Devoured this book. Could not put it down, had to know what was going to happen!
Burke sucked, I felt so sorry for Dorian throughout,
Kind of want to read about Nicola and Dash’s divorce now, sounds like it was juicy 😂.
All in all it was a good twist on the fake dating/engagement trope.

I loved this romance!

It was filled with sexual tension, emotional moments and swoon worthy love!

Would love to read more by this author 😊

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I really liked the main characters, Briar and Dorian, and disliked everyone else, which took away from enjoying the rest of the story. You could feel the emotional attachment between Briar and Dorian from the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, the other characters came into play and it went downhill for me. There was no reason given why the siblings were so detached from each other. Nicola and Burke were just awful. And the whole premise started out great, but once Briar figured out the connection between Dorian and Burke, it didn't make a lot of sense as to why she kept up with the NDA fiasco. Why didn't she ask Burke to get out of it earlier in the book? The last couple chapters were a whirlwind, neatly tying up the ending. Lots of potential, didn't keep my interest. The "one year ago" chapters are what get the 3 stars from me.

This book had several things that are up my alley. The writing is solid and the characters well developed. My issue was the third act execution. The ending kind of just happened? I didn't feel like I had any closure and that's something I definitely need.

4.5
This one is more than a romance. It's a multi-layered story of family, but more importantly, it's about money and how some are affected by its power far more than others.

Briar is recovering from a lost job and a broken heart. Dorian lives on the road, managing a famous musical band. They meet at their friend's bachelor/bachelorette party and instantly connect. After spending three days together, they agree their connection is undeniable but the timing is off. While neither believes in marriage, they agree to wait two years for each other until their lives settle and they can make a decent go at a long-term relationship.

One year later, Briar agrees to pose as her boss's fiancé at a family retreat. She'll earn a cool million at the end of eight weeks but will be perpetually bound by an NDA. All is well and good until she meets her fake fiancé's brother, Dorian. Suddenly, the fake relationship, the NDA, and how everything combined makes her appear like a liar who didn't feel that deep bond the year before, isn't such a great idea.

This story leans heavily on family dynamics—the friction between siblings, parents, and how money can come between them. There are secrets and misunderstandings. There are striking moments and heartbreaking ones. Not a lot of spice in this one, but it fit the structure of the story. I hated the NDA. It became a character in the story and a repeated source of drama. At times, the family issues overshadowed the romance and I wanted to have the focus centered back on Briar and Dorian.

The writing was witty in parts and emotional in others with the chemistry between Briar and Dorian brewing on every page. My heart broke with each painful stab Dorian took seeing the woman he loved with his brother. There's another story there - one that unfolds and amplifies the pain. But I held out hope and feverishly turned each page, willing him to see the truth that they would somehow make it through the hot mess of his family situation. The ending was perfect, and how Nicole (his sister) stepped up. All in all, even with their shared belief that marriage wasn't for them, their together-forever bond was evident in the epilogue.

/I received an early edition of this book from NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book or content of my review./

Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to read this Arc.

Briar and Dorian meet, get to know one another and fall in love however time and distance separates them.

As fate would have it they find each other again in the weirdest scenario ever. Briar feels trapped and Dorian is mad but doesn't know the full story. With family drama and a lovely trip to a get away island. Will their love prevail.

Storyline was very good with enough grit that you can feel the drama between the characters and the pull they have for each other. Wasn't fussed on the back and forth until it stayed in present day timeline. However it played out well.
Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Montlake for the ARC. I loved this book so much. Dorian is grumpy but so sexy and the chemistry, wow. Must read.

Read this overnight.

I won't discuss it in detail because I'm afraid I might give something crucial away... but let me say this—this book is heartwarming and swoon-worthy!

Expect the unexpected! That's life! You never know where life takes you... Seize the moment, that's what our MMC and FMC didn't do... sure they had an agreement but life always throws curve balls...

Anyway...

This book would make a great hallmark or Netflix movie! I can just see it!

I recommend this book!!

I thought that this was a really good story and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read!

The plot was well developed and it was romantic and sexy

Two people become oceans apart due to a fake relationship – will they get back together…

It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended – go read the book!

—2.75 ⭑
“𝖭𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗂𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗀𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽,” 𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝗆𝖾. “𝖭𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾.”

It took me so long time to get into the story, when i finally did i had a lot of fun reading and enjoying it until i got bored and the characters started to annoy me.

i’m not really sure what i think about it because on one side it was good and on the other side it was bad.

💌- thank you Netgalley and Winter Renshaw for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A romance about two people who fall in love but the timing isn't right. Dorian and Briar make a pact to contact each other in two years and go their separate ways.

Then she gets into a fake engagement to Dorian's brother and is stuck on their family island with everyone.

I really enjoyed this book and finished it in one sitting. Dorian and Briar have chemistry and even though they both are anti-marriage they still believe in soulmates. There were a couple of steamy scenes but nothing graphic and a HEA.

3.5 stars

Fake-ish is a few tropes thrown into one book and it works. Renshaw gives us the whirlwind romance of before and the awkward position of now with a fake relationship to the ONE's brother. Complicated- yes. Over- not even close.

Reunited in the worst way, turns out to be the best thing ever!

I thoroughly enjoyed 'Fake-ish' by Winter Renshaw. The narrative unfolds with a perfect blend of romance, emotional depth, and a touch of comedic irony. Briar, an advocate of romance without the commitment of marriage, finds herself entangled in a complex web of love, deception, and unexpected connections during her cousin's bachelorette getaway.

Renshaw's use of flashbacks adds a poignant layer to the storytelling, giving readers insight into Briar and Dorian's past and its impact on their present circumstances. The emotional turmoil experienced by both characters is palpable, making the reader deeply invested in their journey. Dorian's sister is a captivating character, embodying the complexities that shape Dorian and Briar's paths.

While the book may not have steaming romantic scenes, the intricate and beautiful story compensates for it. Renshaw's writing style expertly delves into the characters' psyche, allowing readers to grasp their emotions and motivations effortlessly. I appreciated how the plot consumed me, making me overlook the absence of steamy romance typically found in this genre.

'Fake-ish' stands out for its compelling narrative and well-drawn characters, leaving a lasting impression. It's a testament to Renshaw's skill to craft a captivating love story that resonates deeply, even without the conventional romance tropes. Highly recommend for those seeking a romance novel that's both emotionally engaging and heartwarming

First off, this ARC was provided by the publisher & author via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

OOOOO MMMM SQQQUUEEE this book had me at the synopsis and it was fantastic! I don’t usually prefer the back and forth timeline, but the way the author wrote it was amazing! To the point and poignant and just the way I love my books. Also, the close proximity troupe is a must love and the angst and tension between Dorian and Briar was so 👌🏻.

I felt like this story was fresh and different and kept me turning the page. I did finish it in just over a day, while on a mini vacation, so that should tell you I tried to find every minute I could to finish this book!

This is my first Winter Renshaw book and I’ll be keeping my eye out for her! She’s gained another fan 🫶🏻.

Another meh for me. Briar took too much for granted with Burke and not enough with Dorian. Same with Dorian. Their pact seemed silly and impossible. The writing was good. I just didn't enjoy the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
This is the first book I’ve read from Winter Renshaw, and I LOVED it!! This book kept a fairly face pace, and the storyline went back and forth from the past and the present, it tied together great and was easy to follow. I was also even more invested at the end of each chapter from the past to find out more from the present day! I throughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend!

Dorian and Briar promised to wait for each other; the chemistry was right but the timing was wrong. Now she’s engaged to his brother. I love the fake fiancée storyline, it’s so exciting, together with the angst and all the family drama it’s a compelling and thoroughly entertaining read!

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishing company and or the author for giving me the chance to read and review Fake-ish.

The book from the characters to the plot. The interaction between the characters had me laughing.

Dorian and Briar meet in the Dominican Republic while celebrating their friends' bachelor and bachelorette parties. They end up spending the rest of the trip together enjoying each others company. Dorian declares that he is not in a place for a relationship, and the two decide that in two years they will reconnect and give a relationship a go. Fast-forward one year and the two run into each other while on a family trip, but Briar is there posing as his brother's fiancé.

This book was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the characters and the relationship between Briar and Dorian.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fake-ish by Winter Renshaw is a right place wrong time book. Briar and Dorian meet at her cousin's bachelorette party weekend. They spend the whole weekend enamored with each other but neither are in a position for a long term relationship. Dorian is a famous bands manager and asks Briar to wait two years for him. After two years, he'll be ready to quit the band and commit to each other. They bonded over their shared disdain of marriage. A year later, Briar has a job opportunity. Her boss, Burke, offers her one million dollars in exchange for pretending to be his fiancé for eight weeks at his family's beach estate. The only problem is that when Briar arrives she realizes Burke and Dorian are estranged brothers.

This book takes place both alternating point of views and alternating past and present. 99% of the romance in the book took place in the past. They could barely look or speak to each other in the present chapters. The book ultimately needed a few more chapters to make the present day romance believable. I got whip lash the last two chapters of the book. It was more than 3/4 of the way through and I couldn't figure out how the author could possibly wrap this up since they still weren't together. I really enjoyed the writing and the storyline but it didn't feel finished. It still isn't clear to me why three siblings were so vindictive to each other. They were quite unlikeable characters for no particular reason.

Tropes included: fake fiancé, second chance, dual pov, alternating past and present chapters, antimarriage, right place wrong time

Thank you to Winter Renshaw, NetGalley, and Montlake for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #montlake #Fakeish