Love Without the Spice: You’ll Devour These Fake Dating Romcoms

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If you love the tension and charm of a fake dating setup but prefer your romances to stay closed-door, you’re in for a treat. This curated list features clean and sweet romances where fake relationships lead to real feelings—without the open-door steam. Whether it’s a sports scandal, a Hollywood contract, or a small-town secret, each story delivers heart, chemistry, and plenty of feel-good moments.

Fake Dating My Best Friend by Leah Blair

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Premise: A small-town matchmaker pretends to date her best friend to save her struggling business, but old feelings make the ruse harder than expected.
Why You’ll Love It: Best friends-to-lovers tension, second chances, and a heroine who breaks her own matchmaking rule.

Fake Dating the Grumpy Bigshot by Leah Busboom

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Premise: Libby agrees to fake-date her grumpy boss (and nemesis) to help save his baseball team—and ends up falling for him.
Why You’ll Love It: Workplace romance meets grumpy/sunshine vibes with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Fool Me by Cynthia Summer

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Premise: Actress Sadie fakes a relationship with a rising star to win a dream role while secretly plotting revenge for his past mistakes.
Why You’ll Love It: Hollywood hijinks, second chances, and a fun twist on enemies-to-lovers with a clean romance touch.

Fake Dating the Grumpy Quarterback by Gianna Ward

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Premise: A fallen NFL star and his former high school crush fake a relationship to fix his image, but old wounds—and real feelings—resurface.
Why You’ll Love It: High-stakes romance with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic and a heartwarming connection with his son.

Fake Dating & Matchmaking 101 by Evie Sterling

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Premise: Enemies forced to fake-date at a yoga retreat for the sake of a wedding soon discover there might be more than animosity between them.
Why You’ll Love It: Baby goats, banter, and a perfect blend of enemies-to-lovers charm in a closed-door setting.

Fore-Ever Yours by Bella Greene

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Premise: A viral mishap leads a pro golfer and a barista to fake-date for the cameras—only to find something real behind the staged romance.
Why You’ll Love It: A short, sweet sports novella full of charm, awkward moments, and genuine heart.

Resorting to Romance by Savannah Scott

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Premise: A single mom recruits her longtime friend to play fake boyfriend when her ex reappears, but pretending quickly feels too real.
Why You’ll Love It: Friends-to-lovers feels, island setting, and a soft-spoken hero who quietly steals the show.

Meet Fake by Abi Sabina

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Premise: To unlock her trust fund, a wealthy heiress fakes a relationship with her barista—only to find herself catching unexpected feelings.
Why You’ll Love It: Class differences, sapphic tension, and a delightful mix of rebellion and slow-burn affection.

How Jenna Became My Dilemma by Kortney Keisel

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Premise: After a false tabloid rumor, Jenna and her co-star agree to fake a romance for the cameras—only to realize the chemistry is anything but staged.
Why You’ll Love It: Celebrity glam meets slow-burn flirtation in this clean, closed-door Hollywood romcom.

Love on Deck by Kasey Stockton

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Premise: After a failed blind date, two near-enemies are forced to fake-date on a cruise for their siblings’ wedding.
Why You’ll Love It: Tropes collide with cruise ship charm, sharp banter, and a feel-good second chance at love.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud romcom or a quiet moment of romantic tension, these closed-door fake dating stories offer a little something for every reader. They prove that you don’t need steam to feel the heat—just the right amount of chemistry, tension, and heart. If you love the fake dating trope but want to keep things sweet, these are perfect additions to your TBR.

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Which of these fake relationships do you wish would turn real first? Let us know in the comments.