I read and reviewed Adele Buck’s Fake Flame in April, 2024. When I saw an advance listener copy narrated by Moniqua Plante available on NetGalley I smashed the request button. I love being able to revisit books as audiobooks because I will notice different things, and plot points will hit differently in different formats. Moniqua Plante’s narration is warm and friendly, perfect for this lowish stakes, thoroughly adult romance.
My favorite thing about Fake Flame, in any format, is that it’s romance for grownups. Eva and Sean are well aware that fake dating isn’t a thing that real people do, but they each want to spend time with the other so they willingly lie to themselves and each other. They do the things that regular people do when they are dating, they spend time getting to know each other. I love their conversations about books, romance, and grand gestures.
Eva and Sean meet because Eva’s ex enacts what he sees as a grand gesture and Eva sees as not taking no for an answer. An underlying theme is the performance of romance vs authentic connection. Eva’s ex is more interested in appearance than substance and is enraged that Eva won’t perform romance with him. He’s giving her the grand gesture, what more could she want? As Eva and Sean literally perform a romance, they talk and get to know each other. To get to their happily ever after, they have to confront their own assumptions and expectations, as well as those of their families. At one point, Sean is so excited to offer his large, noisy, and welcoming family to Eva after he meets her judgmental, appearance-obsessed parents, only to be surprised with by the judgement and assumptions coming from his family.
I’m so glad I got a chance to revisit Fake Flame. The audiobook is out today.
I received this as an advance listener copy from Harlequin Audio and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
