Fake-Off with Fate (Love in Maple Falls) by Whitney Dineen

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen is a slow-burn, friends to love, fake-dating small town hockey romcom in the Love in Maple Falls series. And it’s out now!

Title: Fake-Off with Fate
Book Series: Love in Maple Falls
Author: Whitney Dineen
Genre: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Release Date: August 13, 2025

About The Book:

She’s a closet designer for the rich and famous and he’s a broken-hearted captain of a pro-hockey team. Neither of them is looking for love.

Ashlyn
An unexpected trip home to Maple Falls gets even more surprising when I inadvertently become acting mayor.
Add a huge crisis and a smoking hot hockey player, and I’m in over my head before I know it.

I’m only here for a short time, so I will not fall for Mr. Tall, dark, and adorable. I don’t care how helpful and kind he is. Long-distance never works, so the answer is no.

Jamie
I’m sick of the press hounding me about my last relationship, so when the opportunity arose to captain a new hockey team in smalltown Washington, I jumped at it.

Too bad I didn’t ask more questions before moving here, like, “Are there bears, and will they be living in my backyard?”

Then there’s Ashlyn. The last thing I expected was to meet a funny, sassy, and good-hearted woman like her. I swore off love after my last heartbreak, but my heart is acting like it missed the memo.

There’s no way I’m going to pursue her. Unless of course, fate has intervened, and we were meant to be…

***
Fake-Off with Fate is a slow-burn, friends to love, fake-dating small town hockey romcom in the Love in Maple Falls series. Add a town conflict, missing mayor, and bear infestation and you will be laughing and cheering your way to a happy ending!

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Excerpt:

“What’s going on?” Ashlyn asks me while skipping to keep up with my determined stride.

I take two more steps before stopping. Then I look around to see if Emily is following us. When I don’t see her, I gently take Ashlyn’s elbow and lead her to a nearby bench. Once we’re seated, I confess, “I made a huge mistake.”

When I don’t start explaining myself right away, she prompts, “Go on.”

Sighing dramatically, I tell her, “I’ve been avoiding the press ever since Allegra left me. All they want to do is dig up dirt and make me look like a jilted fool. I want no part of that.”

“I suppose they’re just doing their job,” she says like that somehow makes it okay to drag me over the coals.

“Right.” Running my hands through my hair, I tell her, “Dale set up the meeting with Emily, and as expected, she did her best to make me look pathetic.”

“So, you told her you were dating me?” She doesn’t sound pleased.

“I told her I had a new girlfriend. I might have mentioned her name was Ashlyn, but only because your name was the first one to pop into my head.”

“Are you asking me out?” Her tone can only be construed as horrified. How unflattering.

“Not at all,” I assure her. “But I don’t suppose you’d be willing to go along with the charade until you go back to Los Angeles?” I feel like a hopeful puppy waiting for a bone. Or at the very least, a pat on the head.

Ashlyn is quiet for so long I’m sure she’s going to say no. But then she asks, “What would being your fake girlfriend entail?”

I hurry to tell her, “You would have to be seen with me occasionally. I would pay for everything, of course. And whatever you want on top of that.”

Her eyes glitter with excitement. “Are we talking shopping sprees here?”

“I suppose.” Up until this point, Ashlyn has not struck me as that kind of woman, but I don’t really know her well. If she wants to shop, I can get behind that.

“Just kidding,” she laughs. “What I really want is for you to agree to be part of the bachelor auction.”

She sounds so hopeful, I’m tempted to tell her the truth, that I’ve already been ordered to step up on the auction block. Yet, I don’t feel it’s in my best interest to share this piece of information. “I would absolutely participate in the auction.”

Her smile is radiant, and I feel an unwelcome stirring in my chest. I remind myself that I’m not really going to be dating Ashlyn. If being with Allegra taught me anything, it’s that there are enough complications in relationships that you shouldn’t go out of your way to look for more. And Ashlyn living in LA is a giant complication.

About The Author:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017. Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016. Finalist RONE Awards, 2016. Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017. Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017 Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Connect With Whitney: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter