Unverified is a story for all those who enjoy social media and keenly follow the influencers. I enjoyed this book and finished it in a day. I loved everything about the plot and the idea of social media stardom is what made me want to check this book out. The book is about Matt and Margo who are brought together by their unusual circumstances in life. The story is about the two of them trying to figure out the solutions to their problems together. The story has fake-dating trope and roommates to lovers trope combined with social media influencer world. Overall I believe the story has the perfect recipe for Turkish Drama Series.

So there are a few editorial issues, mostly punctuation, etc., but otherwise, this was a cute, fun read. There's clearly going to be a second (and maybe third or fourth) book in this series and I'll absolutely read that (and maybe those), too.

Matt and Margo have a meet-cute that ends up with them pretending to be a couple -- specifically, a newly launched Influencer-wannabe couple on definitely-not-Instagram -- so they can get the apartment they both desperately need. They agree to be roommates who pretend to be in love while their landlady is present. This would be a fun story, but it's not this story, because their <s>Instagram</s> Grid.It account blows up through reasons and shenanigans and <i>isn't-it-a-small-world</i>ness.

<b>The Good</b>
Kristin Giese does a good job of building up the minor characters, which will serve the world well in future books.

I liked the instant chemistry of Matt and Margo sharing a secret and almost seamless way they dove-tailed into a team. It was them against an increasingly larger number of "opponents," so their eventual romance felt believable, if a little rushed. They were both interesting and charming and I liked them both individually and together.

The story has layers upon layers of events, which is interesting and means there's a lot more to explore, all of which I'm interested in as a reader. There's a lot of loose ends that haven't tied up neatly, which is fine because there's obviously more to the story coming.

<b>The Less Good</b>
On the other hand, a few of those loose ends probably would have shown up to complicate <i>this</i> story, so maybe those should have popped in for a visit<spoiler> (e.g., the restoration of Matt's trust fund and why Margo doesn't question where the money for his start-up is coming from?)</spoiler>.

The myriad interchangeable, stereotypical gay men. You know what you're doing. Stop.

I'd have liked a little less omniscience in the third-party omniscient perspective; maybe keep with one character's thoughts at a time, rather than two per sentence, three to four per paragraph? I get it: we're going to revisit this world and we need to like these characters. But I can be familiar with them without knowing the details of their history and all of their thoughts on everything.

The full exploration of the many supporting characters took away from watching our leads develop. Matt and Margo both needed to and <i>did</i> but we didn't get to watch as closely or spend any time enjoying that growth because we were learning about Tiff's background and Chelsea's and Ian's and Bibi's and... you see the problem here.

I wish all of the many, many events and turns and twists could have slowed down a bit. Draw them out, please. <i>I</i> felt overwhelmed and I can't believe that none of the characters did, too. Yet no one asked for a time out to catch their breath and that kind of bothered me, if only because I needed a breather. So many things were packed into each day that I'm not sure this should be classified as science-fiction. Clearly the characters either practice time travel or the days are 37 hours long.

Rita. I get that she was supposed to be the charming comic relief, but it was way (way) too much.

Romance, pee-your-pants humor, and references to all the best Bravo tv shows make (un)verified by Kristin Giese a must-read of the summer. Matt and Margo are two twenty-somethings trying to find a foothold on their own. Margo is an aspiring journalist with larger than life aspirations. Matt is a recently cut off trust fund baby, lacking direction. During a chance encounter, they are mistaken for a couple at a showing for a rental house they are both desperately after. The owner is an eccentric diehard romantic and they are forced to pretend to be a couple to get the lease. Margo builds a fake social media account to sell their fake relationship, but when their account popularity explodes, they find themselves having to sell their story to the whole online community not just their landlord.

I was blown away by (un)verified. I just did not see it coming when I picked up the book. The first thing that grabbed me was the nonstop humor that is woven into almost every page of this book. I loved the pop culture references she served up frequently, including her friend who gives life advice based on her favorite Bravo shows. Giese somehow manages to weave in real and complex characters that give the book real depth amongst the humor. At times the introduction of the characters' backstories slows the development of the plot of the book, although I found the information given to be interesting and give the story its depth. So much went into the beginning and middle of this story that I felt like the climax and resolution were too short. This book wraps up well but leaves obvious room for a sequel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys new adult romance. I couldn’t put it down once I got into it and will definitely read future books by this author.


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

I couldn't get through this book. I tried twice. The book felt to predictable and oblivious. Poor rich kid gets cut offf ...

This book was such a fun read! Even though the beginning felt a bit disconcerting to me because it kept jumping from Margo's situation to Matt's offering us background information about them and some of the other characters surrounding them in order to set the stage for what was to come, it still kept me interested, and once those two cross paths and their words collided I was completely hooked. Their chemistry was palpable from the moment they meet and I really enjoyed their repartee. I love people who have a sense of humor and both these characters had that in spades. And many of the other characters were a delight to read too! I had a real blast with this story and I hope there's a sequel because I feel there's more to explore about this cast of characters and also because I need to know what happens after that ending!

If this is Kristin Giese's debut novel, I can't wait to see what's next from her! I'll definitely keep an eye out for her future works.

Unverified by Kristen Giese is definitely worth your attention. There are some slow spots in the beginning as character backgrounds are being built, but once Matt and Margo meet you are in for a wild ride!
A very funny and well thought out plot made me want the book to continue...a sequel perhaps?

Thanks to #Netgalley for providing this advanced reading copy in return for an honest review.
#Unverified

I saw this book floating around the Bookstagram from a few booklovers I follow. Now, I added it to my Goodreads TBR immediately because it sounded so good. However, I never thought I would have gotten around to read it because sadly unknown authors never make it into bookstores like Barnes and Nobles and Books-A-Million. I was sure that the book would just sit there on my TBR and collect dust, as so many sadly do. Now, this isn’t me saying I hated the book. Just look at my rating. It is just the sad reality that unknown authors don’t make it huge, especially on their debut release.

That being said, I adored this book.

I am so thankful that I was approved to read this book on Net Gallery because the characters are wonderful. I will admit, Margo and me clashed in the beginning because I hate people who expect life to just hand them lemons and also make the lemonade for them. However, we quickly recovered. Margo is smart and you can tell that society has hurt her and her dreams. What happened to her is literally my biggest fear. To graduate with a degree, get that job, and that stuff it all up. I worry about that because I am also going into a career like Margo but instead of being the writer, I want to be the editor. Anyways, I see myself relating to Margo and she had me cracking up sometimes.

Meanwhile, I adored Matt. I felt bad for the way his father treated him because I see that in my best friend. Ever since her mother passed away, her father hasn’t really been there for her. I mean, granted Matt has a trust fund and unlimited amount of cash unlike my friend, I still see her in his place. Matt is funny and, like Margo described, “he takes life head on in the fast lane.” It is refreshing to see a male character in a romance novel have to make his way in life. He isn’t automatically rich and expects everyone to fall all over him; looking at you Christian Grey.

Anyways, to get back on track, I adore Chelsea. It is nice to have side characters that you can root for! She is such a huge helper and friend to Margo that it was nice to see her succeeding in the book as well!

I do hope we get to see more of these characters and see their lives play out. There appears there may be a sequel so that will be interesting to see how things will be like; if we start off right where we left off or if there is a bit of a time hop!

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary or romance! I am very happy with this book and the author did a well done job with her characters. While I thought the plot could be dragged out a bit longer and let the tension build between Margo and Matt, I am alright with how it ended, especially if we get a sequel!

Man was I glad I picked up this book.Moments of blinding reality interspersed with hilarity kept me turning the pages, unable to put it down.

Matt is born with a silver spoon in his mouth. With no direction, Matt just spends money and parties. Fed up, his father cuts him off. Watching Matt struggle to finally do something with himself was endearing.

Margo failed once and is afraid to take major risks now but she is in a funk. But now, she is ready to make strides.

Miscommunications abound in every facet of their lives, ends up with Matt and Margo vying for the same apartment space.

You definitely need to pick this book up, because you won't be able to put it down.

I have to thank Netgalley and the publishers for this book and also the author. This is my first book by this author and my experience was below average. I didn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted too. I began to loose interest early on and could not make myself finish it. To put it simply, this book is not for me though I liked the characters but didnot enjoy the story. Something was definately missing. Anyway hope others enjoy it. Happy reading!

This was an easy, light hearted read. The characters were likable and the story flowed well. It's an easy read and even though not much happens it passed the time nicely.

Jul 26, 2019 Vanessa Morse
**FULL REVIEW**

Wow. What a fabulous book! I chose to read this while away on vacation and could not put it down.

I laughed, swooned, and fell head over heels for @MattlovesMargo in this light-hearted, but emotionally charged rom-com.

All of the players in the game, the up-to-date feel with an abundance of social media presence...I kept turning pages and shushing family members so I could fully appreciate all this story had to offer.

Honestly, I will probably read it again...and that is saying something since I rarely read a title more than once. It’s safe to say, this book has made it to my top 10 list of favorites!

I only hope there’s more...because that Epilogue? Yeah, Imma need some explanation.

Until then, I’ll be recommending and singing praises for (un)verifed!

**5 Fake it Until You Make it, Stars**

It starts a bit slowly, which is good because you build into the story having experienced who they are when they meet. It doesn't just start at a random meet cute.

I really enjoyed the characters and the jokes. I really was crying laughing at certain points - Rita was so crazy, and all the eccentricities of her landlord. It was just so much fun to read. Even the details of her sister's business, the photoshoot, and even the Woman Dreamteam for the photo shoot was just outlandish and awesome. I had a lot of fun reading this. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Matt and Margo. I loved how they just fell into step in a conversation or text chat. It was great. This would be an absolutely fun RomCom. I wish we had more.

Unverified is the newest rom-com beach read. It stars Margo and Matt- two people just trying to find a place to rent. Margo- because she wants to move out of her parents house, Matt because he HAS to. They have a typical meet cute and end up lying about being a couple to appease the owner of the perfect rental. As it tends to happen, they get caught in a bigger lie then they ever imagined.


This was a super fun read that I just swallowed up in one sitting. It was light, flirty, and just the perfect amount of secrets. There was a lot of back story for a lot of the supporting characters, so I sense a sequel, or at least a series in the same world. Also, the ending leads one to believe there will be more to come, cause it wasn't necessarily tied up as much as I would hope.

Super cute. Would read more from this author.

I hesitate to write this, since it seems everyone else loved this. It just really didn't work for me though.

There were countless issues with this, but, at first, it was fun so I just kept going. But it was very slow, with Margo and Matt not even meeting until 1/3 of the way through. There were a lot of weird adverbs used that didn't fit the implied tone, and the order of storytelling felt really unplanned. It was as though this was posted live and so the story wasn't editable... ?

This also felt quite a bit like it was meant to be a screenplay rather than a novel, perhaps meant to be an over-the-top cheese-fest Hallmark movie. The dialogue, especially in the last half, was super awkward, and there was SO MUCH "TELLING."

I really wanted to like this, but it was just very shallow, predictable, and strangely-written, getting more so as it progressed. I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough, or care about the characters.

I am also scratching my head at the ending, qondering why it wasn't actually wrapped up. Is there aupposed to be a sequel?? Ia that why there was odd, detailed, backstory for relatively minor charcters?

Unfortunately, I really should have DNF'ed this one. It had potential, but missed the mark for me.

The book was a jump here and there. Too much was not really funny, where you'd expect LOL moments.
Just did not work for me.

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.

The book started off a little rocky for me. The two leads were presented as two awful people and I had to push through the first few chapters. Then all of a sudden, it was like watching two entirely different characters and I liked them so much better! Recognizing that I read an ARC, I hope that the last little epilogue letter from Mix is removed because it took away from the rest of the story. I assume there’s a sequel but it was just a letdown after a positive end.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kristin Giese managed to capture my attention and keep me reading straight through with UnVerified. The characters of Matt and Margo take quite the journey in this book and I'm glad I was along for the trip. I think that Ms Giese has a definite talent for writing thre dimensional characters with really clear voices. I appreciated that Matt and Margo had flaws and foibles and that I ended up rooting for them in spite of their shortcomings. Of course the dialogue is crisp and witty, and the settings beautifully drawn, which make the read easier. I dont want to give away the plot, but suffice it to say I was lured by the promise of the premise and the promise was kept! I would love to read more from Ms Giese. Dare we hope for a sequel?
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

4.5 stars!

Oh, I so loved this book! It was so much campy 80's-90's fabulousness references in a millennial shell. Just so great.

It starts a bit slowly, which is good because you build into the story having experienced who they are when they meet. It doesn't just start at a random meet cute.

Oy, the characters and the jokes. I really was crying laughing at certain points (the comment about using rice grains to write a letter... it took me a few moments to be able to read my book again) Rita was so crazy, and all the eccentricities of her landlord. Gah. It was just so much fun to read. Even the details of her sister's business, the photoshoot, and even the Woman Dreamteam for the photo shoot was just outlandish and awesome.

I had a lot of fun reading this. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Matt and Margo. I loved how they just fell into step in a conversation or text chat. It was great. This would be an absolutely fun RomCom. I wish we had more. I will definitely be looking for more from the author!

This quirky rom/com book was agreat read that had me laughing the whole way through. Eccentric characters and a unique twist of a love story. The only con to this book was that there was a lot if switching between the two main characters perspectives and between past and present, so it was hard to keep up at times. Overall, a funny read!

If you want to read a brilliant rom com that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, you HAVE to pick this one. And make sure you have time to read it all because it is very hard to put down!

Matt and Margo both arrive to view a rental listing at the same time. When the owner says she’s always wanted to rent the place out to a couple, the two pretend they are together purely to get themselves a place to stay.

Things escalate from there pretty quickly but not in the usual love story way. I won’t say much more as I don’t want to give too much away but I LOVED the unique storyline. Definitely a 5 star read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.