Offscreen Chemistry

Former costars of a hit early-2000s teen TV show agree to fake date their way through a nostalgia podcast in this witty and heartfelt novel about make-believe romance and real-life second chances.

After starring on the popular teen show Somewhere, Elsewhere in the early 2000s, Delilah Pemberton walked away from the spotlight and never looked back. Now, thirteen years later, she hears from her former on-screen love interest―the stoic and standoffish Reid Strauss―who asks her to cohost a rewatch podcast.

But when their sizzling chemistry sparks speculation of a real-life relationship, Reid suggests they play into the rumors. Delilah reluctantly says yes, in part to take the attention off her singledom as her musician ex-fiancé makes headlines with his new engagement.

Their plan works better than they anticipated, and Delilah soon finds herself thrust back into the media frenzy she spent years avoiding. Faced with everything that made her quit Hollywood in the first place, Delilah will have to reconcile her complicated feelings on fame and creativity…along with her feelings for Reid, which start to feel less and less like acting with every passing day.