A prank war between two rival neighbor families... and the fake dating scheme that might actually be more between an aspiring artist and his family's longtime enemies's son. Devin Baez is an aspiring artist and can't wait to spend a relaxing winter break at Lake Andreas. The only downside is that his obnoxious next door neighbors, the Seo-Cookes are also there and they are the undefeated champions of the lake's annual winter games. Devin's family and the Seo-Cookes are long time rivals. Yet when the handsome and perfect Julian Seo-Cooke comes to Devin and asks him to be his fake boyfriend, Devin sees it as an opportunity to get behind enemy lines and prove that the Seo-Cookes are cheating. While Devin and Julian's families are in a prank war.... Devin and Julian themselves begin to spend more time together and actually getting to know one another and potentially falling for each other... yet can their fake relationship last when their families hate each other? This was a cute queer rom com overall and if you enjoy rival fake dating, this is for you. The story feels a bit juvenile at points but it's an easy read and is nice overall.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Joy Revolution for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was adorable and ridiculous and I loved it. The plot was wild and the characters were wild but I couldn’t help laughing and smiling along. Some parts were sad and tugged at my heart. I really liked how much Devin and Maya seemed to miss their mom but were happy for their day and accepted their new stepmom and stepbrother. They seemed to want to include Isabel and Andy and were happy for their dad finding someone that made him happy.

Julian was so cute and sweet I wanted him to be as good as he seemed. When he made the cake for Devin my eyes were watering. So freaking sweet. Them going to the diner and driving all night had me swooning. I’m glad he and Liam broke up cause Liam seemed like such an ass. I would have tossed him if it were me.

The rivalry was super silly and petty and seemed like it was out of a Disney channel movie. I was expecting the most wild pranks between the families. I thought everything kind of got resolved too easily though. A years long rivalry just ended after 1 conversation? Why didn’t they have that conversation before? None of the hurt would have happened! Also I hate breakups that just get resolved after a chapter or 2, but I digress.

This was a cute and heartfelt debut with plenty of silly and awe filled moments that will have you laughing and crying the whole way. Also the cover art is so cute!

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Children's, Joy Revolution and Elle Gonzalez Rose for providing me with an eARC of Caught in a Bad Fauxmance for review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ - Rounded Up - Available 5 December 2023

Oh I loved this book! There was a simple sense of fun throughout this story that had me smiling when I was meant to smile and held me close when things got a bit heavy.

I absolutely loved the balance of Devin as a character! The lovable self-aware petty bastard of an MC is prefect for me 😂. I think that Devin is a really well developed and relatable YA MC that would appeal well into the 'New Adult' genre.

PLUS - I love a Christmas story and was pleasantly surprised with the Holiday setting that I didn't see coming 😄

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. The romance was so cute and fluffy I could not put it down.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this chance to read. I thought it was a cite cheaper by the dozen 2 twist. With the family feud and the banter and the funny moments. I was definitely laughing and rooting for the family's to get along already. But the 2 mains had great chemistry and i love following them through the story. I would read again and purchase. Definitely recommend for anyone who likes the movie or just needs a laugh.

This is such a lovely debut. Its funny, sweet and heartfelt. The romance leans towards the sweet and precious side, very fluffy. But hits all the proper beats of will they, wont they?

I also loved the family dynamics. Im an only child who married into a family with six kids and so the tomfoolery is always way more than i ever expect and this repped that relationship really well.

I cannot wait to see more from this author. I think she has a strong grip on story, humor and heart.

Im really loving Joy Revolution as an imprint. Thank you for the arc.

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

This book was SO CUTE! I binge read it in a day, I couldn't put it down!! I loved Devin and Julian and how their relationship grew -- and their siblings were absolutely hilarious. I think I spent half the book laughing about all their antics, then softening at how adorable Devin and Julian are. This was an amazing debut and I will definitely be recommending this book to all my friends!

Also, 10/10 for that title.

THOUGHTS

This book was exactly what I thought it would be. It's a middle-of-the-road romcom, with the added benefit of being queer. It's tropey and lighthearted and fun, but if you want more than fluff, this one probably isn't for you.


PROS
Shenanigans: This book is absolutely full of shenanigans, and I adore that. These families are rivals, and there's no animosity lost between the fathers. And what this means, practically, for the kids is... prank war! There's a lot of (not-so-devious) scheming in this book, and I like that. The rivalry is intense, and the outlet of all that tension is so fun.

Cooking: There's just something about a romantic lead who can cook. Especially when he's still kind of learning. If having your favorite snacks prepared just for you is part of your love language, this romance just might be right up your alley.

Lighthearted: This book isn't particularly serious, but who wants their holiday romance to be? It's classically tropey, as the title implies, and it's good, lighthearted fun. If you want to escape for a few hours with some lakeside chaos this Yuletide, these families and their not-so-star-crossed lovers make a good getaway book.


CONS
Immature: The whole tone of this book is... rather immature. I kept doubling back to recalculate exactly how old these siblings were meant to be, because they seemed so juvenile. I was just very confused throughout my whole reading. This is a book definitely suitable for the younger end of the YA range, which is good--something that we need more of. But if you're looking for characters who actually act their age, this book isn't for you.

Caricatures: The secondary characters here all felt a little flat. They were playing a role more than actually living and breathing like good characters should. The main characters were only marginally more developed, though I will say that, in contrast to their backdrop characters, the main couple really did feel rounded out. Which isn't exactly a good thing, all things considered.

Specificity: Our lead here knows things that he shouldn't. One of the benefits of first person POV is just how intimate the storytelling can be. It is told from the perspective of a character through that character's very voice. And that means the narrative itself needs to be an absolute mirror of the character. There were several points throughout this book that Devin's voice just didn't ring true. Because he was experiencing things he had never experienced before, but he had the words for new foods, tastes, and products... words he shouldn't have had. Words he shouldn't have known. The author-voice comes through, and that's a major writing problem.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/10
Fans of Sophie Gonzales's Never Ever Getting Back Together will love this quirky queer romance. Those who loved Emma Lord's Tweet Cute will enjoy this tropey, rivals-to-lovers love story.

This felt like a cute modern day take on the Hatfields and McCoys with a little bit of new adult love mixed in for some feels. There were a few predictable twists, but the author still kept the reader guessing in different ways.

I thought that the best character in the book was not Devin, the narrating MC, but rather Julian, one of the sons of the rival family and the other part of the titular fauxmance. Gonzalez Rose kept me guessing until the end whether Julian was just like the rest of his family or if he was living up to who Dev thought he had become.

The blurb of this book doesn't do it justice! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and when done well has resulted in some of my favorite books. The rivalry between the families brought me back to the Cheaper By The Dozen 2 family feud, and I know that’s a very niche thing to say but it made the story so much more enjoyable for me

i want to write a proper review for this to show my love but all my brain can come up with is BROCCOLI (affectionate). i promise that will make sense once you read it, which you totally should, so go preorder CAUGHT IN A BAD FAUXMANCE to get your daily dose of cute queer idiots to lovers!!

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to get my hands on a copy of "Caught in a Bad Fauxmance", and it was an absolute delight! This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with witty banter, unexpected twists and a healthy dose of romance.

From the very first page, I was drawn into the story by the author's engaging writing style. The characters were well-developed and relatable, each with their own quirks and flaws that make them feel like real people. It's impossible not to become emotionally invested in their lives, which a testament to the author's skill in crafting relatable characters.

The fauxmance trope can often feel cliched, but this puts a refreshing spin. on it. The chemistry between the two main characters sizzles with tension, and their banter is both hilarious and heartwarming. The slow-burning romance is beautifully executed, and you'll find yourself rooting for them from the get-go.

One of the standout elements of the book is its humor. The witty one-liners and situational comedy had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. It's not just a romance, it's a comedy of errors that keeps you entertained throughout.

The pacing of the story is spot-on, with just the right amount of drama, romance, and plot twists to keep you turning the pages. I couldn't put it down, and I found myself staying up to see what would happen next.

4.5/5 stars

"Caught in a Bad Fauxmance" by Elle Gonzalez Rose is a delightful debut contemporary rom-com that's as heartwarming as it is hilarious. With a clever premise and a fresh take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, this novel is a fun and engaging read that will have you hooked from the very first page.

The story centers around Devin Baez, an aspiring artist, and Julian Seo-Cooke, the handsome and charismatic member of the rival family. When Devin agrees to fake date Julian as part of a scheme to gather intel and finally gain the upper hand in the long-standing feud between their families, the stage is set for a rollercoaster of emotions and laugh-out-loud moments.

Elle Gonzalez Rose has created endearing protagonists that you can't help but root for, from Devin's artistic ambition to Julian's undeniable charm. Their witty banter and undeniable chemistry leap off the pages, making it easy for readers to become emotionally invested in their faux-to-romance.

As the rivalry between the Baezes and the Seo-Cookes unfolds, you'll find yourself not only laughing at the humorous antics but also touched by the underlying themes of family, forgiveness, and the unexpected nature of love. Elle Gonzalez Rose deftly weaves these elements into the narrative, giving the story depth and heart. Some aspect of the rivalry feel a little immature to an unrealistic degree, but it doesn't detract too much from the reading experience. My bigger issue was with the supporting characters. While Devin and Julian are appealing characters, the rest of the characters are quite simple and flat

Still, "Caught in a Bad Fauxmance" is a heartwarming, feel-good debut that will leave you with a smile on your face.

Cute! Currently cramming for the CPA exams so wasn't able to give this my full attention, but did enjoy this. YA contemporary is my favorite genre, as sometimes you just want a cute, sweet read with relatively little conflict.

I feel like their could be fans of this one, but I'm not 100% confident. For a Romance Novel, the romance felt really forced -- here was very little chemistry there throughout most of it. Dev has every reason to dislike Julian, but I feel like a toxic trope of Romance is that the poor main character has to fall in love with / be saved by the rich love interest, idk it doesn't do anything for me. Also, a lot of the conflict/suspense throughout the book is a family field day competition, which ends up being less than 20 pages at the end of the book. Everything tied up way too quickly and nicely at the end.

This book is really cute and fun! Great "warm Christmas" vibes and really likeable and interesting characters. I had a blast.

This was such an amazing YA romance! The book was just... so well-crafted. The writing was a clear cut above most of the YA I've been reading recently. There were so many beautiful lines and tender moments between the characters. Other times, I found myself squealing and laughing! The world was vivid and fleshed-out, with all of the characters feeling just as real. It truly felt like the author's whole heart was on the page. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anybody.

Maybe because it was a YA book or maybe because I am just getting old and cranky, but this book really didn't do anything for me. Baring an incident with chowder, the book felt predictable and expected. I had a feeling I knew how it was going to end so I really just wanted to keep fast forwarding to the end. I think there was so much more that could have been done with this book.

For fans of Simon James Green’s and Robbie Couch, Caught in a Bad Fauxmance is a witty, sharply written, fast-paced, and sweet YA rom-com!
 
What stood out for me the most when I started reading was the writing. It’s incredibly vivid and energetic and immediately put a smile on my face. Add fake dating, one of my favorite tropes, and this book made me constantly glow on the inside. I chuckled at the altercations the twins had, shook my head at some of the stupid pranks both families pulled off, and swooned when Devin and Julian got closer and closer. The biking scenes were hilarious, and those tres leches cake scenes were so cute! And that broccoli reference …

Of course, I didn’t like the third part break-up (let’s face it, I never like those), but overall Caught in a Bad Fauxmance is warm and funny and light, and therefore a story to read in the garden with the sun on your face, or on the couch wrapped in blankets while dreaming away for a few hours. A wonderful debut