A good fake dating troupe romance! Actually pretending to be married, Connie and Beck navigate a new friendship while on a writing retreat/work trip. Connie is cynical about men and isn't sure what to believe about the cinnamon roll of a man, Beck. Their relationship is eye-opening for them both in very different ways. Charlotte Stein is the queen of spicy scenes and does not disappoint with this book!

I just don’t think this book was for me. This was very hard for me to finish because I didn’t enjoy the writing at all. The chapters were long and for no absolute reason. It was a lot of internal monologue and the FMC almost seemed like she had ADHD with how much her thoughts shifted. I also really hate how many sentences stated with ‘but’ because she changed her thought process that often.

Besides the writing the MMC really was cringey and gave me the ick. I understand this is cinnamon roll type but no person actually says the things he does. It’s weird. I genuinely like the cover and that’s about it.

This book did nooooot work for me. I saw someone else say that the male main character talks like Ned Flanders and WOW was that an astute observation.

The biggest thing that threw me off in this book was the dialogue. The line between witty banter and cringey overdoing it is soooo thin and this one rode the cringe line HARD. There were full chapters where nothing really happened beyond two characters having a conversation that went absolutely no where.

I love the concept and the artwork is BEAUTIFUL but the book definitely fell flat.

What a fun novel! A nice, easy, read-in-a-day rom com. It was a little Ted Lasso coded which is highly enjoyable to me.

These characters were unbelievably unrealistic. They were "oh golly gosh" every two seconds. While some might enjoy the cinnamon roll characters on steroids, this was not the book for me. Such a shame, too, because I'm obsessed with this book cover.

This is my first book by the author, Charlotte Stein, though I have heard good things about her book, Grumpy Sunshine. Also, the cover is adorable and I loved seeing a curvy mfc. But I struggled in reading it and almost DNF'd at chapter 5. I had a hard time getting past the first person narration and the mmc's way of talking. Once I read some other reviews that likened Beck to Ted Lasso, I started to understand the corniness a little better. I relate maybe too well to Mabel's internal struggle to deal with how she was raised. For some reason though, I still had trouble with getting into the book. I just kept thinking 'this is a lot'. Reminded me of when I read Kate Canterbury's In A Jam. I think I might just not be the right reader for this book.

My Pros:
Curvy heroine
Nerdy hero
Spice 4/5
Love the forced proximity trope
Cinnamon roll/golden retriever mmc and sassy black cat mfc

My Cons:
First person POV was overwhelming
Over the top mmc's dialogue
A few spacing and formatting issues
Frustrating communication issues between mfc and mmc

This story is heartwarming and sweet but a little cringey in parts. I tried to put myself in the FMC's shoes in this one to see what she saw in Beck and I do get it but from the outside, he's not for me. I also cannot get over the fact that he reminded me of Tom Selleck (the hair, the mustache, the short shorts) lol. That being said, I love the way Beck treats Connie (Hazel). He treats her like a treasure and loves her for who she is and that is something every woman deserves. I loved their little notes back and forth and the fact that they are able to be 100% themselves with each other. This one was a little insta-love but it works. Overall this was a fun read and I even laughed out loud a few times. 3.5 rounding down to 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Connie and Beck live across the hall from one another, secretly liking the other, in spite of a big misunderstanding to kick the book off. One thing leads to another and these two end up pretending to be a married couple at a writing retreat.

Shenanigans, of course. I prefer Stein's darker or paranormal works over these rom coms. However, if you enjoy fake dating/relationships, a husky cinnamon roll MMC, a plus size heroine, and some forced proximity, this could be for you!

3.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book was top tier cinnamon roll man. Sam Beckett you have my whole heart with your lovable self and your moustache. I love he was bigger to that they both had their issues to overcome. All in all that was the most giggly I have been over a book and I loved it I can’t wait to read it again and again

This was like if Ted Lasso was also a linebacker. Beck was such a doofy, dorky, delightful man and Hazel was such a messy, chaotic, wonderful woman. I had so much fun reading this and giggling at the absurd and ridiculous situations they got themselves into.

I could not relate to said situations at all, because they were truly bananas. But I was rooting for them nonetheless because honestly they both just really leaned into it and that’s how you know they’re perfect for each other. Now I have “is somebody gonna match my freak” stuck in my head because boy howdy did they.

Honestly, we all need more people in our lives that are just like “you’re weird and I’m weird and I like that”. Everything is better when you’re with people who let you be you out loud.

Oh.My.Goodness. Beck is a gloriously burly cinnamon roll who can't tell lies without suffering unseemly side effects and who has the unparalleled ability to find the upside to EVERYTHING. Connie (whose real name is Hazel, which is the side of herself she needs to relearn how to embrace thanks to parents who did their level best to force her into a mold of their choosing) is...not those things. Well, she could be those things if the little voice in her head (which probably sounds suspiciously like her mother) would let her wave her nerd flag more often.

The point? Hazel has convinced herself Beck is everything she could never want in a partner because he's just too kind and cheery and GOOD. Meanwhile, Beck has convinced himself Hazel is way too good for him and his nerdiness. The truth? They're kind of perfect for one another. Beck sees all the wonderful things in Hazel that she doesn't see. And Hazel would probably fight a mountain if she thought it had insulted Beck.

In other words, they're both what the other needs to be the best versions of themselves they could possibly be.

But it takes a while for them to get there. Hazel has to see Beck with clear eyes (and have him wax poetic about how pretty much everything she does turns him on) and Beck needs to embrace that Hazel wants him for him. Bow ties and blushes and all.

Seriously, THESE TWO. Once Beck started dirty talking, it was all over for Hazel.

Teeny, tiny camp counselor outfits, naughty Scrabble, a v-card holding man who is not afraid to worship at the alter of his lady, and a lady who has to work through her issues before she loses the best thing that ever crossed her path. MAN, I liked these two together!

I loved this so much! It was a feel good rom com! Lots of cheese with some spice! The chemistry was fantastic between our MMC and FMC, pacy plot that kept me entertained, will definitely be reading more by this author!

I didn’t dislike it but I didnt love it either. It was a good concept but something’s just missed for me. When Hazel happens to see Becks vision board all her alarms went off but only for him to confess the real issue which was he made up a wife and didn’t know how to get out of the mess he caused. I felt like I didn’t understand how they both developed the feelings that they eventually had for each other. They had a few basic conversations but most of the book was Hazels internal dialogue. I think having Becks side would have helped established some of these missing points. The last 6 chapters were mostly spice and not actually building on the relationship outside of how attracted they were to each other. So I was left with that they both thought each other were sexually attractive and that’s why they liked each other. I think the other thing I couldn’t get over was how Beck talked. It made reading certain scenes cringey to me because of the expressions he used. That just didn’t land for me.

Loved the characters in this book, especially the male protagonist. The two main characters were so good together! I will read more from this author, for sure.

✨Book Review: My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein✨

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of this delightful, laugh-out-loud rom-com!


Connie has always distrusted nice guys—they seem too good to be true. Enter Henry Samuel Beckett (aka Beck): bow-tie-wearing, sunshine-beaming, cinnamon-roll editor extraordinaire. Beck might just be the exception… until his big secret slips out—he’s told his entire publishing house he’s married. Cue Connie accidentally stepping into the role of his fake wife.

Off they go to a writing retreat, trying to convince everyone this “marriage” is legit. But with shared beds, sizzling tension, and moments that make your heart flutter, the line between fake and real starts to blur. And let me tell you—it’s perfection.

Charlotte Stein is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are so funny that I catch myself snort-laughing and sighing dramatically in public (zero regrets). This one checks all the boxes:

✔️ Grumpy-sunshine dynamic with a twist—the grump is our FMC, Connie!
✔️ Fake marriage trope done to rom-com perfection.
✔️ 90s rom-com vibes without the characters compromising their identities to “fit.”
✔️ Plus-size representation for BOTH leads (love to see it!).

Let’s talk about Beck for a second: this man is the sweetest, softest cinnamon roll, and I would burn the world to keep him happy. He’s officially my new favorite fictional character, and I am ready to wield an imaginary sword in his honor. Seriously.

The tension? Off. The. Charts. Stein masterfully builds it so well that you feel every single moment between these two. And the payoff? Chef’s kiss.

If you’re looking for a romantic, laugh-out-loud, feel-good story with all the tropes you love, My Big Fat Fake Marriage is an absolute must-read.

🌟Rating: 5/5 stars
Would I read it again? Absolutely.

4.5 ⭐️

Are you looking for a ROM-COM? Feel good cheesiness? Hilarious yet spicy? That highlights a plus-size FMC with amazing personality style and lumberjack-bod MC? This is for you!

Connie is our hilarious FMC who is distrustful of men after dealing with one (or many) too many "nice guys" who turn out to be the worst! So when her neighbor is everything that makes up a nice guy, she waits for the other shoe to drop.... only to find out he is an actual CINAMMON ROLL MC. Yes, she's a writer, and yes, there are lots of references to tropes, books, and pop culture in the book.

Anywho, back to our cinnamon roll, Henry Samuel, he is sickeningly sweet. 🤭 The way he talks threw me for a loop at times and made it a little less believable; he literally says "golly" and "gosh". 🤣 I did have to suspend reality with his vocabulary a bit.

This one was a 2.5 star read for me. Rounded down for Goodreads ratings. For me the “cinnamon bun” traits of the male MC were way too over the top. So much so it took me out of the story. Especially when they then want you to believe he’s this miraculously amazing sex novice. Plus the constant misunderstanding trope, too much. And the cherry on top was the editing was so bad, I lost track of how many typos there were. High hopes but this one needs some work…

I gave My Big Fat Fake Marriage a shot, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I loved the cover and the blurb/summary but just didn't enjoy the female main character. I loved Henry though because I am craving more plus-sized male main character and once who is just so sweet! But I got through 35% of this book and just didn't connect to it at all :///

Cinnamon roll hero, insecure heroine and fake marriage= undeniable chemistry and romance. Beck is unlike any other hero, right down to his awe-shucks Mayberryesqe speech. He is polite, kind and a secret horn dog. Hazel is a “modern” woman burnt out on men. However once these two get to know each other plus the not quite forced proximity, sparks fly. It is not necessary to read the prior book”When Grumpy Met Sunshine,” to fully appreciate this novel.

📚💍 My Big Fat Fake Marriage 💕✍️

Imagine Ted Lasso vibes, but instead of football, it’s all about writing retreats, fake marriages, and falling for the sunshine editor next door! 🌞 Connie’s skepticism meets Beck’s boundless cheer, and the result is a rom com full of swoony moments, late night tension, and quirky charm.

What I loved:
✨ Beck is basically Ted Lasso in bow ties—adorable and endlessly optimistic.
✨ The fake marriage setup is irresistibly fun, and the chemistry builds beautifully.
✨ Cute, lighthearted, and sweet with all the cozy rom com feels.

What didn’t quite hit:
❌ Some parts felt a bit immature and cringe.
❌ Miscommunication as a plot device—why do they DO this to us? 🫠

If you’re in the mood for a sweet escape (and can overlook a few eye roll moments), this one’s for you! Just be ready to laugh, swoon, and maybe wince a little. 💕

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book.