Book Review: The Make Up (Falling for Franklin #2) by Hailey Gardiner

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 268 pages
Author: Hailey Gardiner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 21st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Thou shalt not lie, steal, cheat, or…fall in love with your best friend.

When my best friend, Hunter Ward, offers me the opportunity to star alongside him as the lead love interest in a music video he’s directing, I’m torn between taking the gig and risking my heart. My job? To look and act like I’m in love with Hunter…without revealing my true feelings for him.

I’ve seen the man in action and watched him work the room. I’ve witnessed countless women fawn over him and practically swoon in his presence. And now that the full force of his charm is being worked on me, I’m supposed to drudge up the grit to resist him? Impossible, I tell you.

He’s breaking down the fences of friendship we’ve kept in place for so long, both on and off camera. How am I supposed to make it out with all of the pieces of my heart still intact?

A laugh-out-loud, friends to lovers, closed-door romance with heart, humor and sizzling chemistry. Books in the Falling for Franklin series are full length stand-alone novels and can be read in any order.

ADORBS.

I needed something light, fun and endearing enough to keep my interest. This hit those marks for me.

The writing style was entertaining and filled with amusing anecdotes that caused multiple smiles. A well set-up friends to lovers romance with a country music video at its center. Hunter and Chloe had clear chemistry from the get-go and the handful of flashback chapters added more depth to their overall story.

I loved how swoony Hunter was and how he continually endeared himself to Chloe. Actions really do speak louder than words and he showed off those actions with flair.

The scoliosis rep was amazing and I appreciated seeing that and learning more about a condition I only understood the bare minimum of. It was beautiful and I loved the support Hunter continually gave Chloe.

This was super cozy and perfect for fall. I look forward to reading more of Gardiner’s books!

Overall audience notes: