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The Decoy Girlfriend
Lillie Vale
336 pages
GP Putnam and Sons
Published September 6, 2022
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About the book:
A laugh-out-loud funny and whip-smart romantic comedy from the author of The Shaadi Set-Up, about a young woman who takes the place of her celebrity doppelgänger, and must fake-date the actress’s sexy costar boyfriend.
Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she’s a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer’s block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub.
Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi’s love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he’s yearning for something real.
When Freya’s latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft’s accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood’s golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she’ll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn’t just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.
Content Warning: Please be aware that through the course of the novel, Freya recounts fond memories of her mother, who passed away before the book begins (off-page), and the ways in which that love is intertwined with her writing. Taft stands firm against toxic masculinity and learns to let go of toxic friendships. There is also explicit on-page sex between two consenting adults
My Review
For being a thriller junkie, I’ve read quite a few romances as of late, but this was by far the most fun. I’m not sure I’ve ever said this but in addition to the banter between the characters being outrageously funny, and exactly the kind of wit I love, the characters have unbelievable chemistry. They leapt off the page and just begged for me to ship them. Fake dating must be this summer’s trope, but it did not feel old in this novel. The fake dating is ramped up by our main character also impersonating a movie star as she fake dates.
I could not put this down and when I did, I had a smile on my face. If you like rom coms and laughing, this is definitely worth your time.
My favorite quotes showcasing the humor and great banter in the book:
“He’d done sex scenes that didn’t do it for him as much as that cross face did.”
“Hours later, he was still a little stunned that he could pull off foreplay without some woefully underpaid writer providing the script for him.”
“Her face punctured thought every attempt to distract himself. Think about the paparazzi – mostly paunchy, graying middle aged dudes in their underwear. No, don’t think about nudity, because that leads to …”
“Don’t freak out. Whenever someone says that it is never followed by anything other than impending disaster.”
“Stori, your boyfriend only knows tech bros. I love that he tries, but I cannot be setup with another guy who makes conversation like he’s giving a Ted Talk.”
“He visibly swallows. You know, I never thought I had a librarian fantasy until I saw you.”
And two of the more life affirming lessons that made me think:
“First rule of Hollywood: pay attention when people reveal who you are to them.” And this does not just apply to Hollywood.
“It’s not about pretending or forgetting. You can acknowledge everything you are letting go meant something to you. But whatever threads tied you to them, they vanished when your personal and professional situations change… Sometimes people just outgrow each other.”
About the author
Lillie Vale is the author of books for both teens and adults, including The Decoy Girlfriend, Beauty and the Besharam, The Shaadi Set-Up and Small Town Hearts, an American Library Association’s 2020 Rainbow Books List selection. She writes about secrets and yearning, complicated and ambitious girls who know what they want, the places we call home and people we find our way back to, and the magic we make. Born in Mumbai, she grew up in Mississippi, Texas, and North Dakota, and now lives in an Indiana college town.
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