Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice

Crazy Rich Asians meets Always Be My Maybe in this deliciously sugar-free rom-com from debut author Cynthia Timoti.

She's salty, he's spice - there's no room for sugar in this fake relationship, but it may be sweeter than they think...

Ellie Pang has had enough of her controlling family, who have been micromanaging her life since her type 1 diabetes diagnosis. When her parents orchestrate a public proposal from their business partner's son, a proposal that goes humiliatingly viral, Ellie escapes to the other side of the country to put her dream of opening a sugar-free bakery into action. After all, she's done her research. How hard can it be?

She hits a snag when her storefront turns out to be a dump and in need of major renovations. Worse, the only person who can help her turn things around is Alec Mackenzie, her brother's best friend and the man responsible for crushing her teenage heart ten years ago.

But Alec has a proposal of his own: he needs a pretend girlfriend in order to cement a business deal. All they need to do is feign love and affection, while trying not to maim each other. As the thin line between hate and fake-madly-in-love starts to blur, buried secrets resurface, and Ellie must learn to trust her heart.

Mature content warning: rated 3/5 chillies.

About the Author

Cynthia Timoti writes fun, sexy multicultural romcoms with plenty of heart and snark, where happy endings are always guaranteed. She was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, and moved to Australia when she was seventeen. She spent too many years working in finance, even though numbers aren't her strongest suit.

When Cynthia's not writing, she's probably trying to make a dent in her TBR pile, hunting for the perfect cup of bubble tea, and collecting pretty notebooks that she'll never use. Cynthia currently resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two sons.