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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.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 6, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593630433
- File size: 296065 KB
- Duration: 10:16:48
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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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. -
June 10, 2024
Imani Jade Powers and Andrew Eiden's pleasant narrations highlight Vale's (The Shaadi Set-Up) latest. Writer and bookstore clerk Freya Lal, who is a dead ringer for movie star Mandi Roy, impersonates her for VIP access to nightclubs. Taft Bamber is a rising star and Mandi's on-screen love interest. He's also contractually bound to a fake real-life romance with the starlet until the premiere of their upcoming movie. After a mishap at a nightclub between Taft and Freya-as-Mandi goes viral, the real Mandi ropes Freya into moving in with Taft and continuing the facade for a month. Although the audiobook has both characters' POVs, listeners hear Freya's more. Powers performs her with a breathy, come-hither intonation, especially whenever Freya's around Taft. Eiden gives Taft a confident anytown voice, adding a light Texan accent during his more vulnerable scenes. Although Taft has his own backstory about his friendship with his former TV castmates, most of his narration is restricted to how attracted he is to Freya. The story deepens once Freya and Taft become roommates and start to care for each other. VERDICT Give to listeners who enjoy Talia Hibbert's Take a Hint, Dani Brown and other steamy fake-dating romances.--Anjelica Rufus-Barnes
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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