Kenan makes a deal with his best friend, Even. If she will be his fake date and provide him backup as he navigates proving himself worthy, he will help her catch the eye of one of his older half-brothers. As both characters work to prove themselves to their families in their own way, Kenan and Eve may find themselves falling for one another. The story line is a bit of a trope, but it is told in a sweet, engaging way. You also have to love Eve, a strong female lead leading a double life as a beloved teacher by day and a savvy lingerie designer and business owner by night. Just don't tell her mom.

Disclaimer: A copy was provided by the publisher.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review is based on purchased print copy. All opinions are my own.
The Perfect Fake Date has all the elements I love in a romance, like friends to lovers, the man pining for the woman who takes time to notice him, and fake dating to obtain the notice of the man’s brother.
With that setup, I was not disappointed. I love Kenan and Eve together, and I was so happy when she realized she had feelings for Kenan instead of Gavin (although Gavin isn’t a bad guy, necessarily).
I also love how both had family issues to work through. Eve’s relationship with her mother, who didn’t want her to pursue her current line of work, was well done. And there’s a big reveal on Kenan’s side of things that really makes him question everything, but I appreciate the way it was handled within the space allotted, reinforcing the bonds of unconditional love and forgiveness among family.
I really liked this, and would recommend it to anyone who likes category-length contemporary romance.

Best friends cross the line between friends and lovers, upsetting the balance of a life-long friendship in The Perfect Fake Date, Billionaires of Boston #3, written by Naima Simone. This sexy, emotional, insightful dual POV friends-to-lovers romance goes much deeper than two best friends transitioning from friends to lovers, examining the familial bonds that shape and make us who we are and complicate every relationship we form. Setting this novel amongst the interrelationships of three families, Simone brilliantly explores family secrets, the difficulties of being your true self with your parents, and the conflict between living your dreams and respecting the sacrifices they’ve made for you. I love the angsty pangs Simone’s writing elicits with the pining and longing between these two friends trying to find their footing before and after discovering the attraction and chemistry simmering between them is explosive. It’s one of the best parts of friends-to-lovers romances—the pining and angst of feeling/fearing your love is unrequited, then discovering that the attraction, at least, might not be one-sided. Simone gets it exactly right. She captures the moments of being comfortable in your platonic friendship and then suddenly being faced with all the awareness, heat, and attraction that’s been there the whole time and no longer being able to look away or pretend it doesn’t exist. Simone’s vivid description and character development and evolution drew me into the story, keeping me reading all night till sleep made me put it away for the morning. I love how Kenan’s and Eve’s friendship has so much intimacy and emotional depth.

Kenan Rhodes wants to prove himself a worthy family member of Boston's wealthiest, most coldhearted billionaire, knowing it won’t be easy since he’s his secret son. But having Eve Burke, his best friend of 15+ years, at his side helping him will make it easier for him, as her presence brings him comfort when it isn’t driving him crazy with desire, longing, and unrequited love. It’s bad enough she doesn’t return his feelings, but the fact that she loves his older brother by adoption makes it that much worse. However, the time has come for him to accept that she would never see him as anything other than her best friend. He needs to move on. So, he made a deal with Eve to help her get his brother’s romantic attention in exchange for her professional support and help with a business project. Generous, sweet, encouraging, determined, meticulous, and creative, Eve is a teacher who designs lingerie on the side and has dreams for her future vastly different from the life she lives. One is to finally get Kenan’s older brother to notice her as a romantic love interest. The other is to commit herself fully to her lingerie design business. Kenan lives his life hiding his real emotions behind a façade, using different masks with the people in his life. Intelligent, proud, resilient, driven, loyal, honest, and resourceful, He’s burdened by so many emotions—fear, guilt, resentment, fury, shame. A lifetime of coming second to his brother in the eyes of the family who adopted and raised him has left him unable to trust and believe that he could ever be anything but second best to anyone. Can he risk losing the most important person in his life to his brother?

Full of emotion, steamy romance, and secrets, The Perfect Fake Date is an intense, captivating, angsty, and sexy friends-to-lovers romance that wonderfully explores themes of friendship, family, first love, self-worth, and parental approval and abandonment.

The Perfect Fake Date: A best friends to lovers romance by Naima Simone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Naima Simone has been on my to-read list for awhile. When I received an ARC I quickly jumped on the opportunity to read it.
Overall, it was cute. I really like the chemistry between Eve and Kenan.
I loved the friends to lover tope. The friendship between Eve and Kenan was so sweet and beautiful.
I have to say that the overly dramatic sub-story lines were a little too much.
First, there is the main friends to lover storyline. Then the Eve is in love with Kenan's half -brother. Then the father that abandoned these brothers storyline, then the tension between Kenan and his adoptive parents. Then the not accepted into society storyline. Eve has tension with her mother because she doesn't agree with Eve's friendship with Kenan.
It was overly dramatic. But it was still enjoyable because I could understand why Kenan didn't want to ruin his friendship with Eve.

I am a serious Naima Simone stan I do not care what she writes. I will read it. I know she writes for Harlequin (and has written several things) but this didn't really feel like a Harlequin book. Because whoa... it was hot. So hot. Yes, the trope of fake dating is a little contrived but with Kenan and Eve, it didnt feel that way. Billionares want what they want and get what they get.

This is a Friends to Lovers Romance, and this is the third book in the Billionaires of Boston series. I liked the characters, but I did not love them. I also found the romance weird and award. There was some steamy and hot times in this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

Kenan and Eve have been best friends ever since her mom started working for his father, but he has always felt more. Too bad Eve only has eyes for his older brother, Gavin. But then Kenan makes a pact with Eve--if she helps him saves a business, he will help her snag his brother's attention.

Whew! What a steamy friends-to-lovers romance. When you read Naima Simone, you know you will get a scorcher. Kenan and Eve's story was that and more. I also loved her storyline with her mom--that warmed my heart. So many themes that I think will leave a warm place in many readers hearts. I enjoyed this read and as usual, the book cover is simply stunning!

Thank you #Netgalley and #Harlequin for the ARC!

Kenan has been in love with his best friend Eve for 15 years. But Eve has a thing for his brother. He makes a deal with her: if she helps him with a business venture, he'll help her win his brother's heart. Only things don't go as expected. Could Kenan have a chance with Eve at last?

This is a super-steamy romance with complex characters and complicated family relationships. Naima Simone is brilliant as usual, delivering an entertaining and satisfying read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I've had it up to here with billionaire heroes, but I'll always make an exception for Naima Simone and her spectacular heroines! There's a lot going on here -- both protagonists are dealing with significant family issues while also trying to sort out their feelings for each other -- but Simone balances it deftly, with the vivid, emotional prose I've come to expect from her books. Eve is a fabulous character, and I wanted to stand up and cheer for her on multiple occasions. Highly recommended -- this series would be the perfect place to start with Harlequin Desire.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Woah! What an intense love story!

Eve and Kenan have been best friends since childhood, but each believes the other would never entertain a romantic interest. This keeps them at arms length for far too long, and the story of how they finally move past all that is deliciously divine in every sense. Their chemistry is absolutely incendiary, their friendship is rock solid, and their insight into each other is unparalleled, except when ferreting out the other's romantic inclinations.

This author never fails to entertain with her writing, but this one is by far the best of hers I've yet to read. Eve's inner dialogue is stellar, with so many inventive, unique phrases that perfectly conveyed her frustration and heart's confusion. Kenan's growly, dominating manner with her will melt even a nun's resolve, and their intimate scenes together were as hot as I've ever read.

Both Eve and Kenan have issues to resolve with their parents, which are handled with heartbreaking honesty and life-changing secrets coming to light. I'm not sure I'd have forgiven his mother as quickly as he did, though. Still, watching Kenan progress through all the secrets and family ties helped to explain his insecurities and eventually helped him work through them all.

I loved the HEA and the sheer beauty of their no-holds-barred honesty. These two have had a legendary love story decades in the making, and it was a joy to watch it all come together. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.