Faking It: A Sweet-and-Spicy Fake-Dating Novella

by AJ Claremont

A charming stranger turns pretend fiancé.
It was supposed to be one fake date.
They seemed to forget they’re Faking It.

Liv Arden doesn’t do relationships. Not when her overbearing mother expects perfection and her ex made her feel like she’d never measure up. So when she’s rescued from a sleazy bar patron by a charming stranger pretending to be her husband, she impulsively enlists him as her fake fiancé for a family gala.

Owen Bishop is always quick to lend a hand, so stepping in as Liv’s fake date seems harmless.. Except nothing about being with Liv feels pretend. What begins as a simple charade quickly blossoms into an intensely real connection.

The deal was play the part, fool everyone, walk away unscathed.

But the more time they spend together—navigating demanding parents, charming their rich friends, and a kiss that feels a little too real—the harder it is to remember they’re only pretending.

And somewhere between the public lies and the breathless gasps behind closed doors…
they forgot they were Faking It.

Faking It is a sweet-and-spicy fake-dating novella featuring a cinnamon-roll hero who falls first, a guarded heroine learning to trust again, and a swoony romance you can binge in one night.

Genres: Romance

109 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2026

About the author

AJ Claremont writes contemporary romance packed with flirty banter, swoony heroes, and enough spice to make you fan yourself while you read.

Her stories feature fearless-but-flawed women and devoted, delightfully complicated men—because the best love stories are never simple.

Her debut novella series releases January 26, delivering fast, bingeable romances with big chemistry and guaranteed HEAs.

Fueled by coffee, 90s hip-hop, and an ever-growing TBR, AJ lives in Northern California with her real-life swoony husband and two awesome teenagers.

Reviews

[Chandler (chapterswithchan) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Novella’s are a hit or miss for me. Often I feel like they feel rushed or that I didn’t get enough. Not this one… this one was perfect. One of my favorite novella’s I have ever read.

Liv Arden is trying to keep up with the expectations of her mother while also trying to live her best life. She has a rockstar job that her mom views as a “hobby”. So when she is reminded by her mom that she has to attend a gala one evening and that a date has been provided, she freaks. In that moment the man she had an encounter with at the bar the night before walks by. Suddenly inspiration strikes and she lets her mom know she already has a date, her fiance, and suddenly she is in a fake relationship and taking this new guy, Owen, on a date.

MAN O MAN the chemistry in this book was POPPIN! I do not want to give too much more of a synopsis to avoid spoilers, but I read this book in a day (only 108 pages). The characters were perfect. I loved Liv, Owen and the side characters like Eli (praying a book about him is coming) and Andy (she is hilarious and I wish she was my real life friend). The banter was top tier, as was the spice. This was just enough to feel like I got the full story while also not feeling rushed. This author knows how to write a novella and I can’t wait to dive into book two!

Perfect. 5 stars. Loved it.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you partner, Booked with the Emilys, and the author, AJ Claremont, for providing an e-arc. All opinions are my own!

Short Synopsis:
Liv isn’t looking for a relationship, but when she’s hit on my a sleazy guy in a bar, she gets much more than she bargained for. In fact, she leaves with a husband. Owen came to Liv’s rescue when it came to that sleazy guy in the bar and pretended to be her husband. Now, he’s finding himself signed up to pretend to be Liv’s fiancé during a family event. Can he keep the feeling of being drawn to Liv in check or will it develop into so much more?

My Thoughts:
I adored this sweet and spicy novella! I loved the playful banter between Liv and Owen, and their complicated, yet totally works for them whirlwind of a romance! I also loved how fiercely loyal of a man Owen is, he’s a completely swoon worthy book boyfriend!

Read this if you like:
❤️ Fake dating
❤️ Meet-cute rescue
❤️ He falls first
❤️ A hero who defends her to her mom
❤️ Golden retriever by day, “good girl” energy by night.
❤️ Dual POV
❤️ Quick, bingeable romance
❤️ Novella

[Jessa Layne • readwithjessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liv Arden has sworn off relationships, so when a charming stranger rescues her from an uncomfortable situation and pretends to be her husband, she unexpectedly ropes him into being her fake fiancé for a family gala. Owen Bishop agrees to help, but what starts as a harmless arrangement quickly grows complicated as their fake relationship begins to feel a little too real. As they navigate family, friends, and undeniable chemistry, pretending becomes harder by the minute. This was such a sweet and spicy novella that I flew through in one sitting. I loved the characters, the nicknames, and the fake relationship to lovers romance. It delivered all the cozy, swoony vibes. It was cute, fun, and left me already excited for book two!

Thank you to the author and Booked With the Emily's for the gifted copy.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨❤️

Thanks to Booked with the Emilys and the author for the gifted copy of this book

If you like spicy romance stories but are only looking for a quickie 😏 this is a great spicy romance novella. At around 100 pages this was a quick bingeable read. This is the first book in the Across The Hall series. All the books will take place in the same apartment building. I loved the story and I felt the open-door spice in both was well-done. I will definitely be reading more as the remaining stories are released.

Tropes:
❤️Fake dating
❤️Meet-cute rescue
❤️He falls first
❤️A hero who defends her to her mom
❤️Golden retriever by day, “good girl” energy by night.
❤️Dual POV

[Madeleine Berges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors and Book with the Emilies for the gifted copy!

This was much a cute and sweet novella!! There was sweetness! There was spice! There was connection!!

The author managed to jam back some friendship in there too! I loved it and am excited to dive into the second novella!!!

[Amanda • ReadingWithMyGolden · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ This was SUCH a sweet, spicy novella read and I am still shocked by how much the author was able to pack into this excellent romance! I often find myself annoyed at novellas and the rushing that may be required, but Claremont managed to cram a beautifully-developed romance (and some spice to go along with it 👀) into a compact novella! If you love a dual POV, sizzling chemistry, and banter that is banteringgg, all in a story you can read in one sitting, then please go read this one immediately 😍

Thanks to the author and Booked With the Emilys for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own!

[Meaghan Elizabeth 🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it! I love reading a novella in between longer books and this was the perfect break I needed. Sometimes novellas feel too rushed, but this one didn’t feel like that at all. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and this one completely hit every mark. Liv and Owen’s chemistry was undeniable and I love how he stood up to Liv’s mom who always treated her terribly. This was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and Owen was the perfect golden retriever MMC🩷

[Cait's Reading Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faking It is the first book in the Across the Hall Series and shares Liv and Owen’s story. Liv is cautious about relationships and avoids them. She has faced criticism from her mother and her ex and has felt that she isn’t good enough.

Owen is ready to help others. When he meet Liv in a bar, he jumps in to help her and pretend to be her husband. As he learns more about her, he agrees to help Liv and be a date to an upcoming gala her family is hosting.

Although their relationship is pretend, the feelings they share are anything but.

The novella is well paced in establishing Liv and Owen’s first meeting and their relationship. I like how Owen is a consistent, steady presence and loves Liv for exactly as she is. This support is everything Liv needs. Owen reminds her of her own strengths and her authenticity are why he loves her. I thought the chapter where he shares his feelings and why he agreed to help her was a powerful scene - his feelings were real all along because Liv was being herself.

I thought this novella does a great job juxtaposing the themes of real vs. pretend and elevates the importance of being yourself.

Thank you to Booked with the Emilys and AJ Claremont for the opportunity to be part of the tour! I was provided a copy of this book for free and am leaving an honest review.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys @ajclaremontwrites for the #gifted copies of these books! If you love romance and want a great story you can easily binge in one night, check this out:

Title: Faking It
Author: AJ Claremont
Genre: Romance novella
Publisher/Indie: Indie
Publication Date: January 26th

Tropes:
🤥Fake dating
🤝🏻Meet-cute rescue
❤️He falls first
🦸🏻‍♀️A hero who defends her to her mom
🔥Golden retriever by day, “good girl” energy by night.
🗣️Dual POV
🫦Quick, bingeable romance
🤏🏻Novella

Blurb:
Liv needs a date for her overbearing mother's gala, and when the perfect option, handsome Owen, displays his skills saving her from unwanted advances in a bar, she takes him up on the offer. What begins as fake dating quickly grows, until old demons cause Liv to cut out before she gets hurt.

My Thoughts:
This was just the best micro dose of romance. You truly get a complete story in a tight hundred pages or so, and I flew through it! Liv and Owen are both relatable and likeable, and it was charming to read each of their points of view. I'd highly recommend this first book of the Across the Hall series.

And the good news is book 2, Crashing Together, is already available!

[Brittany | BrittanyIsBooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faking It is the first of five novellas in the Across the Hall series. In Faking It, Owen first pretends to be Liv's husband to stop a man from hitting on her at the bar. Then, Owen pretends to be her fiance to get her mother off her back. As far as fake fiance's go, Owen is the best. He learns who Liv is inside and outside in record time and he is constantly referred to as a "golden retriever" in the book (and he definitely is!). But, when a little miscommunication comes into play, they end up breaking their fake engagement.

Since this is a novella, there isn't much to dissect or comment on, other than to say it was great! I am very excited for the other books in this series. Thank you, Partner, @bookedwiththeemilys @ajclaremontwrites

What You'll Find:
Fake dating
Meet-cute rescue
He falls first
A hero who defends her to her mom
Golden retriever by day, “good girl” energy by night.
Dual POV
Quick, bingeable romance
Novella

[Erin Ballinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not the first person to love novellas but man: this one was just stunning. 4.5 / 5 stars! I was so lucky to be gifted a copy.
Liv, a coder trying to find herself under the thumb of her less than impressed and oppressive mother, meets Owen (a literary agent) by chance at the local bar. Their immediate chemistry and her need for a date to a gala set them off on a whirlwind fake dating romance filled with a ton of comedy (Andy coming in hot with the funny nicknames and well timed puns), tension, spice in all the right places, and a really heartfelt insta-love delivery.
So many novellas don't work because the romance can't be paced properly in a short time frame but man, this completely delivers. The pacing is pure perfection, the spice is spicing, and you believe these two from the second they meet. I LOVED this so much.

[Dea Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ rounded up

Liv and Oliver are the absolute sweetest couple ever! Owen is the type of person who likes to be the hero, and when he sees Liv sitting at a bar being hit on by a creepy guy, he steps right in to save her. Liv doesn't do relationships, but she finds herself bringing Owen as her fake fiancé to her family gala. Their first fake date goes so well it doesn't even feel like they are faking. Liv and Owen have the best chemistry and banter. I absolutely loved the way that Owen not only listened to Liv, but he saw the real her and liked her for who she was. He treated her with such kindness and is the perfect book boyfriend. The spice in this book was hot. Don't let the cute cover fool you, because 🥵. I read this novella in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Even though it was a fast read, I felt like there was so much good plot in here.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the December chaos, it gave me such joy to read short novellas! As a lover of the fake dating trope, the first book in this series was everything I needed to relax.

In this book, Liv doesn’t do relationships, but needs a +1 for the gala her mother is hosting. Owen on the other hand, is always quick to lend a hand and he ‘rescues’ Liv from a very demanding man in a bar. One leads to another, and soon he is her fake fiancé.

But as always, the romantic tension grows and they’re wondering if it is all fake.
As a reader, you already feel that nothing is fake anymore, but you are curious when they both accept that.

This was really a sweet novella, with some spicy details, which you can read in just one afternoon! Let’s continue with book 2, because I’m hooked!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

i binged this book in under an hour. even though it was less than 100 pages i loved liv and owen so much. i am so excited to read the other books in this series. owen was so sweet how he wanted wanted to protect liv at the bar at the beginning of the story. i honestly wish this book was a little longer because i would’ve loved to see more details into liv and owen’s relationship. i also loved liv. she wasn’t afraid to follow her own dreams instead of the dreams her mom wanted for her. also it was great that owen defended her in front of her mom. the ending was so sweet and i can’t wait to read the next one!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owen has a bit of a "God complex" and feels he has to save women in certain situations. One night, he steps in and helps Liv. When they meet again, she actually needs his help and claims him as her fake fiance for a gala. The night then turns into something more.

I did not like the way Liv's mother treats her and her job. I think that what Liv does would be hard and stressful. Her mother should have been in awe. I loved how quickly Owen and Liv fell for each other. They just clicked. My fav character though was Andy, Liv's roommate. She was such a fun friend, calling Liv the cutest terms of endearment names.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute romance novella. There is some spice but it does not overwhelm the story.
This starts out as a fake dating situation that very quickly changes. It’s a very predictable ending but still a nice light read.
There is a trope that I am not fond of that made me roll my eyes and did impact my rating slightly. I won’t say what it was so as not to spoil the story. However, it was at least not drawn out for too long.
I find I enjoy romance novels as palate cleaners between heavier reads and this was perfect for that. I will be reading book 2 soon.
3.5 stars

[Delaine (NovelReadingNanny) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this one down. It literally had everything I love about novellas all in one! Fast paced plot, spicy spice, and characters that pull at your heartstrings.

If I didn't have stupid 'sponserberleries, I would have one this in one setting. Nevertheless, I persisted and finished in a day. I did ignore my need for dinner though so be warned.

"Faking It is a sweet-and-spicy fake-dating novella featuring a cinnamon-roll hero who falls first, a guarded heroine learning to trust again, and a swoony romance you can binge in one night."

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up
Liv is at her favorite bar relaxing after work when she starts to get hit on, only to have Owen come in to save her by pretending to be her husband. When Liv sees Owen the next day she happens to tell her mother she is engaged and he happens to be the fiance! 😏 Their chemistry was perfection, while a majority of the time it was very sweet the spicy scenes were perfection.

At 108 pages it is a true novella, so if you're in the mood for a great fake dating and spicy read this one is a great one for you!

[Dani (dtieds_allbookedup) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys and @ajclaremontwrites for the #gifted copy of this book.

"All I want is to be the one who gets to stand beside you, exactly as you are."

My Thoughts: I fell for Liv and Owen fast and hard, hooked from the very beginning with their meet-cute rescue. From the very beginning, Owen saw the real Liv and liked every part of her. This, of course, is exactly the type of person Liv needed in her life. I loved every minute of their fake dating as it quickly evolved into real dates. This book was so bingeable, I devoured it in one day!!

What You'll Find:
😏💞Fake dating
💖Meet-cute rescue
🥹➡️❤️He falls first
❤️‍🔥Golden retriever by day, “good girl” energy by night.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute novella! It was definitely sweet and spicy. I loved Owen and Liv right away. After Owen and Liv met at a bar, they had instant chemistry and when Liv needed a fake date, Owen was up for helping her if it meant that he can be around her more. I loved that Liv was open to more with Owen even though she had baggage. Owen was also top tier fake fiancé when he stuck up for and supported Liv. I loved how these two felt the connection they had and wanted to continue it. While there is a small conflict, it is quickly resolved and these two had the most perfect ending.

While this is a novella and it is short, I loved the pacing of it. I also loved getting to meet Andy, Liv’s roommate, and some of the other neighbors. They had such fun banter and it was overall a cute and fun read. I would 100% recommend it!

[Emma Hatton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time he called her button I hated it, by the end I’m trying to come up with ways to ask my husband to call me button! Why did Owen make it so perfect!

I loved this novella, the characters were perfect, Owen and Liv’s chemistry was there right off the bat and you really felt it! I also LOVED Andy, she was incredible and her way with words had me really laughing.

I will recommend this novella to absolutely everybody.
Super quick read, only took me around an hour and a half but had me giggling, kicking my feet & blushing - what more can you want?

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much! This was so sweet and I like that even though there was some miscommunication it wasn't handled in a petty way. I thought that Owen and Liv were great as individual characters and really good together! I also am really keen to know more about the other residents in the building like Eli.

[Melissa * bookedwithmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insta love doesn’t always work, but being a novella, it’s the perfect spot for it. Owen has quite the hero complex, but there’s something more to Liv. They bond almost immediately, which really makes their relationship something special. I love Owen, he’s a great book boyfriend. Liv has her personal hangups which makes it hard for her to let Owen in.

Thank you to Booked with the Emilys for my copy of this book.

[Our_readingjourney · Rating 4 out of 5]

FAKING IT
A charming stranger Owen quickly comes to Liv Arden's aid as he pretends to be her fiance in a bar against a sleazy patron.
But when later Liv needs a fake fiance to get through her family gala Owen comes to her rescue and a real connection forms.

A sweet spicy fake dating novella where he falls first making it a binge worthy swoony romance.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun lighthearted story with lots of make out sessions. Honestly those became a little repetitive but I loved the banter and the characters so much it did not matter. They were funny and genuine. The H even blushed! The character development was great, and the point of view from the H was especially good. Recommend this story for some light romance and some laughs.

[Vinsci Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake Dating is one of my favorite tropes. I love their meet cute moment and where it went from there. I enjoyed every scene they were together and you can't deny the chemistry. Owen was really lovable. He is definitely a book boyfriend material.

Completer review to follow.

[Amber Elwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how quickly I fell for these characters, and how beautifully they fell for each other despite the fake start to their relationship. This book went deep on the emotions and the spice was incredible, too! I really enjoyed it!

[Anna Paradiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly a sweet yet spicy novella!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book! It was a perfect quick vacation read. The characters and the chemistry were hot and funny, and the pacing is quick. I'm excited for the whole series.

[Brooke Wadsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a fun and romantic read!!! These characters completely come to life and you’re rooting for them the entire time. Cannot wait for the rest of the series!!