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A review by katiedermody
The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer
Okay I LOVED this one! The first one was really good but this was the one that I knew I wanted to read for sure because it has my favorite tropes: irritated to lovers (aka where he annoys the hell out of her and she thinks he's an ass but then they spend time together and it turns out he's so gone for her) and fake dating! We met Rory in book two, former friend of Jamie's who played for an opposing team but then got traded before this book starts. He's cocky, seemingly a playboy, a jerk, hurt her friend in high school, and annoys her to no end, but when Hazel's ex also gets traded to the team she tells him she and Rory are together. He agrees to the scheme and it was so great watching it unfold as she started to see the real him and help him see the good in himself. Their banter was so great, the spicy scenes were excellent (playful and sexy), and the mutual pining in both POVs was so sweet. They both deal with family issues (his mom left as a kid cuz his dad was also a pro player and obsessive with Rory's game, and Hazel is trying to start an inclusive yoga studio and trying to help her mom stop talking so negatively about her body, etc.), but we also get to see Pippa and Jamie a lot, and get to know the guys on the team a little more, and I'm looking forward to Hayden and Darcy's story next!