Fake Date, an all-new standalone contemporary romance by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is LIVE!
Fake Date by Monica Murphy
A Contemporary Romance
Available Now!!
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Blurb
Working at Bliss Lingerie, Sarah Harrison deals with all sorts of—interesting clientele. Yet no one sparks her interest more than Jared Gaines, the ultra-rich, ultra-sexy businessman who frequents her shop, buying delicate little “gifts” for the women in his life.
But one day, Jared sends her a gift from Bliss. Then another—and another. So when Sarah walks into his office demanding to know why he can’t stop sending her gifts, he makes her an offer she somehow can’t refuse: be his fake girlfriend for the weekend while attending his brother’s engagement party.
Next thing Sarah knows, she’s in San Francisco, pretending to be in love with Jared. Not that it’s a hardship. Once you get the man away from the office, he’s much more relaxed. Sweet. Funny. Even…thoughtful? Oh, and sexier than ever, of course.
Their pretend relationship feels very real, very quickly. Soon Sarah’s in over her head. Could what she and Jared share turn into something real? Or is it all actually…fake?
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Review
3.75 stars!
Sarah Harrison works at Bliss, an upscale lingerie store. Jared Gaines is a regular customer and Sarah is his personal lingerie shopper. Jared buys a lot of lingerie for his “mistresses,” but when he sends a matching set to Sarah, she is baffled. Certain the gift is a mistake, Sarah confronts Jared only to be blindsided with a tempting proposal. Being his fake date to his brother’s engagement party would give her the opportunity to get away and explore San Francisco. So, even if it’s strange to spend the weekend with a guy she barely knows, she accepts, and is whisked away for a weekend.
I love pretend relationships and I loved the plot for Fake Date. Sarah and Jared seem like complete opposites. Where Sarah is friendly and warm, Jared is cold and closed off. When he shops at Bliss, they love to get on each other’s nerves, and as much as they like to pretend they are not attracted to each other, there’s no hiding the lust they both feel. I knew it was only a matter of time before they caved and I was excited to see how the story would unfold.
Sarah tries to hold her ground and ignore Jared’s charm but there is just something about him she can’t ignore. The attraction is undeniable and the banter is entertaining. The already present sexual tension from their appointments at Bliss only intensifies when she is with him for the weekend, and when the fake date turns real, sparks fly.
I’m playing with fire, I know I am. And I’m either going to enjoy the heat this weekend or I’m going to get burned.
But Jared has been hurt in the past and permanently tearing down his walls may be too hard for Sarah. When a secret comes out Jared and Sarah hit a bump in the road and they must decide if their new relationship is worth fighting for.
I liked Sarah from the get go. Hardworking and selfless, she is a good person, and she is good for Jared. She lightens his mood and makes him relax in a way he hasn’t been able to in a long. There were times when I thought she was a bit immature and out of touch with certain things but I have to remind myself that she is in her early 20’s and she hasn’t experienced a lot since she’s been taking care of her siblings for several years.
It took me a little longer to warm up to Jared. He was so hot and cold in the beginning that I almost got whiplash. However, after a while he shows us what’s beneath his mask and I can understand where he is coming from even if I don’t always agree with his actions. He can be so great to Sarah and he definitely brings on the swoon at times, I just wish he let the sweet side come out more often.
“I want you to be my date for life.”
Overall, Fake Date is a funny, sexy romance, and I can’t wait for more from the Dating series. Candace’s story, Holidate, is coming soon!
*ARC generously provided by the author and Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review*
Dating
Save the Date (#1)
Buy: Kindle Ebook | Paperback | Audio
Fake Date (#2)
Buy: Kindle Ebook
Holiday (#3)
Buy: Kindle Ebook
About the Author
Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and HarperCollins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.
She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.
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