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Licking Thicket #1
Fakers
Brooks Johnson’s Words To Live By:
When returning to Licking Thicket, TN, for the first time in ten years to reunite with your nosy neighbors, heart-broken ex-girlfriend, and matchmaking mama who never quite believed you were gay, it’s best to bring a fake boyfriend as backup...
Just don’t be surprised when your ex-girlfriend does the same.
And when her incredibly hot fake boyfriend becomes the one island of calm in a sea of bovine-based insanity, it’s best to exercise caution… especially when he pushes you up against the rough barn wall to check you very thoroughly for splinters...
Just don’t be surprised if you fall head-over-hooves in love with him.
When returning to Licking Thicket, TN, for the first time in ten years to reunite with your nosy neighbors, heart-broken ex-girlfriend, and matchmaking mama who never quite believed you were gay, it’s best to bring a fake boyfriend as backup...
Just don’t be surprised when your ex-girlfriend does the same.
And when her incredibly hot fake boyfriend becomes the one island of calm in a sea of bovine-based insanity, it’s best to exercise caution… especially when he pushes you up against the rough barn wall to check you very thoroughly for splinters...
Just don’t be surprised if you fall head-over-hooves in love with him.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2020
1275 people are currently reading
2254 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Lennox
88 books4,265 followersI write M/M romance with humor, heart, and heat. Check out my backlist here on GR for a selection of series and standalone or visit www.LucyLennox.com!
I only keep a small list of my very favorite books and series in my bookshelf here. I read A LOT and it's hard to keep the list updated!
I only keep a small list of my very favorite books and series in my bookshelf here. I read A LOT and it's hard to keep the list updated!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 822 reviews
November 18, 2020
Wow, I actually enjoyed this story way more than I'd thought I would.
Yes, it was a complete over-the-top RomCom, with a lot of super-sappy, overly-sweet, wacky-assed situations; however, it somehow all just worked -- without making me crazy or causing me to eye-roll my ass into another dimension.
I loved both Brooks and Mal, how their chemistry was immediate, but the romance was full-on slow burn. They were insanely cute together, without it feeling forced or trying too hard.
I loved Ava and Paul and the entire odd-ball cast of Licking Thicket yokels, who were endearing from the first few chapters.
I loved how the older parental figures imparted their own fucked-up stories of past romantic missteps on their younger counterparts.
I loved how the town itself really came to life and leapt off the page, reminding me a lot of my own small-town, rural upbringing. Just with waaaaaaay less Jeeeeeesus and religion, which was sadly not an optional activity in East Bumblefuck, TN, where I was raised.
And I *tolerated* all of the "licking" puns, because Holy Mother of God, they were *EVERYWHERE*.
There isn't anything that I can think of that I would've changed in the book, which is ridiculously rare for me, let me tell you, so I'd rate it at around 4.5 stars and I'm immediately adding it to my GR Favorites shelf. : )
Highly recommended and I'm hopping straight away into book 2, Parrish and Diesel's book, praying it works out as well for me as this one did.
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June 29, 2020
Fakers is a stand alone M/M romance by Lucy Lennox and May Archer. This is my second book by Lucy and my very first by May. First, just let me get this out of the way: I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! I want to move to this crazy town and live there forever. I want to be besties with all of these characters.
Brooks Johnson left Licking Thicket, Tennessee ten years ago right after high school, and has not gone back. He ran away after breaking his girlfriend’s heart when he came out as gay. She has never forgiven him and his family still doubts him. Brooks lives in New York and works for an advertising agency. He’s in the middle of trying to win his biggest account yet when he is called home. His father is under the weather and they need Brooks to take over as head licker of the annual Lickin’ Festival. And of course, his ex, Ava will be there. So, Brooks decides if he is going home, he’s going to need to prove once and for all that he really is gay. So he takes his very straight co-worker with him as his fake boyfriend.
Malachi (Mal) Forrester is a metal artist in Los Angeles. He takes pieces of junk he finds and makes them into beautiful art. He is best friends with Ava, Brooks’s ex. Mal is also gay. Ava has convinced Mal that if she has to go home and see her ex again, that she needs her best friend to go with her for support. She also wants him to pose as her fake boyfriend. Mal can’t say no.
The first time Mal and Brooks see each other, sparks fly, the chemistry is strong, and some flirting might have happened. But then they figure out who each other is. And the battle lines are drawn. Only, they both find it really difficult to dislike the other.
“I felt out of control and I didn’t like it one bit. But also…I kind of liked it. A lot.”
As the crazy week with all the Lickin’ Festivities progresses, so do the feelings between Mal and Brooks. They are in their Licking Thicket bubble, enjoying what is happening between them. But in a few days, Mal will return to Los Angeles and Brooks to New York.
“Just being around the man was like riding a Tilt-A-Whirl, horrible and exhilarating and wonderful.”
Mal was also from a small town, a town that left him with painful memories, a town that never accepted him. In Licking Thicket, though, he finds all the things that were missing from his life, friendship, family, and yes, even love. And Brooks sees the town he ran away from all those years ago in a whole new light. He never felt like he belonged when he was a kid. But now, he feels like he doesn’t want to leave. The place you ran away from and vowed never to return, turns out to be the only place you really want to be.
“I felt like I’d been sleepwalking for years and I could finally see the world in vivid Technicolor, alive with possibilities.”
This book was just everything. It was so much fun. Of course it’s filled with crazy innuendo! I loved both Mal and Brooks so much. But I also loved every single other character in this town. There are stories here to be told, especially one junk yard owner, Diesel Church. So you can imagine my excitement when at the end of the book it was announced that they will be revisiting this town with new stories. I am beside myself with excitement. This book was sexy, silly, sweet and just plain wonderful, in every way. So, stay tuned. I’ll be meeting up with you all again in Licking Thicket.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Brooks Johnson left Licking Thicket, Tennessee ten years ago right after high school, and has not gone back. He ran away after breaking his girlfriend’s heart when he came out as gay. She has never forgiven him and his family still doubts him. Brooks lives in New York and works for an advertising agency. He’s in the middle of trying to win his biggest account yet when he is called home. His father is under the weather and they need Brooks to take over as head licker of the annual Lickin’ Festival. And of course, his ex, Ava will be there. So, Brooks decides if he is going home, he’s going to need to prove once and for all that he really is gay. So he takes his very straight co-worker with him as his fake boyfriend.
Malachi (Mal) Forrester is a metal artist in Los Angeles. He takes pieces of junk he finds and makes them into beautiful art. He is best friends with Ava, Brooks’s ex. Mal is also gay. Ava has convinced Mal that if she has to go home and see her ex again, that she needs her best friend to go with her for support. She also wants him to pose as her fake boyfriend. Mal can’t say no.
The first time Mal and Brooks see each other, sparks fly, the chemistry is strong, and some flirting might have happened. But then they figure out who each other is. And the battle lines are drawn. Only, they both find it really difficult to dislike the other.
“I felt out of control and I didn’t like it one bit. But also…I kind of liked it. A lot.”
As the crazy week with all the Lickin’ Festivities progresses, so do the feelings between Mal and Brooks. They are in their Licking Thicket bubble, enjoying what is happening between them. But in a few days, Mal will return to Los Angeles and Brooks to New York.
“Just being around the man was like riding a Tilt-A-Whirl, horrible and exhilarating and wonderful.”
Mal was also from a small town, a town that left him with painful memories, a town that never accepted him. In Licking Thicket, though, he finds all the things that were missing from his life, friendship, family, and yes, even love. And Brooks sees the town he ran away from all those years ago in a whole new light. He never felt like he belonged when he was a kid. But now, he feels like he doesn’t want to leave. The place you ran away from and vowed never to return, turns out to be the only place you really want to be.
“I felt like I’d been sleepwalking for years and I could finally see the world in vivid Technicolor, alive with possibilities.”
This book was just everything. It was so much fun. Of course it’s filled with crazy innuendo! I loved both Mal and Brooks so much. But I also loved every single other character in this town. There are stories here to be told, especially one junk yard owner, Diesel Church. So you can imagine my excitement when at the end of the book it was announced that they will be revisiting this town with new stories. I am beside myself with excitement. This book was sexy, silly, sweet and just plain wonderful, in every way. So, stay tuned. I’ll be meeting up with you all again in Licking Thicket.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
July 29, 2020
I have to admit, I was leery heading in. Small town shenanigans and hokey puns? Not really my thing. Then I found out the name of the small town in question is Licking Thicket and rolled my eyes until I sprained my eyeballs.
But, much to my shock, I actually enjoyed this story, right down to the ridiculous puns about being the head licker and lickin' ... well, everything. The trick is to just go with it and accept the silliness. That's what the characters in the story do.
It helped that I liked both Brooks and Mal (Brooks a little more than Mal). Besides one moment of miscommunication toward the end, the relationship drama is non-existent. This is very much a love-at-first-sight kind of book.
As for the title, yes, there's a lot of faking involved, what with Mal fake-dating his best friend, aka Brooks' ex-girlfriend, and Brooks fake-dating his straight friend who happens to have a crush on the ex-girlfriend. Did you get all that?
Fortunately, the faking doesn't last long, and we go straight to the licking. Also, barn sex. That is all.
I liked all the secondary characters (especially Brooks' brother Dunn) except Ava (the ex-girlfriend). She wasn't sassy as much as obnoxious, pining after a lost high school dream a decade later. And what the hell is a grown woman doing screwing a stranger without protection? Not cool, Ava, not cool.
The authors mention in the afterword that this is going to be a series, and I hope the books continue to be funny, sweet, and charming. I'll be on them lickety-split (I kill myself sometimes).
But, much to my shock, I actually enjoyed this story, right down to the ridiculous puns about being the head licker and lickin' ... well, everything. The trick is to just go with it and accept the silliness. That's what the characters in the story do.
It helped that I liked both Brooks and Mal (Brooks a little more than Mal). Besides one moment of miscommunication toward the end, the relationship drama is non-existent. This is very much a love-at-first-sight kind of book.
As for the title, yes, there's a lot of faking involved, what with Mal fake-dating his best friend, aka Brooks' ex-girlfriend, and Brooks fake-dating his straight friend who happens to have a crush on the ex-girlfriend. Did you get all that?
Fortunately, the faking doesn't last long, and we go straight to the licking. Also, barn sex. That is all.
I liked all the secondary characters (especially Brooks' brother Dunn) except Ava (the ex-girlfriend). She wasn't sassy as much as obnoxious, pining after a lost high school dream a decade later. And what the hell is a grown woman doing screwing a stranger without protection? Not cool, Ava, not cool.
The authors mention in the afterword that this is going to be a series, and I hope the books continue to be funny, sweet, and charming. I'll be on them lickety-split (I kill myself sometimes).
September 15, 2020
Audiobook - 4 Stars
Story -3 Stars
This was okay, nothing special, with some sprinkled drama, insta and the infamous miscommunication towards the end, reunion and grand gesture. 😁
Story -3 Stars
This was okay, nothing special, with some sprinkled drama, insta and the infamous miscommunication towards the end, reunion and grand gesture. 😁
July 7, 2020
“You’re so fucking beautiful. I lose all of my brain cells when you’re around.”
3.5 stars
I loved the ensemble cast this book had. The one thing I love about small town romances are all the nosy and "meddling in each other's businesses" characters and this book delivered !!
I loved the way the MCs saw each other like no one else had before. They didn't have to pretend to be anything other than themselves when they were together. I was really enjoying reading Brooks' possesive side.
The premise of the book was really interesting. I don't think I've read something like this before. It wasn't the usual fake dating trope. It had its own unique spin on it.
But, at the same time, I feel like this book didn't demand my attention. It felt like I was reading it just because I didn't have anything better to do instead of reading it because I actually wanted to.
This book was an enjoyable read but it didn't leave a memorable impression on me.
Also, Ava was just really irritating in the begining and I was fully prepared to not like her but she does become a great character by the end.
And it had a bit of insta love thrown in there for TWO couples.
I'm just really curious to know what the hell happened between Diesel and Parrish. It seems like there is a story there and I really hope it's a good one. I'm definitely gonna read that book.
3.5 stars
I loved the ensemble cast this book had. The one thing I love about small town romances are all the nosy and "meddling in each other's businesses" characters and this book delivered !!
I loved the way the MCs saw each other like no one else had before. They didn't have to pretend to be anything other than themselves when they were together. I was really enjoying reading Brooks' possesive side.
The premise of the book was really interesting. I don't think I've read something like this before. It wasn't the usual fake dating trope. It had its own unique spin on it.
But, at the same time, I feel like this book didn't demand my attention. It felt like I was reading it just because I didn't have anything better to do instead of reading it because I actually wanted to.
This book was an enjoyable read but it didn't leave a memorable impression on me.
Also, Ava was just really irritating in the begining and I was fully prepared to not like her but she does become a great character by the end.
And it had a bit of insta love thrown in there for TWO couples.
I'm just really curious to know what the hell happened between Diesel and Parrish. It seems like there is a story there and I really hope it's a good one. I'm definitely gonna read that book.
dnf
July 5, 2020DNF at 9%
I know I've been DNF-ing books left and right lately, but apparently I'm harder and harder to please these days. :(
I've read some reviews of this book and did it really bother no one how Brooks' mother treated him?
I only read 9%, but her dismissing he is gay, her dismissing he has an important job, her basically dismissing his entire life does not scream I LOVE YOU to me. It screams, I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS OR YOUR LIFE to me.
And that is supposed to be funny?
I got to the part where the ex, Ava, is telling her best friend how someone 'wronged' her 10 years ago by coming out as gay. Oh no, how rude of him! *eye roll*
And can I say how weird it is that Ava got pregnant by some random guy and all Mal asks her if she's on the pill. Why doesn't anyone ask about CONDOMS?? You know, the things meant to protect you from all kinds of diseases?
I know I've been DNF-ing books left and right lately, but apparently I'm harder and harder to please these days. :(
I've read some reviews of this book and did it really bother no one how Brooks' mother treated him?
I only read 9%, but her dismissing he is gay, her dismissing he has an important job, her basically dismissing his entire life does not scream I LOVE YOU to me. It screams, I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS OR YOUR LIFE to me.
And that is supposed to be funny?
I got to the part where the ex, Ava, is telling her best friend how someone 'wronged' her 10 years ago by coming out as gay. Oh no, how rude of him! *eye roll*
And can I say how weird it is that Ava got pregnant by some random guy and all Mal asks her if she's on the pill. Why doesn't anyone ask about CONDOMS?? You know, the things meant to protect you from all kinds of diseases?
July 6, 2020
4.5 Stars!
I don't always love the fake boyfriend trope but I think it 100% helped that Brooks doesn't end up with the one he was faking with.
Loved the town of Licking Thicket and all of its residents.
Loved Brooks and Mal. So much.
Loved the banter.
It was such a fun read. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this duo.
I don't always love the fake boyfriend trope but I think it 100% helped that Brooks doesn't end up with the one he was faking with.
Loved the town of Licking Thicket and all of its residents.
Loved Brooks and Mal. So much.
Loved the banter.
It was such a fun read. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this duo.
June 26, 2020
Oh my lord this book was hysterical at times, it would make the absolute best Rom Com.
I keep saying this about Lucy Lennox's books, but she has such a way of creating her worlds, this time blending in the skills of another master at it, May Archer.
This book felt like a true marriage between authors, with the loving and madly interfering family of Lucy's books perfectly melded into the vibe of May's small town romances.
There are so many wonderful characters in Fakers that if they did make a film, the budget for the ensemble would be massive!
As for Brooks and Malachi, they were utterly adorable and so right not only for each other, but for settling into life in Licking Thicket 😁
I'm so pleased to hear there'll be more and I'm really hoping the awesomely named Diesel Church will be up next.
Because I'm dying to find out just how he knows the son of General Beau, BBQ king extraordinaire.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I keep saying this about Lucy Lennox's books, but she has such a way of creating her worlds, this time blending in the skills of another master at it, May Archer.
This book felt like a true marriage between authors, with the loving and madly interfering family of Lucy's books perfectly melded into the vibe of May's small town romances.
There are so many wonderful characters in Fakers that if they did make a film, the budget for the ensemble would be massive!
As for Brooks and Malachi, they were utterly adorable and so right not only for each other, but for settling into life in Licking Thicket 😁
I'm so pleased to hear there'll be more and I'm really hoping the awesomely named Diesel Church will be up next.
Because I'm dying to find out just how he knows the son of General Beau, BBQ king extraordinaire.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
January 17, 2021
So funny! This book has a really cute romance between two guys that are faking relationships with other people in a small town that totally took the spotlight away from the couple because of its craziness. I mean, if a town like this actually existed I would need to move there immediately.
Can't forget my bird!
The town is called "Lickin' Thicket" and apparently that has to do with a salt lick or something. And they have an annual "Lickin' Festival" to celebrate their.... cultural heritage.
"Lickin', as in a mineral lick. You know, the kind sheep and cows like? Thicket, as in plentiful grass for grazing. Why, what were you thinking the name was about?"
"You don't want to know... thank you for educating me," the guy said solemnly. "I'm a Licken' virgin, obviously, and I'd hate to appear naïve."
"I'm a veteran of many a Lickin'... though none recently," I admitted.
Yeah - poor Brooks has skipped a lot of Lickin' Festivals since he moved away. He only comes to this one because his father, who is always the "Head Licker" for the festivals is ill. Brooks has to take over the job because his family, the Johnsons, have always been Head Lickers - for generations. You don't just skip out on tradition!
"A Johnson's been Head Licker for as long as there's been a Johnson in the Thicket."
And yeah, there are so many Johnson and Lickin' puns that you have to admire the town for delivering them all with a straight face. They embrace the madness, and I love them for it.
The romance was cute and funny and I liked both of the guys. However, the town stole the show and I will read every book set in this wacky place that is ever written!
Can't forget my bird!
The town is called "Lickin' Thicket" and apparently that has to do with a salt lick or something. And they have an annual "Lickin' Festival" to celebrate their.... cultural heritage.
"Lickin', as in a mineral lick. You know, the kind sheep and cows like? Thicket, as in plentiful grass for grazing. Why, what were you thinking the name was about?"
"You don't want to know... thank you for educating me," the guy said solemnly. "I'm a Licken' virgin, obviously, and I'd hate to appear naïve."
"I'm a veteran of many a Lickin'... though none recently," I admitted.
Yeah - poor Brooks has skipped a lot of Lickin' Festivals since he moved away. He only comes to this one because his father, who is always the "Head Licker" for the festivals is ill. Brooks has to take over the job because his family, the Johnsons, have always been Head Lickers - for generations. You don't just skip out on tradition!
"A Johnson's been Head Licker for as long as there's been a Johnson in the Thicket."
And yeah, there are so many Johnson and Lickin' puns that you have to admire the town for delivering them all with a straight face. They embrace the madness, and I love them for it.
The romance was cute and funny and I liked both of the guys. However, the town stole the show and I will read every book set in this wacky place that is ever written!
July 3, 2020
What a fun, interesting and unique twist on the fake relationship trope. I'm not sure if I've read one quite like this, and that's a definite plus.
When Brooks, a 28-year-old ad exec living in New York gets a call from his small Tennessee hometown called Licking Thicket (yUP) and it's his mother, he's worried, and he has a right to be because it turns out his father had heart problems - not quite a heart attack, but maybe? I'm not sure - and had to have stints put in, and he is in no shape to be Head Licker (yUP) of this festival type thing the small town does every year. So Brooks' mother begs him to come back and be Head Licker (this will always make me crack up), at the same time she's hopeful him coming back will spark something with him and his ex-girlfriend Ava, even though Brooks is very gay and came out to basically the whole town at their prom and kinda broke Ava's heart.
And Brooks' mother still doesn't quite believe 100% that Brooks is even gay, so what does Brooks do? He agrees, but he says he's bringing his boyfriend with him - his straight friend and colleague, Paul - to his hometown.
Brooks hasn't been back to Licking Thicket in 10 years, since he was 18, as he wanted to get away from the small town life that made it so hard for him to be who he was. But he's coming home now, with a fake boyfriend with him.
And Ava, well...she's pregnant from some random guy, and her family wants Ava back with Brooks just as much as Brooks' and Ava knows Brooks will be back for the festival like she will, and she doesn't want to show up alone, so she ropes her best friend, Mal, - who is gay - into pretending to be her boyfriend for the week the festival is going on.
And so both Brooks and Ava bring fake boyfriends...only, they both end up falling for the other's fake boyfriend. (Yep, it isn't just Brooks and Mal who fall for each other, but Ava and Paul. And it's right, for both couples.)
We get some great fake relationship shenanigans, although I wish the authors had leaned a little more into the trope - they seemed to give up on it a little too quickly and half the fun of fake relationships is everything that goes on with them, and I felt like they could have done more with it. But at the same time this story was so hilarious and fun and I loved Mal and Brooks together that I didn't mind too much.
And I guess a plus in this particular iteration of the fake-relationship trope is that the sooner they figured it out - that everyone was faking - the less they had to feel guilty or like they were cheating. So it being known among the four fairly early on, I guess, worked out for the best.
(And I gotta ask as someone who has lived in a city all their life...are small towns as wonderful as they appear in these books? Or can they be? Whenever a small town is featured in these romance books in a big way, I feel like the mains alway choose the small town and feel it's so much better a fit for them than a city. I just wonder if anyone's ever lived or is from a small town as wonderful as they appear in these books. Because like, show the cities some love, they're not always bad and they're actually pretty awesome? I say as someone who has only lived in a city and has bias, but...whatever haha.)
Mal and Brooks were wonderful together and I enjoyed their connection from the get go. Even Paul and Ava were adorable in the few snippets we saw of them here and there. The side characters were great too, and the dick jokes were hilarious, especially when the locals didn't seem to get that they were dick jokes. Made me crack up.
I definitely enjoyed this first team up between Lennox and Archer, it was definitely a win for me. I hope these two write more in the future (and could this, perhaps, become a series? There was a little something at the end of the book between two characters that made me wonder...hm ;)).
So two big thumbs up from me, I highly recommend this!
When Brooks, a 28-year-old ad exec living in New York gets a call from his small Tennessee hometown called Licking Thicket (yUP) and it's his mother, he's worried, and he has a right to be because it turns out his father had heart problems - not quite a heart attack, but maybe? I'm not sure - and had to have stints put in, and he is in no shape to be Head Licker (yUP) of this festival type thing the small town does every year. So Brooks' mother begs him to come back and be Head Licker (this will always make me crack up), at the same time she's hopeful him coming back will spark something with him and his ex-girlfriend Ava, even though Brooks is very gay and came out to basically the whole town at their prom and kinda broke Ava's heart.
And Brooks' mother still doesn't quite believe 100% that Brooks is even gay, so what does Brooks do? He agrees, but he says he's bringing his boyfriend with him - his straight friend and colleague, Paul - to his hometown.
Brooks hasn't been back to Licking Thicket in 10 years, since he was 18, as he wanted to get away from the small town life that made it so hard for him to be who he was. But he's coming home now, with a fake boyfriend with him.
And Ava, well...she's pregnant from some random guy, and her family wants Ava back with Brooks just as much as Brooks' and Ava knows Brooks will be back for the festival like she will, and she doesn't want to show up alone, so she ropes her best friend, Mal, - who is gay - into pretending to be her boyfriend for the week the festival is going on.
And so both Brooks and Ava bring fake boyfriends...only, they both end up falling for the other's fake boyfriend. (Yep, it isn't just Brooks and Mal who fall for each other, but Ava and Paul. And it's right, for both couples.)
We get some great fake relationship shenanigans, although I wish the authors had leaned a little more into the trope - they seemed to give up on it a little too quickly and half the fun of fake relationships is everything that goes on with them, and I felt like they could have done more with it. But at the same time this story was so hilarious and fun and I loved Mal and Brooks together that I didn't mind too much.
And I guess a plus in this particular iteration of the fake-relationship trope is that the sooner they figured it out - that everyone was faking - the less they had to feel guilty or like they were cheating. So it being known among the four fairly early on, I guess, worked out for the best.
(And I gotta ask as someone who has lived in a city all their life...are small towns as wonderful as they appear in these books? Or can they be? Whenever a small town is featured in these romance books in a big way, I feel like the mains alway choose the small town and feel it's so much better a fit for them than a city. I just wonder if anyone's ever lived or is from a small town as wonderful as they appear in these books. Because like, show the cities some love, they're not always bad and they're actually pretty awesome? I say as someone who has only lived in a city and has bias, but...whatever haha.)
Mal and Brooks were wonderful together and I enjoyed their connection from the get go. Even Paul and Ava were adorable in the few snippets we saw of them here and there. The side characters were great too, and the dick jokes were hilarious, especially when the locals didn't seem to get that they were dick jokes. Made me crack up.
I definitely enjoyed this first team up between Lennox and Archer, it was definitely a win for me. I hope these two write more in the future (and could this, perhaps, become a series? There was a little something at the end of the book between two characters that made me wonder...hm ;)).
So two big thumbs up from me, I highly recommend this!
November 11, 2020
Audiobook - Nov 2020: FABULOUS performance by Michael Dean! He turned Mal into a sexy, metal-sculpting, pierced beast!
Original ebook review - July 2020:
***3.5 Stars***
A funny and cute double fake boyfriend story!
Was it perfect? No.
Did it matter? Not at all!
This is a perfect fluff story with the necessary angst/conflict to make us cheer for our HEA.
These days I need stories like these:
Small-town boy is now an advertising VP in a NY firm.
Small-town boy is a metal sculptor in LA.
Strangers to each other, sparks fly over random meeting in a hallway decorated with cow art.
Plot stuff (Lickin’ Festival!)
UST.
BARN SEX 🔥🔥🔥🔥!!
Good things.
Bad things (conflict, y’all).
Resolution.
HEA.
My rec? Why the hell not?!
Original ebook review - July 2020:
***3.5 Stars***
A funny and cute double fake boyfriend story!
Was it perfect? No.
Did it matter? Not at all!
This is a perfect fluff story with the necessary angst/conflict to make us cheer for our HEA.
These days I need stories like these:
Small-town boy is now an advertising VP in a NY firm.
Small-town boy is a metal sculptor in LA.
Strangers to each other, sparks fly over random meeting in a hallway decorated with cow art.
Plot stuff (Lickin’ Festival!)
UST.
BARN SEX 🔥🔥🔥🔥!!
Good things.
Bad things (conflict, y’all).
Resolution.
HEA.
My rec? Why the hell not?!
July 27, 2020
Loved the puns. A lot. (okay they were my favourite, I admit it! It was really 'licking' hilarious!)
Loved the small-town mentality and the positive vibes that came with that.
Loved the whole idea about the double-fakers and how it is executed.
Also really liked Brooks and Mal, and the main secondary characters of Paul and Ava.
The banter is chuckle-worthy, and all in all this a huge slice of FUN!
However, there are a couple of things that made me momentarily hold my breath like
And however the author tries to justify it – a week is simply a VERY short time for everything that happens between Brooks and Mal.
Still – this was a very entertaining and amusing light read!
Loved the small-town mentality and the positive vibes that came with that.
Loved the whole idea about the double-fakers and how it is executed.
Also really liked Brooks and Mal, and the main secondary characters of Paul and Ava.
The banter is chuckle-worthy, and all in all this a huge slice of FUN!
However, there are a couple of things that made me momentarily hold my breath like
And however the author tries to justify it – a week is simply a VERY short time for everything that happens between Brooks and Mal.
Still – this was a very entertaining and amusing light read!
July 4, 2020
I’m putting this firmly in the like but not love category.
Lucy Lennox is the reigning queen of both insta-love and quirky towns with meddling side characters. Neither are my thing most of the time. I knew this going in. I’ve read quite a few of her books. Out of all of those, I have only really liked a few. But I pick hers up from time to time because they are fun when they don’t go totally small town crazy and/or zero to love in sixty seconds.
May Archer is also no stranger to small town shenanigans. However, for me, her small towns don’t cross the too quirky line. She also isn’t a slow burn type author. But her books tend to develop at a nicer pace. For me. This is all a matter of personal preference. So I would say I’m a much bigger fan of hers. And I was, perhaps foolishly, hoping she might reign Lucy in a little.
This was not the case. 🤣
Instead, we got not one but two cases of hard core insta-love. Not only that but one was m/f. I didn’t really sign up for that one and way too much of the plot was spent on that relationship. Then we got a seriously silly miscommunication and a so wacky it hurts town. So yeah. I wasn’t onboard with any of that.
But...it did have some super sweet and sexy moments. And I did laugh a few times. Not all of the humor was OTT. Lots of it was fun. So I can’t say I disliked it. I just wanted to like it more. 🤷🏻♀️
Lucy Lennox is the reigning queen of both insta-love and quirky towns with meddling side characters. Neither are my thing most of the time. I knew this going in. I’ve read quite a few of her books. Out of all of those, I have only really liked a few. But I pick hers up from time to time because they are fun when they don’t go totally small town crazy and/or zero to love in sixty seconds.
May Archer is also no stranger to small town shenanigans. However, for me, her small towns don’t cross the too quirky line. She also isn’t a slow burn type author. But her books tend to develop at a nicer pace. For me. This is all a matter of personal preference. So I would say I’m a much bigger fan of hers. And I was, perhaps foolishly, hoping she might reign Lucy in a little.
This was not the case. 🤣
Instead, we got not one but two cases of hard core insta-love. Not only that but one was m/f. I didn’t really sign up for that one and way too much of the plot was spent on that relationship. Then we got a seriously silly miscommunication and a so wacky it hurts town. So yeah. I wasn’t onboard with any of that.
But...it did have some super sweet and sexy moments. And I did laugh a few times. Not all of the humor was OTT. Lots of it was fun. So I can’t say I disliked it. I just wanted to like it more. 🤷🏻♀️
July 7, 2020
THE MOST
HOMOPHOBIC
MM I EVER READ!!!
DNF at 20% ... i can't anymore!!! There is nothing, absolutely nothing that could change my mind on this book, even if it's turns out that they went all Rambo on the other peoples asses!
The narrative: YOU ARE GAY, WHATEVER HAPPENS IS YOUR FAULT, DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOURSELF BEFORE OTHERS COMFORT!
The way the 2 gay MC is treated by family, friends colleague ... one was put on the sofa by his mother, who begged him to come home to do her a favor saying, there will be no sex on her house, to a 28 year old man, and her constant denying of the MC's gayness... and the dumbass just staying there nodding *facepalm!
The other, the bitch's pretend boyfriend was put in a tree house!!!!! a tree house!!!!
I'm telling you AS A GAY MAN, there is NO GAY on this earth who would put up with that shit!
AVA IS A BITCH! No gay or straight human who may have a bit of dignity would befriend that kind of a person! And an openly gay person ...? Would deck her right into the next week!
AUTHORS THIS IS A MAJOR FAIL!!! PLEASE WITHDREW YOUR WORK, PLEASE AS A GAY MAN I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THAT!
DNF at 20% ... i can't anymore!!! There is nothing, absolutely nothing that could change my mind on this book, even if it's turns out that they went all Rambo on the other peoples asses!
The narrative: YOU ARE GAY, WHATEVER HAPPENS IS YOUR FAULT, DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOURSELF BEFORE OTHERS COMFORT!
The way the 2 gay MC is treated by family, friends colleague ... one was put on the sofa by his mother, who begged him to come home to do her a favor saying, there will be no sex on her house, to a 28 year old man, and her constant denying of the MC's gayness... and the dumbass just staying there nodding *facepalm!
The other, the bitch's pretend boyfriend was put in a tree house!!!!! a tree house!!!!
I'm telling you AS A GAY MAN, there is NO GAY on this earth who would put up with that shit!
AVA IS A BITCH! No gay or straight human who may have a bit of dignity would befriend that kind of a person! And an openly gay person ...? Would deck her right into the next week!
AUTHORS THIS IS A MAJOR FAIL!!! PLEASE WITHDREW YOUR WORK, PLEASE AS A GAY MAN I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THAT!
August 6, 2020
Sigh. I've been trying to decide if I read this at the wrong time, hurricane, no power, or if I've just outgrown this type of story. I think, I just didn't like a lot of the parts of the story so it made it difficult to like the whole story. I’m positive I’ll be in the minority with this review so just ignore me.
First, I feel like I missed a story. There was so much mention of Mal's visit to his hometown, with names of people I have no idea who they were, that I felt like I missed a story. It was off and kept throwing me off.
Next, I didn't like Ava. I just don't know who she thinks she is. I feel weird calling her "the ex" because come on, that was ten years ago, in high school and we are all grown-ups now. She seemed spoiled and entitled and never grew up. She was hanging on to something from ten years ago, from high school and blaming that for her life. GROW UP! But no, she then proves her immaturity by fucking some random dude with no protection and then not trying to find him to tell him? The first part of that is seriously irresponsible and the second is just ugly. Poor kid is going to want to know who his biological father is. Believe me, he will. Also, how come she wasn't scorned for being away for ten years? I don't know what Mal saw in her.
The Mom who didn't accept anything about her son. Nothing. She wasn't proud of him and didn't accept who he was. It wasn't funny or cute. She was ignorant and portrayed as almost stupid. Not funny. Add to that the inserted “diversity” because of the tech firm and her behavior made even less sense since she seemed all about the diversity. What a contradiction and it made her unlikeable.
Mal, I mostly liked until his behavior at the end. Why did he join the mob and turn on Brooks at the dance? He joined in with the haters and said such unforgivable things when he knew the truth and the why. I didn’t understand this behavior.
Poor Paul's receding and thinning hair. I don't think Paul was mentioned without mentioning his hair. Why was this even a thing? Is this supposed to be the high school cheerleader chooses the guy with thinning hair? Fuck that! The quarterback didn't want her so it isn't like she chose the thinning hair guy over the hot guy. This was a little ugly too because Paul was a sweetheart.
And that leaves Brooks. He got away. He left and succeeded and has been gone for ten years. But, he had no life that entire time? No friends, no lovers? I don’t even know if he truly considered Paul a friend and not just his co-worker even though he kind of said he did. What did he accomplish? How long had he been at that ridiculous firm before it showed its true colors? I just don’t know why he stayed away for ten years when he didn’t really have anything where he was. Who did he celebrate Christmas with? None of it made sense.
And my last gripe, the misunderstanding I'm not talking to you I'm running away setup. I knew it was coming. I knew it would happen. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I hoped it wouldn't happen and was annoyed when it did even though I knew it was coming.
I am guessing I just have outgrown humor like this.
I love small town romance, fake boyfriends and puns but man, this all just seemed too much.
I did like this sort of small town though, without all the lickin'. I liked the festival and how everyone knew everyone, even though they really didn't know anything at all.
I am guessing I wasn’t supposed to think too seriously about this. I am guessing I was just supposed to laugh and go with it. Maybe truly, I have outgrown this kind of story because I just couldn’t do it.
I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I really just didn’t care. It read a bit better than just ok.
July 1, 2020
Super cute and even better than I thought it would be. All of the puns and other jokes, based off the town name, were awesome :)
August 13, 2022
*just keep reading, just keep reading*
I had a little Dory singing in my head and I'm so glad I listened.
Because I almost gave up.
Yep, I just about threw in the towel and called it.
But I didn't.
And I'm SO glad.
Because I ended up really really enjoying it.
It's completely over the top.
It's dripping cheese. And milk too!
It's full of extreme eye-rolling.
AND it totally worked.
Brooks left his suffocating small town and never looked back. Then a call from home cracks his shell and he heads back....for a quick visit. Dragging his good friend and co-worker with him as his fake boyfriend is the perfect solution to his problem of a lack there of 'said boyfriend.'
Mal is all too familiar with small towns and has no desire to slip back into their nipshitting nonsense but he'd do just about anything for his bestie Ava. Pretending to be her boyfriend should be simple, get in, do some faking and get out.
But plans are tossed straight out of the barn windows.
AND...I loved them and their OTT craziness.
Liars, here I come!
I had a little Dory singing in my head and I'm so glad I listened.
Because I almost gave up.
Yep, I just about threw in the towel and called it.
But I didn't.
And I'm SO glad.
Because I ended up really really enjoying it.
It's completely over the top.
It's dripping cheese. And milk too!
It's full of extreme eye-rolling.
AND it totally worked.
Brooks left his suffocating small town and never looked back. Then a call from home cracks his shell and he heads back....for a quick visit. Dragging his good friend and co-worker with him as his fake boyfriend is the perfect solution to his problem of a lack there of 'said boyfriend.'
Mal is all too familiar with small towns and has no desire to slip back into their nipshitting nonsense but he'd do just about anything for his bestie Ava. Pretending to be her boyfriend should be simple, get in, do some faking and get out.
But plans are tossed straight out of the barn windows.
AND...I loved them and their OTT craziness.
Liars, here I come!
August 4, 2020
*4.5 stars*
Way better than I expected. And so funny and sexy. Good stuff
Way better than I expected. And so funny and sexy. Good stuff
dnf
February 3, 2022Dnf @ 57%
The side characters in this book are the worst people ever and I can’t stand them anymore
The side characters in this book are the worst people ever and I can’t stand them anymore
August 1, 2020
4 people who try to fake relationships, get something unexpected !
A topsey-turvey tale with a wild small town festival, and lots of action. There is abundant laughs, confusion and switcheros that will keep you thinking.
Brooks, 28, goes to his hometown celebration,
in Licking Thicket, TN., because it’s been a family tradition, plus he can still work on the important ad campaign. There’s lots of history in this event filled week. He’s gay, and brings his assistant, Paul, who is straight, as his fake boyfriend.
Ex-festival queen, Ava, now pregnant, brings her best friend Mal,
a artistic sculptor, who pretends to be her date, but he’s gay.
The festival is a myriad of contests, prizes and chaos. The names of the events and the whole townsfolk humor comes from the double meaning that comes from the events labels. There are some hilarious lines.
So, during the whole week, Ava and Paul fall for each other, while Mal and Brooks get together. This changes their lives, but also confuses the families and townsfolk.
Truths are revealed eventually, and misunderstandings ensue.
How will they ever get things settled?
The characters are goofs, but likable, the sexy times for Mal and Brooks are scorching hot. In addition we have Ava’s reveal, the ad campaign and the unending festivities.
It’s a big merry mix-up !
Enjoy !
======
A topsey-turvey tale with a wild small town festival, and lots of action. There is abundant laughs, confusion and switcheros that will keep you thinking.
Brooks, 28, goes to his hometown celebration,
in Licking Thicket, TN., because it’s been a family tradition, plus he can still work on the important ad campaign. There’s lots of history in this event filled week. He’s gay, and brings his assistant, Paul, who is straight, as his fake boyfriend.
Ex-festival queen, Ava, now pregnant, brings her best friend Mal,
a artistic sculptor, who pretends to be her date, but he’s gay.
The festival is a myriad of contests, prizes and chaos. The names of the events and the whole townsfolk humor comes from the double meaning that comes from the events labels. There are some hilarious lines.
So, during the whole week, Ava and Paul fall for each other, while Mal and Brooks get together. This changes their lives, but also confuses the families and townsfolk.
Truths are revealed eventually, and misunderstandings ensue.
How will they ever get things settled?
The characters are goofs, but likable, the sexy times for Mal and Brooks are scorching hot. In addition we have Ava’s reveal, the ad campaign and the unending festivities.
It’s a big merry mix-up !
Enjoy !
======
July 10, 2020
4 Licking-Thicketing-Starry Stars!! 😍💘🤩 This was a funny often punny, a little homey but still an incredibly romantic story with a double fake-boyfriend-story-trope..😳🤪
Brooks has not been back to his hometown of Licking Thicket, Tennessee in a decade. He didn't come out to his family and small-town till he graduated and left for college but the guilt of having broken his ex-girlfriend's heart when he so publicly came out has haunted him forever. As much as he tried to avoid coming home, this time his mother emotionally blackmails him to come back and help his father out in some of the town's annual festival activities (Licking Festival is a grand festival for the residents of Licking Thicket with food, family and fun). To stop his mother from matchmaking and in an effort to be taken seriously he decides to bring his best friend/coworker Paul (who is straight) as his boyfriend😬. Ava (Brook's ex-girlfriend) was humiliated when Brooks dumped her (came out) and has resented him for the last ten years, blaming him for her broken dreams. Now pregnant and still single, she can't face her family and small-town alone, so she gets her BFF, Malachi (gay and a brilliant artist) to come home with her as her boyfriend😳 Mal, for his part will do anything for Ava and despite trepidation, tags along to help her out in her time of need.
Things become quite complicated when Brooks and Mal share an instant attraction, but are behind enemy lines 💘😉. Fragile feelings and relationships slowly start to mend as they all spend time together. Mal sees beyond the "perfect facade" of Brooks and Brooks starts falling for the creative genius that is Mal 😍 💕. They connect in so many ways, but it's only been a week of getting to know each other; can it sustain the trials of an actual relationship? How would that work with Brook's job as a VP in a company in NYC and Mal's work in LA? Licking Thicket and it's people have wormed their way into Mal's heart, but can they compel him to stay? Brook's return as the prodigal son of Licking Thicket is successful, but does he have a future here?😳🤔
This story made me laugh, made me melancholy and sentimental, it even made me homesick 😢(although I don't come from bovine country 🐄) I liked the folksy humor and the small-town-interfering family antics, but overall I liked the MCs who were similar and dis-similar in many ways. Both having fought hard for their accomplishments, they were still able to prioritize what was important in their life and went all in for it 😍💞 Highly recommended to all fans of M/M romances who love a little humor, good-old-romance and family in their stories 👍👍 I'm looking forward to Diesel and Parrish's book next 😍
Brooks has not been back to his hometown of Licking Thicket, Tennessee in a decade. He didn't come out to his family and small-town till he graduated and left for college but the guilt of having broken his ex-girlfriend's heart when he so publicly came out has haunted him forever. As much as he tried to avoid coming home, this time his mother emotionally blackmails him to come back and help his father out in some of the town's annual festival activities (Licking Festival is a grand festival for the residents of Licking Thicket with food, family and fun). To stop his mother from matchmaking and in an effort to be taken seriously he decides to bring his best friend/coworker Paul (who is straight) as his boyfriend😬. Ava (Brook's ex-girlfriend) was humiliated when Brooks dumped her (came out) and has resented him for the last ten years, blaming him for her broken dreams. Now pregnant and still single, she can't face her family and small-town alone, so she gets her BFF, Malachi (gay and a brilliant artist) to come home with her as her boyfriend😳 Mal, for his part will do anything for Ava and despite trepidation, tags along to help her out in her time of need.
Things become quite complicated when Brooks and Mal share an instant attraction, but are behind enemy lines 💘😉. Fragile feelings and relationships slowly start to mend as they all spend time together. Mal sees beyond the "perfect facade" of Brooks and Brooks starts falling for the creative genius that is Mal 😍 💕. They connect in so many ways, but it's only been a week of getting to know each other; can it sustain the trials of an actual relationship? How would that work with Brook's job as a VP in a company in NYC and Mal's work in LA? Licking Thicket and it's people have wormed their way into Mal's heart, but can they compel him to stay? Brook's return as the prodigal son of Licking Thicket is successful, but does he have a future here?😳🤔
This story made me laugh, made me melancholy and sentimental, it even made me homesick 😢(although I don't come from bovine country 🐄) I liked the folksy humor and the small-town-interfering family antics, but overall I liked the MCs who were similar and dis-similar in many ways. Both having fought hard for their accomplishments, they were still able to prioritize what was important in their life and went all in for it 😍💞 Highly recommended to all fans of M/M romances who love a little humor, good-old-romance and family in their stories 👍👍 I'm looking forward to Diesel and Parrish's book next 😍
July 2, 2020
Cute, humorous and easy read. Nothing spectacular, but overall enjoyable.
The good:
- the premise was interesting: Fake boyfriend trope times two? Count me in!
- the MCs were adorable together
- the innuendos and jokes were (mostly) quite fun
- the small town was really endearing; a tight-knit community with charming characters
- the epilogue was cute, and honestly made me like the book more (and I was very much on the fence about it halfway through)
The not so good:
- It took me some time to warm up to Ava, she was acting really petty at first. Damn, that woman could hold a grudge; but she did redeem herself.
- It honestly felt very rushed, very insta-love-ish, BUT, as I already mentioned... times two, which just makes it so much worse. Yes, you read right. Not ONE but TWO couples actually fall so deeply in love within the span of a couple of days that they uproot their whole lives and move to a small town ... That's just UGH to me
- the big stupid misunderstanding trope due to severe lack of communication that - you guessed it - leads to a temporary separation. Honestly, I feel like I need to emphasize how much I dislike misunderstandings, and this one here just seemed out of the blue and tbh slightly ridiculous to me.
(like seriously, they never even had a conversation about the future of their relationship, not that they had that much time for actually talking within the few days... But hey, that didn't stop Mal from jumping to unreflected conclusions based on something he overheard.)
The good:
- the premise was interesting: Fake boyfriend trope times two? Count me in!
- the MCs were adorable together
- the innuendos and jokes were (mostly) quite fun
- the small town was really endearing; a tight-knit community with charming characters
- the epilogue was cute, and honestly made me like the book more (and I was very much on the fence about it halfway through)
The not so good:
- It took me some time to warm up to Ava, she was acting really petty at first. Damn, that woman could hold a grudge; but she did redeem herself.
- It honestly felt very rushed, very insta-love-ish, BUT, as I already mentioned... times two, which just makes it so much worse. Yes, you read right. Not ONE but TWO couples actually fall so deeply in love within the span of a couple of days that they uproot their whole lives and move to a small town ... That's just UGH to me
- the big stupid misunderstanding trope due to severe lack of communication that - you guessed it - leads to a temporary separation. Honestly, I feel like I need to emphasize how much I dislike misunderstandings, and this one here just seemed out of the blue and tbh slightly ridiculous to me.
(like seriously, they never even had a conversation about the future of their relationship, not that they had that much time for actually talking within the few days... But hey, that didn't stop Mal from jumping to unreflected conclusions based on something he overheard.)
June 4, 2022
There are WAY too many “Licking” jokes in Licking Thicket, but apart from that, I really enjoyed myself reading it.
So there’s this town called Licking Thicket in Tennesse, that Brooks left with a bang when he was 18, breaking up with his girlfriend Ava in a rather public manner. 10 years later, he’s living a successful (gay) life, working in advertising industry, and about to create a campaign for a new customer, when he’s summoned home to help his father out in organising the town festival (his father is the “Head Licker”. Don’t ask 🤣).
Anyway, long story short: he returns, bringing with him one of his colleagues (Paul) who pretends to be his boyfriend, because they need to finish that project they’re working on.
Ava, Brooks’ ex, returns, too, with a fake boyfriend of her own: Mal, an artist/sculptor. Who’s - very conveniently- gay, too.
You can guess where this is going and who’s ending up with whom - as I said, it’s a heartwarming story once you get over all the “licking” puns. And the 80% breakup. But I did love it, because I have a soft spot for small town settings, especially when those towns are diverse and full with well meaning, meddling inhabitants.
3.5 stars rounded up because the epilogue left me with a smile.
So there’s this town called Licking Thicket in Tennesse, that Brooks left with a bang when he was 18, breaking up with his girlfriend Ava in a rather public manner. 10 years later, he’s living a successful (gay) life, working in advertising industry, and about to create a campaign for a new customer, when he’s summoned home to help his father out in organising the town festival (his father is the “Head Licker”. Don’t ask 🤣).
Anyway, long story short: he returns, bringing with him one of his colleagues (Paul) who pretends to be his boyfriend, because they need to finish that project they’re working on.
Ava, Brooks’ ex, returns, too, with a fake boyfriend of her own: Mal, an artist/sculptor. Who’s - very conveniently- gay, too.
You can guess where this is going and who’s ending up with whom - as I said, it’s a heartwarming story once you get over all the “licking” puns. And the 80% breakup. But I did love it, because I have a soft spot for small town settings, especially when those towns are diverse and full with well meaning, meddling inhabitants.
3.5 stars rounded up because the epilogue left me with a smile.
July 13, 2020
I liked but didn't love this one. I loved the double fake boyfriend set-up and Mal and Brooks were adorable and I did like their relationship. There was just a bit too much extraneous nonsense that took away from the two MCs getting together.
The story started out rough for me with the introduction of Ava, Mal's best friend and Brooks' ex-girlfriend from high school. She comes on strongly, bitchy and extremely unlikable. Then there is Brooks' mother who, among other things, is pretty unaccepting of her son being gay - even though Brooks earlier says that where he comes from you love who you love, his mother believes he's lying about being gay. While Ava became more bearable after meeting and falling in insta-love with Brooks' friend/fake boyfriend Paul, I really didn't warm up to Brooks' mother, but his father's brief appearances were delightful.
There was the inevitable misunderstanding and lack of communication, with both men living on opposite coasts. The epilogue was wonderful though, and had there been more focus on Mal and Brooks' blooming, very intense feelings, this would have probably been a bigger hit with me.
The story started out rough for me with the introduction of Ava, Mal's best friend and Brooks' ex-girlfriend from high school. She comes on strongly, bitchy and extremely unlikable. Then there is Brooks' mother who, among other things, is pretty unaccepting of her son being gay - even though Brooks earlier says that where he comes from you love who you love, his mother believes he's lying about being gay. While Ava became more bearable after meeting and falling in insta-love with Brooks' friend/fake boyfriend Paul, I really didn't warm up to Brooks' mother, but his father's brief appearances were delightful.
There was the inevitable misunderstanding and lack of communication, with both men living on opposite coasts. The epilogue was wonderful though, and had there been more focus on Mal and Brooks' blooming, very intense feelings, this would have probably been a bigger hit with me.
Read
July 13, 2020Dnf. My mistake. I forgot who I was for a second, and who I am is someone who doesn’t particularly like L.L books. She’s just not for me and I allowed all the glowing reviews to cause me to misstep. I didn’t particularly like how everyone around Brooks kept telling him he wasn’t gay. There’s nothing amusing about constantly disregarding someone’s feelings especially about their sexuality. As if said person doesn’t know their own mind, body and soul. But I get it he was the high school quarterback the most popular boy at school he can’t possibly be gay. Riiiiiiight, cos that’s how sexuality works. 😑🙄
April 4, 2022
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. Yes, it got a few laughs out of me at first. But then it started to feel a little too OTT and cheesy. I pretty much disconnected from it all when their conflict happens and some simple communication would’ve fixed it all…and that always bugs me. It was a super fluffy, super silly, not super deep m/m romance — so if that’s your thing, this is one for you!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Brooks and Mal’s story. Brooks is going to his small town home where nobody believes he is gay and takes a friend as his fake boyfriend. Mal is best friends with Brooks’ high school sweetheart and she is having him be her fake boyfriend when she returns home too. Because of Brooks’ father’s health issues, Brooks has to step up for all of the small town festivities in his Dad’s place. They keep on bumping into one another and sparks keep flying until they cross the line. There is some small town ridiculousness, a few laugh out loud moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Brooks and Mal’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well, but I skimmed some in the end because I wasn’t all that engaged (I don’t think it was a pacing problem)
Instalove:Yes, considering it was only after 6 days that they were throwing out the “L” word
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3.5 stars. Brooks. I liked him and I feel like we got more of a connection with him than with Mal, but it still wasn’t as deep as I would’ve liked.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Mal. I feel kinda meh about him. I didn’t dislike him or anything, I just don’t think we got very deep into his character to connect with.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very many and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, just mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Not really
Closure: This end in a good place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. Yes, it got a few laughs out of me at first. But then it started to feel a little too OTT and cheesy. I pretty much disconnected from it all when their conflict happens and some simple communication would’ve fixed it all…and that always bugs me. It was a super fluffy, super silly, not super deep m/m romance — so if that’s your thing, this is one for you!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Brooks and Mal’s story. Brooks is going to his small town home where nobody believes he is gay and takes a friend as his fake boyfriend. Mal is best friends with Brooks’ high school sweetheart and she is having him be her fake boyfriend when she returns home too. Because of Brooks’ father’s health issues, Brooks has to step up for all of the small town festivities in his Dad’s place. They keep on bumping into one another and sparks keep flying until they cross the line. There is some small town ridiculousness, a few laugh out loud moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Brooks and Mal’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well, but I skimmed some in the end because I wasn’t all that engaged (I don’t think it was a pacing problem)
Instalove:Yes, considering it was only after 6 days that they were throwing out the “L” word
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3.5 stars. Brooks. I liked him and I feel like we got more of a connection with him than with Mal, but it still wasn’t as deep as I would’ve liked.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Mal. I feel kinda meh about him. I didn’t dislike him or anything, I just don’t think we got very deep into his character to connect with.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very many and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, just mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Not really
Closure: This end in a good place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
June 14, 2021
I don't know if it's me or this book but I had tears in my eyes several times.
This is probably mainly due to the main character Brooks who has a very interesting personality. Brooks is very concerned about being accepted, so he tries to please everyone and not disappoint anyone's expectations. All to the point where he ceases to be his true self, and is only the person who is needed at the moment. The fact that Brooks is afraid to show his true self, and at the same time everyone expects even more from him, even though he does what he can, really broke my heart at times.
Mal is fine, too. He also has a sad story, although it's not as developed as Brooks's one. Evidently his past has left its mark on him as well, but I think it turned out to be a little less convincing in his case than in Brooks's. It was harder for me to understand him, but it wasn't such a big problem after all.
The plot was a lot of what I like, I really enjoy the fake fiancé theme. And here we have not one but two such couples. I'm not a big fan of small towns, but here it all sounded good and had its charm. And the relationship between Mal and Brooks looked okay.
But I'm not entirely convinced of the reasons why Mal and Brooks are breaking up. In my opinion, there was something unnecessarily dramatic and even a little silly about it. Nor am I entirely convinced that it was believable from the point of view of Mal's personality. But it didn't bother me much, although it was a bit frustrating.
I liked these characters, so I will probably read more books in this series.
This is probably mainly due to the main character Brooks who has a very interesting personality. Brooks is very concerned about being accepted, so he tries to please everyone and not disappoint anyone's expectations. All to the point where he ceases to be his true self, and is only the person who is needed at the moment. The fact that Brooks is afraid to show his true self, and at the same time everyone expects even more from him, even though he does what he can, really broke my heart at times.
Mal is fine, too. He also has a sad story, although it's not as developed as Brooks's one. Evidently his past has left its mark on him as well, but I think it turned out to be a little less convincing in his case than in Brooks's. It was harder for me to understand him, but it wasn't such a big problem after all.
The plot was a lot of what I like, I really enjoy the fake fiancé theme. And here we have not one but two such couples. I'm not a big fan of small towns, but here it all sounded good and had its charm. And the relationship between Mal and Brooks looked okay.
But I'm not entirely convinced of the reasons why Mal and Brooks are breaking up. In my opinion, there was something unnecessarily dramatic and even a little silly about it. Nor am I entirely convinced that it was believable from the point of view of Mal's personality. But it didn't bother me much, although it was a bit frustrating.
I liked these characters, so I will probably read more books in this series.
October 21, 2020
This one was so not for me. I found the small-town-full-of-busy-bodies atmosphere utterly oppressing. All I could think of was get me the F outta here. I hated, HATED Brooks' mother. I did not find her homophobia remotely funny. Too many gay people go through that crap all the time, so I don't find someone questioning if her son was really gay a good fodder for joke set up. She was also way too controlling, and I did not like the way Brooks became a total doormat around her. And don't get me even started on the obnoxious, self-absorbed mess that is Ava. Nope, nope, nope.
February 28, 2023
This was absolutely nuts but so entertaining. I laughed so much every time Brooks got steamrolled by other people and you could tell he wanted to scream but was way too polite to do it 😂 Mal and Brooks both made me tear up too - just a really fun story!
June 28, 2020
Fakers was hilarious, and romantic at the same time. I really enjoyed Brooke and Mal's (struggles) to stay and enjoying the Licking Thicket, a small town in Tennessee, where everything is everyone's business. Started to cringed to be back to the town he left ten years ago for Brooks and tried to tolerate it for Mal, Brooke and Mal never expected that they're actually enjoying the situation, the people and started to fall for each other.
The problem was, that Mal was Ava's (fake) boyfriend, and Brooke had his own (fake) boyfriend, his work mate, Paul.
Ava was Brooke's ex-girlfriend,a nd everybody in the little town, expected that Brooke back to be straight and reunion with Ava.
I liked Ava, she's bearable :)
And Mal loved Ava (as a best friend), and didn't expect that Ava's ex would be that 'whoaaa...'!
Mal and Brooke got the strong chemistry from the get go, soon as they met, also Ava and Paul (you'll see yourself).
I loved that this was actually an insta-love affair but felt like a slow burn. This is the kind of a story where the main characters fell in love in a matter of days, but felt like it's been a long wait for me.
See. not every author can do this.
Kudos to Lucy and May for making this possible.
Fakers also funny, witty, without overly dishing the point of the story. The parents also wonderful and my favorite was Dunn, Brooke's brother. I hope he'll get his story written in the near future.
Recommended!
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