Laugh-out-loud funny, flirty, and full of heart 💘🏡. Never Fake Date Your Roommate is the ultimate feel-good rom-com with witty banter, lovable characters, and the always-fun fake dating trope. Elizabeth Davis delivers sizzling chemistry and plenty of laughable moments as the characters navigate love, boundaries, and unexpected feelings. A perfect pick for romance lovers craving fun and heart.

A fake dating romance, opposites attract, the story of Nick and Val. Fake dating is supposed to help them both out, but what happens when real feelings get involved. I liked how it was told from both points of view.

Messy, cute, and full of heart... with just a few bumps along the way.

This was such a fun, heartfelt rom-com! I absolutely loved how real both main characters felt. Val is chaotic in the best way—messy, insecure, brash, and completely relatable. Give me all the trash panda energy, please. Her journey toward self-acceptance was funny and touching, and her chemistry with Nick? Adorable.

Nick, the quietly broody librarian and former child star, is a solid love interest. He’s kind, introverted, a little damaged, and deeply loyal to the people he cares about, even if that loyalty sometimes comes at a personal cost. That said, I really wish we’d gotten to dig deeper into his past. His POVs felt like a missed opportunity. We’re told his childhood was rough, but we don’t feel the emotional impact as much as we could have, which makes his hesitation toward Val feel more like plot necessity than earned character conflict.

The fake dating + roommate combo is always a win for me, and this one delivered all the swoony moments I hoped for. Still, the book sometimes read like a highlight reel rather than a fully fleshed out romance. The pacing felt more like a collection of brief scenes strung together than an immersive, slow building love story. It worked, but I wanted more

Recommended for:
Fans of small-town rom-coms, fake dating setups, chaotic-good heroines, and quiet cinnamon roll love interests.

Fake dating and roommates , sign me up, I loved this story, the characters were so realistic and relatable, the story was just so well done, pacing , writing, everything, definitely recommend for some summer escapism

Always love a good Enemies to Lovers romance and this didn't disappoint. Really enjoyed the story, as it was easy to read and flowed so well, and I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other and also with the side characters - some more than others.

There isn't too much angst or tension and although there are moments of spice, it doesn't distract you from the main body of the story and also there is a good level of slow burn.

3.5⭐️
Thankyou NetGalley for this arc 🫶🏻
This book was such a fun rom com,I love how real both these characters felt, Val was so messy and I loved her, Nick was so quiet but you could tell how much he cared for those he loved.i love a fake daiting plot so that was such a fun time.

I love a small town romance and seeing all the town care for Valerie was so nice, Nick was such a sweetheart and I loved how unapologetically himself he was. This was such a fun fake daiting, opposite attract sweet romance

(The cover is to die for😍)

I thought this was cute and funny, and I love my FMCs living like trash pandas, because I relate. I loved almost everything about Val. With the exception of one decision a towards the end of the book. But more about that later.

||Minor Spoiler||
Actually, let's talk about it now..I understand the timing of the incident being released had to happen for most dramatic impact. But I would have preferred for her to come home see Nick asleep and decide she'd tell him the next day, only for everything to drop then. Instead of her accepting a second bribe. The first while yucky was understandable the second was just not. It does make her look good, there's very little reasoning for it, and the drama and tension would still be applicable if she had said no. That choice makes no sense to me.
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While Val felt like a fairly well rounded character, Nick had depth we weren't really able to explore. I feel like we needed more explanation about how fucked up his childhood was, and how he is now uber reliant on a quiet, consistent, and reliable life, thus explaining why he's so hesitant to start anything with Val. Instead of it being so wishy-washy and bland. While seeming like a better option than Caleb, his actions around that don't differentiate him much for most of the story. Especially since we get his POVs, which would be a great time to explore those issues.

I am obsessed with the fake dating trope and the roommate trope, so it's not surprising I decoured this book. It hit all my favourite moments. However, that's what a lot of the book felt like. Jumping around tbough a string moments, most of them very brief, like a detailed outline of the timeline of their relationship, instead of a fully woven story.

Thank-you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and @HeadlineEternal for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Fake Date Your Roommate is exactly what you'd expect from a rom-com with that title and then some. Val is a disaster, all spilled cereal and emotional chaos, while Nick is her complete opposite: a grumpy ex actor turned librarian with alphabetized spice racks and a strong sense of personal boundaries. Naturally, they're forced to live together. Naturally, fake dating gets involved. And of course, naturally... sparks fly.

The tropes here are doing the heavy lifting (forced proximity, grumpy-sunshine, fake dating, and good old “ugh, why are you so hot while being so annoying?”), and they deliver. Val and Nick have a classic oil and vinegar vibe that’s actually super charming once the tension starts to turn tender. Their banter is sharp, and their chemistry feels real, even when the situation is absolutely ridiculous in a good way.

I docked it a smidge because the pacing dipped a little in the middle, and Val's hot mess energy occasionally tipped too far into frustrating. But by the end, I was totally rooting for these two disasters in love. Elizabeth Davis knows how to write characters that feel alive, even when they’re faking it for the cameras.

If you're in the mood for a trope-filled rom-com with lots of heart and a healthy dose of chaos, this one's worth adding to your TBR.
3.95 Stars rounded to 4!

#NetGalley, #HeadlineEternal, #NeverFakeDateYourRoommate, #ElizabethDavis, #RomCom, #EnemiesToLovers

Petty annoyances that likely annoy any roommates to lovers, a cute, smart and romantic read. He's done to his neck with drama, has no more patience fir it, yet she is the epitome of drama, in the best ways. They find the answers to their problems within each other and it's so damn cute. It's a fun, unpredictable read that makes you feel a great range of emotions as only good jooks can.

Omg this was so good!! It reminded me of those cute, forced proximity romcoms that I started reading when I joined booktok/bookstagram. It was super fun and extremely well written. I strongly recommend this one!

This was such a lovely romance read! Lived every ingle trope in this book, didn’t disappoint so I would probably buy a physical copy when it comes out!

this was a sweet and loving read. it felt believable and i loved getting to know the characters both individually and together. their moments together made me feel all smiley and fuzzy. Nick is a kind hearted man and he really did care for Val our messy photographer. their agreed fake dating setup was a believable and funny solution to their problem. well, until they both realize the fake dating part doesnt seem to be so fake anymore. or was it ever?
Elizabeth writes her plot and characters so well. i whizzed through this with such smoothness that only good writing can give to a reader. it didnt feel cliched either which was something i really appreciate when their are well used tropes. this still felt original, the moments true.

This was a solid 3-star read for me—cute and easy to get through, but didn’t totally wow me. The setup is super fun (grumpy-sunshine roommates turned fake dating partners), and the banter between Val and Nick had its moments. I enjoyed their dynamic, and I always love a good opposites-attract romance.

That said, it didn’t quite stick the landing. Some of the side plot drama—especially the situation with Caleb—felt messy in a way that didn’t fully resolve, and it pulled me out of the story a bit. I also found myself wishing for a bit more depth in the emotional payoff.

Still, the small town charm and light, breezy tone make it a nice pick if you’re looking for a quick romcom with familiar tropes. Not my favorite, but definitely not a bad way to spend a weekend afternoon either.

Always love a good Enemies to Lovers romance and this didn't disappoint. Really enjoyed the story, as it was easy to read and flowed so well, and I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other and also with the side characters - some more than others.

There isn't too much angst or tension and although there are moments of spice, it doesn't distract you from the main body of the story and also there is a good level of slow burn.

This is a such a good read that will take you away from reality for a few hours.

He needs a fake girlfriend, so his mom doesn’t try to make him do a reality dating show, and she needs a fake boyfriend because she’s the photographer for her ex boyfriend’s wedding. So they decide to help each other out.

Val has issues with self worth since her family treat her like a disaster case - they assume she’s always gonna mess up. She’s trying to reinvent herself in the small town after a work mishap almost ruins her photography business.

Nick is a child actor who wants to leave Hollywood behind - he’s happy as a small town librarian and doesn’t want to act. He feels obligated to his brother, keeps bailing him out - which in turn puts pressure on his own finances. Hence him needing a roommate. His mom is also such a piece of work - she doesn’t care for him like a son, just cares about how she can use him for her own gain (I.e. manipulating him into doing the dating show).

Their relationship was cute - I love it when fake dating turns into real feelings. This has definite rom-com vibes!

I had some issues with the side plot with Caleb and Autumn - I understand why they didn’t want to tell her, but surely sets her up to fail if she’s not completely honest about the situation.

Overall it was a cosy small town romance with fake dating and complicated families. I would definitely recommend for a quick fun read.

ARC copy provided by Headline & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Elizabeth Davis and I really enjoyed it! I love a good fake dating storyline and I loved the contrast between the two main characters. I found this book a relatable and realistic depiction of a modern day love story and would definitely recommend 🙂

This book brings together Val, a struggling photographer caught up in a recent scandal, and Nick, a former child star trying to live a quieter life. Thrown together as reluctant roommates, their paths stay fairly separate—until they both need a fake partner for very different reasons. Cue the forced proximity, fake dating, and all the awkward (and sometimes adorable) moments that come with it.

One of the strongest parts of this book was the relationships. I really enjoyed the dynamics between Val and Nick, Val and Amber, and Nick and Josh. The chemistry was solid, and the friendships felt genuine and well-developed. It’s always refreshing when side characters and their relationships feel just as real as the central romance.

Both Val and Nick were likable, well-written characters. The romance was low on spice (maybe half a chili pepper at most), but honestly, it still felt satisfying thanks to the emotional connection and character development. Under different circumstances, I think I would’ve really loved this book—and I’m still interested in checking out more from this author.

That said… I hit a major bump with the whole Caleb situation. Val agreeing to lie to Amber for extra money didn’t sit well with me, even if she was financially struggling and didn’t know Amber well. But I kept going, hoping it would resolve in a satisfying way. Then Caleb kisses her and bribes her to stay quiet about it—with a raise, no less. It was uncomfortable, and unfortunately, it crossed a line that pulled me out of the story. What made it worse was the way it seemed to get brushed under the rug—Nick even ends up apologizing to her. That part just didn’t work for me, and I found myself skimming from there.

Overall, this book had a lot of potential—great setup, strong character chemistry, and some really sweet moments. But for me, the ethical grey area in Val’s storyline made it hard to fully enjoy. It’s not a bad book by any means, and I know some readers will enjoy it more than I did. It just stumbled where I hoped it would shine.

Tropes you’ll find:

Roommates

Fake dating

Small town charm

Final thoughts: Good bones, but the execution didn’t land for me in the end. I’ll still give the author another shot though—there’s definite talent here.

This was an adorable read. Not quite enemies to lovers, but it was a sweet dislike to lovers. Small town charm and really likeable characters. It was predictable but that didn’t make it less enjoyable. Definitely recommended

I really enjoyed this one! I love a good fake dating to lovers romance and it was so fun that is was the roommate aspect as well. I thought the MC and our MLI had great chemistry. I couldn’t wait to see how things unfold led and I was not disappointed. It was fun, humorous, and had lots of heart/spice. Highly enjoyed and recommend

Absolutely brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending it.