<b>✰3.5 stars✰ rounded up</b>

This was a fun and light read. There was some clunky language at times, but not enough to take you out of the story.
It’s a single POV and our narrator/main character Holden James is hilarious. He’s witty and clever and truly a lot of fun.

Holden gets the chance to audition for his favorite game show and when he proposes the idea to his boyfriend he gets dumped and rejected. First off, I feel for Holden because he lost his mom and it was their thing together to watch the show and his ex basically says it’s silly and he needs to stop grieving. <I>yikes.</I> I would have been mad too!

But Holden persists. Determined to still audition, he travels to Los Angeles—heartbroken but with a dream. His initial backup plan for a game show partner fall through and that’s where the incredibly attractive hotel concierge comes in. <I>*enter Leo Min.*</I>
Leo needs the money that could be won by winning the show and he agrees to fake date Holden to audition for the show.

This book gives you the fake dating trope with the bonus addition of a clear connection from the beginning. The characters never deny that they are attracted to each other and it’s a wildly fun ride from start to finish.

There are some plot points that seemed unnecessary and the pacing is a little off at times. My biggest qualm was that this was marketed and focused around the game show but that actual part of the story happens really late in the book and actually comes and goes really quickly. The angst in the story feels a little unnatural and some characters within the book act slightly out-of-character from what you’d expect at times. I think it could have just used some fine tuning. That’s where the demotion of stars comes from for me, but aside from that I truly did enjoy it throughout.

<b>It’s a ridiculous and fun story, and I recommend for a funny, light, and enjoyable read. </b>

Everything happens to Holden James at once! His live-in partner breaks up with him just as Holden finally wins a chance to audition for his favourite game show. He enlists the help of hotel ex-employee, Leo who also happens to be very attractive.. Let the fake dating for the audition begin!

Well-written, funny...and still manages to sizzle with attraction. It might be an old trope, but I don't believe I've ever read this one set on a game show before.

Well worth a read and it will be out in time for Valentine's day . Add it to your "want to read" shelf!

This is a delight of a book from start to finish. Told only from Holden's perspective, we get to meet (and fall in love with) Leo at the same pace he does. The premise is cute, the steamy scenes are HOT, and I was delighted to receive an ARC in exchange for this review.

*I received a free netgalley in exchange for a fair review

it's cute, it's sweet, and it's a bit spicy. unlike his boy-meets-boy line, this one has got a little sexy time action going on. and it's fun too. I found the main character likable, even as he became more self-aware of his own emotional-situation. Good, light fun; definitely recommend if you like moderately spicy love stories

MORE cliche gay love stories all the time i want all of them always forever thank you

Holden James picked the worst time to have a meltdown. His chance to audition for his favorite game show, Madcap Market, should have been a moment of triumph—a glorious, loving homage to his adored mom, who died six years ago. Instead, he’s destroying the minibar in a grim Los Angeles hotel room…recently dumped, partnerless and sliding into misery.

But at least the hotel service is sublime. It even comes with an unfairly fit and sexy (smart-ass) concierge who arrives at the door with pizza, Monopoly and deliciously distracting forearms.

All Holden knows about Leo Min is that he’s beautiful and unexpectedly sympathetic, and the chemistry between them is beyond. Maybe it’s even enough to convince everyone, including the show’s casting directors, that they’re a real couple. All they’d have to do is crush the competition, win the huge cash prize and all of Holden’s problems—his broken heart, his buried grief, his complete lack of money and direction—will be fixed.

Of course, reality doesn’t quite work out that way. But love is an entirely different game…

I have a ‘love/like/don’t know how I feel’ relationship with this one. In the beginning, I wasn’t very convinced. It felt forced, trying a little too hard to be relatable but I kept myself in it with the faith that I’d be mistaken. Thankfully, the story did end up redeeming itself enough for me though there were some downsides.

To give praise where praise is due, I did think Holden and Leo were good characters. I actually enjoyed them a lot. They had cute banter, their sex scenes were emotional while also pretty spicy (I’ll never forget the cucumber), and I do think they made a good match. Where I lost it was in how fast everything moves. I don’t know why I expected the game show aspect to last longer than a chapter or two but it all blew past in the blink of an eye. The build up to Holden’s revelations at the end, didn’t feel sincere. Everything with his mom then Buckley and it resolved in the last ten percent. I think it could have served from an additional chapter or two, to solidify Holden’s changes as a person.

That being said, I did still enjoy parts of it. The game show was cute, if not too short and not explored enough, and I think Leo was a cute love interest. I could have done without the villain ex and random side characters who didn’t bring much to the plot but overall, I think it all culminated in a believable ending. Cute and fluffy and steamy. You can’t really go wrong with that combo.


Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The (Fake) Dating Game was a super fun fake dating trope read with two highly enjoyable leads. 

Holden had this plan to appear on his favorite game show, Madcap Market, with his boyfriend, but when his boyfriend ends things, he goes off to California, determined to try to audition anyway. However, the snag is, he needs two people, and the friend he was counting on isn't up for the task. Enter Leo Min, and the two come up with the plan to fake their relationship in order to try for the winnings. 

The way this trope is employed throughout the book was thoroughly enjoyable, while underneath it all is a quiet story of letting go of the past and growing into your best versions of yourself.

Ok LOVE.
I love everything Timothy writes, but what this one really did well for me was represent the way grief impacts how we move through relationships. This was a super fun and romantic story filled with steamy moments and fake dating, game show madness, and a lot of other lovely tropes and elements. For me though, the points about grief made it a favorite.
So beautifully written.

Absolutely ate this shit up. Steamy, cheesey, heartwarming. I think maybe that Buckley is a psychopath because that's insane level behavior and I would have filed a restraining order not whittled for him but thats just me. But I tore through this book. like I was taking bathroom breaks at work to get a chapter in tore through this book. broke my baulders gate hyperfixation to read it in a day tore through it.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC!

Holden James hit rock bottom after a bad breakup. He’s betting everything he has that he can win big Madcap Market, a supermarket sweep type game show. The only problem is, he needs a partner to compete - and his new fake boyfriend Leo Min is fully on board.

The premise was adorable, and I loved the development of Holden and Leo’s relationship. Leo was a sweetheart cinnamon roll, and the way he saw Holden was truly touching.

Unfortunately this lost a star for me due to the end, which went way past believable into bonkers territory and never quite recovered. Still, I enjoyed it overall and was happy to see something steamier from this author. Content warning for past parental loss and grief.

Holden James loves the game show Madcap Market. He and his late mother watched it religiously while he was growing up and he promised her he would someday win the show himself. So when he excitedly asks his live-in boyfriend of 4 years, Buckley, to come on the show with him, he’s shocked when Buckley says no, and then promptly breaks up with him.

Now stuck crashing in his dad’s house in the burbs, Holden decides to fly to LA on a dream and a prayer that he can convince one of Buckley’s friends to go on the show with him. Of course she says no, and Holden ends up drowning his sorrows in his hotel room mini bar. When the cute guy at concierge, Leo, comes to his room to tell him guests are complaining about his wallowing, they end up forming a connection over pizza and monopoly. A plan is hatched for the two to pretend to be a couple and go on Madcap Market together. Because fake dating always works exactly as it should, right?

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting, which is rare for me. I’ve read all of Timothy Janovsky’s books and this one definitely tops the list. And he’s showing us a new side to his writing as he has the spice factor turned all way up 🔥 Although Holden and Leo’s connection could be described as somewhat of an insta-love, don’t be deterred; it felt so organic. This is a sweet and fun romance, but please note that our boy Holden is definitely going through it. I empathized with Holden’s grief and some of the rash decisions he made were so relatable and real. Grief is a central theme throughout this book and my heart broke, but the author did a beautiful job putting it back together.

I found myself smiling so constantly throughout this book. I loved watching Leo help Holden reclaim his self-confidence in all facets of life. I loved when Leo didn’t push Holden and gave him the space he needed to heal. I loved learning about Leo’s Korean culture and meeting Ms. Min. And I loveddd Holden’s character growth and the perfect little epilogue to tie up their story. This is the author’s first book with Harlequin and it hit the ball out of the park for me. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC. Look for The (Fake) Dating Game on 1/23/24 💕

If you are looking for a clean romance, this is *definitely* not that. The two protagonists are having sex like rabbits by the fifth chapter, after they have known each other all of a few minutes. This, of course, is why it is called a “fake” dating game, because supposedly they couldn’t possibly have fallen in love that fast, so it is just sex.
Not that Holden *couldn’t* fall in love, but he is busy trying to get over losing his boyfriend about 48 hours ago, and is looking for someone to replace him on a game show where he needs to be part of a couple. So, why not Leo. They could use the money. So they agree to be fake lovers, with benefits.


Holden doesn’t think anyone could love him. You know the story, so he doens’t think Leo is doing anything more than fake dating him, and having sex just for the fun of it.


If you want a cute fake dating romance with a lot of gay sex, then this book is for you. If you prefer your romances to hold back a little bit, then you should probably steer clear.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 23rd of January 2024.

Great!
Really really enjoyed the book🧡💙


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

TW death of a parent due to cancer (off page)

I’ve fallen a bit behind on ARCs and I was worried starting the wrong one might put me in a slump, but luckily I picked up a 4 star read!🥳
I really appreciated the balance in this book, though it was heavy with grief sometimes it was also very fun and light and steamy. I saw my grief through Holden, our stories are kind of similar. I was so happy to see him finally deal with his grief and start to blossom.
I really like the moments we got with Holden and Leo’s mom, and Holden speaking with his dad about his grief. I liked Leo’s relationship with his mom, and I feel like all the characters were well rounded.
It’s a short book, just under 300 pages, so I was worried it might feel rushed—I liked the pacing, but I will note that the game show takes places over half way into the book, so it’s mostly what takes place leading up to the game.

Thank you to Harlequin Afterglow and Netgalley for the eARC! THE (FAKE) DATING GAME by Timothy Janovsky is available January 23, 2024!

This is my first book I have read by Timothy and let me tell you, it will definitely not be my last. I really enjoyed this story and felt a connection to the protagonist Holden. He has been going through a really dark spot in his life and it was nice to see him grow and evolve as a character. The character development and his relationships with other characters (Buckley, Leo and his dad) were well represented.

I love all things game show, so I knew this book would be right up my alley. Although it was talked about frequently, I do wish we got to experience a bit more during the game show. I felt as though that part of the story seemed rushed as well as the ending.

I did absolutely love the story line and will definitely be recommending this book to my friends. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars . Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced read.

This book was very cute but also seemed off in the pacing. Based off the synopsis this is a fake dating trope to compete in a game show. The game show aspect didn’t happen until much later and the ending also seemed rushed. However I blew through this and did enjoy it overall.

To me, Timothy Janovsky has become synonymous with queer joy and The (Fake) Dating Game is no different!

I’ll forever been a lover of the fake dating trope and not only does The (Fake) Dating Game deliver on that, but it does so in an often hysterical and sometimes deliciously steamy way.

Don’t think that all you’ll find between the pages is a lighthearted rom-com, though, because there is some serious character development throughout from both Holden and Leo.

An overall fantastic read and another hit from Janovsky that you’ll want to be sure to add to your TBR!

"The (Fake) Dating Game" by Timothy Janovsky is a delightful and charming romance novel that offers a perfect blend of humor, romance, and personal growth. This book is a heartwarming and entertaining read that will leave you with a smile on your face.

Holden James, the protagonist, is at a low point in his life after a recent breakup and a series of disappointments. His chance to audition for the game show Madcap Market becomes a turning point when he meets Leo Min, the hotel concierge who delivers pizza and distraction. The chemistry between Holden and Leo is undeniable, and when they decide to pretend to be a couple for the game show, their journey takes an unexpected turn.

Janovsky's writing is engaging and witty, with well-crafted dialogue and a lighthearted tone that keeps the story flowing smoothly. The characters are endearing and relatable, and their personal growth throughout the novel adds depth to the story. The exploration of Holden's grief over his mother's death and his journey toward healing is handled with sensitivity and authenticity.

The fake dating trope adds an element of fun and anticipation to the plot, as Holden and Leo navigate their pretend relationship while discovering their true feelings for each other. The romance between them is sweet and steamy, and their interactions are filled with both humor and genuine emotion.

What sets "The (Fake) Dating Game" apart is its focus on personal growth and self-discovery. Both Holden and Leo have their own insecurities and fears to overcome, and their journeys toward self-acceptance are heartwarming and relatable.

Overall, "The (Fake) Dating Game" is a feel-good romance novel that delivers on its promise of humor, romance, and personal growth. Janovsky's writing is engaging, and the characters' chemistry and growth make for an enjoyable and satisfying read. If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, swoon, and root for the characters' happiness, this is a wonderful choice.

DNF at 32%.

I’m sorry. I can’t even pinpoint why I don’t like this story while I loved Timothy Janovski’s other books.

It could be the setting. I’m not a lover of game shows on television.

It could be the sex in this story. Timothy’s other books were more or less faded to black and in this one Holden and Leo were already having sex at about 15% of the book. It irritated me that they, after knowing each other for less than 24 hours, talked about STI’s and being tested, and immediately believed each other? So no condoms?????

It could be that I received an ARC of one of my most anticipated 2024 reads and wanted to start reading that one so badly.

It’s probably a me thing and not the story. But I’m looking forward to Timothy’s next book. After all, I liked all his previous books.

This started off so much fun, and felt like it could be a new favourite. Timothy Janovsky is really great at writing romcoms, and while my enjoyment of this fizzled out a little, I definitely did enjoy it. Alison Cochrun described this as "idiots in love" in the blurb, which is a very apt description and was so fun to read about. My main issue was just with the pacing. We're told in the synopsis that this is a fake dating plot to compete in a game show, but the game show aspect starts so late in the story, and I would have liked to see a lot more of it. And then the resolution after that just feels so short as well, which made everything feel really rushed after the story had been set up so thoroughly. This is especially a shame to me because I loved the first half of the book, which felt refreshing and funny.