In this follow-up to Four Steps to the Perfect Revenge (which I haven’t read).

*fake dating
*enemies to lovers
*small town
*mystery


Cute, but repetitive and I didn’t really get the chemistry between the MC’s, but I enjoyed this enough to read the author again. Low spice factor.




Thank you to Montlake for the DRC

"Four Steps to the Perfect Fake Date" by Lilian Monroe is a delightful romantic comedy with a charming small-town setting. Daphne and Calvin have fantastic banter and their fake relationship quickly turns into something real. The story is lighthearted and fun, perfect for a cozy read. I especially enjoyed the heartwarming moments and the supporting characters.

✨fake dating
✨small town romance
✨enemies to lovers
✨he falls first

Such a fun quick read! Loved the storyline and the characters.

"He was officially fake dating the woman he was already half in love with. And she was right about one thing. It was a terrible idea."

I enjoyed reading the initial parts of the book. Calvin & Daphne had good chemistry and the banter between the them was amazing. But after a while, the miscommunication between them got too much. And Daphne was too frustrating. <spoiler> Her constantly thinking of how she's a misfit and boring and doesn't belong with her family members was annoying (especially all of the insecurities were instilled in her by her ex of two years and she should've been over it long ago). Calvin was good as compared to her and I felt bad for him at so many occasions. I agree that, he was kind of a bully to her in the past but he apologised and it was obvious how gone he was for Daphne since the very beginning. </spoiler> I think he deserved better and Daphne should've grovelled a bit but still, I liked the way things ended and the epilogue was amazing. So overall, this was an enjoyable read but some parts were repeatitive and I feel like the plot could've been executed better tbh.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

The 4 groomsmen of the apocalypse series were a guilty pleasure read for me, so I was excited to start this new book by Lillian Monroe. While not as charming as that series, this is definitely a fun, cozy romance. It has small town charm which I love. Also the two main characters had nice depth to their stories. I particularly was drawn to Calvin's story of parental neglect and him misunderstanding his mom's overtures. Both Calvin's and Daphne had reasons their self esteem was shattered and it was nice to see them begin to believe that they were loveable and worthwhile people. I didn't love the subplot of the heist, it was a bit too silly and unrealistic. Even so, this book is worth a read. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Montlake for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such a great romance. I read through this so fast, I loved the characters and I loved the storyline!!

4 stars for Daphne and Calvin!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A nice small town romance. It was a good read and it had my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers and fake dating. I liked Daphne and Calvin and found their story filled with mystery and that drew me in. The cover is also very pretty. It was a nice read that broke up the usual dark romance that I read. I would definitely recommend Four Steps to the Perfect Fake Date.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for my ARC of Four Steps to the Perfect Fake Date!

Easy read. Enemies to lovers. Good girl bad boy vibes. Loved the supporting characters. The mystery was interesting. The romance was sweet. Overall it was a great story. I really enjoyed it. If you like small town romance, pick this one up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC.

✨fake dating
✨small town romance
✨enemies to lovers
✨he falls first

Daphne Davis was always the 'good girl' and she seemed to have a perfect life. But now her whole life is falling apart; her fiance broke up with her, she had to move out of her dream house and she was laid off at work. Now she is jobless, homeless and near broke. So she decides to move back home.

She finds a new job, as an accountant, at the police department. But she quickly finds out that her new boss is her high school nemesis, Calvin Flint.
Together they are trying to figure out where all the money from the police department went. But while working together they grow closer and get to know the people they have become. Soon sparks start to fly between them but they will never admit that to each other.

So when Calvin’s mother set Calvin up with a date to her vow renewal, Calvin told her that he already had a date. He now only had to convince Daphne to go with him. He asked Daphne to be his date but she declined every time, until she learned about a stolen heirloom that his family now had. She would fake date Calvin and be his date to vow renewal so she could find the stolen heirloom back.
But can they keep it to just fake dating? Or will they admit their feelings for each other and finally be happy together?

This is the first time I have read something by Lilian Monroe and I’m impressed. The story was fast paced and there were so many things happening. There really wasn’t a dull moment throughout the book. There is a main plot and a few side plots which makes it very interesting. I really liked all of the characters.
I definitely will be picking up more of her books in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The perfect example of a contemporary romans everyone wants with just a hint of mystery, suspense, and the classic happily ever after.

Four Steps to the Perfect Fake Date jumps right into the fun and the meet-cute (or not so meet-cute?).

Daphne’s always been the responsible, successful good girl, but where has that gotten her? Her fiancé called her boring and dumped her, she lost her job due to her company’s problems, and she’s landed back in her suffocating small town. She’s been hired as a consultant for the police department to trace financial accounts and figure out what happened to county funds.

And the new sheriff in town? None other than Daphne’s teenage nemesis, Calvin. He can’t believe it when he sees her, and old feelings come rushing back (a mixture of lust and hate). He had it rough growing up, and he always envied Daphne with her perfect family and life. Sparks fly instantly, and it’s game on for these enemies…

As it turns out, Calvin needs a fake date for his mom’s vow renewal to get her off his back. Daphne has her own reasons for going along with it, and an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating scheme is born. Only it’s quickly not so fake.

This book was quirky, hilarious, fun, and hot with chemistry. The first half was everything I could want in a fun romance book. The second half was great too, but did drag just a bit with the characters (especially Daphne) doubting themselves, holding themselves back from admitting their true feelings, and keeping secrets. I LOVED Calvin—he had to overcome so much to get where he is, and he’s such a deep-feeling and loving person, but has a little bit of an edge at the same time.

If you’re looking for quirky and hilarious side characters, this book is definitely for you! Daphne’s grandmother and her friends sometimes steal the show, Calvin’s little sister is adorable, and the book is filled with personality. Overall, a fun and lighthearted romcom that’s sure to make you smile.

This was a cute story, but I found my attention wandering at times, to the point that I forgot I had read a whole page and had to go back and reread it because I missed important parts of a conversation. Overall I liked Daphne and her zany family, and the pot plot cracked me up, but I didn't feel like there was a great flow between the different "steps" that linked the book together. Perhaps if I had read the first book in the series it would have made more sense and I would have been more anxious to get to the next chapter, but I hadn't read it yet, and I found the many parts of the book to be a bit slow. I can't quite put my finger on what wasn't my favorite about this book, the story was cute, none of the characters annoyed me, there was a happily ever after, but nothing jumped out at me to push me to read faster or get excited for the next chapter. The book has a lot of potential, but it just didn't click with me.

I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My rating:
⭐⭐⭐ I mostly liked and connected with it.

Review:
I wish I had known this was the second in a series before I jumped in. I found myself a little lost with some of the early chapters/characters/references. While I really liked both the FMC and the MMC, I felt like there was a lot going on in this book (with other characters) that detracted from the actual romance part of it. I love a good second-chance and enemies-to-lovers story, and this one combines those tropes so nicely. This was my first read by Monroe but I would certainly read more of her backlist in the future.

The Cover: Strong, representative of the story, and eye-catching.

My Favorite Things:
The “cupcake” nickname gave me Joe Morelli (Stephanie Plum series) vibes. Loved it.

This romance is such a fun ride with easy banter, humor that never lets up, and the way Daphne and Calvin push and pull against each other, only to realize they might just be exactly what the other needs. Both characters are lovable, flawed, and a little bit awkward, which makes their slow-burn romance feel so authentic. The misadventures and misunderstandings are all part of the charm, making this a perfect feel-good read for anyone who loves a couple who couldn’t be more mismatched, until they’re not.

A notorious rule follower, the old Daphne Davis could do no wrong. But lately she can’t get anything right.

Jilted by her ex, ousted from her home, and laid off from her job, Daphne retreats to her little hometown, Fernley Island. But even there, she feels out of sync. So, bailing on her own sister’s engagement party, she suddenly embraces a brand-new no more goody-two-shoes.

Unfortunately, Daphne’s new mantra lands her squarely in the headlights—literally—of her high school nemesis, Calvin Flint. No longer a scrawny jerk, he’s Fernley’s acting sheriff, filling out his uniform waaay better than he ought to.

He’s also Daphne’s new boss.

As Daphne balances the books after a department scandal, a series of mishaps throws her and Calvin together. The sparks that fly take them both by surprise. But will a fake dating scheme and quest for a stolen heirloom ruin their chance at something real?

Loved it. Lilian Monroe always delivers. Will recommend to others

This book was *insanely* cute! It combines all the best tropes—fake dating, enemies to lovers, and close proximity—in a way that felt fresh and engaging. The story centers around Daphne and Calvin, who had a rocky history from high school. Calvin was the charming jerk who didn’t care about the consequences of his actions, while Daphne was the studious, perfect student from the picture-perfect family.

They reconnect as adults and Calvin is now the sheriff of their small town, while Daphne returns as an investigator looking into a financial fraud case. Forced to work together, they find themselves spending more time together, and as the story unfolds, they start to realize they’re not the same people they were all those years ago.

The chemistry and banter between Daphne and Calvin was so good. Their dynamic was electric, and I loved watching their relationship evolve from old enemies to something much deeper. I did wish they’d been more upfront about their feelings sooner, but I totally understood why they held back, as they both were dealing with their own insecurities. There was a good amount of action involved too, with the main climax keeping me on the edge of my seat. There were times when I could not tell where the story was going to take me next. Overall, it was a wonderfully sweet and satisfying romance with just the right amount of tension and banter.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was interesting and I liked it a lot more than I thought I might at the beginning of reading. I liked Daphne and her struggle and Calvin was well written with both a good backstory and the slight mystery beneath the main relationship plot was well written and compelling.
The only thing I felt made this story fall flat for me what Daphne's whole plan to steal a pot. I both get it and think it was a little insane and such a dumb risk. I think this needed to be more com for this to fully make sense as a plot but the story was more serious than funny so it was a weird juxtaposition for me.

Daphne Davis is a notorious rule follower—through and through. But when her fiancé dumps her for being "too boring" and, well... her, a heartbroken Daphne decides she’s done with being the good girl everyone expects her to be and vows to embrace spontaneity. To make matters worse, she gets laid off from work. When her family finds out about her string of bad luck, they insist she return to their small hometown, Fernley Island.

Back home, Daphne struggles to find her footing, and the all-too-familiar feeling of not fitting in with her family of lovable troublemakers creeps back, forcing her to make a hasty retreat from her little sister's engagement party.

Getting pulled over by acting Sheriff Calvin Flint—her high school nemesis—was NOT part of the plan. Finding out she’s supposed to work with him starting next week makes it even worse.

Their banter while being forced to work together to solve the mystery of embezzled public funds by the previous sheriff had me hooked. The fake dating was a bit toned down without all those "we need to convince everyone we are into each other" clichés that most of the books in this genre follows which was quite refreshing honestly (could be because anyone can see the sparks fly between the two.)

The little heist subplot was silly and wacky, and I was so here for it. Daphne’s family and the older ladies in town were hilarious and endlessly entertaining.

Both Calvin and Daphne carried a lot of emotional baggage—Calvin with his abandonment issues, and Daphne feeling overshadowed by her sister and with a constant need to fit in. I loved how these themes were explored throughout the story, though I did get frustrated with how everyone in town (even her own family) always put Daphne in the "good girl" category like it was all there was to her. I appreciated Calvin figured out how much it was bothering her and stood up for her, but I really wanted Daphne to confront her family herself.

I also wish there had been more resolution between Calvin and his mom. That said, I really enjoyed this story—it was fun, emotional, and heartfelt. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author!

*Thank you to Montlake, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

✨Fake Dating
✨Opposite Attract
✨Stuck Together

Spice level 🌶️🌶️.5/5

I adored this book! This book had me on the edge of my seat multiple times, the plot twists were twisting and the relationships that played out in this story were so well written.

Daphne grew up on the island of Fernley and left for college and to start her career. After losing both her fiancee and what she thought was her dream job, she moved back home to help the local sheriffs department sort through their accounting after the previous sheriff was caught mismanaging and stealing money. The new sheriff is none other than her high school rival, Calvin Flint.
As Daphne balances the books after a department scandal, a series of mishaps throws her and Calvin together. The sparks that fly take them both by surprise. But will a fake dating scheme and quest for a stolen heirloom ruin their chance at something real?

Anyone who loves a good fake dating turns real dating, will they wont they, I always loved you type romance book...this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lilian Monroe, and Montlake Publishing for the opportunity to read this amazing book. Releases March 25, 2025

DNF @54%
First, he is her ex-bully; second, there is absolutely no chemistry between the FMC & the MMC. In my opinion, there is no plot. The characters just go through the motions. All the MMC thinks about is the color of the FMC's undergarments and her self-esteem is basically nonexistent. The author kept repeating some words again and again and again. And I really didn't care about anything happening in the book