This book has everything that anyone with good reading sense would enjoy. It's funny and quirky. The only fault I had with this book is that it was pretty predictable. You knew where it was going, but it was a good read while it was on its way. Catarina was funny and smart and really independent which I loved, and I love that Barrett had a sweet side that we didn't get to see very often at the beginning. The start off of this book you are reading in present day, then you back track but I LOVED how the author let us read the story has it went, not bouncing back and forth. This is definitely a book worth reading! 

I would give this book 4 Stars!

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Catarina is thrown for a loop when her boss, Mia, comes up with the hair brained idea to have the online paper's relationship columnist "fake date" bad boy, ex NFL player Barrett. The obnoxious bad boy is known for his uncontrollable mouth, 1 time appearance as an OSU commentator (that went wrong), and his good looks. Catarina, after composing herself, vows that she can do this and leave unscathed, besides, her boyfriend Northup is really all she needs.

I liked the split POVs that were easy to follow since the name of the person preceded their pov. I enjoyed the ride that took me to the book's end. I found myself cheering and hoping for the bad boy. I liked the main characters and their chemistry. I know the story wasn't about Barrett's brother, but maybe there is a story there too. I'd like to see him make things right, if only for his son. I think Jessica Lemmon did a good job showing that people are not always what rumors say. I liked the way the book opened up also, it allowed the book to feel slightly different from other romance books. It was casual and carefree. I enjoyed this book and the author's writing. I would recommend this book for those 18 and older due to steamy content that wasn't quite erotica, but did lend some details.

This is one of those romances that I was sure was going to make me roll my eyes but then it surprised me. I really liked this one (as I’d liked an earlier one in the series) and plan to go in and get caught up on the series since this is #4 in a series. This is definitely able to be read as a standalone with no issues. I think Barrett and Catarina were such a great match. I love their banter … their ability to see each other and look beyond the surface. I love a story with a cocky hero who also has a heart. And this one delivers. Barrett is a really interesting hero – complex, funny and definitely a bad boy. The interplay of that with Catarina’s together, prissy sort of persona is really interesting. It was lovely to see them both begin to learn from each other and experience the world in a new way … together. Love this one!

2.5 Stars
While this book seemed like i should love it, it fell flat for me. I didn't like Catarina, which kinda ruined the whole thing for me. And Fox, overall I did like him, but the setup bothered me. And was never really explained to my satisfaction, because it seemed out of character. For me the ending was horrible. What Mia did was unforgivable, and perhaps even illegal. Yet everyone is okay when it's all over. And that cat couldn't forgive after what was done to fox? Nope. Just confirmed my low opinion of her. So this one just didn't work for me.

This is my first Jessica Lemmon book, but it definitely won't be the last. I loved her writing style and that in and of itself is hard to find! I loved the witty banter and the dialogue between Barrett and Catarina aka Fox and Kitty Cat. I always love the bad boy romantic stories and this one was just perfect. Barrett did rub me wrong in the beginning of the book, but he turned out to be a great hero. I also liked Catarina's straight forwardness. There were a few things that I felt didn't really belong in the book. The storyline with Barrett's brother was thrown in the book, but didn't really have a beginning or end. I'm not sure that's a character that really needed to be in the book. I also felt like that conflict part of the story was kind of rushed and then the ends were tied up pretty quickly for a happily ever after. Overall I still think that the book was good and am glad I read it.

She never pictured herself falling for a cocky, bad boy, former NFL player. He never pictured himself falling for a straight-laced journalist. Thrust together on assignment, Catarina and Barrett's fake dating assignment turns into something real. Fun, opposites attract, co-worker romance filled with lots of sweet heat. Rumor Has It is my first read in the Real Love series and my first read by author Jessica Lemmon. I'll definitely be checking out her back list and looking forward to future publications.

If you're looking for a quick, flirty read, this is it. Catarina and Berrett are both strong individuals in their own right, and watching their relationship shift from fake to real is filled with wit and banter. As much as I enjoyed having a strong heroine not completely fall all over herself when a man walked in, parts of the story felt rushed, which just left me wanting more. The climax of the conflict between the characters came a little out of left field for me, and I felt like both characters overreacted, which took me out of the story a bit. However, again, for a quick read this is good.

I really loved this book. The back and forth was amazing. Both charachters made for amazing reading.
Barret is cocky and has a rude awakening coming if he thinks for one second he can walk all over the beautiful and talented Catarina.
Catarina is driven and foster. She is a challenge and not willing to be won.
Barret does end up redeeming himself and Catarina would be a fool not to see it.

Thanks for a great story!!!!

So much amazing! Fake relationship ✔️ Bad Boy and Good Girl ✔️ Witty back and forth banter ✔️
Barrett and Catarina leapt off the page from the very beginning and I couldn’t put them down. Everything about this book was so satisfying from the build-up, to the romance, to the dark moment, and finally the ending...although I wouldn’t have minded and epilogue...but perhaps this just means they’ll pop up in the next book in the series.

Barrett Fox-ex-football player and current bachelor du jour for all the ladies. Catarina Everhart-columnist of the relationships column for the online Columbus Dispatch. She’s a serious writer and woman. He’s a playboy with a reputation to uphold. They are thrown together by her boss for a series of articles entailing their dating each other. Catarina is not thrilled by the idea at all. Neither is Barrett but for a different reason. Together they set off on an adventure into what becomes love but with pitfalls and confusion along the way which makes this book fun and endearing.

Loved this book! Catarina is a spunky, sassy journalist that gives as good as she gets. Barrett is a hot rebel who gets what he wants.

Rumor Has It (Real Love, #4) Jessica Lemmon... Jessica did it again...couldn't put this down ...read in one sitting...Thanks to #NetGalley I got to preview this book.. Garrett ex football hero bad boy and Catarina journalist for a social medial column ....she's a straight arrow he is anything but... after a screw up on air on the sidelines he is fired... to regain his image he agrees to "fake date" Catalrina and write a column with her...What a fun time....funny...hot sex...and even a few tears in the last couple of chapters to get to the HEA.....What a great addition to the Real Love Series...I want more.

This is the fourth book that I’ve read of Ms. Lemmon’s, with Eye Candy being the first in the ‘Real Love’ series and a favorite. I fell in love with the characters, the storyline and felt all of the emotions. This book has now become my top favorite of hers and I didn’t stop reading till I finished.

The storyline is fairly familiar with an enemies to lovers plot with a strong, independent female journalist and a cocky bad boy former football player. The banter makes this story stand out and was laugh-out-loud funny. I loved how Barrett nicknamed Catarina ‘Kitty Cat’ which does not go over well with her.

Catarina was NOT happy to have to work with Barrett on a story and it was a bumpy ride. She had to pretend to date the ‘bad boy’ and then write about it, while Barrett had to write his version of the dates. Barret is used to women chasing after him and it’s quite an experience that Catarina doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. Of course, this makes him want to know more about her. Initially his actions and comments were on the sleazy side and somewhat of a turn-off.

It didn’t take long before they became interested in each other but it became a little of back and forth as Catarina felt like they needed to keep things professional. They have an amazing chemistry which leads to some red-hot sexy times.

Catarina is quite driven and focused on her work and likes to plan out things and look for stability. I was never clear why this was so important as she had great parents. Barrett’s antics while they were on dates were quite funny but embarrassing at times. He also tends to say whatever he thinks, which causes him a lot of trouble. He had many issues from childhood and to present day to deal with and a secret, which of course comes out in the worst way. As they spend more time together, Catarina realizes that there are depths to Barrett that she didn’t expect.

This was such a fun book and I love Catarina ‘Kitty Cat’ and Barrett. Barrett’s more carefree choices start to influence Catarina and as she relaxes, she realizes she’s having fun. I love epilogues and while this one doesn’t have one, I was left knowing that there were good things in their future.

I look forward to reading more of Ms. Lemmon’s work!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to review this early copy.

Jessica Lemmon does a wonderful job writing a delicious story with great lines and unforgettable characters. I enjoyed every minute of this witty, flirty story filled with bantering and sarcastic remarks. This is the fourth book in the Real Love series and it is a standalone.

Catarina loves her job as a reporter for the online newspaper, The Columbus Community Chat. However, she is not happy with her current assignment. Her boss wants her to go on six dates with Barrett Fox and than write about the experience. Catarina is beautiful, rigid and guarded and from the moment she meets Barrett, she hates his egotistical attitude and she doesn’t trust him. But as time goes on, Catarina starts to enjoy their time together. Catarina discovers Barrett has many layers and many good qualities.

Barrett was a popular Ohio State football player who made it into the NFL, only to suffer a career ending injury. Barrett is trying to get back his sideline reporting job, so he agrees to write stories about dating a reporter. Barrett is gorgeous and used to getting any woman he wants. It surprises him when Catarina doesn’t immediately fall under his spell. He admires Catarina’s spunk and enjoys making inappropriate remarks just to rile her.

I enjoyed reading about Catarina and Barrett. They bicker, banter and drive each other crazy as they fall in love. Even though they are total opposites, they somehow click. I love everything about Barrett. He is a smooth talker and sweet and vulnerable behind his arrogant attitude. This is a fun, sweet and sexy story.

Rumor Has It is about a journalist who primarily writes about relationships and has been setup by her boss to engage in a fake relationship with former NFL player, Barrett Fox. He was fired from his past job due to making misogynistic comments about a female referee. This column is supposed to help with Barrett's image that has taken a considerable hit. Catarina treats him with disdain from the start and who could blame her? Barrett was unlikeable and tolerable. As the story goes on, they warm up to one another and it's clear that feelings are involved.

I thought the writing was good and I liked Catarina a lot. She was stuck in a relationship with North, who seemed like the perfect man on paper. She comes from a wealthy family but still manages to have a career of her own in which she excels. Barrett was hard to like. I sympathized with his rough upbringing but it was no excuse for him to treat women the way he did. He groped a lady at a restaurant and made a misogynistic comment to a female referee. Those character traits didn't sit well with him. I did eventually warm up to him. They were a great pair and the chemistry was good too. All in all, the book was solid that could've used a few changes to the male character.

Barrett Fox needs to redeem himself, if he ever wants a job in broadcasting. After he lost his job playing for the Miami Dolphins with a career ending shoulder injury, he went back to his stomping grounds at Ohio State University as a broadcaster. Then his temper got the best of him, or the worst, when he said horrible things to a female referee on live TV, after what he felt was a bad call. Now he’s getting a second chance, writing a relationship column for the Columbus Chronicle, with a beautiful journalist, Catarina Everhart. He’s supposed to date this journalist and they in turn write their own columns about their date. The only problem is, Catarina can’t stand him.
After Catarina is given her new assignment, she tries everything to get out of it, however, Mia her boss, will not allow it. Barrett is most infuriating man she’s ever met. It seems he’s doing everything in his power to get her riled up. However things start to change her point of view. He is really a kind, caring individual. Also, he can kiss your thoughts away to where you forget everything.
What starts out as a job ends up like a fairy tale. You will laugh and swoon in this fabulous story.

I have conflicting emotions towards this novel. On the positive side, it was well written. The author is a skilled writer with a smooth easy style and I flew through the pages without even realizing I had read so much.

That being said, I didn’t particularly like the couple. Not only did they lack chemistry, I felt any interest they did have in each other was purely physical because she was “just so beautiful” and he was “so hot.” The hero was obnoxious and annoyed the heroine just to annoy her. What is this fifth grade? But of course, she falls for him because he’s so attractive.

What really ruined it for me was the climax. Since the only conflict was the lead couple itself, of course, there had to be some sort of climatic conflict. That being said, I couldn’t wrap around my head around what caused them to argue and split. Legitimately, it was such a weak and sorry excuse for a “betrayal of a dark dirty secret” that I seriously laughed out loud until I realized the author was series.


Overall, Rumor Has It is a quick read that can be enjoyed in one sitting. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it.

There was something just dull in the story for me. I never clicked with the characters nor did I really get into the story. Overall just not for me .

I'm a big fan of Jessica Lemmon's Real Love series, so I was excited to be approved for an ARC of its latest installment, Rumor Has It. I remember Barrett Fox from Man Candy, the third book in the series, where he was Dax's brash best friend. I didn't love Man Candy as much as the other books in the series, but I remember wanting to know more about Barrett.

At first glance, Barrett is a huge jerk. He's the former "bad boy of the NFL," best known for berating a female referee to the point that he lost his job as a commentator. Now, in the hopes of bolstering his public image, he's agreed to a publicity stunt that involves fake dating a prissy reporter, a woman who is his complete opposite in every way.

Catarina Everhart is poised, prim, and proper. She's very rigid, always doing things by the book, never really taking the time to enjoy anything just because. Catarina and Barrett clash. After her boring experience with her (also prim and proper) ex-boyfriend, fake dating Barrett is a culture shock. It's even more of a shock when Barrett drops the bad boy act and reveals that he's a total teddy bear.

Overall, I really enjoyed the fourth book in the Real Love series. There were some things that put me off a little bit (Barrett's initial behavior, his insistence that Catarina is "not like other girls," the big conflict at the end) but for me, this was a solid four-star read. Davis Price still goes down in history as my favorite love interest in this series, but Barrett Fox and Catarina Everhart made a great pair.

Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon is a great story. It has all the elements of a well developed story, and the main characters interact well together from playful to serious. I have read many books by Jessica Lemmon and this book does not disappoint. I highly recommend it! I was given an advanced copy of this story by NetGalley for my honest review.