Absolutely loved this book. Cassie writes engaging characters that are so relatable and explores issues close to all modern women. Plus she tells a bloody good yarn!

Three generations of women, each faking how good their lives are, take it in turn to narrate this story. It opens with Ellen at her morning life art session which is interrupted with news of her estranged husband’s death in a sailing accident in Thailand. Their daughter Natasha, a well known TV news reporter, believes her father can do no wrong, is shocked and insists on getting to the bottom of his death. Georgie, Natasha’s daughter, works on a reality ‘find love’ TV show, she doesn’t need to be distracted but she wants to support her mother and grandmother.

The death of David is the catalyst for each woman to face their secrets and stop the fakery that is their daily life. Ellen is struggling financially as David left her with no money, Natasha has an exclusive interview which is triggering bad memories, and Georgie is falling in love with a contestant and resisting with all her might.

The journey to find out the truth behind David’s death brings the women together as the barriers come down and they start to be open and honest with each other. The story covers a variety of issues, and gives the reader a glimpse into the world of reality TV, current affairs and seniors. Something for everyone. There is laughter, shock, anger and empathy, despite it length I could not put it down.

Insightful, engaging, shocking at times and funny at others, The Truth About Faking It has a page-turning plot with three fabulous central characters in Ellen, Natasha and Georgie. Author Cassie Hamer has even borrowed from Jane Austen in this reference to Ellen’s lover Kenneth: “A seventy-two year-old man with his own head of hair, a pulse and penthouse would never be in want of a wife for long.” What more could you want? Thank you so much @HarlequinAus. I loved this story.

“The Truth About Faking It” is a light, fun read with some serious underlying messages. It’s not overly original, but it’s a very enjoyable reading experience, with a nice dash of humor.

Three women of the Trainor family are facing down some major life changes. Ellen is in financial straits since her husband left her and sailed off into the wild blue yonder. Now she’s faced with some major decisions about her emotional life, too.

Her daughter, Natasha, is a successful journalist and news anchor. But television is a brutal industry for women over 40, and Natasha is starting to feel insecure. She needs to take steps to assure her job security. She’s given up a lot for this job, and she’s not going to be left with nothing now.

And youngest of all, Georgie, Natasha’s daughter and Ellen’s grand-daughter, is in crisis in all directions. She works behind the scenes on a reality dating show (which her mother despises) and loves it. Filming is always hectic, and right now she’s trying to go the extra lengths needed to prove herself and win a promotion. So it’s the worst possible time to do the worst possible thing: start falling for a contestant.

Hamer uses these three to look at the sacrifices women make: the choices they often have to make between career and personal life. They’re at three different life stages, have made different choices, and have different regrets and delights. All value family, though, and that will have a big effect on the decisions they make now.

This is Cassie Hamer’s third novel (see below for links to my reviews of the earlier novels), and she continues to grow in confidence and capacity. Characterisation has always been her strength, and it continues to be here. All of the characters are vivid, and most are empathetic. Many women will recognise parts of themselves in one or more of the three central women. Their dilemmas are understandable and ones readers will sympathise with.

The plotting was a weakness in Hamer’s first novel, “After the Party”, as she ventured into an area she didn’t seem able to depict with conviction: crime. Here she again touches on a crime, and again I felt it was the weakest part of the novel. It was predictable, somewhat obvious, and not very convincing.

Luckily it’s a tiny part of the novel, and the rest is strong: interesting, engaging and believable. Sure, I could pick at a few details (who carries paper copies of secret documents when they know they’re going to be around people who cannot be allowed to see them? Why not have them electronically on a password protected device?).

However, most readers simply aren’t going to care. They’re minor, not very important to the overall plot, and don’t impede the story or reading experience at all.

This is a strong domestic and career drama from a writer who’s been getting stronger with each novel. “The Truth About Faking It” doesn’t bring anything very new to the table, but it’s well written and entirely enjoyable. Most readers will enjoy it uncritically, and that’s a perfectly fine thing to do with a novel like this.

This is a hard review for me to write as I wanted to love this book so much.

Having loved Cassie Hamer’s previous book this was one of my anticipated reads for the year, but for reasons that are purely personal to me, I just couldn’t enjoy the story, finding parts of the storyline not my cuppa tea, but that is more about me and not Cassie’s writing, She has written a good domestic drama, it’s witty, it’s smart. It’s a book many will absolutely love.

I have given this book 4 stars, as the issues are purely mine and if I had of read this at another time thing’s probably would have been very different.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this book to read in exchange for my honest review.

This is a great story, I do enjoy a story that makes me laugh and smile and a story about strong women and this one has it all, I loved getting to know the three Trainor woman, grandmother Ellen, daughter Natasha and granddaughter Georgie, the emotions flow on the pages as they come to terms with what is happening in their lives.

Ellen has been married to journalist David for fifty years she is used to him leaving for stories but once retired he goes on a sailing trip to help a long lost brother and when he is killed in Thailand in a boating accident, Ellen is left to sort out her life and that for her is getting on with it Zumba, bridge and a new man, Kenneth who may be a bit boring but he is there not like David.

Natasha is smart and a presenter on a popular current affairs show the public love her but they have a new producer and things are not going as normally as they would and when she is asked to do an interview with a young girl this interview opens up memories that Tashie has had stored deep in a corner of her mind for many years, then with the death of her father and things turning bad at work Tashie’s life is being turned upside down nothing seems to as it should.

Georgie works on reality TV, The Single Guy/Gal and loves her job getting to know the contestants and keeping to herself, is this the right job for Georgie seeing as how she doesn’t believe in love after what has happened to her Mum and Grandmother but something is happening when Georgie gets close to one of the contestants can she deny her feelings or will she go with them.

Learning of David’s death sets these three woman into different thoughts and a determination form Tashie to find out what happened they all have different feelings on how to go forward, one thing that does happen is all three woman find that they have feelings that they have kept from each other and themselves and now is the time to be honest and open.

This is a fabulous story that I would highly recommend, it had me turning the pages, laughing especially with Ellen she is a fabulous woman, I loved her and Tashie, strong but vulnerable in so many ways and Georgie has she found the love she deserves, you must read this one, I do highly recommend it.

My thanks to Harlequin for my copy to read and review

#netgalley #thetruthaboutfakingit
I absolutely love Cassie's writing style and this one doesn't disappoint, it's romance, mystery, drama and humour rolled into one. I had a smile on my face from start to finish and laughed out loud a few times. A great book 4/5 stars

I have long been a fan of Cassie Hamer so this one was a big tick to get as an early read and it certainly did not disappoint. The Truth About Faking It leads you on a discovery of three generations of the Trainor Family, all strong women who perhaps like to have a bit of fun with the truth. Whether it is part of their job description or just to embellish their lives, it makes for some extremely funny moments and gave me plenty of laugh out loud interludes. Also touching on a few serious topics this story was heart-warming and also heart breaking at times, but a very enjoyable way to spend a few hours.
Cassie has a wonderful writing style that flows off the pages and is such a joy to read, The Truth About Faking It has romance, drama, mystery and humour all in one, and while much of the book will have you questioning whether it is indeed a truth or a lie, isn’t that the fun of a good book! A wonderful engaging story and one I can highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for this early reading copy.

“Without that zipper scar, her broken heart could never have been mended.”


Firstly, how great is the title?

If you’re faking it, the truth will come out eventually and it will bite you.

The story revolves around the dynamic generational trio Ellen, Natasha and Georgia.

I gasp, laughed and shook my head in disbelief with some of the things the main characters did for themselves, or for another character.

However the relationship between the three women makes you want that sort of relationship in your own family except maybe the drug busts, paparazzi snaps, and the annoyance each character had for one another. 😆

I love the amount of cover ups or layers throughout the story. Some were fabricated by the characters so some you knew the whole truth while others you only knew part or none of the truth.

This book had a bit of everything, romance, contemporary, mystery, crime and domestic drama perfect for most readers I think.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Aus for the digital copy of The Truth About Faking It by Cassie Hamer.

And congratulations to Cassie on her third book.

Warm, clever and laugh out loud hilarious in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining story! I’m pleased I went in not knowing much about it (only picked it up based on a recommendation) as it completely took me by surprise (which was a good thing!) Absolutely an author to watch. Highly recommended.

The warm, direct and engaging voice of former Journalist Cassie Hamer makes this story pure joy. I’m a believer that fiction can inform culture and I’m a big fan of authors exploring topical, and at times, uncomfortable themes with a side dish of fun. What a great way to spark further conversations, and how else do we manage what life throws at us but with a little laughter? It takes a gifted writer to pull it off as well as Hamer has. The first laugh-out-loud scene is an absolute cracker and out of the three generations of women, Ellen was my fave. Next stop - Netflix series? Thank-you to Netgalley and Harlequin for an Advanced Reader Copy.

⭐The Truth About Faking It by Cassie Hamer ⭐

Three generations of women, each keeping secrets of their own.

Grandmother Ellen is enjoying a secret illegal habit..
Daughter Natasha, the face of television, has held tight to a 30yr secret, but is it time to share?
And granddaughter Georgie is committing the biggest sin in reality television.
All the while, after learning of the grandfather's mysterious death, they are having to band together to find out the truth.

🌿Cassie Hamer has delivered the perfect domestic drama with intriguing characters navigating their complicated relationships. Another great Aussie read I highly recommend!

🌿Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinaus for the chance to read and review an early copy of this book.

🌿Keep a lookout for this one💚
Release date: May 5, 2022