Fake Dating is a beloved romance trope where characters pretend to be in a relationship for external reasons, only to develop real feelings through the charade.
Common Setups
Why characters fake date:
- Family pressure: Bring fake date to wedding/holiday
- Workplace: Fake engagement for promotion/perception
- Publicity: Celebrity PR relationships
- Revenge: Make ex jealous
- Green card / Visa: Immigration marriage
- Social status: Improve reputation
The Formula
Fake dating typically includes:
- Agreement with clear boundaries
- Hand-holding, kissing “for show”
- Accidentally blurring lines
- Jealousy when fake partner talks to others
- The “oh no, I actually love them” realization
- Relationship revealed as fake (third-act breakup)
- Real confession of feelings
Why It Works
The trope offers:
- Permission to explore attraction
- Low stakes turned high stakes
- Physical intimacy with emotional safety
- Watching characters lie to everyone but themselves
BookTok Favorites
Popular fake dating books:
- The Love Hypothesis: Academia fake dating
- Red, White & Royal Blue: Royal/political fake dating
- The Spanish Love Deception: Wedding date fake relationship
Sources:
- Romance Writers of America: https://www.rwa.org/
- Book Riot: https://bookriot.com/