Review: Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau

I’m excited to tell you about the new book, Grumpy Fake Boyfriend, by Jackie Lau. Lau also writes under the author Laura Jardine (I reviewed one of her books last year, Tempting Her Neighbor, and enjoyed it). Grumpy Fake Boyfriend is the first book in the Kwan Sisters series but from what I can tell by book one, each book will stand firmly on their own.

Will is a fantasy writer who enjoys his alone time. Like, majorly enjoys it. He doesn’t have a ton of close friends nor does he spend a lot of time socializing, which he is more than fine with. Then he gets a phone call from his closest friend and beta reader who needs a favor. Jeremy’s younger sister, Naomi, is in need of a fake date for a cabin weekend away. She recently broke up with Jordan but he’s going to be attending the weekend too and Naomi doesn’t want to feel like the third wheel stuck between a group of couples. Jeremy pleads with Will to help and well, Will reluctantly agrees. After all, it’s just a fake weekend together then he’s back to his hermit ways.

Except Naomi proves to be smart, eye-catching, funny, and a great person to have fun with. And oh yeah, Will is incredibly attracted to her. It doesn’t help that Naomi also feels the same. She’s tempting Will with a weekend fling. But how can he accept knowing that this is his best friend’s sister? The sister Jeremy specifically warned him away from?

Naomi has crushed on Will for quite awhile, since she met him way back as a teenager. She can’t help if she happened to put a little plan in Jeremy’s ear to try to get Will to help her. She really DOES not want to look like the sad loser with her friends. Will is doing a great job of making them seem like a couple so why can’t they take it further?

Will is afraid that being in a relationship means he will be forced into situations he is uncomfortable and unhappy with, as happened in a previous relationship. Naomi is worried that she is going to lose herself totally into a guy again. She discovered that her time with Jordan had her turning into a yes-woman, agreeing to all his demands. She has a life of her own and she wants to start enjoying it again. BUT she definitely wouldn’t mind getting to know Will better.

This book is mostly set during Naomi and Will’s weekend away so it’s not several weeks of courtship. It’s a quick weekend fling and then Naomi hoping for more. Will does too though he is afraid to actually say it. Naomi is a brave woman and is not afraid to put her feelings out there which I like in a character. But Will’s reticence makes sense too.

The sexy scenes are hot. The weekend away is a lot of fun (bridal party games in particular caused me to laugh) and I enjoyed the groveling at the end. This was a fast and enjoyable story. I also really appreciated how the author chose to end the book. It ended on just the right note for me in regards to this couple and their future together.

Satisfying story!

Grumpy Fake Boyfriend is available May 22 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon and possible other e-tailers though I did not check.

ARC provided by author for review.

Tagged: Jackie Lau