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Laurie has been defined by her relationship with Dan for the past 18 years. They were happy, not married, and considering the idea of having kids at the ripe old age of 36. Then Dan broke up with her, out of the blue, saying he is unhappy and wants something different. A few months later Laurie finds out (from Dan) that he is already seeing someone else, and that someone else is pregnant. Laurie is angry and confused and hurt, and she wants to hurt Dan back. How will things work at the law office, where Dan is also a lawyer, how will things work with their other couple friends, how will her life work now that she is on her own?

Jamie offers her a solution – pretend to be in a relationship with him until after the office Christmas party. Jamie needs to show his bosses that he can be responsible, to get that promotion he wants. He has a steep climb ahead of him, to put his womanizing reputation behind him, and he is sure that Laurie is his ticket to getting ahead. They start going on “dates”, and make sure those pictures are spread far and wide on social media.

This book made me feel a lot of things – furious, sad, incredulous, relieved, dismayed, and warm and fuzzy. Laurie is definitely the focal point of the story and she has to face a lot of challenges and make a lot of decisions about her new life without Dan. Jamie is much more than his reputation suggests him to be, and I liked him a lot. He helped Laurie see in herself the beautiful, confident and capable woman that she really is.

I enjoyed the writing style and the banter between Jamie and Laurie. Laurie’s best friend also adds great dimension to the story.

I would definitely recommend this for readers of romance who like the fake relationship trope. This one really worked for me.

Was I hooked by this book? Yes, I was heavily invested in Jamie and Laurie and their relationship.

Genre: Contemporary Romance