Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt: Fake Date (Dating #2) by Monica Murphy

Friday, September 20, 2019

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt: Fake Date (Dating #2) by Monica Murphy

Title: Fake Date

Series: Dating #2

Author: Monica Murphy

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Release Date: September 17, 2019

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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Disclaimer: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

I love, love, love the fake dating trope and this one had me glued to the pages! I have read some of this author's other books so I knew that I was in store for something memorable.

As far as fake romance tropes go, the plot for this book started off strangely to me. When a man starts buying you lingerie, the red flags kind of go up in your mind. Usually. Normally. I felt that this part of the plot wasn't the most realistic, but after we get past the "meet-cute" portion of the story the rest kind of falls into place.

Jared is one of those characters that gets under your skin in the worst way. I had a hard time warming up to him if I'm being honest. He was rude and even creepy at times. If it wasn't for the chemistry between the main characters, I don't know if I would have enjoyed this romance as much. I still enjoyed the story, but Jared really did irk me continuously. Luckily, Sarah was the type of girl to put him in his place. She spoke her mind and didn't take any crap from him. Probably why they were so perfect for each other.

The romance was hot. The attraction was so very obvious. I admit that Jared sending Sarah lingerie was a little creepy to me (what non-creep does that?) but once the fake relationship started things moved away from the creeper zone. There is just something about a fake relationship trope that is so tantalizing.

Overall, this is a story that I really enjoyed though I still have some reservations about the male lead character's personality and actions. This story is fun, passionate, and has some great underlying themes. I very much liked this book and I can't wait for the next book in this series!

“Mr. Gaines,” I say, pasting on my best customer smile when he lifts his gaze to mine.
His dark brown eyes flash with an unfamiliar gleam and my breath catches in the back of my throat. “Back so soon, I see.”

“You know I can’t resist you, Miss Harrison.” His smile is slow. Wolfish, if that’s really
a thing. I read it in a romance novel once, thought it was kind of silly, but right now, it’s working for Jared.

His entire demeanor right now reminds me of a predatory creature. His face is all hard lines—stern, straight nose, granite jaw, sharp cheekbones, steely eyes. Yet his mouth, his lips are soft. Full. Lush.

Kissable.

Shaking my head at the wayward thought, I return his smile, trying my best to remain
polite. Professional.

“Is there anything in particular you’re looking for this afternoon?” I’m surprised by how steady my voice is, considering I feel like my insides are sloshing back and forth, like I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

“You don’t have anything pulled aside for my appointment?” He raises a single brow, the expression on his face practically daring me to say no.

Well, guess what? I’m about to say it.

“No, I didn’t pull anything aside.” I shrug when he glares at me. “You never told me the nature of your visit.”

He glances about, making sure no one is around, I’d assume. And lucky for him, there’s no one in the store currently. It’s the middle of the week, early afternoon. We normally don’t get too many customers at this time.

We are the only two people in here. Even Marlo has disappeared.

“Perhaps you can show me some of your newer items,” he suggests.

“I can do that.” All new arrivals are at the front of the store, so we’re in the right spot. I lead him to a table showcasing our latest bra and panty design. “Celestial is the theme for spring into summer.”

I point to the bras made of thin, sheer netting and pink silk, tiny pale pink stars stitched in a scattered pattern across the tulle fabric. They leave nothing to the imagination, and the panties are the same.

“They hide nothing.” He holds up a pair of brief-cut panties, turning them this way and that. Every time he holds underwear in those big hands of his, I melt a little inside. I don’t know why he affects me like this.

“You’re right. They don’t,” I agree, grabbing a thong and flipping it over to the thin
string of lace that makes up the backside. “But they’re terribly sweet.”

“Sweet?”

I glance up to find him watching me. “Sweet yet sexy,” I counter, my cheeks going hot
from the way he’s studying me so carefully.

“You like the celestial theme?”

I nod. Press my lips together so I don’t say something I regret. Like, I love this theme, or Do you want me to model the panties for you?

Yeah. That’s a bad idea.

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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