Julia Santos thought she had her life figured out. At 32, she owned her home, ran a successful yoga studio, and built a peaceful, independent life in Portland. Then COVID hit, and everything crumbled. Now she's facing foreclosure, desperately seeking a roommate to help with mortgage payments, and pretending her world isn't falling apart.

Kai Mitchell has been running from commitment for five years. His camera has taken him to remote villages, pristine beaches, and mountain peaks across three continents. But when his father's illness forces him home to Portland, he feels trapped by the very stability he's spent years avoiding.

When Kai answers Julia's roommate ad, it seems perfect-temporary housing for him, rental income for her. What could go wrong?

Everything, apparently, when Julia's traditional mother shows up unannounced and immediately assumes the charming photographer is her daughter's boyfriend. Desperate to avoid her mother's worry about Julia's single status and financial struggles, they agree to fake a relationship. Just until her mother leaves. Just to keep the peace.

But somewhere between family dinners and fake hand-holding, Julia discovers that having someone to lean on doesn't make her weak. And Kai starts to understand that home isn't a place you're trapped in-it's a person you choose to stay with.

When tragedy strikes and Kai inherits the freedom to travel again, both must decide what they're really searching for. Can a woman who's rebuilt her life from the ground up teach a wanderer that some roots are worth growing? And can a man who's spent years running toward the horizon convince her that love doesn't have to mean losing yourself?

Perfect for fans of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read, this fake relationship roommate romance explores the meaning of home, the courage to stay, and the beautiful risk of letting someone see you at your most vulnerable.