This was a great fluffy romance if, and only if, you are willing to just run with suspension of disbelief that these people manage to live adult lives in any capacity.

The plot is thin at best, the premise is pretty weak from jump and not how any real-life humans would ever act. The entire narrative is based on insta-lust, tragic pasts and immature human behavior. Character development is minimal, almost everyone acts out of character to reach a HEA and frankly, the protagonists are only halfway likable.

However, if you want a fun read, with decent spice and small town vibes...this is a pretty great book. Human disaster city-slicker meets grumpy small-town man of single syllable interactions is a classic for a reason. This book is quintessentially a formulaic made-for-TV movie in spicy book form. Honestly, not mad about it.

While this is a far from perfect read, it was eminently enjoyable and will scratch that Hallmark Movie itch.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sweet, swoony, and so full of heart — Matt & Zoé completely stole mine! 🥹💜

From the very first (almost disastrous) meet-cute, their story had me grinning, giggling, and clutching my Kindle. This book leans fast-paced and a little insta-love, but honestly? I didn’t even care because the chemistry is just that good. The banter, the tension, the way they can’t stay away from each other… swoon city.

What I loved most? There’s no unnecessary miscommunication drama here 🙌 — just two people learning to open up, trust, and fall hard. Zoé’s growth had me cheering, and Matt… oh Matt. He is the sweetest man alive (yes, I know his attitude didn’t feel that likeable at first… 🙃). Patient, kind, protective — the way he’s there for both Zoé and Daphne melted me into a puddle. 🫠

The spice? Delicious. The feels? All there. The writing? Fast and addictive. Basically, this book gave me everything I wanted: romance, banter, a touch of drama, and the kind of book boyfriend who’ll absolutely melt your heart.

If you love swoony insta-love with heartfelt moments and a book boyfriend who’ll absolutely melt your heart, Hoax and Kisses needs to be on your TBR.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley CO-OP for providing this ARC for review. All opinions and statements are solely my own.
Thank you to Elodie Colliard for the opportunity to read and review her book.
A heartwarming, small-town romance that stole my heart!

Hoax and Kisses is everything I love in a romance—charming, heartfelt, and filled with just the right amount of steam. Matt and Zoey’s story had me hooked from the very first page. The grumpy, overworked small-town florist paired with the ambitious city girl on a mission is the perfect setup for sparks, banter, and swoon-worthy tension.

What I loved most is how real both characters felt. Matt’s devotion to his sister and his struggle to balance responsibility with desire made him so easy to root for. Zoey’s journey from proving herself in the corporate world to finding where she truly belongs was inspiring and relatable. Their fake relationship turning into something more? Absolute perfection—I laughed, swooned, and even teared up as their walls slowly came down.

The small-town setting gave me all the cozy, Gilmore Girls vibes, while the emotional depth reminded me of The Holiday. It’s the kind of romance that feels both comforting and fresh, balancing tender moments with sizzling chemistry.

If you’re looking for a story about love sneaking up on you when you least expect it—with unforgettable characters, witty banter, and a whole lot of heart—Hoax and Kisses is an absolute must-read.

💐 ARC Review:

5/5⭐️s

This book gave me all the warm fuzzies you get from a feel-good Hallmark movie in the absolute best way (with the perfect amount of added spice) 😮‍💨

I have been in the worst reading slump and this book pulled me in so quick and kept up the momentum the whole way through. There is the perfect amount of tension in the beginning between our MCs and then the build-up through the rest of the book is 🥵🥵🥵

As someone with a sibling who is special needs, I absolutely loved the representation of being protective and apprehensive in a new relationship. This is not something I’ve seen in a book yet and I was really able to relate to our MMC and what he was going through.

This was a first read for me from Elodie Colliard and I can’t wait to read her other books!

Thank you, Net Galley & Elodie Colliard for the ARC 🫶🏼

Gros coup de cœur pour cette romance qui coche toutes les cases : des personnages attachants, une belle représentation d'un personnage sur le spectre autistique, des scènes de smut originales et bien écrites (ce qui est vraiment rare), de l'émotion...

Zoey a toujours été drivée par le travail, l'ambition, même si on découvre rapidement qu'au fond, c'est surtout pour obtenir l'approbation de son père, elle qui ne semble existe que lorsqu'elle réussit. Sauf que l'empire hôtelier de son père risque de lui échapper, à moins qu'elle ne réussisse là où lui-même à échouer, en sécurisant un emplacement pour une construction d'hôtel dans une petite ville américaine. Oui, on est complètement dans un trope small-town et j'adore ! Les petites boutiques, les habitants qui se connaissent tous et s'entraident...

Et puis, c'est la rencontre avec Matt, fleuriste (sexy) et grand frère de Daphné, autiste, pour qui il est prêt à tout. Surtout quand il s'agit de payer les frais astronomiques d'une école spécialisée que leur mère refuse de payer. J'ai particulièrement aimé le fait que l'autrice fasse appel à des sensitive reader sur le sujet afin de proposer une représentation sincère de l'autisme, sans cliché ni pathos. Notamment dans la manière dont son frère ou sa mère la considèrent, entre lui qui essaye de la comprendre et elle qui est bloquée dans une ancienne manière de penser, où l'autisme n'existe pas vraiment et il faut juste qu'elle grandisse.

Bref, leur rencontre va être explosive, sensuelle et complexe, les menant à ce qu'ils n'imaginaient pas : une fausse relation. Pour Zoey, l'occasion d'avancer, mais aussi d'imaginer peut-être un autre avenir. Pour Matt, l'occasion de rouvrir son cœur après une blessure et de sauver tout ce à quoi il tient. J'ai aimé le passé des personnages, leurs blessures, mais surtout leur manière de communiquer, c'est vraiment une romance bienveillante, profonde et sexy (il y a des scènes, ouhlala) qui m'a convaincue. J'ai fini avec les larmes aux yeux...

From the very first moment Matt and Zoey meet, you can feel the spark between them. It isn’t just attraction—it’s the kind of chemistry that makes you lean closer to the page, waiting to see what they’ll say or do next.

Matt, with all his small-town responsibilities and quiet strength, balances so perfectly against Zoey, who’s ambitious, polished, and determined to prove herself. On paper, they couldn’t be more different, yet their connection feels inevitable.

What I loved most was how naturally their relationship unfolded. Even when they were pretending for the sake of the town, it never truly felt like an act. The way they challenged each other, softened each other’s rough edges, and saw through the walls built from past heartbreaks was so heartwarming. As a reader, I could really relate to those moments when someone else sees the best in you, even when you can’t. By the time the ‘fake’ began to turn real, it felt like the only possible outcome.

Matt and Zoey’s story isn’t just about romance, it’s about finding the person who sees the real you, even when you’ve spent years hiding behind expectations, obligations and doing things for others, even if it isn't what you really want. Their journey made me laugh, swoon, and believe in the kind of love that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Daphne’s character was such a thoughtful and authentic representation, and I truly appreciated it.

Pine Falls itself is a joy to experience as a reader. The town radiates warmth, charm, and community spirit, and it’s clear that its residents genuinely support each other in the best way—through small acts of kindness, cheering each other on, and stepping up when it matters most. Having already fallen in love with Pine Falls in Unbearably Yours, it was a delight to return and see how the town continues to feel like home for its characters.

This book is Gilmore Girls meets The Holiday. A cozy small-town, witty banter, family ties, and a love story that sneaks up on you in the sweetest way. Hoax and Kisses is an absolute must-read.

I spent the whole time giggling and kicking my feet. It was so cute. My only problem was the insta love, but how cute it was made up for it. I definitely want more from Pine Falls and I can't wait to go back

Hoax and Kisses is the first novel I have read by Elodie Colliard and I am so grateful for the opportunity to read an early e-arc.

From the moment I started reading, I loved the setting, and the descriptions of Pine Falls made me feel like I’d stepped into the set of Virgin River.

What I found unique in this story was the inclusion of a neurodivergent chapter. Daphne, Matt’s little sister, stole the show for me. She’s written perfectly and with such consideration. Matt’s love for her is adorable and I love that she comes first.

Unfortunately, I was unable to connect to Matt and Zoey’s romance and I found the pacing a little off at times. Certain events happened that seemed unexplained and some things were too descriptive in my opinion.

Overall, I am glad I read the story as it was fun and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

As a girlie from British Columbia, I absolutely love reading a book set here.
Pine Falls is the cutest small town, and I wish I could drive there right now! If you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, you’ll definitely get Stars Hollow vibes from this book.

I enjoyed how realistic our main characters were. They each had their own flaws and problems to work on, while also having the emotional maturity to check in with each other. They both had a good amount of character growth throughout the book.

Things got hot and heavy pretty quickly, and let me just say… I was not mad about that one bit. The chemistry between Zoey and Matt was clear from the start.

I rooted for Zoey the entire time because she was so likable. You could just tell she wanted to do right by the town and by herself. It did break my heart to see how much she yearned for her dad’s praise and approval.
Matt, being the most attentive, caring, and responsible brother, was SO swoon-worthy. The autism representation in this book was incredible.

You can tell that Elodie put a lot of care and thought into writing Daphne’s character. It was so respectfully done, and her use of sensitivity readers really showed. I truly appreciated it.

Overall, if you’re into small town Canadian vibes, fake dating, found family, enemies to lovers, and incredible autism rep, this is the book for you.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Elodie for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you, NetGalley for the arc of hoax and kisses by Elodie Colliard.

I stumbled upon one of this authors other books on KU and fell in love. This book was the second I’ve read from her and it did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed how cutesy this book was and how well the dynamic was written between two people that come from completely different lives.

Very solid romance!

3.5⭐️

Bursting with charm and cozy vibes, Hoax and Kisses is a delightful small town romance about knowing your worth, loving yourself, and finding community. I loved Colliard’s Unbearably Yours and was so excited to see this latest release was set in that same small town and for the chance to reconnect with those characters. Hoax and Kisses is a standalone, but I do think it’s best appreciated if you read Unbearably Yours first!

I adored Zoey and was rooting for her from the start. Her journey towards recognizing and embracing her self worth and standing firm in that knowledge was full of hope and so encouraging. I was thrilled to see Zoey bet on herself and find a community that rallied around and gave her support.

While I think that Matt complemented Zoey very well and became a soft place for her to land, I was not a fan of how hot and cold he was in the beginning and the verbal barbs he threw her way. I was happy to see him let go of making snap judgments, though I recognize that he also had his heart guarded, but one can be grumpy and guarded without being mean. I’m glad Matt recognized the unwarranted unkindness and made amends with Zoey.

Overall, this was super cute and a fun read!

A small town romance with enough tension to power my late night reading sprints? This is it. I was immersed in Pine Falls and not ready to leave when the story came to an end – luckily there are three other books by Elodie Colliard for me to pick up next. Zoey and Matt, in addition to the people of the town, felt real and the interactions between them made me smile, chew on my fingernails (figuratively), and tear up in a never-ending cycle. I loved to see the autism rep in this book, and as I said earlier, will definitely pick up Colliard's earlier work while waiting for her next one.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this e-arc. I am very grateful.

Unfortunately I don’t think this book was for me overall.

I really enjoyed the neurodivergent representation, through Matts little sister Daphne. The way her preferences and reactions were addressed in the book was handled with care and consideration. I loved Daphne as a character, and I loved how important she was to Matt.

I also really enjoyed the way Zoey’s backstory played into her character today. She was very single-focussed and never gave herself time for what she finds joy in. Seeing her journey through this, and by prioritising herself, it was a really nice angle to the story.

The pacing of the story felt off in places for me, events happen with little build up and it made them feel out of place at times. Their connection to each other felt too weak for me to become invested in their journey. They constantly doubt each other and what they really think, even though they have many conversations on it. I struggled with some of the editing, especially on some of the descriptions not always making sense.

Overall, I’m glad I read it and am very grateful for the opportunity to read and review.

4.25 🌟 / 5

This is the first novel i’ve read of Elodie Colliard, and it certainly did NOT disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Zoé and Matt.

Pine Falls is the cosiest woodsy town, with a tight knitted community, the perfect background for the story. The introduction of the main characters was so hilariously charming (it reminded me so much of the RomCom Leap Year and Virgin River)!

I loved the story of the characters; their motives felt very natural and fluid throughout and the romance was *chefs kiss* 😘. It was dislike/lust at first sight with gorgeous banter and so many mature conversations. I was genuinely hooked with their romance 🩷.

Overall:
Absolutely would recommend! 😊
I would happily reread this book if i was in need of cosy, small town, hate to love, close proximity vibes!
Spice rating was 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC. Everything i’ve wrote is my own thoughts of the book. This review is on behalf of The Spicy Sword Society.

Ohhh, we're back in Pine Falls and I couldn't be more excited!
I want to start by saying that Elodie's writing never fails to amaze me! The way she crafts her words, her characters, and their emotions feels so effortless yet so intentional!
From the prologue, I knew this story was going to be devastating yet beautiful!

My favourites tropes of the book
- Rivals to Lovers xe
- Small Town Romance
- Dual POV
- Found Family

Zoey is a complicated and layered character and I honestly loved her for it. She's tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and I related so much to that. She just needed someone to truly see her to explore that softness and vulnerability within her and Matt was exactly the person she needed for that.

Matt was a dream. He was mature, emotionally available, communicated openly and has an itch to create flower bouquets based on what he thinks will bring you comfort?
I mean. Sign me up. Absolute book boyfriend material.

The dynamic between Matt and Zoey was truly intense and electric. The sweet moments balanced perfectly with the spicy ones (and when it gets spicy, Elodie does not hold back in her writing). The banter, the tension, the intimacy, I was hooked. I think the fake dating trope in this book was done incredibly well. It gave Matt and Zoey space to slowly learn each other's hearts and each other, and I loved every minute of it.

Beyond the romance, the plot had me fully invested. The small-town setting is warm and comforting and I loved that we got to meet folks from Pine Falls along the way.
This lovely fictional town is warm, cozy and filled with life and layers.

Lastly, I want to note that Elodie depicted an accurate and respectful representation of autism in Matt's sister. It was handled with care, respect and authenticity.
All in all, I loved every part of this book and I truly cannot wait to see what Elodie comes up with next!
Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for letting me read this before it's been published in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really liked Zoey and I loved how much she cared about her project and doing right by the town. I also really enjoyed the sibling relationship between Matt and Daphne. Their dynamic and interactions were super sweet and heartwarming. I loved the autism representation as well.

I would have loved to see more of the group of friends all together. Especially Charlee. I forgot how much I loved her. I know we got a few scenes with all/some of the friend group, but their interactions were so fun and I will never get enough of the found family trope, so I wouldn't have minded more.

I loved Unbearably Yours and I really enjoyed being able to come back to Pine Falls. I'm hoping we get Lola's story eventually because she's a huge book girlie and I just know her story would be great!

4 stars.

"Hoax and Kisses" by Elodie Colliard is a great fake-dating, small-town romance featuring two interesting main characters, Zoe and Matt, and some excellent side characters as well. This story is deceptively deep, dealing with parental trauma and parental expectations. I love the way Colliard created Daphne, who is Matt's younger sister and who is on the autism spectrum. Colliard doesn't shy away from the fact that, even within her own family, people do not accept Daphne for who she is. This makes for a compelling (but frustrating because I wanted to slap her mom!) dynamic between Matt and his parents, and eventually Zoe and his mother. I really admired how she portrayed Daphne and her autism diagnosis. It felt accurate and authentic, as if she used sensitivity readers to get the facts just right. I truly appreciate that!! The relationsip between Zoe and Matt starts out as pretty insta-lust-y, but fleeting feeling become rather serious pretty quickly. I love how Matt owned a flower shop and was dedicated to his sister. I love how Zoe eventually breaks out of her shell and starts putting herself first over her work life. The longer they are together, the more their walls come crashing down and they let each other in. I found this book to be mostly fast-paced, and I finished it rather quickly. It is well-written and quite fun with a good amount of humor and enough seriousness to balance it. was pleasantly surprised by this novel, and I can't wait to see if there will be another one set in this universe!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elodie Colliard, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

3.5 Stars.

Thank you to Eloise Collard, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its release. I really enjoyed this book, and felt like it was a perfect transitional book from late summer into early fall. The coziness of our smalltown vibes that felt as a warm hug, alongside characters who felt equally as cozy. If you enjoy stories by authors like Hannah Bonam Young, then I think you will really enjoy this one.
While this story is about a “Fake Relationship” on the surface, it is very much a story that dives into discussions about self discovery and the ability to trust yourself and how love can be right around the corner.

Zoey, our FMC is a polished, driven businesswoman, determined to prove herself to her father and secure her place in his hotel empire. Her latest task takes her to a small town with a painful family history, where she must convince locals to sell land for a new hotel.
Matt, our MMC is the grumpy but deeply kind local florist, stretched thin running his shop and caring for his teenage sister Daphne as a support for herAs she navigates the world with Autism. The Autism representation was very delicately handled with Matt’s sister Daphne who he is taking care of throughout the novel. When these characters speak on this, it is treated with care, but it is also not used as a Daphne’s entire personality. It is just a piece of her character that Eloise makes special. Daphne was a very sweet character who gave us moments of comedic relief which was well appreciated.

Zoey and Matt’s worlds collide in a predictable “corporate city girl meets stubborn small-town man” setup. As we all know, it is only so long before these two give into their feelings and take us on a romance adventure. With a sweet and spicy twist that is just so very good.

If you like these Tropes:
✨Smalltown romance
✨Fake dating
✨Found family
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Autism representation
✨No third act break up

Hoax and Kisses is a charming, witty romance that had me smiling from start to finish. Elodie Colliard delivers clever banter, endearing characters, and a fun, twisty plot full of misunderstandings and surprises. The chemistry between the leads is delightful, with sparks flying in just the right moments, while the story balances humor and heart beautifully.

It’s a light, enjoyable read—perfect for fans of rom-coms with a playful, contemporary twist. The pacing is brisk, and the story wraps up satisfyingly, leaving a lingering warmth.

Hoax and Kisses screams Hallmark with Zoey, a big city businesswoman, falling for Matt, the grumpy small town florist. There was tons of snarky banter, crazy small town shenanigans, and my favorite trope—fake dating.

Perfect for anyone looking for something light, fun, and bingeable.