Play Pretend:
A Fake Dating Small Town Romance
A year ago, I told a lie...now, it's haunting me.
Ronan Caldwell is my grumpy, too-handsome-for-his-own-good neighbor. He’s the town’s brooding sheriff...and my fake boyfriend.
I’ve been lying to my family about dating him for the past year, convinced no one would ever know. But then they dropped a bomb—they’re coming to visit. Desperate to keep my story straight, I beg Ronan to play along. He agrees, but as the line between fake and real starts to blur, I keep reminding myself it’s all just for show. Right?
Everything changes the night my house is broken into, and Ronan insists I stay with him. Suddenly, we’re sharing more than just a lie, and the sparks between us feel anything but pretend.
With my family in town, our relationship feels fragile, uncertain, like walking a tightrope between reality and make-believe. And just when I think we might be finding our footing, my stepsister overhears a conversation that shatters our carefully constructed lie. Panicked, I do what I do best—I run.
But Ronan isn’t the kind of man who gives up easily. He finds me, and when he does, there’s no more pretending. This time, we’ll find out if what we’ve been playing at was real all along.
Meet the author behind the swoon & heartbreak
Claire Brooks is a romance author who writes stories full of charm, spice, and just enough suspense to keep you hooked. When she’s not creating book boyfriends, she’s lost in a romance novel, gaming with friends, or binge-watching guilty pleasure TV with her partner.
Grab a cozy blanket and settle in—welcome to a world of small towns, big hearts, and unforgettable love stories!
Small Town Romance Author,
Claire Brooks
Check out what readers are saying about Play Pretend!
A Debut Masterpiece
This book was incredible. This book covers. PTSD/OCD, daddy/abandonment issues and so many insecurities and self-doubt between the two main characters.
What starts as a grumpy neighbor, turns into fake dating, and progresses to such a “touch her and die” mentality. Jesus. RONAN. ❤️ he handles her insecurities so delicately and constantly chooses her again and again, when she has never experienced being someone’s first choice. And Willow.
When she helps him through a manic OCD event- her patience, and support for him was everything.
Such an unlikely couple with their history, but they were everything.
This book was just the perfect balance of escaping into a fictional reality but relatable enough to see yourself within the characters.
This book really made an impact and healed certain parts of me that I didn’t know needed to be healed. I cried, laughed and when it ended, I certainly most definitely had a book hangover. I don’t know what to do with my life now 😭
This Book Will Make You SWOOON
I honestly don’t even know where to begin with Play Pretend by Claire Brooks—it’s been a abouttt a week since I finished it, and I’m still not over it. This book wrecked me in the best possible way. It’s the kind of story that grabs your heart, takes it for a wild ride, and then gently puts it back together, all while making you laugh, cry, and blush like crazy.
From the very first page, I was hooked. The small-town setting, the undeniable chemistry between Willow and Ronan, and the slow-burn romance that kept me on the edge of my seat made this book an absolute page-turner. It’s the perfect blend of fake dating, forced proximity, and slow-burn tension that builds and builds until it finally explodes into something real—and oh, was it worth the wait.
And can we talk about Ronan for a second? He’s this grumpy, brooding sheriff with a heart of gold, and I’m not even going to pretend that I didn’t fall head over heels for him. His protective instincts, his struggles with OCD and PTSD, and the way he handles Willow with such patience and tenderness made me swoon. The mental health representation in this book was done so beautifully and authentically. It wasn’t just a plot point; it was woven into the fabric of the story in a way that felt honest and respectful.
The book isn’t just about the romance, though. There’s a real depth to the story, with themes of family, healing, and finding your way in a world that often feels broken. The way Willow and Ronan find solace in each other—both in moments of joy and moments of vulnerability—was the heart of the story.
Honestly, I could go on and on about this book. It had everything I love—grumpy/sunshine dynamics, fake dating, small-town charm, slow burn, and real, raw emotions. But more than anything, it’s a story about healing, about trusting others, and about discovering that love can bloom in the most unexpected places.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series. If you love small-town romance, a little bit of spice, and a whole lot of heart, Play Pretend is an absolute must-read. Don’t miss out on this gem. Claire Brooks absolutely nailed it. 💙
For film, foreign, and subsidiary rights, please reach out to my agent:
Angie Ojeda Hazen at Lunar Literary Agency
I write the books, she handles the rest. Contact Taylor, my personal assistant, at clairebrooksauthor.pa@gmail.com
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