Brooks Johnson’s Words To Live By:
When returning to Licking Thicket, TN, for the first time in ten years to reunite with your nosy neighbors, heart-broken ex-girlfriend, and matchmaking mama who never quite believed you were gay, it’s best to bring a fake boyfriend as backup…
Just don’t be surprised when your ex-girlfriend does the same.
And when her incredibly hot fake boyfriend becomes … her incredibly hot fake boyfriend becomes the one island of calm in a sea of bovine-based insanity, it’s best to exercise caution… especially when he pushes you up against the rough barn wall to check you very thoroughly for splinters…
Just don’t be surprised if you fall head-over-hooves in love with him.
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A sweet, steamy, and thoughtful romance set in a quirky small town community with compelling characters and an engaging premise.
Who doesn’t have time for cow puns? That’s udderly ridiculous!
Mooooove on over, Rover. There’s a new Head Licker in town!
Ha! I could do this all day, and I would read a book written by May Archer or Lucy Lennox every day. So imagine my ‘udder’ delight when they announced they were working on a book together? I knew they were funny, but together? Hot dayum, they’re fuuuunnny. I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook for this one. Michael Dean is going to knock it out of the park.
Brooks is in a bit of a pickle. Having mooooved to NYC, he put his small-town living behind him. He’s killing it at work. So, his personal life isn’t that fulfilling. Pffft. Hookups get him by. His career is his priority. Then he gets a phone call from his mom, asking him to come home, lickety-split. Seeing how it’s the last thing he wants to do, but the one thing he can’t get out of, he devises a plan. He’s not going home alone. He’s bringing his fake boyfriend with him, a.k.a. his straight coworker. It’ll be fine. Pffft. What’s the worst that can happen?
Turns out, he’s not the only one bringing a fake boyfriend home. His ex did, too. You see, ten years ago he broke up with his high school sweetheart and came out as gay…accidentally in front of the entire town. Then he hooved it out of town, and didn’t look back. So, back in the present time, things start to get interesting.
I just can’t help falling in love with this book. It was a feel-good book, but it was a fan-boot scooting-tastically funny book. From the cow photos, the constant unintentional innuendos, the puns, and the quick wit given to the characters had me in stitches. It was very well written, the storyline was executed with perfection, and the characters were absolutely divine! I wish my small town was like Licking Thicket.
You need to read this book. No excuses. It will ungrump a grump. It will put some pep in your step, and a smile on your face. There’s even a song and dance at the beginning. Whatcha waiting on? Go on. Get mooooving and read this book! Lol Okay, I’m done with the cow puns…
***Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn’t a requirement. ***
Loved it!
This is a sweet, funny, heartwarming story of small towns, expectations, true friends, fake boyfriends, found family and self discovery. I read it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. Two authors whose work I have always enjoyed have put together a great collaboration with memorable characters and some super fun word play!
Simply hilarious! This book is full of so many puns, jokes, misunderstandings, and double entendres that readers will have a permanent smile on their faces. Brooks, a NYC marketing executive, is called back to his family’s small town Tennessee home to help oversee the Licking Thicket festival. He enlists his best friend to serve as a fake boyfriend. While there, he meets his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend and sparks fly. Nothing is as it appears. Really great humor, a beautiful love affair, and good reading.
Romantic, hot and steamy, and very funny
Brooks thought he had the perfect life, or was headed for it, until his family stick a spanner in the works. Even then, he manages to keep many plates spinning, until Mal happens and everything crashes, but it all resolves after many dramas, most of them public. Throughout the comedy shines through, made me giggle often, with some witty writing and sometimes dry humour. The bachelor auction (with some married men) and the town sign were just two pearls.
This is my first book by these authors and now I need all the books on their backlists. The way the main characters’ growing feelings for each other were portrayed while also the absurdity of the town and the inevitable reveal of the fake relationships was delicious perfection. Brooks is the hometown hero quarterback who left his HS cheerleader sweetheart and his small town in Tennessee after announcing he was gay. He lives in NYC and works as an ad executive with his best friend Paul. Mal is an artist who lives in LA and is best friends with the jilted cheerleader, Ava. Brooks and Ava have to go to their small town at the same time and each decide to bring a fake boyfriend – Paul and Mal. The difficulties and ridiculousness starts with the Licking Thicket festival and it’s ramped up even higher when they are attracted to their ex’s fake boyfriends. There is growth for both Brooks and Mal on their way to their HEA as they each deal with their wounds from their pasts. This was a swoony, hilarious, fun, sweet, steamy, heart warming story with very little angst. While I love reading romances for the HEA, when real life issues are included – like difficulties with acceptance of sexual orientation and the scars those experiences leave – it makes for more three dimensional characters and more well rounded storylines. This was done perfectly here. I love Mal and Brooks together as well as Ava and Paul. Now on to the next Licking Thicket couple.
There was more about this book that bugged me than not but apparently, I am a softy because Fakers is still getting 3 stars.
Short bitch fest coming your way so bear with me….
Cons, oh they are plenty.
– legit making fun of southern people in such a cliché way
– Brook’s Mamma basically dismissing him being gay through a good portion of the book, which UGH!
– Ava still being obsessed with hers and Brooks break up a decade later (let it go lady)
– all the freaking alliteration
– instalove with two characters who are such cynics about the idea of love
And now the good….
Pros
-southern setting
-the sexual innuendos were actually really funny
-barn sex (always a plus)
-that epilogue was funny & beautiful
Was this book awful? No.
Was it perfect? Again No.
Should it read it? YES… for the epilogue alone
Try it, you might love all the southern cliché’s and alliteration. Who am I to judge? This is only my 2nd Lucy Lennox book and while I LOVED the first book I read by her and this one wasn’t awful there is a good possibility I will try another one of her books.
Holy cow! This series is hilarious! As someone who comes from a small town, Licking Thicket is the perfect mix of what small town life is actually like and what you wished it could be. Mal and Brooks are so sweet together. Can’t wait for more from these two authors!
I’m reviewing the audio edition. This has to be the most fun romance I’ve listened to in I think forever. Who could not laugh and smile at a romance that involves a small town called Licking Thicket. Then add a few fake relationships and a couple who are ex’s and it’s impossible not to enjoy the small town feeling. The family relationship makes it more entertaining. The characters are all lovable. The different situations make it hard not to laugh out loud so be mindful where you read it. This is one of those stories that warms my heart. Michael Dean gets congratulations on being able to narrate this story without laughing. He really brought the story to life. Now I have to read more in this series.
A Licking Thicket Good Time!!!
I loved the story.
I loved the town.
I loved the tension and I loved all the love that this read had to offer.
What an amazing experience.
Thank you
5 Stars. Brooks and Ava were high school sweethearts until they broke up and Brooks was outed in front of their entire small town. Brooks fled to New York, and hasn’t been back to Licking Thicket in 10 years. When his dad gets sick, Brooks heads back to his hometown to help out. But he’s working on a big ad campaign that needs finished ASAP. Plus, his family doesn’t actually believe he’s gay. So Brooks comes up with a scheme to get his business partner to pose as his fake boyfriend. Ava is also back in town with a fake (and gay) boyfriend.
This is the second time I’ve ready this book and I’ve increased my rating this time around. These characters and story stay with you. Lennox and Archer perfectly nailed the small agricultural town aesthetic. Licking Thicket has such amazing charm and a wonderful set of secondary characters. I love that the story didn’t revolve around Brooks and Mel. We got to see their relationships with Ava and Paul as well, not to mention all their loveable family and friends. Honestly this book has nothing that I disliked or thought needed improvement.
Love it! Brooks Johnson, is forced by his mother to go back to his hometown to help out his father who is sick. His family doesn’t believe he is gay and they want him to come back and be with Ava again and be the head Licker of the Great Centennial Lickin event in Licking Thicket, Tennessee. He left a decade ago to college and never returned, now he’s back with a fake boyfriend to convince his mum that he’s gay. The event it’s just a week so nothing bad can happen, right??? Lol
Mal is an artist and he is Ava’s best friend, she doesn’t want to go back to her hometown single and ask Mal to be her fake boyfriend. He knows the history between Ava and Brooks. Ava also thinks Brooks isn’t gay, they where together in high school but Brooks broke up with her. But Oh Surprise!!! The first time Mal and Brooks meet they were attracted to each other and start flirting!
Brooks and Mal were absolutely adorable, we get to learning more about each men and what make them the way they are, the chemistry and intensity between Brooks and Mal when the came together was amazing and hot!
The whole Licking Thicket thinks was a absolutely chaotic and so funny to read, the whole town is full of crazy people and that was the best! This is a great read and I’m so happy that Brooks and Mal get their HEA!
After 10 years of avoiding his small Tennessee home town, Brooks is forced to go home for an annual festival and replace his father as the master of ceremonies (I use this loosely because if I give away the real name . . . oh man you really need to read this one) because his father is recovering from heart surgery and cannot perform the duties. But he is afraid to come home because no one believes he is gay and he doesn’t want anyone trying to set him up with his ex-girlfriend aka high school sweetheart. So he makes a co-worker come as his boyfriend. Well his ex-girlfriend has been living life up since they broke up but she also doesn’t want to come to this annual festival alone so she asks her very gay best friend, Mal, to come as her boyfriend.
I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard while reading a romance book in my life. These authors really gave me the laughter I was looking for in a rom-com. It was entirely over the top but so perfect at the same time. I couldn’t get enough of the play on words because of the town name and all of the silly antics all of the characters got themselves caught up in. So fucking laugh out loud good. But at the same time Brooks and Mal’s development individually and together was so good, I got my swoon and my laughs and my steam all in one go and I am here for it. I adored every single thing about this book even the side characters and how their story played out was beyond cute. I am hooked on the Thicket and cannot wait for more.
(AUDIOBOOK REVIEW)
This is the first book in the Licking Thicket series and can be read as a standalone.
Brooks is returning to his hometown for the first time in ten years and he isn’t prepared to face his matchmaking mama, interfering neighbors and his ex girlfriend!
But it so happens that she isn’t prepared to face him alone either.
Brooks isn’t supposed to be attracted to his ex girlfriend’s boyfriend, moreover fall head over heels for him.
Can Brooks survive his crazy family and maybe find something more along the way with Mal?
This was such a fun book to read.
It waz highly entertaining and so well written!!
The characters were likeable and enjoyable to read and the world building which was set in a cozy town with nosy neighbors who is up in everybody’s business was super entertaining.
Another great read from this author duo.
Michael Dean’s narration was entertaining and engaging as always.
This small town, fake relationship romance was fun and comical as you meet the entire town of Licking Thicket and the unforgettable cast of characters as Brooks and Mal fall in love over a week of festival activities while pretending to be involved with other people. A sweet and light romance by two power authors! A must read for 2020!
4.25 stars
“Fakers” by Lucy Lennox follows the homecoming of Brooks Johnson, who decides to bring his straight coworker along as a fake boyfriend since his family refuses to believe he’s gay. Of course, who else should be attending the town’s grand celebration but his ex-girlfriend, who has brought a fake boyfriend of her own, and turns Brooks’ world upside-down.
This adult contemporary gay romance is the first book in the ‘Licking Thicket’ series and is delightfully and unabashedly raunchy, filled with plenty of awkward situations that reflect the terrible puns and love of all things bovine that characterize this unique small town. The complicated fake boyfriend/girlfriend tropes keep the reader on one’s toes trying to keep track of who knows what while waiting for the inevitable explosions that come after the crash and burn.
I love that the heart of the story is based on friendship, acceptance, and self-honesty, even though the path has been rocky for some of these folks who have tried too hard and too long to live up (down?) to other people’s expectations. There are very realistic and world-changing issues dealt with, albeit in a sometimes rather wacky manner, but the heartwarming loyalty and true affection shines through and provides several “awww” moments. I winced at some of the terrible puns and shook my head at the shenanigans at times, but above all, I laughed often and was uplifted by this story and I can’t wait to read the next one in this series.
A copy of this title was provided for review
Moo-velous
This has to be the best—and I mean best—tongue-in-cheek books I’ve read. I fell head-over-hooves for it, Brooks and Mal, and this town. Before I gush about Mal and Brooks, I want to give a shout-out to Paul. He’s absolutely wonderful as are the quirky people of Licking Thicket. But oh, Mal and Brooks, they’re magnetic, fantastic, have insane chemistry and gave me all the feels. “But having a person who sees you for who you and not who you’re pretending to be? That’s priceless.” There are too many heartwarming, sigh-worthy moments to mention every one but all signs point to how incredible they are together and separately. I love how they were able to look past the masks to see what really matters and how they brought out the other’s best parts. They are the best ever and this book is lickin’ amazin’.
A heartwarming story about fake boyfriends and family, lots and lots of family. I enjoyed all the twists and turns in the plot, how the characters intertwined with each other and how at the end everything settled just fine. A captivating love story full of endearing characters held in a small town with a very unique name. Loved It!
*High school sweethearts ended when he announces he is gay and leaves town for ten years.
*Both called home to Licking Thicket for their annual Great Lickin’ festival.
*Brooks, A marketing exec in NY brings his business associate to be his fake boyfriend to convince the nay-sayers of his lifestyle and also to get work done.
*Ava is not facing her ex alone so she brings her best gay friend, Malichi, and industrial artist home from LA.
*But things might just get a bit complicated…
Swap your partners? Do-si-do…Now it’s time for the Licking Thicket show.
This is over-the-top funny, silly, quirky, sweet, and full of puns and innuendo. It is a constant barrage of humor, craziness, and angst, but the messages about community and acceptance are good. The romance is heartwarming and the characters have opportunity for growth and self-realization. The community is quirky and nutty and so much fun. I am looking forward to the next book since we already have met the characters and they seem like an unusual pairing.
A new writing dynamic duo (an audio review)
Licking Thicket, Tennessee. Okay, you know with a town name like that, the jokes will be endless.
And they are.
Brooks Johnson is forced to come home because of his father’s ill health. Ten years ago he was the chosen one. He had everything – Home Coming King (or the Licking Thicket equivalent), the girlfriend who had their lives planned out, and a family and community who adored him. He told his little corner of the world that he was gay and he lit out of town. Broke a few hearts on the way. His mother still thinks his homosexuality is a phase and that if he just comes home, everything will be okay. He agrees but knows he can’t face the town alone. So he brings his straight friend Paul to play the part of the gay boyfriend.
Cool – fake boyfriend. I love this trope.
Enter Brooks’ high school girlfriend Ava. Her heart was broken and although she’s moved to LA and made something of a career, she still has wounded pride. So she ropes her friend Malachy to come home with her and to pretend to be her boyfriend so that she doesn’t show up alone.
Okay, even more cool. Fake boyfriend times two.
And then on the way to the fair…Mal and Brooks meet each other and it’s instant attraction. But Mal’s straight, right? Well, Brooks’ gaydar is working pretty well, so that charade is up quickly. The two men can’t act on their attraction because Ava will only wind up getting hurt again.
Right?
Well, only in Licking Thicket can dreams come true.
This book delivered on the fun. I laughed out loud. I sighed at just the right moments. I cheered for Brooks and Mal. I even cheered for Ava – wanting her to get a happy ending as well.
The authors have said this is a stand-alone, but there is at least one more character I want to see have a happy ending. Regardless of whether they go back to Licking Thicket, I want to see more books from this dynamic writing duo.
Finally, what kind of reviewer can I be without mentioning the incomparable Michael Dean? I can visualize him in his recording booth, desperately trying not to laugh through some truly hilarious moments. But he nailed this book, Tennessee accents and all. Again, another brilliant performance.
(Oh, and apparently a guiche piercing is a thing…)