# Hate to Fake It to You

By Amanda Sellet

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/hate-to-fake-it-to-you-a8c61383/

Waitress Libby Lane and her friends invent Lillibet, an Instagram personality rich enough to make self-care a full-time occupation. Then media heiress Hildy Johnson arrives on Oahu with a job opportunity. Libby needs a convincing home and husband in a hurry, while Hildy’s photographer companion Jefferson makes her wish she could introduce herself honestly.

## What makes it funny?

Libby’s opening post promotes Me-mas, a holiday devoted entirely to herself. Writing its serene lifestyle captions means trying to ignore power tools, loud Adele and the dubious contents of her refrigerator. Later, a cocktail party calls for a centerpiece assembled from driveway shells and a friend’s improvised Irish accent.

### The comedy at work

The fake account gives Libby control over every detail until she has to perform its promises for visitors. Each improvised solution requires more pretending, including a marriage that gets in the way of a real attraction. Her friends help sustain the illusion while introducing complications of their own.

### Try this if…

Readers who enjoy a crowded screwball romance can follow several people trying to keep their stories straight. The lifestyle-influencer spoof also offers a specific target: the labor of making an ordinary life look effortless and luxurious online.

### Good to know

Sellet describes this as a very loose retelling of Christmas in Connecticut. The action moves to Hawaii, and an invented holiday takes the place of Christmas.

## What to expect

- Genre: Romance
- On the shelf: Contemporary romance · Romantic comedy
- Kind of humor: Farce · Satire
- Format: Novel
- Length: 320 pages
- Published: 2024

## A few distinguishing details

- A fake influencer whose potential employer comes to visit
- Me-mas, a holiday devoted to the person celebrating it
- A Hawaiian take on a classic screwball setup

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Hate to Fake It to You | Macmillan](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250906250/hatetofakeittoyou)
- Review: [Publishers Weekly review](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250906243)
- Author commentary: [Author interview](https://harlequinjunkie.com/spotlight-giveaway-hate-to-fake-it-to-you-by-amanda-sellet)
- Publisher: [Publisher and opening excerpt](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250906250/hatetofakeittoyou)