As all fake dating romances go, this felt very run-of-the-mill. I knew most of the tropes that would hit me throughout the reading, so I had a really hard time paying attention and staying invested in it.

Fake dating romances can be really good when they introduce a new element or surprise. But this just didn't feel like it brought much to the forefront.

**Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This is a best friend to lovers, fake dating romance.

The fake dating trope was very mild, in my opinion. The MMC lived on the west coast, and he and the FMC were apart for a lot of the book. The fake dating aspect was mostly through social media posts, with a couple of public dates that came later in the book. Because of this, it was a very slow burn and felt a little dragged out.

In my opinion, there is a miscommunication trope here as well. These two have been close friends since childhood - sharing everything with each other since. The FMC, in particular, really clung to the ideals and statements of love/relationships that the MMC had said in the past and used those as her reasoning for not acting on/stating her feelings. I found this frustrating because they're grown adults who supposedly tell each other everything. She shouldn't put so much on something he said when they were kids. People and circumstances change.

I did enjoy their friendship otherwise. It was fun and playful, and they really supported one another through a lot. I enjoyed the "What I Remember" chapters a lot. They gave great insight into the characters and their background.

I enjoyed the shop and side characters, especially Lex and Katrina. The mother-daughter relationship was very sweet.

I felt that Laniah's reasoning for not wanting love was a bit overdone. I could understand it making her hesitant, but to have her fully deny herself something that is so obvious, true, and strong didn't seem realistic. I did love her conversation with her mom about that topic, though, and how it changed her perspective on those memories.

This book did get spicy- not my personal preference, but I can see others enjoying it. That first kiss though was perfection!

I loved how much Isaac wanted to support and help Laniah and her mother. The tulips...🥹🥰. I loved his video towards the end.

I am really happy the author touched on the topic of women (especially women of color) and their experience with the medical system.

This was an okay read for me. Not bad, but not wow either.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and author Riss M Neilson for this arc!

This is a childhood besties to lovers, fake dating, slowwww burn romance. I love these tropes & thought this one was pretty heartwarming! I really loved Isaac’s character & thought he was just the sweetest! Laniah wasn't as endearing to me, a little too insecure maybe?... but together they made sparks fly with their swoony chemistry!

It was a little on the spicy side & the language from the FMC was a little raw sometimes, which is not something I’m into, so be aware of that. There is also a third act break up, which in general I’m also not a fan of and it kinda put a damper on things for me.

Overall, it was a sweet love story full of hope, inspiration & finding the happy that’s been in front of you the whole time!

i got an advanced copy of A LOVE LIKE THE SUN i read it and enjoyed it... I liked that charactersespecially Lainia and her mother and the growth of their business.... it was also interesting to learn about the kidney disease that the main character has....interesting to learn the signs and also what person with this problem can and cant do. i would reccomend the book. i did think that it was a bit long

Sobbed like a baby. Like, the tears prevented me from being able to read. It really kinda pissed me off. I was inconsolable. Isaac is gooooooood. Like, so so good. Which really just means this author is that ridiculously good. It wasn’t the best writing I’ve ever read. And it wasn’t some of the other things that make me like a story. But it was, hands down, the best declarations of love I have ever read. It. Made. Me. Ache.

My only criticism, and it’s a minor one, is that I didn’t need the graphic descriptions of the sex. I read my fair share of smut, so I’m not a prude. Truly. But I felt like, in this novel, it actually took a little bit away from my enjoyment of the story. Not because of the fact of the sex, though. Because the sexual tension was killing me, too. I mean, come on. I can still feel it the next day!

I dug it! Like, a lot. 💜💜📚

I am a sucker for a good love story especially for one that turns bestfriends to lovers. I absolutely love Laniah and Issac's bond from bestfriends to pretend to real, you get a little bit of character development through out themfinding each other. There were some parts I loved and some parts that fell flat and at the same time left me wanting more of the story. Even an epilouge would have been great to add. The book as an entirety was a vibe and I love that he falls first while it takes her a bit longer to let him love her and realize that she is worthy of that love. The ending was just a bit rushed. I also felt like I needed more conflict and tension through out the story and I wish it would have dived into their past and present just a bit more. Definitely looking forward to reading this author again in the future. If you're looking for a fun summer romance with HEA ending, this is the book for you.



* I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*

Laniah and Issac have been best friend's since they were awkward preteens. Now they're grown. Laniah is trying to save the fledgling business she runs with her mom. Issac is an internet star, artist, and model. They live across the country from each other, but Issac comes home regularly to visit. When he learns the business is in trouble, he decides to help the best way he knows how, by starting a fake relationship with her, posting about it to his millions of followers, and promoting the business at the same time. At the same time, Laniah is dealing with health concerns, and trying to be heard.

This is a classic fake dating scheme. The romance is sweet. Issac is everything a person could want in a romantic partner, The writing here is sweet and wonderful, and I loved watching that play out on the page.

The health troubles Laniah faces are unfortunately far too common, especially for women, and more particularly women of color. It's awful and frustrating. The way it derails the relationship is disappointing, but considering how Laniah doesn't like sharing her down moments with Issac, it's not surprising.

I really enjoyed the writing, and couldn't put it down.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson is a heartwarming and beautifully crafted romance that explores the deep connection between two lifelong friends, Laniah Thompson and Issac Jordan. This story transcends the typical romance genre by intertwining themes of friendship, personal growth, and the courage to pursue one’s dreams.

Laniah, a private and determined woman, runs a small natural hair store with her mother. Issac, on the other hand, is a charismatic, internet-famous entrepreneur living a life under constant public scrutiny. When Issac returns to their hometown and learns of Laniah’s financial struggles, he proposes a bold plan to boost her business by pretending to be her boyfriend. What starts as a strategic move to save Wildly Green soon becomes a summer of self-discovery and the blurring of lines between friendship and love.

Neilson’s writing is poetic and evocative, capturing the tension and steam that build between Laniah and Issac as they navigate their fake relationship. The progression of their romance is beautifully paced, with each moment brimming with emotion and longing. The story doesn’t shy away from addressing deeper issues, either. Laniah’s experiences as a Black woman, especially in dealing with the healthcare system, are portrayed with sensitivity and realism, adding layers to her character and the narrative.

The book’s strength lies in its ability to blend the romance with meaningful subplots, making it more than just a love story. The exploration of Laniah and Issac’s shared history, their individual struggles, and the stakes involved in their business and personal lives make for a compelling and well-rounded novel. The fake dating trope is executed with finesse, and the transformation from best friends to lovers feels organic and deeply satisfying.

Overall, A Love Like the Sun is a tender and poignant slow-burn romance that captivates with its depth and sincerity. Neilson’s debut into adult romance is a resounding success, offering readers a story rich in love, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. If you appreciate nuanced characters, a poetic narrative, and a story that seamlessly weaves together romance and life’s challenges, this book is a must-read for your TBR list. How can you say no to this beautiful cover?

"A Love Like the Sun” is a radiant, heart-clenching adult debut that explores the dynamics between lifelong best friends.

Laniah Thompson, a homebody who craves privacy, and Issac Jordan, an internet-famous entrepreneur, have been inseparable since childhood. When Laniah’s dream of running a natural hair store faces financial challenges, Issac steps in with a plan: they’ll pretend to be lovers for the summer to boost business. Suddenly business is booming, and Laniah agrees to his ridiculous plan just long enough to catch the eye of an investor and get her dream back on track. After all, she helped him do somewhat the same thing so many years ago.

As lines blur between friendship and something more, the chemistry between them becomes undeniable. Told over three sizzling summer months, this slow-burn romance is about shared history, bravery, and love in its many forms.

If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers stories, “A Love Like the Sun” is a must-read!

“A Love Like the Sun” by Riss M. Neilson was a good book but just not my type of read. I feel like it was written for a younger audience. Some of the language and action of the characters was totally lost on me. I did not understand what the character Issac did for his job. Was he an influencer, a model, an actor or an artist? He was supposed to be an artist but it didn’t work for me. I did like Laniah and her struggles with life were real. The sex scenes were graphic and did not seem to go with what I interpreted about Laniah from the book. Issac and Laniah’s story and relationship was interesting but I didn’t feel connected to them. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Obsessed with this book! Thank you so much, Berkley, for the ARC.

Best friends since childhood. The ones who know each other the most. They decide to fake date for mutually beneficial reasons. But when the faking doesn’t feel too fake anymore, they decide to “make it real” for a weekend. A test run, if you will. And of course, any romance reader knows what all that means. 😏

My goodness. I probably sound like a broken record to all my friends who regularly read my posts, but I loooove a good friends to lovers romance. The mutual pining? The pushing of that friendship boundary? To more?! SO good.

What I really want to highlight, though, is the writing. I think ALLTS was so beautifully written. It felt like effortless storytelling with nuanced characters. I thought it was a well-rounded story, and I had a good grasp and understanding of the characters and their choices. I understood them, and I felt for them.

Another thing I want to point out is how much I loved the representation of chronic pain, and being a BIPOC female having to deal with a very biased healthcare system.

Overall, a tender, sweet, emotional story with a good amount of spice! Highly recommend this book. 🧡

amazing and this book its just a love letter to people. I am so happy I got this arc because its just amazing and I cried a little because I felt too much and I love when books make me feel so much

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5 stars! Such a cute read! Laniah and Isaac have been best friends since they were kids and Isaac has always been considered family by her mom. Laniah and her mom, Vanessa own a natural hair care business that hasn’t been doing well, and they do not have the funds to pay their rent. Issac is an influencer who is doing really well and has reached celebrity status.

Laniah needed his assistance to keep her business and even though she didn’t want to ask him for help, he couldn’t not help her. What he recommended they do is fake date..his status can help bring her followers and potential business and this will also help him.

This story is more than about their fake dating. Laniah has some issues that she is dealing with and we learn about what is going on with her. Overall, this is a cute friends to lovers story that I recommend.

A Love Like the Sun is a slow burn, fake dating, friends-to-lovers romance. Those tropes probably tell you if this is the book for you - and if you are into those, there’s a lot to enjoy here. There are times I found myself really frustrated with Laniah and thinking a little more communication could really help a lot! I also didn’t fully buy some of the plot points. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook to review.

This was a pretty hard review to write. When I don’t like something I can give you 350,000 reasons why. But when I loved a book, it’s so hard to put into words exactly what I’m feeling. I can’t ever really explain what it is that made me fall for something. It’s almost like I can’t put it into words. And this is exactly how I felt with this one.

Ok so I went into this with a little trepidation. I was a little scared because her previous YA books weren’t for me. But I decided that this was adult romance and it might actually be a lot different. And I’m so glad I went ahead and read it! I ADORED this book! I mean from the writing style, to the romance, to the actual writing that didn’t seem like it was doing it for the trope, just EVERYTHING. I couldn’t stop reading it. I was supposed to be buddy reading this and read like 20% everyday and ended up finishing it in 2 days. (More like 3 because on the third day it was like 2 am lol) But I just could not stop reading this. And I really hope we get another or at least a book from his POV because that was the only thing I missed from this one.

The other thing that I really loved about this was the number of individual things I love in a book. I know this is cliche or whatever, but this book was like written for me lol I As a loud proclaimer of friends to lovers, I knew it was coming and I was excited for it. But imagine my surprise when I realized there was also my other favorite trope, Fake Dating! I hadn’t seen anyone talking about that part of it, and I was like WTF I would have read this way earlier lol Idk man I just got even more excited! And then of course there was a mirror scene that if you KNOW me, then yeahhhhh. Definitely went on my favorite books immediately lol I also liked the social media aspect of it. The author showed all sides of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good is how he is looked at as a celebrity. A friend once said, “influencers are today’s celebrities” and it definitely made me realize that she’s right. Because the way people were falling all over themselves for Isaac (and I mean rightfully so lol) was like he was a movie actor or something lol And then there was the bad and ugly part. The Darius like people of the world and what he did. My skin crawled every time he was on the page. (In my headphones?) You’ll understand when you read it lol

The other thing that was in there that I loved was the rep. I knew the MC was going to be biracial, but that was it. I didn’t realize there was also acute/chronic disorder rep as well. I won’t say what, but I know that it pissed me off, but it was so for real. There is a serious issue in Medicine surrounding Black women, and I was glad that this one went there. I won’t say much so it’s not a spoiler, but I did enjoy it. And to find out that this might be like the author’s journey (according to the author’s note) And that made me rage. I hate that she went through that.

The romance was literally everything I wanted. She was an anxious mess around him, but the way he loved her, gah! It was so amazing. The way he loved on her? And the way she couldn’t see it? Like how could you NOT see it? I think I remember saying, “GIRL HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL HE LOVES YOU?!” Idk if she was really like not seeing it or if I’ve read too many romance books, but here we are. Isaac is definitely my Book Boyfriend of the Month for now. Because Lordt, that last like quote that I highlighted made me cry. Ugh it was beautiful. I really wish we what his thoughts were like. (Although I was a bit scared at that one part because girl what?!)

Ok so maybe I lied lmao I can’t stop talking about this book lol But I still don’t think I did it justice. This was a book I know I’m going to be thinking about for a very long time. I really hope there’s another romance book coming to us. I know she wrote this during Nano (which damn, that’s bad ass) so Idk if there was plans for another. But if sooooooooo……. Yeah, I need that lol

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This was such an emotional friends to lovers story and Nielson really wrote a couple to root for. I loved Laniah and Isaac, best friends since childhood, since foster care, since food stamps, since the death of a parent and since the start of their careers. Laniah has always dreamt of opening a natural hair store and Isaac has always dreamt of creating art. When he becomes internet famous he can use his platform to help out Laniah. There’s some fake dating, a great cast of characters and a whole lot of love. This one comes out tomorrow!
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if I was rating this based on vibes alone, this would have a million stars ❤️ issac and laniah have a love story for the ages, truly soulmates in every definition of the word, and it was a blessing to read

which is so crazy that I just typed those words because friends to lovers is so not my jam 🤡 perhaps (most definitely) I’m speaking from my own personal trauma when I say that friends to lovers is never as seamless or easy as it is in real life, and while that’s quite literally the point of fiction, it gives me a feeling of regret and panic just by reading it

that being said!! I loved the stolen glances, the fake dating turned real feelings, the mutual pining - it was all written so beautifully 🥹 and after reading the author’s note, I feel even more connected to these characters

the pacing was glacier slow in the beginning where I kept having to set it down for days to get back in the mood to read again, but once the drama kicked in about halfway, I was invested and finished it in one sitting! the third act breakup, of course, was predictable based on the character’s inner thoughts and personalities, but still had me groaning at how avoidable it was with a single conversation 🙃🙃

the author’s writing was so beautiful and her text paragraphs felt like prose - I’m so glad I stuck through this one 🩷 thank you to berkley and berkley romance for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley cabernet sauvignon

Wow, this was BEAUTIFUL. A friends to lovers and fake dating story done right. I appreciated the way Laniah and Isaac handled their friendship and relationship with such care and maturity. You could tell they had a solid and genuine friendship, and it was believable why it took so many years to move beyond friendship.

In addition to a beautiful love story, I liked the way Neilson handled chronic illness, grief, and familial relationships. I'm excited to read more from her.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 5/5
Pacing 5/5
Plot Development 4/5
Character Development 5/5
Overall Enjoyability 5/5

Laniah and Issac are way too cute. The fact that she’s so oblivious to the way he’s in love with her. 🥺 There did come a point though where Laniah was frustrating. Her not wanting to tell her best friend what was going on with her was infuriating.

I don't know how to review a book that means the world to me. This book speaks to my soul. I will recommend it to the end of my days. It's my favorite book of all time.