Rom-com rule number one: prepare to swoon. Raegan Revord — best known as Missy Cooper in Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage — steps confidently into the literary spotlight with their debut novel, Rules for Fake Girlfriends. Published on September 2 by Macmillan’s Wednesday Books as the first in a two-book deal, this queer rom-com lands at a meaningful moment for Revord, who recently came out as nonbinary at 17. The novel’s heartfelt humor, messy feelings, and sharp sense of play with genre tropes make it a must-read — and yes, you can hear Revord’s voice on the audiobook, too.
The Story: From a Train to Brighton to a Cross-England Scavenger Hunt
Avery Blackwell loves romantic comedies and knows every trope by heart — yet has never fallen in love herself. Determined to start fresh while honoring her late mother’s legacy, she heads abroad to study at the University of Brighton in England, the same school her mom once attended. On the train ride down, Avery’s band tee sparks a conversation with Charlie, and their instant connection leads to one irresistible trope: the fake-dating setup.
What follows blends razor-sharp banter with a tender exploration of grief and hope. A scavenger hunt scattered across England threads Avery’s past to her present, while a cast of endearing side characters rounds out the world with warmth and wit. Revord began writing the book between scenes on the Young Sheldon set, and the story’s pacing reflects that cinematic energy: punchy, visual, and emotionally grounded.
Writing Between “Action” and “Cut”
Revord drafted a surprising portion of the novel on set — laptop tucked away until the director called “Cut,” then a two-minute sprint of typing before “Action” resumed. Years of juggling on-set tutoring and performance honed their ability to switch gears quickly. That hustle shows up on the page in tight scenes that snap together with the immediacy of a well-edited montage.
Studying the Tropes to Subvert Them
A devoted rom-com fan, Revord approached this project with research-mode intensity. They re-watched classic films, re-read beloved books, and dived into new favorites — not just for pleasure, but to map out what readers cherish and where conventions could be nudged, flipped, or lovingly teased. The result is a story that celebrates the genre’s heart while poking fun at its most unrealistic flourishes.
The Inspiration Stack
Several contemporary hits helped shape Revord’s sensibility for this book’s tone and emotional core. Casey McQuiston’s I Kissed Shara Wheeler and Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper informed the tender, queer-forward lens, while Lynn Painter’s Better Than the Movies remains a pure rom-com comfort read in Revord’s rotation. The stack wasn’t about imitation — it was about distilling the joy of the genre and channeling it into something personal and fresh.
A Rule Book Inside the Novel
Each chapter opens with a cheeky “Rom-Com Rule,” serving as both a wink to fans and a signpost for what’s ahead. One early favorite skewers the classic falsehood of the “broke heroine with a jaw-dropping apartment.” In Rules for Fake Girlfriends, real life wins: Avery contends with mold spots, a leaky faucet, and the percussive thumps of the upstairs neighbor — a playful, grounded counterpoint to the glossy fantasy often shown on screen.
A Mother–Daughter Thread That Grounds the Humor
While Avery’s arc is fizzy with flirtation, it’s anchored by her complicated relationship with her late mother. Avery is structured, Type-A, and set on a medical path; her mom embodied whimsy, spontaneity, and a trust in serendipity. Revord, who shares a close bond with their own mother, amplified small differences from real life into a deeper fictional gap to explore what it means to love someone you don’t fully understand. That tension gives the rom-com stakes real weight.
Chemistry 101: Black Cat Meets Golden Retriever
Avery and Charlie work because they complement each other. Think “black cat meets golden retriever”: Avery’s introverted reserve pairs with Charlie’s sunny, extroverted energy. Their connection starts with a shared love of music — an Oasis shirt is the icebreaker — and grows through banter, vulnerability, and the occasional bout of miscommunication. The dynamic lets both characters give the other exactly what they need, even when tension flares.
Soundtrack on Repeat: Oasis and “Wonderwall”
Music underscores their world. Revord built a chronological Spotify playlist to write by, syncing songs to scenes in progress. Oasis is threaded throughout — “Wonderwall” included — adding a distinctly Britpop pulse to Avery and Charlie’s evolving relationship.
From Page to Screen: The Dream Adaptation
Revord thinks in images, and it shows. They can imagine Rules for Fake Girlfriends as a movie with clarity — Pinterest boards and all — ideally shot in England to capture the book’s sense of place. While they haven’t settled on an Avery, Revord can picture a younger Kathryn Newton as Charlie, Emily Blunt as Charlie’s mom, and Rachel McAdams as Avery’s mom. If the project moves forward, they’d prefer to produce and contribute creatively, perhaps with a quick cameo, and leave the director’s chair to someone else.
About That Ending [Spoilers]
The finale lands on a gentle cliff’s edge, inviting readers to decide what comes next. That open-endedness is intentional; Revord loves a touch of uncertainty. An early draft leaned far darker — at one point, Charlie didn’t survive — but given the novel already grapples with grief, death, and mental health, the team opted for a softer, more hopeful ambiguity befitting a rom-com with depth.
What Comes Next for This Universe
Don’t count out a return to this world. Revord is intrigued by Maddie’s backstory and has drafted scattered scenes that could seed a prequel down the road. As a self-professed side-character enthusiast, Revord sees untapped richness in the margins — the kind of perspective that often delivers the most surprising emotional payoffs.
Beyond Rom-Com: A Fantasy Series in the Works
Right now, Revord’s focus is an off-world fantasy series with the propulsive, character-driven appeal of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass. It’s actually the first project they pursued seriously before technical snags sidelined it; now, the draft is back in motion. Details remain under wraps, but the shift from contemporary romance to epic fantasy underscores Revord’s range — and their appetite for big, immersive storytelling.
Why This Matters
Rules for Fake Girlfriends isn’t just an impressive debut; it’s a sparkly, thoughtful remix of what a rom-com can be in 2024 and beyond. By centering queer, nonbinary identity with humor and heart, Revord broadens who gets to be the lead in a love story — and how honestly those stories can grapple with loss, longing, and joy. With a two-book deal underway, a cinematic vision waiting in the wings, and a fantasy series on the horizon, Revord’s next chapters look irresistibly compelling. For readers craving wit, warmth, and a fresh take on beloved tropes, this is your new must-read — and the audiobook, narrated by the author, is the perfect companion.