Thank you for Olivia hayle for this arc.

Although this wasn’t for me , I want to say I’m sure it’ll be many people’s fave books it just wasn’t mine .

I do wanna say this: I thought going into it that I’d like it but this book was alright . Truly brothers best friend may be a trope I avoid in the future .

I did kinda enjoy this book it was cute but there were many parts that didn’t do it for me.

It’s fake dating ( one of my all time fave trope) unfortunately this didn’t hit the way it was supposed to and im sad about that.

The cover is honestly so beautiful I absolutely love it .

The mmcs last name is Calloway - it had me thinking of the Krista Becca universe- one of my fave fiction universes but yeah !! He’s a Calloway - but not those Calloway’s !!

There is one small issue i have with this book - and it’s that it involves the brothers best friend trope in a way where the mmc is all like “your brother will kill me and stuff if he finds out” - i absolutely hate that kind of use of the trope - because in my 20 yr old mind - im like “well why is her brother best friends with you ( if he doesn’t seem to “trust” you with his sister” . Im so over that trope - im so over that tbh - especially when the mmc and fmc are literally adults !!!

So they fake date - they live together & they practice dating / romance / sex together!! Cus he’s tutoring her with sex lessons .

Another issue , I have with this book, is that she overheard him years ago saying “she’s pretty , but shes too boring to date” and from then she just thinks about that over and over . I have issues with that fr.

I do want to say that although some part of this book are not for me - it’s a cute book - I do like the chemistry between Nora and west !!!

His reaction to when he finally found out she was a virgin - it was like as if virgins are innocent. Like sure yes she is because she gives idk - sheltered girl ( who doesn’t seem to really like guys much ) but the idea of virgin being “innocent “ sure inexperienced yes but not innocent . Like im a virgin but im not innocent . Being a virgin and inexperienced doesn’t = innocent . Like he took her to a place ( a party where gambling happened & where people were having sex in public) and when he found out she was a virgin . After she lied to him because she didn’t know what his reaction would be- he was all like in his head “ I shouldn’t have taken her there because she’s a virgin .

Like no bro - being a virgin doesn’t mean anything and shouldn’t mean anything - it shouldn’t be measured in terms of innocence either - you can be a voyeur and a virgin / inexperienced. Like her being a virgin means nothing . I have no issue with virgin fmcs - I like this trope - im just over guys acting like it’s this thing that measures innocence. You can be innocent and have had sex . Whether or not someone has or has not had sex does not measure their innocence.

Also I forgot to add this I think but the fmc was being stalked in the book - for some reason . He sent her notes / flowers and Shit . But tbh I know this was mainly a plot point for her to move in with the mmc & fake date him !!! But when the stalker plot line ended it felt like so underwhelming

Also she’s a people pleaser - which has me feeling for her ofc but as someone who isn’t really one , not to her degree at least , I can’t relate . Now that’s fine but it does kinda feel like he’s guiding her in life !! Usually, in these dating lessons it does not really consist of this much praise in the book - or this much guidance . The dating lessons usually = mmc helping the fmc try and date other guys - while practicing with her & then her figuring out the only guy for her is him!!

Banter?Check.Slow-burn?Check.Brother's best friend? Check. This book made me cry and laugh in equal parts. Watching Nora overcome her fears and struggles and West helping her at every step was really heartwarming ❤️

This book was so cute I love the fake dating and brothers best friends trope! Would probably pick up this author again

Started off cute, love the tropes, but the pacing was slow. I enjoyed that the relationship was healthy. Overall, not bad

I have loved so many of Olivia’s books so I was truly excited for this one. Unfortunately the fake dating was missing the mark so much for me. It was the type of “fake” dating where there is clearly nothing fake about it from the get go which just left for a cringey and drawn out plot.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Once you start this book you won’t be able to put it down. I love a fake dating romance and this book was no different! Nora and West are so well written that they had me fully invested throughout. Add a sprinkle of mystery and the addition of a cat too, what more could you want?

This was a very well written romance which I fully enjoyed and would definitely recommend you try.

This was such a fun end of summer read!!! There’s nothing I love more than a fake dating trope. Fantastic!!

I loved every second of this! The main characters are beautifully written, and I was not expecting that level of spice!
But there was always enough to keep me interested around the plot too, so I just constantly wanted to read it, but also didn't want it to end.
I am a firm lover of everything Olivia does from now on...

This one had all my favorite tropes and I was hooked right away! Every page was filled with tension, chemistry, and banter that had me giddy! West was perfection – so protective, charming, swoony – with the right amount of broody. Also loved the boys chat! I loved that Nora was a mix of strong and vulnerable. She was finding herself and finally going after what she wanted without her family meddling. The stalker plot was a little thrilling, and I love some mystery with my romance, so it only enhanced the story. Also, there was an adorable cat – need I say more! Highly recommend this one as I flew through it and then immediately picked up another Olivia Hayle book. Can’t wait for the rest of this series!

-Brother’s BFF
-Fake Dating
-Sort of Bodyguard
-Forced Proximity
-Spicy Lessons

Thank you Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op for this ARC!

I read 60% of this book and wasn’t able to finish due to my i pad not allowing me to access the book again , however from what i read I really enjoyed the chemistry and push and pull between the two leads, i enjoyed the suspense added to the story with the stalker storyline that was compelling and really well written. The bodyguard trope will always be brilliant to me, and the history between the two characters was so interesting. The pacing did feel a little slow at times but i still found myself picking up this book and enjoying it.

Review💚✨💎💍
4 stars💫

I honestly didn’t expect it, but this was one of the best fake dating books I’ve ever read. It’s not usually a trope I love, but here it was executed beautifully. I originally received this book as an ARC and didn’t get to it on time, but if there’s ever a case where “better late than never” fits, it’s this one.

Nora completely won me over. Despite the terrifying situation she was in with her stalker (not a spoiler, don’t worry!), she never let it crush her dreams. She kept fighting for the life she wanted, and I admired her resilience so much.

As for West, he had me hooked from the very beginning. I have such a weakness for grumpy, protective men, and West was exactly that. You could feel his love for Nora long before he admitted it, and watching him slowly unravel into a complete (and adorable) obsession with her made me fall just as hard.

Together, Nora and West’s love story was so beautiful to me. They filled in each other’s missing pieces in a way that felt so natural and soul-deep.

I don’t know if there will be more books in this series, but I’ll be first in line if there are.

The Faking Game is a charming, witty romance that takes the fake-dating trope and makes it feel fresh and fun. The premise is simple: two very different people pretend to be in a relationship, only to find themselves caught up in something much deeper than they expected. The execution, though, is what makes it shine.
The heroine is smart, relatable, and easy to root for. The hero has just the right mix of charm, humor, and vulnerability, making their chemistry absolutely irresistible. Their banter is quick, playful, and filled with tension that slowly evolves into something tender. Every scene between them had me grinning, and the build-up to their feelings was both believable and addictive.
I loved how the story balanced humor with heart. Family dynamics, awkward situations, and a few laugh-out-loud moments kept the pace lively, while quieter, emotional beats gave the romance real weight. The only reason I give it 4.5 stars instead of 5 is that I wished for a little more depth in the side characters and maybe a longer epilogue to let us savor the happily-ever-after.
Still, this was such a delightful read. If you enjoy fake dating, sparkling dialogue, and a romance that makes you laugh and swoon in equal measure, The Faking Game will definitely win you over.

DNF
This book started with so much potential, and I thought the synopsis sounded great. However, the problem that I had was that I just did not care about either of the characters, which, for me, is a must (or at least care about one of the characters). I thought the chemistry was lacking and clunky, but also, there was no raw spark between them. Another issue I had was the fact that we kept having the same conversations over and over again to the point where I was thinking, "Why am I reading this?".

The actual plot of the story wasn't bad (the bit that I read), and I did somewhat like the character development that Nora went through in regards to her people-pleasing ways, even to the detriment of her own happiness. But that didn't really make me want to see the book through to the end.

This book totally hit the spot. It was deeply unrealistic and totally preposterous but very sweet and spicy and just so much fun. There’s a real niche in writing books that aren’t too deep but just take the reader on a nice little romance thrill ride, and that’s what I feel this did so well. I’m now going to have to keep an eye out for Olivia Hayle’s other work! I’m dying to know what happened with that epilogue/group chat.

4 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Took me a minute to get into it - the relationship felt a bit forced at first, but once I got in it was great. Great spice, fun resolution.

West is a billionaire who needs to get married by his 30th birthday. Nora has a list of things she wants to achieve by 25. When Nora moves to New York West is enlist by her brother to protect her from her stalker. The book is a slow burn brother best friend romance with the right amount of spice and story. I really enjoyed it. The story was gripping and heartwarming.
I am excited to read the next story in the series. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for allowing me to read this

what an absolutely class read! a great storyline with plenty of drama and suspense, really likeable characters and a fast paced read

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This story was a bit more intense than what I originally thought it might be based on the cover alone. Of course, a stalker is mentioned on the synopsis.... that I never read so jokes on me!

The brother's best friend trope was well done in this one, and the fake dating was just plain HOT. I absolutely loved Nora's growth - she started out as a total people pleaser and a total pushover, but by the end she was really standing up for herself.

This one was a really fun and easy read!

I absolutely loved "Faking It with the Billionaire" by Olivia Hayle! As a reader, I found myself completely captivated by Nora and West's story. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and their journey from fake dating to something real is both heartwarming and exciting. Nora is such a relatable protagonist, and her growth throughout the book is inspiring.

I’m honestly surprised how much I liked this story and romance between the FMC and MMC. It was a quick read, I read it for one of my reading challenges and I’m glad I did because I don’t usually like billionaire romances but the way this story was different than any other I read is why I enjoyed it so much. It’s not your typical billionaire romance and I really loved that. 4/5 stars