Title: Fake Skating
Author: Lynn Painter
Genre: YA, contemporary romance
Publication date: September 2025
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Borrowed from library
Add it on Goodreads
Buy it: Amazon | B&N
Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies Lynn Painter comes a heartfelt and banter-filled rom-com about childhood sweethearts whose icy reunion in their hockey-loving hometown unexpectedly thaws when they fake a romantic relationship.
Growing up, Dani couldn’t help but follow around the adorable son of her mom’s best friend. Funny, kind of nerdy, and a little soft, Alec was always down to hang with Dani when they were little. From play dates on the playground to sneaking into movie theaters, Dani and Alec were inseparable. Until Dani moved away. Alec promised they’d stay in touch—except, they didn’t.
Flash forward and Dani is back in Minnesota for her senior year, she and her mom living with her grandfather. Dealing with the fallout of her parents’ devastating divorce, Dani wouldn’t mind a nerd-out with the cozy and comforting Alec (and maybe a chance to confront him on his MIA status for all these years). But teenage Alec is nothing like the kid Dani remembers. He’s a hockey star in a town where hockey players are worshiped as gods. Dani’s place as his shadow has been taken up by drooling female fans... and he loves it.
Dani is resolved to ice out her former best friend until an unlikely series of events brings them together—and forces them to fake being a couple. Once forced together, the former childhood sweethearts begin to reconnect, unearth complicated family secrets, and face their true feelings towards each other…including the real reason Alec has been pushing Dani away all these years.
I don't read many romances, but damn if I don't love a Lynn Painter book! 😍 Over the years, I've come to discover what I like and don't like in a romance, and for me, Lynn Painter just does romance right! They're so cute!
Even though I'm not much of a romance reader, as I said, I have noticed that one subgenre of romance that is pretty big right now is sports romance, so I'm not surprised the author hopped on the trend. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a sports person at all...
I literally could not care less 😅 If this were not a book by Lynn Painter, I honestly would not have bothered with it. But it was so good! I still don't care about sports, but damn if I didn't enjoy this story. Lol.
Which is not surprising because I have literally loved everything I have read from this author! There is just something really fun about her writing. The book I had read before this one ended upbeing kind of a disappointment, so the moment I started this book, it turned my mood around. It just made me so happy!
And the romance itself was so freaking cute! It was almost this friends-to-enemies(ish)-to-lovers, AND it also had fake dating! Two of my favorite tropes! And I absolutely ate it up! I loved it!
Another thing I love about Lynn Painter's writing is the characters. They're complex and just feel so real! I love Dani and Alec, of course (I loved seeing them get to know each other again). But I have to say, my favorite character in this entire book was most definitely Dani's grumpy Grampa Mick! The way he tried to connect with her... Ugh! loved it so much!
Unfortunately, there was something about this book that I did not love. And it's actually something I dislike about 98% of romance books I have read because the situation is usually stupid and avoidable, and typically involves the awful miscommunication trope. And that something is the third-act breakup. I hate that shit.
Sometimes it's done well, but usually, like I said, it's avoidable, and I just don't have the patience for that nonsense even though I know they're going to end up together regardless. But that's more of an issue I have with the romance genre in general.
But aside from that, I very much enjoyed this book. It was cute and funny and an all around fun time (with a good balance of some more serious issues the characters dealt with). I loved it!
I literally could not care less 😅 If this were not a book by Lynn Painter, I honestly would not have bothered with it. But it was so good! I still don't care about sports, but damn if I didn't enjoy this story. Lol.
Which is not surprising because I have literally loved everything I have read from this author! There is just something really fun about her writing. The book I had read before this one ended upbeing kind of a disappointment, so the moment I started this book, it turned my mood around. It just made me so happy!
And the romance itself was so freaking cute! It was almost this friends-to-enemies(ish)-to-lovers, AND it also had fake dating! Two of my favorite tropes! And I absolutely ate it up! I loved it!
Another thing I love about Lynn Painter's writing is the characters. They're complex and just feel so real! I love Dani and Alec, of course (I loved seeing them get to know each other again). But I have to say, my favorite character in this entire book was most definitely Dani's grumpy Grampa Mick! The way he tried to connect with her... Ugh! loved it so much!
Unfortunately, there was something about this book that I did not love. And it's actually something I dislike about 98% of romance books I have read because the situation is usually stupid and avoidable, and typically involves the awful miscommunication trope. And that something is the third-act breakup. I hate that shit.
Sometimes it's done well, but usually, like I said, it's avoidable, and I just don't have the patience for that nonsense even though I know they're going to end up together regardless. But that's more of an issue I have with the romance genre in general.
But aside from that, I very much enjoyed this book. It was cute and funny and an all around fun time (with a good balance of some more serious issues the characters dealt with). I loved it!
No comments:
Post a Comment