Not Actually Yours – ARC Book Review

Quick Review:- If you read Amy Lea’s Exs and Ohs, then you will definitely love this book.

Rating:- 4/5

Two weeks and two fake dates with Brock Holt—the infuriating firefighter with a savior complex, tough-guy attitude and a body as hot as his temper. And the last person single-by-choice schoolteacher Nix would ever fall for.

Nix‘s heart is on permanent lockdown after her mom walked out on her, but she needs a date to her cousin’s engagement party. Anything to put an end to the relentless single-shaming. Can she find someone—preferably smokin’—willing to spend Thanksgiving weekend with her meddling family in a tiny seaside town in the middle of nowhere?

Brock got burned falling for the wrong girl. But his potential promotion to captain hinges on him having a date for the annual firefighters’ gala. Can he convince the entire community that his short fuse is a thing of the past, that he’s ready for a serious new role as a fire hall leader?

They’ve agreed: falling in love is not an option. And soon, they’re fooling everyone. Even themselves. When Brock utterly charms Nix’s hard-to-impress aunt over a cozy breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup, and sparks fly at the fire department dance, the alarm bells start to ring…

A swoony, sweet and steamy fake-dating romance that is the perfect comfort read. If you love Laurie Gilmore, Amy Daws and Stephanie Archer, you’ll be charmed by Not Actually Yours.

If you liked reading Amy Lea’s Ex’s and Oh’s then Not Actually Yours might be for you then

Nix doesn’t really believe in love after her mother walked out of their family. She then meets Brock, a grumpy firefighter–they kind of know each other through their mutual friend and Nix who is a teacher had to work with Brock and his team at Fire Eight. Nix’s cousin’s wedding is coming up and Nix wanted to take someone for the wedding as the date and Brock seemed to be a perfect choice. Meanwhile, Brock always make bad decisions when his ex- dumped him. Brock is eying for promotion as a captain and when his captain asks him to go for this gala, he needs to bring a date. Nix and Brock both ask each other out to be their fake dates. But then their chemistry is sizzling that it is possible that they are going to fall in love.

The story is engaging, funny and relaxing. Both Nix and Brock are favorable characters and you do feel that there is a connection between the two. I completely got invested into the story and as a result was rooting for them. Nix has a complicated relationship with her mother and as a result she has trust issues and so does Brock. I like that one is a firefighter and the other is an elementary school teacher and the romance between the two is very interesting.

Overall, this is sort of emotional but fun to read and engaging. Worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.