Based on how much I loved the Written in the Stars books, I knew I had to pick up The Fiancée Farce. And I’m glad I did, because it turns out this novel was everything I needed to lift me out of a reading slump. Alexandria Bellefleur’s light writing and tight pacing make her stories a joy to follow. This fake dating caper cements her icon status within romance, leaning into everything that makes this genre such a delight. It’s playful, uplifting, not to mention a delicious balance of sexy and sweet.
Tansy Adams makes up a girlfriend to keep her social-climbing step family off her back, choosing the model from a romance novel, never expecting to be caught out in her lie. But matters are complicated when Gemma West shows up at a family wedding, and is revealed to be none other than Gemma Van Dalen – family black sheep and heir to the illustrious Van Dalen Publishing Company. Tansy’s certain their meeting is going to end in disaster…
But Gemma’s attracted to her too. What’s more, to inherit her grandfather’s company, Gemma must marry before the next AGM. So instead of exposing Tansy she builds on the lie, sweetening the deal with enough money for Tansy’s to buy her bookshop outright. But the chemistry between them quickly grows into more, and neither woman is satisfied by a marriage of convenience.
Tansy and Gemma are both pretty lovable as leads. For all Tansy stresses about social situations, she’s fiercely principled and unafraid to stand up for other people. And I adored having a protagonist who:
- 1) is open about her anxiety diagnosis.
- 2) has anxiety affect her characterisation.
- 3) takes medication for her mental health.
For me and countless others, this is an everyday reality. Yet accessing mental healthcare is still stigmatised to the extent that we don’t consistently see prescription medication acknowledged in mainstream books, films, or television. So, it’s refreshing to have a wholesome, upbeat novel reflecting anxiety and its management.
Also, Tansy’s commitment to her family’s bookstore is a delight. The subplot around indie bookshops struggling to stay afloat while a certain rapacious conglomerate tries to corner the market feels very authentic to today’s publishing landscape. The love Tansy puts into her shop, the care with which she curates book groups and author events, is perfectly reflective of the magic booksellers create.
Gemma too is wonderful. Despite her family’s cruelty and dysfunction, she always makes a conscious effort to treat other people with true consideration. And we love a cycle-breaker. She has the confidence one would expect of a rich white woman with a face card that never declines. And that top energy is nothing short of divine, generating exquisite sexual tension between her and Tansy. But there’s also an underlying vulnerability to Gemma, often valued for what she can give people through her wealth or connections rather than the person she is. Which makes it all the more meaningful when Tansy truly sees Gemma, prizing her above a life-changing sum of money.
In so many ways, The Fiancée Farce is an excellent read. Bellefleur’s prose is exquisite, and also effortless, which enabled me to breeze through this story. It takes immense skill as a writer – a true mastery of voice and pacing – to create such a seamless novel. Also, the sex scenes are nothing short of magical. What’s not to love about two women hooking up in a beautiful old library? Still, there are two major aspects of this book which frustrated me – and not in the fun way.
Gemma has five roommates, parents, step parents, two uncles, a pair of much younger siblings, cousins, and lots of in-laws. At times it was difficult keeping on top of all the different side-characters in this story. Especially when – like her horrible uncle and her father – they served an almost identical narrative purpose. I kept mixing up her male roommates too. Having so many characters with relatively little time on the page added a level of confusion.
Also, at times I struggled with believability. Granted, ‘farce’ is in the title. But Gemma needs her engagement with Tansy to be absolutely above suspicion to satisfy the terms of her grandfather’s will. So, she immediately tells five other people that it’s a sham. Including her resentful ex? Make it make sense. With a company worth billions on the line, not to mention Gemma’s one chance to take control of a toxic family situation, that felt like an unforgivable act of idiocy. I was in no way surprised by the major third act conflict, nor which characters were behind it. And the fact neither Gemma nor Tansy, both of whom have major history with the main culprit, saw it coming…
I didn’t quite fall in love with The Fiancée Farce the way I did Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars novels. But it’s still well worth reading. A swoon-worthy romance filled with raw sensuality. And while the sapphic market is oversaturated with books about skinny, able-bodied white women in their twenties falling in love with each other, I am glad to see a shift towards proud bisexual representation – a cause which Bellefleur has consistently used her stories and position within the community to champion. One of my reading goals for this year was to engage with more stories by and about bi women, and this Bi4Bi romance has been a joy.
Lou Morgan 