Becca loves books. She reads alone at lunchtime at school. She reads at night. She reads if waiting for her mum or her best friend Cassie. Books are safe. Love and Romance inside a book might be over the top, or even corny, but at least she can put the book down at any time – without getting her own heart stomped on.

This has been Becca’s mantra even since her dad left when she was 12. She and her mum were devastated, but now her mum has a successful bakery business and Becca is a straight A student. And that’s the way she likes it.

Nobody is more shocked than Becca to find herself in a fake relationship with Brett Wells, the most popular guy in school. This secret shuts up those who mock her constant single status and Brett has his own reasons for the charade.

To her surprise, the captain of the football team isn’t full of himself, selfish or inconsiderate as expected, and Becca finds herself actually enjoying Brett’s company. Could her heart accept just a tiny bit of happiness?

Suddenly Brett’s life implodes, and their fake relationship with it. He is distant, and devastated, a family trauma consuming him. Both Becca and Brett are left feeling like they’ve made a terrible mistake.

Nursing broken hearts for different reasons, both Brett and Becca flounder without the other. Can they make it real this time?

I enjoyed this cute love story between two completely different people. One is wealthy, popular, adored by his football fans and very close to his parents. One is a book nerd with no friends at school. She’s still hurting deep down after her dad left 5 years before, and vowing no one will hurt her like that again. Why rely on people when they just stomp on your heart in the end?

Of course fake dating is going to turn to real feelings – it’s that type of book, but I liked the characters and their troubles, even when everything looks perfect on the outside. Sweet romance.

Author – Alex Light

Age – 13+

(Fake Date, Secret, High School, Football, Family, Parents, Idols, Divorce, Heart break, Relationships, Romance, Love, Popularity, Books, Reading, Bakery, Baking, Betrayal)