Thanks to netgalley and publisher for the arc:
Don't let the cover fool you they're not young adults like I thought this is an adult romance with a touch of while you were sleeping mixed with fake engagement and saving a deli!

Pros:
-fake relationship--- my all time fave trope
-likeable ex

Cons:
-single POV
-Ellie annoyed me so much with her denial and back and forth messiness
-don't care about delis whatsoever lol

I have mixed feelings with this one. The overall plot was cute, if predictably comfortable, the banter top-notch, and truthfully I felt for the characters throughout. I do think this is one of those books where you’re supposed to hate the main character a bit, and if not, then I’m on the wrong side of the fence there. Overall a cute read, but I’m probably not going to be shouting this one from the rooftops.

The angst, the chemistry and the anticipation laced with innumerable questions like, how and when would they finally get together? The banter was fire and I rooted for these two the entire time. The ENTIRE time I was at the edge of my seat, reading past midnight, because ONE MORE CHAPTER PLEASE! Ugh! It was absolutely the BEST!

Theo and Ellie’s story is so cute! The way it all started had me laughing but I also love the originality of it all!

This story took a whole new spin on fake fiancé. The way everything came together had me laughing and falling in love with these characters. The ending is perfect and I seriously wanted more.

Theo and Ellie grew so much as individuals and I loved how they had people in their corner to help them and guide them.

Sometimes the biggest lies are the ones we tell ourselves. Ellie Greco and Theo "Trip" Taylor come from very different backgrounds, and Ellie has a very unflattering opinion of Taylor and his wealthy background. However, they both have an interest in not seeing the old Taylor's department store become a Mangia. The all-things Italian emporium that is Mangia will ruin the small-town charm of Milborough and be the death knell of Greco's Deli, which Ellie has been running since her father's passing. Theo would like to preserve and restore the architectural beauty of the building. However, his father is just looking to make a quick buck, and his control of the company means that he generally gets what he wants. Yet, as much as he likes increasing his wealth, he also values his image, even if the image that he portrays is a false one. Theo and Ellie will pretend to be engaged, in the belief that Theo's father will not want to take the reputational hit of putting his son's fiancée out of business. Theo and his father are estranged, so the possibility of a whirlwind romance is not inconceivable, but it is highly suspicious, especially as Ellie is nothing like the women Theo has dated in the past, including Sam, who will be re-entering Theo's world professionally and hopefully personally. Numerous problems will occur as Theo and Ellie attempt to pull off their fake romance, especially as Ellie is also trying to help Sam get back together with Theo while also contending with her changing feelings towards Theo. Furthermore, running a deli is not what Ellie envisioned doing with her life, and she has been using her father's death and the need for her to return home to run the deli as the excuse for why her grand career plans never materialized, and she is "stuck" in a life she does not necessarily want. She will have to allow herself to see the truth in order to create a life that is not what she expected but is fulfilling for her.

This fell somewhere between a two- and three- star for me, but I'm rounding it up to give it the benefit of the doubt. It started out slow and struggled to hold my attention at multiple points.

I think the premise is good, and I enjoyed the fact that the main character was trying to support her family. But I had a hard time liking her or connecting with the overall story. I thought Ellie and Theo's chemistry was ok, but they aren't fiction goals for me.

At the end of the day, there was a lot going on with the business, temporary amnesia, and fake engagement. It left me feeling like it wasn't very believable. And for a rom-com, I didn't find it really funny. Entertaining and slightly better than average, but we weren't a good match.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read. I loved the amnesia mixed in with a fake engagement. And I really love when the fake engagement rules fade into something more.

I loved how Ellie stood up for herself and Theo at that first family dinner.

I enjoyed seeing Theo slowing falling for Ellie, but she didn't see it.

Ellie and Theo’s story was like a ray of sunshine after reading several dark books in a row. This is the kind of “romance” tale I really love - not too sweet but something with depth where the characters are growing and learning great lessons along the way.

I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn't in with the characters. Some of the interactions seemed really forced.
Just not for me.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Ellie has reluctantly taken over her family’s deli after the death of her father. It’s not her dream job. She had that. And now there is a developer in town looking to take that job as well.

Ellie is not a likable person. In the least. It was difficult to get through this one as I could have cared less who did what to who.

No, men won’t magically ‘save’ you and solve your problems.

Netgalley/ RHPG/Ballentine April 30, 2024

Ellie is running her family’s decades-old deli when she hears that a local landlord plans to rent to a large, glitzy gourmet food department store, Mangia. Knowing this will run her store into the ground, essentially destroying her family legacy, she decides to plead her case to Theo Taylor, who is in charge of this project.

Things don’t turn out as she had hoped, though, as he is injured and knocked out cold during their meeting. Feeling responsible, she claims to be his fiancé to gain access to the hospital he is taken to. Unfortunately, with amnesia, Theo believes her at first. But once the amnesia wears off, he decides to keep the charade going in hopes of both getting what they want: an end to the Mangia deal.

But as things progress, an ex-fiancé sees through their ruse and may threaten everything they are working for. Will Ellie get what she wants in this deal, or will she have to choose between her family Legacy, friendship, or the possibilities of a new relationship?

This novel resembles a mashup of “You’ve Got Mail” and “While You Were Sleeping.” While I loved both movies, I wasn’t invested in this story as it’s not fresh or unique to me.

While the characters were interesting, their interactions seemed less engaging than I had hoped. It's almost too predictable for the story.

This novel would be great for a younger generation of rom-com readers—an otherwise quick and easy read for the commute to work or a short vacation in the city.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, fast paced rom-com, Love You, Mean It will make you feel happy!

When Ellie meets with Theo to discuss her concerns about his leasing space to a food emporium that will likely drive her family deli out of business, he suffers a head injury from a collapsed ceiling that gives him temporary amnesia. In order to check on him in the hospital, she claims to be his fiance!

Who doesn’t love a rom-com? This book hit all the qualities of what makes me love Rom-coms and even more importantly the characters were delightful. I love books where I wish the characters were real so I can befriend them. Both Theo and Ellie were those characters. The enemy to romance theme was just enough that it was super enjoyable to read and I was routing for them until the end ( which to me is a hallmark of a great book). I loved the growth of both characters and found myself not wanting the book to end.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

Thank you for the chance to read this book.

I really wanted to like it. I had a hard time getting into it.

Gave Overboard/While You Were Sleeping, with a fake dating troupe when the amnesia wore off.

I did prefer the ex gf over the MFC through. I found her more likable.

This book took a few surprising directions! I enjoyed the characters and settings, as well as the ending.

I feel like I’ve read so many versions of this book that this one just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t like Ellie as a character at all. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed the cast of characters and the early 1990's rom-com influences, but the usual end of the book thing that drive the main characters apart felt so dated. Can we not communicate better? I get it, but for heaven's sake. Even so, it's a great story, fun cast.

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

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. This is the first book I've read by this author. The story sounded fun to me and was a little hard to get into.

Coincidentally, this marks the third romance novel I've delved into over the past month, all of which revolve around a plotline reminiscent of the beloved movie trope found in "While You Were Sleeping." Normally, I wouldn't gravitate toward stories that share such a similar concept, especially when they often involve one of my favorite tropes: fake dating. However, each author brings their unique perspective and creative ideas to the table, offering readers fresh and entertaining outcomes.

The story of Ellie and Theo unfolds as a classic enemies-to-lovers narrative, born out of the circumstances that fate has thrown their way. Ellie, determined to rescue her upscale gourmet food store—a cherished family business endeavor—is faced with an unyielding obstacle in the form of Theo Taylor, the strict property manager. Their first encounter takes an unexpected turn when the ceiling literally collapses, and Ellie finds herself escorting the very man who had initially rejected her store's prospects to the hospital. In a moment of spontaneity, she blurts out that she is his fiancée while they wait for his treatment. Enter Theo's short-term memory loss, causing him to forget his attractive fiancée, leading him to take her word as truth and believe in their fictional happily ever after—until his memory gradually returns, and he recalls their less-than-favorable first meeting.

Rather than harboring resentment for her deception, Theo proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement to Ellie, one that may help salvage their Mangia business deal. Ellie, though skeptical and hesitant to trust Theo, finds herself at a crossroads, torn between beggars not being choosers and reluctantly agreeing to play along.

However, the situation takes a complicated twist when Theo's ex-girlfriend, Sam, enters the scene and senses that something peculiar is afoot between Ellie and Theo. Sam is determined to uncover the truth.

Ellie faces a challenging dilemma, torn between nurturing her budding friendship with Sam and grappling with her own suppressed feelings for Theo. Sometimes, doing the right thing can be the most arduous task when the heart yearns for what it wants.

Oooooh this book was SO CUTE!! I loved every second of it and I caught myself rushing to my kindle any time I had a few spare minutes to get back into the story :)