This is how you do a brothers best friend RIGHT !!!!

This book was so cozy/romantic. I loved both of the MMC AND FMC. they were relatable and I love how strong Nora is. They had believable growth and had me rooting for them the whole time.

This is the first time I have read this authors work but I will definitely read more by her in the future!!

The book was good. I liked it. The brother’s best friend trope never disappoints. I liked how the evolution of the relationship between the two protagonists was portrayed but especially the growth in confidence of the FMC. She became fiercer throughout the book thanks to the MMC who helped her stand for herself. The ending did not disappoint and I am very much looking forward to Rafe’s book! I’m really intrigued!

I've shared the ARC reviews on Storygraph and Fable. My Instagram post review will be out on release day (May 25).

Loved the story!! This was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. It kept my interest and kept me wanting to find out the ending.

HELLO??? This book was spectacular from start to finish!!

When Nora and West strike a mutually beneficial agreement, neither expects to catch real feelings. After relocating to New York to escape a ruthless stalker, Nora is left with no choice but to move in with her brother’s best friend West, the guy she can’t stand. Desperate for a solution, they decide to fake date to kill two birds with one stone: lure out Nora’s stalker by making him jealous and reckless, and get West’s mom to stop pressuring him about marriage. But when the fake relationship soon turns into dating lessons, lines start to cross and rules get broken.

THIS BOOK!!! WAS SO CUTE!!! I will be thinking about it forever. I immediately signed up for an ARC because of the cute cover, and the story lived up to the cuteness! I was so insanely eager to pick this book back up every time I stepped away from it and now I’m sad it’s over. West and Nora had the most fiery banter ever. I absolutely ate up the way Nora constantly pushed West’s buttons. Fake dating is my favorite trope and it was executed perfectly here! The stalker plot was a great added touch, and I did not predict who the stalker was at all. I was eagerly awaiting Nora and West to finally share their feelings with one another. Their chemistry was so strong, and West was very obviously the perfect man for Nora from the very beginning.

There is one thing I hate about this book…Book two isn’t out yet. Olivia, if you are ever looking for beta or ARC readers in the future, please call me. 🙏


ARC reviews have been shared to the following platforms: Goodreads, Fable, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Threads. See links below.

Instagram and threads posts have been scheduled for release day on May 25.

I loved reading this ARC so much thank you for allowing me to read it early.

This book was so good I could not put it down I would find myself reading it any free time I had no matter where I was. Everything about this plot and the tropes had me giddy. Brothers best friend, billionaire, fake dating, forced proximity are all some of my favorites!
When Nora is forced to move in with her brothers best friend (West) because of a stalker things start to heat up between the two of them. And the line between fake and real starts to blur. West and Nora’s chemistry and banter was so good and well written I cannot wait for book 2!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I thought this book started very abruptly. There was no real ‘introduction’ to the plot. Other than the very rushed beginning- I did really like the book. I wasn’t expecting the stalker to be whine I thought. I also really just loved the dynamic between West and Norah. Bring on book 2!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Billionaire romance
Best friend’s little sister
Fake dating
Virgin FMC
Sign me up!

West is tasked with protecting his best friend’s little sister Nora. She agrees to stay at his estate and he’s going to teach her how to date. The chemistry between these two was off the charts and I ate it up!! Talk about the perfect book boyfriend!

rating — 4.25 out of 5 stars.

i am exceedingly picky when it comes to fake dating. i’ve been trying to get out of the habit of saying it’s a trope that i dislike, because that isn’t true at all – i’ve just become frustrated after reading one too many books where they refuse to commit to all the yearning and drawn-out angst that a proper fake dating storyline can give you. when i requested this book on a whim, that same old hope sprang eternal within me – and i’m happy to say that she did it, folks!

i will say, this was a tad long. i don’t really think that any romance book really has any business being 500+ pages in this economy, and there were definitely some scenes i felt could have been cut here and there while maintaining the same character growth and relationship development. which, speaking of – loved both of those in this book! there are so many flat characters and rushed relationships aplenty in the romance world these days, and i felt like there was the perfect balance of action and drawn-out yearning in this book. beautiful, delicious, i ate it up. i do wish the stalking plot had a better resolution than it did (it felt kind of random and low-impact, but idk! it got her into west’s house, so whatever i guess). i still had a blast, though – olivia hayle, you have charmed me. i will be seated for the rest of the series!

Nora and I are one in the same. I’m also a huge people pleaser so it was nice to read her journey to becoming stronger and more assertive in her life!
West and Nora had great chemistry from the very first scene and it just kept getting better. Fake dating is my favorite trope so I knew I was in for a treat.
My only gripe is I think this was a bit too long. There were a few scenes that were dragged out but then there were two or three scenes I wanted more of and they were cut short.
This is my first Olivia Hayle book and I’m intrigued to pick up more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC!!

DEAR LORD WAS THIS GOOD.

Was it long? Yes. Was it worth every single agonising second that I spent with Nora and West? Oh hell yes.

I read this in a day, and it was phenomenal. It's genuinely one of the best fake dating tropes I've ever read. And Olivia Hayle made me enjoy a billionaire romance, and I'm not even mad about it.

Genuinely, this was fantastic, and it's so so so well worth reading.

I am OBSESSED. The Faking Game delivered everything I crave in a romance. It’s a brother’s best friend, fake dating, forced proximity, spice lessons, slow burn tension, romance and so much more. West and Nora had undeniable chemistry, and I loved watching their connection shift from playful to protective and passionate. Their banter? Gold. Their character growth? So satisfying.

Nora’s transformation from a people pleaser to someone owning her worth hit me in the feels. And West? The grumpy, secretly softy who respects boundaries and helps her heal? I swooned—hard. If you love dual POVs, family drama, and steamy slow burns that actually deliver, this one’s a must-read.

I didn’t really enjoy this to be honest. The characters absolutely had chemistry and that I did really enjoy but the whole just X yr old virgin with the like this ‘so experienced male’. I just don’t really like that trope to be honest and it really just kinda ruined my overall view of this book. The stalker aspect was actually super interesting but I felt it was just flat. I felt more could’ve been done and once the stalker is got like not just totally move on from it, just because it was quite the centre of the actual reason why these characters were together at the same house.

West Calloway gets himself into a fake dating relationship with his best friends sister. She is attractive,smart but she needs help getting a real date.

This is my new favorite Olivia Hayle book to date.

The story contains tropes of brother's best friend/fake dating/spice lessons, but it was so much more.
The chemistry and pull between characters felt natural and realistic with a connection that grew steadily.

I appreciated the mature communication and that he encouraged her growth, but never pushed past her boundaries.

This was a really refreshing romance with depth, swoony moments, and plenty of spice.

Thank you for the chance to read the ARC, Olivia!
As a long term fan of Olivia’s work, this was a joy. I loved the fake dating and the date practice premise and the characters were brilliant. Bring on Rafe’s book!

This was the first book of Olivia's that I have read and I feel like I have been missing out. This book is such a heartwarming story. There is not one criticism I can think of the only thing that would have made it better for me would be that there was less spice but that is just my preference (not a criticism). I would definitely recommend this book to romance lovers but probably more to to those who like plenty of spice.

Thank you to net galley, the publisher and most of all to Olivia Hayle for allowing me to read this book - I cannot wait to read rafe's story!!!

This book was adorable and I equally loved the FMC and MMC. They were both mature and their growth throughout the book felt natural and organic. It was really refreshing. This is my first book by this author but I'm looking forward to the second one in the series 👀 the setup at the end already has me intrigued 🙂‍↕️

I really enjoyed this! I’m a sucker for a forced proximity, lovers to haters, and fake dating plot. Some of the romance, the lessons, felt forced or unbelievable and juvenile for a 24 year old woman as one myself, but I can look past it. Overall I think it was really well written and I’m excited for its release!

The Faking Game was such a super cute read, with just the right mix of spice and plot to keep things interesting. The story centers around Nora and West—Nora being the little sister of West's best friend, and West reluctantly stepping in as her bodyguard when she starts being stalked. What starts as a favor quickly turns into something a lot more complicated, especially as West begins to question the oath he made to never get involved with his best friend's sister.

I’ll admit, the book started off pretty slow and felt like it was dragging in the beginning but once it picked up, it really picked up. The chemistry between Nora and West was undeniable, and their banter and growing connection was so good.

That said, I did wish the stalker subplot had a bit more weight or danger to it—it felt like a missed opportunity for some higher stakes or suspense. Still, the romance was sweet, the slow burn paid off, and the balance of heartfelt moments and steamy tension made it a worthwhile read.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read your arc on NetGalley 🙏🏼

What a great book. It was wonderfully written and it had all of my favorite things in a book. There was romance, banter, angst and mystery. It had my favorite trope of brother's best friend. The story moved quickly but had all the good parts of the story in it. I can wait for more of the books to come out!!!