Review of The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur.
“Boring was fine. Boring was safe. Because if no one noticed you, they couldn’t break your heart.”
– The Fiancee Farce
Alexandria Bellefleur
The Fiancee Farce sadly fell flat and did not live up to my expectations
Synopsis
Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter. Tired of her stepfamily’s questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a bestselling book. They’ll never actually meet, so what’s the harm in a little fib? Yet when real-life Gemma crosses Tansy’s path, her white lie nearly implodes.
Gemma van Dalen is a wild child, the outcast of her wealthy family, and now the latest heir to Van Dalen Publishing. But the title comes with one tiny condition: she must be married in order to inherit. When Gemma discovers a beautiful stranger has been pretending to date her for months, she decides to take the charade one step further—and announces their engagement.
Gemma needs a wife to meet the terms of her grandfather’s will and Tansy needs money to save her struggling bookstore. A marriage could be mutually beneficial, if they can fool everyone into thinking it’s a love match. Unexpected sparks fly as Tansy and Gemma play the role of affectionate fiancées, and suddenly the line between convenient arrangement and real feelings begins to blur. But the scheming Van Dalen family won’t give up the company without a fight, and Gemma and Tansy’s newfound happiness might get caught in the fallout…
Review
As an avid reader searching for a sapphic rom-com, I eagerly picked up The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur, hoping for a fun and engaging story. However, while the novel had its moments, it ultimately fell short of my expectations. I struggled to fully connect with its characters and storyline and just fell flat for me.
The central premise revolves around a classic trope, one that has been successfully employed in countless romance novels. Normally, I love a good fake relationship/marriage trope. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me in The Fiancee Farce. Perhaps it was a matter of personal taste, but the execution of the trope just didn’t resonate with me. The story lacked the spark and excitement that I usually associate with this kind of romantic escapade, ultimately leaving me feeling unfulfilled.
Even the characters failed to leave a lasting impression. While they had potential, I found them to be rather… boring. I was particularly disappointed with the protagonist, Tansy, who failed to charm me. Instead of being the endearing and relatable lead I anticipated, she fell flat, lacking the charisma and wit necessary to win me over.
“We promised to be honest with each other, right? Then be honest, do I make you nervous?”
Adding to my disappointment were the numerous side characters that seemed to take center stage without truly serving a purpose. Gemma’s roommates, in particular, were so annoying. This diversion left me feeling disconnected and longing for a more focused and compelling narrative.
As I read The Fiancee Farce, I constantly debated whether to stop reading it altogether. The book just couldn’t hold my interest or give me the enjoyment I was looking for. It took a lot of determination to keep going, hoping that the story would improve and give me some satisfaction. I won’t remember this book in a couple of weeks.
Despite these shortcomings, The Fiancee Farce did possess some redeeming qualities. The author’s writing style was competent, flowing smoothly and allowing for an easy reading experience. Additionally, scattered throughout the book were glimpses of humor and charm, offering occasional reprieve from its lackluster moments. These brief interludes reminded me of the novel’s latent potential, even if they were too infrequent to sustain my enthusiasm.
Would I recommend it?
The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur failed to live up to my expectations. While it possessed certain commendable aspects, such as its fluid writing style and intermittent sparks of humor, the overall execution of the story fell flat. The characters lacked depth, and the plot failed to ignite the excitement I had anticipated. The inclusion of superfluous side characters only served to further detract from the central narrative. While this book may appeal to readers who enjoy a lighter rom-com with a particular penchant for the chosen trope, I found it to be an underwhelming read, ultimately deserving of a two-star rating.
Rating
4/10
Details
Trigger warnings
Alcohol, abuse, leaking nudes
Representation
Bisexual main characters and side characters
Gay side character
Lesbian side character
Genre
Romance
Pages
384
Publication date
April 18, 2023
Publisher
Avon
About the author
Alexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. A Pacific Northwesterner at heart, Alexandria has a weakness for good coffee, Pike IPA, and Voodoo Doughnuts. Her special skills include finding the best Pad Thai in every city she visits, remembering faces but not names, falling asleep in movie theaters, and keeping cool while reading smutty books in public. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.
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