I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

e-Audio, 10:49:19
Narrated by: André Santana
Release Date: January 28, 2025
Published by: Dreamscape Media
Read from: January 20-21, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: Netgalley (I received a copy of this e-ALC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a just and honest review.)
Content Warning: N/A
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary Romance, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Adult

    Sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.
     When Denzel “Denz” Carter’s workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his judgmental family members that Denz is capable of commitment he impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship. Problem is the last serious relationship he was in hung him high and dry after leaving the continent.
     Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to bring to family functions and seal the deal on the CEO position. To do so he enlists the help of his best friend and roommate, Jamie. Someone his family already accepts in their inner circle. But when his BFF is a no-show, Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship Braylon, the man who broke his heart.
     Braylon’s sudden reappearance in Denz’s life turns everything upside down. But apparently, he needs Denz’s connections to the mayor to win his own promotion and Denz is currently up a creek without a paddle. So, they strike a deal. It’s all business, but between the funny texts and the confusing kisses soon enough Denz is struggling to separate business from the affairs of his heart.
     In Julian Winters’s I think They Love You, sometimes fake dating your way to success can mean finding the second chance at love you’ve needed all along.

*MY THOUGHTS*

I was a bit hesitant since I have had a few issues with the authors YA books. But then I read the one before this one (the one about the royals) and then I LOVED it. So I gave this one a try. And Lordt, this was everything I needed. I’m not even sure why I liked it so much either lol But I couldn’t put it down.

Ok so this was fun! The characters were really the best thing about this. And I’m assuming that’s what made me love it so much since I am a character driven reader. All of them really played a part in this book. From the dad to the kids at the place where one of them worked. I’m serious when I say they all brought something and I was so impressed by that. But they weren’t all good. In fact one of them was really an asshole. But they even added some color to the book as well.

The main character Denz sounded and acted a lot like me. He threw out funnies to make people laugh and he always had a good idea for the jobs they had to do. And before you ask, yes, I related to him a lot which is why I wanted him to succeed so much .

The plot was basic, but the way the writing style just flowed so easily. I felt swept away in the different parties and ideas they had in mind. Which is where we see the new person, Braylon. Him and Denz had a history, but we don’t know the full scope of it until the end of the book. Which was good so that we liked him the whole book and didn’t have a reason to hold a grudge against him after that. When they start fake dating, they realize that they needed each other. In more ways than one lol

The romance was cute! Maybe I’m biased because it doesn’t matter what it’s about for me if there’s fake dating in it lol Normally I think I would have been a little ugh about them since they fell really fast, but they were also given a second chance. I kept saying out loud, “don’t blow this second chance!” And what did they do? Exactly that lol

This was a lot of fun! A Black millionaire’s son with second chance romance with fake dating all wrapped up in a queer romance was all I needed. I couldn’t stop reading this one. I know this is something that seems pretty specific to me, but I really think it’s good enough for everyone who likes even one of those things to like it!

Overall, I give this