READING: When It's Real by Erin Watt

Publication date: May 30 2017
Published by: Harlequin TEEN
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School
Rating: 

Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.

Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of "normal." Under ordinary circumstances she'd never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn't have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley's team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley's a shallow, self-centered jerk? It's not like they're going to fall for each other in real life…right?

I am very disappointed. After drooling over Paper Princess and being relatively OK with Prince and Palace, I at least expected a decent read out of When It's Real. But that was not the case.
First off, I didn't like any of the characters, not a single reedeming quality in any of them. Hated Oakley, despised Vaughn.

Oakley was, to put it simply, an egotistical asshole who thought he is the best thing since sliced bread and everyone should get down on their knees and worship his godliness. He is the kind of guy who describes his biceps as "guns". 1. Gross and 2. who says that? Apart from major douchelords I mean. The very few glimpses we get of an actual heart and feelings are very forced and not believable at all. Every time I thought I would change my mind about him, I always ended up saying "No, he is actually a jerk."
I won't even get that deep with Vaughn, the girl had literally no depth. With the charisma and the personality of a napkin, Vaughn managed to get the hottest and most famous guy to fall in love with her in a period of less that 3 months. Uh huh. Below zero chemistry between them - the love they declared to each other was just words on a paper, didn't make me feel anything.
To me, Oakley appeared as a spoiled brat who constantly seeks admiration and adoration and gets it from Vaughn, who is so spineless and scared to be on her own (can't blame her, sounds terrifying!) that she just goes from on self-centered moron to another.

I am sorry, but this book was just silly. Pure ridiculousness.