Review: Faking It by Cora Carmack

After pretty much devouring Losing It after having it on my Kindle for a year, I was determined not to repeat that mistake. I bought Faking it almost immediately, and there hasn't been that big a gap between reviewing Losing It and writing this review for Faking It right now.

I was extremely eager to get my hands on this book because I really liked Cade in Losing It and I really felt for him, despite the fact that I was busy cheering Bliss and Garrick on. I was also drawn in by the hint that there might be a slight holiday theme to this, something I often feel is a plus.

So, was Faking It up to the challenge of being as awesome as Losing It was, or did Cora Carmack succumb to the dreaded sophomore slump which can often plague new authors? Read on and find out!

(Summary from GoodReads)

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

The first thing I can tell you about Faking It is that it wasn't the same kind of laugh out loud funny that we were treated to in Losing It. The second thing I can tell you, though, is that Cade and Max had real, intense chemistry that absolutely sizzled on my Kindle. Both their initial attraction, and the sexual and eventually emotional connections that formed were well handled. Put in short, I really wanted these two to get together.

And they didn't make that too easy on me, either. 

These were two very honestly drawn characters, with interesting quirks, hopes, dreams and flaws. I love how there were some things that they did that brought out the best in each other, and yet at other moments they seemed to figure out how to press each other's buttons--and weren't afraid to do so. 

I found Max to be a bit more complex heroine then Bliss was, which made for some interesting revelations as the story progressed. I also loved the dual perspective. Getting to see how both characters were doing as the story moved along made me feel much more invested in what was happening; it nearly always does. 

Now the only thing left to ponder is who is next: Milo? Kelsey? Rusty? Or will Cora decide to write someone totally new? I know this much: I look forward to finding out. Two solid books makes Cora Carmack an author whose work I'll be keeping an eye on. She seems able to tell stories that I love to read.

If you loved Losing It, or enjoy new adult fiction, then Faking It is an absolute must read. This book held my interest from start to finish and I totally loved hearing Cade and Max's story. 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository