Faking It by Cora Carmack | Book Review

TITLE: Faking It
AUTHOR: Cora Carmack
PUBLISHER/YEAR: William Morrow & Co. / June 4, 2013
SERIES: Book Two, The Losing It Series
SOURCE: Purchased

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Romance novels are so addictive. If I'm in the right mood I can pretty much pick one up and not put it down again until I've flipped the last page. I mean as long as they're well written and don't make me gag. Cora Carmack's Finding It is one of those ones that I just couldn't put down. Finding It is a continuation of of the Losing It series, following Bliss' former best friend, Cade as he moves on in a new city. Carmack has this ability to combine humour and real life awkwardness with romance story worthy swoons which really sets her books apart for me. Basically, I love every minute of them.

Faking It is Cade's story, after being rejected by Bliss he goes into a bit of a funk, goes to grad school, but doesn't really move on. The love interest in this one is Max, she's a rock singer who works in a club and tattoo parlour to pay the bills. She's dating some tattooed drummer named Mace, but when her parents visit unexpectedly she needs to find a suitable boyfriend stand in, somebody who won't scare them off. Enter Cade. These two need to fake the relationship, but when it goes a little too well have to continue it through the holiday season. Of course, feelings develop and problems arise, isn't that where the fun is?

You guys, I really love books that include some awkward fun in with the sexy times. That has got to be one of my favourite things about reading a Carmack novel. She writes enough of real life into her books to make them semi-believable without losing the romance novel veneer. It's like the perfect blend of fantasy and reality. I was a little hesitant to read Faking It if only because I couldn't see how it could ever live up to Losing It, also partly maybe because it takes place after university and makes me mourn for my own university days. Totally normal reaction no? Of course, I devoured the book in like a day so I must not have been too hesitant. I wasn't a huge fan of Cade in Losing It because you know what I can't stand? The "Nice Guy." The "Nice Guy" isn't a genuinely nice guy, he's the best friend who always wants more and is convinced every other guy the girl sees is a jerk. He doesn't really want friendship, but is just angling for something more. That's not genuine and it's not nice. So Cade and I, well we're still on the fence.

Throughout Faking It Cade is half in love with Bliss, but quickly realizes that he might have stronger feelings for Max. Maybe it wasn't love after all. When I say I'm on the fence about him a lot of it has to do with his continued thoughts about Bliss. When he's with Max I can totally get behind him as a romantic lead. Maybe he's just not my type of swoon worthy?

Max on the other hand is kind of dynamite. She's this rocker chic kind of girl, lots of tattoos and a bad attitude. I loved her. She's kind of damaged and has some skeletons in her closet, but they made her a little more human. I could have done without the guy like him would never be with a girl like me kind of thinking, but I could get past that pretty easily. I loved that she was strong and knew what she wanted. I also loved that Carmack wrote two such different female characters, each so strong and so fantastic in their own way.

The romance itself is kind of swoon worthy, but what I liked more than anything else was the set up. Max needs a fake boyfriend to please her parents over Thanksgiving. She picks the nearest clean cut guy she sees and it happens to be Cade who turns out to be kind of perfect for her. I know it's totally unrealistic, but meet cutes like that make me smile. The two also had a great banter thing going on. More than anything though this romance serves to tell the story of two people figuring out who they are and how they're going to get by in the adult world. I think Carmack does such a great job of tackling these true to life issues inside of a romance novel. One part that really stood out for me was Cade remembering his theatre school family and how they're so spread out now; it hurt my heart you guys, it really did. It adds just enough substance to what could be utter fluff. I can't help but love it.

Carmack is hands down my favourite writer of this kind of novel at the moment. I suppose it's new adult since the characters are early to mid twenties, but she just handles it all so well. There are romantic entanglements with some true to life issues mixed in. Rent, exes, poor decisions, jobs they all come into play. Of course, the books are also super steamy and swoon worthy at points; I really can't underplay that. I think it's the blend of the two things that really gets me. Basically, I can't wait to read Finding It and will continue to read pretty much anything that Carmack publishes.