Thank you to Random House Children's Underlined for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Let me preface this by saying: I "met" Gabhi on twitter very early in the year. I had heard about this book for months before it was ever available to request. I knew the premise and have continually told Gabhi how incredibly excited I was for this. I went into this with such high expectations. Not only did this book shatter all of my expectations, it exceeded them far greater than I could've ever hoped. I absolutely love YA contemporary/romance and read a lot of it, but not many books touch me through to my soul the way Like A Love Song did. Not because I know Gabhi or because I've been anticipating this book forever, because this book truly was so well written I could go from crying to laughing and back again to smiling all within a page or two. It was so magical that I read this in three hours. It was absolutely unputdownable.

Even after loving and reading so many YA contemporary/romance books, I still get so excited for them. Saying I was excited for this is the understatement of the year. Fake dating is my bread and butter. But the idea of a beautiful Brazilian pop star needed a fake boyfriend? Yeah, I could read about Nati all day and wouldn't get tired of it. Like A Love Song really gave me everything I didn't know I need together as far as tropes, but now don't want to live without. Fake Dating? check. One bed? Check. Things reserved only for each other? check. Opposites attract? Check. I could go on and on how this book gave me literally everything I wanted.
"But he says it with a smile that's just for me."
My heart did a GIANT pitter patter at this line. Nothing gets me going more than a smile that the love interest reserves just for the main character. But, before we get to that and my undying love for William, I'm going to talk about some of my favorite people in this book- Padma and Brenda. Absolute icons. What great friends. I love them so much!! Their support of Nati, their banter, their togetherness. Great friend groups really drive my happiness up in a book and this also gave me that. It was such a wonderful addition to this story and I won't ever stop talking about it.

The way Gabhi managed to write not only a fantastic story, but complex characters, a fantastically well done plot and a sweet romance that will have you swooning for days after you've finished. For a debut, I will never understand how it's so good. I really can't get over it. I love the complex emotions that Nati goes through with her heritage. I loved watching her growth within herself, her roots and her confidence when it came to speaking Portuguese. It was heartwarming. I enjoyed watching how she learned to just be herself. Also, I still want to punch Trent, so same Nati same.

I could go on and on, describing every single detail of this book and how much I love it. But, I'm just going to urge you to read this. It's heartwarming, heartfelt and a story full of growth, warmth and love. I truly can't wait to dive in for a reread already. This will easily become one of my comfort books and has slid it's way into my very illusive top 3 YA contemporary books I've ever read. I loved it. You won't regret reading this!

I hosted a guest post by the author on my blog a few months ago (you can find it here) and that had made me very excited to read Like a Love Song so I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn’t fully enjoy it. There were some good things (which I will state below) but not enough for me to rate it higher or say that I actually liked it. It just fell really flat for me.

The story is about Natalie, a 17 year-old popular pop star that everyone loves until she gets dumped by her boyfriend in a very public way. Her PR team then plans for her to fake-date indie film star William. But of course it doesn’t stay with just fake-dating.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes ever. So this is one of the possitive things that I liked about the story because the trope always brings some funny things. I wasn’t a fan of Natalie’s character to begin with and William was pretty likable. But romance wise I just couldn’t feel a real connection between them. I was left feeling rather meh about the two of them.

I also felt the story would’ve been better if the characters had been older, maybe in their mid to late twenties. Maybe it’s just that I’ve outgrown contemporary YA books. And I know this book isn’t geared towards my age group (I’m 29) so that could possibly be why. I still wanted to give the book a shot but sadly enough I just couldn’t really care about the story or characters.

Now on to the things I did like! Like I said before the fake dating brought quite some entertainment so that was a good point on its own. I did say I wasn’t a fan of Natalie but I did like how she grew in the story. She’s Brazilian and by the end she really ended up embracing her heritage and making sure she wasn’t gonna fit in a box that everyone expected of her. The author is Brazilian too so I love that for her. Also, the book was a real page-turner and I read it pretty fast.

*4.5 Stars*

Natalie is finally getting everything she ever wanted. She's a popstar in Hollywood, getting the Female Artist of the Year Award, not the best Latina singer, but the Female Artist of the Year and that means so much to her. Her boyfriend, Trent, is Hollywood's heartthrob so everything is perfect.
Except, on her big night, Trent breaks up with her and she loses it a little… in front of cameras.
Turned into a meme and a joke, Natalie locks herself in her room for a while. But after hitting rock-bottom, she gets up and assembles her PR team and agent. Their solution? For her to do an up and going British actor. She knows of him though and he's everything she doesn't want… or is he?

This was so very very good. A perfect YA romance. My attention was grabbed on the very first page and I was all in from that point on.
I loved the MC and her journey, her growth, but I think I loved her best friends even more. The love interest was all kind of great too, it was just such a great cast of characters, all layered with their own flaws and problems.
The plot mostly took me by surprise and I flew through the book. It actually took me out of a little slump too.
My main problem is the words that weren't said. Kissing someone without their consent is assault, not "he kissed me, I didn't kiss him back" but very well "he assaulted me."
It's by putting the right words on this things that things are gonna change and I wish it were done here.
Anyway, all in all, I had an amazing time and just felt everything. I cannot wait for whatever Gabriela Martins comes up with next.

I thought this was cute, and I loved the voice of the narrator - she was funny and relatable. I think my students would love the storyline.

Like a Love Song follows Natalie, who is publicly humiliated when her boyfriend breaks up with her at her big awards show. To remedy the public perception of her and the situation, she agrees to fake date a British up-and-coming actor. The two quickly become close and begin to develop real feelings for each other. Meanwhile, Natalie is realizing she doesn't want to erase where she came from. In fact, she wants to embrace it.

This book was super cute! I loved Natalie's character arc. I loved that she didn't give up her fame and passion for a boy, but also that she was able to find herself and embrace who she truly is in order to be happy. My only issue with the book was I wanted MORE of her relationship with her fake boyfriend (William).

SPOILER ALERT:
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I loved the build up to them having real feelings for each other, but there wasn't enough before he calls things off. THEN there is a mention of them being friends and talking on the phone, etc., but since we never see any of that, I couldn't really get a sense of their relationship before he shows up at the end. The story and the characters were great, I'm just greedy and wanted more swoony/pining scenes between them. I think then the fact that he leaves and needs space would have been more devastating for me. Overall though, a quick and fun read (exactly what I needed!) that I would recommend!

This is a cute YA fake-dating romance. When pop star Natalie goes through a very public and embarrassing break-up, her team comes up with an idea to rebuild her image: a new (fake) boyfriend. Scrawny, awkward William isn’t what she had in mind, but she signs the contact and braces herself. Of course, she ends up liking him a lot more than she’d ever planned to.

The romance is sweet, with a good amount of build up and drama that actually seems believable. (I hate when all of the problems in a romance could be solved by the characters just talking to each other - this one, for the most part, didn’t have that problem but had actual fair relationship issues instead.) I also appreciated the arc about Natalie reconsidering who she wants to be and the importance of her Brazilian family and background. Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I think teens will, too.

This was very cute, and very gen z! Some scenes made me laugh, like the BTS insert with the memes. Sometimes I felt like it was flat and you can tell that this is indeed a debut. However, it's something relatable and funny if you're gen z because of how realistic it was with the mention of fanfics, memes, etc. A very light and fun read!

Like A Love Song was a very anticipated read for me. I was excited to read this book because of the premise and the fact the author is Latina, just like I am, and I'm always excited to find representation in books.

Overall, it was very cute and an easy read. I flew through this after a period of taking too long reading books, so that's definitely a pro.
The story flows well and it's easy to follow! It's never dull, and though there's some things I don't agree with in the way they were portrayed, I pretty much enjoyed it!
It's a fun easy read for a summer day!

I really liked the internal arc of Natalie/Nati and how she grows throughout the book, and William as a character! Finally a good boy who's that, good, no matter what!

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read an e-arc of this book.

LIKE A LOVE SONG follows 17 year old Latina pop singer Natalie after a very humiliating, very public break up leads to her becoming a meme. Natalies PR team sets her up with a m fake boyfriend hoping a shiny new relationship will get her career back on track. Natalie is expecting a leather jacket wearing bad boy, so she’s shocked to find out that William, a charming British indie actor with a collection of colourful socks, is her new boyfriend.
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I loved this book! LIKE A LOVE STORY is a fun, happy, fluffy love story that left me feeling warm and grinning the entire time. I still can’t stop smiling! If you love a good fake dating, celebrity romance with the one-bed trope, add this one to your tbr!
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I loved both Nati and William, I was rooting for both of them every step of the way. I enjoyed the discussions of being a public figure, of being part of the LGBTQIA+ community and being told you need to hide parts of yourself, of how the media and the public expect girls— especially BIPOC girls— need to act. Nati’s journey in overcoming her insecurities of feeling like a sell out and the language barrier between her and her family is a big part of this book, and seeing her grow and find the courage to finally be her authentic self was beautiful. Half of my family is French and because I only speak English, I’ve always been too embarrassed to try and connect with them. I saw some of myself in Nati with that aspect.
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The friendships in this book were great! I do wish we could have seen William interact with his family, I think that would have been a really sweet addition.
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5/5 stars, LIKE A LOVE SONG by Gabriela Martins is available August 3, 2021!
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Thank you to Underlined and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!

This book left me with a very full heart and a huge smile on my face. It was the fake dating young adult book that I needed in my life. I cannot wait to see more books by Gabriela Martins in the world and I will certainly be reading them as soon as I can.

If you are a fan of fake dating, celebrity romances and general adorableness, then this is the book for you to pick up. Gabriela Martins has written a novel which is fun, captivating and bound to put a smile on your face.

Nati is such an excellent main character who I admire a lot. She is brave, we get to see her grow and learn to be true to herself throughout the book. We also get to learn about Nati and her Brazilian culture which I loved. It was explored throughout the book and the author truly shows the culture off well. Nati is such a breath of fresh air.

William, oh William you are a star! He is adorable, deep and a down-to-earth guy who I could very easily have read an entire book from the perspective of. Also, Nati’s friends and their relationships were so sweet. We get to see them and Nati and how much they care for each other. On top of seeing some wonderful friendship moments.

I have to say I would have loved the main characters to have been just a little bit older. I feel as though it would have made all that happens throughout the book just a little bit more believable and wonderful. It did not put me off enjoying the book at all though and was very easy for me to get past.

Overall, this book was sweet, heart-warming and brought a huge smile to my face. I would highly recommend this book to fans of fake dating and rom coms. I cannot wait to read more books by Gabriela Martins in the future.

I haven't loved a ton of young adult books this year, but I absolutely loved this one! This definitely surprised me and I'm so glad I took the chance on it. Like a Love Song includes so many book aspects that I enjoy in books and did it so well!

5 stars

WHAT A BOOK!

Nati, who goes by Natalie at the start of the novel, is a riveting m.c., and her story is so much more interesting and complex than the stunning cover and description might suggest. At 17, she is a young but wildly successful pop star, and she is focused on finding her place. After immigrating from Brazil in the single digits, she alters her name (from Natalia to Natalie), works to hide any hint of an accent, straightens her hair and slaps on the makeup, and - as she notes - slowly erases her home culture in an effort to be most efficiently accepted in American popular culture. It is so fascinating to watch her grapple with the sacrifices she has made - not only around her culture and identity but also around her stardom - and simultaneously the typical struggles that come with being a teen.

One of the most relatable parts of Nati's experience is that she starts off the novel with a complete trash boyfriend, and while her situation is heart rending and not the most similar to readers' lives (it happens at an awards show!), it profoundly impacts her in ways any reader can recognize. She experiences some severe repercussions on social media, and this is another absolute highlight of the novel: the way that Martins integrates both social media and the profusion of technology in general throughout each character's experience. Martins takes what could be a wholly unrealistic scenario and makes it relevant to any reader through this kind of attention to detail.

While Nati's growth could be measured in the most pedestrian manner - through her romantic choices - I love that this is only a PART of who she is and who she will become. The central focus is not so much about loving someone else (though that is an essential aspect of this YA romance); it's really about loving herself. In the spirit of Rupaul, if she can't love herself... You know the rest.

On top of these many wins, I love the representation here. I'm not sure that I have read a single YA novel with a Brazilian m.c....and I have read A LOT of YA. There is so much great content about racially and ethnically based microaggressions, and the conversations Nati has around these are regular and relevant. The LGBTQIA+ rep is spot on here, too: special recognition for bi rep and for dialogue around this identity.

I went into this novel expecting a quick and light YA romance, but there is so much more to this than I anticipated. It'll be getting a strong rec from me - for friends, family, students, and YA enthusiasts alike - for a long time to come. I CANNOT WAIT to read more from Martins!!!!

Simple story that has been done before. I really liked it though. It is predictable but such a easy read. It made me smile.

This book was super fun! I struggled a little bit in the first part of the book, but once I got deeper into it, I really enjoyed it.

The journey that Nati takes over the course of the book was great to follow, and I loved all the different kinds of relationships—family, friends, and romantic (fake or otherwise)! Watching Nati and William go from kinda enemies to friends to lovers was super satisfying.

Book review: Like a love song by Gabriela Martins
First of all, thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of a review. Here’s the synopsis:
This debut paperback original romance follows a Latina teen pop star whose image takes a dive after a messy public breakup, until she’s set up with a swoon-worthy fake boyfriend.
Fake boyfriend. Real heartbreak?
Non-spoilery review first:
Overall, this was a great book. I think we need more books like these in which we can read about the experiences of people from different countries, diverse voices with unique experiences. If you like fake-dating, rom-coms, soft boys, Brazilian rep, LGBT rep and *spoilers* one bed trope, then this is for you. It’s a fast read with funny banter and the right amount of humor. Gabriela mixes these elements with great care and creates a sweet and romantic atmosphere.
Now, for the spoilers:
When I first heard about this book I wanted to read because of the Brazilian rep, and I’m glad I did! Even if I didn’t get as much rep as I’d wanted because the MC is in the US, there’s still some great content.
I admit that I didn’t like Nati (the MC) at first but eventually she grew on me. After she is dumped by her boyfriend we begin to see her grow and change for the better, appreciate her family and heritage and go into this fake-dating relationship that doesn’t end up quite as she’s planned.
On the other hand, I liked William from the very beginning. He’s kind, thoughtful and overall a great character (I can’t remember the last time I read about a man cry or accept that the woman paid instead of him). I loved the relationship between these two, how it developed and my only complaint is that it felt a bit fast because the book in general felt a bit short, but I guess that’s expected in a debut novel. My favorite part was when they get to go to Portugal, and finally admit how much they care for each other. At times, it was hard to remember they were seventeen because of the struggles they were facing. I also loved Nati’s relationship with her mom, her friends and how it gets also better with her family (though I wish we’d gotten the Christmas scene).
The only things I didn’t actually like was the length (It could’ve been longer) and the way some stereotypes were handled by Nati at the beginning of the book. I know that we have to see some growth but I would’ve preferred to see something else because I don’t think it’s a good idea to ‘promote’ in some way, harmful stereotypes (if that makes sense).
Still, this book is worth a read, so give it a go!

I'd heard so much about this book and it didn't disappoint. Definitely one of the cutest, sweetest YAs of the year. I love fake dating and the trope in this one didnt disappoint. Coupled with the celebrity aspect it was easy to get through in one sitting. The only thing that caught my attention was that some of the behaviors seemed like the characters were older then they are in the book oh, but it didn't really take away from the story. Excited to see what's next from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for giving mea copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Natalie is a famous Latina musician who is about to recieve and award. Right before getting it her boyfriend breaks up with her by saying he is in love with another person. Heartbroken, Natalie reacts and cries and screams. Being famous sadly means you are surrrounded by paparazzi. Within hours Natalie ebcomes an internet sensation for the wrong reasons, she becomes a meme. Trying to mend it, her agency makes her fake date someone.

Romances are always fast and this one isn't different. I liked how Nati's personality a lot and how she handles fame. There are critics of this world. This book explores the hardships of being a Latina woman in the bussines, how is it to work there and how hard it is to become succesful.
The relationship was fun and the pace was really good. Even dealing with such topics the book was refresshing and fun which i really enjoyed.

Overall, it is a really good book that i would recommend to people who like cute romances but never forgetting the harsh things of life.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Yes, I have a weakness for fake relationships tropes and no, it is not a problem.

This is a cute, quick read and has everything you could want from a YA romance:
Fake dating? ✔
Opposites attract? ✔
Famous protagonist? ✔
Cinnamon roll love interest? ✔
Only one bed? ✔

This book has it all.

My favorite part is the exploration of the price of assimilation in light of Natalia's identity as a Brazilian American. It's an interesting and much needed element in what would other be a predictable, albeit cute, love story.

My main complaint is that I wish both the story and the characters were developed more. The story is lighthearted and fun, but I can't help but feel it suffered a bit from a lack of depth. The romance especially feels a bit rushed and I feel like Martins didn't have the space to fully explore certain aspects of the story. This is an early copy, so maybe things will be fleshed out more before it goes to print?

This is everything you'd expect from a quick summer read: light, cute, fun. It was enjoyable, but I can't help but bemoan the missed opportunities and untapped potential that would've taken this to the next level.

We all know fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, so of course, this book was on my radar as soon as I read the announcement! Luckily I was offered an ARC because I could not wait to read it anymore. Like a Love Song was an adorable book about a Brazilian pop star fake dating a British indie actor.

After a very public and messy breakup, Natalie needs an image revamp. Her agent and her publicist suggest that she get a new boyfriend until everything blows over, setting her up with an actor, William, who also benefits from the fake dating. As they go on “dates,” however, they realize that they have more in common than they previously thought.

I really liked the characters! Natalie is very persistent, unwilling to let a cheating boyfriend and live-streamed breakup mess with her career. I also really liked William, who is unwilling to give up his principles for Hollywood. Natalie’s friends, Brenda and Padma, were great as well; they provide a lot of support for Natalie throughout the book.

It was also really interesting reading about Natalie’s character development. She and her mother moved from Brazil ten years ago or so, and she feels really disconnected from her culture. She lost a lot of Portuguese and therefore is too embarrassed to speak to her family; she’s also Americanized herself, going by Natalie instead of her real name, Natalia, or her nickname, Nati, because they were harder for English speakers to pronounce properly. I really enjoyed reading about her struggle and her eventual realization that she doesn’t have to give up a part of herself to be famous.

As I said, Natalie is Brazilian, as is her friend Brenda. Brenda is also bisexual and dating Padma, who is a lesbian and Pakistani-American. William is Jewish and bisexual.

The romance was super cute! Natalie and William have a lot in common, and their conversations were so funny. The fake dating was fun too; you know how it ends, but you can’t help but be like, oh my god, they LIKE each other!

Like a Love Song was an adorable book with a sweet romance. I really liked the characters and the protagonist’s character arc. If you’re looking for a fun, quick read with fake dating and a cute romance, I think you should check out Like a Love Song!

3 stars because it was cute and fun, but didn’t have enough depth for me to really love it

my thoughts while reading:*
6%: yeah I don’t like trent
7%: hugging strangers? not covid safe fam
8%: yeah I really don’t like trent
10%: physical touch is def natalie’s love language and it makes me cringe
14%: YES girl, stand up against this imperialist language
16%: fake dating is my favorite trope, let’s gooo
28%: yessss realistic best friend girl group chat texts!!
“are you upset that he has onions?
sorry autocorrect, opinions**” incredible
35%: guarantee his name is will. it’ll come out soon
38%: natalie. admit you like this boy and just call your grandma already. jeez
45%: it seems ol willy has a secret... hmmm
54%: must be nice to drop everything to go to a music festival portugal with your fake boyfriend, and her mom is just ok with it??? ok. also I love william
59%: ahhhh yessss of course there was only one suite left so they have to share it!!! will this end in a hookup?
63%: the sun definitely overheard their conversation and there’s going to be a fight between them. sigh
80%: the train station!!
87%: NATI’S BACK
93%: ok william had better surprise nati at her show or I swear
95%: AW YISSS

overall: cute! william was soooo adorbs. it always felt like I was being told that natalie is this super popular pop star who’s brilliant at music instead of really seeing it. like I was supposed to just accept that her and william are famous and not ask questions, even though they seem like normal teens. I don’t know, it just fell kind of flat. however it was a super fun, easy read that made me laugh and squeal a lot, so it’s all good!

I would’ve liked more background — how did natalie get famous? how’d william get chosen for the fake boyfriend role? a lot just like wasn’t explained. it’d be cool to see some of nati’s lyrics too.

*these reading percentages are based on the digital advance readers copy!