A grumpy bartender, a desperate influencer, a bet and a fake relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

Lena

The internet is watching my career crash and burn in real-time.

One viral breakup video, and suddenly my influencer empire is collapsing faster than my ex's fake apology video. My sponsors are running for the hills. My manager is stress-eating donuts by the dozen.

The only solution? Find a man who has no clue who I am and convince him to be my fake boyfriend.

Enter Max Carter.

Holy mountains of muscle.

He's a bartender with a permanent scowl who looks at me like I'm everything wrong with society. He doesn't know I have two million followers hanging on my every post.

He just knows I'm the crazy woman offering him money to pretend he can't keep his hands off me.

What I never expected? Those staged kisses would turn into real flames. His growled warnings when other men look my way? They make me shiver in places that have no business shivering.

This was supposed to be fake. So why does it feel like I'm losing something real?

Max

I don't do relationships. I definitely don't do fake ones.

Then she walks into my bar.

Sunshine in human form, with curves that make my hands itch and a smile that's hiding secrets.

When my idiot friends bet me I can't fake-date her for thirty days without catching feelings, my pride kicks in before my brain does. Besides, how hard can it be to resist a woman who talks to her phone all day and pretends to be something she's not?

Turns out, impossible.

Because behind the perfect social media facade is a woman who makes me laugh, who challenges me, who sets my blood on fire with one touch.

Now I'm breaking every rule I made. Jealous when men look at her. Possessive when I pull her against me. And completely screwed when she discovers the stupid bet that started it all.

She walked away. Left me with nothing but regret and an empty bed.

But this grumpy bartender isn't giving up without a fight.

Because our love story? It was never fake. And I'll do whatever it takes to prove it.

A steamy, dual-POV romance featuring a sunshine influencer with secrets, the grumpy bartender who can't resist her, and a fake relationship that gets all too real. Complete with sizzling chemistry, heart-melting moments, and the happily ever after that will leave you swooning.