Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book. This is the first book I’ve read by Olivia Hayle and I had the hardest time putting the book down. I loved the storyline and the growth of the main male and female characters. The Faking Game has a great storyline and had some intrigue for sure in what was going to happen. Not to mention all the steam radiating from the pages. Throughout the book there were times where I blushed, where I laughed, where I was angry, and overall just happy. That is all the making in my opinion of a great book! I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was the first book I’ve read by Olivia, and it was great! The Faking Game is a well-written, brothers best friend/billionaire romance with a lovely FMC and a MMC that had me swooning the entire time (the level this man takes praise kink to in unreal). The beginning felt a little slow and the ending felt a bit anticlimactic. That being said, the book was fun and I definitely enjoyed it! Looking forward to reading more from Olivia!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Tropes:
❣️Fake dating
👥Dual POV
🛏️One bed
🧍‍♂️Brother’s best friend
🧍‍♀️Best friend’s sister
🫂Forced proximity

I can never stop reading a fake dating, billionaire romance. There’s something about it when done right and this book is no exception. I love love the relationship between Nora and West - they’re both so good for each other. West brings out the realness in Nora and Nora challenges West in a good way.

The first half of this book really started off strong, it had me giggling over the banter, tension and drama. The way West is so protective of Nora is not too overbearing, it just hits right. He’s always in denial of his true feelings for Nora and we all know she’s more than “just a sister”. I also can’t stop reading the fake dating aspects in this book because it’s something that I’ve never read before where I guess it’s relatable in a sense when Nora is dealing with her people-pleaser problem. It’s very wholesome to have West by Nora’s side all the time to help her understand who she really is and also for him to understand her.

One thing about this book that did not really interest me is the stalker drama and the reveal at the end, it just feels flat and I did not really care about it that much.

But overall, this book is so good - I can’t strop reading it! Side note: I love West’s friendship group and I can’t wait to read Rafe’s story next!

P.S. Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Hayle for giving me this ARC to read!

it had a lot of potential to be great but remains suspended in the okayish zone. I think there were a lot of openings for a more ambitious setting, but the book never takes off into the sky and cycles around the highway on ground.

nonetheless, it was a decent read.

Ok, I’ll admit it: I judged this book by its cover when I requested it. Sexy modern Mr. Darcy? Say less. Add in fake dating and I’m already strapped in.

This was an enjoyable, low-stakes read that didn’t try to be deeper than it needed to be. Nora is a model heiress from an LVMH-esque fashion dynasty who just wants to design clothes instead of being the face of them. When a stalker situation escalates, she winds up with a security detail—and a fake, live-in boyfriend in the form of her older brother’s best friend.

Enter West: grumpy, protective, and very much not immune to his best friend’s little sister. The “dating practice” premise didn’t fully land for me, but I appreciated how it evolved—especially when it gave West space to support Nora as she found her voice and learned to push back. And the way he fell? Fast, hard, and <i>so</i> soft about it. The pining. The restraint. The aching awareness of her presence. Delicious.

<b>Other highlights to note:</b>
💕Chemistry that simmers and grows—none of that instant soulmate stuff, just believable tension with a slow build payoff
🏰 Old money aesthetic in a jaw-droppingly gorgeous house (West, if you’re looking for a roommate…)
✨ Banter that made this a bingeable delight
💚 Praise kink—like, aggressive levels of praise kink
🌸 Some surprising emotional depth tucked into an otherwise breezy read
🍃 A cameo tease at the end that definitely worked on me—I’m in for the spin-off

This didn’t linger for me the way I prefer my faves to, and I didn’t fully connect with Nora on every level, but it was still a good time. Olivia Hayle is new to me, but not for long—I’ll be back.

<b>TL;DR:</b> Sexy fake dating with a protective older brother’s best friend, a praise kink that deserves its own spotlight, and just enough pining to keep things interesting. The perfect light read when you want to escape to a billionaire’s estate for a fling.

3.5⭐

Nora comes from a wealthy family and is a well-known model, but she dreams of becoming a fashion designer. She also has a stalker who’s been following her, so after moving to New York, her brother insists that his best friend keep an eye on her. For Nora’s safety, West suggests she move into his estate—which he’ll lose unless he gets married before turning 30.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Nora has spent her whole life trying to please everyone, but West teaches her to put her own desires and ambitions first. Their relationship is healthy and develops gradually—and that party scene was so hot! I also really enjoyed West’s friends and the way they joked around with each other.

But I was a bit thrown off by the whole stalker situation. The entire plot revolves around Nora being followed, but the resolution felt rushed. Honestly, it wasn’t what I expected. I also felt like the story dragged a little at times.

It’s a light romance with spicy scenes that makes for a lovely evening read!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓fake dating
✓brother’s best friend
✓roommates
✓virgin heroine
✓dating lessons

Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Hayle for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC.

This is the first book I've read by Olivia Hayle and I wasn't sure what I expected. But I came away from this book completely engrossed in this world that Hayle has built and the characters that live in it. Despite the fact that this book is about a billionaire and a model, these characters felt real to me, especially Nora and her ongoing struggle with setting boundaries and people pleasing. This book was evocative and tender, and I really fell in love with both Nora and West.

I thought the prose in this story was really well done and the plot was executed well. It is a very character-driven read, but the plot really held the book together well. I typically don't like stories where there's a virgin and a "teacher," for lack of a better term, often times because it feels slightly misogynistic. But Nora's hang ups came across as really authentic to me, and West was very up front about how he was not suffering at all in this arrangement, either.

Definitely looking forward to more from this author.

Title: The Faking Game
Author: Olivia Hayle
Genre: Romance with open door spice 🌶
Rating: ★★★★☆
Release Date: 25th May 2025
Publisher: Victory Editing

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Faking Game is the first book I’ve read by Olivia Hayle, and honestly—I’m wondering what took me so long! This story follows virgin FMC Nora and her brother’s best friend, MMC West, in a deliciously trope-filled fake dating setup that’s super easy to follow and enjoy.

One of my favorite tropes—“teach me”—is in full swing here, as Nora and West enter a win/win ruse that quickly spirals into something more. With undeniable chemistry, a looming threat, and a strict deadline in play, I was hooked and turning pages fast. And yes, the trouble was worth it 😉 (IYKYK).

What I Liked:

-The story moves fast with no unnecessary fluff up front.

-The chemistry between the leads is believable and super engaging.

-Great use of classic tropes with a modern, spicy twist.

What Could Be Improved:

-Some parts felt a bit rushed and could’ve benefited from a little more depth and detail.

Final Thoughts:
A fun, flirty, and spicy read that’s perfect for fans of Wingman by Stephanie Archer. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a quick romance with heat and heart.

Follow me on TikTok for more recs!
Laced in Lit... 🩷

Comprobado que esta autora nunca defrauda.

La tensión que ha creado entre West y Nora ha sido una MARAVILLA, cada una de las lecciones era más hot que la anterior y su química era innegable.

Lo que se viene para futuros libros va a ser MUY top

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.

Wow - for starters this book had me hooked from the dedication page. Nora and West's story had me hooked. I started this book at 5pm and finished it by 9am the next day. I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to know what happened every flip of the page. This book has some of the BEST tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, slow burn, and a stalker! & the spicy scenes in this book - top notch! I cannot wait for the next book! I will be stalking the release -- see what I did there.

But honestly, this book was a quick and easy read. Absolutely everything I enjoy about reading. I really enjoyed reading this from both perspectives throughout the story, because it added more details and you really felt like you could put a picture together in your head of what was happening.

I have a feeling we will see some BookTok about West and the boys from this book. Can't wait to continue this series and pick up a bunch more of Olivia's books! What a great find & perfect right in time for Summer!!

This is my first book by this author, but it wont be my last, because i LOVED this. The amount of pining. banter and romance was perfect. West and Nora had me giggling and kicking my feet like a giddy school girl. Brothers best friend, fake dating, slow burn and insane banter is the perfect recipe for a good contemporary romance. I felt like the stalker plot sort of fell through, but i didnt mind all that much. . Im so excited to continue this series, Im hooked!

5 stars – I’m in love.

OMG this book was everything. Fake dating? Best friend’s little sister?? Sign me up. I seriously couldn’t put it down.

Nora and West completely stole my heart. Their chemistry was so natural and sweet, but also so hot when it needed to be. The spice? Absolutely perfect—just enough to make me blush without taking away from the story.

West was such a soft, steady presence for Nora. I loved how he never pushed her but still helped her realize her strength. Their dynamic felt so real, and watching her come out of her shell because of how safe she felt with him? Ugh. I’m obsessed.

I already miss them. Like, truly. I need a physical copy of this book on my shelf ASAP because I know I’ll be rereading it every time I need to feel something.

Thank you so much for the ARC—it was honestly such a beautiful read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC opportunity!!!
4.5/5 ⭐️
I was hooked from the moment I started reading this book. The characters were really relatable, which is something that I always enjoy. A brothers best friend trope is always a win! The plot was a little predictable, but it was nice to be able to switch my brain off. There were a few grammatical mistakes near the end of the book, but they were small and only noticeable if you really read every single word.
I would totally recommend this book to everyone who loves the brothers best friend trope done right, friends to lovers, fake dating and secret relationship. It’s a perfect book to pick up if you need a fun easy read to enjoy between two heavy plotted books. There were a few small things that just didn’t fit into my 5 star box, the 3rd act conflict wasn’t executed properly for my taste - I wish they were better on the communication part but it is not a miscommunication trope book by my taste. I didn’t like the way that there were a few subplot lines that weren’t getting any ending, hopefully they will get an ending in a later book, like the story with Amber and Hadrian, it was just kinda explained briefly but we never actually got to understand what happened with them and Hadrian and the other boys. Some of the things I love about the book were the love you could feel between the FMC and the MMC, the confidence she gets from being able to be herself around him, the way there is a few scenes throughout the book that made me really feel for the characters (yes I cried! Both happy and sad tears)

The ending had me in the feels! I can’t wait to see what this series has in store in the future!

OMG this story was everything I needed! Olivia Hayle is definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance writers!
When a stalker forces Nora out of her apartment, her brother insists she stays somewhere safe—in his best friend’s legendary estate. With the tall, handsome, frustrating man she once had a silly crush on. But then West suggests they fake date to send a message: she’s taken and well protected. Nora agrees on one condition… he helps her practice real dating. Soon, they’re practicing it all in secret. Dates. Kissing. Sleeping in the same bed. The only rule? Her brother can never find out.
This book is super addictive. I couldn’t stop reading. Nora is such a beautiful character. I adored her from the begging. She’s strong and I felt so attuned with her pleasing need. West is perfect for her, always challenging her motives, helping her find her own voice. I was fascinated by him. By his sexiness, of course, but also by the way he cares about her and her desires. And the chemistry between them!!! SOOOO GOOD! It’s a slow-burn romance full of spicy moments that are THE HOTTEST! I just loved everything about it! I´m definitely buying this one in paper.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.25 ⭐️

I’ve not read any of Olivia Hayle’s books before but I was pleasantly surprised by this! Thank you for NetGalley for allowing me to read this Arc 🥰

The first 20-30% was a bit slow, I felt like not much was happening but then it all finally clicked into place and the other 70% was amazing!

The romance between the main characters was very adorable, I didn’t realise I might have a praise kink until now 🤣🫣 West was such a gentleman and I realised how similar I am to Nora. Being able to read what she deserves and to be more firm helped me realise my own feelings. This book felt so empowering and the writing was so addictive.

Nora’s character development was great. She started off as such a people pleaser and then finally started standing up for herself. West was super protective and encouraging, always praising Nora for everything. Their chemistry was unmatched and I found myself giggling at a lot of the writing.

I couldn’t put this book down! Super excited to read Rafe’s book when it’s released too. Definitely recommend picking this up when it releases ☺️

Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Billionaire Romance
- Touch Her & Die
- Best Friends Little Sister

This was a fun new billionaire romance. I haven't read anything by this author before, I but I will be looking into her backlog.

I really enjoyed reading about West and Nora. Their banter was great and it had a lot of great tropes (brother's best friend, fake dating, dating lessons). I will say I wish there was a little more of a slow burn for the mmc. While he was trying to keep his distance from his best friend's little sister, he sure jumped into plenty of *things* with her quickly.

I am excited to see where the rest of the series goes, I am assuming it will be with the other three male characters.

Equally sweet and steamy story -- the stalker storyline was resolved quickly and a bit anti-climatic and could have done with less of the trouble nickname but overall liked the writing and will explore more by this author

4⭐️
Loved this so so much! It was my first Olivia Hayle book and i'm so so glad it was this one! I loved the writting style and the slow burn between the 2 main characters. Loved that there was the story with the stalker aswell. Made me hooked even more. It was extremley easy to follow and the characters were easy to relate to. I loved Noras character progression through the book. Easy 4 stars ✨️

A great book . Nora and West know each other for years because he is her big brother's best friend . Nora is a famous model and she is trying to prove herself as a fashion designer . The last few months she has a stalker and her brother tells her that while she lives in New York she has to been protected by West . She always had a crush on him but he never saw her like a woman but now that the stalker is very close to her West suggest she moves in his family mansion and they pretend they are couple so they make whoever is behind the messages to reveal himself . But fake dating and him helping her became more comfortable with dating makes them realize that they are in love . Will West break the pact he and his best friends made years ago to never date theirs sisters ?
I loved all the guys Alex James Rafe and Amber . Looking forward for all of their stories and maybe Amber can be with either James or Alex ?
I received this book from netgalley , the author and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

✨4 stars ✨
🌶️ 4 spice 🌶️

’I’ve been afraid of ruining her, but here she is, ruining me. Lesson by lesson and day by day.’

First off, thank you to Olivia Hayle for approving me for an arc on netgalley! here is my honest review as always

What to expect in this
* Heiress x Heir
* Brothers best friend
* Fake dating
* Model to fashion designer FMC
* Stalker
* Protective MMC
* Dating ‘practice’

I had so much fun reading this book!
I thought it was so cute and so spicy which was pleasantly unexpected. I 100% judged a book by its cover and it was absolutely worth it.

I really enjoyed the whole dating practice that happened in this. I thought it was really cute the way that West helped Nora feel more comfortable in so many different ways. I enjoyed seeing her character develop over the books and her learning to set boundaries. I thought their relationship was just so cute.

I also really enjoyed how this book has lined up for the next book as well. It has definitely made me intrigued for Rafes book!

Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶