Fake dating is perhaps one of the most infamous and popular rom-com tropes around. There's something especially satisfying about watching two people make a deal to help each other out of a sticky situation, only to fall head over heels in love. That's the basic premise of ComiXology Originals graphic novel, Virtually Yours, by Jeremy Holt, Elizabeth Beals and Adam Wollet, with edits by Kat Vendetti and design by Tim Daniel.

Virtually Yours takes the fake dating trope into the digital dating world, to incredible effect. Eva Estrella is an out-of-work journalist whose mother won't stop harassing her about her romantic life (or lack thereof). Then, her younger sister recommends Virtually Yours, a dating app that provides all the evidence of a relationship without the user having to actually commit to one. Shortly thereafter, Eva's friend Katie gets her a gig at a digital magazine, where she's assigned to the dating vertical.

That's when things get deliciously complicated.

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As Eva begins her relationship with her virtual boyfriend, Adam, she starts a column about how dating an archetype through an app in her phone allows her to focus on herself and her career, while still exploring what kind of partner she may want in the future. She knows there's a real person behind Adam, one who sends her surprise bouquets of fruit and talks to her about her day -- but there's no pressure to meet.

Meanwhile, Eva meets and connects with Max, a former child star who's going through a nasty divorce with his abuser. The pair strike up a fast, flirtatious friendship, but Eva "has a boyfriend." Little does she know, Max works for Virtually Yours and is not just her friend, but the man behind Adam, her fake boyfriend, as well.

The Virtually Yours plot is predictable in that way so many rom-coms are, but honestly, that's OK. The story examines intimate partner abuse perpetuated by a woman against a man, features a plus-size lead and introduces multiple visibly queer characters. Although the relationship between Eva and Max is at the center of the book, supporting characters like Katie and Pat have lives and interests of their own, which are presented on-panel as well as in their dialogue. This world feels full, the characters properly realized and the meta-narrative about comics well-placed, rather than being too blunt.

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Holt's writing is razor-sharp, particularly as it veers into social commentary without getting soap-boxy. There are familiar trappings here, but Holt executes them in such a way that they don't feel contrived or unearned. By the time the story ends, everyone is in a very different place than they began -- but it's because they've actually grown as people, which is the entire point.

Meanwhile, Beals' art pops off the page and brings these characters and their world to life. The colors are gorgeous, but what really stands out is the framing of each panel. Character expressions and reactions take precedence, whether they're walking down the street or interacting in a close-up. Body language is one of Beals' strong suits, which means slumped shoulders or a quirked hand in any one panel may tilt the tone of a scene without feeling overwrought.

Rounding out the story and its visuals are Wollet's letters, which embody both the surface dialogue and the characters' internal thoughts and muttered asides. Daniel's design brings the whole book together, along with Vendetti's edits. Virtually Yours is utterly cohesive, pulling together the story's tropes and real-world elements into a flawlessly-executed rom-com worth reading -- multiple times.

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