The Sweetheart Sham

"The Sweetheart Sham" was a cute YA romance that followed Georgia Ann (Georgie) and Beauregard (Beau), two very Southern teenagers. Georgie and Beau dated one summer a few years back, but then Beau stood her up for a dance when they planned to reveal their relationship and left town entirely without a word. They haven't spoken since. Now, the wedding of the year (being planned by Georgie's mother) is happening this summer, and Beau is coming back in town for it.

To make things more complicated, Georgie's BFF Will has come up with a new plan. As Will is gay in a town which reeks of intolerance and he has found someone he wants to date (name never mentioned), he asks Georgie to pretend to be his girlfriend so he can go on dates without too many questions. Georgie gets to spend the time away from her mother's intense wedding planning, so it seems like a win-win... until Beau comes back in town.

Told in alternating points-of-view, we get to see both Georgie and Beau's side of things. Overall, it was a pretty charming book, and the focus is more on the secrets that are tearing them apart rather than the build-up of their relationship (as it was established before the book began). I am a sucker for new love and love to see the beginning of relationships, but this was still pretty charming with the second-chance at romance feel. It did have some teenage drama which seemed pretty realistic (considering they are teenagers).

The side characters really shone in this book with Will and Lyla being particularly awesome (I am hopeful they will get their own books in the future as this appears to be a series). This brought up some issues about tolerance which made for some really good side discussions. Friendship and family are also big focuses in this book which were great themes overall. The Southern aspect of the book was really played up with the Belles and accents (so if you like this setting, this would be perfect)- I didn't mind it either way but it was pretty cute.

Overall, this is a really sweet second-chance YA romance, and I would definitely be curious to read more in this series in the future! Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I received this eBook from Netgalley. I really liked the story line of this book. I liked how Georgie was such a good friend to Will, how she accepted him for who he his regardless of who he loved. Georgie is the kind of friend I aspire to have one day. I liked how Will slowly had the courage to come out, even though he wasn't sure if he would be accepted or not. I'm proud of him for doing that. I liked how Beau had his issues but got through them so he could be with Georgie in the end. I really loved how this book was written and I'm excited to read the next book in the series, Southern Charmed!

The Sweetheart Sham (Southern Charmed, #1)
by Danielle Ellison
My Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ❣

Georgia Ann is a southern belle, and her best friend Will is the towns golden boy. Their families would love a Monroe/Montgomery wedding. They are two of the towns founding families. Unfortunately, this pair has absolutely no interest in heading down the aisle together.

Beau has been in love with Georgia forever. He broke her heart once and left town with his mother. He is given the opportunity to return and spend the summer with his dad. When he left town he didn't settle any of his past, but that doesn't mean he can pick up where he left off. His girl is dating his cousin, his relationship with his dad is strained, and the drama of a being in a small town catches up with him.

Georgia is loyal to Will. She loves him and only wants the best for him. Will has a secret that he isn't ready to share. Will is gay and has the option to find love. He ropes Georgia into covering for him. The sweetheart sham is in place, but Georgia didn't expect Beau. He wants forgiveness and old feelings are sitting raw.

This is a coming out story. Will's story is told through Georgia. This book works really well and the romance feels forbidden. I think Beau needs this story to realise how strong his feelings are. This book is about a small town and two families. It's heartwarming and sweet. It's a fabulous winter read when everyone is thinking about how much family means.

4.5 stars out of 5. The perfect hot chocolate and marshmallows read. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

BLOG TOUR DATE: 5th December 2017.

Initial thoughts;
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! Like omg, I really loved this book. I know, that sounds like the least eloquent thing I could say. And I know that as the professional reviewer that I am, you all expect more out of me. cough cough. But I can't help it. I just want to shout to the world about how everyone should read this book!

Plot;
The entire thing was just adorable but it also had several important themes squeezed into there. Like the importance of acceptance and forgiving your loved ones for the mistakes they made have made. It takes a lot to forgive someone, no matter how big or how little the incident was. I liked that this book explored that option. Forgiveness wasn't given right away nor was it expected to be given. The teens in this book were treated like the adults they were becoming.

Acceptance was a major part of this book, like I mentioned above. There is a character, Will, that was afraid to come out to his family and friends. It was good to see that in there because it's real. It happens to teens and even adults all the time. Will wasn't pressured to come out until he was ready. He wasn't forced out. He did it on his own time with Georgie beside him. It was also nice to see that this wasn't the whole plot of the book. It was part of it but it was so much more than whether or not Will was going to come out.

Characters;
Speaking of Will and Georgie, can I just say I loved their friendship? They both supported each other and also kept each grounded. I loved that Georgie was both the typical Southern Belle but was also herself and didn't let being a Belle define her. I think she could really be a character that a lot of girls can look up too. She really proved that you could love dresses but also go swimming in your underwear and that didn't make you any less of a lady.

Beau was a great MC as well. I loved his dedication to his mom. I feel you don't see that a lot in YA. Like it's too cool for boys to love their mom and check on them when they are away. It's completely okay to call your mom and tell her you love her in from of your boys. I also saw a lot of character growth from him in a short amount of time. I could really dig that. Yes, he acted like a teenager but he also acted like an adult when he needed to be.

Overall;
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book. Books based on the South are hit and miss for me. But like I keep saying, I loved this book! I felt like I was at home. Danielle Ellison captured what it truly means to live in a small town where everybody knows you and your business. I am anxious to see what the next book will be. I'm hoping for a Will book because I really liked him as a character and would love to have an insight to his mind.

Good YA romance. Cute and sweet, but with plenty of feels as well. Characters were relatable and realistic. I enjoyed the small town feel, as well as the inclusion of non traditional relationships. I loved the friendship and the repair of thier relationship most of all. Fun read.

I absolutely adored this book! I felt the author took a some very tough and personal issues and handled them extremely well bringing home the point that you have to live your life your way and the people that love you the most will always be there. She was able to address the topic while also giving us a highly entertaining story and some pretty fantastic characters. All around this was just a fabulous book to experience.

I highly recommend this one!

Sweet little romance slathered in a whole lot of Southern. I want to call them Southern stereotypes, because every now and then, my very Northern self would roll my eyes slightly and wonder if people actually talk/act like that in the South. I am not sure if I want the answer to that question to be yes, or no, but it worked in the story.

Recommended if you want a sugary story.