Beautiful story. Characters were written well and plot was entertaining! This was my first book by this author and I’m definitely excited to read more! 4 stars recommendation!

I loved this one! Fake dating, second chance, finding yourself - there was such a great story. The characters were fun, there's lots of interesting side people, and the book flew by! A perfect cozy romance read.

A standard Julian Winters rom com, with a lot of heart and chemistry. This one is heartfelt and the second chance romance works. I really love the exploration of queer communities and family dynamics.

Winters' second chance romance is tender and heartfelt, intertwined in family dynamics and what it means to fall back into love.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed this! Very cute characters & great representation. Great adult debut!

Excellent debut romcom! I loved the group chats. It made the book more relatable!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Spectacular second chance romcom! I absolutely adored all the family group chats and felt like the story flowed so well with the professions of each character. There’s also a really seamless timeline jump from time to time.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I have yet to be disappointed by a Julian Winters book and his debut adult novel was no different!!! Denz has sworn off relationships since he had his heartbroken by his college boyfriend Bray. Who broke up with him when he took a job in London. When Denz’s father announces he is planning on retiring he leaves it open for the staff to nominate themselves if they wish to be the new CEO. Denz wants his family’s legacy to stay in the family, so when they express doubt that he is qualified he nominates himself. He also indicates he has a boyfriend. This sets the family gossip network into a frenzy trying to figure it out. Denz’s world is further thrown into chaos when his ex, Bray, now going by Braylon, shows up in the coffee shop Denz frequents. What’s he doing back in Atlanta? When Denz’s original plan for a boyfriend falls through Braylon is there to the rescue. The two have a mutual need, Braylon needs Denz’s connections to help with a promotion, and Denz needs a boyfriend to prove to his family that he can commit to things and would be a good replacement for his father. Things won’t be so easy though as he is still angry at Braylon for what happened between them as is his family. Can the two let get of the past enough to make their fake dating successful? Will Denz meet his own expectations or fail like his family believes he will? And what happens what fake dating becomes more complicated? I love Denz and Braylon and their relationship will make your heart melt! Adding to the melting are the scenes from the past when the two dated in college! They’re so cute!!! Funny, delightful, charming, and absolutely swoon worthy! You won’t be able to put this one down, and for don’t worry there’s plenty of spice!! Julian Winters should be on everyone’s must read author lists and you do not want to miss this one!

This was such a cute story! I really enjoyed reading it. Good story, great characters. Julian Winters really pulls you in. You will be rooting for Denz and Braylon. The other characters also have good story lines. There's enough information to keep you interested, but not enough to pull away from the main characters. You end up rooting for all of them. I would definitely recommend this book. And would read another book by

Julian Winters’ first adult novel, “I Think They Love You,” is a real treat! As a fan of his YA books, I was excited to read this one, and it did not let me down. Winters knows how to write some seriously hot and spicy scenes, making this book a must-read for romance lovers.

What makes this book special is its fresh take on queer adult life. While I enjoy stories about teens figuring things out, it was great to read about queer adults who are settled and accepted by their families. This kind of representation is heartwarming and important.

The characters are well-developed, especially Denz’s family and the fun aunties. From the start, I was hooked on Denz’s story. He’s a hardworking guy trying to prove he’s CEO material, even if it means fake dating his ex. You can’t help but cheer for him and hope his plan works out.

“I Think They Love You” shows how talented Julian Winters is as a writer. I can’t wait to read more adult books from him. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun, spicy, and heartwarming read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the review copy!

I Think They Love You does not really feel like the right title for this book, which is about a young, queer black man from a very successful family in Atlanta who convinces his ex to fake resuming their relationship to appear more grounded and serious in his pursuit for the CEO position in the family company that his dad is retiring from. It's pretty clear that Denzel, Denz, is still in love with Blayton, so there really isn't anything fake about their relationship, more getting reacquainted than anything else. The book is more about them and their relationship and Denz's competition with his older sister Kami for the CEO job than it is about Denz's family accepting Blayton. And while 26 year olds are capable of being a CEO, it's pretty clear that Denz is not one of them, which makes it hard to understand why he's pursuing it when it's not a good fit. I like the exploration of romance between two Black men, because it's something that isn't written about very often, but I wish that Winters spent more time exploring Blayton's side of it, because he's clearly been through tough things in his life that made him decide to leave Denz originally. The reader gets to know these things, but it doesn't feel like they ever really get to know Blayton himself. Winters also does a good job of creating strong female characters even though two men are the protagonists of the story. Kami is a single mom pursuing a CEO position. Denz's mom is the grounding center of their family, and his younger sister Nic is all the sass without the anxiety and stress. I like how strong the concept of family is in the book too, I just wish I had felt more invested in the relationship between Denz and Blayton. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So many YA authors are releasing adult books these days, and I’m a bit on the fence about it. Some I loved (check out Daniel Aleman’s I Might be in Trouble or Jeff Zentner’s Colton Gentry’s Third Act), and some I loved less.

Julian Winter’s I Think I Love You is in between those I loved and those I loved less. I liked a lot about it; it’s written really well, it’s funny, and I love second-change romances. But I just missed Braylon’s POV. I think I would have adored this story if it was a dual narrative.

So, a 3.5 star rating rounded down to three.

4.5/5 ⭐️ 3.5/5 🌶️

Omg I devoured this book! 😍🌶️😍

This was such a lighthearted, cutesy second chance/fake dating romcom. There were themes of queer community, personal growth, big family, love, and forgiveness. These heavier themes are well-balanced with humor and characters felt real in their flaws and quirks. Honestly, this was so easy to digest with a lovable cast, I could see it becoming a film-adaptation.

This has it all:
•Achillean romance
•BIPOC MMCs and supporting characters
•BIPOC Author
•Second chance romance
•Fake dating
•Big, intrusive family dynamics and Gossiping Aunties
•One bed
•Genuinely funny banter
•The Spice🌶️🥵

Anticipated Publication Date: January 28, 2025

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for this eGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I’m giving this book a 5-star rating despite DNFing early on because my reason for DNFing is purely personal and not a reflection of the book itself. I was offered this title by the publisher and accepted without realizing it was a second-chance romance, which is not a trope I enjoy or would typically choose to read. I chose to DNF because, after realizing this was the case, I couldn’t bring myself to be excited about the remainder of the story. I might revisit it at some point if my opinions on that trope change and will still recommend it to others; it just wasn’t the right book for me at this point in time.

To preface this, I haven't actually read any of Winters' YA books, so this was my first introduction to this author, and it did not disappoint. Fake dating weighted with the significance of doing so with your ex? It's a premise that's ripe for drama, but also the achy return of long-buried feelings that can come back instantaneously when you lay eyes on the one who originally got away with your heart. Plus, I'm never not going to be biased in favor of an Atlanta-set romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I typically read a book in 5 days but this one I read in 24 hours. I simply could not put it down. Maybe it’s because I love a Fake Dating Rom Com. Maybe it’s because I was in the mood for a contemporary romance. Maybe it’s because I fell in love with Denz and Braylon and their magnetic banter. Maybe it’s because I could live vicariously through the parties featured in the story. It was probably all of the above because I absolutely loved it!!!

This is a fake dating mixed with second chance romance between Denzel Carter and Braylon Adams, who dated in college and then split up, and who meet again 5 years later which is where the book takes place . There are also some serious issues about meeting the expectations of your ambitious, talented family where everyone is involved in the family business, and the pressure you feel from your Father vs. finding your independence. There’s a bit of Succession in it, too, with a competition between Denz & Kami, the siblings that will inherit 24 Carter Gold, their Father’s very successful, high-end wedding-now-event planning company. It’s a wonderful framework for a romance and the extended family members are sassy and delightful.

There are super cute details like Brayson being labelled “Formerly Known as Bray” in his phone and “ex-now-fake-boyfriend” is how Denz refers to him in his POV. Braylon texts Denz random dad jokes which made me chuckle. The comedic timing is very funny. And of course there’s kissing and also sex with a 2/5 steam level!

I’ve only read Prince of the Palisades which I liked, but this grabbed me and never let go. Winters is known for writing contemporary YA romance, but I really hope he writes more queer adult romances because he’s great at it!

I've been a fan of Julian Winters' YA books for years, so I was highly anticipating his adult romance debut, and I really enjoyed it! I was afraid the setting would feel very tense and stressful, since the story is set around Denz's family's company and him trying to become the next CEO, but his family was a lot nicer than I expected, even though they were intense. There were many funny moments and the writing was really fun as well, which really added to the romcom feel. I liked Denz as a main character, and I liked seeing him grown from someone who's frankly pretty self-absorbed into someone with a little more consideration for others. I liked the romance as well - I'm a sucker for a second chance romance, and they had a lot of lovely scenes together. I do wish Braylon had been a little more fleshed out though, because in the end, I don't feel like I know him super well. I think this book could have benefitted from being dual POV.

The way this book tore at my heart strings and made me ugly cry. Julian Winters, how could you! Also please write many more like this!

I loved following Denz and Braylon as they reconnected and absolutely failed at not falling back in love with each other. Denz and Braylon were in love once before, it ended tragically when Braylon moved out of the country. Now they both need help impressing their bosses, so they strike up a deal to fake date and help each other out. However, lines blur and even though its a fake relationship the feelings are real.

The way Winters crafts this story is impeccable. The character building we see not only in the main characters but all the side characters is so rich and adds such depth to the fake-dating trope. I would easily pick up anything he writes just to glimpse how his characters develop and change. I came for the trope and stayed for all the emotions.

I absolutely recommend you pick this up! The love story, the family drama, its all amazing! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can'tttttttt.... this book was PERFECT, 12/10, no notes, god tier second chance with all the tropes, all the feelings, all the heart. I'm sitting here in real tears after turning the last page and I don't know what to do with myself. A PERFECT READ.

2.5⭐️

Denz y Braylon fueron novios hace unos años, pero Braylon se fue del país y Denz no volvió a saber de él por años.

En la actualidad, Denz trabaja en la empresa de la familia, donde organiza eventos y tiene que demostrar que tiene las habilidades para dirigir el negocio.

Braylon parece un personaje de fondo en la historia; no tengo idea de por qué Denz se volvió a enamorar. No quiero decir que sea un personaje horrible, pero es bastante gris. Tal vez si tuviera POVs, podría entenderlo mejor y llegar a agradarme.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book by Julian Winters that I have read and I really liked it and will be checking out more. This is a second chance romance with a fake dating storyline mixed in. Denz and Braylon date throughout college and were very much in love. When Braylon took a job in London, it left Denz heartbroken and unable to handle falling in love again. Braylon shows back up in Denz’s life right at the moment he is desperate for a fake relationship. My only wish is that we got some of this story from Braylon’s viewpoint. I really liked Denz but felt Braylon a bit more of a mystery. Overall, I was invested in this story. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.