Overall this was a cute marriage of connivence story. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it in the beginning but it was a pretty quick read overall. I love a fake dating/marriage of connivence trope and I think this one checks the boxes if you’re a fan of those as well. Finley’s family was a bit of a bummer though. They were unsupportive and judgmental and constantly guilt tripping her. While I didn’t end up obsessed with the main characters love story, I have no regrets for reading this book.

Finchley needs access to her uptight boss' private estate art collection to get the PhD advisor she really wants. Her boss, Lord Hayden Stuart, heir to an earldom, really, really needs a wife as soon as possible so he can inherit said earldom. Can a contract marriage get them both what they want, or will it end in disaster?

Contract marriages are one of my most favourite tropes. There is just something about throwing two people who would not normally talk to each other into close proximity and watching the banter and sparks fly. This novel was very cute, sweet, romantic, lovely, and just the perfect amount of romantic fluff one needs to enjoy a good romance. Finchley and Hayden have an undeniable spark and chemistry, and watching them come together was a real pleasure. The third act conflict, before a very satisfying conclusion and climax, was really believable and an honest one for the circumstances they started with. The side characters and friends also add to helping flesh out the story. I do have some thoughts about how things with the earldom were resolved, but those would be too spoilery. All in all, a very satisfying and enjoyable read. It would definitely be a worthwhile purchase and addition to any romance library collection. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo Group for this free eARC in exchange for this voluntary and honest review.

Finley is a southern girl living in London and Hayden is a posh British earl to be. He’s also Finley’s boss.

When Finley is applying for a PhD in art history her mentor will only take her on if she can get them access to a rare art collection that just happens to be on Finley’s boss family estate.

Hayden is about to inherit his family estate after his father dies. There just one small problem, he needs to have a wife in order to inherit the estate. And Hayden is not the marrying kind.

Hayden and Finley decided to help each other get what they want. Starting with a real wedding that is actually fake in Portugal. But can they both get what they want without getting their hearts broken?


I really enjoyed this one. I think the plot is allowed to build up and take its time which makes you as a reader able to get invested in the story. I did not care to much about the site “gossip guy” for me it felt a little to far off from how the media works today. But other than that I really enjoyed Finley and Hayden’s love story.

This one is about how opposites can attract and how to people who might seem wrong together in the outside is just the perfect match.

If you like the fake dating trope and a grump and sunshine story, this one’s for you.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy to review.

I absolutely adored this book! I've never read a book by Summers so this was a great introduction to her writing! I was so invested in this book that I stayed up way too late reading it and forgot to take any notes so I'll have to write from memory.

First, this book is written in dual pov. Sometimes, dual pov can be tricky because it can feel like the characters aren't very distinct in their thoughts; however, I'm happy to report, that was not the case with this book. Both Hayden and Finley were distinctly different and so even without the titles at the beginning of each chapter declaring who's pov we would be getting, it would have been easy to tell.

Secondly, I loved the writing! I think that was a given when I gushed over the dual pov, but I'll say it again. The writing was really well done! The settings were fleshed out well, the dialogue wasn't clunky or eye-rollingly cheesy, and the characters were well done. It was even quite humorous!

Good story. Good flow. Good pacing. I was intrigued by the story (contemporary fake dating trope with a regency feel and also they're sorta enemies) and was so happy with how things were paced out. Each character developed at a great pace that felt real and true to the character. As well, they grew as a couple.

All around, I loved this book! I can't wait to read more of Summers's amazing writing!

Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the advance copy of Even Better than the Real Thing by Melanie Summers.

I am always torn between what my favorite romance troupe is. I really enjoy enemies to lovers, but I also love a good fake relationship. If the book has both then it automatically is going to be a winner in my eyes. Even Better than the Real Thing had all those things and was such a fun read.

Even Better Than the Real Thing was a quick romantic comedy set in England but with a Southerner thrown in the mix. It was fun and showed a lot of growth between both characters.

Finley Green is a smart student trying to get her Ph.D. when she realizes she needs help none other than her closed off boss, Hayden. I loved Finley’s character. She had funny phrases and a distinct personality. I loved her interaction with her friends, parents, and Grandpa. She was a loving character, but she also did put up with Hayden’s crap.
Hayden was a grump in the beginning that sounded like he was a selfish jerk but as you got to know him you learned that he just had a tough exterior and really was a good guy. He and Finley were the complete opposites but perfect for each other.

As I mentioned, I enjoyed the supporting characters and felt like Finley and Hayden’s friends were there to support them.

The manor/castle was the perfect back drop to the story, and I felt transported there.

Overall, this book was a hit. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The characters grew and there were parts that were laugh out loud funny. I have read other books by the author and plan to continue because they are such fun romance books.

"I've never been loved like this before. It's passion, it's tenderness and it's raw power all at the same time, and I'm swept up in it, desperate for more even though he hasn't stopped... This will be a thirst that will never be quenched."

Even Better Than the Real Thing is a charming, laugh-out-loud and heartwarming marriage of convenience romance starring American art history PhD student, Finley and soon-to-be English earl, Hayden. When Finley needs access to his family's art collection and Hayden needs a wife to gain access to his earldom, they strike up an unlikely deal.

Ok, let me list all the things I loved about this book:
- It was SO funny and had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. I particularly loved the interactions between the pair and their respective best friends, but the banter was also top-notch!
- The dual points of view 👏🏻.
- Finley was such a complex character and I loved the juxtaposition between her childhood growing up on a Georgian peanut farm and her current life in the UK pursuing her art history career. I enjoyed the insight into this unknown (to me) world as well.
- Hayden was such a grump, but we all know this is due to his hands-off childhood. You'll just want to give him a hug and then a pat on the back for THAT grand gesture at the end.

Honestly, this book was so fun and funny and I couldn't recommend it more!

Thank you to the Indigo Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I am a TOTAL sucker for marriage of convenience and this book made sure I was begging for the next sentence. There is something about the male lead not believing in love that makes me weak in the knees. Maybe it’s the fact that it is a bit toxic, but I am truly attracted to that. Idk.

This was cute and fun, definitely made me giggle on more than one occasion.

Oh also it is lowkey a slow burn, so if you are a sucker for that, this will be good.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, can’t wait to recommend it to other people

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Hayden Stuart is in line to inherit Earldom from his father. One catch, he has to be married before his father is buried. In walks Finlay who he convinces to marry him under the guise it is real, just to inherit his title. She agrees and is willing to fake it for a few months and walk away with $300,000. Can they be married and keep it a business transaction?

You know how I feel about rom-coms. Sometimes they are just so unrealistic, it is painful to read. However, this one shocked me! It is funny, entertaining and sweet! Read it! #EvenBetterThanTheRealThing #MelanieSummers #IndigoGroup #Apr2022

Finley Green is an ambitious daughter of a Georgia peanut farmer, she's been in London for ten years studying Art History part-time while working full-time (nights) at a private equity firm, Stuart Equity, as a data entry clerk, although that job got a whole lot easier after her friend Chalani automated the process and now the two of them sit around reading/ scrolling social media while the program takes the strain.

Finley wants to be accepted onto a prestigious Professor's PhD programme, being one of the three students accepted would pave the way into her dream job practically anywhere, but she is shocked when the professor says her thesis is boring, the only way to get the coveted spot is to somehow gain access for the professor to her boss, Hayden Stuart's, ancestral home which she believes may contain a painting which would confirm a centuries old scandal.

Hayden Stuart is a disillusioned rich aristocrat. His father only married his mother to get the requisite heir and then disappeared with the first in a succession of new wives four years later. Hayden Hayden has barely seen or spoken to his father since. Now his father has died, Hayden is set to become the next Lord Stuart, but there is a catch, to inherit the title and all the assets he must be married. With his ghastly half-brother and his wife eager to get him disinherited, Hayden must act quickly to find a wife.

Hayden and Finley enter into the classic marriage of convenience, he gets the title and the castle with all its priceless art (which he fully intends to sell off) while she gets the opportunity to devote her time to her PhD, get the prized place on the professor's programme and study all the amazing art at Hayden's ancestral home. What could go wrong?

First a major niggle. If you are going to write about a foreign city please either create fictional restaurants/hotels/suburbs or do some research. There is a heinous sentence quite early on when (and I paraphrase because I can't be bothered to find the quote) Finley gets the tube from her flat in Croydon to her interview in Mayfair opposite The Savoy, one block back from the Thames. Almost everything in that sentence is wrong. There is no tube station in Croydon, The Savoy is not in Mayfair, and The Savoy is on the banks of the Thames. All of these things can be googled, as I did to double-check that I wasn't getting irate unjustifiably. There were other examples of things just being plain wrong.

I was misled by the art historian and private equity aristocrat labels into thinking this was a more mature marriage of convenience romance, whereas this is most definitely in YA/NA territory despite Finley and Hayden's ages. I mean their names alone should have given me a clue. Consequently, I was a bit disappointed which is all on me for expecting something different.

Overall, barring the factual inaccuracies, and the fact that this was not the book I was expecting, I did enjoy the romance, after the initial YA/NA internal posturing monologue (Hayden: there's no such thing as love, all relationships are transactional, that's what my parents taught me and now I'll never be fooled by love; Finley: aw shug, I'm just a Southern gal, bless your heart) they settled down into nice characters - question why do some many YA/NA characters start the books as one thing and end as something completely different? The romance was sweet, if predictable, and the resolution had an unexpected twist.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a great read! I really enjoyed Finley and Hayden, they were so good together. The issues in their lives weren’t resolved quickly and easily which was refreshing! There was a little spice but nothing graphic. I highly recommend and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

Marriage of convenience plus mood broody hero and sunshine heroine is catnip so I really liked this one even if it was fairly predictable how things would play out. I was not a fan of Finley’s family though. They did not seem very supportive and almost every conversation with them felt like they were guilt tripping her for wanting a different life from them. Quick and easy read.

I really enjoyed this book, and found it difficult to even put down! I loved the story and the characters! Highly recommend to lovers of all genres.

Thanks to NetGalley and Indigo Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars for the wonderful Melanie Summers.

Each book I've read from this author manages to male me giddy and all gooey inside. Laughs are always a sure thing and with this book, there were a few.

Finley and Hayden don't have anything in common except their place of work. He's the son of an Earl, Finley's boss and a very cynical englishman. Finley is from Georgia, passionate about art and its history and she's always up for a night with her BFF even if it's a cheap night in.

So when Hayden is forced to find a wife in order to inherit his title and estate and Finley's forced to ask her boss for a favor in order to work on her thesis....well, they start to have more in common than they would've thought.

This book gives you grumpy/sunshine, a sort of arranged marriage deal and some force proximity as well. Go give it a read! You'll eat it up in one sitting.

Hayden needs a wife and quick. Findley needs access to his family’s ages old art for her PhD to progress. They agree to a business partnership marriage with a definite end date. The thing is, they are perfect for each other as Findley and Hayden discover for themselves.
This is an adorable story of burgeoning love, disbelieving relatives, and chemistry off the charts.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! I’m not usually a big fan of the fake marriage trope, but this book was so well done! It’s also great for those grumpy-sunshine trope lovers out there. And except for the fact that his step-family is selfish (luckily, they aren’t in it much) and her family is kind of wishy-washy (lookin’ at you mama!), I really liked the side characters. Best friends for the win! And, as always, I’m a sucker for a HEA.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Indigo Group and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Fun, loving and an exciting story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Loved this book! I was laughing out loud at times, ugly crying at others. All the feels. Super relatable characters. Buying this!!

Thank you #NetGalley for the read!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher - Xpresso Book Tours, and the author - Melanie Summers, to give me access to this ebook!

I don’t usually go to enemies to lovers romance novels, but I’ve read the synopsis, found it interesting and decided to request it. After reading it, I must say I haven’t been reading proper enemies to lovers before, because this book is just *chefs kiss* perfect!

Finley is an art history lover that wants to obtain her PhD in the field. As an advisor, she wants a woman that wants access to the private collection of an earl. That, as a matter of a fact, happens to be Finley’s boss at her part time job - Hayden. And Hayden is in desperate need of a wife to claim his father earldom after his death.

The building up is so well done! We get to know the MCs individually, before they even start interacting with one another, which makes us understand where they come from. I felt the tension was very well constructed! I was hooked on it earlier on - about 14%.

I highly appreciate the chapters that gave us the view of both MCs and the overall construct. The author conjugates humor with more serious issues in a perfect way. I’ve seen it done previously by Emily Henry in Beach Read (another book I gave 5 stars) and I feel not everyone is capable of achieving this balance. Very well done!!

Give he noble English man anytime! I felt Julia Quinn meet Downton Abbey vibes and had such a good time reading it!

Finley, as a female main character, is everything I appreciate in a woman in fiction - she is powerful, she is willing to leave her life (and family) behind to fight for her dreams. She does some growing up, trying to understand her family better - she’s not perfect!

The tiny details just add to my love for the book! They go and get married in Portugal, which felt like a GREAT ideia 😄 I love seeing my country in books (who doesn’t?). I might be extremely bias on this one, but it’s just gorgeous and totally book material! Finley’s grandpa is such a sweet person! I really appreciated him and what he did for Finley.

If you’re in a mood for a funny and fast pace romance: give this one a chance. It will be totally worthy!

This review will also be up on my Goodreads profile and, later on this month, on my Instagram account.

This was a cute marriage of convenience romance. I liked the characters and the premise, but did feel it was a bit slow in places. I haven't read much by this author, and would try more from her after this cute romp.

This is a fast-paced, light hearted read. Finlay is a PhD student desperate for access to an elusive art collection. Hayden is the owner of said art collection and desperate for a wife to ensure his inheritance. Win:Win, right?
This is a forced proximity, marriage of convenience trope. Cute, but nothing too spicy. I've read other Melanie Summers books and they were closed door romances... this is not. Now, I am not opposed to open door romances, at all - but something about this one just felt forced and awkward. I prefer Summers' comfort level in the closed door realm. IMO.

A sweet book that has a HEA, but drags a bit throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.