Thanks to @entangled_publishing and @livyhartromance for the eARC of The Great Dating Fake Off, pubbing August 6, 2024

Livy Hart is to rom-com books as Nora Ephron is to rom -com movies.

A bold statement, perhaps, but I stand by it. Livy has a phenomenal talent of writing fully realized characters with strengths and weaknesses, finding the deeply emotional beats of a story, writing amazing one-liners and getting her characters into ridiculous situations that never fail to make me laugh.

The humour that permeates this book, and Livy’s previous books is smart, and comes from a place of love. She never punches down and never harms people with her wit.

Fake Off is the story of Nora and Sebastian, who after a brief encounter in the bookstore Nora manages, then meet up again, unexpectedly, at what can only be called the Big, Fat, Italian Wedding of the year, complete with overbearing family members, a feud that goes back decades, and a patriarch and matriarch who are keeping a secret. The twist? Nora and Sebastian are each pretending to date the brother and sister of the bride and groom, respectively. But when they see each other, the attraction is undeniable.

What ensues is a hilarious few days of a huge family at a secluded resort in New York, when nothing goes as planned.

Nora and Sebastian are fantastic together. They balance one another, challenge each other, and enjoy being with each other (in more ways than one…). It was so wonderful to see their relationship evolve, and figuring out what they mean to each other, and what they want in a future together.

I will read anything Livy Hart writes and if you’re a fan of rom-coms, I strongly suggest checking out this one when it’s available.

I have gone around and around trying to figure out where I land with this book. In many ways, I really enjoyed the plot, the setting, the banter, the drama. But this book FELT very long (350 pages isn't really that much, but I felt like it just kept going and going) and there were a few moments of "wtf why would they do this?"
But anyway, it had some sweet moments, some funny moments, and overall I think it was done really well.

- Fake dating is elite and this is double the fake date so double the fun
- The secret pining and eventual secret hookup was great, combining the plot and the genuine reason for secrecy with a tension that was built up so well
- Once they get together, they are getting together everywhere they possibly can: in private, in public, they don't care
- I appreciate that the main conflict within the relationship between Sebastian and Nora is very realistic, like I found myself also thinking through solutions to their problem and recognizing that this is something that people have to work through all the time
- The main setting of this book is wedding week for Rosalina and Enzo, so A LOT of the book takes place within the span of one week
- I found most of the characters to be fun and rather diverse in their personalities, allowing this to feel more natural than when every person is the same kind of comedy/snarky genius.
- The main conflict for the book's main plot here is a long-standing Italian family feud, think Romeo and Juliet, and the need to overcome conflicts to allow for a healthy family union for a new marriage. The angry Italian parents were so irritating, like I truly do not understand how a person could behave so horribly for their own children's wedding, but I was so over it before it was all said and done.

this book is the perfect summer read!!

fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and livy gives us TWO fake dating couples at a week long resort for a wedding (hello forced proximity!!). throw in a feuding italian family that gets snarky with each other every moment they get, and you can’t help but laugh at all the wild moments that ensue.

nora and sebastian try so hard to keep the charade up for their fake dates, but their chemistry is undeniable and the slow burn is unreal. he is so down bad for nora, the poor girl had no chance.

i could picture this book unfolding like a movie - i laughed hard and gasped at the twists. i devoured this in two sittings - highly recommend this rom com!!

thank you to netgalley, livy hart, & entangled for the arc in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏽

Nora and Sebastian meet at the bookstore she works for while he’s trying to coordinate a meeting place for a Boys and Girls Club program. They both think there might be a spark, but are quickly interrupted by her friend (and the shop’s owner) Benji’s return.
Cut forward and they’re both invited to the same week long Wedding Event. The problem? They’re both wrapped up in a fake dating situation with *other* people.

I love a fake dating trope, and weddings are the perfect excuse for them. I was very interested in this twist on the trope - where the couple you’re hoping to get together are not the ones pretending to date each other!
Nora and Benji are as terrible at pretending they’re a couple as Nora and Sebastian are at pretending they aren’t.
When the false and secret relationships come to a head, it is high drama. These families are more than A Bit Much, but it’s entertaining to read from the outside (sure wouldn’t want to be one of them though!)
It felt like the ending wrapped up really quickly compared to slower beginning, but it ends in an epilogue with a nice HEA so I was happy

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled for the arc

Witty, charming, hot. It’s the perfect romcom - Livy Hart’s voice is unique and never misses. Her characters are deep and well developed, with Seb and Nora having their own arcs while building on their incredible chemistry together with banter and steam.

This was a decent romantic comedy, but I had trouble buying into the characters. They were a bit shallow and unbelievable. I think this could be appealing to some, especially the big wedding and family chaos, but I found I couldn’t connect with the characters in a vulnerable or realistic way.

The queen never misses!!!!

I’m convinced that Livy Hart can do no wrong. She understands chemistry, characterization, and wit in a way that is completely unmatched.

Like her other novels, you can expect well developed characters, laugh inducing one liners, and all the steam your romance reader heart desires.

✅ Nora, 27, works at a bookstore & Sebastian, 30, currently on hiatus from a not for profit
✅ both fake dating other people for a wedding, but cannot stay apart
✅ big Italian American families
✅ set over a wedding week
🌶️: yes, but slowish burn because they’re fake dating other people

Ugh, this book just gave me all the same feels as any of my favorite 2000s romcoms. Our FMC, Nora, is so sweet and charismatic and might as well be the epitome of sunshine. While we do get some idea of her past and the things she's gone through, this book is most definitely meant for sweet romance and good laughs - not for diving into trauma. Seb, our MMC, is equally as charming and down BAD for Nora almost immediately.

I can't say that the overall plot line was my favorite (thinking 3rd act breakup and then trying to save everyone else). At moments I felt like the story could have concluded earlier or was ready to conclude so at times I felt like it was dragging a little bit. Dual POV is great but it also can give you the sense of like "if you would just talk to each other, this wouldn't be a problem."

Overall, this was such fun and sweet read that will definitely make me consider picking up more of Livy's books!

The Great Dating Fake-Off by Livy Hart

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for Providing me with a digital copy of “The Great Dating Fake-Off” by Livy Hart in exchange for an honest review.

Nora is managing her best friend’s bookstore one day when extraordinarily attractive Sebastian walks in to inquire about meeting space for the local youth mentoring club. They immediately hit it off but just as he’s about to ask her out, they are interrupted by aforementioned best friend Benji. Sensing the time is not right, Sebastian leaves.

Nora is disappointed but then she’s immediately drawn into the drama that has strolled in with Benji. Benji’s sister Ro is getting married and so Ro and their mother are harassing him about bringing a date to the wedding. Knowing that Benji is not interested in dating, even in the face of serious pressure from his family, Nora immediately offers herself up as his fake-girlfriend/wedding date.

Meanwhile, Sebastian’s best friend Alessia is the groom’s sister. Alessia is in a relationship with Eloise but Alessia’s not ready to come out to her very traditional, equally intrusive family. So Sebastian has agreed to be Alessia’s fake-boyfriend/wedding date.

You can see where this is going. Sebastian and Nora are shocked to find themselves constantly thrown together at the wedding. They really, really try to ignore their mutual chemistry to maintain the charade, but alas, it’s too strong.

Meanwhile, Ro and groom Enzo are living out a Romeo and Juliet scenario, complete with feuding Italian families. They secretly dated for a year before getting engaged and, now at the wedding location, their families are circling each other like the gangs in West Side Story. It only takes one incident to destroy the uneasy peace, and unfortunately, that incident is Nora and Sebastian.

What follows is the process of Nora and Sebastian trying to figure out how to manage their overwhelming attraction and patch up the implosion they unintentionally set off.

This may all seem like a lot of drama. To a certain extent, it is. But honestly, it’s the best kind of drama. The families can be toxic, hence all the fake dating, but at the center of the story is Nora and Sebastian, and their friends, who are all making honest efforts to live their lives as happily as they can. They all have blind spots and frustrations, but in the end, they all figure out how to compromise and get the happily ever after for everyone.

It’s a great book. It’s fun, funny, well-written, and manages to put a fresh spin on the fake-dating trope. Highly recommended for fans of the fake-dating trope, people who like genuine emotional growth, adult behavior from protagonists, and anybody who has naughty thoughts in photobooths.

The Great Dating Fake Off is a rom-com where love, comedy and spicy scenes mix in such a way that it leaves you wanting more and without wanting to stop reading.

The book stars Nora and Sebastian, a couple that has a lot of chemistry since their first meeting, but they have to pretend that it doesn't exist when they are both invited as their best friends' couples to a wedding. And what can go wrong at a big Italian wedding where both families hate each other? Well, everything. First because Nora has to pretend to be Benji's partner, her best friend and brother of the bride, and Sebastian to be Alessia's partner, his best friend and sister of the groom. Between having to pretend to be their best friends' couples in front of two huge families and pretending that they are not attracted to each other in any way, the main couple does not have a very good time.

I really enjoyed the story (as did its characters), especially in those family moments and because of the dynamic that Nora and Sebastian have between them and with the others (Benji, Alessia, Rosalina, Enzo...). And for people who enjoy a romance with scenes where the temperature rises, this is the one for you.

A book that you have to give a chance to and that made me laugh out loud.

*This is my honest and voluntary review. Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.*

Livy Hart is such a fun rom com writer and The Great Dating Fake Off was just such a treat. Nora would do anything for her friend, including fake dating him for his sister’s wedding featuring a rivaling bride and groom family—the biggest hiccup: her crush Sebastian is there with the groom’s sister as her fake date, and with these feuding families watching, they have to make sure their attraction doesn’t get the better of them. There’s chaos and love and steam and all the things in this book! It’s a great romcom with great banter and wit. I loved the growth of Sebastian and Nora and their playfulness together. I do wish there was a little more depth to them together, but this is a perfect beach read. Their dynamic is so good, and I love how Sebastian protects and takes care of Nora and his friends. There is so much friendship loyalty here and so much with the side characters that just made the leads all so easy to root for and love. Just a very fun, enjoyable, bingeable read!

What a great introduction to Livy Hart's writing! 🤗 I absolutely loved The Great Dating Fake Off!

The characters were relatable, the plotline was realistic, and the main issue was something a real couple might actually face. Sometimes, I find myself 😒 frustrated when reading contemporary romance because the story just doesn't hit those plausible points. I was very happy with the way Nora and Sebastian's relationship played out.

🤫Fake Dating
🇮🇹Overbearing Italian Families
🐑Century Old Family Feud
😵‍💫Can't Stay Away
🏡Home Is Where The Heart Is
😠Possessive MMC

💬Favorite Quotes:
🩷I want to be claimed. To be someone’s person. I crave the safety that comes when two people fully belong to each other.
🚨Red-freaking-alert, this guy is human quicksand. I’m sinking in the warmth of his attention.
💙If I get one thing right in this life, I hope it’s how much I give back to the people who have given me everything.

Thank you so much to Livy Hart, Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book! 🥰 I am off to read all of her other books!

Absolutely adorable and also sexy at the same time!

After a quick chance meeting where sparks fly, Nora and Sebastian agree to be fake dates for their best friends at the same wedding! Nora agrees to be the fake date for the brother of the bride, Benji, and Sebastian agrees to be the fake date for the sister of the groom, Alessia, in order to save Benji and Alessia from their meddlesome (LARGE) Italian families. But a wedding between two families with a feud (#stolensheepproblems) dating back to their time in Italy, may be too much for anyone to handle. When Nora and Sebastian realize that they are fake dating at the same wedding, they struggle to hide their feelings as they get to know each other and fall deeper in love. This was a super sweet and spicy medium burn novel that I wholeheartedly enjoyed!

I've loved Livy Hart's previous novels and while I couldn't connect with this one as much as I wanted, I still liked it. Sebastian and Nora have an electric first meet, and then get entangled in a web of fake dating and Italian family drama that prevents them from getting to know each other properly, though that doesn't stop their attraction and chemistry. I enjoyed their relationship, although I feel like too many things were happening and that made me not very focused on the romance.

I Loved this book!! Even with two feuding families causing nothing but wedding drama.. I don't think there is a character I don't like in this book. Nora and Sebastian have amazing chemistry together. It's cute how they initially meet then come together at this wedding that they're at in fake relationships with other people. I definitely recommend this one!

I loved this book so much. The only thing better than one fake dating couple is two! Nora and Sebastian had such great chemistry. It was fun reading them trying to avoid their feelings for their respective fake relationships. It was fun reading the two couples interacting with each other. I found both families to be hilarious and so over the top in an entertaining way. I enjoy how Ro and Enzo were playing such a role with the struggles Nora and Sebastian were facing as well. It was interesting how the issues were so parallel, even though there were different issues both faced. This one was sweet with some laugh out loud moments.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled for the opportunity to read this e-arc. This is my honest opinion.

The duel POV and dynamic of the main characters and group of characters was so good. This book kept giving me what I wanted. Every trope provided was my favorite. I would recommend this book over and over again. Great job.

This is a really fun book and would be a perfect summer/beach read! What’s better than fake dating?? Fake dating times two. I thought this was a unique take on the trope - two people, who are both fake dating someone else - run into each other at the same wedding….and chaos ensues!

I loved Nora and Sebastian together! Oh Sebastian - he was the perfect mix of protective and sweet to Nora and I love how he stands up for her. They had amazing chemistry that leads to some spicy scenes!

The background of this story with a giant wedding and two feuding families made for some very funny scenes! I loved the humor in this book the most, but also loved the emotional scenes. The side characters were also great (Alessia for the win!!) and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

✨What to Expect:
😂Romantic Comedy
🩷Fake Dating x 2
🌼Found Family
🔥Protective MMC x Bookish FMC
💋She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🌶️Spicy Scenes
💒Over The Top Italian Wedding with Montague/Capulet vibes
💙Dual POV

Playful cover and title. Nora D'Amato is the manager of a bookstore. She's cheerful, caring, friendly, bold, sentimental and a little resentful. In walks Sebastian Rossi. He's the Director of Development for the Boys and Girls Club. Sebastian is competitive, athletic, compassionate, and doesn't feel good enough in his accomplishments. After their initial meeting, they go their separate ways. Low and behold, a couple days later, they both end up at the same event with dates. Did they misread each other during their first interaction? Who were the people they brought to the event? Why couldn't they stop thinking about one another? Would they survive this event? These two have a lot of personal issues to work through. By the end of the first chapter, I knew this was going to be a messy story and it did not disappoint. The tension, the banter, and the sneaking around were awesome. I love reading books by this author and look forward to her next one.