Heat Factor: They’re still hot for each other

Character Chemistry: A little careful, a little pining

Plot: In a fit of pique, Denz decided to show his family WHO HE IS, only to make himself a nice big mess, complete with a fake (ex)boyfriend, and ultimately find his own self

Overall: This is a good book in so many ways, but I’ve realized that one thing about these journey of self-discovery growth arc romances that’s not for me is the MC apologizing for bad behavior (as he should), but never getting his family’s apology for theirs.

I picked up this book because it had general structural overlap with another book that I ended up really not liking, and I wanted a do-over. I didn’t say it was a good reason, but when I saw I Think They Love You, I was really hopeful that I’d like it.

I’m going to dig into the primary points of the book later, but the overall narrative arc is one of a young man who is struggling to understand his own desires and identity, and who is forced to come to terms with his need to do so when his work and home life converge in an emotional overload clash. Basically, Denzel needs SO MUCH therapy—individual therapy, family therapy, probably even couples therapy—but instead we’re going on his journey of terrible choices and self-esteem smack-downs until he figures his stuff out.

This story is about Denzel, who is flailing through his twenties after his college sweetheart, Braylon, moved to London without him after college. While Denz may have run away from home (barely) by hiding out at UGA during college, he’s right back in the thick of his family drama and expectations, working for his family’s Atlanta-famous event planning business after college. Then, he runs into his ex at the bakery down the road on the same day that his father announces his retirement and determination to seek a new CEO outside the company.

The family is outraged at the idea of bringing in an external hire for CEO, and after some family squabbling, Denz rage-enters the running with his sister. And, because his family keeps saying that the reason he’s not CEO material is because he’s SO unserious—I mean, he hasn’t even had a boyfriend in how many years?—he also declares he does have a boyfriend, excuse me! Then he has to scramble to find a fake boyfriend, convinces his best friend, his best friend flakes, and his ex shows up at an opportune moment with a request of his own. So even though it’s pretty uncomfortable (cause they’re exes), they manage a little “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.”

Anyway, if you’d like to delve a little deeper, the big three elements we have to work through in this book are Denz coming to grips with his own personhood, the battle for the CEO position between Denz and his sister (which happens after a family uproar that the company should stay in the family), and the way Denz’s family treats each other. Some of these overlap, obviously, but I’ll do my best to focus.

The CEO Competition
Let’s start with the CEO position, as this is the one thing driving the plot. At the meeting in which Denz’s dad announces his retirement, Denz is at first happy for his sister’s hat to be put in the ring. When one of his aunts chimes in and says Denz would also make a good CEO, followed by his other aunt saying he wouldn’t because he’s such a flake, he bristles and says he wants to be in the running, too. Okay, so, two things here:

Is Denz a flake?
Does he actually want this job?
Because the question of whether or not Denz wants the job is tied to his journey of self-discovery, we’ll table that for later and focus on his apparent lack of qualification for the job.

Even though Denz is successful enough as an event planner to afford a designer wardrobe, a BMW, and a top-floor luxury apartment in downtown Atlanta, apparently his lack of a committed relationship is what disqualifies him from being serious enough to become CEO. His aunt says it in a staff meeting (!!!), and then his sister piles on privately.

"He stands abruptly. “I may not have been around as long as you or Eric, but I’m devoted to seeing the company thrive.”

"“Are you?” Kami sighs. “God, Denz. You’re not even committed to your own personal life. How many years has it been since you put forth the effort to be in a relationship?”"

Can you imagine, the person closest to you aside from your best friend thinking that’s a fine thing to say? And it honestly gets worse, but I’ll save that for the family drama.

Denz and Kami are expected to prove themselves by organizing competing high profile events, and there’s something to be said for the person in charge understanding what the company is selling, but the CEO doesn’t need to be an exceptional event planner. They need to be a manager, and frankly nobody in this book is a particularly good manager. Except maybe Braylon. Frankly, sometimes Denz is shown to be extremely capable, because he’s willing to use resources in order to solve problems, such as when he uses his aunt’s connections to get some grace for submitting a contract he forgot about.

But Denz actually is a flake, and that gets worse when his relationship becomes a distraction. He starts the book forgetting his turn to provide treats for the morning meeting, so he ends up at the bakery where he sees his ex, Braylon, and is late for the meeting. He forgets to submit a contract by the deadline, he misses an email about dietary restrictions in advance of the mayor’s party, he oversleeps after having a pity party over Braylon, and he misses an appointment he made to help Braylon’s office. Worse, he lies about having a boyfriend, about catching the food email, and about oversleeping. Denz is a decent person, but he seriously needs to use his calendar and reminder apps to stay on top of his stuff. Making choices based on fear of disappointing people is not a great leadership quality.

Denz’s Extremely Messy Family
Look, I don’t think that this family is much different than my family except that they all also work together, and if this book isn’t an example of why that’s a bad idea, I don’t know what is. The thing about family is that we all regress a little bit when we’re in it. I’ve already mentioned how Denz has developed a family reputation as a flake, and he really wants to buck it.

But Kami—and, look, I don’t want to be too mean to Kami, because she is clearly extremely competent and also prioritizes her young son over micromanaging work responsibilities—but Kami sees the email about the mayor’s party and makes changes without consulting the person in charge of the event. And she excuses it as looking after the company because there wasn’t time to ask permission. Was Denz distracted by Braylon? Maybe. But it honestly takes one minute to pick up the phone and give a heads up and an offer to handle it. So actually, Kami undermined Denz and then excused it, which honestly is not a great leadership thing to do.

Then, let’s consider the fact that two siblings are pitted against each other in the first place. How exactly does the rest of the family see this playing out long term? This is so not smart. Even though Denz’s party receives superlative reviews, he gets raked over the coals by his dad, and his sister’s way of comforting him is to pile on.

"“I would’ve figured it out.”

"“It’s the mayor. Not some rich, pretentious family of ungrateful assholes in a city full of rich, pretentious, ungrateful assholes.” She frowns. “Our reputation was on the line. If you look bad, we both look bad.”

"“We’re not the same.”

"Kenneth made sure he knew that earlier.

"“We’re Carters,” Kami reminds him. “That’s all the people dying to apply for this job care about.”

"“Whatever.” He stubbornly looks away.

"“Denz,” she tries, her voice gentle. “It’s not a competition.”

"“It is. And I don’t want to lose. This is my dream.”

"“It’s mine too. But for different reasons.”

"“What’s that mean?”

"“It means . . .” Kami pauses, chewing her lip. “It means I don’t think we’re in it for the same thing. I know you. We grew up across the hall from each other. I wonder if . . .” She releases another breath, her eyes searching his face. “If it’s my dream and your fantasy.”

"The sting from holding in his tears is almost too much now.

"Quietly, she adds, “I’m trying to help you.”

"“I don’t need it!” Denz hates how screechy his voice is. Hates the way Kami backs away, confused and wounded.

"And then it all comes to a head between them when there’s a venue disaster right before their dad’s big retirement party.

"“I didn’t need you to do all that to get here. I got this.”

"“Do you?” She cocks her head. “Like you handled the menu drama on Valentine’s? Or how about something simple, like muffins for the staff meeting? Signing a venue contract?”

"“You heard about that?”

"“I’m not so focused on me that I don’t notice what’s happening with you.” She bites her lip. “Your track record in high-pressure situations isn’t—”

"“God.” Denz drags a hand over his face. “You sound like the aunties.”

"“I didn’t mean—”

"“No, you obviously did,” he interrupts again. “Clearly, it’s something you’ve thought for a while. Please, continue.”

"Outside, waves of pink melt the blue from the sky. Denz just wants to go home and shower. Destroy some Thai takeout while rewatching The Best Man. But he chooses to wait for his sister to elaborate.

"“Fine,” she huffs. “You’re always late. You constantly forget things. At every opportunity, you either run from a problem or lie. How is anyone supposed to think that this—” She waves her hand at his disheveled appearance. “—isn’t too much for you?”

"A beat. He asks, “Is that everything?”

"Gently, Kami says, “I want you to succeed. But you need to stop avoiding reality.”

"“Which is?”

"“You’re doing this for them. Not you.”

"It stings. Her words, her genuine expression. The way it sounds like what their dad said last month.

"She’s right. Denz wants to run. Or lie.

"Instead, he laughs, short and joyless, then says, “Thanks, but I don’t need advice from someone who can’t admit she’s too scared to share her personal life with her own family.”

"Kami steps away, blinking hard."

Let’s be honest, Denz does not handle this criticism with equanimity. But who would? And the kicker is that Kami gestures at a disheveled Denz, who had been in crisis mode, physically moving stuff all day to solve a problem, as if that’s an indicator that he can’t hack it, but when he claps back at her vulnerable spot (she’s been keeping her boyfriend a secret for the whole book), she runs away. Again. If Kami wins the CEO spot, she’d be Denz’s boss. Is this really the way to support her employee? It’s so messy.

Finally, let’s put the blame for this disaster where it squarely lies: with the dad. I can’t even with this whole succession plan thing. It’s not until nearly the end of the book, when Denz is having his moment of reckoning, that his dad explains why he wanted to look for a CEO externally. He tells Denz that he was hard on him because he was looking out for him. (World’s biggest eyeroll.) Considering how much the business impacted the entire family’s life, one can see where the dad is coming from, but he completely drops the ball, not only from a father standpoint but from a supervisor standpoint.

If Denz’s dad had actually been looking out for any of his children, he should not have:

1. Pitted them against each other for a position only one of them could ever have, creating a competition and also an uncomfortable power dynamic between them.
2. Failed to provide support and training that would allow one or both children to succeed in the role without all of this absurd hoop jumping.
3. ANNOUNCED THE WINNER OF THE CEO COMPETITION WITHOUT FIRST TALKING TO BOTH CHILDREN
I honestly couldn’t believe the CEO announcement was made the way it was. It was absolutely awful. What a horrible thing to do to one’s children. Ugh.

Denz’s Personal Growth Journey
And so, we are left with the heart of the issue, which is Denz choosing to live his own life. Like so many of us humans, Denz thought he was making his own choices, but he was really just scared to emerge from his nest of safety and family expectation. This is more evident as we learn about his past relationship with Braylon and how it ended, but we can also see it in the conversations where, for example, his sister is questioning if he actually wants this job and this future.

The reason Braylon and Denz broke up was because Braylon moved to London without Denz. He asked Denz to go, but…didn’t wait for an answer? Changed his mind? It’s unclear exactly what the problem was until much later, but ultimately Denz had six weeks to consider moving with Braylon before the executive decision was made for him. Six weeks at the end of senior year isn’t the best time to start making this decision, but this is where we see Denz avoiding making his own choices. He’s planning to live in Atlanta because his family lives in Atlanta. He’s planning to work at his father’s company because he has a job available there. Denz has never considered existing outside his family, and he doesn’t take the opportunity when Braylon asks him to, either.

But also, Braylon, what the heck? How is Denz supposed to up and move countries for however long without having a job lined up? Six weeks is a really short time to find a job and take care of visa requirements on top of deciding if this is even something Denz wanted to do. And so, this breakup was something that happened to Denz. He didn’t choose it, just like he didn’t choose anything else in his life. Except UGA.

Denz’s being forced to reckon with the loss of his safety net (because that’s really what this whole thing is), finally allows him to consider a number of what-ifs about his life. It also makes him a better partner, because instead of simply assuming that Braylon will conveniently fit into his life plan, Denz has to consider what he’d be willing to do to fit into Braylon’s life plan. So, that makes for a good romance. Partnership. Compromise. Helping the one(s) you love achieve their dreams while they support yours.

But he could have gotten there a little faster with therapy, though. Just. Everybody in this book needs therapy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

I enjoyed this! Second chance is always a little iffy for me but fake dating is going to consistently draw me in. The story took a minute to grow on me because I enjoyed the last half more than the first but I can’t quite put my finger on why. Possibly because Denz’s family low key hurt my feelings on his behalf?

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review but as with most contemporaries lately, I had to finish in audio. The narration by Andre Santana is very good.

I Think They Love You was an overall enjoyable but not standout romance. With a pleasant twist to the tried and true fake dating trope by tying it into a second-chance plot, the premise was a promising one. Opening with a flashback to happier times, the book instantly caught my attention in managing to contain little hints of issues and insecurity in the relationship, even at its supposed height. I find that very often in books based around the second-chance trope, the opening moment introducing a relationship which the characters don’t yet realize is doomed is often portrayed as too perfect, too idyllic, with the intention of catching the reader off guard and leave them wondering why the breakup happened. But this not only showed their chemistry, but also planted the seeds while still leaving us guessing. Unfortunately, I didn’t really find much of a spark between them beyond this.

For the most part, the dialogue and inner monologue was witty and amusing, certainly honouring the “com” in rom-com. It did on occasion fall to the genre-common criticism of reading as immature or below the adult reading level — though this felt largely attributed to the somewhat naive and even arrogant attitude of the main character himself— but this did not necessarily hinder the book with an overload of uncomfortable or “cringeworthy” moments.

Despite being easy to read, I didn’t find it particularly engaging, and I believe that came down to some of my reservations— and even frustrations— with the execution of the primary side plot, and how it hindered the likability of the main character. While his flaws were central to his character and the progression of the plot, the payoff felt lacking and the moments in between made it difficult to sympathize with him. Watching him attempt to justify lying to and hurting his family and jeopardizing the future of his father’s company on account of his wounded pride simply became too much. I think the book would have vastly benefited from a dual POV, to not only flesh out the love interest, but to see our MC from an outside perspective. Seeing Denz through the eyes of someone who cared about him might have allowed us to see how his flaws could be strengths, and see him as a man Braylon— and the reader— could come to love.

Some of the minor details took me out of the story as well, from confusion regarding the timeline, to my personal difficulty suspending my disbelief that Braylon (the love interest) could have developed an accent after living a mere handful of years in London. An obvious attempt to make the love interest more attractive which could have been easily explained by having him be born English, rather than seeming like a poser faking an accent (I just KNOW his London neighbours sighed when he greeted them with “‘Ello.”) I digress.

The family dynamic certainly stood out for me, from at-home gatherings to meetings in the board room. The side characters definitely stole the show, and had their distinctive personalities even without being delved deeper into.

Overall, despite some flaws with pacing and a perhaps overextended side plot, I Think They Love You was an easy and light read, suited to fans of both fake dating and second chance. I liked it well enough, but I admit I did feel glad to have finished it, and upon peeking at some reviews from fellow early-readers, I found myself in agreement with the comments and observations of the more critical readers rather than the satisfied.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I adore Julian Winters’ YA books, so his first adult novel was a highly anticipated read for me. It did not disappoint. Denz wants to be taken more seriously at his family’s company and when his father announces that he is retiring, Denz and his sister both want to be considered as his successor. But The Aunts, as they are affectionately (or not so) known, think that Denz’s fear of commitment makes him a less favorable candidate. Denz’s only option is to find a fake boyfriend, and quick. His first choice falls through and in a dramatic way, his ex, Braylon, ends up taking on the role.

At first, I thought that Denz’s family would be awful, but they were such a delight. The second chance, fake-dating romance between Denz and Braylon was so fun! I loved the interactions with the characters and there was the perfect amount of steam 🌶🥵. I’m sad to leave the characters behind. I can’t wait to see what Julian Winters comes up with next.

A queer fake dating and second chance romance that was full of longing and old emotions was done so well. I really liked this book and Denz and Braylon’s relationship and how it changed throughout the book. They obviously still love each other and I loved seeing those feeling in each of them and everyone knowing they still love each other except them. I also loved seeing Dent’s own growth and understanding who he is and who he wants to be.

This book is a heartfelt second-chance romance with plenty of charm and witty banter. Yay, my fav! I enjoyed the relatable characters navigating complicated family expectations and unresolved feelings. Overall I'm not usually a fan of the fake-dating trope, but it worked in this story, adding a playful dynamic between the characters. Overall, it's filled with tender moments and genuine growth, making it an enjoyable read for fans of lighthearted yet meaningful romances.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Griffin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an adorable and delightfully implausible second-chance/fake-dating romance. In college, Denz fell head-over-heels in love...and then Braylon left him behind. Now, five years later, Denz lives by the credo of not getting attached. Only, now that his father is looking for a CEO to step up after he retires, this unattached life is making him look like a bad candidate. So in an impulsive move, he tells his family that he does actually have a serious boyfriend. And when his perfect plans with his best friend fall through, he's left with his ex. Yes, the same one that destroyed him all those years ago, and also that his family really hates because of that. But they can help each other out, and somehow, they're working again. Can they make it work this time? Or will they fall apart again?
As ridiculous as the premise was, this was a very cute romance. Braylon and Denz had great chemistry. I also loved how big and dramatic Denz's family was. There are some really great side characters. One little detail that I adored is that homophobia is never a plot point. That's just a little breath of fresh air. Denz's family is nothing but supportive. As a whole, this is a very fun one.

Fake dating with cute, queer BIPOC main characters? Sign me up.

This was a great, easy read that still covered some difficult topics. Denzel and Braylon fell in love at the University of Georgia, but broke up at graduation due to job commitments and a lack of communication. They reunite unexpectedly and wind up fake dating to impress Denzel's wealthy and famous family as he attempts to take over for his father as CEO and so that Braylon can earn a promotion at the non-profit where he works.

Shockingly, fake dating reignites old feelings and past sparks.

These two are a freaking adorable couple. Denzel has the weight of the world on his shoulders thanks to family pressure, with 24 Carter Gold, the family event planning business, catering to the rich and famous. Braylon is just a sweetie, working at a non-profit for queer teens and recovering from the loss of his father. Both of these young men need to talk more to one another, but oh my, there's still plenty of spice and fun as well.

The story also does an excellent job of showing how much harder BIPOC, especially queer men, must work to prove themselves to others. I enjoyed its focus on family and loving who you are.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Faking dating, exes, LGBTQ romance, steamy 🔥

I loved this book. It's deep, sweet, and steamy. 🔥 There was so much back story and I loved that. I highly recommend this!

imagine my fave trope (fake dating) and least fave trope (second chances) come together to make the perfect rom com. I enjoyed this story line so much. There were so many heartfelt serious scenes. And the steam was coming off these pages. The MCs were likable and relatable. I enjoy a plot with black excellence. This is my first read by this author but not my last.

It was really sweet to see this as Julian Winters' adult debut. I've always thought that their other books were so sweet but lacking a bit of connection for me as an adult. Though I do love YA, it was so refreshing to read a favorite author in a genre I felt I could connect to more.

Although modern books are not really my favorite genre, Winters just takes so much care with their characters, I would read them in any scenario.

this was a cute second chance romance with fake dating, lgbtq+, and a very prominent family dynamic.

in this book you follow our two mmc’s Denz and Braylon. they had previously dated in college when Braylon was going back to Europe and didn’t even give Denz the chance to go with him. then flash forward to the present, Denz is up for the CEO position of his family’s company, 24 Carter Gold, and none of his relatives thought he was settled down enough to take over, so he blurts out that he has a boyfriend and the lies just spiral from there. he originally intended to bring his best friend in when he has a run in with his ex and they decide to fake date as a mutually beneficial arrangement.

i really enjoyed the dual timeline, however, i would’ve appreciated a little more clarification on when the timelines were switching because it would be different chapters, but occasionally, i couldn’t tell if it was the past or present.

i also really enjoyed the side characters, they felt like an actual family which is what they were written as which was very nice. they had the sibling bickering down pat😂

i also enjoyed the characters, however, the lack of communication really started to bother me after a while. they would say one thing and do another. i can understand the parts that were there for tensions sake, but come on guys, did you learn nothing from the first go around?

all in all, if you’re looking for a sweet, a touch of spicy, MM romance focusing heavily on growing their romance rather than just lust, i would definitely recommend this!

This book has fake dating & a second chance romance in this same relationship! It’s almost too good to be true! The only thing I didn’t like is all the miscommunication. Can we please get a romance novel that doesn’t rely on that overused trope?

For some reason, despite really looking forward to reading this book, I simply couldn't get into it and ad a hard time finishing it. Frankly, I think this was entirely my fault and not due to the book, as I like the premise of it and found myself laughing and really appreciating the charaters. I am actually looking forward to giving it another go when I'm in the mood to read a nice romance.

I Think They Love You is a sweet second-chance romance set in Atlanta. I loved that the conflict and resolution between the characters felt realistic. It made sense to me that the characters would break up when they went different ways after college but then find their way back to each other.

Denz's character arc was my favorite part. He changes a lot throughout the book, and it's satisfying to watch him grow. While his relationship with his family isn't perfect, I enjoyed getting to know them as side characters.

I'm excited to read more from Julian Winters, and hope he keeps writing adult romances.

✨ Review ✨ I Think They Love You by Julian Winters; Narrated by André Santana

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, St. Martin's Griffin and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

After dating in college, Denz and Braylon cross paths again - Denz is trying to earn a bid for CEO of 24 Carter Gold, his family’s event planning business and Braylon is trying to grow the LGBTQ nonprofit he works for. They decide to fake date to help both achieve professional success, and they start falling for each other again.

Second chance is one of my least favorite tropes but this one really worked for me. I like that they had a chance to learn and grow and experience life for a bit before their lives crossed again.

I loved the range -- swanky parties and more down-to-earth outreach via Braylon's nonprofit; fancy clothes and french toast grilled cheeses.

The only thing I didn't buy was that Braylon was gone for a few years and now had a British accent that he couldn't part with lol.

🎧 The audio narration was great -- with distinct characters built around both Denz and Braylon's voices! The flashbacks were a little jarring via audio sometimes, but overall, I enjoyed listening to it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Setting: Atlanta
Length: 10 hours 49 minutes
Pub Date: Jan 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ second chance
⭕️ LGBTQ+ characters
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ swanky events and fashion

This was my first book by Winters, so I didn't have any expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised. Both main characters were lovable and one of the best second chance romances out there.

This was really cute.
I am not a big fan of second chance romances because the original break up is usually over something ridiculous.
This one though?
I get it and I am here for the redemption!
Add in some fake dating and I was practically salivating.
Denz & Braylon were everything for me and then the author threw in some entertaining family drama and my heart nearly exploded.
I will 100% be looking for more from Julian Winters!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

This book was written very well, and the characters all felt like real people going through real problems. The story is cute and sweet and feels similar to a Hallmark movie. The jokes were funny and the relationships both romantic and platonic felt genuine and were really fun to read.

I love a second chance romance. Add in a fake dating storyline, and I am set. I Think They Love You by Julian Winters is a swoony rom-com that gives multiple levels of representation. I enjoyed Winters foray into adult fiction.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.