He’s acting royalty. She’s a nurse at The Royal hospital. What happens when their scripted romance starts to feel too real...?
When Ellie bluffs her way into a high-end party with her best friend, the last thing she expects is to end up going home with infamous actor Alex King, because he’s too drunk to remember what hotel he’s staying in. But when the paparazzi catch them together the morning after, their new friendship suddenly becomes the tabloids’ front page.
Alex needs a plus-one. Not only is his brother marrying his ex, but he’s become the villain in the eyes of the press. With a loved-up date by his side, the public might finally see him as moving on and his new play might finally get the ticket sales it needs to not close down.
But a wedding in the Bahamas, surrounded by gorgeous celebrities, with the paparazzi lurking everywhere, is plus-sized Ellie’s worst nightmare. Even as Alex’s displays of affectionate become more real and less fake, will she lose a part of herself during their pact?
In January 2026, Lulu Morris will be publishing her first romantic comedy, The Dating Pact.
The first in a three-book ‘Behind The Scenes’ series with Canelo Romance, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She writes fun, body-positive romcoms with glamorous leads and stunning locations. The Dating Pact is the perfect blend of Bridget Jones meets The Idea of You; it will have you squealing into the pages with its swoony, escapist humour.
Under the name Lucy Morris she has published over ten historical romances with Mills & Boon. Her books are set in either the Viking age or Regency era and will whisk you away to a world of sweeping passion and drama. Her books have been shortlisted for awards, featured on TikTok book clubs, and translated into multiple languages.
A proud member and Director of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), Lulu loves love and enjoys encouraging and supporting new writers, as well as promoting the Romance genre as a whole.
When I see a fake dating premise, I click "Add to Cart" immediately. Throw in a massive Hollywood star (Alex King) paired with a grounded, 'normal' person (Ellie, a 24/7 nurse), and you've got my attention!
Overall, I really enjoyed "The Dating Pact" —it was a truly easy read with a pace that flew by. I loved the core concept: Hollywood chaos completely disrupting Ellie's structured life.
Their dynamic was solid, and I appreciated how they built a comfortable friendship amidst Alex's catastrophic, lavish lifestyle. They were good together, easily finding their place in the eye of the storm.
Okay, so here's where I need to be honest (and perhaps a little dramatic): I wanted more from these two, especially toward the end. Around the 85% mark, I was practically yelling at my e-reader for some deep, bone-level character development.
I was desperately hoping for Ellie to voice her issues and fully step into her power, and for Alex to finally try and be real with someone. The story felt easy and fun, but when it came time to hit those real emotional issues—the ones that separate a good book from an everything book—it just lacked that final, satisfying plunge into vulnerability. I mean I liked the plus-size rep, Ellie was too real with the way she felt and viewed herself, but I honestly think it centered around all the personal issues and somehow the relationship with Alex got mixed, maybe lost in a way.
This book needed more couple time, like when they got together it didn't feel like a happy ending, more like a story that needed a few chapters to get the overall feeling.
It's definitely a me-issue and not a dealbreaker, but I was craving that moment where they stripped away the pact and stood completely exposed.
Final Verdict:
Even with my need for deeper emotional turmoil, I still genuinely enjoyed watching Ellie and Alex navigate their fake relationship. If you love the Hollywood Star x Normal Person dynamic and a fun, plus-size character and a breezy fake dating trope, this is a great pick for your weekend list!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
The Dating Pact took a tried and true fake dating trope and unfortunately did nothing new with it. Ellie is a plus size nurse who falls into a friendship with a movie star that eventually becomes a fake relationship. The story was predictable right down to who the villain was. The first half of the book struggled to hold my attention while it established the inner dialogue that was meant to be the backstory to their individual issues. The second half picked up considerably and was more interesting when other characters were introduced. Ellie herself wasn’t a bad character but it got repetitive hearing her declare her confidence and then disparage herself in the next breath. Which was tbh actually a realistic depiction of someone struggling to overcome self esteem issues. It was just rapid fire at times and repeated nonstop. Alex on the other hand was supposed to be American but was written as a British man???? Some of his phrases and speech were very British and obviously written by someone who is in fact British themselves. He also wasn’t a bad character but he was a little bit of a sad puppy dog through most of the book. The book stalled in places and the ending felt rushed but it was clearly a labor of love for the author. At the heart of this book was an important message about loving and trusting yourself. While it didn’t do anything new it did emphasize going after what’s important in life and getting out of your own way. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh wow, The Dating Pact completely pulled me in! I was pleasantly surprised, especially since this is my first Lulu Morris book—I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m officially a fan. Ellie is hilarious, relatable, and honestly such a mood, trying to navigate a high-end party one minute and a paparazzi scandal the next. And Alex… chef’s kiss—he’s charming, swoony, and that “too real to be scripted” vibe had me smiling like a fool.
The Bahamas wedding setting was perfection; the stakes felt high without being over-the-top, and I loved the mix of romance and suspense, with the mystery woven in. It’s funny, flirty, and has those quiet moments that made me really root for these two. I devoured it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. If you love romance that’s playful, a little steamy, and utterly binge-worthy, this one’s a must-read.
The story follows Ellie, a plus-sized overworked nurse, who blags her self and best friend, Hannah’s, way into a private party where they happen to catch the eye of the host — none other than Alex King, the son of Hollywood royalty.
And thus begins their beautiful friendship. Alex is drawn to Ellie for not only her beauty but her ability to be open and truly herself, something he is not used to. Ellie is intrigued by how Alex is not what she expected from a legend amongst the stars, and how he truly seems to listen to her and understand her.
However, after facing a betrayal from his brother and ex-girlfriend, Alex is damaged and a little broken. But his family are determined to change the narrative and insist on him being there for said brother and ex’s wedding. Not wanting to face it alone and being advised by his agent to enter a relationship to help ward off the negative press, he asks Ellie to be his fake girlfriend and attend the wedding with him. But with the twosomes friendship growing deeper and their attraction to one another off the charts, how much of it is really fake?
Honestly, I enjoyed this story a lot, I’ve only marked it down due to not entirely loving the conclusion as I felt that was rushed and very cheesy … but lowkey loved the cheese at the same time. Very 90s romcom vibes!
The writing was sweet with enough detail to be fully immersive. Lulu Morris reminds me of Mhairi McFlarlane’s writing, which I truly enjoyed!
Ellie is a brilliant character. I loved seeing how she was healing from her self-confidence issues and even with all of the work she’s done, it was nice to see how her insecurities were still under the surface. It created a three dimensional character with a sense of realism in my opinion.
Alex was an absolute babe. Like Ellie I was intrigued by him and how he was so absolutely down to earth considering the world he grew up in. He was absolutely charming when recognising the differences in what he considers normal compared to the average Joe. But I truly appreciated how he and his family didn’t look down on anyone just because they are used to a different way of living. They were still relatable.
I do wish the ending hadn’t have been so entirely clichéd, but I do understand why it was somewhat needed considering what Ellie was dealing with. I did find it slightly rushed though.
Overall, this was a truly fantastic and easy read. Highly recommend!
This was just an easy and quick romance read! Nothing groundbreaking but still very enjoyable. It was definitely insta-love which isn’t my fave trope.
Loved the plus size body representation, however it felt a bit on the nose which then made it almost unrealistic. I have no doubt people are treated differently due to their body size, especially in Hollywood, but the way it was portrayed in the book felt forced and could have been done in a more subtle way and would have felt more realistic.
Overall, if you are looking for a quick romance read and want a bit of plus size positivity and humour, definitely read this!
My very first book written by Lulu Morris, and definitely not the last. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and this book nails it. It's a fast read, perfect for a beach vacation. I really liked the story, it's charming, light and fun, but it also includes tougher issues, like body shaming and adultery. Ellie is good-hearted, hard-working and feels comfortable with herself, but has a tough time finding real love. Alex is always in the spotlight, and his work life is overshadowed by a scandal in his personal life. They make a dating pact, trying to overcome the hardships they're facing, ang helping each other in the process. But not everyone is ready to forgive a plus size woman who tries to steal a celebrity. And having every move on display for the entire world to see doesn't help either. Thanks NetGalley for the epub version.
Ellie is about to be abandoned by her best friend, who is very rudely moving to Australia. In a last-ditch attempt to remind Hannah that London is amazing, she takes her on a tour of all the best things the city has to offer the day before she leaves, culminating in drinks at their favourite rooftop terrace. Disappointment strikes when they discover the terrace is closed for a private party, but Ellie refuses to let that ruin the night, so they gatecrash instead. After a chaotic evening where Ellie befriends the very gorgeous actor Alex King, they end up back at Ellie’s chaotic family home, where Alex crashes on the sofa. The next morning, while attempting to sneak him out unnoticed, the pair are papped together and so the rumours start. In an attempt to repair his image and survive his brother’s wedding to his ex-girlfriend, Alex offers Ellie a deal: fake-date him for the duration of the wedding, and in return Alex (did I mention he incredibly rich as well as ridiculously attractive?) will help Ellie buy her own flat. Not one to turn down a trip to the Bahamas, Ellie agrees. But as expected, things don’t quite go to plan, and the pair start to question whether their feelings are really just for show. This was a cute fake-dating celebrity romance with solid chemistry with a fun premise. Ellie and Alex had some genuinely sweet moments, and the famous person dates a normal girl dynamic made the story really entertaining. I also appreciated that the book aimed for body positivity and gave a plus-size heroine centre stage. However — and this was a major issue for me — I really didn’t think it was necessary for Ellie (or other characters) to mention her size quite so frequently. While I understand that body image and insecurity are important parts of her character, it genuinely felt like it was brought up every other page. Instead of feeling empowering, it became repetitive and honestly a bit draining. I also found Alex’s character increasingly irritating as the book went on. He was clearly written to come across as considerate and loving, but at times it felt more like he was constantly coddling Ellie, which made parts of their relationship feel unrealistic, even within the fake-dating setup. On top of that, the story is incredibly predictable. I buddy-read this with a friend, and before we even reached the final chapters, I messaged her predicting exactly how it would end and unsurprisingly, I was completely right. Overall, it’s a decent comfort-read romcom with good banter and a lovable setup, but the overly predictable storyline means it doesn’t really stand out from the many other similarly themed romcoms already out there.
This was super fun and very binge-able! Definitely a great read for summer!
It felt like a quintessential fake dating romance, however the plus-size representation really added depth and uniqueness.
I enjoyed the conversations around Hollywood’s effects on body image and thought the novel handled these topics with care!
The writing style fell a little short for me - it was a bit clunky and a lot of the descriptions (especially Ellie and Alex’s internal thoughts towards each other) made me cringe…
Overall, a very fast-paced and cute rom-com that I would definitely recommend to anyone who needs something to pull them out of a reading slump!
Tysm to Tandem Collective and Canelo for the finished copy!!!
2,8* protože mám pocit, že jsem to už někde četla, jen v tom množství knih co jsem za svůj život přečetla už nevím, kde přesně jsem to četla....
Ale vážně ne že by to bylo celé copy/paste protože "detaily" jako vplížení se na soukromou akci, divadelní zpracování gatsbyho a historický domek byly pro mě novinkou Naopak destination wedding, prasátka na Bahamách, zlý agent a nechápaví rodiče jsou něco co jsem už někdy předtím četla (dost možná je to jen inspirace posbíraná po drobečkách z jiných knih, ale po mě to bohužel bylo kombo co "znám")
Ale vážně v kolika romantických knihách se řeší krmení prasat na ostrovech??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
ARC Review- ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 0.5-1🌶️ Fake dating and plus size trope. Cute storyline and the characters have great chemistry. Good plot twists, that I wouldn’t have expected. Good pallet cleanser book for me!
I ate this right up. I started it this morning and could not put it down. This book reads like a feel good romcom and that’s something I didn’t realize I desperately needed. I’m a long time fan of the fake dating trope especially when a celebrity is involved. Ellie is such a dynamic character whose personality leaps off the page and you fall in love with her immediately. She is so kind, funny, caring but beyond that, she feels so real to me. With Ellie, I felt so seen as a plus size woman because she echoed a lot of the same struggles I have dealt with when it comes to self image, dating, even dealing with family. One of the things I appreciate so much about Ellie is how honest she is about how easy it is to let other people make you see yourself as less and how you have to make a conscious effort to ignore that negativity. Alex was such a sweetheart though a little misguided at times. I was so angry for him with how his family handled the engagement and their expectation that he would just smile and pretend like his heart hadn’t been broken, along with his trust. From the get go, there was so much chemistry between him and Ellie. They compliment each other so well, bringing out the best in each other, supporting each other, and standing up for each other whether or not the other person was present. I fell in love with them as their story unfolded. Neither of them is perfect and that’s okay. The growth we got to witness in Alex made me tear up honestly. There wasn’t a ton of spice but when we did get it, it was so worth the wait. I wish Richie nothing but the worst things life has to offer and that’s all I’ll say on him. Overall, this was such an enjoyable read. I was so sucked in to the story that hours flew by without me even noticing.
Lulu Morris is a new author with her second book coming out in October. She is amazing, i’ve never read a book and never felt so seen physically. I love a romance but always felt invisible due to being a bigger girl. After reading this i craved more. I need more of the characters story, i need more of the writing, i feel lost without this book now. Lulu gives me the courage to grow.
The Dating PactLulu MorrisI’ve always had a soft spot for fake dating tropes, and this story delivered in the best possible way.
It begins with two best friends—Ellie and Alex—who’ve spent nearly every moment together, slowly growing apart as they begin to discover themselves individually. Alex may have seemed like a random addition at first, but he quickly stole my heart. The comfort and ease between Ellie and Alex developed so naturally, and it’s one of the reasons I connected with this book so deeply.
The way the story addressed body shaming was especially impactful. It approached the topic with sensitivity and authenticity, weaving it into the narrative in multiple ways without ever feeling forced or overdone. I found myself constantly wondering when everything would come to a head—and when it did, it was worth the wait.
The conclusion was pitch-perfect. After the chaos caused by a truly awful agent, the way the family rallied to bring Ellie back and embrace her as one of their own was incredibly moving. It was the kind of ending that stays with you long after the final page.
If you love heartfelt romance, layered characters, and a story that balances humor with emotional depth—this one’s a must-read.
Thank you NetGalley and Lulu Morris/Canelo for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I tend toward thrillers/mysteries these days, but sometimes a romance calls to me - and 9/10 times it has a plus-size FMC. As a fellow fat girl, seeing a fat girl getting her happily ever after is pleasing. When I was a kid, fat girls didn't get a lot of FMC or movie roles - at least not without the whole point being that we weren't good enough.
There are some content warnings at the end of this review because this book had some hard-to-read moments. It had the MMC who saw our girl as a beautiful goddess. It had an FMC that was mostly good with herself. She wasn't the fully recovered body-positive heroine we sometimes get - but she was close, which is fine! Sometimes even those of us who think we're healed find ourselves in situations that challenge us. Even some of the most vocal activists would have a hard time with the rabid paparazzi and dating a celebrity. I liked both of our MCs.
I'm not a big fan of some of the tropes included, but I know they're romcom royalty - fake dating, one bed, misunderstandings. And, they all weaved a story I really enjoyed, except for a few parts that were extremely hard to read as a big person, a female presenting person, a mom, and, quite honestly, a human. But I was invested and desperately needed to get to that HEA/HFN that a romance (in both mine and the RWA's belief) is contractually obligated to deliver!
P.S. I guess Rockstar Romance is like a genre that means dating famous people? Because Alex is an actor, not a rockstar. Heh.
CWs: Fatphobia/Fatmisia, Anti-fat Bigotry, Dysfunctional Families, Infidelity, Betrayal, Classism, Depictions of Egregious Wealth, and Possibly More.
Alex is a fantastic MMC and Ellie an equally brilliant FMC — both vulnerable in their own, very human ways. Their emotional depth made their connection feel genuine from the very start.
The plus-size FMC representation deserves special praise. Lulu Morris handles Ellie’s body image journey with such care and honesty. All the hang-ups, self-doubt, and internal battles that so many gorgeous, curvy women deal with daily were portrayed in a way that felt deeply validating and empowering. As someone who relates personally, seeing Ellie work through her body positivity felt incredibly liberating.
Alex, too, was a joy to read. On the surface, he has the perfect life — rich, successful, a Hollywood actor — but beneath that polished exterior is someone grappling with his own struggles. I loved how his character challenged the idea that success equals happiness.
I especially admired how mental health, eating habits, and body confidence were explored with sensitivity and respect. These topics were never treated as taboo, and that thoughtful representation added so much depth to the story.
Altogether, this is a wonderful fake dating / friends-to-lovers romance — heartfelt, funny, and emotionally satisfying. I was giggling, internally cheering, and absolutely kicking my legs by the end.
Perfect! I bloomin’ loved every single thing about The Dating Pact. It truly is *chefs kiss* 😘 From the moment we are introduced to Ellie I adored her. I want Ellie as my bestie. She’s hilarious, raw, real and beautiful. I would love to be able to adopt her positivity about her body and weight. And, even though she owns who she is, you still see her vulnerability and pain of being a plus size woman in a world that still equates skinny with being healthy.
Then we move on to Alex. Again, instant love for him. Green flag behaviour all round! I loved his growth, truly finding himself and following his passions.
And when their worlds collide…. perfection! Even though they are from very different backgrounds, they understand each other, come alive when they are in each other’s orbit, have a beautiful connection and the best banter ever. It had me rooting for them from the get go.
We even have a villain or 2 that you’ll love to hate. I’ll say no more! 😉
One of the stand outs in this was addressing how harmful and toxic people who are meant to love us unconditionally can be. Love Nanna! ♥️
Fabulously written, wonderful characters and real life pressures/issues in a gorgeous storybook setting. 🏖️
Normally I am not a big fan of friends to lovers but this one was such a cute fake dating friends to lovers romance book. I experienced all kinds of emotions while reading this one, which is a really good thing. At times I was laughing and at other times I felt this big need to hug Alex and Ellie.
I think Alex grew as a person throughout the book and it just made me love him so much. And Ellie is so adorable and I would love to have her as a friend. I know most people don’t like the miscommunication trope but honestly I don’t mind it as much and quite like it.
I can’t believe this is a debut novel, but it makes me excited to read future novels by Morris. Honestly I kind of want to read the love story of Savannah and Liam, even though I am not a big fan of cheating.
Thank you to Netgalley to provide me with an arc. This review was voluntarily left by me and is completely honest.
I absolutely ADORED this book. I genuinely couldn’t put it down. I laughed so much throughout, and shed a few tears at the end.
I loved Ellie and Alex as characters. I think they were both really well rounded, fighting their inner battles and insecurities throughout the story. I really liked that Ellie had her ups and downs. She was three dimensional - a confident plus size woman, who still has to tell her inner voice to shut up regularly. An issue most women face!!
I liked that in this story the emphasis was not on body confidence as something you ‘achieve’, but mindsets that you work on everyday. Health does not equal a particular body type!
If you enjoy fake dating (it’s one of my faves) I think you’ll enjoy this one!! It was everything that I wanted, and not much like I was expecting. Loved it, and I can’t wait to read Hannah’s story when it comes out!
This book😍 just phenomenal! A pure feel good, love story and bloody all round brilliant book. I loved this from the minute I laid my eyes on the front cover and as soon as I read the first page I was sold. Couldn’t get enough of the book and was so invested in Ellie and Alex. Adored Ellie and her need to help people and could kind of resonate with her over the need to help people as I am a sucker for that also. Loved that she was a curvy girl who got the famous director. Was brilliant! Absolute chef’s kiss 💋. Thank you to @lovebookstours and @lulu.morris.author
The Dating Pact by Lulu Morris was such an enjoyable read from beginning to end. I loved every aspect of this book—the characters, the chemistry, and the way the story unfolded. It was fun, engaging, and easy to get lost in, with just the right balance of heart and humor. The relationship felt natural and kept me invested the whole way through. A perfect pick if you’re in the mood for a feel-good romance you won’t want to put down.
This was such a cute and fun read. I love the fake dating trope and the author did this perfectly. I loved the characters in the story and the main characters slow burn chemistry was cute. Plus the holiday place setting sounded beautiful. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
I was surprised by how much i liked this, as a curvy girl i could relate to alot of the thoughts Ellie had about herself and dating. Its hard to trust not only those around you but your own mind. I loved the dynamic between the two main characters and loved her nanna
When I first read the blurb for this, I knew it was going to be right up my street. Fake dating, one bed, tropical destination… ding ding ding, yes please.
We have Ellie, a nurse trying to make her way in life after moving back home above her family’s flower shop while her best friend heads off to explore Australia. Living out of one room, trying to save money, and helping support both herself and the family business is proving exhausting - but she’s doing her best. Then there’s Alex, A-list actor and director, Hollywood star, and loaded beyond belief. But despite the fame and fortune, he has his own family issues and is desperate to be seen as more than just his family name. What more could you need?
The story begins when Ellie gatecrashes a high-end party and somehow ends up bringing Alex home - strictly to the sofa, of course. When Alex suddenly needs a plus one for his brother’s wedding and all the inevitable family drama that comes with it, Ellie seems like the perfect solution.
This story flowed really well. It was fun, easy to read, and the chemistry between Ellie and Alex felt natural on the page. Their relationship developed convincingly, and honestly, how could you not enjoy it?
That said, I do think some of the emotional development became overshadowed by the plus-size representation. At first, it felt incredibly real, honest, and necessary. Ellie’s experiences with fashion, shopping, confidence, and body image were relatable and handled thoughtfully. I especially loved that Ellie was portrayed as independent, creative, and largely comfortable in herself. Her passion for designing her own clothes and navigating the frustrations of high street fashion felt authentic - particularly for readers who don’t fit neatly into “standard” sizing. Even her occasional insecurities and moments of self-doubt felt believable, because society absolutely impacts the way women view themselves. However, I do think the message became a little repetitive by the end. We already understood that Ellie, as a plus-size woman, experiences the world differently - especially in settings like Hollywood. The constant reminders and repeated references to her body started to feel unnecessary after a while.
What was quite amusing is that I buddy-read this with a friend, and just before the final chapters we discussed how we thought it would end… Turns out, we were almost completely right. But honestly? That predictability didn’t really matter. This was pure Hollywood chaos mixed with the hustle and bustle of structured London life. While it’s definitely a predictable romcom where you can see the ending coming a mile away, it still works. At its core, this is a light-hearted, fun, humorous summer romance that fans of classic chick lit and celebrity romance tropes will easily enjoy.
Thank you so much to Lulu Morris & Tandem Collective UK for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
When emergency room nurse Ellie gate crashes a play’s opening night after party, she only ever expected to share one last celebratory drink with her best friend Hannah. Hollywood royalty Alex King is holed up in London to avoid a scandal plaguing his personal life. When their first encounter ignites a deep and understanding friendship, the develop a fake dating pact to save face and save Ellie’s wallet. What they didn’t factor was the feelings simmering just beneath the surface …
I really wanted to love this one. Fake dating is my bread and butter. It’s the one trope I seek out more than the rest. Two idiots in love pretending their relationships are just fantasies until they’re not—perfection. But I never found myself overly enjoying “The Dating Pact.” Don’t me wrong, Alex and Ellie are adorable. She’s an overworked and underpaid nurse from the East End and he’s a Hollywood nepobaby worthy of his inherited talent embroiled in scandal (of the press’s own making). He’s absolutely besotted, and I do love when the man falls first and hard.
Something I loved was how comfortable Ellie was with herself and her body. No one, save for Alex and her family, ever actually reserves their judgment for her being bigger. But consistent reminders throughout the text weren’t my favorite. Many references felt unnecessary, as though they were only there for the sake of reminding the audience that Ellie happens to be curvier than the typical romantic lead.
Something else about the story does feel extremely Hollywood-esque. It’s a bit more on the superficial side with a lot of missed potential We never get to fully appreciate the characters’s feelings and motivations. Things happen in quick succession so we’re not left with much breathing room to develop a better understanding of who Alex and Ellie are as a couple—fake or otherwise. We see their relationship happen, but there’s not much emphasis on how they relate to each other. I would’ve loved to have spent more time watching the emotional connection play out as deeply as the physical interactions.
This is a quick and fun read, but it just wasn’t the one for me. I do recommend checking out if fake dating, body positivity, and a touch of Hollywood magic is up your alley.
Ellie, 30 and her best friend, Hannah a fellow nurse, have headed to a pub hoping to sit on the rooftop and enjoy a last cocktail together before Hannah heads out to Australia for a year. When they arrive, they find the rooftop has been reserved for a private party. They are so disappointed until Ellie finds a way to gate crash up to the rooftop. While they are taking pictures, they are noticed by Alex King, 30 who enjoys their antics.
Alex is from a Hollywood family and has just written and directed a play The Great Gatsby. He has been fielding calls from his two-time Oscar winning mother trying to pin him down to attend his brother Liam’s and fiancee, Savannah's wedding. As Savannah once dated Alex and then dumped him for Liam, Alex is not interested in attending the event.
Alex and Ellie start talking and he introduces himself, she is delighted to learn who he is. He is taken with her and her voluptuous figure that some would call plus -ized. After Hannah heads home for her early morning flight, Alex and Ellie start drinking prosecco and have a good time. The next morning he wakes up on her family’s living room couch. It’s quite tricky but he manages to avoid the paparazzi to get back to his hotel. Alex is totally smitten with Ellie and they agree to a fake dating scenario. When he asks her to accompany him to his brother’s wedding, she agrees. Ellie realizes that she is quite beneath Alex’s social standing but is determined to enjoy their time together.
At the wedding, Ellie is enjoying the beautiful island that the family owns. The family members accept her but one person makes snide remarks to her. Ellis charms everyone and is so helpful with the wedding crises. But some nasty things are leaked to the press about her that are untrue making Ellie flee. Is there some way that they can be together or is the fun time she had with Alex just a dream?
I was just totally taken in with this story. I couldn’t believe how the press could be so ugly to famous people like this. Alex is a wonderful man who found his true calling in his career and Ellie is just the lovable person you want for a friend and a family member. You will love this book. Enjoy!
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.