Day 20 — Libby Bennet Fakes a Husband by Ranee S. Clark

Daily Recommendation · No. 020

★★★☆☆ 3/5 stars

Closed door / No spice

fake datingsmall townsports romancegrumpy sunshine

Sometimes a premise lands perfectly for one reader and just sort of floats past another, and that is exactly what happened with me and this one.

Libby Bennet needs a convincing fake husband, and Jordan Hayes, a hockey team owner with zero enthusiasm for the role, ends up being her unlikely candidate. What unfolds is a slow slide from reluctant arrangement into something neither of them saw coming, all set against a backdrop of small town warmth and a full, lively cast of Bennett sisters who make the world feel genuinely cozy and lived in.

The setup here is a lot of fun, and I want to be upfront that I think my three stars say more about my personal taste than about the book itself. The banter between Libby and Jordan has real spark, and the hockey world is woven in naturally rather than feeling like a costume the story is wearing. If you love when two tropes you already adore get combined into one package, this delivers on that promise.

What held me back was mostly a feeling that the emotional connection between the leads took a little longer to land for me than I wanted it to. I kept waiting for the moment where I felt fully invested in them as a couple, and it arrived later than I hoped. That said, I have seen this book genuinely delight readers who are devoted fans of fake dating and sports romance, and I think for the right reader it could easily be a four or five star read. Know your own trope heart, and if these two are at the top of your list, Libby and Jordan might be exactly the pair you have been waiting for.

Not a 5-star read for me, but a rating is just one reader's experience. If the tropes above are your thing, this could be exactly what you're looking for. I'd rather share it than gatekeep it.

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