Rating: 4 out of 5.

4.5 stars

This book was a delight to read and I absolutely loved it! I could not stop reading and read it in one sitting. Now I’m bummed, because I would love to go back and read it again for the first time. Fake dating is my favorite romcom trope, so this book was *chef’s kiss*. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but now I can’t wait to go back and read her previous works.

Star Shine Meadows and Rafe Whitman are the epitome of sunshine/grumpy characters. Star works as a costume character actor and line sitter – Rafe is a veterinarian. Star basically raised herself, loves her stress-free, ambition-free lifestyle, and no-strings-attached relationships. Rafe was raised within a loving family, is tense, uptight, and doesn’t do casual. A chance meeting at a child’s birthday party puts the duo into each other’s lives. When Rafe asks Star to pretend to be his girlfriend for six months to get his matchmaking family off his back, Star sees it as a chance to earn enough money to take the road trip of her dreams. What neither expected was to fall in love.

I loved Star, and always dreamed of living her carefree life. Sadly, my type-A personality just can’t do it. She is sweet, joyful, and tries not to let other people’s hurtful comments affect her. It frustrated me how long she gave her parents a pass on how they treated her, but it kept her from becoming a bitter person, so I guess it was for the best. It’s shocking that she was as well-balanced as she was. Well, except for the never being able to be in a committed relationship part. It’s understandable she fears abandonment, which was a central theme for her throughout the book. Her personal growth throughout the book, subtle as it was, was wonderful to read.

Rafe was a typical gruff guy that had been hurt one too many times to trust. He keeps everyone except his family at a distance, and can’t be bothered with anyone anymore. So, it’s understandable that he thinks Star’s optimistic outlook on life is fake. When he finally starts to let his walls down a bit and let her in, his gooey insides start to seep out and it’s very sexy to read. I mean, c’mon. What woman doesn’t melt a bit when the big tough guy shows his vulnerability? Amiright?

The chemistry between Star and Rafe was off the charts. Their teasing banter was so fun to read and the descriptions of Rafe’s dimples and laugh were adorable. This book was such a rollercoaster and although I knew it was going to have a HEA, I still held my breath with each wall the couple encountered. Now, I hate the miscommunication trope almost as much as I love fake dating, but here the author handled it very well. It wasn’t true miscommunication as much as it was two people working through their sh*t, but it still hurt my heart every time. I can’t say enough great things and recommend you immediately pick this fantastic book up. You will not be disappointed.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Berkley | Penguin Random House and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.