Trope

Clean Fake Dating Romance Books

Fake dating works because everyone in the book knows it's pretend except the people doing it. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is one of my favorite movies, and fake dating books scratch that same itch. What I love about the trope is the situations it puts characters in. They're going on dates that aren't supposed to mean anything. They're around other people who think they're real. They have to act like a couple in public.

It's all no spice, closed door if even that. The setup runs the same way most of the time. There's a reason for the arrangement, a set of rules they make up over coffee, and then the rules start failing. The pleasure is watching the cover story get too easy to tell, the hand holding that lingers a beat too long, and the moment when one of them realizes they don't actually want the deal to end.

The picks here include the wedding date who's also her sister's ex, the rival professor she invented a boyfriend to outdo, and the small town setup where the whole town has bought it before the couple has.

Cover of Playing Fake by Jessica Martini

Playing Fake

Jessica Martini

Cover of Let's Pretend by Lindsay Rochester

Let's Pretend

Lindsay Rochester

Cover of Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall

Skating and Fake Dating

Ellie Hall

#4 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of St. Nick and Me Are Mint to Be by Tamie Dearen

St. Nick and Me Are Mint to Be

Tamie Dearen

#3 in Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs

Cover of Hating the Cinnamon Roll CEO by Camilla Evergreen

Hating the Cinnamon Roll CEO

Camilla Evergreen

#1 in Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Spice

Cover of Mistletoe Face Off by Kate O'Keeffe

Mistletoe Face Off

Kate O'Keeffe

Cover of The Friendly Fall by Kristine W. Joy

The Friendly Fall

Kristine W. Joy

#7 in Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Spice

Cover of Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen

Fake-Off with Fate

Whitney Dineen

#1 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of The First Taste by Annah Conwell

The First Taste

Annah Conwell

#3 in Sweet Peach

Cover of How He Got the Girl by Amanda Schimmoeller

How He Got the Girl

Amanda Schimmoeller

#2 in Sweeter Than Fiction

Cover of The Holiday Stand-in by Kortney Keisel

The Holiday Stand-in

Kortney Keisel

Cover of Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor

Romancing the Grump

Jenny Proctor

#4 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Flirtation or Faceoff by Leah Brunner

Flirtation or Faceoff

Leah Brunner

#2 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of Madeleine's Mistletoe Meet Cute by Ellie Hall

Madeleine's Mistletoe Meet Cute

Ellie Hall

#4 in Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs

Cover of Faking the Fall by Julie Christianson

Faking the Fall

Julie Christianson

#4 in Sweater Weather

Cover of Meet Me At Midnight by Monique Brasher

Meet Me At Midnight

Monique Brasher

#2 in Enchanted Hollow

Cover of Single All the Way by Kate Watson

Single All the Way

Kate Watson

Cover of Terms and Traditions by Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht

Terms and Traditions

Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht

#1 in The Reluctant Romantics

Cover of Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith

Baggage Claim

Juliana Smith

#1 in Aspen Peaks

Cover of Falling for Your Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Clair

Falling for Your Fake Fiancé

Emma St. Clair

#3 in Love Clichés

Cover of Love in Writing by Dana LeCheminant

Love in Writing

Dana LeCheminant

#2 in The Wonder Boys

Cover of Acting Merry by Martha Keyes

Acting Merry

Martha Keyes

Cover of How to Kiss a Movie Star by Jenny Proctor

How to Kiss a Movie Star

Jenny Proctor

#4 in How to Kiss a Hawthorne

Cover of How to Fall for a Cowboy by Cassandra Joelle

How to Fall for a Cowboy

Cassandra Joelle

Cover of Maple Sugar Crush by Beth Labonte

Maple Sugar Crush

Beth Labonte

#2 in Autumnboro Sweet Romance

Cover of A Fine Line by Juliana Smith

A Fine Line

Juliana Smith

#5 in Wells Family

Cover of Gracie's Guide to Dating by Rebecca Jo Jackson

Gracie's Guide to Dating

Rebecca Jo Jackson

#4 in Sweet River Series

Cover of Love Between Innings by Laura Langa

Love Between Innings

Laura Langa

#1 in Waves Baseball

Cover of Movers and Fakers by Annah Conwell

Movers and Fakers

Annah Conwell

#3 in RomCom University

Cover of The Shift Between Us by India Tungate

The Shift Between Us

India Tungate

#2 in The Covewood Series

Cover of His Stand-In Holiday Girlfriend by Kasey Stockton

His Stand-In Holiday Girlfriend

Kasey Stockton

#1 in Christmas in the City

Cover of The Neighbor War by Katie Bailey

The Neighbor War

Katie Bailey

#2 in Only in Atlanta

Cover of Love, Unscripted by Denise Hunter

Love, Unscripted

Denise Hunter

Cover of Mr Fake Husband Grump by Francesca Spencer

Mr Fake Husband Grump

Francesca Spencer

#1 in Mr Grumps

Cover of I Think He Knows by Katie Bailey

I Think He Knows

Katie Bailey

#2 in Donovan Family

Cover of A Newport Christmess by Jess Heileman

A Newport Christmess

Jess Heileman

#4 in Christmas Escape

Cover of Can't Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan

Can't Help Falling in Love

Sophie Sullivan

Cover of Just Don't Fall by Emma St. Clair

Just Don't Fall

Emma St. Clair

#1 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Paris, Pumpkins and Puns (Season of Love Version) by Marion de Ré

Paris, Pumpkins and Puns (Season of Love Version)

Marion de Ré

#3 in Cinnamon Rolls and Pumpkin Spice

Cover of The Temporary Roomie by Sarah Adams

The Temporary Roomie

Sarah Adams

#2 in It Happened in Nashville

Cover of Only a Game by Taylor Epperson

Only a Game

Taylor Epperson

#1 in Starlight Springs

Cover of The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington

The Friend Face Off

Grace Worthington

#3 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of A Summer of Stars by Liana Cincotti

A Summer of Stars

Liana Cincotti

Cover of The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird

The Holiday Mix-Up

Ginny Baird

Cover of Cowboy, Take Me Away by Juliana Smith
Oct 20

Cowboy, Take Me Away

Juliana Smith

#2 in Willow Creek

Cover of Almost By Design by Jenny Erlingsson

Almost By Design

Jenny Erlingsson

Cover of If I'm Being Honest by C.P. Cabaniss

If I'm Being Honest

C.P. Cabaniss

#3 in The Vals

Cover of Our Marry Little Christmas by Ellie Hall

Our Marry Little Christmas

Ellie Hall

Cover of Revenge in Rome by Mandi Lynn Bell
Nov 17

Revenge in Rome

Mandi Lynn Bell

#2 in Flying in Love

Cover of One More Made Up Love Song by Jenny Proctor

One More Made Up Love Song

Jenny Proctor

#2 in Midnight Rush

Cover of My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh

My Phony Valentine

Courtney Walsh

#1 in Holidays With Hart

Cover of The Holiday Assist by Taylor Epperson

The Holiday Assist

Taylor Epperson

#5 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of Easy As Pie by Carina Taylor

Easy As Pie

Carina Taylor

#3 in All's Fair

Cover of Forget Me Twice by Carina Taylor

Forget Me Twice

Carina Taylor

#1 in All's Fair

Cover of Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer

Love in Tandem

Becca Kinzer

Cover of Seas the Dating Coach by Laura Langa

Seas the Dating Coach

Laura Langa

#1 in Wilks Beach

Cover of For the Love of Donuts by Pixie Perkins

For the Love of Donuts

Pixie Perkins

Cover of Road to Gingerbread Grove by Kimberly Hanson

Road to Gingerbread Grove

Kimberly Hanson

#2 in Holiday Rivals

Cover of Nothing Fake About Us, Onome by Enewerome

Nothing Fake About Us, Onome

Enewerome

#2 in Soul Sisters

Cover of Fake Dating for the Summer by Francesca Spencer

Fake Dating for the Summer

Francesca Spencer

#4 in Midlife Meet Cute Beach Reads

Cover of Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

Practice Makes Perfect

Sarah Adams

#2 in Rome, Kentucky

Cover of Betting on You by Lynn Painter

Betting on You

Lynn Painter

Cover of Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

Fake Skating

Lynn Painter

Cover of The Quit List by Katie Bailey

The Quit List

Katie Bailey

Cover of When Ivy Met Mr. Holiday by Jennifer Peel

When Ivy Met Mr. Holiday

Jennifer Peel

Cover of Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Dolly All the Time

Annabel Monaghan

Cover of The Wild Card by Emma St. Clair

The Wild Card

Emma St. Clair

#4 in Love Stories in Sheet Cake

Cover of Miss Magnolia's in a Mash by Carina Taylor

Miss Magnolia's in a Mash

Carina Taylor

#1 in Pine Ridge Ranch

Cover of But He's My Fake Fiancé by Annah Conwell

But He's My Fake Fiancé

Annah Conwell

#3 in But He's a Carter Brother

Cover of The Kiss Class by Ellie Hall

The Kiss Class

Ellie Hall

#3 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of His Jersey by Ellie Hall

His Jersey

Ellie Hall

#1 in Love in Hockey Town

Cover of The Player and the Pop Star by Cait Elise

The Player and the Pop Star

Cait Elise

#1 in The Vista City Kings

Cover of Fall Fake-Out by Kortney Keisel
Sep 16

Fall Fake-Out

Kortney Keisel

#6 in Falling for Autumn

Cover of Call My Bluff by Erin Chesnut

Call My Bluff

Erin Chesnut

#2 in Cypress Valley Sweethearts

Cover of Rent Yourself an Elf by Savannah Scott

Rent Yourself an Elf

Savannah Scott

#1 in Have Yourself a Merry Little Romance

Cover of It's in the Contract by Jessica Flory

It's in the Contract

Jessica Flory

Cover of Marriage is a Shore Thing by Laura Langa

Marriage is a Shore Thing

Laura Langa

#2 in Wilks Beach

Cover of Snowed Under by Juliana Smith

Snowed Under

Juliana Smith

#2 in Aspen Peaks

Cover of Just Until the Wedding by Emi Hilton

Just Until the Wedding

Emi Hilton

Cover of The Lucky One by Monique Brasher

The Lucky One

Monique Brasher

#4 in Enchanted Hollow

Cover of Perfect Pairing by Daisy Landish

Perfect Pairing

Daisy Landish

#6 in It Happened Up North

Cover of 12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson

12 Days of Mistletoe

Jen Atkinson

Cover of Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel

Faking Christmas

Cindy Steel

#3 in Christmas Escape

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