REVIEW: It’s All in Your Head by Sabina Nordqvist

It’s All in Your Head by Sabina Nordqvist: Skylar has had enough of being told she’s “too much.” Living with chronic illness has made dating feel exhausting, so she sticks to the safety of her online support group — until Pike shows up. Broody. Poetic. Unexpectedly funny. When one chaotic night leads to her posing as his fake girlfriend, what starts as an online favor suddenly spills into real life.

Pike isn’t just another guy behind a screen — he’s a professional snowboarder recovering from a career-altering injury and hiding more than he lets on. Pretending to date might have been simple at first, but as late-night conversations turn vulnerable and the lines between fake and real blur, both of them start to feel seen in ways they didn’t expect. Now they have to decide if what they’ve built can survive real-world pressure — and the spotlight neither of them asked for.

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD blends fake dating tension with something far more vulnerable and intimate. This is one of those romances that feels deeply personal from the very first page. Skylar’s experience navigating chronic illness is written with so much honesty— especially in a world that often misunderstands or minimizes it.

Skylar’s hesitation around relationships makes sense, and watching her slowly let someone in feels intentional, and true to who she is. Pike’s layered in a way I didn’t expect. Beneath the public persona and athletic reputation is someone quietly unraveling. Skylar and Pike’s connection carries an emotional depth as they let their guards down. It’s shaped by what they’ve both been through, the parts of themselves they try to hide, and the relief of finally being seen without explanation.

Tropes & Themes

• Fake dating
• Slow-burn emotional tension
• Forced proximity
• Celebrity athlete
• Online friends to lovers
• Chronic illness & identity
• Being fully seen
• Life after loss
• Emotional courage

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD by Sabina Nordqvist is a tender, emotionally layered romance about learning to trust, to open up, and to believe you are worthy of love exactly as you are. Recommended for readers who love soft, emotional slow burns, meaningful character growth, and romances that center connection, healing, and being fully seen.

Book Info:

Publication: February 10, 2026 | Grand Central Publishing |

Your fake relationship shouldn’t come with chronic feelings.

Skylar is done with offline relationships—especially romantic ones. Living with chronic illness means she’s heard it all before: unreliable, high-maintenance, too much. She’d rather spend her free time in her online chronic pain support group, and lately, she can’t help but notice Pike, the hot new guy with a penchant for broody poetry. When a chaotic night in the group forces her to pose as his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees to keep up the charade in real life. Surprisingly, he’s thoughtful, sweet, and—most importantly—doesn’t flinch at the things that have scared others away.

Fake dating gets a lot more complicated when she discovers Pike isn’t just some guy. He’s a professional snowboarder whose career-ending injury is as infamous as his playboy past. He won’t talk about that, though. He’s fine. Really. But pretending to be in love with Skylar turns out to be the least depressing thing he’s done in months. As they spend more time together, she starts to notice the cracks in his carefully crafted image, and for once, he doesn’t mind being seen.

After all the bed-sharing and late-night talks, it becomes harder for both of them to pretend. But just as things start turning real, the paparazzi catch on, wanting the scoop on how everyone’s favorite Olympic medalist is doing post-accident. Dating while disabled comes with challenges of its own, but public speculation and invasive questions are something else entirely. If their newfound feelings can’t survive the spotlight, their not-so-fake relationship may be over before it ever truly begins.