Ratings4
Average rating3.8
Lambda Literary award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy sapphic rom-com about a quiet bookseller and a romance novel cover model who agree to a modern-day marriage of convenience... Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They’ll never actually meet, so what’s the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes. Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement. Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather’s will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it’s a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout…
Reviews with the most likes.
Every so often, I remember how much I LOVE romance. A book with well-done tropes, engaging characters, and a great plot really does the trick for me. And this ticked all my boxes! I loved how self-aware and playful the narrative was, Taylor Swift and romance stereotypes being referenced, poking a little fun while remaining true to the emotional heart of the writing. Gemma and Tansy were such lovely protagonists, their dynamic was so enjoyable, and the side characters brought so much life to their world. I also appreciated the care taken in the social dynamics of a classist, patriarchal, wealthy world - I usually expect to dislike rich characters and instead appreciated how they were portrayed, good and bad. My other favorite aspect was that the last third of the book was really well done. The ups and downs fit my expectations and surprised me at the same time. I'm really looking forward to seeing this book on shelves! (And reading Bellefleur's other works, since this was my first.)
Thank you for NetGalley for the digital ARC!