Publication Date: June 1, 2026
A botched promotion, an awkward reunion, and a fake-dating scheme they never planned to fall for.
Kenya Stewart is so close to getting her dream position at an event agency. When a scheduling blunder risks her promotion, she hopes an upcoming pitch will allow her a second chance. Then an accident at her cousin’s wedding sends her to the emergency room in the care of another wedding guest, Solomon Anruchi, the handsome doctor who ghosted her after their first date.
Solomon’s parents are eager for him to find a business-savvy wife and make the move to New York to take over a recent acquisition by their family’s company. But he needs to buy more time to finish his residency and convince them that staying in Hope Springs is the best path for him. He realizes that Kenya is the perfect person to help, and she needs his connections to land a high-profile client and save her career. Their solution? A fake-dating relationship.
As attractions increase amid their ruse, secrets they’ve kept from each other and the weight of others’ expectations begin to unravel their scheme. Will their carefully constructed plans crumble when the truth comes out?
This charming Southern contemporary Christian romance features humorous banter, second chances, faking dating, and neurodiverse characters in small-town Alabama for fans of Toni Shiloh, Pepper Basham, and Courtney Walsh.
With a promotion within reach, event planner Kenya Stewart suffers an embarrassing accident that puts her straight into the arms of a man who ghosted her.
Author Jenny Erlingsson serves up a fake dating Christian contemporary romance in Almost by Design. Dr. Solomon Anruchi may be focused on his career, but his attraction to Kenya is evident.
Both main characters need something the other can provide. While Solomon has the connections Kenya needs, he requires a girlfriend to satisfy his parents.
What makes this story stand out is the humor and small-town charm. Although the main characters intend to keep their fake relationship, they never prepared for reality to intervene. As their subterfuge unravels and secrets emerge, Kenya and Solomon must decide if a future together is possible.
Almost by Design delivers quirky characters who easily engage interest as they hatch a plan designed for a temporary solution.
Jenny Erlingsson is an Alabama-born author and speaker of Nigerian descent. When she’s not running after her four kids or ministering alongside her Icelandic husband, she can be found writing romantic fiction and creative nonfiction to inspire deep faith in diverse settings, as well as encouraging other writers. Her writings have been featured on (in)courage, Live Original, Velvet Ashes, and more.
