Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.
Cora Carmack is the kind of writer that just sucks you in to the world of her characters and you don't even realize it's happening. I loved Losing It for its humor, honesty, and just the fact that it left me grinning. And I know it’s really not fair, but it’s hard not to judge companion novels against each other – and really, how do you top Garrick? But in Faking It Cora takes on a different kind of story, a little darker, one where Cade thrives and comes to life. And Max is really a stunning, fascinating and well-rounded heroine, perfect to compliment Cade’s personality.
I was expecting a lot of Cora's second novel, but I was worried about one thing - Cade. He was not my favorite character in Losing It. And actually, I thought he was gay for a little while so I was curious how Cora was going to turn him around into a hero-level character. In the beginning, it felt a little bit like some aspects of his personality didn’t match up with who he was in Losing It. It’s kind of hard to put my finger on what exactly was different about him – but he was more on the broody side, than the sad and scorned side. But the farther I got into the book, the less I noticed his personality change.
Really, the joy of this book was getting to know Max. As Cade breaks down her walls, we get to see the layers of her character peeled back. She’s this tough, spitfire of a girl and it’s easy to admire her – and even be envious of her determination and spirit. She goes through a lot of healing in this book, and really, if we’re pointing out a star of the show, she’s it. Cade again, seems to fall into the background – but not in the sad way that he does in Bliss’s life. He’s there for support and to balance out Max. She changes him too, but this story is hers and he’s just the biggest part of it.
The way their relationship unfolds is so perfect. You can see it happening from page one, but it’s the journey that’s so fabulous. They have a lot of outside factors that they have to confront and then fold into the seams of the relationship they’re building, so how they manage to come together is so satisfying. I also love the banter they get going and the way they push each other’s buttons. While there are some deeper things happening, they still manage to keep things generally light and Cora’s humor still shines through.
If you want to swoon and laugh and leave a book feeling ultimately lighter and happier, I definitely recommend reading Cora Carmack. Losing It was wonderful and it feels like her writing is maturing and becoming more rich in Faking It. She has this way with creating individual characters who complement each other so well, really showing that it’s not about being perfect but being perfect for the right person. I can’t wait to see what happens when we get to follow Kelsey to Europe in Finding It.
