Make-Believe Match Summary, Characters and Themes

Make-Believe Match by Melanie Harlow is a heartwarming small-town romance with a clever fake relationship twist. Set against the snowy charm of Michigan’s Snowberry Lodge, the story follows Lexi McIntyre, a woman desperate to save her family’s beloved resort.

When a clause in her inheritance forces her to marry, she reluctantly teams up with Devlin Buckley, a corporate consultant—and her unexpected one-night stand. As they fake a relationship to keep the lodge, their arrangement begins to feel dangerously real.

With emotional depth, spicy chemistry, and a cozy wintry backdrop, this novel is a heartfelt exploration of trust, love, and second chances.

Summary 

Lexi McIntyre is blindsided when her beloved grandmother announces plans to sell their family’s Snowberry Lodge to a large resort company. The lodge, although financially struggling, holds deep emotional meaning for Lexi—it’s her home and the last tie to her late parents.

Things become even more complicated when Lexi learns that, due to an outdated clause in the family trust, she must be married to inherit the property.

One night at a bar, after an awkward setup with her grandmother’s widowed dentist, Lexi meets a stranger named Devlin. They share a fiery, passionate night, thinking they’ll never see each other again.

The next day, Lexi is horrified to find that Devlin is the representative from Black Diamond Resorts—the very person assigned to oversee the potential purchase of Snowberry Lodge.

Feeling used and betrayed, Lexi lashes out at Devlin, who insists he didn’t know who she was. Though angry, she can’t deny their strong connection.

Devlin, now torn between his job and his conscience, tries to make amends. He’s eventually fired after standing up to his boss and refusing to manipulate Lexi into selling.

Devlin returns to Michigan with an unexpected proposal: they fake a marriage so that Lexi can legally inherit the lodge.

At first, Lexi is hesitant. Faking a relationship feels emotionally dangerous, especially after the heartbreak of a failed engagement.

But saving the lodge means everything to her, and eventually she agrees.

As they work together to sell the idea of their engagement, the chemistry between them reignites.

They spend more time together and begin sharing personal stories. Lexi slowly lets down her guard while Devlin shows a softer side, especially when interacting with her family.

He even bonds with her cousin Tabitha and wins over her skeptical grandmother.

Despite agreeing the relationship is only pretend, real feelings begin to surface.

Devlin becomes protective and invested in Lexi’s dreams. Lexi, meanwhile, finds herself thinking about a future with him.

However, both are haunted by fear—Lexi of being hurt again, and Devlin of not being enough.

The pressure mounts when Lexi’s grandmother suffers a health scare, intensifying the urgency of securing the lodge.

Devlin stays by Lexi’s side, providing quiet support and comfort, proving himself as more than just a business partner.

He opens up about his own past, including the trauma of losing his mother young and growing up emotionally closed off.

Just when things seem hopeful, a misunderstanding throws everything into chaos.

Lexi overhears a conversation and mistakenly believes Devlin was still prioritizing the deal over her.

Feeling betrayed, she calls off the engagement and refuses to go forward with the inheritance, despite what it might cost her.

Back in town, Devlin doesn’t give up. Determined to prove his sincerity, he pitches Lexi’s renovation plan to local investors, using her ideas as the foundation.

His goal isn’t profit—it’s to support Lexi’s dream and right the wrongs he’s made.

When he returns to her, he offers not just a business solution, but a real proposal from the heart.

Lexi, seeing the depth of his love and commitment, accepts.

With new funding secured and their relationship finally honest, the future of Snowberry Lodge is saved.

In the epilogue, months have passed. Lexi and Devlin are not only married for real, but running a thriving, revitalized Snowberry Lodge.

The place is full of guests, joy, and promise.

As winter sets in, they kiss under the snow, truly home in each other’s hearts and the lodge they fought to protect.

Characters 

Lexi McIntyre

Lexi is a passionate and determined woman who is deeply rooted in her family’s legacy. Snowberry Lodge is more than just a property to her—it is a tangible connection to her late parents, her memories, and her identity.

When the future of the lodge is threatened, Lexi’s resilience and creativity shine through. Despite the weight of her grief and the betrayal from past relationships, she is willing to fight for what matters to her.

Her journey is marked by emotional vulnerability, especially in navigating the fake relationship with Devlin, which begins to awaken long-suppressed hopes for love and connection. Lexi’s growth lies in learning to trust again, to believe in both her personal and professional worth, and to accept love without fear of loss.

Her emotional arc moves from guarded pragmatism to open-hearted partnership.

Devlin Buckley

Devlin starts off as an enigma—charming, confident, and seemingly just another corporate player. However, as his layers are peeled back, he reveals a deeply loyal and principled man shaped by childhood loss and self-reliance.

His mother’s early death instilled in him a strong sense of emotional control and independence, making his openness with Lexi all the more meaningful. Though his initial involvement with Lexi stems from a business conflict, his growing affection and eventual love for her shift his motivations entirely.

Devlin is not simply a love interest; he is a man on his own journey of redemption. He wants to prove—to himself and to Lexi—that he can prioritize people over profits.

His evolution from a slick deal-closer to a devoted partner and visionary collaborator is compelling and heartfelt.

Grandma McIntyre

Lexi’s grandmother is a pragmatic but caring matriarch, whose decision to sell the lodge appears cold at first glance. However, her actions are rooted in concern for Lexi’s future and the viability of the property.

The clause in the family trust requiring Lexi to be married in order to inherit the lodge may seem outdated, but it acts as a narrative catalyst that tests Lexi’s emotional and moral boundaries. Grandma McIntyre ultimately becomes a quiet force of encouragement, pushing Lexi to examine her values and her capacity to love.

Her health scare deepens the emotional stakes. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of time and legacy.

Tabitha

Lexi’s cousin Tabitha serves as a minor but significant supporting character. Initially skeptical of Devlin and protective of Lexi, she reflects the perspective of those who’ve seen Lexi struggle with heartbreak and ambition.

Her gradual warming up to Devlin acts as an informal vetting process that helps validate Devlin’s sincerity. Tabitha also represents the kind of family Lexi still has—imperfect, candid, but deeply loving.

Lexi’s Ex-Fiancé

Although never a central figure on the page, Lexi’s former fiancé casts a long shadow over her romantic decisions. His betrayal left her distrustful of romantic entanglements, particularly those that mix with business or appearances.

The emotional damage he caused adds weight to Lexi’s caution throughout her developing relationship with Devlin. He becomes a narrative contrast—symbolizing the kind of love that fails, as opposed to the partnership Devlin offers.

Devlin’s Boss and Rival

Devlin’s former employer and sleazy rival at Black Diamond Resorts function as antagonistic forces in the story. They embody the soulless, profit-driven mentality that threatens Lexi’s vision for Snowberry.

These characters are not deeply developed but serve as necessary narrative obstacles. Their callousness ultimately brings out Devlin’s integrity and catalyzes his decision to quit and side with Lexi, both emotionally and strategically.

Each character in Make-Believe Match serves a purpose not just in propelling the plot, but in revealing deeper emotional truths about legacy, trust, vulnerability, and love.

Lexi and Devlin’s internal growth is mirrored in their evolving dynamic, offering a layered romance that’s as much about healing and rebuilding as it is about passion.

Themes 

Love and Vulnerability

One of the central themes of Make-Believe Match is the transformative power of love and the vulnerability it demands. Both Lexi and Devlin enter the story as guarded individuals.

Lexi is reeling from her ex-fiancé’s betrayal and remains skeptical of emotional entanglement. Devlin has structured his life around control and detachment, a response rooted in childhood trauma and the early loss of his mother.

Their initial interaction—impulsive, physical, and anonymous—highlights their mutual desire to avoid vulnerability. Yet, as the fake relationship forces proximity and emotional exposure, they are continually pushed outside their comfort zones.

Love in this narrative does not come easily or cleanly; it requires them to strip away layers of past hurt, pride, and fear. The emotional crescendo arrives when both characters are tested—not just by romantic attraction, but by their capacity to trust and forgive.

Lexi’s journey, in particular, reflects a nuanced progression from caution to courage. She grapples with her desire for security against her heart’s growing need for connection.

Devlin’s transformation is equally poignant. His willingness to risk his career and confront his own emotional barriers reveals a shift from performative affection to genuine devotion.

Their eventual union is cemented not just by passion but by mutual vulnerability. This underscores the message that authentic love requires emotional risk, and only through that risk can real intimacy and growth take place.

Legacy and Identity

Lexi’s fierce commitment to preserving Snowberry Lodge reflects a deeper exploration of legacy and the role it plays in shaping personal identity. The lodge is not merely real estate; it embodies Lexi’s familial roots, her late parents’ memory, and the life she imagined for herself.

The threat of losing it triggers an existential crisis that forces her to reevaluate what she values most. Her grandmother’s stipulation—that she must be married to inherit—adds a layer of urgency and injustice, tying Lexi’s autonomy to an outdated societal expectation.

Yet instead of surrendering or rebelling in anger, Lexi seeks to reassert control over her narrative. She aims to innovate and protect the lodge on her own terms.

In this sense, the lodge becomes a mirror for her internal evolution—from someone reactive and uncertain to a woman determined to claim both her inheritance and her agency. Devlin, too, confronts the notion of legacy from a different angle.

As someone who has worked his way up from a difficult childhood, he initially sees legacy in terms of professional success. However, his time with Lexi redefines this perspective, shifting his priorities from personal gain to lasting emotional impact.

Their shared efforts to save and eventually revitalize Snowberry signify a mutual investment not just in each other, but in a future that honors the past while rewriting its rules. The theme examines how identity can be shaped and reshaped through the legacies we choose to defend, revise, or leave behind.

Trust and Miscommunication

Throughout the novel, trust operates as both a stumbling block and a catalyst for character development. Lexi’s difficulty trusting Devlin stems from very real betrayals—past romantic wounds and the shocking discovery that he represents the very corporation trying to dismantle her home.

Her mistrust is not irrational but deeply embedded in personal experience. Meanwhile, Devlin’s guardedness is masked by charm and humor, but it’s clear that his ability to trust is equally compromised.

Much of the emotional tension in the narrative arises from their inability to fully articulate their intentions and fears. The recurring miscommunications—Lexi overhearing Devlin’s conversation and jumping to conclusions, or Devlin failing to share his full motivations—drive the plot and underscore how fragile connection can be in the absence of honesty.

These misunderstandings are not contrived. They reflect the reality that trust is a process, not an automatic setting.

The resolution of these issues requires a level of humility and emotional labor that neither character is accustomed to offering. Devlin’s eventual transparency, paired with Lexi’s willingness to listen despite past disappointments, signals the hard-earned establishment of trust.

Importantly, the story doesn’t present trust as a static endpoint but as something to be continuously nurtured. The final reconciliation between Lexi and Devlin is powerful not because it solves all problems, but because it demonstrates their commitment to choosing each other in spite of—and perhaps because of—the uncertainties involved.

Family Expectations and Autonomy

The influence of family—both its warmth and its pressures—forms a complex thematic layer in the novel. Lexi’s grandmother is a loving yet formidable presence whose decisions inadvertently restrict Lexi’s independence.

The clause in the family trust is rooted in tradition, perhaps even misguided protection, but it places Lexi in a position where her personal life must conform to inherited expectations in order to gain what is rightfully hers. This conditional inheritance becomes symbolic of the broader tension between familial obligation and self-determination.

Lexi’s resistance to the fake marriage idea initially stems from this tension. She doesn’t want to play by rules that require her to sacrifice her autonomy.

Yet, over time, she learns that forging her own path doesn’t necessarily mean rejecting her family. It can also mean redefining the terms of their legacy.

Devlin, by contrast, has no close family ties, which gives him a seemingly greater sense of autonomy but also a deeper sense of loneliness and rootlessness. His attraction to Lexi and her close-knit, sometimes chaotic family life reveals his yearning for connection.

By the end of the novel, both characters reach a middle ground where family is no longer an obstacle to autonomy but a foundation upon which a shared future can be built. The theme underscores that autonomy doesn’t require isolation, and that family—when met with honesty and compromise—can evolve into a source of strength rather than constraint.