After discovering her boyfriend in bed with another woman, Harper Wilde takes off without anything but the keys to her car. When she runs out of gas just outside of a bar in Benevolence, she stumbles into a domestic abuse situation and attacks the husband. Luke Garrison can't believe what he sees and breaks up the fight but not before Harper takes some punches. With nowhere to go, Luke takes Harper to the hospital and offers her a temporary place to stay. It isn't long before Harper starts to find comfort in Benevolence and in Luke.

Pretend You're Mine starts out as a typical fake dating romance, but by the middle of the book, the emotion and the stakes are raised quickly through lots of secrets and revelations. I'm glad I made it passed halfway or I would never have discovered the meat of the book. All of the characters are fun with some quirky traits and the protagonists are well developed, while throwing sarcastic banter at one another. There is a small amount of suspense that is added and quickly solved, making it seem unnecessary, but overall, Pretend You're Mine is a fun and cute romance with some emotional depth. ( )

Love this book! Harper is so awesome! She doesn't complain about her childhood, and I love that about her. ( )

Good enough to be disappointing.

One star: Well, I finished it. Better than many novels I've tried.

Two stars: I didn't hate it. Harper is a great character, she is the hero in the story. That's good! Why she does as she does is clearly established and I empathized entirely with her.

Minus one star for stupid character actions. Luke, sure, but also his supposed friends.

Minus one star for boring sex scenes. They became repetitive, thus boring. (Dear writer; if the sex is repetitive, you stop detailing, okay? Just tell us if something's different.) But they weren't edited well, either. I laughed out loud a couple times because, well, the actions were not possible. Oops.

Minus one star for disappointment. This could have been a much better novella, rather than a novel. Tension caused by main character stupidity is always, always, annoying. Always. Every time. Keep it short.

I don't regret reading this book. I really liked the small town thing (grew up in one), really liked every character, but just can't buy the premise that they'd allow this much stupid to fester and hurt someone they love. The way one transition repeated things, I think this was once two shorter works? Again, it really needs an editor who knows what she's doing. ( )

Title: Pretend You're Mine: A Small Town Love Story
Author: Lucy Score
Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing
Series; Benevolence Book 1
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Pretend You're Mine" by Lucy Score

My Assessment:

What a story this author gives us quite an entertaining, emotional rollercoaster ride read which had a little bit of it all from the two main characters...Luke and Harper. Be prepared for a read with many storylines, but this author keeps it honest while giving us many likable characters and a few that weren't.

What will happen when Harper Wilde has lost her way and ends up in Benevolence, Maryland, and she meets Luke Garrison? How will these two opposites compete with each other? What plays with Luke's sister Sophie coming into this situation that keeps Harper in the town?

Be ready for a read that will present 'complicated situations that cause tension, hard feelings, revelations, and twists and turns in the story that will have one shaking their heads! But unfortunately, there will be no instant fixes for Luke and Harper, who made many mistakes that will present some heartbreak.

The reader will enjoy picking up and seeing how well this author brings 'Pretend You're Mine' together for an exciting read that will leave a smile on one's face. ( )

4 stars.

Cute romance with a charming hometown humor, and steamy times. The main characters drove me crazy a few times but still was enjoyable. ( )