Timothy Janovsky is a "new" author to me, so I started this book with absolutely no expectations. And I ending up loving the book; sometimes in much the same way a parent loves their child but doesn't adore everything they do.

So, great start and a great hook. Holden James and his beloved mother watched Madcap Market, a zany reality show that pit teams against each other in winning a $100,000 prize. Holden dreams of getting on the show as a homage to his mom who passed 6 years ago. Asking his long-term boyfriend Buckley to join him on the show doesn't end up well and they end up breaking up in an epic scene in a crowded restaurant where a nearby diner who is an agent says "Are you two filming test footage for a reality series? Because, if so, this stuff is really juicy. This is my card ..."

Traveling alone and checking into a decrepit LA hotel with a Tower of Terror vibe and a room that smells like farts, Holden meets Leo Min, the muscly temp concierge with an attitude and then the fun begins. The two team up to get on Madcap Market and win the $100K by pretending to be boyfriends. Their attraction is sizzling and at times involves a vegetable that "you could theoretically slice up for a salad."

I like how these two men are so dissimilar yet somehow there's something that works so well between the two. There is an unexpected joy to this relationship that starts out fake and works its way to the cusp of something more. Until, they start filming the show and ....Holden's ex-boyfriend Buckley appears on the show as a contestant, with a nasty plan for vengeance.

Aargh. The entire flow of the book changes, the fun stops and serious times are ahead. I resented this 180, but stay with it, because the book goes deep and it's worth the angst as Holden finally deals with his mom's death and he and Leo come to the HFN they really deserve. A very strong 4 stars.

BOOK REVIEW - THE (FAKE) DATING GAME by @timothyjanovsky

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ohhhhh noouurrrr! Scheduled posting without a caption? I did it again 😅😅😅.

I am not entirely sure why I haven't just done my review for this because it is fantastic. Mate, I think that Timothy just gets how to write the 'what am I doing with my life? 20-something-year-old'. He did it with New Adult and he does it beautifully here again.

The plot is fun, both guys are fun and there is even an appearance of Lloyd, the older floral shirt-wearing married heterosexual at LAX.

This is a joyful read but also such a meaningful exploration of grief and society's expectations.

I love the evolution of spice over Timothy's pieces - to the point, that I was not allowed to read this one on the train 😅. This is perfect mlm harlequin content.

Highly recommend it for a cute spicy read.

Holden has made it one of his life's goals to make it on his favorite game show. Right when he gets the chance, his boyfriend leaves him and he's left without a partner both in life and for the show. He decides to head to LA in hopes it will work out and quickly meets Leo, his charismatic concierge, who he immediately befriends. Aside from friendship, the attraction between two is palpable and they decide to pretend to date so they can make it onto the show and win the big prize! This is a perfect LGBTQ romance read with a perfect mix of heartfelt and hilarious moments as Holden and Leo start realizing maybe the relationship they're faking isn't so fake after all.

This unfortunately didn't work for me, and while I can't speak for anything else this author has written, I had trouble getting through this. The dialogue felt clunky and not at all like something real people would say (especially on reality tv - even scripted as it is).

I initially requested this for the "game show" like feel of the title and description, but there wasn't enough of that present in this story to keep me connected and wanting to keep reading. That, and it came later than I would have liked, and felt more like an afterthought than a pivotal plot point.

The (Fake) Dating Game

A steamy fake dating adventure set on reality TV?! Say less!

Leo and Holden are faking it for the sake of television in this supermarket sweep esque game show. The adventure heats up more that the grocery store aisles as they pursue their dreams together and work through more mature themes of grief and independence.

Check this one out if you're looking for:
- fake dating
- reality TV setting
- MM romance

Thank you to Harlequin for my ARC! My opinions are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This MM romance was so adorably sweet and also insanely spicy at the same time!
I loved the humor throughout the book as we got to read the story from Holden’s perspective. I absolutely loved him and I was rooting for him to win the game show!

His chemistry with Leo was off the charts from the moment they met and I really liked seeing them both let their walls down and be vulnerable with each other, even as they were fake dating for the sake of the game show.

I devoured this book in one sitting and wished I had more of Holden and Leo in my life.

Things I loved:

🩷 Fake dating
🩷 Strangers with chemistry
🩷 Humor!
🩷 Leo!
🩷 Holden!
🩷 Their parental relationships

Thank you to Afterglow Books and Timothy Janovski for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky was a real joy to read.
This was a sweet and highly entertaining story. It has a creative storyline and hooked from the beginning. The characters are all likable Holden and Leo were super fun and enjoyable.
Timothy Janovsky combines extremely likeable characters with wit and romance, and wraps it all in a bundle that includes epistolary exchanges that are at times so funny or sweet.
This was a sharp, witty, fresh and riveting read.
Janovsky once again took me on the cutest adventure ever!

Thank You NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.5 stars. Holden is a game show enthusiast, specifically Madcap Market (kinda like Supermarket Sweep) who is given the opportunity to audition for the show. When is boyfriend dumps him he no longer has a parter but the cute concierge at the hotel, Leo, he’s been hooking up with since the breakup might be the solution. The pair fake being in a serious partnership so they can enter the gameshow and actually make it on the show.

I have mixed feelings on this book. The book is on the shorter end and there just wasn’t a lot of room for the story to develop. I’ve read one of Timothy’s other books and from my memory they were fade to black, which means I was surprised to find this one was fully open door with lots of steamy scenes. I did like both Holden and Leo and I loved Leo’s mom. I wish the book was dual POV so I could get Leo’s perspective. The book was a good enough quick read.

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

I was looking forward to this book, and maybe that's one of the reasons it didn't feel as good as I was sure it would be. So take that into consideration as you read what has disappointed me.

Holden had everything ready for a trip to LA where he and his boyfriend would compete in his favorite TV show. Except that when his boyfriend hears of this surprise, he breaks everything off with Holden instead. He ends up in LA not only with a broken heart but also without someone to audition with him to be part of that show. That's when Leo shows up and they come up with a story sure to get them chosen, which includes faking they're together.

So this is supposed to be in the fake boyfriends trope. It's even a part of the title. And I can't say there wasn't anything about it in the plot, it did happen. I'm just sure that the result could have been the same if it hadn't. In other words, the trope is there, but not what we are reading this trope for. This was my biggest issue with this book. It's interesting, Holden's story isn't only relatable, it also makes us curious for how it will turn out, and he's a great character. So is Leo, by the way. But the fake dating thing wasn't really the point of it, and to be honest, I don't even see how that was fake. They kind of lied about how they'd met, but all the rest seemed real enough.

Which leads us to another problem, it takes a long time for us to understand what will be the thrill in this story. First we think it will be to become a competitor, then it could be because Leo has been lying to his mother, and then something else, or another. For a while I wondered if this was actually supposed to be about the sex, because for a while that's all their days led to. Nothing that could have been big enough turned out to be a real challenge, so what should we hope for in this? Even the game show part felt rushed. So I'd say the story had a small issue with focus. Luckily, I liked the characters enough to follow them or it would be the kind of book I stopped reading one day and never remembered to resume reading later.

I still think this could have been lots of fun, and I also suspect I would have liked it more if it hadn't been marketed to me as a fake dating trope, but it's still a good book. It doesn't drag, it's got charismatic main characters, and it's cute.



Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

3.5

I loved the concept of this, as well as how it tackled the long process of grief. It was a quick read as well, with quirky, fast paced writing. I also really loved how even the 'villains' of the story were given another look and an opportunity for apologies and forgiveness at the end, since real life rarely has cut and dry villains.

Admittedly, the pacing of the romance and the sex scenes were my least favorite part of this. Not in a prudish way, I just didn't find them particularly well done and sometimes were more ridiculous than sexy (y'all please don't put produce up your ass lmao). I can understand for a lot of people that might push this into a DNF or a lower starred review, but I was able to overlook it. I think in part because I've enjoyed some of Timothy Janovsky's other books so much, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The Fake Dating Game is warm and fluffy in all the right places - and Timothy's steamiest book yet! Come for the rom-com shenanigans, stay for the deeper themes on taking chances and overcoming grief.

Holden James is stuck and feeling like he’s failing adulthood. After losing his mom he’s been stuck with work, relationships, and just life in general. He travels to LA, newly single, for the chance to compete on his and his mom’s favorite TV Show - Supermarket Madness and win the $100K grand prize. He just needs to find a partner first... enter Leo, the kindhearted and attractive hotel concierge. Sometimes taking a chance is what’s needed.

This was a fun read! Timothy's a pro at YA rom-com, so I’ve been excited to see his writing progress just as my own reading preferences have.

Unfortunately, something was slightly off, and I can’t quite explain it... but I think it had to do with the fake dating troupe. What I love most about fake dating is the pining between the MCs and the moment they realize they aren’t faking it. This wasn’t that kind of book. There’s an instant attraction and jump to sexy-time... which fair - Holden is on vacation and needing a rebound. But we missed the normal fake dating pining and buildup.

Timothy remains an auto-buy author for me, not just as a DC based author - there’s something I love about 90s-style rom-coms that I see so much in his writing. They are always a good time and I look forward to seeing his writing progression especially as he’s made the flip to adult romance.

Thanks to @harlequinpublicityteam, @harlequinbooks and @netgalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.

The (Fake) Dating Game is a sweet and genuine story that follows our main character, Holden, on a journey of self-discovery, love, and healing as he travels to Los Angeles to compete on his favorite game show.

Holden is a interesting protagonist who I did find myself rooting for, although not quite from the start. After an unexpected breakup from his long-term boyfriend, Holden travels to LA where he meets Leo. While preparing to compete on the gameshow together, Holden and Leo find themselves growing closer, with a strong attraction between them.

Overall, I found both characters to be relatively relatable and likeable. The story is enjoyable and romantic but I did feel that the pacing was a bit off. For me personally, it would have made more sense for Holden to face his grief regarding his late mother's death a bit sooner in the narrative. In my opinion, that was too large of a plot point to happen so close to the end of the book with such a quick wrap-up at the end.

Overall, this in an enjoyable story that I would recommend, but I would have appreciated an additional few chapters at the end of the book to make the ending feel more thorough and deserved.

Oh my heart, my Price is Right, The Pyramid loving heart. As a child of the *coughs* 1900s, I grew up with game shows so the premise of this book drew me in. This is a new to me author but after enjoying this book so much, I definitely plan on checking out the author’s other works.

Holden and Leo were such a fun pair to read. Both are a little adrift in life albeit for different reasons. And as luck would have it (which you need for a game show), they end up meeting one another in LA. Holden is there to salvage his dream trip of trying out for his favorite game show on the other side of the country after a heart crushing breakup with his longstanding boyfriend. Leo is the concierge for the hotel that Holden is staying at and ends up consoling him the first night he arrives. There is an understanding on Leo’s part when he finds Holden and he shows what a sweet and sympathetic character he is.

I enjoyed the chemistry between these two from their first interactions. Leo’s easy going and caring nature seems to bring something out in Holden. It feels like Holden’s been stuck at a place in his life where he’s not completely happy compounded with the grief of losing his mom. There is definitely a difference in Holden’s character before Leo and after Leo that shows through to the reader throughout the book. Some surprises in the book that I did not see coming. However, I think those surprises end up bringing some clarity and self-reflection for Holden’s character and maybe a way to move forward and deal with the grief he’s held on to for so long.

I adored the HEA for these two and once again Leo shows how much of a sweet cinnamon roll of a character he is. It’s the kind of ending where I picture so many adventures for these two as they Madcap their way into the sunset!

This whole thing was so adorable and heartfelt! This story had plenty of my favorite things like fake dating, game show references and girl pop karaoke duets.
Holden starts out as a pretty blah character. I didn't know if I felt sorry for him or was annoyed by him. But I feel like the second Leo walked in, I was invested. They had instant chemistry and Leo had such an outgoing, fun personality, how could you not fall in love with him. I rooted for them from the very beginning. Their connection and sexy scenes just got better and better! I loved reading a little more spice in a Janovsky book.
The Supermarket Sweep esque game show "Madcap Market" was great and such a fun setting for a romcom. I loved watching the show with my mother growing up too, so that was very relatable.
I have to say the side of the story that delt with grief and how we are with our parents as adults was a pleasant surprise. Holden's growth by the end was so emotional I was in tears. I appreciate when a story can balance the real world feelings and the cheesy cute romance. I'll be recommending this one to anyone that loves a cute queer romcom with a little fun twist.

3.75⭐️- The fake dating trope is one of my favorite romcom tropes so when I saw this on NetGalley I knew I had to request it.
Hudson James is floundering in his life. His boyfriend broke up with him just as he was getting ready to pop the question- asking Buckley to audition with him for his favorite tv game show Madcap Market. When Buckley answers with a litany of complaints regarding Hudson and their relationship, Hudson decides to fly out to LA and ask someone else to be his partner since he knows winning the grand prize is his ticket to fixing his life. That someone ends up being Leo, the cute traveling concierge in the hotel lobby. They concoct a fake dating story for the audition and run with it. While they are able to fool everyone, they also just might be fooling themselves too.
This story had all the makings for a wonderful romcom. The characters are likable, the chemistry between Hudson and Leo is there, and the game show is essentially Supermarket Sweep. I loved all of those things. What I didn’t care for was the spicy bedroom scenes. I don’t mind reading LGBTQ + fiction, but just as I’m not a huge fan of heterosexual spicy scenes, I can now definitely say I’m not a fan of same sex ones either.
In addition to that, the grammar Timothy Janovsky used was extremely grating to me. I cannot stand it when anyone says “Me and X are going to the store”. It’s seriously like nails on a chalkboard to me. I correct my daughters and ignore others, but to read it repeatedly both in the narrative and in the dialogue was too much for me. While one can wonder if this is just how Hudson James (and Leo) speaks, I can’t help but assume that this is also how Mr. Janovsky writes. I know it’s nitpicking, but I would have enjoyed this much more if the grammar was correct. That being said, this was a very quick read and I found it to be cute. Thank you to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an advanced copy of this book. The (Fake) Dating Game hits the shelves on January 23rd.

The (Fake) Dating Game delivers plenty of heart, humor, and heat while also exploring the different ways in which grief can manifest. I especially appreciated the discussions of Holden's complicated relationship with his grief over the loss of his mother and his long-term relationship. It felt like a realistic depiction of the way that emotions can manifest--as Leo says, "I think there's power in being sad and still getting out of bed every day"--while providing room for the reader to empathize with Holden as a main character you end up wanting to root for until the very last page.

So I already love Timothy Janovsky, but I think this is my favorite book from him to date. The premise (the main character, Holden, is trying to live his life long dream of being on his favorite gameshow Madcap Market) is so creative and fun and it gave me some serious 90s nostalgia (Supermarket Sweep anyone?) After everything in life seems to be going wrong Holden meets Leo, just in time to have him be his partner for the game show. The chemistry and tension between Holden and Leo is so well written and I didn't expect the spice we got here, having not seen much of it in his previous books! (I loved it)

All and all this was a super fun quick read, that I would absolutely recommend.

The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky is an MM Adult romantic comedy with steam and heart.

Not me, of course, because this is fake. There will be flirting and cooking and sex (please, God, let there be more sex), but there won’t be feelings that can be dashed to pieces. There won’t be ties or tethers or year-long leases or shared kitchen appliances.

The story is an easy-to-follow storyline about Holden, whose plan to enter a food shopping game show with his boyfriend and win in honor of his mom is slightly altered when said boyfriend breaks up with him right before the trip. He goes anyway and ends up finding a connection with the concierge temp at his hotel. The two team together as fake boyfriends to enter and win the game show. The two have an instant sexual chemistry that turns into a friendship along the way, and then quickly more. Before they even compete in the actual game show, the connection between them is more than just "fake". However, Holden is still grieving the loss of his mom and needs to confront that before he can think about the future.

I enjoyed so much about this story. I loved the positive mental health repo. One needs to take care of their own hearts and mind before the can give it fully to another. i loved the relationship between Holden and his dad, and Leo and his mom. Two great portrayals of supportive and caring parents. While I don't love a third act break up , I felt this one was need and done really well.

“Holden James, you haven’t experienced unraveled until you’ve had me inside you.”

Let's talk steam because you know you want to know the level with its cartoon book cover lol We have plenty of build between the two with dirty talk, heavy make outs, and some phone sex before we get to the big finale. Our couple for the first half of the book just kept getting interrupted. It felt like such a tease, and I was dying to see Leo's dominant bedroom personality on full display . Thankfully it definitely pays off because Leo is a total Dom in the bedroom, and we even have some "yes sirs" being thrown out (no worries, we have verbal communication and check ins when the two get kinky).

In the end, The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky is a MM Adult romantic comedy with a strangers to lovers fake relationship set up, quality steam, banter, heart, karaoke, scavenger hunts and a happy ending.

Anthony Janovsky's first foray into writing with Never Been Kissed was one of my favorites of 2022 as such a sweet queer romance of a young man's discovery of his aspec identity, so I had high hopes for The (Fake) Dating Game. This was... certainly another adventure entirely.

After a surprise dumping at what was supposed to be a romantic dinner out to convince his longtime boyfriend to travel to LA with him, Holden James finds himself in Hollywood on his own. He's in a gross hotel on his own and his chances of competing on Madcap Market, his dream to pay tribute to his beloved mother after years of watching the show together during his childhood, have walked out the door just like his ex. But luckily, the hotel concierge is a sweetheart wiling to lend a listening ear - and might just be willing to fake a relationship with him long enough to win them both the prize money.

This book was cute! It's obvious that Holden is a passionate, fun lead, and it was genuinely great to get to watch him work through his mental health struggles throughout the story. This is a young man who has experienced real trauma and continuously pushed it aside for the sake of moving forward and the comfort of others, and to see it come due as part of the plot is meaningful. We love a man willing to work on himself. The connection between Holden and Leo is clear from their very first scene together, and Leo is both a precious bean and a smokeshow of a love interest. They're at their most interesting as a couple when they're goofing off together: playing board games or shopping or watching old competition episodes to study. Holden is witty and cautious, while Leo is bold and hiding traumas of his own and they play so well< off of each other.

My disappoints with this book come from the almost insta-love that came out of a book that was supposed to be a fake dating plot. While yes, they were fake dating, it was obvious from both of them right away that they liked each other - and they sure acted on it quickly. And often. Steam is awesome in books, but. It detracted from the plot when we had more steam than actually competition scenes? Otherwise, this was overall a lovely quick read!

Well, I simply loved this. This is a super enjoyable MM romance that is well paced. I loved Timothy Janovsky’s book New Adult (sci fi friends to lovers, highly recommend) and in comparison I found this one heavier on the romance.

I truly am in my fake dating era because I loved the aspect of this as well. It’s pretty understated and their connection is SO genuine which is really what I’m looking for with this trope. I loved how they never held back in their intimacy and connection and our main character Holden gets to explore a completely new side to himself. Don’t let the cartoon cover fool you- the spice is spicing in this one and there’s definitely variety.

Holden’s grief over his mom’s death (huge CW) was so palpable and compelling. I loved the way it was handled especially the last 20% (which I won’t spoil). There’s a healthy balance that Holden had to find and this book covered so much in so few pages.

The actual competition- I was RIVETED. I am a bit disappointed there was a certain scene missing on page because all of the shenanigans were so entertaining and I couldn’t put this down before there was some kind of stopping point or resolution. I loved this little world of behind the scenes of this show and they could’ve dove in even further.

Overall, really enjoyed and would recommend. This book is a total mood booster. Thank you to Harlequin for the eARC.