Every action has a consequence, and Claire Ward knows it. And yet, even knowing that her decision to swap places with her identical twin sister, Lia, for a night could be disastrous, she still does it. Why? Because it will give her an evening with the man she’s been crushing on for years, Lia’s best friend, Finn. Miss Straight A Student has thought through all the angles, and knows the risk is … angles, and knows the risk is worth it. And everything would have been fine, if Finn had been the one to show up at her door.
But it wasn’t.
Bauer Davis— Finn’s half brother and his exact opposite in just about every definable category is the one waiting for her instead. A professional snowboarder, Bauer is covered in ink, full of attitude, and has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Olympus. The kind of bad boy that Claire has never been attracted to before.
Now the good girl is with the wrong brother for a night, and when the consequence is that they have to pretend to be together for an event, it’s nothing she could have predicted. But maybe, just maybe, what makes Bauer so bad, is exactly what Claire needs.
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Bauer just makes me melt…
Out of all the Ward sisters, I didn’t think Claire would get the bad boy. Claire had a crush on Finn and on paper, that’s who made sense for her. But the second she met Bauer, it was like a spark was lit inside of her. He challenged her to get out of her comfort zone. To think a different way. To stand up for herself more. To fight for what she wanted.
Bauer made himself out to be the bad boy, because that’s what he’d been told his entire life. But spoiler alert: Bauer was not a bad boy!!! His heart was so huge. The whole Twitter “debacle” that he was involved in was just the one example of how Bauer went out of his way for those he loved, even after being told that he wasn’t good enough. It killed me to listen to what was said in the presence of others. I can’t even imagine what he’d heard at home when no one else was around. I swear on everything good and holy, if I could, I’d slap his parents and Lia for treating him they way they have. Finn is obviously beloved by his parents and the Wards because he’s Lia’s bff, and he gets a lot of support. Bauer had no family in his corner, except maybe for Finn, and it broke my heart. His parents just seemed exasperated by his existence and Lia, for some reason, became part of that instead of really making up her own mind about him. (Honestly, it kinda soured me on Lia. She is not my favorite Ward sister at the moment.) Even after Claire and Finn told her to stop judging Bauer, Lia couldn’t seem to keep her spite to herself. And after reading about how long he’d been putting up with all these really crappy people in his life, I couldn’t help but cheer for Bauer. I wanted him to have a happy ending more than I wanted it for Claire.
I loved Faked more than I did Focused! (Which is saying a lot. I went back and binged her Washington Wolves series after I read Focused.) I have faith in Karla Sorensen that she’ll redeem Lia and make her less…. selfish when her time comes. I honestly can’t wait to read her next book!!!
This wasn’t the book we initially thought we were getting. A double sibling swap is something unheard of. Instead we were gifted sexy bad boy snowboarder Bauer. Cue the
We don’t know a ton about Claire and Lia as adults. Claire is the most underrated of the Ward sisters and I’m glad we were able to really get to know her. She is someone who is passionate about being able to help people and really see them for who they are. Bauer was content staying in the box his family put him in until Claire came crashing into this life.
There was a simplicity to this book that I enjoyed. These two polar opposites found themselves being pushed together by fate and stranded by a blizzard.
This was shorter and actually took place in in a matter of weeks. Things did develop pretty quickly between Bauer and Claire.
Read an arc in exchange for my review.
Sports Rating: /
Twins but with vastly different personalities, Claire Ward pines for her sister Lea’s best friend Finn, jumping at an opportunity to spend time alone with him. When plans shift Claire ends up in a situation that goes against everything she thinks she wants and gives her everything she needs.
Bauer was filled with years worth of insecurities that manifested in his self imposed separation from his family and a cocky gruff exterior. His was so much more than the face value he projected to the outside world. Claire was focused and driven but often overlooked because of her quieter disposition. Yet it was her reserved contemplative temperament that allowed her to see past Bauer’s exterior and see the man underneath. This couple not only brought out the best in each other but valued it. Sexy and caring with lots of humorous moments this was a well-rounded match.
There is little doubt that Karla Sorensen’s writing talent shines with her Ward family portrayals. Full of insight she has a firm grasp on how to measure out her heavy and lighter moments to an optimal effect. With an easily engaging writing style and thoughtful plotting this author shows her confidence in her skill even as she shares with her audience her characters at their most vulnerable moments. Karla Sorensen paves the pages with emotions in Faked for a great read!
*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*
*While this work can be read as a stand alone.*
Faked is such a great, opposite attracts story. I found the story to be engaging, it has laugh out banter, twins who play the old switcharoo, family drama, and falling for the bad boy. The characters couldn’t have been any different if they tried, but they sure had one thing in common, and that was such intense chemistry. I liked them. The secondary characters were so comical too. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series yet, something I’m going to correct shortly. I really enjoyed Faked!
Absolutely adored Claire and Bauer, and how each of them thought they’d be attending this function with the others’ sibling. Was a cool twist on the twin-switch trope. Experienced ALL.THE.FEELS. Excited to read Lia’s tale, and hopefully Finn down the road. Immediately went searching for more titles by Karla!
This is my completely honest, voluntary review of an ARC.
I have been loving this series from Karla Sorensen. They are standalones but they are interconnected characters so I am loving each of them getting a story.
I have been looking forward to Claire and Lia’s story as these terror twins intrigue me. This one is Claire’s story and considering I thought this book was going to go one way considering her crush on Finn but I was really glad she got the bad brooding half brother Bauer!
These two have become my favourite couple which says a lot as I have loved Paige and Logan, along with Molly and Noah!
Once I started I was hooked and devoured this in one evening. Karla always weaves a great tale that makes you laugh, swoon and feel some sad emotions whilst she plays with your heartstrings but its worth it to get the HEA.
I can’t wait to see what Karla brings us next!
I love the plot of this book. Switching places with your sister to spend time with your crush only to be swept away by someone else. The chemistry is off the charts and I adore these characters. The writing has great depth and emotion. I read this in one sitting. The journey these characters go on is raw and beautiful. Finding yourself and loving who you are is key to life.
I love almost any trope in a Contemporary Romance, but there is just something about the brash athlete and the quiet, sweet, book-aholic that I adore! Opposites definitely attract in Bauer & Claire, and they ticked off every check for me.
Gorgeous, cocky, athlete, who deep down has a heart of gold!
Gorgeous, smart, shy college student, who is unsure of herself.
Twin Switch
A weekend away steamy enough to burn down the cabin!
Witty banter
A crazy cat
Faked was opposites attract perfection! The chemistry was INSANE! I loved the scenes between Paige, Claire and her sisters. The way Claire & Bauer both saw below the surface in ways no one else did was incredible to read. I couldn’t put this book down!
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All you need is a bit of Bad with your Good!
I love it when plans don’t work out but the magic that happens is even better than expected. A beautifully written book with just the right amount of emotion, fun, and a bad boy who isn’t all that he seems!
From the beginning you are drawn into the idea of Claire taking her sister’s place and trying to spend time with the guy she has been crushing on for years. How hard could it be to be your Twin Sister and hang out with her best friend! But the night takes a turn when Bauer shows up. Her crush’s Step Brother and the opposite version of her crush.
These two are now in a situation where they have to tolerate each other for the night. They learn more about each other than they thought they would and they find out that what is hidden beneath the surface.
This story brings out all my feels. You have the bad boy who is more than just a BAD BOY… You have the Good Girl who has a heart of Gold! You have two people who bring out the best in each other while finding the best in themselves! Their journey makes you happy and you will want more of them.
This series keeps getting better and better and the Ward sisters are going to win over your heart every time!
Guys, let me just say that I was hooked from the start! I mean, when I read the blurb I couldn’t wait to read it. The premise of twin switching places it’s just so promising and it was so greatly executed in this story.
As soon as I started reading I knew I was in for a treat. Bauer and Claire are just so dreamy. They are so different from each other but it doesn’t matter because you can’t help but notice the incredible connection these two share. It’s there from the beginning and the hot chemistry is there as well. I loved how easy it was for them to understand the other one, like no one else did. They made me swoon really hard.
Brilliantly sweet.
I absolutely adored this book! I had so many feelings, it was a heartwarming romance between two people who thought they were opposites but in the end they had more in common then anyone thought. It was steamy, angst, full emotion romance, that I didn’t want to end at all.
Claire is the quiet one between her siblings, but what hurt more was always been compared to her twin sister Lia. They very opposites, but love each other a lot. Since she met Finn, Lia’s best friend, she had a crush on him, and when opportunity strike she set to attend an event with Finn in Lia’s place. Instead Finn’s brother, Bauer Davis, shows to pick her up.
Bauer is the opposite of Finn, a professional snowboarder, fearless, a tattoo guy, the black sheep of his family and had to take care of himself since he was a teenager. I’ll be honest, I hated his family, they were hypocrites once they were so proud of helping foreign kids through sports, but look down on him, a once in a time kid who got a lot of achievements because of sports.
I loved Bauer and Claire together, how separate they didn’t feel good, but together they were unstoppable, inspiring and could be themselves. They were better together and they could save each other. I really like how they got a insta-love thing, but their connection only grow with each chapter.
Bauer is definitely my favorite guy in books…. even when the shoe dropped me and Claire could understand why he did and said everything, and she was able to put herself on his shoes. They tried to work their inner issues in order to put their stubbornness aside and when they got together again was perfect, I loved Belle!
I wish the epilogue was longer and more into the future, they were truly soulmates. But I can’t wait to read Lia’s story, I’m predicting a lot of steamy and all good things!
Faked
Karla Sorensen
Loved this story! It is very well written! Very fun sweet sexy read! Love the characters and their chemistry!
“There was no fake enthusiasm, no false encouragement.”
Very highly recommend!
Really enjoyed this story! The characters were so much fun to read about. The banter between them made it hard to put down and the chemistry made it easy to love their story.
I am loving this series and I already have to have the next book!
OMG! I was NOT prepared for Bauer and Claire. This opposites attracts romance will have you in all your feels. Claire playing the role of her sister and Bauer showing up at her door is not what she had in mind. But who knew the broody bad boy snowboarder that has been shined by his family had a heart. One look at Claire and he knew what he wanted. Watching these two fall in love was AMAZING
I am just loving these stories of the Ward siblings………and after the ending of Focused, I was super excited to see the twin swap unfold and see Claire get her shot with Lia’s best friend Finn. But after reading Faked, she definitely ended up with the right Davis brother. I absolutely loved her and Bauer together!! It was a bit of instant-love between them, as they fell hard and fast; but nothing about it seemed rushed or unnatural. Even though they were complete opposites, they just had an easy connection and chemistry that they hadn’t felt with anyone else. I loved everything about them and this story…….and after that ending, I’m so excited to see what the author has in store for Lia next!!
The moment I finished Faked, I wanted to dive back in. I love these characters so much. This book is everything I love about Karla Sorensen’s stories. They are low angst. Entertaining and addictive. Although, I’m worried about my angst meter since other readers seem to say it was heavy on the angst, maybe I’ve been desensitised. Regardless, it’s a fantastic story that everyone should read. Karla’s writing is captivating.
I loved Bauer from the moment he showed up. He’s a bad boy with a heart, and I just adore him. He has issues but doesn’t let that stop him exploring things. His vulnerabilities were a big part of his allure. And Claire, she is awesome too. I just love her and her family. The dynamic she has with them is fantastic. I wanna be a part of that family. Although, at times I wanted to give Lia a quick slap with her judgemental ways.
I loved that neither of them really knew what they were getting themselves into in this story. What should have been one night of fun turned into so much more. The chemistry between them was off the charts, and I had to stop myself from shouting ‘Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!’ at my Kindle multiple times. I love forced proximity stories and this one is one for the record books. A favourite of 2020 for sure.
And what about that cover? Holy batman! Swoon alert. I saw it and knew, without a doubt, that I needed the book in my life.
4.5-stars
Faked by Karla Sorensen is an interesting story. Claire has always been the quiet and smart one and has secretly crushed on her twin’s best friend, Finn. So, when Lia asks to swap one night, she is all for it if it gives her a chance to be with Finn. But it is not Finn who shows up but his half-brother Bauer, who is the complete opposite of Finn. He may be a seen as the bad boy, but he was very caring. There was chemistry there between them and maybe more? I loved their interactions and how they truly saw each other. Their journey was emotional, but also sweet and I loved it.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
I wasn’t expecting to love this story as much as I did. Bauer and Clair were perfect for each other! At the start, there is the twin swap, so Clair attends a function in the place of her sister hoping to see her long time crush. Unbeknownst to her, the “black sheep” of the family, Bauer, attends in place of her crush and she is partnered with him for the night. Right away I fell in love with Bauer – the exact moment was when he knew exactly who Claire was (and that she was the wrong sister).
As we got to know Claire and Bauer (and the whole entourage of friends & family), I wanted to be in the world with them. Each character is unique, has a personality, and really owns the scene they’re in. It really became easy to see how Bauer felt on the outskirts of this group and why he felt like he was disappointing his family, but (to me) he seemed the best of them all. I loved that Claire quickly figured that out, too.
“No wonder you turned out to be a good man,” she said quietly. The breath caught in my throat… “I’m glad they didn’t ruin you, Bauer.”
I really enjoyed this story and I SO hope that the others get their own stories!
The most amazing story that Miss Sorensen has written Claire and Bauer were everything I needed and more!!! the best book out of the Wards! I adored this couple.
Karla Sorensen is easily becoming one of my top favourite authors! Everything she writes is gold and Faked was no exception! This book is an emotional, humorous, and steamy story that I couldn’t get enough of. I devoured every word and could not put my kindle down the moment I started it.
I loved Bauer. His tattoos, his broody attitude and sex appeal were all consuming. He is the ultimate bad boy. He is also the black sheep of the family and there is something about him that Claire is drawn to immediately.
The banter between Bauer and Claire I ate up. The quips back and forth between them added so much to their connection. I loved it.
I am drawn to any storyline that features twins (being a twin myself) and I could totally relate to Claire’s character. The twin swap at the beginning was so fun.
Claire is an intelligent, beautiful, but also somewhat of a quiet and reserved woman. She is working on her master’s in developmental psychology. She is intrigued by Bauer immediately and their chemistry was insane! I would never have thought a match between these opposites would ignite but wow did it! SO GOOD!
After reading The Marriage Effect, then Focused and now Faked I am quickly falling in love with the entire Ward family and cannot wait for Lia’s story next.
5 STARS