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Pretend Girlfriend
Fake love, real sparks.
When Celeste Lamontagne receives a wedding invitation from her ex, she’s furious. The only thing worse than being cheated on? Seeing your ex and the girl she cheated with get married. Less than a year later. And as part of a two-week long Mediterranean cruise. But they say the best revenge is a life well lived, right? Not for Celeste, it isn’t. It’s arranging an elaborate fake relationship with someone to make your ex jealous.
Lane Bishop is the perfect someone to do just that. Impulsive to the extreme, she loses her job right in front of Celeste. There goes Lane’s best shot at becoming a stylist in New York City. She can have another chance if she agrees to travel with Celeste, pretending to be her girlfriend so that Celeste’s ex sees her happy and thriving. The only catch? Celeste’s an heiress accustomed to getting everything she wants. She’s rigorous about details—some might say spoiled—which clashes with a free spirit like Lane.
Two weeks travelling in close quarters challenges the faux lovebirds. They’ve got to appear harmoniously in love, even when they’d rather rib each other than whisper sweet nothings. But the sparks between Celeste and Lane become harder and harder to ignore. Can they convince the wedding guests of their passion without the flames setting them both alight?
When Celeste Lamontagne receives a wedding invitation from her ex, she’s furious. The only thing worse than being cheated on? Seeing your ex and the girl she cheated with get married. Less than a year later. And as part of a two-week long Mediterranean cruise. But they say the best revenge is a life well lived, right? Not for Celeste, it isn’t. It’s arranging an elaborate fake relationship with someone to make your ex jealous.
Lane Bishop is the perfect someone to do just that. Impulsive to the extreme, she loses her job right in front of Celeste. There goes Lane’s best shot at becoming a stylist in New York City. She can have another chance if she agrees to travel with Celeste, pretending to be her girlfriend so that Celeste’s ex sees her happy and thriving. The only catch? Celeste’s an heiress accustomed to getting everything she wants. She’s rigorous about details—some might say spoiled—which clashes with a free spirit like Lane.
Two weeks travelling in close quarters challenges the faux lovebirds. They’ve got to appear harmoniously in love, even when they’d rather rib each other than whisper sweet nothings. But the sparks between Celeste and Lane become harder and harder to ignore. Can they convince the wedding guests of their passion without the flames setting them both alight?
5 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 13, 2018
326 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
Lily Craig
7 books54 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
October 1, 2018
Interesting read! Lots of fluffy stuff and a nice ending! :D
November 21, 2018
Unpopular rating and review I know i know :) well it was just way too predictable! I didn’t like the main characters, didn’t feel their chemistry and even the humor was not funny .. and oh my god the last part on the ship, what was that?!
March 18, 2019
I picked this up during the last big lesfic sales at iheartlesfic and finally got around to reading it this weekend.
Is the whole premise silly? Yes. Is the whole premise of most fake relationship books silly? Also yes. BUT! That means that if fake relationship books are one of your weaknesses, like they are for me, then you'll probably enjoy this one as much as I did.
After having one hell of a stressful week, it turned out to be the perfect fluffy escapism for me to relax and put it all behind me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it.
Is the whole premise silly? Yes. Is the whole premise of most fake relationship books silly? Also yes. BUT! That means that if fake relationship books are one of your weaknesses, like they are for me, then you'll probably enjoy this one as much as I did.
After having one hell of a stressful week, it turned out to be the perfect fluffy escapism for me to relax and put it all behind me. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it.
November 16, 2018
This is my first book by this author and I wasn't really sure what to expect of it. It turned out to be a pretty decent read. The characters are likable and the story only contains a small amount of angst, so it's a great read if you're looking for something light and a little fluffy.
There's definitely some humor to be found within, though not enough to be labeled as a comedy and there was also 1 pretty hot scene between Lane and Celeste. For some moments you do however need to suspend your disbelief a little and not take this book to seriously. I just wished the writing style was a little more dialogue heavy.
Enjoy this book for what it is, a nice way to pass a few hours. Overall rating 3,25*
There's definitely some humor to be found within, though not enough to be labeled as a comedy and there was also 1 pretty hot scene between Lane and Celeste. For some moments you do however need to suspend your disbelief a little and not take this book to seriously. I just wished the writing style was a little more dialogue heavy.
Enjoy this book for what it is, a nice way to pass a few hours. Overall rating 3,25*
January 30, 2020
"Ah, the classic 'hire them to pretend to be dating you' move. Smooth, always a hit with the ladies"
The amount of fake dating books i read, you'd think I would be bored by now but no, I can never get enough of this trope.
So, Celeste is a smug heiress who wants a fake date to her ex girlfriend's wedding, Lane expecting it to be a free vacation joins her, enter cupid and they are no longer pretending.
I didn't start out liking Celeste but that only lasted a few chapters. After all, who can resist a Ice Queen, certainly not me and Lane. I loved their witty banter, Lane was so damn funny. Not the greatest fauxmance but definitely a good one.
The amount of fake dating books i read, you'd think I would be bored by now but no, I can never get enough of this trope.
So, Celeste is a smug heiress who wants a fake date to her ex girlfriend's wedding, Lane expecting it to be a free vacation joins her, enter cupid and they are no longer pretending.
I didn't start out liking Celeste but that only lasted a few chapters. After all, who can resist a Ice Queen, certainly not me and Lane. I loved their witty banter, Lane was so damn funny. Not the greatest fauxmance but definitely a good one.
September 24, 2018
Fun, fluffy romance built around a fake relationship. Well written and well edited. I'll definitely add Lily Craig to my must-read KindleUnlimited authors.
November 12, 2018
Didn’t think I’ll like the book but I was wrong. It was a pretty enjoyable read, light and fluffy. Not too much angst with funny banters between Lane and Celeste. A fun book for me to read to end the long and tiring week.
February 13, 2019
I really, really enjoyed this book. Each chapter switched between the two main characters, and I thought that was very effective. It took me a while to warm up to Celeste, but the layers of her personality were revealed over the course of the first several chapters and that helped me understand her better. She and Lane were both well-rounded and I soon found it easy to sympathize with them.
The Mediterranean setting was beautiful and evocative, and I enjoyed the way scenes hopped between ports as the yacht visited them. I was also very much caught up in the complex push and pull of Celeste and Lane's relationship. There's an event near the end that I found pretty sudden (I'm trying to be vague to avoid spoilers), and it pulled me out of the story a little. I was looking forward to finding out how Celeste and Lane were going to navigate the the challenges they were facing with each other, and that event kind of gave them an easy way out.
Still, I really got caught up in the characters and their journey, and I was ultimately happy with how everything turned out. It was a great read!
The Mediterranean setting was beautiful and evocative, and I enjoyed the way scenes hopped between ports as the yacht visited them. I was also very much caught up in the complex push and pull of Celeste and Lane's relationship. There's an event near the end that I found pretty sudden (I'm trying to be vague to avoid spoilers), and it pulled me out of the story a little. I was looking forward to finding out how Celeste and Lane were going to navigate the the challenges they were facing with each other, and that event kind of gave them an easy way out.
Still, I really got caught up in the characters and their journey, and I was ultimately happy with how everything turned out. It was a great read!
July 10, 2019
Meh. Characters were one dimensional, felt no connection to them and they didn't really have any growth. Wasn't invested in the relationship, missing chemistry and felt like there was no burn.
August 18, 2019
I thought this book was an okay read/listen, good to pass time on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It was not my favourite of the fake relationship trope.
I didn't think that there was a need to have two narrators as it seemed like the main characters were two different people. Despite feeling that way, they did a good job in telling the story.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-MI
I didn't think that there was a need to have two narrators as it seemed like the main characters were two different people. Despite feeling that way, they did a good job in telling the story.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-MI
May 28, 2019
This is a pretend relationship trope that I love and love to love. What made it better was that it wasn't a story about two entitled white boys. I think I liked it more for the reason that this was wlw - f/f original.
Even if the MC is a rich heiress, there is the struggle of being a woman - a gay woman - seeking her father's approval. As someone who basks in the genre of m/m - white privilege is often overlooked and everyone just loves everything about a book b/c of gay sex so imagine my surprise at how funny and quirky and refreshing this book was.
I expected to hate it.
And though, I wish Lane's character was just a bit more fleshed out - this book did its job and kept me entertained. The dialogue was on point, the writing was well, and there wasn't anything repetitive about the style. (Or if there was, I didn't notice it. Everything flowed well).
Even if the MC is a rich heiress, there is the struggle of being a woman - a gay woman - seeking her father's approval. As someone who basks in the genre of m/m - white privilege is often overlooked and everyone just loves everything about a book b/c of gay sex so imagine my surprise at how funny and quirky and refreshing this book was.
I expected to hate it.
And though, I wish Lane's character was just a bit more fleshed out - this book did its job and kept me entertained. The dialogue was on point, the writing was well, and there wasn't anything repetitive about the style. (Or if there was, I didn't notice it. Everything flowed well).
April 23, 2019
Is this love pretend?
Celeste has a plan. She just needs to find the right girl. Lane has no plans. She’s a free spirit. When Celeste hires her to fulfill her plan , little do they know the adventures that await them. I found Lily’s story to be fun & lighthearted. It was a quick read with some steamy sexy times! I enjoyed this story & I know you will too!
Celeste has a plan. She just needs to find the right girl. Lane has no plans. She’s a free spirit. When Celeste hires her to fulfill her plan , little do they know the adventures that await them. I found Lily’s story to be fun & lighthearted. It was a quick read with some steamy sexy times! I enjoyed this story & I know you will too!
October 2, 2018
Pretend girlfriend
This is my first book by this author but I'm sure it won't be my last. It was a cute and enjoyable read with enough development that you felt like you understood and could empathise with the main characters as well as having a good feel for everything else around them.
This is my first book by this author but I'm sure it won't be my last. It was a cute and enjoyable read with enough development that you felt like you understood and could empathise with the main characters as well as having a good feel for everything else around them.
December 31, 2018
I really wanted to like this book. I really wanted it to be great because it's pure romance gold. It has been done so many times in different medias but this was not the case.
A lot of people have different opinions on representation. As a queer woman myself, I want it all. I want the bad or good cheesy romance, the insta love, the angst, the great epic love... So I was ready for this and it was read more of a fanfic than anything else.
Now, I love fanfics as much as the next person but this story was poorly fleshed out. There was zero characterization beside "quirky" traits I didn't enjoy. There was also no character arch and no tension at all.
It was all just so rushed and one of things I disliked the most was these sentences that represented the mid of the character whether doubting of something or coming to a realization. They were all annoying because they broke the whole chapter. I didn't get why the author would write angsty paragraphs just to end it on a "maybe I was wrong all along and all I needed was love" or something like that. It killed the mood so many times.
Celeste should be the one with the more development and there was hardly any for her. And you can argue that she learned to let go off past grudges and blah blah blah but how could that be what she learned at the end when she was already ready for that since chapter one with all those amazing self explanatory sentences?
Lane was just there. Nothing too deep, just your average pixie girl.
It's not that I expected the queer romance of the century but I have read better stuff online.
A lot of people have different opinions on representation. As a queer woman myself, I want it all. I want the bad or good cheesy romance, the insta love, the angst, the great epic love... So I was ready for this and it was read more of a fanfic than anything else.
Now, I love fanfics as much as the next person but this story was poorly fleshed out. There was zero characterization beside "quirky" traits I didn't enjoy. There was also no character arch and no tension at all.
It was all just so rushed and one of things I disliked the most was these sentences that represented the mid of the character whether doubting of something or coming to a realization. They were all annoying because they broke the whole chapter. I didn't get why the author would write angsty paragraphs just to end it on a "maybe I was wrong all along and all I needed was love" or something like that. It killed the mood so many times.
Celeste should be the one with the more development and there was hardly any for her. And you can argue that she learned to let go off past grudges and blah blah blah but how could that be what she learned at the end when she was already ready for that since chapter one with all those amazing self explanatory sentences?
Lane was just there. Nothing too deep, just your average pixie girl.
It's not that I expected the queer romance of the century but I have read better stuff online.
August 13, 2020
this book took a trope that i absolutely love and do not mind seeing over and over again - fake dating - and, unfortunately, didn’t do great with it; most of it was just too shallow, the characters’ motivations didn’t make a lot of sense and some of it was a little too unbelievable, even for that premise. moreover, in a book about a heiress and a somewhat humble girl getting together, you’d think the rich and conceited girl would be the annoying and aggravating one, not the other way around, huh? while celeste was a bit snobbish most of the time, lane was leagues ahead in the irritating, spoiled and holier-than-thou attitude department, which was sort of bizarre.
having said that, i obviously wasn’t expecting much from this: just a light, fun, cheesy read - and that’s exactly what i got, with the added bonus of liking the dynamic pacing quite a bit. plus, i’d often find myself reading one chapter, going to do work things, and all the while just wanting to get back to it and read one more. i think that’s really motivating when you’re reading a book, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen quite as regularly as i wish it did.
all in all, a solid experience!
having said that, i obviously wasn’t expecting much from this: just a light, fun, cheesy read - and that’s exactly what i got, with the added bonus of liking the dynamic pacing quite a bit. plus, i’d often find myself reading one chapter, going to do work things, and all the while just wanting to get back to it and read one more. i think that’s really motivating when you’re reading a book, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen quite as regularly as i wish it did.
all in all, a solid experience!
December 29, 2018
Pretend Girlfriend is a quick, enjoyable read. MCs Celeste and Lane are good foils for each other and the inner thoughts of each feel true to character. If this book were longer, I probably would have added a star, but it was too short to get in-depth insights into these characters, plus there's only so much depth someone like Celeste seems capable of offering. I understood from the summary that it was a short book and decided to proceed with the purchase anyway; it's not Craig's fault that my preference runs toward longer reads where I really get to understand the heart of each character. Craig provides an entertaining enough journey to make this a worthwhile Kindle Unlimited download.
June 11, 2019
On page Pan rep!!! You do not see that enough in books! Overall, this was a really fun fake dating F/F relationship. The steamy scenes were good! (although, I wish there were more!)
January 3, 2023
2.75/5 ⭐️
November 16, 2018
I’m a sucker for the fake dating/relationship trope, so I was excited when I found this book about two women pretending to be in a relationship. However… it wasn’t great. Or even really that good.
Celeste’s ex-girlfriend Verity is getting married and has invited Celeste to the destination wedding cruise in Europe. Not wanting to seem like her life is still in shambles she enlists Lane to pretend to be her girlfriend for the cruise. Will the relationship stay fake or will sparks fly between them? Can they keep up the charade or will people find out they’ve been faking it? If you’ve ever read anything involving this trope it’s pretty easy to figure out the major plot beats.
The problem with this book is that it’s not super fleshed out. Celeste and Lane didn’t feel like real people, just caricatures. Also, I didn’t feel that much chemistry between them. And the sex scenes weren’t the best. I know that the plots for most fake dating stories are ridiculous, but they can be grounded and believable if there are strong characters with good chemistry. Sadly that didn’t really happen here.
Oh well. I’ll keep searching for a really great queer fake dating book.
Celeste’s ex-girlfriend Verity is getting married and has invited Celeste to the destination wedding cruise in Europe. Not wanting to seem like her life is still in shambles she enlists Lane to pretend to be her girlfriend for the cruise. Will the relationship stay fake or will sparks fly between them? Can they keep up the charade or will people find out they’ve been faking it? If you’ve ever read anything involving this trope it’s pretty easy to figure out the major plot beats.
The problem with this book is that it’s not super fleshed out. Celeste and Lane didn’t feel like real people, just caricatures. Also, I didn’t feel that much chemistry between them. And the sex scenes weren’t the best. I know that the plots for most fake dating stories are ridiculous, but they can be grounded and believable if there are strong characters with good chemistry. Sadly that didn’t really happen here.
Oh well. I’ll keep searching for a really great queer fake dating book.
March 19, 2023
What could I do with this new longing?
Really cute, easy to listen to, with tropes that I always love. I'm not sure it'll stick with me very much, though? Celeste hires Lane to be her fake girlfriend and attend her cheating ex's wedding, which takes place on a European cruise. Fake dating remains a bespoke trope, but I think this was a bit too short to give me all the hijinks-y situations I like to see with fake dating. There wasn't enough of them having to cosy up together in mixed company imo. I did really like the travel aspects, and the scenes of them visiting different cities and getting closer through that. I also wish there'd been a few more scenes of that. This really does kinda suffer for its shortness. And the third act conflict arose from places that seemed a bit silly, and IDK, I think they both overreacted.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Gabra Zackman and Emily Beresford. I enjoyed Celeste's narrator much much more than Lane's, but overall it wasn't bad. This was super cute; just doesn't live up to all the potential it has.
May 1, 2025
While I liked the story overall, there was something about Celeste that drew me in. Might have been her Ice-Queen behaviour.
The story had an original setting, since the trope was pretty much what you would expect from a fake-dating situation. But the book plays out on a boat, which was booked for a wedding. That was new.
I had one small problem with Celeste's age. The author said she was 25. But 'finally' wanting her father's approval, owning a business and all that, she sounded older. Maybe it was her character and the weight she was carrying, that made her feel older while reading.
The story had an original setting, since the trope was pretty much what you would expect from a fake-dating situation. But the book plays out on a boat, which was booked for a wedding. That was new.
I had one small problem with Celeste's age. The author said she was 25. But 'finally' wanting her father's approval, owning a business and all that, she sounded older. Maybe it was her character and the weight she was carrying, that made her feel older while reading.
November 29, 2018
This was a cute, fluffy romance--enjoyable but not particularly memorable. Rich girl Celeste is so mortified by the idea her ex-girlfriend getting married that she hires another woman, Lane, to pretend to be her girlfriend. Of course, they end up falling in love for real. (Not exactly a spoiler!) Although the romance itself was just okay, I did enjoy the Mediterranean setting.
October 15, 2025
3,5/5
Well wasn't this nice.
I gotta say trough 80% of the book there were some parts where I didn't really like Lane,and in the rest of the 20% I had not idea what the fuck both of them were trying to do.
They were cute and funny sometimes, enjoyable even ,but they sure did a great time at giving me some headaches
Well wasn't this nice.
I gotta say trough 80% of the book there were some parts where I didn't really like Lane,and in the rest of the 20% I had not idea what the fuck both of them were trying to do.
They were cute and funny sometimes, enjoyable even ,but they sure did a great time at giving me some headaches
May 8, 2019
Yeah, nope, no thanks. Unlikable characters around for pretty predictable story.
July 4, 2019
2.5 stars. RTC
May 1, 2019
I like that kind of plot, but I don't know, it didn't get me.
It's an okay read, I took it a little too long to finish, so, just okay.
It's an okay read, I took it a little too long to finish, so, just okay.
May 9, 2019
Pretend Girlfriend is book that is full of promise. The premise is interesting, bringing a hot mess model along for the revenge on the girl who cheated on you ride. I'm always a sucker for a fake relationship slowburn. There were so many possible setups that would be rift with tension, the fun kind. That's where this book fails. There is nothing here. *Some light spoilers ahead* The premise is thin. Lane gets fired on her first day for being late and Celeste snaps her up coming out of bar midday for a revenge plot. It's too bad, I would have liked to know more.
The switching views between characters is confusing. The characters are written so similarly, I occasionally had to check back on whose POV we were on.
The two leading ladies, Celeste and Lane, have chemistry from the very beginning, something Lily Craig reminds you us basically, every page or so. These two are so hot for each other from day 2, that there is no "will they or won't they" tension.
Almost all the conflict is trivial and self created. All character building was exposition and none of it through actions.
There is a distinct lack of intimate scenes, which while doesn't bother me, might bother some. What did bother me
There are no "big moments" that define the story. Every encounter that you had built up tension to deflates on arrival. The evil ex that ruining Celeste's life is flighty and kind of sweet.
The "friend" Kaia, that she is marrying (after cheating with her in Celeste's bed) is weirdly likable.
I would say you actually learn the most about her. While she is "not a nice person," you spend more time with her then with Celeste's ex.
Revenge is actually not a large part of this book at all. It's mostly them going to various places in Europe and having a nice vacation. I guess it's not all bad.
Celeste, a billionaire's daughter, displays no business sense (a job she is supposed to have) and a very high level of insecurity.
Lane on the hand, I liked better, but she's never really give a flushed out character
The switching views between characters is confusing. The characters are written so similarly, I occasionally had to check back on whose POV we were on.
The two leading ladies, Celeste and Lane, have chemistry from the very beginning, something Lily Craig reminds you us basically, every page or so. These two are so hot for each other from day 2, that there is no "will they or won't they" tension.
Almost all the conflict is trivial and self created. All character building was exposition and none of it through actions.
There is a distinct lack of intimate scenes, which while doesn't bother me, might bother some. What did bother me
There are no "big moments" that define the story. Every encounter that you had built up tension to deflates on arrival. The evil ex that ruining Celeste's life is flighty and kind of sweet.
The "friend" Kaia, that she is marrying (after cheating with her in Celeste's bed) is weirdly likable.
I would say you actually learn the most about her. While she is "not a nice person," you spend more time with her then with Celeste's ex.
Revenge is actually not a large part of this book at all. It's mostly them going to various places in Europe and having a nice vacation. I guess it's not all bad.
Celeste, a billionaire's daughter, displays no business sense (a job she is supposed to have) and a very high level of insecurity.
Lane on the hand, I liked better, but she's never really give a flushed out character
May 30, 2019
Although it's not a new storyline, I quite liked the idea of the pretend girlfriend. Unfortunately by the end of the first chapter I really didn't like Celeste and Karen wasn’t believable, an aspiring stylist to the rich and famous turns up to work in ripped leggings and a leather mini-skirt? In fact why would an irritating brat want to pamper ‘spoilt little rich girls’?
In theory the two different women should produce an interesting relationship, but it wasn’t working for me and the further I went into the book the less convinced I became about the characters and even the point of the whole charade.
At the end I nearly gave one star but I suppose the story wasn’t awful so I gave two stars.
In theory the two different women should produce an interesting relationship, but it wasn’t working for me and the further I went into the book the less convinced I became about the characters and even the point of the whole charade.
At the end I nearly gave one star but I suppose the story wasn’t awful so I gave two stars.
December 30, 2019
“Pretend Girlfriend” is hilarious, with terrific narration!
MC Celeste is an heiress, who knows all too well that with wealth comes suspicion, distrust and loneliness. MC Lane is her complete opposite - a free spirit who dreams of becoming a hair stylist in NYC. Lane is also pansexual, and believes in the enjoyment of sex much more than love.
There’s skullduggery (what a great word!) about, cheaters and more cheaters (not the MCs), and a race to lifeboats.
Ice queens can be entertaining, but I found Celeste too manipulative to be likable. Lane’s best moment was when she was shocked that Celeste brought a strapon onto the boat for their fake relationship! 3.6*
MC Celeste is an heiress, who knows all too well that with wealth comes suspicion, distrust and loneliness. MC Lane is her complete opposite - a free spirit who dreams of becoming a hair stylist in NYC. Lane is also pansexual, and believes in the enjoyment of sex much more than love.
There’s skullduggery (what a great word!) about, cheaters and more cheaters (not the MCs), and a race to lifeboats.
Ice queens can be entertaining, but I found Celeste too manipulative to be likable. Lane’s best moment was when she was shocked that Celeste brought a strapon onto the boat for their fake relationship! 3.6*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews