The Real Thing (Sugar Lake Book 1)

Loved the book. A gift of love and memories as we all share from our love. After 33 years these remind me to remember & relive our live in many ways

What a beautiful story! It was a little slow to start,but quickly picked up and I really loved Zane and Willow! Getting their back story took a while, but once you got it everything made sense. Loved the family and back characters. Would definitely recommend this book!

Two of my favorite romance story tropes by one of go-to romance authors. What could be better? This is not only a friend to lovers story, but also a fake fiancée tale. When it starts out it seems a bit more fake fiancée, yet once you get to know Willow and Zane you see it’s really a friends to lovers book at its core.Although majority of Melissa Foster’s books are under the umbrella of her Love in Bloom series on a larger scale, it’s always said they can work as standalone books. Personally, I don’t always feel that’s the case and always recommend people read the whole series to get the real depth of each book. In the case of this book, it’s not under that Love in Bloom umbrella. There is an extremely brief mention in passing here and there of a few characters, but there is absolutely no significance to the story. This is a brand-new series (published under a totally different publisher that her other books) and, since this one is the first of the series, can be read as a standalone.We get to know a lot of characters in this book. Not in-depth, but enough to keep the reader wanting more. Of course, all of Willow’s siblings will be getting their stories told. The family is loving and caring and all very different from one another so it should be a lot of fun.This story moves fast and a lot happens over the course of the 2 weeks the majority of the tale takes place. You would think it would make the romance/love story part of the book seem too fast but it doesn’t. Mostly because Zane and Willow have known each other most of their lives. But it did make some other things seem quite a bit beyond the realistic realm. I love that Willow owns a bakery and does some catering. But the amount of time she spends actually working, with no other people in her employ, is beyond ridiculous. And Zane’s bodyguards, plane, and ease of getting people to stop gawking around the bakery is laughable. I’ll forgive these things because wanted to read about the couple and not all of the day-to-day particulars. But it left me feeling as though I was missing something.One last thing. It’s inevitable, if you read a lot of books, that character names will end up being used by more than one author. I’m sure it may have happened to me before but the characters weren’t engrained in my mind enough for me to notice. But since I absolutely LOVE the Walker brothers from Nicole Edwards’ Alluring Indulgence series, I could help but instantly notice the shared moniker of Zane Walker. Two totally different men in so many ways, but both great guys.3.5 stars

I really enjoyed Zane and Willow's story. It had some of my favorite tropes brother's best friend, fake relationship and friends to lovers. Willow has been crushing on Zane for years and was heartbroken when he left town 10 years ago. But they have always kept in touch with each other. So when he needs someone to help clean up his playboy image he asks Willow to be his fake fiancee. As time passes we learn about their past and how they truly feel about each other. Zane is such a sweetheart always thinking about Willow's safety and comfort. I love it when the guy confesses his feelings first. I loved watching them figure out how they were going to make their relationship work. A good read!

This is my first book by this author. I couldn't resist a good faking story, though this one wasn't exactly what I was expecting, still enjoyed it!I always think of a good faking it story as the ones where a couple that's not likely to get together are forced to fake their relationship. Then the kisses they inevitably share start something either of them ever expected. It's my very favorite trope. So many possibilities. And this book gave it a different look.Zane and Willow (love the names, btw) grew up together. He's her brothers best friend and he was her secret first (v-card type first). She set up rules and then left for college. And lots of other things happened that, well, I just can't tell you. Need to read it yourself for that. But later when they end up in this fake relationship, it's bringing where they always should have been. Finding out all that other stuff (which I still won't tell you) and figuring out their purpose. I just can't see a world where these two don't find it back to each other. They are just too perfect for each other. I guess that's the "difference" I felt in this book. Their fake relationship did bring them into each other's arms but if it hadn't been that it would have been something else. They are pretty clearly meant for each other. Sweet and sexy these two are! Zane is adorable. His reputation needed fixing but he's just not that guy. It becomes clear pretty quickly that he loves Willow and isn't gonna cheat on her.Willow did take a bit longer for me to love. She's been protecting her heart for a long time and she pushes too hard sometimes. Does make her real.I'm not sure if it's characteristic of this author since this is the first book I've read of hers, but the romance is smoother. By that I mean, the angst that these two deal with is not so much a mess one of them makes as it is dealing with other issues (also not telling on what those issues are - you peeps need to read this book yourself). I found that I rather enjoyed that aspect of things. It felt more real to me. It also left more room for some seriously hot action between these two.Oh yes, this author believes in couple time with lots and lots of heat! And these two were creative in their heat...um and dirty. Willow likes him talking dirty. Gotta be able to deal with that if you're gonna read this book.Oh, and there's this book two coming out in December that I already want to read. Looks so good too. Sounds totally different but equally good. Can't wait to hang out in this small town again.

As with all of her books all her stories are great and this one is no exception there's fun ,heat and good characters.

A beautiful love story. Well written, characters woven into the scheme of the narrative seamlessly. Only one thing I do not agree with and hope Melissa reads my review. I do not understand why lack of ambition or poverty should be a flaw of the magnitude it is mentioned in the book with respect to Zane’s parents that he cuts off ties with them. It is admirable that he appreciates the love given to him by the Dalton’s, but to be judgemental about his parents poverty is giving out a very wrong message. One would understand if due to circumstances, Zane had been abused or starved or neglected which wasn’t the case. Also, when he did well in life, Zane didn’t appear to try to help his parents live a better life or even interact with them. His determination to succeed stems from his childhood so in a way he has to thank the same.

One thing I love most about Melissa is her ability to write the most sweet & sexy romance novels, and even better second chance romances, and if The Real Thing is anything to go by Sugar Lake is going to be a great series for Melissa to add to her already amazing collection of books.Willow Dalton & Zane Walker have been friends since childhood, and secretly loved each other from afar all these years. Before Willow headed to collage she enlisted Zane to take her virginity so she could away to collage a “woman” – she said there would be no strings attached and he was more than happy to oblige. Over the years they have kept in touch, with some flirting along the way, but it was always Willow who held back.Now Zane is back in town with a proposition for Wills – as he nicknamed her – a proposition of a fake engagement to him for a few weeks as a publicity stunt thought up by his PR to gain him more exposure as a romantic actor, then once it over they go back to their respective lives. Willow naturally is against it at first as she is very close to her family and they will raise all sort of questions about the sudden engagement, but Zane seems to have it all planned out.The lines begin to get blurred between fake and real and you are left wondering just how this is going to play out. It is clear that Zane & Willow want to be together and they he has thought of her for year, but as I said before it was Willow who held back – can this be the prefect ruse to bring them together again for real?The banter between them both is brilliant and real, there are time when they are annoying and their are time when the lines blur and no one know what is real or fake, over all this is a great story from Melissa and I can not wait to read more from the Sugar Lake series!

As my title says this was a definite sweet tale of two friends Willow and Zane. As Willow embarks on life at College/University she wants to go but wants to lose her Virginity and can only think of one Man for the job Zane. They part ways as he goes off to the life of an actor/celebrity and she opens a bakery. Years pass as they get on with their lives but still keep in touch. They get together and as he has a bad boy reputation and wants to clean up his act or so he says they come up with a fake engagement, well he proposes it and Willow after much deliberation agrees, plus it brings publicity for her bakery. Then follows lots of miss understandings and hidden feelings bubble to the surface. As we follow their story how we find out how much is fake and how much is true feelings, is it a one sided affair or do they both feel the same? Read it and find out.This is a light read a touch predictable but a great one if you have just read a heavy hard hitting thriller and want something lighthearted.

This was a wonderfully written love story! Falling in love with two main characters as they reconnect and have the love grow again strong enough to make them inseparable. With a wonderfully loveable family to tell you like it is.

Here we go again with the start of another brilliant series from Melissa Foster...Willow and Zane are the first ones to kick things off and just like everything else from this author this is no different! we are already addicted to all things (Sugar Lake)Zane's intensions may have seemed fake to begin with but let's face it there was never any doubt that they would become a reality even though Willow had her doubts after all said and done Zane was a brilliant actor, you couldn't blame her for being a little cautious.The Real Thing... is written with so much care and attention and it's a very thoughtful read much like all of Melissa Foster's stories however this feels like Zane and Willows movie.There are plenty of touching moments between Zane and Willow but let's not forget when Zane met Sam the fact that he never even read Zane's script he just knew... he'd been there and done that, he just gave him a few words of wisdom, it was lovely.All the characters are brilliant and we have been well and truly teased for what's to come, I've got... Only You Bridget's story on Pre-order. I think it's going to be quite emotional.Thank you.