Faking It

Dempseys #2

by Jennifer Crusie

Meet the Goodnights, a respectable family who run a respectable art gallery—and have for generations. There’s Gwen, the matriarch, who likes to escape reality; Eve, the oldest daughter, who has a slight identity problem (she has two); Nadine, the granddaughter, who’s ready to follow in the family footsteps as soon as she can find a set that isn’t leading off a cliff. And last, Matilda, the youngest daughter, who has inherited the secret locked down in the basement of the Goodnight Gallery, a secret she’s willing to do almost anything to keep, even break into a house in the dead of night to steal back her past.

Meet the Dempseys, or at least meet Davy, a reformed con man who’s just been ripped off for a cool three million by his financial manager, who then gallantly turned it over to Clea Lewis, the most beautiful sociopath Davy ever slept with. Davy wants the money back, but more than that, he’ll do anything to keep Clea from winning, including break into her house in the dead of night to steal back his future.

One collision in a closet later, Tilda and Davy reluctantly join forces to combat Clea, suspicious art collectors, a disgruntled heir, and an exasperated hit man, all the while coping with a mutant dachshund, a jukebox stuck in the sixties, questionable sex, and the growing realization that they can’t turn their backs on the people they were meant to be . . . or the people they were born to love.

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Humor, Audiobook

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jennifer Crusie is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of twenty-three novels, one book of literary criticism, miscellaneous articles, essays, novellas, and short stories, and the editor of three essay anthologies.

She was born in Wapakoneta, a small town in Ohio, and then went on to live in a succession of other small towns in Ohio and New Jersey until her last move to a small town in Pennsylvania.  This may have had an impact on her work. 

She has a BS in Art Education, an MA in literature, an MFA in fiction, and was ABD on her PhD when she started reading romances as part of her research into the differences between the ways men and women tell stories.  Writing a romance sounded like more fun than writing a dissertation, so she switched to fiction and never looked back.  Her collaborations with Bob Mayer have pretty much proved everything she was going to say in her dissertation anyway, so really, no need to finish that.

For more information, see JenniferCrusie.com and her blog, Argh Ink.

Reviews

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could I not love a romance novel that has the couple's first sexual encounter be an absolute disaster? There was no magic, or multiples, or insta-love. It was awkward, not fun, just-waiting-for-it-to-be-over, fake-orgasm sex.


They had gluten-free pizza sex. With pineapples and anchovies.
That bad.

So, she tells him that she prefers her vibrator to him, and he tells her that it was awful but he's willing to have them practice and get better. And, if that wasn't just the truest example of the male/female mindset I don't know what is.



This book, like the first one in the series, had a lot of characters in it. They were all very quirky and fun with their own little stories going on. I like how Jennifer Crusie is able to juggle all of that so well. But, it does make it take a little longer to get hooked into her stories (for me). But, like the first book, I found myself really invested about halfway through and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The story itself is about a guy trying to steal his money back from the lady he originally stole it from, and a girl trying to steal a forged painting back from the same lady. This lady is not having a good day. But, don't worry, she deserves a LOT of bad days.

They meet while each of them are hiding in the lady's closet after they separately broke into her house. Instead of a meet-cute, it was a meet-loot. So romantic!


Came for the goods. Stayed for true love.

The two of them end up deciding to help each other and it's funny craziness throughout.
One warning: the guy is kind of a dick for a bit. He is continually checking out other women even after these two sleep together. I was happy when she told him that her vibrator was better than him. He totally needed a slap-down. But, he ends up being awesome by the end.

I don't know if these books are for everyone, but I like the sarcasm and craziness going on and am going to read more of her stuff.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loooove this book. Jenny Crusie is a goddess and a scholar and I will not hear any differently.

Faking It is the story of con artist Davy Dempsey - younger brother to Sophie Dempsey, from Welcome to Temptation - and Matilda Goodnight, born to a family of art forgers.

Jenny’s books always have an amazing, complex, sprawling cast, and they read like a movie. There are always ten things happening at the same time and every supporting character has a whole crazy story arc, and the romance is always full of real life moments and so much intensity.

I think someone made a chart once of things you can always find in Jenny’s books and it was perfect. I can’t remember all the items, but there was definitely a crime and a stray dog in there, plus a signature dessert. What else could you possibly want in your romance novel??

I’m always laughing out loud at the characters’ antics and this book is no different. Can’t wait to reread it again next summer break! 😂

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if someone wrote a Harlequin Romance while dropping acid? I'm pretty sure this book would be the result. Jennifer Crusie, whose known for her quirky romance novels, outdoes herself with this tale. Who else would create a heroine who has to fake an orgasm with the hero the first time they have sex because it's so bad? Who else would describe their first kiss as "tasting of vodka and disaster"? This book is just so much fun.

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 flashy painted stars

Popsugar challenge #4: libro que involucre un robo.

“Everybody’s crooked,” Davy said. “The trick is to find out how they’re bent. Then you make sure the consequences are so great they stay straight anyway.”

This is like one of those old movies of screwball comedy... made me feel nostalgic; I really miss them.

Lot of crooked faulty charming characters, and it made me chuckle sometimes too.
:)


Davy Dempsey quiere sus 3 millones de vuelta. Su ex- le sustrajo su dinero con ayuda de otro ex-amigo. Que él primero le robara el dinero a su ex, pues eso apenas registra en su radar.
Tilda Goodnight anda detrás de un cuadro. La reputación y el bienestar de su familia, de su madre, hermana y sobrina depende de ello.
Ambos colisionan en una armario y besos más tarde parece que ella no podrá quitarselo de encima, y que tal vez ambos puedan beneficiarse y conseguir dinero y cuadro.
Bueno las cosas no funcionan exactamente de acuerdo al plan.

He’d been a pool player long enough to know that if you had to choose between skill and luck, you chose luck; a con man long enough to know that if you had to choose between a great plan and fate on your side, you picked fate. And here he was, up to his ass in skill and plans

Davy es un estafador desde la cuna, y todos sus amigos parecen cortados igual. Por otra parte, Tilda tiene sus propios esqueletos en el armario con las pinturas , la galeria de arte que es el negocio familiar y su familia.

Si a alguno esto le asemeja a How to Steal a Million (Como robar un millón, 1966), puede que sea o no una coincidencia :P



O sea, pinturas, y closets y...





Hay dialogos rápidos y con mucha charla acerca de sexo. Como el hecho de que el primer encuentro sexual entre los protagonistas deja mucho. mucho, que desear.

Y en cuanto a Clea, la ex, con Davy:

What relationship?” Clea said, mystified. “What made you think we had a relationship?”
“We were living together,” Davy said. “I thought—”
“No you didn’t.” Clea folded her arms. This was why men were a pain in the ass. They only thought of themselves. “You didn’t think at all. You looked at me and saw what you wanted to see, a faithful hottie of a girlfriend. You didn’t want to know me, you just wanted to have me. Well, you had me. It’s over.” He was looking at her as if she were speaking Chinese, so she spelled it out forhim. “I’m not responsible for you not knowing me, Davy. It’s not my fault you never looked—”
“Oh, come on,” Davy said. “We were living together.”
Clea shrugged. “I saved a lot on rent. I don’t see what that has to do with this. I mean, did I ever say, ‘Davy, you’re the only one’?”
“No,” Davy said.
“Did I ever say, ‘I’ll never leave you, this is forever, you’re the love of my life’?”
“This is really depressing,” Davy said, leaning against the storefront again.
“So you’re mad at me for not being what you wanted me to be,” Clea said. “Well, I’m mad at you, too. I wanted you to be rich, and you weren’t, and I ended up with that bastard Zane.”

Volviendo con el mal sexo:

“Look, don’t take it personally—”
“You’d rather have a vibrator than me,” Davy said.
“It’s a good one,” she said, trying to soften the blow. “It’s not battery-operated. It plugs in.”
[----]
“You’re in a long-term relationship with an appliance,” Davy said.
“Hey.” Tilda straightened. “I never have to talk to it, it never makes me feel embarrassed, and it never lets me down.”
[---]
“Look, this is not a problem. I’m an open-minded man. How about a threesome?”
“What?” Tilda said, outraged.
“You, me, and the machine,” Davy said.
[---]
Wait a minute, where are you going?”
“To play pool,” Davy said. “I’m going to sink something in a pocket tonight.” Then he slammed the door, taking her twenty with him.
“Men are so sensitive,”


XD




La joven abuela que hace crucigrams y sueña con tragos con sombrillas, la hermana que debe dividirse entre la responsabilidad y su propia sexualidad, la sobrina adolescente avispada, son grandes personajes todos con sus pequeños desvarios , como dije encantadoras y no lo que uno podria considerar tradicionales. Y Tilda, con todas esas supresiones y la responsabilidad, seguro que todos le echan porras.

Dempsey es el bribón simpático con su propia moral y reglas. No quiere sujetarse a nada, porque se conoce y no puede vivir siempre haciendo lo correcto, le aburre.

Bueno, es acerca de asumir quienes somos, un poco como aceptar quienes somos y jugar la mejor mano posible... de preferencia no cuando hay un Dempsey presente, si estamos haciéndolo por dinero.

Un libro simpático, para pasar un rato y con suerte te sacará una risa.

Pero creo que siempre he preferido donas a muffins... :sigh:

Nadine sighed and opened a cupboard,“According to Grandma, there are two kinds of men in the world, doughnuts and muffins.”
“Doughnuts are the guys that make you drool,” Nadine said “They’re gorgeous and crispy and covered with chocolate icing and you see one and you have to have it, and if you don’t get it, you think about it all day and then you go back for it anyway because it’s a doughnut.”
Davy said. “So doughnuts make you drool.”
“Right. Whereas muffins just sort of sit there all lumpy, looking alike, no chocolate icing at all.”
“And while muffins may be excellent,” Nadine went on, “especially the pineapple-orange ones, they’re no doughnuts.”
“So doughnuts are good,” Davy said, trying to keep up his end of the conversation.
“Well, yeah, for one night,” Nadine said. “But then the next morning, they’re not crisp anymore, and the icing is all stuck to the bag, and they have watery stuff all over them, and they’re icky and awful. You can’t keep a doughnut overnight.”
“Ah,” Davy said. “But a muffin—”
“Is actually better the next day,” Nadine finished. “Muffins are for the long haul and they always taste good. They don’t have that oh-my-God-I-have-to-have-that thing that the doughnuts have going for them, but you still want them the next morning.”
.
.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to get out more , she thought. Six months of celibacy and she was swapping tongues with burglars in the middle of felonies.

Tilda Goodnight is a good girl. Or at least she is trying very hard to be one, when she doesn’t stumble upon dangerous men while she tries to steal valuable paintings. She is the main support of her family, pimping out her talent for commercial wall paintings that imitate classic masterpieces. The Goodnights own an art gallery that isn’t selling anything. There’s an explanation why, but it’s better to arrive at the answer at the pace set by the author. Right now, all we need to know is that Tilda sneaks into the house of a wealthy art collector, who happens to have a hot fiance named Clea.
Davy Dempsey is not a good guy, but he’s [probably] redeemable. He’s a conman, a burglar, a card-sharp and pool hustler with a taste for blonde bombshells. And he’s mad as hell after his former girlfriend Clea emptied his bank account with help from a crooked accountant named Rabbit. So Davy sneaks back into Clea’s house to steal back the money he initially stole himself from the woman.
... and there happens to be a closet in that dark house.

If you think this is complicated, wait until you meet the rest of the cast.
There’s Gwen, the owner of the gallery, mother to Matilda and Eve and grandmother to teenager Nadine. Then it starts ‘raining men’ in the household, including a probable hit man. To say nothing of the dog named Steve...

He snapped his fingers. “Betty Boop.”
“What?” Tilda said again, this time for real.
“That’s who you remind me of. Curly hair, bug eyes, Kewpie-doll mouth. My sister dressed up like her for Halloween once.”
“Fascinating,” Tilda said, her eyebrows snapping together over the “bug eyes” part.

Kinky hardly seems to describe the kind of seduction that’s going on as Davy and Tilda decide to join forces and help each other to recuperate one his money and the other a series of six paintings that could blow the Goodnights reputation to shreds and land them all in jail. For me, the required ingredient for this kind of spicy romance is laughter, and Jennifer Crusie delivers with her usual mix of smart, rapid-fire banter, geeky references and wicked innuendo that eventually leads to very steamy bed sports [ or closet-sports, as the need arises]. It helps here that the plot is as twisted as the wicked minds of the protagonists, in the best tradition of classic screwball comedies, of which Hollywood seems to have misplaced the recipe. They should give Crusie a call, if they want more up-to-date scripts.

Davy’s kiss tasted like vodka and disaster, and even while she kissed him back, Tilda thought, I’m never going into a closet with this man again

There was a possibility that he would lose his shirt to this woman. With a great deal of enthusiasm.

Speaking of movies and music – a lot of the dialogue between Davy and Tilda relies on them being at cross-purposes in their pop-culture war. He is a film geek, while the girl and the rest of the Goodnights are hooked on golden oldies melodies. The way these trivia bits are used here will both make you blush or change your original impression about the meaning of some titles in the manner of ‘You can Leave Your Hat On’. For a little insight, Davy uses pet names for his new partner in crime borrowed from some of his favorite movies:

“Vilma Kaplan, Bundle of Lust. It’s from an old Mel Brooks movie.”

“So Betty’s a ditz, and Veronica’s a bitch, and Vilma’s a slut. I had no idea you thought so much of me.”
“You’re not concentrating, Matilda,”

Other titles used for seduction are from ‘Thelma and Louise’, ‘The Lady Eve’, ‘When Harry Met Sally’, ‘Broadcast News’, ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ [ All hit men know that movie. It’s our Casablanca. ]

For that sexy soundtrack, we can rely in the text on such as Robin Ward – ‘Wonderful Summer’, Sisters – “All Grown Up”, The Ladybugs – “Sooner or Later”, The Shirelles – “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, all of which sound innocuous enough until you know the context Davy is betting he can make Tilda come in under 15 minutes

Behind her, Betty Everett sang, “It’s in his kiss,” and Tilda relaxed into the familiar lyric and Davy’s unfamiliar mouth.

“Fifteen minutes,” Davy said. “Time me.”

>>><<<>>><<<

I picked the novel because I like Crusie’s sense of humour. The cherry on the cake is that the story is not as formulaic as the usual rom-com fare, it tackles some very serious subtext and pokes fun in quite a subversive way at the traditional gender roles in society.
The author is generous with the secondary characters and doesn’t skimp on giving them depth, nuance and some of the best lines in the book. The despicable Clea is actually quite refreshing in terms of female empowerment and a riot to listen to:

Clea sat back in her chair. Breakfast. He wanted her to cook. She had flawless skin, she wore a size four, she knew every sexual position that a man over fifty could want, she was unfailingly cheerful, supportive, complimentary, and passionate on demand, and now he wanted breakfast?
Honest to God, if she had enough money, she’d give up men forever.

“ You betrayed me,” Davy said, his voice tensing.
“Oh, I did not,” Clea said, exasperated. “Look, I’m beautiful, I’m charming, I’m expensive, and I give the best head in America.”
“True,” Davy said, looking taken aback. “But ...”
“But I’m not faithful,” Clea said. “I never was. There’s no point in it. If somebody who can take better care of me comes along, I’m going with him. That’s just sensible.”

“You’re in a long-term relationship with an appliance,” Davy said.
“Hey,” Tilda straightened. “I never have to talk to it, it never makes me feel embarrassed, and it never lets me down.”
[...] “Look, this is not a problem. I’m an open minded man. How about a threesome?”
“What?” Tilda said, outraged.
“You, me, and the machine,” Davy said. a vibrator, in case you need it spelled out

My favorite rant from the novel comes from the young in years but wise in the ways of men Nadine:

“According to Grandma, there are two kinds of men in the world, doughnuts and muffins.”

She explains the difference much better than me, so consider this an extra teaser for the story. The other teaser is the title itself, a play on words with multiple interpretations, starting with the obvious sexual ones and moving into split personality issues and people wearing masks in order to fake a more popular persona, by way of the subject of art forgery, on which all the Goodnights appear to be experts. A certain guy named Brigido Lara is mentioned, he is worth reading more about, but for me the obvious connection is with another old movie: How to Steal A Million’ with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole, the most probable inspiration for the current novel.

... maybe if she faked being Louise, she’d finally have the wild, screaming, carnal, criminal sex that Louise always had.

This is not a political book, but in the current political climate it is hard not to notice things like:

“People don’t like to be made fools of,” Davy said. “So they’d rather keep believing the con than go after the guy who swindled them.”

As a closing statement, I would like to include one that isn’t a joke and doesn’t have a sexual subtext but is an honest answer to the question about faking emotions:

“That’s when you’re free. When there’s one person you can tell anything to, and it won’t matter because he understands you.”

>>><<<>>><<<

For those people who are worried about this being labelled as the second of a series, you don’t need to read Welcome to Temptation before Faking It because they are entirely self-contained, with only a few secondary characters overlapping. I recommended reading both in any order you like, because I think the first episode is even raunchier and more chaotic than this one. It’s about filming a porno movie in a small town in Ohio.

When Eve ate the apple
Her knowledge increased
But God liked dumb women
So Paradise ceased.

The rest of my bookmarks, and there are quite a lot of them, are all about the spicy stuff that made me laugh out loud on about every other page. None of them is innocent, in fact they are even more suggestive when put in context than most readers would expect.

“Men tend to miss women who get to the handcuff stage by the second night.”

“If I win, we play Space Invaders.”

“Does she still do the thing with the feathers and the ice cube?”
“What?”
“Oh, Rabbit, don’t tell me you gave her three million dollars and she never pulled out the feather and the ice cube.”

“Take off your clothes, and I’ll recite limericks if you want.”
“You’re twisted, too.”
“Like a pretzel.”

Tilda shrugged. “Well, as Gwennie always says, if you can’t be a good example, you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.”

“Con me,” she said.
“I’ll respect you in the morning.”

“Did you ever watch a woman in glasses strip to ‘I Can’t Stay Mad at You’? Dumb song, but Tilda can sing the hell out of it.”

“About Mussolini and Grandma,” Tilda said, later that night in bed, as Davy was dozing off, his arms around her.
“You have to ask before we do it, he said sleepily into her neck.

I don’t think I give away a major spoiler, after all this is still a romcom story, but my second favorite running gag is about Davy going to Australia to escape from the zaniness of the Goodnight’s house. Or so he believes ...

“I’m taking my wife, Matilda Scarlet Celeste Veronica Betty Vilma Goodnight to Australia. It’s a touching story. We met in a closet – “

[Lois Bujold · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Crusie, who is my favorite contemporary romance writer, smart and witty.

I am wanting a lot of analgesic fiction this week, so I am rereading a bunch of Crusie and Krentz (who is my Crusie-methadone go-to). Crusie never seems to write quite the same book twice, and so is much more limited in her output. (Krentz does not seem to have that disability, so she's much harder to run out of, but her books do rather blur together in my mind after a bit. My fave of hers is Light in Shadow, if you're looking for a rec.)

That said, I also just reread The Cinderella Deal, an early Crusie, and doing the two books back-to-back did display an earlier and a later pass on some of the same ideas and tropes. In Faking It, Crusie is definitely at the top of her form, for my tastes.

Technically, Faking it is a sequel to Welcome to Temptation, in that romance-series way that jumps to follow another somehow-related couple, but it works fine as a stand-alone as well.

Highly recommended.

I bought a Kindle edition, since my old paperback copy is buried in a box in my garage at present, and I didn't want to wait in line for Overdrive from my library. Mostly pretty good in terms of transfer-typos, but it is missing an italicization of one critical line; I don't know if this can be fixed. ("I'd have bought it, too." is NOT the same as "I'd have bought it too." Nor, for that matter, the same as "I'd have bought it, too!", although that does not enter in.)

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faking It was the first book I ever read by Jennifer Crusie and is the reason I went to read every other book she has ever written. This one, however, remains my favorite. The story is one part romance novel, one part action adventure and is liberally sprinkled with humor, musical references, art and movie quotes. The heroine is asthmatic which is a first for me in fiction -- asthma as a charming plot ploy rather than the sad pathetic fat kid's problem. Here, here, Ms. Crusie! Hoorah!

Faking It is the perfect beach read, vaction book or airport diversion. Charming and a little racy, I have returned to this book several times to visit with the quirky Goodnights.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was pure, raw fun. I didn't much care for Davy in the first book, but he turns out beyond swoon-worthy here--and without major revision of his character from the first, either. He's my very favorite romantic hero type (the humble alpha) combined with a healthy dash of good-hearted rogue. Yeah. Yum. And if that isn't enough, Tilda is worthy of her own crush what with the passionate, strong woman overcoming her learned insecurity as she strives to care for those she loves.

Crusie has a real talent for creating compelling characters who fit the story exactly right without any authorial manipulation whatsoever. Further, their emotional journey is as (if not more) important as the romantical one and has as much depth and flavor and its own independent path (i.e. emotional developments didn't mirror the romantic developments and the tension between the two was so poignant it sometimes hurt).

I can't wait to get my hands on some more Crusie...

A note about Steamy: This was more of a straight-forward steam level and about the same as a standard Nora Roberts. Three (I think) explicit scenes of moderate length with the occasional passionate stolen moment here and there.

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not truly truly a 5 star read. But it’s my prerogative - and next year or in 3 years I’ll look back and remember this idiotic book that had me smiling throughout.

It’s charming bc it’s the story of two grifters falling in love. With terrible sex. And lies. And the most insane family I’ve read outside an Irving novel. Tilda and Davy were offbeat and bizarre and real. Rather than a book where a character has a quirk or imperfection this was a story where the characters were quirks and imperfections.

Matilda. Louise. Nadine. Ethan. Gwennie. Ford. Rabbit. Clea. Mason. Andrew. Eve. Jeff. Michael. Davy. And Sophie. Plus a visit from the Mayor! I am going to miss you guys so much. There was nothing normal about this book, and i couldn’t be happier about that.

[Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great even on repeated readings. Good fun comfort book.

Edit-
Covid reread. Still super fun and frenetic.

Edit of Edit-
Noticed my review was sparse, Imma just pop this below...

Faking it is my longtime favorite from since the days when I read physical in my actual hand wonderful new smell books. Something about the art theft shenanigans, the zanny family, the jaded male, the bad sex and the talented painter female lead with her existential crisis and utter frustration at holding shit together just tickles my funny bone. I have prob reread it three or four times. And I am generally not a rereader. My tbr list is too dang long.

[Yael · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf 38%
חבל. ניגשתי לספר הזה עם ציפיות גבוהות מאד, ואחרי שאני כבר שבועיים בערך מנסה לצלוח אותו החלטתי לוותר . משהו בסגנון הכתיבה לא "עובד" לי... יותר מידי דמויות שלכל אחת מהן יותר מידי כינויים, שבאות והולכות במהירות ומשתתפות בשיחות מרובות משתתפים, וזורקות כל אחת חצי משפט לא ברור, עם סאבטקסט שהקורא אמור לדמיין בשתיים וחצי שניות שהדמות מופיעה ( ובלי שלקורא יש איתה יותר מידי היכרות מוקדמת שממנה הוא אמור לגזור את הסאבטקסט) ולתוך הקלחת הזו של יותר מידי שמות וכינויים, עוד זורקים כלב שגם לו החליטו לתת שם של בן אדם... מה אני אגיד...זה הרגיש לי כמו בלאגן אחד גדול ותזזיתי. ההומור לא תפס אותי, הדמויות לא הקסימו אותי ונראה לי שהדרך היחידה שהייתי יכולה לצלוח את הספר הזה היא עם ריטאלין.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was an enjoyable funny smart contemporary romance that I want to read more often. I couldn't put it down.

After reading Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie I was excited that I had found another splendid writer of the genre. Then I read The Cinderella Deal and my hopes went down a little. But now, I am excited again and I am definitely going to read more of Crusie's novels.

Pull yourself together. Or in your case, separate yourself better.

The idea of Louise/Scarlett was brilliant. The depth of this concept was intense. And Jennifer Crusie dealt with characters' problems with wit and wisdom.

In other words, it was first of all a fast funny reading - great for a nice weekend. But there was also some value, a message that a reader can take if she wants.

Well, as Gwennie always says, if you can’t be a good example, you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.

And like Barbara wrote: You actually feel like you're standing in one of her [Crusie's] crazy families and by the end of the book you feel like you're part of that crazy family. Exactly!

[Saly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.25

The first half of this book annoyed me, I almost DNF'ed it but the second half worked much better for me because the heroine worked better for me, in the first half she seemed dull, morose, lifeless and I didn't see what the hero Davy saw in her, so much so that he stole for her when he was trying to remain straight. There were many threads from the previous book mainly Clea, the seductive and conniving ex of Davy who now had his money. The heroine's crazy family grew on me later.

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crusie is one of my all-time favorite authors, I count on her for a consistent pick-me-up! This reread was great, as always.

[Punk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Goodnight family's been bent for four centuries, but Tilda Goodnight's going straight, as soon as she steals a forged painting and makes out with the con man she meets while hiding in the closet. This was the second time I read this, and I liked it even more this time around. Crusie's plots are a little formulaic -- there is a stray dog in every book and usually a murder -- but her writing's vivid and funny, her characters are imperfect and likable, and the sex is generally hot and free of romance novel cliches. But this isn't just a romance. Tilda's family -- and all of their problems -- play a big part in the book, along with a cast of enjoyable supporting characters with all of their accompanying subplots. This is a novel with con jobs, art forgery, the FBI, a dachshund named Steve, and a couple who actually have some bad sex before they know each other well enough to have the good stuff.

Five stars. I like all of Crusie's novels, but this is my favorite.

2025: This is still a lot of fun, but upon re-reread, the bad sex edges into questionable territory with Tilda starting out wanting it and then just wanting it over but not saying anything, and Davy seemingly noticing she wasn't into it but not stopping to check in with her. It fits with the themes of the book, and no one gets hurt, but it made me a little uncomfortable.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, but not recommended.

This book is the sequel to Welcome To Temptation, which was about Sophie and Phin. Davy had a smaller role in that book and now this book is about him. The plot didn't make sense to me. Someone paints pictures and signs them with a fake name in the way someone uses a "pen name" to write books. The painter in this story felt she might go to jail if anyone found out. That didn't make sense to me since the name she signed wasn't a name used by anyone else. Davy is a reformed con man who meets the painter and more events happen. I didn't enjoy the plot or the characters that much. Nothing surprised or delighted me. Only once did I chuckle at something humorous. I read this because I loved three other books by this author which are "Bet Me,' "Welcome To Temptation" and "Anyone But You." I do not recommend "Faking It."

DATA:
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: current day U.S. Copyright: 2002. Genre: contemporary romance.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read "Welcome to Temptation" (one of my all-time favorite books), I fell in love with Sophie's brother, bad-boy Davy Dempsey. I was thrilled when I discovered that Davy was finally given his own story.

This book was not as funny, clever, sexy or charming as Crusie's prior novels. Matilda Goodnight is disappointing and not at all what I had in mind for Davy. Her sister with split personalities, cross-dressing ex-brother-in-law, a couple of smart ass teenagers and a hit man did make the book slightly more interesting, but altogether I felt let down. The main plot became confusing. The sexual dysfunction between Davy and Matilda was frustrating. And what the heck is the real difference between a man labeled as a "muffin" and a man labeled as a "donut"?

I am a HUGE fan of Jennifer Crusie's books; however, she can do so much better than "Faking It".

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when the main character rides the line between really good and a little bad. I guess forging paintings is more than a little bit bad, and breaking into someone's house is also on the "more than a little bit bad" side - but breaking into someone's house to replace the forged painting with a real one - well - that's when you have the crook with the golden heart. Add a love interest who is also riding the naughty but nice line and a cast of a crazy family - and you have yourself a fun little book.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really had to pay attention here, becsuse this was quite a storyline! Liked Faking It even more than Welcome To Temptation, mostly because I felt the connection between the two main characters in Faking It much more than in Welcome To Temptation.
I'm glad I gave this book a try, because Davy real did turn out to be a great hero (thanks for the heads-up @Jacob Proffitt!).
Overall the storyline was much more turbulent than what I usually go for, but I really enjoyed it.
I loved Tilda and Davy, and the many side characters fit wonderfully in Tilda and Davy's story.
4 stars.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here I thought the Dempseys were hilariously bent then JC introduces us to the Goodnights. I laughed so hard reading this book. I didn't give Davy much thought in Welcome To Temptation. In this book we see how funny, handsome, creative and sensitive he is....not to mention conniving. Really enjoyed this series!

[madandelion · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-FINALLY a good romance with a good plot-stars.

This was such a whack-job of a book, a little unstructured here and there, but I loved it. Because, ART! From Van Gogh's sunflowers to Monet's water-lilies to Pissarro and more. What's not to love. Plus points for being pleasantly original.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun to read and I wish Jennifer Crusie was still writing novels, she has a very unique sense of humour.

[Siv30 · Rating 2 out of 5]

לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -

https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/אמנו...

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to review a book that I've listened to on Audio. But put this one down as fresh, fluffy, and funny, a style that Jennifer Crusie has perfected. Lots of lovable characters and even the bad guys were entertaining. The plot and setting were original. We have a family of art-dealers and artists with a family background involving forgery and fraud, but only in the nicest most blameless way. They join forces with Davy Dempsey of Welcome to Temptation which I read decades ago and don't remember a thing about. Except I think that is the one that made Jennifer Crusie one of my go-to authors back in the day. Anyway they encounter romance and intrigue on the way to going straight and ending up in happy relationships and financial comfort by the rollicking climax (no pun intended.)
I hope there are lots more Crusie titles I haven't read or haven't read for decades and can re-read. she is the mistress of screwball comedy.

https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC

[Rivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so i definitely enjoyed second part of this book more than the first part

was it an organized mess? Yes it was

[Olga Godim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is one of those books that I own and re-read periodically, whenever I need an infusion of laughter and good writing. I love the author. I’ve read everything she has written and enjoyed it. I also subscribe to her blog. She is a master of light-hearted romantic comedy, and this book is one of them. Its plot is ludicrous but absorbing and its characters sing with life.
Tilda is an artist. She is also a trained art forger. Her family has been in the art forgery business since the Middle Ages, and the cellar of her family house and gallery in Columbus, Ohio, is filled with forgeries her multiple ancestors painted ‘for future generations.’ But Tilda hates to be a forger. She wants to be free. She wants to paint in her own style. The problem is: she has already created several paintings in that style under a different name, when she was very young, and her late father sold them. If she claimed them now, the entire forgery enterprise might shatter at her feet, taking her whole family with it. She loves her family, so there must be another way. Maybe she could steal back the paintings and destroy them...
Davy is a con artist. He comes to Columbus, Ohio, to retrieve his money, 3 million dollars, his former financial manager pilfered from him. He meets Tilda in a closet, while he and she try to steal from the same house: she – her painting, he – his money. A match made in heaven, wasn’t it? Davy knows it. If only Tilda realized it too...
Eve is Tilda’s sister. She is a teaching assistant camouflaging/making money as a rock singer in a bar belonging to her former husband, Andrew, a gay man, who still loves her but is happily married to another man... Don’t ask. It’s too complicated.
Nadine is Eve and Andrew’s daughter, a teenager with a tendency to be original. The entire family dotes on her.
Gwen is Tilda and Eve’s mother who manages their family gallery and dreams of going away, somewhere else where boats bob on warm waves, no forgery threats hover over her family, and drinks have little paper umbrellas in them. Unfortunately, she can’t leave until the mortgage on the gallery is paid, which might take another 30 years or so.
Rabbit is Davy’s former financial manager. He has a proper name, of course, but I don’t remember it. He is in love with Clea. It is for her that he stole Davy’s money.
Clea is a beautiful 40+ woman, in love with herself, who wants to marry a rich man for the last time in her life. All her other, former husbands died leaving her poor (relatively). Rabbit is not on her short list, but he might be useful to protect her from Davy.
Mason, Ford, Dorkas, Simon, and others make the story even more convoluted. Art and money are at the centre of the tale, as is love.
I won’t recap the plot here but I will say: the writing is lovely, the humor subtle and slightly wicked, the dialog sharp and precise, with a witty flavor, and the characters alive to the point of absurdity. Or maybe absurd to the point of being alive.

Here is one of the conversations Tilda and Davy are having. He wants to have sex with her, but she is doubtful. What if she comes during sex and screams all her secrets at him?

“You’d rather have a vibrator than me,” Davy said.
“It’s a good one,” she said, trying to soften the blow. “It’s not battery-operated. It plugs in.” When he didn’t say anything, she added, “Eve gave it to me for Christmas ten years ago, so I’ve had it a while and...” She trailed off as she watched his face.
“You’re in a long-term relationship with an appliance,” Davy said.
“Hey.” Tilda straightened. “I never have to talk to it, it never makes me feel embarrassed, and it never lets me down.”

Delicious!

[Elena Johansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 25%. In media res is a fine place to start, by all means, throw me into the deep end of the pool. But don't drown me in a sea of names.

Everyone in Tilda's family sounds alike, and even a quarter of the way through, I couldn't tell you exactly how they're all related. Maybe the information isn't there, maybe it's there and I missed some of it because it came in a flood. So many characters are introduced so quickly that I was completely overwhelmed.

And honestly, I didn't like Davy at all. Con men are supposed to be sharp-witted and clever, and he was--but he was also a creep. It turned my stomach when he was on the phone with his niece teaching her the basics of buttering people up for a con, or in her case, a favor. I'm not into a romance between a chronic manipulator and anyone else, even if that anyone ends up bettering or reforming him.

[Nefise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book! I don't know why l haven't read it years ago.

I liked the plot, all the characters, and the richness of the story or stories. It amazed me how Jennief Cruise could make e a success every character with their weird, charming ways and while doing it not losing the balance between romance, humor, and some serious issues about life.

The main characters Tilda and Davy, are adorable. It was delightful to read their slowly building romance and friendship with lots of bumps and adventures.

Even though l don't know much about art, the heroines in this book and in the The Cinderalla Deal are lovely, one of the favorites heroines l loved to read.

I definitely try other books of Jennifer Cruise that I've been waiting for years.

[Gal · Rating 4 out of 5]

איזה ספר חמוד וכיפי! הייתי צריכה להכריח את עצמי ללכת לעבודה ולא להישאר בבית לקרוא, וגם זה בקושי.