THE GREAT DATING FAKE-OFF

Two people bring fake dates to a wedding but only have eyes for each other in Hart's comical romance. Nora meets Sebastian when he comes into the bookstore where she works. She really likes him, but just when he's about to ask her out, her friend and boss Benji arrives at the store. Benji is in some trouble with his family; Nora pretends to be his girlfriend to get him out of it. This ruse gets her invited to a family wedding as Benji's plus-one ("We were so worried the wedding photos would be unbalanced. We thought he'd be the only single Ferraro, sullen in the back of every portrait"). Sebastian, meanwhile, is taking some time away from his job opening Boys and Girls Club chapters around the country to help out his grandmother. His best friend Alessia's brother is getting married, and Alessia asks Sebastian to be her fake date to the wedding. (It turns out that all of these characters are going to the same nuptials.) Sebastian realizes pretty quickly that Nora and Benji are faking their relationship, and his friend, Alessia, gives away their game, too. What follows is a farce in which both fake couples have to keep up the con, even though Nora and Sebastian both really like each other. Not all is well; the feud brewing between the bride and groom's families threatens to blow up the wedding, and Sebastian tells Nora he's about to move to another state for work. This is a fun take on the fake-dating trope. Sebastian is a do-gooder who seems a little too good to be true, but both he and Nora are engaging, likable protagonists, and the chemistry between them is off the charts. The bride and groom's families are involved in a Montague/Capulet-level rivalry, and everyone involved comes from big, nosy Italian families, adding depth to the story with a lot of quirky side characters and complicated interpersonal dynamics. The dialogue is zippy and clever, too. Overall, it's a light, amusing read. A big fat funny wedding romp. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.