Fiancee Farce

Every so often, I remember how much I LOVE romance. A book with well-done tropes, engaging characters, and a great plot really does the trick for me. And this ticked all my boxes! I loved how self-aware and playful the narrative was, Taylor Swift and romance stereotypes being referenced, poking a little fun while remaining true to the emotional heart of the writing. Gemma and Tansy were such lovely protagonists, their dynamic was so enjoyable, and the side characters brought so much life to their world. I also appreciated the care taken in the social dynamics of a classist, patriarchal, wealthy world — I usually expect to dislike rich characters and instead appreciated how they were portrayed, good and bad. My other favorite aspect was that the last third of the book was really well done. The ups and downs fit my expectations and surprised me at the same time. Overall, such a satisfying read!  Recommended By Carlee B, Powells.com

Oh, Bellefleur, what have you done to me? I picked this one up because I felt like it would be the perfect book to get lost in, and I was right. There's so much to unwrap here, and while the book does use popular tropes (marriage of convenience; third act plot twist; there's also another secret being hidden), it feels fresh and interesting. I found myself laughing while reading it, which rarely happens (some romances bill themselves as funny, when they are most definitely not), and I won't hesitate to mention that I teared up at the end. It was a satisfying romance and I am grateful to have discovered it.  Recommended By Katherine M., Powells.com

Lambda Literary award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy sapphic rom-com about a quiet bookseller and a romance novel cover model who agree to a modern-day marriage of convenience...

Tansy Adams' greatest love is her family's bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance... Tansy can't get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily's questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They'll never actually meet, so what's the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy's path, her white lie nearly implodes.

Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further — and announces their engagement.

Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather's will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it's a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won't give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy's newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout...

"Written with a surfeit of quippy wit and graced with a delightfully quirky constellation of supporting characters, Lambda Literary Award winner Bellefleur's fun, fresh take on the marriage of convenience trope delivers all the romantically swoon-worthy moments and steamy chemistry romance readers crave." Booklist

"Heartwarming... Bellefleur's lively characters charm from start to finish. This is a perfect pick for readers looking for a light-hearted romance centered on emotional growth." Publishers Weekly

"A warm-hearted, sapphic marriage-of-convenience romance." Popsugar

Alexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. A Pacific Northwesterner at heart, Alexandria has a weakness for good coffee, Pike IPA, and Voodoo Doughnuts. Her special skills include finding the best Pad Thai in every city she visits, remembering faces but not names, falling asleep in movie theaters, and keeping cool while reading smutty books in public. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.