Romance Recs

Fake Dating

• Jordan, Devonnie, Christina • Season 2 • Episode 19

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Devonnie, Christina, and Jordan are all here for this episode to give you 13 romance recommendations featuring the "Fake Dating" trope! 

The "Fake Dating" trope is when two characters start out by pretending to be in a relationship to achieve certain goals; like cleaning up one's reputation or making an ex jealous. This trope is full of denial, secret pining, chaos, drama, and lots of romantic tension! There's something for every romance reader in this chaotic episode full of book banter and romance recs.

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Devonnie:

To Romance Recs. We're three romance obsessed besties sharing book Recs broken down by genres and tropes so you can be sure you're getting exactly what you want out of your next read. Hi, it's Dev.

Jordan:

Hey

Christina:

What are you reading, Dev?

Jordan:

are you reading, Dev?

Devonnie:

golly. Every week it's the same thing. It's like I, it's like I don't know what I'm doing. It's like I've never done this

Jordan:

You're new here. It's

Devonnie:

I'm so new here. Sorry guys.

Jordan:

It's only been a year

Devonnie:

I know

Jordan:

this episode coming out marks exactly a year that we've been putting out content.

Devonnie:

So crazy, oh my gosh

Jordan:

what are you reading?

Devonnie:

Okay, to be fair. I'm reading a lot, but I'm also reading nothing I want to be very honest with you. There is so much happening and nothing My life is like so chaotic that I can't actually maintain The things that I'm reading but number one, I am reading a manuscript by my baby boo Glenn, which y'all don't care about yet, but you will. That is very important.

Jordan:

Just Glenn. It's kind of like Prince. She only needs one name.

Devonnie:

yeah. Glenn. Yeah. No, Glenn Ashley Patterson. Yeah. But she's very famous. We love you, Glenn. But then I'm also, please do not kill me. I am still reading out of the woods. I've had the arc for so long. I am still reading that book because I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it is and Hannah, I will send you my therapy bill, you evil woman. So yeah, I'm reading those two and actually I'm, I have about 35 minutes left in Scythe and Spire by Bryn Weaver, which I have thoughts. So yeah that's my reading, but yeah, there's so much happening and it's so chaotic.

Jordan:

Oh. Well, hi! I'm Jordan. I am currently reading Blood and Betrayals by Janet Rose and Alexis Rune. I am on their ARC team. I am part of their little community. By the time this comes out, it will have, I think the book will have been out for less than a week. If you don't have it downloaded already or pre ordered, what are you doing? Go get it. I am only 53 percent of the way into this book and I never want it to end, but I also need it. I need to know what happens. So it's, sorry, we're not doing a review on that. I'm also about to start listening to an ALC of Heathens by Alta Hensley. I'm such a good

Christina:

everyone. I'm Kristina, and I'm simple because I'm only reading one book, which is To Con Gentleman by Sarah Adams. The end.

Jordan:

think maybe we're just too complicated.

Devonnie:

yeah, we are a little too. is the vibes we bring to the function

Jordan:

all of that to say, buckle up for some bookish banter. I'm gonna take Christina's line.

Devonnie:

Buckled strapped in much in my child seat so Today's very exciting because our theme for The episodes for the books we're gonna recommend to you guys before we get into these quotes is fake dating Which we haven't done before and I'm very excited. I want to hear the recs that you guys have I'm excited to share mine But yeah, to our listeners, if you really love the fake dating trope, this is definitely the episode for you because we've got a bunch of recs for you to kind of satisfy that need if you will.

Jordan:

If you liked the wedding date, if you liked 10 Things I Hate About You, if Basically, if you are a millennial, you grew up with a lot of rom com. Fake

Devonnie:

yeah. Lot of angst. Yeah. Yeah. So this is that episode for you, but I do, I would like to share my quote. I think I need to go first because I fear mine is sad

Jordan:

okay.

Devonnie:

I know I want to get it out the way. I'm sorry. Both of you were like, Oh God. Okay. My quote is actually from one of the books I'll be talking about tonight, which is Spiral by Bal Cabra. It is the second book in her, it's not off campus series. I can never remember the name of this series. Please hold.

Jordan:

Hey, I want to say happy birthday to future me, because tomorrow's my birthday. In this world.

Christina:

Yeah.

Devonnie:

in

Jordan:

happy birthday

Christina:

Happy birthday Jordan!

Jordan:

Happy birthday future you.

Devonnie:

Yay.

Jordan:

34. We're

Devonnie:

Love that for you. Love that for you. Okay, so back to my quote.

Christina:

Oh, sorry.

Devonnie:

Unhinged already. So the book is Spiral by Bob Carver. The series is Off the Ice. This is book two in that series. It's a hockey romance, so if you love a hockey romance, it's good. This quote specifically though, it Sage, who is the female main character, is one character that I feel like insanely connected to. I feel like I've never read a character as Me coded as Sage and in this quote Eli is basically telling her that she doesn't like he wants to help. She doesn't have to be so tough. And this is what he says. First, he says to himself, this is a speech I might've practiced in my head a few times because Sage is allergic to help. You set up your life to never have to rely on anyone, but when you've come to a point where you need to, you're angry about it. Why can't you let me do this one thing for you? When I tell you I was boohoo and crying because the thing that he does. really was so helpful, but her pride, her defense mechanism, did not allow her to see how helpful it was. She lashed out about it. And I was like, that is me. And it made me really sad because I was like, I do this all the time and I hate that. But yeah, it's really hard, especially the way Sage grew up. So it's very sad. It was very tender, but I wanted to share it because I'm recognizing These things in myself. And so reading a character who's also like this, number one, makes me feel not as crazy, but number two makes me realize that, you know, the work continues. Okay.

Jordan:

know why you had to call me out like that too because

Christina:

thought we weren't recommending self improvement books. Oh my god.

Jordan:

That was I feel really uncomfortable over here

Devonnie:

why I wanted to go first. Cause I feel like y'all are going to come with the joy and I just need to, you know, to get this out.

Jordan:

Okay. Well, I decided that I'm gonna do it a little different kind of I just I'm gonna so blood and betrayals By Jeanette Rose and Alexis Roon I'm not even done with this video This book, like I said, but I've highlighted so much and a lot of them are small one liners, but this book is so good with the one liners. And when I tell you this book is, it's filling the void that Zodiac Academy left in my life. Anyways, so I'm going to read just a few. I'm going to go through my list and read just a few one liners. Gross. The idea of a guy being anything other than a bastard is probably the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard. Yeah. Great. Destinies are not for the present. They are for the distant future. I love that quote.

Christina:

I'd like it in the present though. Oh

Jordan:

especially in these romantic, like they want, they see their destiny and they're so focused on their destiny that they're forgetting that it's not. Now, that's later. There are those who die in fire and those who thrive in it.

Devonnie:

Love that.

Jordan:

You do not get to decide your worth to someone else. Only they

Christina:

love that.

Devonnie:

Yeah, I love that

Jordan:

I love that quote and then I'll end on a funny one. Summer is the female main character and she's talking to her, the MMC about her best friend and roommate. She goes, she's going to fuck a shifter. I clarify, greeting him with a kiss. He bought her a smoothie and she's gonna thank him with her snatch.

Devonnie:

Okay, no to the word snatch.

Jordan:

I love it, because I use it.

Christina:

I

Devonnie:

makes me want to vomit. What? Snatch?

Christina:

wrong with that?

Devonnie:

are we snatching people's body parts into us? I just

Jordan:

snatchers.

Christina:

It's snatching something into it.

Devonnie:

Exactly, I hate that. I hate that visualization. No, Jordan!

Christina:

where else is it

Jordan:

she's a vampire too, so there's lots of snatchers.

Devonnie:

I hate it. We need to make a episode all on words that I hate in books.

Jordan:

Oh, that could be like, we'll end up with an entire book of words that we don't like.

Christina:

Okay, here I go.

Jordan:

of this episode is just for us. No one else.

Christina:

And I was sitting here giggling, kicking my feet, thinking about this quote, and now I think about it and I'm like, you know what, it's actually sad, but here I go.

Devonnie:

Oh God.

Christina:

Here I go. It's from a book I'm also recommending. It's by Alexis Hall called Boyfriend Material. And it's the two main male characters talking to each other. And the one guy, he says, You really do own your illiteracy, don't you? And he says, Yeah, I'm thinking about moving to America and running for political office.

Jordan:

Stop it. Oh

Devonnie:

That's actually really funny. I'm sorry. Should I laugh? I feel like that was supposed to be funny, right?

Jordan:

yeah, and isn't this isn't this like Regency?

Christina:

No,

Jordan:

Regency? Oh, it's not?

Christina:

but it takes place in London, so

Jordan:

Okay.

Devonnie:

mean

Jordan:

Oh my god.

Devonnie:

By default regency. So

Jordan:

my god

Devonnie:

that is so funny. Yeah Is it not?

Christina:

I don't think so.

Devonnie:

I feel like

Jordan:

a time period

Devonnie:

yeah, london is a time period

Christina:

What? No, the Regency is a time period.

Devonnie:

London is stuck in the time period of Regency. Anywhere that's still got a king and a queen, it's it's giving a regent.

Christina:

Even Japan?

Jordan:

Okay, I

Devonnie:

if you have a king and a queen,

Jordan:

fake

Devonnie:

you're in Regency. Ha!

Jordan:

so fake dating I'm really excited for this Thanks for your quote everybody That was fun. So my first recommendation of the day is the fake out by Stephanie Archer This book two in Vancouver Storm series. I think I recommended the first one in a different episode last year, like

Devonnie:

Yeah, behind the net.

Jordan:

Yeah, so this is book two. The FMC is boy obsessed. And we meet her in the first book, but these are all like interconnected standalones, she has She's really big into body positivity and she teaches yoga, and she's really big on making it accessible for all body types, and all people and she has a rule for herself. She doesn't hook up with the same guy more than once. Her ex. who hurt her, very bad is coming back to town because he just got drafted onto the team, the Vancouver team, and when he comes she kind of freaks out, she has a moment, and she wants to make him jealous, and what better way to do that than with his long time rival. Who is also on the team. So when the ex moves to town, she's back at him by fake dating his teammate, Rory Miller. I mean, with a name like Rory Miller, you know, he's a bro. Like a hot bro. Okay. This story is full of body positivity, very witty banter really hot smut, and just The greatest MMC. Yeah, Rory is top tier book boyfriend material. So just it's very supportive in all the best ways no red flags

Devonnie:

Oh, wow. I

Jordan:

Yeah, but still interesting, which is, I feel

Devonnie:

That's crazy. No red flags, but you know, it's still interesting.

Jordan:

it's still interesting.

Christina:

He's the green flag guy.

Jordan:

I realize how that sounded, but I just mean like in

Christina:

That's a very Jordan comment though.

Jordan:

Which, yeah, well, I did make it. The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer is really good. I don't want to say too much of it because I just, I don't want to give too much away. There you go. Someone else. Take it away, please.

Christina:

Okay, The Fake Mate by Leanna Ferguson. This book has my absolute favorite subgenre of all time, which is Omegaverse. And it's actually one of the best published Omegaverse stories I've ever read. I'm usually an AO3 Omegaverse girly, so I'm an expert on these things. So this was refreshing to read one that's published that actually managed to do it fairly well. So this story follows Mackenzie, who's a young ER doctor. She's hiding her classification as an Omega because she wants to be recognized for her work as a doctor instead of for what she is. Unfortunately, her grandma keeps pestering her about bringing home a boyfriend. So to kind of appease her grandma, she asks this grumpy cardiologist, Dr. Noah Taylor to be her fake date. And this happens to work out perfectly because Noah just got called to work, or to the board of the hospital to explain why he's an unmated alpha and didn't put that on his paperwork when he signed up for the hospital. Anywho, that's part of their world. Anywho, she agrees to be his fake date so he can still work for the hospital as a cardiologist and so she can appease grandma, right? And so they decide they have to keep up this ruse being seen outside the hospital, entering and leaving the hospital at the same time or people are going to not believe they're a mated pair. So they're going out on public dates and everything's fun and then BAM! Out of nowhere. Her blockers stop working and she goes into heat at work. And there just happens to be an alpha there that maybe could help her, right?

Jordan:

The heat breaks.

Christina:

I know. And so he takes her to like a ski lodge that's middle of nowhere alone, and they stay there for a week. It's great.

Devonnie:

Yep. I love this.

Christina:

I know. And then they come back and are still working on their fake dating and wondering if it could work out if they can keep up all the fun things that go with the fake dating. It's a funny and spicy book, grumpy and sunshine vibes, and Omegaverse, so you really can't go wrong.

Devonnie:

Yeah, I read this one and I enjoyed it. I did. I was kicking my feet a little bit. Yeah, it was a fun little read for sure.

Christina:

Yeah. What about you, Dev? Aww. Namedrop.

Devonnie:

fake dating rec is going to be a love like the sun by Riz M. Nielsen. I'm not sure if I've spoken about this, but I feel like I've read a quote from this book or I've mentioned that I was reading it before, but I don't think I like spoke about it too much, but I really love this. It is like one of my least favorite tropes, which is friends to lovers.

Jordan:

Oh.

Devonnie:

I know, like I don't typically love friends to lovers, but I really enjoyed this and I read this last year I think but I wrote a little like synopsis of what it is. Best friends Lanai and Isaac have always ignored the simmering chemistry between them, but when Lanai and her mom are at risk of losing their natural hair store business, Isaac steps in. Using his fame to drive business for Lanai by faking a relationship, the two spend the summer trying to secure an investor for wildly green. That's the name of the business. The two quickly realized that the feelings they've been ignoring are now bubbling to the surface and no amount of reminding themselves that it's fake and they're just best friends will save them from the fallout. It was really cute to black main characters. It's like black love, very black, loved it. Rissa's writing is like so beautiful. It was nice to see parts of my own life in a story. Just like random things like Linnea does Isaac's hair or his mom, her mom used to do Isaac's hair and just having him sit down on the floor and they're like greasing his scalp and I'm just like, wow, that's plucked right out of my life. So that was really nice. I really enjoyed it. The cover is so beautiful for this book as well. But yeah, I'm typically not. Friends to lovers girly and this had it, it's not super spicy. I'm going to give this like a two on the spice scale. You do get a little, and it's a little, it gets a little like crazy, but the spice is not the main thing. Their friendship and their love unfolding. Is definitely the main beat of the story, but it was really beautiful and also pretty funny because he's famous and she's just like a little wallflower who wants to stay home and run her

Jordan:

She's just a girl. Aww.

Devonnie:

just a girl trying to survive and like everywhere she goes now, everyone's that's Isaac Jordan's girlfriend. Oh my goodness. She's with Isaac Jordan. And she's please. I've known him since we were children. Yeah it's really cute, but yeah. She's who, Isaac?

Jordan:

That loser? No way.

Devonnie:

definitely suggest people read it. It's a beautiful little story.

Christina:

Aww.

Jordan:

I love it. My second almost didn't make it because I almost didn't read it in time. I dropped in my Libby account last week and I listened to it in a day. This is my first recommendation written by a man. And it's okay.

Devonnie:

shock,

Christina:

is branching out.

Jordan:

I know. I know.

Christina:

the first on this whole podcast

Jordan:

Don't worry, it's

Devonnie:

think so. I think so. I think it might be the

Jordan:

it's okay. It's called The Fake Dating Game by Timothy Janowski. You might have seen it around. It's got a cutesy cover. Like they're on a game show. And it's just so fun. If you want Just like cute, funny, but there's like some deeper meaning in there and just like a really fun premise. This is it. There are some heavier themes of Processing grief like throughout time and things, but so our main character Holden. He is a mess. Absolute mess. His boyfriend of Four years breaks up with him very publicly in a restaurant. A very nice restaurant that he like was paying for with a credit card that he like. It was a big deal. And he brought his boyfriend there'cause he was gonna ask him a question to go on. He was gonna ask him to go on his favorite game show. Okay. And it was a game show that he watched growing up with his mom and it meant. This game show means like a lot to him, right? And his mom passed away when he was younger. And so it just, he got a ticket to go try out and he was going to ask his boyfriend, made a big deal. And instead his boyfriend broke up with him and the whole, while like everyone in the restaurant watched and he like broke it to him that no, you haven't been paying half of the rent. Of course you can't pay for it. I've been, he's then where's my money been going? And he's well, I've been taking your money. You've been paying for a quarter of it. Like it just, it was messy. It was. And painful and he kicked him out and so he had to go back and live with his dad, but he was determined He's well, I have a my best friend, but this is my best friend. Who's also my exes friend But like we're good friends, right? so he goes to LA because that's where the tryouts are and he goes and he was gonna ask her to go on the show with him And he, she's just aloof the whole time and then blows him off and says no, I don't, she said, I think I'd be like choosing sides.

Devonnie:

Mmhmmm.

Jordan:

not going to do that with you too. And so she doesn't do it for him. And he just goes back to his, this cheap hotel room. And of course there's this like cute but annoying guy behind the desk who gives him shit. And but he goes to his room and gets drunk by himself that night and just blasts. This, a Taylor Swift song on repeat. Sorry, Christina. I don't remember what Taylor Swift song. But the guy from the front desk calls up. He's hey, you gotta stop while that's a great song, you need to turn it off. We're getting everyone can hear you. You're getting a lot of complaints. It's late. He's I won't, you'll have bring, he's I won't turn it off unless you bring me pizza, because he's wasted, and So this guy gets off his shift and he brings him pizza and they sit there chatting and they play like a board game together and the guy is just like there for them and they like They have this bond, and they're like, I don't know, then the next day he loses his job, the front desk guy, and Not necessarily, no, not because of the Taylor Swift thing. We're just, this guy's whole series of unfortunate events. So anyways, but they become friends with also sexual chemistry, and they're like, well, what if, he's well, I'll go on the show with you. I'll do it. And so he, Holden is training him how to play this game, right?

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

this is what you can expect. We're gonna do this. And it's like a supermarket dash kind of a game. So there's like all this stuff, right? And so they're like going about it and it's just so sweet, but they have sexual chemistry too, the spice is hot, and, but they're like, we're a fake date, we'll tell them we met in an online forum for this game, they'll eat it up. And of course, they kind of fall for each other, but they both have their own separate baggage that they really have not They haven't come to terms with yet. And so it's them Trying to resolve things but also figure out where they are with each other but the way it's handled is so beautiful and it's not frustrating and it's honest and upfront and It's just really great.

Devonnie:

No. I love that. And I love me a game show.

Jordan:

I know it was so fun. And it was a big part of the story

Devonnie:

I was gonna ask that because I need that. I need the game to

Jordan:

Oh, and you see them on the game. They're doing ridiculous things. They're like behind the scenes oh, and I didn't even tell I don't know if I want to ruin that but there is a surprise when he gets To the show to film about who's there to compete against him.

Christina:

dun.

Jordan:

Huh

Devonnie:

okay. Well,

Jordan:

so

Christina:

have here.

Jordan:

Well, well, well if it isn't the consequences of your actions. Wild.

Christina:

Okay, my next recommendation is also a queer romance. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, and I think she's a really great queer representation author. I really loved this book. This book is actually one of the funniest books I've ever read. Seriously. It follows Lucien O'Donnell. I want to say that right. Lucian. It's not the American way. They said that Americans say it wrong. Lucian. Lucian O'Donnell, who is the son of two famous rock stars in England. And he has a hard time maintaining his good public image. The paparazzi always seems to catch him in a bad light. And he has some emotional damage because he had an ex boyfriend who sold him out to The Sun, which is a popular rag newspaper in England, for 50, 000. sold his story out to him and so that was bad. And so he doesn't want to date anymore but he's always going and doing hookups and getting drunk and on drugs and stuff and so the paparazzi's always snapping pictures and anywho, so he's at a risk of losing his job he really loves, which is my favorite thing ever. He works at a non profit for people who are trying to save dung beetles. I kid you not. I had to research how important dung beetles were to ecology after this book. It's true.

Jordan:

Oh, it is true. It's a real thing. Okay.

Christina:

It's a real thing. Without dung beetles, we wouldn't have any plants left in the world. So you can thank the dung beetles and this character for saving them.

Devonnie:

I feel like i've actually read something where that was like A main thing in the book

Christina:

Everyone's save the bees, but you need to save the dung beetles too. So just so you know. Okay, anywho. He's gonna lose his job if he doesn't fix up his image in the media. So he like, 911s his gay friends in his chat. They have a gay friend chat, right? And he's I need a fake date ASAP. And his friend's don't worry, I have someone I can hook you up with. And he's not that stuck up snooty guy who's a lawyer, but he agrees to go on a fake date with him. His name is Oliver Blackwood and he's like high society, everything completely opposite.

Jordan:

Mhm.

Christina:

exactly. You know, you just know he comes from money with that name.

Devonnie:

Yes, the name

Jordan:

And he's making money still.

Devonnie:

Yes.

Christina:

he's actually a def

Jordan:

long?

Christina:

and he says everyone who finds out I'm a defense attorney is like immediately turned off saying I'm letting criminals back on the street. But I think people that can't afford representation need it, and it needs to be a fair system for everyone. So he's like really dedicated to his cause, right? So you have these two men who are very dedicated for their causes, and they figure out that's like the one thing they have in common.

Devonnie:

I'm sorry because you say these two men dedicated to their causes and one's cause is the dung beetles and the other's cause is criminal defense is sending me Please continue. I just I was like not

Christina:

Well,

Devonnie:

being very different

Christina:

wouldn't have criminals to defend without plants, without the dung beetles, okay?

Devonnie:

You're right. You're right. The criminals wouldn't have an

Jordan:

What if Oliver was like defending people that go around killing dung beetles? Like

Devonnie:

And there's the overlap there's the connection

Jordan:

Sorry

Christina:

Okay, so Oliver needs a date to go to his parents big huge anniversary party at their estate, right? And he needs to bring someone. And then Lucien needs someone to go to his big work party. It's their big crap. C R A P, which is the initials for his company. He needs someone to take to his crap party. Party, okay, so

Jordan:

What's the address dress

Devonnie:

What's the dress code?

Jordan:

Brown?

Christina:

Black tie

Devonnie:

Oh.

Jordan:

Brown tie. It's

Devonnie:

Ew.

Christina:

So they agree to this fake date to help each other out mutually exclusive, right? but As they work together and go on Dates and talking and stuff they find out that maybe you know, even though they have two separate walks of life that they could find happiness even though they both have Rough goes of it. And this book is hilarious. The banter is funny. The Representation, there's like literally every type of representation you could ever imagine represented in this book And it's just not just thrown in there for good cause like for just no good reason like it's all represented fairly and equally And I love that I just love the way the characters learn to not only care for each other But really themselves because they really have to It's messy. They really have to come to terms with their own histories and, you know, the things that they've gone through. And then this book has a sequel called Husband Material, and a third book, which is about to be released soon, called Father Material. Yeah.

Jordan:

Oh

Devonnie:

I love that.

Christina:

get to see their progression. Yeah.

Devonnie:

I love that. That is so cute. Now we know they get married in the end and become fathers, but

Jordan:

No, ours are different characters.

Devonnie:

oh yeah, or is it different characters?

Christina:

I haven't gotten to read the second one yet, because I've been reading other things, but it does start with them, so I assume it's the same.

Jordan:

Oh,

Devonnie:

Well, that is interesting. Yeah. To know, and then to watch them in the, cause I feel like it's very hard as a writer to grow, make your characters grow and they will have to change

Jordan:

contemporary when you're not like bringing in new worlds or things like that.

Devonnie:

Yeah. So that's actually really interesting.

Christina:

Yeah.

Devonnie:

Good share. And the name of that book again,

Christina:

Boyfriend material by Alexis Hall.

Devonnie:

Wait for me to boyfriend, husband, and then daddy. I mean, father. Also daddy. Anyway moving right along to daddy's my next. D squared. Oh, that's a brand. D squared is a brand. Don't sue me. My next rec is actually going to be a series that I know for a fact I've mentioned before on this podcast, but I'm going to mention it again just for this specific take a hint, Danny Brown is book two in the Brown sisters trilogy and they, each sister kind of gets their own vibe. This is definitely the fake dating book. Danica Brown is a PhD student. She is very much chasing like academic renown. She is in it for the plot. Like she really wants to see what having all these accolades is going to bring her. But also that's her focus. She previously had a relationship with a woman go terribly awry. And so she's kind of just written relationships off regardless of the gender, they're a waste of time. That's her vibe. She's y'all are going to distract me from my work and I can't have it get out of my life. Scram. However, she is a girl with needs enter Zafir. And sorry, I think that's his name. Yeah. So he's an ex rugby player and he now works security at the college where Danica is studying slash teaching and one fire alarm happens where they get placed in the A little bit of a predicament. He is seen rescuing Danica from the building that is not on fire. And it the video of him bride style carrying her goes viral. And now everyone has hashtagged them DrRugbae. Everyone, the entire world is invested in their story. What's going on here? The ex rugby player, like he's a recluse, he disappeared and look, he's back. And then who is the doctor with him? What a baddie. What they realize is that they can have a mutual, mutually exclusive relationship because the paparazzi, the fame, the attention is actually aiding ZAF. It's a charity for kids. He where he teaches them rugby and stuff and life skills, he has a charity and they're getting the charities getting so much attention and just money and resources that he loves the publicity, even though he's like a little bit of a recluse, right? But he'll do it all for the charity. Then I go wants to get laid. Okay. Danny just wants to get laid. So she's yeah, live for kids. I'll do it, babe. Pretend we're in a relationship. Absolutely. No feelings, but let's like scratch this itch because we have chemistry. You know what I'm

Christina:

And if you've ever seen rugby players thighs.

Devonnie:

Thick. Okay. This also takes place in London. You know, I'm keeping the London connection here for us. But yeah, it does take place there. So obviously rugby, well, I guess it could always be a straight anyway, moving along. Their relationship is. so funny because Danny also with being super hyper focused on her goals, she lets things fall to the side. She like, doesn't realize that Hey babe, loosen the reins a little bit. You can enjoy this life. And then Zaf is actually secretly a hopeless romantic. So this might not be the best situation to be in a fake dating situation. So You know, emotions and feelings. Yeah. So when you have two people who are looking for very different things come together, they kind of have to find a middle ground and decide if they want to walk away from each other and just call it what it is. Or if Danny will allow herself to Come back to the land of dating and spending your life with someone. Yeah, I really loved it. And it's, sorry, I didn't say who it's by, but it is Take a Hint, Danny Brown by Talia Hibbert, who's one of my favorite writers. She's just so good. Her banter is actually diabolical. It's so funny. And it does get spicy,

Jordan:

Love it.

Christina:

With those thighs, I hope so.

Devonnie:

right? And they, the thighs I mentioned, the thighs and the booty, I'm sure I mentioned on ZAF like multiple times throughout the book.

Christina:

That's why I watch rugby.

Devonnie:

That's why we all watch rugby. Are we watching it for the ball? Not that ball.

Jordan:

My God. You went into that knowing where you were going. You went into that, like, how do I talk about their balls? Like how do I.

Devonnie:

I did. I think I set myself up

Christina:

How can I bring up genitalia?

Jordan:

Genitalia. Jesus. On that note if you were a fan of the 2005 motion picture, The Wedding Date, starring Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney, this next one is for you. This one, I would say, went viral, but it got very mixed reviews. I feel like I saw a lot of negative things about it, which Made me not really care to read it, but then I got a special edition on accident through the bookish box. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. Went ahead and when I finally read it because it became available on Libby and I'm like perfect I can just listen to this one day. It was so good. I don't know what people were talking about and I love The movie, The Wedding Date this is like the same thing, only set in Spain. And instead of hiring a male escort, she brings a co worker. It's a classic tale in literature. Catalina is panicking because she told her mom that she's going to bring her boyfriend home to Spain for her brother's wedding. She lives in New York, currently, for her job. Her ex? And his fiancée will of course be there and are in the wedding party. So that's kind of one of the reasons why she panicked, right? There is no boyfriend for her to bring. There hasn't been a boyfriend for years. She just

Christina:

it's dry pickings.

Jordan:

Yeah, she just, I mean, she's been focused on work. Work is her whole life. When she's freaking out about this, telling her bestie in the hallway at work the next day, of course, who overhears her? But her work rival. She refers to him as her enemy. Honestly, her inner monologue, and I think that's why people didn't like it, because her inner monologue is aggressive. And oh, that's my work enemy. I fucking hate him. Not mean aggressive, but do you know what I mean? It's just a lot going on up there. She's concocted all these stories in her brain, but that's why I loved it because it felt so realistic. Yes, like an adult Lizzie McGuire. That's perfect. But he overhears her admitting what she said to her mom, that she needs a date to the wedding. And he's take me. And she's fuck off. She would never be so desperate as to spend time with him alone. Let alone let him pretend to be her boyfriend in front of her nosy, extremely close, Spanish family. Going home, everyone is up in your business, everyone deserves to know, wants to know what's going on, you know? And they become attached. So she's just no. But then, the date gets closer and closer, and he keeps dropping these hints look, I'm not gonna tell you again, but I'll be there. But he does it in like this cocky way that she's just she just hates it. But she has no other choice but to take him. And It plays out how I think you would expect, but he is so patient, but so self assured and we don't get his POV and I think that would've, I would've enjoyed it more, but then, you know, I get the mystery aspect of it, not knowing what he's actually thinking about her but it's just It's so sweet, and the way he is with her family it's just so cute, but she's in denial and I loved it. So the haters can suck it, but no, I'm just kidding. I know not everyone likes everything and that's fine. But you're wrong.

Christina:

Okay. My next recommendation is Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley.

Jordan:

So you bake it?

Christina:

Fake it till you bake it.

Jordan:

Cute.

Devonnie:

I'm so excited for this one.

Christina:

This book follows Jada Townsend Matthews, who is the newest, most hated woman in the world. Okay, she was on a reality TV show similar to The Bachelor, right? And she got to the final episode, he got down on one knee, he asked him on live TV, will you marry me? And she's no, and left the show. Okay. On social media, people are just ripping this woman to shreds. She can't even leave her house because anytime she's in public, people are approaching her yelling at her, calling her mean names, like, Why did you turn down that poor doctor? He was so perfect, and you're just a spoiled brat right? So she can't go anywhere. She even tries to go shopping to cheer up because, you know, shopping cheers people up. But she just gets approached by people.

Jordan:

It's Christina. I can't believe that.

Christina:

It does. Okay. Okay. So she gets approached by someone who says mean things to her. So she decides, her and her friend, that they're going to go drown their woes in this local bakery down the street, right? This cupcake bakery, right? And this cupcake bakery happens to be owned by Donovan, who's an NFL star, right? He decides he loved baking with his mom as a child. And so like to recapture that magic, he starts baking cupcakes,

Jordan:

Stop it, Donovan. So cute.

Christina:

Right, she goes to have this cupcake, she tells Donovan, not knowing he's the owner, that this is the worst cupcake ever.

Jordan:

Oh my god.

Christina:

it's the best cupcake ever, she refuses to say that to him because he's Here, if you don't like it I'll let you have it for free and stuff. He's trying to drum up business, right? Anywho, it's like a rough situation. But, also at the same time, she's really rich. She's got a trust fund. But her parents have shut her out of her trust fund because she's like 28, she has never had a job, her parents, and she's like flouting around to different things like being a DJ in Europe and this and that. And her parents are like, you gotta settle down and do something. You have to work first. You have to work for six months in a solid job, then you can have your trust fund back, right? Anywho, she ends up getting a job at this bakery with this guy.

Jordan:

Naturally.

Christina:

Yes, and of course, eventually someone finds her there, the media finds her there, and he's, they're like, why didn't you marry this perfect doctor, yada. She like, Pulls Donovan in for a kiss and she's because I've been in love with this guy all along of course, I couldn't marry someone else. Donovan's as shocked as the media. He's like what's happening?

Jordan:

guy. Run. Dude, run.

Christina:

He's like what? So he

Jordan:

Oh.

Devonnie:

so cute

Christina:

calls her back to his office like tell me what the heck's going on and she tells him and he had never heard Of this show right like The Bachelor. He had never watched it. He was He's well, all I do is bake and play football. So that's all I do.

Jordan:

Naturally.

Christina:

an NFL

Devonnie:

Right, that's crazy

Christina:

So she's please just help fake date till this like news cycle blows over, right? Like then no one will care. We can have a big fake breakup, but it'll bring in business to your business because his shop isn't doing so well. Since it first opened, it's kind of lost its appeal. So he's okay, I can see the appeal to that. It'll bring up media buzz. And it'll lay the people off of you, so they agree to fake dating. But just the cupcakes in the kitchen, things heat up.

Jordan:

the fuck

Devonnie:

love a good pun!

Jordan:

Oh. Oh.

Christina:

they also get very sweet. No, I'm just kidding. I'll get done.

Devonnie:

Christina! Yes, jail, actually.

Christina:

Anywho yeah, things progress with their fake dating relationship and you have to see how it goes. But I will say this is a trilogy because there are three NFL owners of this bakery. There are three co owners and each one follows a different owner and their situationships. So

Jordan:

Wait, NFL meets bakery is just wild to

Devonnie:

Wild,

Jordan:

that they're spending time in the bakery, not just like owning it, and making appearances is

Christina:

Yeah,

Devonnie:

actually baking.

Christina:

most of it is in the baker, which she also can't bake for shit because she's been this spoiled girl her whole life. She's never even made toast and he's trying to teach her how to make a cake. She literally sets the kitchen on fire the first time.

Jordan:

Of course.

Devonnie:

Oh, God, as you

Jordan:

hard to do.

Devonnie:

Right.

Christina:

it's good. So like by the end she, you know, has earned her stuff because she's actually learned hard work. Yeah, and able to open her own business and all this and there's a great turnaround for her character. So it's great to see that.

Jordan:

She goes from never having a job to opening her own business. That is crazy.

Devonnie:

Yeah. But yeah, this, the cover of this is so cute, so that's why I wanted to read it, so I'm glad you read it and it does sound like it was very cute.

Jordan:

it sounds fun.

Devonnie:

Like a fun little read. Yeah. A little, like a little bit of chaos.

Jordan:

is what I love about fake dating though. I feel like you have to have at least some form of humor You have to have at least some form of chaos, like you said, you need the chaos

Christina:

have some necessity event.

Jordan:

and you have, and then it all is going to come to a head when there's too much tension. And we haven't really talked about the trope as a whole, but I, that's what I love about fake dating, is like, the denial of what's happening, or the unsure, like I'm feeling this but they aren't, I don't want to like make them uncomfortable, but are they feeling it? That's so fun.

Christina:

The pining.

Devonnie:

love that. Yes. The pining, the yearning.

Jordan:

Or the oh shit moment when they're like, oh, no, I have feelings

Devonnie:

Yeah

Jordan:

oh

Christina:

caught some feelings.

Devonnie:

yeah,

Jordan:

away it'll go away

Devonnie:

right, right, let me ignore it. We're just, this is, this ends on September 3rd, 1963.

Jordan:

Yeah, 63

Devonnie:

it's just whatever. They like, pick this arbitrary end and then stick to it. And so you're, they feel like compelled to stick to the, and it's please relax. That's my favorite part of it, but also the most annoying because y'all do realize you're human beings, right? If you're catching feelings right now, it's okay that this doesn't end on November 2nd. Like it's all right that you

Jordan:

Oh, it's so dramatic. Because it's you literally made up this date. Oh,

Devonnie:

don't have to follow it.

Jordan:

gonna happen if you don't? I mean, oh, I

Devonnie:

But that's the good part about it okay, my next rec is also about a bakery which is Thanks for that layup. This is make a scene by Mimi Grace and the cover of this book is like one of my favorites It's just so cute. So adorable Basically, we have Rhetta majors who I mean talk about a bad day she's having a bad life because her ex and her cousin are getting married and she has a bakery and everyone in the family is just basically side eyeing her, like waiting for her to be like, to have feelings about the ex and the cousin getting married to lash out or be upset and angry. And she's kind of just look, we got to get past this people like let us, but no one believes that she's calm and fine about it. Her life may be in shambles, but she wants to move past it. Yeah, it hurts. It sucks. Does she want to see them parading around? No. She wants to get past it. So the only way to do that is to find someone new. Enter Duncan Gilmore, who literally has a boxing gym down the street.

Jordan:

Duncan Gilmore? And

Devonnie:

Gilmore,

Jordan:

he owns a gym? You guys, we need a whole episode on just names because Wow.

Devonnie:

Duncan Gilmore, he owns a boxing gym down the street. He's, when I thought he was a player, he's a player. He's not with anyone more than once. He's not looking for a relationship. He doesn't want to be like swept up in anybody's drama. But he meets Reda and he's kind of like, all right, fine. When she propositions him, he's like, all right, let's I'll do it. You'll you can help me and then I can help you. Like it's only going to be for a week. We'll get you through the wedding. And you'll also attend an event for me and we'll just. Have it as it is. The only thing is, which none of these fake dating people seem to realize, is that you end up falling for each other. Right? Like, how inconvenient to fall for another human being that you said you would not fall for. You know, you put yourself in romantic situations, y'all are holding hands and skipping and licking frosting off of cupcakes, and you didn't think y'all were gonna fall in love? Hello?

Jordan:

front of people. You're

Devonnie:

You're like, yeah, it's like

Jordan:

Should we practice this kiss first? Should we practice? Should we not?

Devonnie:

practice. You know, I love a practice I

Jordan:

Yeah, I need to get in the

Devonnie:

Yeah, we're gonna be my family. We have to make this believable. So

Jordan:

Maybe hold my hand for a while first. Like a whole week! We should cuddle every day for 20 minutes just to be so I stop jumping every time you're around. Those are my sorry.

Devonnie:

No, I do love, honestly, I'm laughing and I'm making fun of it, but fake dating, it really is funny. It's just, it's definitely like a nice palate cleanser. There are big dating books with like higher stakes and like lots going on, but. There are other fluffy, cute ones that are just so comical because that has to be an element in the fake dating. But yeah, this was just it was, it, the heavier things for me was the inability for Retta's family to just let her be, let her have that peace. Let her exist outside of the grief of mourning a relationship that she was trying to get over and now has to see all the time. And on top of that, she You know what? I'm not going to spoil the book because there is a scene in this book at the wedding that makes me want to jump into the book and tussle. Okay. And Reda, she's a better woman than me. Let me tell you that she is a better woman than me. It's really cute. I'm pretty sure Lenny Kaufman also designs this cover, which is if you know anything about me, I'm a Lenny Kaufman stan. I love her zon. I love her so much. Her illustrations, chef's kiss. You may collect your favorite author's books. I'm trying to collect all of Lenny's covers. You know, that's the vibe. So yeah, I really love that. What else? What else? Yeah, it was really good. It was fun. Again, black characters, which is also nice. Love me, a black girl in love from infinity to infinity. Yeah, real sweet. Mimi Grace. And also, it is the first book in a trilogy. It's the Love Struck trilogy. And there are two other books after that, which are also so beautiful. These covers are like chef's kiss. Ooh, is that my like? Most recent chef's kiss. I feel like I haven't done that in a while. Anyway, there,

Christina:

on a bakery.

Devonnie:

period. We love that. We love that. Chef's kiss on the bakery. Yes, exactly that. So yeah, it was, it's just really, it's really nice. I loved it. I enjoyed it. It was cute. It was fuzzy. Made me want to punch the air, but good fake dating.

Jordan:

Love it. I have a couple honorable mentions We're like, oh, we should do fake dating. That's a good, we haven't done a trope episode for a while. Oh no, I'm gonna have to read some. But looking over my catalog, I had to pare it down. Because I my catalog, yeah, I gotta whip out my

Christina:

catalog?

Jordan:

No, it's like a scrapbook. It's like

Christina:

a little Rolodex, that's all I could think you'd go through

Jordan:

god, yes! I love it. I will mention Bridesmaid for Hire by Megan Quinn. I have recommended that on a previous episode, so I won't go into it, but that's probably one of the funniest books I've ever read. For me I enjoy Megan Quinn. palette cleansers for me. She cranks out so many that I feel like some are hit or miss with me. This one was one of the best books I read last year. So funny. If you want to cry laughing, This is it. And then Her Greatest Mistake by Hannah Cowan. I am going to talk more about this book when we do Friends to Lovers in a month or two. Shout out to the winners of our Galentine's Day event. Because they chose that theme for our last episode of the season. But, Her Greatest Mistake. They are childhood best friends this is another hockey romance. There was a huge falling out and they haven't seen each other for years. He needs to clean up his image and be seen with someone and his publicist is Here use her and he has to approach her after X amount of years like they run into each other And then his publicist has this idea is like you need to date and clean up if you want to renew your contract and she feels like she owes him because of this big thing that happened, you know years ago And it's just really good and I'll talk more about it Like I said on that episode But if you're really wanting another one, he didn't give you enough a fake dating her greatest mistake by Hannah Cowan

Christina:

I have one quick shoutout too. It's a YA shoutout. It's called the fake dating trope. So I thought that was officially important here. It's by Jennifer Ann Shor. This story takes place in a high school, so it's definitely teen romantic comedy. But it's about a bookworm and a baseball player who agreed to a fake relationship. And it has a lot of fun literature tropes because she's a reader and so she's I'm literally in my books. She recognizes that and puts it out and like talks about all the tropes and stuff. It's super cute, light, easy read so if you're looking for something without any spice or closed door or YA that would be something for you, the fake dating trope.

Jordan:

I love that

Devonnie:

have one more which is the book that my quote was about I saved this one for last because honestly Again this book, yes, this book resonated with me Paul Cabra I loved it. Okay this is the second book in the series, like I mentioned, and it is the Off the Ice series. This one is called Spiral, the first one was called Collide. In Spiral, it follows Sage and Eli, and Sage is a prima ballerina. Okay. She loves ballet. She works her butt off. However, she is kind of in charge of her younger brother. They have a very tragic and tumultuous upbringing. Their parents were really into drugs more than they were into being parents. And so she has stepped up and is basically her brother's guardian has tried to put him through school all while chasing her own dreams. And mind you, she's not like 30 or something. She's like mid twenties, like still trying to figure life out herself. So she's growing up as she's doing all these things. She's like whip smart. She's so funny. And she's also like fearlessly herself, even in all the flaws that are built into her characteristics. She is also the niece of the Team owner of the Toronto team, the like famous Toronto hockey team, and she goes to a charity event where she basically teams up with a hockey player and he begs her to bid on his friend. His friend happens to be Eli. Eli is being chased down like a piece of meat on the charity block. Like when I tell you they're auction, auctioning off dates of the players, like they do, I guess. And Eli is like at the top of everybody's list. They want him and he is trying to keep a low profile. He doesn't want all this attention. Anyway, Sage agrees to do the bidding. She spends like 10, 000 on Eli. None of her money. She doesn't have it. She's broke. Okay, right. She gets it from the Other hockey player who is also the main character of book one. So it was really nice to see that connection. So she bid, she gets a date with Eli and they just, you know, collect the date now in Sage's story before they go on this date, she's having a terrible time landing the part of Odette and Swan Lake with this prestigious ballet. It is very difficult because what she realizes now is this ballet. While they want someone who's super talented, who can emote, who can dance. They're also looking for someone with a social media background who can fill their theater seats because at the same time you want talent, but you need to get butts in seats, right? And she's sages or nobody. So she's fighting for her life to get these parts in this specific part. What she doesn't realize is that a snapshot of her and Eli on the date sends the rumor mill, like. Spiraling. They think they're dating. Now all of a sudden she's of intrigue. Right?

Jordan:

I forgot we were in fake dating, so I was like,

Devonnie:

it is fixed it. Right?

Jordan:

I was like, where is it gonna go?

Devonnie:

What, right? What Eli gets from this is because he has this is the strangest thing about this book. When you meet Eli, he's very sweet, he's kind, he's timid, he's shy. He likes to be in control. And you start to notice that very early. But it's not, oh, it's oh, you're like, oh, that was weird. But you keep reading. But he's still very calm, very shy. However, the media has painted him as this like hooligan with women. He like, he's like a player. He's a bad boy. The man just minds his business. He walks into his hotel room and there's naked ladies in there. He can't control that people are selling out his room number. He's not doing anything with them. He's kicking them out. But the paparazzi don't care. All they can talk about is Eli's a player. Da, all, you know, all these things. And Basically he, when Sage proposes that they date, obviously it's for her benefit for the ballet, but for him, she's I can help you clean up your bad boy image. Maybe have these women stop chasing you into your hotel room. He

Jordan:

some of them,

Devonnie:

some of them, right? Yeah. He shuts her down. He shuts her down. Nope, he like not having it. He shuts her down. He's no, that's stupid. I don't have time for this. And then after hanging out with Sage, he realized, oh, she's kind of cool. I'll do it. But this, I mean, the book is obviously very fake dating. It's a famous hockey player, a ballet dancer, who's not really dancing because she can't get a part. She's just like making ends meet. She aspiring. It has a lot of like heavy themes from her grief with her family. His background he's adopted and he loves his. His adopted parents, but his father is like horrific. His birth father is horrific. He's a drunk, he extorts Eli in this book. And so they're both battling their own things, but when they're together, they are just magic. And the way my favorite part of this book, the fake dating is great. My favorite part of this book is the way Eli chooses to love Sage. It is just it is so touching because, okay, I'm giving myself away, but I may know what a little bit of that feels like right now in my current moment in life. And so when I recognize, when I see the way he handles her, I'm like, wow, she is living, we're living the same life. Like you don't have to be hard. You don't have to do it all yourself. Someone will love you like very deeply and care about you and want the best for you, and it won't be hard, you know? So yeah this, I've never read a character who's just more like me than Sage. So I really enjoyed it, and it is funny, and there's banter, and the Spice, good God. So yeah, please read it. I didn't give you the whole book. Honestly, there's so much that happens. But yeah, please read it.

Jordan:

That's perfect. There's so many I think we're gonna need to do a special post just with all of these. And then I know we have even more, these are just our top, most notable recs. Make sure you are following us on Instagram, threads, TikTok, for even more. Thanks for listening to us ramble about fake dating. You can find our favorite book recs from our favorite episodes, as well as behind the scenes content. Again, that's at romancerexpod. So make sure to give us a follow here. Yes, wherever you're listening, make sure you're subscribed, following, and on our socials, and we'll be back in two weeks with another episode.

Christina:

Bye.

Jordan:

Bye!

Devonnie:

Bye.