Kissing My Fake Boyfriend

The plan was simple: pretend to be in love. Do not actually fall in love.

When I kiss a stranger in the middle of Hunter’s Creek, it seems like the perfect solution to a temporary problem. Now Christopher Young—city guy, expensive suit, and completely out of place in my small town—is pretending to be my boyfriend, and the entire town is completely invested in our relationship.

Which would be fine, except for a few things:

He’s only in Hunter’s Creek for a short time.
I’m trying to save my aunt’s café.
And this fake dating is starting to feel a little too real.

Small towns have long memories, busybodies with excellent hearing, and a tendency to turn relationships into town-wide entertainment. Suddenly Christopher is coming to family dinners, helping out at the café, and looking at me like this might not be pretend after all.

This was supposed to be simple. It was not supposed to involve feelings. And I definitely wasn’t supposed to fall in love with my fake boyfriend.


Kissing My Fake Boyfriend is a sweet small-town romantic comedy featuring fake dating, opposites attract, a meddling small town, found family, and a guaranteed happily ever after. This special 2026 edition also includes a brand-new bonus epilogue: Harper & Christopher’s Wedding.

Welcome to Hunter’s Creek, a small town where gossip travels fast, matchmaking is considered a community service, and the Cole sisters are about to discover that love can find you when you least expect it. Each book in the Sisters and Sweethearts series can be read as a standalone and features a different sister’s love story and a swoony, small-town happily ever after.


Perfect for readers who love:

  • Fake dating
  • Small-town romance
  • Opposites attract
  • Grumpy city hero
  • Meddling townspeople
  • Found family
  • Sisters series
  • Sweet / closed-door romance
  • Romantic comedies with heart
  • Happily ever afters

Formerly published as Faking it with the Grump.

 

Praise for Kissing my Fake Boyfriend:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Small town, fake relationship, grumpy sunshine. All my favorite tropes wrapped up in one gorgeous, feel-good rom com.” –USA Today bestselling author, Whitney Dineen

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “What a charming rom com! I have already packed my bags, ready to move to Hunter’s Creek.” – bestselling author, Melanie Summers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Escape to the charming small town of Hunter’s Creek in this hilarious and heart-warming rom com.” –USA Today bestselling author, Delancey Stewart

 

Reader’s LOVE Kissing my Fake Boyfriend:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Like a Hallmark movie with much better kissing.” – Bookstagrammer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “L-O-V-E-D this book!” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Um, how can a book be so dang cute?” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Oh what joy, what a brilliant start to a new series, I have already packed my bags ready to move to Hunter’s Creek.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The pacing, writing, and characters were perfect. I read this in a couple of hours. I just could not put it down.” – Goodreads reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This is a Hallmark movie in a book (which the book even pokes fun at), and I am so here for it.” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Faking It With the Grump by Kate O’Keeffe is the perfect mix of romance in the does she/does he style — just adorable.” – Bookbub reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This was the perfect book. I devoured it. Loved the chemistry and the slow burn. Loved the small town. I was smiling the whole time I was reading. I can’t wait for the second in the series. Everything about this book was perfection. I didn’t want the book to end!” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This book was sweetness times two. I loved the premise, the characters, the community, the conflict, the slow burn, the groveling, the drama, the reconciliation, and the conclusion.” – Amazon reviewer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “What do you get when you mix together opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, and slow burn tropes, and then you add a cute Hallmark vibe to it? An absolutely adorable story, that’s what!” – Apple reviewer

Titles in the Sisters & Sweethearts series:

Each title in the series can be read as a standalone as each book is about one of the three Cole sisters, Harper, Ryn, and Marlowe. If you want to read them in order, here it is:

 

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Kissing my Fake Boyfriend

What is Kissing My Fake Boyfriend about?

Faking It with the Grump is a fun, feel-good romcom starring Harper Cole, a recently dumped schoolteacher who returns to her small hometown—only to fake date the most buttoned-up guy in town to stop everyone from setting her up. What starts as a public kiss with a stranger quickly spirals into fake dating chaos… and possibly something real.

Who is Harper Cole?

Harper Cole is one of three sisters in the Cole family, each of whom gets her own love story in the Sisters & Sweethearts series. She’s a dedicated teacher, recently heartbroken, and not looking for love—especially not with someone as grumpy (and handsome) as Christopher Young.

Who is the “grump” in Kissing My Fake Boyfriend?

That would be Christopher Young—suit-wearing, emotionally unavailable, and very much not small-town boyfriend material. But when Harper kisses him in a moment of desperation, he unexpectedly agrees to play the part… and may just steal the show.

Who are the main characters in Kissing My Fake Boufriend ?

Christopher Young and Harper Cole are the main characters, total opposites who fake date one another for their own individual reasons.

Is Kissing My Fake Boyfriend part of a series?

Yes! It’s book one in the Sisters & Sweethearts series, set in the cozy small town of Hunter’s Creek, Washington. Each book focuses on one of the three Cole sisters and their journey to love. You’ll meet them all in every book, but each story can be read as a standalone.

Do I need to read the other Sisters & Sweethearts books first?

Not at all! Faking It with the Grump kicks off the series and is a complete standalone with a full happily ever after. If you love it, you can keep reading to discover the stories of Harper’s sisters.

Is

Kissing My Fake Boyfriend a closed-door romance?

Yes! Like all of Kate O’Keeffe’s romances, it’s sweet and closed-door. Expect all the swoony tension, kissing, and emotional intimacy—with zero on-page heat.

What tropes are in Kissing My Fake Boyfriend?

Tropes galore for your romcom-loving heart:

  • Fake dating
  • Grumpy/sunshine
  • Small-town romance
  • Opposites attract
  • One impulsive kiss
  • Found family and sister bonds

Where is Kissing My Fake Boyfriend set?

The book is set in Hunter’s Creek, a fictional small town in Washington state. Think charming shops, nosy neighbors, and plenty of cozy small-town vibes.

Is there a happy ending?

Absolutely. Expect a satisfying HEA with heart, humor, and maybe a little swooning over Mr. Grump himself.

Who would enjoy this book?

Fans of small-town settings, fake dating antics, sweet slow-burn romance, and sisterly banter will love Faking It with the Grump.

Where can I read Kissing My Fake Boyfriend?

You can grab the ebook on Amazon and it’s on Kindle Unlimited, too. The  paperback is available at all online retailers, and the audiobook is available wherever you get your audiobbok,s including libraries. Faking it with the Grump is perfect for curling up with something sweet and satisfying.

What did Kissing My Fake Boyfriend used to be called?

Kissing my Fake Boyfriend was first published as Faking it with the Grump.