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Faking the Fiancé
Not yet published
Expected 29 May 26He's brilliant, untouchable, and the nurses call him the Dread Prince.
Dr. Arjun Kapoor saves children's lives with surgical precision and the bedside manner of a Victorian ghost. He's also been hiding a devastating crush on his complete Dr. Casey Welling, six-foot-three of golden retriever chaos in dinosaur-print scrubs, who does magic tricks for crying kids and has been hopelessly in love with the Dread Prince for two years.
So when Arjun's mother announces she's arranged his engagement to a perfectly suitable surgeon from London, he panics. He tells her he's already engaged. To Casey. Who has absolutely no idea.
Now they have a two weeks at the Kapoor family estate in Rajasthan, fake dating in front of Arjun's terrifyingly powerful family. There are rules. A leather notebook of pre-approved pet names. One bed. (Obviously.) And a pillow wall that's already threatening to collapse.
The problem? Casey was never pretending. And somewhere between the scheming mother, the gossiping aunties, the dangerously charming rival who won't stop flirting with his fake fiancé, and the slow burn that's quickly becoming an inferno, Arjun is discovering the most terrifying thing a control freak can fall in love for real.
A laugh-out-loud MM romantic comedy about two doctors, one spectacularly bad lie, and the mortifying ordeal of realizing your fake relationship is the most real thing you've ever had.
For fans rom-coms, opposites attract, friends to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, MM medical romance, only one bed, and men who are catastrophically bad at feelings.
Dr. Arjun Kapoor saves children's lives with surgical precision and the bedside manner of a Victorian ghost. He's also been hiding a devastating crush on his complete Dr. Casey Welling, six-foot-three of golden retriever chaos in dinosaur-print scrubs, who does magic tricks for crying kids and has been hopelessly in love with the Dread Prince for two years.
So when Arjun's mother announces she's arranged his engagement to a perfectly suitable surgeon from London, he panics. He tells her he's already engaged. To Casey. Who has absolutely no idea.
Now they have a two weeks at the Kapoor family estate in Rajasthan, fake dating in front of Arjun's terrifyingly powerful family. There are rules. A leather notebook of pre-approved pet names. One bed. (Obviously.) And a pillow wall that's already threatening to collapse.
The problem? Casey was never pretending. And somewhere between the scheming mother, the gossiping aunties, the dangerously charming rival who won't stop flirting with his fake fiancé, and the slow burn that's quickly becoming an inferno, Arjun is discovering the most terrifying thing a control freak can fall in love for real.
A laugh-out-loud MM romantic comedy about two doctors, one spectacularly bad lie, and the mortifying ordeal of realizing your fake relationship is the most real thing you've ever had.
For fans rom-coms, opposites attract, friends to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, MM medical romance, only one bed, and men who are catastrophically bad at feelings.
- GenresM M Romance
464 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐️
I received this ARC from the author and this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wheeeeew this book is much longer than I expected and it’s based on a very shakey premise.
We have a rich emotionally stunted doctor, whose incredibly traditional and wealthy family wants to arrange his marriage so he goes and finds himself a fake fiancé to bring home - and my brain goes: Couldn’t he just stand up to his family and say no?
The story started well and I felt the emotional tensions between Arjun and Casey. However after the first 10-15% of the book this emotional connection that we have been investing in gets lost - there’s a lot of unnecessary chunks and fillers and there’s massive paragraphs and paragraphs of essays telling us but not showing us what is happening. The interaction between Casey and Arjun is diluted by the chunks of paragraphs instead of the actual MCs talking and interacting together.
The book does pick up again in the last 20% and it becomes quite enjoyable to read again. The “separation” in the end felt a little contrived and rushed and not enough grovelling done and maybe not dramatic enough but that’s just my personal preference I guess.
The side characters were quite fun to read. This looks to be a series but for the life of me I cannot guess who will be the next book. Looking forward to more books from this series.
Note: There’s a few inconsistencies in the book and some repetitive paragraphs but overall nothing that detracts from the story.
I received this ARC from the author and this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wheeeeew this book is much longer than I expected and it’s based on a very shakey premise.
We have a rich emotionally stunted doctor, whose incredibly traditional and wealthy family wants to arrange his marriage so he goes and finds himself a fake fiancé to bring home - and my brain goes: Couldn’t he just stand up to his family and say no?
The story started well and I felt the emotional tensions between Arjun and Casey. However after the first 10-15% of the book this emotional connection that we have been investing in gets lost - there’s a lot of unnecessary chunks and fillers and there’s massive paragraphs and paragraphs of essays telling us but not showing us what is happening. The interaction between Casey and Arjun is diluted by the chunks of paragraphs instead of the actual MCs talking and interacting together.
The book does pick up again in the last 20% and it becomes quite enjoyable to read again. The “separation” in the end felt a little contrived and rushed and not enough grovelling done and maybe not dramatic enough but that’s just my personal preference I guess.
The side characters were quite fun to read. This looks to be a series but for the life of me I cannot guess who will be the next book. Looking forward to more books from this series.
Note: There’s a few inconsistencies in the book and some repetitive paragraphs but overall nothing that detracts from the story.
Read
May 24, 2026I loved this book! It was funny, romantic, sad, joyous. The character development was stellar. Flawed but very likable characters, navigating a an unspoken romance. Tender moments without being whiny, funny moments that didn’t distract from the story. There are quite a few characters in the story but C.G. Impressed me by giving them a voice but not distracting from the main characters.
I have read quite a few of C.G.’s books, this was the best one yet. I actually cried a few times and laughed out loud. I didn’t want it to end and hope there is a sequel.
I have read quite a few of C.G.’s books, this was the best one yet. I actually cried a few times and laughed out loud. I didn’t want it to end and hope there is a sequel.
Review of advance copy
‘Faking the Fiancé’ feels like a familiar plunge back into ‘Bedside Manner’, bearing more than a few similarities to the opening of C.G. Macington’s St. Jude’s series. Considering how much I enjoyed that series though, stepping back into this setting is all too easy and effortless. (The sort that keeps you cautiously enthusiastic while rubbing your hands in glee)
Arjun Kapoor is this hospital’s Maxwell York, all cool, aloof and controlled and so at the top of his game at work, yet totally inept at expressing anything remotely emotional. On the other hand, there’re shades of Jax O’Connell in Casey Welling, who is blissfully unaware of what he’s in for when Arjun suddenly detonates a bombshell and plunges them both into the unknown—a fake engagement and a visit back to his family in Rajasthan.
It’s fortunate and convenient then, that they unknowingly have the hots for each other and so this setup simply moves everything out into the open, consequences be damned.
And that’s where things get interesting.
Arjun’s comfort zone and hiding place consist of distance and a fallback on academic familiarity that provide the semblance of control that he always craves. But he really couldn’t have picked anyone better for his fake engagement scheme. It’s not that hard a job since Casey is hopelessly fascinated with every detail that has to do with Arjun, and is willing to do anything it takes for Arjun to emotionally catch up to the idea of them together for real, including braving his formidable family in India.
At times, parts of the book could probably be taken out of Rajasthan’s tourist brochure. Away from the frenzied energy of Delhi and the chaotic scenes of the paediatric department, Macington ushers in the rarefied air of the Kapoor aristocracy and their entire impressive network that could probably run the state based on sheer will and power. I absolutely loved the lushly grand setting, the majestic Jaipur architecture and of course, the meddlesome relatives whom I liked a lot less.
That said, the story does feel like ground that’s been trodden on before—version 2.0 if you like. The dynamic of a somewhat neurodivergent protagonist paired with a sunshine, golden-retriever-type character isn’t exactly new, and because I recently completed Macington’s St. Jude’s series, parts of this book simply carried an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Still, ‘Faking the Fiancé’ is longer, more emotionally layered perhaps, and done with a pretty confident writing style and structure of what you’d come to expect of a rom-com. There’re some minor inconsistencies and some repetitive passages, but they do little to detract from the slow-burn and its thoroughly satisfying conclusion even if some of the family tensions remain slightly unresolved.
*ARC provided by Booksirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Arjun Kapoor is this hospital’s Maxwell York, all cool, aloof and controlled and so at the top of his game at work, yet totally inept at expressing anything remotely emotional. On the other hand, there’re shades of Jax O’Connell in Casey Welling, who is blissfully unaware of what he’s in for when Arjun suddenly detonates a bombshell and plunges them both into the unknown—a fake engagement and a visit back to his family in Rajasthan.
It’s fortunate and convenient then, that they unknowingly have the hots for each other and so this setup simply moves everything out into the open, consequences be damned.
And that’s where things get interesting.
Arjun’s comfort zone and hiding place consist of distance and a fallback on academic familiarity that provide the semblance of control that he always craves. But he really couldn’t have picked anyone better for his fake engagement scheme. It’s not that hard a job since Casey is hopelessly fascinated with every detail that has to do with Arjun, and is willing to do anything it takes for Arjun to emotionally catch up to the idea of them together for real, including braving his formidable family in India.
At times, parts of the book could probably be taken out of Rajasthan’s tourist brochure. Away from the frenzied energy of Delhi and the chaotic scenes of the paediatric department, Macington ushers in the rarefied air of the Kapoor aristocracy and their entire impressive network that could probably run the state based on sheer will and power. I absolutely loved the lushly grand setting, the majestic Jaipur architecture and of course, the meddlesome relatives whom I liked a lot less.
That said, the story does feel like ground that’s been trodden on before—version 2.0 if you like. The dynamic of a somewhat neurodivergent protagonist paired with a sunshine, golden-retriever-type character isn’t exactly new, and because I recently completed Macington’s St. Jude’s series, parts of this book simply carried an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Still, ‘Faking the Fiancé’ is longer, more emotionally layered perhaps, and done with a pretty confident writing style and structure of what you’d come to expect of a rom-com. There’re some minor inconsistencies and some repetitive passages, but they do little to detract from the slow-burn and its thoroughly satisfying conclusion even if some of the family tensions remain slightly unresolved.
*ARC provided by Booksirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Ohmygosh this is me! I had to shampoo my carpets the weekend I read this, and in the hour or two before starting this book I looked around my apartment thinking about how much I love uncluttered open spaces but how much I love filling open spaces and I have no idea what I would do if I had more space than my one bedroom apartment.
“Casey Welling's apartment is the physical manifestation of someone who has never once in their life heard the word “minimalism” and thought, yes, that's for me. Every single square foot of the small apartment is occupied.”
I love the wit and the banter and all the different ways these guys (by which I mean the author) say “my heart was racing.” I love the casual use of contractions, not just in the dialogue (although the lack of contractions is most noticeable in dialogue (in other books) because it sounds too formal), but because this is first person POV, the use of contractions in the narration is also appropriate – how many of us say “it is getting late, I had better get ready for bed” when we’re talking to ourselves? I sure don’t, I say “it’s getting late, I’d better get ready for bed.” It’s natural, and it’s well written, and it’s silly maybe how much I love it, but it’s one of the things that sets the right tone on every page.
There’s also this one scene where you’re going to want to make sure you’re not drinking or eating or holding anything liquid, and I’m trying to think of how to warn you which scene that is without revealing any spoilers, and all I can think of is – nope, nope that’s still too spoiler adjacent.
There are two moments when I cried, both are spoilers; one you’ll know when you get there, and you may cry for little-boy Arjun too. The other, you may not know, but if you grew to love Arjun over the course of the book, and you’re a person who expresses emotion through ocular salt water, there’s a good chance you’ll get misty eyed there too.
Faking the Fiancé is a fantastic book, and you won’t regret a single moment spent reading it.
Edited to add - I have also researched so much Indian food, and this book made me so hungry all the time, and I am going to make paratha!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Casey Welling's apartment is the physical manifestation of someone who has never once in their life heard the word “minimalism” and thought, yes, that's for me. Every single square foot of the small apartment is occupied.”
I love the wit and the banter and all the different ways these guys (by which I mean the author) say “my heart was racing.” I love the casual use of contractions, not just in the dialogue (although the lack of contractions is most noticeable in dialogue (in other books) because it sounds too formal), but because this is first person POV, the use of contractions in the narration is also appropriate – how many of us say “it is getting late, I had better get ready for bed” when we’re talking to ourselves? I sure don’t, I say “it’s getting late, I’d better get ready for bed.” It’s natural, and it’s well written, and it’s silly maybe how much I love it, but it’s one of the things that sets the right tone on every page.
There’s also this one scene where you’re going to want to make sure you’re not drinking or eating or holding anything liquid, and I’m trying to think of how to warn you which scene that is without revealing any spoilers, and all I can think of is – nope, nope that’s still too spoiler adjacent.
There are two moments when I cried, both are spoilers; one you’ll know when you get there, and you may cry for little-boy Arjun too. The other, you may not know, but if you grew to love Arjun over the course of the book, and you’re a person who expresses emotion through ocular salt water, there’s a good chance you’ll get misty eyed there too.
Faking the Fiancé is a fantastic book, and you won’t regret a single moment spent reading it.
Edited to add - I have also researched so much Indian food, and this book made me so hungry all the time, and I am going to make paratha!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Faking The Fiancé is a not so fake romance story about doctors Arjun Kapoor and Casey Welling. Ajun’s escape from his mother’s clutches is put to the ultimate test when she informs him that his engagement party to the man of her choice is in two weeks back in India. In a panic he tells he is already engaged to Casey, a man he has been attracted to for two years. When Casey agrees to the ruse, the scene is set for a clash of wills between a domineering mother out to discredit Arjun’s choice and a son determined to be free.
The story is full of well drawn characters and realistic situations considering the fantastic locations where the display of wealth is the norm. There are laugh out loud moments and contemplated moments interspersed with the sad recollections. The theme of surveillance threads its way throughout, underpinning Arjun’s supposed freedom from his mother’s influence and that of the rest of his family. There is not a lot they do not know already, which would make Arjun’s and Casey’s fake engagement story difficult to pass off as true if it wasn’t for the fact that they are very much in love with each other. Not that they know that.
It is a story about being open to love and fighting for the right to love the person of your choice. It may be a little long winded but it delivers on many levels from a happy ending to standing up for one self and not compromising.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is full of well drawn characters and realistic situations considering the fantastic locations where the display of wealth is the norm. There are laugh out loud moments and contemplated moments interspersed with the sad recollections. The theme of surveillance threads its way throughout, underpinning Arjun’s supposed freedom from his mother’s influence and that of the rest of his family. There is not a lot they do not know already, which would make Arjun’s and Casey’s fake engagement story difficult to pass off as true if it wasn’t for the fact that they are very much in love with each other. Not that they know that.
It is a story about being open to love and fighting for the right to love the person of your choice. It may be a little long winded but it delivers on many levels from a happy ending to standing up for one self and not compromising.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Similar vibes to Bedside Manner, but also completely different. Faking the Fiancé is sweet and funny and full of a rich culture that I loved diving into.
The descriptions of Kapoor family estate were especially beautiful. From the immaculate descriptions of the grounds to the exquisite details of the sari's. I felt like I was standing in India experiencing each moment myself.
Messy, pediatric doctor, Casey Wellington is a total softie and has been crushing on Arjun Kapoor for the past few years. So when Arjun asks Casey to help him when he suddenly needs a fiancé Casey jumps at the chance, not even asking why. Casey doesn't care that it's fake because he's hoping that by the end of their deal it becomes real.
Casey Wellington is messy with his goldendoodle dog named Oliver who sheds all over everything, the total opposite of the meticulous, pediatric brain surgeon Arjun Kapoor, but they work in all the best of ways.
He studies Arjuns family to head to India and I adored the whole event, the tactical dossier, brilliant 👏, and Casey took it all on with a smile. He's the warm calm to Arjuns cool non-social game, ❤️
There's a big meddling family, a formidable mother and opposites attract with a lovely happily ever after. A 4.5 stars over all.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for the advanced review copy and all opinions are my own.
The descriptions of Kapoor family estate were especially beautiful. From the immaculate descriptions of the grounds to the exquisite details of the sari's. I felt like I was standing in India experiencing each moment myself.
Messy, pediatric doctor, Casey Wellington is a total softie and has been crushing on Arjun Kapoor for the past few years. So when Arjun asks Casey to help him when he suddenly needs a fiancé Casey jumps at the chance, not even asking why. Casey doesn't care that it's fake because he's hoping that by the end of their deal it becomes real.
Casey Wellington is messy with his goldendoodle dog named Oliver who sheds all over everything, the total opposite of the meticulous, pediatric brain surgeon Arjun Kapoor, but they work in all the best of ways.
He studies Arjuns family to head to India and I adored the whole event, the tactical dossier, brilliant 👏, and Casey took it all on with a smile. He's the warm calm to Arjuns cool non-social game, ❤️
There's a big meddling family, a formidable mother and opposites attract with a lovely happily ever after. A 4.5 stars over all.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for the advanced review copy and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
If only I could give more than five stars I would. I told a friend as I was reading it, I would gladly give it 10 in a 5 star rating.
This is not the first and hope not the last book by this author I have read and reviewed. I was captured by his two religious books and went on to the St. Jude series and now this book stands out above all. The characters are a bit extreme but very, very well-developed. The situations can be hilarious and they can be serious but it makes for excellent reading
The story mostly occurs in India but starts and ends in Toronto where the two main characters are doctors. It is obviously well-researched and written as if the author has been in both places. Both MCs have mothers who are strong and devious in what they do and I suspect we will see more as they clash in a future book in the series. Although the two main characters are extremely different, they have complementary personalities that leads to a balance. To some extent both have inherited "strong" from their mothers but I will not say more as it would spoil it for the reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is not the first and hope not the last book by this author I have read and reviewed. I was captured by his two religious books and went on to the St. Jude series and now this book stands out above all. The characters are a bit extreme but very, very well-developed. The situations can be hilarious and they can be serious but it makes for excellent reading
The story mostly occurs in India but starts and ends in Toronto where the two main characters are doctors. It is obviously well-researched and written as if the author has been in both places. Both MCs have mothers who are strong and devious in what they do and I suspect we will see more as they clash in a future book in the series. Although the two main characters are extremely different, they have complementary personalities that leads to a balance. To some extent both have inherited "strong" from their mothers but I will not say more as it would spoil it for the reader.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Arjun, with the bedside manner of a Victorian ghost and Casey, who has the patience of a saint(and the unique ability to charm the pants off one, too).
The story of one man who's loved another long before he could ever hope for anything more between them, and all the way through the other's clinical attempts to escape.
A well written slow burn(well.....as slow as it can be within a fortnight or thereabouts), with no world falling apart around them.
I've really come to love Macington's portrayals of MCs who are on the spectrum. Adorable without noticing they're adorable. Or wanting to be seen as adorable 💀
This is more like Bedside Manner than the author's darker stuff. Very light-hearted, even though Arjun would NOT agree. This ruse was serious military business to that man lol.
I adored this one and one day, when I've not just read(and had my heart shredded by) Brokeback Mountain, I'll be back to write it the review it deserves.
The story of one man who's loved another long before he could ever hope for anything more between them, and all the way through the other's clinical attempts to escape.
A well written slow burn(well.....as slow as it can be within a fortnight or thereabouts), with no world falling apart around them.
I've really come to love Macington's portrayals of MCs who are on the spectrum. Adorable without noticing they're adorable. Or wanting to be seen as adorable 💀
This is more like Bedside Manner than the author's darker stuff. Very light-hearted, even though Arjun would NOT agree. This ruse was serious military business to that man lol.
I adored this one and one day, when I've not just read(and had my heart shredded by) Brokeback Mountain, I'll be back to write it the review it deserves.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC of Faking the Fiancé by C. G. Macington. I received this copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the first in a series, Lakeshore Medical Romance. And it is *chef's kiss* warm and funny and just made me laugh and cry.
I have enjoyed everything I've read by C. G. Macington and this was lovely.
Casey is a self-described golden retriever and Arjun is the by-the-book brilliant pediatric neurosurgeon. When Arjun's mother tells him she's found the perfect husband for him, Arjun panics and says he's already engaged to Casey. Whom he's been in love with for 2 years. And Casey's been in love with Arjun. But both have kept this a complete secret.
When they get to India for the engagement party week, will they be able to pull off the ruse? Or will they finally admit their love for each other?
The settings are great, and these are two perfect characters.
This is the first in a series, Lakeshore Medical Romance. And it is *chef's kiss* warm and funny and just made me laugh and cry.
I have enjoyed everything I've read by C. G. Macington and this was lovely.
Casey is a self-described golden retriever and Arjun is the by-the-book brilliant pediatric neurosurgeon. When Arjun's mother tells him she's found the perfect husband for him, Arjun panics and says he's already engaged to Casey. Whom he's been in love with for 2 years. And Casey's been in love with Arjun. But both have kept this a complete secret.
When they get to India for the engagement party week, will they be able to pull off the ruse? Or will they finally admit their love for each other?
The settings are great, and these are two perfect characters.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Be scared. Be human."
C.G. Macington has an uncanny ability to write about formidable mothers and emotionally scarred men in a fun and witty way. Arjun has spent his whole life trying to fit everything into a diagnosis he understands. Clinical means safety, variables are dangerous. But maybe Casey is worth is a variable worth the challenge.
C.G. Macington has an uncanny ability to write about formidable mothers and emotionally scarred men in a fun and witty way. Arjun has spent his whole life trying to fit everything into a diagnosis he understands. Clinical means safety, variables are dangerous. But maybe Casey is worth is a variable worth the challenge.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A long and very sweet book! Be prepared for slow, slow burn and low heat. Two doctore, a grup and a ray of sunshine!
I am beging the author for another book, where the mothers meet and plan the weading; Read this one, IT s funny and sweet1
I am beging the author for another book, where the mothers meet and plan the weading; Read this one, IT s funny and sweet1
Review of advance copy
This is a sweet funny slow burn romance. You will follow them when they support each other and when each of them seem to get in their own way. I loved this book.
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