Book Title: Fauxmance in the Falls
Author: J.E. Birk
Publisher: Maple Mountains Press
Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood
Release Date: April 20, 2023
Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance, small town romance
Tropes: Fake relationship, small town, age gap, alpha doctor, grumpy/sunshine
Themes: Redemption, coming out, found families
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: Approx. 92 000 words and 331 pages
It’s the first book in the series and does not end on a cliffhanger.
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Never date your dream doctor
Blurb
I’m here to destroy this town. How did I end up in a fake relationship with its hero?
I’ve spent my life proving to my grandpa and dad that I’m more than just the Lewis family mistake. So when Grandpa sends me to Devon Falls, VT to take some ridiculous leaf festival to court, I head straight there and get to work.
But Dr. Jack Lancer keeps getting in my way.
He’s everywhere. Helping me out with my migraines, making me dinner, insisting people be nice to me even though I’m the enemy. Who is this guy? The next thing I know I’m pretending to be Jack’s boyfriend to get him out of a bind. I swear he’s putting kindness pills in my food or something.
Jack thinks he can fix me the same way he fixes everyone else. But I’m not broken. This podunk town will be when I’m done with it, though. And Jack? Well, he’s about to learn the meaning of the term “collateral damage.” Because I’ll do anything to win this case and end this festival.
Even if it means losing something that feels an awful lot like love.
Fauxmance in the Falls is an age-gap romance featuring a small town full of quirks, a grumpy lawyer and a charming physician, a fake relationship gone wild, some inappropriate use of a doctor’s office, and a healthy mix of humor and angst. It stars Benson Lewis, who first appeared in the book Counterpoint.
“Like it matters who the land belongs to,” Carter mumbles next to me as he starts packing up his briefcase. All around us there’s outraged shouting and yelling, and I definitely see Marion from the bakery crying softly at the back of the room.
“What do you mean by that?” I ask sharply. The hammer in my head is back. It appeared right around the halfway point of the trial, and right now it’s powerful enough to put up a wall in a new house.
Carter scoffs. “Such a damn rookie. All that matters, rook, is that we win. That’s all that ever matters.”
He clearly expects me to easily agree with him. Hell, I expect me to do that. But for some reason, I just stand there, watching Marion cry.
Carter frowns in disgust and shakes his head. “You don’t actually feel sorry for these people, do you? It’s a stupid leaf festival, Benson. Damn, you really are the black sheep of your family. You’re nothing like your grandad, that’s for sure. C’mon. We need an action plan. There’s no way I’m staying in this town one more second than I have to.” He turns and starts making his way through the emotional crowd, and he clearly expects me to follow.
I wait until he’s out the door to start gathering my things. Mostly to piss him off.
“Congratulations,” says a low voice.
The hammer in my head slows slightly at the sound of that voice. I turn to find Jack Lancer standing next to me.
“You should be pissed,” I remind him.
“I’m sad for the town,” he says quietly. “But Harry ruled the right way. Until we know for certain who that land belongs to, we shouldn’t be planning a festival this year.”
As usual, he’s objective. Clear. Thoughtful. A calm port in the middle of the raging storm around us. “I don’t think too many other people here agree with you,” I tell him.
“No, maybe not.” He sends me a wry smile. “I’d stay away from the bakery for a while longer.”
“Will do.” I sigh. “Gotta catch up with Carter.” Even though the idea of spending any more time with that guy makes me want to heave. At least Arnie isn’t here. Carter decided he’d be more of a distraction than a benefit to the injunction hearing, and I certainly didn’t disagree.
Jack runs a hand lightly up my right arm. I’m wearing a suit jacket, but a shiver still runs through me. “The injunction hearing is over now. Does that mean you’re ready to talk to me?”
Truthfully, I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to talk about what the fuck happened the day Jack Lancer came to my apartment, cared for me like no one ever has, and then proceeded to light my world on fire. But the result of this hearing means I won’t be leaving Devon Falls just yet, and the guy is still my fake boyfriend. I can’t ignore him—or our situation—forever.
“Yeah,” I finally manage to squeak out. “Yeah. We can talk.”
“Good.” He leans in toward me, his breath a whisper as his mouth comes to a stop by my ear. “Gotta keep up appearances for the town,” he says. Then he brushes his lips all the way across my cheek until his lips are resting against mine.
He kisses me softly, and for a minute I forget I’m standing in the middle of a courtroom filled with people who can’t stand me. I completely forget that I’m the villain in the current story of Devon Falls.
Because right now I feel like a hero. A hero in a very different story: a story of something happening between me and Jack.
A story with an ending I can’t figure out, no matter how many times I flip to the last page.
J.E. Birk was raised in Vermont and is now adulting in Colorado with intermittent success. She is a long-time lover of stories, and she writes and reads in worlds where imperfect characters find their happily ever after. Snag free bonus content and stay up-to-date on J.E. Birk’s news and releases by signing up for her newsletter.
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