In the Long Run: A steamy fake-dating run club romance

by Emma Mugglestone

Every step leads to love.

Genevieve Halliday is spiralling.
She's been roped into a marathon she has no idea how she'll finish, her ex won't stop mansplaining why they should get back together, and she's just panic-asked a handsome stranger to pretend they're on a date.

Knox Watson is always on the move.
He's spent years trying to escape his family's past, but when his godfather's p�tisserie is in danger of closing, for once he's going to need to stick around long enough to find a way to save it.

Enter the Croissants and Kilometres run club.
Sparks fly, but the club is only so popular because everyone ships Gen and Knox's chemistry. Can they keep up the ruse to meet their goals? And will they admit that their fake romance is turning real?

Join the club and get ready to sprint through this steamy fake-dating romance from award-winning author Emma Mugglestone.

'Richly layered, full of heart, and guaranteed to make you breathless in all the right ways, this sexy and swoon-worthy romance goes the distance.' Natalie Murray

'Tender, funny and perfectly spiced, In the Long Run is filled with heart-fluttering romance and delicious yearning. A thoroughly modern and satisfying friends-to-lovers story that will have you racing through its pages.' Amy Hutton

'I was obsessed with Knox and Gen from the first page - Emma's hit a new personal best with this swoony run club romance! A must read for fans of Carley Fortune and Karina May.' Abra Pressler

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Audible Audio

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much to love about this fun, run club romance story. Set in Melbourne and told through dual perspectives.

I really enjoy how Emma Mugglestone writes her characters and creates a community that I would want to live amongst. I am not a runner, however Croissants and Kilometres run club is something I would really consider, especially the supportive culture and friendly banter.

Knox is a MMC to love, he is insightful, grounded and an active listener. Gen is a fun character, with an ex who is not willing to let her move on with her life.

The chemistry between Gen and Knox is delightful, and I really enjoyed their authentic and reflective conversations.

I am really looking forward another story with this wonderful cast of characters.

4.5 stars (rounded up)

[Craig and Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Penguin and Emma for gifting us a copy to read and review.
In The Long Run is a charming, spicy, sassy and entertaining romance.
A unique plot, a cluster of enjoyable characters, a run club, a steamy romcom, an adorable meet cute and a whole bunch of fun.
Genevieve Halliday is unlucky in love and has just interrupted a lunch with a very handsome guy to deter her annoying ex.
Knox Watson is an army nomad dealing with a past but now to help family and a struggling restaurant he needs to stay in the one place for a while.
Introducing the Croissants and Kilometres run club and according to the social media page the two are dating, making the club even more successful.
Can they keep it up or is the fake becoming much too real for them both……
I was quite elated to get stuck into reading this and I was pleasantly surprised at myself, as I really adored this read.
You can feel the steam and heat elevate from the pages in those sexy moments.
A fake romance trope between our heroine and hero, a sultry chemistry that delivers all the feels.
The character development and the engaging plot, had me cheering on both the leads and wondering how this was all going to end up.
An impeccable romance for that skeptical heart.

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

[Alexa CSA · Rating 1 out of 5]

ok this is going to be really brutal so i’ll start of light and we’ll go heavier. firstly i’d like to say that the packaging the book came in was super cute and you can definitely tell this was set in melbourne. also it addressed how much harder it is to be a female runner compared to a male runner and the dangers that women face with running (if this was a bigger plot line the book might’ve been bearable) ok time for critique…

Firstly this is a dual pov romance but both characters sound exactly the same i could not distinguish either of them they had the same voice which was kinda boring. ok time to get harsher.

i’m sorry but this was a modern day trope box ticker. there is a ‘fake dating’ trope, a weird ‘miscommunication’ trope, a ‘one bed’ trope, a ‘she’s the only one who can save him’ trope, a ‘friends with benefits’ trope LIKE OH MY GODDD 🫠 one chapter ended with “it’s the honeymoon cabin. and there’s only one bed” after they’d already kissed and established that he wanted to take her out on a date ?? like ok why the drama for one bed it felt like an emphasis to tick that box off the trope checklist. also the first line in the next chapter is ‘its a big-ass bed’…do with that what you will.

one of the plot lines is that Knox goes viral on TikTok (yes tiktok plays a big part in this book) and is referred to as a ‘croissant daddy’…🥐🥐ANYWAY

SOME REAL DIRECT QUOTES:
i swear on taylor swifts life that no one has ever said my name so reverently” 😭😭

“my hands fumble with the back of her sports bra. if it’s the kind you need an engineering degree to undo, i might cry. my cock definitely will” - THIS IS REAL💀💀😑

“i thought you felt big this morning…but that’s…baguette was right” SORRY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ?

“they’re spectacular. plump and pink and fucking perfect. more than a handful. an exquisite example of more is more” - he’s talking about her boobs but that’s not even my problem ‘MORE IS MORE???’

[Anna Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun! Don’t let the fact you aren’t a runner stop you like it did almost me! This is not just a love letter to running, it’s the funnest community focused, fake boyfriend, spicy, croissant eating rom com of a novel! I wolfed it down and can’t wait for more Emma Mugglestone. Chefs kiss romcom!!!!

[Anne Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about two things I never do—running and carbs—so I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did!

It turns out reading about running is way more enjoyable than doing it, and reading about carbs is the closest I get to eating them (thanks for nothing, pancreas!) 🥐

For IN THE LONG RUN, Emma Mugglestone has dished up a swoony, steamy romance that follows the love story of Gen (an adorably awkward bookkeeper with terrible taste in men) and Knox (an Army officer haunted by a troubled past)—two people whose pain and experiences have eroded them into two pieces that fit gloriously together to make a whole.

They’re thrust into each other’s orbit thanks to a new social running group—Croissants & Kilometres—and hijinks and heart ensue.

There’s so much to love about this book. The voice hooked me from page one. It’s fresh and sassy and reads like the shorthand and in-jokes of familiar friendships. Then there are the tropes! Emma has leaned into the stalwarts of the romance genre, proving that using just one trope is for amateurs. I can see this turning into a game of trope bingo!

And finally—my absolute favourite thing—this book offers sharp social commentary on misogyny and sexism, and delivers a male main character who is everything we expect and deserve: an attentive listener, an enthusiastic consent-seeker, and an advocate for women’s rights.

This is my favourite type of romance novel—one that lives at the intersection of swoon and substance.

[Bree T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one!

It’s set in Melbourne, basically somewhere with easy access to the bay and revolves around Gen, a woman who is kind of rebuilding her life after a betrayal. She’s striking out on her own as an independent bookkeeper and is close to her sister, who runs a gym nearby with her husband. Gen also likes to run and her sister signs her up to do a marathon – and then help out with the run club put together that’s linked to the gym.

I don’t like to run. If I am running, something or someone is chasing me and I’m probably in fear for my life. However this book made it seem so fun! The run club sounded like such a great and supportive group and there’s something to be said about setting a goal, working towards it and achieving it.

This is a dual narrative and the other point of view is Knox, whom Gen meets when she kind of asks him to help her out with something and then it turns out that not only is he staying with someone she knows in her building, he also joins the run club. Knox and Gen have an attraction but each kind of think that the other isn’t really interested in them but a video of them at run club goes viral and they kind of ‘lean in’ to it for different reasons. Knox really wants to help someone important to him and this added attention and popularity of the run club could definitely do that. Gen is trying to discourage someone from pursuing her after she’s expressed her lack of interest and also, both of them just really like spending time with each other. However this is temporary as Knox is in the army and he’s currently on leave from his posting interstate.

I really liked all of the characters in this. Gen is relatable and I loved her relationship with her sister and also how willing she was to step in and help her neighbour and just generally all round be kind of ready to do things. She helps her sister too, when required, which is how she ends up running the run club although mostly Knox takes that over for her as being in the army, he’s kind of used to leading people. Gen’s background was interesting – she’s feeling quite guilty over something that wasn’t her fault at all, but she lost a lot over it. She’s trying to re-establish herself and find clients and going viral in a video with Knox was definitely not on her to-do list but she also can’t deny the advantage it could bring. Likewise Knox was fun too – he’s in town only temporarily to help out someone that means a lot to him and while he’s here, he’s realised that things are much worse than he’s been led to believe. He wants to help the person who helped him so much when he was younger, to ‘give it back’. Knox is a closed off person in a lot of ways, he’s been through a lot but he finds himself getting attached to Gen and starting to look at life a bit differently. His priorities are shifting.

I also loved that this book featured Bright, which is one of my favourite places in Victoria. I’ve been there three times only – and it was all as a ‘stop’ or a base when my oldest son went to an immersion school experience about an hour past Bright. But it’s absolutely stunning. I’d love to go back there for a week and explore that area properly and the Victorian High Country is not something I see represented too often in fiction. They were only there briefly for an event, but it was nice to see characters exploring different places that I don’t come across too often and even better, a place I am familiar with and really love.

The romance worked for me too. I’m not a TikTok person so I didn’t really care about the use of it to market and promote the run club, nor the cosying up to the three influencers but you can’t deny the effectiveness of it at the moment, it’s changed the game in a lot of industries (books being a really obvious one). But I liked the time they spent together and I think this definitely qualifies as a pretty slow burn romance, it is given time to simmer and build even as it explores the fake dating trope. I also really liked Knox’s army friend (known as Yeti) and the ways in which Knox learns to accept that he’s not his past, he’s not people connected to him, he’s his own person and people can see him for that. And he can build something.

It means a lot when I say that this made me think that running might be fun? And I don’t think I’ve ever thought that.

***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher/NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review***

[Jessica (bibliobliss.au) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever see me running, then you should run too because it could only mean that something is chasing me.

Having said that, IN THE LONG RUN actually made the idea of running for long periods of time with other people seem so appealing that I wouldn’t be surprised if this book actually persuades some readers to take up running!

I adore Emma Mugglestone’s books. IN THE LONG RUN is the third that I’ve read and Emma’s storytelling just gets better and better!

This is an Aussie romance that cannot be missed. A brilliant female lead, a hot as hell, kind and thoughtful male lead, sweetness & spice, a strong supporting cast, fake dating and pastries. All the good stuff is there, folks!

I especially loved the way this story began. We’re launched straight into the story and I immediately had a real sense of both the characters.

Whether you’re a devoted fan of happily ever afters or looking for something to escape into that will leave you smiling, go ahead and grab this book. Gen & Knox’s story will have you wanting to read more from Emma Mugglestone.

I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher.

[Josie Lingard · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Long Run by Emma Mugglestone
5 🌟

I absolutely ate this story UP! I fell in love with Knox so quickly, and if he were a real person, the green flag guy from TikTok would love him 💚. The level of self-reflection and straight-talking conversations that happen with the MCs made me so happy, and the chemistry between Knox and Gen was through the roof. And Gen's awkward rambling because Knox is so attractive?? Damn, that's relatable 😂 The found family elements were so heartwarming, and I wanted to hug several of the characters on multiple occasions. And I am not a runner by nature, but this book makes me want to try! On a higher level, I loved Emma's writing! She made me feel connected to the characters, both main and side, and I was rooting for everyone. The way she describes surroundings and situations draws me in, and her plot kept me hooked until the last page. I sincerely hope we get more stories for this fab group of characters, and I definitely need to go and read her other books 🧡🩷

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the privilege of an arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Charlotte Lpg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ça donne presque envie de s’entraîner pour un marathon

[Joanne Speirs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story (and audio narration). Had me laughing and crying and swooning over Knox, a cinnamon roll hero.

[Tabetha (tabsbooknook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review: In The Long Run by @emma.mugglestone published by @penguinbooksaus and supplied by @netgalley
Release date: 12 August 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Congrats to Emma on her first trad published booked! I loved her Wattle Junction series and was so keen to check out In The Long Run the minute the earc became available.
Now if you ever see me running, it’s because I’m being chased by a killer clown or something just as bad. In saying that, Emma almost had me wanting to join a run club like our MCs Gen and Knox (almost). I loved the friendship these two built and the slow burn tension was fantastic but when the spice finally hit *chefs kiss*
This book has so many good romance tropes: fake dating, one bed, “fuck it” and so many more. Do yourself a favour and check out this book once it is realeased.
P.S. @emma.mugglestone and @penguinbooksaus I’m gonna need a book 2 about Celeste and Yeti (IYKYK) 🥰

[Elsa Osina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petit thé sous la couette et on est PARFAITS

[Jessi Bickerton · Rating 2 out of 5]

this had a really good plot but it lost stars because of how descriptive some bits were. less detailed could have been added for those parts.

[Madison Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t say I’ve read too many books from Australian authors but wow! I need to read more 💕

This book was fun, flirty and just overall so so cute.

Bless our MMC the little (not so little 😉) nervous wreck. We’ve all been in our heads but this poor guy lives there. Him learning to want something for himself was so beautiful and I loved his journey 🏃🏻

This book had one of my favorite F*uck it moments 🥹 I squealed!

“If I allowed myself to have a type, she’d be it”

Tropes:
❤️‍🔥One Bed
👟Found Family
❤️‍🔥Friends to Lovers
👟Fake Dating

[Rachna Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of Emma’s books and loved them, and this one was no different. I adored her Wattle Junction series, so when I found out she was releasing her first trad published book, I was so excited to read it. From the first page, I was hooked by her fresh, sassy writing and the warmth that makes you feel like part of the in-jokes between friends.

Gen, an adorably awkward bookkeeper with a habit of choosing the wrong men, and Knox, an Army officer with a troubled past, are brought together by the brilliance of the Croissants & Kilometres run club. If you are going to run, you might as well be rewarded with a pastry, right? The club becomes more than a backdrop as it grows into a tight-knit community that adds so much heart to the story.

This is not just a swoony romance. It has slow burn chemistry, hilarious banter, steamy moments and deeper themes like misogyny, the highs and lows of social media, and the importance of both biological and found family. Knox completely stole my heart because he is the kind of male lead who listens, respects boundaries and champions women’s rights.

By the end, I was smitten with the characters, the uplifting community and the way Gen and Knox help each other heal. This story is the perfect mix of swoon and substance and now I desperately need Celeste and Yeti’s story.

Thank you so much Emma and Penguin Books Australia for this arc🫶

[Sarah Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment I saw a romance book centred around running, I was SOLD. I just knew I’d love it - and I was right!! The only thing I didn’t enjoy? Brand. Or should I say… Bland! (But hey, every story needs a villain, right?)

From the very first chapter, I was hooked - it had me intrigued and laughing straight away. I instantly adored Knox, and the entire time I just wanted to shove him and Gem together like dolls and make them kiss already. Hehe.

The running element absolutely stole my heart. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a sports romance about running before, so I was beyond thrilled. All the little references had me grinning like an idiot at the pages.

I also loved the banter, the silliness, even the awkward moments between Knox and Gem. The way he cares for her is so sweet and gentlemanly - it gave me all the warm fuzzies. There were so many laugh out loud lines that I had to write down, and a few I reread multiple times just for the joy of it.

Overall, this is such a fun, feel-good romance. The running aspect made it extra special for me - as a runner, it’s such a huge part of my life and my therapy, and I’ve met so many amazing people through it. The book captures that sense of community beautifully, and it felt so true to my own experience.

I’m honestly so grateful I stumbled across this story - it’s already earned a spot as one of my favourite reads of 2025!

[☽｡⋆ Naidah ₊˚ෆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

‧₊˚✩ ₊˚⊹♡ A heartfelt story that tells us that no matter your plans, things change. No matter the challenges, you can overcome them. And of course, falling in love is a possibility despite not believing you could. ‧₊˚✩ ₊˚⊹♡

It only takes one encounter for things to get set in motion. And for Gen and Knox, it did just that.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ Small town
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ One bed
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ Marathon
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ Sporty MCs
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ 1.5-2 🌶️
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ Slow Burn

If you’re looking for a light read or something to get you out of a reading slump, 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘶𝘯 has the elements of a cutesy athletic/army romance that will have you swooning.

જ⁀➴ 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.

Overall, I give this title 4/5 ⭐️. I loved the story. I loved the comedy balanced with serious issues/topics. The characters were unique and I really enjoyed that it was different and not too tropey. I’d say it did lose a mark because TikTok was mentioned one too many times for my liking and that when the romance happened, it was great but I feel like it didn’t flow naturally as I thought it would (I mean it did but it didn’t at the same time). But despite that I really did enjoy the story.

[Keely Kovacevic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun time! In The Long Run follows Gen and Knox, two strangers who fall into each others lives when Gen needs a fake boyfriend, and Knox needs help saving his god fathers bakery. Cue the Croissants & Kilometres run club! I know, it sounds like a dream harbour story line, but this is so much more!

As a runner, this story really made me feel seen! From equipment mishaps and bra chafing, to justice for slow runners, to the ever present fear of running alone while female, In The Long Run really hit on so many parts of the running experience that you don’t often see discussed in books.

Also the relationship was everything. Also a huge shout out to the author for having the characters shower after their runs! Quite literally refreshing.

[Tanya - Read by the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cosy, heartwarming romance with just the right dash of spice. Gen and Knox hit it off right from the starting blocks, but theirs is a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers kind of race to the finish line. I loved the whole Croissants and Kilometres running club—it felt fresh, fun, and unique.

But this story isn’t just about romance. It also weaves in contemporary issues like the highs and lows of social media, women’s safety, and, at its core, the universal need to belong.

A read that goes the distance with both heart and depth—and proves love is always more of a marathon than a sprint.

Loved it 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ 🧡🩷

[Emilie (emiliesbookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartwarming, hilarious romcom has it all.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gen is unlucky in love and in a quick hasty decision, roped in to competing in a marathon. While she does run, she isn’t a long distance running and knows she must commit to training. Knox has a troubled past and has avoided staying in one place for too long. But when his wonderful godfather Eugene’s popular patisserie is in trouble he rushes to help keep it a float.

When a fantastic meet cute brings these two unlikely people together and a run club idea is born that will help both of them out of their current predicaments

Tropes galore such as fake dating, slow burn, one bed, men in uniform 🔥

Touching on so many current discussion points as well as tough topics such as stalking, online trolling and women’s safety

Plus there is also the fabulous banter and very real life situations interwoven into the story so effortlessly (the Strava mention 🙌 IYKYK)

Knox is dreamy, assertive and tender all wrapped up in a sexy runner, the ultimate book boyfriend 🙌

Gen is an honest, warm FMC who you are cheering for so quickly. You want to run with her and be in her corner, she is so relatable

I binged this wonderful book in two sittings, if it’s not on your radar, add it to your TBR now!

[Cynthia Timoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a joy to read! It's a swoony, steamy romcom set in Melbourne, with a French patisserie, a fun running club (it almost makes me want to become a runner), and two likeable, relatable characters. Gen is such an easy heroine to root for, and Knox is just the perfect book boyfriend. Their banter and their chemistry are flirty and super fun to read, and I just loved the way Knox takes care of Gen. Emma's writing style is just so easy to read, and I was hooked from the very first few pages. Can't wait for more stories from Emma!

[Grace Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so fun. I loved the banter and all the funny moments. The vibes were totally vibing! Definitely recommend. There were moments I was laughing out loud. I loved the fact it was Australian: I really need to read some more Australian based books or books from Aussie authors!

Oh and ‘sweet Taylor Allison Swift, Queen of Everything….’ That sold it.

Thank you NetGalley and Emma for the ARC!

[Stephanie Hazeltine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure I'd ever wanted to run a marathon until Gen and Knox created the Croissants and Kilometres run club - now sign me up!
I loved this book - from the beautiful relationship between Eugene and Knox, to the drama surrounding Alizée’s, the uplifting community that is the run club and of course the steamy, swoony love story between Gen and Knox. I adore how Knox and Gen help each other to forgive themselves and accept they deserve happiness. Definitely recommend this book!

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wholesome! And very cliche, but in the best possible way.

[lathifah (readbytifff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

love this!! gained myself another book boyfriend named knox ♡

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a 4 🌟 as I struggled with this one for some reason. I have adored everything Emma has written but this one fell short for me. I think there were far too many book cliches and tropes.

[Kelsie (gone to Fable) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, charming, heartfelt, and relatable in so many ways.
A trip to Bright is just what you need sometimes, you know?

May Brand get everything that is coming to him 🙏🏻

[Christina Lanza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️ cro mimi (so australien de se lever à 6h pour run mdr)