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How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom
Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and (definitely) still a virgin. He's never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It's not like Penn Valley is brimming with prospects. And when his big sister stages an elaborate “prom-posal” so Nolan can ask out his not-so-secret crush, Nolan freezes. He's saved from further embarrassment by bad boy Bern, who, for his own reasons, offers to fake-date Nolan.
Nolan thinks it's the perfect way to get Daphne off his back and spend the rest of the year drawing narwhals, tending to plants, and avoiding whatever died under his bed a few weeks ago. What he doesn't think about is Bern's ex-girlfriend, who seriously wants to kill him.
Nolan thinks it's the perfect way to get Daphne off his back and spend the rest of the year drawing narwhals, tending to plants, and avoiding whatever died under his bed a few weeks ago. What he doesn't think about is Bern's ex-girlfriend, who seriously wants to kill him.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2019
About the author
S.J. Goslee
2 books237 followersI write books about teenagers, fanfiction about werewolves, and have a not-so-secret love of commas, run-on sentences, alt rock, and dogs. I live outside Philadelphia, PA with my husband, two sons, and an ill-advised amount of animals.
I'm terrible at social media, PR and face-to-face encounters, so I apologize if we've ever met IRL. You can most likely find me hanging out (daily) on tumblr, and lurking only once a month or so on twitter.
More at sjgoslee.com, tumblr or facebook
I'm terrible at social media, PR and face-to-face encounters, so I apologize if we've ever met IRL. You can most likely find me hanging out (daily) on tumblr, and lurking only once a month or so on twitter.
More at sjgoslee.com, tumblr or facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 537 reviews
February 4, 2019
Funny, frustrating story was funnily frustrating.
This book had a lot of humor, but read almost like some sort of "stream of consciousness" story, where the MC, Nolan (aka "Grant") just stumbled aimlessly through his days, with the reader playing witness to his odd, awkward, artistic nerdiness.
And while a lot of the situations had me smiling, I also found myself thinking, "OMG, *where* is this story going, and *when* is it going to gain some focus and actually *get* there?"
The frustration for me arose mainly from neither MC actually showing their emotional poker hand, not divulging any actual feelings -- even to themselves (or the reader) -- until the very last few freaking chapters.
Honestly, there were very few clues as to whether previously-straight Bern was still attempting to get back with his ex-girlfriend, Gia, and only using Nolan's prom-posal as a vehicle to make her jealous.
And Nolan kept waffling between having attractions for both Bern and Si, taking an extremely long time before even letting himself ponder his true feelings.
This uncertainty made me C-R-A-Z-Y.
Even with only a few chapters remaining, I couldn't decide if even *I* wanted the MC's to get together, or for Bern to go back to Gia, and Si to confess his feelings for Nolan.
Shouldn't I have been rooting for the *main* MC's by this point? Spoiler: The answer is *YES*, I should!
Très confusing. And I found that lack of clarity of feelings pretty annoying. :- /
Was it quirky and did it make me laugh? Yes.
Was it full of feels and romance? Ehhh.
Did it just sort of meander along, instead of feeling like the story was working its way to a pre-determined, inevitable conclusion, taking anything other than even a semi-direct path? Oh, hell yeah.
So this 3.5 star book *kinda* worked for me (eccentric humor), but also *kinda* didn't (loosely-defined, low-feels romance).
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
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June 4, 2021
rep: adopted gay mc, bi Jewish li, poc lesbian side character
you can just tell that goslee writes fics..... like, she gets it, you know??? she gets how fake dating is supposed to work, how pining is supposed to work......
ugh this is just *kisses fingers like a chef*
you can just tell that goslee writes fics..... like, she gets it, you know??? she gets how fake dating is supposed to work, how pining is supposed to work......
ugh this is just *kisses fingers like a chef*
May 27, 2019
I'm between 3.5 and 4 stars, so I rounded up.
Even though it reminds me of the late 1990s/early 2000s movies like She's All That, She's the Man , or 10 Things I Hate About You (albeit with a gay twist), S.J. Goslee's new book, How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom could easily be made into a movie right this second and still feel totally relevant and fresh. It's a sweet, slightly goofy book that's not perfect, but it's definitely a fun read.
Nolan Grant Sheffield is a slightly eccentric high school junior who would be more than happy just to ride the school year out without making any waves. He's perfectly happy hanging out with his best friend Evie, working at a greenhouse, and drawing, as well as tolerating (okay, maybe even enjoying) his adoptive family's ultra-competitiveness. Sure, he gets bullied a bit at school (gym class is torture), and he's not-so-quietly nurturing a crush on Si O'Mara, a gay football player at his school who is also president of the Gay-Straight Alliance.
However, he's never kissed anyone, much less been in a relationship. And his older sister Daphne is determined to change that—and much of Nolan's life—before she heads off to college in the fall. But Daphne's take-no-prisoners style isn't something Nolan is ready for when it comes to his life, especially his (lack of a) love life.
"Technically, to any outsider, this might look like Daphne is doing a favor for me. Technically, any outsider would be wrong."
Daphne wants to be sure Nolan is prepared for college, so she encourages/forces him to get involved in some extracurricular activities. And then, when her own relationship status changes, she essentially threatens him to find a date to the upcoming Junior-Senior Prom—or she'll find one for him.
From this point on, things go totally awry for poor Nolan. Suddenly he finds himself in the midst of fake dating, a menacing ex-girlfriend, an after-school art program with younger kids, and volunteering to help with the art for the prom as well as the after-prom party. And all the while, he's utterly confused about his feelings for two guys, confusion that bubbles over to Daphne and others as well.
How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom is a little bit zany but certainly a little bit predictable as well, although Goslee definitely kept me guessing until the very end with a few things. But while I liked the twists, one major one confused me, because the characters never fully discussed their feelings until the very end, and even then I wasn't sure what precipitated that. (I'm being purposely vague because I don't want to spoil things, although other Goodreads reviews do give more plot away.)
Goslee's books (I also enjoyed her first book, Whatever ) are utterly charming, fun reads. They're not full of angst like so many other YA books, and they definitely treat sexual orientation in a matter-of-fact way rather than as a cause for drama. (Even an instance in which a male character begins dating another male after a two-year-relationship with a female character is met with confusion, but not ridicule.) Her dialogue is fresh without being pretentious or so sarcastic you think you're listening to stand-up comedians rather than high school students.
While I do wish that the characters were a little more fleshed out here so I could understand why they behaved the way they did, I enjoyed How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom quite a bit, and read the book in one day. It really charmed me, reminded me a little bit of my high school days and, at the same time, made me wish they resembled the book a little more, too.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Even though it reminds me of the late 1990s/early 2000s movies like She's All That, She's the Man , or 10 Things I Hate About You (albeit with a gay twist), S.J. Goslee's new book, How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom could easily be made into a movie right this second and still feel totally relevant and fresh. It's a sweet, slightly goofy book that's not perfect, but it's definitely a fun read.
Nolan Grant Sheffield is a slightly eccentric high school junior who would be more than happy just to ride the school year out without making any waves. He's perfectly happy hanging out with his best friend Evie, working at a greenhouse, and drawing, as well as tolerating (okay, maybe even enjoying) his adoptive family's ultra-competitiveness. Sure, he gets bullied a bit at school (gym class is torture), and he's not-so-quietly nurturing a crush on Si O'Mara, a gay football player at his school who is also president of the Gay-Straight Alliance.
However, he's never kissed anyone, much less been in a relationship. And his older sister Daphne is determined to change that—and much of Nolan's life—before she heads off to college in the fall. But Daphne's take-no-prisoners style isn't something Nolan is ready for when it comes to his life, especially his (lack of a) love life.
"Technically, to any outsider, this might look like Daphne is doing a favor for me. Technically, any outsider would be wrong."
Daphne wants to be sure Nolan is prepared for college, so she encourages/forces him to get involved in some extracurricular activities. And then, when her own relationship status changes, she essentially threatens him to find a date to the upcoming Junior-Senior Prom—or she'll find one for him.
From this point on, things go totally awry for poor Nolan. Suddenly he finds himself in the midst of fake dating, a menacing ex-girlfriend, an after-school art program with younger kids, and volunteering to help with the art for the prom as well as the after-prom party. And all the while, he's utterly confused about his feelings for two guys, confusion that bubbles over to Daphne and others as well.
How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom is a little bit zany but certainly a little bit predictable as well, although Goslee definitely kept me guessing until the very end with a few things. But while I liked the twists, one major one confused me, because the characters never fully discussed their feelings until the very end, and even then I wasn't sure what precipitated that. (I'm being purposely vague because I don't want to spoil things, although other Goodreads reviews do give more plot away.)
Goslee's books (I also enjoyed her first book, Whatever ) are utterly charming, fun reads. They're not full of angst like so many other YA books, and they definitely treat sexual orientation in a matter-of-fact way rather than as a cause for drama. (Even an instance in which a male character begins dating another male after a two-year-relationship with a female character is met with confusion, but not ridicule.) Her dialogue is fresh without being pretentious or so sarcastic you think you're listening to stand-up comedians rather than high school students.
While I do wish that the characters were a little more fleshed out here so I could understand why they behaved the way they did, I enjoyed How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom quite a bit, and read the book in one day. It really charmed me, reminded me a little bit of my high school days and, at the same time, made me wish they resembled the book a little more, too.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
January 22, 2021
One word: ADORABLE
The first half was boring and the writing style is basic too, but I really liked the relationship between Nolan and her sister, and the romance was so cute. Especially at the end. I loved the end if you couldn't tell lol.
But objectively it could have use a few rounds of edit. It was more like a wattpad story.
The first half was boring and the writing style is basic too, but I really liked the relationship between Nolan and her sister, and the romance was so cute. Especially at the end. I loved the end if you couldn't tell lol.
But objectively it could have use a few rounds of edit. It was more like a wattpad story.
April 6, 2019
HOW (NOT) TO ASK A BOY TO PROM is a cutesy, laugh out loud, fake-dating LGBTQ YA contemporary that somehow both surprised and delighted me and also felt a little.. lacking.
Googling "how to fake date" -- since I obviously have no idea how to read date, either -- brings up a treasure trove of fanfiction that I bookmark for later, but is otherwise super unhelpful.
There are a lot of things at play in Goslee's book and because we're only given vague explanations it skips along as if we're already in the know; and therefore doesn't bog us down with a lot of backstory or any flashbacks whatsoever. We're excused from much of the drama and yet I feel like as a result some of the impact is also lost.
For the record, I am nothing like a hipster at all. I have an appreciation for art that sometimes includes the absurd, but my outfits are born out of incredible laziness, not any sense of style. All my ugliness is a side-effect of being too tired to care.
That said, this was pretty adorable and I laughed constantly. The narrative is witty even if we have yet another totally clueless protagonist. I feel like had this been padded with an extra hundred pages, fleshed out some of the characters and situations, maybe tidied up some of the ambiguous bits that kind of frustrated me, this would've been an easy four. Highly enjoyable. As it is, it's pretty damn sweet but not quite everything I wanted. Would definitely read the author again though.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Googling "how to fake date" -- since I obviously have no idea how to read date, either -- brings up a treasure trove of fanfiction that I bookmark for later, but is otherwise super unhelpful.
There are a lot of things at play in Goslee's book and because we're only given vague explanations it skips along as if we're already in the know; and therefore doesn't bog us down with a lot of backstory or any flashbacks whatsoever. We're excused from much of the drama and yet I feel like as a result some of the impact is also lost.
For the record, I am nothing like a hipster at all. I have an appreciation for art that sometimes includes the absurd, but my outfits are born out of incredible laziness, not any sense of style. All my ugliness is a side-effect of being too tired to care.
That said, this was pretty adorable and I laughed constantly. The narrative is witty even if we have yet another totally clueless protagonist. I feel like had this been padded with an extra hundred pages, fleshed out some of the characters and situations, maybe tidied up some of the ambiguous bits that kind of frustrated me, this would've been an easy four. Highly enjoyable. As it is, it's pretty damn sweet but not quite everything I wanted. Would definitely read the author again though.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
May 3, 2019
fake dating? misunderstandings that come with it? the drama? secondhand embarrassment? THE FLAVOR?
August 19, 2022
i think i probably prefer whatever but this was so good too
Rep: gay mc, Jewish bi li, Korean-American lesbian side character
Rep: gay mc, Jewish bi li, Korean-American lesbian side character
May 22, 2019
UPDATE: upon further inspection (aka I thought about it) I'm changing my rating to three stars. There were a few plot points that felt out of place and weird. Some things weren't even addressed and even if the main couple was cute I didn't really feel like they were explored
How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom reminded me of fanfiction but like...not in a bad way. Maybe it was the fake dating trope, maybe it was the fact that 90% of the book was just Nolan and his stream of awkward slash borderline embarrassing trains of thought. Maybe it was the fact that Nolan actually references fanfiction AND the trope multiple times throughout the course of the book. Either way it was quick, entertaining, and HIGHLY addicting which is basically why fanfiction is so appealing. Either way, on to the review!
PLOT
I feel like I should already admit that I think the fake dating trope is used way too much and highly predictable. Yet I'm complete and utter trash for it don't @ me. Yes, tropes are dumb yadda yadda yadda but,,,queer fake dating? Um. Yes please. Give me it N O W.
But sadly that's all the book had going for it. AGAIN, I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A BAD WAY! Plot-wise, not much happened. I can see why most would give it a low rating because of that. But I was actually okay with it. I mean come one, it's marketed as a light hearted contemporary and that's exactly what we got.
CHARACTERS
Even if nothing really went on plot wise what made this book a four star read was the characters. They just feel so real and relatable, although I did roll my eyes a few times because wow...these idiots. Nolan was an absolute weirdo and so was 99% of these characters. Bren was adorable. Evie (Nolan's best friend), Daphne (his sister), their parents, random side characters, etc. you name it. THAT is what made this book so good. Because despite the fact that NOTHING happens it was entertaining to watch these interactions even among random side characters. Although a problem I had with the book was that they introduced so many characters that I kept on forgetting who was who.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Look. This book was not perfect. It wasn't some profound piece of literature that will magically change the world. It was weird. It was cute. It was funny. I had a few problems with the book and wished some of the characters were more fleshed out but I don't think I would of enjoyed it if it was longer. The ending left things open which I liked. The author didn't drag along the plot for the sake pf making the book longer. Once it bypassed the beginning stages it got straight to the point (wellllll...not really. But you can clearly see where the main plot is heading). I really enjoyed it! If you want a quick, cute, and wacky rom-com with queer characters than check out this book!
FAVORITE QUOTES
How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom reminded me of fanfiction but like...not in a bad way. Maybe it was the fake dating trope, maybe it was the fact that 90% of the book was just Nolan and his stream of awkward slash borderline embarrassing trains of thought. Maybe it was the fact that Nolan actually references fanfiction AND the trope multiple times throughout the course of the book. Either way it was quick, entertaining, and HIGHLY addicting which is basically why fanfiction is so appealing. Either way, on to the review!
PLOT
Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and (definitely) still a virgin. He’s never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It’s not like Penn Valley is brimming with prospects. And when his big sister stages an elaborate “prom-posal” so Nolan can ask out his not-so-secret crush, Nolan freezes. He’s saved from further embarrassment by bad boy Bern, who, for his own reasons, offers to fake-date Nolan.
Nolan thinks it’s the perfect way to get Daphne off his back and spend the rest of the year drawing narwhals, tending to plants, and avoiding whatever died under his bed a few weeks ago. What he doesn’t think about is Bern’s ex-girlfriend, who seriously wants to kill him
I feel like I should already admit that I think the fake dating trope is used way too much and highly predictable. Yet I'm complete and utter trash for it don't @ me. Yes, tropes are dumb yadda yadda yadda but,,,queer fake dating? Um. Yes please. Give me it N O W.
But sadly that's all the book had going for it. AGAIN, I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A BAD WAY! Plot-wise, not much happened. I can see why most would give it a low rating because of that. But I was actually okay with it. I mean come one, it's marketed as a light hearted contemporary and that's exactly what we got.
CHARACTERS
Even if nothing really went on plot wise what made this book a four star read was the characters. They just feel so real and relatable, although I did roll my eyes a few times because wow...these idiots. Nolan was an absolute weirdo and so was 99% of these characters. Bren was adorable. Evie (Nolan's best friend), Daphne (his sister), their parents, random side characters, etc. you name it. THAT is what made this book so good. Because despite the fact that NOTHING happens it was entertaining to watch these interactions even among random side characters. Although a problem I had with the book was that they introduced so many characters that I kept on forgetting who was who.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Look. This book was not perfect. It wasn't some profound piece of literature that will magically change the world. It was weird. It was cute. It was funny. I had a few problems with the book and wished some of the characters were more fleshed out but I don't think I would of enjoyed it if it was longer. The ending left things open which I liked. The author didn't drag along the plot for the sake pf making the book longer. Once it bypassed the beginning stages it got straight to the point (wellllll...not really. But you can clearly see where the main plot is heading). I really enjoyed it! If you want a quick, cute, and wacky rom-com with queer characters than check out this book!
FAVORITE QUOTES
Googling “How to fake date”—since I obviously have no idea how to real date, either—brings up a treasure trove of fanfiction that I bookmark for later, but is otherwise unhelpful.
All I’ve learned so far—from my various, entirely reliable sources—is that fake dating involves a lot of hand-holding in public, hurried passionate kisses when cornered, and accidental bed sharing when there are no extra rooms at the inn.
I duck my head to hide a wince. My life has turned into a bad rom-com movie, only chances are slim to zero that I’ll actually get my happy ending.
“I like plants.”
Bern…cracks up.
He goddamn giggles, burying his face in hands. I have to save his soda from getting shoved off the table.”
“To think about how right about now Bern usually drags me into the bathroom, how we’ll touch without really touching, and how my skin always tingles when we don’t actually fucking make out. I curl my fingers into his and lace them together.”
“Bern, set up next to me, pushes his foot into mine. He says, “Going soft, Grant?” and, crap, maybe I am an asshole?”
“I could say it’s because of how the sun onhis face males his eyes look nearly black and his mouth this deep ruby red.”
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
May 1, 2019 DNF ~ 30 pages
i'm going to dnf this because i'm not able to connect with any of the characters or the story. perhaps i've become to old to care about high school books anymore because i'm not being able to get into any of these stories lately i think they're too immature
so yeah i'm not going to invest any more of my time into this
i'm going to dnf this because i'm not able to connect with any of the characters or the story. perhaps i've become to old to care about high school books anymore because i'm not being able to get into any of these stories lately i think they're too immature
so yeah i'm not going to invest any more of my time into this
Read
March 1, 2021queers deserve that fake dating trope too
April 29, 2019
As a gay man, I found this atrocious. The author seemed to rely more so on fanfic-like tropes to how gay men sound than writing an authentic account. Nolan did not at all feel like a realistic person, and considering the propensity for gay fetishization in fanfic and among women who write gay romances, this really creeped me out.
August 3, 2018
Things to know about Nolan Grant:
(x)loves plants
(x)artist
(x)“summer baby, has a hard-on for narwhals, attached at the hip to Evie Cho, sucks at drawing faces, wants Purdy to drop dead,” description by Bern
(x)can’t say no to his sister
(x)like at all
(x)would even fake-date bad boy Bern because his sister made him ask out his crush because she broke with her boyfriend (who Nolan didn’t ever truly like so) but now she needs to fix Nolan’s love-life—or lack-of.
Nolan Grant’s life consists of hanging out with best friend, Evie Cho, Secret AwesomeArt Club day, Ground Zero, art, plants, and Narwhal. There’s also daydreaming about GSA’s President Si O’Mara. That is until his sister, Daphne, signs him up for her SAT prep course, gets him to join Art Buddies—and ask out a guy for prom if not she’ll ask a guy. So, what is a guy to do when your sister decides you HAVE to have a prom date AND creates a glittery poster, gets you where your crush will be, pushes you inside the room filled with people?
Choose the best answer:
a. say no—she is NOT the boss of you.
b. laugh and back out slowly from said classroom
c. freak out
d. take up bad-boy’s, Ira Bernstein, offer (he acts like you’re asking him)
Well, the best answer might be a or b or even c, but not for Nolan Grant, our “handsome loner-type with over-styled hair and a goofy laugh” (description by Evie) he, of course, chooses the D (ha, I’m so funny) option.
And, honestly? It is the best option. And so, let the fake-dating commence.
Even Nolan googles fake dating. Which he finds a ton of fics that tell him he will slowly fall in love and has to share a single bed when they visit a hotel because everything else is booked up.
If you’ve ever read manga you’ll know that they’ll call each other by their last name, and when their first name slips or they want to try how their first name tastes in their tongue they’ll usually be a ton of flailing about and blushing galore?….Well, not to spoil it, but…there might be some of that here…just saying.
This book does contain one amazing fake-dating romance, but it is an all-around enjoyable read. I love how much Nolan loved his sister even if she did meddle in his life, a lot. And Nolan’s and his family were so amazing, I’m ready to be adopted, too. His dad hosts sing-along Teen Beach movie night with singing sheets! How cool is that? And they do game marathon days. Like, can it get cooler than that?
The fake-dating? Deliciously fic-worthy! And there’s more to the story than you might think….
I especially loved the character development with Nolan. This is a guy who was kind of comfortable with how his life was, but when given a chance by his sister he goes along with it. Grudgingly, but he does it nonetheless. And there’s a lot of growing for him to do. I loved that his character felt real. He wasn’t this perfect character, instead, he’s someone who viewed things in a certain way and finds out that perhaps he was being harsh with others. I promised it’ll make sense once you read it. I just loved that sometimes we might not realize we’re doing asshole moves because we see things from our perspective.
Note: I read this about a week ago, but every other day I keep thinking back on it and how I just need fanfic on them? If that doesn’t tell you that is amazing as I am saying it is…well… you’re going to miss out. BUT DON’T MISS OUT ON IT!
*Note that all quotes are taken from uncorrected copy and might be subjected to change*
For more of my reviews visit me at The Written Voice of Is
(x)loves plants
(x)artist
(x)“summer baby, has a hard-on for narwhals, attached at the hip to Evie Cho, sucks at drawing faces, wants Purdy to drop dead,” description by Bern
(x)can’t say no to his sister
(x)like at all
(x)would even fake-date bad boy Bern because his sister made him ask out his crush because she broke with her boyfriend (who Nolan didn’t ever truly like so) but now she needs to fix Nolan’s love-life—or lack-of.
Nolan Grant’s life consists of hanging out with best friend, Evie Cho, Secret AwesomeArt Club day, Ground Zero, art, plants, and Narwhal. There’s also daydreaming about GSA’s President Si O’Mara. That is until his sister, Daphne, signs him up for her SAT prep course, gets him to join Art Buddies—and ask out a guy for prom if not she’ll ask a guy. So, what is a guy to do when your sister decides you HAVE to have a prom date AND creates a glittery poster, gets you where your crush will be, pushes you inside the room filled with people?
Choose the best answer:
a. say no—she is NOT the boss of you.
b. laugh and back out slowly from said classroom
c. freak out
d. take up bad-boy’s, Ira Bernstein, offer (he acts like you’re asking him)
Well, the best answer might be a or b or even c, but not for Nolan Grant, our “handsome loner-type with over-styled hair and a goofy laugh” (description by Evie) he, of course, chooses the D (ha, I’m so funny) option.
And, honestly? It is the best option. And so, let the fake-dating commence.
“I like plants.”
Bern…cracks up.
He goddamn giggles, burying his face in hands. I have to save his soda from getting shoved off the table.”
Even Nolan googles fake dating. Which he finds a ton of fics that tell him he will slowly fall in love and has to share a single bed when they visit a hotel because everything else is booked up.
“There’s a flush on the tops of his cheeks that I kind of want to press my thumbs to. Thank god my hands are full.”
If you’ve ever read manga you’ll know that they’ll call each other by their last name, and when their first name slips or they want to try how their first name tastes in their tongue they’ll usually be a ton of flailing about and blushing galore?….Well, not to spoil it, but…there might be some of that here…just saying.
“To think about how right about now Bern usually drags me into the bathroom, how we’ll touch without really touching, and how my skin always tingles when we don’t actually fucking make out. I curl my fingers into his and lace them together.”
This book does contain one amazing fake-dating romance, but it is an all-around enjoyable read. I love how much Nolan loved his sister even if she did meddle in his life, a lot. And Nolan’s and his family were so amazing, I’m ready to be adopted, too. His dad hosts sing-along Teen Beach movie night with singing sheets! How cool is that? And they do game marathon days. Like, can it get cooler than that?
The fake-dating? Deliciously fic-worthy! And there’s more to the story than you might think….
I especially loved the character development with Nolan. This is a guy who was kind of comfortable with how his life was, but when given a chance by his sister he goes along with it. Grudgingly, but he does it nonetheless. And there’s a lot of growing for him to do. I loved that his character felt real. He wasn’t this perfect character, instead, he’s someone who viewed things in a certain way and finds out that perhaps he was being harsh with others. I promised it’ll make sense once you read it. I just loved that sometimes we might not realize we’re doing asshole moves because we see things from our perspective.
“Bern, set up next to me, pushes his foot into mine. He says, “Going soft, Grant?” and, crap, maybe I am an asshole?”
Note: I read this about a week ago, but every other day I keep thinking back on it and how I just need fanfic on them? If that doesn’t tell you that is amazing as I am saying it is…well… you’re going to miss out. BUT DON’T MISS OUT ON IT!
“I could say it’s because of how the sun onhis face males his eyes look nearly black and his mouth this deep ruby red.”
*Note that all quotes are taken from uncorrected copy and might be subjected to change*
For more of my reviews visit me at The Written Voice of Is
April 10, 2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I felt the same way after finishing this book as I did when I finished Goslee's debut, Whatever - extremely happy.
Once again, Goslee crafted a fabulous male protagonist, who I fell in insta-love with. Nolan was lucky enough to be adopted as a teen by the hilarious and lovable Sheffield family. He loved art, his cat, plants, narwals, his family, and keeping out of the spotlight, but, his sister, Daphne, had other plans for him. When she staged a promposal for him, which went sideways, Nolan came to an agreement with Bern, and they embarked on a fantastic fauxmance.
I am always game for a fauxmance-romance, and this one had all the elements, that make this trope so deliciously delightful. We had the mini-makeover, the awkward introduction to friends and family, as well the staged closeness needed to sell it to the general public. But, we also had all those feelings that never fail to surface during any fake-dating stories. I must admit, I was excited every time there was any sort of romantic stirring, heightened emotion, or cute banter between Bern and Nolan, because, gosh darn it! I really liked them together.
In addition to the romance, the book featured a fantastic supporting cast. As I previously mentioned, Nolan's family was stupendous! I loved all the competitive gaming, the movie nights, the waffles, and just the genuine love and affection that permeated their home. I think I suffered from the warm-fuzzies every time I was in their presence, and that's a feeling I always want to experience.
I also loved seeing Nolan grow. This fauxmance was great for him, because it pushed him out of his comfort zone and forced him to branch out. As he widened his circle of friends, he learned a lot about himself, and was definitely better for having fake-dated Bern.
Overall: This was a hilarious and heartwarming story of friendship, family, and fake dating which kept me in stitches and grinning from ear to ear.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I felt the same way after finishing this book as I did when I finished Goslee's debut, Whatever - extremely happy.
Once again, Goslee crafted a fabulous male protagonist, who I fell in insta-love with. Nolan was lucky enough to be adopted as a teen by the hilarious and lovable Sheffield family. He loved art, his cat, plants, narwals, his family, and keeping out of the spotlight, but, his sister, Daphne, had other plans for him. When she staged a promposal for him, which went sideways, Nolan came to an agreement with Bern, and they embarked on a fantastic fauxmance.
I am always game for a fauxmance-romance, and this one had all the elements, that make this trope so deliciously delightful. We had the mini-makeover, the awkward introduction to friends and family, as well the staged closeness needed to sell it to the general public. But, we also had all those feelings that never fail to surface during any fake-dating stories. I must admit, I was excited every time there was any sort of romantic stirring, heightened emotion, or cute banter between Bern and Nolan, because, gosh darn it! I really liked them together.
In addition to the romance, the book featured a fantastic supporting cast. As I previously mentioned, Nolan's family was stupendous! I loved all the competitive gaming, the movie nights, the waffles, and just the genuine love and affection that permeated their home. I think I suffered from the warm-fuzzies every time I was in their presence, and that's a feeling I always want to experience.
I also loved seeing Nolan grow. This fauxmance was great for him, because it pushed him out of his comfort zone and forced him to branch out. As he widened his circle of friends, he learned a lot about himself, and was definitely better for having fake-dated Bern.
Overall: This was a hilarious and heartwarming story of friendship, family, and fake dating which kept me in stitches and grinning from ear to ear.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 5, 2021
[fifth read] june 06, 2021: annual reread-to-avoid-schoolwork, what else is new. also the five-star is back babey! i know this book is flawed—and i can even agree with the criticism!—but i'll probably give it 5-star every time for the boost of serotonin it never fails to give me. i don't know how it does it but i'm not complaining.
side note but i really, really want to read from bern's pov. it'd probably be just pinning and brooding and even more pinning but that's the whole point. ira bernstein best boy.
[fourth read] august 18, 2020: Didn't hold up super well after the fourth read, mostly because all the pop culture references are kind of corny to me now that I've grown out of them, but I still love Bern to death and the romance is the cutest. It's free serotonin!
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🐳 READ THE FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG! 🐳
Are you looking for a lighthearted read that is both hilarious and heartwarming? That stars silly boys fake-dating each other then realizing maybe their feelings are not so fake after all? That are full of family shenanigans and chaotic friendships? That has pop culture references that don’t make you want to cringe and band references that remind you of your emo phase but not in a bad way? You’re in the right place!
— 4.5 / A
side note but i really, really want to read from bern's pov. it'd probably be just pinning and brooding and even more pinning but that's the whole point. ira bernstein best boy.
[fourth read] august 18, 2020: Didn't hold up super well after the fourth read, mostly because all the pop culture references are kind of corny to me now that I've grown out of them, but I still love Bern to death and the romance is the cutest. It's free serotonin!
—————
🐳 READ THE FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG! 🐳
Are you looking for a lighthearted read that is both hilarious and heartwarming? That stars silly boys fake-dating each other then realizing maybe their feelings are not so fake after all? That are full of family shenanigans and chaotic friendships? That has pop culture references that don’t make you want to cringe and band references that remind you of your emo phase but not in a bad way? You’re in the right place!
— 4.5 / A
January 24, 2019
This is a super cute fake-dating rom-com for the LGBT crowd, which doesn't usually get representation with that trope.
Nolan is gay and perpetually single, and according to loving-but-slightly-overbearing sister older Daphne, that is a problem. So she makes a decision for him. He can ask out specific one guy to prom, or a different specific one (the one he has a crush on). Because he realizes he has no choice, because Daphne will keep harping on him, he tries to ask the guy he likes. But messes up big time. Instead, Bern accepts in Nolan's crush's place. But soon Nolan realizes that Bern has done this on purpose and the cute fake dating trope ensues!
Honestly, this book is a quick read, it's cute, and it's a feel-good story. We can always do with more LGBT representation in YA lit (or any lit), and basically this book made me feel that "I'm just happy to be here" way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Nolan is gay and perpetually single, and according to loving-but-slightly-overbearing sister older Daphne, that is a problem. So she makes a decision for him. He can ask out specific one guy to prom, or a different specific one (the one he has a crush on). Because he realizes he has no choice, because Daphne will keep harping on him, he tries to ask the guy he likes. But messes up big time. Instead, Bern accepts in Nolan's crush's place. But soon Nolan realizes that Bern has done this on purpose and the cute fake dating trope ensues!
Honestly, this book is a quick read, it's cute, and it's a feel-good story. We can always do with more LGBT representation in YA lit (or any lit), and basically this book made me feel that "I'm just happy to be here" way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
August 24, 2020
Smiles
First off, any book that has an adopted kid who turns out to be gay and the family doesn’t even blink gives me hope that we are becoming better people.
I enjoyed this book. The story was cute and kept me guessing for a while as to what was and wasn’t real. Likable characters keeps the angst manageable. 4.0 for ladders outside bathroom windows.
First off, any book that has an adopted kid who turns out to be gay and the family doesn’t even blink gives me hope that we are becoming better people.
I enjoyed this book. The story was cute and kept me guessing for a while as to what was and wasn’t real. Likable characters keeps the angst manageable. 4.0 for ladders outside bathroom windows.
May 15, 2019
3.5
This was pretty damn adorable.
Nolan is such a cute dork, and his absolute cluelessness is only forgiven by his zero experience in relationships. Bern is too sweet, he kind of wears his heart on his sleeve and come on Nolan open your eyes!
So I knew where the plot was going but had the best time reading this anyway. I loved the lack of insta anything, the moments building up to feelings and the appropriate awkwardness and angst that fake dating promises.
I also really loved the family dynamic showed with Nolan's family. I'm unfortunately closer to the age where I say this is the type of family I am going to have (I'm only 26 shut up) than thinking of myself as the teen and wishing this was the kind of family I had - either way the Scheffers were beautiful to see in action.
This was pretty damn adorable.
Nolan is such a cute dork, and his absolute cluelessness is only forgiven by his zero experience in relationships. Bern is too sweet, he kind of wears his heart on his sleeve and come on Nolan open your eyes!
So I knew where the plot was going but had the best time reading this anyway. I loved the lack of insta anything, the moments building up to feelings and the appropriate awkwardness and angst that fake dating promises.
I also really loved the family dynamic showed with Nolan's family. I'm unfortunately closer to the age where I say this is the type of family I am going to have (I'm only 26 shut up) than thinking of myself as the teen and wishing this was the kind of family I had - either way the Scheffers were beautiful to see in action.
May 24, 2019
Overall I found this book to be super cute, my biggest complaint is that I wish there were far more interactions between Bern and Nolen. I feel like their relationship and past history, and present history wasn't fleshed out super well. I would have like to see the characters a little more than we did. Other than that it was a very cute story, just lacking in relationship development, I wasn't very invested in some of the characters and I didn't fell fulfilled at the end. Definitely give it a check, it was a soft fake dating au.
May 3, 2019
the fake dating trope is ... the best romance trope ever
fight me
fight me
May 4, 2019
This was a fun, quick read. It’s not a new idea but it was well written.
October 4, 2019
If you are looking for a light hearted diverse contemporary that isn’t really long in length this book is definitely for you! I loved each of the characters and felt like I could connect with each of them. Throughout the book we follow the main character who is trying to figure out how to come out to his classmates basically and also on how to ask a boy to prom before time is up. This was a fun short book but, it also had me wondering if we were going to cover a tough topic of suicide within the last two chapters. Luckily we didn’t get to cover that topic in this book and it ended happily! I 10/10 definitely recommend this book.
December 27, 2018
I didn't expect to love this as much as I did (clearly I am a fool). The story basically takes some of the best parts of the faking dating trope as a checklist, and executes it in a way that still feels fun and relevant to the cast of characters. Admittedly, I am biased because I came into the story already loving this type of plot.
I adore how weird Nolan's family is, while also remaining the most loving (Daphne hits me in all the big-sister spots). And the relationship (friendship, fake dating, or otherwise) between Nolan and Bern is not perfect and wonderful. I would love to get this story from Bern's point-of-view, including all of the backstory before we get to the start of this book.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC for review.
I adore how weird Nolan's family is, while also remaining the most loving (Daphne hits me in all the big-sister spots). And the relationship (friendship, fake dating, or otherwise) between Nolan and Bern is not perfect and wonderful. I would love to get this story from Bern's point-of-view, including all of the backstory before we get to the start of this book.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC for review.
May 14, 2019
I was anxiously waiting for this book, I really enjoyed Goslee’s First book whatever. This one was not as much of a winner for me as her prior book. While I enjoyed the humor and quirkiness of the main character I found this book to meander quite a bit. The story had. so many side characters all going different directions but I couldn’t connect them all together. I felt like the MC’s were not fully fleshed out for me. Enjoyable not fantastic
March 27, 2020
2,5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was okay.
Nothing really happened, I wasn’t really sure who I was supposed to ship.
The family was unbelievable , the dialogue seemed forced and overall the book tries to hard to be cool and snarky.
Read for the FairyLoot reading challenge. Prompt: Read a book with a LGBTQ+ character.
This was okay.
Nothing really happened, I wasn’t really sure who I was supposed to ship.
The family was unbelievable , the dialogue seemed forced and overall the book tries to hard to be cool and snarky.
Read for the FairyLoot reading challenge. Prompt: Read a book with a LGBTQ+ character.
June 17, 2020
I can't even! So cute! This is just a feel-good afternoon waiting to happen. Drama, but nothing ridiculous or even that serious, and lots of comedy with great characters and adorable scenes. Loved everything about it -- except the repeated references to fake dating tropes, which really pull you out of the story... which is exactly what you DON'T want to happen when you're reading feel-good, escapist romcoms. But again, well worth the time and money!
July 24, 2021
if you're going to do a very classic trope in a basic and predictable way it has to be VERY well written and this just fell flat and superficial to me idk
May 27, 2019
The title and cover lets you know what you’re getting into right away, so you can’t complain prom tropes and and a three party love triangle gets involved. This is fun, fast paced, and although there should be much more fleshed out, is a satisfying read.
Nolan is sort of a go along guy, like Mike in the author’s first book, and has a lot of people who care about him. The problem is how I want to know so much more about him. What is he really thinking? How did he end up in this family? See spoiler And speaking of his family, they are like The Fosters tv show and could have their own book!
I think too many awesome things were left unsaid. The prom trope worked just fine. I loved the family. I enjoyed the art club and helping little kids and how that helped Nolan grow. It was enjoyable but with some added pages to bring out more could have been an amazing book.
Nolan is sort of a go along guy, like Mike in the author’s first book, and has a lot of people who care about him. The problem is how I want to know so much more about him. What is he really thinking? How did he end up in this family? See spoiler And speaking of his family, they are like The Fosters tv show and could have their own book!
I think too many awesome things were left unsaid. The prom trope worked just fine. I loved the family. I enjoyed the art club and helping little kids and how that helped Nolan grow. It was enjoyable but with some added pages to bring out more could have been an amazing book.
May 7, 2020
Actual rating 3.5*
As cute and funny as this was, it had a slow, sloppy and boring start and I personally didn't care about some side things the characters were doing. I was curious about the story and kept on reading bc Bern turned out to be my weak spot.
Nolan was alright, kind of oblivious and awkward, so lowkey relatable 😂 (for me)
One thing that I didn't like, without which there wouldn't really be a book but still, was Daphne messing in Nolan's business. I know this is something like a romcom but I don't care how much you love me or how close we are, you've absolutely no business in my business and her messing with her brother's love life was extremely annoying to me.
I'm also not a fan of the "tsundere" best friends who show affection through insults, I don't like it and I don't find it funny.
Bern was my favourite thing about the book and I did enjoy it but as I said, there were a few details that I didn't care about. I think it should've focused more on the development of their relationship no matter how fake or real it was because I just couldn't believe at first that any of them would actually have chemistry although they did at the end. (bc I forgot to say this is about fake dating)
I also don't think it's meant to be taken completely seriously and so it reminded me of a few Thai BL drama in regards of a few ridiculous moments that belong only in Thai BL dramas.
As cute and funny as this was, it had a slow, sloppy and boring start and I personally didn't care about some side things the characters were doing. I was curious about the story and kept on reading bc Bern turned out to be my weak spot.
Nolan was alright, kind of oblivious and awkward, so lowkey relatable 😂 (for me)
One thing that I didn't like, without which there wouldn't really be a book but still, was Daphne messing in Nolan's business. I know this is something like a romcom but I don't care how much you love me or how close we are, you've absolutely no business in my business and her messing with her brother's love life was extremely annoying to me.
I'm also not a fan of the "tsundere" best friends who show affection through insults, I don't like it and I don't find it funny.
Bern was my favourite thing about the book and I did enjoy it but as I said, there were a few details that I didn't care about. I think it should've focused more on the development of their relationship no matter how fake or real it was because I just couldn't believe at first that any of them would actually have chemistry although they did at the end. (bc I forgot to say this is about fake dating)
I also don't think it's meant to be taken completely seriously and so it reminded me of a few Thai BL drama in regards of a few ridiculous moments that belong only in Thai BL dramas.
July 29, 2022
The dreaded miscommunication!!! But without it we wouldn't have this book. There was little drama, that could have been avoided by talking!!! Talk, people! It's important!
The usual fake dating trope worked well with mysterious Bern and super naive Nolan. I found both of them pretty cute.
The story is simple, the characters were fun, the side characters were a big part of the story, as were the families (Nolan'smore than Bern's), and the love storyline made me finish the book without putting it down. Sweet!
I liked it!
The usual fake dating trope worked well with mysterious Bern and super naive Nolan. I found both of them pretty cute.
The story is simple, the characters were fun, the side characters were a big part of the story, as were the families (Nolan'smore than Bern's), and the love storyline made me finish the book without putting it down. Sweet!
I liked it!
September 6, 2020
Much funnier and more accurate to high school life than I thought it would be. I enjoyed all the characters, which left me pleasantly surprised. Even though we don't actually get Nolan's life story, it's obvious from the first page that his previous three years as a Sheffield has been good but the thirteen that came before were rather on the "not" side of good. And, honestly, that's enough background to go with for this story. I'll be on the lookout for the previous book by this author, and hopefully any more to come in the future.
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