Faking it with the Grump

About the Book:

Title: Faking it with the Grump
Series: Second Chance Cafe #1
Author: Kate O’Keefe
Release Date: March 14th, 2023
Genre: Romantic Comedy

He’s grumpy, boring, and thinks it’s okay to wear a suit and tie to a small town bar full of lumberjacks. But when I kiss him? Let’s just say I wasn’t expecting THAT.


Harper
It’s one thing to be dumped by the huge Hollywood star you thought you were going to marry. It’s quite another to move back to the small town you’re both from.

As a booby prize for being shown the door by Dex Ryder, everyone is trying to set me up with their son, their nephew, or their long-lost cousin’s gardener. Either that or they’re throwing me pitying looks that say, “You’re a big loser.”

I’m not going to put up with their patronizing sympathy anymore.

So, when I spot new-guy-in-town Christopher Young, I set out to make him mine. Or you know, pretend to make him mine. I’m still in a horrible funk over Dex, and Christopher is an uptight grump. Not exactly my type.

The fact that despite appearances, he’s gorgeous and doing weird things to my blood pressure doesn’t mean a thing.

Really.

Not. A. Thing.


Christopher
Hunter’s Creek, population next to nothing, is the reason I work all the time. I’m solely focused on buying the town’s lumber mill so I can go back to NYC and get my big promotion. This small town is a means to an end. Nothing more.

That is until the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen superglues her lips to mine in an unexpected and very public way. She’s not the kind of woman I usually go for with her boho dress and ankle boots, but that kiss…

I’m disappointed when she comes up for air and tells me it’s all for show. But if Harper Cole wants me to be her fake boyfriend while I’m here in town, who am I to turn her down? Being attached to a local might ingratiate me to the townsfolk and make my job that much the easier.

After all, dating Harper can only be make believe. Not when my entire future is at stake.

Book Review:

This was a fun and sweet read! Rom-coms are always enjoyable to read because they are generally light with some seriousness sprinkled in between. Faking it with the Grump is the first book in Kate O’Keefe’s new series, Second Chance Cafe. 

Harper and Christopher were such fun characters. They really complemented each other. I really liked seeing the growth of the characters. Harper learned from mistakes and really stood up for herself. I loved how Christopter pushed her to be better. Christopher was sweet and I loved how Harper helped him loosen up. 

The romance was sweet and fun to read. It did feel a little fast, but I think there were some time skips so it fit. I wanted to see how Christopher and Harpher were going to end up together even with everything pulling them apart. The side characters were fun, the small town charm is always a wonderful addition. I am excited for the next book. 

Faking it with the Grump is a great start to a new series. It is a clean romantic comedy set in a small town. 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.