Denz Carter needs a fake boyfriend to secure his CEO dreams at his father’s company, but when his best friend bails, he turns to the last person he wanted to call—Braylon, the ex who broke his heart and left to live in London. As business and personal lives collide, their sham relationship becomes a whirlwind of witty banter, rekindled chemistry, and stolen kisses. As old memories resurface and the couple is forced to choose between ambition and love, fake dating might just lead to the happily ever after Denz never saw coming.
Not me bursting into your room in the middle of the night, throwing this book at you, screaming: “This is how you do an adult romance debut right!”
I Think They Love You is an intense read.
From its powerful prose to its ridiculously relatable storyline and in-depth character work, it doesn’t do anything half-assed, which kind of makes it the perfect read if you’re a self-deprecating perfectionist that puts way too much pressure on yourself solely based on what you think others think of you (not that I speak from personal experience here).
Julian Winters shows his writing prowess throughout the entire novel, but the way familial expectations and the thrive to succeed, not to mention the fear of falling short and having it held over your head for the rest of eternity is portrayed, absolutely wrecked me.
In a family where everyone is incredibly ambitious and strives to be at the top of their game at all times—no matter what their personal lives look like—it is hard to stick out or go for what you want, knowing full well that you can’t just turn away from everyone if you end up failing. I love how we not only got to see Denz under this pressure but also his sister and other family members who all have a very different vision for what the company should strive towards. It’s giving The Devil Wears Prada vibes when it comes to dedication and commitment to your work in the best way.
Denz lives with this pressure but also thrives under it, even when it makes him doubt the validity of his relationships with his family members. I loved how despite being pitted against each other, Denz and his family members still had a deep bond that made for such a nice backdrop to the overall competition of becoming CEO. The resolution of that storyline felt realistic and cathartic, even if it will perhaps not be what everyone envisions.
On top of that, Denz is also just a really fun guy to follow. His charisma and passion for social media paired with his refusal to date anyone seriously after getting his heart broken just made me want to wrap him in a blanket and tell him he’ll find what he’s looking for because karma will handle that for him. And lo and behold, there comes the perfect opportunity for some fake-dating the guy who broke your heart.
Braylon had one of the most interesting backstories I’ve seen in a while. Did I lowkey hate him for dumping Denz in the past? Absolutely, solidarity, sister and all that. But the way we slowly learn more about what shaped his decision to leave for London and the passion Braylon has for his work kind of really took my heart by storm. Even when I wanted to hate his British accent and his sometimes passive-aggressive commentary on their past, I also just wanted to snag him away from Denz and have him for myself. Granted, I also think Denz is an absolute jackpot of a man but if I can’t have either of them, I’m happy they found each other.
Because paired together, these two made for an absolute power couple—fake or not. Winters here accurately portrays the way you can still ache over the past yet also reminisce about the good times and see the potential in perhaps giving who you believe to be the love of your life a second chance. There is an incredible amount of character work put into this novel and I dare say it’s Winters’ most ambitious novel to date (which is very fitting considering the plot). Denz and Braylon work so well because they’re at once eerily similar in their ambition and passion yet different enough to bring that spark, that fire you need to keep a relationship from turning too placid. The way these two manage to butt heads yet still come through when it counts (or, in some cases, make mistakes and make up for them) shows a mature and strong relationship that serves as a great model for how important communication is in this day and age.
All I can say is that I hope this is far from the last adult romance Winters writes. It’s smart and funny, it’s endearing and heartbreaking but also cathartic in its resolution. For me, this is one of the best books the adult romance genre currently has to offer.
Lastly, I would really appreciate the phone number of any Hollywood execs because this book needs to become a movie. Winters has always had a very cinematic way of describing places and emotions playing out on someone’s face and I for one would love to see Denz and Braylon shine bright on the big screen.
Fans of the second-chance and fake dating trope are going to devour I Think They Love You, an excellently executed adult romance, perfect for fans of T.J. Klune and Alison Cochrun.
I Think They Love You is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 28th 2025.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
With his funny, big-hearted adult rom com debut, bestselling, award-winning YA author Julian Winters shows sometimes fake dating your ex can turn into a second chance.
When Denzel “Denz” Carter’s workaholic father and CEO of 24 Carter Gold unexpectedly announces his retirement, the competition is on for who will become his successor. To convince his family members that he’s capable of commitment, Denz impulsively lies about being in a serious relationship.
Now Denz needs to find a fake boyfriend to seal the deal on the CEO position. Denz is forced to turn to the last person he wants to be in a pretend (or any) relationship with: Braylon, the man who broke his heart.
Braylon’s sudden reappearance in Denz’s life turns everything upside down. But, apparently, he needs Denz’s connections to the mayor to win his own promotion. So, they strike a deal. It’s all business until the funny texts and the confusing kisses leave Denz struggling to separate this temporary arrangement from the affairs of his heart.
I Think They Love You is a celebration of love, queer communities, big families―in all their beautiful complications― healing, and, most importantly, falling in love with the person you’re becoming.
