In the past few years it has been very difficult for me to read and review new to me authors without a deadline imposed externally. As a result, I have a whole bunch of books I really want to read, but I struggle to focus on them unless they are an arc with a looming publication date. Anyway, I was thrilled to see Adele Buck’s Fake Flame on NetGalley because I’m pretty sure I own all her books and have read none of them. My apologies to Ms. Buck. Take it up with my neurotransmitters, or whatever is in charge up there.
Eva and Sean meet when her ex’s attempt at a grand gesture to win her back results in her threatening to set a baby grand piano on fire. Sean’s fire engine crew is called out to prevent the fire, or put it out if Eva can get the lighter to work. Sean is smitten. Eva is a professor of literature and pop culture and her ex is a professor of music at the same university. Sean and his crew identify the ex as not only the current problem, but also a possible future problem. One crew member, seeing the hearts in Sean’s eyes suggests he propose a fake dating relationship to Eva to get rid of the ex that won’t take no for an answer. Circumstances encourage Eva to accept the offer though she has doubts about the believability of them as a couple since Sean is ridiculously good looking and a few years younger.
Sean finds ways to stay engaged with Eva – offering to teach her and any interested students some basics of self defense, and asking for romance book recommendations. Eva and Sean have chemistry for days. They enjoy talking about books. Sean loves listening to Eva talk about the grand gesture in romance novels. Eva loves Sean’s thoughtfulness and care taking. They have a lovely relationship threatened by family expectations and a little insecurity.
I do have a couple of quibbles. Adele Buck introduces a couple of conflicts that in real life are complicated and messy. In the book, I think the author has written them in a way that she’d like to see them handled, but I felt like it was a little too neat. I’m fine with this not being a book that dwelled on parental conflict and dangerous exes, hence this is a quibble and not a problem. My weekend was all about a big, messy problem with no good solutions and I’m probably overly sensitive right now. I am a big romance book nerd and would dearly have loved more conversations between Eva and Sean about the romance genre and pop culture. Again quibbles, not problems. Overall, this was a lovely read, and I’m hoping to finally read more books by Adele Buck.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.