The High Life

by Anise Starre

As an airline heiress, Imani Davies has spent her twenty-eight years on Earth living the high life – literally. Jet-setting across the globe on a whim, dining at the most exclusive restaurants and rubbing shoulders with the world’s elite. Imani has it all, and she’ll do pretty much anything to keep her tycoon father happy and maintain the status quo.



Except when her father proposes a marriage between herself and Asher Vouvalis, the enigmatic scion of the Vouvalis Hotel empire, Imani learns that she does, in fact, have a limit. Determined not to spend the rest of her life in a loveless marriage that only serves her father’s business, Imani conjures up a desperate lie.



Surely her father wouldn’t force her to marry her bitter ex . . . would he?

Genres: Romance, African American Romance, Audiobook, Black Author

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2026

About the author

Anise Starre is a born and bred Londoner who now travels the world with her husband. She loves writing sweet, fluffy romances featuring Black women being loved on and adored, with a hint of steam and spice to get the heart going.

Keep up to date with her on Instagram @authoranisestarre or on TikTok @anisestarre.

Reviews

[BookishByTammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This was a cute, fluffy romance, fun unique storyline with the fake exes/enemies situation, great chemistry between the main characters
Isn’t one that necessarily deals with deep topics but still worth the read if you just wanna watch people fall in love

[ahmeeka · Rating 3 out of 5]

[arc review] “it’s like I’m attuned to her presence the same way people can sense rain before the sky even starts to darken.” !!!!!!!

3.5* rounded down! this was a very fun read.

the high life is a dual pov romance that follows airline heiress, imani, as she’s thrown into an arranged marriage with asher, the son behind the vouvalis hotel empire. the goal is they get married, the companies look profitable as merge, and more money is to be made on the back of it.

I don’t read many books with this trope but it’s so fun when I do!

I enjoyed how imani and asher tried navigate the relationship they’re being thrown into, and it was fun watching them try to go against the arrangement, while subconsciously starting to like each other!

one of my favourite parts were the moments where asher would help ground imani when it became too much. they might want the world to think they hate each other, but in those moments, asher showed just how much he cared for imani.

without spoiling it, I’m glad it ended the way they did and it was more on their terms than the situation they initially found themselves in.

my only wish was that the final quarter didn’t just come and go.

I found that the book was slowly leading up to the big climax, and it was over so quickly—there wasn’t really time to sit in it and see how it unfolded. the stakes were there, but it was over before you knew it.

otherwise I really enjoyed it, and I’d love for this to become a series so we can have a book about sloane and teddy!

thank you simon & schuster UK for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

[N.G. Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off can we make a little commotion for this cover? Absolutely stunning. 10/10.

I was so thrilled to get an ARC of this. I've read Anise's holiday romance, Just A Taste, as well as One Week in Paradise and enjoyed both. This was a pretty fun read. The premise was so unique: hellooo fake exes??? Don't think I've ever read that before. And I enjoyed all the shenanigans that Asher and Imani concocted to get out of this engagement that their fathers insisted must happen.

The romance was sizzling and I loved how they both eventually told their fathers off. What also gave me the warm fuzzies was how much Asher believed in the dreams Imani had for himself. He didn't brush it off like her father would but really listened. And was cheering her on all the way. That is a maaaan!

Asher's fears and vulnerabilities also felt so real. Not feeling like you are enough for your parent? I wanted to give him the biggest hug and I'm not even much of a hugger lol.

They both found solace in each other even though they had to play this game in public.

I'm alsooo hoping Sloane, Imani's bestie, gets a book of her own cuz *eye emoji*

[suonnahbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The high life by Anise Starre
-Honestly I’d take the deal YOLO 😂🤪 but honestly I get the parental pressure so no thanks lol
-I like their back and forth / connection it’s cute love the plan lol
-love the drama, the banter and their family drama/ dynamics
-fighting the feelingsssss
-ASHER 👀😩🥹
-this was really cute loved there fake fighting , high class and drama this was fun
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Oana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now i was so excited to read this because the premise sounded a m a z i n g but i got annoyed immediately by the fake exes having a fake out in front of the whole society thing. And that’s where i lost the plot and the plot lost me.
It is tho a solid book that is funny and sweet and has some nice 🌶️ scenes but meh
Thank you to the publisher for the arc

[The Bern Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★★★ (more like ∞)
ARC Review: Yes
I received an advance copy of this book from Simon and Schuster UK via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: July 2, 2026

Standalone or Series: Standalone
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibe: HOT AND SPICY with SO MUCH YEARNING
Pacing: Medium
Third-Act Breakup: No
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: A million times yes

Tropes:
✵Fake Exes
✵Marriage of (in)convenience
✵Golden Retriever MMC
✵Slow Burn


Synopsis: When Imani’s dad proposes a business deal that centers around an arranged marriage with the son of the Vouvalis family, Imani, in the heat of the moment, tells her dad that they are exes and that she cannot marry Asher Vouvalis. Her dad does not care, and Imani is forced to make an agreement with Asher that they will pretend to be exes and stir up drama for the world to see.

My Thoughts: OH MY GOD. THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE ONE OF MY TOP READS THIS YEAR! This was my 100th approval on NetGalley, and it really takes the cake of all the approvals I’ve gotten. I was already less than 20% in and I was giggling and kicking my feet more than I ever have before. I loved every single character in this book (besides their dads obviously). Imani was living my dream lifestyle, and I loved how she immediately knew that she wanted to get married on her own terms and hatched up a plan. and Asher, WOW. JUST WOW. New book boyfriend unlocked. This was a golden retriever man to the extreme. He was such a sweetie pie and I loved his willingness to go with Imani’s plan even at his own expense. He kept thinking that marrying Imani would be the way to finally prove to his dad that he is not a screwup, but when he saw Imani’s excitement for the plan, he decided he would follow her to the ends of the earth to make her happy. There were so many moments of vulnerability between the two of them, and it was so sweet to see how much they truly cared for each other underneath the persona they were playing. Every time they would say something mean while acting the part, and then immediately feel bad about it, my heart would swoon.

This is one of those books that I will be talking about forever. I will simply never shut up about this book and the story line.

This was my first book by Anise Starre, and I will be reading everything she has ever put out immediately. If you take even just one of my recommendations, let it be this one. You will thank yourself later for picking this up.


Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!

[Macie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute sweet read for the summer. Highly recommend!!!!!!!!

[henrietta ✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ 3.5 stars

[Tamisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

@nellie247: If i was worth £50 mil you can bet your ass i wouldn’t be caught dead fighting over appetisers

(this quote was the best part of the book for me)

This book had a unique concept I don’t think I’ve read before — fake exes. I was really excited to see it play out. I liked it enough, but there were some things that didn’t quite click for me. Imani and Asher’s relationship was sweet. I loved how they built up a friendship despite pretending to hate each other in public. I do wish, however, that we’d seen more of it play out on page. There were a lot of time jumps and we were told that months had passed with them getting to know each other but we didn’t often see that. A lot of their interactions were focused on their physical chemistry which, don’t get me wrong, was great… but I just wanted some more emotional depth on page.

I also enjoyed reading about rich Black families… the way it was handled at some points through Imani’s inner monologue made me feel sorry for her despite her immense privilege if that makes sense. It was a weird dynamic and I’m not sure if it worked but I do like that Black families in high society were portrayed.

In addition to some weird pacing issues, there were some continuity issues that made reading less enjoyable — stuff like characters being beside someone in one chapter and then in the very next, being across from them. Their fathers feeling almost cartoonishly evil though I do agree that how they treated their children (and business) was wrong. Or the supporting cast feeling more like background characters than even their family or friends.

However, I don’t regret reading this book. If you’d like a unique spin on the fake dating trope, a wonderful Black FMC, and honestly a swoony read, this is for you!

[Aisling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. As with all of Anise’s books the main characters were written fantastically and the world felt really real. I loved Imani and Asher, although I did take a bit longer to warm up to him.

And while I did really enjoy it, I struggled a little bit with the pacing it, felt a tad too slow for me. I think it would’ve worked slightly better if some of the middle part was cut out and given to the end. Because it just felt like we took slightly too long to get there and then ran out of space to see the fallout and how they ended up where they did in the epilogue. Although, I say this is someone who is not a big fan of slow burns so it’s probably just a personal thing.

There was a couple of things that I also felt got left to the side and didn’t get wrapped up in the way I wanted them to. The issues between her and her family, and with their business, were mostly sorted and his issues with his family were partially sorted, but something still felt unresolved about both. I’m guessing that those things might be resolved in future books (I’m not sure if it’s going to be a series but I think it will). And if this is going to become a series, I’m guessing it will be about his brothers and Asher and Imani will still be involved as side characters, so this won’t be a big issue if that’s the case.

Overall, I think this is very worth picking up. It was a fun book with great characters in a good background. It wasn’t my favourite Anise Starre book, but it was still very good, and I mean my favourite book of hers is I would consider a six star book so you know I love her stuff.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The High Life by Anise Starre is a fun take on fake dating because in this one it is the character's parents, or specifically their high powered company owning fathers who want them to not just date, but marry in order to strengthen the public image of a merger between the two business empires.
Imani is the heiress of a airline owning tycoon and lives the glamourous lifestyle that that entails, jetting off to some of the most beautiful and exotic parts of the world on a whim. Asher is one of the heirs to the Vouvalis Hotel empire, but unlike his brothers he seems to keep his personal life private. While uniting the company that flies you to an exotic location with the hotel chain that will give you the luxury experience seems like a no brainer to the businessmen, their children have other ideas in mind. Neither one wants to be coerced into a loveless relationship for public relations and financial gain so when Imani pretends that they dated in college and it ended badly Asher plays along but it is not enough to convince their parents that its a bad idea. Watching them falling for each other in private while having to publicly pretend to hate each other was so entertaining.
This is a fun romance with a little steam and sizzle, perfect as we head into the summer season - I can just imagine enjoying this on the beach or while sipping a cocktail poolside. The characters were cute and I enjoyed the slow burn of the romance (much more than the slightly convoluted plot) but I did think the ending was just a little rushed in comparison to the pacing of the book overall.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Laono · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

—

Quality: ⭐️⭐️
Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

—

I was so excited for this and now I’m just disappointed. I didn’t exactly understand (or like) the constant tirades about privilege, wealth and Imani’s relationship with hers. And their fathers felt caricaturist-like evil. I feel like I know little to nothing truly about Imani and Asher and the side characters were paper thin and simply just existed on the page at the same time as the mains.

The premise of this book was incredibly compelling and for the most part I was engaged and fully inside their world (however surface level it was). But it just didn’t reach the levels I expected it to. Generally, I believe the idea was there but the execution was terribly lacklustre. Also, most importantly, I don’t think this was properly edited??? Like at all?

- The pacing was very off where some bits dragged and others were sped through when they should’ve lingered a bit more.
- Some paragraphs would state information we’d already established like they’re being freshly introduced which was immersion breaking to say the least
- The epilogue was quite insufficient considering the last few pages were (read: needlessly) drama filled and rushed


All in all I’m beyond disappointed and I wish this was better done cause it could’ve been truly amazing.

I did enjoy Asher and Imani together they had some cute moments and nice chemistry.

Summary: this goes on my list of ‘it could’ve been so much more’ books I’ve read this year🦢

[Norell Alesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about chemistry! Our FMC Imani and MMC Asher had it in spades, even when they were pretending to hate each other. No, this isn’t your typical fake dating trope, it’s actually fake exes. When their fathers propose a marriage of convenience between Imani and Asher in order to sell a business deal, Imani doesn’t go along to get along. She instead makes up a story on the spot that she and Asher are exes from university and that the breakup was horrible enough that they could never marry now.

What follows is a hilarious few months of Asher and Imani pretending to hate each other at public events, hoping to cause enough of a scene that her father will call off the farce of an engagement. Too bad they happen to fall in love along the way. In quiet moments alone, the two come to the realization that they actually like each other. A lot.

Author Anise Starr weaves the dueling tales of our MCs fake hating each other publicly while falling for each other privately with skill. What starts out as fun, the public arguing, begins to take a toll emotionally on both Imani and Asher as they realize the other isn’t so bad.

I love a marriage of convenience trope, but it was kind of refreshing to read about an FMC and MMC being realistic and saying “no, we don’t want to be forced into this,” and meaning it.

[Nai · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC of The High Life in exchange for an honest review. I'd also like to thank Kate for inviting me to read this title early, and sending me a widget. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Anise is baaaack baby!!! Long time Anise Starre fan, reporting for duty; hello, this is was such an addictive read; fake exes, forced proximity, he falls first and harder, I absolutely ATE THIS UP!! I absolutely loved the tension and back and forth between Imani and Asher, they pretend to be fake exes, when their fathers force an arranged marriage upon them, to save their businesses, and for appearances, pretend to hate each other, as scorned exes would, but they fail miserably, because of how attracted they both were to each other, I loved it!!

Asher, the man that you are!! This man had me swooning, he literally couldn't even pretend to not like Imani, because of how bad he had it for her!!

I thought their ending was very fitting for their characters, both who felt like puppets for their fathers and had very little say, and choice in their decision making.

I can't wait for what Anise has next in store!! 💜🌺

[AfriReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Summary Line): It was a soft smooth ride but still one hell of a ride!!!

8 pages in and I’m fighting the American Feminist urge to revolt at the trope. I abhor forced marriages. However, I will do my best to push forth without judgment. I did jump into this story without reading a blurb. I’d only saw a small glimpse from the author via social media and decided I really wanted to get my hands on that book. If I can stomach this trope for Fantasy romance then I can stomach it for contemporary romance.

Will update…

The writing in this book is phenomenal. The banter is top tier. You can feel the chemistry gradually build. There was attraction in the beginning however, she drew it out to ensure it became a nice slow burn filled with longing and warm tension. I do wish there was more dynamics to the conflict and depth of the story. Right now it just feels a bit stale with the main plot being 2 adults purposely throwing adult level tantrums in public towards one another to provoke their daddies. (I LOATH there daddies!!) However, the writing flow definitely makes up for that lacking. Where she fell short in one area she definitely made up for in the banter and yearning. I am still heavily interested.

Will update…


I was stoked to read this book because I thought the FMC was black. Not Zendaya black (the common representation)…but Lupita Nyong, black. The more I read the more she sounds Zendaya Black. Or Tracee Ellis Ross black. She “blushes” in the neck and cheeks…& It’s visible to others. Her description wasn’t delivered until several chapters in so I had to really use my imagination to piece together her image. Her skin tone was of no major issue to the story but, I looked forward to the relatable representation. Oh and it’s definitely a Slowwwwww burn 🔥 65% in and not a nary pickle 🥒!

Will update…

Okay so there’s been quite a turn of events! I asked for a stronger plot of conflict…and she definitely delivered…just had to keep reading. The spice was well done. Not too mild and not too explicit. Overall, Asher is such a sweetheart and Imani is such a fierce woman. They balance each other out. She’s fierce yet soft and sophisticated and he’s much more soft spoken yet for her he’ll push boundaries that he likely would’ve never dreamed to. His back story is so touching and their developing story is so captivating. This is the kind of black representation I wish was presented in every read instead of the stereotypical tropes!

SUCH A GOOD READ!

[Uzoamaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deliciour read.
More like 3.5 and I have to admit this is one of the authors I have read and love all her books...I'll be on the look out for the next one - maybe with his brothers Andreas or Teddy or her bestie Sloane.

We get to read from the POV of two 28yo Imani and Asher (youngest of 3 brothers) who are asked by their parents to get married for business purposes because 'This is just business, Imani. And it won't be forever.'

TFT - TrustFundTea was doing the most with the Gossip Girl tabloid stories between the 2 fake exes.

I was swooning over Asher's words...
"I want her. It's as simple and as complicated as that."
"I want a life with you. I don't care how long it takes - I'll do it your way"

[shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just found my newest 6 star romance! This book had everything I loved. The tension, the angst, the will they-wont they situation and them pretending they hate each other and of course the spicy scenes 😉 i was about 50% through this when I knew this was going to be a five+ star rating so I just had to preorder the physical book! And I can't wait to have it on my shelf! I have only read one book by this author before this one but now I need to go and read everything by her!

Thank you to netgalley and Simon and schuster uk for an netgalley arc

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the perfect popcorn 🍿 book! Something light, fluffy, not too filling, yet satisfying.

Imani was a sweetheart and Asher was cute little puppy.

If you're looking for a lighthearted romance to soothe you over, this is the one. I needed a palette cleanser after too many intense romance novels.

Was the ending a bit rushed?.......Yes, it was. Mildly annoying, but that's what happens when indie author go traditional for some reason.

I try to remind myself, "At least 94% of the book was good." 🤷🏾‍♀️

[Manda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anise never misses! The High life had me swooning, giggling and kicking my feet as I read through Asher and Imani’s strenuous but rewarding journey to love. Asher is so not my type in real life but he made it to top three of my favorite book boyfriends! Although reading about high society, this book didn’t feel stuffy or pretentious. And I loved that the heiress in this story had dreams of her own that she wanted to pursue separate from her family’s vast fortune. Overall this was a fun and dashingly romantic story that I enjoyed from beginning to end!

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was basically “but daddy, i love him!” except completely reversed & i loved every single page of it.

now did i have some issues with the story & plot? of course i did—the author was unnecessarily wordy when it came to the characters’ inner thoughts, and she didn’t spend nearly enough time world-building and actually creating complex plotlines to round out the novel some more, but i can’t remember the last time i actually enjoyed a romcom this much so it’s five stars across the board from me!

i’m so tired. watch this review not make any sense once i’ve actually slept lol

[Jannique | NiquesBookishVibes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asher + Imani 🥰

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 Stars

This was such an enjoyable read! I liked the fake exes trope, the chemistry between the main characters and the witty banter throughout. The romance felt natural and I found myself rooting for them from the beginning.

The story had a great balance of humour, romance and heartfelt moments, which kept me turning the pages. It was easy to get invested in the characters and their journey together.

If you’re looking for a fun, feel-good romance with plenty of chemistry and a satisfying ending, I’d definitely recommend adding The High Life to your TBR!!🥂

——

#books #bookish #bookrecs #romance #bookstagram

[BookGem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute and fun read. Fake ex dating between an airline heiress and a hotel tycoon’s son. The premise of why they had to be fake ex’s was a little silly but I just disregarded it. It was also ridiculous with the fake arguments in public and society watching them. Just not very believable. The romance was sweet and I liked them
together. I liked how their story ended. The plot with the family was just wrapped very quickly.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second I’ve read from Anise Starr and is another fun and entertaining read. The High Life is a fake ex story with all the hilarity that trope entails.
The chemistry between Imani and Asher felt very real from early on - their similarities outweighing their family issues and proving a good basis for a joined approach.
I wasn’t sure about Imani to begin with, but when you peel back the layers and see beneath the rich and spoilt heiress, you see she’s a young woman wanting to be seen for herself and not just her father’s daughter.

[Marielle Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super love story

Yearning for 50% of the book only works when the story is thought out and well-written. I am absolutely pleased to report this story got it right. I highlighted so many fun lines, I enjoyed learning Asher and Imani's love story, and I felt joy by the end of it. I definitely recommend this read.

[Kimberly Azumah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

i really enjoyed this and thought the chemistry between the couple was written SO WELL.

unfortunately i just thought the ending was quite rushed and i would have liked after everything to have things clarified before an epilogue.

[desverse · Rating 4 out of 5]

the reverse fake relationship, fake exes ??! unique points ups

these two characters had so much chemistry from the onset so ofc their plan failed 😭

the cover 😍😍😍😍

idk what was messing for that 5 star feeling tho 🥸

[Savannah’s Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Such a great read!! I really enjoyed how this flipped so many tropes around and I just loved Asher and Amani they’re stinking cute! Would definitely read more from this author in the future (even though tracking down this book was near impossible lol but worth the hunt!)

[justesther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Their banter>>> and lowkey fake hate is better than fake dating. The only issue I had was all the family stuff that was going on. Alas, it was a very fun read.

[Joya Goffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fresh take on fake dating--fake hating?!--such a cool way to invert that trope! Anise Starre does it again, with this quick, easy to digest, refreshing romance.

[Jayla Poin05 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have been WAITING for this book to come out and it did not disappoint