This book was hilarious, Ellie and her family were so much much, especially her grandma Mimi. Anyway, this huge retailer is coming to town and this might mean the end of the family deli that she has been running since her dad passed away. So to save it she has to talk to Theo, someone she knew from high school, and whose family runs more than half the town….

The way this Fake-dating-fiance trope unraveled was so funny, they both agreed and I was here for it. I loved the connection between these two, their attraction happened so fast. I adore Ellie, she is a woman of many talents, and she reminded me of me in so many ways. These two finally started to grow up and face their insecurities and I loved that type of growth in a book.

Thanks you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon is a contemporary romcom novel featuring business owners in a small town trying to save their lively hood from a conglomerate business taking over. The small town charm feel for Ellie Greco’s family deli is threatened when a new glitzy Italian market called Mangia. Ellie refuses to sit by and watch her family’s deli crumble, so she decides to take on the property manager, Theo Taylor, and convince him to reconsider. At the meeting, the two opposites face a battle of wills, until the ceiling falls…literally. Theo is hurt in the accident, and Ellie panics saying she is Theo’s fiancée, in order to stay with him at the hospital. When Theo wakes with amnesia, Ellie panics, but continues with the story. She soon finds out Theo sees right through her, but they decide to keep the charade going, in the hopes to both get what they want with this business deal, and form an alliance against Theo’s father. Things start to spin when Theo’s ex, Sam, shows up, and Ellie and Sam decide to join forces in the hopes everyone will get what they want in this massive charade.

This was a cute story, very light, romantic comedy. Most of the characters are likeable, there is a good amount of business rivalry, which is always fun, and when you add fake romance, you never know what will happen. The chemistry between Ellie and Theo is obvious, although sometimes Ellie annoyed me. My favorite character was Ellie’s grandmother! She is a no nonsense grandma that is hysterical and tough! This is a good book, if you are looking for a nice fluffy read.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Dell Publishing and Jill Gagnon for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry to say it, but this did not feel like a love story. I love a fake dating scenario just as much as the next girl, but Theo and Ellie were lacking major chemistry. I also always want to root for the FMC, but it was difficult because Ellie was so combative and unlikeable. Theo was your standard uppity rich guy, but I actually liked him because he knew what he wanted. Also, the conflict happened so late in the book, so they only had one chapter to confess their feelings for each other, which I felt was rushed and unfinished. I did really enjoy the deli and fashion design combo as well as the loudness of Ellie's family. The dates felt forced, I didn't feel like the characters connected in any huge way, and the development took a long time. For a romance, the chapters were long and it seemed like many events were just trying to be thrown together. I liked some of the side characters a lot more than Ellie. Thank you to SMP Romance and Netgalley for the E-ARC to read and review!

Read if you like:
😡 Enemies to Lovers
💍 Fake Dating
💰 Opposites Attract
🚊 While You Were Sleeping

This book has such a cute premise with the ‘while you were sleeping’ type plot in the very beginning that led to a mutually beneficial fake dating plot to save Theo’s beloved building and keep out the competition that would impact Ellie’s family deli.

One of the shining stars of the book was definitely Sam and loved her character and how sweet she was.

If you love tension and enemies to lovers vibes with a slow burn I’d definitely recommend this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Fun romance between Ellie and Theo!

Ellie Greco knew her dreams of designing costumes for Broadway ended when she returned to Milborough to run the family deli after the death of her father. But that might change when the biggest landlord in town wants to bring in Mangia, a food department store which would seriously impact Greco’s Deli.

Ellie makes an appointment to talk to Theo Taylor who was running the project updating the building but her plans change when she fakes being engaged to Theo when he’s injured but they decide to continue the fake engagement while they tried to protect the deli and help Theo get more control over the his families business.

Love You, Mean It has fake dating and serious enemies to lovers with some funny banter between Ellie and Theo.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I honestly felt like this book was too predictable and expected to be loved. A enemies to lovers, amnesia lies and saving family business has been done too many times to count. And although parts of this book were adorable and fun - it just didn’t stand out to me. The main character Ellie is not very likable. The dynamics between Ellie and Theo are very fake, although the chemistry was real. I also found the addition of Theos ex to bring very little to the overall story. That being said, I flew through this book. A very quick real - just walked away wishing I had more from it.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

Such a fun adversary turned romantic interest love story.. Will be a fantastic summer read! Ellie Greco is a strong personality whose dreams of being a costume designer are short lived in NYC and she returns to run the family deli after the death of her father. Unfortunately, a proposed business development threatens her store and Ellie is going to step aside and let it happen. She thinks she can convince, Theo Taylor, son of the property management firm owner to hear her out. That meeting will change their lives forever as a freak accident leads to a trip to the hospital and a hasty plan to get what they both want. I had a lot of fun reading this one.

I was super intrigued by the premise of this book! The plot started very much like “While You Were Sleeping” which I have never seen done with a book before. It had so many great tropes woven into it as well: fake dating, and enemies to lovers.

Originally was around a 4 star read, but found myself loving the female side character more than the FMC. Ellie was dramatic and not reliable. I wanted to like her, but her tendency to bury feelings, deny emotions, blow of situations because she didn’t want to feel it, and be indecisive with her life had me not rooting for her all the time.

I also felt somewhat unconnected to Theo. I think he had great potential but since the book only came from the perspective of Ellie, I found it hard to get to know him. You only saw him in the tainted view that Ellie carried. I would have LOVED a dual POV in this book.

I would definitely be intrigued to see what else this author writes and read more of her books. Overall this book was still cute, I just think it fell flat in some areas and I just couldn’t understand Ellie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found the book full of fun tropes, such as fake dating and enemies to lovers. It has scenes that reminded me of the movie "While You Were Sleeping" and other 90s era romcoms. I enjoyed the plot line involving the family deli versus the big box store and the setting, and I loved Ellie's quirky family. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with Ellie, the FMC, and she has a lot of inner dialogue. She came across as indecisive, negative, and self-sabotaging and judges people without getting to know them. I understood that she felt stuck in life, and I empathized with her about that. However, I wish her character had had more growth by the end. Not being able to connect with her and not getting to know Theo in depth made it difficult for me to root for the central romance. I would have loved getting Theo's POV. However, it was well written, and the author has an engaging style, and I would be interested in reading other book by this author. While this wasn't my cup of tea, I think it will appeal to many other readers.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Ballentine and NetGalley for the free book.

A fake dating trip that also involves dueling delis in this new romcom.

I liked this premise but this author’s writing is not for me. I didn’t realize it was her at first because the others I’ve read were more thrillers. People who liked those books will find a similar style here and probably enjoy it!

Ellie Greco wishes she wasn’t stuck in her hometown running her family’s deli but when her Dad died she had no choice. Then she hears that a gourmet food department store is going to move into the building. Theo Taylor is in management development and she seeks his help to keep them out. When the ceiling falls in and Theo is knocked out Ellie pretends to be his fiancé. When his amnesia clears he knows that they are not engaged but they decide to stay pretend engaged so they can both get what they want

With hints of romcom classics, I mean the You've Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping vibes are real, this is a fun sweet and spicy read. I love me some 80s/90s romcoms so this one was right up my alley. If you are looking for a fun, quick read def pick this one up!

This is such a lovely romcom book. You have Ellie who all she wants to do is save her family butcher shop. Yet she is lost. She loves working in the shop, it is a tie to her father who no longer is with her, but she also loves being inspired by clothes and fashion. She left that life behind though. Then you have Theo. The son who works under his father if you can even truly call him that. Theo just wants to take his dad’s business and make it thrive, but he keeps running up against his dad’s old school beliefs. When Ellie hears of a box company possibly coming to town, she knows that her small business will never survive. She tries to talk to Theo in hopes he might be able to help her, only for an accident to happen causing her to claim to be his fiancé. From here the fun starts. Both Theo and Ellie are strong characters that are easy to root for getting together. This is a fast paced, funny story, that readers are just going to fall in love with.
Thankyou to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This book was over all a good read. Something quick and fun to help me not fall into a reading slump. I always love a good enemies to lovers book ❤️ thank you Netgalley for the Arc

It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good. I liked Theo and and Ellie together and I think they had good chemistry. The whole Sam plotline just wasn't necessary. I think that they could have had a conflict in another way without involving her.

I received an arc through netgalley.

A new mega food emporium Mangia is coming to town, threatening the business of family run Greco’s Deli.
Ellie, who has basically taken over the running of the deli from the older generations, is determined to stop the Taylor’s from bringing in the new store. While Theo Taylor might be the face of the problem, it’s really his father pulling the strings.

This starts out feeling like an Easter Egg hunt for classic romcom movies - from the big shop vs the indie of You’ve Got Mail, accident to amnesiac imaginary fiancé of While You Were Sleeping - but when the fake relationship really takes off it comes into its own.

Both of them are balancing family obligation agains their dreams, and starting to realize the professional goals they’ve been working towards aren’t what they really want. And - of course - as they (re)learn more about each other the fake relationship starts to feel less fake.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one - it couldn’t be more different than the other book I read by the author, a locked room type murder mystery - but I mostly enjoyed it!
I think one of my favorite moments was when Ellie put Theo’s father in his place during the ‘meet the parents’ dinner, because I bet that would feel *so* satisfying.
I was cautiously intrigued by Sam’s angle, very curious. Instead of what I hoped for, there was instead a messy kind of drama *but* in the end things wrapped up in a good place.
I did really enjoy seeing the couple get to know each other better and appreciating the sides of themselves that they don’t show off to others (Ellie’s fashion design and Theo’s architectural interests) I was a fan of the first post date modification of rule two…and then what led to rethinking it entirely.

Thank you to NetGalley and random house/dell for the arc

To save her family’s deli, Ellie must out a stop to a mega chain Mangia from entering her small town and putting her deli out of business. Enter big shot Theo Taylor, who used to be from her small town, but was in an entirely different social circle. His family business is what’s bringing Mangia in. What if she can convince him not to? By ways of a fake relationship?

Ok… it took me 30% into this book to feel invested. And the second half drew me in. While some things were repetitive and so darn annoying having only Ellie’s POV, she expressed totally valid emotions that made me want to cheer for her and strangle her at the same time. There were plenty of good elements to this story that I enjoyed—the Italian family, opposites attract in turn compliment each other type of deal, the fake engagement turned real feelings, and Ellie’s cousin and voice of reason Bella. I’m glad I stuck it out and read this!

This book was so fun and full of tropes! I was a little worried when the amnesia storyline hit because I had forgotten the details of the book summary when I started this one, but I absolutely loved the spin on it. Amnesia into fake engagement where both are on board? Heck yes!

Theo and Ellie had fun banter and chemistry, and I also felt like their argument that led to the breakup was human and sort of savage.

This one was a fun, light escape from reality and, in my opinion, went by quickly! Once I was invested, it flew by and the story happens quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review,

Will a fake engagement help her save her family’s business?

Five years ago, Ellie Greco left her new life in New York City when her father died unexpectedly so that she could take over the running of Greco’s Deli, the family business which has been an institution for decades in the small Massachusetts town of Millborough where she grew up. Not exactly the career she had envisioned, but she had made no real progress in establishing herself as a costume designer in NYC and her family needed her. Now she spends her days whipping up family specialties behind the counter, dealing with quirky customers (oh, to be “Pinskied”!), and adding her own stamp on the deli. She’s in a rut, has no love life to speak of, but does love being back home near her mom, her grandparents (especially her pistol of a grandmother Mimi) and her cousin Bella. You don’t always know how much you love something until you lose it, though, and when the future of the deli is threatened by the possible arrival in town of Mangia, an Italian food superstore, Ellie is prepared to do whatever it takes to save Greco’s. It will mean dealing with Theo Taylor, whose wealthy family owns half of the property in town including the property that Mangia wants to rent. Ellie remembers Theo from her high school days as an arrogant, lacrosse-playing rich kid, and isn’t sure she can keep her temper from flaring when she arranges to meet with him to discuss the situation. But Theo isn’t all that keen on the Mangia situation either, for his own reasons, and a plot is hatched to fake an engagement to shame Theo’s dad into killing the deal. Shouldn’t be hard, right? Theo may be too good looking for his own good, but they aren’t one another’s type. This is strictly business….until, well, it isn’t.
Love You, Mean It is a fun romantic comedy, a little “While You Were Sleeping”, a bit of “You’ve Got Mail’ and maybe even a hint of of “My Best Friend’s Wedding”. Ellie has fallen into the trap of sticking with what’s safe rather than taking risks and going after what she wants and although she thinks that she and Theo are nothing alike, he’s in a similar rut in his own life. They also have both suffered losses which are still affecting their ability to find happiness. With a domineering father, a beautiful ex-girlfriend, and the feisty Greco clan surrounding them, pulling off a fake romance isn’t easy. Fighting the attraction that develops isn’t either, but Ellie doesn’t see a way to happily-ever-after. Fans of Emily Henry, Meghan Quinn and Abby Jiminez will enjoy rooting for the artsy girl trying to find her groove and the boy who was born with everything he could ever want except the ability to live his life on his own terms. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Dell for allowing me early access to this enjoyable read.

Looking for a book with short-term amnesia, a love of elegant buildings, and a Logan-Huntzberger-coded male main character? Then you should definitely check out Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon!
First, let me assure you that the While You Were Sleeping trope is short-lived and ethically sound! Ellie and Theo are both running their families’ businesses, and a fake engagement might be the perfect way for them to both get what they want. Using Theo’s head injury smoothes over anything that doesn’t quite make sense, and the two should be able to end the engagement after saving Ellie’s deli and annoying Theo’s dad.
My one star deduction was mostly for Ellie’s lack of character development. She is our only narrator throughout the book, and her negativity and indecisiveness were starting to grate on me by the end. She had a lot of contradictions, both in her personal beliefs and her actions, so it felt like her development was incomplete. In comparison, Theo was fully developed, and really carried my interest. His chemistry with Ellie was the saving grace, along with the antics involved in keeping their engagement believable.
Overall, this was a fun and fresh read. I loved the deli and the moments we got to spend with the Greco family. Theo’s commitment to the bit was excellent, and led to so many fun moments, like a double tennis date, that are exactly what makes a good rom-com.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dell for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!