Max Tremblay should be happy. His night club, Frantic, is
one of the most popular gay clubs in Toronto, and his childhood refuge,
Ringside Gym, is well on the way to reopening. But when he finds yet another drunk
in the alley beside the bar, Max isn’t sure this is the life he truly wants.
Grady Barnes has it all. He’s rich, famous, and wants for nothing. Well, nothing but a good relationship with his father. When he discovers that his father is going to force him into an arranged marriage, Grady has had enough. He tracks down Max, the man who got him to safety after a night of overindulgence, and makes him a proposal: pretend to be his fiancé for two weeks and he’ll invest in Ringside Gym.
When the pair travel to Vancouver to attend a family wedding, the flames of their mutual attraction ignite, and they discover that the only difference between pretend and reality is how well they can fake it.
The Ringside Romance stories can be read on their own or enjoyed in series order.
Book 2
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Riptide Publishing
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Grady Barnes has it all. He’s rich, famous, and wants for nothing. Well, nothing but a good relationship with his father. When he discovers that his father is going to force him into an arranged marriage, Grady has had enough. He tracks down Max, the man who got him to safety after a night of overindulgence, and makes him a proposal: pretend to be his fiancé for two weeks and he’ll invest in Ringside Gym.
When the pair travel to Vancouver to attend a family wedding, the flames of their mutual attraction ignite, and they discover that the only difference between pretend and reality is how well they can fake it.
The Ringside Romance stories can be read on their own or enjoyed in series order.
Book 2
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Riptide Publishing
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
The last thing Max is looking for is a relationship. Max is all about taking care of others, the bar, his employees, the gym that he's a silent partner in, but he is always last on that list. When he sees a drunken Grady behind his bar, getting sick by the dumpster, he has no idea who he is, Max just knows he's a customer that needs help. Getting Grady home and safe is his only thought.
Grady makes a point to stop into Frantic and thank the tall dark stranger that took care of him. Knowing that his father is setting up his arranged marriage he has to do something drastic to stop it. The only thing he can come up with is finding a fake fiancé. When he propositions Max, Max doesn't know how to take the offer. Helping this virtual stranger with his father and helping himself in the process?
I really enjoy this series. Max and Grady are complete opposites, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. I loved seeing Nolan and Zack from book one pop up in this one. I can't wait to see what's next.
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a fun, sweet romance between a billionaire and a nightclub owner. When Max escorts a nameless drunk out of his bar and back to his hotel, he performs the first altruistic act Grady can remember.
The series of events leading up to Max and Grady’s fake engagement are fairly implausible, but I liked the characters enough to want to believe in their story. Max quickly finds himself embroiled in Grady’s privileged life and they both find themselves at the mercy of Grady’s powerful father.
Several familiar romance tropes swirl through this story. This story has been told many times in many forms but I still found this book entertaining. I liked the Canadian setting and I enjoyed Max and Grady. Supporting characters are surprisingly well developed and not as black and white as they first seem.
This is the second book in the ringside series and it could easily be read as a standalone novel. Characters from the first story make an appearance at the start and again at the end, but most of this story takes place in Vancouver, not Toronto.
Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series and centres around Max, the bar owner and gym investor.
This is, I think, a quirky story, which has the distinct benefit of having the very hot and handsome Max as a lead. He is a good guy, no doubts at all, and his take on this whole fake engagement is wonderful. It gives him a chance to re-evaluate his relationship with his own parents, and to recognise that Grady means more to him than he ever expected.
Grady is a slightly less perfect character, and we don't really get a handle on his nature or get much insight into his behaviour until quite late on in the story. I do think it is worth the wait, so give him a chance. He is somewhat oblivious of his surroundings and finally gets a chance to grow up.
There are a number of other characters who are important to the storyline, such as Justin. He serves as a very good foil for Grady's story.
Looking forward to seeing whose romance gets told next, and reading about the gym's grand opening.
Also Available in the Ringside Romance Series
Book 1
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Riptide Publishing
For reviews & more info, check out our Working It post.
A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.
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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Faking It (Ringside Romance #2) by Christine d'Abo to read and review.
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