I was excited to read this with the twist on the Bachelorette and a radio show, but unfortunately this one didn't work for me. I found the chemistry for the love interests to be very hard to believe - the male character spends all of his chapters obsessing over the female lead but it just feels very forced/out of nowhere/not believable. I did like the way the main characters social anxiety was highlighted and getting to see how her internal dialogue was processing a lot of new situations outside her comfort zone. But, instead of going to therapy for help with her crippling anxiety, the main guy magically understood her and she felt better in the end? There were are few times I *thought* she was headed to therapy and it just never happened. Additionally, the couple doesn't get together until the last 10-15% and in that they have the get together - big disagreement - make up scene in that short amount of time.

This was a cute and sweet little book. I haven't read a rom-com in a while and found myself enjoying it. Everly was an interesting character, and while I do not relate to her social anxiety and what she goes through in social settings, I found her very likable. Loved her friend Stacy - there needs to be a book about Stacy, I feel like there is a story there waiting to be told! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for a digital arc of this title.

3.5/ 5 stars


Ten Rules For Faking It is the author's romantic comedy debut. She has written books in other genres under the name Jody Holford.

The main narrator in this book is 30 year old Everly Dean (3rd person POV). The story takes place in a small town in California called San Verde.

It is interesting that this is the second book that I have read recently where the heroine is a radio producer. And it's also the second book that I've read recently where the heroine has bad luck on her birthdays.

Everly is a radio producer. Her best friend Stacey is the on air personality who she works with. I really enjoyed this friendship.

There is also some of the male pov (3rd person). I thought that this added a lot to the story. I really liked the main male character in this book. And I am glad that we got to see some of the story from his perspective. As the things happening to him were very different from what was happening to Everly.

Part of the story has a bit of a Bachelorette theme to it. And I liked that idea. But it wasn't really the focus of the story. I do see why the author chose to not focus too much on this aspect. But I was sort of expecting to see a lot more of the dates and such.

Social anxiety was a key part of the book. And to me this is what made this book special. One of the characters suffers from anxiety. And I really enjoyed how this was presented in the book.

The story was cute. And I did like it the more that I read. However, it didn't completely grab my attention right from the beginning. And I sort of had to push myself to read it. Also I wish that there had been a few more things that were less predictable.

It was an enjoyable story. It was funny. The last half was stronger IMO. And I breezed through that part of it. And the romance was really good. Overall, I did like it. And I ended up feeling good about the story.

Ten Rules for Faking it is a slow-burn romance to bring warm fuzzies to your quarantine winter.

I'll be honest, it took me a while to get into this romance. I didn't really connect with Everly and felt like her relationship with Chris was forced. I never saw their connection making sense and am shrugging at it still.

However, I loved Stacy's character and her hunky gym owner crush (that's a book I'd love to read!). The scenes with Everly's parents made me cringe enough to put down my e-reader and not pick it up for a few days. Don't even get me started on Chris's dad. He is a copy and paste villain whose motivations are only to drive the plot forward.

But despite all the above, I stayed up until 1 in the morning finishing the last 100 pages or so — needing to know how the big twist played out.

So while it's not the book for me, it's perfect for fans of slow-burn romances, The Bachelorette, and Chrismas movies on Netflix.

This one was way too cheesy for me. It was fine? But nothing really stood out to me.

I'm giving it 3 stars though because I thought the Anxiety representation was done well (based on personal experiences). Low key Everly's anxiety was making me anxious so that was a downside, but yay for writing that makes you feel things?

Also, this is the second rom com I've read that deals with radio so that was weird.

TW: social anxiety, anxiety, panic attacks

3⭐️

On Everly Dean’s 30th birthday, her life implodes when she catches her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She doesn’t think it can get any worse until her radio deejay best friend accidentally broadcasts her romantic woes live to thousands of people. When the station manager, Chris, approaches her about doing a Bachelorette type segment that could boost both the ratings and her love life, she decides to embrace the opportunity to challenge herself. What she wasn’t expecting was to develop feelings for her boss rather than the contestants...

On paper this book looks like it has all the ingredients of a wonderful fun and frothy contemporary rom-com. But it just didn’t do it for me.

The good:

I really appreciated the approach and consideration given to Everly and her social anxiety. And representation of social anxiety and how it effects all aspects of Everly’s day to day life and how debilitating it can be. It was well done.

Chris Jansen. There are some reviews that say he is too perfect and that he didn’t have enough time on the page for his bone deep understanding of Everly to make sense. And they’re not wrong. But he is such an angel gem that I’m 100% willing to look past it.

The not-so-good:

The slow paced storytelling really made this book a drag to read. It was hard to get into and then easy to lose interest. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a good slow burn but the payout has to be there. And Everly and Chris just didn’t have that magic something that would have taken this book to the next level. There was so much tension for what ended up being just a lot of charged pinky touching moments.

Everly Dean. Where to start, I found I was so tired of her by the end. At times she was so judgmental and a touch hypocritical that it just took the fun out of the whole story. At one point she goes on about how her parents need couples therapy, but when her friend brings up her seeing a therapist she shuts down and it’s never brought up again. It was really hard for me to get into for the first 30% because so much focus on how Everly is so special and awesome but isn’t aware of it. From the best friend, from the love interest it was too much. She was too dependent on her relationship status in regards to her happiness. I would have loved for her to come into her own as an individual with the added extra of finding her person. But instead it was more about how the right romantic partner can help you find yourself.

Let’s normalize it being ok to be single at 30+. This was one of the things that didn’t sit the best with me. Everly talks about herself being 30 and single and childless like it’s somehow a defect in her personality.

I would have loved to have seen more of her dates, since that plot was central to the overall storyline. We got to read about a couple of them, but the rest were completely glossed over. Such a fun opportunity that was wasted that could have really added to the story.

I sense an anthology in the works for this world. My guess is that Stacey, her radio deejay BFF, is deck for the next one. I just think the author needs to fine tune a bit more to find that magic sweet spot. Ultimately, it was kind of like a Hallmark movie: perfectly good, but probably entirely forgettable.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It is a sweet read and perfect if you’re looking for something heartwarming but not steamy.

I initially connected with Everly because I’m generally an anxious person (and a list maker) but then something shifted and began to fall apart for me. After a certain point it seemed that the Everly we’re introduced to and the Everly making irrational decisions were two completely different person. I believed Everly was a rational woman who approached setbacks with logic but when something in her personal life is not up to a standard that I, the reader, did not know she had I was very confused. I could not wrap my head around why she was reacting the way she did. However, this may have been the intent all along because love defies all logic.

Chris was a sweetheart and I wonder if there will be more opportunities in other books to read about his brothers. Stacey was delightful, everyone needs a Stacey especially the shy ones! Chris was exactly the kind of hero I like to read. Thoughtful, kind, understanding, patient - what more do you need?!

Rating: 3.5 Stars - rounding up for the strong ending

Everly hates her birthday! Each "celebration" has been marred in some way, and this year takes the cake. She thought she was sharing her birthday woes with her best friend, but ended up sharing them with ALL their listeners. It seemed many listeners were rooting for Everly to forget "him" and find her Mr. Right. And so, armed with her list of rules for faking it, Everly sets out to find her happy.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and it started out really strong. I was laughing a LOT and really enjoying meeting Everly and the rest of her radio family. Everly had a lot of baggage to unpack before she could honestly find her Mr. Right, and I was more than rooting for her to notice the mr.-right-in-front-of-you. Chris was a gem. I was so glad we got the story from both his and Everly's perspectives, because I had a fabulous time in his head. The more I got to know him, the more I wanted him to forget the rules or quit his job or something, because I thought he was the man she deserved. He saw her, appreciated her, and seemed to understand her in a way other men hadn't. What more could I want for Everly?

Though the romance was of the slow burn type, which I am generally not a big fan of, I did like seeing these two grow closer to one another as they worked through their respective baggage. The ending was especially strong, I know I was wearing a grin because of it.

Overall: It was great seeing Everly go from faking it to making it.

"Ten Rules for Faking It" is the very definition of a slow-burn romance, a character-driven novel where the attraction takes a while to develop. This is a long (almost 400 pages) book, and I will admit that it took me a while to get into it. But eventually, I came around and really enjoyed it, due in part to the very realistic portrayal of a woman who suffers from anxiety. I have first-hand experience in this regard, and I suspect the author does, too.

The story begins on Everly Dean’s thirtieth birthday, which is an unmitigated disaster. She learns that her boyfriend is cheating on her, and when she arrives at the radio station where she works as a producer, the DJ mistakenly leaves the mic on when Everly launches into an epic rant about her now-ex’s infidelity. Thousands of listeners in their small California town are now aware of Everly’s romantic woes, to her mortification.

Deciding that she needs a change, Everly begins to write down a set of rules to help her start a new chapter in her life, including “push the boundaries of your comfort zone.” So when her boss suggests a “Bachelorette”-type contest to find Everly a new boyfriend, she reluctantly agrees; the station needs to boost its ratings, and listeners have been flooding the station with calls with advice and support ever since her hot mic incident. She’ll go on dates with six different men, and keep fans posted as to how things are working out.

Chris, Everly’s boss and the station manager, is keeping a whole bunch of secrets. For one, he has a crush on Everly; he’s hoping that if she finds love, he won’t think about her so much. Unbeknownst to his staff, he’s not just their boss, he’s also the station owner’s son. His father is a New York magnate who has been placing Chris in various positions throughout his business empire to prepare him to take on a bigger role in his company. Once Chris has made the station a success, he’ll be able to move back to New York and start working at his dream job.

Everly’s social anxiety makes the dating game a challenge, but she keeps at it, hoping that something will spark with one of the contestants. But she can’t help feeling that the man she’d really like to date is the one who thought of the contest to begin with, which must mean he doesn’t feel the same, and then there’s the company’s no-fraternization policy…

I really enjoyed the relationship between Everly and her best friend Stacey, the DJ whose show she produces. Like many introverts, Everly has paired up with an extrovert, who encourages her to come out of her shell. Conversely, I’m not sure we needed quite so much detail about Everly’s parents and their dysfunctional on-again, off-again relationship, but I suppose it provides some context for their daughter’s own history of romantic skittishness.

Incidentally, Everly doesn’t “get over” her anxiety—gradually, she begins to cope a bit better, while her friends and loved ones accept it and try to help her manage it. Now that’s what I call a happy ending.

Book Info
Paperback, 384 pages
Expected publication: December 29th 2020 by Griffin
Original Title Ten Rules for Faking It
ISBN 1250624169 (ISBN13: 9781250624161)
Edition Language English
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
Amazon B&N
BOOK BLURB

What happens when your love life becomes the talk of the town?

As birthdays go, this year’s for radio producer Everly Dean hit rock-bottom.

Worse than the “tonsillectomy birthday.” Worse than the birthday her parents decided to split (the first time). But catching your boyfriend cheating on you with his assistant?

Even clichés sting.

But this is Everly’s year! She won’t let her anxiety hold her back. She’ll pitch her podcast idea to her boss.

There’s just one problem.

Her boss, Chris, is very cute. (Of course). Also, he's extremely distant (which means he hates her, right? Or is that the anxiety talking)?

And, Stacey the DJ didn’t mute the mic during Everly’s rant about Simon the Snake (syn: Cheating Ex).

That’s three problems.

Suddenly, people are lining up to date her, Bachelorette-style, fans are voting (Reminder: never leave house again), and her interest in Chris might be a two-way street. It’s a lot for a woman who could gold medal in people-avoidance. She’s going to have to fake it ‘till she makes it to get through

all of this.

Perhaps she’ll make a list: The Ten Rules for Faking It.

Because sometimes making the rules can find you happiness when you least expect it.

My Thoughts


Very much a Rom-Com with serious moments. Like others before it that I have read what is obvious to the reader takes a while to become true for the characters themselves.

Especially given the situation that Everly finds herself in at the beginning of the book.

Everly Dean is very relatable so are her actions and reactions as well.

I liked her characters growth and the fact over the course of the story she managed to finally step outside her fears a little at a time so by books end Everly got everything she hoped for personally and professionally.

Some readers like myself will find her journey one they can learn from. Other readers however may not but rather find this to be one like a million others whose outcome outweighed the way in which it worked out for the best in the end.

For me though each new Contemporary Rom-Com tales are one of my favorite types of romance stories.

They give readers a chance to see a different spin on how certain couples come to be.

In this instance the rocky road to a fulfilling relationship for lead character Everly Dean starts off with a whimper and ends with a satisfying, well earned bang.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

OH MY GOD. Did the universe just send me this book as a sign? Did Sophie Sullivan write it for me? Or an I just really lucky for finding this wonderful rom-com about breakups, shitty boyfriends, dating attempts and anxiety just as I'm struggling with each of these?!

Not gonna lie, it's been a tough time putting myself together after a nasty breakup with a nasty long-term boyfriend of mine during the pandemic when dating options are close to none and the economy is crumbling. Picking up Ten Rules for Faking It, I knew I was reaching for a good rom-com, but I didn't know perfect it would be for me at this time. Nothing has managed to lift my spirits like this book, all the while making me feel understood.

This novel is about Everly who caught her dumb boyfriend cheating on her ON HER BIRTHDAY. She is a ball of anxiety and avoidance. But then she decides that nobody can ruin another year for her, so she will be the amazing, hot, ambitious, loving and lovable woman that she is. However, as a result of an unfortunate event in the life of a radio and podcast producer, (almost) the entire world could hear her talk sh*t about her cheating ex. And now everybody wants to date her!!

Ten Rules for Faking It touched my heart just when I needed it. It made me laugh and gave me hope that love is out there! Go read it!!

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book for a free copy of this book ine xchange for an honest review.

This book was just ok for me. It had an interesting plot and good character development, but overall, it wasn't something that stood out. The ending was very predictable and I felt getting there was long-winded. If there were about 50 less pages and maybe a twist or two, I would have enjoyed it more.

I enjoyed this book, it was a slow burn romantic comedy and perfect for snuggling up and reading on a lazy afternoon that doesn't tax the brain. I loved the characters and the storyline was nice. It lacked a little something in the middle but it was still a great read.

This was a very sweet, light romantic comedy and I enjoyed it! The depiction of anxiety, especially while dating, was pretty spot-on. This is also the second romance I've read recently in the radio/podcast world (first being The Ex Talk) and I think it may be one of my new favorite premises--it felt very modern and fresh. I would definitely recommend this for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Mhairi McFarlane-type romances,

Loved this book. The characters were believable and easy to connect with. I loved how the biggest motif was social anxiety. Some parts were predictable but the ending was not. I was hoping to have Staceys ending included , but would love a second book from a series to showcase her story by itself.

This was an awesome slow burn. The way Everly's anxiety was written was realistic and compassionate. Having a thousand thoughts at once and running through every imaginable what-if scenario is relatable to anyone with anxiety. The people who loved her didn't see it as something that needed to be fixed and Chris took it in stride as just another part of who she was. I loved how they took the time to build their friendship and grew to like each other before jumping straight to being a couple.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one and read it in two sittings. Everly decides to take on a new challenge at work, and the chaos and fun helps her recognize who she is and why she’s amazing without letting her anxiety define her. It's definitely a slow burn romance, but I liked the chemistry between Chris and Everly and the friendship between her and Stacey.

I thought Everly was especially relatable as I'm also an introvert approaching my 30th birthday, but she faces a lot more social anxiety. I appreciated the representation of her anxiety and how Chris and Stacey learned to help her navigate it, but it occasionally felt like it was too repetitive.

Overall I recommend this one as I loved Everly's growth and the connection between the characters. This one is perfect for fans of Hallmark movies — a workplace romance without any steam. Pick this one up when it publishes December 29!

Sophie Sullivan’s Ten Rules for Faking It wasn’t quite what I expected going into it. I enjoyed this book, its sweetness, its occasional humorous moments, its strong female friendship, & how sensitively it was written, but I also didn’t expect it to revolve *so much* around the heroine’s self-described severe social anxiety.

The heroine Everly’s anxiety is referenced in the blurb. But I do want to be clear that that is actually a really big part of the book—of the plot & of Everly’s arc.

At the beginning of Ten Rules radio show producer Everly Dean gives an accidental on-air tirade about her cheating ex. People are interested in the story.

Her boss, Chris Jansen, who secretly has feelings for Everly but who’s also determined to re-locate back to NYC once he gets the okay from his boss dad, decides to turn lemons into lemonade. He proposes that Everly do a bachelorette kinda thing: she’ll go on dates with carefully selected men & eventually choose one as winner, all the while documenting her experiences for the radio station blog.

Everly agrees because her Ten Rules of Faking It suggests that it would be a good way to get out of her so-called comfort zone. & why would the hero even propose this idea? Chris knows his professional plans & while he wants Everly, he also wants her to “be happy.” (He also wants to bring in ad money.)

Watching Everly & Chris move from people who barely talk to close friends who support each other & offer understanding is quite heartwarming. I love how he recognizes signs that she’s experiencing anxiety & over the course of the book, how he assures her that she’s strong & someone he wants & wants to be with.

Everly’s increasing willingness to be vulnerable with others & to, as she notes, come to terms with who she is, anxiety & all, is beautiful. I have anxiety & that line about self-acceptance stopped me in my tracks.

Perhaps my biggest issue with the book has to do with the conflicts. The first conflict feels so sustained to me & then shortly after it was resolved the other popped up, & the pacing of those felt somewhat emotionally frustrating to me as I was reading it.

Also, I thought it was odd that therapy is only suggested for Everly once, & very obviously ignored on her part. It seems strangely included to me—not to mention that I see a lot of value in therapy itself.

This book has some moments that really touched me, & I think it has a lot of good things to say. But execution-wise, it isn’t always my cup of tea.

3.5 ⭐️. Ten Rules for Faking It is out on 12/29. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

This is exactly the kind of book one should read if they're looking for a feel-good slow burn contemporary romance. I swift through the pages today because I really wanted to see how Everly's story goes.

Let me just mention how much I laughed with Everly throughout the book. Maybe it's because I relate to her being afraid to try out new things that are beyond the boundary of her comfort zone. She had me rooting for her entirely. Then there is Chris who happens to be her boss. He is both rich and... some sort of a knight in shining armor? He falls to that trope with how much he seems to save the day. I was irked for the most part of him playing hero because it's unrealistic. He can't possibly know what to do with Everly's issues all the time.

I liked the whole aspect of the Bachelorette in a radio show. Usually, I wouldn't like a harem but this one was fun to read. Especially when the whole time Everly is doing it, she's actually pining for her boss.

A 4/5 star for Sullivan's debut. Hoping to read more of her works in the future.

Ten Rules for Faking It really stood out to me in a very crowded field of wonderful romance novels. It has all the prerequisites for a grand love story: delightful supporting characters, tender and funny moments, swoon-worthy scenes, a slow-burn romance, and a couple of grand gestures. What set this book apart for me were the main characters, Everly and Chris, whose emotions were so raw and complicated. Watching these two fall for each other felt intimate and personal, and my heart soared and plummeted along with theirs. I felt every sigh, every touch, every tear....and I was sad when the book was over. I have a feeling that the author is not done with these characters yet—at least I hope she’s not, because I would love to read more!