After a series of mixed reads last month, Red Velvet was just what I needed. It is nothing readers won’t have come across before but, if you’re looking for an easy read this autumn, Red Velvet is just the thing. A Few “Thank Yous”

Her insides twisted into a knot. Maybe this was a terrible mistake. If she acted like she was joking, she could still salvage things. She twisted her hands together. I didn’t ask for anything long-term. Just a date for Ollie’s wedding. Six nights together in a cozy cottage on Lake Michigan. Think how much fun we’ll have. Whenever they asked about him, she rarely missed a chance to mention his athletic prowess. By bringing him to the wedding, she’d finally show them she’d landed someone worthy of their approval. I know. And you’re right—Chris didn’t respect me. I realize I’m better off without him, but that doesn’t solve the problem. He was my plus-one for the wedding. I told my entire family about him. Tell them you broke it off. If they ask why, you can say you caught him cheating. Even as he said it, he winced, remembering the callous way Taylor had ended their relationship. She’d told him she’d fallen for someone else. And she’d done it via text.Was he making a huge mistake? The last time he attended a wedding, he made a total ass of himself. He still hadn’t fully recovered from the debacle. Princess Peach leapt off her chair and approached him, meowing and bunting him with affection. He scratched her soft white fur but stopped her from jumping on the table. Once April set out plates and cutlery, they dished out the food. Over bites of lo mein, interrupted by the occasional groan of pleasure over the wontons, she filled him in on the situation. When she bit her lip and looked away, he was hit with a rush of guilt. He didn’t want to hurt her. But he also didn’t want her thinking Chris’s behavior was acceptable. Sorry. I’m not trying to make things worse. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t leave town for six days. Tears welled up in her eyes. I feel so stupid. What if he has a secret family? I love how hard Brody works to make things easier for April. He knows how anxiety-ridden she becomes when with her parents and sisters, and he does everything in his power to alleviate her stress. It’s clear long before he realizes it that Brody loves April, and I love how he supports and defends her throughout their trip. From running in a 10k to participating in trivia night to enduring painful events with her terrible family, Brody puts his own problems aside to be there for his best friend, which says so much about him and their relationship.

When April opened the door, her frazzled appearance made his heart ache in sympathy. Wisps of chestnut-brown hair had escaped from her messy bun, her Godzilla t-shirt was dusted with flour, and her large, hazel eyes were red and swollen. Hi! I'm Jen, 24 and from the North West of England. Blogging about books, baking and everything in between. She grabbed a wooden spoon and waved it at him. You need to wait until tomorrow. I still have to frost them. April and Brody are two besties who are there for each other through it all so when April needed Brody he stepped up and went to her brothers wedding as her ex so her family wouldn’t think he was fake.She dipped another wonton into the sweet and sour sauce. Exactly. I don’t want to get into the details, but several years ago I invented a fake boyfriend and posted pictures of us online. It blew up in a spectacular fashion, and my sisters have never let me forget it. Nothing could equal the agony he’d experienced when he recovered and realized what he’d done. Though Marc and the rest of his family had since forgiven him, he still had moments when he lay awake in misery, replaying the entire hellscape. April cringed. Though she was on the curvy side, none of her previous boyfriends had ever criticized her figure. But Chris claimed he did it out of compassion. After one too many lectures about her cholesterol levels, she’d vowed to seek out healthier baking choices. Yet here she was, breaking her word.

In all her twenty-four years, she’d never contemplated marriage—not to Chris or anyone else. She had yet to experience the powerful, all-consuming pull of attraction that led to a lifelong commitment. Right now, all she wanted was for Chris to make an effort. Some gesture that showed he cared. I think I could pull it off, he said. Your family’s never met me, so I could easily pretend to be Chris for six days.This might’ve been one of the books I read whilst I was sweating on a sun bed last month but, on the face of it, it is a cosy autumn romance through and through.

For a brief, blissful moment, the fire inside April burned bright. Screw Chris. She was through with all his calorie counting and all his rules. Like no sleeping over. After they were done, he always dressed and headed for the door. No matter how many times she asked him to stay, he claimed spending the night would derail his morning run.No. After being available for Chris whenever he needed her, after cheering him on at all his races, she’d asked him for one thing. Granted, it was a big ask, but he’d given her his word. And by breaking it so casually, he’d shown her exactly how little she meant to him. Did he think her clothes looked that bad? Granted, some of her outfits were out of style, but they weren’t unwearable. I was trying to pare down the options for my brother’s wedding. We’re going to be there for six days, and the weather might be iffy since fall in Wisconsin isn’t dependable.