It started as a joke. After a string of bad boyfriends, I made up a fake boyfriend so people would quit asking when I was going to meet a grumpy lumberjack trying to save his mama’s inn in my adopted hometown.

When my grandma demanded proof from afar, I sent her a picture of me and my “boyfriend.”

Spoiler alert: He wasn’t really my boyfriend.

He was actually a reclusive former boy band member who swings through town sometimes and is friends with my friends.

As much as a reclusive former boy bander can be friends with anyone, that is.

He doesn’t know I told anyone he’s my boyfriend. Or that his name is Steve.

So when Grandma sends the guy she’d rather me marry to town to make sure “Steve” is good enough for me—and to talk me into marrying him instead—I have something of a problem.

But I got myself into this mess, so I’ll get myself out.

By proposing.

Relax, relax, I’m proposing a fake wedding.

And when he turns me down, I can say we broke up.

Except he doesn’t turn me down.

Instead, he offers me a trade.

He’ll pretend to be my groom, but I have to do something for him in return.

And that something?

Hoooo, boy.

I liked the man better when he was my pretend boyfriend Steve.

The Pretend Fiancé Fiasco is an action-packed romcom featuring the reclusive final member of the boy band Bro Code, a recovering good girl with too many men interested in her for all the wrong reasons, a treasure hunt, a fake engagement, and the best surprise to hit the Copper Valley universe since the Fireballs’ new mascot was revealed. This small town romcom stands alone, but you wouldn’t go wrong to read both the Copper Valley Bro Code and Copper Valley Fireballs series, along with Dirty Talking Rival, to catch all of the easter eggs.