very well-written, cute romance with awesome characters. the plot was cool and in general I really liked it. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

“Not everyone is trying to kill you, princess.”

-5 stars-

Tropes:
-Famous
-Fake dating
-Friends to lovers
-Strict parents
-Hella cute

Spice:
1/5

Thank you so so so much NetGalley and Harper Teen for providing me with an ARC I really appreciate it.
Literally this book was so cute! I normally get quite bored of the fake dating trope, but the book actually was so fun and cute.
One of my favorite parts of the book is I love how this book references the band Third Eye (Stay With My Heart) and also how it references Tashie’s next book (Right as Rain).
I absolutely adore the reality/ celebrity aspect of this book. It made it so interesting, and honestly kind of reminded me of what it would be like ti be Taylor Swift (hahahaha)
Also, it’s not a Tashie Bhuiyan book without a twist of music. I loved how the book was split up into sections and each section had a playlist that Summer put together.
Overall, great writing, and great story line! Tashie still always seems to exceed my expectations with every new book I read!

“I’m too young to be calling a lawyer this is stuff adults deal with, not someone who doesn’t even know how to cook rice.”

Since I discovered I'll Pretend You're Mine on twitter last year it became one of my most anticipated 2025 releases, so imagine my surprise when I managed to get the ARC. Happy doesn't even begin to describe it.
If I could give this book six stars I would. It is exactly the type of book I was looking for, it's like the author looked into my mind and wrote the perfect book for me. I was on stan twitter for the longest time so all books with celebrities immediately catch my attention, but this ended up being so much more.
In I'll Pretend You're Mine we follow Summer, a teenage singer that got famous really fast through a singing competition and recently chose to let go of her parents as her managers. I'm certain we've all heard many stories of abusive parents, but Tashie managed to write in a way that made it feel so real and I deeply felt every struggle Summer went through on letting go of toxic patterns. On the other side we have Jules, an actor that had scandals printed all over the media and needs to clean his image for a film that he thinks will change his career. Cue in fake dating for publicity.
Now I must say this is so much more than a fake dating book, the comfort and companionship they find in each other is so wholesome and inspiring, their other friends are a necessary part of the story and every character felt so real. In the end I think this book is mostly about finding yourself, about surrounding yourself with the right people, friends that make you a better person and help you be free and happy.
I wish I could stay in this book forever, I didn't want it to ever end. I would love to read about the rest of their lives, what happens with Zach and Barbie and how they get their happy endings. I absolutely loved this book, an instant new favourite.
I urge you to please read it once it is released(June 3rd!), really give it a chance because it is so, so wonderful.

Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for the ARC!

I had so much fun with this story! This was my second read from Tashie Bhuiyan and I need to go back to the ones from her that I haven't read yet!

Summer and Jules were such complex characters and Tashie explored such complex experiences and emotions between the two of them. I loved seeing Summer's inner strength and journey to falling in love with Jules while also finding her own self. Jules was also a sweetheart to get to know, especially through Summer's eyes where she's shown more of the industry that she's been a part of! I really enjoyed the way that Tashie named her chapters, they were a cute insight into the media in such a celebrity romance and I think they provided an extra little something! I do want to mention that I think the time line was initially a bit harder to follow as we don't get to see any direct time jumping but there is a significant amount of time between each of Jules' & Summer's meetings while they first start their fake relationship. It got a little easier to follow as time progressed and the amount of time in between is shortened but there was still some longer periods of time where they weren't seeing each other so we didn't get any store of that part. The page timeline really followed their interactions rather than additionally following some of the time not related to one another.

It is an hour past my bedtime because I was going to read for an hour or two before bed and instead finished the book.

I’ll Pretend You’re Mine is an emotional gut punch clothed in sickeningly sweet fake dating. I had the absolute best time with it. I might be crying on my couch, but I promise I had a good time.

If there is one thing I can expect from a Tashie Bhuiyan book, it is phenomenal anxiety rep. If there’s another, it is navigating fraught relationships with parental expectations. And if I get a third, it is kick my feet cute romances! And I’ll Pretend You’r Mine delivered on all three with an extra helping of queer characters!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for making me cry right before bed. Wait, I mean for the review copy. The tears were all me.

This book was such a quick read for me I couldn’t put it down! First, the relationship between Summer and her parents was so emotional. It is truly a struggle when you have to go no contact with family for your mental health and I thought it was very well written. Summer’s sexuality really stuck with me as a fellow POC pansexual and I never really get to see myself through characters. Summer and Jules were so cute, but l think the heart of the story comes from Summer learning to stand up for herself and surround herself with the people who truly make her life better.

This one was a struggle for me to finish tbh. I didn’t really feel convinced about Summer and Jules developing real feelings. The sweeter moments between them were way too far in the end. Wouldn’t recommend though I’m sure there’s someone out there who would eat it up.

LGBT themes.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions my own.

This book was so cute! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and it was a nice twist for the characters to be in the entertainment industry. Summer and Jules are definitely relationship goals and I loved seeing all the little ways that they showed up for each other. I also loved seeing how Summer stood up for herself regarding her parents and her relationship with her sisters was heartwarming.

I thought it wrapped up a little too quickly, but overall this was a great book, and a must read this summer!

3.5 Stars

💕 Tropes
- Fake Dating
- Pansexual FMC
- Actor x Singer

💭 My Thoughts

This book was a mixed bag for me. When it comes to the romance, it started out really good! There were a lot of super cute moments between Summer and Jules. However, the further I got into it, the more it felt like it was put on the back burner and lacked the depth it could have potentially had. As a result, the conclusion to the romantic plot felt unsatisfying. However, I enjoyed the "A" plot regarding Summer's relationship with her parents. While I do wish there could have been more discussion on why her parents are the way they are (which could have brought up a great conversation on the experience of having immigrant parents), it didn't take away from the overall impact of it. Her sisters were adorable, and I loved every single scene with them, as well as the scenes with her friends Barbie and Zach (the three of them are 100% friendship goals). I would recommend this book to any YA readers who are interested in the experiences of child stars with a hint of romance.


A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

In I'll Pretend You're Mine, an actor with a less-than-stellar reputation enlists the help of an up-and-coming pop singer to rehab his image by pretending to be his girlfriend. Summer Ali has just cut off her relationship with her overbearing and abusive parents to navigate her singing career on her own. Jules Matadi is trying to resurrect his acting career. Together, they learn to trust again, figuring out that their relationship might be more than just pretend.

After a falling out with her parents/managers, singer pop star Summer Ali is struggling with her career. When her manager suggests fake dating Jules Moradi, giving her a chance to get back into the industry and with the possibility of having a song on the next summer blockbuster film she agrees. As Jules and Summer get to know each other, making the world think they’re dating, they become best friends as they slowly fall in love, being the person the other ones unknowingly been looking for.
I’ve been reading Tashie Bhuiyan’s books since she first started publishing, and her books always hit. This one in particular blew me out of the water- maybe it’s because it’s just better than the rest or I just haven’t read her books in while, but it’s incredible. Summer and Jules’ relationship is absolutely amazing, and there were so many times where I wanted to cry tears of joy because the two of them make me so happy. I think I need to go back and reread the other books she’s written cause I’m in the mood.
Thank you so so so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book.

Quick paced and intimate, I’ll Pretend Your Mine, is a perfect summer read.

Summer Ali, a rising star in the vocal world, finds her life upended when she runs into playboy actor Jules Moradi, quite literally. Jules and his team are trying to land him the lead in the biggest movie of the year, so to erase his playboy image suggests that he and Summer put on a show by fake-dating. Jules will appear to have grown from his playboy ways, ready to take on more serious roles, and Summer gets to write a track for the movie, maybe even get an Oscar nomination out of it.

At its heart, this book is a coming-of-age tale for both Jules and Summer. Jules deals with the pressures of overcoming his public image and the heartbreak of growing out of old friendships. Summer strives to stand on her own feet while overcoming the abuse of her childhood. They both struggle in how to be their authentic selves, while trying to be the best people they can be for one another and those they care about. This book has a lot of great messages for young readers about overcoming adversity, struggling with stress and anxiety, and working through the pains of growing older and outgrowing relationships.

I zipped right through reading this book. The chapters are short and the story well-paced. Despite dealing with a lot of heavy themes, the story is truly soft and indulgent. I appreciated how caring all of the characters are of one another and that the storytelling felt incredible real. Tashie Bhuiyan did a fantastic job in not falling into tropes and stereotypes, and making realistic quarrels and obstacles. And, while it’s a romance, there’s no sex (since I know that’s a concern for a lot of parents right now). The intimacy between the characters is more emotional than physical and perfectly appropriate for young adult or even older middle grade readers.

I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. Because romance isn’t generally my genre, I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it, but I’m glad I picked this one up. Bhuiyan’s deftness in handling the heavy themes of sexuality, authenticity, and familial abuse made this book an absolute delight. It’s perfect for a reader looking for a heartwarming or cozy read.

3 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Tashie Bhuiyan for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! Fake dating?! Immediately yes! Really enjoyed reading about all the characters and friendships throughout but I do wish Jules and Summer’s chemistry was a little bit more existent. Overall, a cute and easy read.

Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Singer x Actor

I had such a fun time reading this both giggling and kicking my feet. The relationship between Summer and Jules was so adorable (if I don't end up with someone like Jules idek). I was pretty relieved that there wasn't a whole lot of name-dropping of random celebrities just for the sake of "summer is famous so she knows these famous people". The fake dating plot felt a little bit separated from the story, but I can see how it sets everything else into motion. Overall this was a fun and quick read that I enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a fun time, and I’ve never read a plot like this before.
I loved the anxiety representation. I feel like I related to Summer a lot.
The chemistry between the Jules and Summer was amazing!
The pacing was perfect in my opinion, and I loved the side characters
Overall, a solid 4.5⭐️ read for me.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I'm a huge Tashie fan, thanks to my daughter, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this book early (much to her dismay). Let's just say I was not disappointed. If you are looking for Tashie to write something completely new and different, this isn't it. However, I like her ya romance style. This book might be categorize new adult based on the age of the characters but the content was very much still ya appropriate which gets confusing.
First, I love that Tashie includes mental health issues in all her books. She doesn't make them taboo or dirty. She helps her characters to work through them, find coping mechanisms, and find support which is so helpful for teens reading the book.
Second, the chapter titles all the way through the epilogue were genius. This touch to the book was perfection.
Finally, she touched on it in the preface and I wondered about her doing another pretend dating trope after being soooo successful with Counting Down With You, Ace is book boybriend material. This felt like a completely different trope because of how she set it up, in my opinion, so it worked and was fresh.
I do wish the parents hadn't been so horrible, but eh.

I hadn’t read any of Tashie Bhuiyan’s books before, but when I saw this one on NetGalley, I decided to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.

I love the fake dating trope, and it was done really well in this story. Summer was a relatable narrator, and her anxiety was portrayed with such authenticity. I also loved Jules, and they made a cute couple, even if I didn’t always feel their chemistry.

I’m glad this story had so much depth, and I’ll definitely be checking out Tashie’s previous novels!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

this was the cutest book ever!!
now, this is fake dating done well. i loved the pr stunt idea, while i do think that the trope has been overdone, this book is definitely an exception.
summer was honestly one of the most down-to-earth, relatable fmc i've read, i enjoyed how she progressed throughout the book, and learned to stand up for herself and the ones she loved!
jules was the sweetest person everr. i adored his relationship with his family (we love a non-toxic king!) and the way he supported summer was honestly one of the cutest things ever omg.
overall, the cutest book ever!! i literally could not stop grinning because of how absolutely sweet and adorable this was! if you want a light-hearted romance that also explores themes of hope, this book is the one for you.

thank you to netgalley and tashie bhuiyan for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion! <3

A Hollywood romance with the fake dating trope. Some people don't care for the trope but I found it endearing in this novel. The main characters, Summer and Jules had such a sweet, and genuine connection that felt authentic. It's a YA romance so it's a little cheesy and cringe at times, but it was also a quick read and a lot of fun.

I think one of my favorite things in tashie’s stories and characters is how genuine her characters are, especially addressing their problems like Summer’s anxiety. Her characters always seem to be relatable but not in a cringey way, but in a “if you were a real person we’d be best friends” way.

Summer’s anxiety is very noticeable throughout the story, but through her own growth and support of great friends, she is able to control it versus it controlling her. Another important thing in Tashie’s books that I adore, is that these aren’t issues her characters magically overcome, but work through and continue to do so throughout the book. It leaves the reader hopeful and provides a natural depth to her characters.
Summer quickly became a favorite of mine because of her grounded personality and desire to really be true to herself. I feel like despite her celebrity status, she still shows to be human and have emotions and faults.
Her sexuality was another part of her that I love. With her celebrity status and her parents own issues, her fear when it came to opening up about her sexuality is so valid. I love that she was able to become braver and while she didn’t come out on page, she still made had major milestones in opening up and learning to be more comfortable with herself

I love Jules and their relationship. It may have started as PR, but they both fell into a very comfortable friendship that evolved naturally into a romantic love. Even fake dating, they had such a solid connection and foundation that I can’t help but love the development. They both became each others person and I just love just it was such a simple progression into their relationship.