Faker

By: Sarah Echavarre Smith

Narrated by: Donnabella Mortel

One of Bustle's Most Anticipated Fall Releases

Debut author Sarah Smith nails this fun and sexy rom-com where two office foes hammer out their differences to build a love that will last....

Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. She has to be to survive as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men. From nine to five, Monday through Friday, she's tough as nails--the complete opposite of her easy-going real self.

One thing she doesn't have to fake? Her disdain for coworker Tate Rasmussen. Tate has been hostile to her since the day they met. Emmie's friendly greetings and repeated attempts to get to know him failed to garner anything more than scowls and terse one-word answers. Too bad she can't stop staring at his Thor-like biceps...

When Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project, things get...heated. Emmie's beginning to see that beneath Tate's chiseled exterior lies a soft heart, but it will take more than a few kind words to erase the past and convince her that what they have is real.

Critic reviews

Praise for Faker

“A funny, charming and thoroughly entertaining debut. I couldn't put it down!”—Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author of Fight or Flight

“I loved every page of Smith's wonderful debut! The romance was sweet and heartwarming, but it was Smith's ability to write a main character who embraces all of her power that had me cheering throughout this book.”—Alexa Martin, author of Fumbled

“Written with insight and humour, Sarah Smith’s Faker is a charming, feminist diverse romance that will have you hooked until the very last page.”—Sonya Lalli, author of The Matchmaker’s List

"A fresh, sweet, and funny story about how the people we think we know can surprise us in the sexiest way. Full of swoony kisses and heartfelt honesty, Faker is like a warm, reassuring hug."—Lyssa Kay Adams, author of The Bromance Book Club

Future Hallmark Movie

This book was ooey gooey sweet and I loved it. It definitely felt like a Hallmark movie and it was wonderful. The only thing I didn't like was the sex scenes towards the back half of the book, but I just don't enjoy that in books regardless since it's usually unimportant to the story. Reading that in books just isn't for me regardless, but I don't hold it against the book.

Couldn’t stop listening

I’ve been following and reading Sarah’s work for a while, she used to write in her blog a chapter a week of stories she curated. I can’t put her stuff down or stop listening. She has a quick witted sense of humor and keeps the chemistry between characters rolling. She’s an instant buy for me!

Love hate

I enjoyed the fact this couple, Emmie and Tate, took the time before succumbing to a physical part of their relationship. It did get a little boring at some parts, but overall kept my interest. The only negative I can say about the book is that is was little juvenile in the conversations with two main characters. That being said; I still liked the book.
I hope to read more from this author in the near future.

Classic, slow burn, enemies to lovers story...

A classic, slow burn, enemies to lovers story in the workplace. The first half of the story is the slow burn part, and the latter half is when it turns steamy.

Faker is an awesome read

I didnt know how I would feel about an enemy to lover office romance but I really loved this book. Em is snarky and funny while Tate is so sweet. You can see the misunderstanding with these two from the first and want for Tate to win from the start. A must read

Realistic Follow Along

Love this book. Very well written and the reader was the perfect person. Very good with dialog

A Nice Escape from the Now

I loved the light and easy feel of this book. It definitely has it’s conflict and fun characters, but it doesn’t drag you down. It’s also really relatable! I recommend it for a nice, casual romance! 😊

Not worth six hours of my life. Unfortunately, it was 10.5 hours long.

I kept wanting to like this book, so much so that I kept listening long after I told myself it was a waste of my time. I liked the guy, Tate, but did not like the girl, Emmie.

The premise behind her having to build this tough, stern work persona did not stand up. Nor did the explanation for why he started off like an ass. The story had nowhere to go once the two of them started to get along. There was no tension other than how long can they draw out the heavy petting before they get down to having sex. I never got there. However long it took, it took more than six hours.

Maybe the last third of the book involved them getting stranded all alone on a mountaintop when one of them got Covid-19 and the other had to nurse them through it with only a bottle of aspirin and a solar powered air pump that they had brought to inflate the air mattresses... but the part I listen to was a total yawn.

I apologize to all the people who actually did have someone they love get the Coronavirus... God bless you.

Keep Looking

This was just not good. I’m a huge fan of light-hearted romantic books, but this one just fell flat. Weird sex scenes, badly timed and odd.

Overall the story might have worked, but it was super disconnected and off.

Weird story line

I found this book so boring and the plot basically non existent. A very odd and flat story line. Finished it just to finish it but the narrator was fine. Had to speed it up so that I could get through it faster.