Happy Wednesday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE DECOY GIRLFRIEND! I’m so excited because today I have an interview with Lillie Vale to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I’m so excited to for you to find out more about it!
The Decoy Girlfriend by Lillie Vale Published on September 6, 2022 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 336
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram
A laugh-out-loud funny and whip-smart romantic comedy from the author of The Shaadi Set-Up, about a young woman who takes the place of her celebrity doppelgänger, and must fake-date the actress’s sexy costar boyfriend.
Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she’s a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer’s block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub.
Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi’s love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he’s yearning for something real.
When Freya’s latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft’s accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood’s golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she’ll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn’t just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.
Which books and authors have most influenced your writing?
When I began writing, I started in the genres I enjoyed reading: fantasy, thriller, historical romance, and that super specific and tremendously fun flavor of rich kids behaving badly, à la the Gossip Girl novels. During the pandemic, however, it was reading and writing romance that brought me joy, and it was at this time that I entered the Adult Romance world!
How did you choose the names for your characters?
Honestly? Spending way too much time on baby name websites! I have a looooong list of names compiled in my Notes app and I refer back to it whenever I need to start conjuring up a main character. Taft and Freya were two of my favorite names and when I started thinking about The Decoy Girlfriend in earnest, their names immediately clicked. When I feel that click, I know I’ve found The One!
What’s the first full sentence on page 74?
Ah, I was hoping for a sexy line!
“He doesn’t seem surprised when she greets him like a friend, as though they have quick chats quite often.”
Do you have any deleted scenes or subplots from the book you can share?
Interestingly, the tense-but-sexy photoshoot in Chapter 15 was originally quite different! It was set at a club, where Freya (as Mandi) has to prove to Mandi’s social circle that everything is peachy keen with Taft. He, on the other hand, is trying to stick to his decision that they’re just friends because he’s trying to protect his heart. So it was a bit of a push and pull as Freya tried to get a reaction out of him and he was standing firm! It was a hot scene, but ultimately, I didn’t love that it was all a performance for the benefit for other people. Instead, I swapped it for the more intimate photoshoot. With less urgency and noise fueling the scene, the emotional resonance between the two shone brighter and worked better for the tone I wanted.
If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and what would you talk about?
Hmm. I’m not sure, actually. I don’t think all readers envision the same character the same way. I’d be a little worried that meeting them would ruin the magic!
About Lillie Vale
Lillie Vale is the author of books for both teens and adults, including The Decoy Girlfriend, Beauty and the Besharam, The Shaadi Set-Up and Small Town Hearts, an American Library Association’s 2020 Rainbow Books List selection. She writes about secrets and yearning, complicated and ambitious girls who know what they want, the places we call home and people we find our way back to, and the magic we make. Born in Mumbai, she grew up in Mississippi, Texas, and North Dakota, and now lives in an Indiana college town. Find her on Twitter @LillieLabyrinth and Instagram @labyrinthspine, or visit her website lillielabyrinth.com.
What do you think about The Decoy Girlfriend? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!
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