For some reason going into this I thought it was a period piece romance. So I was really confused in the beginning when it seemed like current day. I guess if I had looked at the cover a little better it would have been less of a surprise. But beyond that non twist twist, I loved this book! They were well developed characters with flaws who learned to grow and talk things out. I loved the side characters and the whole set up of the rich family. Perfect beginning to end, I will recommend this to everyone!

I’ve been a fan of Alexandria Bellefleur’s writing since I read her first novel, Written in the Stars, so I was definitely excited to pick up The Fiancée Farce. Here, Bellefleur is back once again with another sapphic fake-dating romp, this time with the stakes upped and a fake engagement on the line. The Fiancée Farce brings with it everything I’ve come to expect from a Bellefleur written romance: heightened sexual tension, steamy moments, and the perfect rom-com plot-line.

Tansy, an anxiety-ridden book seller struggling beneath the pressure of her difficult step-family and Gemma, the fun party girl who uses her loud personality to hide how disconnected she feels from her own family, were great, classic rom-com leads. I enjoyed how they both had such unique voices, which can be tricky to do with a dual POV.

I loved the use of the fake dating trope here. I was worried that adding the modern-day marriage of convenience trope would make this story feel a little ridiculous and take me out of the experience, but that never happened. Instead, the impending nuptials added just the right amount of stakes and excitement to the relationship while keeping the story light and enjoyable.

Like watching a really good 2000s’ rom-com, The Fiancée Farce was such a fun, feel-good read. 💕

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This was an excellent fake-dating marriage of convenience sapphic romance with a lot of heart. I loved Gemma's quirky collection of friends and Tansy's ability to hold her own against Gemma's terrible family. They made an excellent pair and a romance I could wholeheartedly root for.

I am so glad that we're getting more and more *good* sapphic romances lately. It makes me so happy.

The audiobook performance was excellent with the characters all getting very expressive and easily distinguishable voices and the story easy to follow.


*Thanks to Avon for providing an early copy for review.

This was one of my first June reads, and of course made for a fun Pride month read. I always enjoy a Bellefleur romp and this one did not disappoint at all. I loved both of the main characters and enjoyed the fake dating trope and how things pulled together in the end.

I simply loved these two women together. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, but the fact that one is a romance novel cover model made it even more delightful.

Gemma and Tansy's story is so fun -- Alexandria Bellefleur writes such beautiful queer love stories and The Fiance Farce is no exception to this -- love!

Summary:
Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They’ll never actually meet, so what’s the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes.

Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement.

Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather’s will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it’s a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout…

A fun, modern engagement/marriage of convenience. I really enjoy Bellefleur's characters and stories, and this was no different.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been extremely excited for this as a huge Alexandria Bellefleur fan and lover of fake dating/marriage of convenience. This did not disappoint and is one of my new favorites!

This is Alexandria Bellefleur at her best. This book and its characters tore my heart into pieces and then put it all back together in the best way. Though the premise may seem unlikely (a fake engagement to a romance book cover model, who also happens to be from an extremely wealthy family), the way the relationship blossoms between Gemma and Tansy is sweet, charming, and sexy all at once. The pining and heart eyes are real, but the narrative never resorts to miscommunication, which I appreciate. This is a lovely sapphic romance, with a bit of heat and a whole lot of heart.

This was an absolute delight! What truly sets Fiancée Farce apart is its refreshing take on the fake relationship trope. Bellefleur breathes new life into this beloved trope, infusing it with humor, heart, and plenty of surprises along the way. The chemistry between the main characters is off the charts, sparking with every witty banter and stolen glance.

This book was everything and more! It was funny, powerful, and with a little bit of spice. I related a lot to Tansy & what she went through, so seeing her work through that felt very personal to me.

Such an enjoyable read!! I really liked this book and was so happy I was given the opportunity to read it here at netgalley. Made me laugh out loud multiple times.

Cheesy and heartfelt, The Fiancée Farce is a sapphic, tropey, gem of a book. Alexandria Bellefleur has yet to disappoint me and this book continues that trend. It was full of wit and delightful spice, truly making it one of my favorite romances of the year.

It follows Tansey, owner of a bookstore, stepdaughter to a rather overbearing Katherine, and a hopelessly single romantic. After coming face to face with the very real Gemma, who she had been pretending was her girlfriend, Tansey finds an unexpected spark in their fake relationship. Gemma, model, disappointment to her family, named heir to Van Dalen Publishing IF she is married by the board meeting, quickly realizes that Tansey is the key to keeping her position. As the two dodge the obstacles the Van Dalen family throws at them, they begin to realize that real feelings are impeding on their fake relationship.

Both Tansey and Gemma are well rounded characters that I really did enjoy reading about. They were flawed and honest while still being a perfect fit for a swoon worthy romance. I appreciated the representation they brought forward because it’s rare I read a sapphic romance where both main characters are bi. The secondary characters however, including Gemma’s family, were not my favorite, some being quite unpleasant. I love a strong secondary cast that are both great for the main character and also make me wish for a story of their own. I just didn’t get that here. But I think Tansey and Gemma make up for it, and I genuinely enjoyed the book anyway.

Overall I loved this book and will continue to quickly reach for any new publishing's from Bellefleur.

3.5 stars

I liked Tansy and Gemma well enough. They're opposites in personality, so that was interesting seeing how their relationship played out. There are a lot a lot a lot of characters here and I struggled to keep them straight. (I mean, Gemma has FIVE roommates and they're around a lot.) Brooks was by far the best and I could have done with loads more of him.

Plot wise, it was okay. There are a lot of moving pieces, but somehow it also felt like nothing was going on. I wanted more conversations, more of a connection, more substance. I did love the grand gesture and always love a good epilogue; however, there were a few topics that were touched on and didn't feel resolved enough.

Overall, it was a fun and quick read, but I also feel like I could have left it unfinished. (And yes, I realize this review is a mess.)

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

This was such a fun take on the fake-dating premise from Bellefleur—great chemistry, some lovely prose, and a heartwarming conclusion. A joy!

I wanted to enjoy it, and it had a cute idea. However, the execution felt quite bland, and I just couldn't bring myself to care much for the story or the chracters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

I could not have loved this one more! Fake dating, bookstores and spice made this one so much fun to read! I loved this couple and rooted for them!
Thank you #avon and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This one was an okay read for me. I found the story to be superficial and repetitive - and I just could not connect with the characters. It was disappointing to me as I usually enjoy the fake dating trope.

I love everything Bellefleur writes! This is a kicking your feet, blushing happy sapphic read that’s loveable from start to finish!