Fake Relationship – Talk Nerdy Book Blog

September 28, 2023

B

The Gist: A heartfelt slow-burn romance that deftly explores queer awakening and has fun with escapism politics.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Synopsis

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Ending

HEA

Representation

• Mexican-American biracial bisexual main character
• gay love interest with depression
• Mexican-American biracial supporting character
• Jewish bisexual aromantic supporting character
• Mexican-American side character
• Mexican-American gay side character
• trans side character
• sapphic side relationship
• Nigerian-British pansexual side character

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Racism (including from Henry’s grandmother, the Queen)
• Homophobia (including from Henry’s older brother and grandmother, the Queen)
• Forced outing

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OM drama
• Does have OW drama
– Henry is jealous when he sees Nora and Alex kiss on New Years (even though it’s not romantic)
– Alex is jealous when he sees Henry out with an OW in a tabloid (at this point, not knowing
• Does have Henry pushing Alex away
• Does have a brief separation (both celibate)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Hardback

Rating: 5-stars

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Book Review: Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

March 28, 2021

B

The Gist: A realistic exploration of the complex relationship between US immigrant parents and their American children, making the rom-com a heavier read than expected.

Series: Standalone

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Synopsis

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets The Farewell in this incisive romantic comedy about a college student who hires a fake boyfriend to appease her traditional Taiwanese parents, to disastrous results, from the acclaimed author of American Panda.

Chloe Wang is nervous to introduce her parents to her boyfriend, because the truth is, she hasn’t met him yet either. She hired him from Rent for Your ’Rents, a company specializing in providing fake boyfriends trained to impress even the most traditional Asian parents.

Drew Chan’s passion is art, but after his parents cut him off for dropping out of college to pursue his dreams, he became a Rent for Your ’Rents employee to keep a roof over his head. Luckily, learning protocols like “Type C parents prefer quiet, kind, zero-PDA gestures” comes naturally to him.

When Chloe rents Drew, the mission is simple: convince her parents fake Drew is worthy of their approval so they’ll stop pressuring her to accept a proposal from Hongbo, the wealthiest (and slimiest) young bachelor in their tight-knit Asian American community.

But when Chloe starts to fall for the real Drew—who, unlike his fake persona, is definitely not ’rent-worthy—her carefully curated life begins to unravel. Can she figure out what she wants before she loses everything?

Ending

HFN

Representation

• Taiwanese-American Heroine
• Taiwanese-American Hero
• Taiwanese-American Supporting Characters

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Parental abandonment (Hero was kicked out of his house ~18-years-old)
• Really difficult relationship with parents
• Strong themes of sexism
• Brief mentions of homophobia and racism
• Cancer

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW drama
– But, the Hero does continue his fake boyfriend job, which the Heroine knows about.
• Does have OM drama
– Heroine’s parents are trying to set her up with the extremely sexist only son of their elitist friends
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 3.5-stars

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The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

August 2, 2018

T

Series: Standalone

Release Date: July 10, 2018

Synopsis

April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on GigsforHire since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family’s summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the GigsforHire ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL.

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau — the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

She only wanted to show her family once and for all that she had no need to settle down.

He didn’t expect to have the time of his life at her parent’s home.

They didn’t plan on loving every single second of the game.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?

Ending

 HEA

Representation

• LGBTQIA+ side characters

Possible Triggers: No

• No abuse.
• No OTT sad parts.

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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The Contract (The Contract, #1) by Melanie Moreland

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

March 8, 2018

T

Series: The Contract

Release Date: May 24th, 2016

Synopsis:

A tyrant by day, a playboy by night. That is the reputation that precedes Richard VanRyan. He lives life the way he wants, no concern for the opinion of others. He cares for no one, is completely unrepentant, and he has no desire to change his ways.

Katharine Elliott works under Richard as his PA. She despises him and his questionable ethics, but endures all the garbage he sends her way, because she needs the job. Her end goal is far more important than the daily abuse and demands she tolerates from her nasty tyrant of a boss.

Until the day, he asks her for something she never expected. A new role with a personal contract — fiancée instead of PA.

What happens when two people who loathe each other, have to live together and act as though they are madly in love?

Sparks.

That’s what happens.

Can the power of love really change a person?

Will they survive the contract?

What do you do when the one person you hate the most becomes the one person you can’t live without?

Ending

 HEA

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• Heroine’s parents died when she was young
• Heroine had a traumatic experience in foster care until she met her guardian
• Heroine’s guardian has dementia and dies of old age
• Hero was neglected as a child… resulted in him being an Asshole

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

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Combust (Everyday Heroes, #2) by K. Bromberg

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

February 22, 2018

C

Series: Everday Heroes*

Release Date: January 29th, 2018

Synopsis:

From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes a new standalone book. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat?

Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned.

By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else.
By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete.

By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good.

That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone.

Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart. When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?

Ending

 HEA

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• Severe PTSD
• Body-image insecurities
• Cheating

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM… but
– The 1st time the heroine met the Hero (they’re roommates) the hero brought an OW home and had sex with her. The heroine heard them.
– Heroine saw the hero and OW kissing. After noticing the heroine’s attention, the hero ‘joked’ about other places on his body he had OW’s lipstick. The heroine got slightly aroused.
– The hero asked the heroine if she wanted to join him and the OW.
– The heroine also gets with an OM–at the hero’s encouragement.
– The hero jacks off to the heroine and OM getting together–they share a bedroom wall and the hero can hear them.
– When the hero and heroine are a couple they are completely faithful
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

*Each book in the series is Standalone

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Stage Dive, A Series by Kylie Scott

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Series Review

August 7, 2014

S

About the Series

Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series is based on the theme: what happens in Vegas stays there. But everyone knows that what happens doesn’t always stay there. And how true for the first couple of the Stage Dive series, Evelyn and David!

I’m happy to say that I get to add another series centred around a famous band, and these books are definitely worth a re-read or two. Each story is unique and hints at those frequented plots (married in Vegas, pretend couple and unrequited love) but with their own creative twists!

The review of the series includes reviews on each of the following books (listed in order of release):

Note: Each novel in this series is Standalone.

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The Do-Over by MK Schiller

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

March 26, 2014

T

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 7th, 2013

Synopsis:

Arrogant womanizer Kyle Manchester hates blind dates; however, when best friend, Brad calls in a favor, insisting Kyle take out his girlfriend’s sister, Kyle reluctantly agrees. Attorney Lanie Carmichael’s appearance is no surprise. She is dowdy, awkward, and dressed in so many layers she resembles a wedding cake, but not in an edible way. Her brazen attitude though, astonishes him, especially when she explains she has no interest in gorgeous Kyle. Lanie Carmichael is in love with Brad, and wants Kyle’s assistance in winning his best friend’s heart.

Kyle gradually accepts, justifying that the mystery of Lanie has sparked his natural, thirsty curiosity. As an ambitious journalist, he also can’t resist the Pulitzer worthy scoop she offers him. However, as Lanie sheds more layers, both emotionally and physically, Kyle begins to examine his life choices, and his true feelings for this enigmatic girl. With Kyle’s support, Lanie begins to unravel the secrets of her past, and the deep pain that has quietly defined her life. As they each learn more about themselves and each other, both question how a relationship built on fraudulent lies between two broken people could ever survive.

Ending

 HEA

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Abortion

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM drama
– The Heroine fancies herself in love with the Hero’s best friend
– The Hero is a mega player and sleeps around a lot
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

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