An entertaining Young Adult Romance

I’ve never read a book by this author, nor listened to anything narrated by Piper Goodeve but this story had great reviews (and a nomination for the Goodreads Best YA fiction) so I decided to give it a try. I’m happy to say that it was a very enjoyable Young Adult romance.

When Scottie Zajac and her high school nemesis Irene Abraham are involved in a car accident, they are forced to ride to school together. Scottie sees the opportunity to get back at her toxic ex-girlfriend and convinces Irene to take part in a fake dating scheme that threatens to reveal some real feelings…

This is a very good YA romance featuring two girls in their high school senior year. The fake relationship trope is always very popular amongst readers but also hard to pull it off, though here it’s organic to the story. The author takes her time in developing the characters’ relationship making their growing bond believable and realistic.

I like how Kelly Quindlen brings the main characters to life, with all their insecurities, drama, and angst. The story is told from Scottie’s point of view but the reader can connect slowly but surely with Irene through her witty banter and very smart comments. Despite Irene’s initial aloofness, there is a softer and more vulnerable side for Scottie to discover. The cast of secondary characters contributes to depicting the world of high-school conflict, peer pressure, ever-changing loyalties, and the value of friendship. My favorite is Irene’s best friend Honey-Belle, who is equal parts Pollyanna and an emotionally intuitive friend.

The audiobook is narrated by Piper Goodeve who does a fantastic job. All the voices are distinctive and perfect for the characters’ ages and personalities. Her performance of the different emotions is spot-on. If you are looking for an entertaining young adult romance and don’t mind a bit of teenage angst and drama, this audiobook is for you. 4.5 stars.

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins