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readwithria's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Fiancée Farce was a cute, cheesy romcom that I absolutely blasted through! Tansy and Gemma are so cute, and I loved reading their story.
I’d never read a marriage of convenience book before, and while this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting I was pleasantly surprised! The communication was AMAZING and so healthy and what everyone should strive toward. They were so open with each other and so willing to be vulnerable, and I appreciated that a lot.
I will say that everything felt a little bit more exaggerated than my usual preference. Obviously most romcoms are cheesy, but this one felt particularly far fetched. Did that stop me from enjoying it? Absolutely not! This book was so fun, and I have zero regrets.
I will definitely be reading more of Alexandria Bellefleur’s books. 4 stars.
I’d never read a marriage of convenience book before, and while this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting I was pleasantly surprised! The communication was AMAZING and so healthy and what everyone should strive toward. They were so open with each other and so willing to be vulnerable, and I appreciated that a lot.
I will say that everything felt a little bit more exaggerated than my usual preference. Obviously most romcoms are cheesy, but this one felt particularly far fetched. Did that stop me from enjoying it? Absolutely not! This book was so fun, and I have zero regrets.
I will definitely be reading more of Alexandria Bellefleur’s books. 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Death of parent
Minor: Lesbophobia, Biphobia, and Homophobia
schnaucl's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed it. It's set locally, which is always fun.
I liked the characters but probably could have done with a little less blushing from Tansy. <Spoiler>I also felt bad that if she's the kind of person who has spent years dreaming of her wedding she never actually got the wedding she wanted.
I liked the characters but probably could have done with a little less blushing from Tansy. <Spoiler>I also felt bad that if she's the kind of person who has spent years dreaming of her wedding she never actually got the wedding she wanted.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
laketwentytwo's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
queergoth_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I got this as an ARC from NetGalley but all thoughts are my own.
I knew going into this that I would enjoy it but I didn't realise how much. Honestly I think this might be Alexandria Bellefleur's best book to date.
It follows Tansy as she agrees to marry Gemma to save her bookstore and help get Gemma her inheritance. This book jumped right in and wasted no time on getting straight to this marriage of convenience which I quite enjoyed. Sometimes it just nice to get stuck straight in.
I really loved the characters and the romance between Tansy and Gemma and I loved the little callbacks to the written in the stars series.
My only complaint was that Tansy's best friend Samina is hardly around. Sure she is off living her own life but she doesn't even stick around when things go south. Based on her name and a few other details that are mentioned about her and her family it seems to me that she's the only character of colour in this book and she's just almost not even there. Like she could have been taken out and I wouldn't have thought anything of it, which makes me quite sad. I know it's a small portion of the book but it was disappointing. But it also meant that Tansy doesn't really have anyone. In fact as I write this I realise that we only meet one of her co-workers once and they are supposedly friends too. Kind of just makes the book feel a bit like the Gemma show.
Ok I didn't know that rant was there and I feel like it's overshadowed the rest of the review but I really did enjoy this book. It was a fun romance that gave me exactly what I wanted from it.
I knew going into this that I would enjoy it but I didn't realise how much. Honestly I think this might be Alexandria Bellefleur's best book to date.
It follows Tansy as she agrees to marry Gemma to save her bookstore and help get Gemma her inheritance. This book jumped right in and wasted no time on getting straight to this marriage of convenience which I quite enjoyed. Sometimes it just nice to get stuck straight in.
I really loved the characters and the romance between Tansy and Gemma and I loved the little callbacks to the written in the stars series.
My only complaint was that Tansy's best friend Samina is hardly around. Sure she is off living her own life but she doesn't even stick around when things go south. Based on her name and a few other details that are mentioned about her and her family it seems to me that she's the only character of colour in this book and she's just almost not even there. Like she could have been taken out and I wouldn't have thought anything of it, which makes me quite sad. I know it's a small portion of the book but it was disappointing. But it also meant that Tansy doesn't really have anyone. In fact as I write this I realise that we only meet one of her co-workers once and they are supposedly friends too. Kind of just makes the book feel a bit like the Gemma show.
Ok I didn't know that rant was there and I feel like it's overshadowed the rest of the review but I really did enjoy this book. It was a fun romance that gave me exactly what I wanted from it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
decklededgess's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
trigger warnings: bullying, sexual harassment, grief, death of parent, anxiety, sexual content, alcohol, emotional abuse, infidelity, toxic friendship
Alexandria Bellefleur writes some of the cutest and softest sapphic romances out there. This is the first marriage/engagement of convenience she has and it is wildly different from the Written in the Stars series yet it holds the same charm and tenderness that all three books in the other series do.
Gemma and Tansy are such polar opposites, a rakish model and heiress versus a soft-spoken wallfower. The magnetism between the two of them from the get go drew me in to root for their fake relationship but the way they learn to care for each other and cherish each others' quirks and passions and past hurts was what made them a solid leading couple in my mind.
I additionally really enjoyed the glimpses of Gemma's queer friend group, her mother, and her non asshole uncle. They really rounded out the story as supporting characters, they added in humour, a support system for the leads, and just more shenanigans to spruce up the story. The timeline of the book was relatively short so I felt like the extra fluff was appropriately added to pad the story in a fun way. Conversely, Tansy's network was rather small but it fit with her characterization and backstory.
I really enjoyed the drama, the antics, and fun of the book. The Taylor Swift references were also fun if corny easter eggs throughout the story but in my books TS is corny on purpose so it was in fact perfect.
Loved it!!
Alexandria Bellefleur writes some of the cutest and softest sapphic romances out there. This is the first marriage/engagement of convenience she has and it is wildly different from the Written in the Stars series yet it holds the same charm and tenderness that all three books in the other series do.
Gemma and Tansy are such polar opposites, a rakish model and heiress versus a soft-spoken wallfower. The magnetism between the two of them from the get go drew me in to root for their fake relationship but the way they learn to care for each other and cherish each others' quirks and passions and past hurts was what made them a solid leading couple in my mind.
I additionally really enjoyed the glimpses of Gemma's queer friend group, her mother, and her non asshole uncle. They really rounded out the story as supporting characters, they added in humour, a support system for the leads, and just more shenanigans to spruce up the story. The timeline of the book was relatively short so I felt like the extra fluff was appropriately added to pad the story in a fun way. Conversely, Tansy's network was rather small but it fit with her characterization and backstory.
I really enjoyed the drama, the antics, and fun of the book. The Taylor Swift references were also fun if corny easter eggs throughout the story but in my books TS is corny on purpose so it was in fact perfect.
Loved it!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
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