About the book:

Title: The Love Scam

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Published: August 4th 2020 by St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: Received from the Publisher, in exchange for an honest review

Format: e-copy

Blurb:

A sweet and sassy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

Rake Tarbell is in trouble. When the fabulously wealthy and carefree bachelor wakes up horribly hungover in Venice, it’s not something that would normally be a problem…except he has no idea how he got there from California. Or who stole his wallet. Or who emptied his bank account of millions. Or who in the world is Lillith, the charming little girl claiming to be his long lost daughter. For the first time in his life, Rake is on his own and throwing Benjamins around aren’t going to solve his problem. Now if only the gorgeous, fun, and free-spirited woman who brought Lillith into his life was willing to help the situation…

Claire Delaney finds Rake’s problems hilarious and is not in the least bit sorry of adding to them by bringing Lillith into the mix. A pretty Midwestern girl with a streak for mischief, Rake is not the kind of man Claire hangs around with. Even if he is drop-dead handsome and charming as all get-out. Even if he needs help and she has all the answers. But if this helps Lillith, she will go out of her way. And with a guy like Rake, she’s willing to bend her rules a bit for some fun. But when adventure-filled days turn to romantic nights as they search for answers, and someone starts following them through the streets of Venice, Claire realizes she’s playing more than just a game. And maybe, just maybe, she isn’t willing to let go of Rake or Lillith just yet.

Check it on: Amazon & Goodreads

Ok, you know how crazy I am when it comes to books published by St. Martin’s. In my world, if it’s published by them, I am sure it’s a great story. Unfortunately, the Love Scam is an exception. I did not manage to read more than 30% and decided this book is not for me, not right now at least.

I got lost on the character names (I didn’t quite get it the first time if the main character is Rake or Blake), then I got lost between the funny lines and the interior dialogue our main character RAKE has with his brother. So the decision not to continue with the story was the obvious one, especially given the amount of outstanding books for 2020 I have.

I did enjoy the premises and the banter between the characters, but I still struggled with it. It would not be fair to give a rating, taking into account I did not finish it. I like the cover quite a lot too. I will not shy away from recommending any book (reading is an educational activity, regardless if you like the book or not – at least it educates you to avoid certain books), so in this case I would advise you to read a sample somewhere, just to have a taste of the writing style.

Until next time, stay safe and happy reading!