A review by smitch29
Fake Fiancée by Ilsa Madden-Mills
3.0
2.7
I was hesitant to pick up this book. The concept seems over done and predictable, and I was worried this would be just another book I've multiple times before. After reading some reviews, especially one from my favorite reviewer, I thought I'd give the novel a shot. As it turns out, the blurb didn't really do this book any favors. This book felt lot different than any of the other romance novels that have the main characters start out in a fake relationship. I'm not sure why it felt different, but it definitely felt fresh to me.
As the book developed past the initial negotiations and settling into the pseudo-affair, the characters really came into their own. They are very nice, only our hero is a bit more selfish and very football driven. Sunny is kind of dull. She has a good backstory, but her personality is a little lacking. It wasn't that she was too nice, she just didn't seem to do much. She realizes she's falling for Max, and thusly does what she can to help him succeed, including trying to avoid anything that would stress him out during the season. She wasn't a pushover, she just had no great motivations. Max saved her life three years ago, but when they re-met in college, neither acknowledged what had happened, creating the question of whether they remembered each other. It took half the book before the author revealed that Sunny did remember. Ultimately it was a supremely underwhelming reveal, that hurt the story. It would've given more foundation to Sunny's initial actions if it would've been acknowledged. It felt like it was drawn out just to give more plot and narration to Sunny in the middle of the story, since she didn't really have anything new happen to her until the end.
M problem with Sunny is really my problem with the entire story. It just ends blandly, and never really captured my attention. The set-up was interesting but fell from then onward. It wasn't a bad novel, it just didn't do much for me.
I was hesitant to pick up this book. The concept seems over done and predictable, and I was worried this would be just another book I've multiple times before. After reading some reviews, especially one from my favorite reviewer, I thought I'd give the novel a shot. As it turns out, the blurb didn't really do this book any favors. This book felt lot different than any of the other romance novels that have the main characters start out in a fake relationship. I'm not sure why it felt different, but it definitely felt fresh to me.
As the book developed past the initial negotiations and settling into the pseudo-affair, the characters really came into their own. They are very nice, only our hero is a bit more selfish and very football driven. Sunny is kind of dull. She has a good backstory, but her personality is a little lacking. It wasn't that she was too nice, she just didn't seem to do much. She realizes she's falling for Max, and thusly does what she can to help him succeed, including trying to avoid anything that would stress him out during the season. She wasn't a pushover, she just had no great motivations. Max saved her life three years ago, but when they re-met in college, neither acknowledged what had happened, creating the question of whether they remembered each other. It took half the book before the author revealed that Sunny did remember. Ultimately it was a supremely underwhelming reveal, that hurt the story. It would've given more foundation to Sunny's initial actions if it would've been acknowledged. It felt like it was drawn out just to give more plot and narration to Sunny in the middle of the story, since she didn't really have anything new happen to her until the end.
M problem with Sunny is really my problem with the entire story. It just ends blandly, and never really captured my attention. The set-up was interesting but fell from then onward. It wasn't a bad novel, it just didn't do much for me.