The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur is an adorable story about a book seller and a romance novel cover model who enter into a fake marriage.
Tansy is desperate to keep her family’s bookstore out of the hands of the awful corporation who is offering a lot of money to buy it. Unfortunately when her father died her stepmother inherited the bookstore and is seriously thinking about taking the money on offer.
Gemma is a van Dalen, latest heir to the van Dalen publishing company. Gemma was determined to make a name for herself outside of the family business and despite her father’s manipulations she managed to break out on her own, obviously impressing her grandfather who named her as his heir.
There is a stipulation to this, though, she needs to be married before the annual general meeting or the company goes to her cousin.
Gemma would do anything to prevent that from happening. If her cousin takes over it will be the end of the company. So when she meets Tansy at her cousin’s wedding and it turns out that this curious woman has told people that they have been dating for six months Gemma sees the opportunity.
Sometimes fate has a strange way of intervening and making sure you get exactly what you should, even if you were not looking for it.
But, can a relationship built on a lie ever really work? Will the van Dalen family truly accept the wild child taking over and can this fake marriage help Tansy save her bookstore?
Wring and Story
This book is wonderful.
Bellefleur created believable main characters who were unique and charming in their own ways and I really liked them both. I would be friends with them in the real world.
The book is easy to read, light and highly entertaining but with a good dose of chemistry.
Pros
All the things. Seriously. I absolutely loved everything.
Cons
Not a thing.
The Conclusion
I am a massive fan of this book. This is exactly the kind of book that has me loving romance. You know that feeling of reading a good romance and you go along for the ride and fall in love yourself? That’s exactly what happened with this book. I fell in love.
Why did I wait so long to try a Bellefleur novel?! I won’t make that mistake again. I will be first in line for all upcoming sapphic works especially if she maintains this standard of storytelling.
I highly recommend it, it’s so good.
Excerpt from The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
Despite the grandma cardigan buttoned to practically her chin, it was plain to see Tansy was pretty. A touch timid, not exactly Gemma’s type, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Gemma’s type was there for a good time, not a long time. Just how Gemma preferred it.
Until now.
Now her proclivity for temporary was a problem. Now, preferences be damned, her only type needed to be marriageable. Moreover, be willing to marry her, willing to stay married to her for two years, capable of keeping a secret, and accepting that the only happily-ever-after Gemma was interested in entailed inheriting what was rightfully hers.
With such simple requirements, Gemma had figured the list of candidates would be lengthy, her choice of spouse just that—a choice. And yet here she was, ring finger worrisomely bare, a deadline to wed breathing down her neck, pickings slim, prospects grim.
Until now. Until Tansy.
Fate was funny that way. There Gemma was, minding her own business, crashing Tucker’s wedding, her greatest aspiration for the evening to cause a little ruckus, and bam! Tansy had practically landed in her lap, a perfect solution to an utterly fucked up—not to mention antiquated—problem. Gemma might not have asked for any of this, but as far as spouses went, she supposed she could’ve done worse.
Madison snatched a napkin from the table, cursing Jackie for her carelessness as she mopped Dom Pérignon from her décolletage.
Much worse.
Granted, there was the tiny detail of Tansy telling tall tales, but lucky for her, that wasn’t a deal breaker. If anything, a knack for subterfuge was a point in her favor. Given the circumstances.
Most likely to distract from the scene unfolding, the DJ chose that moment to start up the music. Good timing.
She ran her fingers down the back of Tansy’s arm to her wrist. “If you’ll excuse us, I’d love a dance with my fiancée.”
Fiancée. That rolled off the tongue surprisingly well.
Tuning out the clash of voices, Gemma wrapped her fingers around Tansy’s wrist and tugged her out onto the empty dance floor. She stopped dead center and turned, dragging Tansy closer, hands gripping her by the shapely hips hidden beneath the sack Tansy apparently considered a dress.
Tansy’s hands hovered awkwardly in the air, uncertainty swimming in her eyes before she played along, resting her hands delicately on Gemma’s shoulders. Eye contact remained fleeting, Tansy’s gaze flitting between Gemma’s face and the space over her right shoulder. Skittish. Endearing as that was, if they were going to pull this off, they had a lot of ground to cover, and fast.
“Six months, huh? Where was I?”
Tansy blinked twice. “I—I’m sorry?”
“Don’t be.” Gemma laughed at the flush creeping up Tansy’s throat. The girl was honest to god blushing. How fucking adorable. “I’m certainly not.” Sorry was the last thing Gemma was tonight.
“What a nightmare,” Tansy muttered, blush deepening, inching its way up the sides of her face, the tips of her pert little ears turning fire-engine red.
“A nightmare?” Gemma quirked a brow. She’d been called worse, and by her family, no less. “Some might take offense to that.”
Lucky for Tansy, Gemma was practically impossible to offend.
Tansy’s eyes widened, her fingers tensing on Gemma’s bare shoulders before relaxing. “No. Not you. I meant—”
“I’m teasing you, Tansy. Now, enlighten me . . . how exactly did we meet?” She paused, frowning as a thought suddenly occurred to her. “We haven’t actually met, have we?”
It was possible they had, that Gemma hadn’t paid attention. Because if she had, she’d have certainly remembered meeting Tansy. A face like hers wasn’t one Gemma was likely to forget. Striking brows, dark and thick, framed eyes the color of the sky right before a storm. Maybe the color of the sea, placid water belying hidden depths.
Gemma snorted. She seriously needed to ease off the champagne if she was on the precipice of composing sonnets about a pretty stranger’s eyes. No amount of inebriation excused shitty clichés, even if she kept them to herself.
Tansy’s feet faltered, her steps out of sync with the music. “We haven’t.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-0063258495
Publisher: Avon Books
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