I was really excited to get an ARC from NetGalley when I saw this book. It includes fake dating, reality television, and based around veterinarian medicine.

My main issue with this book was the back and forth between Ian and Amber. One minute they are hot and heavy, then one of them is doubting if it's real or fake. And if just repeats.

Overall I found the book interesting but I wouldn't say it was my favorite style of writing

Unfortunately this book was just not for me for a few reasons. Did not care for the choppy writing of this book, it felt a little difficult and juvenile to follow at the time. I appreciated the concept but ultimately I didn’t like the writing style. Also when Amber says to Wade she’s going to save Mac, promising in the medical field is just a big no. Disappointed but the cover is cute!

Amber is a passionate emergency vet with a specialization in surgery, who is completing her residency while simultaneously starring in reality TV. When her veterinary college rival, Ian, is invited to come on the show as Amber’s love interest, the two must juggle the aspects of “fake dating” while acknowledging their rocky past. Amber is a soft-hearted but down-to-earth FMC who truly loves animals and her career saving them. Not everyone is in the business with a compassionate mindset though, and Amber finds herself navigating the tricky waters of a complicated home life, backstabbing co-workers, and a cut-throat reality TV company that will do anything for five minutes of drama. Ian’s rich and snobby family wants him to settle down with a “nice” (rich) woman, but what happens when his feelings become real, and he wants more than a phony contract with the feisty woman who will do anything to advocate for who she loves?

I loved everything about this book, and yes, the cover was what initially drew me in! The veterinary fact “brain snacks” were fascinating to read about alongside a dynamic romance (and plenty of adorable animals as well). If this book ever becomes a movie or a show, I will binge-watch it into oblivion. Reading it made me realize that we need to cultivate a microgenre of romance where veterinary love stories have their own shelf at the bookstores! I am hoping that the author makes a sequel or some sort of loose follow-up book. It will be amazing if Doc Showmance develops a lineage in the same vein as The Heart Principle and The Kiss Quotient where a series has a common theme, but with each book expressing its own distinct personality.

The point is that I was addicted from start to finish and I can see this being one of the more popular romance reads of 2023. I feel so lucky to have been able to read it before everyone else! Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for a review!

This book was kinda cheesy but if there’s one thing about me it’s that I will eat it up every time. I wanted to be a vet or a zoologist when I was younger so the description of this book really pulled me in and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

It was the kind of book where I woke up and all I wanted to do was read it. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters and the enemies to lovers was done well. I also loved how Amber was written, which was a nice change because a lot of the time when authors write the typical “girl boss who doesn’t take shit from anyone” she ends up being very annoying and really cringy but I didn’t find that with her.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC to read and review.

i chose this book on a whim because i liked the blurb and the cover

i ended up really liking it, the banter between the two characters was good and who doesnt love a veterinarian!

it also had a "found family" vibe which i loved as well as a second chance!!

this is the first zoe forward book i have read but will read more in future for sure.

thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to love this book!!

I had a fun time reading this. I do wish that they had spent more time alone with each other without the cameras though. I also felt like the ending did not match up with what their dreams throughout the book had been. I thought he should work at a zoo and she should finish her residency but whatever.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This was a solid 4-star read, though I will say it was very difficult to get through with the first half of the book, it felt too long…and almost as if there was a word count they had to reach,

I’m glad that I kept pushing because the outcome for the last half of the book was good, it was interesting and kept me wanting to read,

I do feel like there were some unanswered questions with a couple of things by the end of the book like the whole reality show…her brother’s situation, her sister's relationship? What was the point of making that a little side plot if you’re not going to give us the ending to that?

and this took me a few days to read when it usually would take me a few hours to get through a 300 pages book….

I liked the whole enemies to lovers aspect (though it was more bickering then anything, or maybe just pent up sexual tension)

And it was also pretty fun too read about the whole reality tv show situation going down.

Basically our heroine is a veterinarian and also has a reality tv at her job? Or something along those lines, they feel like the show can use some spice if you will,

So In comes our hero, which happens to be the guy she hated and bickered back and forth with a vet school,

This pent of tears of hatred was just a case of miscommunication and a guy being childish and not being able to use his big boy words, if he did use them they wouldn’t have had this “hatred” for each other for like seven years,

Besides the point, the tv producers decided to have them fake date for the show to add a little bit of fun to it, it was fun…I guess?

His family can kiss all our asses! Like damn those people need to be humbled, I loved the way our heroine was quick to defend the animals and people she cares about,

She was quick-witted, smart, funny, and wasn’t afraid to let her opinion show.

Overall this was an okay read…nothing much to remember (that epilogue was adorable though!)

Slight TW (rape, violence), some spoilers.

I really, really wanted to like this book. It had everything I thought I’d like: the enemies to lovers trope, two people forced to be together/be nice to each other, a lot of animals involved. Instead I found myself barely tolerating the book until towards the end where I read a line that completely turned me off.

“‘When he discovered I wouldn’t allow him to rape me, he decided to kill me. Pulled a knife.’”

Amber wouldn’t allow a stalker/intruder rape her? As if anyone in that situation just goes “Ah well yes, you’ve gone though a lot of trouble to break in, I will allow you to rape me now!”

To put a traumatic experience in those kinds of words is disgusting to me. I understand the author’s intent, to further showcase Amber’s fiery attitude, how strong she is. But I thought that choice of words were terrible and completely turned me off the book entirely. Not to mention that one of the next sentences goes “‘Turns out the self-defense I learned growing up in a gang neighborhood came in handy when some motherfucking stalker tried to kill me. Little insight for you: When you have to fight for your life, fight dirty.’” Like really? That’s something someone says to their (fake) boyfriend’s mom?

The whole book felt like it wanted to be a dramatic tv show, with over-the-top evil villains (to include an older vet, the show producer, Ian’s mom…the list goes on and on…). I couldn’t stand the back and forth of the characters, either. One second they were both hot and heavy and kissing, and the next, one of them had doubts and thought “nope, this is fake! This is fake!” Do you know how many times I had to read that everything was fake??

The premise for this book was good. This could’ve been a really good book. But the writing style, the characters, and the awful quotes about rape turned me off and made me skip through the last 1/4 of the book without caring what happened and just wanting it to end.

A reality tv vet show that forces two college enemies into a fake romance? And she’s the grump and he’s the sunshine? SIGN ME UP ✨

I requested this book on a whim because the blurb intrigued me (and because the cover had a dog on it) and boy am I glad that I did! I loved this book and the heroine to pieces. Amber is a no nonsense ER vet and a fan favourite on a reality tv show despite not loving the spotlight. She’s fiercely protective of her clients and her family and she goes above and beyond to take care of her siblings. Enter Dr. Ian Todd, Amber’s enemy from vet school who’s successful wildlife vet show is in jeopardy. Ian’s agent’s scheming leads to him joining Amber’s show and much to her dismay, the pair are forced to fake date on-screen to boost ratings.

Ian is everything that I love in a hero. He’s charming, protective, and he’s been pining for the heroine since vet school… yes it’s BOY FALLS FIRST. Ian and Amber were the perfect opposites attract couple and the forced proximity and pent up pining since college made the slow-burn between them so steamy and angsty. This is a fun, light read that’s perfect for fans of the second chance romance and enemies to lovers tropes.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This book was the classic enemies-to-lovers trope from the very beginning.
Amber and Ian, prior friends turned rivals in Veterinary school, are both the stars of reality TV shows who have their worlds collide when Ian is sent to work at her clinic to boost ratings. And what do you know, a fake turned real romance commences!

The storyline was good, albeit a little too predictable at times. There was a plot hole there (potentially from a round of editing?) where Levi's mother references Amber hitting someone, which had been Levi, then it reverts back. Not sure if I've just missed something in the writing or the story was changed throughout editing.

Ultimately, it's a decent story with a bit of spice that may have bounced back and forth one too many times for me. I did really enjoy the Veterinary clinic setting and the depth that the different family dynamics gave the characters.

Doc Showmance is about faking for the camera, school nemesis and veterinarians.

I particularly liked the girl main character, Amber, because she was unusual. She isn’t soft, she’s a badass, she can kick someone if she thinks it is needed and she would do anything for the safety of her patients.

Ian completely supports every aspect of her and particularly likes her tenacity. He also is a good character but I think he isn’t described in all his faces.

Generally I liked this book, I thought it was cute and easily readable.
There were some parts that didn’t make it feel real and it made me give 3,75⭐️

Forced proximity, fake relationship and enemies-to-lovers? What’s not to love?! This was a fast-paced read with a lot of cute humor, witty banter, and a few steamy scenes, too. I absolutely adored the tension and build-up between Ian and Amber before they realized their feelings for one another and really appreciated that they didn’t let a misunderstanding completely ruin everything. It would have been nice to see more of them existing as a real couple, but we can’t have everything, I suppose. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Zoe Forward for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I can not stress how incredible this book was. This steamy and swoons show-mance had me eager to get to the next page. The drama both on screen and on the page had me cheering as if it was taking place on the screen in front of me. With a huge focus on the importance of family and the relationship between pet and owner I couldn’t put this book down and read every bit of it in a single sitting. 10/10 and would recommend to everyone!

I received an advanced review copy of this book and am offering my honest review voluntarily.

What happens when your college nemesis gets a job at your place of work and a reality TV producer thinks it would be a good idea to manufacture a romance between you?

Amber is an emergency vet, specialising in surgery. She is just one year from residency and is one of the stars of a reality TV programme about the practice. Ian presents a wildlife TV show which seems to necessitate him stripping off his shirt at regular intervals, but when a snafu with the producer's wife gets the show dropped he is blackmailed into coming on board Amber's veterinary show.

Amber and Ian were at veterinary college together, competing at every turn, until Ian humiliated Amber on Valentine's Day and his friends posted the evidence online. She's do absolutely anything to avoid Ian, but her foster-brother owes a loan shark $30,000 and she desperately needs the money.

But while Amber and Ian think they are enemies, the viewing public (and the canny editing of the footage) sees something completely different. But can this be an opposites attract, enemies to lovers, romance?

Zoe Forward is new to me, I liked Amber's feisty spirit and potty mouth. Also I liked that the veterinary scenes weren't all smooching cuddy cats. Ian's douche-y family were deliciously OTT villains and Amber's foster-siblings were each great characters. I liked the way Amber and Ian subverted the producer's plans. However, I did feel that the novel started to tread water about halfway in and could have done with more everyday reality TV activities (rather than the Pretty Woman-esque trip to San Francisco to see Ian's parents at Thanksgiving).

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

Amber is a vet working in the emergency clinic which is also featured on a reality TV series. Ian is a vet with his own wildlife TV show as well as being known as “The sexiest veterinarian alive”. Amber and Ian have a bit of a messy history dating back to college which has festered into some hate so when they’re suddenly thrown together to boost Amber’s ER show’s ratings, including a fake romance, sh*t’s about to hit the fan.

Doc Showmance was a fun and cute romcom with some snarky banter, enemies to lovers, lots of animal antics and a bit of steam. I liked that the characters had some prior history, there was a good amount of build up and tension and I enjoyed all of the side characters/stories. Overall I enjoyed this book and the veterinary aspect because who doesn’t lover some animal stories 🥰. Amber was a great character who didn’t take any crap and the girl loves to eat! So relatable 😁. I would have liked a bit more hate before the love and a bit more sexy times but that’s just me cus I’m a filthy animal!

Cute rom-com. Veterinarian Amber is a reluctant participant in a reality show filmed at the clinic where she is doing her vet's equivalency of a residency. In an effort to boost ratings, the show brings in Dr. Ian Todd, exotic animal vet and the bane of Amber's vet school existence after a particularly embarrassing incident. Amber doesn't want the crazy chemistry she and Ian have, and she doesn't want to engage in the producer's fake-dating plot. But because she is paying off her brother's gambling debt - again - she agrees. And soon fake dating doesn't feel so fake.

I am torn on how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I really liked Amber's brassiness. She is not apologetic about who she is and does well because of it. However, I disliked the grudge she holds against Ian, as well as her kowtowing to her foster siblings. The fake dating plot felt off in terms of the timeline and the separation towards the end could have been avoided through one conversation, which given how open and honest Ian and Amber had been with each other previously, should have happened. I also liked the somewhat unusual setting and the sexy scenes were decent. In the end, I will give it 3 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

I love love loved this book. The back story, the friends to enemies to friends to lovers slow build. The fact that the characters had so much depth to them. All the smaller characters interlocking so well, with their storyline. The fact that you're routing for BOTH of them from the get go. Honestly, if you're looking for a quick, easy, happy, romantic read with some adorable animals thrown in? This is the book for you

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. This book was a double POV, which I didn’t like.
Tropes: hilarious, workplace rivals to lovers, hate to love, fake dating, one sided love, jealous guy . Featuring a Bishy FMC not afraid to dish out what she’s served

Something was off about this book, I’m not sure if it was the characters or the two person perspective that didn’t work. The leads didn’t seem to work together. The foster family storyline was cute but it was hard to have any sympathy for Amber using all of her money to buy her foster brothers debt off. The pushy producer was just smarmy. The sketchy vet at the practice was uncomfortable to read about.

“There’s no amount of money on earth worth being paid to put my lips on yours. God knows where yours have been.”

It was a cute and quick read for me. Since this was an enemies to lovers romance, I expected something more from the book. In the beginning itself, we get to know that the enemies part is one sided that is only from Amber's side while Ian on the other hand, likes her secretly which kind of ruined the fun for me. The fake dating aspect also wasn't perfectly executed in my opinion. But I liked the fact that Ian & Amber talked things out and did not let a misunderstanding ruin what was going on between them. Both the main characters were mature and understood each other's problems, which was a puls point. But the confession between them took place when I reached more than 90% of the book and I just wanted to see them more as a real couple but the book reached its end. It would have been more good if this parts was moved somewhere towards the middle tbh. But overall, I liked the plot and the characters. The setting of a shoot taking place at a veterinary clinic was new and refreshing.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review