The perfect boyfriend only exists on paper…doesn’t he?

Fresh off the heels of a bad breakup, Chloe Anderson poured her heart into penning the perfect boyfriend—and the result was an off-the-charts debut beach read that resonated with women worldwide. Now, Chloe’s scripted hero is headed for Hollywood, with her book destined to become a major motion picture.

When Chloe gets wind that silver screen bad boy Liam Hamilton has been cast as the ideal-in-every-way hero of her novel, she’s horrified by the film director’s choice. How could a player like Liam possibly do Chloe’s perfect hero justice? Unafraid to speak her mind, Chloe lets her executive producer know she’s one hundred percent opposed to the casting. And oops—the call is on speakerphone, where the annoyingly attractive Hollywood star hears Chloe’s unbridled outrage firsthand.

With Liam’s reputation already on the rocks, his agent concocts a PR plan to upgrade Liam’s image while putting the story—and the film—in the spotlight. The catch? During the movie’s filming in Chloe’s cute hometown of Stillwater, North Carolina, Chloe and Liam will fake a wholesome, committed relationship. Both stand to gain something from the arrangement. Liam’s fans will see him in a new light, while Chloe can boost her struggling social media following and further her writing career. What could possibly go wrong?

4.5 stars

This was my first Denise Hunter book, and I loved it! It wasn’t quite a five-star read for me, but it was very, very close, so I went ahead and rounded up. It’s a clean contemporary romance that doesn’t have any language or spice, which are my preferred stories, so I really appreciated that aspect of it. 

At first, I thought this was just a light, cute, fluffy romance. I was enjoying it, but not totally blown away, but then, it took a turn in the second half of the book, especially in the last quarter of the story, and it went deeper, past trauma surfaced, and strong emotions arose. I was already invested, but the last part of the book really pulled at my heart and made me fall in love with the characters and their story even more. I’m always looking for good character development along with an interesting, entertaining plot. This book hit all of my favorite elements. 

I loved the two main characters, Chloe and Liam, and their romance. They were from two completely different worlds, but when they got together…sparks! There was so much great chemistry between them. The banter was on point, and it got deep with their emotions. There was a level of maturity and emotional intelligence from the couple, which I always prefer in my romances. It wasn’t a surface-level romance. There was depth, authenticity, relatable problems, and miscommunication. I connected with both characters in so many ways. I also enjoyed the scenes where they were each taking care of the other when they got sick, even though it was still new and fresh into their “relationship.” They were already starting to care for each other. It was so endearing and cute. There are so many great scenes of them together!

I think I loved the side characters as much as the main characters. Getting to know Chloe’s family and friends, as well as the other town’s people immersed me more into this sweet story. I loved how they rallied around Chloe, and she had their love and support during this whole ordeal. We were also introduced to some of Liam’s family and friends, which helped his backstory. There were some great messages about letting go, forgiveness, not jumping to conclusions, and communication. 

I also loved the charming Southern town in North Carolina as the setting. It gave small town vibes and felt very cozy. This would be a perfect read for spring, summer, or as a beach read. 

Read if you like:

• (Slightly) Enemies-to-lovers
• Opposites attract
• Movie star/Celebrity romances
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity

Overall, I loved this charming, adorable story. I laughed, teared up a little, and smiled the whole way through it. This is one of those romances that makes you giddy the entire time while reading it! It was such an easy read because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and couldn’t put it down. Now, I want to read everything by Denise Hunter. I can’t wait to get my hands on another one of her books! Highly recommend!!