Reviews

Fake it till you fall in love.

Despite being a member of the Aristocracy, Grace has kept herself out of those circles for most of her life. What she’s not expecting is to be thrown back into the chaos and hob-knobbing of the upper class when she agrees to be the girlfriend of William, who just happens to heir to the Dukedom of Glenroch. With his grandfather threatening to set William up with someone for his sister’s wedding, he would rather pretend to be dating the woman he literally bumped into at a cafe rather than one of the heiresses he’s known all his life. The goal is simple: pretend they’ve been going out for a few months, attend the wedding, and then say they’ve amicably ended things once they return to reality. Except it’s not the easy. Grace is dragged into final wedding preparations, but with a snowstorm approaching, things are getting more chaotic by the minute. Then there’s the problem of Grace feeling a sense of familiarity in the castle and around the Glenroch family. Oh, and she’s starting to catch feelings for William.

Emma has once again written another fabulous addition to the EHAU (Emma Hart Aristocratic Universe), and I swear each book/couple just gets better and better with each installment! I adore this world and the little references Emma continues to sprinkle throughout to previous characters, all the while crafting sweet, swoony, and hilarious stories for the new characters.

Fake relationships are one of my favourite romance tropes, and while Emma has previously used this trope within the EMAU (Eva and Matthew in The Accidental Countess), this story was a different spin and I thoroughly enjoyed the drama and hilarity that followed Grace and William. They’re relationship was super fun and sweet, with a nice serving of swoon as well. And I appreciated that Emma didn’t just write your typical third-act breakup and added another whole layer to the story by further exploring the issues that lead to Grace’s insecurities with the aristocracy.

Not to mention, there’s some great family dynamics - Grace’s grandmother is an absolute riot, and William’s whole family was so fun as they prepared for Amy’s wedding. And Grace slotted into their dynamic SO well, and I loved seeing the connections she formed with all of them. As always, Emma not only nails it with the romance, but she also excels with the family and friends surrounding the main couple.

If you love regency romances but want a modern spin, this one definitely needs to be on your TBR! This is by far one of my favourite romance universes, and I can’t wait for Emma to release the next, and long-awaited, aristocratic book, so now’s the time to catch up on all the dukedom drama.

niveda_anoop's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

3.0

adkwriter15's review

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

neffcannon's review

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lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

slpchristy's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

lauriereadsrom1's review

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

William, Viscount Kinkirk, has a problem: His older sister is getting married at their grandparents' ancient castle in Scotland, and their grandfather, the Duke of Glenroch, is insisting that Will needs a date for the occasion. Even worse, the duke has taken matters into his own hands by arranging for Will to escort an earl's daughter, who may be a "suitable" candidate for marriage but is also a spoiled brat. The only way he's getting out of it is by finding his own plus one. When he literally bumps into history PhD student Grace outside a coffee shop and they hit it off, Will believes she just might be the answer to his prayers. Despite the fact that his old-fashioned (read: classist) grandfather would prefer that his grandson and heir date within the aristocracy, Will hopes that a shared interest in history will endear Grace to the duke for long enough to survive the wedding festivities. What Will doesn't know is that Grace is also the daughter of an earl, though her relationship with her father is strained and she's spent the last decade distancing herself from his world. A misunderstanding with Will's family causes the situation to become even more complicated; suddenly they're pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend, though as the week goes on, it's harder and harder to remember that their relationship is supposed to be fake...

I'm not sure words can express how much I loved this book. Will and Grace made a fantastic couple, even before they officially became a couple. They always seemed like they were having so much fun together, even under challenging circumstances. I adored their flirting and witty banter, as well as the plot twists that kept me glued to my Kindle. Further, the book's secondary characters added a great deal of depth and humor to the story. My favorite was Grace's hilarious grandmother, but Will's (sort of) bridezilla sister was a close second.

I highly recommend "The Problem With Pretending" for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. Hart has been at her very best with these last few books set in the world of the British aristocracy, and I can't wait to find out what she comes up with next.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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