Well, color me surprised, but this book was a thousand times better than I had expected it to be. Most of all, this book was exactly what I needed right now. I’ve been feeling stressed due to school, and I’ve been on the verge of a reading slump due to dissatisfying books and I thought I was on the point of giving up and taking a little break from reading. Thankfully, this was just what I needed to get my mental energy back up.

The thing I liked most about this book is that it turned out to be nothing like what I had expected. For the first five pages or so I thought I was getting yet another cliché story that I would probably only mildly enjoy. Then, ten pages in and I was ready to fall in love with these characters.

Nina and West were witty and funny and I loved watching their interactions. There was never a dull moment between the two and I could really feel the evolution of their relationship. No insta-love here, thank God. Instead, we get a slow friendship that gradually develops into something more.

I also greatly enjoyed all the side characters. From Lisa to the twins, to even all the parents in the book. I love seeing background characters being fleshed out and given personalities that I can cheer for.

Another thing is that I was smiling the whole time I was reading. The conversations and little debated between West and Nina were absolutely golden. Heck, the interactions between all of the characters were absolutely amazing. And, this book acknowledges something that I wish more YA romances did:

“If this were a novel, the love of a good woman would save West and turn him into a happier person.”

“I’m pretty sure that only happens in books,” Lisa said. “In real life, if you’re unhappy, you need to work to change yourself. Having someone who cares about you helps, but it’s not a magic anti-jerk pill.”

When I read that quote I had to stop for a moment and mentally applaud the author. This is something that seriously needs to be said, and that everyone seriously needs to realize. Having a hard life doesn’t give you an excuse to be a jerk! And it shouldn’t be your girlfriend’s job to fix you!

Thankfully, West wasn’t a jerk, and Nina didn’t need to fix him. So, again, thank you, Chris Cannon!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Much more so than I ever imagined I might. It is a short book and it reads even quicker because I didn’t want to have to stop reading. The writing style is smooth and well done and easy to read. If you like YA contemporary romances, I definitely suggest this one.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a contemporary young adult romance but with more depth than such stories usually have as it also involves coping with a mentally ill parent and reactions to feelings of abandonment experienced after parents split up. However, don't let that make you think this won't be a fun read - it certainly is! I found it to be an engaging and entertaining read with well developed characters, humorous interactions and (thankfully) missing the 'popular' peers making life difficult for others.

Nina Bates doesn't like Valentine's Day and, being the honest, vocal, without a filter, character that she is means that everyone knows it! She is a bookaholic who finds something to debate about in most conversations. If you don't love Harry Potter then she'll really not want anything to do with you . . . . She lives with her Mum and brother next door to their landlord and his family - which includes another Harry Potter fan and bookaholic, West Smith. They go to the same High School and their interactions are hilarious!

This is a contemporary High School story, with plenty of debates, discussions, dilemmas and drama - I thoroughly enjoyed escaping into it. The characters are realistically portrayed, their angst and turmoil related sensitively as the story is told from the dual points of view of the main characters. If. like me, you're a Harry Potter fan, you'll find the Potterisms really add to the story and I totally agree with West that Nina is a Luna type of character. I highly recommend giving this book a read, I'll certainly be looking out for more by this author in future!

I requested and received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I chose to read it and this is my honest review after doing so.

DNF
I really want to try and get into this book but I just couldn’t. Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading way too much romance or adult romance I should say. It felt that it was way too young for me. I feel like a younger me would’ve really loved this, It would have been right up my alley.

I couldn’t really connect with Nina at all. She was not relatable. She swore she just believed in everyone telling the truth, but bottom line she just loved confrontation. Not just loved it, She bathed in it. Every conversation between her and West seemed to end in some kind of confrontation because she made it that way.

I felt for West, I really did. But he didn’t have to act that way or push everyone away just because of his home life. Even though I never saw hoarding in a book before, I would have loved to see it done a little bit better.

I stopped reading because I didn’t like the way the mental illness was being portrayed, couldn't relate to the characters, and their interactions felt forced.

I hate it didn’t work out for me but you win some, you lose some.

Harry Potter is my favorite series of all time so any book that showcases characters that can quote the books in any situation and showing love for all things HP loud and proud is a win in my book.

Nina and West are next door neighbors who have never really been much of friends but circumstances throw them together more often than not and their friendship grows. West has a lot of secrets and tends to not socialize much with anyone other than his cousins. Nina has baggage of her own that lead her family to being neighbors with the Smith family.

I loved how Nina debated everything. She keeps everyone around her on her toes but I also loved that her mom called her out on arguing things that didn't need to be argued. My favorite part of this story was how Nina's and West's 'baggage' was dealt with. For such young people, they are handling heavy stuff but none of it was trivialized or brushed under the rug. This book is sweet and heartwarming and I can't wait to see what's up next in this series.

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

4-1/2 stars. 4-1/2 stars. 4-1/2 stars. Nina, a self-described hippy-chick book nerd, and her newly single mom move in next door to brooding hottie, West. They share a backyard and a driveway, but on the surface, not much else. When an upcoming Valentines Day dance forces Nina to dodge her brother's friend and West to evade his ex-girlfriend, they tell their prospective dates they're going with each other. This launches a tentative friendship that becomes something more. Nina and West both have troubled pasts that interfere with their ability to be completely open with each other. But instead of this turning into one of those, "I wish they would just talk to each other," stories, their secrets and half truths are plausible and heart wrenching.

Plot
The plotting is well done with just the right amount of drama and angst. Nina and West navigate what it means to be in a romantic relationship while their respective family issues play out around them. Both feel helpless about their situations, which leads them to make choices they may not otherwise make.

The Characters
I absolutely adored both Nina and West. Nina's constant need to debate everything and her brutal honesty made her lovable instead of annoying. She sees the world in a positive light, a "glass is half full" type. West's need to move far away from home as soon as possible is utterly relatable. Both characters experienced growth through the book, but West, more so, although I would argue he had more to overcome. Their relationship felt so authentically teen, without a lot of unnecessary drama.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About THE DATING DEBATE
1. Playful banter. Rather than the debates causing endless fights, the arguments between West and Nina were more flirtatious than not.

2. Honesty. This concept seems simple enough -- always tell the truth -- and yet it is fairly foreign in most contemporary romances. The heart of most conflict is the inability of the protagonists to tell the truth. But complete honesty brings its own conflicts that was a refreshing change from the usual.

3. West. So wonderfully complex and authentic in his teen boyness.

4. West. What's not to adore about a book-loving hippie chick?

5. Gidget. Nina's overly-shedding lab provided some fantastic moments of comedy.

Bottom Line
Delightful young adult contemporary romance that reads like a lighthearted comedy, but with more serious elements that keeps it from being fluff.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon had a promise of a cute plot line. The heroine was a bookworm who LOVED Harry Potter. I liked that fact and the fact that she had the same views on reading as I did. She liked both ebooks and regular books to sit on shelves just in case all things digital disappeared. That's pretty much the exact reason why I buy books once in awhile still.

I love books that are about books but this one was just ok to me. I felt like I was missing the spark between the two characters. And the interest in Harry Potter felt like it was a bit too much, but when I was the main character's age I did Harry Potter RPG, checked out mugglenet constantly especially when the sixth Harry Potter book came out, wrote Harry Potter fanfiction, etc. So maybe I'm just missing that DIE HARD FAN feeling I used to have.

It's still a fast read especially if you are looking for a quick romance type books. There was nothing really wrong with it, I think I just missed the connection between the two main characters. Thank you Entangled Teen for giving me the chance to review this.

The Dating Debate is a fun drama filled young adult novel. A lovely story that shows the ups and downs of what it is like to be a teenager trying to find their perfect match in a fun but odd kind of way. The characters are sweet and life like which makes them easy to relate to.

I really did like this book. I enjoyed that the main character was a reader and the many Harry Potter references. Not the deepest of books even though it tried to be but I wasn't expecting much depth. Really cute and likeable main character.

Chris Cannon wrote another great book! This book is told in alternating chapters told through Nina's and West's perspectives. There were several times this book made me laugh due to the banter between the Nina and West. It was very witty! I also really liked the way they both handled difficult situations so differently. Both characters have difficulty opening up because of their family life. However, Nina is so open and honest once she starts trusting West. While West has been taught to hid his problems. Their personalities are light and dark, but it really works for them. It is definitely not easy for them, but it doesn't feel tedious like some will they won't they books. West is constantly struggling with changing old patterns and really work towards that change.

Overall, this book is a cute sweet romance, but both West and Nina deal with some challenges regarding family in this book. It gave the book more depth than just being all about the romance between them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first time reading this author’s work and I’m happy I read it.
Coincidentally, it’s the third book (second back-to-back) that I’ve read with an underlying theme of hoarding. I had no idea with any of the books so it was a complete surprise. Once again, as with the other books I read, I felt the author handled it well and with sensitivity and understanding.
I liked the characters and I felt the storyline was realistic. There is no sex but there is some swearing. Target audience is for teens and I believe it is appropriate. I would read more by this author. Well-written.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It was a good book, that gets you warm and Want to cuddle with your own man.

I love Chris Cannon’s books. She never disappoints. And so I fell in love with West this time and I smiled a lot, even laughed out loud. Following Nina’s many debates about everything is really something. And, of course, I got my HEA this time too. If you love light, heartwarming stories with people having real problems and not giving up, this is the book I want o read. And there are a few tips how to have a great Valentine’s Day even if you are not a great fan of the day. So, that is a big plus. OOH, and if you love dogs, you will love Gidget and that’s a plus too. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing!

Nina thinks that certain holidays are just a bunch of hooey. She knows from personal experience that some relationships never work out. Instead, she tries to debate her surly neighbor and finds she may be attracted to him.

West is not sure what to make of his neighbor. She seems like an attractive person. She just always seems to take the opposition's position. Why do some women do that?

This was a book that had me laughing out loud at parts. These characters were fun to read. They do seem like opposites attract. The part where they compliment each other with their issues is a bonus.


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publisher.

​hello,
I am including the review of the book here, I will later cross-post it on Goodreads and Amazon
This book is awesomeness dipped in chocolate sauce topped with rainbow sprinkles from the get-go… First off, both characters read Harry, potter, if you are trying to be perfect, that’s the right place to start from! Second, she’s like this cute designated giver of hugs, and soon hugs become kinda their thing!) Third (Yes, every great list should ALWAYS [Hp reference] have three things) he’s hot in that silent brooding kinda way, and she’s quirky in that Luna kinda way. Now you wonder what is missing? Let me tell you…. This book in your hand!

I loved this book! It had basically everything I love in a YA novel--first person alternating chapters between the two main characters, Nina and West, humor, love, fun, a crisis and a happy ending. I loved Nina because I love to read too! She is hilarious and honest and a great character. I love West too--he is such a teenaged guy but I love how he changes slowly as the story progresses and he realizes how much he wants Nina in his life regardless of what he has to do to get her back after he screws up. This is a super sweet love story, quick read--I read it in one night. Loved it! Thank you NetGalley!!!

DNF @ 11%

I gave up on this book because it has no depth to it. Everything is going by super quick, yet not although there is no thoughts, no time to catch our breath and understand the characters. They seem to be given stock personalities and looks which we are supposed to go with. Also, who tells someone they are "brooding" or even talks to others like 'oh, so and so is the sexy brooding loner--yum" like, no. Sorry, no that seems so weird to me.

The interactions were so....strange and so forced! She doesn't like him, yet is soooo against lying (EVEN THOUGH SHE LIED PREVIOUSLY) that she is going to go to the dance with him. Yeah, that makes sense.
*rolls eyes*
I'm also NOT OKAY with forced hugs. Plus, it was soooo awkward. This girl doesn't like debates, she like confrontations and pushing people out of their comfort zones. Hugging people--touching people, when they don't want to be isn't cute or quirky, it is a b*tch move.

I stopped reading after a mental illness was being introduced in a character and could already tell it wasn't going to go well.

This might be a book I recommend to a reader who wants more dialogue, more fast-paced reads, but not someone who reads often and I will probably forget about this so soon I won't get around to recommending it.

Thank for the opportunity to read this advance copy. I was excited to read a title from the crush series but this fell flat for me. The characters, nin a and west, had no believable chemistry to me from the start. I did like how wests mom had a hoarding problem. That was different from most YA plots. Overall three stars.

The Dating Debate follows two teenage perspectives; Nina and West. Nina is an argumentative bookworm and West is the attractive, mysterious boy next door. I was not sure what I would think of this book but let me tell you, I absolutely loved it. Here’s why:
1. Nina was an interesting, yet familiar protagonist: Nina was a likeable character with a love of books and chocolate. She had a good relationship with her mother, brother, dog and best friend. She was a funny, strong and confident female character who was not perfect (she had her insecurities) which was excellent because human beings are not perfect. Additionally, I loved reading the banter between her and West.

2. West seemed like a realistic male character: He was constructed as a three-dimensional character, one who felt constricted by not only his mother’s hoarding mental illness but his father’s behaviour too. He had what seemed like realistic male thoughts and he was a genuinely good person deep down.

3. The book featured a variety of relationships: different familial set-ups, male and female friendships and different romantic relationships.

4. The book featured mental illness: both hoarding, which is not normally represented in books and OCD tendencies.

5. The chapters were short and concise, it did not feel like the book was dragging on and I read it all in one day.
Overall, I cannot really think of anything negative to say, this book was an excellent contemporary and I’m just sad that it is over. Chris Cannon, please write a sequel with these characters, please.
Rating: 5/5 stars.

Nina isn’t your average conventional teen. She loves to read, always tells the truth, and is unapologetic about her love for debating everything. She’s not sure what to make of West, the guy next door who seems in a perpetually bad mood and keeps to himself. When Nina accidentally interrupts a tête-à-tête between West and his ex while trying to escape her brother’s set-up efforts, West decides to let his ex down easy by announcing he’s going to the valentine’s dance with Nina. Thus begins their game. Nina won’t let it drop—just to give him a taste of his own medicine—insisting that he said he was taking her so he’s taking her. The more West tries to back out, the harder Nina pushes back. West normally doesn’t let anyone close; the situation at home with his mother has to be protected at all costs, even from the girl he’s reluctantly falling for.

This story was very cute. Nina was hard not to like; she was a very vibrant character. Despite the situation with her father, she was very positive and thoughtful. Her brain might have jumped to conclusions at first, but she considered all the possibilities before making accusations and asked that people be honest with her the way she was with others. Plus she’s very sarcastic and witty, which I loved. West seemed like a bit of a jerk at first. He didn’t want to expand his social circle which consisted only of his 2 cousins who knew what was going on at home, but I really liked him once we got to know him a little better. Nina softened his hard edges. She was very convincing, and that was a good thing too because West was very closed off. It helped that Nina knew how to listen and was unafraid about asking questions, so it worked to get West talking. They went through an array of communication problems including a major difference of opinion, and I really liked how they worked things out.

I loved Nina’s mom, and how she handled the situation with Nina’s dad. It was in stark contrast to West’s parents, whom I felt bad for. I admired Cannon’s decision to help the reader understand where West’s parents were coming from.

The writing was solid. Sometimes the chapters were very short, and left me feeling like the flow was slightly disjointed, but only for a moment. I loved the Harry Potter references, as well as the book lovers references. They were a great touch to the story. I also loved Gidget the dog. She really helped keep the reader and the characters in the moment, while adding some unabashed, unconditional dog love to the story. There was lots of sarcastic banter and corresponding giggles. The drama was kept to a minimum, and what occurred was understandable and reasonable. All in all, this was a fun, quick read.

Despite not liking Valentine's Day, or many other holidays for that matter, Nina finds herself the object of a lie when West says they are going to a dance together. Not one to go back on her word, Nina insists that they stick to what they said was happening. The closer the dance comes the more she starts to get to know West, except he's keeping something important from her, and the one thing she hates most is being lied to and feeling unwanted.

The Story-This will be my fourth Chris Cannon book (previously reviewed: The Boomerang Boyfriend , Blackmail Boyfriend, The Boyfriend Bet. I decided to give her yet another go because I just a sucker for Entangled Crush books. In the world of judgement upon adults reading YA books, this is probably where I have zero shame. I like reading about silly teen kids juggling their fragile hearts. Maybe it's just nice to get away from some of the heavier fantasy world building. Cannon tends to stick with the same basic formula with her stories, and I think in this book was one of her better stories. As far as YA contemporary it's not awful, but it's not the most amazing thing I have read. If you are easily eye-rolled over cute cringey-ness I would say to stay away from this book, in fact...any Entangled Crush book if it wasn't obvious enough. But if you're a fan non graphic (hugs, hand holding, & kissing only), dual POV of confused swoony teens then by all means, read it.

There were a few things that were just a little off as far as this book went for me. One being that sometimes the characters didn't really speak their age. I don't know any American teenage that would full on say "lets watch television" when as a norm we say "TV" or even a much more relevant term of asking to binge watch some Netflix would have fit the story a bit better.

There was this instance where one of the characters Googles the number for the police. As in, he had to look up the number for 911. Now before you go and point out that maybe he was looking for the crime check number for a non emergent reason, let me just say that the reason for calling the police warranted the actual 911. A full grown teenager should know one of the most memorable phone number besides 867-5309 (now that warrants an okay reason for a Millenial to Google a number)

What I did like was that, though this was a typical YA contemporary, it was pretty void of any generalized girl hate, there wasn't an excessive amount of half smirking boys, and there was minimal mention to anything happening to our protagonists' bodily functions (blushing, feeling hot, stomachs turning, skin tingling).

The Characters- Nina was continually referred to as a hippy chick and I found no instance in the book that made me think that. I'm not sure if it was in reference to her natural instinct to hand out hugs or for her and her mom to try and feed people when they come over. Neither of these traits scream hippy to me.

Another thing that bothered me was that Nina was supposed to be this huge book nerd, but only Harry Potter references filled the book, and a LOT of them. Now I am a fan of the ol' HP, but come on, here is a girl that a lot of us can relate to: stays up late reading, ogles book cases, is excited about going to the library or bookstore...but in reality, we don't ONLY refer to Harry Potter.

West was supposed to be this brooding hottie next door, and rather than calling the guy broody, introvert probably would have fit better. Broody gives me the impression that he is perpetually angry, when he really wasn't, just more or less kept to himself and told his neighbors to stay on their side of the driveway.

I liked that both characters had personalities that were obviously stemmed from their home lives and how their family drama and experiences have honed how they react. Nina's perpetual need to stick to commitments and telling the truth as well as West's tidiness as well as dislike of having things are both reasonable reactions to what has happened in their lives.

The Soundtrack- Taylor Swift - Call it What You Want