July 15, 2024
A memorable meet-cute kicks off this adorable fake engagement romance from Sullivan (Love, Naturally). Lexi Danby, a former college track star whose bright future was derailed by her father’s death, takes a job as a waitress in Seattle to make ends meet—but when Becca and Jackie, her über-successful friends from high school, enter the restaurant one day, she’s desperate to keep them from realizing she works there. So she plops down with an attractive solo diner and pretends to be on a date. High-powered businessman Will Grand is charmed and happy to play along. Becca and Jackie invite the presumed couple to a party that night, and Will suggests they use the event as their first real date. When they arrive, however, they find that everyone thinks they’re engaged. Maintaining this ruse works well for Will, who needs to shed his bachelor reputation ahead of an upcoming business deal, and thrusts Lexi into a world of wealth and luxury. The more time they spend together, the more their attraction grows, but the pressures of the public eye and Lexi’s fear of commitment may tear them apart. Lexi makes an endearing hot mess of a heroine, and Will is an ideal “book boyfriend.” Cute and cozy with just enough drama to propel the story forward, this is a charmer.