{Book Review} Faking It (Losing It #2) by Cora Carmack

Faking It (Losing It #2) by Cora Carmack
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: William Morrow
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Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel. (SOURCE)

Faking It is the follow up to Losing It, which I read recently as well. In this installment, "Max" is this sassy, flaming red haired, tattooed rocker chick. She uses all of that to hide behind her vulnerabilities. The life she has in Philadelphia is a bit of a mystery too. She keeps a lot of herself hidden from her parents but when they show up for a surprise visit, Max has to think quickly.
No way will the 'rents be ok with the guy she's dating. They'd never approve of him, and Max needs their support while she tries to get her band off the ground. So instead of letting them meet Mace, she enlists the help of a stranger. Max asks Cade to be her boyfriend for a day, just to put her parents at ease.
Cade is still in a coffee shop minding his own business, nursing his broken heart, when a beautiful girl approaches his table. He's the quintessential "frat boy," according to Max, and the perfect boyfriend in her parents eyes. It doesn't take long for Cade to agree to help this woman he's incredibly attracted to. He also can't help but think that this might be a great distraction from the girl he loved.
The last thing either of them expected though, was to actually like the other. They are really different people, something Max isn't sure she can really get past. Besides, she still has a boyfriend! But her parents absolutely love Cade, "Golden Boy", and you can see Max's mother getting way ahead of herself. Their family has been torn apart by tragedy but Mrs. Miller wants Max to find that perfect guy. If she met her daughters real boyfriend, she'd have had an aneurysm. 
I was worried that the story would feel rushed since I knew Max's parents were not going to be visiting for long. I wasn't sure if they would magically be in love after Mr. and Mrs. Miller went back home the next day. Instead, there was a lot of ups and downs and twists that often made me nervous about the future of these two. One of my favorite things is when a male and female character are extremely different but still manage to make it work. I love the 'opposites attract' theory.
With Max and Cade, their individual personality traits even one another out. Where Max can be rough around the edges, Cade is sweet and caring. He spends a lot of time being there for her in several different ways. Also, their chemistry, it is palpable. Max struggles to ignore it, but Cade dives in head first. That was one of the things about him I could relate to. I'm very easy to read in the way he was. Max definitely keeps things close to the cuff. When she slowly started to open up to Cade, it was nice to see a vulnerable side of Max.
Instead of their time together being over after Max's parents went back home, Cade was still there for Max. Even when she made it hard for him. As Cade falls for Max, he gets frustrated with himself that he can't find someone that isn't already in a relationship. It's hard for either of them to keep from flirting with each other though. And as things with Mace start to get rocky, Max sees more and more what a catch Cade is. 
Still, she pushes him away, thinking once they do one last thing for her parents, Max can walk away from Cade and not look back. Except it's not that easy. The connection they share grows every time they are together. While I won't give away how things end for Max and Cade, I will say that a lot happens to open up both their eyes. They are strong characters separately, but even more so together. I loved their friendship and their blossoming relationship. It was fun, sweet and sexy. 
Faking It was one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a while. These are my personal observations and thoughts regarding this book. Any and all books blogged about here are paid for with my personal money unless otherwise specified within the review. If you have questions please feel free to contact me.