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It Girls#1
Faking It
Haven't you ever told a little lie in the name of love?
Vivia Grant couldn’t be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she’s led him to believe she’s a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie…
When Vivia’s fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They’ll skip the Ben & Jerry’s binge and go on Vivia’s honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia’s not a big fan of biking. And she’s abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?
Vivia Grant couldn’t be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she’s led him to believe she’s a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie…
When Vivia’s fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They’ll skip the Ben & Jerry’s binge and go on Vivia’s honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia’s not a big fan of biking. And she’s abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2015
About the author
Leah Marie Brown
12books263followersI am an American writer with a penchant for Paris and all things pink!
Before writing novels, I worked as a print journalist for a Pulitzer prize winning newspaper and served in the United States Air Force as a Radio and Television Broadcaster.
An avid traveler, I have had adventures and mishaps from London to Tokyo, which I write about on my blog, On Life, Love & Accidental Adventures, and in my contemporary romantic series, The It Girls.
I was once a collector of truly useless bric-a-brac and cheesy tee-shirts. My cheesiest? A tee with a cartoon Jesus riding a surf board and the words, "And on the eighth day, Jesus went surfing in Greece."
Today, I prefer to gather friendships and memories as travel souvenirs.
I live in the shadow of Pike's Peak Mountain, near Colorado Springs, with my family and shamefully pampered poodles.
In my free time, I like to watch movies, read, and snap photographs. You can view my photography by clicking on the Adventures tab above or by following me on Instagram.
I love to hear from readers, so send me a note! Or connect with me on Pinterest, Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram!
Leah Marie
Before writing novels, I worked as a print journalist for a Pulitzer prize winning newspaper and served in the United States Air Force as a Radio and Television Broadcaster.
An avid traveler, I have had adventures and mishaps from London to Tokyo, which I write about on my blog, On Life, Love & Accidental Adventures, and in my contemporary romantic series, The It Girls.
I was once a collector of truly useless bric-a-brac and cheesy tee-shirts. My cheesiest? A tee with a cartoon Jesus riding a surf board and the words, "And on the eighth day, Jesus went surfing in Greece."
Today, I prefer to gather friendships and memories as travel souvenirs.
I live in the shadow of Pike's Peak Mountain, near Colorado Springs, with my family and shamefully pampered poodles.
In my free time, I like to watch movies, read, and snap photographs. You can view my photography by clicking on the Adventures tab above or by following me on Instagram.
I love to hear from readers, so send me a note! Or connect with me on Pinterest, Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram!
Leah Marie
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 13, 2016
Please regard my rating lightly, because I'm beginning to think Chick-Lit and I just don't mix!
There is nothingwrongwith this book. It's charming and funny and very well-written. I think it's more my preference than anything else, and this just doesn't seem to be a genre I vibe well with.
However, I did enjoy, and I do think many of you Chick-Lit lovers will have a lot of fun with this one!
*Full review to follow*
Edited:Some friends have asked the difference between Chick-Lit and Contemporary Romance, so I figured I'd include some of the research I've found since I've wondered the same a few times:
Chick-Lit according to wiki:
“Chick lit is genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly.[1] The genre became popular in the late 1990s, with chick lit titles topping bestseller lists and the creation of imprints devoted entirely to chick lit.[2] Although it sometimes includes romantic elements, chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because the heroine’s relationship with her family or friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships.”
Contemporary Romance according to wiki:
“Contemporary romance is a subgenre of romance novels, generally with the setting after World War II…As contemporary romance novels have grown to contain more complex plotting and more realistic characters, the line between this subgenre and the genre of women’s fiction has blurred.”
August 7, 2015
**4.5 Hilariously Fun Stars**
*ARC graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
So I officially cannot breathe! I love my Texas, but this place in the spring is a like death trap. I'm miserable and ODing on Zyrtec and Benadryl. So please forgive this gal if this review seems like I'm blabbering! Not even my obsession with books is helping the situation. Those darn flowers!!! So in my distressed state I decided to start Faking It. Not actually "faking it", but the book Faking it! It's one of those moments where I figure why not and to be honest, I went into this blinded and I didn't expect to get much from it. But guess what, it turns out ILOVEDthis book! It was just what I needed.
Vivia Perpetua Grant is going down as one of my favorites heroines!
☆She likes sex very much, but she has a tendency to lie about her virginity.
☆She's funny (I mean I laughed till I literally needed a breathing treatment).
☆Has an obsession with pajamas.
☆Has verbal diarrhea.
☆Has a best friend Fanny who's even more amazing than she is!
I don't want to give much of the story away, but I will say I don't really bother with chick lit, simply because they just aren't enough. But this one! Whoa let me tell you this one was amazing. With all the dark, dirty smut I've been reading this was the perfect book to cleanse my palette! It even made mefeelgood and empowered to trust myself and to simply not be afraid to be myself.
This was a could-not-put-downer. There is a book two, but it's not a cliffhanger, but more of a continuation of Vivia's fun adventures and I can't wait for that book! I enjoyed reading about Vivia, I laughed, I empathized, and I loved the secondary characters (especially her best friend Fanny who so needs her own book!). Give it a try my friends, especially if you like chick lit, I think you'll enjoy it and after I reading this, even though I still can't breathe (bummer) I'm not so miserable anymore...I guess a good book will do that to you.
*ARC graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
So I officially cannot breathe! I love my Texas, but this place in the spring is a like death trap. I'm miserable and ODing on Zyrtec and Benadryl. So please forgive this gal if this review seems like I'm blabbering! Not even my obsession with books is helping the situation. Those darn flowers!!! So in my distressed state I decided to start Faking It. Not actually "faking it", but the book Faking it! It's one of those moments where I figure why not and to be honest, I went into this blinded and I didn't expect to get much from it. But guess what, it turns out ILOVEDthis book! It was just what I needed.
Vivia Perpetua Grant is going down as one of my favorites heroines!
☆She likes sex very much, but she has a tendency to lie about her virginity.
☆She's funny (I mean I laughed till I literally needed a breathing treatment).
☆Has an obsession with pajamas.
☆Has verbal diarrhea.
☆Has a best friend Fanny who's even more amazing than she is!
I don't want to give much of the story away, but I will say I don't really bother with chick lit, simply because they just aren't enough. But this one! Whoa let me tell you this one was amazing. With all the dark, dirty smut I've been reading this was the perfect book to cleanse my palette! It even made mefeelgood and empowered to trust myself and to simply not be afraid to be myself.
This was a could-not-put-downer. There is a book two, but it's not a cliffhanger, but more of a continuation of Vivia's fun adventures and I can't wait for that book! I enjoyed reading about Vivia, I laughed, I empathized, and I loved the secondary characters (especially her best friend Fanny who so needs her own book!). Give it a try my friends, especially if you like chick lit, I think you'll enjoy it and after I reading this, even though I still can't breathe (bummer) I'm not so miserable anymore...I guess a good book will do that to you.
May 11, 2015
A cute, fun book about a girl who is dumped by her fiance after he finds out she lied to him about her virginity.
Viviais crushedbutnot devastated over her new found single status. To not waste the already paid for honeymoon she heads to France with her bestfriend. The two of them end up on bike tour as part of the honeymoon package. The tour cyclist is a sexy French male who piques Vivia's attention.
I normally don't read chick lit but every once in awhile I take a chance on this genre. While readingFaking ItI could imagine how funny this would be as an audiobook. Hearing the inflections in the voices would really bring the humor to life.
If you enjoy chick movies than this book will tickle your funny bone with the comical banter and situations.
SERIES:
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Viviais crushedbutnot devastated over her new found single status. To not waste the already paid for honeymoon she heads to France with her bestfriend. The two of them end up on bike tour as part of the honeymoon package. The tour cyclist is a sexy French male who piques Vivia's attention.
I normally don't read chick lit but every once in awhile I take a chance on this genre. While readingFaking ItI could imagine how funny this would be as an audiobook. Hearing the inflections in the voices would really bring the humor to life.
If you enjoy chick movies than this book will tickle your funny bone with the comical banter and situations.
SERIES:
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
December 14, 2017
I have a small confession. My love of reading may have started when I was a young child but what truly made me a bookworm was Chick Lit. Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood, and Rachel White are some of my all time favorite fictional characters, period, regardless of genre. Over time my tastes evolved and I began reading wider and found myself drawn to darker themes and my love affair with thrillers exploded and now they pretty much dominate my TBR. I still go back to my beloved CL quite often, it’ll always be one of my go to genres when I need a pick me up but it’s been a long time since I read a CL book that reminded me of the books I used to adore. Until now. Faking It had that fabulous, female empowerment vibe coupled with outrageous comedy and a dash of sexy romance that was missing from my reading life!
Vivia has an over the top type of personality that a memorable heroine needs, she’s totally hysterical AND super realistic. Everything about this one was authentic in terms of the characters and especially the dialogue, nothing was choppy or forced, the writing had a natural ease that kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace. This was a little racier than what I usually read, the sex scenes where steamy, R rated but not raunchy and relevant to the plot, which added a fun sass. I’m excited this is the first in a series, I’ll be reading the next book ASAP as I seriously can’t get enough of Vivia!
Vivia has an over the top type of personality that a memorable heroine needs, she’s totally hysterical AND super realistic. Everything about this one was authentic in terms of the characters and especially the dialogue, nothing was choppy or forced, the writing had a natural ease that kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace. This was a little racier than what I usually read, the sex scenes where steamy, R rated but not raunchy and relevant to the plot, which added a fun sass. I’m excited this is the first in a series, I’ll be reading the next book ASAP as I seriously can’t get enough of Vivia!
May 31, 2016
After reading the blurb I knew it's a book I'd enjoy and I was not wrong, it was a fantastic read! I also love the cover, it looks very pretty.
The story follows Vivia, who is being dumped by her fiancé after her little secret came out. What made it even worse-he ended their engagement via a text message! Vivia is heartbroken, but her friend doesn't let her cry over it at home and they head to Vivia's honeymoon trip, which takes them to France.
Inconsiderately Vivia's fiancé had booked them a bike trip in France. It could have been a disaster, because Vivia isn't a big fan of cycling, but life had other plans and the trip took totally another turn. Her life takes a way better turn, when she meets Luc. Luc is a very handsome and considerate French man, who wouldn't leave anyone indifferent. The journey in France is very enjoyable, filled with good emotions and sweet moments,a lot thanks to the handsome French guy.
I really enjoyed this book, I can't wait to read the next book to be reconnected with Vivia and Luc.
The story follows Vivia, who is being dumped by her fiancé after her little secret came out. What made it even worse-he ended their engagement via a text message! Vivia is heartbroken, but her friend doesn't let her cry over it at home and they head to Vivia's honeymoon trip, which takes them to France.
Inconsiderately Vivia's fiancé had booked them a bike trip in France. It could have been a disaster, because Vivia isn't a big fan of cycling, but life had other plans and the trip took totally another turn. Her life takes a way better turn, when she meets Luc. Luc is a very handsome and considerate French man, who wouldn't leave anyone indifferent. The journey in France is very enjoyable, filled with good emotions and sweet moments,a lot thanks to the handsome French guy.
I really enjoyed this book, I can't wait to read the next book to be reconnected with Vivia and Luc.
May 6, 2015
Review also found athttp://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
4.5 stars
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher Kensington via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is May 12 2015**
I was a little hesitant starting this book as while the synopsis sounded interesting I didn't think there would be any standout moments in the book. I was wrong! This book was hilarious and I actually wished it was longer!
What makes this story stand out from other romances or "discovering yourself journeys" is how humour is used throughout the book. It creates something different than what is out there in the market and in my opinion makes it better.
I do not want to discuss the plot but I will list the areas that had me laughing and made this book stand out for me.
1. Vivia's mom: Her worries about Vivia's virtue and her crazy texts. Everyone knows what it is like to have a mom who is not exactly in tune with the times and this was clearly evident with her texts. Vivia's sarcastic responses added some additional humour
2. The Texas stud: Seriously what was his story with his texts to Vivia? A boy from the past that pops up out of nowhere. Although a little random to the story (after the beginning) it still added humour
The lost luggage (and fallout)
3.The Italian Stallion: This is where I seriously think I cried I was laughing so hard. The language barrier and subsequent misinterpretation of phrases was downright hilarious.
I could go on and one. I seriously have not enjoyed a book like I did this one in a while. I certainly have not smiled and laughed like I did with this one. It was refreshing for me to read a book that doesn't take itself quite so seriously and the end result was worth it. If Brown's sense of humour is like this all of the time I would love to have a drink with her, or better yet travel with her since her bio says she loves to travel. I am sure some great laughs would result.
To summarize I feel this book stands out in it's genres. I say pick it up and discover it for yourself. On Goodreads it suggests there may be a second book at some point however I couldn't find any details. I certainly hope there is.
4.5 stars
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher Kensington via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is May 12 2015**
I was a little hesitant starting this book as while the synopsis sounded interesting I didn't think there would be any standout moments in the book. I was wrong! This book was hilarious and I actually wished it was longer!
What makes this story stand out from other romances or "discovering yourself journeys" is how humour is used throughout the book. It creates something different than what is out there in the market and in my opinion makes it better.
I do not want to discuss the plot but I will list the areas that had me laughing and made this book stand out for me.
1. Vivia's mom: Her worries about Vivia's virtue and her crazy texts. Everyone knows what it is like to have a mom who is not exactly in tune with the times and this was clearly evident with her texts. Vivia's sarcastic responses added some additional humour
2. The Texas stud: Seriously what was his story with his texts to Vivia? A boy from the past that pops up out of nowhere. Although a little random to the story (after the beginning) it still added humour
The lost luggage (and fallout)
3.The Italian Stallion: This is where I seriously think I cried I was laughing so hard. The language barrier and subsequent misinterpretation of phrases was downright hilarious.
I could go on and one. I seriously have not enjoyed a book like I did this one in a while. I certainly have not smiled and laughed like I did with this one. It was refreshing for me to read a book that doesn't take itself quite so seriously and the end result was worth it. If Brown's sense of humour is like this all of the time I would love to have a drink with her, or better yet travel with her since her bio says she loves to travel. I am sure some great laughs would result.
To summarize I feel this book stands out in it's genres. I say pick it up and discover it for yourself. On Goodreads it suggests there may be a second book at some point however I couldn't find any details. I certainly hope there is.
April 28, 2015
This was by far one of my top favorite books! I at first was a bit hesitant to read it because it seemed a bit cheesy but boy was I wrong. Now I just wish I could give it a hundred stars, it was just that good!
The book starts off with Vivia being dumped a few days before her wedding day and she is absolutely devastated, but to make matters worse her ex-fiance has her fired from her job. Now she is fiance-less, jobless, homeless, and super depressed. In comes her super hysterical and blunt best friend, Fanny who kicks Vivia into gear and talks her into taking her biking honeymoon. They then come up with the brilliant idea of posting daily pictures of Vivia with her engagement ring while on the trip and the daily posts end up being a huge hit and go viral (#HoneymooningSolo). While on her biking adventures she falls for the "Adonis" bike tour guide, Luc, and she finds herself realizing she never was really being honest with herself before. She was constantly thinking, "what would people think if I did this?" and she truly wasn't happy. Luc and Fanny are amazing characters because they help Vivia realize just how amazing she truly is and that you don't need to hide who you really are to make others happy. I absolutely loved this book because the story was amazing, the romance between Luc and Vivia was amazing, Fanny was just hysterical, and I found myself laughing out loud so much while reading this book! I highly recommend everyone read this book because not only is it a great story but it gets you thinking about who you really are.
Some of my favorite quotes (and these are just a few of them):
"Live openly. Be bold, Vivia, and make no excuse for who you are. And if all else fails, get drunk. Get really, really drunk." - Jett
"Veni, vidi, vici. That was easy for Julius Caesar to say; he crossed Italy in a chariot, not on a stupid bike." - Vivia
** Arc provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley for review **
The book starts off with Vivia being dumped a few days before her wedding day and she is absolutely devastated, but to make matters worse her ex-fiance has her fired from her job. Now she is fiance-less, jobless, homeless, and super depressed. In comes her super hysterical and blunt best friend, Fanny who kicks Vivia into gear and talks her into taking her biking honeymoon. They then come up with the brilliant idea of posting daily pictures of Vivia with her engagement ring while on the trip and the daily posts end up being a huge hit and go viral (#HoneymooningSolo). While on her biking adventures she falls for the "Adonis" bike tour guide, Luc, and she finds herself realizing she never was really being honest with herself before. She was constantly thinking, "what would people think if I did this?" and she truly wasn't happy. Luc and Fanny are amazing characters because they help Vivia realize just how amazing she truly is and that you don't need to hide who you really are to make others happy. I absolutely loved this book because the story was amazing, the romance between Luc and Vivia was amazing, Fanny was just hysterical, and I found myself laughing out loud so much while reading this book! I highly recommend everyone read this book because not only is it a great story but it gets you thinking about who you really are.
Some of my favorite quotes (and these are just a few of them):
"Live openly. Be bold, Vivia, and make no excuse for who you are. And if all else fails, get drunk. Get really, really drunk." - Jett
"Veni, vidi, vici. That was easy for Julius Caesar to say; he crossed Italy in a chariot, not on a stupid bike." - Vivia
** Arc provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley for review **
August 16, 2015
Easy, silly read! Totally enjoyed it, needed something light and airy and this was it! Looking forward to and hoping for an It Girls #2!
May 8, 2015
I love books set in far flung places, and if said far flung place happens to be France, then I’m totally there. One look at the gorgeous cover of Faking It by Leah Marie Brown, and I knew I had to read it!
Vivia Perpetua Grant has serious relationship hang ups, most of which seem to stem from being named after a saint. She feels compelled to appear virginal even when, well, she’s not. Her soon to be husband believes this to be case, and when a chance encounter with a past one night stand days before her pending nuptials causes her fiance to call it all off, she decided on a whim to take the planned honeymoon anyway. I mean, it is France, so why wouldn’t you?? With her best friend Fanny in tow determined to shake her friend out of the post break up blues, they embark on a riding holiday like no ever.
As they begin to make their introductions, and it becomes increasingly awkward to explain where Vivia’s new husband has got to;
“La! Look at this tragic woman, discarded by her lover, and now destined to a loveless life with only a herd of cats to keep her company”
Initially feeling a bit sorry for herself, Vivia, with the help of Fanny, starts to question whether Nathan was actually as good a fit as she...read the rest of this review athttp://www.atnumber11.com/2015/05/boo...
Vivia Perpetua Grant has serious relationship hang ups, most of which seem to stem from being named after a saint. She feels compelled to appear virginal even when, well, she’s not. Her soon to be husband believes this to be case, and when a chance encounter with a past one night stand days before her pending nuptials causes her fiance to call it all off, she decided on a whim to take the planned honeymoon anyway. I mean, it is France, so why wouldn’t you?? With her best friend Fanny in tow determined to shake her friend out of the post break up blues, they embark on a riding holiday like no ever.
As they begin to make their introductions, and it becomes increasingly awkward to explain where Vivia’s new husband has got to;
“La! Look at this tragic woman, discarded by her lover, and now destined to a loveless life with only a herd of cats to keep her company”
Initially feeling a bit sorry for herself, Vivia, with the help of Fanny, starts to question whether Nathan was actually as good a fit as she...read the rest of this review athttp://www.atnumber11.com/2015/05/boo...
August 5, 2015
Faking It is a journey of self-discovery. I was blown away by the in-depth portrayal with deep meaning in today’s society. It is one women’s testimony to the idea of getting real, not just with one’s self but with the ones around them. It takes a crack at the reality of the fake lives many live on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and every social media outlet and forces the reader to ask themselves "who am I?". Vivia took the idea of making lemonade when life becomes a lemon to a whole new level. There are times I wanted to shake her for her persona fetish and others I had to take a moment to get real with myself. The romance and adventure is on every page. Ecrit fabuleux, Ms. Brown! I highly recommend this outstanding work of art a true testament to modern relationships!
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Shelved as 'amazon-kobo-netgalley-freebie'
April 24, 2015** Arc provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley for review **
June 6, 2015
Faking It ~Leah Marie Brown
A Fun Book to Read Before it Hits the Theater (Are you reading PRODUCERS?),
This review is from: Faking It (Paperback) Having read other writings of Leah Marie Brown I knew some of what to expect... entertaining plots with well-drawn characters that a reader can care about... but Brown far surpassed my expectations with "Faking It", her first novel in the "IT Girl" series. This is not my usual genre so to keep me interested, and amused, is no easy task. While this is definitely an excellent vacation choice as it's a fast, fun read, it's not just a fluff piece without substance.
Vivia Grant is saucy. Vivia Grant is salty. Vivia Grant is lively... Vivia Grant, free-spirit, is not everyone's cup of tea as the beginning basis of the story lies in a rather large omission (lie) that Vivia failed to tell her future husband. As the Wedding Day nears, the bell tolls but not so happily for Vivia as her past indiscretion catches up with her. Exit fiancé, Enter best friend Fanny. To say Fanny is competitive would be an understatement but she has just the kind of kick butt, take no prisoners mentality, that Vivia needs after her traumatic cancelled engagement. Fanny convinces Vivia to take those honeymoon reservations to France and use them for herself, so off the pair, Vivia and Fanny, go for quite an audacious adventure. Will Paris, with her delightful sights and sounds, be just what Vivia needs to heal and reinvent herself?
The narration is funny and bounces along jauntily. That's not to say that Faking It doesn't offer any pause for deeper reasoning as many questions were raised in my mind. Should a woman have sex before marriage? Is it okay to keep some things about your past private? Will Vivia seek men that aren't condescending, or continue to be afraid of her bold strokes of life that are her past, and own them? Will Vivia become, in her hilarious way, an empowered female?
Entertaining Vivia will feel just right in your hands on that trip across the big ocean as she whizzes the reader along on her transforming journey. Vivia's exciting escapades would shine on film so I hope to see this book made into next year's theater hit.
July 22, 2015
I’m going to be really honest with you, I requested Faking It from NetGalley based entirely on the book’s cover. I’d never read anything by Leah Marie Brown before and on the cover was a picture of the Eiffel Tower and since I am a bit of a Francophile I decided that I wanted to read it. This is one of those serendipitous moments in the life of a book lover because damn this book was really good.
Faking It was a quick light-hearted read that constantly left me with that feel good feeling. It follows the adventures of Vivia who has recently been dumped by her fiancé, Nathan. To get over Nathan she decided (well is encouraged by her best friend Fanny) to go on the honeymoon to France. Vivia had many expectations of her trip to Europe but none of those expectations included falling for fit cyclist Luc, learning things about herself and having a life epiphany.
In hero Luc, Brown has created the most fanciable male in a story that I have read in a long time; I send Leah Marie Brown many a kudos for sending him into my life.
If I’m honest there was one small thing that did bother me about the book. I felt that there was an awful lot of product placement that was unnecessary. This didn’t bother me enough not to read the story and it really is just a personal preference. I would still implore people to pick up Faking It because it is a really entertaining read that is damn good fun. Vive le livre!
Faking It by Leah Marie Brown is available now.
Follow Leah Marie Brown (@leahmariebrown) on Twitter.
Faking It was a quick light-hearted read that constantly left me with that feel good feeling. It follows the adventures of Vivia who has recently been dumped by her fiancé, Nathan. To get over Nathan she decided (well is encouraged by her best friend Fanny) to go on the honeymoon to France. Vivia had many expectations of her trip to Europe but none of those expectations included falling for fit cyclist Luc, learning things about herself and having a life epiphany.
In hero Luc, Brown has created the most fanciable male in a story that I have read in a long time; I send Leah Marie Brown many a kudos for sending him into my life.
If I’m honest there was one small thing that did bother me about the book. I felt that there was an awful lot of product placement that was unnecessary. This didn’t bother me enough not to read the story and it really is just a personal preference. I would still implore people to pick up Faking It because it is a really entertaining read that is damn good fun. Vive le livre!
Faking It by Leah Marie Brown is available now.
Follow Leah Marie Brown (@leahmariebrown) on Twitter.
June 17, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! It was "pee your pants" funny! Great character development and some awesome one liners - especially from the French bestie.
I loved Leah's writing style and her amazing ability to make me visualize the settings for the book. Only down side was I now can not stop dreaming of traveling to France and Italy sans husband and kids to flirt with cute men!! A girl can dream!
I highly recommend the book - great light read for the summer!
I loved Leah's writing style and her amazing ability to make me visualize the settings for the book. Only down side was I now can not stop dreaming of traveling to France and Italy sans husband and kids to flirt with cute men!! A girl can dream!
I highly recommend the book - great light read for the summer!
May 21, 2015
Such a fun book to read!
March 13, 2017
Mostly predictable light chick lit read about a jilted almost at the altar girl. Can she stop pretending to live a life that isn't true to herself to move on? Into her mid-twenties she should be able ready to stop living her life to please everyone else.
March 4, 2016
LOVED it! Great laugh out loud fun! Looking forward to more books in the It Girls series. ★★★★★
It's been a little over a month since I read this book and it still amuses me to think back to it. I loved our main character, Vivia. Whenever I shared this book to others they also laughed out loud about how she felt the need to lie about her sexual history and the basic storyline I described to them. I would LOVE to see this book translated into a movie! It's really easy to visualize the situations Vivia gets herself into. I like how she grows throughout the novel. I like her best friend and all of the other characters we meet throughout the novel.
Feel free to pick up and read this novel for a nice fun, laugh out loud retreat. It will be over far too soon, as you might have read the entire book in one sitting, but you will have enjoyed the ride.
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend or a stranger (and have)! I plan on reading the next novel in this series and hope it's just as laugh out loud funny as this first book was.
I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.
It's been a little over a month since I read this book and it still amuses me to think back to it. I loved our main character, Vivia. Whenever I shared this book to others they also laughed out loud about how she felt the need to lie about her sexual history and the basic storyline I described to them. I would LOVE to see this book translated into a movie! It's really easy to visualize the situations Vivia gets herself into. I like how she grows throughout the novel. I like her best friend and all of the other characters we meet throughout the novel.
Feel free to pick up and read this novel for a nice fun, laugh out loud retreat. It will be over far too soon, as you might have read the entire book in one sitting, but you will have enjoyed the ride.
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend or a stranger (and have)! I plan on reading the next novel in this series and hope it's just as laugh out loud funny as this first book was.
I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.
May 14, 2015
I absolutely LOVED "Faking It" by Leah Marie Brown!!!! This is one of the funniest novels I have read in a long time and it literally had me laughing out loud! Some of the quotes are just brilliant and worth jotting down for future use, that is for sure! many of the pop culture reference are down right hilarious. I especially loved the relationship between Vivia and her best friend Fanny (who definitely needs her own story!), and how different, yet so complementary, their personalities are. This is a great story that really shows the meaning of finding oneself, sometimes thanks to the most unexpected circumstances, in the most unexpected places. This truly is a great read that should definitely be on your "must-read" list!
May 12, 2015
Loved It!
This was a great book; this is the first book in the It Girls series by Leah Marie Brown. Vivia Grant’s fiancé dumps her when he finds out that she has been lying to him about her virginity. Her best friend talks her into them going on the honeymoon together since it is already paid for. So they head off to Tuscany for an adventure. Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down. If you are looking for a great chic lit, with some very funny, laugh out loud moments then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
This was a great book; this is the first book in the It Girls series by Leah Marie Brown. Vivia Grant’s fiancé dumps her when he finds out that she has been lying to him about her virginity. Her best friend talks her into them going on the honeymoon together since it is already paid for. So they head off to Tuscany for an adventure. Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down. If you are looking for a great chic lit, with some very funny, laugh out loud moments then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
May 30, 2015
Well, I really enjoyed this one. I didn't like the idea that she lies about her virginity being the basis of the book, but it turned out done in a fairly tasteful way. Vivian lies and then gets caught which causes her engagement to get canceled. Then we follow her and her best friend as they take her honeymoon through France and Italy. The situations she gets herself into are just funny. And Jean Luc, well where can I find a guy like that. Overall a cute, fun book!
**I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a review**
**I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a review**
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April 14, 2015This was a very cute book. Vivia had to grow on me a bit, but once she did I really liked her. However I liked her bff, Fanny, from the get go. I think everyone needs a Fanny in their life.
Honestly, there were a few parts of this story that were very far-fetched but overall it works very well and has good flow. It's a very fun, lovely read and I think it would be perfect for a beach or pool side read this summer. Also, I adore this cover.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a review however all opinions are my own.
Honestly, there were a few parts of this story that were very far-fetched but overall it works very well and has good flow. It's a very fun, lovely read and I think it would be perfect for a beach or pool side read this summer. Also, I adore this cover.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a review however all opinions are my own.
June 28, 2017
Really enjoyed this book. Vivia is a hoot! Men suck! Following Vivia and Frannie on the Honeymoon that should have been was warm and wonderful. I absolutely identified with Vivia in her dislike of some things, but determination to finish no matter what. She is spunky, strong, hilarious and completely likeable. Getting Grady to read the next book in the series. Leah Mari Brown has a new fan in me!
June 18, 2015
Wedding called off. Honeymoon with your French bestie anyway. Yes please! What a fun Summer read.....love, lust, friendship, heartache and hilarity....it's all there! This book has great characters and a wonderful backdrop of France and Italy. Faking It has some classic one liners and makes you anxious for the next two in the It Girl series!
August 21, 2015
This is a light and fun read about a jilted bride coming into her own and what better way to do it than on her would be honeymoon in the South of France with her BFF?! Funny and sexy. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 5 solid stars!!!!
April 8, 2015
Great book! I was LOL a lot while reading it. Can't wait to see more books in this series.
April 30, 2015
A fun read!
February 4, 2016
A little cheesy in some parts but so honest, relate able and hilarious! Can't wait to read the next one!
September 28, 2016
LOVE THIS book!!! Funny!!! If you like Bridget Jones you will love this book!!
August 3, 2021
This was just okay for me. I wanted more of the travel/France/Italy parts, which there just wasn’t much of! But this was a nice light-hearted little rom-com.
September 1, 2016
"I don't know." I rub the grit and old mascara from my eyes. "I might have spent the night having crazy-hot monkey sex with a virtual stranger, but that doesn't mean I've shrugged off the burden of expectation placed on my shoulders by my saintly name."
[Hysterical laughter]
Holeeeeeeee shit… what thehelldid I just finish reading?!
This is what I get for impulse buying an ebook out of the Google Books' dollar bin based off a pretty-looking cover.
Faking Itis the story of a girl who goes on a big, life-altering adventure through the south of France at the impetus of her best friend in order to re-discover herself after being more or less dumped at the alter by her fiancé after he discovered that she had lied about her sexual history. And it's all the fault of her mother for the name she gave her... somehow.
Oh, and she lied about a whole lot of other things as well apparently, but let's start with the name thing.
I'm Vivia Perpetua Grant. I know what you're thinking. What in the hell sort of name is Vivia Perpetua?
You know a book is going to be promising when it spends the entire opening chapter explaining the origins of her ridiculously propped up name, right?
I'm not even kidding. She spends the first chapter talking about how she was named after a saint of chastity and virtue or something and somehow it has compelled her to live up to such lofty, medieval expectations by lying about her sexual history to people and when she was finally caught, it's all her mother's fault.
Right.
I've lurked the bowels of r/relationships on reddit enough to know that yes, lying about your sexual history can be a deal-breaker for some people. Because it often isn't the only lie in the relationship. And as we later found out, it wasn't! But we're apparently supposed to view her ex-fiancé as some douchelord because you know, it's all his fault Vivia wasn't able to be her beautiful, vivacious self around him because he's a cold, emotionless snob. Who also broke up with her without letting her explain, left her homeless and then fired her from her dream job! What an ass! Right?
So heartbroken, homeless, jobless and nearly broke, Vivia let's her best friend Fanny convince her to go on her honeymoon (on her ex's dime) bicycling through south France and Tuscany. Where after moaning and groaning about how she's going to die alone and a spinster (really?) without her wonderful ex in her life for half the book, suddenly she flips a switch and falls in love.
As it turns out, her dream man of an ex-fiancé perhaps wasn't so much of a perfect match after all given how utterly and ridiculously quickly she seemed to get over him for another, much handsomer man. Sure.
And then there's the cracked up adventures in Cannes involving a imitation Johnny Depp and Paris Hilton.
*faceplants*
Okay, I get it; it's chick lit. It's not meant to be true to reality, romantically or otherwise, even though the author implied that the story is 'based on real adventures.' It's supposed to be wild, voyeuristic, mindless and fun.
If that's what you want, that's fine andFaking Itis all those things. The writing style is easy to consume, light-hearted but shallow, which makes the pacing of the book quicker than Vivia's own ability to ride a bike. The story drops enough pop culture references both popular and nerdy to make almost any person squeal when they recognize it. And the sexy bits are as hot as they are unrealistic.
I could have done without the random French word every second sentence (which became very tiresome and annoying because people don't talk like that!). And the main character was annoying. And infuriating. Who's decision-making was about as logical as an anti-vaxxer's. And constantly bemoans her sexuality as ifthat's why her ex dumped her!*lesigh*
I couldn't tell you why, but I still managed to come out the other end mildly entertained. Enough that I gave it two stars, if only because it didn't create the same level of rage, boredom or annoyance that my one star books have left me with.
And yet, it should have annoyed me.
Perhaps somehow, it was ultimately so bad, that it was good. Does it make it redeemable? Depends on who you talk to. But I wouldn't recommend this book anywhere.
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