Publisher: Alcove Press,  August 15, 2023

Format: ebook

Pages: 285

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary (Goodreads):

Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty.

Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent.

The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she’ll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she’s telling herself: that she’s not falling in love with Cade.

My Review:

Read if you like: brother’s best friend, fake dating.
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Isla’s life is falling apart. She is kicked out of her apartment and she hates her job. She starts house-sitting for some extra cash. She also reconnects with Cade, her brother’s best friend. They start fake dating, which brings up some feelings between the two.
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Overall, I liked the book but didn’t love it. The tension between Isla and Cade was well done but Isla did a lot of questionable things and I struggled with the development of her character.
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Thank you Alcove Press for the copy of this book.