Member Reviews

I read this book after a suggestion to buy Lucy Score's books. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read the rest of the series. And yes I am purchasing these books for the Library. There were surprises in the story line and the whole story kept me reading.

Was this review helpful?

I loved Harper & Luke. It had been a while sense I had read this and I love the new cover. I love the town of Benevolence and Harper is my all time favorite. I love her beautiful sunshine personality that just shines through any situation. I love how she just kinda goes with the flow on everything, breaking up with cheating boyfriend, check, getting knocked out saving someone from a crazy boyfriend, Check, moving in with a hot single men so she has a place to stay and then becoming his "fake" girlfriend, check. I love how she collects friends and family even if she didn't realize it sometime.

Luke was just a broken soul and I kinda of love that Harper just bulldozes him into everything. I love how he was so in love with her and didn't know it. (Boys are always the last to know). It was interesting reading this a 2nd time knowing what I knew about Luke's previous life and how it was hidden for as long as it was and the reveal. I think I cried a million times more reading it this time knowing what was coming.

This is a fast paced, super amazing love story with fake dating, small town with amazing side characters, little bit of suspense. So good.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books.

Was this review helpful?

I love Lucy Score as an author, but this one just wasn’t her best. I loved the characters; Harper and Luke were both absolute spitfires. Harper came off as a little too perfect and Luke a little too surely, but overall, it balanced out. However, the pacing and flow just wasn’t up to my normal Lucy Score standard. The romance was full of passion, but felt overdone at times. I hate the moniker “baby” so the overuse of that probably didn’t help my overall opinion. The overall plot line went way too fast from the start. The pacing got better in the middle, but then worsened by the end. I am being more nitpicking because I know how great of an author Lucy Score is and wish this was more in line with her writing for other books. Still worth a read and I’m already reading the next book in the series. 3.75⭐️, 3.5🌶

Was this review helpful?

This is fake dating with several twists along the way. Harper and Luke are made for each other, but they each carry a weight from their past. Will they be able to let go of the past to make it to their future?

I do think this book, while being a good read, is not one of my favorites. Harper insinuates herself into Luke’s life - with his agreement - but then keeps barreling through his boundaries without consideration or apology and everyone sides with her when he tries to address it. She’s acts entitled and it’s not her best quality. But she has plenty of better ones, and overall is a good character.

I like the side characters and their stories that we learn along the way, and I like Harper’s dedication to Luke and enhancing his life and happiness on the way. And on the flip side, I enjoy Luke’s immediate dedication to Harper’s safety and well-being. There’s a lot of stumbling blocks in this story but you can tell ultimately these two do have the best intentions at heart. A cute read from Lucy Score.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author and net galley for a free copy of this book. I'm a pretty big fan of Lucy Score books, but I have to stay this was not one of my favorites. It started off a bit rough for me, thankfully the ending had some redeeming qualities. I found the main characters a bit annoying and frustrating, to be honest. But what I always love about Lucy's books are the side characters. I think they are done so well!! I loved the small town feels and all the awesome side characters. I really enjoyed getting to know them as well. To me they were the redeeming quality of the book.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of Lucy Score's Pretend You're Mine. This is my first Lucy Score book and I was excited because I had heard rave reviews. This book was fast paced and kept my attention throughout. It reminded me a bit of Gilmore Girls (without the daughter). It was also heavy and emotional at times. It was a little hard for me to read some of National Guard aspects only because I am familiar with the lifestyle and some of it was fairly unrealistic. However, overall I really enjoyed this one and I am looking forward to the sequel.

Was this review helpful?

Man sometimes I thought maybe this could be a 4⭐ book, but 😬😬 absolutely not. I guess the happy ending helps, but. As much as I loved the Main Characters I also could not stand how immature Luke was, how much Harper was willing to let Luke be the worst. Grief and loss are valid trauma, but it's not a valid excuse to be as horrible as Luke was, especially the intentional hurtful things he did.

Was this review helpful?

I have forever loved Lucy Score’s books. I was so excited to see this on NetGalley, as I’d never even heard of it! I thought the premise sounded so good. But I was fairly disappointed. I love a steamy book as much as the next person, but I found this to be just too much sex and not enough plot.

Was this review helpful?

This book was all over the place with me. There were situations and actions by three main characters I felt were irredeemable and the writing was pretty cheesy at time. But it was also delightfully funny in parts to I’m going to let most of the cheesiness slide on this one.

The story took a different route than most romances and that was a nice change of pace. Mainly, it’s the specific story revolving around the couple’s troubles that really had me. I cant say more without it being a spoiler but trust me when I say it’s enough to make you cry.

Fans of “Things We Never Got Over” will definitely love this one and even those who weren’t huge fans of that (🙋🏻‍♀️) might be like me and like this one more.

Was this review helpful?

This book had ALL the feels.
Luke went through something so heart wrenching and couldn't move on from his past until Harper showed up in his life in the craziest way. She's a strong main character (as is Luke). I loved their story and definitely recommend this series!

Thank you Lucy Score, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, and Netgalley for this ARC

Was this review helpful?

Harper and Lukes story sound alot like another book I read about a year ago. Lots of drama, anuse, and verbal bantering. First Lucy Score book I have read... hope not all her writing is like this.

Was this review helpful?

Harper is on her way from a break up and lost job when she finds herself stuck in the town of Benevolence and staying with Luke, who has some baggage of his own that he doesn’t want to share. Sparks fly but they both promise to keep it temporary since she will be leaving and he will be deploying soon. Things get complicated as feelings get stronger.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a lot spicier that I was expecting, but there were so many other elements in the story that made it worth reading. Luke’s family and friends were so supportive and it was amazing how they immediately took Harper in as one of their own. Luke frustrated me a lot, but he had a lot of inner struggling happening throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I loved some of Lucy Score's other books, but this was not a favorite for me. After doing some research, I discovered this was a re-release and I think her writing style is not quite as developed in this older novel. Small-town romance, which is her go-to trope, but I just wasn't as attached or invested in these characters. I would recommend it if you love Lucy Score and her genre, but overall I found it fell a little flat for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and write an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book destroyed me inside in a good way. All the feels for sure! Pretty sure a few tears escaped the edges of my eyes. Meet Harper (female main character) who bounces of her current situation, drives (in the wrong way), runs out of gas and ends up in the town of Benevolence. Meet Luke who is just hurting inside, unable to love anyone else, and is someone you want to punch in his face for his stupidity in pushing Harper away. This is a must read if you like small town romances, fake dating, military hero/deployment, sharing one bed, and a close circle of good friends.
Book is quite spicy, so make sure you are ready for that (the descriptions could have been a little less descriptive, but its okay).

Was this review helpful?

Lucy Score never misses or fails to delight! This book is chock full of sweet romance, tender feelings, and such a wonderful connection. Harper and Luke captured my whole heart, and I could not adore their heartfelt and captivating romance more.

Lucy always creates such compelling characters that have just the right dramatic flair but also are so empathetically relatable- and I just adored Luke and Harper. Seeing them come together, how they cope with their painful pasts, but each in very different ways. Harper is an easy heroine to love and cheer for. you know her heart is the right medicine for Luke, and you know that if he can work through is "ish" he can give her the HEA she deserves. They aren't on the same page, struggling to open up and align, but when they do it's so beautiful. I loved seeing Luke open his heart- and he turns into that Lucy Score hero that just OWNS you. And gah, I got all verklempt seeing Harper find family and home, find a center- her heart is so big and finds the perfect landing space to let her love shine.

The chemistry as always is delectable, a great balance of heart and heat between them. I just swooned seeing them fall. And Lucy always has such a keen understanding when it comes to setting- creating a rich tapestry of eccentric and scene stealing secondary characters and a lovely town that is the perfect backdrop for this rich and enchanting love story.

Adore this series!

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved this book! So cute! Only complaint is that Goodreads does not have this edition added yet

Was this review helpful?

Harper is a badass woman who stumbles into the town of Benevolence and meets home town hero Luke. Harper and Luke have pasts that are haunting them and have to learn to live together and be strong.

This book was good and great for people who love small time romances. It made me think of It Happened One Summer so if you’re a fan that book definitely check this out.

A spicy read that is released already.

Thank you netgalley and sourcebooks bloom for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

When Harper catches her boyfriend cheating on her she leaves with nothing but the clothes on her back.
When she breaks up a fight and gets knocked out in the process Harper is "forced" to stay in town, and forced into the orbit of the mysterious Luke Garrison.

What is this life.

Right off the bat I had some issues with these characters. 
I get it Luke is supposed to be this safe, hot guy. But it seems a little out there that Harper would not only -
1. sleep at his house. But also,
2. insist on sharing a bed with him.
Seems pretty reckless. 

Even more so at her doctors visit. 
The doctor tells her to get undressed and then says 
-Hey. You cool with Luke, this virtual stranger, being in the room ?? 
And she’s like sure why not. 
Why not? I mean. I could give you a couple reasons. 

Then when Luke asks to see her bruises and she again says 
“Why the hell not”
The he calls her baby as "he trails his fingers over her bruises".
He is a literal stranger at this point...

I cringed and that set off my general feelings toward this book.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book (new cover release) for an honest review.

Harper literally falls into Luke's life, and the told hold he has on how he lives goes out the window. Lots of steam, lots of heart, and maybe a slightly too long conflict. I loved all the other side characters and want to go on to Aldo's book!

Was this review helpful?

Lucy Score knows how to write an addicting book! I can never put them down! While I did have my grips, such as with Luke’s overall character, I loved Benevolence and all of the characters we got to know. Score shines with her world building.

Was this review helpful?