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.

never fake date your roommate’s was my very first book written by elizabeth davis and it a was a very delightful reading!! i guess that i’ll have to look up for more books written by her because of this one :)

this book was such a lovely romcom with two very different main characters… nick our clever librarian and val our messy photographer but u know the old saying that says: “opposites attract” and well with the help of the circumstances they have to deal and so in the end fake dating’s the solution! 😁🤭 and i love reading about a good fake dating story especially if the male character’s such a sweetheart in the end because our nick could seem a grumpy but from the very first beginning he was so caring of our val and it was so cute and funny to read about their interactions sometimes because they were adorable together <3!!

as characters val and nick were relatable as well and the writing was really great because it made me understand well the characters’s feelings and how the story could have evolved! i understood both of the characters and not only them but also the rest of characters present in the book and it was very entertaining in the end!

i would recommend this one for the fans of romcoms and in particular the fake dating trope because it was very well executed especially for a book written in third person… if u have a doubt look at the cover because it encapsulates the vibes of the story perfectly!!

least but not last i would love to thank netgalley and headline eternal for sending me the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I was so happy to read a spikier FMC and I enjoyed all of her rough edges! I also enjoyed the idea of fitting into a small town with cute community events and heavy snow.
I found the last third of the novel felt a bit stilted, and the break up felt a bit strange.