Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this, I’m rating it 4.25 stars.

I am a Lynn Painter fan for life because whatever she puts in these books just do something special for me.

This is a heart warming friends to lovers romance with a second chance twist. I adore this tight knit community vibe where everyone seemed to be reconnecting which leads to our main characters reuniting and it’s TENSE. There’s banter and sports with a simmering tension between our pair that turns into something really special and completely worth the wait.

Childhood friends · Fake dating · Hockey romance

This was such a fun, fast-paced read! Alec and Dani were childhood friends who drifted apart after she moved away. When she returns years later, their dynamic has changed — but the chemistry is still there.

The banter is great, the side characters shine, and the story handles anxiety and family issues with care. If you love Lynn Painter’s books, you’ll enjoy this one too

Possibly my favourite Lynn Painter book so far; hockey romance X fake dating aka two of the best tropes. A standard romance timeline but with all the fun of being YA too; really well written and age appropriate. The characters were fun and the back story of their lives was well fleshed out without being the main focus of what's happening now. The side plots were interesting too!

There is just something about a Lynn Painter book that makes you feel calm and happy.
With a similar tone as her other books this book is a easy read and really makes you want a happy ending for the young couple, paired with a misunderstanding and past history, what could go wrong when 2 people who secretly like each other fake date?

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING HEART EYES 😭💖 One of my most anticipated releases of the year!!! I feel SO. FREAKING. BLESSED. 😭✨

From the very first page, I knew I was in for something special but I didn’t expect to find family in these characters. I didn’t expect to feel so safe, so seen, so understood. Southview felt like home. Dani and Alec? They’re people I want to protect with everything in me. And by the time I finished the epilogue, I was a part of it all. I laughed. I cried. I highlighted like a maniac. I cheered for a hockey game I couldn’t even see. And most of all, I found a second home inside this story. It felt like i watching a movie throughout!!

This book is love. This book is my comfort place. This book is magic. Thank you, Lynn Painter, for giving my heart a new place to live 💗

I'd give it a 100 stars if i could!

This is as good as 'Better than the Movies". Very reminiscent in style and the same sort of vibes. YA romance and teenage high school love. It was fun and sweet...swoonworthy.
Two teenagers are brought back together after an abrupt end to their friendship that was blossoming into more. They have the obvious misunderstanding and believed justification to not like the other but of course they need to fake date!
I really enjoyed this and felt like it was classic Lynn Painter, she is a favourite author of mine and this I would definitely recommend!

I received this book as an ARC and provide an honest review

I would like to start this review by thanking netgalley and lynn painter , I'm such a huge fan of your books and i am so so lucky to have receive this as an arc.
firstly i would like to say this is possibly one of lynn painters best books, it flows so well and i felt so connected to the characters. personally I related to Dani and really connected with her anxiety and loved how well written her struggles were, it felt so real and raw. I loved Dani and Alec's romance it felt so innocent and carefree which was amazing. i would say i wish Alec's nickname was explored a little more, like where Zeus came from, was it a specific move etc, but even without that his story is really well done. there is so much potential for a spin off for any of the other characters or a sequel following Dani and Alec in Boston. and finally i would say this is one of the best sports romances I've read in a long time and it definitely breaks from the typical hockey romance storyline that has been coming repetitive.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of Fake Skating by Lynn Painter. I am absolutely obsessed!! this book had me hooked from page one and left me desperate to climb inside the story and live there.

As someone from the Midwest, I was immediately obsessed with the setting. The fact that it takes place in Minnesota made my heart so happy, and I caught every single little reference to the towns / places. It felt personal, and I loved that. Felt like I was in the story.

And Alec and Dani? I have no words. I was completely and utterly obsessed. The chemistry between them was electric. Every glance, every bit of tension, every almost-kiss had me kicking my feet. Alec, let me tell you this man….he had me in a chokehold. Broody but sweet, guarded but soft in all the right ways. Their connection was all the feels and then some. And hockey boy with glasses that reads? I’m sat.

The hockey backdrop added the perfect layer of Midwest love. And the Barnes & Noble date???? I gasped. I smiled like a fool. I need to go on that date immediately.

Lynn Painter continues to be that author for me. Fake Skating is swoony, funny, addictive perfection.

The queen of literary rom-coms is back in this laughable and heartwarming story about two childhood sweethearts who reunite in a hockey-loving town.

The story starts with the best friends, Alec and Dani. They form an inseparable bond until Dani has to move because of her father's position in the army, and over time, they lose contact. That is, until a divorce allows Dani and her mom to move back into the cosy hockey-crazed small town. But as time changes, so do people. Alec isn't the stick-figured nerd, but the hockey star of the town and Dani isn't the wildfire Alec used to remember. With all the moving and experiences with bad relationships, she has become more confident and thrown herself into getting accepted into Harvard.

The Characters
The author vividly describes her characters throughout the book, as if bringing them to life. Their scents, the colour of their hair, their tiny quirks and small gestures.
While Dani and Alec are the focal point, the side characters (the parents, friends, adults, neighbours, grandpa Mick, etc.) play a key role in their relationship and (personal) development.
Dani
Imperfect, anxious, relatable, and humorous. Dani isn't your typical romcom FMC, while she has some traits like focusing on Harvard, she isn't that nerdy or introverted girl. Underneath, she's funny, awkward, and desperately looking for her father's love. This makes you feel sympathetic, but also want to slap her because her father is just a jackass.
Alec
From game nerd to hockey jock, Alec is flirtatious and presents the teenage guy pretty well, I believe. He isn't too overconfident, nor does he have a hero complex. It was touching to see how protective he is of Dani, but also how teasing he can be. Even though it might seem annoying, but in a positive, friendly way.
Side characters
I feel as if Lynn Painter incorporates friends/family more into the story and the characters. They support their overall development and have some depth of their own. While I won't say they're novella material yet, it does seem like Painter writes them more autonomously. Like Grandpa Mick, Cassie, and Dani's parents. It does well on the overall dynamics, but I would've loved to see more of Alex's and Dani's friends together as a whole.


The story
It is predictable, yet it keeps you wanting more. There is fake dating, miscommunication, and childhood friends to lovers. But it also addresses teenage life struggles, such as big questions like What do I want after graduation? What is my true identity? Who do I want to be vs what is expected from me? I found it strong how Painter blended these questions into a sweet romcom. The small town also felt very townsey and like a community. Even though it's freezing cold, you could feel the warmth of the townspeople. Their enthusiasm over hockey was contagious in the best way.

Conclusion
Lynn Painter did it again. Writing this heartwarming romcom about teen life difficulties through romance and beyond. It makes you giggle, it makes you feel sympathetic with both characters, you will cheer on, and sometimes you want to slap them for how oblivious they are.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's UK, for this eARC of Lynn Painter's Fake Skating in exchange for an honest review.

fake skating was everything i wanted in a ya romance — hilarious, nostalgic, emotionally grounding and just the right amount of chaotic teenage energy.

plot ―୨୧⋆ ˚ i had so much fun reading this. like, unreasonably so. there’s something about lynn painter’s ability to make you laugh, ache, and scream into a pillow all within a chapter that just does not miss. the fake dating setup had me hooked immediately, but what really got me was how much heart was layered beneath it. it wasn’t just about the will-they-won’t-they (even though that was DELICIOUS) — it was about memory, change, and figuring out who you are when the person you were as a kid collides with the person you’re becoming. it gave better than the movies vibes but with more intensity, more bite, and honestly? even more depth. the pacing was sharp, the stakes felt real, and i couldn’t stop flipping pages.

dani + alec ―୨୧⋆ ˚ I am OBSESSED with them. truly. like the banter??? unmatched. and the way they just got each other even when they were pretending not to?? too much. i loved how dani wasn’t afraid to call alec out but also gave him space to be more than just the golden boy everyone saw. and don’t even get me started on alec—cocky hockey star on the outside but still the soft, nerdy boy. their relationship felt so layered and real and awkward in the most teenage way possible. and yet somehow still more emotionally honest than half the adult romances i’ve read this year.

overall, this book just made me feel. like, actually feel. i was giggling one second and getting hit with a wave of teenage longing the next. lynn painter always knows how to deliver the fun, but this one had that extra something — the nostalgia, the emotional pull, the slow realisation that maybe the person you need is the one who's known you the longest. i laughed, i squealed, i highlighted too many lines. if you're a fake dating + childhood friends girlie, give this a read immedialty!

Many thanks to netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this beautiful and heartwarming book. It was truly enjoyable and I'm glad to have been given the chance to read an early copy of this

4.5 ⭐️

Circumstances might have torn them apart in the past, but two souls meant for each other will always find their way together. And Dani and Alec are just that. Two childhood friends, who lost contact and left things between them unfinished. But when life pushes them back together nothing can stop their reconnection and tangible emotions from growing.

Lynn has never failed to excel in writing about boys heads over heels in love with their girl. And I'm talking down-to-their-knees, absolutely lovestruck, fools-in-love boys. And I love it every single time. Alec is your golden boy, ice hockey legend, carrying all the weigh in his back , trying not to mess anything up and to be of help to his family. He's a well structured character, I enjoyed seeing his teasing side as well as his emotional depth and character complexities. The struggles of a student-athlete with so much baggage to carry and all while trying to sort out his own emotions for the girl he so inevitably fell in love with -again-.

Said girl, Dani, your little sunshine who grew up to be hardened by the brutality of real life. Having no stable home as she was growing up, she is deprived of a "home", the meaning of the word unknown to her. So when life decides to pry on her and throw her way hardships she couldn't have imagined, her only relief is seeing her old best friend, the boy she once laughed alongside happily. But life is not linear and things don't go as planned.

What I truly enjoyed about the book was the reality of the characters and their bonds. I specifically loved Dani's relationship with the male relatives of hers. The fractured relationship with her grandfather and the slow progress they made. Also the bond with her father, which so obviously tore her apart and how truthfully it was presented. Familial relationships aren't always easy and this was a great example of the complexity of them. I also loved to see how close Dani grew with everyone. The friends she once thought were only fake, temporary friends turned out to be the second family she needed. The people who made her feel at home and like she belonged.

Lastly, Dani and Alec's relationship and dynamics were amazing. I love me a good angst and some drama so imagine how thrilled I was to find out they do meet up after so many years as low-key enemies and strangers. To see how they constantly fight their feelings for each other, pretend it's all fake, only to give in to their heart in the end— oh I love that. And then the 2/3 breakup yeah, predictable but made sense and spiced everything up a bit

Although quite predictable (especially if you've read other Lynn Painter books), the book was still enjoyable enough to have me binge it and finish it in one single day. It's swoon worthy, with mcs so in love with each other and a heartwarming feeling of belonging and found family

Lynn Painter's YA romances are really where she thrives. I started this book at 5pm Sunday evening and finished it at 1am Monday morning...

Dani and Alec have spent every summer together as children for as long as she can remember, but one day Alec goes radio silent on her and she's not sure why. Several years later, Dani moves back and reconnects with her nerdy best friend Alec, except he's now the hockey star of the town and is definitely not happy to see her. A misunderstanding leads to them having to fake date for a couple of months which leads to some... interesting situations.

This was such an easy-read and I had so much fun with it. Both Dani and Alec were such fun characters to read and I was cheering them on the whole time. Lynn Painter manages to nail that teenage angst and awkwardness, and I really felt for Dani and Alec at times.

My only gripe about this book would be that the ending felt a little rushed. I just need one or two more chapters of them being happy together. However, for fans of 'Better than the Movies', I think they'll love this one!

As a big Lynn Painter fan and a lover of a hockey romance, I knew I was going to adore ‘Fake Skating’.

After moving around a lot due to her army father, Dani and her mother return to her mother’s hometown where she used to spend every summer as a child. But she’s not a child anymore and neither is her old best friend Alec, who his now the schools hockey god ‘Zeus’.

Watch as they both find their way back to each other whilst navigating the highs of lows of high school and hockey.

With characters you can’t help fall in love with, this book is basically a warm hug.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

This was so cute, I loved it!
It was fun, heartfelt and incredibly sweet, filled with moments that made me laugh and swoon and some that broke my heart a little..

It was my first Lynn Painter book and I definitely understand why she's loved. Her writing is beautiful!

Dani and Alec were childhood friends, she used to spend summers in his hometown, until Dani stopped coming and they stopped writing to each other too. Years later, Dani's back for her senior year, after her parents divorced, and she's excited and nervous to see her friend.. But Alec is a hockey star now and not the boy she remembers, but neither is she. When they find themselves faking a relationship to help each other out, things might start to feel a little too real.. They might be strangers now, but their connection never truly went away..

I loved Dani, her social anxiety, the loneliness and her tendency to overthinking and overprepare hit too close to home, so how could I not. I loved seeing her come out of her shell, being more social after everything that happened.. And I really hated the situation with her dad.. But seeing her reconnect with her grandad was both endearing and hilarious..

Alec, I adored him, he was so sweet and a little bit of an asshole, the perfect combination.. His soft side is what made me fall in love with him and seeing all the pressure he put on himself was heartbreaking. The way he really saw Dani, how he helped her even when he was mad at her and the way he was genuinely happy every time the old Dani would crack through the facade, was everything. I loved the way he loved her.

The two of them were absolutely perfect for each other.. Seeing them reconnect was delightful.. The teasing, all the cute moments, the way they cared, all the moments their vulnerability was shown, absolutely adorable. And them constantly being interrupted was so funny.
I also loved their friend group, they were amazing. Cassie was my favourite though.
And then there's Benji, I hope his nose never heals right..

I had fun most of the time, it really was a well written novel. But, the miscommunication being dragged on to the very end, just for us to kind of skip over it, put a damper on an, otherwise, amazing book. I wish it was solved sooner and in a better way.
And I, personally, didn't liked all the lyrics being thrown in the dialogue, it messed with the flow of the book. I get that it can be seen as a fun addition, but I found it a little annoying.

Overall, I still enjoyed it and this will finally give me the push I needed to read her other books.

5 ⭐️

So this was a really fun time. It's just a cutesy funny romcom with a side of characters dealing with anxiety.

I loved both Dani and Alec. They're super cute together, and I feel like they both went through some nice growth over the course of the book. Their romantic tension was great from the start, and I'm loved that his friends really adopted dani very quickly.

But my favourite character has to be Grandpa Mick. Not only is he hilarious, but his efforts to connect with Dani were adorable. I loved the scenes of him helping her with her panic attacks. They really showed his softer side.

Plotwise, it's your average fake dating storyline. I liked that their issues are clear on both ends from the start, and you're waiting for them to be brought up rather than a random miscommunication at the end of the book. Plus, we get some amazing tension from them alongside the sweet moments. I'm not always a huge fan of friends to lovers, but I feel like it always works in fake dating for me.

I really enjoyed the book, which doesn't surprise me. The author knows her way around a YA romcom. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

5 ⭐️

I was soo excited when I got accepted to review this story as I adore Lynn Painters books and I was not let down.

The chemistry between the two main characters, Dani and Alec, is undeniable. Their witty banter and well-crafted personalities drew me in immediately. I loved the flashbacks which gave insight into how their relationship developed from childhood best friends to more to nothing to then follow through from when they meet again.
Both characters are well-developed throughout the story, which kept me invested in their journey. Both have their own struggles which make them relatable. Dani with her Dad issues and Alec with his feelings of pressure to be the solution his family needs.

The side characters add to the story without taking too much away from the overall plot. I adored Grandpa, how much he loved Dani was evident in his grumpy snarky way and I really wanted Dani to let him in. I also loved that he would swear like a sailor and reminded me of my own grandmother.

The writing style flowed effortlessly, making it easy to lose track of time racing from one chapter to the next. It was so easy to get lost in this book and I didn’t want it to end.

Painter has such an incredible ability to give her stories that nostalgic 90’s rom-com comfort feeling. I could read her stories over and over again just for this alone.

Overall, I would recommend this book and I have already preordered a copy for release day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley but this has in no way influenced my review nor opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an early copy of Fake Skating!

We are following Dani who is moving back to her grandpa’s house with her mom after her parents’ divorce. She is coming back to the town she used to go to every summer, and she will have to see and reconnect with Alec with whom she was great friends.

I loved having both Dani’s and Alec’s perspective as it gave us more insight on why they stopped talking and their feelings for each other throughout the book.
It was also great to see how Dani’s relationship with her grandfather evolved. Many moments between them made me smile.
The beginning was a bit slow for me, but the more I was reading the more I was getting into it and I ended up loving the book!

I would highly recommend it, 5 stars from me!

After so many great YA books by Lynn Painter (I mean, we’re all obsessed with them, right?), I had the highest expectations ever when it came to Fake Skating. Written by Lynn? A hockey player main character? Friends to enemies to lovers? COUNT ME IN!

Well, I’m glad to announce that our MOTHER did NOT disappoint! Lynn’s writing made me feel as if I were right there in Southview, living this great romance with a “childhood sweetheart.” Yes, I was Dani, okay? This one amazing girl who’s reconnecting with her old best friend through lots of fake dating — and not-so-fake feelings.

Dani and Alec made this book an absolute page-turner. Their chemistry was unmatched, and all I could do while reading was wish for more and more of this amazing couple. Still, DaniAlec were not the only characters that made me fall in love with this story. Big John? Grandpa Mick? Sarah? Honestly, every single one of this book’s characters captured my heart and I hope that Lynn will write thousands of extra chapters and epilogues so that I can get more of them!

Thank you to NetGalley, SimonTeen, and Lynn Painter for giving me the chance to fall in love with this story before it was even out. This was definitely one of my summer’s literary highlights, and I truly hope everyone will love Dani and Alec as much as I did!

Now, someone go find me a long-lost best friend to fake date and fall in love with — RIGHT NOW!

Fake Skating follows childhood best friends, Alec and Dani who had lost touch over the years but both blame each other for their friendship ending. Years later, Dani moves for her senior year, and she's nervous to see Alec. But he's not the boy she remembered, now he's some hot shot hockey player. The pair soon find them in a situation that might be beneficial to each other, so when they propose a fake relationship, things start to feel a little too real.

Lynn Painter did not disappoint with this book. Like what's not to love... Childhood Friends to Lovers? Check. Sports Romance? Double Check. Fake Dating? Triple Check. I loved seeing social anxiety being represented in this, with Dani suffering from anxiety attacks and constantly overthinking. It's no surprise that she suffers from it with moving around a lot due to her father's job, and I do wish that their situation would've been better and he would've moved closer but let's face it, he clearly sucks. But at least we got to see Dani come out of her shell more and get to reconnect with her grandad.

Don't even get me started on Alec. Lynn Painter really knows how to write the male love interests. The way he helped Dani despite being mad at her and was happy whenever he saw the old Dani appear. My heart. The two of them were so well suited, seeing all the cute moments and all the teasing was so adorable. One thing I would've loved to see was them actually resolve the past ordeal that made them mad at each other before they actually confessed anything to each other because how can you have feelings for someone but still be mad at them for a situation that happened in the past? Ugh the miscommunication trope is never going to my favourite.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Lynn painter has done it again!
5⭐️ omg this is my favourite Lynn painter book. I have read all of her other releases and she is my favourite romance author.
the mystery of what happened made me want to carry on reading and I couldn’t put this book down
Lynn painters YA books are my favourite and they have this special thing that I feel no other author can do!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

I loved this book. I devoured it in one night. I have no idea what Lynn Painter puts in her books but I need another one right now! Already excited for the next release

Alec and Dani are the perfect pair, the way the storyline panned out was excellent and didn’t make me feel like there was a lot of dragging out or bsck and forth which I loved.

Everything about this was the perfect read!! Solid 5 stars

*4.5
Slightly confused by the cover, that has 3 of the 4 images with the girl wearing figure skates. I thought this was a hockey boy/ skater girl romance, but it isn’t. I don’t remember any instances of her skating other a couple of hockey related things. What it is though is fake dating, with a premise for the fake dating that I could buy into.

Alec and Dani are childhood best friends but had lost touch over the years- each blaming the other for the loss. When Dani and her mum move back to town she and Alec are still hurting but end up in a situation where they need to pretend to be dating to get what they both want for their futures. They soon find their old friendship has changed into something more but can’t get past their hurt to communicate with the other. Basically, it’s the classic romance story, including when they do finally admit to their feelings something happens to tear them apart.

I liked the characters and the setting. There is more to the story than just the romance. Alec has the weight of feeling he needs to succeed to support his family and Dani has guilt over leaving her father and the trauma from constantly changing schools and trying to fit in. This helps to round the story out.

After the success of the ‘spicy’ skating books it is good to have one that isn’t ‘spicy’ but is passionate. It is a shame that Alec swears so much though, as it means that I can’t put it in the main section of my school library.

honestly stunned that i’m writing this review because this book was among my MOST anticipated readings of the whole year and guess what? it didn’t disappointed and in all honesty dare i say my favourite lynn’s book (obviously i’m not counting the OG) but basically YES, WE ARE SOOOOO BACK because fake skating was everything i expected and MORE… the way it was so easily relatable (especially for me like lynn you definitely got me here) and i ended up DEVOURING it but we aren’t surprised here right?

i don’t even know where i should even start with my rant because everything was so addicting from the writing to the characters.

i truly love alec and dani so much even tho they are teenagers they were so mature and relatable (maybe a little too much for me but details) they were caring, sarcastically funny, lovely, cute and their chemistry it was totally SOMETHING ELSE seriously the way the thought about each other feelings and their moments… yes while i was reading the book i ended up rereading some scenes already but again we aren’t surprised :”) but besides from this i truly loved how the friendship, the family and the sport themes were included during the story it was so genuinely good that sometimes i felt to be really immersed in the story while reading so YEAH what can i say… I WAS OBSESSED and STILL AM call me guilty as sin for loving them and smiling even while writing this review :)

so… what are you waiting for? go and this book to your TBR and thank me later or better thank lynn later :”)

a HUGE thanks to Simon and Schuster UK Children's and Netgalley for sending the e-arc of this lovely book in exchange for my honest opinion :”)