Seven top fake dating romance novels

Haruka Iwasaki is a writer and bookseller living in Brooklyn, NY. She writes personal essays about her Japanese American identity, grief and growing up in NYC. One essay has appeared in print this year in Oh Reader magazine.

At Lit Hub Iwasaki tagged seven favorite fake dating romance novels to read for Valentine’s Day, including:

Lynn Painter, Better than the Movies

Romantic comedy-obsessed Liz has been fantasizing about the perfect romance with her dream guy, Michael, who just moved back to town. But Michael is also friends with Liz’s next door neighbor (and nemesis), Wes. Naturally, Liz decides to create her own rom-com HAE and rope Wes into helping her win Michael’s heart by pretending to fake date each other. Will Liz’s romantic notions help her win Michael or Wes? Despite its screwball plot, this book will have you in a puddle of tears!

Read about another title on the list.

Q&A with Lynn Painter.

--Marshal Zeringue