April Hamilton needs a fake boyfriend stat, before she goes to her family reunion in Connecticut! It seems every female relative is trying to set her up with either the butcher, the accountant, and so on. They all want her to get married and move back home and leave New York City behind. No such luck, since she loves Manhattan and her job. Now that her bestie has a modeling job in Europe and left her hanging as her fake boyfriend, she’s desperate. However, he did give her name to a guy he knows that works at a bar and is also an actor that does side gigs as fake boyfriends. Well what does she have to lose. So they make plans to meet in a park on the middle of a Saturday, plus two of her friends will be there to help her out, just in case. Wow, when she meets Theo Banks she’s thrown for a loop. He is drop dead gorgeous and not only do they hit it off but they have sizzling chemistry.
Theo Banks knows he’s in trouble when he meets April. She is beautiful and everything he looks for in a woman. He’s got to keep telling himself that he can’t go any further with her, that it’s just a job that he desperately needs the money to finally pay off some family debts. On the train ride from New York to her hometown, things get verbally heated as they play a pretend game of how they met and things they did. The last thing he expected was sharing a bed with her. What surprised him the most was the fun he was having with her family. What starts out as a gig develops into something else for him. But when she learns about his background and that he’s really not an actor, April will not even give him the time of day. He’s got to come clean and tell her everything before it’s too late.
This was an amazing book, as in anything that Lauren Blakely writes!

I unfortunately didn't get the chance to read this. It was archived before I even had the chance to send it to my kindle. I'm so sad that I didn't get to read this. I was really looking forward to it. Hopefully it won't cost that much on amazon so I can still read this book.

Here is all you need to know about this book: it is FUN, FRISKY, and FABULOUS.

Lauren Blakely puts you in the minds of April and Theo, and I quickly identified with him. April's family is like something out of a dream. They are chaotic and messy, but they love each other. And, boy, do they know how to have fun. It is easy to see how Theo looks at them a little wistfully.

"Wistful," in fact, is the name of the small Connecticut seaside town where April's family lives and where she brings Theo when she hires him to be her boyfriend during a five-day family reunion. Theo is not accustomed to anything like April's family, and when Lauren Blakely tells you what his is like, your heart might break.

The joy of this book is watching two people get past the initial foundation of their relationship (perpetuating a lie to her family) and grow into real affection and intimacy. And by "intimacy," I mean both emotional and physical. This is a Lauren Blakely book, after all, and she will leave you a panting, needy pile of quivering loins.

She also makes you laugh, and laughter is always good for what ails you. That's why I always enjoy Lauren Blakely's stories. She makes me laugh and swoon in equal measures.

Trying to make it in the Big Apple is hard enough, but when successful and independent April has to go back home for her family’s annual family reunion, she decides she needs to go in equipped for battle. Being on a self-proclaimed man diet and sick of being set up by family, April decides to go in to the reunion fully equipped.

To put it simply, Craigslist describes Theo as a “boyfriend for hire.” He will attend any function, in a purely platonic manner, to help aid women of New York who may be in need of a plus one or a buffer for that matter. The boyfriend for hire gig also helps supplement his income while tending bar.

The moment they meet to discuss the job they are both instantly hit with an intense attraction that is beyond physical. But, with the love of April’s welcoming family, the quaint small town, and the stories they both make up to keep the rouse going, will they be able to tell what is real and what is make believe?

I have read nearly every one of Lauren’s books and I have to say that this book made me feel so many wonderfully exciting and swelling emotions that I just didn’t want the book to end.

I could read dialogue between these two characters for years to come and never get tired of them or their story. Theo is by far one of my favorite all time book boyfriends!

This was not only a great way to escape from the summer heat, but it made me believe that maybe, just maybe, The Real Deal could be out there for all of us.

“5/5 Beaming Brains!” – Laura, www.litupmymind.com

Lauren Blakely, officially, can make absolutely anyone into a romantic hero. Theo isn't telling April the truth about who he is, and about his past, his family, and generally the things he is not proud of...for most of the book.

Like April, you know this but you don't know all of the details. You know more than April, but you are sort of left, as a reader, in a place where you need to trust the author and know that this is all going to work out, and he is going to become the guy you dreamed of...and, of course, he does. (With a couple of charmingly funny Easter Egg tidbits in the end, but I will let you find those out for yourself.)

April and Theo meet when she hires him to be her date at her family reunion. One with competitive sports and matchmaking relatives, coffee date set ups, general mayhem...and squirrels who throw nuts at windows, as we can't forget them (is that REALLY a thing, by the way?).

There's a fun, and a charm, to their story. Yes, they are pretending to be a couple, but not for any real harmful reason, but to keep the peace with the family and to avoid April having to deal with her family and their wishes for her to move back home.

And, isn't that how life really works? Things aren't perfect, your family wants you happy and in the house next door, the one you think is your soul mate just might not be when the truth gets ugly...all of it is very real.

While this book is funny, it feels different than other Lauren Blakely books, and I think it is because the hero isn't as squeaky clean and perfect. I am not saying the heroes in her books aren't real, just that her heroes tend to be more the romantic dream at the beginning of the book, whereas Theo needed a little work. He's the first to tell you this, and he works at being a better person while taking care of his brother and trying to do right by April.

By the end of the book, Theo is happy, April is happy, her family finally understands what she does for a living, and both are at the point where life is going in the way they want. It's the perfect blend of romance, humor, and a little bit of reality.

I recommend this title.

I have read many of Ms. Blakely's books and have enjoyed them thoroughly and this one is no different. Theo and April were well written characters that were fun to read and they had amazing chemistry together. The plot moved along well making this an enjoyable book to read. I liked this book from page one and would recommend it to others.

I am a huge fan of Lauren Blakely.  She is one of my go to romantic comedy authors. So when I received this ARC  I was so excited to dive in. My thought I would read this book in one sitting. Boy I was wrong.

This is the story of a boyfriend for hire trope. April hires Theo to be her date at her family reunion. They meet and there is instant attraction however Theo doesn't like to get involve with his clients.

Character: I found at times April was annoying. Yes her family means well encouraging her to move back home but she was just whiny. She had so much privilege. She came from money. She was a body painter working on her passion. Yeah she got burned once by a cheater but it's not the end of the world.

Theo had an interesting backstory. I wanted to more about his con's and how did he stopped. I thought his brother's backstory was interesting. I was angry at Theo for paying down the debt of his brother. I wished that part would have been fleshed out more.

Plot: The story revolved around April's family reunion and how they fall in love. This book was instalust. They were saying I love you's by the 4th day. It was a bit unbelievable.

I did enjoyed Theo's backstory and how April invited Theo's brother to the reunion. It brought out more drama.

Romance: This book was instalust and there was some angst about it.

My feels: I really wanted to like this book but I will be honest it just wasn't for me. The pace was too slow for me and the plot line was a bit predictable.

If you are looking for a good Lauren Blakely book I would suggest Big Rock series.

Review will be posted on What to Read Next Blog on 7/20/2018

After artist April Hamilton was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend, her family has been badgering her to 1) come home for family reunion and 2) set her up on blind dates. They mean well, but April is sick of relationships and wants to focus on her career. To combat her family's matchmaking, she hires a boyfriend for hire, Theo Banks, to fake a relationship.

What I enjoyed:

- Fake relationship trope. It's one of my favorites and it was executed so well here.
- The instant chemistry and sparks between April and Theo
- April's family. They're a bit overbearing, but well-intentioned and there's better than a nosy, meddling family clan.
- The love story. It was hard not to fall in love with how incredible each character way, and they fit do perfectly in the end.


What I didn't enjoy:
- Honestly, not much! I did think the book could have been slightly shorter, but I loved it.

I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

He's a pretty great guy who, after losing his parents, joined his brother doing what was necessary to get by. He's got a bit a baggage from his earlier life that he's trying to resolve. She's a successful body paint artist who has a traditional, wealthy family who love her and want her to move back home. These details aside, this is a straightforward romantic comedy. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl have a great time. While it started off as a ruse it's turned into true love.

It's a cute story. I like it.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I’m always excited to read any of Lauren Blakely’s books, they are so full of life and charm. The Real Deal was no different, it was witty and romantic. It’s a story that will certainly leave you waiting for more.

At the beginning of the story we get to meet April Hamilton, she is a body-point artist who has worked really hard to establish a successful career in New York. Being from a small town, she was used to being around her family all the time until she decided to break away from her small-town life and travel to New York in hopes of making it big. But no matter what she does in her career, it will never be a real job to her family. They don’t see body-painting as an actual career and they want her to go back home where she belongs. After going through a really bad break-up, April decides to not date at all and focus on her career instead. This makes things a lot more complicated with her family and to help her see their side they decide to set her up with every eligible bachelor in their small town in Connecticut. But when she has to go back home for a family reunion, April doesn’t want to go alone and ends up hiring a fake boyfriend to take home with her. Meeting Theo for the first time wasn’t what she thought it would be like. There is an instant connection between them right away that’s sizzling and sexy! They understand each other and the more time they spend together, the more she starts to realize that he might just be the one.

Theo Banks never aspired to be an actor, but he is really good at it and if it pay the bills he’ll do just about anything. When he needs the money to pay off a debt, Theo posts an ad on Craigslist in hopes of getting hired. When his friend calls him for a gig, he immediately accepts and decides to meet April the next day. From that moment on, he has been going crazy over her and he doesn’t know what to do about it. He needs the money and he can’t get himself involved with a client. But when he meets her family, they are all nice to him and he feels like he belongs with them. Something that he hasn’t been able to feel after his parents passed away. Yet there is something that he is not telling April, something that could damage what they have and he’ll have convince her that he might just be the right guy for her before it’s too late.

I absolutely loved this book, it was sweet and funny! Lauren Blakely knows how to deliver a great story and she did it again with The Real Deal. April is the creative one in her family and wanting to make a career out of it makes her relatable to anyone who has felt the same way. It’s clear that she has a loving family that want the best for her, yet they don’t understand what she does. In the story we get to see them interact and it was so much fun to read. Their family reunion is not your typical reunion and that’s what made the story that much more entertaining to read. What I love the most about this story was the moments that we get with just the two main characters. It was romantic and swoon worthy. Theo is not your typical bad boy, he is just very charming and likable. There are problems along the way, but they help each other and it all works out in the end. The ending was very creative and it totally fit the vive of the story very well. I highly recommend reading this story and any others by the author. You will not regret it! :)

What do you do when you find yourself in need of a date for a family reunion because you are tired of everyone close to you setting you up with any/everyone that is single in your hometown? Well you look to Craigslist and hire someone, specifically Theo, who lists he can be anything you need him to be. April, does exactly this and what both April and Theo don't realize is their lives are forever changed by this.

I loved the banter these two had. There was never any uncomfortable silence between them. I absolutely could not put this book down.

With a fun and original twist on the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope, Lauren Blakely give us a funny, sweet and sexy romp with a cast of engaging characters I’d love to hang out with. April and Theo’s connection is fast and fast-paced. As soon as they got off the train in April’s hometown, they did need seem like a real couple.
Of course, even the road to fake true love doesn’t run smoothly, which brings us to the hilarious family members at the family reunion. From the man crush April’s brother-in-law has on Theo to her dad’s not so subtle testing of Theo’s dedication to his daughter, this bunch of buttinskys brings even more color and flavor to this great read.
While tamer than some of Blakely’s other books, there’s still plenty of spice to go around. This solid 5 star read should thrill both old and new fans alike.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own

I think a lot of single women have felt pressured by family to "have a good man" in their lives. I'm sure many have fantasized about hiring a date to impress others. Well, April Hamilton actually does it! She wants to prove to her family that she is living a successful life in every way.

I won't give away the story, because the fun of reading is the discovery. So suffice it to say that the characters are well-developed, believable, and a whole lot of fun. The dialogue is well-written and realistic. The ups and downs that April goes through kept me reading and reading and reading, until I forgot all about what time it was!

I recommend this book for readers who like a good, fun romance.

This was so incredibly sweet, fun and flirty! A seriously entertaining and heartwarming read!

Theo and April were so wonderful and I loved their vibe. They had this amazing dialogue happening right from the start that was so cute, I just couldn't stop smiling. They're in the middle of a crazy circumstance and I ate it up. There was such a great build as feelings emerged, histories were learned, and sexual tension simmered. I loved this pull they had on one another, a real connection and how it built and built. I adored the awesome banter between Theo and April and all their sharing moments. It was just so incredibly sweet and sincere and playful. This story had a slow burn feel to me and it was so worth it, I was filled with so much anticipation and couldn't wait for them to really connect.

There was such a great cast of characters as well. Their family and friends were all so fun. There were just so many great things happening throughout, it made my heart happy. Also, I'm a super huge fan of texting dialogue and this had it in spades and made it even more entertaining.

This was a fun and easy read with just the right amount of drama and emotion mixed in to the fun and flirt. Sometimes a feel-good read is just what a person needs and this was it! This was a story that leaves you feeling full and happy with super sweet characters, a really interesting storyline, and a wonderful HEA.

Complimentary copy received for honest review.

This was a fun story. To avoid her family’s attempts at matchmaking, April hires Theo to accompany her to her family reunion. Over the course of a few days, amidst games and barbecue and amusement parks, the boyfriend for hire becomes something so much better.

4 “Keep me” stars!

What do you do when you need a date to a family reunion? Hire one, of course. April hires Theo to act as her plus-one in order to get her matchmaking family off her back. She could have never imagined that she would start to develop feelings for her fake boyfriend, especially since she is on a relationship diet. She has sworn off men after being burned in the past and she isn’t about to change things now. Except, she can’t fight the inevitable when the fake relationship starts to feel real and all the rules get thrown out the window.

"We were never truly playing pretend. We were real from the start."

Sweet, swoony, and sexy, I thoroughly enjoyed The Real Deal and loved the entertaining storyline and original characters. I was sucked into the story and couldn’t help but root for a happily-ever-after the moment I met April and Theo. April is witty, fun, and unique. I loved her job and was glad she followed her dreams. She is a total hoot and the things that come out of her mouth are hilarious. And when I comes to Theo, I felt the exact same way she did.

"…that voice.
It’s deep and gravelly and sexy as hell. His voice might get me pregnant. I better take birth control so I don’t conceive aurally."

I understood why she felt the need for a date to the family function and I think that Theo is the perfect person for her. He is sexy, smart, and sweet. Soft inside with a hard exterior, I couldn’t help but fall for him quickly. He thinks he doesn’t deserve a person like April, someone who grew up with without a past like his but he is so wrong. He is swoony and considerate, and he deserves to be loved unconditionally.

The entire storyline was delightful. The family reunion is totally ridiculous but so much fun. It was the perfect set up for Theo and April to fall in love. They are real with each other, only pretending when in the presence of others, and I loved watching them grow closer. Their fake relationship allowed them to be themselves with no pretense or hesitation. I enjoyed watching them open up and I loved every time they slid back into their “story.” I could feel the undercurrent of desire that they wanted to act on. Detailing their fantasies kicks the anticipation up a notch as the sexual tension flares and the chemistry sizzles.

I loved April and Theo together. They felt like a real couple and even though they fall in love quickly, I believed their love. Their connection is palpable and I understood why everything felt real.

“All the stories we tell feel true to me.”
“They’ve always felt true to me, too.”
I nip her collarbone. “From the start. From the second I met you. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”

I loved the secondary characters. They added a little bit of tension to the mix while still making things comical. Theo had his work cut out to win April’s family over, and his brother brought another angle to the story. I didn’t know how things were going to play out so it kept me on my toes and made me invested in April and Theo’s happiness.

The Real Deal is a fun, fresh, flirty, lighthearted read that was entertaining from the very first page. Add in the sweet epilogue that is so Theo and April and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. I loved it all!

“I want to keep you around.”
I bury my face in her neck, kiss her skin, nibble on her ear. “Keep me.”

*ARC generously provided by the author and Inkslinger PR via St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

The fake relationship or hired boyfriend/girlfriend trope is not uncommon in romance novels and films. In fact, I have read and greatly enjoyed several other recent variations on this theme, including The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. In The Real Deal, Lauren Blakely has managed to put a fresh spin on a common trope and delivered a sweet, funny story that definitely lives up to its name.

April has mixed feelings when it comes to attending her annual family reunion. Though she deeply loves her family, she often finds herself at odds with them when it comes to her choices of career (she's a body painter) and residence (living in New York City instead of her small seaside home town). One of the drawbacks of spending time with her family is fending off their attempts to set April up with a man--preferably one who will lure her to leave the big city. This year, April decides to do an end-run around the setup attempts and bring a boyfriend to the gathering--in this case a boyfriend that she hired through a Craigslist ad.

Theo is not the sort of guy April would usually date. This bartender/actor is a bit rough around the edges, but April's friend recommends him and he IS a professional, so she decides to take the plunge. Despite their differences, April and Theo immediately hit it off and begin to feel an attraction--one that's both sweet and hot--for the other. This is definitely going to make the reunion more complicated and also a lot more interesting.

Blakely gets everything just right in this lovely romantic comedy. Her characters are well-developed, very likable and a little bit flawed. As the story progresses, more is revealed about Theo's past and how he came to be a boyfriend-for-hire, and April will need to decide how to reconcile things from his early life with the Theo she is growing to love. In the end, the question will be whether a relationship that started under false pretenses can end up being The Real Deal.

HOW? How does Lauren Blakely do it? I'll tell you how she is The Real Deal. I love her writing style. She has once again given us a perfect blend of heart and humor. One of my favorite things about her books is the banter via email or text it doesn't matter, I love it. I thought this story was a fast-paced, lighthearted, a one sitting read. I loved the characters and couldn't get enough of the side characters. That is one family reunion that I wouldn't care to be attending. I'll say it again, her books, leave me smiling like a lovesick teenager.

Loved this story! It was easy to embrace both April and Theo right from the start (although I've not met a LB character I dislike). The chemistry between Theo and April is crazy hot, and not just the sexual chemistry. The dialogue was smooth, the story moved at a good pace, the banter between April and Theo was sometimes funny, a bit of snark here and there, sweet and flirty. Ms. Blakely has given us another fun couple to just sit back and relax and enjoy their story!

I just love Lauren's writing. No matter how simple the plot lines sound at the beginning, they never really end up that way. There's always more to the story and the characters. I loved these two, and their families. Theo and April are so fun and you can't help but root for them!!