---
title: "Can't Help Faking in Love: Desi Fake Dating Romance by Swati"
description: "Dive into my desi fake dating rom-com, Can't Help Faking in Love. A slowburn romance set at a Bangalore wedding featuring forced proximity and Bollywood vibes."
canonical: https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing/can-t-help-faking-in-love-a-fake-dating-desi-romance
last_updated: 2025-09-15
---

# Can't Help Faking in Love: My Desi Fake Dating Rom-Com

Tribe Verified · Published by Penguin Random House

By [Swati Hegde](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor) · Ships to India, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia · ₹12K per package (estimate)

Part of [Romance & Young Adult (YA) Fiction Writing](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing/gallery)

Welcome to the world of Harsha and Veer! My second novel is a desi fake dating rom-com set at a big fat Bangalore wedding. It is full of Bollywood energy, messy family drama, and the kind of slowburn tension that makes you scream at the pages.

## Photos and videos

- ![She's here. My second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, is out now in the US and Canada. This photo was taken on release day, and I'm so happy to finally share this story with you.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/dce0940c-fb08-455c-a438-5be9ba0afabd)
- [Video: Unboxing the final copies of my second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*. I started writing this book in 2019 after a bad date, and now it's a real, floppy book published by Penguin Random House.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/fd8c1fa5-727f-4f1a-851e-7f29cd4e2d61)
- ![A quick guide to the tropes in *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's a fake dating romance with an all-BIPOC cast, forced proximity, the only one bed trope, a Short King hero, and a grand desi wedding setting in Bangalore.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/2d2ecce9-2c2c-49af-8fa0-8040ec5e10ee)
- ![A quote from *Can't Help Faking in Love* that shows just how much the hero, Veer, adores the heroine, Harsha. He sees her passion, kindness, and bravery, and is completely in awe of her.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/00469a99-01e4-46d4-93de-f0cf246e657e)
- [Video: That feeling when all the tropes in your current read are hitting just right. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is packed with slow-burn romance, fake dating, he falls first, and the only one bed trope, all set in India.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/9012e22d-41aa-4ef0-9143-591436b22d8c)
- [Video: My standards for men are pretty high, thanks to romance novels. In *Can't Help Faking in Love*, the hero Veer tells the heroine Harsha how beautiful, passionate, kind, and brave she is. That's top-tier.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/60b18d69-ab14-41c6-8a4a-8da7cc820311)
- ![Taking my book for a swim. Here I am with an advance copy of *Can't Help Faking in Love* by the pool, trying not to drop it in the water.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/106566c6-a9e9-40b3-9157-43245be1bb50)
- [Video: The ideal coffee shop date: he reads your book and you get to watch his real-time reactions. Here's my boyfriend reading *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6f877d67-6ae7-475a-8c52-1e784d76f53f)
- [Video: Meet the main characters of *Can't Help Faking in Love*. She's a rich girl with a trust fund who needs a fake boyfriend ASAP. He's a broke barista who needs money. What could go wrong?](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/83ec38bc-52b3-4d9a-96f6-9550a6006af4)
- [Video: Never judge a book by its cover, unless it's this one. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is a desi slow-burn romance with *Crazy Rich Asians* vibes.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/565bd3cd-8211-4b6b-a8be-ac779934aed4)
- [Video: 23 chapters in and they still haven't kissed. If you love a good slow burn, *Can't Help Faking in Love* will definitely test your patience in the best way.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a1ebb496-e9b4-41c6-ad7c-26be726a443f)
- [Video: Me after moving away from my parents: "Let's be financially responsible!" Also me: hires a fake boyfriend to get my parents off my back. This is basically the plot of *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/de4078a8-f379-4aec-b823-a2ff5af46cf3)
- ![Announcing a special ebook sale for *Can't Help Faking in Love*. For a limited time, you can get the US ebook for just $1.99 on all e-retailers.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/b1db9c3d-b49f-48c2-a14b-f521b461cc16)
- [Video: Where can I find my own Veer? This quote from *Can't Help Faking in Love* sets the bar high. It's a fake dating romance that's high on slow burn and low on spice.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/13babc6a-6182-462b-bde9-123445dd3e10)
- [Video: Just waiting for the algorithm to bring me all the romance readers who love "he falls first but she falls harder." If that's you, check out my books *Can't Help Faking in Love* and *Match Me If You Can*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/13c5be8a-23a0-479f-8160-4be30203a712)
- ![*Can't Help Faking in Love* (Taylor's Version). A collection of Taylor Swift songs that perfectly capture the vibes of my desi fake dating romance.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4e3eab0b-4d28-4659-9d74-283e15f55609)
- ![A beautiful shot of the *Can't Help Faking in Love* cover against a sunset. This book is about a woman with Bollywood roots who hires a barista as her fake boyfriend for a wedding.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/1732f836-e79d-445b-856e-d8c6f7e6fc68)
- ![A stack of my second novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*. Seeing so many copies together is always a thrill.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6ae9af99-e6d0-47e7-a1b7-b8ebb248446a)
- ![So happy to be holding my second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's a story with *To All the Boys I've Loved Before* energy, but with a desi twist.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/582226cf-5634-419f-af4c-82b79fbae02f)
- ![Reading my own book, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, in the golden hour light. This book was a labor of love, and I'm so proud of how it turned out.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/b343d9c0-54bf-45cc-b351-400cfdbfdc7d)
- ![Another shot of me reading *Can't Help Faking in Love*. This book is set in my hometown of Bangalore and is full of local flavor.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/7964c9b2-8368-45a9-be63-017f7117787e)
- [Video: How it feels to hire the hot barista as your fake boyfriend and then slowly start falling in love with him. This is the journey of Harsha, the main character in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/abd9cddb-6c4e-496c-8bba-f210f169d0e8)
- [Video: Thanks, I had to hire the hot barista as my fake boyfriend to get my parents off my back, but now I'm actually falling for him. The plot of my second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4b638524-7ea3-423c-ac4a-6c418ec8d310)
- [Video: I wasn't sad, I just needed a green flag book boyfriend written by a woman. You can find one in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/8df58ef9-b2c5-4a46-bad9-760297d0423e)
- [Video: You can judge this book by its cover. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is a desi fake dating romance that's as fun and vibrant as its cover suggests.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/77f7c667-bc12-4b1b-8506-e3adef12eb12)
- [Video: She needs a fake boyfriend. He needs the money. What could go wrong? Find out in *Can't Help Faking in Love*, my desi romance coming out February 11, 2025.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/cd5cf737-0c14-4098-84d4-101ea61b246a)
- ![I'm thrilled to share the review from Library Journal for *Can't Help Faking in Love*. They called it a "thoroughly enjoyable closed-door, fake-dating romance" with a "vibrant Bangalore setting."](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/ab297993-fd4c-4281-9928-9def75d60d05)
- ![A quote from *Can't Help Faking in Love* where the hero, Veer, realizes the difference between sex and making love. This book is all about emotional connection.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/23af9302-18a7-41c1-9b12-b2849604236b)
- !["I'm just so attracted to him. And it doesn't hurt that our banter is fantastic." A quote from the heroine, Harsha, in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/04cebca5-c5f1-4f70-bb9f-2f7b763528d5)
- !["What if their relationship went from fiction to fact? What if they just...kissed?" The internal monologue of every fake dating character, featured here in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c263e0ef-50a6-43bc-aa93-8a6b4955c3ed)
- !["Here was a man who knew more about her than her parents... Was this love?" A moment of realization for Harsha in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6f5d0aff-2941-484e-82b6-39a9d346ac5c)
- !["You're beautiful, Harsha, but that's not all you are. You're passionate, you're kind, you're brave." A swoon-worthy quote from Veer in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4cb2d24a-7389-461e-9866-68a19b4b4dd3)
- ![Convincing you to read my desi fake dating book using my favorite quotes from it. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is full of heart and banter.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/df22c00e-674e-4f2f-847a-67152f420591)
- [Video: She needs a fake boyfriend. He needs the money. What could go wrong? Preorder *Can't Help Faking in Love* to find out.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4d42e3f3-a69a-4fb5-b588-52fbf85be78a)
- ![Reading my book, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, by the pool. It's the perfect fun and flirty desi romance for a vacation read.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/811d74bb-e783-4511-86bf-10bc3febef41)
- ![Another shot of me enjoying *Can't Help Faking in Love* in the pool. This book is set in Bangalore and captures the city's vibrant energy.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c555381d-4ac9-4234-8f27-e8a4ce34c91d)
- ![A poolside reading session with my second novel. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is a story about finding love in the most unexpected way.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/bba78cfd-884d-4911-b79b-eb5ac2ae159e)
- [Video: I'm just a chill girl who hired the cute barista as my fake boyfriend for my snobby cousin's wedding and then actually fell in love with him. The plot of *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/06848f90-bbe7-4b25-a1da-3704a0679dc2)
- ![My upcoming desi fake dating romance, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, received a solid review from Publishers Weekly. They highlighted the Bangalore setting and its appeal to romance fans.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4ecb8c6e-6237-4c94-b2b9-748635713ae6)
- ![A photo from my October photo dump, reading an ARC of *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It was such a good month, full of exciting career news.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/58c058a1-b255-4224-b73d-50f0dae8bed2)
- [Video: Showing my second romance novel to my cat, who literally does not care. But I hope you do. *Can't Help Faking in Love* is a desi fake dating romance available for preorder.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/371e33f8-724c-417b-8718-b5628438154a)
- ![Just two pretty girls with a pretty book. My cat might look like she's screaming at my book, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, but I promise she's a fan.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c8e7c972-4120-4e6f-90ec-a49466f485d4)
- ![My cat giving my second novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*, a curious sniff. She's my number one supporter (when she's not sleeping).](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/5c3c18db-401e-4d66-a0b0-afdf85f05aa0)
- ![Reading an advance copy of *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's always a special moment to see the words I wrote in a physical book.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/e2c09760-416b-45ce-9e1c-75cb87e15315)
- [Video: Unboxing early copies of my second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's a desi fake dating story that I can't wait to share with the world.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/56764c73-5597-407f-89fb-d6cc95eba485)
- ![A meme that perfectly captures the vibe of *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's for the fun and chill girls who also have a deep ache inside them.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/0c9b86a5-cb90-44f5-8e06-b4d5006b662c)
- ![This meme about Indian family expectations is a big mood and a central theme in *Can't Help Faking in Love*, where the heroine hires a fake boyfriend to deal with family pressure.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/46b0076f-27cb-4c59-9569-e225cf855787)
- !["Accidentally said 'I love you' to the cute barista again on purpose." This is the energy of the main character in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c241b5a1-0be1-4df1-a0a9-42b5e9aa17bd)
- ![A quick look at the tropes in *Can't Help Faking in Love*, which is available to request as an ARC on Netgalley. Fake dating, only one bed, and a grand desi wedding await.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/d2cf1bb9-3228-47ae-b2cd-3cd74c802a08)
- ![My second romance novel, *Can't Help Faking In Love*, is now on Netgalley. It's a desi fake dating romance with tropes like "only one bed" and "forced proximity."](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/2ce8cec5-8e06-43cc-9e8b-7a1ed4ea8504)
- ![The title page of *Can't Help Faking in Love* from the formatted proofs. Seeing it look like a real book for the first time was a huge moment for me.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/763068c6-eda6-4434-9f83-1b4a92dc3791)
- [Video: Casual things my boyfriend and I did before we became an official couple, like cuddling for "practice." This is the vibe of my fake dating romance, *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/cc63c579-cfbf-4d0c-9c23-8a59235d471f)
- [Video: A pro tip for single women: don't read my romance novels, because you'll want a man like the ones I write. Or, just live vicariously through my books, like *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/e2b063b8-dec4-41eb-93f0-36af05a82561)
- ![Announcing a 25% off preorder sale at Barnes & Noble for *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's a desi romance with fake dating, forced proximity, and a big fat Indian wedding.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c9339f24-4212-4849-8b7c-118171d6ad79)
- ![Don't miss the Barnes & Noble preorder sale for *Can't Help Faking in Love*. Use the code PREORDER25 to get 25% off.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/e44228b1-cdaf-4435-8571-eadbfa2c1643)
- ![A special preorder offer for *Can't Help Faking in Love*. She needs a fake boyfriend, he needs the money. What could go wrong?](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/07413ee5-7bc3-4255-9862-8e8851c58130)
- [Video: The plot of my next novel, *Can't Help Faking in Love*: telling your parents you got dumped and are going to your cousin's wedding without a date, then hiring a hot barista as your fake boyfriend.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/7b04cc8c-562b-4ae8-8d0d-15b0c6b6e211)
- [Video: When you're forced to hire the barista as your fake boyfriend, but he's actually hot. This is the dilemma in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/b95f178d-ffec-4b3e-ad7e-e70e99c981d7)
- [Video: Me after moving away from my parents: "Let's be financially responsible!" Also me: hires a fake boyfriend to get my parents off my back. This is the story of Harsha in *Can't Help Faking in Love*.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/9eafea5b-d94e-47c1-b0ba-c665216d2a09)
- ![A quick look at the tropes in my next book, *Can't Help Faking in Love*. It's a desi fake dating romance set in Bangalore, India, with an all-BIPOC cast and a Short King hero.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/18ab7400-eed9-44b1-b167-543d5c3b5fe2)

## About Can't Help Faking in Love: A Fake Dating Desi Romance

Writing *Can't Help Faking in Love* took me years of scribbling in cafes, and I poured all that chaotic energy into Harsha and Veer’s story. If you are wondering about the tropes, it is peak forced proximity and 'only one bed' with a healthy dose of Bangalore wedding drama. Read on to see if this slowburn is the right vibe for your next weekend binge.

### The Story Behind the Book

I started writing this book back in 2019, sitting in a cafe just minutes after a bad date. I wanted to capture that specific feeling of being a young, ambitious woman trying to navigate family expectations while secretly just wanting a little romance. Harsha, my protagonist, has Bollywood roots and a trust fund, but she also has a lot of heart. When she decides to hire her favorite barista as a fake boyfriend for her cousin's wedding, things naturally go off the rails.

### Why You Will Love It (The Tropes)

If you live for the slow burn, this one is for you. We have:

*   **Fake Dating:** The classic setup where things get real way too fast.
*   **Forced Proximity:** Because wedding festivities in Bangalore leave you zero space to hide your feelings.
*   **The Short King Hero:** Veer is the barista who captures Harsha's heart by actually seeing her for who she is.
*   **Only One Bed:** You know the drill, and yes, it is just as agonizing as you hope.

### More Than Just a Romance

This story is a love letter to the messy, complicated, and wonderful experience of growing up in India. It is not just about the swooning, although there is plenty of that. It is about finding your own path, standing up to family pressure, and realizing that sometimes the chemistry you think is fake is actually the real thing. 

Whether you are a fan of *Crazy Rich Asians* or you just really need a comfort read that feels like a warm cup of chai, I hope Harsha and Veer's journey makes you laugh and cry in equal measure. Happy reading!

## About Swati Hegde

Hi, I am Swati! I am a Bangalore-based author who survives on matcha, cats, and writing stories about chaotic queer joy and desi romance. I am basically just that nerdy kid who never stopped scribbling novels for friends, and I am so excited to help you find your next comfort read.

[See all of Swati Hegde's services](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor)

## More from Romance & Young Adult (YA) Fiction Writing by Swati Hegde

- [Featured](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing/featured)
- [As Long as You Loathe Me: A Sapphic YA Romance](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing/as-long-as-you-loathe-me-a-sapphic-ya-romance)
- [Match Me If You Can: A Friends-to-Lovers Desi Romance](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/romance-young-adult-ya-fiction-writing/match-me-if-you-can-a-friends-to-lovers-desi-romance)

## More services by Swati Hegde

- [Fiction Writing Coaching](https://mytribe.in/swatihegdeauthor/fiction-writing-coaching)

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## Book

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