Another wonderful Camilla Isley book!
I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the fake relationship trope, and this one hit it out of the park.
After a not-so-meet cute (both puking their guts out in an office building bathroom, though for different reasons....), Rowena and Adrian enter into a fake engagement that will benefit both of them. He'll get to rebrand himself as a family man and one who has more than just work going on, and she will get time to deal with two unexpected occurrences in her life - a pregnancy and a layoff, on the same day. But with chemistry between them off the charts, will they be able to keep the relationship fake or will there be heartbreak when the agreed-upon end comes?

I loved how organic their relationship was (well, other than the fake engagement premise); Rowena and Adrian really liked each other, and Adrian was supportive from the beginning of what Rowena needed. And I loved Rowena's friend group who was really her family.
We even got a cameo from Reese, Thomas, and K-2P (The Love Algorithm)!

Camilla Isley's books are always just the right blend of humor, charm, emotion, and romance, and I will keep lapping them up as quickly as she can publish them.



Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a fun and cute read. How two people who have their world upside down can be the one to turn it around for each other.

I normally hate pregnancy in books but in this one I absolutely enjoyed it and it was quite cute. The characters were super likable and the chemistry the main characters had was just to die for. The tension and longing. And dont even get me started on the best friends omg I absolutely loved them and the way they were ready to support her in anything in any way. So precious.

The story in general was fun, enjoyable and emotional and I loved every bit of it!

Thank you netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

Move over meet-cute. The puke-cute is poised to take over the world!

You read that right, puke-cute. If the Ring Fits features Rowena, a pregnant software engineer who’s kicked the baby daddy to the curb before even realizing she was expecting. Though the book begins at the end(ish), with Rowena and Adrian, C-Suite hottie who’s approaching middle age with nothing to show except his statuesque form that’s clad in Saville Row suits and billions of dollars, getting a divorce. In fact, Isley's beginning in medias res is one of my favorite things about the book. There’s something to be said for working our way back into the narrative that gets me every time. So, I was all in when Rowena knocked her cup of coffee on her divorce papers (not a spoiler, this is Chapter 1, folks) in order to postpone the divorce that she agreed to a year ago when she wasn’t in love with her fake husband. From here, we’re brought into one of the oddest meet-cutes I’ve read in a while, as Rowena, having just been fired, and Adrian, having just realized that his chances of becoming CEO are slipping through his fingers and has made up a big-time lie, fall prey to that old chestnut: puking in the gender neutral bathroom of their shared Manhattan skyscraper. 

Romeo and Juliet locking eyes across a crowded masquerade ball have nothing on Adrian and Rowena, vomiting their literal and metaphorical guts out. There’s something about confiding in a puke pal on the other side of the stainless steel divider that makes you spill those truths and dark secrets you never could with someone who actually knows and most likely judges you. Thus, we find Rowena in tears over the pregnancy, unemployment, and stark reality that she can’t afford to stay in her beloved New York and Adrian, crying internally over the fact that he needs to find a pregnant fiance to prove to his boss that he understands the need for work / life balance and now has to come clean.

The story writes itself from here on in as the two find in the other exactly what they need. Call it kismet or fate or, in Adrian’s case, bad sushi. There’s instant chemistry once they emerge from their stalls. In a word, they’re hot. Though the combination of vomit and industrial cleaner isn’t exactly pheremonal, it sure as hell is here. However, it’s made clear from the contract drawn up by Adrian’s lawyers that this is a business transaction that benefits both parties for the six month span of their marriage and no more.

And that’s it. True to their word and the letter of the law, Adrian and Rowena spend the rest of the novel as roommates who never have naked thoughts about one another. The end. Just kidding. Check out the first chapter . . . or the cover . . . or any of the other myriad rom-coms that feature fake dating. The more Adrian and Rowena fight their attraction, the stronger it grows. While this could be groan-inducing, Isley finds a balance between sexual tension and hopes of a romantic happily ever after and I'm here for the ups and downs of their relationship.

The more Adrian - whose classic CEO backstory includes financial upset and a distant father - declares that HE. DOESN’T. DO. RELATIONSHIPS, the clearer it becomes that he not only does but can. What I most enjoyed about his half of the story is that he genuinely wants to be worthy of Rowena and get himself right before he dedicates himself to her (and the baby, of course).

It’s no spoiler to say that there’s a HEA in store for the software engineer and CEO to be, but there are certainly those requisite bumps and more so along the way once the fake relationship becomes real for both parties. Isley delves into some truly dark moments, and Rowena (and Adrian, to a degree) go through some real deep stuff at the end of the story. Ultimately, there are plenty of cliches to be had .However, I can look past any cutesy-ness and cliches because I’m getting what I want in the hard-earned HEA.

Isley, though getting spicier with each series, is still relatively tame. If you’re looking for some knee-clenching sex scenes, look elsewhere. I could do with a little less saccharine then ITRF offers but, at the end of the day, I’m into it and am already looking forward to the next story in the series.

Such A Fun Roller-coaster!

🌷This book had such a wild start and I was hooked from the beginning!

🌷If you want a crazy meet cute , marriage of convenience, millionaire, one bed, unexpected pregnancy ( done well) 😊 then this is for you.

🌷The two main characters are so lovable and sweet to each other that you can't help but pull for their HEA.

🌷Spice: 3: Innuendos, desires expressed/thought, passionate kissing, 1 scene partial clothes come off.

🌷Language: 1: Barely any cussing, can be counted on 1 hand.

🌷TW:
emotionally abusive past relationship, post partum depression.

🌷Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way influenced by the author or NetGalley.

A fake dating romance, the story of Adrian and Rowena. They get married to help them both out, and feelings aren't supposed to be involved, so what happens when they start to fall for each other. A great read, and I like how it is told from both points of view.

Rowena seriously needs a break when she meets Adrian for the first time. In a surprise twist of events, he ends up becoming her investment banker in shining armour, sweeping her off her feet with a proposal for a fake engagement/ marriage while he helps her with her bills.

I enjoyed their banter right from their meet-cute and playful Rowena is just the person to break down Adrian’s serious (and workaholic) walls. I loved the gradual intensity in their relationship as they moved from fake fiancé/fiancée to friends and soon more than friends.

The ending was a sweet one and I loved the meaning behind the baby’s name. So meaningful and it shows us how deeply in love Adrian is.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

The way I would perform fellatio for this MMC at every given opportunity 😂

This is the second book in a series, it’s a stand alone, so the books can be read out of order. I personally have not read the first book but I was hooked that now I can’t wait for the next one.

So this story follows Rowena and Adrian, these two meet while hurling their guts up in neighbouring stalls, how romantic 😘. Rowena has found herself in a bit of sticky situation, and no not the kind we all love, and Adrian just so happens to be looking for a marriage and convenience.

SO WHAT ARE THEY GUNNA DO!!

Well they do the two finger tango and he goes down under because everything is better in the southern regions 😉

Lovely easy to read love story with all the wonderful elements. Adrian, who needs a wife for a secure position in the company and Rowena, who is pregnant, alone and jobless, are lovable characters. They fake an engagement and then marry each other to conveniently overcome their terrible situations. It was hilarious, romantic, and emotional all at the same time. Their chemistry is superb, and the way they started to care for each other is sweet. It's a perfect happy ending. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I recently went on a bit of a NetGalley request surge as so many great-sounding rom-com books were coming out early in 2025. If The Ring Fits is the first of these!

When Adrian and Rowena woke up, they didn’t expect to end the day engaged to a stranger. But Rowena has lost her job after just finding out that she’s pregnant and Adrian lied to his boss that he had a pregnant fiance back home in the hope it would help him get a promotion. The pair agree to fake it but soon fall in love. So will they still want to get divorced at the end of it or not? Or will they decide to be a real family?

I did find this a pretty fast read. Once I started it I was immediately sucked in and I read more in one sitting than I expected, so that’s a pretty good start.

The first half of the book was definitely stronger than the second.

I loved seeing Rowena and Adrian get to know each other. There were some cute scenarios and Adrien was a pretty helpful and kind man. He was a little older, so that could be why, but never once did he treat Rowena badly due to her pregnancy. And as soon as the baby is born he is super helpful, which is lovely to see. That said, sometimes it felt like…maybe he was a little too perfect? I generally like nice guy love interests. But I guess with his career choice, the reason for the marriage and then him just being so nice? I don’t know, it did feel a little fake in a way that pulled me out of the story.

But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

It was very Hallmark-vibes, so I can see why this book will do so well. It was also pretty obvious who the next pairing in this series will be as well and I think that could be a fun book as well.

For me, however, once they were together, I kind of stopped caring? Especially with Adrian helping Rowena with her career by putting a business plan together, helping her get meetings etc. Like, yes, it was nice of him but it did feel a little steam-rolly? I know it was supposed to be kind, but I would have preferred to see her working on her business a little more independently. It would have been this whole plot on its own that could have helped with Rowena’s growth, and yeah.

So overall, it was an okay book. I would read more from Isley and I would say this one is worth picking up if you’re looking for a cute marriage-of-convenience romance.

Loveeeddd it!!!
It was so beautifully written!
It's about Rowena and Adrian, who work in the same building.

It's just funny how everything fitted, if you know, you know.

I do recommend this book, it' s a quick read. I read it in 2 days and couldn't put it down.
At the beginning I was so confused, but when we went back in time, everything made sense.

Was so hopeful for this storyline to be good, but ended up feeling like ChatGPT was the true author.

3.5 stars


The storyline was good and so was the writing. I just had a hard time connecting with the characters. I enjoyed the plot. I like marriage of convenience a lot. This one was well done. If I had connected with the characters more, I would have enjoyed the book more.

One of Isley's best books to date, I enjoyed reading this .marshmallow fluffy romance. I usually hate billionaire romances, but this didn't have any of that cringe. The self reflection thay both characters do grounded this book more in reality. I read the previous book in this series and this one is so much better! I guess Hunter's story is next. This cozy fantasy of new york love story is a great read for cold winter days. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amazing Romance story,

I loved the caracters and the development all over the story,

Just the right kind of HOT HOT.

💍 WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, FAKE AN ENGAGEMENT

💍 Pick this up if you like/don’t mind:
📌 book series ( this is the second book in the “funny feelings” series but can be read as a stand alone too )
📌 fake dating/ marriage of convenience
📌 slow burn
📌 dual POVs
📌 opposites attract
📌 age gap
📌 witty funny banters/ sexual tension between the characters
📌 one bed troupe
📌 forced proximity
📌 millionaire, workaholic, swoon worthy MMC
📌 HEA

💍 This was my first book by the author and it had everything I needed in a good rom com. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride that will make you smile, laugh, fill your heart with warmth, shed a few tears, feel giddy with happiness and give you butterflies watching the main characters fall in love. Talking about the characters, I loved the chemistry between the two and how they transform themselves through out the story. Personally I prefer books with no spice/closed door romance, so that was another bonus point. And I loved the fact that this book explored themes beyond romance such as post partum depression & prioritising family over career.

💍 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I loved every second of it. Thanks Netgalley and author for the ARC.

💍 PS: I can’t wait to read more by the author.

It was my first book my Camilla Isley and I appreciate her dedication to STEM rep for FMCs. I'd say she's similar to Ali Hazelwood, but with no spice and less quirky characters.
It was a cute basic love story. Clean and closed doors. Neither character felt particularly deep or fully fleshed but it wasn't a horrible read. The most emotional part was the 1st POV of the FMC suffering from PPD, which I really appreciated. At least until it was quickly accepted and dealt with. It was a bit formulaic with no smut scenes to differentiate it from other similar stories, which I know sounds odd. But I find those to be the defining parts of many stories these days.
I'm at a loss about why one of the reviews referred to both of them as billionaires. They are not. This initial misunderstanding led to a long rant on my part lol but in the end I was so very happy to read about MCs that aren't billionaires. That worked hard for a reason, and he was 'just a millionaire and she as a programmer but still struggled to make ends meet once she lost her job. (No closure about that though, which did leave me a little disappointed)

Thank you to Boldwood Books, NetGalley, and Camilla Isley for this ARC book. This was a roller coaster ride. I was on the edge of my seat as this slow burn romance blossomed. It was quite the ride as Adrian and Rowena randomly met in a bathroom, arranged a fake relationship, and overcame obstacles and insecurities and blossomed into a power couple. This is was a whirlwind romance with just the ending I hoped for. This is a must read if you’re looking for a slow burn whirlwind romance with all the feels.

Romance inversée.

L'alchimie entre Rowena et Adrian est palpable, ils forment un couple crédible et touchant. J'ai beaucoup aimé leur rencontre, que j'ai trouvée amusante et qui sort de l'ordinaire. Cependant, je n'ai pas cru à l'histoire de mariage arrangée, cela semblait trop simple. Et, dans la seconde moitié du livre, on tourne trop autour du pot, il y a un trop grand nombre d'incompréhensions entre eux qui paraissent forcées et sonnent fausses. Cela m'a fait sortir de l'histoire.

Je n'ai pas lu le premier tome de cette série, mais cela ne m'a pas perturbée dans la compréhension de l'histoire. J'ai l'intention de lire la suite qui reprend les personnages de Dylan et Hunter, car malgré tout, c'était une romance agréable.

Merci à Netgalley, à l'autrice et aux éditeurs pour cette lecture.

If the Ring Fits by Camilla Isley
Publishing January, 25 2025 with Boldwood Books

What a way to meet someone. Adrian gave a big lie to his boss and Rowena had two big shocks back to back. What better way to fix two problems but a fake marriage. It starts with a future first then back to the meet-cute and ends with a bonus treat and then preview for the next book.
At times it felt jumpy but in general it was a fun quick day only took two days for me to read.

Rowena’s life is flipped upside down when she receives news of two life changing events. The first is she’s pregnant with her ex’s child. The second is she’s also just been laid off. While this is happening, Adrian also receives life changing news. He is in the running for a promotion he has worked years for. However, he overhears his boss question if he’s the right fit for the job, as Adrian has no work life balance. Desperate to prove his boss wrong, he lies about having a pregnant fiancé to keep himself in the running. What happens next can only be what the author describes as a meet puke since these two literally meet in a bathroom as they’re both vomiting for different reasons. Soon after meeting they both agree to help each other by entering into a fake marriage that is beneficial to both parties.

This was an okay romance read for me. With the exception of the meet puke, nothing else really stood out. I also didn’t realize when I received this book that the FMC was pregnant. I’m not a huge fan of pregnancy romances so maybe that’s why this was also an okay read for me. It is sweet how Adrian falls for Rowena and her child though.

The pacing also just felt all over the place. In some spots, like the beginning, I feel like a lot of time is spent on them getting to know each other, but then by the end it felt like it was a rush to get the third act breakup in. (Also it’s a third act breakup that comes out of nowhere and is easily resolved in 3 short chapters). Also, there could’ve been more shown to us about her postpartum depression instead of it just being told to us a few times over the course of two chapters. I don’t know, the last 8 or so chapters just felt super rushed, with info like the postpartum depression being dumped on us and then quickly moved away from. Then the breakup happens, leaving the reader confused, to be resolved super quick and then be given a HEA.

Overall I just don’t think this one was for me, but others who like cute romances that are also pretty quick reads will enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.