Synopsis & Trigger warnings
Borrowing him was supposed to be harmless.
Falling for him? Not part of the deal.
Everly Allen doesn’t do love stories anymore. Not after watching one destroy everything she believed in. With her brother’s wedding days away, a family obsessed with her relationship status, and a past she can’t outrun, she makes a reckless decision.
She borrows a man.
A fake boyfriend.
A distraction.
Easton Hayes, tattooed, brooding, infuriatingly smug, is the last person she should’ve chosen. He’s the CEO of Chrome Customs, her best friend’s fiancé, and the man she once wanted so badly it nearly broke her.
But Hailey insisted. She planned it. She pushed them together.
Because Hailey always had a plan.
What Everly doesn’t know, what she’s never supposed to find out, is that this isn’t a harmless favor. It’s a lie. One so carefully constructed it blurs the line between loyalty and betrayal.
And the night before her brother’s wedding, the truth starts to crack.
Every look from Easton feels like a confession.
Every touch feels like something borrowed.
And every secret Hailey kept begins to unravel, one piece at a time.
Because this fake relationship isn’t fake at all.
It’s a slow burning fuse tied to a secret that could destroy them all.
Some love stories start with a kiss.
This one starts with a lie.
And theirs might end with the one thing Everly never saw coming, goodbye.
Because some love stories aren’t just complicated, they’re impossible.
And the truth waiting at the end of theirs?
It might be the most heartbreaking twist of all.
Sometimes love begins with a lie.
And ends with a goodbye.
A slow burn, angsty fake dating romance about forbidden longing, buried truths, and the kind of betrayal that makes you question everything you thought was love.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qmI1ZdIxuYnqnlaAfSRpD?si=9RuabIbdT-2WOuSGjn591A&pi=tABTxSztQj69O
⚠️ Trigger & Content Warnings
This story contains mature themes intended for adult readers (18+).
Please read responsibly.
Emotional & Psychological Themes:
• Grief and loss of a loved one (death of a major character)
• Terminal illness (cancer)
• Emotional manipulation / deception (fake relationship setup)
• Betrayal and secrecy among close friends
• Guilt, regret, and trauma processing
• Mentions of depression and emotional numbness
• Heavy grief and funeral scenes
• Complicated love triangle dynamics
Romantic & Sexual Content:
• Explicit sexual scenes and language
• Emotional infidelity (non-physical but emotional overlap between partners)
• Power imbalance and blurred moral boundaries in relationships
• Passionate and emotionally charged intimacy
Additional Sensitive Topics:
• Alcohol use / coping through drinking
• Family conflict and emotional neglect
• Mild profanity and adult language throughout
• Mentions of hospitalization, terminal decline, and end-of-life care
• Emotional distress, crying, and panic responses
Death on screen, not main characters (Easton & Everly)
This story does have an HEA!
before I read is this going to be a happy ending and no main characters dying?
There is a happy ending and there is a death in the book. But not Everly or Easton
appreciating your warnings!!