June 20, 2022
Vale (The Shaadi Set-Up) puts a contemporary Hollywood spin on The Prince and the Pauper in this cute but rocky rom-com. Novelist Freya Lal likes to escape her paralyzing writer’s block by impersonating her doppelgänger, actor Mandini “Mandi” Roy, an act that brings considerable perks. When Mandi’s costar, Taft Bamber, catches Freya impersonating Mandi at a nightclub, their collision causes a PR disaster. Mandi insists the only way Freya can fix the situation is for Freya to impersonate Mandi for a month, giving her a much needed break from the spotlight. Taft and Mandi are in a staged relationship to promote their new movie, a pretense Freya must keep up as she plays her role. There’s nothing staged about the sizzling attraction between Taft and Freya—but if the paparazzi learn that the woman Taft’s falling for isn’t really Mandi, the fallout could end all three careers. The extended will-they-won’t-they bogs down the middle of the book, with Taft and Freya’s relationship taking two steps back for every one step forward, and the third act conflict feels a bit unmotivated. Still, Vale manages to add some fun new layers to the fake dating trope and delivers plenty of celebrity drama. Rom-com fans will find much to enjoy. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.
July 22, 2022
Can a fake relationship in the Hollywood limelight transform into something more? Freya Lal planned to move to L.A. to work on her latest novel and help her aunt in her bookshop. She didn't plan on being mistaken for actress Mandi Roy, getting discovered, and agreeing to a proposition to impersonate Mandi for a month while she takes a break from the flashing cameras of the paparazzi. Freya also certainly didn't expect to move in with Mandi's PR-stunt boyfriend and fellow star, Taft Bamber, as part of the deal. When the cameras are off and sparks still crackle, Freya and Taft wonder what will happen when their month together ends. This contemporary romance is of-the-moment and offers readers a glimpse into the life of modern novelists: creating TikTok content, finding author communities on Twitter, Zoom meetings with agents, writer's block, and imposter syndrome. VERDICT Vale's (The Shaadi Set-Up) new novel peels back the glamour of celebrity to reveal the romance and beauty of the everyday.--Shanel Slater
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2022
Author Freya Lal's deadline for her second book is getting close, and she has nothing written. She escapes this stress by pretending to be the actress Mandi Roy, who looks just like her, and going to clubs. Mandi's supposed boyfriend on and off screen, Taft Bamber, sees Freya as Mandi in a club, and having met her in a bookstore, is intrigued. Mandi offers Freya a deal to impersonate her for a few weeks, but no one expects Freya and Taft to fall in love. The fake dating and celebrity tropes are fun and believable in Vale's entertaining romantic comedy, following The Shaadi Set-Up (2021). Freya is a layered character full of surprises, and Taft is an appealing hero. While the backstories about Taft and Freya's families and friends are not as developed, the romance is wholly satisfying. Fans of Hollywood romances will relish this, and readers of royalty romance may also enjoy this genre cousin.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from September 15, 2022
A struggling author agrees to swap places with her celebrity look-alike--and starts falling for her doppelg�nger's co-star in the process. Freya Lal is facing the biggest struggle of her professional life--how on Earth is she going to write a follow-up to her successful debut novel, with the deadline for her first draft looming in a matter of weeks, when she's lacking any inspiration? Rather than continue to fret, she decides to retreat into a newer pastime: dolling herself up and pretending to be the actress Mandi Roy. The two of them look enough alike that people always assume Freya is Mandi, meaning she's been scoring benefits all over town. Unfortunately, one scheme hits the tabloids, and Mandi figures out what's going on, but rather than out Freya immediately, she decides to offer the author a different kind of deal: She wants Freya to keep the impersonation going for the next four weeks so Mandi can enjoy some much-needed R&R. That said, Freya will also have to maintain the fauxmance that Mandi's had with her co-star Taft Bamber for the last several years. While Mandi and Taft have always kept things platonic behind the scenes, using their staged relationship to benefit their star power, Freya doesn't want to pretend Taft is her boyfriend because her feelings for him start to become very, very real. To make matters more complicated, Taft is pretty sure he's falling for Freya, too, and when the two have to move in together in order to sell their decoy dynamic, it turns out they like playing house and all that it entails. The closer they get to the end of their four-week relationship, the harder it becomes to act as though their connection hasn't been real from the beginning. This is a perfectly engaging, flirty rom-com staged around a couple that any reader will be able to fall for. An irresistible romance.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.