As someone who has read all of her books, I think this is one of Tashie Bhuiyan's best works.

While absolutely making use of some of the most beloved (and sometimes overdone) tropes, Bhuiyan's characters come to life and feel authentic, honest, and grounded. The realism of the characters make you fall into the story and leave behind any trope-related qualms you may have had.

Can't wait for her next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC of I'll Pretend You're Mine. I'll be giving my honest review.
Y'all this book was CUTE! I don't read a ton of YA romance, but this one just hit a little different. There was such emotional depth to these characters that endeared me to them and had me rooting for this fake relationship to become real from the very beginning.
I loved the T. Swift vibes that Summer was giving and Jules was honestly such a great book boyfriend. They were both going through such difficult transitions and self-discovery phases and I loved being able to see them do that both independently and together.
And don't even get me going on the found family aspect! Easily one of my favorite tropes and it was done so well in this book.
Overall had such a great time with this book and I am looking forward to reading more by Tashie in the future!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. like LOVED LOVED IT.

Summer and Jules are REALLLLL and really adorable and smart and kind and generous and wise and so open to growing and learning and being better humans.

And Barbie and Zach and Jana and Safi and Raj and Laila and Fatemeh??? There is not a character (besides Mama and Baba, ew) that I did not love in this book. They are all so real and supportive and I want them in my corner.

So good. My favorite of all of Tashie’s books so far. ❤️

PS- Tashie!!!! Girl!!!! I keep getting more amazed with your talent and vulnerability with every book you put into the world. Can we PLEASE be friends?!?! Hearing the author’s note at the beginning about how Summer is so connected to Tashie honestly made the book even better to me because the whole time I could really see Summer as a real person, not just a character. I love how she represented her culture and her sexuality and just everything.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!

This book follows Summer as she breaks away from her parents' management. She is still wary of moving on without them, but she knows it is the right choice for her health and career. She decides to enter a PR relationship with Jules, known for being a playboy. I really enjoyed Summer's development in her relationships with her friends. She begins to trust the people in her career as well. Summer and Jules were so cute in their interactions. This really shows how the media will spin stories and create personas for people. I am very interested in this author's previous works. I can not wait to see what else she writes.

This was such a cute romance book. The fake dating had me swooning cause they really got to spend time together and for them to get to know them. Too cute.

hānai family: A family of choice, a chosen family, a found family.

Yes, it's Jules' and Summer's story. But it's also the story of a friendship trifecta family made up of Summer, Zach and Babs. There's a multitude of scenes where there's mutual support of all three by all three.

Then there are the two younger sisters of Summer who, despite all the emotional turmoil she endures with her estranged parents, manages to be a constant in their lives. She's had a musical hit and is branching out in her career but recognizes the importance of the sisterly bond.

Two dimensional parents though -their nasty texts, verbal disparagement is felt but unclear as to their motivation.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#IllPretendYoureMine #NetGalley

I wanted to love this one but I ended up having to dnf. I loved the premise of Summer and Jules fake dating. They were cute together but I just wasn’t invested in the romance like I wanted to be. I did like the representation in the book and how it deals with some darker topics. I would definitely still recommend!


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Wow Tashie does it again. Another great novel with a celebrity aspect mixed with the author's experiences as a teen. This is a coming of age novel with heavy romance plot set in Hollywood. I really liked how realistic the struggles with the main character and her family were. This is reminicent of some stars in Hollywood that had parents that took advantage of their fame. The romance was really sweet, slow burn and had some postitive communication examples of a healthy friendhsip and relationship. Great book!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

includes:
✿ young adult
✿ pop star x actor
✿ fake dating
✿ anxiety representation
✿ bipoc representation

as I'm not used to reading young adult romances as much, I didn't know what to expect but found myself really enjoying this book! I absolutely loved not only the representation with the main characters but seeing someone with anxiety at the forefront.

summer is a pop star who has put distance between her parents as they were their managers. from the start you can see how much her parents were controlling every aspect of their image that now not being in their control, it's hard for them to adjust to the freedom of making their own decisions. her necklace ends up being caught on the famous actor jules. que in one of my favorite tropes, THEY BEGIN TO FAKE DATE TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

this was a really sweet story but I wouldn't call it so much a romance. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop! I think what summer is feeling feels very relatable especially coming from an immigrant household and the expectaitons placed on you.

thank you to netgalley and harper collins for an arc <3

Pop star/A-list actor + fake dating = profit!

Summer just got rid of her evil parents as her managers and is now trying to build the singing career she wants. After a chance encounter with Hollywood's bad boy, she's offered a fake dating situation in order to further both of their careers. Jules, the aforementioned bad boy, is gearing up for an Oscar-bait performance and needs to look stable. I liked Summer's relationship with her younger sisters as well as her best friends. Although this didn't give me butterflies like some of Tashie Bhuiyan's other work, I had a fun time reading this!

Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the early reader copy.

This was a really sweet romance but probably my least favorite of Tashie’s work.

None of the “industry” talk or plot points were that believable especially for teenagers. I think it would have worked better if they were aged up at least 5 years. I actually really enjoyed that in this version of fake dating there was no conflict in the “fake” part of the relationship and the tension developed naturally as they got to know each other. There was plenty of outside drama going on. I did really enjoy summers arc through the book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the earc

"Neither of us says the words, but we can both hear them in the silence."

4.25 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a Tashie fan through and through; I will ALWAYS pick up a book by her. I really enjoyed this one. I think Tashie does mental health rep so well, and I also like the exploration of the FMC's sexual orientation in this one as well. This one was a great YA story with fake dating and celebrity romance. Loved it!

"For a long period of time, I felt unbalanced, and no one's ever steadied me the way he does. I can't imagine knowing him and not falling for him. To know Jules is to love him."

Oh my goodness — I absolutely ADORED this book!! 🌟✨ Fake dating trope? Done so perfectly! Summer is such a layered, relatable FMC — breaking free from toxic parents, navigating anxiety, and figuring out her own identity. And Jules?? Actual cinnamon roll energy 🥹💕 He’s sweet, supportive, and their chemistry is off-the-charts delicious.

The friendships were just as meaningful, and the growth both Summer and Jules go through had me rooting so hard for them. I smiled, teared up, and by the end, I was clutching my kindle to my chest. 💛

The writing hits all the right emotional beats, and I’m definitely adding this to my reread pile for book slump quick fixes. Fans of fake dating, cinnamon roll love interests, and heart-tugging YA romance — you NEED this book on your TBR! 🌸🎶✨

Short and Sweet Review

Summer Ali has spent years making a name for herself as a musician and for all those years she’s had her parents as her managers. As of recently she dropped her parents and is ready to do her own thing and feel in control of her career. Summer needs to write music but she has writers block but she knows she’s ready to shake things up. When Summer bumps into actor Jules Moradi famous for being in the tabloids. When their manager comes up with an idea to have them pretend to date to up the PR for both of their careers and upcoming projects they both agree but they soon find that the lines between pretend and real are starting to blur.

I’ll Pretend You’re Mine, is a super cute book that has the fake dating trope, not only is it cute but it has some important themes like mental health, and knowing the importance of standing up for yourself. Summer is our main character and we only get her POV, we meet her when she just recently dropped her parents as her manager and throughout the book we can see how this affects her. Summer knows this is what’s best for her as her parents are pretty toxic but in a way they still have a hold on her. Summer also has younger sisters who she wants to see often but because of her current relationship with her parents it’s becoming harder. We see Summer has anxiety and her close friends are able to help calm her down when she has an anxiety attack. Jules is an actor and he’s trying to get cast for a movie which is why he needs this PR stunt. Jules is no stranger to paparazzi and being in the tabloids so he’s ready for the fake dating to commence. Summer and Jules have great chemistry and we see it blossom during the different seasons that the book takes place over. I feel like they each brought out the best in each other and were able to truly see each other for who they are and they find something special when they’re in each other’s company. Over time we see that Summer begins to fall for Jules but tries to remember that this is just a PR stunt. I think Summer’s sisters and friends really help to make the story. Both of our characters are going through a lot in life but we see them face different obstacles. I thought the story was fleshed out well and I loved the ending especially the epilogue.

Overall, this book was great and we see a lot of different things that get covered and it’s done really well. You find yourself falling in love with these characters and the relationship that they’ll inevitably have. I would definitely recommend this book, it’s cute and will make for a great read in the summer.

OMG this book was straight up adorable, fake dating done right!!! Summer is literally one of the most relatable girls ever, like she’s figuring out her life, standing up to toxic parents, and just trying to breathe? Love that for her!! And Jules??? Actual cinnamon roll. Like, this man was out here being supportive, sweet, and giving all the forehead kisses — I couldn’t DEAL. The whole celebrity PR stunt vibe was super fun but also had real feels about anxiety, identity, and boundaries. Honestly, I was just grinning like an idiot the whole time. Pure serotonin in book form 🥹🥹

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! Summer is a renowned singer, and Jules is Hollywood's up-and-coming actor. When they run into each other (literally), their lives are completely changed. After running into each other in front of the media, they are set up on a fake dating PR stunt that will benefit both of their careers. But as they're feelings for each other grow, the more time they spend with each other, their lives change in more ways than one. It is through each other that they find the strength to make bold changes in their lives that may just upend everything.

I loved this book. It is a sweet YA romance that is centered around finding yourself and letting yourself be seen in a world that may be trying to hide you. Jules and Summer's growth throughout the books, both together and as individuals, is so amazing!

I absolutely loved this one. Tashie Bhuiyan has a way to write characters that speaks to my soul. I loved the playlists, the plot and, honestly, just everything. I know the main character is a popstar, which I am definitely not, but I related to her. She was layered and I loved being with her this entire book. It wasn't always a fun time but I loved it nonetheless. Once I started reading this one, I couldn't stop. It drew me in from the first page to the last. I also really liked the love interest and the friends too. I hope we get to see more of that group in another book actually! I also really liked the setting and the subject it broached. It was truly a captivating read and I'm really looking forward to whatever Tashie writes next! And I'll definitely reread this one in the mean time!

So cute! Not much that I want to say about this book, but I really love Tashie Bhuiyan's young adult books. They are just so well written and bring a sense of joy and humor to the table, which is what I am looking for when it comes to young adult. Thank you!

i really enjoyed this book. the anxiety and angst felt real. i am glad they didn't rush the love story piece and we got to see their friendship and stuff develop and i enjoyed the epilogue