Thank you to Victory editing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think the MMC might have sort of obsessive compulsive disorder. His problems and line of thinking we're not at all relatable to me.
It felt like about 30% of the dialog was spent on the phone or over texts. When the two main characters finally start talking to each other about anything that matters, they fall in love basically immediately.
I did like some of the sexy challenge things they had to do at the retreat, like the erotic painting. I felt kind of robbed that we didn't get a couples stretching one...
I found the dog farting in the elevator scene to be disgusting and not at all funny -.-
Some of the tropes included: rivals to lovers to rivals to lovers again, forced proximity, fake relationship, jealous/possessive MMC, just one bed.
A predictable romance that did not quite rock my world.

I Hate My Fake Boyfriend was a cute story. Nothing surprising about a fake romance enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Yes, they end up falling for each other. I thought the novel was well written and I enjoyed the dialogue. I did feel as there were several parts of the characters’ backstories that were not fully fleshed out. One of the main reasons the two main characters are enemies is because of a lawsuit over a stolen song. Then that whole situation is resolved in a few sentences: “I wrote my song before I heard yours.” “Oh, really?” For such a major plot point, you would think there would be some disbelief or more hoops to jump through in order to be forgiven, but that is sufficient for these characters.

This is a short and easy read that I really enjoyed reading. The plot is well written and the characters are portrayed very well. Definitely would recommend.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Mia McCoy for this ARC. 4/5 Stars.

I read this book within 30 hours and I loved it very much. I actually LOL’d a few times. I like how this books isn’t just romance but has other things going on like the dogs, and trying to find a dad. I wish at some moments we got more, like what happened when they were zip lining. Usually I prefer books to be shorter but I really wish this one were longer because of how much I enjoyed it. I would recommend this so anyone who likes romance, music, dogs, and rom-coms.

This delightful romantic comedy also introduces us to Marcus Matsen, a quintessentially grumpy rock star, and Lucy, a passionate indie musician. Their story kicks off with intense hostility when Marcus sues Lucy, igniting a fierce rivalry that splits their fanbases.

After a disastrous festival event, they’re forced into a fake relationship to appease their feuding supporters, leading to unexpected and hilarious situations. During a couple’s retreat, their time together is filled with awkward encounters, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry that captivates everyone around them.

Lucy is a relatable character, struggling to carve out her place in an industry dominated by major stars like Marcus. As they spend more time together, we see them both grow, making their journey all the more engaging.

The book maintains a lively pace with sharp, entertaining dialogue, striking a great balance between humor and heartfelt moments. If you enjoy rivals-to-lovers stories with a mix of charm and depth, this one is definitely worth the read!

Feelings never play by the rules do they. so when you have to fake a relationship with someone you profess to hate. things start to change. as our characters are forced together things come alight between them and to light about them. things go deeper and soon they have decisions to make over what and who they will choose. and whether it will be each other...
we have a rock god already a star in his field. and we have a less well known but ever so hard worker Lucy an indie musician. their story doesnt begin well when he sues her. this then fires off their hate and rivalry for one another. until one night a incident forces them to act like they are in a relationship to ease those higher up who arent happy with them.
so of course spending time together means chemistry, means learning about each other. means some things arent always as they seem and neither are people.
this book with a quick paced romance. but it held enough depth to make it work. and the character banter was great. and had me smiling a fair few times.

#IHateMyFakeBoyfriend #NetGalley

I Hate My Boyfriend by Mia McCoy Review

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This delightful romantic comedy introduces us to Marcus Matsen, a quintessentially grumpy rock star, and Lucy, a passionate indie musician. Their story begins with intense hostility when Marcus sues Lucy, igniting a fierce rivalry that splits their fans.

After a disastrous festival event, the two are compelled to pretend they are in a relationship to appease their feuding supporters, which leads to an unexpected turn of events. During a couple's retreat, their time together is filled with awkward situations, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry that captivates those around them.

Lucy is a relatable character struggling to establish herself in a field dominated by well-known figures like Marcus. As they get to know each other, we witness their personal growth and the development of their undeniable chemistry, which makes for an intriguing storyline.

The book maintains an engaging pace and features enjoyable dialogue. It strikes a lovely balance between humor and deeper, more meaningful moments. This book is definitely worth a read!

This was a very fast read, but the pacing was off for me. The first half of the book is just establishing how much Lucy and Marcus hate each other.
SPOILERS ahead. The story is then sped up as they are thrown into a fake dating/week-long couples retreat that consisted of this weird hot and cold thing for days on end and then tell each other they love each other after a week. Their chemistry was believable - the line between love and hate being blurry and all that, but there was so little consistent vulnerability between the two of them that confessing love after a week was a lot to handle. Having the main character use bondage during sex (with no previous conversation about boundaries. You can’t just spring restraints on someone!) because of his abandonment issues and then magically fix those issues because he loves Lucy is upsetting on a few levels. I realize the story didn’t allow for therapy time (and he needs to go), but it also sort of feels like kink-shaming to just chalk his proclivities up to his daddy issues.
Anyway, this one was a miss for me. The premise was fine, but the execution was off.
2.5 stars, rounded down.

If you are looking for a quick read then this books good for a cozy sit down. While I did enjoy parts of the book overall I felt the relationship lines fell a little flat. It wasn’t that the characters weren’t relateable or anything they just were kind of awkward with the romance part? if that makes sense. But anyway, thanks for the ARC!

Description: He’s a grumpy rock god with a global following. I’m an indie musician with a small, cult-like following. The universe must hate me as much as I hate him…because he’s about to be my fake boyfriend.

This book is a two star for me unfortunately. When I received this ARC on Net Galley I was really excited to read it, it sounded like a cheesy fun romance that would have me hooked and rooting for our enemies to become lovers. This did not happen though. I found there was no real relationship building, with an enemies to lovers there is always the physical attraction but that isn't the ultimate driving factor, the two enemies find a common ground and uncover their love for the others ways. In this book there was none of that. For me I enjoy when there is a depth to the characters that develops throughout their interactions. This book is an easy read and I did enjoy the general plot, I think the idea behind the book is a good one just for me personally I didn't feel that the chemistry was clear which is important in a romance. The spice scene was a little odd for me also, given the way the characters are written it was a little odd that the first sex scene involved bondage, it just didn't fit. I hope others find the joy in this book that I couldn't.

Mia McCoy’s I Hate My Fake Boyfriend has all the makings of a fun, trope-filled romance—enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a fake relationship with a rock star—but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite hit the right notes.

The story follows an indie musician who’s forced into a fake relationship with her rival, Marcus Matsen, after their warring fans get out of control. The setup is promising, and the book moves at a fast pace, which keeps things engaging. However, the rushed pacing also means there’s little time to develop the characters or their relationship in a meaningful way. The chemistry between the leads feels forced rather than organic, and some of the dialogue comes off as more awkward than witty.

One of the biggest issues is Marcus himself—while he’s supposed to be a brooding rock god with a hidden depth, his character often feels shallow and unlikable. The romance lacks the slow-burn tension that makes an enemies-to-lovers dynamic satisfying, and the inevitable conflict near the end feels predictable rather than impactful.

While the book does deliver on classic romance tropes, it ultimately falls short in execution. If you’re looking for a quick, trope-heavy read, you might enjoy it, but if you want well-developed characters and a believable romance, this one might leave you disappointed.

⭐️⭐️/5

Review is published on Goodreads by dragonreads februar 26 2025

Grumpy rock star with a global following, Marcus has a secret personnel mission that he's willing to go to great lengths to accomplish. An indie musician with a small, cult-like following, Lucy has dreams of going solo, but she doesn't want to disappoint her loved ones. Both characters have one thing in common: they HATE each other. The universe hates them even more when they are thrown together because they need to fake date.

The premise of this book is what made me sign up. Musician/rockstar romance? My favorite trope. It was an easy and quick read. I enjoyed the banter between the characters.

However, there were many subplots that made the overall plot of the novel a bit complex for no reason. Also, the fake dating contract was a tad complicated. If the point of the contract was for them to fake date, why only 3 dates? Why go to a couple's (private) retreat? Why did everything they did set them back? Were there not better ways for them to fake a date? Also, the whole "enemies" because she said he said bit could have been handled with one conversation.

The author and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to review the book.

The author and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to review the book.

What a fun read! I live a good rockstar/entertainment romance and this perfectly fit the bill! It was so much fun to see our MC and Marcus spar and then abt forced chemistry actually develop feelings after getting to know one another better! I loved the dialogue, fun look at the entertainment industry, and enjoyable romance.

I got an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley to review.

I found parts of this book quite funny and enjoyed the banter between the main characters. I found that there were parts of the story that were mentioned that ended up sort of being glossed over and really could have been explored more and brought into the plot more and explained.

I did enjoy the set up of the fake dating trope and the gradual falling for each other although felt that the pacing was a bit off in the last half of the book as everything felt very rushed into the last handful of chapters.

Overall an enjoyable read which gave me a few chuckles at the witty banter and situations.

Marcus and Lucy, two rivals with passionate fanbases, are faced into a fake relationship by their label to settle their ongoing conflict. What unfolds is a heartwarming, easy to read romance novel that is full of twists and undeniable chemistry.

The dual perspective of Marcus and Lucy really enhances this story, giving us an insight into both of their thoughts and emotions as they navigate their relationship. If you are a fan of tropes like enemies to lovers, fake relationships, small town, forced proximity and one bed, this book is definitely for you. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic dialogue and being able to experience their character development firsthand as it made me feel as though I was right there alongside them.

Although some parts of the book felt a bit rushed, especially during key plot points that were wrapped up in a single paragraph, it never took away from the overall enjoyment. The story still flowed well, and I was always eager to turn the page.

With its perfect balance of lighthearted moments and lingering tension, this feel-good read surprised me in the best possible ways. If you're looking for a fun, romantic escape, definitely add this to your TBR list!!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review has been published on Goodreads and Instagram as of Feb. 23, 2025. A video review will also be posted to TikTok, account HaileyJonesBooks within the week.

This is an ARC review. All opinions are my own. Review may contain spoilers.

WOW! I read this book within 24 hours! It is a quick read, which swept me away and would be good for plane rides/road trips too.

The story is a dual-pov which gives a great look into both the main characters, Lucy and Marcus. In Mia’s writing, we get to see the characters' personalities really shine through, quirks, random thoughts and all, which I feel brings us closer to the characters.

From the first chapter, I knew I would like the FMC, Lucy. She had me chuckling right away and yes, the neighbor is right, Lucy could do much better. Enter Marcus! The rival band’s lead singer. Marcus made me melt, and it’s so clear from the beginning that he’s a big softy. Definitely a “he falls first” story!

With 188 pages, Mia manages to play out the romance storyline well without any awkward or rushed pacing. However, I do wish we had more insight into what happens with some of the subplots, such as Trevor/Caroline. Caroline is supposed to be one of Lucy’s friends and we learn that Caroline and Trevor (possibly) ended up together. I also would have liked to see more relationship building with Lucy and her BFF Windy, we see a few brief phone calls between the two but it may have been beneficial to see more from them.

After tension between the two bands’ fanbases, the solution was to fake date and go on a retreat. A couples’ retreat that is! All about love, communication and sex, between two people who (claim) they can’t stand each other! I blushed and kicked my feet in giddiness during so many scenes. The banter and tension between Marcus and Lucy is great. Don’t even get me started on the painting scene - SO GOOD!

While there is some spice, I wouldn’t say it’s overly spicy, but a nice hint to keep readers satisfied and blushing. It is a slow burn though which is great because the tension between our two mains really builds!

Overall, it’s a great feel good read with a HEA ending everyone is sure to enjoy! My official rating is a 4 star! A big thank you to Victory Editing Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC!

I breezed right through this story of two musicians forced to fake date to ensure their fans won't fight each other. It's the perfect sort of book to read on a long bus ride or plane ride as its light and entertaining. It's a short and easy read.

However, I found this book a bit allover the place with too many subplots that didn't work for me, including the fake dating set-up. It also felt inauthentic for a rockstar romance (especially TWO musicians which is so rare in this sub genre and a missed opportunity, especially when you consider women in the music industry facing misogyny). Firstly, Roz was the one who incited violence onstage to attack Lucy's band's fans. Why was there no punishment for him and the solution was for Lucy and Marcus to fake date?!! How would that 'unite' fans, it was easily a scenario which would blow over (and it seemed to because the book dropped that plot) I also don't get why they'd even be rivals - Lucy's band is an indie folk band nowhere near the level of multi-Grammy award winning Marcus's band. They're not even the same league so it just made the fake dating a bit ludicrous.

Also the contract was ridiculous - every stuff-up meant Lucy and Marcus were penalised with nonsense to extend the three dates, like the couples retreat (which makes ZERO sense since the idea was to parade their relationship around for three dates for public purposes - something which also vanished once they were at the retreat). Then the drama with the threatened lawsuit was resolved as 'oh so it seems by coincidence we wrote a similar song'. What was the point of that being why they hated each other? It just seemed like so many different plots or backstories thrown in superficially. The Bluebell residency selection process also seemed odd. Majority of the prestigious songwriting camps/retreats don't involve established musicians having to perform live at a selected venue (and cripes Marcus actually said he was a shoe in because he's a famous musician). Even then when Lucy is caught as Tea why didnt' they just publish on social media pic of her dressed like Tea?

I guess I'm just disappointed that the author missed opportunities to use real-life examples of how musicians work to strengthen the central conflict of her plot and characters. Why not just make both bands equal rivals and put them on tour as co-supports for the musician Marcus thinks is his father (another story line that was half baked)? I think this book really needed some beta readers who worked in the music industry and a structural edit.

Having said all of that, I still enjoyed this read. I just was disappointed that for a rockstar romance there was nothing to really show authenticity for the music industry. If you're not me though I think this would be your 3.5-4 star read.

Thanks to Victory Editing Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC.

Marcus is a grumpy rock god and Lucy is an indie musician. They pretend to date to broker peace among their fans. Except they fall in love....

Love Lucy and Marcus. They are terrific together. Lots of sexy scenes and tons of chemistry. Enjoy their romance a lot.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc

3/5!

I had high hopes and I really liked the premise of an enemies to lovers rockstar romance. However, while it was a fun easy read which I flew through, I just found it a little all over the place and so many plot points but there wasn’t enough of the book to fully explain or go into detail.
It was all very fast paced and that’s great if you love that type of pacing but I think this book really needed to be at least 400 pages to fully connect and believe the storyline.


Thanks to Victory Editing Co-op and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is an enemies to lovers type of story. It was really good! Yes of course being enemies to lovers you know they get their happy ending, but I love how Marcus treats Lucy. This story was a good quick read! And I highly recommend for a contemporary type romance with a sprinkle of spice towards the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mia McCoy for allowing me to read this ARC! ❤️