Maddox
The reason I rarely go home is three simple words: I’m a liar.
When the pressure to marry my childhood sweetheart became too much, I told her I was gay and then fled to New York like my ass was on fire.
Now, five years later and after a drunken encounter, I find myself invited to her wedding. And I have to bring my boyfriend—the boyfriend who doesn’t exist because I’m straight.
At least, I think I am. Meeting the guy I’m bribing to be my boyfriend for the weekend makes me question everything about myself.
Damon
When my sister asks me to pretend to be some straight guy’s boyfriend, my automatic response is to say no. It’s because of guys like him people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m gay.
But Maddox has something I need.
After an injury that cost me my baseball career, I’m trying to leave my playing days behind and focus on being the best sports agent I can be. Forty-eight hours with my sister’s best friend in exchange for a meeting with a possible client. I can do this.
I just wish he wasn’t so hot. Or that he didn’t kiss like he means it.
Wait… why is the straight guy kissing me?
*Fake Out is a full-length MM novel with no cliffhanger.*
Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She doesn’t take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.
With a short attention span that rivals her five-year-old son’s, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.
She’s also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don’t make sense to anyone else.
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Have you ever read a book, put it down, and immediately wanted to start it all over again? That’s how I felt about Fake Out. Now, I had me reservations because Maddox was straight, and sometimes the whole “he/she turned me gay” thing is annoying? I don’t know if that’s the right word. But, I absolutely adored Maddox and Damon, and their relationship, and basically everything about them. Because in the end, you love who you love. That’s all that matters.
I don’t even know where to begin with Maddox. He is super cute, annoying, hot, funny, and basically everything. I’m staking my claim on him. I LOVE HIM. And I love how accepting he is of things. He just lets things roll off of him… except for conflict. He’s not too good at conflict. Which leads him to needing a Fake Boyfriend. Why? Oh you know, he was too chicken to hurt his high school girlfriend, and ended up telling her he was gay to get out of it, and five years later the town still thinks he’s gay. For a supposedly straight guy, he was awfully willing to throw out “I have a boyfriend” REALLY fast.
In comes Damon, who is Maddox’s best friend’s older brother (HEY BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER TROPE MY FAVE) who is a gay sports agent. He plays Maddox’s fake boyfriend for two days, and has to keep reminding himself the Maddy is straight. It’s way too easy to fall for Maddy’s sincerity, his loyalty, his sense of humor, basically everything. And Damon may be a workaholic and studying his butt off, but he’s also fun to be around. He can handle the jokes just as much as Maddox can.
This book isn’t all just fun and games, though, and deals with topics that we don’t always want to face. It deals with bigotry, self acceptance and shame, it deals with coming to terms with who you are and who you love. It forces you to open your eyes more, see the world around you. It makes you think about the situation you’re in, the situations you put others in, and the way you speak. It may be jokes, but you have to remember that not everyone likes the same jokes you do.
Seriously, the more I sit and review this book, the more I want to stop typing, open up my kindle and start reading again. Who cares I have other books to read? Or write reviews for? I need more Maddox and Damon in my life. Like, bone deep need.
Although, if you’re from New Jersey (we Jersey folk always get the short end of the stick), Canada, are vegan, or offended easily, you probably shouldn’t read this book. All in good fun, there’s a lot of jokes in this book that had me laughing so hard I was crying, but also going HEY WAIT WHY. But if you’re like me and can brush off the “YOU’RE A MONSTER” jokes about moving to Jersey (I mean really people, why do you hate Jersey??? We’ve got awesome beaches!!!), then you’ll love this book.
People, my fingers are itching for a re-read and I read it for the first time two days ago. Am I reading this as soon as I hit publish? YOU BETCHA. Am I a complete weirdo? Um, probably. Actually, most definitely.
This was my first Eden Finley novel so you know what that means? GIRL, SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEW STALKER.
Ok, I’m done. Off to re-read. BYE FELICIA.
Cait's Creatures 