This book was hard to get into and I’m so glad I stuck with it because it surprised me in the best ways.

Truthfully, I didn’t want to like our man Beck. He uses phrases like “good golly” unironically for crying out loud. But dammit, as soon as he starts singing along with none other than Sabrina Carpenter on his car radio I was hooked. He’s so wholesome and earnest and just GOOD in a way I was powerless to resist.

Hazel, the main female lead also surprised me. Her initial reactions to Beck aligned with mine and the way the story is written I felt like she and I were both discovering the truth about him at the same time. I appreciated the tenderness with which she handled Beck, even while she thought he was ridiculous. I think the second love story in this book is Hazel falling in love with herself and that was beautiful to see unfold.

Without saying anything that is too close to a spoiler I also really appreciated the reversal of some common romance tropes here, beyond just the standard grumoy/sunshine.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. Watching these two fall in love, and watching her learn to trust him (and herself), was so moving. Loved loved loved.

loved the story and the romance. lovable characters and great plot. it was a super fun story and i loved it so so much

Connie distrusts all men. Beck is walking sunshine in human form. To save him from a white lie, she does pretend to be his fake white at a writers retreat she was already going to.

This felt like Ted Lasso x Rebecca Welton fanfic in the best way.

I adored Hazel/Connie. I adored Beck. It was healing in a way but also just sort of accepted the way both main characters are.

I breezed through the book in about a day. I could not put it down. It was very much like candy in the best way.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for a review.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage is about two neighbors, Connie/Hazel and Beck, who begin fake dating for a writing retreat. After reading previous works by the author I was excited to pick this one up. I love a grumpy/sunshine when the fmc is the grump, however this mmc felt a little too sunshine and a little too perfect at times. He seemed unrealistic but I can see how some people would want him as a book boyfriend. If I had to critique I would have wanted less spicy scenes, instead a chapter or two rounding out the writing retreat and more depth from side characters that were introduced at the retreat and wrapping up those story lines. Perfect for fans of fake dating, one bed, spicy reads, and stories about writers. I enjoyed it and look forward to other stories by the author.

I wanted some body positive and likeable characters and found none of what I was looking for here. This may be a case of expectations not matching what's in front of me but the whole thing felt forced from the first page

Thank you to the author and publisher for this ARC!
This was absolutely a fun, easy, and spicy read! I think for the reader that is seeking that kind of book, it is a solid choice (sometimes that is me, even).
For me, the book lacked a bit of substance a some of the character framing was a little on the far-fetched side. That being said, I enjoyed my time reading this one. It was absolutely an entertaining read that I appreciated between thrillers.
3 stars

I didn’t know I could love this book as much as I do. I could not put it down! It was a fast read at that me giggling and kicking my feet, laughing out loud, and blushing all at once. The story of two characters, Connie and Beck, who are amazing in their own ways but not having the self confidence to see it themselves is relateable to everyone in my opinion. Connie and Beck both had to deal with situations and environments that diminished their self esteem and made them into good people who had trouble finding the good in themselves. I loved how even though they had a warped view of themselves they were able to clearly see the honest good and bad qualities in each other and fall in love with the real people they saw. With the help of forced proximity and a fake marriage. This book also made wholesome hot as heck! Beck was the perfect gentleman that girls could only dream existed to the point it seems silly at times but in a way that pulls on your heart strings. And when it got to the spicy scenes they did lot disappoint. Over all this book was such a fun read and I would highly recommend it!

thank you to netgalley and st martin's for the opportunity to read this ARC!

i really really really wanted to like this book more, i think it has a great premise, and i am always down for the fake dating trope. i really only started getting into the book around 40-50% of the way through, so while the second half was pretty food, the first half dragged, hence the 3 star rating. the main male character, beck, really felt like a caricature at first. it felt like the author was trying so hard to make him a golden retriever/cinnamon roll MMC, and it was over the top. he says things like 'oh good golly', and wears his prom tux to a fancy event (he is 37 years old) and cannot figure out roundabouts. i did end up liking beck, but that was because as the book went on, he stopped being so dumbed down in order to seem sweet. the FMC absolutely has some trauma and internalized misogyny to work through, but it felt like it was barely touched on. parts of the book felt extremely unrealistic, which i get, it is a romance novel, but at parts it was over the top. a lot of the dialogue felt stilted at first, like it was meant to be banter but just felt awkward.

“My Big Fat Fake Marriage” follows Connie and Beck as they pretend to be married at a writer's retreat. In response to Beck's snooty co-worker's endless needling, Beck claims he's married in a desperate attempt to avoid further teasing. This lie comes to a head once Connie declares herself to be Beck's wife, not liking how Beck is being treated. Despite not believing that a man can be honest and kind, Connie decides to play the part of Beck's wife throughout the entire retreat, leading to self-revelations and building romantic tension that the two of them can no longer ignore.

I absolutely adore how the dynamic was written between Connie and Beck. Specifically, I felt that Beck's character was very unique and refreshing compared to many other romance tropes and the way they interacted had me laughing out loud at many times throughout the story! The book also had a great mix of fluff and spice, with many cute moments between the characters, resulting in an excellent build of tension that led to a rewarding payoff near the novel's end. Overall, I think this book was an incredibly entertaining read due to the fun and extremely lovable characterization of Connie and Beck.

Told completely from one perspective (Hazel’s), this is a funny, spicy story of Hazel and Beck. He is a nerdy, to a himself kind of guy and is so polite. Hazel is off men because they are all animals. Then, she commits to being Beck’s fake wife and it is a crazy, spicy take off from there. They learn so much from each other and it is life altering.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

While I really liked the premise of this story, the execution didn’t work for me. Hazel (Connie) and Beck live across the hall from each other. She has been disappointed by men and does not believe in true love. Beck appears to be too nice to be true.

While a very nice man, Beck is very awkward with others and inexperienced with women. He has also been bullied into saying get is married by a colleague. Odd, but the premise of the fake marriage. Hazel agrees to pose as Beck’s wife at a work retreat.

While I enjoyed the story of Beck and Hazel getting to know each other, and letting down their emotional guards, I found the abundance of sexual explicit scenes greatly overdone. To me, they were awkward and uncomfortable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for and ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Super adorable fake marriage trope. Cinnamon MMC with tough FMC. Slow burn and all the tension was fantastic!!

Wholesome, sweet, and totally swoon worthy. I see why Charlotte Stein has a following!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! The forced proximity and one bed DID IT FOR ME and I was here for it. It took me a minute to get into the story but once the characters arrived at their ski villa, I was dying laughing at their tension and subsequent awkwardness.

Connie and Beck have a beautiful and at times, hilarious relationship. I enjoyed how they danced around each other and how much of a cinnamon roll MMC Beck is. It was great seeing Connie realize that categorizing all the “nice guys” in one box had held her back from seeing how wonderful Beck truly was. It was giving growth in all the best ways!

This was a cute read that is perfect for the wintertime. I lived vicariously through their ski chalet and writing retreat- it truly sounds like the dream! It was an easy book to read and enjoy.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hazel, who also calls herself "Connie," decides to help her neighbor Beck by pretending to be his "fake" wife. They are neighbors, and Hazel finds out about his "fake" wife scheme when she enters his apartment, and sees what she thinks is a murder board on his wall, but it is actually all of the information he needs to keep his fake wife ruse going at work. They attend a writing retreat together where the fake wife scheme plays out.

Beck is a total cinnamon roll hero, and I like the fact that he is not your typical hero with ripped abs. Hazel makes a point of calling him a "bear" and referring to his "love handles," and yet she finds him attractive anyway. The two of them are obviously very attracted to each other, but of course, for romance reasons, they keep their feelings a secret, and neither feels worthy of the other.

This book is what I would call very "interior.." There is actually very little action. Most of the story is actually the thoughts of both Hazel and Beck, as well as the emails and notes they send back and forth to each other.

MBFFM was an interesting read for sure! This story of salty and sweet flips the tropes and gender roles in a fun and engaging way. I’ve learned from a previous Charlotte Stein novel that she has a unique writing style that takes a little getting used to. I compare it to a too-hot bath, you want to get in, but take some time and adjustment to get used to it. I liked the plot and the self discovery for the GMC was well done. At times it was too schmaltzy for me, but I can imagine couples going head first like this, it’s just not my typical style. I wish there’d been more story development around the BMC and would have loved this to be a dual PoV. I found myself wanting his perspectives and not only from the loves interests vantage.

I recommend this for lovers of fake dating and only one bed tropes and fans of sometimes raunchy scenes.

I’m making a vow to myself in 2025 to be more selective about what I request on Net Galley to better cater to my tastes. I’m really not built for a zany, silly romcom, which is exactly what My Big Fat Fake Marriage is. I’d gladly recommend it to readers who enjoy that kind of story, but it’s not for me.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein is a steamy, lighthearted rom-com that leans heavily into the fake relationship trope with a mix of humor, charm, and plenty of heat. The premise—a fake marriage between two opposites for mutual benefit—is a tried-and-true setup for romantic comedy, and Stein injects her signature wit and emotional depth into the story, making it a fun and entertaining ride.

The main characters, Beatrice and Andrew, are well-drawn, if somewhat familiar. Beatrice is a quirky, slightly awkward heroine with a big heart, while Andrew is the brooding, seemingly aloof love interest who softens as the story progresses. Their banter is sharp and engaging, and the chemistry between them is palpable, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as they navigate their “marriage” in increasingly ridiculous situations.

One of the novel’s strengths is Stein’s ability to balance humor with genuine emotional moments. As the story unfolds, the characters’ vulnerabilities are revealed, giving the romance depth and making the eventual love story feel earned. However, the book occasionally feels predictable, following many of the beats common to rom-coms without adding a significant twist or innovation to the genre.

Additionally, while the spicy scenes are well-written and steamy, they can sometimes overshadow the emotional development of the relationship, which might leave some readers wishing for more balance between the physical and emotional aspects of the romance.

Overall, My Big Fat Fake Marriage is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that delivers on its promise of humor, heat, and heart. While it doesn’t reinvent the fake marriage trope, it executes it with enough charm and flair to keep fans of romantic comedies thoroughly entertained. If you’re in the mood for a feel-good, spicy romance with a bit of chaos, this book is worth picking up.

⭐️ Not for me. DNF at 20%

The premise of this story seemed right up my alley, but the execution did not do it for me. The dialogue from the MMC came across as childish and dumb instead of genuinely wholesome. I was expecting more Ted Lasso and got…Elmo? I tried, I just really couldn’t get past it. The FMC’s internal monologuing also lost my interest. I would be reading and realized I zoned out and she would still be going on and on about nothing. There were so many words and just nothing happening at all.