The Summer I Borrowed a Boyfriend

A Fake Dating YA Romance • A 90 Minute Summer Love Story

Fake dating wasn’t part of Clara’s summer plan — but neither was falling for the boy she borrowed.

Seventeen-year-old Clara Brooks only wants three things this summer: keep her family’s struggling bookstore alive, avoid her ex, and recover from a breakup delivered by playlist. But one humiliating run-in later, she grabs the nearest stranger and blurts out the words that change everything:

“Meet my boyfriend.”

Jonah Reyes — quiet, artistic, definitely not from Westport — agrees to play along. What starts as a panic-driven lie quickly spirals into late-night bonfires, fairground rides, secret sketchbook pages, and a connection Clara never saw coming.

The rules were simple:
Keep it fake. Keep it light. Don’t fall.

But summer has plans of its own. And when pretend begins to feel dangerously real, Clara must choose between protecting her heart… or finally trusting someone with it.

A cozy, heartfelt YA romantic comedy perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Kasie West, and sweet summer love stories. If you love fake dating, bookstore vibes, and swoony boy-next-door energy, this 90-minute read is your next favorite escape.

Borrowed love wasn’t supposed to feel this real.