3.5/5


This was a very enjoyable rom-com that I read through very quickly. Although, I have read many books in the genre with a FMC who does not ask for help, it was still enjoyable and did not feel too cliché.

The tropes include:
• Brothers’ best friend
• Forced proximity
• Fake dating
• Open-door spice

Overall, a fun read but there are some heavier topics and class dynamics mentioned.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley, RB Media and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Isla shouldn't be struggling as she is, she is an MBA graduate in an entry level job and homeless. She refuses to ask anybody especially her parents and decides to move into her brother's guest room while he is out of town, except his best and her enemy Cade had the same idea as his house is unliveable due to a leak. Refusing to accept any help from Cade either, she decides to sleep under her desk until she can get a house sitting job to temporarily live in. She lands a house sitting job with a top executive at her firm only to be caught by Cade at her new gig as he is the neighbour. They strike deal where he will keep her secret if she will be her fake girlfriend to his corporate social events. But as we all know what fake dating and forced proximity leads to, don't we?

This book has all the right tropes - frenemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating, brother's best friend - but this also kind of felt way tooo tropey for me plus Isla was a bit annoying at times. Cade's bosses were an absolute joy and all the corporate event banter was pretty enjoyable. This book could make a very good short limited rom-com series. The narration was pretty enjoyable.

This was an entertaining brother's best friend/enemies-to-lovers story. For years, they've been antagonistic to each other, but since she lost her apartment and then her job, he's been nothing but helpful. At first, suspicious of the help, their feelings eventually develop and bloom, but in an effort to not be the family joke, she tries to hide the relationship from her brother. The narrator does an amazing job of bringing the story to life.

Going into this, I was so excited. It's got some of my favorite tropes, plus I'm a millennial with an MBA.

However - this fell flat for me. I didn't love the FMC and that usually leads to me not enjoying the book as a whole.

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)

Isla is struggling, she's got an MBA, an entry-level job that she hates and nowhere to live. She will NOT admit defeat and move back in with her parents but with her brother leaving town for business, she decides fate is finally going in her favour and that his guest room is the perfect place to restart her life. But Isla isn't the only one that thought the guest room would be empty. Cade, her brothers best friend, has already laid claim to the guest room. So Isla decides to sleep under her desk, which somehow turns her into gaining a house-sitting job for a hot shot at her office, that is until Cade catches her at the mansion and she must fess up. The pair strike a deal, Cade will keep Isla's secret as long as she pretends to be his girlfriend at some corporate events. As things start to heat up between the pair, Isla's scheme comes crashing down but will she fully open up to her family and to Cade?

You'll like Rent To Be if you like brother's best friend, fake dating and forced proximity. I could relate to Isla on so many levels, especially the career let downs, money struggles and post-graduation anxiety, plus not wanting to let your family know you are struggling. While I did find Isla a little annoying at times, it was hard to not yell at her to get her shit together. The connection between Isla and Cade was the best part of the book and the spice was good!!

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced audio copy for an honest review.

Brother’s best friend, fake dating, millenial problems and more. I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. The FMC was a little too much at times.

“Rent to Be” by Sonia Hartl is a captivating contemporary romance that intertwines love, humor, and unexpected connections. Set against the backdrop of a quirky reality TV show, the story follows two contestants—Maddie and Jace—as they navigate staged dates, hidden secrets, and genuine emotions. Hartl’s writing is witty, and the chemistry between the characters leaps off the pages.

“Rent to Be” is a delightful blend of reality TV drama and heartfelt romance. It’s a fun ride with unexpected twists that keep you rooting for love.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this one, including most aspects from the characters to how they and the plot developed. Would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in the genre. Taking all of this into consideration, I am giving it 4/5 stars. Can’t wait to read other works from this author.

Cute but nothing really special for me.

The Narrators did a great job and the audiobook was well done but other than that I found the story pretty average and forgetable.

Cute rom-com that was easy to read/listen! Fake dating, forced proximity and brother’s best friend.

This book had me smiling and kicking my feet. I’m a sucker for the brother’s best friend trope. I loved their chemistry. I felt like both characters we’re very relatable so listening to this audiobook was a breeze.

Thank you NetGalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars for RENT TO BE!

This was a cute read overall, bringing back the nostalgia of growing up during the summer. The story centers around Isla Jane who needs a place to stay, so she turns to her brother for help. He’s out of town, and she decides to stay in his guest room for the month while he is away, but unexpectedly runs into her brother’s friend Cade who also happens to be crashing there.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-brother’s best friend
-fake dating
-forced proximity

*many thanks to RB Media and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This book just did not hold my attention. Familiar storyline and some political undertones that I read fiction to run away from!

A wonderful friends to lovers brother's best friend romcom. I loved the banter. The atmosphere transported you and also brings back the best memories of summer growing up. The story is well written and easy to read. I couldn't put it down. The audio Narrator is a joy to listen to. I definitely recommend this book for any lovers of contemporary romance.

This was a quick and easy read, but I struggled with Isla as the main character because she made so many poor decisions and she didn't seem to learn from them as the book progressed. Although light-hearted for the most part, the story does delve into issues such as homelessness and I would have liked to have seem more discussion around this topic. (It would have also been great to see Isla donate to charity or do something for the homeless community after experiencing it herself.) There were definitely some enjoyable moments (particularly when Isla and Cade get together) and some funny scenes, but ultimately I didn't find this too memorable.

I was very lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC.

Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty. Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent. The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she'll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she's telling herself: that she's not falling in love with Cade.

📦Brothers Best Friend
📦Fake Dating
📦Forced Proximity

This book had me hooked from the beginning!!! I could not put it down!! I loved Isla and Cade’s characters!! I really enjoyed the storyline of Isla’s life being in shambles and Cade being her knight and shining armour in a way by wanting to always protect and look out for her. I really loved at the end of the book that Isla put everything on the line.

I definitely recommend this book!! I cannot wait to read another Sonia Hartl book soon!

Rating: 4 / 5⭐️’s

I think this is a full DNF sadly. I really wanted to like this because I loved her first one but I just have no desire to pick this book back up

I chose this book for the romance, but I was pleasantly surprised by the criticism of capitalist society and expectations. Isla did what many of us were told to do: go on to college, get a degree, apply that degree...and like many of us, she's swimming in debt. She thinks she can get away with staying at her brother's place, but his best friend Cade is already crashing there while his place undergoes some renovations. The chemistry between them is obvious from the start. I adored Isla and Cade and everything about this book.

This was a first time read for me by this author. I had in fact originally received an audiobook copy of this for review, but sadly I was not able to listen as it was archived before I had the chance. So, unfortunately, I won't be able to give an account on the narration, but I can tell you my thoughts on the story itself as I did have the chance to read it elsewhere.
Isla was planning on crashing at her brother's condo after getting kicked out of her apartment. She's not the only one that had that idea, though. Her brother's best friend, Cade, has the same idea. His condo is undergoing renovations and he also needs a temporary place to stay. To keep Cade quiet about her predicament, she agrees to be his fake girlfriend at a few work events. Well, it doesn't take much for the fake relationship to start to feel real, and they each begin to look forward to spending more time together, although they are both reluctant to admit it.
The story was fun and entertaining and the chemistry between Isla and Cade was great. I enjoyed the story and would love to read more by this author in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

I adored this book even though it's a typical trope. The characters were different and fun. Isla was smart and creative in her personal and professional life. The romance was fun too.

This was a good book with great opposites attract + brother's best friend tropes and a healthy dose of "oops! I saw you naked!"

The chemistry between Isla and Kade was seriously sizzling.

My biggest issue was that I struggled to like Isla throughout the entirety of the book. She was flighty, made terrible decisions, and was really immature. I didn't dislike her character enough to stop reading, but I came close.

Cade's character and the mad chemistry between the leads saved this book from being a DNF..

I listened to the audiobook of this title and it was really well done!