I wanted to like this book more. I felt no real chemistry from the characters and I didn’t really like Denz all that much. I would try other books by this author, but this one just didn’t connect with me.

I've loved all the adult debuts of YA authors I've read recently and I'm happy that I Think They Love You is getting added to that list!

Denz is going through a quarterlife crisis. He feels a sense of obligation to his job and his family for his family only to not take him seriously in return. Being around his age, I thought this story was really relatable exploring the feelings of what if what you think you should want isn't what you actually want. While his work life is in a place of upheaval, his ex-Braylon's reappearance in his life puts his romantic life in upheaval too. Their dynamic felt like a messy situationship, which unfortunately I also found very relatable.

The story is told in 3rd person single POV, but I wish we got to see some of Braylon's POV because his actions are both the catalyst of their initial break-up and the third act break-up during the main storyline. I'm not sure if this book is going to be the start of a new series, but I hope so since there's definitely some hints and foundation laid where we could see a book with characters we meet in this story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of I Think They Love You and Dreamscape Media for an ALC.

4.5 Stars

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: Julian Winters never disappoints. Even though this is his first adult romance, it is so aggressively his brand, and all the incredible things you know and love about his YA writing absolutely shine through in this story, albeit in new ways.

If there’s one thing Julian’s always gonna do, he will always write a tender, warm-hearted, thoughtful story about what it means to not only discover yourself but to be okay with continuously discovering new things about yourself. And that’s exactly what you get from this story.

I really respect the ways this story challenges the social norm of using romantic relationships or lack thereof as a viable barometer for “success.” The fact that Denz has to stage a fake relationship to show his family that he’s a serious person is inherently ridiculous. And while he does mistakenly buy into that for most of the story, by the end I think he has a much clearer picture of himself and is beginning to learn that what he has to offer on his own is enough and always has been enough.

That’s a message I deeply value and that I think so many people need to hear. Oftentimes, it’s not that we need romance or these external milestones to quote-unquote “improve” our lives or prove that our lives have value. It’s that we need more chances to stand in our power and to be trusted. I think that’s really what Denz is struggling with in the story. He’s sort of trapped in this self-fulfilling prophecy where he’s not taken seriously because people in his life don’t see him as having that capacity, and as such never give him the chance to prove that conception wrong, which is what keeps him from growing in the first place.

So I really appreciate that part of that story. I deeply respect how it shows that it’s not our job titles, our achievements, or how much money we make that defines our success, but rather how we love and support the people in our lives—including ourselves.

I do kind of feel like the fake dating situationship between Denz and Braylon is a little bit lower stakes than I typically enjoy in my fake dating romances, which is not inherently a bad thing. It’s just something I noticed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I thought it was able to effectively nail those thematic concepts and bring everything together in the end in a way that was emotionally cathartic and satisfying. If you love adult romance, I think you’re gonna love what Julian’s bringing to that space!

I Think They Love You is an unputdownable and highly enjoyable adult debut from Julian Winters. Denz has lived his whole life needing to impress his powerful and influential family. To be a Carter means to always have it handled. In their event planning business, a single moment can make or break everything. When Denz’s father announces his retirement, the race is on to see who will be the new CEO. To Denz’s horror, shenanigans occur and he ends up in a fake relationship with the ex who shattered his heart into pieces. As Denz struggles to prove himself to his family, can Braylon and Denz reconcile their past before it’s too late?

I Think They Love You is charming and romantic. I loved Denz and completely understood his desire to both prove himself to and take care of his family. Denz is deeply motivated by preserving what his father sacrificed for. Braylon and Denz have a second chance romance that I really enjoyed, because it made sense to me that they needed time apart to grow before they could reunite. The ensemble cast of friends and family were delightful. Julian Winters’ writing makes you feel like you’re right there in the joyful chaos with these characters. I Think They Love You is a warm and entertaining romance. Readers who love fake dating, queer love stories, strong ensemble casts, and lovable characters will love this book.

Thank you to Julian Winters, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

I Think They Love You is such a sweet romance! I'm not the biggest fan of fake dating or second chances, but somehow, both tropes work well here. I enjoyed Denz's character, even if he is a little immature and dramatic. His ex (and college sweetheart) Braylon is also a delight, especially with his dad jokes and charisma.

This book is often hilarious, but also emotional. In addition to the romance, I also loved Denz's big family; the whole cast of characters makes this feel so much more real.

This is Julian Winters's first adult novel, and I did find that much of this felt a little close to YA or NA, both in writing style and the characters' ages and interactions. I think that this story would have felt more believable if Denz and Braylon were actually a bit older... later 20s? Even early 30s? And if Denz acted as such, of course.

Regardless, I enjoyed this whole book, and if I'm right in assuming there will be a sequel involving two certain characters here, I'll absolutely read it, too!

3.5 Stars

This was a good, low risk romcom to start 2025.
I enjoyed the book overall and the found the family dynamics to be very fun. This is a second chance romance but the romance for me took a back seat to Denz and his career.

I didn't love Denzel’s character. Just not likable enough to route for him. It was very clear where the story was going and Denz was never going to win the CEO title at his families company against Camila.

Braylon was in London for what 3 years? There is no way he would have an accent.

Overall I loved the family and the events/ event planning. The romance was sweet but the lack of communication in second chance romance almost always irritates me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“How would having sex in front of your colleagues—your family—make our fake relationship more legitimate?”

4.25 stars

Denz is hoping for a promotion to CEO at his family's company, and to avoid looking like he can’t commit to things, he starts fake dating his ex who broke his heart.

"Shit, when did starting a simple conversation with someone who’s seen you naked become the toughest part of my day?"

* Cue all the resulting drama of a fake-dating rom-com *

"He’s always avoided dating apps. Being gay and Black isn’t the easiest thing to navigate in online spaces. Why voluntarily sign up for people to showcase their racism or fetishism while hiding behind a fake profile pic? No, thanks."

This was cute and emotional! I liked how their relationship progressed, since it was a second-chance trope too, their banter, and the side characters were likable.

“Nephew,” she says mid-guffaw, “you’ve had some slipups before, but this truly drags the bar straight to hell.”
“I know.” He squares his shoulders. “I need your help.”
“You need Jesus.”

I didn’t like his extended family, I dunno if that’s like standard family behaviour, I don’t have a family like that, but I found them so rude and intrusive. I thought it would be this nice family-featuring book but instead their parts just annoyed me lmao I liked his mom and sister tho, but on the fence about his dad. He was shitty for most of the book.

ALSO, no one lives in a foreign country and picks up an accent after a few years. Come on.

Other than that, super enjoyable and I would recommend it!

“I need an expert.”
“Wow. Is that a compliment?”
“Is it working? Would it help if I said please?”
“Only if you get on your knees too.” He didn’t mean for it to sound so . . . suggestive. “What I meant to say is—”
“You’re into groveling?” Braylon flexes an eyebrow.
“Are you kink-shaming me?”

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Griffin, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC!

"It’s been rooted in each of them since they were little: Work hard. Never settle for average. Be the best version of yourself whether you think anyone’s paying attention or not, because when you’re a Black professional, they’re always watching."

<i>⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars Rounded Up To Four</i>

I liked this! It wasn’t anything mind-blowing or out of this world, but overall, I enjoyed it. Plus, it featured some tropes I do absolutely love: second chance romance, fake dating, and one bed—what’s not to like?

This was my first introduction to this author as an author since I haven’t read any of their YA books, & while I don’t typically read a lot of YA, there were moments where the writing definitely felt like a YA book (not necessarily a bad thing, just noticeably different than my usual reads). That said, the growth aspect of this story was even more well done than I’ve seen in books by many established adult authors, which was a pleasant surprise.

I do wish Braylon had been a bit more fleshed out as a character, but overall, I had a good time with this one!

I love a good fake dating trope and this one is fake dating an ex! Denz and Braylon were college sweethearts that weren’t meant to be…except years later, they decide to fake date to help each other’s careers. During this time, they learn more about why they broke up and how it made them into the people they currently are. I really enjoyed seeing their story unfold and the complexities of why they fell apart years ago. I really liked Braylon’s character, but found Denz to be too immature and a little too annoying at times. Kenz and Nina were honestly my favorite of all the characters because they both knew themselves. The ending was a tad too rushed and didn’t feel like the right fit for the characters, but was okay. I did enjoy this set in the world of elite party planning and loved all the representation! 4⭐️, 2🌶

Branching out, YA author Julian Winters has delivered an excellent MM second chance, dual POV, fake dating romance that sees two Black gay former college exes faking a relationship in order to improve each of their chances in the workplace. With flashbacks to their college life five years in the past, we get to see what went wrong, how they fell in love and whether they can make things work this second time around in the present. Spicy and heartfelt, this had lots of family drama and emotional depth. Good on audio too and perfect for fans of authors like Kosoko Jackson. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I Think They Love You was a fun second chance + fake dating romance. I really liked the book, it was funny and emotional. It didn’t quite go the way I expected but not in a bad way. Would recommend!

Denzel Carter’s father abruptly retires, setting off a competition to become his successor. To convince his family members that he’s capable of commitment, Denz impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship. In need of a fake boyfriend, Denz contacts his ex Braylon, who needs Denz's connections to the mayor to win his own promotion. Their fake relationship starts off all business, but faking a relationship means Denz's feelings might return.

Denz is seen as a player, so he's invested in this competition against his sister to win their father's approval. It's explicitly stated that excellence is the bare minimum, setting everyone up to be stressed and anxious to be seen as good enough. While Denz sets up a fake boyfriend plan with his best friend, he bumps into his ex and sets up the arrangement for their mutual benefit. Of course, this brings up the old feelings they had for each other. Toss in other fun tropes like forced proximity, only one bed, and working together for a deadline, and we have elements worthy of the romcoms that Denz and his best friend love so much.

This novel is very much a romcom, with some moments of deeper emotional beats. Denz doesn't ever feel good enough about himself and tries so hard to be what others expect. It's a very difficult line for anyone to keep up with. Braylon has similar fears, so both must overcome them for their happily ever after.

Well this was a really cute and charming romcom! 🥹

Denzel is trying to prove to his family that he can take things seriously, so he needs to find a fake boyfriend stat. And who should he just so happen to run into, right in the nick of time?! His ex-boyfriend Bray, who needs Denz’s connections to the mayor for his own job…so they make a deal.

First of all, Denz’s family, “The Carters”, are an absolute hoot. Parents, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles. It’s a big family, and there was a lot of good banter going on.

We only get Denz’s POV throughout the book, so there’s always a bit of mystery as to where Bray is coming from, but I didn’t mind because Denz has got a lot going on in his head, and a lot of insecurity to work through.

Being ex’s, there’s instant chemistry between Denz and Bray, and the flirting and tension that builds and builds between them is just so good, and their moments together are just so precious.

As for the story, I thought all the party planning and the “competition” for the CEO position was a lot of fun. (Although, I personally thought it was a pretty harsh way to go about it, Denz’s Dad! 😫😂)

Overall, I really enjoyed this fun and swoony romcom! 🥰

Thank you to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me an early copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Romcom
✅ Single POV
✅ Second Chance
✅ Fake Dating
✅ Family Business
✅ Party Planning
✅ MM

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
🌶️🌶️¾ / 5

I really wanted to love this book because the world is in need of more MM queer fake dating romances. However there were a number of things that took me out of the story too much to be truly enjoyable. I wish, if we were going to get one POV that it could have been in first person. The 3rd person pov doesn’t allow for “showing, not telling”. Denz’s monologue and musings were just sometimes intolerable. It also was so emotionally slow. At 70% Denz is still adamant it’s fake even to his best friend.

I’m sure this will be a book that many people enjoy, and I hope it does exceptionally well, just wasn’t for me this time.

I was hooked from the first chapter. Witty writing, fun characters and an interesting plot! This book was unique and a great read about fake dating, family dynamics and second chances!

4 stars

Ah, Denz and Braylon! These two are the stars of an extremely satisfying and charming story of lovers to exes to lovers again, and they will win your hearts.

In an effort to seem like he's adulting as successfully as possible and thus ready for an impending professional opportunity, Denz decides to pretend that he's in a serious romantic relationship. While this fact alone - serious relationship = ready for serious professional responsibility - struck me as strange, the characters are not on the same page. They go for it, and in this case, Denz goes for it through happenstance with his ex, Braylon. Is this my personal nightmare? Yes. Is it theirs? Fortunately, no!

As much as I questioned the impetus, I really enjoyed these characters and the way they evolved individually and together. I am an incoming fan of Winters, and this book was enjoyable as expected. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Cute second chance, fake dating rom-com. In I Think They Love You, the unexpected retirement of Denz's father from the family event-management company leaves Denz needing to prove his level of commitment with a serious relationship in order to be considered for the CEO position. Unfortunately, he hasn't been in a relationship since college, when his boyfriend Braylon broke his heart by moving to London right after graduation. The sudden reappearance of Braylon leads to their agreement to fake date to convince Denz's family that he's committed and serious enough to be CEO.

Denz and Braylon's gradual rekindling of their relationship is sweet. I loved Braylon's dad jokes texts and Denz's slow realization that he shouldn't have let Braylon leave,

This was a 4-star for me because of a couple of things:
• So many supporting characters. Aunts, uncles, parents, sisters, nephews, cousins, sister's-secret-boyfriend, ex-hookup-barristas--the sheer number of names was sometimes confusing.
• Braylon's weird British "accent" after living in London only a few years.
• Denz being in the running for CEO of what seems to be a million-dollar company at the age of 25 and with only experience as a social media coordinator. I can overlook this because...fiction!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. This was a very cute romance book. Overall I enjoyed it, but there were moments where I feel like k couldn’t immerse myself in the story as much as I wanted. Some parts didn’t seam as cohesive and I would have liked. Denzel was a bit insufferable at times, but he redeemed himself at the end. I absolutely loved Braylon’s character though. Second chance romance books with rom com vibes and queer representation did work well together though. I would be open to reading another book from this author in the future.

This book was slower to grow on me. Denz was a lot to take in and immature at times. But truly no less than you’d expect anyone to be at 25. I wished we had Bray’s point of view…. I debated how I wanted to rate this book but ultimately I am going to go based on vibes and how much I ended up loving Denz and Bray.

From mid way through this book I was consumed by it. Consumed by them.

I love Braylon’s awful dad jokes.

« Why should you never break up with a goalie? Because he’s a keeper. »

« How do astronomers organize a party? They planet. »

I love Denzel’s inner monologue.

« The Kiss is in the back of his mind. It’s the Florida of his thoughts—he knows it’s there but refuses to acknowledge it. »

Part of me wished this book never ended. ♥️

And the side characters are also all so well developed it makes me hope and pray we do get another book out of this. Best friend Jamie needs a happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Julian Winters for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

Two of my favorite romance tropes are fake dating and second-chance romance. Fake dating is always fun and usually results in at least a little pining (which is a requirement for me to get truly invested in a relationship). Second-chance romance can, when written properly, produce character and relationship growth that makes the happy ending feel earned. I Think They Love You is a prime example of how to do both of those tropes really well.

The book starts with Denz, the main character, preparing for a big event where his boyfriend, Braylon, will meet his family for the first time. After, we jump five years in the future, and see Denz run into Braylon again for the first time, a few years after their breakup.

Denz soon encounters a situation that makes him feel like he needs to present himself as being in a stable and committed relationship. When his best friend, Jamie, is suddenly unable to pose as his new boyfriend as planned, Braylon steps in, and the two are forced to deal with their lingering feelings and broken hearts.

The story is mostly told in the present but there are flashbacks sprinkled in that fill in their history. Through both timelines, their love for each other is clear. Denz and Braylon are a great example of the kinds of pairings I love in fiction: two people who really see each other (flaws and all) and push each other to be better and happier. These two had me laughing out loud and crying onto my Kindle at various points in the book!

Denz goes through some great character growth that I think will be relatable to many people. We don't get Braylon's POV but he's such a loveable character. Even without his POV, his personality shines through and the changes he brings about in Denzel are profound.

This story has a big focus on family: living up to family expectations, grieving lost parents, and found family are all themes. Denz's relationship with his family plays an especially large role in his life and the story. He has a close family filled with fun and realistic characters. His sister, Kami was a highlight for me. There are also parents, aunties, cousins, friends, and co-workers who fill out the cast.

One thing I really liked, as a romance fan, was all the references to rom-coms. Denz and Jamie love romance movies, so some big moments refer to some of the greats in the genre. There's also a quote about why romance appeals to so many that I adore and think other romance readers will too.

Finally, there are hints of another romance developing in the background of this book (including the epilogue). I have no idea if Julian Winters is planning a sequel but those two characters could make a great story that I would love to read! If this becomes a series, I will 100% be reading all future books.

I Think They Love You is a solid romance that does the second-chance romance and the fake-dating tropes right. It's emotional, sweet, funny, spicy, and everything that most romance readers look for.