You Started It is a charming and heartfelt YA rom-com that blends mystery, humor, and teenage awkwardness with refreshing authenticity. Jackie Khalilieh captures the voice of her autistic Palestinian-Canadian protagonist, Huda, with warmth and nuance. When anonymous messages spark a slow-burning mystery and potential romance, Huda must navigate her first year at public school, friendship shifts, and self-discovery.

With smart dialogue, relatable characters, and strong representation, this debut is both fun and meaningful—a standout for teen readers looking for something genuine and sweet.

Perfect for: Fans of Jenny Han and Emma Lord.

This is a RomCom for fans of teen high school stories. Jamie is a senior, and so excited to see her boyfriend Ben after being separated from him for the summer. He returns home to break up with her suddenly, which leaves her both angry and desperate to get him back. When Jamie accidentally destroys new goblin Axel's bike, they concoct a plan to fake-date and make Ben jealous. Axel is Ben's opposite. He's fun and free-wheeling, and at first Jamie thinks that she's only attracted to him physically. As she spends more time with Axel, she discovers that she likes their differences (he helps her relax and be spontaneous), and that she appreciates how in touch he is with his Arab heritage.

There's a nice family story here as Jamie learns about why her mom is so anti-Arab men, and also resolves some issues she's had with her father's absence. Axel's family helps Jamie feel welcomed into an Arab family. I only wish that Jamie was kinder to Axel. The back and forth drama between Ben and Jamie gets to be a bit much after a while (Ben is a huge jerk and I honestly don't know why anyone likes him), but that's a RomCom for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A YA story that touched on so much!

The positives of this story is that it packs in so much important stuff. Unique representation. Important topics like mental health, relationships, friendships, substance abuse. It's all there.

I think that I didn't totally vibe with the characters, but that was probably my fault as I knew this was a YA novel and I should have maybe realized I'm too old to connect with that as much as I used to.

I would definitely recommend this story to a YA in my life as I think they would connect and enjoy the story.

4.5 ⭐️
I really wanted to take my time to write this review because this book covers so many important topics and it took me a moment to gather my thoughts. But I really think this book did a great job at handling a collection of heavy topics that are very common for teens and young adults. I found Jamie very relatable in a lot of ways and she reminds me of myself at that age in a few ways, mostly with the depiction of her anxiety disorder. One thing I love about Jackie Khalilieh’s books is how real they feel. She does such a good job of showing you a realistic story. I also really loved how different this story was from her first book while still very much emphasizing Arab heritage and culture in such a beautiful way. As someone who has grown up near Toronto and experienced a lot of the locations mentioned in this book, I loved how each of these scenes were capable of bringing me back to memories I have made in those exact places. I adore everything Jackie writes and cannot wait to read everything else she writes in the future!
Thanks to Tundra and NetGalley for the early copy!

I had such a great time with this one!! Jackie writes YA that feels authentic and nostalgic for me as a 24 year old. The romance between Jamie and Axel had me cheesing big time. THE BANTER was so good from the very beginning. Axel was down bad from the start and very much gave golden retriever puppy energy! Jamie was a bit of a mess but trying her best (I found her very relatable). Every single character in this book goes through so much growth especially Jamie. Also the anxiety rep was top notch!

I really wasn't sure how I would like You Started It. I'm a big contemporary romance lover, but I also am now in my late 20s and struggle sometimes with YA romances. However, this sounded cute, so I decided I wanted to give it a chance.

And here's the thing...yes, I still struggled a little with the fact that this was a romance between high schoolers - it's just getting harder to relate to (this is NOT an issue with the book, just my own personal tastes in stories as I get older). BUT, I found myself really enjoying the character development and the dynamic relationships between them.

Jackie Khalilieh wrote a book that had me wanting to shake some 17-year-olds silly but showcased the complexity of being that same age and dealing with anxiety AND home life issues. As someone who grew up around a complex parental dynamic and also has GAD and Depression, You Started It had me reflecting back on my years in high school (which isn't the funnest thing).

I was constantly checking myself as I criticized the FMC and her actions, but then realized, I probably would have said/done something so similar when I was her age.

I hope like myself, Jamie finds herself with an eventually improved relationship with her mother, a deeper grasp on her anxiety, and just a broader love for herself.

If you're a YA romance lover, and looking for something that showcases the WHIRLWIND that is high school hormones, mental health issues, and familial issues - definitely give You Started It a go.

Jackie Khalilieh does it AGAIN! I loved this book so much, it was everything I could have wanted and more. The characters were very well written and felt unique, and I really enjoyed the plot. I found that this didn't read too young or too old at all, like it is definitely suitable for younger adults, but with themes that are interesting and relevant to me, an old adult. I loved the ending of this as it wasn't what I expected. It felt light, though the subjects were very deep.

Yassss queen! #freepalestine

So much amazing representation in this one: Palestinians, Arab men, anxiety, identity, breakups, finding yourself at every age, seeing behind the social media persona, IBS and having someone who understands your needs, mothers taking everything their children throw at them and holding their head up.

Couldn't put it down, I'm trying to dance dabke like Axel's demonstration, and I'm obsessed with Jamie and her sarcasm and her chaos that makes her the best.

Love it, reading Jackie's backlist now, and also feeling all the feels, especially after reading the acknowledgements.

Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster has big plans for her senior year, including a special night at the Winter Formal with her boyfriend, Ben. However, when Ben returns from summer and wants to break up, Jamie is devastated, especially after seeing him with Olivia Chen. Determined to win him back, she pretends to date Axel Dahini, a laid-back TikTok dancer, after accidentally running over his bike. Though they have little in common, their time together helps Jamie realize that not every moment needs to be checked off her list.

"You Started It" was such a fun experience. Jamie is relatable with everyday obstacles like anxiety, IBS, and identity, while Axel has his struggles. The teens complement each other. I recommend this book to teens and older fans of romance with some humor.

This sweet story is the perfect combination of YA romance and discussion of important, real-life topics including: anxiety, identity, alcoholism, difficult family dynamics, heartbreak, and more! I loved that our two main characters also share so much valuable insight into their Arab culture - this is something I don't see enough in romance novels in general, so I was thrilled to see this come from both main characters!

"You Started It" is a well-written coming-of-age romance featuring a "fake dating" trope that is enjoyable for YA readers and adults alike. While there are several difficult topics addressed throughout the novel (mentioned above), another important feature of this book is the concept of forgiveness, which is illustrated beautifully by our main character's relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Book Group, and Jackie Khalilieh for providing a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion! This book is available for purchase beginning May 20, 2025.

realistic rating: 3.5

”Because every kiss with Axel has been the best kiss of my life. Feeling his arms around me, the warmth of his body, his scent fills me back up. This moment is not something I could have ever put on a list. It’s not something that can be contrived. It’s spontaneous. It’s unpredictable. It’s real. It’s now. It’s love. And no check mark can compete with that feeling.”

This was a pretty decent book, but not one I would re-read. I do love the character growth and building as well as the cute moments between Axel and Jamie. However, this book just felt a little too high school romance for me.

I also loved the Arab representation and learning a bit more about the culture. In addition, it was so nice that Jamie was able to learn more about the culture through her relationship with Axel.

Tropes:
📝 Arab representation
📝 Fake dating
📝 Lots of drama
📝 High school romance
📝 Topics of anxiety, alcoholism, panic attacks and cheating

Pros:
- Quick read and pretty entertaining
- Loved Eli’s character. He’s Jamie’s uncle who is gay and he adds so much to this book even though he is a side character
- Axel is such a sweetie and really brings out a different side to Jamie that Ben never could

Cons:
- would have been cool to have Dual POV to see Axel’s thoughts
- Not a fan of the high school romances where the characters just make so many immature decisions
- The book was so focused on Ben (Jamie’s ex) and not focused enough on Axel and Jamie
- Ben—how dare he cheat on our sweet Jamie

Thank you NetGalley, Tundra Books and the author Jackie Khalilieh for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

・₊✧ Quotes ・₊✧

”Despite what some people might think, it’s not weak to do things for others. It’s how I show love.”

”Okay,” he says with a slight shrug. He pinches his fingers together. “I may have a tiny crush on you.”
“Good.” I mirror his fingers with my own. “Because I may have a tiny crush on you too. Purely physical.”

You Started It was so much fun to read from start to finish. I love reading YA romcoms for the yearning and angst and because so much more focus is placed on emotional intimacy.

Jamie’s type-A, list-making, overplanning, overprepared character is someone I relate to wholeheartedly. Her inner monologues had me chuckling because I know when I was 17 I also had similar thought-processes. I also found it so relatable and endearing that she suffers from IBS, because my fellow IBS girlies know we MUST know if there’s a (clean) bathroom within reach of wherever we go! I appreciate the care and consciousness Jackie Khalilieh addresses topics of mental health, disability, chronic illness, grief, and diaspora identity and these all add to Jamie’s loveable (and sometimes frustrating) character.

Axel is Jamie’s complete opposite and I LOVED him for her. Perfect pairing, no notes. His carefree, relaxed approach to life balanced Jamie’s type-A very well and I enjoyed their journey in figuring out their communication styles and repairing hurt. I also really loved the enemies-to-friends plotline between Jamie and the girl who *** allegedly *** stole her ex-boyfriend.

~ disclaimer : This is a Ben Cameron Hate account. If Ben Cameron has no haters I do not exist. A masterclass in gaslighting, I pray for his future partners. ~

I actually found myself tearing up during the Dabke scene between Axel and Jamie. Dance and music are not only healing, but also such a beautiful way to frame connection to one’s ancestry and Jamie’s joy in that connection was so beautiful it moved me to tears.

I’d recommend You Started It to fans of fake dating, those seeking authentic chronic illness representation, and books that center SWANA diaspora stories and joy.

This story follows a rising high school senior named Jamie, who was recently dumped by her long time boyfriend. She makes a deal with Axel, the new kid in town, which has him pretending to be her girlfriend to make her ex jealous.

I was enjoying the beginning of the book, but as the story went on I started to have some issues with it. I loved Axel. He was so sweet and supportive of Jaime. I wish that there was more time spent with them and less time with Jaime trying to win back her old boyfriend. I feel like that part dragged on for too long. The third act breakup also wasn’t my favorite. It took up a lot of the end of story, which I wish was spent more with the Jaime and Axel together.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the poor decision making and the inconsistency of feelings that the characters had, but I did love the growth that the characters underwent. I would recommend this book for those looking for a fun YA contemporary with a good balance of emotional depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for providing an e-ARC.

I wasn’t sure I liked Jamie at the beginning of her story, but I grew to love her and her honesty with her mental health and traumas. Looooove her growth and the ending to this book! I wish I could read it for the first time, all over again!

💖🎢 You Started It Review 💖🎢

Highlights:
💖YA romance
🎢 Fake dating
💖 IBS & anxiety rep
🎢 Arab Canadian teens
💖 Introvert/extrovert
🎢 Dancer x bibliophile
💖 Coming of age
🎢 Bucket list

Thanks to @tundrabooks and @netgalley for the eARC!

You Started It is a sweet YA rom-com that starts with fake, revenge dating to make an ex jealous, but turns into something unexpectedly real. Jamie is an introverted bibliophile who constantly breaks her book bans, and Axel is an outgoing TikTok dancer and star. They’re seemingly total opposites on the surface, but share a cultural connection and a growing emotional one.

I appreciated the IBS, anxiety, and claustrophobia rep, which was handled with care and woven naturally into Jamie’s perspective. The introvert/extrovert dynamic added to the opposites attract charm and trope, and the bucket list subplot gave their relationship structure and momentum.

I appreciated this book’s emotional honesty, character development, and exploration of identity and connection. It’s an excellent pick for readers who are in the mood for a heartwarming story with fake dating, bucket lists, cultural connection, and slow-burn chemistry.

CW: alcoholism, abandonment, divorce, past teen pregnancy

Publication Date: May 20, 2025

#YouStartedIt #JackieKhalilieh #YARomCom #NetGalley #FakeDating #ComingOfAge

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

I loved Jackie’s first book, Something More, so I was extremely excited about this one. This book was fun, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I was hoping for.

I absolutely loved Axel and thought he was the cutest. I also am a sucker for the fake dating trope so that was something I enjoyed a lot too. Also, I felt completely seen by Jamie’s IBS experience because it’s literally what I deal with daily.

I think there were two reasons that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Something More. The first is that I had trouble finding Jamie likable. She frustrated me and her obsession with getting back with her horrible ex made me angry. Especially when she had Axel as an option. I also felt like some of the writing was a little cringey. Like, I loved that Jamie was a book nerd, but whenever it got brought up the things she said about it seemed unnatural and felt forced. They weren't things that sounded natural in conversation.

Even with these things I’d still recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun fake dating romance.

Thank you Tundra Book Group | Tundra Books and net galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has me GIDDY!!!! It's such a feel good, sweet YA romance. While there are themes of heavier topics (check ur TWs - anxiety, alcoholism, etc), it still remained lighthearted and sweet. I also have a special place in my heart for all books based in Toronto because I love when places I know and grew up with are mentioned in the books. It just brings an extra nostalgic feeling to it! I really liked this story. Give me ALL the fake dating!!! I will eat it up!!! I loved the book, the themes, the location, the cultural representation!! A definite must read this summer!!

You Started It: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4/5

Pub date: available now!!

I want every good thing for sweet Jamie and I feel so grateful that this book exists. I know that it is going to find the people who need it like it found me. The depth of emotion and uncertainty of 17 was written so well, it made me nostalgic and emotional in the best way. I loved it!

I really tried to like this book, I did. But unfortunately, I didn't get that far in before I dnfed it. This is a book that is supposed to be for a YA audience, and typically I actually enjoy YA, but this one fell short for me. I would say that the biggest factor that I didn't like was the main fmc, she's a high school senior and I honestly thought there would be some kind of maturity, given the fact that she is almost an adult, but she felt really childish and annoying. And this alone really made it difficult for me to stay invested in the story.

This book was adorable—and surprisingly relatable—even though I’m no longer in the target high school demographic. Centered around a fake dating scheme that doubles as a revenge plot, it delivers all the drama and sweetness you’d expect from a good teen rom-com.

The setup is reminiscent of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: the FMC, like Nini, is fresh off a breakup after being cheated on, while the MMC is trying to find his voice through music and performance. Their dynamic is believable and fun to follow, and while the stakes aren’t sky-high, the emotional core keeps you invested. The main conflict—Jamie’s quest to win back her ex—is front and center in the synopsis, so there’s no need to worry about spoilers.

If you pay attention, you’ll notice that the story is subtly (and brilliantly) structured around the emotional beats of Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album, Sour. The themes of heartbreak, identity, and teen angst shine through in every chapter, making it both fun and heartfelt.

There’s also some great representation in—light touches of found family, anxiety rep, and the resilience that comes from navigating relationships during your formative years. It's a story that doesn’t shy away from the emotional reality of being a teen, even as it keeps things light and cute.

Perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and the TikTok dancer crowd, this book is a breezy, sweet read with enough substance to leave you smiling after the final page.

It's not quite a 5 star read for me because the ending felt rushed and predictable.