Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

Good stuff first. I really loved Harper’s character. She was strong willed and just a go getter. I love how she brought Luke out of the dark…finally. I love how she made things right with Joni and how caring of a person she was.

Stuff I didn’t like. Luke made me mad about 80 percent of the time. He didn’t deserve Harper. He was immature and said stuff that shouldn’t have been said. Harper should’ve just walked away honest after Luke told her he could never love her. I get that Luke had important people take away from him and past trauma but that’s no excuse. I don’t like the picture of “love” that this book showed for them.

I’m glad that they both had a happy ending and Luke finally got over himself but idk this book just rubbed me the wrong way when it came to Luke’s character. I liked all the other characters though. It was a good book to read but I wouldn’t say I’d ever read it again solely based on the poor excuse of “love” that Luke showed Harper. Verbal abuse just isn’t something that should be promoted to me and Harper stayed with him after all the terrible things he said to her. I understand forgiving but Harper was great and deserved better in my opinion.

3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Score & Sourcebooks Bloom Books for an arc of Finally Mine in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

I’ve just really gotten into Lucy Score recently and was super happy to receive “arcs” of the first two novels in her Benevolence Series. I say “arc” because this is a book that originally came out in 2015, but it’s getting new covers to re-release this summer and that is what I received advanced copies of.

Not a new trope, but then again, this originally came out in 2015, so maybe Lucy originated it! It’s the trope of the fake girlfriend/boyfriend who actually do fall for each other. I don’t even care that I’ve seen it and read it 100 times before, I love this plotline and will read it every single time.

This story follows Luke who is home from the National Guard awaiting to be deployed again. Then he meets Harper who is just so perfect and beautiful that he thinks it’d be a great idea to have her be his fake girlfriend to keep his friends and family off his back until he gets deployed. Harper was in the process of leaving to start a new life, but now that she’s met Luke, she’s thinking she wants to stay and settle down. One night of debauchery turns this fake relationship into something more, but neither want to share the secrets of their pasts.

This wasn’t just your regular, ditzy romance. Yes, Luke was delicious and yes, Harper was amazing, but this book also hit on a deeper level that just those surface feelings and actions between the characters.

I really loved this story – every single thing about it – the characters, the plot, the writing style, the pacing, the angst, the feelings, the humor, the wit – EVERYTHING!!

4.5/5 Stars (rounded up to 5) – Highly recommend!

2⭐️ because the writing was at least good.

I’m in love with the Knockemout series by Lucy Score so I was really excited to read some of her backlog. The writing itself was still great and I could pick out a lot of elements that are also in Things We Never Got Over, but Pretend You’re Mine lacked the charm that the former book has.

Our love interest Luke had a previous wife who unfortunately died in a car accident that Luke blames himself for. Obviously someone is going to have trauma from that but the way he treated Harper because of that trauma disgusted me. The red flags were jumping off the page. It was giving Tolerate It by Taylor Swift. This woman was doing EVERYTHING for him when it came to the home that they shared AND for his business!! But he continued to treat her like crap & then this man said some of the most hurtful things to her. AND SHE DID NOT STAND UP FOR HERSELF. Luke quite frankly is trash and it would have been a better ending if she moved on from him and found someone who would never even think of treating her that way.

3.5 stars

Pretend You’re Mine by Lucy Score was a cute little romance read, perfect for the reader looking for a bit of fluff that’s an easy read with lots of sexual tension.

I enjoyed the pairing of Luke and Harper as it gave me a bit of grumpy/sunshine vibes with Luke being the standoffish, no attachments, no feelings dude, and Harper being the bright optimistic, bubbly person she is despite her tough background. They were both a highlight and a frustration of the book because there was far too much back and forth on Luke’s part for my liking and his reasoning just seemed so dumb for the most part which made me just want to hit him upside the head. However, when they were together it was great, it was adorable and pure and steamy.

My attention with this read did ebb and flow a bit. I started it and wasn’t sure if I was going to get into it, then I was really flying through it, but eventually I would lose a bit of interest again, and back and forth. For this reason I kind of wonder if it was perhaps a bit longer than it needed to be, because it did feel like a super long book at times, and I think I would have liked it more if it was a quick and simple read like I seem to have grown to expect from fluffier books. Now there was also quite a bit of suspense and tension (and not just the sexual kind) throughout the last bit of the book, but again, it felt a bit prolonged and perhaps a bit repetitive in the events that happened. And also, maybe this is just me, but it felt like the events of the last bit of the book kind of came out of nowhere all of a sudden. It wasn’t something hinted at throughout the entire book, and there wasn’t a whole lot that pointed toward it even becoming a whole thing by the end which left me feeling like it was a bit unnecessary when it did happen.

With all of that said, I did enjoy this book for the most part, and as I said, there were moments I flew through it. I thought it was a cute little contemporary romance and nice for a palate cleanser from other genres. I know I will keep reading more from this author, hands down.

Pretend You're Mine
(Benevolence Book 1)
by Lucy Score
Pub Date 09 May 2023
SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Bloom Books
General Fiction (Adult) | Romance
Rating 5/5

Pretend You're Mine's beautiful revised cover delighted me when I received it from NetGalley. This is the first of three books in the Benevolence series. I am a huge Lucy Score fan and true to form this story is endearing, captivating, and passionate. I was rooting for all the charming characters in the small-town romance.

Luke and Harper's pretend relationship was adorable. Harper's compassionate outlook beautifully complemented her strength and determination to improve her life. Even though Luke seemed a bit grumpy at times, I enjoyed the banter between the duo. Drama, sweetness, and heat abound in this story. The fact that Lucy Score often incorporates rescue pets into her plots is one of my many favorite things about her books.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for sharing this stunning novel with me. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.

As always Lucy Score delivers!! I’ll admit I was a little put off at first by the Army angle because that’s not my typical genre but Luke is such a great character that I got over it. The love story between Luke and Harper is also really well developed which kept me engaged.

I think I would have preferred there be a trigger warning at the beginning for some of the scenes. Not that it would have put me off from reading it but I was a little unprepared for certain scenes.

Still, 4 star read. Lucy Score couldn’t write a bad book if she tried.

This was such a real story. I really liked how deep and dark both of the main character’s backstories were and how the whole book touched on different types of struggles, from domestic abuse to loss, the foster system, PTSD and deployments to name a few.

I loved Harper’s character. She was fierce, tenacious, tough as heck and so dang loving for someone who had been through hell and back.
She lived her life to the fullest no matter what.

I felt for Luke, even before finding out everything about his past. He was a tough, guarded and extremely sexy soldier who was too scared to let good in to his life and it made watching their relationship blossom that much more enjoyable.

The spicy scenes were HOT! This was my first Lucy Score book and I can totally see what all the hype is about because I’ve now added half a dozen of her books to my TBR list! I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series!

Spoilers below!

The “stay” text had me bawling my eyes out. The fact that he couldn’t say I love you back the countless times she said it to him broke me over and over.

Dearest Ms. Lucy Score,

I would like to inform you that I can never forgive you for the rollercoaster of emotions I just experienced courtesy of Pretend You're Mine. It's not often a book makes me literally cry, but I found myself sobbing halfway through the ARC provided by @netgalley and @read_bloom.

I am not okay. I loved this book way more than I intended to love any contemporary romance. Thank you for such an engaging and memorable experience. I appreciate the raw beauty in this book, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the Benevolence series.

Sincerely,
An appreciative reader

Pretend You're Mine earned solid and VERY willing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucy Score does not disappoint! This book was absolute perfection.

I adored the small town feel and the second chance romance. I think the characters just grabbed my attention in a completely unique way.

My heart broke for the MMC and the loss he experienced and how he was so closed off because of it.

The FMC is just pure sunshine and I loved every second of her character.

The couple was just sweet and you could tell that they have perfect chemistry. Loved this book so much!

I was excited to receive this from NetGalley as an ARC for a new cover release. I have read many Lucy Score books and this one stays true to her writing style.
Multiple character and couples to quickly get to know and fall in love with. I will say, again in Score fashion, this is a long read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the benevolence series!!!!

Pretend You're Mine By Lucy Score is an amazing read! The first in a series that totally makes you want to learn more about the rest of the family and friends!
Harper and Luke meet totally by accident. Harper is a good, kind, sweet, hardworking lady that you will want to have as a friend. Luke is the emotionally wounded hot guy that you just want to make things better in his world. They meet in the weirdest way but in Harper's world it seems to totally fit. Soon though you wonder if Luke will be able to overcome his personal challenges and heartbreak enough to let Harper in.
Read Pretend You're Mine by Lucy Score and find out for yourself! Happy Reading Everyone!

This is my first Lucy Score book and wow! Naughty, naughty, naughty!
If you like steamy, you’ll love this one.
Along with the steam, was a very good story line that pulled me in. I love Harper and her tough as nails personality. Looking forward to book two.
Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an entertaining, emotional roller coaster read. It is a grumpy/sunshine read, but truthfully, it is more than that.

Harper has a lot to be unhappy about. No job, no home, running from her past. Still, she chooses to pursue happiness, and hope for better. I found it easy to connect with her.

Luke has a backstory filled with great loss and pain, and, because of it, he chooses to harden his heart. Again, easy to understand the way he keeps people at arms length. Just so sad.

I sincerely appreciate how this author wrote the military aspects of this story, and the struggles in deployment and military service. The family and friends components are wonderful and very endearing.

While this book was first released years ago, I didn't read it then. I had no idea what I was missing!
When I saw the opportunity to grab this ARC, I did, and I could not stop reading! I love the banter and steamy chemistry between these two characters.
It's just so good... it gives all the emotions:
the high highs, the dangers and drama, the attraction, sizzle, and the lowest lows!
I really enjoyed it.

I recommend this read and this author. She consistently delivers engaging and addictive reads that entertain and take me on emotional journey to the character's HEA. It is my recommendation to read this series in order to have the best reading experience. I thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks for my free ARC and I voluntarily leave my review.

I just adore Lucy Score. Im so excited for this series to be getting new covers and I have loved jumping into this world. Harper and Luke were so fun to read. I will say Lucys books are long but they are worth it!

Loved the cover and the title! The story was really cute and I enjoyed the characters and their development.

"Stay"

UGH Lucy Score - killing me with one word!

Harper is one of my favorite heroines. What a strong character!! Harper has been dealt quite the hand and yet approaches every situation with positivity and optimism. Harper looks for ways to help everyone around her and is so selfless and thoughtful. I loved the found family in this story and that we were able to see Harper's relationships develop with some many characters in this book. I can't wait to return to Benevolence to see some of these characters again because the side characters were so good.

Luke, I struggled with. He obviously was grieving a huge loss and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. I had a lot of grace for him throughout the story (and so did Harper!!) but I feel that he needed to grovel more at the end. While he did make a grand gesture to apologize, considering everything he had said/done to Harper, she deserved even more from him.

Overall, I love Lucy and I love this small town romance. I can't wait to read Aldo and Gloria's story next!

LOVE LOVE LOVE !!!

Lucy Score is the QUEEN of spice and romance. I devoured this book. I couldn't put it down. i fell in love with Harper and Luke's characters, i love how their relationship came to be and how she brought him out of a deep dark hole. Incase you have triggers there is talk about loss, both spouse and child,. This book was beautifully written in every possible way. thank you so much net galley for allowing me to read this one !

I have yet to be disappointed by a Lucy Score book! This was a fast entertaining read that I found myself unable to put down. I loved both of the main characters and found all the side characters just as enjoyable. I loved the small town in Maryland where the store took place and I am looking forward to reading the other stories that take place there. I want to thank NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ugh, I love Lucy Score and thought I had read all of her books. I don't know how I missed this one when it was originally released. She writes the best small town romances that always have a bit of angst and a lot of heat. Harper and Luke were the perfect match for each other, even if Harper was an accident waiting to happen and it took Luke awhile to admit- it but his major touch her and you die vibes said otherwise. Both suffered terrible losses in their young(er) lives and how they chose to navigate their present varied so greatly. I think Luke could definitely benefit from some therapy (understandably) and this story was a bit long, but I'm so glad I read the re-release. I was not disappointed

Not my heart absolutely shattering into a million pieces at only 45% through!!!!! What a cute book.😭 This series is getting a makeover, but I hadn’t ever heard of it before so I figured I’d give it a try when I saw it on NetGalley. I didn’t know what to expect going into this one and wow, was I surprised by what I found. The characters are not without flaws, but it’s a dang good read if you can look past that.

Where to even begin? Told in third person POV alternating between our main characters, this book follows the spunky character of Harper and her journey to the cozy small town of Benevolence. We start right in the middle of the action with Harper jumping to the rescue of a battered women. She hops right onto the back of an abusive jerk, and ended up getting knocked out in her efforts to save the women. Imagine her surprise when she wakes up and locks eyes with the hottest man she’s ever scene.

Luke is stunned by the wild girl he’s just met. She’s obviously a handful and jumps into danger headfirst. After seeing her get hit by the brute Glenn, he jumps in to rescue both girls from further damage. After a bit of questioning he finds out her car is out of gas, she’s stranded, homeless, has no wallet or phone, and is quite possibly the hottest mess he’s ever met. But something about her draws him in.

One things leads to another and after some meddling from Luke’s sister, Harper ends up staying at Luke’s house where he’s severely lacking in extra furniture. For instance, a guest bedroom set so they wouldn’t have a share a bed. But don’t worry, they’re adults and this cozy sleepover is only going to last for a day (<— Are you getting the famous last words vibe??? Because you should be).

But Harper becomes a project that Luke can’t ignore. he helps her out in her time of need and they come to a deal that mutually benefits them both. As you can imagine, the book becomes an emotional roller coaster from here. Complete with more forced proximity, a bit of fake dating, tons of spicy moments, an underlying mystery past for both of our main characters, and a dash of sexy military men. Our main characters vow to only let whatever this is last until it’s time for Luke to deploy to Afghanistan. That is until Harper digs her way into everyone’s heart.

She’s quite possibly the most lovable character I’ve ever encountered. She’s funny, witty, and wacky in the best way. She’s got a habit of picking up strays, and really sees the best in everyone. Luke on the other hand is constantly brooding and needs someone bubbly like Harper to pull him to the light. The biggest struggle is that like oil and vinegar their differing life styles don’t always mix, but there’s something to be said about opposites going well together. These two need to find a way to commingle. Despite all the forces trying to keep them apart.

This book does however come with a lot of trigger warnings. There’s underlying themes of loss of a loved one & loss of a child, near death experiences, and multiple abusers. But I will say that amidst the uncomfortable subjects there are plenty of tender moments mixed in. There’s plenty of found family and amazing friendships to help balance it out. All in all, it’s super cute and I feel like it went by fairly quickly. This was a great introduction to the series and I’m very excited to see what happened in the next books.

Thank you again to NetGalley and BloomBooks for the copy. The new discreet covers are super cute!