Thank you Net Galley and Megan Murphy for the chance to read this arc.

I absolutely loved this book.

This story follows Elle and Adam, the nurse caring for her grandmother, and the romance and growth between the characters was so good. Elle’s grandmother suffers from Alzheimer’s and confuses Elle and Adam for herself and her husband when they were younger. It was so cute the way she basically was their biggest fan, without even realizing how much she made them actually come together.

The story has enemies to lovers, close proximity and an amazing book boyfriend.

I only wish we had an update on Rita and Issac. I was rooting for them too Elle.

“Fake It Like You Mean It” is a rom-com with an emotional side. We have Elle and Adam, that have to fake date while taking care of her grandmother that has Alzheimers and thinks they are married. Elle has a podcast and Adam is a nurse. Even with the forced proximity, the romance is a slow burn and initially they can’t stand each other.

The story shows the struggles that appear when you are faced with carrying for a loved one, especially when their health is deteriorating. I would have liked to have Adam’s POV and more about him and his family. Overall I liked the book and the love story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Alcove Press. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was amazing! It was such a unique storyline and it was so well written! I laughed so much during this book and I loved the romance!

3.5 ⭐️ Fake It Like You Mean It follows Elle, a podcaster from Chicago who moves to help her grandmother Lovie who has Alzheimer’s. But when she gets to her childhood home she doesn’t except to see Adam Wheeler in her bed, Lovie’s live-in nurse.

Lovie is convinced that Elle is her and Adam is her late husband Bobby. They play along so they don’t upset her assuming that after a good nights sleep she will forget all about it. But when she does t forget they decided to place along when Lovie is around. The bantering between them and their jeopardy cuddles doesn’t seem like pretend anymore after a while.

Mixed in with the romance you see the heartbreak and the struggle of watching someone you love battle Alzheimer’s. Elle had to come to terms with her grandmother’s disease and how it has affected her memory of their time together. Elle also has to learn to let her walls down and let people in and not run away no matter how much she wants to. She has always had Lovie and herself and with Lovie slowly fading away she only has herself and she knows she won’t let herself down, she doesn’t trust anyone else.

🌸Fake Dating
🌸Enemies to Lovers
🌸Forced Proximity
🌸Slow Burn

This is a really cute book, the first chapter threw me off a little, but after that I really got into it. Elle and Adam’s relationship takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, I laughed, I cried and I got a little frustrated. Thank you to NetGalley got the ARC!!

I adored this book! Adam & Elle were too cute& it felt like they were a real couple!! I was so excited for each chapter & couldn’t want to see what happened next!

👨‍⚕️Fake it like you mean it by Megan Murphy
4/5 stars ARC review
Publish date: 18th March 2025

This is an emotional rollercoaster wrapped up in a beautiful story with has love, grief, fake dating and family struggles ❤️‍🩹

It’s an easy read as it’s definitely a cutesy romance but it doesn’t get boring as you’ve got the strong plot of Lovie’s Alzheimas and the journey Elle and Adam navigate together handling everyday life. I’d love for someone who works within Alzheimas care to read this and reflect on Adam’s experience 🤗

The chemistry between Elle and Adam was a bit mixed for me, some scenes seemed so strong and realistic, I could imagine them slipping into their fake dating and not knowing where the lines crossed but in other moments I wasn’t so convinced!!🙈

The thing I loved most about this story was Adam, he seemed like the most genuine sweetest guy ever!! Especially when it came to his nieces and sister 🫶🏼

Would really recommend this debut novel (I know debut it’s incredible for a debut!!) but especially if you work with the elderly or going through any dementia/alzheima journey with someone close, hopefully this will make you feel seen ✨💗

I loved this! The emotional growth of the characters was really strong, and I really appreciated the depiction of Alzheimer's. The snippets of podcast interviews we got were a great touch.

This was wonderful! It had it all. Forced proximity. Banter. A likeable fmc and a swoon worthy mmc. It also had way more heart and depth than I was expecting. I have several friends going through similar experiences with parents with dementia and I liked how it depicted the struggles. I’ll be thinking of this one for a long time.

This was a beautiful book. Megan Murphy dealt with the incredibly difficult and painful story of caring for a grandparent with Alzheimers in a way that was both tender and raw. I'm really impressed with how she manged to include this seamlessly into the developing romance between Elle and Adam. She balanced humour and romance with the emotional pain and grief really well, and also somehow managed to include both the characters having quite nuanced emotional growth they also had to work through.

My only real criticism was that the enemies-to-lovers element didn't really work for me, I just didn't find their amnosity that believable and felt it was unnecessary to the story. This just meant it took me a bit longer to get into the story than I might have otherwise, but the writing was good enough I was drawn in anyway. I thought the writing was beautiful and moving and quite often very funny, I loved how well develpoed the characters were and thought the whole thing tied together really well. I would definitely read more books by her.

4.5 stars

Uhmmm that was the sweetest thing ever?! I had randomly applied and got approved for the ARC but had put off reading it for about two weeks (idk why). I finally started a few days ago, and almost immediately fell in love with it!

It was a real, honest, and raw inside look at caring for someone with Alzheimer’s while also being an incredibly sweet romantic love story! I mean, they fake being in love when her grandma thinks they’re her husband and herself from 60 years ago?! And she doesn’t forget so they have to keep the bit going?! Perfection.

The slow burn was burningggggg and the forced proximity/one bed situation was too good🤭

Also the fact that this is Megan Murphy’s debut novel?? I’m an immediate fan and can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!! Huge thanks to NetGally for the early digital copy!

Obsessed. Went in to this book not expecting to love it as much as I did. Megan did a beautiful job of intertwining a love story with the realities of grief. I found comfort in how she built the relationship between Adam and Elle through the found family trope. This book made it feel relatable because it was built on how they felt a piece with each other. I will absolutely be putting this book in my comfort read pile to pick up again. Can’t wait to read more from Megan.

This was so cute and fun! It also has quite beautiful depth. A really unique twist on the amnesia trope, but used respectfully/sensitively. I loved the the dynamic between the main characters and was immediately invested into the romance. It feels like very thoughtful representation compared to some other romances I’ve read lately - a true breath of fresh air. I will be looking for Murphy’s books in the future!!

Elle has always relied on her grandmother, Lovie, for support throughout her life. However, as Lovie’s Alzheimer’s progresses rapidly, Elle finds herself returning to her childhood home in Chicago to take care of her. Upon arriving, she is surprised to find Adam Wheeler, the live-in nurse assigned to help with Lovie’s care, already in her bed. Adam is described as a “pain in the ass,” but he is dedicated to his job and committed to providing the best care for Lovie.

The story unfolds with elements of humor and emotional depth as Elle grapples with her responsibilities towards her grandmother while also confronting her growing attraction to Adam. The narrative features various romantic tropes such as enemies-to-lovers dynamics, slow burn romance, fake dating scenarios, and forced proximity situations.

Oh my god, I think this might be my favorite book for October and maybe even my favorite of the year. I laughed, I cried a few times, and I absolutely fell in love with this book.

I devoured this book. I literally did not want to put it down and did everything in my power not to. This was a perfect read for me, between the two lovely characters, the very real story, the emotional rollercoaster, and the sprinkles of spice — UGH! I want to read it all over again and hope I can get my hands on a physical copy.

As someone who only reads eBooks, I literally only buy a physical book if I love it OR if it’s the next book in a series and I know I will love it (like Fourth Wing). So please understand that this is HIGH PRAISE coming from me.

I loved getting to know Elle whenever she would let Adam in to see glimpses of who she was behind the curtain or through stories of her grandmother. And the journey between Adam being a grumpy guy to being a total sweetheart was deliciously slow and unfolded in the background, like a lot more showing then telling. I honestly cannot believe this is Megan’s debut novel and will 100% be picking up whatever she writes next.

While there is definitely spice, the spice isn’t like full-on GRAPHIC like some of these books are. So I think it hits a happy medium that a lot of people will enjoy, even if they skip over anything even remotely smutty.

“I want to know these parts of you, Elle. The messy ones and the crazy ones. I’m not asking for forever. I’m not even asking for next week. All I’m asking for is right now. But if that’s too much, that’s okay too. I only want whatever you’re ready to give, even if it’s nothing at all.”

BE STILL MY HEART. C’mon. Adam is the perfect book boyfriend. He loves and supports his family, he takes care of people like Lovie, which I would not have the emotional stamina to do, and he meets Elle where she’s at. PLUS, he is a very considerate lover, but not in a shy way, if that makes sense.

I almost forgot the podcast, which was such a fun and unique career for the FMC. Opening with her interviewing someone and later finding out some of the reason behind why she interviews on public transit, genius.

Omg, and the way the MMC supports her podcast and responds to trolls. Seriously. I could go on and on! If I could give one recommendation for a book to pick up in 2025, it would be this one. Add it to your TBR and please tell me what you think when it comes out.

OMG, I have to say, I absolutely loved this book! It had me hooked right from the start. Elle's journey with her grandma's Alzheimer's was so moving, and I really felt for her. The romance between Elle and Adam was super authentic too—it wasn’t just the typical enemies-to-lovers thing. Their relationship felt real and developed through these genuine moments of vulnerability, humor, and care. Seriously, I couldn't put it down!

I honestly had no idea what to expect when I first started reading FAKE IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT. I was concerned because even though the copy I read is an ARC, it isn't formatted. Thank goodness I didn't let that stop me. Adam and Elle have a meet-cute that is in my five read meet-cutes. Their need to fake a relationship for Elle's grandmother, Lovie, is sweet. And it makes a real relationship between them that much more adorable and sweet. I am so glad I had an opportunity to read this amazing story.

I received an ARC of this book. I have not been paid for my review.

This was a really cute comforting book. I have grandparents I often take care of so I could releate to these characters. I really like Adam. He was calm collected and nice guy. Elle was nice, too. They were not annoying at all. I really appreciate Alzeimer representation. It added a special touch to the story.
Easy, romantic book with a little bit of spice, but only a sprinkle, that warms your hrart. It was dull at times, but overall I enjoyed it. My rating would be 3,5 stars. Thank you Net Gallery shelf for eARC of this book.

Touching, emotional and filled with deliciously wry humor, FAKE IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT seamlessly blends a gorgeously moving story about family with the most satisfying love story. I went through a roller coaster of emotions reading this - from the heart wrenching scenes with Elle’s grandmother Lovie to the steamy scenes between Elle and Adam that left me sweating. Murphy’s prose is fast-paced and voice-y, making this the perfect cozy read to curl up with for the evening. Fans of Sarah Adams, Amy Lea, and Abby Jimenez won’t be able to get enough!

Thank you to Alcove and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So good, I wish I could re-read it for the first time.

The characters of Lovie, Elle, and Adam were compelling and well-written. The book reminded me of time with my grandparents when I was younger and Adam is the best guy, almost too good to be true, but not. Elle is the granddaughter who steps up to care for her grandmother once she gets sick, and the book is a beautiful portrayal of the relationship.

This book will be living rent-free in my head for a loooong time. I instantly fell head over heels for the characters and became an instant cheerleader for their respective journeys (individually and together...but especially together!).

Elle was such a wonderful protagonist to get to take this journey with, and I felt like she was my newest best friend. Her voice was funny yet earnest, and she approached the world with an honesty and care that added so much to the story itself. And then there was Adam... I loved this man from the first second. He, too, had such a quick wit and sense of kindness that played so well off of Elle. Their banter was top tier, and the slow-burn was *burning!* This was one of my favorite forced proximity stories, and I love that there was so much depth beyond the romance itself. The fake dating was also utilized in such a perfect, non-cliched way.

Beyond the romance, there was such a moving element of this story through Lovie and her journey. It was such a painful topic approached with such grace and love, and it allowed a peek into the difficult reality for so many families. It also added a richness to the piece with the focus on familial dynamics and love. Each and every character was compelling to me, from the friends to the podcast guests to Adam's family, and we as readers got to witness multiple different types of love all written so beautifully.

Overall, this book was so dang heartwarming yet hysterical, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to read it. Thank you to NetGalley and Megan Murphy for the chance to fall in love with such a moving and immersive story!