This book is a good read. It starts a little slow, but it picks up and turns out to be really good. If you enjoy watching Hallmark movies, I think you will like this book.
I received a complimentary copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it was sort of a cleanser read as I get back into reading more. It’s a solid read. The story is about Amarie Walker and the aftermath of leaving a very toxic relationship in the “big” city and moving abruptly to a “small town” to start over. It very much gave hallmark movie, just not set at Christmas time. There she meets Eli (and his family), who is a struggling vet (in both sense of the word) with his own baggage and trauma to navigate. Amarie in some ways forces herself into Eli’s life as he is trying to save his family’s vet clinic.

It takes off pretty slowly, but once the fire starts to go, it moves quickly. I enjoyed almost every single moment of Eli and Amarie falling for each other. I felt like the writing style here really worked for telling their story together. I loved the dual POVs and how Amarie and Eli interacted. It was so sugary sweet sometimes it made my teeth hurt. All the main characters are loveable and fun to get to know. I really liked the small-town vibes as well.

There were some things I didn’t particularly enjoy. Some of the drama towards the end felt forced, but as someone who loves to be drama-adjacent, it was okay. I especially didn’t like how Eli treated Amarie when he was stressed out and going through some things. There is a sort of third act break up, that is quickly resolved, but I want to warn you of that. I wish that there was more exploration of Amarie’s relationship with her family and her friends.

A solid 4 stars from me, because I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend it if youre looking for a light romance read.

This was a little slow, a little repetitive, and a little too Hallmarky for my personal tastes. I may still give this new to me author another shot in the future, but this one wasn't a winner for me personally.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

If not for anything ,read or buy the book for the cover. This is a fake dating book that gave Schitt Creek vibes and I dunno why. The book follows Amarie who leaves everything behind because fresh starts are what we all need when we catch our ex cheating right? So with nothing she stumbles metaphorically into the grumpest man ever Eli and what does a little sunshine do for anyone? It was well written ,characters were developed quite well and I enjoyed the aspect of having a dog

I enjoy books that have the "fresh start" for characters, and then it gives the author an opportunity to give us their backstory and truly watch the character work through their troubles and ultimately be/feel better. it is a great storyline to pair with a love story. it did take me a little bit to get into this book as it started off slow and thought the story was smooth from there. i enjoyed both Amarie and Eli, i thought they were cute but not a couple i was obsessed with. I think this book was just fine for me. nothing that had me going wild but nothing bad too!

It's no secret that I'm a super fan of Siera London. "Fake It till you Make It" is a delightful enemies to lovers small town romance that is fluid, descriptive and well developed.

Eli and Amarie's slow burn love was absolute perfection. Each had to deal with their past in order to move on with their future. It's emotional and brilliantly written with an engaging storyline. The cover is rich and vibrant....just like a beatiful summer day. #NetGalley #FakeItTillYouMakeIt

Do you enjoy small-town, grumpy-sunshine romance with plenty of humor, family dynamics, emotional depth, steamy chemistry, and a strong sense of community...not to mention adorable animals? If yes, I recommend adding Siera London's Fake It till you Make It to your spring/summer reading list.

I loved the differences between Amarie and Eli. He's all follow the rules, we don't need a computer, I work better alone, and if it was good enough for my dad it's good enough for me. She's social media, TikTok live streams, what's the good of computers if we don't use them to make life easier and more organized, and here, let me help you with that. It kept things lively, for sure. The banter between these two had me laughing out loud many times, especially when Eli's matchmaking mom also got involved.

While the humor in the book is plentiful, I was happy that the author also took the time to explore the hidden layers within these two. Emotionally impacted by earlier relationships and experiences, both romantic and familial, they had lessons to learn, confidence to restore, trust to build, and healing to occur before they'd be ready to move forward, whether individually or together. I loved how they brought out the best in one another, how they encouraged and helped each other though, admittedly, Eli was slower to accept that help. He had some pretty strong walls that needed to be knocked down. My heart ached for how some people in Amarie's life had let her down. It made her evolution all the more cheer worthy.

The first few chapters were a bit slow and the ending (pre-epilogue) felt a bit rushed but, overall, this was a fun read with characters I happily cheered for, villains I actively jeered, and a family - and townspeople - I hope to see more of in future books. There are, after all, two more Calvary brothers in need of a happily ever after.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley. Fair and unbiased review.

Faking It Till You Make It by Sierra London is a wonderful small town romance that is both heartwarming and a fun read. Introducing us to a new series, this is the first book to a charming series, The Calvary Brothers. We are taken away to a little town called Service, where everyone takes care of one another and if you think you are just passing through, think again. We are introduced to the Calvary family, who find themselves in a challenge, to save their family business.

Trying to get away from her past, Amerie Walker finds herself in the middle of this small town with nothing but determination and ambition to pick up the pieces of her life and get the life she deserves. One thing she needs is a job and when she comes across a position at a veterinary clinic, despite some obvious underlying sparks between clinic doc Eli Calvary, he doesn’t want anything to do with this city girl breezing in his place. With her infectious personality and business savvy knowledge, she has everything he needs to help turn his struggling business around but he’s too stubborn and grumpy to embrace it.

When an encounter with the daughter of the family who is threatening to take everything away shows up at his door, he finds himself in a situation introducing Amerie as his fake partner not realizing the door he opened for both of them. What initially started out as fake, they find themselves slowly growing real feelings towards each other. When they both finally feel like fate brought them together, their past comes crashing in unraveling secrets changing their lives and those around them.

What I loved most about them is their chemistry and the evolution of their fake relationship into them being together. Their journey brought fun and tension to the book that made them addicting to read. The banter between them was not only cute but many moments you can’t help but laugh out loud. Not only them but the supporting cast of his family and her friend added to the charm and kept the book engaging. There was an authenticity of the characters including the people in the town that made you want to go for a visit.

Initially when the fake relationship trope was introduced, I thought it was going to be predictable but it wasn’t. It created an anticipation and want for them to be together but blended it with other plotlines that kept it fresh and page turn worthy until completion. This was the perfect introduction to a series that will have you interested and anticipating the second book. It gives the perfect combination of romance, small town charm and moments that will make you laugh. Between the charming characters and engaging storyline, this one will leave you feeling good.

I thoroughly enjoyed Fake it Till You Make it.

The dynamic between Amarie and Eli was entertaining from start to finish. I find myself loving small-town settings more and more as they add to the charm of the overall story.

The Fake relationship trope is my all-time favorite right now and I thought it was perfectly executed in this slow burn romance

Overall, Fake it Till You Make it was a delightful read with the perfect balance of romance and humor. I will recommend. .

I really struggled to get into this book. The beginning was really slow paced and I kept getting lost in the shuffle of details building up the story.

Once I got about 40% of the way through, it really got good. Character development was on point. This was a relatable book, almost like you are standing on the sidelines watching real, working people discover who they are and what they really need out of life.

Slow starter, lots of descriptions, maybe overkill?

I liked the premise of this book, as it naturally screamed Hallmark to me, or even like a chic flick, but overall it was meh.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun book. I enjoyed it a lot!

loved this romance and how the characters were able to figure things out and find their way to love. Loved the friends .

I recommend the book Fake it Till You Make It by Siera London. The characters were wonderful in the story. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review. Happy Reading!

If this book is a faithful sample of the author’s writing style, her one-word tag would be “zany”.

On the one hand, we have a heroine who leaves her cheating fiancé by packing most of what she owns in a car and driving up the mountains, whereupon she finds a flyer–excuse me, country paper–adveritising for a job–the one job ad in the country–and decides there’s where she’ll say and that’s what she’ll do for a living. Where will she live? How much does it pay? Irrelevant!

On the other hand, we have a mother of three adult men–youngest is closer to thirty than twenty–who puts together a “bachelor auction”, with said sons being the sum total of available bachelors up for auction, without telling them until after the flyers are out and the website taking bids (don’t get me started on considerations such as legalities, taxes, liability for credit card numbers, etc). Ostensibly, the winning bids will be enough to put the family’s business, the one veterinary clinic in the county, back in the black; if she also gets her sons married off to “good women” (preferably with some money), well, where’s the harm?

And this is just the first two chapters. If you get the impression that I am not particularly onboard with the setup, you’d be right.

Beware: controlling and emotionally abusive father; domestic abuse; death of a spouse; DNF review

Here’s my basic problem: I am having a Tessa Dare-effect moment. The “funny ha-ha” shenanigans just don’t match the characters’ circumstances–which are honestly pretty dire.

Amarie’s ex didn’t just cheat on her, he controlled her entire financial existence. The only thing in her name are her clothes and an old broken down BMW; as her “partner”/employer for the past four years, he gave her a prepaid card instead of a paycheck. When she walked out, he kept her savings. She’s literally destitute, can’t offer references–her cheating asshole ex? please–and doesn’t really have much of a resume otherwise. Her job prospects are very, very limited.

“All Amarie wanted was a do-over away from her parents’ watchful eyes, Russell’s lies, and her friends’ successful adulting. Everyone seemed to rush forward with living their best life while she stumbled one step forward only to twist an ankle and fall two steps behind. She’d never mastered soaring above the crash zone.” (Chapter 1)

Eli’s family house is mortgaged to the hilt–his father having taken out a loan to help Eli buy his house when he got married–to a barracuda who divorced him less than a year later, taking him for half the very-inflated paper value of the property. The family business is busy enough but actually making very little money. His sense of guilt is immense, he’s well in over his head, and the four of them are facing foreclosure, eviction and homelessness within a month.

There is nothing funny about this set up, and the mix of ridiculous shenanigans and anxiety inducing reality just doesn’t work for me; I am old and cranky, and somehow the blurb didn’t prepare me for this flavor of ludicrous.

Then there’s the writing voice, which includes an abundance of similes and metaphors that take some getting used to; for a cranky old curmudgeon, they just make reading more difficult. “Eli’s knuckles were bruised and his kneecaps sore from the recent knockouts surrounding the business. But he’d keep the faith. Keep faighting.” (Chapter 4) has nothing to do with actual fighting. A bit earlier, during what can loosely be called “the job interview”, Amarie’s dignity was “Apollo Creed cornered against the ropes.” (Chapter 3), and so on.

And the phrase “You ain’t never lied.” is uttered with tiresome regularity–as in, twice in the same conversation, in every conversation between the Calvary’s brothers.

And we haven’t even gotten to the social media ridiculousness.

Because Amarie’s very shaky self-confidence depends very much on her Instagram and TikTok follower count.

“Social media had been her constant companion. With tens of thousands of people tuning in for her PerkyLateBloomer InstaG and TikTok videos, she’d found a safe place to share her authentic self.” (Chapter 4)

Meanwhile, Eli’s idea of efficient office communications is…Post-It Notes.

There is, of course, a lot more going on.

First, while the Amarie/Eli romance thread is the center of the story, there’s a lot of page space devoted to the small town quirkiness and a dozen (or more) secondary and minor characters; there are subplots for Eli’s brother’s own relationship woes (though as this is “first in trilogy”, these are mostly sequel setups), the fact that his father died just a few months prior and his mother is still grieving, plus the whole “big cartoonishly-evil investors want to buy land and price the locals out of housing”, starting with the Calvary’s land. And there’s Amarie’s backstory, including her father’s emotional and financial abuse of her mother, let alone the whole cheating ex stealing her savings thing.

The way the “wholesome small town life” and “big city corruption” trope is played made me twitch; I really wish authors who write small town stories didn’t feel the burning need to demonize cities as the one and only way to make their chosen setting appealing. Also, I’ve yet to meet adult men (people, really, but men in particular) who never swear, let alone a full town of people; that alone usually enervates the feeling of artificiality in a story for me.

At any rate, I made it to 33% on the ARC (that’s the end of chapter 8 of 31), peeked at the ending, and bailed. 340+ pages of this writing style may be some readers’ catnip, and a bit too much for others (me, it’s seriously too much for me, is what I’m saying). I hope this book finds its readers-.

Fake It ‘Till You Make It is a DNF for me.

City girl finds her small town romance, but not without drama

Amarie Walker leaves her emotionally abusive fiancé and the DC metro area only to be stranded in West Virginia, when her car breaks down in the town of Service.

Amarie encounters Eli Calvary, the town veterinarian when she notices the only help wanted sign. Amarie and Eli are oil and water, yet she earns her way by working in his clinic.

Amarie also helps his entire family save their homestead from foreclosure. But not without the drama of exes, his and hers.

It’s a cute small town romance, with a decent amount of heat. And sub characters who you want to learn more about as they hopefully get their HEAs in the near future.

I enjoyed reading this book so much! It had so many swoon worthy moments. I enjoyed the slow burn and the build up to the couple journey to love. The author did an amazing job with this book. Looking forward to book 2 of the series.

A fun rom-com story featuring grumpy Veterinarian Eli, trying to save his family legacy and Amarie, a runaway from her cheating ex-fiancé. Looking for work and to hide from her ex, Amarie answers a help wanted in small town Service. Unfortunately bad luck follows her when Prince her beloved BMW breaks down on the outskirts of town. Then she needs to convince the grumpy man of her worth, plus keep her dream alive of getting her RN license. They make a pact to fake their relationship to save the Calvary lands and he will help her pass her exams. Of course things don’t always go as planned.
A hilarious story with wonderful characters. That takes a different approach to find their HEA. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #FakeItTillYouMakeIt

This was such a wonderful read. I loved the Grumpy/Sunshine theme in the story. From the moment the hero Eli, and the heroine, Amarie meet I loved their banter. Amarie was such a ray of sunshine. She was so quirky but it complimented Eli’s grumpy personality. They were both dealing with their share of troubles but the author balanced it beautifully with great lighthearted moments. I loved Eli’s family and the small mountain town residents. I also loved how Amarie touched the lives of those she met for the better. This book made me smile! Well done.

DNF @ 51%. Wanted to love this book SO BAD but even for a slow burn romance I felt the pacing to be too slow :( Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.