This one brought about so many emotions. I can’t imagine the hurt that Elle felt when Lovie treated her the way she did. She’s only ever known Lovie to be the loving grandmother that raised her, so what she’s experiencing now is heartbreaking.

Elle’s friends, Liss & Dakota, are the definition of true friendship. They read her like no one else and know what she’s feeling just by looking at her. Everything changes when he falls on top of nurse Adam in her childhood bed. Fake It Like You Mean It comes into play when Lovie believes Elle & Adam are madly in love. Instead of upsetting her they play into it.

I like that Adam was always there to catch Elle and how deeply he cares for Lovie, as if she is his own family. His character was written so well. He’s a great man and is truly so selfless, especially his situation with his family.

Lovie’s Hard Love Rules are great and I love them as an added touch throughout the book. My favorite “calories don’t count unless you count them”. The ending brought literal tears to my eyes 😭

Thank you to Megan Murphy, Alcove Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of Fake It Like You Mean It!

This one was bitter sweet rom com. Elle ends up fake dating her grandma's nurse Adam because her grandmother who's in late stage Alzheimer's thinks they are dating. If it wasn't for the fact that it was the heroine's grandma who had Alzheimer's I would have loved this one. It was still a good book and romance. However as someone who only has one grandparent left and it's my grandma and the the last link besides my sister to my deceased mom I had a hard time finishing this one because I kept picturing my grandma as Lovie so it was hard.

I went through alllll the emotions with this one. Did I laugh out loud? Yup. Did I sob while listening on my way to work? Sure did. Did I make a swoony noise when there was only one bed? Uh-huh. (Seriously why does that trope have such a hold on me?) The characters were likeable and the banter was strong. The relationships between Elle and Adam felt authentic and realistic - it is a bit of a slow burn with individual character growth. Murphy did a great job dealing with heavy issues and bringing awareness to an awful disease.

Fake It Like You Mean It what a fun, spicy, and heartbreaking read!!

Elle.... she is messy and full of life and all over the place. She is so relatable with her journey of grieving and finding herself. The last sentence of the book was so perfect! Of course ya girl over here got a tad emotional :).

I really enjoyed Murphy's writing style!! Reading this just felt like such a comfort hug and the perfect love story to cozy up to <3.

Ahem... I'm obsessed with a few side characters that I would love to read!!!

Def can't wait to see more from Murphy!! Thank you so much to Alcove Press for my copy.

4/5 stars

Forced proximity enemies-to-lovers romance between a home healthcare nurse and a grandaughter caring for a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A big undertaking with two storylines that didn't always fit well together.

I found the single point-of-view boring - there wasn't enough depth to make up for the limited setting and action. The story is sad, and the Alzheimer's representation seems very well done. I think this element of the story overwhelmed the romance, making Elle & Adam's relationship feel forced.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

This book will both break your heart and mend it. Elle returns to her hometown to care for her ailing grandmother unexpectedly. She's in for quite the shock when her grandmother has a live-in nurse who is around all the time. Elle and Adam, said nurse, must pretend to be madly in love to not confuse her grandmother who has Alzheimer's. Whenever a book makes me cry, it leaves quite the impression. There are sensitive topics in this book that sheds light on Alzheimer's and caretaking, which I thought was beautifully written with care. The fake dating starts to feel a little too real with all the chemistry, banter, and of course, one bed, to result in the slowest of burns. Adam has my whole heart with his big heart for his patients, his family, and Elle. Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

I had high hopes for this romance but there were a few things that proved too difficult to overcome.

First, the FMC Elle. She gives off manic pixie dream girl vibes but with nothing to back it up. I struggled to connect with her because I didn’t feel like the reader was given any insight into her quirks. Her personality was confusing and it made it hard to follow where she was headed.

Second, the MMC Adam. Not every MMC needs to be a swoon-worthy dreamboat but he was so vanilla! I didn’t feel that there was anything particularly compelling about him other than he was kind to Lovie.

Third, the romance. Where is the chemistry? Why does Elle hate Adam so much? I did not understand the drive behind the enemies to lovers trope (which, when done right, is my absolute favorite). I suppose she hates him on principle because she is used to taking care of Lovie but it wasn’t deep enough for me to have that trope resonate.

All things considered, this book is fine. It’s not up there with the greats for me, but it was cute in some parts. If you’re looking for a fiery passionate romance, you’ll need to keep looking. But if you’re looking for a borderline cozy, low stakes romance, this is for you.

I also think it’s important to point out that if you are caring for or love someone who is affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s, this may be a difficult read. That should be apparent from the synopsis but there are some plot points that I could see packing an emotional punch for those readers who may identify with Elle in those situations.

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

This is a lovely novel, but I’m not the target audience. It’s more serious and sincere than I’m looking for in a rom-com. I want a light tone and lots of snark, and that’s not this book. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

70/100 or 3.5 stars

This was a fun surprise! I was not expecting to enjoy the way Murphy handled the Alzheimer's representation in the novel, but it was so realistic and thoughtful. My Grandma has Alzheimer's, and has for almost a decade, and so much of the interactions and behaviors that Lovie shows is really how people with Alzheimer's can behave and act. It was a cute romance outside of that, and it read quickly. I would be interested in checking out future releases from Murphy to see what they write next!

Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the E-ARC. Uggg the way I loved this book. This dealt with a really heavy subject. Because even if you have never experienced you know that Alzheimer's is not something light. But the way the author wrote it and the way Elle (MFC) navigated it with her grandmother Lovie and just took some stuff ugg im even crying right now. I also want to talk about Adam (MMC) I want him as my health care provider because just the way he cares and loves it is sooo good. You will laugh and you will most definitely cry/sob in the middle of your work day lol. But it will all be worth it because this book was that good.

Fake It Like You Mean It is a mix of fake dating, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance, but with a deeper emotional pull. Elle moves back home to care for her grandmother, Lovie, only to find Adam, her live-in nurse, already there. Right off the bat, Elle and Adam clash, but when Lovie starts believing they’re a couple, they decide to roll with it.

What starts as a little white lie turns into something more as Elle and Adam navigate Lovie’s Alzheimer's and their own complicated feelings. The romance builds naturally, plenty of tension, a bit of banter, and some really heartfelt moments. It’s not just about the romance, though. The story handles family, love, and loss in a way that feels real and hits hard.

Unfortunately, I struggled with this one. It was advertised as enemies to lovers, but that didn’t really feel like the case for me. Elle and Adam have their differences, but their dynamic never fully leans into that trope. Plus, the story is heavier than I expected, with the themes of grief and caregiving taking center stage.

If you’re into fake-dating tropes with emotional depth and characters you actually root for, this one’s a great pick. It’s sweet, sad, and surprisingly funny in all the right places, but just know going in that it’s not the lighthearted rom-com it might seem.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for giving me an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading Fake It Like You Mean It by Megan Murphy. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Elle’s grandmother Lovie has always taken care of her. Now with Lovie diagnosed with Alzheimer’s the roles are reversed and it’s Elle’s turn. Once she arrives home the last thing Elle expects to find in her childhood bedroom is a man in her bed, but that’s exactly what she finds. Adam is Lovie’s live in nurse and Elle’s latest problem.

However one day Lovie confuses them for a couple and sure she’ll forget in the morning Elle and Adam decide to go along with it. Only problem….she doesn’t forget.

This is such an adorable premise and as a fan of fake dating, I loved this take on it. While I didn’t see Elle and Adam as true enemies to lovers they definitely had that vibe and I loved that too. Especially their “not so meet cute”, I’m becoming a huge fan of those.

This is a slower burn romance but once it heats up, it *heats* up. These two were a perfect combination of steamy and sweet. The way they couldn’t keep their hands off each other but also could cut down to it and be real was goals.

Although I have no personal experience with Alzheimer’s, I know there are millions who have so it was nice to see that representation in a book and I feel the author did a great job with it.

This was headed towards a five star until I got to the end. There was a line about seeing a picture of her at the house before meeting her that just rubbed me wrong way. It took me out of it but that was probably just a personal thing.

This was Megan Murphy’s debut and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Read if you love:
💜 Alzheimer’s rep
👩‍❤️‍👨 Fake dating
🔥 Slower burn
🌶️ Mix of sweet and spicy

Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Buckle up because we are about to get emotional. This book was EVERYTHING to me. I didn’t know how I was going to react since I just lost my grandpa to Alzheimer’s this past December. However I feel like this book also healed something in me I didn’t even realize was broken. The FMC Elle was brought home to help take care of her grandmother while waiting to be able to bring her into a full time care facility. While she was there she ended up meeting Adam the nurse that was staying in house to take care of her grandmother full time. It definitely took them a minute to adjust but they were able to really help each other with processing her grandmother declining health. I cried more than I would like to admit but I couldn’t help it. It hit close to home. I was really obsessed with Adam and Elle and their dynamic. It was sweet and spicy and addicting to say the least. I am so thankful NetGalley allowed me to read this amazing book. And I definitely need a physical copy on my shelves ASAP.

4.5
Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this debut novel by Megan Murphy. I thought this was such a clever take on the fake dating/forced proximity trope. I thought the book handled the struggles and heartbreak that one faces while caring for someone with Alzheimer's with so much truth and humor it choked me up.
I found Elle to be funny and relatable, Adam to be the best kind of unreal. How much he cared and gave everyone his all. I appreciated the growth all the characters got to have, and I loved Lovie’s and Elle’s goodbye. It was so poignant.

My only complaint with the book (and honestly most people probably won’t even notice this or care because it's not the point of the book) as a person who coordinates in home care/hospital discharges and a history of Medicaid case management, was that it was stated that Medicare pays for placement-it does not pay for long term placement. I also don't think Lovie wouldn't have had her own coverage and staying on her deceased spouses' plan seems unlikely. Additionally, no agency would have only one person working round the clock(I get why, for the sake the story, Adam was the one working). It didn't really detract from the book, it just irked me a bit while I was reading it at the beginning because I usually spend my days crushing people's hopes when I tell them that Medicare doesn't pay for placement and that's either private pay or they have to go on Medicaid and sell their homes/assets to be eligible.

2 stars

This one was tough for me because while I felt the writing style was good, I was overall confused by this story. The enemies part made no sense to me and felt incredibly childish both for the reasoning and the way they acted. It also felt incredibly pointless to hate each other like that because there was so much else going on that would’ve made for a better trope. Every thing also felt disjointed and inconsistent. The faking it part was such a tiny plot point despite it being the name of the book. The romantic or spicy moments came out of nowhere. Whole conversations came out of nowhere and had no point. I feel like I have no clue who these characters are because Elle was always having really deep conversations with strangers and has lived only 2 hours from her hometown for years yet she’s closed off and runs when things get serious? She hasn’t been to see Lovie in a decade yet she’s only 27 and talks about times she was there as an adult? And Adam was just…flat. He was mean and grumpy (yet perfect to everyone else and in every possible way) in the first half then suddenly he’s a Teddy Bear and still perfect in every way. They’ve barely been dating when she asks for him to leave his family and home to move with her. Which again is 2 hours away and they don’t even consider long distance (yet when he does move, it’s still an hour away??). I have a lot more to say but basically I left confused with no feelings for any of the characters. Unfortunately this book felt like both too much and also not enough.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Elle has always relied on her grandmother, Lovie, but now it's her turn to take care of the woman who raised her. With Lovie’s Alzheimer’s getting worse, Elle moves back home, only to find Adam Wheeler—a stubborn live-in nurse—already settled in. They don’t get along at first, but when Lovie becomes convinced that Elle and Adam are a couple, they decide to play along, thinking she’ll forget by morning. Except she doesn’t. As the days go by, pretending turns into something more, and Elle starts questioning if their fake romance might actually be real.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster, blending heartwarming romance with heavier themes like illness and caregiving. The chemistry between Elle and Adam feels natural, and their fake-dating dynamic is done really well. Their growing feelings develop at a believable pace, making the romance all the more engaging.

One of the best parts of the book is how it portrays Lovie’s Alzheimer’s. It adds depth to the story, making it more than just a romance. Megan Murphy’s writing style is heartfelt and engaging, balancing humor and emotional moments beautifully. Overall, Fake It Like You Mean It is a touching, funny, and deeply moving read that stays with you even after the last page.

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very well written. Adam and Elle had great chemistry and reason for connecting with each other. I really loved their commitment to taking care of Lovie. Alzheimer's is such a delicate and tough topic, that I felt was dealt with very responsibly and realistically. As someone who has been in a similar position to Elle, I really appreciated that. I would highly recommend this lovely and moving story.Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review..

Megan Murphy’s debut novel was so real, raw, and honest. It dove deep into what it is like taking care for someone with Alzheimer’s, how it takes a village to get through those times, the reality of caregiver burnout, and still managed to give us an incredibly sweet romance.

In just a few pages you get to witness Elle’s journey. She’s stubborn, strong, and relatable. Adam is logical, observant and sweet. Both grumpy. And together they stumble through life and fall in love in one of the best slow burn, fake dating, forced proximity (yes there is only one bed) romances I have read this year.

Fake It Like You mean it is sweet, fun, relatable, heartbreaking, and spicy, all rolled into one. Definitely deserved those 5 stars and I think I will be recommending it to EVERYONE. It is worth it!

Elle meets Adam when he is the nurse caring for her grandmother who has Alzheimer's. Soon they are fake dating then falling for real, but when they leave this bubble? Looking forward to more from this author.