The time of need referred to in the blurb is a bit of belief suspense, especially with the caveat Ella is given (no, I'm not going to give anything away), but isn't most fiction? So I went with it and simply let the story wash over me.

Ella certainly is bitter and more than a little irresponsible and immature at the start of the novel, but as the book unfolds, the reader can see her develop and come into her own. The circumstance alone gives rise to hilarity, without adding Ella's personality into the mix, and the whole thing leads to a funny read that will take you out of real life for a few hours.

Didn't see the twist coming, either!

Another wonderful book from Portia MacIntosh! I have devoured many of her other titles thanks to their availability on Kindle Unlimited so I knew that this book would be just as fantastic.

Happily, I was right. This was such an enjoyable read. I love Emma's growth during this book. She learns a lot about herself and is able to view her past through a different lens. I also really loved the relationship she developed with her niece and nephew. It was really wholesome. Another thing I really loved is that she discovered things she was good at (after feeling so completely useless). It gives me hope that there's a chance to stumble on something for all of us!

Really enjoyed this book.
Parent trap but for adults- suspend you disbelief and enjoy the fun.
Great characters and some very funny scenes. This would be a great holiday read

Portia MacIntosh always makes me chuckle - her books are the totally delightful light-hearted read that I need every now and again. The premise of this book started out really strong and I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out how everything resolved as Ella posed as Emma. The ending had a tiny twist I didn't see coming at all and added a bit of heart to the entire situation. It was impossible not to root for the fun-loving Ella posing as her uptight "perfect" sister in this book and I enjoyed it a lot.

Another favorite by a great author. The plot of the story was very well written. The author really draws the reader in as you read. I felt like I was an unnamed character in the story. I enjoyed this so much.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It is full of romance, humor, and mischief. There were so many times I laughed out loud while reading because Ella was such a clutz and she kept having to pretend she was her twin sister Emma. I loved the relationship between her and Marco. They had a lot in common and were good at working together to get out of predicaments. It was wonderful to watch Ella become the person she wanted to be by being there for her niece and nephew during their times of trial and helping out the community by using her natural talents. I also loved the message of the book to follow your heart and love the family you have. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy a good rom-com!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Portia's leads are always no-nonsense, funny and just a little bit fabulous, even if they don't always know it. Ella had me laughing from the get go, just with the way she reacted to her life not going quite as planned. She still managed to crack jokes and attempt to flirt at the most inappropriate times, which made me giggle. I have to admit I was quite impressed that she had a twin that she hadn't spoken to in such a long time, as I couldn't go 5 minutes without talking to Lucy. Saying that I understood where their misunderstanding came from and how upset Ella was with her sister!

I found myself settling into Ella's new routine and feeling excited to pick up my kindle to see what trouble she'd find herself in next. Her relationships kept me guessing, as at certain points I was wondering who she was going to end up with. I myself was swaying towards one person in particular from the get go, so I was rather pleased at the end. There were a few close calls though that made me wonder and hold my breath!

Portia managed to mix the right amount of humour with a lot of great family scenes in this book, between Ella and her niece and nephew and then again with her sister, which was very emotional to read. It goes to show just how much you never really know what people are going through, even if they are someone close to you, unless you reach out and ask, then take the time to really listen to them and offer a helping hand or even just a shoulder to cry on. I think we all learnt just how important relationships are over the last year and this book captures that completely.

If you're looking for a fun read, with plenty of laugh out loud moments, as well as a few touching, heartfelt ones, the I recommend you pick up a copy of 'Faking it,' today!

Faking It by Portia MacIntosh
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Romance
Release Date: January 26, 2021

Faking It by Portia MacIntosh is a funny romance novel. I had not previously read any other books by the author and I was pleasantly pleased by how much I enjoyed this book.

I found this book to be very funny, in a Freaky Friday kind of way. Twins switching places is usually very entertaining because you never know what will com up.

The characters are very likable and the storyline is entertaining. I would recommend reading this if you are looking for a fun read!

I'm so grateful to Portia MacIntosh, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

i really enjoyed getting to read this book! it was so precious and cute and fun! i'm so glad netgalley chose me to read this before everyone else. thanks so much netgalley!!

The Blurb :
Life has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Ella. Growing up as the 'less successful' identical twin to her 'perfectly successful' sister, Emma, has left her feeling isolated, inadequate and let's face it.. a little bitter.
When Emma unexpectedly reaches out to Ella in a time of need, Ella suddenly finds herself with the opportunity to fill in for her sister and experience how the other half live.
But as Ella navigates the world of gossiping mothers, rebellious teens and trying to play the model housewife (not to mention avoiding the temptation of attractive men at the school gates...) will she discover that all is not always as it seems on the other side?

My Thoughts :
I always love it when Portia MacIntosh releases a new book as I know its always going to be a winner.
This book was again a pleasure to read.
We meet Ella and Emma, identical twins and far from close. Both having gone their own ways in life, out of the blue Emma calls her twin sister and asks for her help. Family is family right so Ella agrees.
Ella has to step into her sisters life and impersonate her for 6 weeks while Emma is going to be out of action so to speak. The only person that knows is Emma’s husband Rich.
While Ella has little, having lost her home, job and car all on the same day, Emma has a dream lifestyle, married and living in a massive house with lots of money and is also a mum of two children.
Ella is thrown into the deep end and has a massive shock to the system, Can she take on the role of her perfect sister!?.
I love Portia MacIntosh’s work, she always draws me into the story and gives us such loveable Charactors to enjoy. The story full of laugh out loud moments and will keep you engaged right to the last page.
Faking It is one of those feel good stories that will pick you up and give you an escape when its much needed.

I have read several books by Portia MacIntosh and loved them, so I could not wait to dive in to this one!

This book is wonderful from the start. I loved the characters and their quirky ways, especially Ella and her lovely personality. This book honestly had me laughing out loud at time, especially at some of the situations Ella found herself in!. The way in which the author writes these scenes in the book is brilliant and you can really picture the event playing out before you.

The storyline was lovely and had plenty going on throughout to keep the reader invested in the characters and their stories to the very end. A must read.

Portia MacIntosh is an author who really knows how to write laugh out loud books that will keep you completely entertained. In Faking It there were so many moments where I found myself laughing and giggling at the situations that Ella finds herself in when she agrees to step into her identical twin Emma’s very expensive shoes.

Ella had lived a very different life to that of her twin, following the death of their mother when they were 18. Ella always saw herself as the failure, where everything that Emma did was seemingly perfect.

When we first meet Ella her life imploded completely all in one day so it was an easy decision for her to take over Emma’s life for a few weeks. It quickly becomes clear that her biggest challenge was always going to be fooling her teenage niece who she barely knew, and her 9 year old nephew who she had never met, and I found it really funny watching her adapt to the responsibility of parenthood.

I found this an unusual and very quirky story that I did not want to put down. It was lovely seeing how much the change in lifestyle helped Ella to be a version of her sister but also really helped her to find herself.

I would love to see this story as a Hallmark/Netflix movie because it was so funny and entertaining. This was a book primarily about family and friendships but more than anything it was a story of self-acceptance.

This is an entertaining read which continues to surprise you as events unfold. Great fun, there are some vividly drawn characters and Ella stands out among them with her wit and risk loving personality. You have to take the premise of the story at face value, but once you do, you enjoy seeing Ella step up to the plate and take on her twin's life.

There are some genuine laugh out loud moments to be found, especially at the reactions of some of the yummy mummies at Ella's nephew's school. Some people, it seems, have never progressed beyond being playground bullies. Ella herself has to face up to some truths about her mother and comes to realise what is truly important in life- and it isn't designer labels! I thoroughly enjoyed watching Ella step into Emma's shoes and having to start caring about others. This is a sharply observed, funny writing. Well worth a read!
In short: Appearances can be deceptive!

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

The fabulous Portia Macintosh is back with another top-notch romantic comedy I just couldn’t stop reading: Faking It!

Having an identical twin sister is great – unless she happens to be the most perfect and successful woman on the planet! Having spent her life in the shadow of her twin, Ella cannot help but feel inadequate and isolated when compared to her sister, Emma. While Ella is still trying to find her place in the world, Emma sails through life and notches up success after success. With everything she touches turning to gold, Emma has never had to wonder whether she measured up or worry that she simply wasn’t good enough leaving Ella to feel that she will ever have the opportunity to shine just like her sister. But little does Ella realise that her twin is going to give her the opportunity to see how the other half live. But is everything really greener on the other side? Or will Ella realise that all that glitters isn’t necessarily gold?

Thrust into Emma’s glittering world, Ella quickly finds herself having to adjust and adapt to a lifestyle that is far removed from hers. But just because her sister has plenty of money in the bank and a designer wardrobe, it certainly does not mean that her life isn’t fraught with challenges or difficulties as Ella starts having to contend with bitchy mothers gossiping at the school gates, rebellious teens who love to misbehave and cause trouble, being a model housewife and the perils of an inconvenient attraction. This might only be a temporary sojourn in the lives of the rich and famous for Ella, but will she end up staying for good? Or will she pack her bags and high-tail it back home?

Portia Macintosh writes fun and feel-good romantic comedies that never fail to make you laugh out loud and in Faking It, she has done it again and penned a warm, witty and wonderfully hilarious tale I couldn’t put down. Full of humour, mischief and sparkle and with a heroine who is simply delightful, Faking It is a terrific read about counting your blessings, opening yourself up to new experiences and knowing your own worth Sophie Kinsella fans will not want to miss.

Thank you Rachel at Random Resources for my invitation to the tour and to Boldwood Books for my copy of the book via NetGalley.

Poor Ella her life is a catastrophe she finds herself homeless and jobless within hours then she receives a phone call from her twin sister Emma which gives her a lifeline.

The sisters are not close and Emma was always the golden girl and is married to Rich with two children Millie and Harry.

Emma has got to go away and she pleads with Ella to step into her life so that nobody knows she has gone away. Ella has nothing to lose and so she takes on the role as Emma.

Emma is everything Ella isn’t Yummy Mummy perfect wife but is it all superficial and is Emma’s life as perfect as Ella thinks.

Ella takes the role of Emma seriously and she embraces it even though she thinks Emma’s friends are shallow and bitchy and she also makes an ally in Marco the brother of one of Harry’s friends Dad. Ella finds out that Emma is hiding something from her and makes it her business to find out more. When she does she is shocked as it takes her back to their childhood. Ella decides that she can do better than her sister in this case so she does.

I really loved Ella she is ditsy but hilarious and kind. She is a victim of bad luck and she didn’t have the childhood that she would have wished for. I loved seeing her grow and realise that she has her own strengths. Her and Marco make a great team and the trip to Blackpool made me laugh out loud. The longer Ella stays as Emma the more she discovers about her less than perfect sister.

I have been reading lots of crime and spooky books lately and this was such a breathe of fresh air. Funny and honest and engaging I galloped through it. A happy fun read which really cheered me up.

4 stars ****

Ella just lost her home, her job, and her car. So she has no real choice but to take up her twin sister Emma on her - quite particular - offer. Ella shall pretend to be Emma while the latter is away for a few weeks.

So she goes from being single with no kids to having a family, dog and a really large car in a matter of hours. With the help of a smartphone with detailled notes, and a good-looking neighbor (who quickly calls her bluff), Ella rises to the challenge and actually does a pretty good job!

Although the story itself is not necessarily plausible, it definitely is entertaining, features likable characters and some funny scenes. Towards the end I also saw more and more similarities to "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty. Especially with the costume-themed-fundraiser as the grande finale.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always, I adored this book- Portia MacIntosh has a way with building complete stories that I don't often see. She balances comedy with emotion well, and I didn't expect to be as touched as I was by Faking It! I loved Emma as a character- a bit wobbly at the beginning (aren't we all?) but really developed into her own person. Once again, I will be buying this to keep for a re-read!

Faking It is a funny yet inspiring read. I adored this book!!! It is hilarious. It leaves a huge smile on the readers face but at the same time is very thought-provoking. The characters are very well written. The plot is unique and it kept me on the edge of my seat. It has some thought-provoking instances and very wisely depicts the importance of family. The conclusion is a bit emotional but nevertheless satisfying.

Faking It is a fun and enjoyable read with plenty of laughs but also plenty of face-palm moments (oh Ella, you could have done some things very differently and had a much better outcome!) and lots of screwball humour. It’s a perfect pick-me-up read on a gloomy evening and it’s so easy to dip in and out of. And prepare yourself for a right twist at the end-it’s a tad draw dropping!

I received this arc from Boldwood Books for an honest review.

A story that is fun and witty, but did not start out that way at first. Ella wakes to her flat on fire and having been evicted she has also lost her job later that morning. She should be rather upset but for her, it seems like this would only happen to her. To make her day take a stranger turn of events she receives a call from her twin sister Emma. The sister she has not heard from well she cannot remember. She is asked to take her sister's place and because they are identical, and more importantly she has nowhere to live she agrees.
You get a glimpse of how everything will work out for her in just that night before she leaves as she decides to cut her own hair watching a u-tube video that is just the first of many funny parts of this story. Once she begins watching son Henry who she bonds with and has some fun times dropping him off at school, she of course finally gets into Millie the teenager who spoiler actually figures out she is not her mother because of the situation that they are in. The husband is a good guy but Marco next door is the guy she wants but can’t have because she is married, yet she wants to kiss him. What a story. Then you have the on-line column she takes over, and yes, she finds something from her mother which helps her after all of these years. Finally, you have Emma coming back and shocker surprise you have to read the book to find out why she wanted to trade places. A fun story with some heartfelt moments as well, with really good characters. A very good book.