by Joss Richard
First published 2026
Lucy Reid writes a sex column that tells readers they don't need relationships to be happy. Her editor delivers bad news: their audience wants relationship content, and Lucy needs to adapt or find a new job. Lucy panics and lies about starting a romance she can chronicle in her column. Marshall Oakley, the company's new senior news writer, has his own problem. His ex-girlfriend Julia is getting married after nine years together, and he needs a date for the wedding to save face with family and friends. Lucy and Marshall strike a deal. She gets relationship material to write about, and he gets a fake girlfriend to show off. Their plan seems perfect: Lucy will document finding "the one," then break up publicly to prove relationships don't solve everything. Marshall gets to look successful and moved on. But their staged romance starts feeling real as they spend time together. Both begin questioning their beliefs about love and commitment. Fear and miscommunication threaten to derail what they've built. Lucy and Marshall must decide whether to stick to their original plan or risk everything for genuine connection.
Genres: romance, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, heartwarming, humorous, intimate, witty
Tropes: fake-dating, forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers, miscommunication
Period: 21st-century
464 pages · Paperback · Penguin Canada