Faking It by Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It #2
Published by William Morrow
Publish Date: June 4, 2013
304 Pages
Source: Bought
Find it here: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N
Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel. (from Goodreads)
Faking It by Cora Carmack
My Thoughts: The title FAKING IT isn’t exactly what you think it is, kiddos. So don’t get all flustered or anything. Faking It by Cora Carmack is the story of Cade Wilson and Max Miller faking a relationship in the face of Max’s parents so they won’t find out who she really is, so it won’t destroy their hopes and dreams of the ‘nice girl’ they’ve always wanted her to become. And it is absolutely, truly, 100% delightful.
**************************************************************
As Faking It opens, Cade Wilson is in a local coffee shop with two of his friends, Bliss and Garrick. He is basically heartbroken over losing who he believes to be the love of his life to another man, and just sitting there having coffee drinks with these two friends is just not cutting it for him. After they leave, he continues to sit there and ponder his very existence. Do you guys ever do that? Just sit there and think HOW THE HECK DID THINGS TURN OUT THIS WAY? Well, that’s what Cade is doing when Max Miller shows up. And BOY does she show up.
Max approaches Cade at his table in all of her gorgeous 1950’s-pinup-looking glory and asks him a ridiculous and very presumptuous favor: Max needs Cade to pretend to be her boyfriend over the Thanksgiving holiday so her parents won’t realize she’s actually dating a guy named Mace, a tatted-up, no-good-for-nothing, musician loser. See, Cade looks like the perfect All-American boy and he just happens to be sitting alone, so Max figures he’s perfect for the job.
And it turns out that he is! Because he charms the pants off of Max’s parents – which is a very tough job, because they have hated everyone Max has ever dated. But they LOVE Cade. Like, a whole lot. Which kind of annoys Max at first because if you’ll remember, she’s dating Mace. But then, see, Cade starts to grow on her. And she has already started growing on Cade. (Yes! Yes! Yes!) And before long, these two are fighting feelings that are undeniable and it is ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS AND DELICIOUS.
It really is.
I am sitting here clapping like a madwoman for Cora Carmack between paragraphs as I type. That’s how much I loved this book.
And it turns out that he is! Because he charms the pants off of Max’s parents – which is a very tough job, because they have hated everyone Max has ever dated. But they LOVE Cade. Like, a whole lot. Which kind of annoys Max at first because if you’ll remember, she’s dating Mace. But then, see, Cade starts to grow on her. And she has already started growing on Cade. (Yes! Yes! Yes!) And before long, these two are fighting feelings that are undeniable and it is ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS AND DELICIOUS.
It really is.
I am sitting here clapping like a madwoman for Cora Carmack between paragraphs as I type. That’s how much I loved this book.
**************************************************************
Don’t get me wrong, friends. I really enjoyed Losing It when I read it – I thought it was fun and quick and witty and I knew that I was a friend of this series, for sure. And that love continued when I read Keeping Her, the novella that accompanied Losing It.
But Faking It? Absolutely my favorite so far. So what makes it so different?
Faking It keeps that smart wit and humor that begins in Losing It and Keeping Her – and I loved that about those books – we can see that this is a Cora-Carmack-thing. It also has a really great romance that kept my heart racing and my fingers turning the pages. I wanted – no, I needed – Cade to find happiness with Max. And likewise, I needed Max to find herself some happiness as well. The thing is that there are those inevitable roadblocks that pop up here and there along the way – Cade is faking his boyfriend status, so there is an issue right from the beginning and it is bound to come out. Plus, Max is for-real dating Mace and that is bound to be addressed at some point. These things are handled within the story, and very well, but it’s the two characters themselves that ABSOLUTELY STOLE MY HEART.
Cade is no stranger to heartache. He has loved and lost before – more than once actually. He has loved and lost family, which is devastating. But he has loved and lost a girl, which is devastating in a completely different way. As the story opens, Cade doesn’t appear to be over this heartache and pain, and the very act of reading his heartache made my own heart HURT FOR HIM. (I’m such a sucker for a male point-of-view, every time.) Cade has tried different things to get this gal out of his head and heart, but so far nothing has worked…until Max walks over to his table. Cade isn’t sure whether or not it’s love at first sight, but for the first time in a long time – he feels his heart leap. He feels something. I mean, this girl is beautiful. And he is an actor. AN ACTOR. So he doesn’t hesitate for a second when she asks for his help. Sweet, sweet Cade – oh how I love you!
Max – she’s a little tougher as far as characters go. Not tough to like, but she is more complex and intricately written. See, Max has also had her share of love and loss BUT she deals with it much differently than Cade does. She prefers to hide behind who she really is and not let her family see her true self, her pain, her scars that haven’t healed. Max has some tattoos, some piercings, and she is a musician in a band. Knowing that her family wouldn’t approve of any of these things, she covers them all up when she is near her family – they have no idea who she really is on the inside. And who she really is on the inside stems from the loss she suffered years ago. Max also has a history of dating a bunch of guys that are all the same: musician-types, tattoos, rude, etc. (Not that I’m stereotyping – it just happens that way in the story.) Cade is a huge change of pace and appearance in her life, and her family is so shocked and pleased when she introduces him that they hardly know what’s come over Max. In fact, their behavior is appalling, but you’ll just have to read about that.
Remember, though, it’s just a deal – it’s an act. There are supposed to be no feelings involved. He’s just doing her a favor…
But Max is so much more than just a singer in a band with tattoos and piercings. She has feelings and thoughts and she is so beautiful. And even though she isn’t the typical “type” of girl Cade would normally go for, he can’t help that he feels things for her. And the same is true for Max – she’s feeling things for Cade that she’d never ordinarily feel for such a “normal” guy. BUT! She’s dating Mace, the loser, right? RIGHT. She can’t be wasting her feelings and emotions on sweet Cade, no matter how much her family loves him! But man, he treats her so well. And when he talks to her, she feels so comfortable around him. She’s never felt that way before.
WHAT ARE THESE FEELINGS? Neither of them know, neither of them know.
**************************************************************
By the time the two make it to the holidays, I had already kind of fallen for them. I was already rooting for them and hoping and wishing and crossing my fingers for their happy ending! (I’m such a sap.) But they have so much to get past and beyond before they can get to that point. Never fear, reading friends! Cora Carmack takes us through all of these things with perfection and ease and some humor infused to make the ride less bumpy than it could be and super-enjoyable. I’m telling you, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I read it so fast that I’ll probably read it again but before I do, I’ll be reading Finding It because I’m flying thru Cora Carmack stories and I just can’t stop myself.
HOW DOES SHE DO IT? How does Cora Carmack effortlessly write these romances that are so snappy and fun and quick and lovable? I JUST DON’T KNOW. But I hope she keeps it up so I can be wildly entertained for a very long time. I have my eye on this series and I’m loving where it is going. ALSO! I’m a little bit nervous – how on earth will I love the next book as much as this one? I want to say that it isn’t possible, but that wouldn’t be fair now would it? Faking It was doggone awesome, but at the rate Cora Carmack is going, I am expecting great things from main character Kelsey and her story in Finding It, the next book. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on that one in just a few days.
I recommend Faking It by Cora Carmack to fans of New Adult Contemporary Romance, fans of a music within a story, and happy endings. I’m a solid fan at this point and I’ll be bringing you my thoughts on the latest release in a few days and YOU GUYS I CANNOT WAIT.
**************************************************************
Faking It will appeal to fans of:
NA Contemporary Romance
Romance: Slowly developing. No triangle.
Music
Issues: Death
Faking It by Cora Carmack
is currently available for purchase.
**************************************************************
Have you read any of Cora Carmack’s previous books?
What were your thoughts?
TALK TO ME, FRIENDS!
(Also, I think I may love Cade
and yes I know he is fictional.)
(Also, I think I may love Cade
and yes I know he is fictional.)
About Asheley
Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.
You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.
Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!
Ooo, this sounds like such a fun book!
I skimmed your review in fear of spoiling too much! I bought this one…. then returned it. hahaha Mainly bc I found it for much cheaper on Kindle, but also bc I chickened out. I've heard mixed things– some absolutely love it, while others said it was just okay. SO. You know what I like. Will I love this or crinkle my nose?
I know this is an older post but I recently finished this book and it has become my absolute favorite book of all time! I flew through it and could not put it down! I COMPLETELY fell in love with Cade so I know exactly what you mean! I'm 22 and single, and I'm sure from now on any guy I date I will be mentally comparing to the perfect personage of Cade in my head! Lol I'm worried that I'll never find another book I love as much as Faking It. I have already read all of Cora Carmack's books within the series..do you have any recommendations for what to read next?