[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to have author Roxie Noir guest post on the site today. Take it away, Roxie!
We love fake relationship romances for the moment.
You know the moment. Up until the moment, one or both parties has been happily faking along, pretending to be together to get her family to stop asking questions / make his ex jealous / fulfill some ancient legal technicality so she can inherit the throne that’s rightfully hers, etc.
They’ve been appearing together in public. Holding hands. Gazing adoringly. Telling any and all interested bystanders that yes, they are wildly, madly, and passionately in love.
Until the moment hits.
The moment is when it becomes real, when one of them realizes that everything they’re doing with their fake partner, they’re doing in earnest. Suddenly, everything is in question, but they’ve gotta keep faking it, wondering if they’re the only ones who feel that way.
The moment is beautiful. It’s delicious. Once I hit it in a book, it’s a guarantee that I’m not going to sleep for at least five more chapters.
And luckily for me, the moment – along with its containment vessel, the fake relationship romance – has had a resurgence lately. I love a good fake-it-til-you-make-it romance, and I LOVE a good romantic comedy, so here are some of my favorites.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
I’m a sucker for great banter. I’m a sucker for Noah Centineo. I’m a sucker for declarations of love that sound banal on the surface but really, they’re deeper and truer than any flowery declaration could ever be.
What I’m saying is, this movie had me at, “I wanted to sit next to you, Lara Jean. I even packed the snacks.”
A man who packs snacks and looks this good in a hot tub? Swoon.
And there’s all of this, too.
The Proposal
Here’s the thing about romantic comedies: you already know they’ve got happy endings. Even if the couple spend half the movie taking jabs at each other, they’ll be in love by that two-hour mark, so you can just sit back and enjoy the arguing.
The arguing is very, very good. It makes it that much sweeter when they finally do fall for each other.
Plus, it’s got Betty White. You can’t say no to Betty White.
Are the gender politics of this movie a little… old-fashioned, let’s say? Yes.
Was Humphrey Bogart a full thirty years older than Audrey Hepburn? Not just old enough to technically be her father, but old enough to have gotten a Ph.D. and a mortgage before he had kids?
Also yes.
But this movie is wonderful in all its cheesy, campy, old-Hollywood glory. Bogie is pure gold as the grump who realizes he’s in love while pretending to woo Sabrina to make his brother jealous, and by the time he finally goes and gets his girl, you’ll be shouting at the TV.
10 Things I Hate About You
Ask ten women in their thirties whether they still have a crush on Patrick Verona, and you’ll get nine yeses and a lesbian, statistically speaking. The lesbian will understand where the other nine are coming from, though.
He’s a super hot bad boy. He doesn’t care what other people think. He takes care of a drunk Kat at a house party, and doesn’t even flinch when she throws up right in front of him.
Best of all, he pays attention and really likes her for her, and that’s why the guitar in her front seat at the end gets me every single time.
(And of course, there’s Ms. Perky, the world’s best guidance counselor. When this movie came out I thought I was Kat. Now I know I’m Ms. Perky, torrid romance novels and all.)
About the Author:
Roxie Noir writes smart, sexy, swoony romantic comedies. Her weaknesses include beards, whiskey, snacks, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears. She lives in California with her husband, toddler, and two hell-raising cats.
Connect with Roxie:
Website: www.roxienoir.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/roxienoir
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxieNoir/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxie_noir/
Best Fake Fiance by Roxie Noir, out now!
My life has room for exactly two women: my daughter Rusty and my best friend Charlotte — known to everyone as Charlie.
One is a feisty, tomboyish firecracker. The other is my seven-year-old. I can’t imagine life without either.
So when my ex springs a custody hearing on me, I find myself telling the judge that I’m engaged to Charlie.
The only problem? I’m not.
Time to fake an engagement.
Pretending we’re a couple will be no big deal.
We’ve been friends for years. We used to sneak cigarettes behind the bleachers. We turned cans of hairspray into flamethrowers. We got drunk on stolen malt liquor.
She’s beautiful, vivacious, spontaneous, and she loves my daughter to death. It’s the perfect answer: we fake it for a few months, then go back to our lives.
Until we touch, and sparks fly. Until I can’t take my eyes off her. Until I can’t stop thinking about what she’s got on under her coveralls.
It takes one kiss.
One touch.
One shared secret and suddenly, I’m not pretending anymore. I want her, I need her in ways I didn’t know I could.
But there’s a lifetime of friendship between us, and falling in love with Charlie could mean risking everything.
Best Fake Fiance is a standalone romantic comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and probably fan yourself with your kindle.
