To protect her from a stalker, Nora moves in with her brother’s billionaire best friend. In a mutually beneficial agreement, Nora and West decide to pretend to be together to keep both Nora’s stalker and West’s mother’s matchmaking attempts at bay. The line between fake dating and dating blurs as they get to know each other…

I really loved both Nora and West! This was one of the books that I really enjoyed the dual POV chapters. They were both very strong on their own, and their chemistry was absolutely perfect! Nora especially felt like a very well rounded character and I really loved seeing her growth, especially as a fellow people pleaser. I love how supportive and encouraging West was of her. This was such a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Hayle for the advanced reader’s copy! 💕

I rated this book 4 stars. It was absolutely a great time. I loved the banter between the 2 main characters. The pacing was awesome I was not bored for a single second in this book. I loved the fake dating to dating scenario with him teaching her how to date while also being possessive of her and not wanting to let her go out and date. Overall I would recommend this book to any romance reader. It did have a little more spice than I would like in a book but it was not just there for no reason. It actually went with the plot and was part of the plot progression sol 10/10 there. Nora learning to speak up for herself and what she wants and learning not to just people please all the time is a depiction of a real life struggle that many go through and it is not talked about enough. I really appreciate the addition of real life struggles that didn't make the characters feel like the cardboard cut outs of every other romance novel. This book really shined in being relatable and true to what it is like to be a normal person. It was a good time and I will be picking up a physical copy of this book.

Rated: 4.5🌟

The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle is a trope-lover’s dream and a swoon-worthy ride from start to finish. Packed with fake dating, forced proximity, and a forbidden brother’s best friend dynamic, it blends romantic tension with emotional depth in all the right ways.

We follow Nora Montclair, a fashion model with a public image to maintain, who ends up under the protection of Weston Calloway (her brother’s best friend and a wealthy, emotionally guarded security mogul) after receiving threatening letters. When the media catches wind of their connection, they agree to a fake dating arrangement… and from there, sparks fly.

The chemistry between Nora and West is undeniable, but what really stands out is how both characters grow emotionally throughout the story. Nora learns to reclaim her voice and boundaries, while West begins to open up about his past and his feelings.

The “dating lessons” trope is executed with clever tension and just the right amount of steam. It adds an extra layer to their dynamic that feels fresh, even in a genre full of similar setups.

If I had one critique, it’s that the stalker subplot—while necessary to the plot—ends in a bit of a whomp-whomp moment. But I am also assuming that this was necessary to build up for book two.

This book delivers on every romantic promise it makes. It’s flirty, tender, and full of emotionally satisfying moments. Fans of Tessa Bailey, Lucy Score, or Lauren Asher will find plenty to love here.

Tropes:
😏Fake Dating
❌Brother’s Best Friend
🏡Forced Proximity
🌶️Dating Lessons
🍆Protective MMC
🔥Slow Burn Romance
☄️Opposites Attract

Plot: 💜💜💜💜
Characters: 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Writing: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

“You’ll call me.”
“And you’ll come?”
“Always.”

This book was the perfect fake dating/brother’s best friend romance. It had everything you could have wanted, the jealousy, the tension, and the yearning! I love reading a fake dating situation when one of them starts to get jealous.

Beautifully done, I enjoyed the writing style and the mystery behind the stalkers identity. I can’t lie I suspected for a while that it was one of the men from their friendship group, Olivia Hayle did a great job at keeping me guessing.

I did not expect the ending either, I definitely NEED to read the next book. I would say this is perfect for fans of Ana Huang.

✨brothers best friend
✨fake dating
✨forced proximity

**Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC**

Fake dating, a protective brother’s best friend, and allll the slow-burn tension you could ask for! This book gave me everything I wanted.

I seriously loved it! The story pulled me in right away and I couldn’t get enough of Nora and West. Their chemistry? Off the charts. I loved watching them fall for each other while pretending it was “just practice” (as if anyone believed that).

What really stood out to me was their growth, especially Nora’s. She started off unsure of herself but by the end, she was strong, confident, and knew what she wanted. We love that for her.

Also… I need a West in my life. The way he understood her, supported her, and helped her become a better version of herself 🩷

And now I’m just sitting here waiting (not so patiently) for Rafe’s book. I need more of this friend group asap!

3 🌟
Thank you so much NetGalley for providing me this arc!!
I really liked the vibe of this book, it was such a light funny read.

Things I enjoyed:
- the banter and chemistry between the main characters
- the way the male main characters supports the fmc to overcome her people pleasing problem
- the group chat the mmc have with his male friends, they're so funny

Things i didn’t love quite as much:
- the whole plot about the stalker felt a bit rushed in the end
- the book felt a bit slow and repetitive in some points

Although it wasn't a life changing book, I would recommend it if you like the fake dating and the brother's best friend tropes.

I really enjoyed this book! I am a sucker for brothers best friend! Even more though I am a sucker for a virgin fmc! I loved all of the spice and lessons! I thought the stalker storyline was also well done!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ebook ARC copy.

The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle
Pub Date May 25, 2025

Nora Montclair has a stalker. She’s forced to move into her brother’s best friend’s estate. West Calloway also happens to be someone who turned her down in the past, but in order to draw the stalker out they have to fake dating. Nora doesn’t know how to date, so she agrees with the stipulation that they practice real dating, but of course the situation turns into something more..

Brother’s best friend!! One of my favorite tropes.
Forced proximity. Fake dating. Dual POV.

My first read by Olivia Hayle. I enjoyed it so much & I need more.

The billionaire trope has never been one of my favorites but it’s also not one that I dislike.

The guidance. The buildup. The small things.

It gave me Twisted Lies & Play Along vibes.

The family dynamics was a subplot that worked well & the way the characters for future books were introduced just enough to get us invested in more. I read this in one day that’s how much I enjoyed it.

It’s definitely open-door spice. Their chemistry was pretty intense, the way they were so open with each other was a big factor. They truly laid out the foundations of a relationship without actually being in a real relationship.

“Don’t leave me. I might die if you do”

This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down and yet wanted to savor it for as long as I could.
West Calloway is the book boyfriend of my dreams! Every time he calls Nora “Trouble” I swear my heart skipped a beat.

Nora is an aspiring fashion designer who goes to New York in the hope of achieving success for her talent, as opposed to her family name. However, her brother is concerned as Nora has been receiving letters from a stalker so asks his best friend to provide security for her. Billionaire West Calloway takes Nora’s security very seriously and when Nora insists she wants to practice dating while she is in New York, and the stalker escalates his behaviours West comes up with a plan. West will pretend to date Nora. This will hopefully force the stalker to make a mistake, allow Nora to practice and the bonus? It stops West’s mother from trying to match West with a wife before the marriage deadline that will mean he looses his families company.

This romance has everything you could dream of. Brothers best friends, a billionaire and fake dating? These are all tropes that we have seen before but Olivia Hayle manages to bring them all together in such a new and exciting way. The plot moves at the perfect pace and the characters develop in such a natural way. The dual POV draws us into the evolution of both West and Nora’s feelings. It’s a long time since I have been left feeling so entranced by a book couple.

It is the first Olivia Hayle book I read and it most definitely won’t be my last. I love a romance, but in a world which is filled with them, it is rare that I feel like I have just read something special and unique but I wouldn’t change a thing about The Faking Game.

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of The Faking Game in exchange for an honest review.

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

This was an quick easy book to binge even though it was 500+ pages.

Billionaire romances usually are a little silly, but I enjoyed both MMC and FMCs. I can tell the found family aspect will only get stronger as the series continues.

Book publishes 5/25/25.

I really enjoyed The Faking Game! It had the perfect mix of fun banter, sweet moments, and lots of chemistry between the main characters. West and Emilia had great tension, and their fake dating turned real in such a believable, swoony way. I loved the brother’s best friend trope, and how West went from cold and distant to super protective and thoughtful. The storyline was easy to follow and had just enough drama to keep me hooked without being over the top. Emilia’s journey of finding her voice and confidence made her easy to root for, and West helping her grow added a soft, emotional touch to the romance. The side characters were also great and made the story feel more full. This is a great, steamy, feel good romance that’s perfect if you love fake dating with real feelings.
Very grateful to the author for my arc , opinions are my own

This is the first book I’ve picked up from Olivia Hayle and it would not be the last! Writing wise, it was such an easy read, making it for a perfect palate cleanser. While the book does lean into popular tropes like billionaire romance, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and he teaches her, Olivia puts her own spin on it which makes the book a fun read and not too formulaic. This is also first in a new series and she does a great job in setting the series up for success by introducing the upcoming leads in such a fun way and I just absolutely adore their personalities already. Why it did not hit the 5 star mark is because while the romance is good, there aren’t any standout scenes that will make the book extremely memorable (to me at least).

Nora is a model that moves to NYC to follow her dream of becoming a designer. Another plus to moving to NYC is that she has a stalker who she is also trying to get away from. Her brother enlists his best friend to be head of Nora’s security and make sure she’s safe. West works with Nora on not being so much of a people pleaser. I really relate to Nora so much with her anxiety and always wanting to please everyone.

Immediately I knew I was going to like this book. I don’t know what Olivia puts into her books but they are addicting. From the very beginning of each book I knew it was going to be a high rated read. And this book is no different. I absolutely loved Nora and West. Their banter was everything!! The spice lessons were something I’ve never read before and I absolutely ate it up !! And I had two theories of who her stalker was and I was completely wrong!! I loved the journey Nora went through to find herself. This book is truly something special.

Brothers Best Friend
Billionaire Romance
Bodyguard
Fake Dating
Spice Lessons
Praise

The Faking Game is the kind of romance that hooks you from the start and keeps you smiling (and swooning) until the very last page. Olivia Hayle delivers a perfect mix of humor, heart, and comedy onnn this book is just that book.

But let’s talk about West. I loved him. He’s the kind of mmc who sneaks up on you, charming, patient, quietly protective, and unexpectedly vulnerable. He wasn’t over-the-top or cliché; instead, he felt incredibly real. The way he supported and understood Nora , while also having his own emotional stuff, made him unforgettable. I kept finding myself smiling at his lines and melting at his moments of honesty.

The banter between the main characters was fun and flirty, but what really stood out was the emotional connection that developed as the fake relationship slowly turned into something much more real. The pacing felt just right, and the writing style made everything flow so naturally.

If you’re a fan of the fake dating trope, soft but steady MMCs, and a love story that makes your heart ache in the best way, The Faking Game is absolutely worth the read.

4.25 stars

The Faking Game was such an enjoyable read! I went in expecting your classic enemies-to-lovers trope—and while it definitely delivered on that slow-burn tension I adore, it also brought multiple layers, depth and character growth to the table.

Nora and West? Total opposites on the surface, but so compatible once you dig into their dynamic. West is basically tailor-made for Nora—supportive, grounded, and just the right amount of swoony. They both come from wealthy families, and while I thought that background would be central to their story, it took a nice backseat. It bulked out their characters but didn't become them.

One of my favourite things about this book was watching both Nora and West evolve. Their journey to love wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it in the end. There were so many different aspects to their relationship—snarky banter, vulnerability, tension, and finally, trust. West made sure no one put Nora in a corner or made her feel less than she was. He stole my heart.

If I had one small gripe, it’s that the story could’ve wrapped up just a bit sooner. A few moments dragged near the end, and I was definitely left wanting more when it came to the side characters—some really intriguing ones I wish we got to explore a bit further.

The story is about Nora who has a stalker. Threatened by it, she has to live with West, her brother’s best friend who she had a crush on when she was younger. They have to fake-date for the public eye while West give relationship lessons and practice to Nora.

Nora’s character was the type of girl who wants to live a normal life, she had a crush on West for a long time. She is a virgin which add a little something to the story, I liked that she wanted to practice what being in a relationship feels like.

West’s character was the typical rich guy who can get anything he wants, I liked that he was willing to help Nora practice without judging her. He was patient and listened to every complaint Nora could have, he let her explore and learn.

For their relationship, they had great communication, the build-up to it was great paced and I really liked their dynamic and banter.

Some things were a bit disappointing like the stalker was a big part of the story but it reveal was a little underwhelming, Nora’s family history was kind of thrown in the story without any explanations on what really happened and I found the book a little bit too long.

I will probably read the second book in the series !

You will like this book if you like the fake dating trope, the enemies to lovers trope and a good slow burn.

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thank you to Olivia Hayle and the opportunity to be part of the arc team!

I was so excited to get a copy of this arc and safe to say it was absolutely amazing.

Loved how the story surrounded the relationship between Nora and West and was done at the perfect pace (no painful draging out). That first kiss was

It was all consuming and a burn at the same time with an interesting sub plot to keep the characters even closer. I enjoyed seeing peaks of the other male friend characters and Amber - looking forward to seeing them in other books fingers crossed

This book has the best version of the trope Fake dating. The dating lessons were perfect (even going beyond surface level and discovering who Nora truly is and her emotions held down).

There are parts of Nora's character that stuck to me and loved seeing it written in such a great way.

Will forever love Olivia's writing

The last thing Nora expected was ending up living with and dating her brothers best friend. The whole thing is fake, a ploy too keep her safe and far away from her stalker. One thing leads to another and eventually her relationship with West feels more real than anything.

This has everything I want in a contemporary romance. Great chemistry and banter between the MCs, as well as bit of spice and suspense. The stalker element may not be for everyone (TW) but personally I think it added a lot to the story.

I found myself relating too Nora’s struggles a lot. Not the stalker but her need to please everyone and putting other people’s needs above her own. I loved watching her grow more confident throughout the book.

If you enjoy steamy billionaire romance and authors like Ana Huang you have to read this one.

Reads this if you like
🩷Brothers best friend
🫶🏼Fake dating
✨Stalker element
🤩Character development

The last thing Nora expected was ending up living with and dating her brothers best friend. The whole thing is fake, a ploy too keep her safe and far away from her stalker. One thing leads to another and eventually her relationship with West feels more real than anything.

This has everything I want in a contemporary romance. Great chemistry and banter between the MCs, as well as bit of spice and suspense. The stalker element may not be for everyone (TW) but personally I think it added a lot to the story.

I found myself relating too Nora’s struggles a lot. Not the stalker but her need to please everyone and putting other people’s needs above her own. I loved watching her grow more confident throughout the book.

If you enjoy steamy billionaire romance and authors like Ana Huang you have to read this one.

Reads this if you like
🩷Brothers best friend
🫶🏼Fake dating
✨Stalker element
🤩Character development

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.
I thought this book was funny, sweet and steamy. The characters had great chemistry and you really wanted to root for them.
Their chemistry was off the charts and the banter was just amazing.
A great read with humor, steam and great characters.