Part of Tilton University
First published 2026
Ophelia Forrest-Hammer has a problem. Her secret crush Mac Meyers attracts so much attention that she can't eat lunch without constant interruptions from his admirers. Mac flirts with everyone on campus except her, making him feel completely out of reach despite their friendship. When another group approaches their cafeteria table, Ophelia snaps. She tells them to leave her boyfriend alone. The lie surprises everyone, including Mac, who isn't her boyfriend at all. But instead of correcting her, Mac looks intrigued by the idea. Suddenly Ophelia finds herself in a fake relationship with the one person she actually wants to date for real. The arrangement solves her immediate problem but creates a bigger one. Now she has to pretend to date Mac while hiding her genuine feelings for him.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, young-adult, comedy, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, humorous, lighthearted, romantic, witty
Tropes: fake-dating, forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers, secret-crush
Setting: college campus, cafeteria
Period: contemporary
302 pages · Paperback · Helena Hunting