The synopsis of this one really intrigued me. I love when romances in particular have "nerdy" types at the center of the story. Unfortunately, it missed a few marks for me. Things moved really fast between the two characters, and insta-love situations tend to put me off. I just couldn't get myself to feel enough for these two to make me want to keep reading. But it might work for you!

Sweet and sxy geeky romcom. Movie star hero who is happy to do TV series, doesn’t like publicity too much and gets flustered when the attention gets directed at him at a con. Geeking independent heroine, relationship averse, ex con artist, dedicated to helping her sisters (they all run a bookstore together).

I loved seeing the whole atmosphere at the con, I have no experience of it myself but appreciate seeing it’s good and it’s bad sides. Sexual assault, lack of respect for one’s personal space and boundaries is no small thing, and I appreciate how seriously it was taken in the story. Also quite liked the camaraderie among the actors, their easy communication with the real fans.

The stalker plotline is also important imo. It’s a hideous crime affecting not the person who is being stalked but all close them as well.

The romance arc itself worked well for me. It’s as very much love at first side and neither of the MCs was willing to quite believe it. They have great chemistry but also learn to trust each pretty fast. There is a bit of fake relationship/running a con going on but it’s quite real for both from the start.

Nice, believable happy ending. I quite enjoyed the story without it being outstanding in any way.

Jake sat in a crowded restaurant surrounded by women. Many men would consider this ideal to Jake it was a job. The women had paid hundreds of dollars to have a sit down meal with one of the stars of Mystics. His agent Susie had said while explaining the gig He’d be on hand, he’d answer questions, he’d take selfies, he’d eat something . No big deal. Jake argues” why don’t they just see us- me- at the convention?” “Because they wanted one-on-one time and they are willing to pay for it” Susie said. Susie added”they are negotiating your new contract for the seasons moving forward and they want to film season three soon.” So that is what he was doing setting at a long table with fifteen superfans and some were drinking a lot of drinks. Not that he minded hanging out with fans. He was actually looking forward to the convention where he’d be one of the star attraction along with his costars Miles and Simon. His secret geeky heart was looking forward to it. As a new show with only two seasons under its belt, their fandom was still young, so it was developing its audience. These VIPS were the cornerstones of the audience. Than a serious girl in her late teens asked him what made him go into acting? He said” Some of you might have known my father Kurt Windlass.” He’d always seen his father working at a young age and he seemed to love what he was doing. Jake had pursued acting in his teens and his father encouraged him if he planned on going into movies He could have probably talked to people like her all afternoon. He said he was looking at a couple of scripts. She smiled and said” But you liked Mystics.” He said he loved it from the start. He was a huge urban fantasy, epic fantasy sci-fi fan. He wanted to start winding things down. He needed to get over to the hotel and decompress. He wanted to get a good night's sleep. He wanted to be prepared for the frst day of the convention. Hailey was just about to go off shift when a regular-Stan- asked for a Hefty burger. She had almost an hour before her second job started but she hated feeling rushed. She said six minutes. The casino would have her butt if she was late. Hailey loved living with her sisters- the foster sister half sister she had bonded with through several years of hardship and her half sister she had learned of when she was twelve. Through the years they had become her reason for staying on the straight and narrow. The landlord had raised the rent for their house-slash- bookstore for the new year. It was March and they were making rent barely but the bookstore had to be more successful or they were going under. Than a guy came through the door and said “hide me” and than unbelievable dashed behind the counter hiding on the floor. He put his finger to his lips and pointed to the door. A minute later an onslaught of about ten-fifteen women said”where is he?” Her protective instinct kicked in and she said” where is who?” A tall redhead said Jake Reese, you know Rick from Mystics. One of the women mentioned she had got one of the pockets from his jeans. Hailey asked him if he was alright now after the woman left. He said he was now. Hailey was trying to fight the pull of attraction. Hailey watched mystics religiously and now she was being hugged by one of the stars. She was giving him a ride to his hotel . He’d get a ride and she’d get a story to tell her sisters. He was the last thing she needed. Jake was staring at Hailey. She was in a word awesome. He said he owed her and did he hear she was a fan of the show? Hailey said she did like Mystics and her sister Cressida was an even bigger fan. Jake asked if she was going to the convention. She said she had to work and didn’t have a couple hundred for admission to burn. Than a woman at the reception desk said there had been a mixup and he wouldn’t have a room until tomorrow. Hailey said her sister does event planning at the casino and she’d have=that place running without a hiccup. Than Hailey said she happened to have a room reserved at said hotel and he could use it. Suddenly jake wanted to know everything about this girl. Then he kissed her after she agreed to have dinner with him after she got off her second job. After dinner they went back to the hotel room. This was different from any sexual or sensual experience hailey had ever had. Especially since she didn’t do relationships. That might freak her out later. Rachel called and hailey found out hre foster sister had an incident when rachel called just as she and jake were about to have sex. Cressida had Agoraphobia and had tried leaving the house. Hailey got up and dressed and went home. Rachel told her they needed to get more customers or they will lose the bookshop. She suggested making it a fandom place. Jake had been overbearing when she went to leave after the call from Rachel. But she’d been sharp too. Out of fear and and defensiveness. Maybe, he was trying to be gallant. She needed a favor from him, it would mean humbling herself, possibly groveling . How much worse had she endured to keep Cressida safe? How much worse would she put up with? Hailey told rachel to give her a day. Jake thought Hailey was different from other women he met. She took nothing from no one. She was a problem solver, a force of nature.
I loved this book. It was an easy romantic read with enough angst ro keep you turning the pages to see what would happen next. I loved the author brought in the disease of Agoraphobia and the way she showed what it could do to people. I loved hailey, Rachels, and Cressida’s relationship and how close they were. I also loved how Jake, Simon, and Miles were such good friends as well as co workers on the show. I loved how Hailey was willing to do almost anything to keep Cressida safe and Cressida ended up saving her. I loved the plot and pace.I only stopped reading this to get some sleep. I didn’t want to put it down. I have yet another new favorite. This grabbed my attention from the first page until the last. I wish I could rate this more than a five. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

I couldn't connect with the characters and ended up DNF'ing it. I really wanted to leave my feedback without rating it, but I can't send it without.

One True Pairing is adorable and sweet and such a fangirl type of book, and I am a fangirl of many things, so One True Pairing is right up my alley. Jake is the star of a paranormal/sci-fi TV show doing some press at a con when he's overwhelmed by some seriously overzealous fans. He runs, literally runs, into Hailey's bookshop seeking somewhere to hide, and the meet cute is exploding all over the place.

But, one of the things I loved about One True Pairing is that while it is adorable, and sweet, and lighthearted at times, it's not fluffy or shallow. Both Jake and Hailey have emotional baggage and damage from their pasts. And they mostly deal with these things in a mature, strong way. As they work their fake dating relationship into a real relationship, I love that it was done in a realistic way, not with over the top declarations or gestures, but with talking and communicating.

I also loved how all the fandom cultural references were worked into One True Pairing. Supernatural is my absolute favorite show of all time, so to see One True Pairing mention it more than once was a big thrill for me. I have yet to attend a con, but I've read enough about them, and talked to enough people who've attended them, to know that the details here were spot on. If you're part of any kind of significant fandom, or truly a geek girl, One True Pairing will be heaven for you!

If sweet, adorable and sexy are your thing, if you're a fangirl or a geek girl, then I highly recommend you 1 click One True Pairing now. You will not regret it!

One True Pairing is the second book in the Fandom Hearts series by Cathy Yardley, but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read book one, nor did I know it was part of a series when I first picked up the book, but I had absolutely no problem following along. The tag line for One True Pairing is “a geek girl rom com”. I mean, does that not sound like something right up my alley. It totally does, and it totally was. It is like a new adult version of Geekerella. I really enjoyed this fun story, where one girl gets to live out every fandom girl’s dream- having the actor fall for you.

One True Pairing is a really fun story. I enjoyed it a lot. It has some issues and roadblocks, but largely this book was pretty lighthearted, which is just what I was looking for. I loved all the fandom elements. I am finding out that I love a book that has a con. Jake is part of a show that is pretty similar to supernatural, so he is all kinds of paranormal bad-a**. (I think one of his co-stars is going to be the focus of another fandom hearts novel, and I am so so hoping that I’m right about that. ) I loved Jake hardcore in One True Pairing. I also really enjoyed Haley, though she did rub me the wrong way a few times. She is a tad too stubborn for my liking, but everyone is entitled to be pig headed at times I suppose. Either way, I thought Jake was super patient with Haley and I loved that. Their connection felt very genuine to me, which was the biggest key to winning my heart in this story. It didn’t feel forced at all. The whole progression and relationship was beautifully developed and felt really natural. That was the best part about One True Pairing in my opinion.

Bottom line: If you are a fan of fandom (he-he) you will love One True Pairing. You will totally geek out with this story. It was so much fun. It is great for fans of Geekerella that are hoping for a new adult version of the story. I am now hooked on the Fandom Hearts series, I need to get book one and I can’t wait to see what the next book will bring. Get ready to geek out over this adorably cute love story.

I was absolutely charmed by Cathy Yardley’s Level Up when I read it last year, so I was beyond excited that her series was picked up by a major publisher and that there was a new book coming out. I didn’t love One True Pairing as much as Level Up, but I had a great time reading it.

In Level Up, we met the sisters running the failing bookstore, and this book focuses on one of those sisters, Hailey Frost. The sisters are barely keeping their head above water, and Hailey is hustling in every way she can to keep the bookstore open, mostly so that her agoraphobic sister Cressida won’t be forced to move. If you read Level Up, you’ll remember that the women all love a show called Mystics, which is frequently compared to the real-life show Supernatural. Jake Reese is an actor on the show, and when Hailey meets him by chance, she concocts a plan to get his help to give the store publicity. Jake needs Hailey’s help, too. He is worried his contract for Mystics won’t be renewed, and his agent suggests that getting himself out there more would help. Hailey offers to help him increase his popularity if he helps her save the bookstore. Of course, things don’t go as smoothly as either one expects, and both of them have to figure out how to overcome their fears to move forward.

Hailey is a great character. She’s tough and totally devoted to her sisters, but she’s put her own needs aside for years in an effort to take care of them. Unlike so many romance characters, Hailey lives paycheck to paycheck. She worries about money, about healthcare, about what to do when she loses a job. It's kind of refreshing to read! She is absolutely, totally terrified of relationships, however, and when she starts having feelings for Jake it freaks her out. Jake, though, is my favorite. He is an absolute sweetheart, and I loved that he was so ready to be the kind of partner Hailey needed. I really enjoyed reading about the conflict with his dad as well. His dad was a major Hollywood star, and he had a lot of expectations for how his son’s career should go. You can tell Jake has tried so hard to do what his dad wanted because he just wanted his dad’s love. In reality, though, Jake was just a nice, geeky guy who enjoyed being on Mystics because it was fun and fulfilling, and he needed to give up trying to meet his dad’s expectations of fame and stardom. I wanted to give him a giant hug.

For the most part, the conflicts in the book are realistic. Jake is wary at first about Hailey’s motives, as he should be. In fact, she really IS using him, and I didn’t love that. She wants him to promote her bookstore, and I couldn’t help feeling a little bad that while Jake genuinely wants to get to know her, she wants something else from him. Of course, she is helping him with his PR problems too so it’s not all one-sided, but Jake was such a sweetie that I felt a little protective of him! Because Jake is a genuinely nice guy, the time where he punches someone felt extremely out of character for him, and I thought it was an unnecessary inclusion. Jake could have handled the situation in a million other ways. Still, it was a small blip in an otherwise consistent story.

While I think everyone should read Level Up because it’s so great, you don’t have to read it to enjoy One True Pairing. It’s a smart, modern story and I loved it.

Grade: 4 out of 5

First off, I LOVE the covers of her books! Level Up had a great cover too!

I really enjoyed this cute romcom with a nerdy twist. I mean, how could you not? We already met these characters in Level Up and the setting for the story takes place in a book store. That sold me right there!

Hailey is a spitfire with a fierce loyal streak. I loved her character immediately. Her gothabilly style was appealing and described perfectly. You could really tell her family was important to her and she was not too proud to ask for help.

Jake was super adorable. His genuine love of the show was written beautifully and he was very down to earth despite his fortunate circumstances. The pocket ripping incident shone a light on the fact that sexual harassment isn’t just aimed at females. The chemistry was scorching hot and I loved how they both tried to ignore it but just couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. Which made for some pretty heavy fanning as I read it!

And the setting was totally up my alley. You know you are gonna meet some great characters in a bookstore. Even better, a fandom bookstore! I’m totally jealous of Hailey for being able to live above it. But I’m not bitter. 😉

Highly recommend reading all her books.

Reading the synopsis, I was completely sold on this. There's fandoms, geeks, and Hollywood stars -- what's not to like?! Unfortunately, it just didn't live up to what I was hoping for. 

Jake Reese, a hot and sweet actor, literally runs into Hailey in a coffee shop while running away from some overzealous fans. Hailey, independent, blunt, and struggling for money, helps hide him and they make a connection. When Hailey has a family crisis and cuts their date short, they think they'll never see each other again. But when Hailey needs a favor from him to save her sisters' bookstore and Jake needs someone to pose as his girlfriend, they strike a bargain. In essence, I love this trope and always enjoy it. But I found both the hero and heroine naive and kind of annoying. Hailey doesn't do relationships; she does one-night-stands. I'm all for women having the sexual freedom they desire, but it was annoying that in order for Hailey to not want commitment, Jake had to be weak and borderline emasculated. Why can't they both be strong and independent? This just took the gender role reversal too far for me and made it difficult for me to connect to the characters.

Additionally, the tension in the plot was a tad over-contrived. I won't give anything away, but I felt like the characters didn't adequately address the threat, and Jake was pretty oblivious to the people messing with his life. The climax was...anticlimactic. I found myself rolling my eyes a little too often and almost marked it as DNF. Overall I was disappointed; I think the tension could have been developed better and the characters could have used their heads a little more.

One True Pairing is a rom-com for anyone who has ever geeked out over a TV or movie series - or any reader who has ever had to admit that they have “book boyfriends”, from any era whatsoever, including all those who can’t get enough of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

In this combination of two great romantic tropes: the fake relationship and the superstar falls for a fan, we have a likeable pair of leads in the starring roles. Jake Reese is one of the stars of a hot, geeky, SF-type TV series, as well as the son of a famous actor. And he’s on the run from a VIP event turned man-eating pack of fans when he ducks into the diner where not-exactly ordinary Hailey Frost is holding down her second job so she can support her two sisters.

Their meet-cute turns into a fake relationship when Jake desperately needs a way to get media attention for his contract negotiations, and Hailey needs the stars of his show to come support her sister’s bookstore and save the family finances. It’s all fun and games until the emotions get real between two people who are crap at trust and relationships.

Whether or not this fan-favorite romance can stand up to crazy fan stalkers, interfering fathers and sisters who refuse to let themselves become excuses for Hailey’s failure to reach her own happily ever after, this one is tons of fun from beginning to end.

VERDICT: One True Pairing is highly recommended for romantic comedy lovers and for geeks who want to see one the OTP (that’s one true pairing in fan fiction speak) get the HEA that fans and friends just know is the right one.

hailey frost is in a tough spot, her family's bookstore is failing and she's working two jobs and stretched too thin to have much of a personal life. then she meets jake reese who is somehow even in a tighter spot, hiding behind the counter from some aggressive super fans at the coffee shop she works at. she helps him out not knowing that this small interaction will change everything in one true pairing.

after all it's jake reese, up-and-coming hollywood actor, currently he's starring on a sci-fi/fantasy show mystic on basic cable. his father—hollywood royalty, kurt windlass—has bigger ideas for him, and jake is really just a down-to-earth, sweetheart of a guy has no idea how much his father is interfering in his career. jake is up for contract renewal, and all he wants to do is sign on for more seasons of a show he really loves. he isn't in it for the money or the fame, he loves his job.

when jake is told by his agent that he needs to up his q factor, hailey comes up with a plan. she'll act as his girlfriend in exchange for him appearing at her family's bookstore that they are in the process of remodeling. the timeline here is pretty constrained, everything happens in a matter of days so if instalove/lust type books aren't your thing, you might be annoyed by this.

i found jake super charming, and was really rooting for him. hailey is a bit more prickly, but her baggage informs who she is, and once she starts letting jake in, you really do understand why she is the way she is. this was a fun, enjoyable read. perfect material for some time on the beach.

* I got this book for free from the publisher for my honest review*
I really did love this book. It was such a fun concept for a novel and it for cont. it was super hard to predict the events of this novel. I loved both main characters a lot and also their romance. It was very hot and super fun. I loved the elements of fandom and also hollywood involved with the male lead and I enjoyed his character a lot. I thought the story was grounded in reality but also focused so much on fandom and also con life. I was hooked from page one. I loved getting both characters POV and it made the book even more compelling. I would love a book in the future following the other two heartthrobs because I want to learn more about them. It was a super fun read!

I received an advance copy of this via Netgalley and St Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read one of Yardley's books before. But I really enjoyed this one. Cliche's galore but I do like how fandom in fiction is becoming more accessible to see and less cringe worthy over time. It's got all the ingredients of a cliche, fun, light hearted read and I enjoyed the chemistry between TV actor Jake and "normal" Hailey.

4 “Fangirls & Cons” Stars

ARC via NetGalley

Thank you, Swerve!

This book was freaking adorable.

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, but it had all the right elements to win me over.

The story of Hailey (a hard-working, kickass woman who loved a certain sci-fi show) and Jake (a young actor in a hit CW-like sci-fi show) was equal parts adorable and hot.

Jake and Hailey meet when the actor is "assaulted" by fans, and from that moment on they spend a lot of time together trying to help each other, both because they need it and because they can't seem to walk away from each other. The attraction is instant, and due to the timeline, they fall in love quite fast, but somehow it still didn't feel like insta-love for me.

There was something special about the way the author handled their interactions and managed to add enough info about their past, creating that sense that while they'd only recently met, they already knew enough about each other (and had been through enough) that it made sense for them to fall in love. And dude, those two went through a lot: fake relationship, obsessed fans, family problems, fights, stalkers... and finally sex. LOL.

That was another plus for me: the fact that they didn't have sex early on. There's almost, almost sex, but things happen, which means the sexual tension lasts a lot longer. Yay!

Now, the characters were the true winners in this story for me. Both Hailey and Jake were awesome in their own way. Hailey was a kickass woman with enough attitude to make me fall for her right from the beginning. She's exactly how I like my MCs: independent, anti slut-shaming, sex-positive, fierce, sometimes a little too stubborn and a real family-girl. Her relationships with her sisters made her even more likable. I loved how she took care of them.

And Jake... Jake was adorably adorable. I mean, dude was so sweet. He was the beta to Hailey's alpha. He had a nice arc going on with his issues with his dad and learning how to stand up to himself, but when it came to Hailey and their relatioship, I thought Jake had things a lot more figured out than Hailey. He knew what he wanted and he didn't play games to get there, even when though they had a fake relationship going for a while. I thought he respected her, and when he made a mistake, he didn't see a problem with apologizing. And he was sexy AF. I loved Jake.

Since I love both Hailey and Jake, it was pretty easy to fall for them as a couple, too. They were hot from moment on, but they also shared some quiet moments that only helped them bond.

Other than the main characters and their romance, I also loved the side characters and their dynamics. Hailey and her sisters had the kind of relationship that showed love, but also had room for conflict, which I'm guessing will be explored later on in the series. I'm also super curious about Rachel's past love life.

On Jake's side, I adored Miles and Simon's friendship and I want more of that. Even the interactions between Miles, Simon and Jake were pretty great. There's this one scene where they're doing a panel and Jake follows up a joke between Miles and Simon with one of his own, and I was SCREAMING because it was THAT brilliant. It gave me major TVD cast in early seasons FEELS (only with three guys and no Nina Dobrev).

*sighs* I miss how good that show was. Seasons 1 to 3 were just the best.

Back to the book... I have to say I was more than pleased to see Brazil mentioned there. Go, Brazil!!!!

Well, there were A LOT of things I loved about this book, as you can see. I highly recommend it to all fans of romance. If you also happen to love TV shows, conference and panels with actors, and actors interacting with fans, then what are you waiting for? Go grab a copy.

I am a huge sucker for cliche romances as well as a huge sucker for stories involving geek girls, so this book was basically my kryptonite. Cathy Yardley does a fantastic job coming up with relatable characters, interesting story lines, as well as some rather steamy moments.
Throughout the entire story, I found myself loving all of the characters. Hailey, the main female protagonist, is a strong heroine that truly needs no man, but manages to snag the heart of one Jake Reese. Now Jake, he's a sweetheart; he's just trying to work his hardest to make sure he stays on the show he loves. I thought that Hailey's sisters and Jake's cast mates actually added something to the story, and I found their little storylines very interesting--especially Cressida's. All in all, I found a majority of the characters fun and easy to understand.
The main premise of the story is these two people fake dating to save a famous guy's career and a normal girl's shop. It's a very cliche plot that has been done before, but nevertheless I found it enjoyable. Of course there was a little bit of insta love in One True Pairing, but that was to be expected, and it didn't really bother me. I found the entire story engaging apart from this random stalker but that I thought was wildly unnecessary, and just a bit extra. It took away from the rest of the story, and I think the author could've found a better way to add in conflict.

All in all I give One True Pairing by Cathy Yardley four out of five stars for the lovable characters and interesting plot, as well as the random story lines that interject the main plot and take away from the story overall. I suggest this book to anyone looking for a cute, geeky romance who isn't opposed to instalove.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Jake and Hailey make a strange couple. Jake is an up and coming actor. However, he has a family life that is less than ideal. His father is meddlesome and annoying, but I like how Jake was able to handle his own situations.

Hailey is running from something – but you don't really know what until you've delved into the story. She has a family who adore her and they would do anything for each other. Even though she is running herself ragged to keep her sisters and business alive, she isn't too proud to ask for help either.

When Jake and Hailey first meet, it's definitely a scene out of a movie – girl saves guy, guy is attractive and girl is pretty and sweet. However, as you read more into their story, you see that there is so much more to their characters.

I can't wait to see if the other members in this story get their own. It was sweet, funny and fairytale-like.

ONE TRUE PAIRING is a delightful, uber sexy romance with unforgettable characters.

Hailey is a much stronger heroine than any I've read before, strong in her sense of family, her need to protect her sisters at any cost. She's also bold in her words and actions. Compared to Hailey, Jake comes across as beta, especially when faced with situations where he wasn't treated as he was due. Perhaps it's because it's just not in his character (personality). Or to give Hailey a chance to shine? Not that it's bad having a beta hero; goodness knows there are already too many alpha men in romance books. We know there are other kinds of men out there, men who are like Jake, who's a nice, decent guy, protective of Hailey, and struggles with his relationship with his father.

The story was a bit predictable (for me), especially the events toward the end, but the writing flowed, and it was a sweet, sexy, hot read, especially the hot, hot, hot chemistry between the main characters. Jake especially was awesome. And if you're a geek girl, you shouldn't miss this.

Rating: 4 stars

4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

Yup, that was a whole lot of perfect for Lenore.  I was sucked right in, and entertained from start to finish.  I loved the humour, I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I loved the geek stuff, I loved the celebrity aspect...  Seriously, it was just my kind of book, you know?

Hailey was all sorts of unique as a heroine.  Not just because she embraced her rockabilly style, but because she was hiding a childhood growing up with grifters, and damage from time spent in the foster system.  I liked that she was both tough and independent, but she was also using her sisters as a crutch to avoid being vulnerable.  It was surprisingly easy to love her.

Jake was just uber adorable.  I just wanted to hug him.  He was so sincere, and kind, and caring, and passionate about what he loved.  I will admit that I saw the Susie thing from like a mile away, and so just kept waiting for him to figure things out.  I actually anticipated that resolving with Hailey as a catalyst, but I was satisfied with the way it went anyways.

And I liked the two of them together...you could really feel their draw to each other, and the chemistry and sexual attraction.  Seriously, it was hot.  But, even though it was hella fast, I still really enjoyed the development of their relationship due to spending so much time together in a short span of time.  And I found it amusing how tongue in cheek Ms. Yardley was having Hailey despise insta-love in stories and then giving Hailey a fast love story herself.  I'm sure it will bother some people, but I loved it.  I'm not an insta-love hater though (not a lover, just not a hater).

And the secondary cast was pretty great too, from Hailey's sisters to Jake's co-stars.  It's definitely setting up future stories, you can totally tell.

Honestly, other than totally guessing the Jake side story, the only other thing I was meh on was the stalker storyline.  It felt a little thrown in last minute, and like just a plot device.  But I loved so much else in the story, I don't even care.

Any book that can make me tempted to fight through sleep and keep reading, even though it's 3 am, is my kind of book.  I did manage to resist, but I was epically tired.  Can't wait for more in this series.  Gotta go back and read Level Up now, though those characters are only loosely mentioned in this one...it stands alone pretty well.  I concur with the title: Jake and Hailey are my OTP!

This is the second book in the Fandom Hearts series by Cathy Yardley, though this book could be read as a stand-alone.

Jake Reese, otherwise known as Rick from the fictitious show Mystics, was in Issaquah for a convention promoting the sci-fi television show. He got some much needed help with a bunch of over zealous fans from local, Hailey Frost. The two felt sparks fly immediately and both were up for some temporary fun, but things don’t quite work out that way.

“Incompetence. Such a turnoff,” Hailey said decisively.
Suggesting that a guy who knew what he was doing might be a turn-on for her. He filed that away mentally.
For . . . reasons.”


I really enjoyed this story. After LOVING Level Up, the first book in this series, I was so excited to read this book. Though Jake & Hailey's storyline couldn’t be MORE different from the lovable Adam and Tessa, I enjoyed this story just as much, if not more. Jake and Haley both had serious and difficult pasts that constantly got int he way of their current happiness. I loved the way their story unfolded and each of the events that pushed them towards one another. (from fake PR to a stalker to helping save a failing bookstore)

“I’ve got the perfect solution,” she said, her smile slowly widening. “Pretend to date me.”


Jake’s costars, Simon and Miles were hilarious. I found the interactions between the three to be funny and heartwarming. Knowing what their friendship and acceptance meant to Jake made it all the more enjoyable.

“And his most endearing?” Simon’s eyes gleamed with glee. “He sleeps with a stuffed panda bear named Mr. Bobo.”
Miles emerged, pretending outrage. “You swore you wouldn’t bring him up!”
“They wanted to know!”
“How about you, Jake?” the fan teased, but her smile was gentle, more playful than lecherous. He wondered if she was trying to make sure he didn’t feel left out, and he felt his chest warm. “Sleep with anything endearing?”
“Miles,” he said. “I just wish he wouldn’t make me dress up as a stuffed panda.”


There were quite a few carrots dangled throughout this book that makes me hope there will be many more instalments in this series! We got to see “teasers” of more character development with some of the secondary characters in this story and I really hope I get to read more in this world of fandom.

Great read!