This was cute and quick and fun and for sure spicy. I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it. The ideas are there but something is missing and doesn’t click for me here.

Timothy Janovsky’s books have a lot of effort and heart in them. I appreciate the perspectives he’s trying to give voice to and the creativity he is working with. Unfortunately the writing struggles to keep up with his plot. The language choice was a real barrier to what could have been a really phenomenal story

This was a really cute read! Even though it was quick, it was super spicy and a lot happened! I really could do without the third act break up even though emotions got in the way.... But the game show aspect felt new twist!

I wanted to love this so much more than I did, and I'm not sure why it didn't click for me in the same way. Holden was mostly irritating but I understand more about him by the end, Leo was wonderful if too perfect, the tv show casting process was too rushed and perfect for me to buy into. I love Janovsky and will absolutely continue to read his 1900 new books that are coming out this year (does the man sleep???), but I do think this was my personal least favorite of the bunch.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to @harlequinbooks for the review copy!

If you have an emotional support TV show and a love for spicy romcoms, this one is for you!

Holden James has dreamed of winning his favorite game show, Madcap Market, ever since his mom passed away. But when he invites his long time boyfriend to audition with him, he gets dumped instead. With a plan to convince a college friend to join him, he flies to LA alone. There, he meets the stunning Leo Min, part-time hotel concierge. Together, they create a plan to audition for the show and pretend to date.

This was a lighthearted, quick read for me, and I really enjoyed the competition setting. I’ve read some reality TV romances that really draw out the show, which can slow down the plot. Madcap Market was a quick one day competition, and I loved how compact it was.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I wished there had been a little more “fake” to their relationship. I always love those scenes where the couple is forced to act coupley together “for the lie,” while denying their feelings. Holden and leo had already kind of hooked up, and were planning to continue to hook up, so it didn’t really feel like they were faking anything. But if you don’t normally like how awkward those “caught in a lie” scenes can be - you’ll love this.

Overall, there was excellent chemistry between the lovers, and I really enjoyed this one!

🎧 This was excellent on audio! All of the characters were really brought to life with Sanderlin’s performance.

Well this caught me by surprise. Having read the author's previous books, I was not expecting this to be as steamy as it was. I'm never a complainer when it comes to smut; I love it when there isn't any, when there is one scene, or when there are plenty, but in this case it was a tiny bit weird because I couldn't really feel the chemistry right away and the MC made some questionable decisions in the sex department that had me frowning and laughing a bit. It's not the first time reading about this so I guess cucumbers do really live a wild double life. The book is lighthearted and fun, but the cover is a bit misleading because the tv show part is fairly short than what I was expecting.

This was such a fun and light-hearted read! I did feel like the gameshow didn't play as large a part in novel as I expected it o.
The pacing felt clunky at time and some of the plot seemed to be all over the place, but overall I enjoyed my time with it.

I think Janovsky is truly making his name a staple in the MM romance scene! Love getting the opportunity to read queer romances written by queer authors! While this one wasn't my favorite, I'm excited to continue reading his upcoming works!

“𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.”

Timothy Janovsky has become a must-read author for me; I know I can always count on his writing to be a ton of fun, with humour, and sweet romance.

The opening character finds protagonist Holden being broken up with in a restaurant; it feels very comedic with a dash of a tribute to Legally Blonde when Warner breaks up with Elle. Janovsky creates the most loveable main characters that you can’t help but root for; Holden might be a bit neurotic and lost, but he is also delightful and caring; Leo is kind and compassionate, offering the support that Holden needs in a friend (and fake boyfriend). I always love a fake dating trope - it leads to a lot of funny moments, but what I liked most about this one is Holden and Leo actually like each other from the start; they aren’t enemies, more-so strangers with an instant connection that they are trying to embrace for the Madcap Market auditions. This book is Janovsky’s first foray into more adult-type romance, with much more steam than his other three, including sexting, praise and dominance. To me, it wasn’t excessive; I felt each scene pushed the narrative that Holden is trying to rediscover himself after said breakup and continuing grief over the death of his mom by shucking what has been holding him back. The side characters add some drama (looking at you Buckley) and some warmth (Leo’s Mom, Holden’s Dad). Although I wanted a bit more relating to the reality tv show aspect (it ends up being a small part of the story), there was so much to love here that I absolutely adored Holden and Leo’s story from beginning to end.

The (Fake) Dating Game is a story of grief, finding joy, comfort, and being present. It is a fun escapist read, perfect if you love spicy romance (especially gay romance) with a nod to reality tv shows. Thank you to Harlequin & Afterglow Books for the ARC!

- Alright Holden sounds kind of annoying but Buckley also sucks
- I still don’t understand what Madcap Market is? Like the concept eludes me
- Leo’s introduction is pretty fun
- Love the T Swizzle references, especially ATW (TV) (10 minute version)
- Is it really a rom com if you don’t mention Taylor Swift?
- Weaponizing your forearms is mean, Leo
- Especially in Monopoly
- I will never understand people who say “oh your grief is unhealthy after all this time” my guy this person lost a loved one????? Grief is a lifelong process you asswipe
- Well that escalated rather quickly
- Can someone please teach Leo that there are appropriate times for joking & it’s generally not while taking clothes off with a near-stranger
- Add “it’s weird to name your own dick” to that teaching list
- Aaaaaand we’re scheming to get 100K
- I still don’t get how this game works
- One of my favourite things about the fake dating trope is that everyone thinks that it’s a perfectly normal solution to a problem
- I want to live in a world like that
- Holden if you’re going to fake date some guy for a reality show then you absolutely need to unpack your trauma for that my dude
- There we go
- “I’m an ace at playing pretend” sure Leo. Famous last words.
- Again, I would like to know what the fuck happens on Madcap Market
- I sort of get Price is Right vibes?
- Somehow, the use of the word “penis” during sex scenes gives me the ick
- Which is ridiculous
- Leo’s mom sounds adorable
- Cooking together is one of those things that sounds like a great couple activity in theory but is in fact terrible in practice
- Ahh but Holden you definitely can build a life in a week do you know nothing about romcoms
- I’m not usually of this opinion, but I think this book would be good as a dual POV
- I’d love to know what’s going on in Leo’s head
- Also it’s so clear that these two are obsessed with each other
- I love when authors introduce characters & specify that they’re white. It’s a nice reminder that white shouldn’t be the default assumption
- Oh Leo you are done for
- Not loving the phrase “shooting ropes”
- Lying in general is scummy but lying about being in an open marriage feels extra scummy
- Well at least they’ve both admitted that this fake dating could be the start of something real
- That’s a lot farther than most people usually get
- They’re going to talk about trying to real date!! Instead of the usual “there’s no way he likes me back & it’s all in my head” garbage
- We love communication 👏🏻👏🏻
- Fuck off Buckley
- Buckley can extra fuck off dude you broke up with Holden so what the hell is up your ass
- Salmon Sliders is a nauseating team name for the record
- Yay team eggplant!
- Holden I will fucking kill you if you leave Leo for the love of god you’re allowed to grieve the death of your mom why are you doing this
- “I won’t hurt Leo” *proceeds to leave without saying goodbye like an utter tool*
- The figurines oh my god 😩😩
- Buckley didn’t deserve what Holden did for him but I’m glad that Holden found a path to grieving in a healthier way
- A scavenger hunt!!
- The last 10 pages almost made up for that third act breakup. Almost.
-

Big thanks for Netgalley and publisher for this advanced copy.


Timothy Javonsky has became one of the most productiv m/m romance writer. And I see how improving the writing style. And this book is so fun! with such a great trope : Fake Dating

I liked tghe two main characters quite a lot and loved tghe surrounding characters of friend and family.

This was a hard one to get into for me.

The plot wasn’t strong and I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters.

Sweet and spicy, THE FAKE DATING GAME is a super fun read for fans of classic gameshow television! Holden and Leo have great chemistry, and the backstory about Holden's love of the show is really moving. I LOVE a fake dating premise, but it's too often done in a really contrived way that makes it hard to root for. But this one really works and reminds me why it's such a fun trope!

Until 70%, this was a 3.5 star reading experience that I would have rounded up to 4 stars but there was so much about the last section of the book that just did not work for me that this is more of a 3.5 stars rounded down.

What I liked:
• Like Janovsky's other books, this book had a screenplay feel to it, which is particularly fun in audio (and works better when I can speed it up)
• I liked that, until the third-act conflict, the two love interests communicated with each other really well and I really did like their connection and banter
• The main POV character is managing a lot of grief, and until that 70% mark, I thought it was handled with a lot of thought, care and depth (particularly for a romcom format). In the last part of the book there was certainly still a lot of care but there were some things that didn't sit right with me.

What didn't work for me:
• This is the spiciest of Janovsky's books and while that is totally fine, I found those scenes lacked in emotional connection, making them a feel a bit clinical or detached
• This book REALLY leans into the themes and commits to its bits and it got tired for me - a bit too one the nose and unsubtle
• Almost everything from the 70-90% mark annoyed me - it required more suspension of disbelief than I could muster and some things felt like they came out of left field or contradicted things from earlier in the book.

Overall this book was fine, and I was happy to read it, because I'm a completionist and have generally enjoyed all of the author's books so far. This one just didn't work as well for me as the last two.

Cute and fun, very steamy. Loved the characters. Loved the game show premise. Loved the diverse characters, and loved the character growth.

Timothy is simply the best at writing fun, spicy rom-coms, and this book is no exception! The read is slightly shorter, but this works so well with Timothy's writing, allowing you to binge read this fun (yet heartfelt) story in one or two sittings! Can't wait to read his next book!

Holden James was ready to jet off to Los Angeles with his boyfriend to audition for his favorite game show, Madcap Market. But when he is unceremoniously dumped, Holden takes the nonrefundable trip himself—and has a bit of a meltdown in his hotel room that leads to the smart-ass (and sexy) concierge arriving at his door with a pizza, Monopoly, and a distraction.

Holden doesn’t know much about Leo Min, but he does know their chemistry is off the charts—maybe even enough to fool the show’s casting directors that they’re a real couple. The pair just have to work hard to crush the competition, make sure they’ve got their stories straight, and then they’ll win—solving all of Holden’s problems.

I never thought I’d be invested in a game show that is some kind of mix between The Price is Right and Jeopardy, but Holden James really knows how to sell it! It was a bit hard to understand Holden’s obsession with the game show and why it seemed like it would make everything better at first, but Janovsky creates a rich history and emotional connection between Holden and Madcap Market that makes you wish it was a real game show that you could watch (or be a part of). It’s easy to relate to Holden’s ex-boyfriend and only scratch the surface of Holden’s connection to the game, but as the story progresses, the layers continue to be peeled away, leaving you wanting to wrap him up in a hug.

The back and forth between Holden and Leo is electric from the start, even when Holden kind of hates Leo. The story is told strictly from Holden’s POV and even though he seems to dislike Leo at first, it’s clear that there is something there right from the get-go. While it can be argued that Leo is only lovable because the reader is seeing him through Holden’s eyes, I think Janovsky finds a way to sneak in pieces of Leo that even Holden doesn’t understand at first and that allows the reader to truly fall for him as a character independent of Holden’s influence. Also, we absolutely stan a man who understands that drunken consent is not true consent!

What I thought would be a lighthearted and fun read was…well, it was that, but it was also so much deeper. The death of Holden's mother weighs heavy on him throughout and his relationship with his grief is a prominent part of the story. Following along in Holden's grieving process allows the reader to understand how truly non-linear the grieving and healing process is. It really struck a chord with me and allowed me to feel a little better about the way in which my emotions change when confronting my own grief and loss. Janovsky managed to pack a lot into a little package and found a way to really balance the comedy with the tougher topics.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

Reality TV RomCom set on shows about food IS my jam, but this book didn’t wow me like I hoped. The MC Holden is a sad boy on a Hollywood adventure to be on his moms favorite grocery store game show, but he needs a partner ASAP! Enter Leo, the recently-fired hotel concierge who is hot, sweet, and wants the prize money to start his life or whatever. Cuties, both of them, and I appreciated the food jokes that just kept coming, but what I did not appreciate is what happened to that cucumber! Which is to say, the main reason I didn’t adore this book is that it was a lil more spicy than I prefer. There was a good balance of spice and plot though, and the third act breakup was, dare I say, totally reasonable! For those looking for a steamy rom com LA fake dating for the cameras journey, this one is for you!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Harlequin, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!

This was a perfect intersection between my two favorite tropes: fake relationship and reality TV settings. Very steamy and witty!