Popular student council president, Gia Montgomery has her life plan laid out perfectly—graduating with stellar grades, an envious social status, her college future secured at UCLA while rooming with her best friend, Claire. But prom night changes everything. Excited to show off her college boyfriend and put rumors of his existence to rest, Gia is caught off guard when he dumps her in the school parking lot. Desperate to save face she sweet talks a guy who’s dropping off his sister to the dance to be her fill-in boyfriend for the night.

Hayden, who’s intrigued enough to go along with her ploy, soon finds himself wrapped up in this never ending charade of fake relationships, hollow friendships and a budding romance between polar opposites. In time, both Gia and Hayden question their motives and are challenged to think differently about what really matters most. 

One lie leads to another and eventually Gia’s relationships with family and friends and her priorities are upended. With Hayden’s help, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and courageously navigates the hard lessons of honesty and yes…love. 

I adore books where the protagonist shows a clear evolution.

I also love stories where the tale doesn’t always end tied up in a neat little bow. For a light-hearted teen romance, the main character faces some harsh lessons, confrontations and even losses in this book. I think the message of honesty in relationships is critical and author Kasie West reminds the reader of this in an endearing way. There are also several interesting character arcs in this well-written book and each one feels relatable in some way. But I don’t want to be too introspective here. While this book provides an opportunity for self-reflection, it’s a fun young adult romance (and page turner) for all ages.