I just wish this book was longer!

The writing is just too good; the characters (help!) Ppsst! Their slow burn romance. Damn.

The characters seem so real and their development is amazing for such a short book!

I am surprised with how the fake dating trope turned out so well.

Well, this book has raised the bar. s good level of high and higher.


And author, what's with the characters' names? Trevor and Sebastian! I fell in love with their names before even meeting them.

I am eagerly waiting for the next book by the author!

Thank you, publisher and the author for the advance reading copy.

This book made my weekend so sweet!14 s Skye KilaenAuthor 14 books344

Really sweet M/M romance short story with such a joyful ending. Trevor Ortega has been pining after his former boss Sebastian Greer for literal years. When Trevor is invited to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding, he impulsively asks Sebastian to be his fake date to the event. The reason he needs one is maybe a teensy bit unclear (or maybe there are too many reasons and I felt distracted?) but I legit do not care, because SO MUCH PINING and SO MANY FEELS while Trevor is anticipating/dreading the wedding and I loved everything that happened once they got there, and afterwards as well.

I especially loved that Trevor is bi and his ex-girlfriend is also, and she marries a woman, and that’s all no big deal of any kind.

I hadn’t read any of Kleinn’s work before, but I’m really excited to check out more of it after enjoying this so much. Kleinn is aro and ace, too, and I always love to find more queer authors of queer romance.0-genre-romance12 s Anushka Sierra290 23

Find this and my other at Feminist Quill

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

Something Borrowed is a typical, fluffy, romantic short story with lots of warm feels involved. Maybe a little too typical.

The bad: The characters are neither well defined, nor authentic. In fact, they sound very much a man and woman lifted directly off the pages of the Great Heterosexual Romance Book, from which every book in the romance genre is apparently copied word for word.

It’s the author took two male characters, asked them ???so which of you is the wife and which of you is the husband?” and then wrote them accordingly.

The premise of the story is also quite weak and contrived. Why does Trevor need a date to his ex’s wedding? He claims he’s over her, but he still doesn’t want to go stag. He claims to be jealous of his ex’s wife – less so because she is marrying his ex, and more so because she… beat him to a law review journal spot?

To be fair, carrying around fifteen year old grudges over petty committee politics is a perfectly normal law school thing to do.

Also, why is Trevor feeling guilty about inviting Sebastian just because he has feelings for him? This isn’t manipulation. (We really should lay down some rules about trivializing terms of abuse this.) This is an attempt to create conflict where there is none, and as such, falls decidedly flat.

Trevor’s best friend Cam fares even worse as he’s forcefully shoehorned into the position of the heroine’s “sassy best friend”. Cam is uncritically critical of everything Trevor does. He would have been fired from his position of best friend a long time ago if Trevor weren’t such a wet head.

(Seriously, the dude has the weakest, vaguest personality I’ve ever seen outside of Bella Swan land.)

Sebastian is the manly man, and as such, expresses his feelings in restrained yet gently forceful ways. (If you read romance and YA, you know exactly what I mean.)

The good: The romance, intimacy and erotic scenes are nicely written. The Squee Factor is real and strong and tends to eclipse the faulty premise and lame characters. You don’t care that they’re one-dimensional – you just want these cardboard cut outs to KISS. (Seriously, it’s adorable. Romance books are adorable. This is why I read them.)

Something Borrowed cuts past the tired rationalizations of your conscious brain and overwhelms your subconscious with the power of squee, fluff, and sweet cinammon rolls too precious for the world. A pretty sweet way to while away a few hours in romantic fantasy land.hea meh net-galley- ...more3 s Shawna (endemictoearth)2,073 32

3.5 rounding up - Tho it has a forgettable title and is quite short, the fake date between two legal professionals was kind of a fun trip. They were so sharp and erudite about their profession, but dummies when it came to love. And the wondrous affection near the end was lovely.2021 lgbtqia novella2 s Sara | sara.reads.too.much979 33

I wish there was more! I was hooked!

I wanted more of Trevor and Sebastian! I’m left waning and longing for a longer story so the novella did it’s job! This was probably the shortest romance I’ve read but it was super sweet and enjoyable to just see how things play out.

I would’ve loved to see a full novel with these two but it made sense for their relationship to be a novella. They’re both very straight forward characters and it worked really well with the story so I’m left satisfied!

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for the ears in return for an honest review.1 Nadia464 1 follower

I enjoyed this story. So I’m glad I picked it. It was a short and lovely love story between two former colleagues and now friends. I would have d a longer ending since I felt it was a bit unfinished. Overall, it was a cute short story.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.1 Joyfully Jay8,079 470

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

This has to be one of my favorite fake boyfriend reads. There’s no lying to each other; Sebastian and Trevor are friends and have been for years. Their chemistry is real and honest and you can feel the rapport the two men have built together. Trevor used to be Sebastian’s law clerk and has, during his career as a public defender, done his best to stay in Sebastian’s district. Not just because he’s in love with the man, but because Sebastian is a fair, honest, and brilliant judge and Trevor believes in him and admires him as a judge, as well as a person.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.



elizabeth1 Love Bytes Reviews2,529 37

Reviewed by Taylin

While attending an official charity event, Public Defender Trevor Ortega needs rescuing when cornered by a man enthusiastically talking tax. He is rescued by his ex-box and friend, Judge Sebastian Greer. Later, while enjoying a meal together, Trevor receives a text reminding him to RSVP to a wedding invitation. The text is from his ex, and for various reasons, he does not want to go without a plus-one and needs someone the bride doesn’t know. As a bi man, Trevor doesn’t mind the sexuality of his date, but he has a fav. Sebastian goes with him.

This novella is told in the third person, present tense from Trevor’s viewpoint. While technically sound, the story uses minimal dialogue. Thus, it is more told than shown. I loved the cover of this book; it made a change from the generic naked men. Not that I object to a nice bit of topless imagery, but the lack of skin in favor of something more atmospheric makes it stand out.

The older, tall, dark, and handsome Sebastian is deliciously formal with a twinkle in his eye, which gives him an air of strength, mixed with a touch of the mischievous. In times of emotional turmoil, he is the rock that Trevor needs. And at the wedding, Trevor needs a rock. The small extended cast plays their roles well, especially Cameron, the best friend from whom Trevor can’t hide anything.

The arc is simple in its conception and well-executed. It stays true to the one timeframe, the events leading to it, the consequences, and doesn’t get sidetracked. I’d have d more dialogue, but the way the manuscript is written keeps the reader guessing about Sebastian’s actions as a man of mystery. For its length, the tale conveys a considerable dose of emotion – it details Trevor’s concerns, hopes, dreams, and fears, and it drew me in, making it a delight to read.


Sherry739 12

3.5 stars

What does a single man need when attending his ex’s wedding? A fake boyfriend!

Lawyer Trevor is the single man in question, and he immediately regrets it when he impulsively asks Sebastian—the judge he used to clerk for, now his friend, and, oh yeah, the guy he’s been in love with for years—to go with him. When Sebastian shockingly says yes, Trevor expects to have to pick up the pieces of his heart after one night playing “what if” with Sebastian. Of course, what Trevor’s forgetting is that a date doesn’t involve just one heart.

It’s a common scenario, and it plays out about how you might expect, but it’s really cute. Communication—and the lack of it—is the key to this short romance. Trevor may be an excellent lawyer in the courtroom, but he’s kind of an adorably awkward mess in social situations, and that includes his interactions with Sebastian. Sebastian is older and much more socially adept, but maybe he’s not always wiser, given how the storyline unfolds. When the two of them finally are forced into talking honestly to each other at the wedding, the story becomes extremely sweet before it all wraps up relatively quickly.

Readers who prefer their romances on the longer side might want more, but fans of the fake boyfriend trope who are looking for a quick read should give this one a try.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own. AMHH93 2

This novella offers a world of history and the scaffolding of a heartfelt romance through the lens of a few days and one impulsive decision that sets into motion events that have been building for years. When attorney Trevor asks his former boss and current friend Sebastian to be his fake date to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding, he doesn’t think for a moment that the man he’s been secretly in love with for years will agree— but he does. I love how beautifully the author manages to show the depth of longing and affection Trevor feels for Sebastian (and there are also plenty of telling, but not obvious, cues from Sebastian for the reader to pick up on even as Trevor misses them). The momentum of who they are with each other, and what they mean to each other, picks up with each moment they spend together, and as the wedding progresses, it seems more and more possible, even possible, that they both want exactly the same thing. This novella is built around the little gestures and pauses that speak more than words, and it shows the feelings between the two protagonists long before anyone is brave enough to actually speak them aloud. It’s a beautifully crafted story, with richly detailed characters and exactly the kind of outcome you’d hope for. Well worth a read.

*I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily composed an honest review. Sophie (slovenianbookworm)723 44

I enjoyed this story. It was a nice story between two colleagues who are now friends. It was nicely packed – from the asking to the wedding to them admitting their feelings for each other and sleeping together. I did miss more heat. I do my novellas more heated.

This one seemed it dragged at times. I’m still not sure why Sebastian was even needed for this wedding, Trevor could go alone and for someone who is so over his ex, he sure harbors a lot of feeling for her and her new wife. He is jealous of her which again, for someone over this relationship just doesn’t suit right.

Sebastian is more calculated and reserved toward his actions may be too reserved at times. I would say I would never pick him as a love interest because he never looked at him with stars in his eyes other than the said wedding. Maybe it’s also because this book is completely from Trevor’s POV.

So yeah, I was disappointed. I thought this book will pack heat ad smut and all in between but the main star of this show was the wedding itself and not so much their relationship.

3 stars.

???
Rating: 3 out of 5.
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Full post: https://slovenianbookworm.wordpress.c... JenCW679 7

4.5 Stars!

This novella was my first story by the author, and I was super happy I chose to read it. It's a sweet, slow burn story with just enough background and character development to make it work as a short story.

While I could sympathize with why Trevor wanted a date for his ex's wedding, I did suspect that, most people, he was envisioning the worst case scenario. On the other hand, if he hadn't asked Sebastian, there wouldn't have been a story. LOL. I initially was unsure why Sebastian agreed, but I was happy to see how helpful and supportive he was to Trevor throughout the day. Sebastian was his rock and made sure to be there when Trevor needed him most. I was thrilled when Trevor found out the reason Sebastian agreed to help and it was great to see them open up and admit their feelings for each other.

I have a feeling that this story will end up in my frequently read comfort books list for whenever I need a pickup me up story.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***comfort-read contemporary Poptart19 (the name’s ren)932 6

3 stars

A sweet, cute, sappy fake-dating romance novella with a nice amount of pining before a satisfying ending. I mean *very* sappy, but not annoyingly so.

[What I d:]

•The characters & relationships are nicely developed for a short novella. I both MC’s, Cam, Emma, & even Sloane. The complex history between Emma & Trevor makes a lot of sense. Sebastian & Trevor’s professional/friendly relationship is skillfully drawn, & professes nicely into something else throughout the story.

•The prose is decent, nothing distracting or annoying.

•The settings were nicely described, especially the ambience at the wedding.


[What I didn’t as much:]

•Trevor overhearing a certain conversation seemed a bit too convenient, but I’ll let it pass because the writer made it work & for the length of the story things couldn’t be drawn out too much more.


[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

contemporary-romance queer-literature Becks156

This felt more a lovely premise for a book rather than the complete thing. It was so short that it gave me no time to get to know the characters which meant that I had no investment in their fake relationship dynamic. It's such a shame because I am the ultimate sucker for this trope and really wanted to read a book that had it at the centre.

Both of the characters were sweet and fun, and I could tell this had such potential to be something great. If it were even a couple of hundred pages, it would have given them more room to be multi-dimensional people. There's also a great supporting cast of characters that had a lot of potential. The writing style and dialogue were also things I was totally on board with.

It really is set up to be my perfect kind of thing, I can still feel myself rooting so hard for it. If I'm frustrated, it's because there's so much good here but it just never quite made the leap from short, almost one-shot fanfiction to fully developed story. Rachel448

I received an ARC through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Trevor is out for drinks with his ex-boss, and now friend Sebastian when he notices an email from a past girlfriend asking him if he's going to her wedding. After grumbling to Sebastian about the difficulty to find a date for this event, he blurts out an invitation. Sebastian agrees to be his plus-one.

Trevor's best friend Cam insists this will be trouble. Trevor has been hung up on Sebastian all these years and now they are going to a wedding, and pretending to be dating!? The chance for heartache seems high. And though Trevor agrees with the sentiment, he cannot make himself rescind the invitation.

And so Trevor and Sebastian go to the wedding.

This novella was short but ever so sweet. Yes, I think this as a full length book with extra angst, longing, and love would also be exquisite, but this novella had all these things as well. I look forward to reading more books by this author.2021-read contemporary fiction ...more Shelba2,417 72

Trevor should have already RSVP’d with a plus one, on the hopes of having someone to bring or having already planned to bring a fake date.

Otherwise, you have to either pretend wedding invitations go out shortly before a wedding and not months in advance. And since the wedding was described as extravagent, you would definitely expect invites to go out with of time. Because Trevor & Sebastian didn't discuss what their backstory would be until they were on their way to the wedding. In theory, they would have had months to come up with something.


And fake dating or not, if someone asks how you met your partner and you respond:

“I don’t really to discuss such things. I’m a terrible storyteller.” i>

That's going to be for more suspicions and awkward than if you say that you used to work with them... Especially since a lot of the people are acquaintances who always easy know that the two of you used to work together.2021 mm Chelsea41 2

I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this sweet novella! I love the fake-relationship but both people are actually attracted romance trope, and it's well done here. Trevor needs a date to his ex-girlfriend's wedding. He asks his boss from a previous job, Sebastian, if he will go as a pretend date on a whim and is completely shocked when he agrees. Trevor's best friend believes this will only leave him heartbroken, but Trevor's not willing to pass up the opportunity with Sebastian. The book is written from Trevor's POV, which works well because the story is fairly short. The interactions between the main characters made me smile, and I enjoyed the writing.

Beauregard Francis232 13

An incredibly sweet and tender story about two older men pining after each other for years. The book is short, but I was incredibly invested and charmed by the relationship between the two characters. I would immediately read any other books about them! I appreciated the honesty and openness of the book, between how the characters discuss their relation to each other within their careers and what they expect from each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and Nine Star Press for the free eARC in exchange for my honest review. theo146 7

Free copy of the book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say? I love a sappy romance.

This story really hit all my buttons on the "tropes I love" board and I devoured it all in one sitting. At the end of it, I really hoped the story would have been longer because I'd love to see how the relationship develops but I'm still very happy with this story and how it ended.

If you need a little pick-me-up, this is the story for you! moony ?165 16

Something Borrowed was a quick read, at times funny, and incredibly sweet. It features one of my favorite tropes, the fake-dating one, and treats it in a lovely way. I really needed something this soft for a break. The ending made me wish there was more to further explore Sebastian and Trevor's newborn relationship, but overall I'm very happy with this novel.

Thanks to NineStar Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!contemporary fiction lgbtq-rep ...more Nicole Pinto462

This was a very quick read that had potential to be a good book. Unfortunately the ending cut off rather quickly and left me unsatisfied. Otherwise I thought that the two main characters had great chemistry together. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own. Heather1,036 16

Will this fake date lead to real love? Read this short, sweet story to find out if love is in the cards for Trevor and Sebastian.

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
lgbtqia netgalley romance Ru411 5

I really enjoyed this novella, that captured the combination of sweetness and heightened tension that comes from a classic fake relationship trope. The shorter length allowed a distillation of the relationship into that brief period and left me satisfied and delighted.

A really lovely story Ro3,047 16

While I love the whole fake dating trope, I am not a fan of attending the wedding of your ex. Unless you have remained best friends, why are you there? And if you are over her, why do you need a fake date? Doseofromance185 7

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
A very quick and sweet romance. I would have d to get to know Sebastian a bit better but other than that I really enjoyed it. Griselle Ramirez30 2

I wanted more! I read this in a couple hours and I loved Trevor and Sebastian so much I didn’t want to let them go. If you’ve read a sad lgbtq book recently, this is the one you want to read afterwards (Looking at you Song of Achilles readers). It is however, for adults only, this isn’t a book for young audiences. That being said, it left my heart feeling warm and happy.

Edit: I received this book through NetGalley to read for a fair review. Harri416 42

Trevor is dateless for his ex's wedding. Sebastian is his friend and former boss, and he asks him to accompany him on impulse. There's just one problem: Trevor has been in love with Sebastian for years.

Ok, even just the premise was everything I wanted. I love the fake dating trope, and this was set up in a way that was believable. There is plenty of romantic and sexual tension right from the get go. I really d Trevor straight away, and Sebastian was slightly mysterious and I wanted to know more about him. Also, the tension! I don't want to spoil anything but I really d the way Sebastian's motivations and reasons were written.

In fact, my only complaint about this book is that it was very short, and I wanted to spend more time with Trevor and Sebastian! Even though it was short, I still had time to get to know the characters and really care about them. And the ending was perfect.

Basically, this story is really sweet and cute, and I loved it.2021 netgalley Alex (soulfullyalex)118 14

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press for an eARC of this title.

Oh, how I adored this sweet and short little story. This is where fake dating feels so real and honest. These two professional friends go to a wedding together and pretend to be dating and oh the drama. I adored this. Let’s be honest, these short little stories don’t have a lot of plot or character development, but they are the most comforting and wholesome books I have ever read. This one was no different. It was soft and sweet and just filled me with the warmest feels.

If you fake dating, some pining, and weddings this is the book for you!

Rating: 4/5 Flying Snow102 33

A very engaging and super-cute, quick read.

Yes - the plot is pretty far-fetched. No - the fake boyfriend trope isn't new. Yes - I knew from the outset exactly what was going to happen... But none of this reduced my enjoyment of this very sweet romance, which despite its foregone conclusions kept me turning the pages right up to the end.

The writing style was better than most books of this genre, and the characters were described well - although the length of the book (it's short!) means that you perhaps don't get to know them as deeply as you could in a longer novel. This isn't necessarily a problem, but rather an observation; the story was very enjoyable as it stands, and the length felt appropriate.

Thank you very much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.arc fiction nma ...more lexlooksatbooks166 28

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