Thank you Entangled Publishing and Booked with the Emily’s for sending me review copies. I was immediately hooked with Marina’s quick wit humor and a romance that follows two mid-to-late 30s adults who were going through some real life stuff – Jonah parenting a teen and toddler after losing his wife to cancer, and Evie struggling to manage her teen daughter, her useless ex, her family business, and her aging and ill parents. However, there just seemed to be a lot happening in this book, to the detriment of following their story. The tone was all over the place as well - one moment they were struggling, the next they were playful and flirty, and it was just tough to keep up with the emotional whiplash. With that said, I found the story to be refreshing and I will read more by this author. 3.5 rounded up.

(3.5 rounded up to a 4)

You've Got Male by Marina Adair is a fun contemporary rom-com.

Evie is a single mom trying to reorganize her parents' coffee shop business so it can survive. Her best friend posts a video of Evie describing her perfect man, and then the men start coming. To try to ward them off, she asks the sexy guy next door, Jonah--a recent widower and single dad of two--to be her fake boyfriend.

This was funny and I could totally see it being a Hallmark movie; it seems this author had some of her novels adapted there already. I initially picked this one up for the cover and because fake dating and rivals to lovers are some of my favorite tropes.

It's always nice to read stories about characters who are roughly my age; Evie is around 35. Both she and Jonah have kids who are around high school age, and they're both wonderful side characters as well. There's also queer representation in Evie's father and best friend.

Our main couple have great chemistry and their banter is on point. The steamy scenes are pretty well done, and there are several. I'm so pleased with how many romances lately have really leaned hard into uplifting clear and enthusiastic consent in those kinds of scenarios.

Though this is a rom-com there are also heavier scenes. Jonah is a widower who lost his wife to cancer immediately after they had a baby daughter a few years back. Evie became a single mom at 19 and though the father kept up with child support he wasn't really present in their daughter's life. He's kind of the worst. But I think the author does a good job balancing the pressures of the characters with the lightness of the romance.

I'll definitely read more from this author in the future!

I found this book really awesome. I loved the characters and how well the mess together to make the whole story. I will be recommending all my friends to read this book as well.

Read this if you like:
•fake dating
•enemies to lovers
•single parent (single mom and single dad!)

What a cute coffee shop romance. This gave me hallmark vibes with a little spice. Love that the kids were older and in high school so they could have more mature conversations with them. This book was so dang cute

Thank you Entangled & Booked with the Emily’s for the eARC.

A fun and lighthearted story. I loved the characters, the banter and the sizzling sparks. I enjoyed getting both POVs. It’s a well written story with an entertaining and engaging storyline.

I enjoyed the themes and tropes of this romance, like fake dating and rivals to lovers. The chemistry and tension were on fire.

I also liked that heavier topics were brought up in the story, it didn't feel too heavy or dramatic. Like childhood traumas, single parenthood, narcissistic baby daddies, raising teenagers, striving to fulfill your dreams while juggling parenting and real life struggles.

Some things in the story felt uncomfortable. This might be a trigger warning:
- when the grandparents and mother were allowing a 16 year old to date a 19 year old, and even a 21 year old. Like actually being okay with it and not mentioning the fact that it is incredibly inappropriate. I'm actually shocked in 2024 that an author would even entertain that topic at all. So for me, it gave me the ick and took away the possibility for 5 stars.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this story and didn't want to put it down. It felt like a modern day romance with real life struggles but also bits of the cutesy romance bits thrown in.

🩷 Fake dating
🩵 Second chance
🩷 Enemies to lovers
🩵 Reverse Cinderella
🩷 Single parents

The sweetest second chance romance of the year. Evie is a single mother who put life (and dating) on hold to raise her now teenage daughter, when her scheming best friend makes her go viral in a social media social experiment to find love. Swooping in to save the day is her hot, single dad next door neighbor who agrees to act as her beard to relieve her of the unwanted male attention.

The story is sweet and the multi-generational characters are all lovable in their own quirky ways. This one is a must read!

Many thanks for the gifted copy

You've Got Male is perfect for anyone looking for a steamy contemporary romance! It's essentially a Hallmark Rom-Com in book form. Now, that doesn't mean there isn't any substance to the story. We get a beautiful dual POV of two struggling parents trying to balance a ton of different hats and also maybe considering opening their hearts back up to love.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the eARC!

Evie has spent the last 16 years living her life for others, between raising her daughter when her ex split and now returning to help her parents with their local coffee shop that's on the verge of going under.

While working at the coffee shop one day, Evie's friend Julie sneakily records Evie and makes an online dating based account called You've Got Male. Evie tries to fend off the sudden rush of suitors and viral attention, insisting she simply can't afford to date right now.

Enter Jonah, Evie's longtime neighbor who has been driving her and the neighborhood Beautification Board crazy with his unkempt yard. Jonah meanwhile has spent the last couple of years drowning in single father duties after his wife died of cancer. In order to help Jonah fend off the HOA and Evie to fend off the You've Got Male fans, they decide to fake a relationship.

This story was very enjoyable to see who each of the main characters trying to work out how to manage their lives for themselves again and learning to trust having a partner again who can help them juggle each other's strengths and weaknesses. While it's strong on ~spice~, the focus is definitely on how Jonah works to pull his life back together as he juggles potty training his toddler, dealing with a surly teen, and getting back into the workforce while Evie works on ways to ensure stability with her parents' shop, working on communication with her daughter regarding her father's new relationship, and finally attempting to return to college.

ARC REVIEW

I liked this one a lot!! Honestly having not read the synopsis before starting (or rather reading it but a long time ago), I didn’t realize how sad it was going to be in the beginning but I liked that despite the sadness there was a lot of lightheartedness and laughter and happiness too. I really felt I could connect to the characters, and really enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you Marina Adair and Entangled Publishing for providing me with this eARC!

*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Yo, "You've Got Male" by Marina Adair is a straight-up rom-com rollercoaster. Evie Granger’s life is a hot mess—single mom, sick dad, noisy best friend, and a viral video bringing all the boys to the yard. Her neighbor steps in for a fake relationship to keep the crazies at bay. This book's got heart, laughs, and all the feels. If you love a chaotic yet heartwarming tale with a side of coffee shop drama and social media madness, dive in! Adair’s nailed the modern romance vibe, making it a must-read for anyone juggling life’s wild curveballs.

This book touches on so many aspects that have an impact on life: love, loss, abandonment, putting your life of hold, prioritizing others, self-sacrafice, parenting, and the internet.

I enjoyed that the story was told from the points of view of both Evie and Jonah, so you have some insight into both of their minds as the neighbors go from feuding to feelings.

Between her parents, her daughter and the family business Evie doesn’t have the time or energy for love or a relationship however her friend doesn’t agree. She now finds herself trying to dissuade the attentions of men who believe they are the answer to her problems. To alleviate the situation, she recruits her neighbor to pretend they are together as they are of like minds when it comes to relationships.

After the death of his wife a couple of years earlier Jonah has been struggling as he tries to be there for his children and deal with their new reality. He knows that it is time to move forward with his life and Evie’s request might be what he needs personally so he can pick up the pieces professionally.

The characters and the situations they find themselves in are understandable. The story manages to balance humorous conversations, a romance that neither expected as well as the complicated feelings they are having.

This a fun mom com that delivers in the STEAMY category! I’m calling it a mom com because our FMC, Evie is a single mom to her 16yo daughter, and with it come alls the #momlife shenanigans and juggling. With the “help”🫠 from her best friend, Evie’s life is thrown into even more chaos, when a video of her describing her ideal man, goes viral! It’s a fun, hilarious, quick read that you will not regret!

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍enemies to lovers
🤍bet/date/wager
🤍Neighbors
🤍Fake Relationship
🤍Opposites Attract
🤍Steamy

Evie & Jonah

A very entertaining story!

I love Evie’s sweet personality and selfless disposition. Her intentions are always positive and forward thinking, but not always accomplished. I love her fierce loyalty to her daughter Camila’s, well-being and happiness. Her feelings towards her ex are warranted.

Jonah is a guy who has suffered through the horrible interactions with cancer and the loss resulting from it. He’s now kind of a mess trying to move forward and taking his new position as sole parent very seriously and failing miserably.

I love the journey these two stressed out soles embark on and how they navigate their individual lives and incorporating the outside world. The descriptions of the actions of and dealing with hormonal, emotional and dramatic teenagers is spot on! Moira & Leonard are a real hoot! This is a hilarious, compassionate and sweet reading experience. Love it!

"You’ve Got Male" by Marina Adair is a heartwarming and hilarious at times love story that beautifully blends single parenting, fake dating, and emotional healing.
The story revolves around Evie, a single mother juggling her professional organizing business and her parents' struggling coffee shop, and Jonah, a widower raising two kids.
Their initial meet up is filled with awkward and hilarious moments , but as they agree to fake date to fend off unwanted suitors and family pressure, their bond deepens.
Evie and Jonah's chemistry is palpable, and their playful banter adds so much to the overall experience. The novel touches on serious themes like grief, single parenting, and financial struggles, making so relatable and engaging. The supporting characters, especially their children, bring so much to the growth of these characters and I love how we can see all the ups and downs and challenges one has to deal with when it comes to parenting. Adair's clever writing and the engaging plot make this book difficult to put down. Overall, "You’ve Got Male" is a delightful read that showcases love, resilience, and the beauty of second chances.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own

Evie and Jonah’s love story was unique and filled with past love trauma and family dilemmas but love conquers all❤️ This was a fun and romantic read with some banter and heavy issues address.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC as well as the author and publishing house. This was my first read from this author and will continue to read her books.

This was okay for me. I found myself getting frustrated a lot by Evie and all the crap that she let herself take on. Her daughter and her ex, her parents refusing to acknowledge problems, school, and lots of other things. There is A LOT going on in this story. So much that it was hard for me to get into and stay into the story. There were a lot of things unanswered for me as well because of all the side things going on not being tied up. Jonah was okay. He did get a little better as the story went on. I felt like the ending reconciliation between Evie and Jonah was rushed. I was rooting for them, just not sure the ending was what I was hoping for. This was my first time reading this author, but I would give her another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

Thank you Entangled publishing for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team.

A delightful fake relationship/enemies (neighbors) to lovers romance.

This book follows some single parents on their journey after some rough years. I liked the age of the characters. It’s relatable. I really enjoyed this story. It had some deep moments, but it was also very lighthearted and funny. There is some spice in the story.

Trigger warming: this book touches on a lot of subjects which include cancer, grief, suicide, single parenting. Make sure to check those warnings before reading.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received eARC for my honest opinion.

In this book you will meet Evie who is a single parent raising a teenage daughter with the help of her parents. She also works at the cafe that her parents own, and not just because they helped her out when she was at her lowest but because this is what family does. However, being a single parent since you were 19 can get lonely and when her friend blast to the whole world about her love life and what Evie is looking for in a man…her life is suddenly filled with a lot and I mean a lot of men with roses coming to her family’s coffee shop trying to win her heart or at least a date with her. Evie can’t handle all this and even though her sexy, but annoying neighbor can’t do anything right with his garden she has a great idea that he can be her fake romance to get everyone off of her back, but what happens when that neighbor sweeps her off her feet?

I loved this dual POV on two single parents that are just trying to figure out life and romance. I found the plot to be just what I wanted in a romcom but a bonus when you find out that there is some really great spice in the book as well. I liked the pace and I didn’t find myself upset about the miscommunication trope because of how the author handled it in the book and how it didn’t drag on throughout the end of the book. If you’re looking for the perfect book that will sweep you off your feet, make you laugh, make you shed a tear, and it will have all the single parents rooting for this love story to happen.

I found the characters easy to relate too, and to connect with. I thought their banter was just right for this book and I loved all the funny subtle innuendos throughout the book. I liked that both the characters knew what they wanted out of their lives, but needed a little shove to get them there, you will also see a lot of close family moments. I liked that you got to see the crazy side of raising a child or children when being single but you will also get to see the moments that mean the most as well. I thought both the characters did a great amount of character growth in the book and I am happy to see that they were both able to pull their heads out of their butts.

If you’re looking for a fast paced, easy romcom, with spice, enemies to lovers, fake dating and single parents this is a book you should pick up.

I want to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.