I loved the chemistry between the FMC and MMC. This was my first read from Winter and it won't be my last! I loved her writing!

I love a second chance romance and Fake-ish adds in a fake relationship into the mix. This was a light and fun read that even though it touched on some heavier topics, it really did a good job of staying light. I enjoyed how it switched between the past when they met and the present day as Winter reveals both timelines of their relationship. It left me intrigued to see how they went from having it so right but at the wrong time to a year later and everything being so wrong. Their chemistry lingers in every moment they spend together and the whole time I just wished Briar could tell him what was going on.

When they meet in a tropical paradise and bond over their mutual dislike for the institute of marriage, Dorian and Briar had no idea their weekend together would stick with them both long after they returned to their lives, promising to reconnect in two years. When Briar is offered a chance to solve all her financial problems by posing as her boss’s fake fiance, she had no idea visiting his family home on a private island would put her face to face with Dorian and unable to tell him it’s all fake. But secrets don’t stay secrets forever…

I wanted to love this story but I settled on like. In audio, the narrators Stefan Cordova and Kathryn Lynnhurst definitely helped me like the story more by giving voice and life to the characters, but honestly there were a lot of unlikable characters in this story. I honestly only liked Briar and the grandfather, only sometimes liking Dorian. Everyone else I loved to hate and I’m usually a big fan of side characters. I think for me, this took some of the joy out of the story but did make me root even more for Briar and Dorian amd their HEA. Overall, I did enjoy the story and liked the overall premise, but I think there was just something missing for me.

Please give me any and all books written by Winter Renshaw. I am quite literally obsessed. If you provided a grocery list, I would in fact read that and rate it 5 stars. Loved this book, loved the spice. Give us more!

This was a fun quick read from Winter renshaw. It wasn’t my favorite book from her but I liked the characters it was engaging!

Dnf @50%

I set this one down after struggling to care about any of the characters or their motivations and I believe it is time to just call it. I really like the previous book I read by Winter Renshaw so I was hopeful but Briar was just so two dimensional that I just couldn’t finish.

Briar and Dorian meet one night at a bachelorette party and end up spending several days together getting to know each other. They connected over their shared anti-marriage beliefs amongst other things. Unfortunately the timing was off due to Dorian's job, but they agreed to meet back up in two years when he was no longer traveling for work.

The next time Briar runs into Dorian is when she is brought to meet the family of her fiance. Low and behold her fiance is Dorian's brother. The good news is the engagement is fake. The bad news is she can't tell anyone. Things get messy very quickly. One thing is certain though, the connection between Briar and Dorian is as strong as ever.

There were parts of this story I liked a lot. The premise was extremely intriguing and I could not wait to see where the story was going to go. Unfortunately, I really despised Burke, and I feel like the execution of the story fell kind of flat. I feel like various parts of the story needed to be further developed. It was still engaging but not my favorite of this author's work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

A quick, fun read from Winter Renshaw. Loved the characters and the chemistry between them as well as the storyline.

Fake-ish by Winter Renshaw is a second chance contemporary romance that can be read as a standalone. This is the story of Briar and Dorian and is told in both POV in both past and present terms.
Briar and Dorian both met on a joint destination bachelor/bachelorette party. They clicked from the start but circumstances had these two putting any potential relationship on hold. Two years later, Briar has agreed to a fake relationship with a man from work so that he can get his inheritance. On a trip to her fake fiancee's home to meet the family, she sees Dorian, who happens to be her fake fiancee's brother. Clad by an NDA, Briar can't tell Dorian the truth. Dorian is upset that Briar didn't wait for him and feels a sense of deja vu, as this has happened before, where the woman he loved chose his brother.
Will Briar tell Dorian the truth? Will these two find their happy ever after?
Fake-ish was a good quick read. I enjoy reading fake relationship, forced proximity, and second chance and if you are a fan of those tropes, then you'll enjoy this story.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book, I honestly couldn’t put it down. It was just what I needed

When Dorian met Briar the feelings he had for her were undeniable however he also believed that due to the demands of his career that a relationship between them would never succeed. Instead, he asks her to wait two years until he is in the position to pursue something with her however the next time he sees her it is a family event and she is engaged to his brother.

For financial reasons Briar agrees to pretend to be engaged to Burke, Dorian’s brother, so that he can claim his inheritance. This creates a complicated situation as she is unable to reveal the truth and Dorian is not happy that she is there with her brother. Let the drama begin!

Burke is a man you will despise and only makes the situation between Dorian and Briar more difficult. It is the things that Dorian and Briar don’t say that amps up the humor and the angst as they try to uncover all the truths both when it comes to his family and their relationship.

I always enjoy a Winter Renshaw story and this one was no exception…..some fake-dating, a second chance and all sorts of family drama…what’s not to love?!?!
A bit more spice would have been nice but I enjoyed the fact that the storyline was a little bit different and this authors writing style is easy and flows really well.

Oh my goodness! I absolutely LOVED this book from start to finish. Briar and Dorian connect easily, and I loved that we are shown the past and the present with them. They agree to reconnect at a later date but there are ups and downs that squeeze at the heart. The story flowed well and I was completely pulled in to their world!

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This book is one you have to read because i think people will be divided once they read it, i don't like stories involving brothers but this one... you have to find it out on your own.

This is a compelling blend of angst, heartache, and sweetness, showcasing the author's talent for conveying complex emotions effortlessly. Dorian emanates tortured intensity, while Briar's sunny soul captures readers' hearts. Their unexpected reunion as Briar agrees to pose as her boss's fake fiancée leads to a tumultuous journey filled with family drama and buried secrets on a luxurious island. The alternating flashbacks to their initial meeting at a wedding party reveal their deep connection and subsequent heartbreak, adding depth to their story. Despite the obstacles, Briar's strength and Dorian's eventual emotional thawing pave the way for a dreamy and ultimately satisfying happily ever after. Renshaw's skillful dual POV narration allows readers to easily connect with the characters, making for an engaging and memorable read.

A fun, entertaining read. I'm not a huge romance girly but I'm very slowly getting into them more. This was a fun, grumpy meet cute, second chance romance type story and I really loved the FMC, Briar and the MMC, Dorian. Both have their axes to grind but all comes good in the end.

Fake-ish is the first book that I have read by Winter Renshaw but it definitely will not be the last! I absolutely loved this book – and especially liked how it alternated between past and present viewpoints of the main characters. Highly recommend this one! #Fakeish #NetGalley

This book was soo good. I love how WR creates worlds and the way she pulls different emotions out of her characters. These two met when the timing wasn’t right, they make a sorta pact and years pass, and they see each other when they least expect it, and what a complicated journey it is!

Winter Renshaw always is a go to for me. Any new book I gravitate towards and know it’s a new story I will fall in love with. The character and story development is always top tier with a cozy story to devour.

It was a nice story about two people who met each other twice in life. It change between past and present and are from both of there view’s. She was a great character, nice, real and never wanted to marry. He was a manager for a famous band, kind of grumpy and never wanted to marry. They met again under strange, extrem circumstances and that wenn the story took off. All in all it was a good read and I loved both characters.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars

Briar and Dorian meet at a mutual friend's wedding and hit it off. They were left at several bars during the bar crawl, so they went alone. The more time they spent alone, the more they had in common. They didn't want to say goodbye in the end and didn't want to have a long-distance relationship, so they decided to wait two years and start a relationship.

It is now a year later, and Briar is pretending to be in love with a man, who turns out to be Dorian's brother, and it feels like she is betraying Dorian. She can't explain why she is with his brother so he would understand, and Dorian doesn't seem to care.

This story started out fun and flirty. But turns into a drama filled with pain, family, and greed. Will Briar and Dorian make their way back to each other or is the damage too far gone? This author has a way of making me laugh and cry at almost the same time. She can pull you into a story from the very first page and you are glued until the end. I loved Briar and Dorian and I hope you do too.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars of fake...ish

I really enjoyed the start of the book – still confused how Briar could afford to attend her cousin's event, when later she was clearly not well off, but still, it was a fun adventure in the Caribbean to start the story. The 'wait two years' thing is strangely liberating I think, and I had no problem with the fake engagement as it filled a gap, however, the way Burke treated her would have made me break the deal!

The island holiday set up was clever, and I found the dynamics engaging but in a harsh, thank goodness that is not my life way – definitely a clear nod to money not being a true source of happiness! It made it difficult to care about them, when it was far more to do with getting an inheritance, and not family time.

I was glad that the book resolved a number of issues in a believable way, with siblings staying in character, but it was slightly depressing to have to acknowledge such flawed selfish people do exist! Briar was consistently the naive one in the story, and thankfully she did end up with the right, loving outcome, but it was a mind-bending journey!


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/F Romance

This is a second chance story, but I'm not 100% that I would consider this a romance. It's more of a second chance friendship – maybe in another book, turned romance.

The actual story here is a little farfetched and not something that I would normally read. The couple meets and then they don't see each other for several years. By that time, she, (Briar) has signed an NDA with Dorian's brother, Burke – who is a seemingly greedy guy, in my opinion. Burke won't let her out of the contract, so in order to get the money Burke promised, Briar has to stay quiet, despite knowing that it's effectively ending any chance she might have had with Dorian.

Overall, this was a somewhat convoluted story with more young adult dialogue and feelings than what I would have expected.