Kasie West's books are always amazing, and as I've said in previous reviews of her books, this is no exception. I loved, loved, loved the characters and the romance and the, well, everything! Make sure you check out this book right away!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

This was a fantastic book! You've got the characters having a random meet-up and then Wren becoming closer to Asher. She really started liking him for realsies leading to the tension that she had as she tried navigating those feelings. They were so adorable together. The suspense throughout on how she was gonna tell him and how everything would end up was amazingly written. I loved the writing and I can't wait to read what Kasie writes next.

In this young adult romance, Wren pretends to be the girl Asher has been talking to online to spare him some humiliation. She doesn't know him at all but swoops in to save the day without thinking much about the consequences. When the mistaken identity/catfishing begins, so do all of the other bumps in the road to avoid being found out as a farce. The situation only gets more confusing with fake dating. It's a fun but thought-provoking tale.

Kasie West always writes feel-good and adorable young adult romances! I really enjoyed the fake dating trope and the adorable dog and all the shenanigans of finally getting him adopted from the shelter.

This is an enjoyable YA read. The characters were likeable and the story was fun but also had some heavier elements to keep it from being overly fluffy. I did think the resolution to the main conflict came a little too easily and was somewhat far-fetched. The character's reasoning for his behavior which led to the conflict did not seem realistic and it took something away from the story for me.

Kasie West has a special place in my heart. Her stories are so cute and wholesome. First of all, I love this cover. So CUTE! Overall, this was a quick and fun YA.I just thought that the conflict was resolved a little too quickly.

Tropes
Grumpy Sunshine
Dog lovers
Meet Cute
Social Media

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun, quick read. Even more enjoyable for people who love dogs and the grumpy sunshine dynamic.

This book was just adorable! I loved the quirky dog and the characters were so well fleshed out! The writing was beautiful and flowed so well!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are mine!

Such a sweet and fun story. I loved the tie in with the animal shelter and that Bean was such a prominent character throughout the book. It was also great to read a true YA rom-com as so many are really pushing the boundaries anymore. Both Wren and Asher were like-able characters and was surprised by the catalyst for their fight. Thanks to the publisher for an early release copy for review!

I've been a big fan of Kasie West, but this new one left me a little wanting. It was cute, quick and enjoyable, but at the same time, the characters felt very surface and one-dimensional. The conflict felt rushed and like there wasn't enough of a consequence to actions. I also wasn't entirely sure of the timeline, but the romance felt rushed.

Kasie West is an author I truly enjoy. At one point, I was completely caught up with her backlist and had read everything she's put out. Borrow My Heart is West's latest and one of the first I am reading to try and get current again on her work. This story is about Wren who is essentially the careful daughter of a careless woman if you are picking up what I am putting down. One day she is visiting her friend Kamala at work and happens to overhear two guys - one of whom is about to be catfished. So, she pretends to be the person the guy is meeting, to save him from humiliation. Only, it spirals from there and Wren ends up falling for Archer. 

I really respect that Borrow My Heart was less than 300 pages, set during the summer, and full of dogs. It was easy like I was looking for. I enjoyed the different turns this book took, one of which ended up surprising me. The pace is fast -- if you want something you can breeze through while sitting on the beach or by the pool this is the one. Also, exactly none of the dogs die in this book. In fact, one dog that is tough to adopt out from the shelter Wren works at plays a large role too. Overall, this story was so cute.

Title: A Sweet and Engaging YA Romance with Relevant Themes - Three Stars

Review:
"On the surface, Borrow My Heart" by Kasie West appears to be a light YA romance novel, but it delves into a range of issues such as social media's negative aspects, catfishing, parental problems, relationships, and the importance of helping animals in need. While the book provides an enjoyable and sweet reading experience, it falls short in some areas, earning it a three-star rating.

The story revolves around Wren, a self-proclaimed control freak who relies on her own set of rules to feel secure. Her mother's abandonment during her childhood has shaped Wren's need for control. She finds solace in working with animals, particularly in her efforts to find a lovable dog a forever home. On the other hand, Asher is skilled with computers and video editing, hailing from a large family and having a tight-knit group of friends.

The narrative takes off when Wren, overhearing Asher being mocked by his friends due to being catfished, steps in and assumes the role of his online love interest. Despite the skepticism of his friends, Wren and Asher find themselves spending more time together, mainly at the animal shelter where Wren volunteers.

"Borrow My Heart" proves to be an enjoyable book that takes both characters on individual journeys while also embarking on a shared adventure. One commendable aspect of the novel is the clever and enticing chapter headings, which serve as a delightful setup for each chapter.

As the first book in a series, "Borrow My Heart" showcases solid writing and addresses real-life issues faced by its characters. The author effectively navigates these themes, providing a realistic portrayal of the challenges young adults encounter. This makes the book relatable to its target audience and allows readers to connect with the characters' experiences.

While the book offers a fast-paced and sweet narrative, it does have its shortcomings. The character development, particularly for Wren and Asher, could have been more nuanced and explored in greater depth. The story also follows a somewhat predictable trajectory, with few surprises along the way. As a result, the book lacks a certain level of originality that could have elevated it to a more memorable status.

In conclusion, "Borrow My Heart" is a solid YA romance novel that tackles relevant issues while providing an enjoyable and quick read. Its exploration of social media, catfishing, parental problems, and the importance of helping animals adds depth to the story. Although the book falls short in terms of character development and predictability, it still serves as an engaging option for YA readers seeking a sweet and relatable romance.

DNF @ 53%. I'm sorry. I've loved all of West's books I've read so far, but the secret keeping and almost hopping between two boys was icky and I didn't like it. I'm sure West has a perfectly good resolution for the characters, but I wont be listening to it.

This was another sweet and lovely book from this author. I really enjoyed the Wren and Asher, they were adorable together and apart. And the addition of Bean, the sweetest sounding Pit puppy, was the perfect wingman and also supporting character. I liked that Wren’s story was about much more than just finding love, as she had to learn to trust and open up after the abandonment of her mother, after years of irresponsible neglect. My one complaint was that this book was so short I was left wanting more: more of Wren’s family life, more of Bean, and more of Wren and Asher’s romance.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Borrow my heart was a cute read. I loved the plot line and.the characters and some of the animals.in the story. I wasn't a fan of the miscommunication and leading on that happened, but over all I still liked the book.. It was a four star rating.

Book review will be posted on blog soon, I am in process of moving.

a cute book, i really enjoy Kasie West as an author

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy.

Kasie West never disappoints and Borrow My Heart is no exception! I loved Wren as a main character and her internal monologue was funny at times but also relatable, especially when it came to her relationship with her mom. I loved Asher as the love interest as well. Bean was such a fun addition to this book as was the shelter scenes and the bean games were hilarious. My only complaints were what happened at the end of the book, if that happened to me like it did to Wren I wouldn't look back, which is why I knocked a star off. I also wish this one was a bit longer, 265 pages felt too short. Overall though, I highly recommend picking this one up if you like summery contemporaries with a bit of harder hitting topics.

No good deed goes unpunished, and rule-following Wren should know that. But when she sees a total stranger being made fun of after being catfished, she jumps in and pretends to be the girl that Asher was talking to online. Nobody should be humiliated publicly, right? Unfortunately, Wren doesn't confess who she really is to Asher, and the longer she continues to impersonate the catfish girl, the harder it is for her to admit the truth and risk losing Asher as a friend--or maybe even more than a friend. All good things must come to an end, however, and even though rule-following Wren should know that, it still hurts like crazy when everything blows up in her face.

This book was just ok for me. Wren had a lot going on, and maybe that's why I didn't really connect with her. Asher's actions were extremely disappointing, although he did try to redeem himself at the end with the dog stunt. The cover is very cute and will draw readers in, but the story itself was just average.

Recommended for Kasie West fans in gr. 7-10, but otherwise it's an optional purchase. Thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet YA romance that also touches on some more serious issues, including negative aspects of social media and the effects of a dysfunctional family. Wren is likable,, despite the relationship rules she has put in place to protect herself. When she jumps in to save a stranger from the embarrassment of being cat-fished, we meet Asher. I like that the characters are good but not perfect, make mistakes, and are sometimes scared but still take risks. There was a twist I didn’t anticipate and a secondary storyline that made my heart happy. My first book by Kasie West - definitely won’t be the last! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC.

3.5 rated up to 4 <3

cute read but i just think i'm not enjoying y/a as much as i used to but would definitely recommend to a younger audience :)

When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We've Never Been.

Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.

Asher is cute, charming . . . and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he's waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing.

It's not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she's not who she says she is?