Fauxmance by Cookie O’Gorman - Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Fauxmance
by Cookie O’Gorman

Publication date: April 28th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Fauxmance (fow-mans): Term for a romantic relationship that is fake. Real feelings, like love, are strictly prohibited. See also: Why would anyone enter a fake relationship?

Eighteen-year-old Magnolia believes in true love.

Or she did.

When her boyfriend dumps her the day before her sister’s wedding, Maggie is devastated—but her broken heart is only part of the problem. Maggie is the maid of honor, and her sister insists: Every member of the bridal party must have an escort. No exceptions.

Thank goodness for Hayden Davenport.

Sarcastic, cocky, a surprisingly good listener and self-professed player, when Maggie gets stuck in an elevator with the handsome stranger, she thinks she’s found the perfect wedding date. Unfortunately, Hayden hates weddings. Like really hates them.

But one soul-shattering kiss changes everything.

Maggie needs a fake boyfriend. Hayden wants to prove he’s changed his playboy ways. Faking it should be easy. The hard part?

Remembering it’s all pretend and not falling in love for real.

This book features two opposites with sizzling chemistry, a sweet, hopeless romantic and a cynical bad boy who’ll steal your heart. Elevators, fake romance, and weddings, oh my! Get ready to swoon, laugh, and say ‘I do’ to this heartfelt YA romance.

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EXCERPT:

“Want to know the worst part?”

Hayden nodded, and I laid my head against his shoulder. There was no way I’d be able to say this next bit while looking at him. Even without eye contact, I didn’t know if I’d be able to admit it out loud.

“He’s the only guy I’ve ever kissed,” I whispered.

“Seriously?” Hayden asked.

I gave a short nod. “Yep. We were so young when we got together. I thought he was the one. But today, when he let me go, there weren’t any tears. There was no regret in his voice. He just looked relieved.”

It was silent for a moment.

“I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. Kissing is overrated.”

Hayden leaned away, lifting my head so I had to look at him.

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“People always make it sound so amazing,” I said. “Kisses are supposed to cause fireworks, make you hear symphonies, touch you on a soul-deep level. I used to believe all the hype. I was a hopeless romantic through and through.”

I shrugged.

“But my first kiss wasn’t like that. Actually, no kiss I had after was like that either. Like I said, it’s overrated.”

Hayden shook his head, his eyes suddenly serious.

“That’s awful,” he said.

“No, they were pleasant enough, just nothing to write home about.”

“I kind of want to find Sean, so I can kick his ass.”

I laughed. “Oh, it wasn’t him. Sean liked kissing fine. I always figured it was me. That I was defective or something.”

Hayden put a hand on my cheek.

“It wasn’t you, Magnolia.”

I nodded but didn’t really believe it. Hayden couldn’t know that. He was just trying to make me feel better.

“I’m serious,” he said.

“Yeah okay.”

“Let me prove it to you.”

My brows pinched together. “How are you going to do that?”

“I’m going to kiss you,” he said.

Anything I was about to say left me. My brain went totally blank. What were words again?

“If you still think kissing’s overrated after that, okay. I’ll retire my player card for good.” Hayden’s eyes went to my lips, and they tingled in response. “That won’t happen, though.”

I swallowed to clear my throat. “How can you be sure?”

“Because I’m going to do my best to please you.”

He nodded.

“And between you and me, Magnolia, I’m a very good kisser.”

I sent him a soft smile. “You’re so conceited.”

“Not conceited if it’s the truth,” he said.

“Some of the things you say should annoy me, but for some reason I find it charming.”

“That’s good. You have to be at least a little attracted to me, or this won’t work.”

No problem there, I thought.

Hayden seemed to be reading my mind, but I hoped he didn’t know just how attractive I found him. It was way too much for the short period of time we’d spent together. And I was pretty sure the attraction was one-sided. Although…he wasn’t opposed to kissing me. That meant he must’ve found me somewhat desirable, right? Still. He might just be doing this because he saw it as a challenge.

“Well, I wouldn’t get your hopes up,” I said. “Sean once told me I wasn’t very responsive.”

Hayden scoffed. “Don’t worry. Unlike your ex, I actually have skills.”

I felt my breath hitch as he slowly leaned forward.

“I just don’t want to disappoint you,” I breathed.

Hayden’s gaze locked on mine. “This isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

The air between us grew thick as his eyes went back to my lips.

“And you could never disappoint me,” he said. “I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since we got on this elevator.”

Author Bio:

Cookie O'Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad, The Kissing Challenge (YA novella), WALLFLOWER, and CUPCAKE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake and The Perfect Play. Her newest release FAUXMANCE is coming on April 28, 2022!

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