She’s Faking It

Rockaway (How to Hack a Heartbreak) skewers social media fantasies in this timely romance. Bree Bozeman, a 25-year-old college dropout, is barely getting by: she’s eking out a living delivering takeout for GrubGetters and her boyfriend ditched her to join a cult. But she’ll do what it takes to keep living in her bohemian San Diego neighborhood, especially when she meets her new neighbor, Trey Cantu, a dreamy pro-surfer. After Bree’s ultra-organized older sister convinces her to read the bestselling book from self-help guru and social media sensation Demi DiPalma, Bree starts an aspirational Instagram account (@BreebytheSea) that soon gains a large audience and gives her life a new direction, as an influencer. But as she grows closer to Trey, he expresses concern. His influencer ex-girlfriend used him as a prop to punch up her own Instagram, and he doesn’t want history to repeat itself. Besides, can new followers and freebies from brands she doesn’t care about really fix Bree’s life? Rockaway balances sarcastic humor with psychological depth, making it easy to care about her misguided heroine. Fans of smart romantic comedies will be pleased. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (July)