This just wasn't it for me. I usually enjoy the occasional celebrity romance trope, but this felt like a juvenile Harry Styles fan-fic wish fulfillment. There was zero chemistry between the couple, the characters felt like vapid, one-dimensional caricatures of people, and it all just felt very immature. I usually prefer my romance to have depth and complications and realistic scenarios, and this just didn't hit the mark for me. Maybe some other readers will connect with this, but even this light and easy read was difficult for me to make my way through.

Scarlett is an heiress to the Lancaster family, who feels like she is living in the shadow of her parents. She is a social media influencer and is having a 18th birthday party. She’s hopeful her dad got Harry Styles to perform but learn that her dad hired Tate, a former band member who has fallen off to perform.

This wasn’t my favorite, I did enjoy the back story of each character however there was no chemistry to be felt between Scarlett and Tate. The dialogue almost felt repetitive each chapter. This was a slowwwww burn, with feelings not really developing until around the 80% mark of the book. The 3rd act conflict happened at around the 90% mark of the book and was really rushed.

All in all this book was cute, and an easy read for the most part. 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Black Stone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review♥️

Quirky, sweet, and funny. This rockstar romance is cute.

Tate- a has-been boy band singer gets a second chance at his singing career after accepting a deal to perform at an eighteen year olds birthday. He had been changing his life to be a sober and mature musician to make up for his troubled past. He is honest and patient which is refreshing for a rockstar mmc. He pushes Scarlett but in the best way to keep her moving and not over shadowing her.

Scarlett- an heiress of a famous old money family. She has felt over shadowed by her families fame and wants to find her own way. She helps Tate in an extraordinary way and in helping him she finds love and confidence.

This book is sweet and I like the honesty with characters especially in Tate. My only let down was it did feel a bit rushed at the end but at the same time the build up took awhile. It was kind of an odd flow for me but honestly a good happy read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. The above review are my thoughts and opinions only.

Lonely for You Only, by Monica Murphy, is a quick easy romance novel. A rich girl, a past bad boy, a fake relationship goes viral, and then the real world happens. A lot of messed up relationships in this one.
Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

If you like slow burning storylines this one’s for you. And I mean SLOW. I had high hopes for this book and it was bust very bland for me. All the talk about Harry styles and OD in the first part of the book made me want to quit many times. I wish there was more going on in this book but very little action and lots of words. Unfortunately this wasn’t the book for me.


Thanks to netgally for an early copy!

Ah, a rockstar romance. Not typically my style but as I’ve enjoyed other books in this series and by this author, i decided to give it a try. It does exactly what miss Murphy always does- showcases rich families and shallow romances with champagne problems. I must say, I didn’t like this one quite as much as a million kisses, and it seems the story was lacking in chemistry. Unfortunately i had to dnf about halfway through, but don’t say I didn’t give it a fair shot.

Thank you to @NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed this book. You have an heiress trying to find herself outside her family shadow. A young rocker making a comeback at 20. What starts out fake turns real in this sweet romance.

Fake Dating? check.
Angst? Slow Burn? check, check.
Rockstar romance? check.
Family Drama? check

Anything Monica puts out; I will immediately grab it! while this was enjoyable- it was not my most favorite in this series. I was absolutely rooting for them though!

Thank you for the ARC copy.

<b>Synopsis</b>
Scarlett is an heiress to a billionaire fortune, she is a social media influencer and is having a huge 18th birthday party bash. She hopes daddy hired One Direction to perform at her birthday party, but they were unavailable. Instead, daddy hires Tate, a former boy band member (who seemingly fell off the face of the earth) to perform. The night of the party, Tate and Scarlett share a kiss that goes viral.

The viral kiss sparks rumors of dating, which has been great for the re-start Tate's career and Scarlett's following count has more than doubled overnight. This leads to a fake dating relationship where they are both benefitting from the publicity. Over the next six weeks, with forced proximity, Tate and Scarlett realize they have true feelings.

#Forced proximity #he falls first #fake dating #grumpy/sunshine #duelPOV

<b>My Opinion</b>
With a book labeled "erotica," I expected more than two mild sex scenes. I expected sex in the first few chapters, but they didn't even have physical contact (aside from kissing) until after the 80% mark. There was so much talk about what was going to happen, the plans for fake dating and then it finally happened after 80%. The actual "erotica" took place after the 90% mark and the scenes were very tame.

When I received this e-ARC from NetGalley, I was so excited. In fact, I was given four books and was most excited about this book. Even staying up late both nights to read, expecting the "good part" to be in the next chapter, it just never seemed to happen.

I did enjoy the first few chapters where the characters were developed. Tate and Scarlett were likeable and well-developed. Their stories were getting me excited for the rest of the story, which was the reason I stayed up late to get to the "good stuff."

I would have preferred more spice and more action throughout the book. There was so much talk about what was going to happen, but not enough of what actually happened. The book did not end of a cliff hanger.

This book might be good for new adults, young college aged folks that are new to romance or erotica as it is very mild and tame.

<b>Rating</b>
Based on the category of "erotica," I cannot give more than two stars.
Based on my personal scoring system of "spice," I am giving this book two chili pepper emojis as there are semi-descriptive sex scenes. These scenes are very mild, making this a good book for beginners.

<b>Thank you</b>
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Stone Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

I loved how quick and easy this book was to get through and Scarlett truly was so fun to read about but I’m just truly not a fan of fake dating.

**book provided by NetGalley**

This was a cute, kinda fluffy fake dating book. I enjoyed the way Tate and Scarlett fell into each other while in LA.
I wasn’t a fan of the way the author constantly emphasized Scarlett’s age (FRESHLY 18) and made her seem so child like in some instances (asking her parents permission to go across the country???)

Scarlett Lancaster, a young heiress, is excited when her father hires Tate Ramsey, a former pop star, to perform at her eighteenth birthday. However, she's disappointed it's not Harry Styles. Tate, a reformed partygoer, wows the audience and shares a surprising kiss with Scarlett. The viral kiss boosts their careers, leading them to agree on a fake relationship that eventually reveals genuine feelings.
really enjoyed reading this book. And i must admit, the cover drew me in, and the synopsis hooked me even more. The fake dating storyline is a personal favorite, and have to say, the author's writing style is fantastic. The story kicks off on Scarlett's eighteenth birthday and beyond, tracing her journey over time. Tate initially bored me a bit; he talked as if he were fifty, but I grew to like him as I turned the pages.

In the realm of unexpected surprises, my journey through this tale went beyond the anticipated cute and straightforward fake dating story. The narrative, enriched with unforeseen twists, left me yearning for a more coherent storyline.

Despite the characters' charm, there was a lack of development that hindered full engagement. Interactions occasionally felt forced, impacting the authenticity of portrayed relationships. The writing style, while showcasing moments of brilliance, grappled with maintaining consistency.

On a positive note, the story's exploration of themes beyond fake dating displayed a willingness to push boundaries. The unexpected twists succeeded in keeping me eagerly anticipating each new development.

In summary, this narrative provides a unique take on the fake dating trope with moments of brilliance. However, the story could benefit from deeper character development and improved consistency. The untapped potential hints at the possibility of a more captivating tale with refinement.

This story features Scarlett Lancaster who is turning 18 as the book begins. She is the daughter of Fitzy and his wife Gloria. Scarlett is turning 18 and Fitz has hired Tate who was her crush in middle school to sing at her birthday party.

Scarlett has a huge crush on a boy named Ian. He is a family friend and is a few years older than her but he is playing head games with her. Her and Tate enter into a fake relationship when he is offered a record deal with her as his girlfriend.

This was a fun fake relationship romance with a rock star. Things are going pretty great until things start crashing. Can her and Tate make it work? You will have to read this book to find out.

Gotta love, a fake dating trope!

Scarlet Lancaster isn’t your typical rich girl. She’s smart and sweet. Her parents want her to live up to her name and be in the spotlight. However, she doesn’t really want that. On the night of her 18th birthday party, she meets Tate from a previous boy band that she loved. Tate was hired by her dad to sing at her birthday party. That started his fame again. He has a record label deal but the catch is they want his girlfriend, Scarlet to be by his side. They agreed to fake date to help launch his career and her social media fame. Will more come from that deal though?

Overall, I like this book. I did feel like it was a little slow at times with the storyline. I did like the characters and the tension between them and I love a good fake dating trope!

Thank you Natgalley and Blackstone publishing for advanced reader copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The premise of this book was intriguing, the troubled boy band star, and privileged heiress enter into a fake relationship. I thought going into this, that I was really going to like it, but it was just okay for me. I found the pacing pretty slow, especially in the first half of the book. The two main characters didn't even enter into their fake relationship until the second half. Although the romance was cute, and once you get past the first half of the book, the story gets better. I liked Tate and Scarlett, and was rooting for them to have a HEA. I would have to say I liked Tate's character more than Scarlett, I found he had more depth, and was more interesting to read about. Overall, it's a simple romance, and honestly just a cute story.

Thanks NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!

Lonely for you only
By Monica Murphy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I’m a huge fan of Monica’s Lancaster Prep series so when the opportunity came up to read the arc for a book about a Lancaster outside of the Prep series, I jumped at it!
And I’m glad I did! Because I absolutely fell in love with Scarlett and Tate’s story.
This book is a lot lighter than the other Lancaster books with a fake dating troupe and you can’t not love watching those fake feelings become real!
Definitely one to re read!

The novel opens with a clever twist on the typical pop star romance, as Tate Ramsey, a former heartthrob trying to make a comeback, meets Scarlett Lancaster, an heiress unimpressed by his once-iconic status. The author weaves a compelling narrative that explores the complexities of fame, the impact of social media, and the blurred lines between reality and perception.

The viral kiss and the social media frenzy that follows add an intriguing layer to the story, highlighting the modern challenges of navigating relationships in the public eye. Murphy skillfully explores the consequences of fame, the pressure to maintain appearances, and the impact of social media on personal lives and relationships.

The pacing of the novel is well-executed, with a perfect blend of romantic tension, humor, and unexpected twists. While the fake relationship trope is not new, Murphy infuses it with freshness and authenticity, making it a joy to read. The dialogue is witty, and the author's writing style effortlessly immerses the reader in the glamorous yet tumultuous world of Scarlett and Tate.

Monica Murphy's "Lonely for You" is a captivating and entertaining romance that transcends the clichés of the genre. With its well-developed characters, engaging plot, and a perfect blend of humor and emotion, the novel earns a well-deserved 4.5-star rating. For readers who enjoy a sizzling romance with depth and heart, "Lonely for You" is a must-read.

I LOVED this book, from page one I was captivated. The story is so good, & so sweet, and the slow burn is perfection. I highly recommend if you are looking for a good book to snuggle up with.

Very cute story!!! Rich good girl meets reformed bad boy pop star. Slow burn (like really slow 90%) but when it hits it hits so good!!! I wish there was an epilogue or a little more.into there happy ever after. Will definitely read again and recommend for a cozy coming to age quick read!