Gr 10 Up–A stress-inducing rom-com filled with rich people having rich people problems. Audrey Barbour longs to study glassblowing on a prestigious fellowship, while her parents want her to take the safe option and go to college. She hatches a scheme to pay for her fellowship: renting out her family’s mansion online. And when her best friend wants her help in winning back his ex with a fake-dating ruse, Audrey agrees, turning her orderly life on its head. But when it all begins to unravel, Audrey will have to decide what matters most and exactly what kind of person she’s going to be. Walther’s writing is evocative and brings the community to life; however, the characters don’t feel as richly imagined. Audrey spends much of the book making bad decisions and being shocked by the consequences. Readers may feel stressed watching her make unexpected choices and constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. The relationship between Audrey and Henry, her best friend turned fake boyfriend, falls flat; the transition from fake dating to real feelings happens quickly—at least for Audrey. The resolutions to the problems of attending her glassblowing fellowship and her relationship with Henry feel forced. Audrey cues white, with hair described as “ashy blonde” or “dishwater brown.” Henry has thick black hair and brown eyes.
VERDICT May circulate well where readers love rom-coms and the fake-dating trope.
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