What do you think?
Rate this book
Scripted Lies: A MM Romance Novel
A fake marriage. A crumbling community. A love that was never supposed to be real.
Dorian Albrecht has built a life on charm, control, and carefully crafted lies. As heir to a ruthless media dynasty, he’s used to playing the part the world demands — until public trust wavers and family pressure mounts. To save his reputation, there’s only one get married. To someone respectable. Selfless. Believable.
Enter Elian Rowe — poor, principled, and desperate to save the only home he's ever the struggling community center for underprivileged kids. When Dorian offers a deal that could secure the center’s future, Elian signs the marriage contract with gritted teeth and a bruised pride.
What starts as staged smiles and camera-ready moments soon blurs into stolen glances and quiet nights. Until one kiss turns into something more — and a night neither of them can forget.
But Dorian has never risked his heart. And Elian refuses to be anyone’s charity project.
When love collides with ambition, and truth cracks through the performance, one of them will have to decide what’s worth losing — the empire, or each other.
A slow-burn, emotionally rich BL/MM romance about power, sacrifice, and a love too real to fake.
Dorian Albrecht has built a life on charm, control, and carefully crafted lies. As heir to a ruthless media dynasty, he’s used to playing the part the world demands — until public trust wavers and family pressure mounts. To save his reputation, there’s only one get married. To someone respectable. Selfless. Believable.
Enter Elian Rowe — poor, principled, and desperate to save the only home he's ever the struggling community center for underprivileged kids. When Dorian offers a deal that could secure the center’s future, Elian signs the marriage contract with gritted teeth and a bruised pride.
What starts as staged smiles and camera-ready moments soon blurs into stolen glances and quiet nights. Until one kiss turns into something more — and a night neither of them can forget.
But Dorian has never risked his heart. And Elian refuses to be anyone’s charity project.
When love collides with ambition, and truth cracks through the performance, one of them will have to decide what’s worth losing — the empire, or each other.
A slow-burn, emotionally rich BL/MM romance about power, sacrifice, and a love too real to fake.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 22, 2025
8 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 10, 2025
Elian, his inner strength of character was remarkable. I liked him, he was authentic, quietly brave and yet had such a gentle soul deep down, my heart broke for him at that awful dinner scene. I admired his stoicism, there was no need for dramatic yelling, his silence spoke volumes. He knew his self worth and wasn’t afraid to walk away, I applauded his decision wholeheartedly. See, finally a character that didn’t let others walk over him and doing what’s right. As a reader, this was so refreshing to read. My sweet boy was hurting so much
Dorian I disliked, he had a lot of growing up to do. At start there was glimpse of his so called rebellious persona but this part was never later developed. Instead he was so bland, I can’t pinpoint anything about him, he was empty and a spineless coward, all talk but nothing to back up. When it counted, he let Elian down so badly. Maya telling him off was I think what every reader wanted to do, I wish she lashed out on him more, Dorian deserved to drown in shame and guilt. And his audacity to later say Elian was blowing this out of proportion?! I so wanted to slap him, what an ass. And then at the near scene when we were teased with Dorian about to apologise, beg, try but no, he changed his fucking mind and did nothing, just more of his pathetic self-pity party, bleh. Anyway, then he came to do some manual labour fixing what’s broken which I found odd, he didn’t know how to cook but knew how to fix a shelf and a leak? Yeah right totally believable that he is suddenly this capable and not a shallow heir
Despite their economical and social statuses, Elian was far above him and all those rich jerks. I found it bizarre how Dorian’s vile father taunted Elian knowing the fallout would damage family reputation which he was so clearly fiercely protective of, like dude did you not think before spewing insults left and right? And bloody hell, why did it take so long for Dorian to do anything to fix this mess?! Elian was better off NOT being with Dorian, anyone would be a more worthy partner. I have no idea what Elian saw in Dorian. Though I got to admit, the epilogue was sweet, darn it
Lastly on my rant: any intimacy was mostly reserved to kisses and sex was written so vaguely, it could easily apply to heterosexual couple. I hate it when authors do this, if you’re writing a MM romance, at least don’t be scared to describe gay sex, jeeez
Dorian I disliked, he had a lot of growing up to do. At start there was glimpse of his so called rebellious persona but this part was never later developed. Instead he was so bland, I can’t pinpoint anything about him, he was empty and a spineless coward, all talk but nothing to back up. When it counted, he let Elian down so badly. Maya telling him off was I think what every reader wanted to do, I wish she lashed out on him more, Dorian deserved to drown in shame and guilt. And his audacity to later say Elian was blowing this out of proportion?! I so wanted to slap him, what an ass. And then at the near scene when we were teased with Dorian about to apologise, beg, try but no, he changed his fucking mind and did nothing, just more of his pathetic self-pity party, bleh. Anyway, then he came to do some manual labour fixing what’s broken which I found odd, he didn’t know how to cook but knew how to fix a shelf and a leak? Yeah right totally believable that he is suddenly this capable and not a shallow heir
Despite their economical and social statuses, Elian was far above him and all those rich jerks. I found it bizarre how Dorian’s vile father taunted Elian knowing the fallout would damage family reputation which he was so clearly fiercely protective of, like dude did you not think before spewing insults left and right? And bloody hell, why did it take so long for Dorian to do anything to fix this mess?! Elian was better off NOT being with Dorian, anyone would be a more worthy partner. I have no idea what Elian saw in Dorian. Though I got to admit, the epilogue was sweet, darn it
Lastly on my rant: any intimacy was mostly reserved to kisses and sex was written so vaguely, it could easily apply to heterosexual couple. I hate it when authors do this, if you’re writing a MM romance, at least don’t be scared to describe gay sex, jeeez
August 2, 2025
Dorian and Elian are men from totally different worlds but those worlds collided and their story begun.
It was good story. I wish there were more their one-on-one moments that I could have been part of. I feel like many interesting things were just mentioned afterwards and as a reader i didn't get to be part of them - i felt a little cheated.
It was a cute story.
It was good story. I wish there were more their one-on-one moments that I could have been part of. I feel like many interesting things were just mentioned afterwards and as a reader i didn't get to be part of them - i felt a little cheated.
It was a cute story.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews