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Counterfeit Boyfriend
My twin brother’s talked me into a lot of crazy things, but taking his place on a road trip with his girlfriend so he can party with his friends is a whole new level of insanity. What’s even more insane is I somehow find myself agreeing to it—thanks, alcohol, guilt, and bribery.I’m determined to undo the arrangement, but then I meet Gwen, this sexy redheaded hurricane of energy and brains. And then she kisses me. Just like that, I’m driving her up the coast, on our way to a wedding with a mess of complications. With each hour and each stop, I’m falling harder and harder for a woman who doesn’t know my actual name. I’m trying to do the right thing. Or the lesser of the wrong things.All my life I’ve had to clean up my brother’s messes, but for the first time ever, I’ve landed the upper hand in one of our switcheroo schemes. Now I’ve just got to come clean and convince Gwen that I’m the brother she should be with.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2018
110 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
About the author
Cindi Madsen
66 books2,268 followersCindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. She loves music and dancing and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She and her family also take their Marvel addiction very seriously, as their one-eyed cat, Agent Fury, and their kitty named Valkyrie can attest.
You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
Follow her on Twitter @cindimadsen
Find her on FB: Cindi Madsen Books
See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.
You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.
Follow her on Twitter @cindimadsen
Find her on FB: Cindi Madsen Books
See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
September 12, 2023
2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The characters and banter.
The Not-So-Good: The slooooow burn (see below).
The Bad: The instalove, the lying, the H's brother, and the ending.
Overall: I'm not really sure why I was drawn to this one tbh, but I was. I typically don't like stories where one of the mcs is lying the whole time, so I should've known better. I did, however, like the characters and the banter. I just didn't like much else. And it was way too slow of a burn for me. I'm going to give it a little less than 3 stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gwen and Ethan's story. Ethan gets sucked in to his twin brother's scheme that has him going on a road trip with his brother's girlfriend that he's ready to put into the friend-zone. Only the sparks fly when Ethan meets Gwen and he decides to go along with it to spend more time to this new woman that he is drawn to. Gwen is stressed out because she's headed to a wedding and will see her ex and her ex-best friend that cheated on her and she's unsure about her relationship with her boyfriend. Only after they meet to make final plans she feels the sparks that have been greatly lacking, and has her reconsidering ending things. There are some cute road-trip scenes, some truths revealed, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Gwen and Ethan's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part, I never skimmed but I thought it was a little slow at times.
Instalove: Yes, because they fell in a matter of days
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Ethan. I liked him but he definitely needed to communicate better!
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Gwen. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how squirrelly she was.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Super slow burn as
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes, technically
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ended in an alright place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The characters and banter.
The Not-So-Good: The slooooow burn (see below).
The Bad: The instalove, the lying, the H's brother, and the ending.
Overall: I'm not really sure why I was drawn to this one tbh, but I was. I typically don't like stories where one of the mcs is lying the whole time, so I should've known better. I did, however, like the characters and the banter. I just didn't like much else. And it was way too slow of a burn for me. I'm going to give it a little less than 3 stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gwen and Ethan's story. Ethan gets sucked in to his twin brother's scheme that has him going on a road trip with his brother's girlfriend that he's ready to put into the friend-zone. Only the sparks fly when Ethan meets Gwen and he decides to go along with it to spend more time to this new woman that he is drawn to. Gwen is stressed out because she's headed to a wedding and will see her ex and her ex-best friend that cheated on her and she's unsure about her relationship with her boyfriend. Only after they meet to make final plans she feels the sparks that have been greatly lacking, and has her reconsidering ending things. There are some cute road-trip scenes, some truths revealed, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Gwen and Ethan's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part, I never skimmed but I thought it was a little slow at times.
Instalove: Yes, because they fell in a matter of days
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Ethan. I liked him but he definitely needed to communicate better!
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Gwen. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how squirrelly she was.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Super slow burn as
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes, technically
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ended in an alright place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
August 17, 2018
Original review
This book was provided by the author through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Cindi Madsen and Netgalley!
Counterfeit Boyfriend tells the story of Ethan and Gwen. Ethan’s twin brother talked him into going on a road trip with Gwen, his brother’s girlfriend, so his twin could party with his friends. He agrees to go on a road trip, but he didn’t plan on falling in love with Gwen…
Counterfeit Boyfriend was such a fast-paced and easy read. I loved reading this book because the story was so well written and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen and I’m so glad that I read this book.
I love Ethan and Gwen. Ethan is such an amazing guy even though he’s stupid enough to take his brother’s place. Gwen is such a fun and loveable character. I loved reading from both perspectives because you got to know the characters so well.
This is the second book I’ve read by Cindi Madsen and this one is by far the best one I’ve read written by her! I cannot wait to read more books from Cindi Madsen!
This book was provided by the author through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Cindi Madsen and Netgalley!
Counterfeit Boyfriend tells the story of Ethan and Gwen. Ethan’s twin brother talked him into going on a road trip with Gwen, his brother’s girlfriend, so his twin could party with his friends. He agrees to go on a road trip, but he didn’t plan on falling in love with Gwen…
Counterfeit Boyfriend was such a fast-paced and easy read. I loved reading this book because the story was so well written and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen and I’m so glad that I read this book.
I love Ethan and Gwen. Ethan is such an amazing guy even though he’s stupid enough to take his brother’s place. Gwen is such a fun and loveable character. I loved reading from both perspectives because you got to know the characters so well.
This is the second book I’ve read by Cindi Madsen and this one is by far the best one I’ve read written by her! I cannot wait to read more books from Cindi Madsen!
June 15, 2018
2 1/2 stars. This just didn't do it for me. The actual writing style was good, but the story was lacking. I found my attention wandering off. I was irritated that Ethan didn't say something to Gwen from the very beginning. And do not get me started on the ice cream scene! Why would Gwen allow her boyfriend, who she is planning to kiss, order ice cream with peanut butter cups when she has a peanut allergy????? The end result of an allergic reaction could have been achieved by something more plausible. This book was not for me.
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January 3, 2022"Unicorns will never be the same."
Five ridiculously intense rides where I’d wrapped myself around Evan later, my legs and body had turned gelatinous after moving too fast for too long.
And I was still wrapped around Evan. That move was like twenty percent the-ground-felt-unsteady-under-my-feet, and eighty percent enjoying-being-wrapped-around-him.
He slowed in front of the booth with a tower of milk bottles people tried to knock over for prizes.
“To make up for dragging you along on all those rides—which I know you enjoyed, even though you’ll never admit it—I’m going to win you a prize.”
“One, I enjoyed them as much as anyone who thinks too much about every bolt and rickety part can, and two, these games are all rigged.”
“No faith,” he said, shaking his head.
“That’s what happens when you’re tricked into riding death traps in the name of ‘fun.’”
Evan lowered his lips to mine, and the way my stomach dipped and my skin hummed was a hundred times better than any thrill I could get from even the most insane carnival ride. “And now to wow you with my other talents.”
The guy handed him five balls for his five dollars, and Evan lined up for his throw. He launched the ball through the air, and while the speed and the way it smacked the bottles was impressive, they didn’t go down.
Since I like to be super helpful, I said, “See. Rigged.”
Evan quirked his eyebrow at me, then picked up the next ball and threw it. Another hit, but the bottles barely wobbled.
“I gotta be honest, I was more wowed by the kissing.”
He pinched my side, his grin bringing out the sexy grooves in his cheeks. Determination set his jaw as I handed him the next ball. Three more throws, three more times the stack wobbled but didn’t go down.
“One more round?” the guy working the booth asked. Then he looked at me. “How about I give the lady one throw for free? I won’t even straighten the bottles.”
He pulled a bright-red ball out from under the stand, and with a shrug, I reached for it. Not like I had anything to lose. I studied the ball, noticing it looked bigger than the ones Evan had been using, and it felt heavier as well.
The guy working the booth gave me a secretive smile I quickly returned.
“Do you need me to wrap my arms around you under the pretense of teaching you to throw?” Evan asked.
“Hmm. While I like the thought of that, I think it’d be safer for everyone if you gave my throwing arm a wide berth.”
He took an exaggerated step back and placed a protective hand over his package.
“Very funny.” I sucked in a deep breath, cocked my arm, and threw for all I was worth.
The ball collided with the bottles, and they went down with a loud clatter. I jumped up and down and added a maniacal laugh. The guy working the booth pointed at the stuffed animals I could choose from.
“Way to show me up,” Evan teased as he came up behind me, wound his arms around my waist, and rested his chin on my shoulder.
I glanced back at him. “What prize do you want?”
“You won it for me, huh?” he asked, and I nodded.
“I want you to have a souvenir to show off to your friends when you brag about how well I take care of you.”
He moved his lips to the column of my neck and dropped a kiss there, and my entire body broke out in goosebumps. “Then I want the unicorn riding the rainbow, of course.”
“Oh, sure. Promise me a unicorn, then rub it in my face when you get one.”
The guy handed me the colorful stuffed creature, and I studied my prize as we walked away. “This unicorn’s more than riding the rainbow; he’s totally humping it.”
Evan’s soft chuckle sent happiness pinging through me. “Horny magical creature.”
That made me snort-laugh, and I hugged the dirty unicorn to my chest, already sure it was going to be my all-time favorite souvenir.
Five ridiculously intense rides where I’d wrapped myself around Evan later, my legs and body had turned gelatinous after moving too fast for too long.
And I was still wrapped around Evan. That move was like twenty percent the-ground-felt-unsteady-under-my-feet, and eighty percent enjoying-being-wrapped-around-him.
He slowed in front of the booth with a tower of milk bottles people tried to knock over for prizes.
“To make up for dragging you along on all those rides—which I know you enjoyed, even though you’ll never admit it—I’m going to win you a prize.”
“One, I enjoyed them as much as anyone who thinks too much about every bolt and rickety part can, and two, these games are all rigged.”
“No faith,” he said, shaking his head.
“That’s what happens when you’re tricked into riding death traps in the name of ‘fun.’”
Evan lowered his lips to mine, and the way my stomach dipped and my skin hummed was a hundred times better than any thrill I could get from even the most insane carnival ride. “And now to wow you with my other talents.”
The guy handed him five balls for his five dollars, and Evan lined up for his throw. He launched the ball through the air, and while the speed and the way it smacked the bottles was impressive, they didn’t go down.
Since I like to be super helpful, I said, “See. Rigged.”
Evan quirked his eyebrow at me, then picked up the next ball and threw it. Another hit, but the bottles barely wobbled.
“I gotta be honest, I was more wowed by the kissing.”
He pinched my side, his grin bringing out the sexy grooves in his cheeks. Determination set his jaw as I handed him the next ball. Three more throws, three more times the stack wobbled but didn’t go down.
“One more round?” the guy working the booth asked. Then he looked at me. “How about I give the lady one throw for free? I won’t even straighten the bottles.”
He pulled a bright-red ball out from under the stand, and with a shrug, I reached for it. Not like I had anything to lose. I studied the ball, noticing it looked bigger than the ones Evan had been using, and it felt heavier as well.
The guy working the booth gave me a secretive smile I quickly returned.
“Do you need me to wrap my arms around you under the pretense of teaching you to throw?” Evan asked.
“Hmm. While I like the thought of that, I think it’d be safer for everyone if you gave my throwing arm a wide berth.”
He took an exaggerated step back and placed a protective hand over his package.
“Very funny.” I sucked in a deep breath, cocked my arm, and threw for all I was worth.
The ball collided with the bottles, and they went down with a loud clatter. I jumped up and down and added a maniacal laugh. The guy working the booth pointed at the stuffed animals I could choose from.
“Way to show me up,” Evan teased as he came up behind me, wound his arms around my waist, and rested his chin on my shoulder.
I glanced back at him. “What prize do you want?”
“You won it for me, huh?” he asked, and I nodded.
“I want you to have a souvenir to show off to your friends when you brag about how well I take care of you.”
He moved his lips to the column of my neck and dropped a kiss there, and my entire body broke out in goosebumps. “Then I want the unicorn riding the rainbow, of course.”
“Oh, sure. Promise me a unicorn, then rub it in my face when you get one.”
The guy handed me the colorful stuffed creature, and I studied my prize as we walked away. “This unicorn’s more than riding the rainbow; he’s totally humping it.”
Evan’s soft chuckle sent happiness pinging through me. “Horny magical creature.”
That made me snort-laugh, and I hugged the dirty unicorn to my chest, already sure it was going to be my all-time favorite souvenir.
May 15, 2025
DNF @60% Why I waited this long to drop this book ? That old must finish what you start code. Bah ! This author used to write to most interesting characters, you wanted more of them. The last few books I've read from her have been disappointing. The couple in question her were dull, they talked in their heads about the same old point over and over. The male lead was supposed to come across as a good guy, he didn't he came across as a despicable liar. He had insta lust/love which he used to justify he lies. The female lead was unbelievably guidable, she pull any heart strings. So many monets in this book made no sense, like the carnival, why ?
Okay enough I'm done with this author
Okay enough I'm done with this author
October 6, 2020
Did not finish at 26%.
Ordinarily I love Cindi Madsen novels, she's an auto-request/ one click buy for me but this just didn't do it for me.
Ethan is the more responsible, sensible twin, Evan the lay about good time guy. Evan has promised his girlfriend Gwen that he will go to a friend's wedding with her back in her home town, something which involves a road trip, as support for when she comes face to face with her cheating ex and her former BFF. Unfortunately, the wedding clashes with a boys trip and he has come to the conclusion that he and Gwen aren't really going anywhere romantically. But he's a nice guy and doesn't want to leave her to face her ex alone, so he asks Ethan to pretend to be him, just like they did when they were kids, show her a good time and then Evan will let her down gently when they get back. what could possibly go wrong?
Gwen is a quirky girl, she works as the office administrator for a veterinary practice, she loves oddball facts and she is looking forward to visiting the US's largest lighthouse and other sights as part of the road trip. The only problem is, she doesn't think there's any spark with Evan and she is going to break up with him. But when Ethan, masquerading as Evan, meets Gwen there is definitely a connection, a smoking' hot connection. And so, despite knowing it's a metaphorical car crash waiting to happen, Ethan agrees to go on the trip with Gwen whilst pretending to be his twin.
Why didn't I like this? It felt too juvenile, I know that Cindi Madsen writes NA/YA novels but this felt too young. I could see that the deception was going to blow up in Ethan's face - he knew it too and it felt too stupid. Also there were also too many clues that Ethan wasn't Evan, okay Gwen didn't know he had a twin, but come on - his hair grew like two inches in a few days! Overall, I couldn't suspend my disbelief and wasn't engaged by the story or the proposed road trip.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Ordinarily I love Cindi Madsen novels, she's an auto-request/ one click buy for me but this just didn't do it for me.
Ethan is the more responsible, sensible twin, Evan the lay about good time guy. Evan has promised his girlfriend Gwen that he will go to a friend's wedding with her back in her home town, something which involves a road trip, as support for when she comes face to face with her cheating ex and her former BFF. Unfortunately, the wedding clashes with a boys trip and he has come to the conclusion that he and Gwen aren't really going anywhere romantically. But he's a nice guy and doesn't want to leave her to face her ex alone, so he asks Ethan to pretend to be him, just like they did when they were kids, show her a good time and then Evan will let her down gently when they get back. what could possibly go wrong?
Gwen is a quirky girl, she works as the office administrator for a veterinary practice, she loves oddball facts and she is looking forward to visiting the US's largest lighthouse and other sights as part of the road trip. The only problem is, she doesn't think there's any spark with Evan and she is going to break up with him. But when Ethan, masquerading as Evan, meets Gwen there is definitely a connection, a smoking' hot connection. And so, despite knowing it's a metaphorical car crash waiting to happen, Ethan agrees to go on the trip with Gwen whilst pretending to be his twin.
Why didn't I like this? It felt too juvenile, I know that Cindi Madsen writes NA/YA novels but this felt too young. I could see that the deception was going to blow up in Ethan's face - he knew it too and it felt too stupid. Also there were also too many clues that Ethan wasn't Evan, okay Gwen didn't know he had a twin, but come on - his hair grew like two inches in a few days! Overall, I couldn't suspend my disbelief and wasn't engaged by the story or the proposed road trip.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 22, 2018
Ethan must have been out of his mind when he agreed to help his twin. Now he's in over his head and if he's not careful, his heart could be the ultimate casualty. CounterFeit Boyfriend is all a romantic comedy should be. Cheesy, over the top and fun. Cindi Madsen creates characters that are hard to walk away from and a pleasure to revisit again.
July 9, 2018
It’s been awhile since I’ve read Cindi Madsen. I was definitely excited to read Counterfeit Boyfriend.
Evan Haynes is a natural charmer and uses his good looks and charm to get what he wants. He doesn’t take anything too seriously and he would definitely much rather party with his friends than do anything that requires him to work hard and be responsible. His identical twin brother Ethan is the opposite of him in every way. Ethan believes in hard work and responsibility. In fact, he has just returned home to Raleigh, North Carolina after passing the bar exam. He even wants to establish himself on his own, which is why instead of taking a job at his father’s law firm he’s working somewhere else. Evan is notorious for getting the brothers in trouble. Usually, when disaster hits, Ethan is the one who ends up with the short end of the stick. So when Evan asks Ethan to pretend to be him and go on a roadtrip with his girlfriend, Ethan is very much against the idea. Yes, the brothers have switched places before, but not when it comes to relationships. Against his better judgement, Ethan agrees.
Gwen Cosgrave is a little nervous. Okay, maybe a lot nervous. She’s agreed to return to her small town in Pennsylvania in order to attend the wedding of her childhood best friend. The problem is she had two childhood best friends. Unfortunately, one “friend” decided it was okay to sleep with Gwen’s boyfriend. Now the two are back in their hometown, living together and everyone knows what happened. Thus, having someone by her side for the wedding is important to her. She needs to show that she’s moved on, even if in her heart she truly hasn’t.
When Gwen and Evan (Ethan) meet up to plan out the roadtrip for the next day, Gwen senses something is different about him. She’s not really sure what the difference is, but she knows there’s something because now she feels the spark that has been missing for the past three months. Ethan knows he should tell Gwen the truth, but when he kisses her goodbye what starts out as a small timid peck turns into a full blown inferno. Now, he just wants to spend a little more time with her.
As characters go, Gwen and Ethan are extremely likeable. It was fun being able to watch them together, talking and having fun. There’s this playfulness about them and they connect really well. I will admit the whole time I was reading the story, I kept waiting for the dreadful moment when the truth came out. Honestly, that wasn’t the worst part of the book for me. The worst part was Paige and Kyle, Gwen’s ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. I won’t say what it was I didn’t like, but I will say Gwen is w-a-y too sympathetic and forgiving. Overall, I liked the book. Where I thought it would be predictable, it wasn’t. I do hope Cindi decides to write a story featuring Gwen’s current roommate, Tori. She’s extremely funny and I know just who she should fall in love with.
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and reviewed voluntarily.**
Evan Haynes is a natural charmer and uses his good looks and charm to get what he wants. He doesn’t take anything too seriously and he would definitely much rather party with his friends than do anything that requires him to work hard and be responsible. His identical twin brother Ethan is the opposite of him in every way. Ethan believes in hard work and responsibility. In fact, he has just returned home to Raleigh, North Carolina after passing the bar exam. He even wants to establish himself on his own, which is why instead of taking a job at his father’s law firm he’s working somewhere else. Evan is notorious for getting the brothers in trouble. Usually, when disaster hits, Ethan is the one who ends up with the short end of the stick. So when Evan asks Ethan to pretend to be him and go on a roadtrip with his girlfriend, Ethan is very much against the idea. Yes, the brothers have switched places before, but not when it comes to relationships. Against his better judgement, Ethan agrees.
Gwen Cosgrave is a little nervous. Okay, maybe a lot nervous. She’s agreed to return to her small town in Pennsylvania in order to attend the wedding of her childhood best friend. The problem is she had two childhood best friends. Unfortunately, one “friend” decided it was okay to sleep with Gwen’s boyfriend. Now the two are back in their hometown, living together and everyone knows what happened. Thus, having someone by her side for the wedding is important to her. She needs to show that she’s moved on, even if in her heart she truly hasn’t.
When Gwen and Evan (Ethan) meet up to plan out the roadtrip for the next day, Gwen senses something is different about him. She’s not really sure what the difference is, but she knows there’s something because now she feels the spark that has been missing for the past three months. Ethan knows he should tell Gwen the truth, but when he kisses her goodbye what starts out as a small timid peck turns into a full blown inferno. Now, he just wants to spend a little more time with her.
As characters go, Gwen and Ethan are extremely likeable. It was fun being able to watch them together, talking and having fun. There’s this playfulness about them and they connect really well. I will admit the whole time I was reading the story, I kept waiting for the dreadful moment when the truth came out. Honestly, that wasn’t the worst part of the book for me. The worst part was Paige and Kyle, Gwen’s ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. I won’t say what it was I didn’t like, but I will say Gwen is w-a-y too sympathetic and forgiving. Overall, I liked the book. Where I thought it would be predictable, it wasn’t. I do hope Cindi decides to write a story featuring Gwen’s current roommate, Tori. She’s extremely funny and I know just who she should fall in love with.
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and reviewed voluntarily.**
August 2, 2018
First of all, I owe the author and NetGalley an apology on this one. Somehow I failed to do a release day review. But hopefully what I have to say about the book will make up for my forgetful empty-headedness…
Second of all, this is one of those books that goes down a potentially bumpy road. There’s some stuff here that should have irked me, and in the hands of a lesser author, might have irked me. But because it was well written, with adorable characters and plenty of funny, sexy, emotional and heart-warming scenes, I ended up really enjoying it.
The bumpy road I speak of is the premise. I’m not a fan of mistaken identity stories, or men who openly deceive women. In this book, you have jerkwad Evan who has been dating Gwen, and wants to get out of a planned event with her. So, instead of being a grown-up and dumping her, he asks his twin brother, Ethan, to pretend to be him and go to the event with her. He’ll dump her after the event, he tells Ethan. Ethan’s a ridiculously good guy and knows that his brother is an idiot, so he goes and meets with Gwen, fully intending to tell her the truth and let her know what a douchecanoe his brother is. But when he gets there, he really likes Gwen and wants to see more of her. He stupidly agrees to go to the event with her, and stupidly keeps pretending he’s his brother. Normally that kind of stupidity would make me hate Ethan, but he’s so sweet and well-meaning that I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I want him to tell Gwen the truth and get a little annoyed every time he doesn’t, but I just can’t stay mad at him. He’s too adorable.
Gwen’s a great heroine, too. Smart, full of energy and drive, and a genuinely nice person. She’s perfect for Ethan. In fact, she’d been planning to dump Evan, but when Ethan showed up, she had a change of heart and felt the chemistry between them. Hilarity and sexy times and road trip adventures ensue.
Was I irritated with the mistaken identity and wanting Ethan to just tell the truth? Yep. Is it a tiny bit instalove-y? At times, sure. Do I care? Not in the least. This one is well-done, fun, and full of feels and laughs. It’s a nice, light, easy read that I really enjoyed. And the way Ethan goes about making everything up to Gwen at the end? Perfect in every way. (Also, side note to the author: if there’s a story in the works for Tori, I will 1-click the crap out of it. Please and thank you.)
All-in-all, highly recommend. That’s about all I can say.
Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley free of charge.
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Second of all, this is one of those books that goes down a potentially bumpy road. There’s some stuff here that should have irked me, and in the hands of a lesser author, might have irked me. But because it was well written, with adorable characters and plenty of funny, sexy, emotional and heart-warming scenes, I ended up really enjoying it.
The bumpy road I speak of is the premise. I’m not a fan of mistaken identity stories, or men who openly deceive women. In this book, you have jerkwad Evan who has been dating Gwen, and wants to get out of a planned event with her. So, instead of being a grown-up and dumping her, he asks his twin brother, Ethan, to pretend to be him and go to the event with her. He’ll dump her after the event, he tells Ethan. Ethan’s a ridiculously good guy and knows that his brother is an idiot, so he goes and meets with Gwen, fully intending to tell her the truth and let her know what a douchecanoe his brother is. But when he gets there, he really likes Gwen and wants to see more of her. He stupidly agrees to go to the event with her, and stupidly keeps pretending he’s his brother. Normally that kind of stupidity would make me hate Ethan, but he’s so sweet and well-meaning that I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I want him to tell Gwen the truth and get a little annoyed every time he doesn’t, but I just can’t stay mad at him. He’s too adorable.
Gwen’s a great heroine, too. Smart, full of energy and drive, and a genuinely nice person. She’s perfect for Ethan. In fact, she’d been planning to dump Evan, but when Ethan showed up, she had a change of heart and felt the chemistry between them. Hilarity and sexy times and road trip adventures ensue.
Was I irritated with the mistaken identity and wanting Ethan to just tell the truth? Yep. Is it a tiny bit instalove-y? At times, sure. Do I care? Not in the least. This one is well-done, fun, and full of feels and laughs. It’s a nice, light, easy read that I really enjoyed. And the way Ethan goes about making everything up to Gwen at the end? Perfect in every way. (Also, side note to the author: if there’s a story in the works for Tori, I will 1-click the crap out of it. Please and thank you.)
All-in-all, highly recommend. That’s about all I can say.
Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley free of charge.
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June 25, 2018
http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/06/2...
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4 stars — Honestly, this book was kind of up and down for me. There were so many things I LOVED, but occasionally I felt like I was missing something. That’s why I ended at 4 stars, b/c there were both 5 star and 3 star moments.
I think part of that was our hero and heroine. There were things I LOVED about them, but in other areas I felt like I was missing a full connection. They were both hilarious and sweet. I loved so many of their interactions with one another, the way they fell right into teasing and joking around. Gwen could feel like such a ray of sunshine sometimes. And I loved how fiercely and immediately Ethan cared about Gwen, and earnestly tried to learn about her. But there was this weird layer of superficial on top that for some reason didn’t always work for me. It’s like, I liked and felt their friendship chemistry more than their steamy chemistry…but then again, sometimes their steamy chemistry was really good too. Honestly, I can’t articulate it. It wasn’t some huge thing, it was just something that separated this book from full 5 stars for me. I hate when that happens, b/c it’s not super helpful to anyone reading this review, eh?
I was worried how I was going to feel about the whole premise of this book, but you know what? We got to see inside Ethan’s head as well as Gwen’s, and I think that helped me to not hate Ethan and the ruse he was pulling. I’m not good with lying, but he wasn’t really either. And he knew all his excuses were bullshit, he was just afraid. And fear I understand. I really felt his pull towards Gwen, and the connection that got deeper and deeper with each interaction, so I understand why he made those selfish choices. And I appreciated that he didn’t try to excuse his behavior as anything other than selfishness and fear. And that’s what made me forgive him.
I had a harder time watching Paige and Kyle try to get forgiveness from Gwen, and even that I was okay with, b/c she was also reluctant. I hated the position they put her in. I actually totally get Paige’s despair, and so it was a really complicated situation where basically everyone loses. I’m glad that while there was forgiveness, it wasn’t some magical immediate thing. Gwen’s feelings with all that were very realistic and I totally felt for her. What amazed me is that Ms. Madsen made me feel for all those involved (even Madison for remaining friends with Paige and Kyle). It’s funny, b/c I prefer to feel black and white about things, but we really got to see how many shades of gray come out when presented with this kind of situation. It was a side plot point, but I appreciated what Ms. Madsen did with it.
As for other secondary characters, I will admit I didn’t really care for Evan…which is a bummer, b/c I feel like he and Tori might have a book coming up. Maybe I need to give him another chance though, and being in his head might help. Tori, on the other hand, was hilarious, and a good solid best friend.
The ending was perfect for me, I loved the way it played out and how Ethan got Gwen back. It was definitely swoony.
So yeah. There’s my super helpful review. Basically if the premise is making you wary, I recommend giving it a shot. This was a solid romance with sweet moments, steamy moments, and lots of giggly moments.
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4 stars — Honestly, this book was kind of up and down for me. There were so many things I LOVED, but occasionally I felt like I was missing something. That’s why I ended at 4 stars, b/c there were both 5 star and 3 star moments.
I think part of that was our hero and heroine. There were things I LOVED about them, but in other areas I felt like I was missing a full connection. They were both hilarious and sweet. I loved so many of their interactions with one another, the way they fell right into teasing and joking around. Gwen could feel like such a ray of sunshine sometimes. And I loved how fiercely and immediately Ethan cared about Gwen, and earnestly tried to learn about her. But there was this weird layer of superficial on top that for some reason didn’t always work for me. It’s like, I liked and felt their friendship chemistry more than their steamy chemistry…but then again, sometimes their steamy chemistry was really good too. Honestly, I can’t articulate it. It wasn’t some huge thing, it was just something that separated this book from full 5 stars for me. I hate when that happens, b/c it’s not super helpful to anyone reading this review, eh?
I was worried how I was going to feel about the whole premise of this book, but you know what? We got to see inside Ethan’s head as well as Gwen’s, and I think that helped me to not hate Ethan and the ruse he was pulling. I’m not good with lying, but he wasn’t really either. And he knew all his excuses were bullshit, he was just afraid. And fear I understand. I really felt his pull towards Gwen, and the connection that got deeper and deeper with each interaction, so I understand why he made those selfish choices. And I appreciated that he didn’t try to excuse his behavior as anything other than selfishness and fear. And that’s what made me forgive him.
I had a harder time watching Paige and Kyle try to get forgiveness from Gwen, and even that I was okay with, b/c she was also reluctant. I hated the position they put her in. I actually totally get Paige’s despair, and so it was a really complicated situation where basically everyone loses. I’m glad that while there was forgiveness, it wasn’t some magical immediate thing. Gwen’s feelings with all that were very realistic and I totally felt for her. What amazed me is that Ms. Madsen made me feel for all those involved (even Madison for remaining friends with Paige and Kyle). It’s funny, b/c I prefer to feel black and white about things, but we really got to see how many shades of gray come out when presented with this kind of situation. It was a side plot point, but I appreciated what Ms. Madsen did with it.
As for other secondary characters, I will admit I didn’t really care for Evan…which is a bummer, b/c I feel like he and Tori might have a book coming up. Maybe I need to give him another chance though, and being in his head might help. Tori, on the other hand, was hilarious, and a good solid best friend.
The ending was perfect for me, I loved the way it played out and how Ethan got Gwen back. It was definitely swoony.
So yeah. There’s my super helpful review. Basically if the premise is making you wary, I recommend giving it a shot. This was a solid romance with sweet moments, steamy moments, and lots of giggly moments.
June 24, 2018
Find this and more reviews on my blog: The Discerning Couch Potato.
Insta-love romances often bother me? Do I believe in love at first sight? Mmmm.... no. Though (as I've mentioned before) my fiance claimed he loved me right away. But I do believe in instant attraction and that a whirlwind experience can lead to love. And that's what happens in Madsen's Counterfeit Boyfriend.
Here's the premise: Ethan has been cleaning up his twin brother Evan's messes their entire life. When Evan asks him to switch places and accompany his girlfriend to a wedding back home. After all, he has some important partying to do.
When Ethan meets Gwen to plan their road trip he instantly feels a spark. How can his brother be so stupid to treat this gorgeous girl so badly? Gwen, was thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend, Evan. He's hot but he's not the most attentive boyfriend and he's not exactly very driven. But when they meet for coffee before heading home for her friend's wedding? He's.... different. She can't put her finger on it, but Evan has suddenly become the perfect boyfriend. The two embark on an epic road trip until the expected happens and Gwen discovers the truth.
I thought this book was adorable! All these bloggers are writing this week about their favorite beach and pool reads and, IMHO, this is a perfect choice for that kind of book.
The writing is tight. The chemistry between the H and h is palpable. Was it sometimes annoying that Gwen couldn't see the obvious truth? A little. But come on! She didn't even know Evan had a brother, let alone a twin! I liked Gwen. She's smart, snarky and she loves animals. She could be me! And Ethan? He is sexy and smart and a little nerdy. Hello perfect book boyfriend! I felt so bad for him throughout the book. He desperately wanted to tell her the truth because he was falling for her, but couldn't because of fear of losing her. At times it was a predictable, but I will forgive any of that because I so enjoyed the ride.
Bottom line: Counterfeit Boyfriend is sweet, sexy and totally fun. I'm giving it four stars. I'm looking forward to Evan's book (because it was pretty obvious there would be one... Where did he and Gwen's roommate, Tori run off to at the twins' birthday party???)
Add this to your Goodreads summer TBR list today!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Insta-love romances often bother me? Do I believe in love at first sight? Mmmm.... no. Though (as I've mentioned before) my fiance claimed he loved me right away. But I do believe in instant attraction and that a whirlwind experience can lead to love. And that's what happens in Madsen's Counterfeit Boyfriend.
Here's the premise: Ethan has been cleaning up his twin brother Evan's messes their entire life. When Evan asks him to switch places and accompany his girlfriend to a wedding back home. After all, he has some important partying to do.
When Ethan meets Gwen to plan their road trip he instantly feels a spark. How can his brother be so stupid to treat this gorgeous girl so badly? Gwen, was thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend, Evan. He's hot but he's not the most attentive boyfriend and he's not exactly very driven. But when they meet for coffee before heading home for her friend's wedding? He's.... different. She can't put her finger on it, but Evan has suddenly become the perfect boyfriend. The two embark on an epic road trip until the expected happens and Gwen discovers the truth.
I thought this book was adorable! All these bloggers are writing this week about their favorite beach and pool reads and, IMHO, this is a perfect choice for that kind of book.
The writing is tight. The chemistry between the H and h is palpable. Was it sometimes annoying that Gwen couldn't see the obvious truth? A little. But come on! She didn't even know Evan had a brother, let alone a twin! I liked Gwen. She's smart, snarky and she loves animals. She could be me! And Ethan? He is sexy and smart and a little nerdy. Hello perfect book boyfriend! I felt so bad for him throughout the book. He desperately wanted to tell her the truth because he was falling for her, but couldn't because of fear of losing her. At times it was a predictable, but I will forgive any of that because I so enjoyed the ride.
Bottom line: Counterfeit Boyfriend is sweet, sexy and totally fun. I'm giving it four stars. I'm looking forward to Evan's book (because it was pretty obvious there would be one... Where did he and Gwen's roommate, Tori run off to at the twins' birthday party???)
Add this to your Goodreads summer TBR list today!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 1, 2018
I wish I could reread this with new eyes all over again! I knew I would like Counterfeit Boyfriend as soon as I read the blurb. I mean twin brothers switching places?!? Sounds like an adult version of the Parent Trap. This book has everything I love in a book. A big secret, undeniable chemistry, a bit of romance, and a huge, climax. This book blew my mind.
This book has an amazing plot. It is like fake boyfriend meets contemporary romance. Add in the mystery that is a twin and you have a recipe for the perfect story. I loved how this book started. You meet both twins and see immediately how different they are. Add in some alcohol and charm and you have Ethan agreeing to pretend to be his twin for the weekend with his girlfriend. What could go wrong, right?
Ethan’s character is great. You can tell he really wanted to do the right thing from the beginning, but he gets swept up into the beautiful hurricane that is Gwen. Throughout the story, I loved reading how he was at war with himself. It made him redeemable to us readers. Gwen is a strong and amazing character. I loved her character. While at first, she might seem weak because of her wanting a date to this wedding, but she is actually a really strong character that can stick up for herself.
The chemistry between these two is obvious from their first meeting. Gwen immediately notices the difference. She has no clue that Evan has a twin though, so she chalks it up to her not really giving him a chance. Ethan feels the same immediate chemistry. It is because of the heat between these two that this ruse lasts as long as it does.
The writing style in this book is good. The pace is fast, but it fits for this book. I love the hot and cold relationship between the two characters. I also enjoyed the dual point of view we get from both of these characters. It made my feelings for these characters grow so much more.
Overall, I am in love with this story. I really wish I could reread this book as if I hadn’t read it. I kept flipping pages until there was no more. Then I sat there wishing I could get my hands on even more! I think the author did a good job of setting the book up for a possibility of another book for Evan. I think it would be nice to see him change his ways. I would recommend this book to others.
Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
*Reviewed for Seraphim Book Reviews*
This book has an amazing plot. It is like fake boyfriend meets contemporary romance. Add in the mystery that is a twin and you have a recipe for the perfect story. I loved how this book started. You meet both twins and see immediately how different they are. Add in some alcohol and charm and you have Ethan agreeing to pretend to be his twin for the weekend with his girlfriend. What could go wrong, right?
Ethan’s character is great. You can tell he really wanted to do the right thing from the beginning, but he gets swept up into the beautiful hurricane that is Gwen. Throughout the story, I loved reading how he was at war with himself. It made him redeemable to us readers. Gwen is a strong and amazing character. I loved her character. While at first, she might seem weak because of her wanting a date to this wedding, but she is actually a really strong character that can stick up for herself.
The chemistry between these two is obvious from their first meeting. Gwen immediately notices the difference. She has no clue that Evan has a twin though, so she chalks it up to her not really giving him a chance. Ethan feels the same immediate chemistry. It is because of the heat between these two that this ruse lasts as long as it does.
The writing style in this book is good. The pace is fast, but it fits for this book. I love the hot and cold relationship between the two characters. I also enjoyed the dual point of view we get from both of these characters. It made my feelings for these characters grow so much more.
Overall, I am in love with this story. I really wish I could reread this book as if I hadn’t read it. I kept flipping pages until there was no more. Then I sat there wishing I could get my hands on even more! I think the author did a good job of setting the book up for a possibility of another book for Evan. I think it would be nice to see him change his ways. I would recommend this book to others.
Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
*Reviewed for Seraphim Book Reviews*
March 7, 2021
I received a copy of this book from Netgally free for my honest review.
That being said, I DNF this title due to other reasons that were NOT do to story or content. For whatever reason, the copy that I received was flawed. The Italicized font and odd paragraph indentation was throughout made it difficult to concentrate without constant reminders that the content was not a flashback. It actually took me the entire first chapter to realize that. Whether this issue is due to the file or the Kindle App, I do not believe this was a problem stemming from author or publisher. That is why I could not continue to read pass chapter 6 (Gwen). For those reasons, my review will reflect only those six chapters that I managed to read.
The beginning of this story started out great. I think the author did a great job of creating Ethan and giving him depth. He was a likable character and I enjoyed the humor that was cleverly placed within the content. I also managed to get a good glimpse of the personality of his twin brother, Evan. He, all though a less likable character, was written well within the limitations of his character.
That being said, what I didn’t really care for was the first narrative POV switches. I do not require that all the stories I read have to be written in third person narrative. First person narration gives the reader depth in a character’s personality and qualities that may not necessarily be easy to see from a third person narrative. I like stories better when the first person narrative is written by only one POV. That to me seems to add a bit of mystery to their counterpart.
Now I’m not saying that switching POV is always bad, but I think in this story it would have worked better for me because I didn’t really like Gwen’s personality all that well. By the end of the first three paragraphs, I learned all that I needed to know about Gwen, and I wasn’t really particularly fond of her. I think her inner dialog did that for me. Without getting into the specifics, I found her to be shallow to the point I disliked her.
Other people may not have the same views on this story as I do. I really didn’t get far enough to story to see and feel whether or not this adaptation of Gwen was different or evolved. That is up to others to decide. I can’t give this story more than 3 stars. But I encourage others to not take this review as a deciding factor on whether or not to partake in reading this book.
That being said, I DNF this title due to other reasons that were NOT do to story or content. For whatever reason, the copy that I received was flawed. The Italicized font and odd paragraph indentation was throughout made it difficult to concentrate without constant reminders that the content was not a flashback. It actually took me the entire first chapter to realize that. Whether this issue is due to the file or the Kindle App, I do not believe this was a problem stemming from author or publisher. That is why I could not continue to read pass chapter 6 (Gwen). For those reasons, my review will reflect only those six chapters that I managed to read.
The beginning of this story started out great. I think the author did a great job of creating Ethan and giving him depth. He was a likable character and I enjoyed the humor that was cleverly placed within the content. I also managed to get a good glimpse of the personality of his twin brother, Evan. He, all though a less likable character, was written well within the limitations of his character.
That being said, what I didn’t really care for was the first narrative POV switches. I do not require that all the stories I read have to be written in third person narrative. First person narration gives the reader depth in a character’s personality and qualities that may not necessarily be easy to see from a third person narrative. I like stories better when the first person narrative is written by only one POV. That to me seems to add a bit of mystery to their counterpart.
Now I’m not saying that switching POV is always bad, but I think in this story it would have worked better for me because I didn’t really like Gwen’s personality all that well. By the end of the first three paragraphs, I learned all that I needed to know about Gwen, and I wasn’t really particularly fond of her. I think her inner dialog did that for me. Without getting into the specifics, I found her to be shallow to the point I disliked her.
Other people may not have the same views on this story as I do. I really didn’t get far enough to story to see and feel whether or not this adaptation of Gwen was different or evolved. That is up to others to decide. I can’t give this story more than 3 stars. But I encourage others to not take this review as a deciding factor on whether or not to partake in reading this book.
August 6, 2018
This book is so cheesy and unrealistic and I just adored it. It got off to a bit of a rocky start and I almost stopped reading it after the first chapter, but kept going in the hopes that I could count it for a particular category in a book bingo challenge I'm participating in. Turns out it didn't fit the book bingo category, but I'm glad I kept reading anyway! Counterfeit Boyfriend is told in the first person past tense, which seemed really odd to me and sometimes came off as feeling pretty awkward and cumbersome. The POV switched between Ethan and Gwen, and it's really interesting to get each of their viewpoint into what they're feeling and what's happening, and this way the reader really gets the full impact of the number of times/situations in which if the timing/wording/circumstances had just been a SMIDGE different, everything would have turned out in such a different way.
This book is fun fluff, and besides, I'm a sucker for both the road trip romance trope as well as the mistaken identity trope. Gwen and Ethan are so cute together, and the level of banter!
Later the whole Hulk/Superman thing comes up a couple more times, and it's just hilarious and touching and nerdy and I love it. This whole book is just a great summer beach read, and is great if what you're looking for a cheesy trope-y fluffy romp, with a dollop of heartbreak, a sprinkle of grand gestures, and a whole heck of a lot of happy-ever-after.
This book is fun fluff, and besides, I'm a sucker for both the road trip romance trope as well as the mistaken identity trope. Gwen and Ethan are so cute together, and the level of banter!
"I know you're strong and all, but you're not the Hulk."
"Are you sure about that? Have you ever seen me get angry enough to test that theory? I mean I'm not confirming or denying anything, but I'd also like to point out that you haven't seen me and Superman in the same room, either."
Later the whole Hulk/Superman thing comes up a couple more times, and it's just hilarious and touching and nerdy and I love it. This whole book is just a great summer beach read, and is great if what you're looking for a cheesy trope-y fluffy romp, with a dollop of heartbreak, a sprinkle of grand gestures, and a whole heck of a lot of happy-ever-after.
July 1, 2018
I was completely intrigued with the blurb of Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen. A twin brother who needs his twin to take his please on a road trip with his girlfriend because he wants to hang with his friends. Nothing can go wrong, right?
Ethan is used to having his twin, Evan, talk him into situations he knew better than to get involved in, but his brother has a way of convincing him. So, when his brother talks him into accepting, he decides to come clean and tell the woman the truth. Then he meets Gwen is swept away by her. Now all he wants is her.
The last thing Gwen wants it to attend this wedding. Her ex and ex-best friend will be there, but she owes it to her other friend. So, having her hot and sexy boyfriend go with her should help, right? But she is not feeling the spark with Evan. But when they meet to talk about the road trip, something is different and all of a sudden, she is feeling all the sparks.
So, begins Gwen and Ethan’s journey. With each moment they share, Ethan is falling harder, except Gwen has no idea who he really is. All she knows is that man is somehow different in all the best ways. He listens, is caring and does not mind any of her quirks. So maybe this road trip will not be so bad. But as they fall harder for each other, how will Gwen react when the truths come out?
Considering the plot of the story, Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen was a really sweet and adorable romance. I loved every reading every moment of it and expect we may get Evans’ story soon as well!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Ethan is used to having his twin, Evan, talk him into situations he knew better than to get involved in, but his brother has a way of convincing him. So, when his brother talks him into accepting, he decides to come clean and tell the woman the truth. Then he meets Gwen is swept away by her. Now all he wants is her.
The last thing Gwen wants it to attend this wedding. Her ex and ex-best friend will be there, but she owes it to her other friend. So, having her hot and sexy boyfriend go with her should help, right? But she is not feeling the spark with Evan. But when they meet to talk about the road trip, something is different and all of a sudden, she is feeling all the sparks.
So, begins Gwen and Ethan’s journey. With each moment they share, Ethan is falling harder, except Gwen has no idea who he really is. All she knows is that man is somehow different in all the best ways. He listens, is caring and does not mind any of her quirks. So maybe this road trip will not be so bad. But as they fall harder for each other, how will Gwen react when the truths come out?
Considering the plot of the story, Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen was a really sweet and adorable romance. I loved every reading every moment of it and expect we may get Evans’ story soon as well!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
June 19, 2018
Gwen is an accountant/office manager at a vet. She is upbeat, witty, and talks really fast. Her boyfriend describes her as a "redheaded hurricane."
Ethan is fresh out of law school and back home waiting for his job at a law firm to begin. He is straight-laced and a rule follower. The complete opposite of his crazy, fly by the sea of his pants, twin brother.
When Ethan's twin, Evan, talks him into taking his girlfriend on a road trip to a wedding, he unwillingly says yes.
This story was a story about falling in love with your twin's girlfriend. We know from the start that there weren't any sparks between Evan and Gwen, but I didn't really feel them between Ethan and Gwen either.
I am all for insta-love, but this one seemed forced. There was talk about the chemistry being different, but I just wasn't sold on the idea.
Overall it was an okay read. I really enjoyed the road trip part and the ending.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
Ethan is fresh out of law school and back home waiting for his job at a law firm to begin. He is straight-laced and a rule follower. The complete opposite of his crazy, fly by the sea of his pants, twin brother.
When Ethan's twin, Evan, talks him into taking his girlfriend on a road trip to a wedding, he unwillingly says yes.
This story was a story about falling in love with your twin's girlfriend. We know from the start that there weren't any sparks between Evan and Gwen, but I didn't really feel them between Ethan and Gwen either.
I am all for insta-love, but this one seemed forced. There was talk about the chemistry being different, but I just wasn't sold on the idea.
Overall it was an okay read. I really enjoyed the road trip part and the ending.
-An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.-
July 5, 2018
Counterfeit Boyfriend is a cheesy read and I ended up liking it. It is one of those reads that I would hate the situation if it happened in real life though. It is about twin brothers who switch places and one of them goes on the planned road trip which the other’s girlfriend. Again, this situation would annoy me in me real life. I am a sucker for road trip stories. I highly enjoyed the chemistry between Ethan and Gwen.
It was a cute story about learning you are stronger than you think. It was a story about forgiveness and letting go. Both characters have baggage they need to move on from. I definitely recommend Counterfeit Boyfriend if you are looking for a cute cheesy read. There are lighthouses, horny unicorns, and hot kisses. I say again if you want light contemporary to pass the time this summer then pick up Counterfeit Boyfriend.
It was a cute story about learning you are stronger than you think. It was a story about forgiveness and letting go. Both characters have baggage they need to move on from. I definitely recommend Counterfeit Boyfriend if you are looking for a cute cheesy read. There are lighthouses, horny unicorns, and hot kisses. I say again if you want light contemporary to pass the time this summer then pick up Counterfeit Boyfriend.
June 22, 2018
3 1/2 stars for me. Twin brothers one is the ultimate slacker Evan and the other is just passed the bar lawyer Ethan. Evan convinces Ethan to take his place with his girlfriend he is thinking of breaking up with and go to a wedding with her in her hometown. Gwen feels a spark that she has never felt when meeting her 'boyfriend' to plan the road trip to the wedding.
Gwen and Ethan are adorable together and have the ultimate road trip stops on way to wedding. Ethan feels the need to come clean to the women he is falling in love with. Can an twin swap work?
Cute plot, snarky dialogue that is great
Reviewed by: Alex L.
Gwen and Ethan are adorable together and have the ultimate road trip stops on way to wedding. Ethan feels the need to come clean to the women he is falling in love with. Can an twin swap work?
Cute plot, snarky dialogue that is great
Reviewed by: Alex L.
June 11, 2018
3.5 stars
This was a cute story about twin bother's switching identities and one of the brother's falling in love with the other brother's girlfriend. It was cute and sweet. I enjoyed it by the pool !
This was a cute story about twin bother's switching identities and one of the brother's falling in love with the other brother's girlfriend. It was cute and sweet. I enjoyed it by the pool !
June 25, 2018
this was a great read.
I highly enjoyed the whole twin switcharoo thing.
I would highly recommend this story to everyone who loves this author!
I highly enjoyed the whole twin switcharoo thing.
I would highly recommend this story to everyone who loves this author!
Want to read
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June 16, 2018
5 Spectacular Stars!
Review by Nancy
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Inventive, humorous, and profound, Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen is fascinating! When twin brothers Ethan and Evan switch places, we get an incredible story of deceit, love, and lust.
Evan has convinced Ethan to switch places plenty of times, but when he asks Ethan to switch with him and take his girlfriend on a road trip, he knows it’s a horrible idea. He is determined to put a stop to the switch, despite his brother, but then he meets Gwen. The chemistry vibrating of off her was instantaneous. He knew there was no way he was letting this woman down. Ethan is in over his head, he doesn’t realize what he is getting himself into, he has to tell Gwen at some point, but as the days pass, it only gets harder and harder. Falling for his brothers girl is not an option.
Gwen is determined to break up with her boyfriend, before her road trip, even if that means she will be attending a wedding without a date. And then something changes, the morning of her planned breakup, she sees him in a different light, it’s almost like he’s a different person. For months she had been searching for the feeling, the one that told her he could be the one. Then on that morning it hits her like a ton of bricks, thinking it’s a fluke, she decides to test the waters on the road trip. When her boyfriend shows her nothing short of perfection, she can’t help but fall in love. When Gwen figures out why the black and white change, she is devastated. She feels betrayed and deceived.
They say the truth is key, Ethan realizes he made the biggest mistake of his life lying to Gwen. Will the feeling of betrayal be stronger than the love Gwen feels for Ethan?
I loved this book! I was clenching my fists waiting for the climax. Madsen definitely did this book justice. It was well written, the characters were well developed. The connection she created between the two main characters was phenomenal. An absolute must read!
**ARC provided by author for honest review**
Review by Nancy
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Inventive, humorous, and profound, Counterfeit Boyfriend by Cindi Madsen is fascinating! When twin brothers Ethan and Evan switch places, we get an incredible story of deceit, love, and lust.
Evan has convinced Ethan to switch places plenty of times, but when he asks Ethan to switch with him and take his girlfriend on a road trip, he knows it’s a horrible idea. He is determined to put a stop to the switch, despite his brother, but then he meets Gwen. The chemistry vibrating of off her was instantaneous. He knew there was no way he was letting this woman down. Ethan is in over his head, he doesn’t realize what he is getting himself into, he has to tell Gwen at some point, but as the days pass, it only gets harder and harder. Falling for his brothers girl is not an option.
Gwen is determined to break up with her boyfriend, before her road trip, even if that means she will be attending a wedding without a date. And then something changes, the morning of her planned breakup, she sees him in a different light, it’s almost like he’s a different person. For months she had been searching for the feeling, the one that told her he could be the one. Then on that morning it hits her like a ton of bricks, thinking it’s a fluke, she decides to test the waters on the road trip. When her boyfriend shows her nothing short of perfection, she can’t help but fall in love. When Gwen figures out why the black and white change, she is devastated. She feels betrayed and deceived.
They say the truth is key, Ethan realizes he made the biggest mistake of his life lying to Gwen. Will the feeling of betrayal be stronger than the love Gwen feels for Ethan?
I loved this book! I was clenching my fists waiting for the climax. Madsen definitely did this book justice. It was well written, the characters were well developed. The connection she created between the two main characters was phenomenal. An absolute must read!
**ARC provided by author for honest review**
June 25, 2018
I love Cindi Madsen, yet this title didn’t blow my mind like her other reads.
We have Gwen and Evan, he has a twin brother and convinces him to take a road trip with his girlfriend Gwen instead of him. So, the story follows Gwen and Ethan, with Gwen thinking he’s Evan.
Anyway, I disliked Evan immediately, a really douche thing to propose to his brother. Ethan was a cooler guy, but accepting was somewhat jerky on his part. There were lots of moments when he could’ve told the truth but kept chickening out.
If it were not for that, I actually liked him and Gwen, they were obviously a better match for each other and I loved how he treated Gwen (well, aside for the lying who he really was thing), listening to her and actually paying attention to her. She was super cool and fun, and I hated those jerks in her past (ex-boyfriend and so called ‘BFF’), she was a sweet soul.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. I just wasn’t a fan of jerky behavior (although I did know I MIGHT feel this way since the blurb states the switch). I wonder if we’ll hear from Evan now, there was something going on there with Gwen’s other BFF.
*Thank you to Sweet & Spicy for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
We have Gwen and Evan, he has a twin brother and convinces him to take a road trip with his girlfriend Gwen instead of him. So, the story follows Gwen and Ethan, with Gwen thinking he’s Evan.
Anyway, I disliked Evan immediately, a really douche thing to propose to his brother. Ethan was a cooler guy, but accepting was somewhat jerky on his part. There were lots of moments when he could’ve told the truth but kept chickening out.
If it were not for that, I actually liked him and Gwen, they were obviously a better match for each other and I loved how he treated Gwen (well, aside for the lying who he really was thing), listening to her and actually paying attention to her. She was super cool and fun, and I hated those jerks in her past (ex-boyfriend and so called ‘BFF’), she was a sweet soul.
All in all, I enjoyed this story. I just wasn’t a fan of jerky behavior (although I did know I MIGHT feel this way since the blurb states the switch). I wonder if we’ll hear from Evan now, there was something going on there with Gwen’s other BFF.
*Thank you to Sweet & Spicy for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
July 1, 2018
I received a copy of Counterfeit Boyfriend through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
This was my first book that I've read from Cindi Madsen and it definitely won't be my last. I typically read e-books quicker than physical books, but I could not put this book down. I finished it in just a couple hours. While this story wasn't very realistic, it was still very enjoyable. It was slightly cheesy at times, but I think that's one of the things that made me want to keep reading it. Sometimes you just need a cheesy read.
I found it endearing that Ethan would do something like that for his brother even though he knew it probably wouldn't end well. Gwen was such an amazing character. Even after being betrayed, she's still trying to live her life. I thought it was amazing that she went back for her friend's wedding even though she knew it would be an awkward moment.
I loved the road trip aspect of this book. It gave the perfect setting for the book and the plot behind it.
This was my first book that I've read from Cindi Madsen and it definitely won't be my last. I typically read e-books quicker than physical books, but I could not put this book down. I finished it in just a couple hours. While this story wasn't very realistic, it was still very enjoyable. It was slightly cheesy at times, but I think that's one of the things that made me want to keep reading it. Sometimes you just need a cheesy read.
I found it endearing that Ethan would do something like that for his brother even though he knew it probably wouldn't end well. Gwen was such an amazing character. Even after being betrayed, she's still trying to live her life. I thought it was amazing that she went back for her friend's wedding even though she knew it would be an awkward moment.
I loved the road trip aspect of this book. It gave the perfect setting for the book and the plot behind it.
June 28, 2018
Obviously from the blurb and the reviews this book is about twin brothers switching identities, but it's so much more than that!. I really appreciated the journey that Ethan and Gwen embarked on during their road trip. One might say it was an insta-love, but I felt it was a slow-growing, then smoldering, then burn-it-up, kind of love and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Ethan is a sweet, thoughtful, but sexy guy that's easy to fall in love with and I'm glad the author wrote the character of Gwen as a smart, resilient, strong female lead. This was my first experience reading this author and I won't hesitate to read more of her work. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.
July 26, 2018
The Chemistry is not Counterfeit
If you are looking for a fun and easy-to-read romance novel with plenty of heat, this is it. I fell in love with Gwen and Ethan from the first moment these two met. There are plenty of fictional characters that I would like to meet in real life; however, I’d love to spend the day with Ethan and Gwen. They’re fun. And their story hit all the right romantic notes for me.
If you are looking for a fun and easy-to-read romance novel with plenty of heat, this is it. I fell in love with Gwen and Ethan from the first moment these two met. There are plenty of fictional characters that I would like to meet in real life; however, I’d love to spend the day with Ethan and Gwen. They’re fun. And their story hit all the right romantic notes for me.
February 3, 2019
Wow
This was the first book that I have read by this author. Wow am I ever glad I did. It was amazing. I read it in one day. It was funny and the chemistry between the characters were off the charts. She was one of my favorite characters. She was so funny and I could relate to her. I will be reading more books by Cindi Madsen. She is exceptional!
This was the first book that I have read by this author. Wow am I ever glad I did. It was amazing. I read it in one day. It was funny and the chemistry between the characters were off the charts. She was one of my favorite characters. She was so funny and I could relate to her. I will be reading more books by Cindi Madsen. She is exceptional!
July 9, 2018
Seeing double
A sweet romcom for everyone! It would be nice to have been able to play some switcheroos for difficult tasks when i was younger. Gwen reminds me of myself with the gift of gab once im caffeinated! Good story!
A sweet romcom for everyone! It would be nice to have been able to play some switcheroos for difficult tasks when i was younger. Gwen reminds me of myself with the gift of gab once im caffeinated! Good story!
July 10, 2018
Show me the love
I had a hard time justifying what Ethan did, but I fell in love with how he fell in love with Gwen. Gwen did not deserve to be treated with such disrespect. Evan definitely needed to grow up. It sounds like there is a future book that will deal with Evan.
I had a hard time justifying what Ethan did, but I fell in love with how he fell in love with Gwen. Gwen did not deserve to be treated with such disrespect. Evan definitely needed to grow up. It sounds like there is a future book that will deal with Evan.
July 21, 2018
Fantastic
This laugh out loud story is one you don't want to miss. It's a tale of switching twins, a great road trip, and falling in love. Loads of fun and completely entertaining.
This laugh out loud story is one you don't want to miss. It's a tale of switching twins, a great road trip, and falling in love. Loads of fun and completely entertaining.
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