January 8, 2024
Salvatore (Can’t Take That Away) delivers all the feels with this charming queer revamp of Pretty Woman. Green-thumbed Teddy Hughes feels “unrooted” after he is bankrupted by his ex-husband and loses his dream store, Plant Daddy. Then he meets the überwealthy Cole Vivien in a dive bar and the men have a one-night stand. Cole, the owner of VERSTL, which is set to become the “first publicly traded sex work company,” is in need of a date for his sister’s wedding, and proposes to pay Teddy to be his fake boyfriend for a week. Cole does not kiss his hook ups as a policy, but sparks still fly so intensely that Teddy has to remind himself it’s not a “real relationship.” When he overhears Cole’s best friend Jason hatching a shady plan to get VERSTL some PR, he debates whether to tell Cole. Meanwhile, Jason puts a bug in Cole’s ear that Teddy is a con artist. Despite betrayals and doubt, Cole eventually realizes that “love is more than a declaration. It’s action,” leading to some swoon-inducing moments. Readers will be anxiously rooting for these guys to stop lying to themselves and others, and couple up for real. For fans of fake-dating romances, this will be a treat. Agent: Jessica Regel, Helm Literary.
February 15, 2024
Not only is Cole Vivien about to take VERSTL, an app that allows sex workers to connect with customers, publicly. There's also a potential partnership with celebrated fashion designer Alessandro Arcobaleno in the works. However, in order to minimize some of the stigma attached to the services his company provides, Cole needs to show that he is involved in a stable romantic relationship. Teddy Hughes thought what he enjoyed with Cole Vivien the night before was a one-and-done hookup. So, when Cole offers to pay Teddy to act as his boyfriend for a week, Teddy is a bit conflicted. After being forced to close his beloved nursery, Plant Daddy, Teddy can definitely use the money. But can Teddy really keep things strictly business with Cole without getting his heart broken in the process? With a nod towards Pretty Woman, YA author Salvatore brings both the heat and the sweet in his first adult romance, a fun fake-dating love story that delivers plenty of sensually descriptive, red-hot love scenes as well as moments of great emotional tenderness.
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February 5, 2024
YA author Salvatore (And They Lived...) makes their adult romance debut. When Teddy Hughes's marriage and business implode simultaneously, moving back home to Louisiana seems like his only choice--until a one-night stand leads to an unexpected second option. Entrepreneur Cole Vivien is in a bind. The creator of a sex-positive app that allows consumers and sex workers to form connections and has taken the world by storm, he's not used to needing help from others. But he has a potential investor to impress and a family wedding to deal with, and both are more likely to go well if he can demonstrate that he's in a solid relationship. One problem--he doesn't do love; he doesn't even believe in kissing anymore. Hiring Teddy to play his fake boyfriend for a week seems like the perfect solution all around. Surely, nothing could go wrong, and he's definitely not going to fall in love. VERDICT This will draw readers in with its Pretty Woman vibes and queer love story.--Rebecca Moe
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