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Quick answer: If you loved The Spanish Love Deception, read Elena Armas's The American Roommate Experiment, then try The Hating Game, The Love Hypothesis, Beach Read and The Unhoneymooners. All pair banter, slow burn and a happy ending.
Elena Armas's debut follows Catalina, who needs a fake date for her sister's wedding in Spain and brings her colleague Aaron, her grumpy rival. The books below share that fake-dating, enemies-to-lovers energy. All are adult contemporary romance, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The American Roommate Experiment | Elena Armas | Adult | more Armas |
| The Hating Game | Sally Thorne | Adult | office rivals |
| The Love Hypothesis | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | fake-dating science |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | writers in love |
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | city versus small town |
| People We Meet on Vacation | Emily Henry | Adult | friends to lovers |
| The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren | Adult | forced proximity |
| Red, White & Royal Blue | Casey McQuiston | Adult | rom-com with heart |
| The Kiss Quotient | Helen Hoang | Adult | neurodiverse romance |
| The Friend Zone | Abby Jimenez | Adult | friends to lovers |
| Part of Your World | Abby Jimenez | Adult | opposites attract |
| Better Than the Movies | Lynn Painter | Teen | teen rom-com |
| Funny Story | Emily Henry | Adult | fake dating |
| The Wedding Date | Jasmine Guillory | Adult | light romance |
| Love & Other Words | Christina Lauren | Adult | second chances |
1. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas
A Spanish writer shares an apartment with her best friend's cousin, a baseball star. Armas's second book, with the same slow burn.
Best for: more Armas.
2. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Two executive assistants compete and then fall for each other. A classic office enemies-to-lovers story.
Best for: office rivals.
3. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
A PhD student fakes a relationship with a young professor. Funny and geeky.
Best for: fake-dating science.
4. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres for a summer by the lake. Funny and warm.
Best for: writers in love.
5. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A literary agent and an editor keep meeting in a small town. Banter and big feelings.
Best for: city versus small town.
6. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Two best friends take a trip every year until one goes wrong. Funny, sad and warm.
Best for: friends to lovers.
7. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
A maid of honor and best man take a honeymoon after the wedding party gets sick. Quick and funny.
Best for: forced proximity.
8. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The son of the US president falls for a British prince. Funny, hopeful and political.
Best for: rom-com with heart.
9. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
A woman with autism hires an escort to teach her about relationships. Sweet and tender.
Best for: neurodiverse romance.
10. The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
A woman chooses between a friendship and a risk. Funny, warm and serious.
Best for: friends to lovers.
11. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
A doctor and a carpenter from different worlds fall in love. Funny and emotional.
Best for: opposites attract.
12. Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
A girl plans a movie-style romance with her neighbor's rival. Light and funny.
Best for: teen rom-com.
13. Funny Story by Emily Henry
Two people left behind by their exes pretend to date. Warm and funny.
Best for: fake dating.
14. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
A woman and a doctor meet in an elevator and agree to a fake relationship. Sweet and breezy.
Best for: light romance.
15. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
Two former friends meet again after years apart. Sentimental and charming.
Best for: second chances.
How to Choose
For more Armas, read The American Roommate Experiment. For workplace banter, The Hating Game and The Love Hypothesis. For emotional depth, Emily Henry. For laughs, The Unhoneymooners. Romance fans often read in a series of binges, so pick two or three to stack. Romance fans often keep a running list of tropes they love, such as fake dating, grumpy and sunshine, or forced proximity. Searching by trope can help you find your next read. Library holds on popular titles can take weeks, so request a few at once.
Related: 15 Best Books to Read to Learn Spanish Effectively · 15 Best Books to Read in Spanish for Beginners
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Spanish Love Deception about?
Catalina brings her grumpy coworker Aaron to Spain as a fake boyfriend, and their pretend relationship becomes real.
Is it a standalone?
It is the first of Armas's books, but each is its own story.
Is it spicy?
It has some heat but is mostly a slow burn.
Is it enemies to lovers?
Yes, with fake dating and forced proximity.
What should I read next?
The Hating Game and The Love Hypothesis are close in tone.
Is The Spanish Love Deception a slow burn?
Yes. The leads spend most of the book resisting their feelings.
Is the book connected to TikTok?
Yes. It became a BookTok hit after readers shared it online.
What age is it for?
It is adult romance, with some mature scenes.
What else did Elena Armas write?
The American Roommate Experiment and The Long Game.
Where can I find more fake-dating romances?
Search library lists and romance blogs for fake dating, grumpy and sunshine and one bed tropes.
Is it a good book for a beach trip?
Yes. It is light, funny and easy to finish in a couple of days.