After her father died, Ellie Greco left her life in NYC to return home to run the family deli. When news comes that a new, massive direct competitor will be opening in the neighborhood, Ellie decides to take the issue to Theo Taylor, member of the Taylor family's prominent real estate company who is orchestrating the deal. Before Ellie can plead her case, a construction accident ends up with a Theo in the hospital with amnesia and Ellie claims she's his fiancée in order to go to the hospital with him (very "While You Were Sleeping"). When Theo's memory returns he suggests they continue the ruse of being engaged in order to stop the business deal from happening.

I love a nod to "While You Were Sleeping" and I love a fake dating rom-com. However, Ellie was pretty insufferable throughout this whole book and it made it difficult to ever get on board with the fake relationship leading to real feelings. I realize it was part of her character arc, but her constant self-sabotage made her difficult to root for. The beginning was strong, the middle faltered, and then all of a sudden it wrapped up too quickly at the end.

Ultimately, just wasn't really for me but was fine and will likely to be a hit for some readers.

An ok read! I had no real strong feelings. It was very middle of the road for me. I feel like I've read many retellings/reimaginings While You Were Sleeping lately.

I loved Scenes of the Crime and All Dressed Up by Gagnon, so starting her debut romance was very exciting.
Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon was a great romantic comedy that I absolutely devoured.
The characters are fun, entertaining, and will make you laugh.
From the start I was instantly hooked. This was a cute and light romcom.
A heart-warming romance with a wonderful cast of characters.
I hope she continues to write romance stories because I loved this one!

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Dell for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.5/5 - This book was cute and a fun concept - when Ellie’s dad dies suddenly, she moves back home from NYC to run the family business (a deli). But when the Taylor real estate empire wants to transform a vacant lot into basically Eataly, she’ll stop at nothing to save her family legacy, including developing an unlikely partnership with the enemy - Theo Taylor himself. We all know where this is headed, yeah?

Fun tropes include fake dating, small town drama, opposites attract, miscommunication. The banter is EXCELLENT and probably my favorite part of the book. Ellie is so quick and her jabs at Theo are hilarious! The ending was abrupt, though, and I realized I wanted more depth throughout the story. This is all from Ellie’s perspective and a bulk of the story was her internal monologues of repeated self doubt, which grew frustrating. Also I get annoyed when MCs make decisions based on what they think is best for someone else. My pet peeve miscommunication trope! But that’s a very real life issue so I get it!

Anywho this was a fun and quick read! Thank you to @netgalley, Penguin Random House and Jilly Gagnon for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! OUT TOMORROW!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 This book blurb had me at “just the right amount of amnesia.” Ellie feels stuck. Her dreams are put on hold to work at the family deli, where a good day means escaping the customer fretting over salami. The Greco Deli’s future is at stake when a fancy rival food store from another local family is about to open. And of course the son opening the store, Theo is an old acquaintance from high school who turned out quite handsome. When a case of amnesia hits, could this be the answer to saving the deli? Yes, we all know how this goes and YES, I am here for it! Loved the tropes, loved the characters, loved the setting, and loved the right amount of amnesia. Love You, Mean It is an adorable rom com not to miss out on!

Love you mean it review

🍕🍕🍕/5
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for supplying me with a free eARC and physical copy of this book to review.

This is a short, quick read and I did get into to it. I momentarily put it down because I started reading something else but once I got past the beginning and into the real plot I started to enjoy reading it:.

The characters are different in this one and I have to say I enjoyed a lot of the side characters over the two main characters.

I like the fake-dating trope and this book put an interesting new spin on it. I am just not sure Theo and Ellie should have ended up together! I was enjoying their romance until Ellie shot a really low blow to Theo about his dead brother. Just seems like something you wouldn’t be able to move past.

Also this book made me crave Italian food, badly.

I’d say give this a try if you want a ew perspective on the fake dating trope with some quirky characters. Just don’t expect it to be the most amazing romance you have ever read. I could tell the author was good at writing, as I was compelled to finish the story regardless of how I was feeling about the romance and plot.

This was such a fun romcom with just the right amount of spice! I loved the fake dating/fake fiancée thing, the differences in class, and Ellie’s personality. I also loved that there was never any animosity between any of the women in the story, including Theo’s ex, which was so refreshing and honestly not something you see often in this genre. I loved the characters.
I definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a cute fake engagement/fake dating romance between what could be seen as people from two different worlds, but actually both of them had the same goals and so much in common.

looooooved this! the first few chapters or so were kind of slow, but once we got into the thick of the plot (about 20% through) i didn’t want to put it down! there’s a lot of fun tropes going on, but they’re interwoven with lovable characters and a heartfelt plot that just makes the whole book so charming. i really didn’t expect to like this as much as i did, and i definitely think there are some things that could’ve made this even better, but i honestly wish i had a few more chapters to read cause i’m already missing this book </3

thank you netgalley and dell for a copy of this arc

Love You, Mean It -a standalone

By- Jilly Gagnon-never read author for me

Publication date 4/30/24 , read 4/29/24

📃 Page count: 300

🌎Setting: Milborough

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Dell for this ARC ❤️! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Quick Summary: Eleanor "Ellie" Greco (28) runs the family deli Greco's Deli, and the big bad real estate company owned by Ted Taylor is coming in to put Greco's out of business. Ellie talks to Ted's son Theo Taylor (30), but a freak accident causes him to lose his memory. Ellie pretends to be his fiancée, and when he gets his memory back he still wants to carry on the ruse. They both hope to get what they want: Ellie wants her deli safe and Theo has his own plans for the space.

🤷🏾‍♀️ What to Expect:
⭐enemies to lovers
⭐️ fake dating
⭐️ rom-com
⭐️ amnesia
⭐️ movie trope-While You Were Sleeping

🤔 My Thoughts: It's hard for me to rate a book where the side characters were more likeable then the hero and heroine. Theo and Ellie didn't have much chemistry, except in the bedroom. Ellie kept trying to convince herself that she wasn't in love with Theo. Theo threw around his wealthy, white, privilege that Ellie seemed to hate. Sam, Theo's ex fiancée took over the story when she plotted to get Theo back. I even liked Ellie's cousin Bella who supported Ellie and came to her rescue.

Rating: 3.5/5⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 4/5🔥🔥 🔥🔥

This is a new author for me, and I must say I really enjoyed this book. I really loved this unlikely couple; funny, definitely had steamy chemistry, great Italian family scenes, and a storyline that truly kept me engaged throughout. Loved the sass between Ellie and Theo, really made the book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

After her father’s death five years ago, Ellie Greco stepped away from her dreams in costume design to return home to run her family’s deli. Now, after settling for an average, uneventful life, a threat emerges in the form of a competing chain grocery with local landlord Theo Taylor. She decides to meet with him to negotiate the survival of her business. However, an accident on the job site leaves Ellie with a rival with amnesia, some questionable choices and ultimately an engagement. How will she manage to get herself out of this mess with Theo and still save her family’s deli?

This was a fun fast-paced romance. I liked Ellie’s fiery attitude and the banter between her and Theo. I enjoyed the softer, self reflecting moments too. Ellie’s family and best friend also add a fun dimension to the story seeing what she cannot while the slow burn romance progresses. I definitely recommend this cute read. 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Dell Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

I struggled a bit with liking the characters in this one. I understood why Ellie was stressed but I felt like she was a bit judgemental of Theo and amnesia and then pretend amnesia was a bit much for me with that particular trope. I felt like they could have communicated a little better to start with an no amnesia would have needed to be included. This one wasn't ultimately for me but if you don't mind out there story lines you might enjoy it!

I love an engagement of convenience moment where something wild happens and they blurt out the trope. It’s a favorite and this book does it really well.

The amnesia of all was REALLY well done. That trope can go south quickly and it didn’t here.

I enjoyed Jilly’s writing a lot and I loved both Ellie and Theo. The side characters also added a lot to the light vibe I got from the book.

The ending felt a bit fast and forced, but overall I had a great time!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

the writing was excellent, i just wasn’t as sold on the romance aspect! i’d definitely read the next one put out by the author because there’s absolutely potential there

Fake dating? Say less. I mean who doesn’t enjoy a good we have to do this oh wait now I want to do this. I had a little trouble liking Ellie but she grew on me and I was rooting for her and Theo to get a HEA.

Ellie is trying to convince Theo to help save her family deli when there’s an accident. In order to make sure he’s okay, Ellie tells everyone they’re engaged…

I always like and appreciate when there’s more of a plot to a romance beyond the romance and really enjoyed the small town feel of this. I also liked all of the characters (besides Theo’s dad, but he’s the obvious villain). The only thing I didn’t really care for was the Sam subplot, but overall really enjoyed this novel!

Love you, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon is a unique and satisfying rom-com. The story started really well. Two rivals (sort of), one gets a little amnesia, the other decides to lie in order to get into the hospital, and a silly fake dating adventure proceeds from there! Don't worry Theo's amnesia doesn't last long so there are no consent issues. I was thoroughly enjoying this for the first half. It was charming with nice character development. The story lost me with the ex-plot. It might work for others. Overall, it's a 3.5/5 for me.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this eArc.

4.5 stars rounded up! Two 🌶️ open door scenes

I ate up this book like a good deli sandwich (seriously, don’t read this book hungry haha). I am a sucker for a fake dating plot plus a woman trying to save her family business? Say less. I also appreciated the light touches of grief intertwined with both of the main character’s growth arcs. Didn’t care for the two passive pandemic mentions - not necessary in my opinion.

It was cliché in all the right places, feelings, and the third act breakup actually really worked for me. My only complaint was that I wished I got an epilogue because I really wanted to have a little more conclusion with Theo & Ellie as well as see what she was doing as far as costuming.

Release date 4/30/24 - great book to stuff in your pool bag or bring to the beach! Thank you to Dell/Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Dell Romance for my #gifted advanced copy and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy of Love You, Mean It! #PRHAInfluencer #PRHAudioPartner

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮, 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐭
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

Love You, Mean It was my first Jilly Gagnon book and it was a fun fake dating novel with so many other great tropes! I loved the premise of this book and thought it was such a cute concept for a book!

Ellie Greco has always wanted to be a costume designer, but when her father passed away, she was called home to run her family deli. Now, her landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, a gourmet food department store, which will threaten the existence of Greco’s Deli. In an effort to put a stop to the deal, she meets with Theo Taylor, property manager, to try to plead her case. Before long, the meeting goes from bad to worse and Ellie ends up fake engaged to Theo. Will the engagement help Ellie end the Mangia Deal and save her family deli? Or will it spark a new romance that she never expected in the first place?

🎧I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook, narrated by Amanda Ronconi. This was my first time listening to Ronconi and I enjoyed her as a narrator. I thought she did a good job bringing the characters to life. She was able to change her voice to adapt to some unique characters and I thought she did a good job.

🩷Meet Cute
🩷Fake Dating
🩷Amnesia
🩷Small Town Romance
🩷Grumpy x Sunshine
🩷Rivals to Lovers

Posted on Goodreads on April 28, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around April 30, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 30, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Ellie gives the impression that she has sacrificed her life in the city to come home and take over the family deli after the unexpected death of her father. She has put her heart into running the deli and making improvements here and there. When word is out that a large gourmet retail like grocery moving into town, Ellie hopes to persuade one of the property owners, Theo to stop the sale. Instead, an accident and a lie transcend into a fake engagement!
This one covers a plethora of tropes! Rivals to lovers, fake dating, small town romance. There were some very likeable and fun side characters and ones you will love to hate. I enjoyed the banter and would have liked more of it, as well as more focus on the development of the romance. It was a bit slow in the middle, Ellie was all over the place in what she wanted, and I found myself rooting for Theo more than Ellie. A good story resulting in a predictable HEA.