An ATL Debut Queer Romcom

Julian Winters’ I Think They Love You is a love letter to Atlanta, and for anyone who calls Georgia home, this book feels like a warm embrace of everything that makes our city special. From the subtle nods to local landmarks to the way the community and friendships are portrayed, Winters captures the heart of Atlanta in a way that will make any Southerner proud.

André Santana’s narration? Flawless, as always. Whether he’s voicing adults, kids, or gender-fluid characters, he brings each one to life with such care and distinction. At 1.75x speed, the story flows beautifully, making it nearly impossible to hit pause. Santana doesn’t just narrate—he elevates.

My only gripe—and any true Georgian will feel me on this—is that while Denz’s family wanted him to go Ivy League, the fact that he graduated from UGA should’ve been celebrated more. Around here, UGA isn’t just a good school; it’s the school. For Georgians, it holds just as much, if not more, prestige than some out-of-state Ivy. But that aside, this debut is brimming with heart, friendship, and the kind of love—familial, romantic, and self—that sticks with you long after the final chapter.

Thank you Dreamscape Media, Julian Winters, and NetGalley for this eARC!!

I Think They Love you by @julianwinters

Rating:

Review: Second chance AND fake dating? Sign me tf up. Immediately. I thought this book was incredibly cute and sweet. I loved the character development we see Denz go through and the way that Denz and Braylon interaction both in the past and present. I laughed numerous times and I thought the audiobook was incredibly well done. Definitely a cute book to read now that we’re nearing valentines day

Synopsis: When Denzel “Denz” Carter’s workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his judgmental family members that Denz is capable of commitment he impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship. Problem is the last serious relationship he was in hung him high and dry after leaving the continent.

Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to bring to family functions and seal the deal on the CEO position. To do so he enlists the help of his best friend and roommate, Jamie. Someone his family already accepts in their inner circle. But when his BFF is a no-show, Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship Braylon, the man who broke his heart.

Braylon’s sudden reappearance in Denz’s life turns everything upside down. But apparently, he needs Denz’s connections to the mayor to win his own promotion and Denz is currently up a creek without a paddle. So, they strike a deal. It’s all business, but between the funny texts and the confusing kisses soon enough Denz is struggling to separate business from the affairs of his heart.

Oh my gosh this book was so good!!! I fell hard for Denz. His struggle to find his place in the world was very relatable and I was rooting so hard for him to find it. I loved all the conversations about how being a gay Black man added extra pressure to Denz and made the bar for success that much higher. It was a joy watching Denz and Braylon fall into old patterns as they were fake dating and I was very invested to see how these new versions of themselves would work it out. The main obstacle to their relationship was painfully realistic and I felt for both of them as they struggled to find a path forward that made sense for both of them. It was ultimately so satisfying to see them both find a way to make their relationship work while still honoring who they were individually. That is peak romance to me. Their banter was fabulous and the chemistry was off the charts. Not only were the two main characters compelling enough to steal my heart, I also fell for the side characters. I'm particularly invested in Jamie and I hope he gets his own book soon. If you love fake dating romcoms definitely pick this one up!!

I'm especially happy that I received an ALC of this book because the audio was fantastic! The narrator really brough Denz to life. I 100% recommend that version of the story if you're an audiobook person.

ⒶⓇⒸ ⒷⓄⓄⓀ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ

I Think They Love You by @wintersjulian
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

i absolutely LOVED this book. fake dating is my happy place. and fake dating mixed with them being exes really just made it so much more exciting. i couldn't get enough of these two. Denz and Braylon are so stinking perfect together. watching them reconnect and fall back in love was amazing. I also really enjoyed that it was set in Atlanta, i lived there for a few years and even worked at the Fox Theatre (which was named dropped in the book, as well as an event i definitely worked there!) I was fun hearing about familiar locations throughout the book.

* 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 and @dreamscape_media 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

I love, love, loved this sweet, second-chance romance. The characters had great voice and personality that kept me laughing and turning the pages. Even the secondary characters (shout out to Cami and Whit) were incredible and people I'd love to be friends with. Denz and Braylon were in a serious relationship in college and thought they'd live happily ever after -- but then Braylon moved to London and didn't give Denz a chance to say if he'd come with Braylon. Fast forward to years later and Denz has decided to throw himself into the race to replace his dad as CEO when he retires in a few months to prove to his family he can really do it. However, his family, including his sister, think he can't commit to anything, not even a man. In an attempt to prove them wrong, Denz says he actually has a serious boyfriend-- only he doesn't. When his fake date falls through and his ex, Braylon, shows up needing a favor at just the right time they agree to fake date. But as things continue the line between fake and real gets harder and harder to find and old feelings return. One of my favorite parts about the book was that Denz's family was its own character -- all of them are all up in his business and have something to say about everything anyone does. Another stand-out element was Denz navigating what he really wants versus what other people want for him. I related to his journey and his efforts to try and feel good enough and make everyone happy. While there were some mentions of therapy, I do wish that therapy had been part of Denz's character arc, especially as he tries to navigate what he really wants. A good book for anyone but especially romance readers!

I cannot even start to explain how much I fell in love with this!

As much as I enjoyed the story; an adorable fake dating/second chance romance (2 of my favourite tropes!), it was the characters that really owned my heart from the start. Denz was just so lovable and relatable. I also adored how the narrator brought him to life, the upbeat tone, the sniffles when he was sad, the breaks in his voice when he was shocked or upset, it was all perfect. Braylon was also a perfect love interest, part of me wishes part of the story was from his perspective but I loved the way Julian Winters managed to communicate his side of the story without doing that.

The side characters are also amazing. I loved the aunties, Micha, Kami and Jamie so much!

There’s plenty of beautifully written spice to top off all of the other amazingness of this book, too!

I have to admit that I requested this audiobook because I was expecting a fun rom-com but what I actually got was so much more than that! The narrative is an absolutely wonderful mix of all the joys and struggles that come with being part of multiple marginalised communities.

Overall this was a perfect balance of emotions. I laughed and cried in equal measures and even though the ending was gorgeous, I would more than love more Denz and Braylon content!

An excellent audiobook by a new to me author and a tried and true narrator = fantastic combo.

Narrator Andre Santana has a smooth voice and a talent for contemporary romance.

The story itself was wonderful and really covered all the fells. Touching, steamy, and cute. Fake dating your ex will always grab my attention. I love second chances and fake dating so it’s a double win for me and these two really grabbed my attention.

They both wormed their way into my heart and my desire to see them make it to the end. Not to mention all the other characters who also popped and provided depth to the story.

I will definitely be reading another book by Julian Winters. Bonus points if he uses Andre Santana again.

I’m so grateful I saw this arc on Netgalley cause I hadn’t heard of it before then. It was truly such a joy to read this book. There is a point in the book where Braylon and Denz are talking about RomCom and why Denz loves them so much. And he says something like, RomCom gives you a bit a joy while everything else seems dark. Even though the ending is obvious it's the in between that different, and fun to watch. Because no 2 love stories are the same. I loved that message and truly sums up this book well to. Yes you might know the overall ending but watching how Braylon and Denz get there is so heartwarming. These boys help each other see their strong qualities within themself and help each other not be so lost in the world. I love this couple so much. After reading this book I can’t wait to add more of Julian Winter’s book to my TBR. Highly recommend.

This book was such a treat! I Think They Love You delivers a swoon-worthy queer romance packed with ALL the best tropes—second chance romance, fake dating, only one bed—and every single one is executed so well.

Denz and Braylon’s journey of rediscovery is filled with longing, tension, and so much heart. Their chemistry crackles on the page, making every moment—whether tender, messy, or downright hilarious—feel completely immersive. I had so much fun tagging along as they navigated old wounds, new feelings, and the undeniable pull between them.

With vibrant characters, beautifully written emotions, and a story that balances depth with pure rom-com joy, this book is a must-read for romance lovers. Highly recommend!

Maybe I'm a broken record at this point, but honestly 2025 is a dumpster fire so let's engross ourselves in a joyful, gay, sexy, fake dating romance that also has our main character learning to find himself and what he wants to be outside of his family's expectations.

I Think They Love You centers on Denz Carter, the son of Kenneth Carter the CEO of 24 Carter Gold the premiere event planning agency in Atlanta. Kenneth announces that he will be retiring in the spring and Denz, along with his sister Cami, both want to put their names into the hat to take on the CEO role. Denz who is self-conscious of his lack of serious romantic prospects and his whole extended family group chat drags him for his strings of hook ups, announces he also has a serious boyfriend. Denz of course...does not have a serious boyfriend and recruits his best friend and roommate Jamie to play the part. I don't want to give too much else away - but the reappearance of Denz's first big love, Braylan, in his life just brings in additional chaos to this plan.

The writing in I Think They Love You is just perfection, Denz is a whole person with his own insecurities, friends and family that make 24 Carter Gold real. I absolutely love the relationship between Denz and Cami - the duality of both the support of each other and sibling bickering/rivalry felt so true to life. But also, let me just say the sex scenes in this are so hot: Denz "I just came here for a sandwich" Carter getting a surprise blowjob that is of course not actually sex and doesn't break the fake dating rules. At the heart of this, the story is so tender and explores the themes of finding yourself amid family expectations - Denz has to work through what he wants out life and not just what he thinks his family wants from him.

I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook and highly recommend the format. André Santana is perfection and has such lovely voices for each character, he truly brought I Think They Love You to life for me and I was easily swept up in the story.

All in all, highly recommend. Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy.

The family dynamics in this book felt realistic and I especially enjoyed seeing those interactions on paper. I love that Denz has a healthy, competitive bond with his sister and the friendships were a delight too. It's time to represent loving families where everyone cares about each other and can be nosy. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to show close-bounded families that don't have the best ideas or privacy, seeing how the unit of the family works differently in different cultures but also differs with every case. (I'm saying this as a brown person)

This book fits in really well with the tropes of second-chance romance and fake dating; the writing is very wholesome. I think Braylon could've been fleshed out better because the focus was mainly on Denz and I'd like to have seen more of Braylon and his character arc. Apart from reading the unique combination of fake dating with an ex (something I don't think I've read before and was intrigued by), the family interactions take center-stage in my opinion. I found this to be a highly engaging read and there's little I can complain about, so I recommend it!

I've read this book as an eARC and then again as an eALC so I know that the narration definitely adds to the experience. I found the accente well done too, so kudos to the narrator on this one!

Having enjoyed Julian Winters' YA titles previously, I was excited for his adult debut. I Think They Love You was exactly what I was hoping for: funny and heart-warming, with very well executed fake dating and second chance romance tropes.
When his father unexpectedly announces his retirement and a competition for any internal applicants to the CEO position, Denz Carter is determined to show that he has the commitment and skill to step up. An impulsive lie about being in a serious relationship to prove that he is capable of commitment leads to him needing a fake boyfriend. Denz enlists his roommate and best friend, but when he doesn’t show, he is forced to turn to his ex Braylon for help. The ex who broke his heart when he moved to London at the end of college. The two strike a deal to help each other attain promotions at work. But time spent together, funny texts, and kisses make it difficult for Denz to separate their arrangement from reality.
I Think They Love You is narrated from Denz’ point of view, and it’s impossible not to fall for him and delight in the sweet chaos he brings to this story. His romance with Braylon was sweet, and it didn’t take me long to get invested in their romance. The novel also has plenty of fantastic secondary characters. I loved the extended family who were expert meddlers and whose group chat was entertaining. Denz’ relationships with his father and his sister Kami were well portrayed and really relatable.
I listened to the audiobook of this novel and have to say that André Santana’s narration definitely added to my enjoyment. It was spot on, with great voices for the characters and a fab English accent for Braylan. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance listening copy – I’ll definitely be recommending this title (and the audiobook)! 4.5 stars from me.

Thank you for NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

This is my first fake dating to second-change romance book; I can only say that it was done incredibly well. The way Winters wrote the relationship between Denz and Braylon, one could tell they would be endgame.

Apart from the absolute banger of a relationship, there was the family drama of who would become the new CEO of the family business empire. The relationship between the family members was hilarious and so fun to learn about; they were messy, opinionated, and overall so funny.

I am beyond happy that my first ALC was so beautiful, and André Santana as the narrator is the icing on the cake.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

A solid 4.5 stars

((I listened to the audiobook via NetGalley))

The grilled cheese version of romance -- a cozy instant classic.I LOVE Denz. It was a delight to be in his brain. Great banter. Lots of interesting side characters who could have their own book. I hope this becomes a series!

At one point, I started to feel like the stakes weren't high enough, and then the stakes were raised nearly immediately.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley!

I don’t typically read second-chance love novels but this was so, so cute. My favorite part of romance novels and stories is the pining, and I Think They Love You is FILLED with it. Denz was such a fun POV to read the story through, all of his thoughts and worries feeling so realistic and in-tune with the situation. I would have reacted very similarly to how Denz did to a lot of the story, which really made it immersive. Denz’ familial fears and anxieties were also so well done, so valid and real. As the reader, we can easily see what he could’ve done to fix things or say things differently, but that’s what made the situations feel genuine. His actions were spur-of-the-moment, as all are in reality.

Braylon and Denz’ relationship was truly so fun and cute to read. I loved how they interacted both conversationally and physically. They were so in-sync. The way that, as soon as they had a proper conversation about what their fake relationship was going to look like, they both jumped into it perfectly. The way that Braylon seamlessly started sending Denz jokes and their little lunch dates, how Braylon was there for and supporting Denz so sweetly. Their interactions were so charming and sincere, and I really just adored how Denz’ reactions to things were so unapologetically human. Admitting that he still felt anger towards Braylon’s dad despite he had passed being the biggest example I can think of. It made me really feel for the both of them. Denz and Braylon are such a contemporary version of ‘soulmates,’ and it was so lovely seeing that in action. Despite their miscommunications, they always were able to understand each other (even if it’s taken them a while to do so).

This was such a lovely second-chance romance with heaps of pining and lots of healing of Denz’ inner child by the end. The pining with the spice was perfectly woven together, giving the reader something solid to hold on to in regards to their relationship.

The narrator, Andre Santana, is a favorite of mine and he delivered, once again! They do an incredible job every time, and the voice they’re able to do is just astounding.

This was a fun, steamy ride that blends second-chance romance with fake dating antics.

Denzel "Denz" Carter, caught between a career in his family's event planning business and a not-so-ideal personal life, finds himself pretending to be in a relationship with none other than Braylon—the ex who left him heartbroken. The catch? Denz needs to impress his family to land a CEO position, and Braylon needs his connections for his own career boost. Cue the romance, confusion, and steamy kisses as they navigate a fake relationship that starts feeling way too real.

The romance itself is the star of the show—lots of fun, chemistry, and tropes like one-bed situations. But if you’re looking for deep emotional moments, you might not find them here. The story leans into the playful, spicy side of romance rather than diving deep into the emotional complexities of Denz and Braylon’s past. Denz’s quest for the CEO role did feel a bit far-fetched, though, considering how underqualified he seemed. As this is Julian Winters’ adult debut (after a string of YA hits), the characters still carry that youthful, slightly immature energy, which could be hit-or-miss depending on your preferences.

On the audiobook front, André Santana really brings this story to life. His narration is spot-on, adding extra layers of fun and emotion to the already entertaining plot.

If you're into fake dating, second-chances, and the whole rich-guy, lavish event vibe, this book’s definitely worth a read (or listen). Just don’t expect it to be super deep—it’s all about the playful, spicy romance.
3.5⭐️

Happy pub day @wintersjulian !

A fake dating, second chance romance?! Count me in! Denz and Bay feel in love in college but their love story was not meant to be. Years and a chance encounter later, they enter into a fake dating arrangement to help each other in their careers.

This was funny, sweet, spicy and fun! It was a mostly lighthearted book filled with hilarious side characters and figuring out who they want to be in the world.

I loved the book in both physical form and audio hearing Bray’a little English accent! I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you @stmartinspress for my advanced physical copy and @dreamscape_media for the audio!

4.5

Julian Winters has been on my radar as an author for a really long time, but young adult romances have been hit or miss for me lately. So when I saw that this was his adult debut, and that the audiobook was narrated by Andre Santana, who I’ve grown absolutely adore as a narrator, I knew I had to pick this up.

I don’t think this was a perfect book and there is some suspension of disbelief in regards to the premise because yes, it’s a family business but there’s a huge jump in the level of responsibility from being social media manager/event planner to CEO. After my experience struggling with that in The Truth According to Ember earlier this year, I was hesitant, but this was absolutely a case of right book right time for me.

I adore Denz with all of my heart, and this second chance of romance/fake dating your ex worked so well for me in a way that I could not have expected. It was cute. It was heartfelt. It had me giggling it had me tearing up. It was the perfect escape in a very stressful week. Yes I think there are legitimate critiques with the story, but I don’t want to them because I loved this book.

Thisis a delightful read for fans of lighthearted, humorous, and heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romance, particularly those who enjoy stories about second chances, fake dating, and the complexities of love and relationships.

3.5 stars

This book was okay. For whatever reason it just didn't quite work for me, which I feel bad saying. It's the first from Julian Winters that I've read, and I've been wanting to read him for a looong time! Maybe I would have better luck with his YA titles?

Likely was didn't work so well for me was that I just don't like second chance romances. There are a very few that I've really liked, but for the most part, I just don't like the trope.

Throughout this book it felt like Denz and Braylon weren't talking. They were both having the same thoughts, but weren't actually saying the words to each other, which led to, not misunderstandings, but I think just each of them not knowing/understanding what the other one feels for them. They also never spoke about why they broke up in the first place, or, not until towards the end of the book. And it was this big thing hanging over them, because it had really hurt them both, yet they wouldn't talk about it. Basically, I just need my fictional book characters to talk to each other, about all the things. Thanks.

Also, I hated the names. Denz I can maybe be okay with, but, despite never having seen the name before, I really hate the name Braylon.

Overall, this book isn't bad, it just didn't work for me.