Love You, Mean It A Novel by Jilly Gagnon

 Book Excerpt:

"A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly excellent ex, and just the right amount of amnesia

“[A] delightfully tropey rom-com . . . This is a sweet confection."—Publishers Weekly

Ellie Greco wishes she weren't stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. She loved the place but always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, the very existence of Greco's Deli is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, the scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business. Still, their meeting goes from bad (it's not her fault he's infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).

With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée . . . and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their "engagement" stick around. If they manage to convince enough people, they might get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn't trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?), but seeing no other option, she reluctantly agrees.

And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo's shrewd, cold father, seems convinced—until Sam, Theo's ex-fiancée, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, but she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between a blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for."

Title:  Love You, Mean It

Author:  Jilly Gagnon

Publisher:  Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"Love You Mean It" by Jilly Gagnon

My Thoughts:  

I enjoy how these fake romances can turn into quite a read after all is said and done. When it looked like Ellie Greco and Theo Taylor had a fake romance going to try to fool everyone, there was one person who didn't believe it. Why was that, especially being Theo's ex and even his father? The story will give one a lot of drama from this little bit of amnesia that Theo had from what had fallen on him. How far would this story go on about this fake romance?  

To understand how this story will go with Ellie trying to save her family's Greco Deli business, it looks like Theo's family [father] was getting ready to sell the Mangia deal that would lower prices for the mom-and-pop shops in the area. What will happen when Theo goes along with the fake engagement?  

The story will continue, so be ready for a long story. However, by the end, the reader is given a decent story that will come out. Pick this one up to see how the author brings it out, which will be surprising. Be ready for a good read that will keep you reading till the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.