out, but now I don't mind a little fade to black once in a while. I think this made the story a bit longer than I was expecting it to be.
The best part of the book: OMG. The family dynamics. I cannot wait to read another Loveless brother. And Charlie's sister- she's just the best.
Worst part of the book: No complaints here!
TLDR: And adorable friends to lovers with a big hilarious family. Best Fake Fiance will have you asking if Roxie Noir's got a Loveless brother for you to fall in love with.
How I read it: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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