Thank you to Tundra Books for a chance to read an arc this book! 🖤

5⭐️ Fun, messy, and heartwarming! | tropes: fake dating, ya romance, opposites attract, anxiety rep, Palestinian fmc x Lebanese mmc | digital

"You’re not getting the win on this one, Ben. You started it. Now, I’m going to finish it."

characters
🩶 I loved Jamie immensely! I understood why she wanted Ben back and how that related to her relationship with her absent father. I loved how anxiety was talked about in this book and how it acknowledges that it isn't just something you can think away but something that takes effort and sometimes a physical toll on you. Seeing Jamie struggle but also succeed validated my own struggles with anxiety. I also loved how real she felt. She had a lot of feelings to unravel and process in a short amount of time!
🩶 I liked Axel as well! He was charismatic and fun. I loved that he had a deeper side we got to see with his relationship with his family and his friends. Like yes, he's confident but he also needs reassurance and support.

"If this is supposed to be fake, then why does it feel more real than anything I ever experienced with Ben."

favorite bits
🖤 I love fake dating! I loved Jamie and Axel's relationship and how fun and sweet they were together. I thought they brought the best out of each other and tried to understand each other even when they didn't see eye to eye. But I also appreciated their relationship was perfect and they were still characters with emotions and flaws. It was a messy road but worth it in the end.
🖤 At first I didn't understand why Jamie would want Ben back but then I realized it was more about control and anxiety then Ben himself and I completely understood her. She also really loved him and it's hard to immediately break off with a person you depended on for so long.
🖤 I often complain that parental issues are often are brushed over and rushed to be fixed in YA novels but here we get to see them being worked through on page and I really appreciated that. Jamie's feelings were validated and understood by both her parents and we see them making changes and putting the work to mend those relationships.
🖤 I also enjoyed the conversations about culture and how it's important but also different for each person. I empathize with Jamie's mom a lot about how negative family / community experiences can lead to a intense negative connotations to it in the future but I also empathized with Jamie and her desire to have a relationship with her extended Palestine family and want to know more about her history, language and culture.

"And he likes me. The real me."

final thoughts:
I really loved this book! I meant to read 10% during a emotionally tough day at work but ended up reading the entire book in one day because I fell in love with these characters and their story! I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book and "Everything comes back to you" next year!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book to review.*

Jamie’s senior year takes a wild turn when her long-time boyfriend Ben breaks up with her, prompting a fake-dating scheme with Axel, the “new guy” in town who is a carefree TikTok dancer. As they navigate their unlikely pairing, Jamie discovers that not everything in life needs to be planned or checked off a list.

This book was so good! I enjoyed my time with it and spent a lot of time giggling and squealing. I also felt my emotions with some of the stuff they go through. Phewwwwwww.

I LOVE how messy these characters are. I loved Jamie’s quirks and anxiety and stress and BIG EMOTIONS. I loved how she grew. Her vulnerability was amazing to witness.

Also - AXEL!!! What a genuine sweetheart and I loved how causally queer he was… like he didn’t need to be defined, he just liked everyone. He made me smile so much with his cocky, yet loving and deeply caring personality. He was such a great love interest.

Speaking of - there is great representation throughout this book, and I am here for it!! From the family dynamics to the friendship groups, it was awesome.

I really loved this one. Yet another gem from Jackie Khalilieh. Definitely recommend picking this one

4.5 stars
17 year old Jamie has her senior year planned. her boyfriend of three years comes home after being away at summer camp and breaks up with her. She finds him with another girl the day after the breakup and it leads her to begin a fake dating situation with Axel. As they begin to spend time together she begins to fall.

I really enjoyed this one. It’s well written and moves a decent pace. Jamie has anxiety and her experiences and felt realistic to me. I have had similar experiences.
Jamie is selfish and immature at the beginning of the book but you see her grow throughout the book. You see other characters in the book also experience personal growth. This book is more character driven versus plot driven. It is has a diverse cast of likable characters. I would recommend this book to others

Thanks to NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for providing me this digital copy ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.3/5
I had to remember that this is an <I>actual.</I> YA book, meant for teenagers. I am 22, so I'm a few years off of the high school lifestyle.

*minor spoiler?*
Since it's a book meant for teenagers, beginning was honestly a bit cringe for me. Her thoughts and ideas after Jamie found Ben with another girl (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb); made me uncomfortable. I understand it's in the mindset of a teenage girl, but her calling him "mine", sounded possessive. And making Olivia seem like a literal villain was too much, it definitely got me a bit annoyed. I can see how she'll react that, especially since he's all she's known, but to that level? But to those who are going to follow this, keep in mind she's sheltered. I understand that 100%, but I just wished it was worded differently. It almost made her sound child-like, which of course, she isn't.

Jamie
A young girl who's a bit more reserved and sheltered in the life of a young adult. From that we see her blossom into a young adult who learns to embrace her heritage, get out of her shell, and finds out who she is. And also sets the blueprint for her to continue doing so, herself. She's has a few quirks, but it's what makes her, <I>her.</I>.

Axel
He's the opposite of Jamie, to some extent. He knows a bit more about his heritage, and traditions. He's had a bit more freedom in his life, hence his behavior with other people. While he is confident, when needed, we see a deeper and more vulnerable side of him behind is facade.

But this book was too cute! It's an opposites attract, breaking free, they both help each other kind of romance. Finding themselves, with each other.

If you know anyone who has a 15-18 year old, who may be struggling with finding themselves, hobbies they can't share, anxiety, panic attacks, a missing parent, or anything in relation to this book. This is a good read for them; unless they're not into romance.

ARC REVIEW : Publication DATE: MAY 20 2025

You Stated It by Jackie Khalilieh is a young adult romance revolving around a fake dating scenario between 17-year-olds Jamie and Axel. Jamie is hoping to rekindle a romance with her ex, while Axel is using the opportunity to meet new people. What starts as a simple arrangement quickly turns into a web of emotions and confusion. While the book has its moments, overall, I found it to be a bit too immature for my taste. The premise of You Stated It is solid—fake dating is always an interesting trope in young adult romance novels. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the promise. The storyline felt overly dramatic and shallow, with much of the tension and conflict unfolding too quickly and in a way that didn’t seem realistic. Jamie’s emotional back-and-forth between her ex, Ben, and Axel felt repetitive and childish, which made it difficult to fully engage with the plot. While the drama might appeal to younger readers, it didn’t work for me. The writing itself was decent—not too long, not too short, with a pacing that kept things moving. I appreciated that the book was told from Jamie’s perspective, which provided a sense of intimacy with her character. However, this choice also limited the overall experience. While I understand the focus on Jamie’s emotions, the narrow perspective felt a bit limiting, especially when I would have liked to see more from Axel’s side of things. This is where the book really lost me. Jamie, the protagonist, struck me as overly immature and self-centered. Her constant indecision and lack of self-respect made it hard for me to sympathize with her, let alone root for her to get her happily-ever-after. The back-and-forth between her and Axel, and her obsessive focus on getting back with her ex, felt frustrating and childish. I was hoping for a more mature and self-aware character, but Jamie never seemed to learn from her mistakes. Axel, while nice enough, didn’t feel fully fleshed out, and seemed more like a plot device to create drama than a fully realized character. All of the drama felt crammed into a very short time frame, making everything seem rushed and over-the-top. The excessive drama overshadowed any meaningful character development or growth, leaving me with a sense that the book was more about creating conflict than exploring relationships in a thoughtful way. Unfortunately, You Stated It wasn’t the book for me. While the fake dating trope might appeal to fans of young adult romance, the immaturity of the characters and the lack of emotional depth were a big turn-off. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy lighthearted, drama-filled YA romances, but I’d caution anyone looking for a more mature, nuanced take on teenage relationships. It’s a quick read, but for those seeking more substance, it may feel too juvenile.