Is Fake Skating Worth Reading?
by Lynn Painter
Ada’s Score
Lynn Painter, the queen of fake-dating YA romance, delivers another charming and heartfelt story with Fake Skating, reuniting childhood friends Alec and Dani whose lives diverged years ago. When circumstances bring them back together on the ice, old memories and long-buried feelings rise to the surface, forcing them to confront what they never got the chance to say. Painter's signature blend of sharp wit, warm humor, and genuine emotional resonance is perfectly calibrated for fans of will-they-won't-they romances. Sweet, funny, and deeply satisfying, Fake Skating is the kind of story readers will want to reread.
“Painter's dialogue snaps and her comic timing is genuine. Nearly a year on the list, and the appeal is no mystery: she makes banter feel effortless without making it feel weightless.”
YA Romance PickChildhood Sweethearts, a Second Chance, and Feelings That Won't Stay Fake
Ada Brief
AI reading intelligence“Painter's dialogue snaps and her comic timing is genuine. Nearly a year on the list, and the appeal is no mystery: she makes banter feel effortless without making it feel weightless.”
Childhood Sweethearts, a Second Chance, and Feelings That Won't Stay Fake
Lynn Painter has such a gift for writing romance that feels genuinely warm — not just swoony, but real, with characters you actually root for as people. Fake Skating brings together childhood sweethearts who think they can keep their feelings at arm's length, and watching that plan fall beautifully apart is an absolute delight. This is the kind of YA romance that reminds you falling in love should feel like coming home.
Video Brief
Fake Skating Review
Painter's dialogue snaps and her comic timing is genuine. Nearly a year on the list, and the appeal is no mystery: she makes banter feel effortless without making it feel weightless.
Rating: 4.1 / 5
Ada’s reservations
The conflict is manufactured and dissolves on contact, and the emotional stakes never rise past mild. Readers wanting depth beneath the charm will tire of it. The longevity is earned on charm alone.
Ada’s score reflects both strengths and reservations.
Book Details
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster, Limited
- Published
- January 1, 2025
- Pages
- 400
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9781665921268
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Ada’s Score
4.1
Ada’s editorial score — not an aggregate of reader reviews.
Common Questions About Fake Skating
- Is Fake Skating worth reading?
- Painter's dialogue snaps and her comic timing is genuine. Nearly a year on the list, and the appeal is no mystery: she makes banter feel effortless without making it feel weightless. Ada rates it 4.1 out of 5.
- What are the main weaknesses of Fake Skating?
- The conflict is manufactured and dissolves on contact, and the emotional stakes never rise past mild. Readers wanting depth beneath the charm will tire of it. The longevity is earned on charm alone.
- How many pages is Fake Skating?
- Fake Skating is 400 pages long — around 7–8 hours at an average reading pace.
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