When It’s Real // A Fake Relationship Which Left Me Grinning By The End

When It’s Real – Erin Watt

Published: 30th May 2017
Source: Bought
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fake Relationship
My Rating:

Wealth, fame and a real-life romance she never expected—seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett lands it all when she agrees to become a pop star's fake girlfriend in this smart, utterly addictive novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Erin Watt

Under ordinary circumstances, Oakley Ford and Vaughn Bennett would never even cross paths.

There's nothing ordinary about Oakley. This bad-boy pop star's got Grammy Awards, millions of fangirls and a reputation as a restless, too-charming troublemaker. But with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley needs to show the world he's settling down—and who better to help him than Vaughn, a part-time waitress trying to help her family get by? The very definition of ordinary.

Posing as his girlfriend, Vaughn will overhaul Oakley's image from troublemaker to serious artist. In return for enough money to put her brothers through college, she can endure outlandish Hollywood parties and carefully orchestrated Twitter exchanges. She'll fool the paparazzi and the groupies. She might even start fooling herself a little.

Because when ordinary rules no longer apply, there's no telling what your heart will do…

This book came on my radar because I saw a few bloggers mention enjoying it and also because it involved a fake relationship, which we all know is my favourite ever trope. It is amazing and brilliant and I will read every book which employs said trope, regardless of how good or bad a read it is. Luckily, I’d heard people mostly say good things about this one and so I knew it was going to be read. When I went on holiday, it seemed like it would be the perfect beach read. Fake relationship. Celebrity romance. And it had a cute cover too!

This lived up to all my expectations and I enjoyed every page. It isn’t my favourite fake relationship ever but it does the trope justice and was fun to read, even if I was rolling my eyes at the young ages of the MCs and how Oakley was basically this masterful lover and renowned bad boy even though he was still really young. I didn’t totally believe that, but otherwise it was great.

Vaughn was pretty damn likable. I mean, she’s working heard to help support her brothers just like her sister had to and putting off going to college to help out (also because she is not totally convinced she knows what she wants to do so delaying the inevitable might help). There were elements of her personality I didn’t like, she was far too willing to put up with crap from her boyfriend and she wasn’t confident at times, but then that is also realistic so it worked. I loved how she was dedicated to her younger brothers and her sister and they had strong ties with one another.

Oakley Ford, he was kind of a dreamboat being a bad boy singer who has it all. ANd he has rich famous parents! I really liked his character development in this. He wasn’t just a kid who got famous too young and burned out in drugs, alcohol and girls. He was passionate about his music and was determined to get past his writers block and be taken seriously as the singer he wanted to be. He was willing to participate in stupid schemes to help clean up his image by having a fake ‘normal’ girlfriend but he was doing it all with one goal in mind. I kind of respected his work ethic, also, he was adorable when he wanted to be.

This book fell in that awkward realm of young adult.new adult as well. I felt it was more like a new adult romance but without the usual romance but then it sort of appears like it might be a young adult book instead. Either way, it was well written and seemed to combine the best elements of both genres for me. It kind of reminded me of 738 Days with less angst, but that could be because they both involve celebrities who is star is on the wane.

The book had some drama and I was rolling my eyes at the end part of the book, but rolling my eyes in a good way. This book wasn’t too angsty and ridiculous like some romance can be and I didn’t get annoyed at the celebrity element, it felt quite well done. Instead I was smiling at the gooey, happy, fluffy romance that I love and cheering Oakley and Vaughn on to get their happily ever after.

What’s your favourite romance trope? I’ve probably asked before, but we all have a favourite. And what was the last romance that left you smiling by the end?