Fake For Fame Review — Is It Worth Reading?

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Verdict: A bingeable, slightly outrageous fake-dating romance: an Oscar-winning actress, desperate to stay relevant after a public divorce, agrees to fake a lesbian relationship with an escort — who turns out to be her ex-husband’s mistress. Readers love the premise and chemistry; critics cite a far-fetched setup, a rushed second half and editing errors.

Best for: Readers who want juicy Hollywood drama, fake dating and a late-bloomer awakening on Kindle Unlimited.

Heat level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.7/5 — a 4.10 Goodreads average across 419 ratings, 3.86 on StoryGraph from 45 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 417 Amazon ratings)

Tropes: Fake dating, enemies to lovers, late-in-life awakening, Hollywood, sex worker heroine, slow burn.

Fake For Fame is Isla Briggs’s 2024 contemporary sapphic romance. Cheryl Bourne is tripping on the red carpet: after a highly publicised divorce, her Hollywood career is hanging by a thread.

It holds a 4.10 average across 419 Goodreads ratings, with 76% of them four or five stars, 3.86 on StoryGraph from 45 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 417 Amazon ratings.

What Is Fake For Fame About?

Desperate to stay in the spotlight, Cheryl agrees to pretend to be a lesbian and fake-date an escort to exploit the media frenzy. The catch: her fake girlfriend, Gilda Jones, was her ex-husband’s mistress.

Siren-eyed, jaded Gilda wants out of the escort life, and this job is her ticket. Getting along may be impossible — resisting each other proves harder.

What Works in This Book

• The premise: One reader calls the ex-husband’s-mistress twist jaw-dropping and delicious.
• Chemistry: Fans describe electric tension, from staring daggers to stolen glances.
• Growth: Readers like watching both women help each other change and find trust.
• Setting: One reader felt transported onto the red carpet.

Book Synopsis

A fading star fake-dates the escort who ended her marriage.

How far will they fake it for fame?

My Review

The hook is irresistible, and Briggs has fun with it while touching on sexism in Hollywood, sex work and the pressures of being in the public eye. Several readers found it hard to put down once the drama kicks in.

But several readers found the scheme hard to believe, the enemies stage short-lived, and the romance too quick. Others felt the second half was rushed, some side characters were cartoonish, and the writing needed another edit. A couple noted a slow start.

My honest note: Strap in your suspension of disbelief and enjoy it.

Element	In Fake For Fame
Central relationship	Cheryl Bourne (Oscar-winning actress) & Gilda Jones (escort)
Core tropes	Fake dating, enemies to lovers, late awakening
Setting	Hollywood
Heat level	🌶️🌶️🌶️
Length	282 pages (Kindle edition)
Series	Standalone
Content notes	Sex work, infidelity, homophobia, misogyny

How Spicy Is Fake For Fame?

Contested — some readers found it steamy, others say it is less spicy than the cover suggests.

StoryGraph readers flag sexual content, homophobia and misogyny.

Who Should Read This Book?

You’ll likely love it if: you want scandalous fake dating with a late bloomer. It is on our celebrity lesbian romance list.

You may want to skip it if: you need a realistic premise or a slow enemies phase.

In short: Scandalous, fun, far-fetched.

What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)

On Goodreads the split is 37% five stars, 39% four, 18% three, 3% two and under 1% one. On StoryGraph, 63% tagged it lighthearted and 90% found the characters loveable.

Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The premise first. Second, chemistry. Third, growth. Fourth, bingeability.

What readers argue about and complain about: Plausibility, above everything. Second, rushed romance. Third, editing.

The comparison worth making first: The Fame Game, a sweeter publicity-relationship romance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Fake For Fame have a happy ending?

Yes — the author promises an HEA.

Is it a late-in-life awakening?

Yes. Readers describe Cheryl’s story as a “toaster oven” or sapphic awakening after her divorce.

How spicy is Fake For Fame?

Readers disagree. Some found plenty of heat; one says the sultry cover oversells it and another felt the love scenes were buried in dialogue.

Is the premise realistic?

Not especially — several readers say you need to suspend disbelief, but most enjoyed the ride.

Is Fake For Fame on Kindle Unlimited?

Yes, when we checked — or $5.99 to buy on Kindle.

If You Loved Fake For Fame, Read These Next

Try Guarding Evelyn or The Fame Game. Browse our celebrity list or the full Book Reviews archive.

The Bottom Line

Fake For Fame sets out to be a scandalous fake-dating romance, and its premise and chemistry deliver. What holds it back is a setup that strains belief and a rushed second half. A fun Kindle Unlimited binge. Check Fake For Fame on Amazon →

The Eikna Overall Ranking

On the Eikna scale, Fake For Fame ranks as a good celebrity pick — juicy, implausible.

The Evidence Scorecard

Overall ★★★★☆ 3.7/5

• ✓ 4.10 average across 419 Goodreads ratings
• ✓ 76% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
• ✓ 3.86 on StoryGraph from 45 reviews
• ✓ 4.4 stars across 417 Amazon ratings

Romance ★★★★☆ 3.6/5

• ✓ Fake dating
• ✓ Electric chemistry
• ✓ Short enemies phase
• ✓ Fast

Characters ★★★★☆ 3.8/5

• ✓ Cheryl
• ✓ Gilda
• ✓ 90% loveable on StoryGraph
• ✓ Cartoonish side cast

Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5

• ✓ Vivid settings
• ✓ Editing errors
• ✓ POV confusion for one
• ✓ Trying too hard at times

Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.5/5

• ✓ Trust
• ✓ Divorce
• ✓ Awakening
• ✓ Lighthearted

Heat Level ★★★☆☆ 3/5

• ✓ Contested
• ✓ Plenty of fire for some
• ✓ Buried in dialogue for one
• ✓ Adult

Ending ★★★★☆ 3.7/5

• ✓ HEA
• ✓ Rushed for some
• ✓ Standalone
• ✓ Satisfying

Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.5/5

• ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
• ✓ $5.99 Kindle price
• ✓ 282 pages
• ✓ Bingeable

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