“Playing House is relatable, heartwarming, and oh so sexy. I zoomed through this thoughtful and joyful story about two people finding themselves and each other.” –Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date and The Proposal Romance blossoms between two city planners posing as newlyweds in this first in a bright new series by acclaimed author Ruby Lang The last thing …
The last thing Oliver Huang expects to see on the historic Mount Morris home tour is longtime acquaintance Fay Liu bustling up and kissing him hello. He’s happy to playact being a couple to save her from a pushy admirer. Fay’s beautiful, successful and smart, and if he’s being honest, Oliver has always had a bit of a thing for her.
Maybe more than a bit.
Geeking out over architectural details is Oliver and Fay’s shared love language, and soon they’re touring pricey real estate across Upper Manhattan as the terribly faux but terribly charming couple Darling and Olly.
For the first time since being laid off from the job he loved, Oliver has something to look forward to. And for the first time since her divorce, Fay’s having fun.
Somewhere between the light-filled living rooms and spacious closets they’ve explored, this faux relationship just may have sparked some very real feelings. For Oliver and Fay, home truly is where their hearts are.
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PLAYING HOUSE by Ruby Lang is a light-hearted Romance that features multi-faceted characters with very realistic problems. They were very relatable. Highly recommended.
This book was a whirlwind of excellence and I absolutely adored it.
I love books with emotional conflicts that aren’t super dramatic, but ARE deeply-rooted and speak to most people’s life experiences. This is one of those books. It gripped me from the first page, but with, like, a marshmallow hand. Reading it felt like taking a spa day. A funny, sexy spa day. I wholeheartedly recommend.
Fay and Oliver are acquaintances because they both work in urban planning in NYC. Fay is dealing with the aftermath of a marriage that really knocked her confidence, and Oliver is dealing with stigma and family pressures after losing his job. They’re both wonderful, thoughtful characters who I fell in love with. Fay is ambitious and powerful and aware that society dislikes those qualities in women. None of that stops her from having confidence wobbles and uncertainties. Oliver is gentle and strong and caring, also known as COMPLETELY SWOONY.
As for plot – basically, Oliver proves handy as a momentary fake boyfriend when Fay is harassed while viewing a house. From that moment on they discover an attraction and shared sense of humour that makes it way too easy for them to fake a relationship – which they continue to do while viewing various amazing houses (I really enjoyed the houses, LOL) for professional reasons.
And then, of course, the line between their fake and real romance begins to blur. Oof, we love a good blur.
All in all, Playing House is an amazing comfort read!
I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and I’m not disappointed. I prepared myself for the fact that it was only a novella so I wouldn’t be disappointed. I’m not a fan of this format, but a huge one of Ruby Lang. Some people think less is more; maybe it’s the case.
I usually prefer to have time to get to know the characters. Nevertheless, maybe because of my Asian background, I dove into the story completely. When Nat tells Oliver that “very little make their mother happy” and that it was her ”natural state to be displeased,” I felt at home. That’s how Ruby Lang’s writing speaks to me. She has a unique way to develop emotions, with the perfect balance. I could imagine the characters as if I already knew them. They are human with their fears, failures, and successes.
It’s my favorite kind of romance: real-life characters, nothing is rushed or cheesy, they make mistakes, nobody is dominating. Even though the book is short, it’s fun and delightful.
It’s a far cousin book of Kate Canterbary’s Walshes series that I adore and have already read several times.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Mary Jo –
This was a cute book about two acquaintances who met again by happenstance and quietly form a quirky relationship. Both Fay and Oliver are awkward with each other. Oliver hasn’t been in a serious relationship for a while and Fay is unsure how to date now that she’s divorced.
The romance between Fay and Oliver is a slow one, but not necessarily filled with heat. I didn’t think Fay and Oliver had much chemistry although they have a lot in common.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
I’ve enjoyed this short novella quite a lot.
Oliver and Fay meet by chance during an house tour,they are old acquaintance because they work in the same environment but they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.
They feel comfortable and happy in each other’s company so they decided to see other houses together.
Will they start a relationship?Or for them it’s only a funy game?
I liked these characters and their journey,they are not too young and their lives problems and decisions to take are real and relatable.
I’ll absolutely read the second book in the series.
I enjoyed this sweet novella. This is a short and sweet story, but I really did love the characters.
“Playing House” by Ruby Lang was a cute, sweet, quick read. There was a surprising amount of character development for such a short story, but even so, I wish more had been said about what happened with Oliver’s father. Oliver was so worried about being “feckless” like his father was, but it’s unclear exactly why he and the rest of his family thought his father was that way. The only time I remember his father’s behavior being directly mentioned is when Oliver’s mother tells him that he is “too nice” like his father, who apparently used to help others before he helped his own family because he was afraid of letting other people down. When he could no longer do that, he left. What exactly does that mean, and how is it relevant to Oliver’s situation? Oliver’s worries seem to center on the fact that he doesn’t have a full-time job but has instead been freelancing since his former company closed down. Is it just that he’s worried about letting his family down because he’s not making a huge salary like his brother and sister? I’m not sure who else Oliver is expected to (or would want to) help besides his family, except possibly Fay.
Also, I was expecting the fake relationship between Oliver and Fay to be a bigger part of the story, but it ended up barely being a factor. Truthfully, it was kind of disappointing to me because that’s usually a fun trope, and I was looking forward to seeing what kind of mischief “Olly and Darling” managed to create.
Overall, while this was a cute story and I enjoyed it, I think it had the potential to be so much more if it had been expanded into a full-length novel rather than a novella. It seems like there’s a lot more that could have been explored here.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just adored this novella. Fay and Oliver were fabulous together, especially with they were teasing and play-acting as a couple and finding themselves being a real one. However, they were equally fabulous apart, each figuring out their lives. For Fay, that meant what she wants post divorce and how to balance works and relationships.
For Oliver, it was especially poignant. He’s between jobs and has always felt insecure in his family, despite how much he loves his mother and siblings (who love him as well). The insecurity effects his relationship with Fay (and he makes some dumb decisions along those lines) and prevents him from moving forward and figuring out what he wants. His arc was just fabulous, especially regarding his relationship with his mother. I just adored those scenes so much.
Playing House was just a super read with an awesome HEA and I’m so excited for the next in the series
It’s a nice novella, sweet and honest.
I loved the theme of going house hunting or just delighting in the house showings where the places where described with knowing detail and warm wonder at the historical design.
Fay and Oliver are really cute characters. They are both emotionally adrift for their own individual reasons. She’s still tender from the repercusions of her divorce and not moving on with her usual energy. He is feeling a failure as social and family expectations are not being met by his state in life.
I loved the funny, spontaneous pattern they acquire when they first bump into each other at a house showing. A game of pretend couple that is steeped with a heartwarming chemistry and lots of memories from common friends in their close-knitted circle of work.
This was very original to me and I loved all of it: the easy-going familiarity, the house showings, the talk of work, the hot moments, but also how their desires and misgivings got tangled up in their make-believe time together. I also enjoyed the part of Oliver’s family and their influence in his life.
There is a hilarious bathroom scene and a little conflict when real life and dream life clash, but it’s then that their growth happens and they really move on from past experiences. I really liked how it came to pass. It’s lovely yet also believable.
This book is lovely!
1) Ruby Lang’s voice is amazing. Unique, emotionally driven, sharp, observant. You will find all of these things in this book.
2) The characters are flawed and real. I particularly liked the heroine, who was such a go-getter and I LOVED that. The hero accepts her for who she is, and I LOVED that, too.
3) I’ve never read a book that devotes time to the architecture of houses. Not in a stuffy, this-is-boring way, but in a way that speaks to the author’s love of the city. It’s beautiful to see that kind of reverence in a book.
So. You know. Recommended
Ruby Lang’s Playing House is just what I needed in my reading life. It’s charming and sweet and realistic. Fay and Oliver are urban planners who have run in the same circles for some time, but when an awkward encounter at an open house sets the fake relationship wheels in motion, they begin to look at each other in a new light. The conflict here isn’t high stakes; Oliver has applied for a job at Fay’s firm and has neglected to tell her. As that situation evolves, they must both confront how their pasts have shaped them and their relationships. This is a novella-length story, perfect for when you want a delightful escape.
Note: I am friendly with the author on social media. This review is my honest opinion and I have offered it freely.
If you like realistic romances this is definitely the book for you. There was never a moment this was cheesy or rushed. This was a romance between two adults that takes place at a realistic pace. This is a short read and added to the how well it’s written and all that takes place it makes it one fast fun read. Highly recommend!!
I thought Playing House would be a fun, cute book after I read the synopsis and it totally was! I loved Oliver and Fay, they were adorable and I was rooting for them so hard. Playing House was warm and light with a few little moments that will pinch at your heart. It’s like a perfect beach read that you can just relax and have a ball with. I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading Open House!
Though novella length, Playing House was a delightful read with low conflict and an adorable plot. Both Oliver and Fay were well-developed, given the space in the novel, and I enjoyed the way they bonded over their shared love of architecture – it made my nerdy heart happy! I honestly wish the book had been longer to allow more build-up of the relationship in general. Also, I’m not picky about tropes but if you are a reader going into this looking for a fake relationship, it’s dispensed with pretty quickly in the beginning. This is most likely the result of the story length. However, the rep is excellent and if you want a quick, passionate but comforting confection, this book is a great choice.
I received an ARC, courtesy of Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.
While I found this story quite sweet I felt like it ended too soon. Fay had the beginnings of that feisty girl I love in books but there wasn’t enough time for that to truly show through. There was also the build up of Oliver discovering himself but again we didn’t get to see that either. I did like that Oliver and Fay’s relationship wasn’t forced, that they took time to get to know one another. I feel like there was so much potential for a full length book that was missed. I also found Oliver’s brother very intriguing and would love to read a full story about him.