The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson: Book Review

   *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

I can’t lock up the library until the guy asleep at his desk leaves. Thank the universe for audiobooks because I could be here all night. But I see his mouth twitch at the exact moment a steamy kiss takes place. My face burns when I realize my headphones aren’t plugged in and my phone is at full volume.

It's not every day you see a new face in my small hometown of Two Harts, let alone one belonging to an annoyingly handsome all-star NFL player. But for some reason Chris Sterns has decided that the library where I work is his go-to spot to hide from his mega-fans, and unfortunately, winding me up is his new favorite sport.

Being crowned “world’s sexiest man” has done little to curb his confident charm and when he somehow ropes me into his two-person book club, I can’t help warming to his endless positivity.

But when a photo of him stumbling out of a Las Vegas club with a woman in tow is leaked to the press, I can’t help but question whether his good boy persona is just an act.

And that’s far from the only answer I’m left searching for when Chris pops the question I’ve only ever heard in my favorite romance books. Did he really just ask me to marry him?

It’s not the proposal I was expecting, but with my mom’s medical bills piling up faster than I can pay them, and with the scandal threatening to ruin everything Chris has worked for; could an engagement be the perfect fake out for us both? Or is this a game we’ll both lose?

A totally uplifting and addictive friends-to-lovers romance full of laugh-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sarah Adams and Olivia Dade.

Sharon M. Peterson is a former middle school teacher and has the personality to prove it. One of her favorite quotes is from Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath: “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” She strives to tackle life that way and create characters who do the same. She lives in Washington with her husband and four children, including two autistic sons. She has one cat, two dogs, one tattoo, and an intense fear of poodles (don’t ask). She can usually be found hunched over her computer, creating characters and stories she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

Sharon M. Peterson is a new to me author, but when I read the description of this book, I knew I had to give it a shot. Fake dating/engagement has been one of my favorite tropes lately, so of course that drew me in. Add in a bookish female lead and an athlete male lead (which I've also been enjoying a lot recently) ... and it seemed right up my alley. And oh, my goodness... I just adored this book. 

Each chapter started with a (mostly) cheesy pick-up line... some I'd heard before and some that were new to me. I couldn't help but laugh out loud with many of them. Those cheesy pick-up lines carried on throughout the story itself too, and I really just couldn't get enough of them. From the perfect meet cute to the delightful banter, this story really just drew me in and was just the laugh out loud romance that I was needed at the moment. When he tells her 'it suits her' and we later find out the story behind it!? Oooh, the swooning... that's all I'll say about that! There truly was just so much to enjoy about this story, and I find myself looking forward to reading more from the author in the future. 

This is a closed-door romantic comedy with great chemistry and some swoon-worthy kisses (and maybe a few slight innuendos), but nothing beyond that. There was a fair amount of mild language throughout as well. 

Overall, this was a really fun read. If you love a good fake engagement romance full of laughs, this is most certainly one to check out.