Last month, Matthew surprised me by pretending he'd forgotten our anniversary. He'd walked past me all morning making a big show of checking his watch, acting confused when I mentioned June 25th. I was getting properly indignant until he suddenly scooped Rebecca's homework off the table and revealed tickets to that concert I'd been eyeing. He'd been planning the ruse for weeks. The lesson? Sometimes the best surprises come wrapped in misdirection—a theme that runs beautifully through Pretend You're Mine, where what looks like a simple charade becomes something real and dangerous.
Plot Summary
Pretend You're Mine by Jill Shalvis is the first book in the Benevolence series. When Cam Holiday, a rugged firefighter, makes a rash promise to his dying best friend to look after his daughter Dani, he never expects to actually meet her—or for her to show up in his life years later, needing his protection from dangerous men. Cam agrees to let her stay with him, and they create a fake relationship to keep her safe. But as Dani works to rebuild her life, the pretend relationship becomes very real. Expect chemistry, humor, emotional depth, and a firefighter hero who's tougher on the outside than the inside.
Why I Love This Book
I love how Pretend You're Mine starts with a fake relationship premise but never lets it feel forced or stale. Cam and Dani's banter is sharp and funny. Shalvis makes characters feel real and relatable. Cam's protective nature reads as genuine devotion, and Dani's growth from victim to survivor is inspiring. The secondary characters add warmth, and the emotional beats land hard. It's a romance that doesn't shy away from the harder realities of trauma and healing while delivering swoon-worthy moments.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy contemporary romance, firefighter heroes, fake-relationship tropes, or small-town settings, you'll love this story. Perfect for readers wanting chemistry and humor balanced with emotional stakes. The book earns its intimate moments. If you appreciate Jill Shalvis' witty, tender, character-driven style, this is essential reading. Fans of feel-good romance with backbone will devour this.
Trigger warning: past trauma, references to abuse, violence, grief, implied drug use.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, Benevolence series, fake relationship, firefighter hero, small-town romance, second chances, protective hero, humor, emotional depth, HEA, mild spice
Steam Level
SpiceLevel: Mild - The book features fade-to-black intimate scenes that enhance the emotional connection. Focus is on emotional intimacy and tension rather than explicit detail.
