Make-Believe Match (Cherry Tree Harbor Book 3)

Melanie Harlow’s Make-Believe Match was everything I love about small-town romances. Expertly weaving this enemies-to-lovers romance with heat and humor, she pairs two opposites who find themselves entangled in a marriage of convenience. Set against the backdrop of a charming small town, the story comes to life with endearing characters and an entertaining plot. Melanie’s writing was sharp, descriptive and engaging, and she masterfully balanced the witty banter with genuine emotion. The chemistry between Lexi and Devlin was palpable, and the slow burn build-up of their relationship was both satisfying and captivating.Make-Believe Match was a heartwarming small-town romance, and as a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, it hit all the right buttons for me. Melanie executed the marriage of convenience plotline with finesse, creating magic with a grand gesture moment that made my heart race. The evolution of Lexi and Devlin’s relationship from adversarial to amorous was sweet and steamy, and the small-town setting was the perfect backdrop. Harlow’s stellar storytelling was an absolutely addictive blend of humor, heart and heat, and I simply didn’t want to put this book down. Five smooches from me for Make-Believe Match by Melanie Harlow.

This was such a fun story of mistaken identity, forced proximity, “fake” marriage, and lots of “my wife” energy. I love that the books in this series overlap so all the Buckley siblings’ HEA are happening in the same time period. I love the small town feel and the found family aspect. It was very well written with plenty of spice and a lot of heart.Devlin has lived for his job, but everything changes when he meets Lexie McIntyre and her dream to keep her family ski lodge. They meet a few nights before his pitch to buy the land, and when they figure out who they’ve had a one-night-stand with, it is not smooth sailing. Devlin and Lexie want two different things, but when the account is taken from him, Devlin’s loyalty shifts and suddenly he’s come up with a way for Lexie to keep her ski resort, marry him.I loved how quickly Lexie and Devlin’s marriage became real. They spent so much time together and worked so well together, and their chemistry was off the charts. It was only a matter of time before they fell for each other. The third act “break-up” broke me. I was so sad for both of them, but Devlin’s realization and grovel was perfect. I love that he took the time to think about what he really wanted out of life before professing his feelings and giving up what should have been his dream job.I loved the closeness of the Buckley family and the way they accepted not only Lexie into their fold, but her Grams as well. This series is so fun and lighthearted, but I’m really looking forward to Ari and Dash next!

Melanie Harlow creates characters with such real personalities you just want to befriend them. Devlin and Lexi are just lovable. The entrance of former characters added history and a realness to the story. The story arc is fascinating as Devlin and Lexi embrace married life and their personal goals and objectives. It’s a well written heart throbbing engaging story.

Make-Believe Match is the third novel in Melanie Harlow's Cherry Tree Harbor, and it's a marriage of convenience romance featuring Alexandra McIntyre and Devlin Buckley, both in their late twenties. Lexi works at the family-owned Snowberry Lodge, a snow resort built by her great-grandparents located in northern Michigan; Devlin was born and raised in nearby Cherry Tree Harbor but currently lives and works in Boston for Hotchkiss Properties. When Lexi learns that she needs to be married in order to inherit Snowberry Lodge, she's at a loss as to how to deal with it. Not only is it such an antiquated demand, but she's nowhere near settling down, not when she isn't even in a relationship. However, Lexi refuses to let her family's resort end up with a conglomerate that simply wants to tear it down. When Devlin offers marriage, though, she hesitates. Sure, this is the same guy she shared one heck of a one-night stand with, but he's also the same sneak who turned out to be working on behalf of Black Diamond Resorts to buy Snowberry Lodge. He's her enemy...and the guy with the key that finally managed to open her, erm, door. And maybe, just maybe, he may turn out to be the husband she never knew she wanted.This was a seriously fun read! The meet-cute was a memorable one, and the way Lexi and Devlin went from opposing sides to unlikely allies AND spouses was filled with wit and humor plus the heat and heart that I've come to expect from Melanie Harlow. Now, marriage of convenience romances, just like fake relationship ones, aren't at the top of my favorite tropes list. It takes a bit of something-something, i.e. creative touches, for me to really sit up and pay attention. Harlow accomplished exactly that, and I reaped the benefits, falling in love with two main characters who had a marriage of convenience only to end up with supposedly inconvenient feelings. From start to finish, this book owned my heart, and while that happily-ever-after was one that I knew was waiting for me at the end, the journey was unexpected to a degree, with hurdles that weren't insurmountable yet still challenging enough to make for an even more interesting read. Lexi and Devlin were worth becoming emotionally invested in, and I enjoyed every minute spent with them in Snowberry Lodge and Cherry Tree Harbor. Make-Believe Match gets five stars.

What an epic love story. I usually find fake marriages silly, but I really loved this one. Everything worked so well, and the flow of the story was perfect. I enjoyed both of the main characters. They complimented each other well, and they seemed real. The story wasn't overly dramatic, but it wasn't cheesy either. I wanted it to last longer so I could stay with them and watch them grow.*This book is rated R. The F word is used more than once. The spice scenes are explicitly detailed. There is one scene with mild violence.

This book has so much spice it was unreal. It was sexy without being gratuitous.Lexi is determined to save his families ski resort. Devlin wants revenge against his former employer and the two agree to marry so that they can save the resort. I like how they don't spend the whole book pining for each other while keeping their distance. They immediately just jump into fake married with benefits and I enjoyed it. There were some truly hilarious moments in the book. Something about a party... Door being closed...There is not a huge amount of drama from the "villain" in the story. It really does focus on the relationship between Lexi and Devlin.

As always, it was a pleasure to read another Melanie Harlow’s story. She always nails it when it comes to small town-cozy vibes, as this book is.The story follows a marriage in convenience situation between Devlin and Lexi. She needs to inherit the family’s manor, he needs to avenge his sworn enemy. But when you involve s*x in the equation and insane chemistry, things become complicated.This story and setting had everything I need to love in a book, however I felt it was all rushed, so there was no feelings build up at all. Also, the characters had no growth, they stayed plain as ever.Even so, I loved the chemistry that the protagonists have and how well she interconnects the plots of the secondary characters, letting us see the day to day of characters that we know, at the same time, that she anticipates what awaits us.Honestly, i do recommend the story if you love fast paced reads with all the small town vibes and high spice.P.S. im so excited for Dash and Ari!!!

This was an amazing read with a brave and emotional heroine , the hero who had the gift of the gab. I loved the storyline and the growth of the characters showcased.

This book is one of the best book of this year for me. The chemistry and compatibility of Devlin and Lexi is amazing. Just perfection.

Melanie Harlow books are an absolute must read for me and this one did not disappoint. Devlin and Lexi were both emotionally vulnerable and I loved that Devlin was always truthful with her except for falling in love of course! There was a small amount of background angst, but so much loving feeling. Wonderful.