5 SMOOCHES!
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SYNOPSIS:
Jillian
They say when one door closes another one opens, right? When the door closed on my marriage, I was fortunate to follow a new dream. One that led me to opening my own bakery in downtown Pine Village. It hasn’t been easy, especially in the offseason, but I make it work. I’m content. Happy.
Then Kameron Markley showed up on my doorstep, begging me to be his fake girlfriend.
It seems like such a simple plan, especially when we’re both getting something out of it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before lines are blurred and crossed, and suddenly, the relationship doesn’t feel so fake after all.
Kameron
For the last decade, I’ve poured my heart and soul into my restaurant, turning a small-town space into a top steak house. The building beside mine has been sitting for as long as I can remember, and the owner is finally ready to sell. The only problem is, she thinks it needs to go to a family man. Suddenly, I’m desperate.
That’s when I come up with the wild idea to find a fake girlfriend.
Jillian Kirby fits the bill to a T, and with a little negotiation, we’re able to work out a deal where we both come out ahead. What I wasn’t expecting was it being so easy to be around her. Suddenly, the lie we’re telling does feel like it’s so right. I want it to be real.
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REVIEW:
Pretty Desperate by Lacey Black masterfully blends heartfelt emotion with sizzling, page-turning steam in this charming small-town romance. This friends-to-lovers, fake-dating story follows Jillian, the sweet local baker, and Kameron, her childhood best friend and the rugged owner of the town steakhouse. What started as a convenient arrangement to help Kameron’s business expansion quickly ignited into something wildly real, thanks to their off-the-charts chemistry and a lifetime of built-up tension. Black expertly captured their natural, easy connection, making their leap from friends to lovers feel both inevitable and thrilling.
The plot takes an unexpected turn that adds layers of vulnerability and depth as Jillian and Kameron navigate their fake relationship that suddenly holds some very real consequences. Their journey is equal parts sweet and scorching, filled with tender moments and passionate encounters that kept me completely invested. Lacey Black’s storytelling is both consuming and delightfully witty, crafting a romance that feels as cozy and comforting as a bakery-fresh treat, yet as intense as a five-alarm fire. Pretty Desperate by Lacey Black gets 5 smooches from me!
~Danielle Palumbo
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