Hate to Fake It to You: A Novel

by Amanda Sellet

Overview

A waitress masquerading as an influencer and a wildlife photographer are on a collision course with romance—and chaos—in Hate to Fake It to You, a zany modern twist on a screwball comedy classic about figuring out what you really want—by pretending to be someone you’re not.

Everyone gets a glow-up on social media, but Libby Lane's online persona is the fakest of fakes. Cooked up as a joke by Libby and her best friends, Lillibet is the affluent, healthier-than-thou opposite of her glam-free life on the side of Oahu most tourists never see. The phony fronting is all in good fun, until a real influencer stumbles onto the Love, Lillibet Instagram feed and starts making waves.

When Hildy Johnson, the ambitious junior member of a media dynasty, travels to Hawaii to talk to Lillibet about parlaying her lifestyle brand into a job, Libby and her friends scramble to take the make-believe to a new level. Complicating the charade even further is Hildy’s handsome companion, a wildlife photographer named Jefferson Jones, whose keen eye sees more than he lets on.

Between the pretend husband, borrowed goats, a made-up holiday, and Libby’s very real attraction to Jefferson, it’s anyone’s guess which lie will blow their cover first . . . especially since Lillibet isn’t the only one with something to hide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250906243
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/16/2024
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	52,546
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

AMANDA SELLET is a former journalist and the author of romcoms for teens and adults, including By the Book, which Booklist described in a starred review as, “impossible to read without laughing out loud.” She loves old movies, baked goods, and embarrassing her teen daughter. Hate to Fake It to You is her adult debut.

Editorial Reviews

05/13/2024

YA author Sellet’s adult debut (after By the Book) attempts to raise the curtain on the world of over-the-top lifestyle influencers through comedic pratfalls but both the humor and the romance fall flat. Libby Lane, a sometimes waitress and aspiring writer living in Oahu, maintains an online persona named Lillibet, a vapid, rich influencer offering meaningless meditative clichés and silly skin care tips. When Lillibet is approached by semi-famous Hildy Johnson, a young professional from a media dynasty family, with an offer to expand Lillibet’s brand, Libby and friends scramble to make Libby’s life appear to match the one she posts online and keep Hildy from learning the truth. Their scheme is complicated by Libby’s attraction to Hildy’s travel companion, wildlife photographer Jefferson, who’s introduced as Hildy’s boyfriend. Unbeknownst to Libby, however, the relationship between Jefferson and Hildy is a ruse designed to lend Hildy credibility. The result is that everyone is lying to everyone else, leaving readers with no one to root for. Jefferson feels particularly one-dimensional, making it hard to see him as a romantic hero. The slapstick comedy attempts to emulate classic screwball romances, but without an emotional core to keep things grounded, this disappoints. Agent: Bridget Smith, JABberwocky Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

One of Book Riot's "Growing Up: YA Authors with Debut Adult Novels in 2024"

One of Parade's “The 22 Best New Book Releases This Week”

“In her first romance book geared to adults, Sellet (Belittled Women) captures the banter and antics of an old Hollywood screwball romantic comedy while bringing the North Shore of Oahu to life. A perfect beach read.”—Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Inspired by the screwball comedies of Hollywood’s golden age, this madcap rom-com offers plenty of hijinks . . . the Hawaiian setting and light-hearted tone may appeal to readers looking for a beachy romance.”—Booklist

“After seeing the vibrant cover I could already tell that this book was going to be one that I would enjoy . . . This quirky cute tropical romcom was filled with laughs.”— Harlequin Junkie

"Hate to Fake It to You has some of the funniest dialogue I've ever read, characters who are easy to fall in love with (even when they're running full-tilt into larger-than-life lies), sharp writing, and a beautiful setting. I was having so much fun laughing that I could have happily turned the page after the last chapter and kept going for another 600 pages. I absolutely LOVE this screwball romantic comedy and cannot wait to read Sellet's next books in the series!"—Sarah Hogle, author of Just Like Magic

"Amanda Sellet's adult romance debut How to Fake It to You hit every single comedic note for me. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, it begs the question: if everyone knows social media is fake anyway, what's the harm in actually faking it? Sellet delivers on the promise of the premise, from awkward self-portraits to fake Irish housekeepers to wayward goats to the complication of developing very real feelings for the person you didn't see coming. I haven't laughed out loud this much from a book in a long time."—Alicia Thompson, bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

"A delightfully hilarious read, Hate to Fake It to You is the perfect book companion for readers seeking a rom-com with heart and wit. Libby’s appeal is undeniable and will have you cheering for her (and Jefferson!) along with the rest of Sellet’s gloriously madcap cast of characters."—Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In and The Comeback

"Quirky, original, and laugh out loud funny, Hate to Fake It to You is romantic comedy about making hard (sometimes bad at the time) choices to get what you want in love and life, and how found family sticks with you through all the ups and downs of adulting. To sum it up in three words: WHAT A HOOT!”—Suzanne Park, author of So We Meet Again and The Do-Over

"Amanda Sellet is a comic genius. Hate to Fake It to You is quite possibly the funniest book I have ever read. Whip-smart humor paired with hilarious hijinks reeled me in from the beginning, but it was the authentic interactions of the lovable characters that kept me glued to the page. I absolutely loved it, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series."—Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

From the Publisher

★ 03/01/2024

Beginning as a joke and an outlet to hone their talents, three friends create a fake rich influencer personality named Lillibet, who happens to catch the eye of Hildy Johnson, beloved niece of a massive media mogul. After being rescued from an avalanche by Jefferson Jones, Hildy brings both the hot and observant Jefferson and the salivating media to find Lillibet in Hawaiʻi, hoping to create her own media empire with Lillibet as the feature. Libby, Jean, and Keoki quickly throw together a plan—fake house and fake husband for Lillibet included—and begin to put on the act of their lives in the hopes this will finally be the break they all need. With faux lovers, real feelings, hidden agendas, and imaginary lifestyles crashing together, hijinks quickly ensue, and Libby is sure it's only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down. VERDICT In her first romance book geared to adults, Sellet (Belittled Women) captures the banter and antics of an old Hollywood screwball romantic comedy while bringing the North Shore of Oahu to life. A perfect beach read.—Kellie Tilton

Library Journal