International Relations is a romance novel about a diplomat in need of a boyfriend so he can advance in his career and an actor whose visa is about to run out. When there’s an opening at the Greek embassy, Max is desperate for the job, but he’s advised that if he wants to compete with other candidates, he’d benefit from a charming partner for work events. He hires Hunter, an American actor whose British visa is about to run out, but whose charisma wins over people at Max’s work. As Hunter needs a marriage to stay and Max needs Hunter by his side, it seems like there’s an obvious fix, but their marriage might not be as fake as they intended.
Having read Hammett’s previous See You at the Finish Line, I was hoping this one would be another fun and plot-filled queer romance, and I wasn’t disappointed. The chapters swap between Max and Hunter’s perspective so you get the chance to see both of their feelings and motivations, and I really liked how the tension in this book wasn’t based around miscommunication. In fact, one of the major themes of the book was learning to be honest with yourself and others, and it was refreshing to have a lot of the tension come from external factors rather than irrationally blaming the other person for a misunderstanding.
The plot is undeniably silly—fake dating and fake marriage for the sake of major career advances for each of them, plus an unrealistically neat ending—but it stays charming in its ridiculousness. There are also a lot of comedy fake film and TV projects for name-dropped celebrities to be working on, which I think people’s mileage may vary on whether they’re fun or a bit wearing. I liked the side characters, especially Hunter’s ridiculous agent, and generally this is a well-rounded romance that gives its protagonists depth whilst staying light and fun.
Fiendfully Reading 
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