I’ve become an ardent fan of Winter Renshaw’s work lately, most especially after reading “The Dirty Truth,” “Love & Kerosene” and “You or Someone Like You” and now Fake-ish. I’ve always enjoyed her style of writing but I think these last 4 books have really shown her growth as an author. The well-developed characters and secondary characters, the emotional connection and the story lines have been fantastic. I find myself becoming quickly invested and find it hard to step away once I start reading her work. Each one of these I mentioned are standalones and not part of any series so you could read any or all of them in any order. I know I’m reviewing Fake-ish but I had to gush a little about Ms. Renshaw’s writing because I’ve so enjoyed these last several reads.

As the blurb implies, this is a contemporary romance about two characters who find themselves the soul mate of the other only at the wrong time. What follows is a face-paced story line that gives you just enough bits and pieces to intrigue you but keep you guessing and turning the pages. I really liked Dorian and Briar, but it was the unique and quite ingenious plot that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

As I’ve implied lately in my reviews, I’ve come to enjoy a “less is more” approach when it comes to the steamy scenes and Fake-ish had the perfect amount of spice and chemistry without overdoing it. I’m looking forward to the next great read from this author. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

I received this book as an ARC for an honest and voluntary review.
This book was different for Ms, Renshaw only in the fact it wasn't as spicy as some of her other books. It had the tried and true formula of angst and slow burn that she is so skilled in creating,
Briar and Dorian cross paths in the Dominican Republic while attending a combined bachelor/Bachelorette party. Dorian the groom's college roommate and Briar the brides cousin. Neither are really into the bar hopping party scene and stay on the sidelines of that adventure, until they miss the party bus not once but twice. Fate gave them a night to remember. Neither are in the right place for a relationship and agree to meet 2 years later.
However, the following summer Briar's boss offers her a deal she can't turn down. I mean what single girl is going to turn down a million dollars to be an actress for the summer and pretend to be his fiancee? Easy Peasy right? Nope.
Turns out that Burke, her boss is Dorian's older brother. The sparks continue to fly between Briar and Dorian, but she's bound by a NDA and can't say a word. Trust me it is eating her up inside.
I don't like spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out how it all turns out... but it's a Winter Renshaw book, so of course it's going to be an epic ending.

Winter Renshaw delivers a romance with a twist. 

As the main characters Dorian and Briar who are both anti marriage meet when attending a joint bachelor/bachelorette trip to Dominica. But whilst everyone is having the time of their lives Dorian and Briar are in tropical hell.

Until they get talking at the bar and an instant connection is born, and by the end of the trip the pair are completely smitten. 

In fact, they believe they are in love with each other. 

But decide to go their separate ways. As neither is in the right place for romance.So they make a pact to contact each other in two years. That way Dorian will be free of his work responsibilities and able to concentrate on Briar.

However, two years is a long time to wait, and anything can happen.

And Briar just a year later finds herself faced with an offer she can't refuse. When her new boss, the non-charismatic, intimidating and moody Burke offers her a million dollars to be his fake fiancee. For eight weeks whilst visiting the private island where his frail father resides. In order for him to gain his portion of his inheritance. The only stipulation is Briar has to sign an NDA and can't tell anyone EVER!!

Which she agrees to do in the hope that Dorian will never have to find out.

What she doesn't count on is Burke having siblings including a brother...

A brother that happens to be Dorian.

And now the three of them are stuck together with the rest of Burke's family on a private island for eight weeks. With Dorian believing his time with Briar meant nothing. Whilst it really meant everything.

But how can Briar make Dorian believe this without disclosing the truth?

And with a little spice and lots of angst. This was an enjoyable read. That seamlessly moves between the past and the present and was full of complex characters, quarrels, drama and things left unsaid. And I was fully engaged and happy to see that Briar and Dorian finally got their happy ending-ish.

This was a page turner for sure. Back and forth, mixing past and present until we had the whole story. Very well done. The family dynamic was nothing short of soap opera worthy, and with this author - always a twist. I enjoyed this one a lot, a fake relationship unlike any other I've read. I really liked the characters, well thought out, flaws and all, they all had their reasoning, no matter how supperficial, but then even Nicola had moments you could appreciate her.

What I liked most about this right person/wrong time romance was the way that Dorian and Briar had all of the emotions but realized they were too much to handle at that point in their life. Putting aside such intensity to allow life to settle is a huge gamble. The other thing I liked most was the way that Dorian and Burke are such opposites: one cares too little about the money, the other cares too much. One has feelings and emotions, the other is more monotone/robotic.

Very predictable story but still loved it. The leading couple are prefect for each other and it kind of drives you nuts that their perfect connection is interrupted by the unworthy brother but of course it’ll all work out … gotta love the HEA

***I was kindly provided with a free advanced readers copy by Netgalley and Montlake Pub. and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.***

4.5 stars! Near......at long distance!

Fake-ish tells the story of Briar and Dorian, two strangers at a joint bachelor and bachelorette party in the Dominican Republic, two anti-marrige individuals, two believers in true love.
Winter Renshaw delivers a well crafted concept where the right person happens at the wrong time, an insta attraction, two connecting souls in three days/nights of passion and a promise to be kept for two years.
Will they be able to wait for one another?

Meanwhile, Briar's boss offers a simple contract with a strict countour (NDA), a six months gig, with mutual benefits, to serve a purpose for Briar's boss, a very stable bank account for Briar....and it's not like she's breaking her promise, she isn't.
What she wasn't counting on was for Burke Rothwell's brother to be Dorian, the man she fell in love with on a weekend in a tropical island, a man with betrayal in his eyes the first time he sees her on the arm of his older brother, one year after the promise they made.
What ensues is a battle of concealed words, feelings and explanations, the hurt of deception on Dorian's part, the obligation to remain silent about her predicament on Briar's, a fortune to divide, or not, set on the proof of institutionalized action or future one.

Renshaw is a master of 'mise en scene' creating the right plot, the props and the perfect atmosphere to a tale where everybody's acting in its own way. Burke and Nicola pretending to fulfil their father's desire for his children to honor the institution of marriage, Briar bound by a contract and its NDA clause, Dorian acting like it doesn't kill him inside to watch the 'love birds' and Redmond Rothwell observing all the time while professing that what is set, is to remain set.

What I loved the most was how Briar and Dorian were able to connect and sediment said connection in such a short period of time. At the end of that weekend, they knew they were it for each other, the time just wasn't right.
What was expecting was that, in such a disconcerting situation, the level of angst and its representation, as tension, internal conflict, actions and reactions to be off the charts high and I didn't feel it. I wanted for my soul to break and be put back together and, IMO, if it weren't for Nicola to hear what she did, something completly at random, they would have gone separate ways, just like that.

The end, I absolutely loved!
Redmond Rothwell was an intelligent and savvy businessm that made the fortune he did by having his eyes wide open and observant. I think, what he wanted was for his children to be passionate about something to the extent of fighting for it, doesn't really mattering what. And they were, each to their own accord, but the most genuine of the three was Dorian and Redmond knew it.

It was fake-ish, but never love-ish!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
I got a few laughs about the wedding party forgetting about and leaving behind Dorian and Briar. Twice! As dysfunctional as the Rothwell family is, I can't believe the eldest spilled the beans. But the will revealed how much the father knew his three children's heart. Serious, heart-wrenching, and entirely believable.

I loved Dorion so much! Him and Briar were so good together. They had such a strong connection from the very start and their chemistry was off the charts. These two had it all and my heart felt for both of them in the situation they were in. I'm so glad that they were able to figure things out in the end. They were so real and genuine and I'm glad they remained that way at the end.

Winter Renshaw never disappoints, and this was no exception. She just knocks it out of the park each and every time! I always look forward to her stories and can't wait for what is next! Winter Renshaw is one of my favorite authors and I can't recommend her books enough. Fake-Ish is one of my new faves, this one is a must read!

The premise of this book intrigued me. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I was curious to see how this story would play out, especially when I found out that Briar couldn't tell Dorian that her relationship with his brother was fake. At the beginning of the story, I thought that at some point Dorian's brother and sister would have some redeeming qualities and grow on me, but they didn't. I was surprised by how much I disliked them by the end of the book. Overall, this is a sexy, swoony, entertaining and fun second chance romance with a little bit of angst that I throughly enjoyed. I loved the little twist with the inheritance and Briar and Dorian's happily ever after.

Briar and Dorian (love the names by the way) meet each other at a combo Bachelor/Bachelorette party for Briar's cousin and Dorian's college roommate. They commiserate together about how odd the party is ; they are not the long-term marrying kind, but find a spark between them and spend the whole weekend together. Dorian is a band manager whose life is crazy and he's not the marrying kind, however, Briar sparks something in him he feels all the way to his core and ultimately promises to wait for each other for 2 years.

Briar goes back to New York to live her life and winds up in a situation where she is pretending to be engaged to her "boss" Burke. Burke's family owns an Island and they are spending 8 weeks with Burke's family (his father is unwell, but Briar is unaware of this fact. Briar knows Burke has a brother and sister and they will also be on the Island, However, she doesn't know who his brother is... This is where the story plot thickens and gets exciting.

You'll have to read the story to find out the rest of the story.

OMG ! Ms. Renshaw never disappoints with her writing. There is just enough angst, drama and spark to keep you reading till the end and wanting more!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and plot were so unique. I wasn’t as happy going from present to past all the time though. I would have preferred the back story and then the unfolding of the present. But I didn’t hate it enough to not finish the book. Dorian and Briar had such a great connection. I’m happpy they get their HEA!

This book was a quick and fun read, and I really enjoyed the chapters from Briar and Dorian from when they first met. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed myself, I just wished that we would have seen more of the main couple together and that it would have gone a bit faster to this point in the story. I really liked Briar as a FMC, because she stood her ground and kept the deal she made with Burke which really spoke of her values. All in all a good read which I would recommend, there was just something missing for me.

“FAKE-ISH” is my first book by Winter Renshaw. What an amazing book I finished two days ago. I loved everything in this book, it was so easy to read and each chapter captured my heart and soul from the beginning.
I love the chemistry between Dorian and Briar. The way they love each other and how their souls connected to each other melted my heart. I love contemporary romances so much and this one is perfect.

Dorian and Briar met each other in a wedding. Briar is cousin of the bride and Dorian is a friend of the groom. When they start talking to one another they realise they have a lot of things in common and one of them is what marriage represents to them.

This book was amazing. I can’t wait to read more work written from this author.

Fake-ish is a fun take on the right person at the wrong time trope. Briar meets Dorian at a bachelor/bachelorette weekend for her cousin. The two immediately hit it off and find they have all the right things in common. Neither want to marry but aren’t afraid to commit or love someone. Their chemistry is palpable. But Dorian’s job keeps him traveling for the next two years so they agree not to contact each other until then. It’s true commitment and faith in each other.

A year later Briar agrees to pose as her boss’s fiancé for a summer trip with his entire family, including his sick father. She signs a strict NDA. Once at the family vacation home, Briar discovers her boss’s brother is none other than Dorian. Dorian is still madly in love with her and she him but she can’t tell him anything. And he becomes bitter and resentful as he detests liars. The once hot chemistry between them is now strife with tension. It’s a tension you can feel as the story unfolds. Oh the angst with these two!

As the summer proceeds, Briar realizes her boss hasn’t been completely forthright and she questions whether posing as his fiancé and the money she will earn was worth the price of losing Dorian. The family dynamics read like a reality tv show. There’s plenty of drama outside of Briar and Dorian.

This story was told in dual POV which I love. I easily finished this in one night. It was also told in alternating past and present timelines which isn’t my preference as it breaks up the flow of the story. I loved all the fun references to -ish throughout the book. It was a fun way to tie the theme together. The story ends perfectly and stays true to Dorian and Briar’s sweet love story and dedication to each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC opportunity.

Fake-ish by Winter Renshaw was a very enjoyable contemporary romance.
This is my first time reading something by this author but it definitely won't be my last.
The story is well written, with the characters greatly developed and the story develops in unexpected ways.
I really enjoyed the characters here.
Both were compelling characters and it was easy for me to become invested in their story. The author did a wonderful job of creating a cast of characters who I rooted for and felt connected to.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This story follows Briar and Dorian who meet at a joint bachelor/bachelorette party for their friends. The two hit it off and have chemistry but the timing for these two just wasn't right. Can they find what they once had later on down the road at a different time? Will things be the same when they do meet up again? Enjoyable and entertaining.

I voluntarily reviewed a ARC

You can never go wrong with Winter Renshaw! My gateway drug to her was Absinthe and I haven’t looked back. Swoon worthy men, a few spicy scenes here and there but nothing crazy and always a HEA. This book did end on a different kind of HEA but it totally makes sense.

Dorian, a band manager, and Briar, office personnel for large financial company, have a chance meeting while out of the country for a bachelor/bachelorette party. After spending 3 days together, they make a pact to wait 2 years to contact each other. Well little does either one know that the reunion will happen sooner rather than later. If you love second chances, brothers, forced proximity, HEA, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Monlake, NetGalley and Winter Renshaw for allowing me to read Fake-ish! ❤️

I liked it a lot but I felt that it lacked development in MANY THINGS.

When I read the synopsis it caught me instantly because the truth is that I had not read any book like this and I wanted to know where the author was going to go. I liked that it went from the present to the past, to be able to know the entire story better, that made it more dynamic and one wanted to read as much as possible to know how it continued.

I liked the idea, I liked the characters, and how it was developed, but I felt that it was missing pages. That there was much more that could have been told, spread out without being weighed, and was not taken advantage of. I admit that I am a person who likes to see more development in the characters and in how things happen, it is something quite personal I think.

I highly recommend it to read something light and clear your head.

Thanks Montlake for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This love story swept me off my feet and left me craving more!

Fake-ish follows the story of Dorian and Briar. Briar might be anti-marriage but hasn't given up on the idea of love. When she meets Dorian, their connection is instant, but the timing couldn't be more wrong. So, they make a pact to reconnect in two years. But, fate had other things in mind for these two. Briar starts a new job that pays well, and all she has to do is pretend to be her boss's fiance. Sounds easy enough. That is until Briar discovers that Dorian is her boss's brother...

Fake-ish pulled me in from the first page. I loved the connection between Dorian and Briar. You could tell they would be each other's game changer if only timing had been on their side. I loved the curveballs that life threw at them and enjoyed the glimpses of their past and seeing just how deep their connection went. The road to happily ever after for these two certainly wasn't an easy one, but I loved watching them fight for what they wanted.

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I easily devoured it in just a few short hours and loved getting swept up in Dorian and Briar's story.