ISN'T HE ROMANTIC?
by Adib Khorram
A relationship-averse man agrees to fake date his latest hookup—but real feelings emerge.
Arya Nazeri is a self-proclaimed slut. His best friends may have found true love, but Arya grew up a witness to his parents’ constant affairs and he has no desire to follow in their messy footsteps. Casual hookups are much easier. Cellist Ben Liu moved to Kansas City for a fresh start, but when he attends a planning meeting for the Philharmonic’s upcoming charity ball, he’s shocked to see the man who recently ghosted him after a wonderful night of real connection—Arya, working as the event planner. Complicating matters further, Ben’s ex-boyfriend keeps showing up, so to get him to back off, Ben says he’s dating Arya. Arya agrees to be his fake boyfriend in exchange for Ben introducing him to a new possible client. They set up ground rules like no sex and no falling in love, but with the sizzling chemistry and deep sense of comfort between them, the rules become impossible to follow. Khorram’s signature blend of complex emotions, high heat, and plenty of cozy, feel-good moments is once again on bright display. Fans of I’ll Have What He’s Having (2024) and It Had to Be Him (2025) will be particularly glad to see Arya—the final member of the group of queer best friends who are Kansas City food and drink aficionados—find his love. The tropey fake-dating setup is fun, but the real heart of the story lies in its delicate, thoughtful handling of more serious matters, including growing older (Arya is 39, Ben is 40), navigating sexual preferences and desires with a partner, and dealing with complicated relationships with loved ones.
Deeply affecting and thoroughly captivating, this story cements the whole series as some of the best romance out there.