About The Best I Never Had: They staged a romance, faked a breakup, and this time around, anything can happen―even something real. Releases August 18th 2026.

I’ve always been interested in everyone’s favorite trope. I overanalyze each, attributing meaning like a half-baked personality test or poorly written horoscope. There’s no way I’m right (I don’t actually think enemies-to-lovers fans are living out their fantasy of fighting through the characters because they’re avoidant in real life), but I’ve always wondered what it says about me that I can’t seem to get enough of fake dating books.

For some important context, I’m the goodiest of goody two-shoes. The idea of lying makes me break out in hives. Maybe that’s why I love these books so much? It’s something so far outside of my comfort zone that I can explore through the characters. Come for the adrenaline rush, stay for the “Is this kiss real?” moment.

I devour these books, and in each story, one of two things happens. Of course, they fall in love (as one is destined to while fake dating), and either they (a) decide to come clean, or (b) get caught and it all blows up in the most delicious way. It got me wondering… what if neither of those things happened? What if they never acted on their attraction and weren’t forced to come clean by external forces?

That’s exactly what happens in my new book, The Best I Never Had. Owen pays Thea to pretend to be his girlfriend for a family wedding. Despite the tension between them, Owen chooses not to put the moves on someone he’s paying to pretend to like him (like me, he is the goodiest of two-shoes). They walk away from the weekend, unkissed and certain they’ve gotten away with it.

Flash to three years later, when Thea shows up at her sister’s whirlwind wedding to a man she’s never met and realizes that the groom is Owen’s little brother. The two panic, agreeing to keep up the lie that they dated and had a devastating break up so Owen’s intense mother doesn’t blow up the whole wedding. But it’s hard to keep straight what’s real and what an act when his huge meddling family keeps pushing the ‘soulmates’ back together, especially when those pesky feelings they so successfully ignored the first time get even more intense.

This book is a play on fake dating instead of the real thing, but it took its inspiration from all of the fake dating books I’ve read. Here are ten of my favorites:

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

Read if you want to laugh out loud on every page

Mia Sosa is one of my all-time favorite authors! In my eyes, she can do no wrong, and that’s certainly true with The Wedding Crasher. After ruining Dean’s modern-day marriage of convenience by objecting at the wedding, Solange agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to help him claim the promotion he’s been chasing. What follows is banter-fueled perfection (Dean literally gives her a fake dating study guide!) that had me howling and squealing.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

Read if you quote Marie Kondo’s “I love mess” on the regular.

This is the messiest (complimentary) book on the list. We have an upcoming wedding, a hero and heroine who are in love with the bride and groom, respectively, and a fake dating scheme to cover up the fact that the hero was about to tell the bride to call off the wedding. It’s hilarious in just how chaotic it is, but it’s also so beautifully grounded in relatable characters you can’t help but cheer for. And most importantly, Theo is scrumptious.

Say You’ll be Mine by Naina Kumar

Read if no man will ever compete with Mr. Darcy

This one kicks fake dating up a notch. Instead of fake dating, they’re fake engaged. Karthik’s mother is relentless in her desire to see him settled, and Meghna’s just agreed to be the ‘best man’ for a man she’s secretly loved for years. They both need a buffer for the next few months, so what better way than to ‘agree’ to the arranged match their parents are pushing? I am obsessed with Karthik! He’s giving Darcy, all stern and judgmental, but once he falls, he falls hard.

Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen

Read if you like your laughter with a side of tears

I’ve read this book a half-dozen times, and I love it more with every read. Roslyn and Liam are in the middle of a secret divorce when they’re invited to an important family event. The two agree to pretend to still be together for the trip to avoid the drama and disappointment of announcing their split, pairing fake dating and marriage in trouble in the best way. McBreen expertly weaves together funny, spicy, and heavy moments as we learn what pulled them apart and cheer for them to get back together.

Lovelight Farms by BK Borison

Read if you’ve ever secretly been in love with your best friend

I’ll admit it. I’ve been that girl pining after her best friend. And while I’m very happily married now, there’s some sort of wish fulfillment watching two best friends who clearly refuse to act on their feelings being forced to snuggle up and kiss. Stella didn’t think things through when she mentioned a “boyfriend” on a contest application, but now she’s a finalist and needs someone fast. Enter her delicious best friend, Luka, who is more than happy to step in for the role. They’re so soft and perfect, and I come back to reread every Christmas!

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Read if you binge watch everything on BBC

I’ll read anything Talia Hibbert writes, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart. When Dani and Zaf go viral, he begs her to fake a relationship so he can bring more attention to his non-profit. The only problem… they can’t seem to keep it professional. Dani’s on board for the perfect friends-with-benefits situationship she’s been looking for, but Zaf’s determined to show her they could be so much more than a fake relationship with hook-ups on the side. Like all of Hibbert’s books, she pairs beautifully complex characters with the type of hilarious British humor that’s made me pay to stream way too many BBC shows.

Birding With Benefits by Sarah T Dubb

Read if you think older characters deserve to get their back blown out, too

Being quiet isn’t in my nature, so I could never be a successful birder, but I devoured this book. Celeste shows up at a birding competition thinking she’s there to pretend to be this stranger’s girlfriend. Meanwhile, John, who’s looking for a birding partner after his last partner—and girlfriend—dumped him, has no idea what’s happening when this chaos demon shows up. They decide to go with both, and their dynamic is addictive. Your hot not-boyfriend having to stand close behind and whisper in your ear to avoid scaring the birds? Yeah, I’ll take two.

Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

Read if you love a good Bollywood movie

I remember watching ‘Jab We Met’ in college, and it rewrote my brain chemistry. This book hit all the same chaotic, perfect notes! Naomi, our sunshine heroine, needs to learn about Bengali culture—fast, and Dev, our grumpy hero, needs to avoid the matchmaker his mom hired against his will, so they strike a deal. He’ll teach her about the culture her mother never shared if she pretends to be his girlfriend to scare off potential matches. I was (and am) obsessed. I wanted to magically transport myself into the Garba scene and then melted at the scene right after (iykyk).

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton

Read if you haven’t been able to stop talking about Project Hail Mary

We all know astronauts are hot. No other career pairs a brilliant mind and competency with the body of a professional athlete. In this book, Amarie’s life is falling apart around her, and Vincent is preparing for a big mission. Both need to get the people in their lives off their backs, so they agree to fake a relationship until he leaves. The Kiss Countdown has it all. The wickedly hot astronaut, a temporary roommate situation to dial up the tension, a 3-month countdown to a literal blast off, and a New Year’s Eve kiss that will have your toes curling!

First Down by Grace Reilly

Read if you think there’s nothing hotter than a toxic man being put in his place

Look, I know hockey romance is all the rage (I’m with you! The number of times I’ve watched Heated Rivalry should be illegal), but this football romance deserves the spotlight, too. Who can resist a book that starts with her kissing a hot stranger to get away from her cheating ex? From there, Bex and James strike a deal. She’ll help him pass the class he needs to graduate if he pretends to be her boyfriend to get her ex to leave her alone. He’s so wonderfully protective of her, and the rest of the series (featuring a different sport for each sibling) is just as amazing.

The post Author Amy Buchanan’s Fake Dating Book Recs appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About Heart Racer: The Love Hypothesis meets Heated Rivalry in this spicy, dual-pov, academic rivals rom com – as nerdy as it is sure to raise your pulse… Released April 23rd 2026.

If given an inch to recommend a book, I’ll fill an entire mile with books I’ve read and loved. From recent reads to long-standing favorites, this list will explore my favorite sports and STEM romances, as well as a few genre-blending recs for those who refuse to choose! (Spoiler Alert: there is a lot of rivals to lovers here. I learned something new about myself today.)

Sports Romance

Always Only You by Chloe Liese

One of my all-time favorites! A friends-to-lovers romance between a hockey player and the team’s social media manager, with beautiful #OwnVoices chronic illness and autism representation.

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

Rival tennis players go head-to-head, with beautiful, tender moments sewn into banter that had me laughing out loud. This is for everyone still searching for something to scratch the Heated Rivalry itch.

Ready to Score by Jodie Slaughter

A small-town, sapphic romance about rival teachers competing for the same assistant football coaching slot, determined to ignore the sparks between them. They fail miserably; there’s a bar bathroom scene that lives in my head rent-free.

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

A heartwarming fake-dating romance between a dance teacher and her best friend, who also happens to be an NFL quarterback. The grand gesture in this book is in my hall of fame. This one is closed-door, for readers who prefer less spice!

STEMinist Romance

A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray

A virgin sex toy engineer meets her match in her company’s new software developer, who’s never used a sex toy. Naturally, the only option is to team up and figure out the kinks of their company’s newest product. For research. Warning: contents may cause your e-reader to overheat.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

A modern classic, in my humble opinion. An econometrician hires a male escort to practice physical intimacy. She’s smart, he’s smitten, I’m in love.

The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton

A historical fantasy romance that features a marriage in crisis between two, you guessed it, geographers. They’re tasked with tracking and disarming a magical storm, thrusting (wink) them into forced proximity that requires them to figure out where their marriage fell apart.

The Love Simulation by Etta Easton

For anyone obsessed with Artemis II this month. A vice principal and her nemesis, the school’s hot science teacher, team up for a Mars simulation to win a scholarship for their school. BIPOC leads, forced proximity, and a hilarious supporting cast.

Why Choose (Sports x STEM Romance)

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Queen Ali broke ground when she combined the best of both worlds in this new adult romance. A collegiate diver and swim captain work together in the lab for an internship, and in the bedroom to safely explore complementary kinks.

Collide by Bal Khabra

A new adult romance where a hopeful sports psychologist and a star hockey player team up on a research project that stretches the confines of “enemies to lovers.” Devoured in a day!

Heart Racer by Megan Avery (that’s me!)

Biochemistry major Keely and champion sprinter Max turn rivals when competing for the last spot on a post-grad scholarship that will make or break not only their futures, but their hearts. Found family, forced proximity, and small-town vibes make this the perfect spring read (in my humble opinion).

Top of My TBR

The Greatest Game by Tara Sexton

A soccer coach has to win the championship or lose her job, which would be hard enough if the rival school didn’t hire the hottest man she’s ever seen, an ex-pro from England.

Crash into You by Simone Soltani

Aforbidden love story between a star F1 driver and his rival’s daughter, made all the more complicated after their one-night stand turns into an unexpected pregnancy.

Unrivaled by Rachel Reid

If you haven’t heard of Heated Rivalry yet, I’m going to need your screen time management strategy, please and thank you.

Will you be picking up any of these books? Have you already? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Ultimate Why Choose: Sports and STEM Romance Recommendations appeared first on The Nerd Daily.