Entertainment
10 Must-Read Books While You Wait for ‘Off Campus’ Season 2
It’s officially the off-season for Off Campus Season 1. Based on the bestselling books by Elle Kennedy, the series follows scholarship music student Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and promising hockey star Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), who agree to a fake-dating arrangement. In return, Hannah gets help making her crush jealous, while Garrett hopes to ace his upcoming philosophy oral presentation. But the longer they play pretend, the more they realize just how compatible they are.
Season 1 may be over, but there’s no need to worry. With Season 2 of Off Campus officially in the works, another couple will be in the hot seat. But for fans who can’t get enough of Hannah and Garrett’s chemistry, there are plenty more books where that came from. From fake dating for a wedding to fake dating to pay the bills, here are the must-read books to enjoy while you wait for Off Campus Season 2.
‘Heated Rivalry’ (2019)
Written by Rachel Reid
Now a television sensation, Heated Rivalry follows the turbulent 10-year situationship between Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander and Russian star Ilya Rozanov. The two have their first awkward encounter at 17, and over the years — caught in the chaos of competition and rivalry — Shane and Ilya slowly develop sparks for each other, but never quite enough to turn it into a serious relationship.
Athletes famously don’t have the luxury of prioritizing their feelings, especially when they’re young prodigies like Shane and Ilya. But that pressure becomes even heavier in a sport known for its toxic hypermasculinity and unforgiving locker room culture. Over time, Shane and Ilya are forced to reckon with whether their hockey careers are worth sacrificing their happiness for.
‘The Duke and I’ (2000)
Written by Julia Quinn
The hype for Bridgerton wouldn’t exist without its first novel, The Duke and I. True to the Netflix adaptation, the novel follows social debutante Daphne Bridgerton, who is under pressure during the matchmaking season. Unlike the television counterpart, the story shows Daphne entering her second season in the marriage mart, and it doesn’t help that most of the men around her only see her as just a friend.
Meanwhile, Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, returns to London. While mothers of the ton set their sights on him as the perfect match for their daughters, the Duke has no interest in marriage. When he learns of Daphne’s predicament, he suggests a fake courtship to solve both of their problems, which eventually grows into something real.
‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ (2014)
Written by Jenny Han
Fake dating became the ultimate feel-good rom-com trope thanks to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Hopeless romantic Lara Jean Covey has spent sixteen years of her life writing secret love letters to all her unrequited crushes. But things spiral out of control when those letters mysteriously go missing. Worse still, one of them is mailed to her older sister’s now ex-boyfriend, Josh.
Luckily, Lara might have a solution. Also on her “list” is Peter Kavinsky. Peter is everything Lara is not: outgoing, charismatic, and wildly popular — which makes him the perfect fake-dating candidate to cover up her awkward situation with Josh. Peter agrees to help, but it’s only a matter of time before they start catching feelings for each other.
‘The Love Hypothesis’ (2021)
Written by Ali Hazelwood
Chemistry’s brewing in The Love Hypothesis, and it’s not happening in the lab. Slated for a film adaptation, the academic romance follows Olive Smith, a Stanford Ph.D. candidate who impulsively locks lips with a stranger to prove she’s over her ex. To her horror, the “stranger” she kisses is none other than Dr. Adam Carlsen.
The mere mention of Adam’s name is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. With a notorious record of making dissertation students cry, Olive approaches him to see if he would like to enter into a fake-dating arrangement with her. Surprisingly, Adam agrees, as the university would see it as him settling down — convincing enough to help secure research funding. That wouldn’t be the only thing the two end up securing, though.
‘The Spanish Love Deception’ (2021)
Written by Elena Armas
It’s an international match made in heaven — if only it weren’t fake. The Spanish Love Deception follows Catalina Martin, a Spanish woman living in New York City and nursing a broken heart. Her family, constantly pushing her to move on, finally gets under her skin. With her sister’s wedding in Spain approaching, Catalina ends up accepting help from her arrogant coworker, Aaron Blackford.
Trouble begins as soon as they land in Spain. From sharing a hotel room and a single bed to facing Catalina’s larger-than-life extended family, things only get more complicated when she’s forced to deal with her ex-fiancé’s comments. Surprisingly, the usually cold Aaron is having none of it, and that’s when their workplace rivalry slowly starts to shift into something else.
‘A Not So Meet Cute’ (2021)
Written by Meghan Quinn
Things aren’t going well for Lottie Gardner in A Not So Meet Cute. Recently fired by her influencer best friend, drowning in debt, and living with her mother, she jokingly sets out to find a rich husband in Beverly Hills. Her wishful thinking comes true when she crosses paths with wealthy real estate developer Huxley Can.
Huxley’s in a sticky situation. He might have lied to an important client about being engaged to a pregnant fiancée. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Lottie plays the role of Huxley’s expectant fiancée, while he pays off her student loans and helps fund her future. From breast pump fittings to baby classes, they make a great fake husband-and-wife-to-be.
‘Funny Story’ (2024)
Written by Emily Henry
Daphne Vincent thought she had her life planned out in Emily Henry‘s Funny Story — that is until her fiancé, Peter, leaves her just before their nuptials for his longtime friend, Petra. Stranded in Michigan, Daphne ends up living with Miles Nowak, Petra’s heartbroken ex-boyfriend. When Peter and Petra invite them to their wedding, Daphne impulsively claims that she and Miles are dating.
However, Daphne doesn’t plan on keeping up the charade for long, especially since she intends to move away from Michigan after her library’s all-night fundraiser. Before she leaves, though, she is determined to make the event a success. Knowing her time in Michigan may be coming to an end, Miles decides to spend as much time with her as possible.
‘The Love Match’ (2023)
Written by Priyanka Taslim
It’s heart over mind in the Pride and Prejudice-inspired The Love Match. High school graduate Zahra Khan dreams of going to college, but those plans seem out of reach when her struggling family can’t afford her education. Worse still, Zahra’s mother has already arranged a marriage for her, believing it is the best way to secure her daughter’s future and protect her from poverty.
Zahra is matched with the wealthy Harun Emon, who, much like Zahra, has no interest in marrying young. The two agree to fake their courtship while quietly sabotaging the match. Meanwhile, Zahra begins developing feelings for Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at her tea shop. As she finds herself torn between duty and desire, Zahra learns that money doesn’t always guarantee happiness—sometimes, what matters most is the freedom to choose her own future.
‘The Cheat Sheet’ (2021)
Written by Sarah Adams
Former ballerina Bree Camden is at her wits’ end in The Cheat Sheet. With rising rent looming, Bree struggles to keep her dance studio for low-income children afloat. Her lifelong best friend, NFL superstar Nathan Donelson, secretly purchases the building to help her, but the gesture only frustrates Bree.
After drowning her feelings in tequila, she accidentally confesses her long-hidden love for Nathan to a TMZ reporter, and the video quickly goes viral. Suddenly, the public is convinced they are the perfect couple. To capitalize on the attention and earn enough money to save the studio, Nathan and Bree agree to a three-week fake-dating arrangement.
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ (2019)
Written by Casey McQuiston
There’s tension between the United States and the United Kingdom in Red, White & Royal Blue, centered on two young men: Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Britain. The two share a long, bitter history, which comes to a head when they accidentally ruin a cake at a royal wedding.
In an effort to keep up appearances, Alex and Henry are forced to stage a public truce. But when the cameras are off, their staged friendship blossoms into something more. Soon enough, the two quickly learn that there is a cost to sharing their newfound romance, especially when their lives revolve around politics and public opinion.
Red, White & Royal Blue
- Release Date
-
August 11, 2023
- Runtime
-
121 Minutes
- Director
-
Matthew Lopez
- Writers
-
Matthew Lopez, Ted Malawer
You must be logged in to post a comment Login