He said he was looking for a 'partner in crime' which everyone knows is shorthand for 'a woman who isn't real'.
April is kind, pretty, and relatively normal - yet she can't seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she's found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry.
If only April could be more like Gretel.
Gretel is exactly what men want - she's a Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems.
The problem is, Gretel isn't real. And April is now claiming to be her.
As soon as April starts 'being' Gretel, dating becomes much more fun - especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua.
Finally, April is the one in control, but can she control her own feelings? And as she and Joshua grow closer, how long will she be able to keep pretending?
I love Holly Bourne books. Her YA stuff is amazing. And I can tell you, the emotional heart of this story is wonderful. April's story is sadly common and I really enjoyed all the analysis parts.
It just goes on for too long. There's an endless cycle of that-was-a-good-date-maybe-I-should-tell-him-but-what-if-he-hates-me-I'll-try-one-more-date-that-was-a-good-date that just went on and on for ages. I skipped ahead to the ending, and it's a great conclusion that felt really earned, but I don't think I missed anything important in the middle.
This hasn't put me off Holly Bourne, because she is a really good writer and I'm excited to see what she comes up with next. Whatever it is, the emotional heart will be perfect. But I hope it will be a little bit shorter.
Pretending publishes on the 17th November, 2020.
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