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Lessons Learned #2
Not Fooling Anyone
The deal is simple—pretend to be Ethan’s girlfriend for a psych study and we each get a nice payday. Despite him being a dumb jock who willingly gets punched for fun at my dad’s boxing gym, I can handle it. I’ve mastered the art of keeping others at a distance. Especially after… Well, never mind that.
Except, I didn’t count on him not understanding the definition of boundaries. Suddenly, we’re having to fake being in love all over campus to keep up the ruse. And when he tries to slip under the barriers I’ve worked so hard to create? Yeah, that’s not happening. Even if it turns out he’s surprisingly understanding… and funny… and charming… and smarter than I ever would have given him credit for. Not to mention that muscled body from all that boxing…
No, that’s irrelevant. I may have misjudged him, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested. He has no idea what kind of baggage I’m carrying. A relationship is the last thing on my mind.
Even if I’m not fooling anyone.
'Not Fooling Anyone' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #2 in the Lessons Learned series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Except, I didn’t count on him not understanding the definition of boundaries. Suddenly, we’re having to fake being in love all over campus to keep up the ruse. And when he tries to slip under the barriers I’ve worked so hard to create? Yeah, that’s not happening. Even if it turns out he’s surprisingly understanding… and funny… and charming… and smarter than I ever would have given him credit for. Not to mention that muscled body from all that boxing…
No, that’s irrelevant. I may have misjudged him, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested. He has no idea what kind of baggage I’m carrying. A relationship is the last thing on my mind.
Even if I’m not fooling anyone.
'Not Fooling Anyone' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #2 in the Lessons Learned series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2022
76 people are currently reading
2226 people want to read
About the author
Allie Winters
19 books187 followersAllie lives in sunny Florida with her husband, daughter, and two cats. A librarian by day, she spends her nights writing happily ever afters. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and all things Disney.
Find out more at alliewinters.com
Find out more at alliewinters.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 2, 2022
Favorite Quotes:
He squints at me. “Are you making small talk? The Lexie I know wouldn’t do that.” I bite my lip, not keeping my grin very well contained, and push his shoulder. “Shut up.” Delight flares in his gaze. “If an alien’s taken over your brain, blink twice. Three times if you’re possessed by something else.”
All you need to know about Russian literature is that something depressing happens, they drink vodka, and a bunch of people die tragically. The end.
“There are some things that are hard to share,” she whispers. “They bare a part of your soul. And you have to hope the person you show it to will keep it safe. Will protect it. You have to take a leap of faith.” She looks up at me, her face tear-stained again, but she’s never looked more beautiful. “I want to take that with you. I know you’ll be there to catch me on the other side.”
“Babe, you’re turning into a romantic.” Her lips tilt up at the corners in amusement. “I know, it’s awful. You’ve given me…” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Feelings.” “I’m a monster.”
Every time I order a salad, I think this is the one. This is the salad that’ll make me love salads. But then, you know, it’s not. It’s just a boring salad.
“Where does he find these girls?”... “Some kind of girlfriend store?” I suggest. “Maybe on clearance? That’s why they don’t last long.”
My Review:
Another easy home run for the sparkling writing style, wily wit, and insightful observations of Allie Winters writing for the Smartypants crew. Why didn’t I latch on to this talented scribe sooner? I adore her humor and clever detailing that stealthily tucks amusing yet thought-provoking perceptions and inner musing into her engaging prose. The characters are realistically flawed with topical issues that entertain as well as inform with the inclusion of educational tidbits as they process their daily living. I am wiggling on the hook and looking forward to her next installment.
He squints at me. “Are you making small talk? The Lexie I know wouldn’t do that.” I bite my lip, not keeping my grin very well contained, and push his shoulder. “Shut up.” Delight flares in his gaze. “If an alien’s taken over your brain, blink twice. Three times if you’re possessed by something else.”
All you need to know about Russian literature is that something depressing happens, they drink vodka, and a bunch of people die tragically. The end.
“There are some things that are hard to share,” she whispers. “They bare a part of your soul. And you have to hope the person you show it to will keep it safe. Will protect it. You have to take a leap of faith.” She looks up at me, her face tear-stained again, but she’s never looked more beautiful. “I want to take that with you. I know you’ll be there to catch me on the other side.”
“Babe, you’re turning into a romantic.” Her lips tilt up at the corners in amusement. “I know, it’s awful. You’ve given me…” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Feelings.” “I’m a monster.”
Every time I order a salad, I think this is the one. This is the salad that’ll make me love salads. But then, you know, it’s not. It’s just a boring salad.
“Where does he find these girls?”... “Some kind of girlfriend store?” I suggest. “Maybe on clearance? That’s why they don’t last long.”
My Review:
Another easy home run for the sparkling writing style, wily wit, and insightful observations of Allie Winters writing for the Smartypants crew. Why didn’t I latch on to this talented scribe sooner? I adore her humor and clever detailing that stealthily tucks amusing yet thought-provoking perceptions and inner musing into her engaging prose. The characters are realistically flawed with topical issues that entertain as well as inform with the inclusion of educational tidbits as they process their daily living. I am wiggling on the hook and looking forward to her next installment.
April 2, 2022
Not Fooling Anyone is a very beautiful romance, full of sweetness and humor but which also tackles serious subjects brilliantly.
I adored Ethan, this smart, cultured, funny and charming boxer. He is very patient, he is benevolent, understanding, caring, protective... He is really perfect! At first glance, he is different from Lexie. Solar, extroverted, sure of himself. While Lexie is introverted, shy, not very talkative. She prefers to avoid people's attention. The paradox of Lexie is that she has been the victim of horrible unfounded rumors but despite this, she also has prejudices about other people. She should know better than anyone that you have to get to know people before judging them.
When she meets Ethan, she stops at his image of boxer therefore surely brainless. But she is greatly mistaken, he is so much more than a muscular man with nice abs.
She finds out who he really is and over time he manages to lower her defenses to find out who she really is. It took all his qualities and all his charm to manage to convince Lexie to open her heart to him.
Lexie who needs money participates in a study with him, as a couple. I loved this idea, it allows them to get to know each other and it forces her to get out of her comfort zone. Ethan is just lovely with her every step of the way.
Lexie's past is painful to read, I really felt sorry for her but despite everything, the author manages to move me without falling into pathos. Everything is accurately described. We are shown a dark side of adolescence with gossip, bullying and things you have to discover. Unfortunately, this kind of behavior is not reserved for teenagers, and that too the author shows us intelligently. Some people evolve, some don't. Some remain deeply cruel.
As if that weren't enough, Lexie also went through hell at home with her family. All the horrors she has survived have shaped and transformed her into a young woman who is too afraid of attracting attention and of being rejected. I adored her best friend, the only one who always believed in her.
Ethan has a more solid and loving family, but when we compare him with one of his brothers, we understand that if he is so wonderful, it is not only thanks to his family, it is especially in his nature. Two people can have the same roots, but evolve differently according to their nature.
The author has made him the perfect hero we all dream of. Perhaps his only fault is keeping his problems to himself. We guess very quickly what will be the twist that could separate them. It's too predictable, let's be honest, but Allie Winters' writing still carried me away and I loved the ending.
In short, this novel made me spend several delicious hours and I recommend it to you without hesitation.
I adored Ethan, this smart, cultured, funny and charming boxer. He is very patient, he is benevolent, understanding, caring, protective... He is really perfect! At first glance, he is different from Lexie. Solar, extroverted, sure of himself. While Lexie is introverted, shy, not very talkative. She prefers to avoid people's attention. The paradox of Lexie is that she has been the victim of horrible unfounded rumors but despite this, she also has prejudices about other people. She should know better than anyone that you have to get to know people before judging them.
When she meets Ethan, she stops at his image of boxer therefore surely brainless. But she is greatly mistaken, he is so much more than a muscular man with nice abs.
She finds out who he really is and over time he manages to lower her defenses to find out who she really is. It took all his qualities and all his charm to manage to convince Lexie to open her heart to him.
Lexie who needs money participates in a study with him, as a couple. I loved this idea, it allows them to get to know each other and it forces her to get out of her comfort zone. Ethan is just lovely with her every step of the way.
Lexie's past is painful to read, I really felt sorry for her but despite everything, the author manages to move me without falling into pathos. Everything is accurately described. We are shown a dark side of adolescence with gossip, bullying and things you have to discover. Unfortunately, this kind of behavior is not reserved for teenagers, and that too the author shows us intelligently. Some people evolve, some don't. Some remain deeply cruel.
As if that weren't enough, Lexie also went through hell at home with her family. All the horrors she has survived have shaped and transformed her into a young woman who is too afraid of attracting attention and of being rejected. I adored her best friend, the only one who always believed in her.
Ethan has a more solid and loving family, but when we compare him with one of his brothers, we understand that if he is so wonderful, it is not only thanks to his family, it is especially in his nature. Two people can have the same roots, but evolve differently according to their nature.
The author has made him the perfect hero we all dream of. Perhaps his only fault is keeping his problems to himself. We guess very quickly what will be the twist that could separate them. It's too predictable, let's be honest, but Allie Winters' writing still carried me away and I loved the ending.
In short, this novel made me spend several delicious hours and I recommend it to you without hesitation.
May 31, 2022
3.5 stars
This was such cute opposite attraction collage romance. Ethan and Lexie relationship was so sweet ,I liked their's chemistry. This was another great addition to Smartypants Romance universe I hope continues to write for them.
This was such cute opposite attraction collage romance. Ethan and Lexie relationship was so sweet ,I liked their's chemistry. This was another great addition to Smartypants Romance universe I hope continues to write for them.
April 27, 2022
I loved the first book in this series by this author, Under Pressure, so I was excited for this one! One half of our couple in this book, Ethan is roommates with one half of the couple in that book, Tyler. We don’t spend a ton of time with them, but it is still fun to see them once in a while. This was a quick and easy read. It was stressful at first, not having a lot of background for Lexie with all the issues she was having. We got bits and pieces and the story filled in as we went. After we got all the pieces to the puzzle that was Lexie’s past fit together, her hesitancy, no, outright refusal to get into a relationship made sense. Even before she told the people in her life the truth about what happened to her mom, there was a hint at what would cause our final drama in the story. Especially when Ethan was keeping his own secret from Lexie and his family. Ethan had a nice family, other than his younger brother who was a bit of an iffy character. But I could see him getting some redemption in a future story maybe? I would love to see Ethan’s single brothers get their own story at some point as well. Whether in the SPR universe or outside.
While I didn’t love this one as much as the first book, it was still good, and I look forward to more from this author!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
While I didn’t love this one as much as the first book, it was still good, and I look forward to more from this author!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
April 25, 2022
Format - E ARC
Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice- 🌶 🌶 🌶
Series- Lessons Learned #2
Troupes- Collage age adults, Fake Dating, he falls first,
CW- Childhood Trauma, sexual assault, Drug Use, Type 1 Diabetes
Only Allie Winters can make me love college age humans, as a whole I’m not crazy about younger college student books. I think I’m just getting old and end up rolling my eyes at the sweet summer children. That said, Lexie and Ethen are more mature than your average 20 something’s and their story had me hook from the beginning.
Lexie has a lot going on, her trauma has dictated all of her relationships since she was young and trusting is hard. On top of that ,her finical situation is tenuous at best, so when an opportunity to make fast cash by being part of a psychology study she jumps on it, only problem, its for couples and she’s very single. Enter hot and lovable boxer Ethen, he’s had his eye on Lexie since he met her at the boxing gym were her dad works. He’s more than willing to help her out and make some money, while also getting closer to her.
Lexie one of those characters that just tug on your heart strings while also making you want to shake her and tell her she needs professional help. Ethen is sweet and swoony and even while he’s dealing with his own struggles he find the bandwidth to be there for Lexie and make her feel cared for.
There are many tough topics that Winters handled with care, while also giving us all the feels while these two spend more time together and fall for each other.
The burn is slow with this one while Ethen and Lexie work though some of her trauma, but it’s steamy and sweet and when we finally get there 3 pepper spicy!
I slammed though this book in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it! Winters writing keeps you engaged and turning pages! I can’t wait to see what she has in store for sexy Boxer Austin!
Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice- 🌶 🌶 🌶
Series- Lessons Learned #2
Troupes- Collage age adults, Fake Dating, he falls first,
CW- Childhood Trauma, sexual assault, Drug Use, Type 1 Diabetes
Only Allie Winters can make me love college age humans, as a whole I’m not crazy about younger college student books. I think I’m just getting old and end up rolling my eyes at the sweet summer children. That said, Lexie and Ethen are more mature than your average 20 something’s and their story had me hook from the beginning.
Lexie has a lot going on, her trauma has dictated all of her relationships since she was young and trusting is hard. On top of that ,her finical situation is tenuous at best, so when an opportunity to make fast cash by being part of a psychology study she jumps on it, only problem, its for couples and she’s very single. Enter hot and lovable boxer Ethen, he’s had his eye on Lexie since he met her at the boxing gym were her dad works. He’s more than willing to help her out and make some money, while also getting closer to her.
Lexie one of those characters that just tug on your heart strings while also making you want to shake her and tell her she needs professional help. Ethen is sweet and swoony and even while he’s dealing with his own struggles he find the bandwidth to be there for Lexie and make her feel cared for.
There are many tough topics that Winters handled with care, while also giving us all the feels while these two spend more time together and fall for each other.
The burn is slow with this one while Ethen and Lexie work though some of her trauma, but it’s steamy and sweet and when we finally get there 3 pepper spicy!
I slammed though this book in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it! Winters writing keeps you engaged and turning pages! I can’t wait to see what she has in store for sexy Boxer Austin!
April 16, 2022
I read this one, book 2 in the Lessons Learned series, immediately following book 1 (Under Pressure). I loved this one a whole lot more than the first! The first was great, don't get me wrong, but this one was that much better!
Book 2 is about the roommate from book 1, Ethan, a happy-go-lucky guy (Ethan and Tyler are roommates, along with 2 others), and Lexie, a very self-sufficient tough-girl, who grew up fast in a very difficult situation.
Lexie is visiting her Dad at the boxing gym where he coaches one day, and as usual, gets hit on or stared at by pretty much all of the men. There's one very sweet and smiley guy who only talks to her, and isn't quite like the others. He's so unusual, he just totally rubs her the wrong way. The next day at the end of her Psych class, she's lined up to join a study where they will pay $50 to do just one really quick and easy thing, only to get to the professor and find out that it's full. Unfortunately, the annoying guy from the gym the night before is in line behind her and has been speaking to her the whole line, and when the prof tells her there's another study option, for $1000 to study couples in love, she quickly tells the prof that she and her boyfriend Ethan would love to do that study... she can't believe she has just done this. Now she has to see this guy again, multiple times for weeks, and actually get to know him so they don't fail the study and no one knows they are completely faking it.
Fast forward through the 6 weeks, spending all this time together to ensure that they can actually do more than just pretend, and to legit try to give honest results for the testing - they spend time doing things, going out for dinner, studying together, going to his boxing gym, where she has taken on some hours doing their books (she's going for her accounting degree), and he discovers that the coach he loves training under is her father. He gets her to open up about her terrible past, which she never tells anyone, and she slowly drops her grumpy exterior walls, and he actually introduces her to his family. Some funny scenes come in with high school bullies that she is able to face and overcome. Ethan faces some drama himself, which he tries to hide from everybody.
The reverse grumpy sunshine trope was brilliant - it's normally a grumpy guy, sunny gal, and I really enjoyed it being the sunny guy, grumpy gal this time around.
Beautifully written, and I definitely highly recommend this book to everyone - but reading the first book would be beneficial (not necessary, but helpful as Tyler and Mia do appear a lot).
I received an ARC copy of this book from Smartypants Romance, and this is my honest feedback. Thank you so much!
★★NOW LIVE★★
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3BAoNSR Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3p4H8lN Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3Hanco1 Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3sQaeX4 Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3LUq2Rm
Book 2 is about the roommate from book 1, Ethan, a happy-go-lucky guy (Ethan and Tyler are roommates, along with 2 others), and Lexie, a very self-sufficient tough-girl, who grew up fast in a very difficult situation.
Lexie is visiting her Dad at the boxing gym where he coaches one day, and as usual, gets hit on or stared at by pretty much all of the men. There's one very sweet and smiley guy who only talks to her, and isn't quite like the others. He's so unusual, he just totally rubs her the wrong way. The next day at the end of her Psych class, she's lined up to join a study where they will pay $50 to do just one really quick and easy thing, only to get to the professor and find out that it's full. Unfortunately, the annoying guy from the gym the night before is in line behind her and has been speaking to her the whole line, and when the prof tells her there's another study option, for $1000 to study couples in love, she quickly tells the prof that she and her boyfriend Ethan would love to do that study... she can't believe she has just done this. Now she has to see this guy again, multiple times for weeks, and actually get to know him so they don't fail the study and no one knows they are completely faking it.
Fast forward through the 6 weeks, spending all this time together to ensure that they can actually do more than just pretend, and to legit try to give honest results for the testing - they spend time doing things, going out for dinner, studying together, going to his boxing gym, where she has taken on some hours doing their books (she's going for her accounting degree), and he discovers that the coach he loves training under is her father. He gets her to open up about her terrible past, which she never tells anyone, and she slowly drops her grumpy exterior walls, and he actually introduces her to his family. Some funny scenes come in with high school bullies that she is able to face and overcome. Ethan faces some drama himself, which he tries to hide from everybody.
The reverse grumpy sunshine trope was brilliant - it's normally a grumpy guy, sunny gal, and I really enjoyed it being the sunny guy, grumpy gal this time around.
Beautifully written, and I definitely highly recommend this book to everyone - but reading the first book would be beneficial (not necessary, but helpful as Tyler and Mia do appear a lot).
I received an ARC copy of this book from Smartypants Romance, and this is my honest feedback. Thank you so much!
★★NOW LIVE★★
From @smartypantsromance...
NOT FOOLING ANYONE, a fake relationship college romance from @alliewintersauthor, is LIVE in #KindleUnlimited!Grab your copy today!
https://smartypantsromance.com/books/not-fooling-anyone/
Grab your copy TODAY!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3BAoNSR Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3p4H8lN Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3Hanco1 Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3sQaeX4 Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3LUq2Rm
November 4, 2025
3.5
Well, Ethan's dreamy. Perfect...no real flaws. But I'm ok with it. He wasn't boring, he was just perfect and sometimes one needs a perfect book boyfriend.
This dealt with some pretty heavy subjects, but was fun and a quick read. Lexi was relatable, despite being pretty prickly and standoff-ish. But she was still likeable, and it was all due to her past...so it's understandable.
This is hard to write a review about because it's very much a new-adult genre and people either love or hate them. I personally love them...but if you hate new-adult, I seriously doubt you'd like this book. But if you're a fan of new-adult for sure go for this.
Well, Ethan's dreamy. Perfect...no real flaws. But I'm ok with it. He wasn't boring, he was just perfect and sometimes one needs a perfect book boyfriend.
This dealt with some pretty heavy subjects, but was fun and a quick read. Lexi was relatable, despite being pretty prickly and standoff-ish. But she was still likeable, and it was all due to her past...so it's understandable.
This is hard to write a review about because it's very much a new-adult genre and people either love or hate them. I personally love them...but if you hate new-adult, I seriously doubt you'd like this book. But if you're a fan of new-adult for sure go for this.
April 15, 2022
***5 ‘Pookie Bear & Snookums’ Stars***
I freakin’ LOVED and ADORED this book. It had everything my romantic bookish heart loves and I savored every moment, even the ones that didn’t make that bookish heart of mine all that happy and I really wish there were more words to read because I really want to see what’s coming next for Ethan and Lexie.
I adored Ethan from the start, actually I really liked Ethan going in, so he already had a step up, but the man is charming, observant, humble and determined. He drew me in and I wanted more. Lexie piqued my interest from the start, but took a bit to get to where I was with Ethan. It wasn’t the walls she had that made it difficult, it was her treatment of Ethan. But, once certain things are out of the way, I ended up adoring her. She’s had it rough (understatement) but I loved her drive to be more. She’s snarky, sweet and has a huge heart.
Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun. I loved how Ethan…I hate to say “broke Lexie’s walls down” because I think that doesn’t really do him justice, but I guess that’s the best for now because he saw more in her than she saw in herself. Lexie, for her part, truly did give as good as she got once they were on the same page. They balanced each other out and just had the kind of flow that had me knowing they were each others missing pieces.
I really liked the first book in the series, Under Pressure, but this one…this one just hit all the right buttons for me. I was hooked from the start and more than happy to just roll with it. There are some topics that could be difficult for some, but they were handled with care and were necessary for character growth. As for the supporting cast of characters, it was great to catch up with Tyler and Mia, Travis and Issac were awesome and the family members we got to meet definitely added to the story and while Austin wasn’t in many scenes, I’m totally looking forward to his book!
~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
I freakin’ LOVED and ADORED this book. It had everything my romantic bookish heart loves and I savored every moment, even the ones that didn’t make that bookish heart of mine all that happy and I really wish there were more words to read because I really want to see what’s coming next for Ethan and Lexie.
I adored Ethan from the start, actually I really liked Ethan going in, so he already had a step up, but the man is charming, observant, humble and determined. He drew me in and I wanted more. Lexie piqued my interest from the start, but took a bit to get to where I was with Ethan. It wasn’t the walls she had that made it difficult, it was her treatment of Ethan. But, once certain things are out of the way, I ended up adoring her. She’s had it rough (understatement) but I loved her drive to be more. She’s snarky, sweet and has a huge heart.
Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun. I loved how Ethan…I hate to say “broke Lexie’s walls down” because I think that doesn’t really do him justice, but I guess that’s the best for now because he saw more in her than she saw in herself. Lexie, for her part, truly did give as good as she got once they were on the same page. They balanced each other out and just had the kind of flow that had me knowing they were each others missing pieces.
I really liked the first book in the series, Under Pressure, but this one…this one just hit all the right buttons for me. I was hooked from the start and more than happy to just roll with it. There are some topics that could be difficult for some, but they were handled with care and were necessary for character growth. As for the supporting cast of characters, it was great to catch up with Tyler and Mia, Travis and Issac were awesome and the family members we got to meet definitely added to the story and while Austin wasn’t in many scenes, I’m totally looking forward to his book!
~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~
April 22, 2022
Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Like her first book in the SmartyPants Romance world, Under Pressure, we return to the lab with Lexie, a down-on-her-luck junior, and Ethan, the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Lexie is low on money since her bar job manager has decided to cut her shifts. When a psychological study offers an opportunity to earn some big cash, she jumps on it. The problem is…it’s a study of couples. Having just met Ethan, a fellow student in her psychology class, she pretends he’s her boyfriend, earning them entry into the study. However, they are anything but a couple. Winters’s newest story, Not Fooling Anyone, invites us into the fake relationship between Ethan and Lexie. Seemingly innocent, in the end, it is anything but.
Ethan is a typical cinnamon roll hero. He’s also the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Winters uses his character to infuse light into the darkness of Lexie’s world. Additionally, as we find with most SmartyPants Romance series characters, he represents an often underrepresented population in romance: the healthy young adult who finds out he’s a diabetic. The depth of his characterization comes through his diagnosis and journey in living with diabetes. This allows Ethan to be more than Lexie’s paramour. He’s empathic, insightful, and exudes $exiness; yet beyond his exemplification of diabetes, Ethan would have been more one-dimensional.
Lexie is the emotional center of Not Fooling Anyone. She has been traumatized by people and situations in her past, and she’s erected some serious emotional walls that Ethan must bound. It takes much of this story for her to become more vulnerable. This leads to misunderstandings, and poor Ethan finds himself in the dark for some of the story. Lexie’s ability to lower her walls allows her and Ethan to find their happy ending, but misunderstandings almost derail it. Thankfully, Ethan is patient and assertive in wading through Lexie’s emotional baggage. Through Lexie, Winters works us through divorce, substance abuse, $exual harassment, and bullying. Her story is heavy, but there is a tremendous payoff in the end when she and Ethan find their happily ever after.
Overall, I liked Not Fooling Anyone. I would love to say that given the seriousness of the issues in this story, Winters’s romance struck me emotionally. However, I struggled a bit with Ethan and Lexie’s chemistry. This book is clearly asking us to consider the issues that Winter has drawn through Ethan and Lexie, but the romance between her main characters feels a little lacking to me. All in all, Winters has added another solid book to the SmartyPants Romance universe.
Like her first book in the SmartyPants Romance world, Under Pressure, we return to the lab with Lexie, a down-on-her-luck junior, and Ethan, the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Lexie is low on money since her bar job manager has decided to cut her shifts. When a psychological study offers an opportunity to earn some big cash, she jumps on it. The problem is…it’s a study of couples. Having just met Ethan, a fellow student in her psychology class, she pretends he’s her boyfriend, earning them entry into the study. However, they are anything but a couple. Winters’s newest story, Not Fooling Anyone, invites us into the fake relationship between Ethan and Lexie. Seemingly innocent, in the end, it is anything but.
Ethan is a typical cinnamon roll hero. He’s also the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Winters uses his character to infuse light into the darkness of Lexie’s world. Additionally, as we find with most SmartyPants Romance series characters, he represents an often underrepresented population in romance: the healthy young adult who finds out he’s a diabetic. The depth of his characterization comes through his diagnosis and journey in living with diabetes. This allows Ethan to be more than Lexie’s paramour. He’s empathic, insightful, and exudes $exiness; yet beyond his exemplification of diabetes, Ethan would have been more one-dimensional.
Lexie is the emotional center of Not Fooling Anyone. She has been traumatized by people and situations in her past, and she’s erected some serious emotional walls that Ethan must bound. It takes much of this story for her to become more vulnerable. This leads to misunderstandings, and poor Ethan finds himself in the dark for some of the story. Lexie’s ability to lower her walls allows her and Ethan to find their happy ending, but misunderstandings almost derail it. Thankfully, Ethan is patient and assertive in wading through Lexie’s emotional baggage. Through Lexie, Winters works us through divorce, substance abuse, $exual harassment, and bullying. Her story is heavy, but there is a tremendous payoff in the end when she and Ethan find their happily ever after.
Overall, I liked Not Fooling Anyone. I would love to say that given the seriousness of the issues in this story, Winters’s romance struck me emotionally. However, I struggled a bit with Ethan and Lexie’s chemistry. This book is clearly asking us to consider the issues that Winter has drawn through Ethan and Lexie, but the romance between her main characters feels a little lacking to me. All in all, Winters has added another solid book to the SmartyPants Romance universe.
May 12, 2023
Oh, man! I wish this book had been as good as the cover. OK - yes, there were lots of open-door scenes, but not much character-building, relationship growth, etc. They met. He was smitten. She was prickly. They had lots of explicit sex. BAM! They were in love.
I love romcoms, romance novels, and love stories. So I read a lot of them. This is great fun for me, but it means that my personal "market" is oversaturated. It will take a truly great romance to get more than three stars. In case you are interested:
Relyn's personal romcom & romance novel rating system
5 stars - This book is excellent. It stands out from the hundreds of other love stories I've read, and I loved it.
4 stars - Oh, I really, really liked this one.
3 stars - This was a good, entertaining book and I'm glad I read it.
2 stars - Meh - boring, or overdone, or in some other way just not a good fit for me
1 star - This one stunk.
I love romcoms, romance novels, and love stories. So I read a lot of them. This is great fun for me, but it means that my personal "market" is oversaturated. It will take a truly great romance to get more than three stars. In case you are interested:
Relyn's personal romcom & romance novel rating system
5 stars - This book is excellent. It stands out from the hundreds of other love stories I've read, and I loved it.
4 stars - Oh, I really, really liked this one.
3 stars - This was a good, entertaining book and I'm glad I read it.
2 stars - Meh - boring, or overdone, or in some other way just not a good fit for me
1 star - This one stunk.
April 15, 2022
I don’t write eloquent reviews, I’m a reader after all, not a writer! But this book had all the wonderful aspects of a romance I love to read. A shy heroine and a kind but slightly cocky hero who has to deal with a real life issue he is not prepared for. It’s a feel good, touching story I loved.
May 16, 2022
I didn’t love this one, but I also didn’t hate it.
The characters were both alright, but I wasn’t particularly invested in either of their struggles.
Lexie came across as extremely judgemental at first, but at least she recognised her errors at some point and apologised.
Ethan was a typical nice guy. There was one scene that I really liked: However, I found it dumb that he made such a secret out of his health issue. It only created unnecessary drama.
The plot was okay, I think I just grew out of my NA phase by now.
In the end this was an alright book and I can see other people enjoying it a lot, it just wasn’t for me.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
The characters were both alright, but I wasn’t particularly invested in either of their struggles.
Lexie came across as extremely judgemental at first, but at least she recognised her errors at some point and apologised.
Ethan was a typical nice guy. There was one scene that I really liked: However, I found it dumb that he made such a secret out of his health issue. It only created unnecessary drama.
The plot was okay, I think I just grew out of my NA phase by now.
In the end this was an alright book and I can see other people enjoying it a lot, it just wasn’t for me.
[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
January 26, 2023
Again, I really liked everything going on in this book but then it just ends unsatisfyingly. Honestly, Ethan deserves better than Lexie. She must be drop-dead gorgeous to inspire such devotion immediately, especially with her attitude. Lexie has some baggage because of her family and childhood trauma, but honestly everyone has something they have to get over in order to have relationships with people. I guess Ethan's blind dedication and unconditional love for her allows her to finally be vulnerable. He gets freakin' diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and she has the balls to be a bitch about that. I hated her quite frankly. Also the plot line with Savanah and Ashley (even though we never meet this girl) is really dull, it doesn't go anywhere satisfying.
April 7, 2022
Lexie n'a pas une vie facile, elle du mal à joindre les deux bouts, son job de barmaid ne paie pas assez... Sa relation avec son père est moyennement bien, alors quand il lui propose de venir bosser comme comptable au club de boxe où il travaille, elle se dit que c'est mieux que rien.
Dans la salle de sport, elle va croiser rapidement un jeune boxer, Ethan, qui essaie de flirter gentiment avec elle. Lexie n'a pas le temps ou la motivation pour lui. Manque de pot, Ethan assiste au même cours de psychologie qu'elle, il la reconnait et insiste pour lui parler. Lexie s'en serait bien passé, mais voilà que leur professeur cherche des volontaires pour une étude rémunérée, le hic c'est qu'il faut être en couple. Lexie a besoin de l'argent, alors sans même y réfléchir, elle recrute instantanément Ethan comme fake boyfriend.
Ethan est un garçon cool, posé, facile à vivre, Lexie a piqué son intérêt et il décide de jouer le jeu du faux couple. C'est important pour Lexie et il va pouvoir passer du temps avec elle et apprendre à mieux la connaitre.
Ce qu'aucun d'eux n'avait prévu, c'est que jouer au faux couple, ça rapproche. Et quand on se rapproche, ça devient compliqué. Lexie et Ethan ont chacun des soucis, des choses trop compliquées pour les partager de but en blanc avec l'autre. C'est toujours difficile de commencer à faire confiance à l'autre quand on on pas encore confiance en soi.
Heureusement, malgré les quiproquos et coup d'émotions, Allie Winters nous présente deux jeunes gens qui arrivent à communiquer et faire face à leurs difficultés. Lexie et Ethan sont tout mignons ♥
*************************
Lexie doesn't have an easy life, she's struggling to make ends meet, her job as a bartender doesn't pay enough... Her relationship with her father is not that good, so when he asks her to come and work as an accountant at the boxing gym where he works, she thinks it's better than nothing.
In the gym, she meets a young boxer, Ethan, who tries to flirt kindly with her. Lexie doesn't have the time or the motivation for him. Bad luck, Ethan attends the same psychology class as her, he recognizes her and insists on talking to her. Lexie would have prefered to avoid him, but now their teacher is looking for volunteers for a paid study, the catch is that you have to be in a relationship. Lexie needs the money, so without even thinking about it, she instantly recruits Ethan as her fake boyfriend.
Ethan is a cool, calm, easy-going boy, Lexie has piqued his interest and he decides to play the fake couple's game. This is important for Lexie and he will get to hang out with her and know her better.
What neither of them had expected is that playing the fake couple brings people together. And when you get closer, it gets complicated. Lexie and Ethan each have worries, things too complicated to share outright with the other. It's always difficult to start trusting others when you don't trust in yourself yet.
Fortunately, despite the misunderstandings and sudden emotions, Allie Winters introduces us to two young people who manage to communicate and face their difficulties. Lexie and Ethan are so cute ♥
-Read as an ARC-
Dans la salle de sport, elle va croiser rapidement un jeune boxer, Ethan, qui essaie de flirter gentiment avec elle. Lexie n'a pas le temps ou la motivation pour lui. Manque de pot, Ethan assiste au même cours de psychologie qu'elle, il la reconnait et insiste pour lui parler. Lexie s'en serait bien passé, mais voilà que leur professeur cherche des volontaires pour une étude rémunérée, le hic c'est qu'il faut être en couple. Lexie a besoin de l'argent, alors sans même y réfléchir, elle recrute instantanément Ethan comme fake boyfriend.
Ethan est un garçon cool, posé, facile à vivre, Lexie a piqué son intérêt et il décide de jouer le jeu du faux couple. C'est important pour Lexie et il va pouvoir passer du temps avec elle et apprendre à mieux la connaitre.
Ce qu'aucun d'eux n'avait prévu, c'est que jouer au faux couple, ça rapproche. Et quand on se rapproche, ça devient compliqué. Lexie et Ethan ont chacun des soucis, des choses trop compliquées pour les partager de but en blanc avec l'autre. C'est toujours difficile de commencer à faire confiance à l'autre quand on on pas encore confiance en soi.
Heureusement, malgré les quiproquos et coup d'émotions, Allie Winters nous présente deux jeunes gens qui arrivent à communiquer et faire face à leurs difficultés. Lexie et Ethan sont tout mignons ♥
*************************
Lexie doesn't have an easy life, she's struggling to make ends meet, her job as a bartender doesn't pay enough... Her relationship with her father is not that good, so when he asks her to come and work as an accountant at the boxing gym where he works, she thinks it's better than nothing.
In the gym, she meets a young boxer, Ethan, who tries to flirt kindly with her. Lexie doesn't have the time or the motivation for him. Bad luck, Ethan attends the same psychology class as her, he recognizes her and insists on talking to her. Lexie would have prefered to avoid him, but now their teacher is looking for volunteers for a paid study, the catch is that you have to be in a relationship. Lexie needs the money, so without even thinking about it, she instantly recruits Ethan as her fake boyfriend.
Ethan is a cool, calm, easy-going boy, Lexie has piqued his interest and he decides to play the fake couple's game. This is important for Lexie and he will get to hang out with her and know her better.
What neither of them had expected is that playing the fake couple brings people together. And when you get closer, it gets complicated. Lexie and Ethan each have worries, things too complicated to share outright with the other. It's always difficult to start trusting others when you don't trust in yourself yet.
Fortunately, despite the misunderstandings and sudden emotions, Allie Winters introduces us to two young people who manage to communicate and face their difficulties. Lexie and Ethan are so cute ♥
-Read as an ARC-
April 9, 2022
I really enjoyed Under Pressure, the first book in this series and this book was even better. Lexi is just trying to make it through life without too much attention or conflict. She is currently an accounting major and living with her best friend Travis. She has a part time job that is not really covering her expenses so when her dad said he might have an opportunity for her, she takes it. Lexi’s dad is a boxing coach at Marty’s Boxing Gym and one of his students is Ethan. Even though Lexi is upfront about not dating with Ethan when they are first introduced, they find themselves in a fake relationship to make a few extra dollars by participating in a psychology study on love.
Lexi is a closed off and untrusting character but as her story unfolds we find that it is justified. Even her current relationship with her dad is a bit strained by the past. She has not let anyone in for a long, long time if ever. Ethan is more carefree, but life has some obstacles for him as well. He is a very caring and considerate person, who comes from a loving family that includes four brothers. He often says what is on his mind but also knows that starting a real relationship with Lexi will be a bit like boxing, he needs a strategy. However, his own unwillingness to share information with those that care about him will be his downfall.
I related so much to Lexi’s reluctance to let people into her life. She was never trying to hurt others, but protect herself. It takes a lot of reprogramming and trust to override the survival methods learned in childhood. Ethan’s caringness and humor was endearing. I love that he continued to fight for Lexi and help her in any way he could. I also love how both these characters were able to surprise each other with their actions and words. They did not fit into any stereotype and were vulnerable with each other. They were both to “blame” for the conflict between them and the resolution was healing for Lexi especially. This book has one of the cutest reciprocal “I love you” scenes ever. We also get a couple quick peaks at Mia and Tyler from book #1. I wonder what is in store for Austin in book #3.
Lexi is a closed off and untrusting character but as her story unfolds we find that it is justified. Even her current relationship with her dad is a bit strained by the past. She has not let anyone in for a long, long time if ever. Ethan is more carefree, but life has some obstacles for him as well. He is a very caring and considerate person, who comes from a loving family that includes four brothers. He often says what is on his mind but also knows that starting a real relationship with Lexi will be a bit like boxing, he needs a strategy. However, his own unwillingness to share information with those that care about him will be his downfall.
I related so much to Lexi’s reluctance to let people into her life. She was never trying to hurt others, but protect herself. It takes a lot of reprogramming and trust to override the survival methods learned in childhood. Ethan’s caringness and humor was endearing. I love that he continued to fight for Lexi and help her in any way he could. I also love how both these characters were able to surprise each other with their actions and words. They did not fit into any stereotype and were vulnerable with each other. They were both to “blame” for the conflict between them and the resolution was healing for Lexi especially. This book has one of the cutest reciprocal “I love you” scenes ever. We also get a couple quick peaks at Mia and Tyler from book #1. I wonder what is in store for Austin in book #3.
April 11, 2022
NOT FOOLING ANYONE (LESSONS LEARNED BOOK TWO)
Previous book in this series: Under Pressure
Kindle Unlimited: [X]YES [ ]NO
Stand-alone: [X]YES [ ]NO
Author: Allie Winters
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spiciness rating: 🌶🌶/5
POV: Dual, first person
Main Couple: Lexie & Ethan
Favorite Character: Ethan ❤️
Tropes: Contemporary college romance; fake relationship; reverse grumpy/sunshine
Review:
It is no secret I am a big lover of the grumpy/sunshine trope, but I believe it’s the first time I’ve read a reverse.
Lexie was really prickly, many times rude with Ethan, and he was always there, being the amazing guy he was. What a great MMC Allie wrote! He was smart, fun, caring, understanding, patient… I could go on forever. He was just what Lexie needed. This girl had a hell of a life and needed something good for a change.
I like this series a lot, this book is a stand-alone, but the first one is also great, you should check it out.
Overall, I liked pretty much everything (mostly Ethan… 😍), just some things annoyed me because the characters could have acted differently, but it added to the plot, so I didn’t let it impact my rating.
If you like college-grumpy/sunshine romance, you’ll certainly enjoy this book.
Thank you Allie and Smartypants for the ARC.
Previous book in this series: Under Pressure
Kindle Unlimited: [X]YES [ ]NO
Stand-alone: [X]YES [ ]NO
Author: Allie Winters
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spiciness rating: 🌶🌶/5
POV: Dual, first person
Main Couple: Lexie & Ethan
Favorite Character: Ethan ❤️
Tropes: Contemporary college romance; fake relationship; reverse grumpy/sunshine
Review:
It is no secret I am a big lover of the grumpy/sunshine trope, but I believe it’s the first time I’ve read a reverse.
Lexie was really prickly, many times rude with Ethan, and he was always there, being the amazing guy he was. What a great MMC Allie wrote! He was smart, fun, caring, understanding, patient… I could go on forever. He was just what Lexie needed. This girl had a hell of a life and needed something good for a change.
I like this series a lot, this book is a stand-alone, but the first one is also great, you should check it out.
Overall, I liked pretty much everything (mostly Ethan… 😍), just some things annoyed me because the characters could have acted differently, but it added to the plot, so I didn’t let it impact my rating.
If you like college-grumpy/sunshine romance, you’ll certainly enjoy this book.
Thank you Allie and Smartypants for the ARC.
April 8, 2022
Lexie is the ultimate grump and when she has to ask Ethan who is a total sunshine for help some very sweet and sexy stuff ensues.
I love that Ethan is this big muscly meathead on the outside but on the inside he is brilliant, sweet, kind, patient, and all in for Lexie. The chapters in his voice were gold because there is nothing better than a sunshine hero who pines for his girl.
Lexie is closed off to any and all people not just guys and she has good reasons but reading how she slowly allows herself to be more open was lovely.
I was so happy with how their story unfolded and felt there was minimal angst, loves of big feelings, some very lovely steam, and definitely room to grow.
Looking forward to Austin's story!
I love that Ethan is this big muscly meathead on the outside but on the inside he is brilliant, sweet, kind, patient, and all in for Lexie. The chapters in his voice were gold because there is nothing better than a sunshine hero who pines for his girl.
Lexie is closed off to any and all people not just guys and she has good reasons but reading how she slowly allows herself to be more open was lovely.
I was so happy with how their story unfolded and felt there was minimal angst, loves of big feelings, some very lovely steam, and definitely room to grow.
Looking forward to Austin's story!
April 2, 2022
Lexie has been hiding from the world after being bullied in high school. Pushing everyone away has worked for her until she meets Ethan.
I loved how Ethan saw beyond her exterior shell into the heart of her. Slowly proving to her that he was someone she could trust. I loved how these two connected!
I loved how Ethan saw beyond her exterior shell into the heart of her. Slowly proving to her that he was someone she could trust. I loved how these two connected!
April 27, 2022
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Oh my gosh, where can I get myself an Ethan, this guy is pretty much awesome. He is sweet, loyal, and oh so patient. While being so happy go lucky, he does have his own problems but is so upbeat about it. When he meets Lexie he is immediately smitten, but this girl's heart and attention is locked up tighter than a bank vault.
I love NA romances and this one totally stole my heart from the beginning. With a sweet, upbeat main man and a grumpy leading lady, this book is AMAZING! It shows that everyone has their person and the lengths that you would go for them. I 100% give this book 5 outta 5 stars and am so glad that I had a chance to read it!
PS: Thank you to Allie Winters and Smartypants Romance for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!
PSS: Check out more information about this book Here!
I love NA romances and this one totally stole my heart from the beginning. With a sweet, upbeat main man and a grumpy leading lady, this book is AMAZING! It shows that everyone has their person and the lengths that you would go for them. I 100% give this book 5 outta 5 stars and am so glad that I had a chance to read it!
PS: Thank you to Allie Winters and Smartypants Romance for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!
PSS: Check out more information about this book Here!
April 1, 2022
"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I don't want to let this go. To let you go. I─I'm falling for you. So hard."
Sweet, steamy, heartfelt and packing some knockout emotional punches. I tend to shy away from NA romance because of its tendency to be riddled with petty angsty drama, but Not Fooling Anyone is the complete opposite. There is so much heart, patience, and understanding that this fake-to-real romance will sweep you off your feet with its genuine, kind-hearted characters, wit, and slow-burn steam.
* Stand-alone in the Lessons Learned series *
Advance reader copy received in exchange for an honest review from Smartypants Romance
Sweet, steamy, heartfelt and packing some knockout emotional punches. I tend to shy away from NA romance because of its tendency to be riddled with petty angsty drama, but Not Fooling Anyone is the complete opposite. There is so much heart, patience, and understanding that this fake-to-real romance will sweep you off your feet with its genuine, kind-hearted characters, wit, and slow-burn steam.
* Stand-alone in the Lessons Learned series *
Advance reader copy received in exchange for an honest review from Smartypants Romance
April 29, 2022
Preconceived notions and a lack of communication kinda mess with this thing blossoming between Ethan and Lexi. To be fair, Ethan tries to be open and draw Lexi out, but he's dealing with issues he's still wrapping his head around and needs to come to terms with that before he feels comfortable sharing. On Lexi's end, she's a fortress of buttoned down emotions and sharp words. With what she's had to deal with, letting people in is hard and she protects herself the only way she knows how. Which means pushing people away before they get too close and shutting down any attempts at friendship.
Fortunately for Lexi, Ethan doesn't get pushed away easily. The bits and pieces she reluctantly reveals about herself make him determined to learn more. His gentle teasing and genuine kindness worm its way under her shields until he's firmly entrenched as someone Lexi actually trusts.
Except, there's one little part of her past she's kept secret. That secret and Ethan's secret sort of intersect (in a way) and suddenly all the progress Lexi's made toward letting people in detonates. (No worries, they figure things out eventually and both of them learn the value of open communication.)
Fake dating as part of an experiment on love is actually the BEST thing that could have happened to these two. I mean, I'm just spitballing here, but it took a lot for Ethan to get under Lexi's walls and she likely wouldn't have given him even a smidge of a chance without the two of them being forced to spend time together for the study. Score one for science!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Fortunately for Lexi, Ethan doesn't get pushed away easily. The bits and pieces she reluctantly reveals about herself make him determined to learn more. His gentle teasing and genuine kindness worm its way under her shields until he's firmly entrenched as someone Lexi actually trusts.
Except, there's one little part of her past she's kept secret. That secret and Ethan's secret sort of intersect (in a way) and suddenly all the progress Lexi's made toward letting people in detonates. (No worries, they figure things out eventually and both of them learn the value of open communication.)
Fake dating as part of an experiment on love is actually the BEST thing that could have happened to these two. I mean, I'm just spitballing here, but it took a lot for Ethan to get under Lexi's walls and she likely wouldn't have given him even a smidge of a chance without the two of them being forced to spend time together for the study. Score one for science!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 20, 2022
4.5 Stars!
This was a perfect blend of grumpy and sunshine in a fake relationship! And I’m an absolute goner when the sunshine is the hero!
I absolutely loved that we saw a good amount of Prof Kroft (From Penny Reid’s Kissing Tolstoy).
It’s been a while since I’ve read (and enjoyed) a New Adult romance, and this book really reminded me of all the reasons I loved these books when I got back into a reading after college. The characters are relatable, and there’s just enough angst to keep you glued to your book!
Lexie and Ethan have an uphill battle, but once they start really communicating, you can really enjoy how good they complement each other.
This was a perfect blend of grumpy and sunshine in a fake relationship! And I’m an absolute goner when the sunshine is the hero!
I absolutely loved that we saw a good amount of Prof Kroft (From Penny Reid’s Kissing Tolstoy).
It’s been a while since I’ve read (and enjoyed) a New Adult romance, and this book really reminded me of all the reasons I loved these books when I got back into a reading after college. The characters are relatable, and there’s just enough angst to keep you glued to your book!
Lexie and Ethan have an uphill battle, but once they start really communicating, you can really enjoy how good they complement each other.
May 6, 2022
A Spicy College Romance about Trust!
I adored Allie Winters’ first book in the SPR Universe, Under Pressure, and her upcoming release Not Fooling Anyone is another wonderful read.
Lexie and Ethan are classmates who run in the same circles outside of school too. With ties so close together is it any wonder that Ethan takes up Lexie’s offer to fake date in order to participate in a Psychology study?
If you’re into angst, miscommunication, the fumbles that come with dating in college, and my favorite—the lightbulb moment of realizing that trusting your heart to someone else is scary but worth it…this is the story for you!!
There are references to boxing, sexual assault, and drug usage but all are handled in a way that I feel is respectful and not overly traumatizing. One of the characters also deals with some medical issues and so communication is also a big theme here. Consent is also key with it being a spicy book, and I applaud Allie Winters for both making sex not a big deal, and also making consent a huge deal. Well done.
Definitely a sweet and spicy read. Lexie and Ethan’s fake-dating turned real is a treat for all who love college romances.
Full LitBuzz review can be found here: https://www.thelitbuzz.com/2022/04/no...
I adored Allie Winters’ first book in the SPR Universe, Under Pressure, and her upcoming release Not Fooling Anyone is another wonderful read.
Lexie and Ethan are classmates who run in the same circles outside of school too. With ties so close together is it any wonder that Ethan takes up Lexie’s offer to fake date in order to participate in a Psychology study?
If you’re into angst, miscommunication, the fumbles that come with dating in college, and my favorite—the lightbulb moment of realizing that trusting your heart to someone else is scary but worth it…this is the story for you!!
There are references to boxing, sexual assault, and drug usage but all are handled in a way that I feel is respectful and not overly traumatizing. One of the characters also deals with some medical issues and so communication is also a big theme here. Consent is also key with it being a spicy book, and I applaud Allie Winters for both making sex not a big deal, and also making consent a huge deal. Well done.
Definitely a sweet and spicy read. Lexie and Ethan’s fake-dating turned real is a treat for all who love college romances.
Full LitBuzz review can be found here: https://www.thelitbuzz.com/2022/04/no...
May 9, 2022
Reminded me why I don’t love NA
Not this author’s best work. Lexie’s “issues” are pretty immature. The reader will definitely spot the misunderstanding and refusal to communicate like an adult coming right away. Ethan’s reason for not telling his family about his issue is just as immature and nonsensical. The BR scenes are waaaay too long as is the internal dialogue. The two were NOT smarty pants. If you enjoy smart romance, especially in the Penny Reid universe, skip this one.
Not this author’s best work. Lexie’s “issues” are pretty immature. The reader will definitely spot the misunderstanding and refusal to communicate like an adult coming right away. Ethan’s reason for not telling his family about his issue is just as immature and nonsensical. The BR scenes are waaaay too long as is the internal dialogue. The two were NOT smarty pants. If you enjoy smart romance, especially in the Penny Reid universe, skip this one.
April 14, 2022
Wow! Just fantastic.
5 Stars
I’m a big fan of Allie Winters’ stories but I really think that it’s her new adult novels where she absolutely shines. I adored the first book in this series (Under Pressure) and this second book has somehow managed to eclipse even that one. If you’ve not read the first book - fear not - while Mia and Tyler from that book do make brief cameos in this one, this is all about Ethan and Lexie. It stands alone and comes complete with an HEA.
Lexie is having a tough life. She’s got a whole host of issues and trauma from her past that has shaped the person she has become: standoffish, stoic, serious and pretty much closed off to anyone. How Ms Winters managed to make me like her was beyond me. But like her I did. I understood her completely and rooted for her absolutely. Perhaps it had something to do with my mutual dislike of people - or perhaps it was because I too fell for Ethan throughout the course of the book.
Don’t get me wrong - I love a good angsty, broody hero. But when a hero like Ethan comes along, I realise that I also love the under utilised sweet, smart, jokey and irreverent ones. But this is no nerd in the traditional sense - Ethan is a boxer and has a rock-hard body and a beard to round out his look. He’s got his own problems, too, but he’s an absolute sweetheart. He really likes Lexie and I loved that he was an honest, kind and trustworthy guy. No unnecessary drama for our Ethan.
As a pairing, Ethan is the ideal foil for Lexie and they balance each other out perfectly. They have an immediate connection and while that’s often antagonistic in the beginning - or at least Lexie tries to make it so - their interactions are in turns sweet, funny, deep and meaningful. You could see the progression of their relationship and changing feelings as you read.
And as well as the emotions playing out on the pages, it’s also HOT! It starts off slow but there’s a spark and you just know it’s going to ignite. When it does - I nearly swooned. Ethan propositioning Lexie at the frat party was about the sexiest thing ever.
This is a slight twist on the fake dating trope as Lexie and Ethan are doing it for a psychological study - ultimately for cash. It felt completely believable to me and I enjoyed the way that their faking slowly started to seep into their real lives - almost without either of them realising. It was like we readers had a secret from our couple and I felt smug in the knowledge that they were falling in love but didn’t know it. I do so like it when an author tortures a couple. Okay, in honesty, there are some heavy subjects featured in the book but it wasn’t too angsty and was never overwhelming in terms of difficult emotions.
Like I said, Allie Winters writes an epic new adult novel. I devoured this book and adored every single minute of it. I was looking forward to this book and it met and exceeded every one of my expectations. This is one of my favourite reads of the year so far and without a doubt earns its 5 stars.
April 6, 2022
Not Fooling Anyone: Lessons Learned Book #2 by Allie Winters
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘He leans in close before I realise what he’s doing and kisses my cheek, his beard tickling me. He walks backwards away from me, grinning, before turning around and heading toward the other buildings on campus.
I touch my cheek once he’s out of sight, walking in a daze to my car, pulling the visor down as I get in to study myself in the mirror. My fingertips brush my lips, but they don’t appear any different. They only feel that way. Like the imprint of him is still there.’
I found it so very difficult to write down just one quote from this book. I have so many different passages and lines of dialogue highlighted. But this one spoke to me the most because it’s a pivotal moment for our heroine. Where that ten foot tall barricade she has enshrouded herself in, starts to shake on its foundations, all thanks to one deliciously tempting morsal of a man and the unnerving realisation that she's beginning to trust someone again.
“Not Fooling Anyone” by author Allie Winters is one of my favourite Smartypants Romance releases to date. It is the most breath-taking, provoking and sumptuous composition, dealing with weighty issues with sensitivity and aplomb, whilst balancing it all out beautifully with a slow-burn love story that brings in tremendous amounts of laughter, warmth and some absolutely fascinating, knee-trembling, butterfly-inducing romance scenes.
‘Do you want to?” he asks in a low voice, the sound of it sending another wave of longing through me.
“What?” I’m not sure what he’s asking.
“Do you want to go in that room?”
I blink, some of the haze clearing. Is he serious? Even after my little speech earlier? “So I can, what? Give you a blow job?”
“No. So I can go down on you.”’
This story is a subtly seductive menu of angst, turmoil, heartbreak, survival, friendship, lust and love. I was mesmerised by the whole premise of the story, a scientific experiment about being in love, annexed with the fake dating trope. Everything about the plot had me beguiled and engaged, all before I even met the characters. Once I had the pleasure of meeting our hero and heroine, I was done for. I managed to devour the whole book inside a day.
Author Allie Winters has written a heroine so witty and alluring, yet so very alone and heart-breaking, that I just wanted to wrap her up in a big hug. I loved how strong and independent she was, however, it was in certain moments of exposed vulnerability that we really got to see the real Lexie, the hurt, fear and longing that she tries to conceal, and that’s precisely when I really started to adore her and understand her better. To see that that innate strength she possesses throughout, actually came from necessity.
Though Lexie’s character was a little more introverted and self-contained, having the brilliant, sweet and sexy Ethan alleviate the darker times with his hilarious banter, fun personality and teasing mood, really helped keep the balance within their relationship and quirky connection. We get the best of both worlds, a set of protagonists that compliment one another. Opposites in every way, yet profoundly connected in all the ways that matter.
This was such an exceptionally well written love story, from the plot to the perfectly layered characters, to the dialogue and all the intense moments and issues peppered within. Every word just flowed into the next, creating this gorgeous, funny and oftentimes heart-breaking tapestry of love, comfort and acceptance.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘He leans in close before I realise what he’s doing and kisses my cheek, his beard tickling me. He walks backwards away from me, grinning, before turning around and heading toward the other buildings on campus.
I touch my cheek once he’s out of sight, walking in a daze to my car, pulling the visor down as I get in to study myself in the mirror. My fingertips brush my lips, but they don’t appear any different. They only feel that way. Like the imprint of him is still there.’
I found it so very difficult to write down just one quote from this book. I have so many different passages and lines of dialogue highlighted. But this one spoke to me the most because it’s a pivotal moment for our heroine. Where that ten foot tall barricade she has enshrouded herself in, starts to shake on its foundations, all thanks to one deliciously tempting morsal of a man and the unnerving realisation that she's beginning to trust someone again.
“Not Fooling Anyone” by author Allie Winters is one of my favourite Smartypants Romance releases to date. It is the most breath-taking, provoking and sumptuous composition, dealing with weighty issues with sensitivity and aplomb, whilst balancing it all out beautifully with a slow-burn love story that brings in tremendous amounts of laughter, warmth and some absolutely fascinating, knee-trembling, butterfly-inducing romance scenes.
‘Do you want to?” he asks in a low voice, the sound of it sending another wave of longing through me.
“What?” I’m not sure what he’s asking.
“Do you want to go in that room?”
I blink, some of the haze clearing. Is he serious? Even after my little speech earlier? “So I can, what? Give you a blow job?”
“No. So I can go down on you.”’
This story is a subtly seductive menu of angst, turmoil, heartbreak, survival, friendship, lust and love. I was mesmerised by the whole premise of the story, a scientific experiment about being in love, annexed with the fake dating trope. Everything about the plot had me beguiled and engaged, all before I even met the characters. Once I had the pleasure of meeting our hero and heroine, I was done for. I managed to devour the whole book inside a day.
Author Allie Winters has written a heroine so witty and alluring, yet so very alone and heart-breaking, that I just wanted to wrap her up in a big hug. I loved how strong and independent she was, however, it was in certain moments of exposed vulnerability that we really got to see the real Lexie, the hurt, fear and longing that she tries to conceal, and that’s precisely when I really started to adore her and understand her better. To see that that innate strength she possesses throughout, actually came from necessity.
Though Lexie’s character was a little more introverted and self-contained, having the brilliant, sweet and sexy Ethan alleviate the darker times with his hilarious banter, fun personality and teasing mood, really helped keep the balance within their relationship and quirky connection. We get the best of both worlds, a set of protagonists that compliment one another. Opposites in every way, yet profoundly connected in all the ways that matter.
This was such an exceptionally well written love story, from the plot to the perfectly layered characters, to the dialogue and all the intense moments and issues peppered within. Every word just flowed into the next, creating this gorgeous, funny and oftentimes heart-breaking tapestry of love, comfort and acceptance.
April 22, 2022
Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Like her first book in the SmartyPants Romance world, Under Pressure, we return to the lab with Lexie, a down-on-her-luck junior, and Ethan, the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Lexie is low on money since her bar job manager has decided to cut her shifts. When a psychological study offers an opportunity to earn some big cash, she jumps on it. The problem is…it’s a study of couples. Having just met Ethan, a fellow student in her psychology class, she pretends he’s her boyfriend, earning them entry into the study. However, they are anything but a couple. Winters’s newest story, Not Fooling Anyone, invites us into the fake relationship between Ethan and Lexie. Seemingly innocent, in the end, it is anything but.
Ethan is a typical cinnamon roll hero. He’s also the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Winters uses his character to infuse light into the darkness of Lexie’s world. Additionally, as we find with most SmartyPants Romance series characters, he represents an often underrepresented population in romance: the healthy young adult who finds out he’s a diabetic. The depth of his characterization comes through his diagnosis and journey in living with diabetes. This allows Ethan to be more than Lexie’s paramour. He’s empathic, insightful, and exudes $exiness; yet beyond his exemplification of diabetes, Ethan would have been more one-dimensional.
Lexie is the emotional center of Not Fooling Anyone. She has been traumatized by people and situations in her past, and she’s erected some serious emotional walls that Ethan must bound. It takes much of this story for her to become more vulnerable. This leads to misunderstandings, and poor Ethan finds himself in the dark for some of the story. Lexie’s ability to lower her walls allows her and Ethan to find their happy ending, but misunderstandings almost derail it. Thankfully, Ethan is patient and assertive in wading through Lexie’s emotional baggage. Through Lexie, Winters works us through divorce, substance abuse, $exual harassment, and bullying. Her story is heavy, but there is a tremendous payoff in the end when she and Ethan find their happily ever after.
Overall, I liked Not Fooling Anyone. I would love to say that given the seriousness of the issues in this story, Winters’s romance struck me emotionally. However, I struggled a bit with Ethan and Lexie’s chemistry. This book is clearly asking us to consider the issues that Winter has drawn through Ethan and Lexie, but the romance between her main characters feels a little lacking to me. All in all, Winters has added another solid book to the SmartyPants Romance universe.
Like her first book in the SmartyPants Romance world, Under Pressure, we return to the lab with Lexie, a down-on-her-luck junior, and Ethan, the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Lexie is low on money since her bar job manager has decided to cut her shifts. When a psychological study offers an opportunity to earn some big cash, she jumps on it. The problem is…it’s a study of couples. Having just met Ethan, a fellow student in her psychology class, she pretends he’s her boyfriend, earning them entry into the study. However, they are anything but a couple. Winters’s newest story, Not Fooling Anyone, invites us into the fake relationship between Ethan and Lexie. Seemingly innocent, in the end, it is anything but.
Ethan is a typical cinnamon roll hero. He’s also the sunshine to Lexie’s grump. Winters uses his character to infuse light into the darkness of Lexie’s world. Additionally, as we find with most SmartyPants Romance series characters, he represents an often underrepresented population in romance: the healthy young adult who finds out he’s a diabetic. The depth of his characterization comes through his diagnosis and journey in living with diabetes. This allows Ethan to be more than Lexie’s paramour. He’s empathic, insightful, and exudes $exiness; yet beyond his exemplification of diabetes, Ethan would have been more one-dimensional.
Lexie is the emotional center of Not Fooling Anyone. She has been traumatized by people and situations in her past, and she’s erected some serious emotional walls that Ethan must bound. It takes much of this story for her to become more vulnerable. This leads to misunderstandings, and poor Ethan finds himself in the dark for some of the story. Lexie’s ability to lower her walls allows her and Ethan to find their happy ending, but misunderstandings almost derail it. Thankfully, Ethan is patient and assertive in wading through Lexie’s emotional baggage. Through Lexie, Winters works us through divorce, substance abuse, $exual harassment, and bullying. Her story is heavy, but there is a tremendous payoff in the end when she and Ethan find their happily ever after.
Overall, I liked Not Fooling Anyone. I would love to say that given the seriousness of the issues in this story, Winters’s romance struck me emotionally. However, I struggled a bit with Ethan and Lexie’s chemistry. This book is clearly asking us to consider the issues that Winter has drawn through Ethan and Lexie, but the romance between her main characters feels a little lacking to me. All in all, Winters has added another solid book to the SmartyPants Romance universe.
April 26, 2022
https://celebrityreaders.com/2022/04/...
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — I will admit, I’m a little bummed that I didn’t enjoy this one more…or at least as much as the first book in this series. The problem is that I found it pretty predictable, which is a shame. I totally saw how things would play out with the conflict and was just waiting for it to happen.
Ethan was pretty adorable. Not perfect, but I loved the way he tried to respect Lexie’s boundaries, while also trying to figure out how to push her out of her comfort zone. He played the balance pretty well actually, believably with a few fumbles here and there. I also appreciated how patient he was, how persistent. But my god, I do not understand the ‘keeping his diagnosis a secret from everyone’ thing. Like, legitimately, I couldn’t understand it. I’m not saying someone might not feel this way, but I just could not connect with it, and I couldn’t help feeling like it was a way for the author to force the situation she wanted.
Lexie could be frustrating, because she’s that closed up heroine that I sometimes enjoy, and sometimes is too much. She balanced on that edge, and I’m not sure how well she succeeded. I loved it when Ethan was able to get through to her and get over her walls, and how she actually wasn’t as reluctant to follow through. You could definitely feel her genuine fear of trusting, but she also frustrated me with her inability to open up to anyone. And, as with Ethan, I couldn’t help but feel like that was mostly to set up the misunderstanding and conflict. Hers was a bit more believable though, just because of her childhood trauma.
So how did I still end up rounding up with these frustrations? Especially given I’m really tired of miscommunication tropes? The two of them together were actually super cute. Ethan was goofy and hilarious, and I loved seeing him bring out Lexie’s true personality. I loved seeing them tease, I loved seeing them crush, I loved seeing them navigate fake to real.
It really all just boiled down to me feeling like the author needed a better balance of laying down the foundation for the conflict without completely giving it away. So I still recommend it, especially if you’re less picky about that stuff.
I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — I will admit, I’m a little bummed that I didn’t enjoy this one more…or at least as much as the first book in this series. The problem is that I found it pretty predictable, which is a shame. I totally saw how things would play out with the conflict and was just waiting for it to happen.
Ethan was pretty adorable. Not perfect, but I loved the way he tried to respect Lexie’s boundaries, while also trying to figure out how to push her out of her comfort zone. He played the balance pretty well actually, believably with a few fumbles here and there. I also appreciated how patient he was, how persistent. But my god, I do not understand the ‘keeping his diagnosis a secret from everyone’ thing. Like, legitimately, I couldn’t understand it. I’m not saying someone might not feel this way, but I just could not connect with it, and I couldn’t help feeling like it was a way for the author to force the situation she wanted.
Lexie could be frustrating, because she’s that closed up heroine that I sometimes enjoy, and sometimes is too much. She balanced on that edge, and I’m not sure how well she succeeded. I loved it when Ethan was able to get through to her and get over her walls, and how she actually wasn’t as reluctant to follow through. You could definitely feel her genuine fear of trusting, but she also frustrated me with her inability to open up to anyone. And, as with Ethan, I couldn’t help but feel like that was mostly to set up the misunderstanding and conflict. Hers was a bit more believable though, just because of her childhood trauma.
So how did I still end up rounding up with these frustrations? Especially given I’m really tired of miscommunication tropes? The two of them together were actually super cute. Ethan was goofy and hilarious, and I loved seeing him bring out Lexie’s true personality. I loved seeing them tease, I loved seeing them crush, I loved seeing them navigate fake to real.
It really all just boiled down to me feeling like the author needed a better balance of laying down the foundation for the conflict without completely giving it away. So I still recommend it, especially if you’re less picky about that stuff.
April 12, 2022
I was provided an ARC for review, all opinions are my own.
This is the second book in the Lessons Learned series, but it is a complete standalone. Mia and Tyler are present in the book, but they are minor side characters and they are only briefly mentioned. You don't need to read book 1 to read book 2, they can both be read independently. The main focus of this book is on Lexie and Ethan.
Lexie has not had an easy life, and in reading this emotional tale we get to know her and why she keeps to herself and pushes people away. Getting to know her and seeing her character develop is a huge part of the book. When Lexie initially meets Ethan, she misjudges him as a dumb boxer. Turns out he's actually fairly intelligent and generally a good guy. Ethan is training as a boxer at the same gym where her dad, a former pro-boxer works. Knowing that Lexie is looking to earn extra cash, her dad sets her up with an offer from the gym's owner to put her future CPA skills to work and modernize his accounting. It just so happens that Lexie and Ethan are also in the same psychology class. Hard up for some extra cash Lexie signs up for a psych study, but it requires her to have a romantic partner. She finds herself in a fake relationship with Ethan in order to earn the money. Lexie is not really interesed in romance, boyfriends, or people in general. She's been hurt by the people she's let into her life in the past, but Ethan is determined to break down her barriers and get to know her. As they spend time together getting their fake relationship story straight and getting to know each other, they realize that they are becoming friends. Lexie tends to shy away from talking about things, which leads to miscommunication and misunderstandings because she doesn't want to get hurt. Ethan tries to give her space, but he does eventually encourage her to have the conversations she is avoiding and they do eventually get better at communicating.
This is a more heavy and emotional novel for Smartypants Romance. Much of what we see from their offerings tend to be a little lighter and comedic. There are some humorous moments, but this deals with some heavy topics such as drug abuse, abandonment, and bullying. Overally, I really enjoyed this!
This is the second book in the Lessons Learned series, but it is a complete standalone. Mia and Tyler are present in the book, but they are minor side characters and they are only briefly mentioned. You don't need to read book 1 to read book 2, they can both be read independently. The main focus of this book is on Lexie and Ethan.
Lexie has not had an easy life, and in reading this emotional tale we get to know her and why she keeps to herself and pushes people away. Getting to know her and seeing her character develop is a huge part of the book. When Lexie initially meets Ethan, she misjudges him as a dumb boxer. Turns out he's actually fairly intelligent and generally a good guy. Ethan is training as a boxer at the same gym where her dad, a former pro-boxer works. Knowing that Lexie is looking to earn extra cash, her dad sets her up with an offer from the gym's owner to put her future CPA skills to work and modernize his accounting. It just so happens that Lexie and Ethan are also in the same psychology class. Hard up for some extra cash Lexie signs up for a psych study, but it requires her to have a romantic partner. She finds herself in a fake relationship with Ethan in order to earn the money. Lexie is not really interesed in romance, boyfriends, or people in general. She's been hurt by the people she's let into her life in the past, but Ethan is determined to break down her barriers and get to know her. As they spend time together getting their fake relationship story straight and getting to know each other, they realize that they are becoming friends. Lexie tends to shy away from talking about things, which leads to miscommunication and misunderstandings because she doesn't want to get hurt. Ethan tries to give her space, but he does eventually encourage her to have the conversations she is avoiding and they do eventually get better at communicating.
This is a more heavy and emotional novel for Smartypants Romance. Much of what we see from their offerings tend to be a little lighter and comedic. There are some humorous moments, but this deals with some heavy topics such as drug abuse, abandonment, and bullying. Overally, I really enjoyed this!
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