First half, blah. I had a lot of questions due to confusion at the beginning of this book. Second half redeemed itself. Not too many characters to keep track of which is a bonus in my mind. Lots of 🌶️. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this story.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the eARC and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts!

Charlotte Stein! OMG. This book was... something! LOL

I actually had a lot of fun with this fat girl book about Connie and her neighbor, Henry Beckett, who end up in a fake marriage and on vacation on a writer's retreat. Connie's concerned about her nice neighbor, Henry, because his mustache isn't as perky and his hair is a little out of place. Turns out? He lied about having a wife and now needs to go on a writer's retreat with the colleague that likes to bully him mercilessly about everything.

Connie, an aspiring writer herself, is scheduled to go on the retreat, and ends up proclaiming she's his wife at a random event where the bully is present.

THEN HENRY ASKS HER TO FILL OUT A SURVEY, and he buys her cute pajamas in her size, and he does loads of things to make her more comfortable and to feel seen.

I just loved Henry a whole lot. He's a respectful horndog. And I loved it.

The final 40% of the book is very chemistry/physically focused. I think that's just what Charlotte does... and I had a fun time listening.

This is book #2 in this universe, and we get to see the characters from When Grumpy Met Sunshine, so that's FUN.

Read if you LOVE:
- fat rep
- body positivity
- superhero references
- a nice guy book editor who has read *all* the things in fiction
- a brazen fmc
- a MMC who is both kind AND kinda naughty (secretly)
- forced proximity
- fake marriage
- British FMC x American MMC
- LOTS of references to pop culture/books/etc. INCLUDING QUANTUM LEAP, which my mom loved

4 solid stars on both the ebook and the ALC front. I love the British narrator who brought Connie to life.

Confident FMC who knows how to help a timid, MMC.

The narrator's voice, the humor, the chemistry, the spice - it was everything for me. I listened to this audiobook and I cannot tell you how many times I caught myself with the biggest smile on my face because of Connie and Becks interactions with one another.

I loved and related to how confident Connie was in who she was and what she looked like.
An inexperienced MMC is not necessarily one that I find myself falling head over heals for, but I can certainly appreciate the layers that Beck had and the ways he was confident in his own ways.
I will certainly read again an can't wait to see what other stories Charlotte Stein give us.

Thank you to Net Galley, MacMillan Audio, and Charlotte Stein for giving me an advanced audiobook to listen to.

Last year I read When Grumpy Met Sunshine from the same author and enjoyed it. This story was in the same world as that one, making reference to the former’s FMC Mabel and MMC Alfie. Unfortunately, this book’s FMC Connie and MMC Beck don’t do it for me the way their friends Mabel and Alfie did.

I liked Alfie’s similarities to the character Roy Kent from Ted Lasso. At the time the book came out, the final season of the show was either out or coming out soon. The grumpy x sunshine and soccer tropes worked well without being too on the nose.

I have several issues with My Big Fat Fake Marriage, but the first is that Beck’s character is like a lumberjack, virginal Ted Lasso. It’s a caricature of a story we already know and previous fell in love with. The show won 11 Emmy’s…it’s kind of untouchable as far as inspired content goes.

Whether or not it was the author’s intention to make Beck just like Ted—tall, mustached, hailing from Kansas—he comes across as more of a himbo than a cinnamon roll. Yet, we’re also supposed to believe he is incredibly gifted at editing and somehow sexually proficient despite never doing more than polite kissing in his dating life.

I get that all of these contradictions are supposed to reflect the changing mindset of Connie/Hazel (her name changes throughout the book. Which leads me to the second major issue I have with the story: Hazel’s internal monologue.

Hazel’s thirstiness/horniness/what have you went from feeling dissatisfied with her dating life, to the story being centered around her need to get off. This isn’t exactly the plot line I thought “My Big Fat Fake Marriage” was going to circle around. If anything, the similarity to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” would indicate similar themes of overbearing family, ugly duckling has a makeover, or at the least a wedding.

Lastly, the narrator failed the execute a masculine, middle American accent which contributed to the cringeworthiness of Beck’s character.

When she wasn’t being crude, I liked Hazel’s banter. I also thought that the genuine admiration and attraction Beck had for her was very sweet.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was so cutesy
-fake marriage
-one bed
-good spice
-swoony MMC who falls first

The FMC is hilarious, book-loving, writer, and deep in denial of her feelings, while the MMC is a big, soft, dorky book editor who’s always wanted to be a husband. He’s so bad at lying that it makes him physically sick which is hilarious because of how much he’s had to lie.

I just wish we got an MMC POV because I would have loved to be in his head

I would recommend, it’s a quick flirty & fun read (or listen)! It won’t change your life but it will be a good time!

Ps. Loved the narrator!

⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (3/5)

Special thanks to NetGalley for the eARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

From the very first chapter, this book resonated with me on a deep level. As a big, beautiful woman, I felt the FMC’s plight in my soul.

Let’s be real—dating while fat is not for the faint of heart. Like the main character, it’s easy to become a little jaded when the world constantly tells you love and even yourself should look a certain way. It’s even harder when the voices in your head are the people who should have raised your self esteem. Our FMC can’t help how she feels when rejection is the expectation not the exception.

And then comes Beck—an absolute teddy bear of a man, and honestly, a dream come true. His entrance into the FMC’s life is a bit rocky, but that’s what makes it feel so real. Or at least what we hope one day could be real.

I mean, how does a man like him even exist?! Sweet, adorably naïve, and so effortlessly kind, Beck is proof that every woman deserves a love that sees and cherishes her for exactly who she is. And honestly? We all need a Beck in our lives.

The more the FMC expects disappointment, the more he proves her wrong. Every time she braces for rejection, he shows her he’s exactly the man she never dared to hope for.

Why You Need This Book in Your Life:
-It’s a romance that restores your faith in love.
- It’s the perfect palate cleanser if you’ve been reading too many heavy, angsty romances.
-It makes you believe in the possibility of someone truly seeing and loving you—for you.

This book made my grumpy “love isn’t real” mantra fade into the background for a few hours, and for that, I’m so grateful.

🌟 5 Stars! 🌟

Huge thanks to the author and narrator for bringing this story to life!

I loved the first half of this book--connected with the characters and really loved the narrator. The narrator is female & does dual narration of both the female (who is British) and male (who is from the US) characters beautifully. After investing about 50% of the book really loving this book, it all fell apart for me because the next 45% was way too spicy for my taste. Thankfully, in audiobooks, it's easy to skip the parts you want! I did like the ending but this book was too sexually explicit and had too much language for me. This was disappointing because the author had done such an excellent job of character development and the 'fake dating trope' that, for me, it detracted from the plot. I know there are others though that love their books spicy, so this will be right up their alley. *I received a complimentary audio copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I received an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and fluffy book, which is sometimes so needed! 😅 Beck cracked me up with his innocent, golden retriever vibes. Connie/Hazel’s inner monologue was pretty funny too. I will say this book definitely had a lot more smut than I was expecting. However, this will definitely be an enjoyable read as long as you don’t think too hard about the likelihood of a man making it to his 30s without so much as a kiss.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

Lumberjack Captain America indeed. I loved Beck and Hazel SO MUCH. This was such a cute story and the spicy scenes were so on point. I need me a man lick Beck apparently. He was genuinely so sweet and caring and I loved how Hazel slowly realized this and believed he was a good guy and not some lowkey asshole. The book was also hilarious. I laughed out loud at so many parts as I was listening to it. Everythign about this book was perfect!! I loved the narrator too!

I really enjoyed the tropes in this book.
Fake Marriage/Fake Dating
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Curvy FMC
Romantic Comedy
Nerdy MC
Force Proximity

Connie who’s been burned by “Nice Guys” in the past has a hard time trusting an actual nice guy(cue her neighbor Beck).
Beck, who claimed to be married to his work has to figure out what to do for a work trip. Beck then asks Connie to accompany him on this trip and pretend to be his fake wife. Not knowing if his co-workers would believe it or not they had to keep up the act. But will they fall for each other during that 2 week period. I loved the Connie could basically try out a relationship with a super sweet guy like Beck, but I don’t like that she could deserve a relationship with suck a kind soul like Beck. I don’t like that they both think they don’t deserve a relationship with a genuine person. The tension between these two is insane and I cannot take it. I love that Connie is a plus sized woman because they don’t get proper representation in books usually. Their relationship was a slow burn and had a little bit of spice. Overall this was a great read and makes me want to read more books from Charolette Stein.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for this ALC(advance listening copy). I wrote this review voluntarily.

I came to Charlotte Stein from When Grumpy Met Sunshine and loved how fun and sexy her book was, and My Big Fat Fake Marriage delivers the same. I also loved the cameos of Mabel and Alfie from WGMS.

Hazel is jaded and cautious, but also pure-hearted so when she learns her neighbor, Beck, lied about having a wife because of a bully at work, she decides the best solution is to claim that role and show that bully what’s what. Unfortunately what she thinks can be a quick turnaround of “oh we got divorced after all” turns out can’t be the case because the writer’s retreat she’s been looking forward to? Beck is the one running the whole thing and now there’s only one bed.

I really enjoyed how obviously smitten Beck is from the beginning, and Hazel’s complete inability to recognize it because she’s never been treated with care or the manners that Beck gives freely. I also loved how horny this book is, and how sexy things are between Beck and Hazel. The way Hazel describes both her own fat body and Beck’s large figure brought extra layers of delight to me reading the book.

Imogene Wilde’s narration really added to the humor and worked perfectly to bring Hazel to life.

This was a really fun, lighthearted jaunt that brought joy to a stressful week. I love Stein’s humor and look forward to more books from her!

Such a sweet & sexy read with the perfect whimsical romcom energy. I can honestly say that Beck was a one-of-a-kind love interest, the likes of whom I have never even encountered in romance, but I was so here for it!

Read if you like: cinnamon roll heroes, fake dating, mustachioed men with old-fashioned manners, & when SHE’S the one instructing HIM.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of the book.

⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to @netgalley, @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for this ARC.

It so cutesy! Neither Connie nor Beck can imagine that the other could possibly like them romantically. But a brash coworker of Beck's sparks a fury in Connie and she says her and Beck are married. Now they must go on a writer's retreat together.

Definitely check this book out!

This book took me by surprise. I could see the romance developing but did not know how quickly it would all build. There is really no way there is a man so sweet but it has you dreaming that there is. For sure a light-hearted rom-com that will have you laughing out loud.

3.25 ⭐️

I have pretty mixed feelings about this one! I’m a SUCKER for a fake marriage / forced proximity book, but this one was a bit far fetched / awkward for me?

I liked the premise of the book, and the FMC was relatable. I enjoyed the overall writing style. it was bingable and was an easy read.

I didn’t vibe with the MMC. I felt like his character wasn’t believable. He’s in his mid 30s and he’s never even had a kiss before? I don’t know… it felt…. far fetched. I felt the spice was REALLY awkward. I know it’s supposed to have that aspect about it, but it just felt very cringey and while i respect it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

The inner monologues were a bit much for me as well… i didn’t feel like there was much of any character growth and there was only sexual tension imo, and no emotional tense or angst grown.

Lastly, i read this via digital AND audio, and as a major audiobook consumer i hated this audio. I don’t feel like the narration was sold at all, and maybe with a different reader it would have been better, but there was no emotionality in the narration at all.

Overall… It wasn’t bad, but i feel like i will forget it rather quickly. It wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad. 🤷🏼‍♀️

My Big Fat Fake Marriage
By Charlotte Stein
Narrated by Imogen Wilde
Macmillan Audio

Release: 3/11/25

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the advance listen copy! 💖

💫Connie and Beck enter into a fake marriage to hopefully save Becks career. Connie is used to all the wrong guys, so when Beck turns out to be a genuinely good guy…she is in for a surprise. Connie and Beck are in for quite a week at a writers retreat as they stumble through a pretend marriage, even more so as the feelings become real.

💫 This book was a fun listen! Connie had realistic experiences with men and the dating world, especially as a plus size woman. Beck felt overly done cinnamon roll at times but was very likeable. Nicely done spicy scenes and a lot of them! This book is in British English and narrated as such.

First I want to give a big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 ⭐️
2🌶️

This audiobook was super cute! If you like fake marriage, golden retriever energy, one bed and forced proximity this book is for you! This is a light, fun, easy read! 🩷

I absolutely adored their notes back and forth to each other, the little banter and the man characters personalities! You have a 30 something year old man who’s never even kissed someone and a tough/confident FMC!

Overall I loved this story and I do recommend! I absolutely love Beck, the MMC, as he is the perfect little cinnamon roll!

This was such a cute listen and cute story. Imogen Wilde does an excellent job narrating both English and American accents.

I really enjoyed the story but could have done without all the sexy time details.

Overall, a solid listen (as long as there are no children around!) with well-developed characters.

This book took me on an emotional journey filled with heartfelt moments, witty banter, and characters I couldn't help but fall in love with. At its core, it’s a story about connection, self-discovery, and the courage to accept love—even when it feels unfamiliar or undeserved.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is how Beck and Hazel communicate. Their relationship begins with handwritten notes slipped under Hazel’s door, a quiet yet profound way for Beck to express his thoughts and emotions. As their bond deepens, their conversations shift to email, where their witty banter truly shines. These exchanges create a foundation for honesty and vulnerability, making their love story feel raw and authentic.

Hazel is an absolute standout—her humor had me laughing out loud multiple times. She’s witty, sharp, and effortlessly funny. Beck, on the other hand, is a sweetheart—kind, awkward, and incredibly endearing. His naivety plays a huge role in the story, particularly in how their marriage of convenience unfolds. His desire to be a gentleman and treat Hazel with respect is something she’s not used to, which makes their dynamic even more compelling.

Beyond the humor and romance, what really resonated with me was Hazel’s emotional growth. While she helps Beck navigate their arrangement—including guiding him through intimacy—she slowly realizes her own needs. For so long, past relationships taught her that love was transactional or fleeting. But through Beck, she learns that she not only wants a meaningful relationship, but she deserves one. That realization adds a depth to the story that makes it so much more than just a romance—it’s a journey of healing and self-worth.

This book is a perfect mix of humor, heart, and emotional depth.

3.5 stars

First of all, I would like to say that this book's spice level caught me completely off guard. At times, it was down right filthy. I've only listened to the audiobook of this story, but I have to say that this is an incredible listen, and I think the inner dialogue - which reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones - is something that comes across really well when listened to.

Was I attracted to Beck literally at all... no. I loved his sweet demeanor and quirks, but he really wasn't doing it for me personally. Now, Beck WAS doing it for my girl Hazel, and it was just such a fun twist from Hazel having so many bad relationships that she doesn't trust that Beck is all golden retriever until she sees him being treated the way she's been treated.

This was a quick read with a fairly simple plot, as it mostly just focused on Hazel and Beck, but it was so sweet and entertaining to listen to!