Stay Real

Kincaid Brothers, Book 8

By: Kaylee Ryan

Narrated by: Alexa Elmy, Eric MacArthur

Courtney: Maybe blurting out my imaginary relationship status to my nagging mother wasn't the best idea. Declaring that I'm dating my boss's brother-in-law, well, that was just wishful thinking.

To my embarrassment, they both overheard me. But Merrick not only offers to be my plus one, he agrees to fake date me for the next couple of months leading up to my sister's wedding.

The more time we spend together, the harder it becomes to deny that every look, every touch, is making him more a part of my life than I'm prepared for.

The pain of thinking about walking away from him when it's time doesn't feel pretend. It feels real.

Merrick: Courtney's sister is tying the knot, and her mom is relentless about her finding a date. In a moment of panic, she claims she's dating me.

To save her from the awkward situation, I suggest we fake a relationship. I figure we can hang out, show up to the wedding, and go our separate ways. But as we start spending more time together, the lines between real and pretend blur.

What was supposed to be a simple agreement starts to feel genuine. I'm unsure when it happened, but this relationship is suddenly the real deal, and I don't want it to end.

©2024 Kaylee Ryan (P)2025 Tantor Media

Courtney & Merrick

The narrators are okay - I think Eric M could do 'less' with all the other male voices.

Courtney & Merrick's story

Merrick is the last of the single Kincaid Brothers. When he hears Courtney telling her mother that she's dating him, he volunteers to make the lie real. After all, he thinks she's beautiful, and nice - if a little bad at standing up for herself.

Courtney just needs to learn to assert herself, but she doesn't want to hurt her mother's feelings. It's just a few months of fake dating leading up to her sister's wedding, right?

It's not exactly an original premise, but the Kincaid Family is refreshing for any reader who wants something lighter. There's very little drama, no angst, and there's steam and a sweet HEA.

Sweet Scale: 5/5
Spicy Scale: 3/5

So So Amazing

Neither of these two was looking for love, but with a pushy mom and a nice guy anything can happen. When you don't believe in yourself will you be open to love. So many ups and downs that will have you wondering if they get a HEA or not. The narration adds a dimension that will have you wanting more.