What do you get when a heartbroken New Yorker collides with a grumpy British billionaire in need of a fake fiancée? Only the rom-com plot of our dreams. 💍✨

Read if you like:
Fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, billionaire romance, Bridgerton vibes, emotional healing, slow-burn steam, and feel-good fluff with depth.

📚 An American in London by Louise Bay is a swoony romantic comedy with the perfect blend of wit, heart, and a little chaos. Tuesday Reynolds is in full life-crisis mode — freshly dumped, grieving her mom, and trying to hold on to her banking job. Her big shot at redemption? Impressing a London CEO. But then fate (and one very hot stranger) detours her plans.

👨‍👧 Tuesday is a people-pleasing, soft-hearted New Yorker just trying to stay afloat. Ben Kelley? A brooding, sharp-tongued Brit who’s all business — until he isn’t. Their chemistry is instant, but their connection runs deeper than either of them expect.

💞 The fake fiancée setup gives us all the delicious tension. From flirty rehearsal kisses to real feelings sneaking in under the radar, this romance unfolds with heart, humor, and just the right dash of spice. You’ll root for them from the start.

👧 The side characters are charming and layered — from posh aristocrats to loyal friends. Every interaction adds warmth and texture, making the world feel lived-in and irresistibly British.

✍️ Louise Bay’s writing is effortlessly engaging — balancing emotional depth and playful banter with ease. The pacing is spot-on, and the setting (hello, country estates and London views!) brings total escapist joy.

🌟 If your heart needs a hug, this book delivers. Sweet, funny, and genuinely touching, it’s a reminder that love stories don’t always follow a script — sometimes, the real ones are even better.

Cute Millionaire Romance

Louise Bay's short and sweet romance novel An American in London centres around Tuesday, a recently single bank employee sent to London on an evaluation trip that could skyrocket or end her career. When Tuesday arrives to her hotel only to find that a fan convention for her teenage crush, Daniel De Luca, is taking place right there, she thinks things could not be better. If only she can keep her job, meet the man himself and maybe help his look-a-like Ben impress a Duke by pretending to be Ben's fiancée for the weekend..

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Erin Mallon, which clocks in at about 7.5 hours. Erin Mallon's narration was largely excellent, though her British accent occasionally veered off towards Australian. She also draws out last words in chapters which sounds very odd and pulls you out of the immersion while listening.
It is very entertaining, since Tuesday is a very perky and lively protagonist. Her American optimism and naivety sometimes are a bit much but I think this story really lends itself to the audiobook format. Easy listening and good dialogue! I enjoyed Ben's subtle humour, though his (somewhat cliché) tall, dark, moody persona initially did not click, he absolutely made up for that by the halfway mark.
Louise Bay manages to make the lines between Tuesday and Ben's game of pretense slowly blur with reality and while there were absolutely moments that made one scream at them to just talk it out, it never felt contrived. There is plenty of physical attraction between them and some spice, but mostly a lot of beautiful locations, movie references and charm.
Of course, there is a makeover scene and all the trappings of an aristocratic weekend home in the countryside.

While I struggled to buy how much Tuesday goes with the flow (let alone how any parent would name their child that), even the overly large number of film references might end up making sense towards the end of the book. Among hunting for filming locations and a surprising link between Ben and her work at the bank, Tuesday has a few busy weeks in the UK. The big question is whether Tuesday will also get her romance-movie happy ending?

After a case of mistaken identity, Tuesday and Ben cross paths in a local coffee shop. Later, after other chance meetings, Tuesday is introduced to Ben's friend and so their relationship begins its journey.

However, these chance meetings turn into a fake relationship as a means to an end for Ben's most highly sought after business deal.

Tuesday's sunshiny personality is the opposite of Ben's surlyness and is the object is some humorous interactions between the couple as they navigate towards a positive conclusion.

However, we all know how fake relationship tropes go and An American In London is no different.

The path however is a little different. The characters with their attributes and flaws, as well as the scenes artfully created by the author, makes it a refreshing and humorous read.

Erin Mallon's narration brings the words of Louise Bay to life expertly and makes the listening experience top notch.

ALC Review
An American in London by Louise Bay
Narrated by: Erin Mallon

Tuseday Reynolds has recently has her life turned upside down due to a cheating fiancée and has been sent to London for a work assignment. Coincidentally, she ends up at a hotel hosting a convention for her childhood crush. Ben Kelley is a grumpy billionaire that does not do the whole dating thing. He ends up in a situation where he needs to bring a date (ideally a fiancée).
There was so much chemistry between the two but they were so insistent on fighting it. I love when the grumpy billionaire does sweet things just for the woman he is falling for.

Erin was spectacular at being the sometime silly and newly independent Tuesday.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
* Vacation romance
* Grumpy billionaire
* Fake engagement
* Rom com vibes
* Multiple meet cutes
* Slow burn

Loved it. That is all I can say. I went in with no expectations for this book, and I loved it.
This was my first book by Louise Bay, and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing.
Tuesday & Ben are one of my favorite book couples this year.
First of all, I love the name Tuesday. Her character was so well developed, she was incredibly relatable, and she is written in such a way that you FEEL what she does.
Ben - I love a book with a grumpy man who has been hurt in the past, and under all the grump, he is a teddy bear and loving man.
I got fairy tale vibes from this book. I felt like it was a Disney princess vibe as well, and sometimes, we just need a beautifully executed adult fairy tale.
Tropes: billionaire romance, fairy tale vibes, grumpy-sunshine, somewhat workplace romance, and fake relationship (just to name a few).
If you also listen to the audiobook, it is done so well that you feel like you are being read a fairy tale.
I got all the feel-good romance ingredients that I love.
This should be a romcom - I will be first in line for the movie.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Louise Bay for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Add this immediately to your summer TBR!!
Happy Reading!

Thank you Brilliance Audio and Netgalley for the ALC, it made the reading experience of this fun book absolutely delightful. Erin Mallon does a fantastic job bringing Tuesday and Ben to life.
As someone who grew up watching the RomComs of the 90s and 2000s, this was charming, borderline realistic and the characters were actually nice people one can easily love and root for. Ok the fake engagement trope is a bit of a cliche but who doesn’t need a fluffy cliched romance every now and then?
It was also fun to watch Tuesday explore London, good over her favorite movie star and be a delightfully American tourist with a ridiculous coffee order.
A perfect palate cleanser.

An American in London by Louise Bay is a story of unexpected turns; following Tuesday Reynolds, a banking project manager whose life is turned upside down, still grieving the loss of her mom, her college sweetheart Jed breaks her heart, and the bank she's dedicated years to is sold to a company across the pond. However, amidst these challenges, Tuesday finds comfort that her all-time favorite actor, Daniel DeLuca, is based in London. The hotel where she resides in London takes it a step further, promoting Daniel DeLuca's new movie with an exciting tour of every movie location, sparking anticipation and excitement. While touring the Greens, a park, she sees a man who looks like the man himself, Daniel DeLuca, only to be snubbed. She runs into the same man three times before introducing herself. Ben Kelley, the look-alike for Daniel DeLuca, is not impressed with this American woman who keeps following him, first the Greens, then the coffee shop, and now the hotel bar where he is meeting a friend and business colleague, Nick, for dinner to discuss purchasing the hotel from the Duke of Brandon.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was given both an Audiobook and an ebook to enjoy, and I did just that: I listened while I read along and laughed out loud at several of the scenes. I can't say enough good things about this billionaire, fake fiancée, romantic comedy! Well done, Louise Bay, on another sure-to-be-best seller.

This story felt like a fairy tale. Perhaps it was the blending of Tuesday’s real life London adventures with her reminiscences about her teenage movie star crush. Add in that her meet cute with Ben happened because she mistook him for that very same movie star, and it all felt like her dreams were playing out and coming true. To quote Tuesday, sometimes you just can’t escape fate!

Ben is a grumpy billionaire who comes into Tuesday's life while she’s dealing with a temporary work project in London on the heels of a breakup, losing her apartment, and uncertainty about the future of her job. He’s distant at first, but ends up being so very thoughtful. I especially loved that he leaned into her movie star crush, watched those movies, and acknowledged their very own relationship tropes. I swooned when he helped make a list of them - holiday romance, grumpy/sunshine, billionaire, and fake engagement. So many of my favorites all in one story! I also loved the witty banter and the chemistry between Tuesday and Ben. She gives the perfect description of being a conscious moth aware of the flame. She can’t deny the attraction, and he ends up being the ideal leading man. I loved their magical story and the way the credits rolled on their perfect ending!

The only way to enjoy this story more is to listen to it in audio. Erin Mallon is always a delight, and she was simply wonderful in this audiobook. She is a consummate actor and was always pitch perfect in her portrayal of Tuesday. Her voice for Ben was incredible, and her British accents were amazing. You won’t want to miss it!

An American in London is a fun and heartwarming romance. Ben and Tuesday's story unfolds with charm and humor, especially with Ben being adorably awkward and oh so proper.

The idea of falling in love through romantic movie scenes is a cool twist. Erin Mallon's performance adds an extra layer of enjoyment. It's a sweet read for anyone who loves romance and little gestures.

From the moment that Tuesday Reynolds shares her innermost thoughts with readers, you know that you want her as a pal. Embarrassingly friendly to the Londoners around her, viewing everything, including her life choices with self-deprecating humor, Tuesday is one of the best characters that author Louise Bay has ever created. And in my opinion, Louise Bay creates thoroughly endearing characters for her romances. In keeping with that, the author has paired the lovely Tuesday, with a slightly taciturn, stolid Brit. Ben Kelley's subtle humor and movie star looks, make him a wonderful match for our American beauty.
Full of humor and heart, the story is delightful. When the two strangers agree to pull a ruse, faking their engagement, you know that they will both have second thoughts about being dishonest. But that is what makes it crucial for them to really get to know one another.
I just loved this story! The narration by Erin Mallon is terrific. Another Louise Bay triumph!

Cute enemies to friends/lovers romance that is light on conflict and long on trying to keep an upbeat tone. However, the repeated use of a famous actor's name Daniel Deluca throughout the entire book wears thin and starts to become annoying. The audiobook narrator has a pleasant tone but her "British" take is weak. I wouldn't say I disliked this book as it was a fast read and had some sweet moments but it wasn't something that I felt drawn to want to listen to namely for the "lack of depth".

Tuesday used to be obsessed with an actor named Daniel DeLuca. When she moves to London for a temporary job assignment, she mistakes a man in the park for Daniel DeLuca and gushes over him. She then starts running into the man in various places and tries to befriend him. The mean even turns out to be her bank's most important client and Tuesday is directly involved with the audit of his finances.

The man, Ben Kelley, is trying to buy a chain of hotels from a Duke, but the Duke is not interested in money, but in legacy. The buyer of the hotels needs to be married with children and hold the same values as the Duke. Ben's friend arranges for Ben to spend a weekend with the Duke and Dutchess at their home, but he needs a fake fiancé to be considered as a potential buyer. Ben then pays Tuesday $30K to act as his fake fiancé.
Naturally, they fall in love during the week leading up to the big weekend so they were able to put on a convincing "act."

🎧 Watching movies growing up, especially UK based ones (whether modern romance stories or Jane Austen inspired ones), I always admired the scenery, the clothes. Definitely, I have put myself in some of those stories thinking how wonderful it would be. This book is exactly that. It's her story, going in a fake arrangement reliving all those moments she loves in those movies.

🎧 Erin Mallon is always a delight. I didn't miss the male point of view at all.

🎧 This is not the first book that I read from Ms. Bay, that reminded me how much I used to dream about having a stately home. (without the expenses to run it, please, and thank you). I am starting to call my tiny living room a drawing room from now on. Ha.

🎧 I love visiting the UK. And with every book of hers, I find myself feeling like I can never have enough of it. If only I could travel more often.

🎧 Yes, it might be a typical fake relationship, but if you want a comfort read to swoon over, this is your jam. It is a tribute to those of us who watched movies as a kid, and growing up, you still want to visit the places featured in those movies.

I’m obsessed with Tuesday and Ben🥹 I love them so much 😭💕 the narrators did amazing job bring the story to life I didn’t want it to end I love it 💕 this is officially one my favorite reads of the year 🥹💕

5⭐️

I was provided an ALC to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the characters. Tuesday was bubbly and full of personality despite her relationship dilemma. We have probably all had that fantasy of meeting our fave actor and falling immediately in love. But what happens when his doppelgänger crosses your path? You might get the best of both worlds. The story flowed easily but I would have preferred more than one person narrating. Love Louise Bay’s writing and this was no disappointment ❤️. I’d give this ALC a 4.5

A must read! An amazing story. I love this sweet, funny billionaire romantic comedy. I enjoyed the banter and the chemistry between the Ben and Tuesday. It's a quick easy read and would highly recommend reading it. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was the typical grumpy hero that needs to have a fake relationship to achieve a goal and needs the heroine who is a complete stranger be in a fake relationship to attain that goal read. This time, this typical read takes place in London with a heroine is trying to secure her job while getting over a cheating fiance and figuring out her life all while having repeated reminders of her deceased mother keep popping up in the form of a popular movie star and his series of movies that have taken place in destinations that she keeps finding herself at both intentionally and unintentionally though out the book.

Tuesday is an American trying to figure out her life when she runs into Ben in a case of mistaken identity and keeps running into him. She agrees to his fake relationship but continues to second guess her decision when she realizes that she likes the people Ben is trying to do business with and when she starts to develop feelings for him.

Ben is the typical grumpy, closed off businessman who has a business deal that he wants to close but needs to change his image in order to do so. He does not open up to others easily until nearly the end of their story, but he wins the hearts of the reader in the small gestures that he makes for Tuesday.

Their story moved along really quickly but I think that where the movie references were important, they were a bit overdone making some of the story hard to believe. I enjoyed the banter between the characters once Ben relaxed a little but really was not in love with Tuesday. I felt that she spent so much time trying to please others it made her a weak character. I understand her love for the movie star since it brought her memories of her deceased mother, but I still think it was over the top especially since she admits that she had a teen obsession with the star and she was well into her twenties during the events of this book.

Where this story was told from the heroine's POV, I think that I would have enjoyed it more if it was told from a dual POV. In the audio version of this book, I did enjoy the performance by Erin Mallon. She did a good job performing this narration.

Overall, this was just an okay read for me. I think that I would have enjoyed it further if it was told from dual POV so that we got a better look at the hero.