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She's Faking It
You can’t put a filter on reality.
Bree Bozeman isn’t exactly pursuing the life of her dreams. Then again, she isn’t too sure what those dreams are. After dropping out of college, she’s living a pretty chill life in the surf community of Pacific Beach, San Diego…if “chill” means delivering food as a GrubGetter, and if it means “uneventful”.
But when Bree starts a new Instagram account — @breebythesea — one of her posts gets a signal boost from none other than wildly popular self-help guru Demi DiPalma, owner of a lifestyle brand empire. Suddenly, Bree just might be a rising star in the world of Instagram influencing. Is this the direction her life has been lacking? It’s not a career choice she’d ever seriously considered, but maybe it’s a sign from the universe. After all, Demi’s the real deal… right?
Everything is lining up for Bree: life goals, career, and even a blossoming romance with the chiseled guy next door, surf star Trey Cantu. But things are about to go sideways fast, and even the perfect filter’s not gonna fix it. Instagram might be free, but when your life looks flawless on camera, what’s the cost.
Bree Bozeman isn’t exactly pursuing the life of her dreams. Then again, she isn’t too sure what those dreams are. After dropping out of college, she’s living a pretty chill life in the surf community of Pacific Beach, San Diego…if “chill” means delivering food as a GrubGetter, and if it means “uneventful”.
But when Bree starts a new Instagram account — @breebythesea — one of her posts gets a signal boost from none other than wildly popular self-help guru Demi DiPalma, owner of a lifestyle brand empire. Suddenly, Bree just might be a rising star in the world of Instagram influencing. Is this the direction her life has been lacking? It’s not a career choice she’d ever seriously considered, but maybe it’s a sign from the universe. After all, Demi’s the real deal… right?
Everything is lining up for Bree: life goals, career, and even a blossoming romance with the chiseled guy next door, surf star Trey Cantu. But things are about to go sideways fast, and even the perfect filter’s not gonna fix it. Instagram might be free, but when your life looks flawless on camera, what’s the cost.
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2020
About the author
Kristin Rockaway
9 books522 followersKristin Rockaway is a native New Yorker and recovering corporate software engineer. After working in the IT industry for far too many years, she finally traded the city for the surf and chased her dreams out to Southern California, where she spends her days happily writing stories instead of code. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, browsing the aisles of her neighborhood bookstores, and trying to catch up on sleep.
Be sure to follow Kristin on BookBub for the latest sales! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/krist...
Be sure to follow Kristin on BookBub for the latest sales! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/krist...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
May 19, 2021
This book is about social media, how we fake it to break it and over share our embellished, photoshopped, ultra filtered lives with the world. And it’s also great mockery of Secret and positive energy, feeling good scams that some wise and sneaky people benefit from other people’s insecurities and miseries.
This approach of the book and the social influencers’ boot-camp parts deserved five stars.
Let’s meet Bree living by one of my favorite seaside city: San Diego: amazing beaches, water sports, surfing, fantastic Mexican food, friendly people.( Yes, I want to drop my book and climb on my car, drive 2 hours for better visualizing.) But unfortunately Bree is in trouble. She’s working as Grubhubber oh pardon me Grubgetter, already left the college, renting a small place with full of unnecessary junk (she might be living there illegally but she doesn’t want to question it), barely makes ends meet and now her only income source, her one and only junk car is kaput! She is jobless and two hundred dollars short for her next rent so she can be homeless sooner.
Thankfully she has supportive also lecturing, know-it-all, down to earth sister Natasha who is married, with a lovely kid, successful, organizer. She dropped the college after sisters lost their mother and their father was not in the picture for so long. She is second mother of Bree but she is also pushy and a little irritating. Now she tells her sister she needs to pull herself together and make positive changes with her life. She gives her self-guru Demi DiPalma’s book which is new written version of Secret. There are four steps suggested at the book to change your life completely.
Bree decides to open a new instagram account for using it as her vision board and adds photos about her wishes, her expectations from her future. And she slowly starts to see the changes with her life, finding herself reorganizing her house, getting rid of her ex’s junks (her ex left him to live in Amazons for spiritual awakening. But I think instead of going there, he stole his parents’ credit cards and bought gazillion stuffs from Amazon.), starting to date with her famous surfer neighbor Trey, facing her fears of water, starting to get surfing lessons (yes, she gets them from charming, mysterious Trey who suffers from infidelity of her long time ex and hates social media!)
I loved the book’s positive approach about life, taking second chances, being brave to take risks, being honest with your loved ones, how to deal with grief and how to move on after suffering big traumas.
I also enjoyed sisters’ relationship dynamics and her emotional backstory.
Only weakest point of the book is romance part. I think it is a little overshadowed with entire spirituality, friendship, life aims and sisterhood parts of the book. And I got a little frustrated that Bree thinks so low about herself when it comes to Trey. And at the end Trey acts like a little douchebag. Their chemistry was hot and entertaining but it seems like an insta love which fits with the subject of the book.
So spiritual mockery part: 5 stars Sisterhood and friendship: 4 stars Romance: 3 stars
Average: 4 solid stars. But I have to admit, I enjoy this book more than “How to hack a heartbreak”
It was fun, enjoyable, positive, heartwarming reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for sharing this lovely ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
This approach of the book and the social influencers’ boot-camp parts deserved five stars.
Let’s meet Bree living by one of my favorite seaside city: San Diego: amazing beaches, water sports, surfing, fantastic Mexican food, friendly people.( Yes, I want to drop my book and climb on my car, drive 2 hours for better visualizing.) But unfortunately Bree is in trouble. She’s working as Grubhubber oh pardon me Grubgetter, already left the college, renting a small place with full of unnecessary junk (she might be living there illegally but she doesn’t want to question it), barely makes ends meet and now her only income source, her one and only junk car is kaput! She is jobless and two hundred dollars short for her next rent so she can be homeless sooner.
Thankfully she has supportive also lecturing, know-it-all, down to earth sister Natasha who is married, with a lovely kid, successful, organizer. She dropped the college after sisters lost their mother and their father was not in the picture for so long. She is second mother of Bree but she is also pushy and a little irritating. Now she tells her sister she needs to pull herself together and make positive changes with her life. She gives her self-guru Demi DiPalma’s book which is new written version of Secret. There are four steps suggested at the book to change your life completely.
Bree decides to open a new instagram account for using it as her vision board and adds photos about her wishes, her expectations from her future. And she slowly starts to see the changes with her life, finding herself reorganizing her house, getting rid of her ex’s junks (her ex left him to live in Amazons for spiritual awakening. But I think instead of going there, he stole his parents’ credit cards and bought gazillion stuffs from Amazon.), starting to date with her famous surfer neighbor Trey, facing her fears of water, starting to get surfing lessons (yes, she gets them from charming, mysterious Trey who suffers from infidelity of her long time ex and hates social media!)
I loved the book’s positive approach about life, taking second chances, being brave to take risks, being honest with your loved ones, how to deal with grief and how to move on after suffering big traumas.
I also enjoyed sisters’ relationship dynamics and her emotional backstory.
Only weakest point of the book is romance part. I think it is a little overshadowed with entire spirituality, friendship, life aims and sisterhood parts of the book. And I got a little frustrated that Bree thinks so low about herself when it comes to Trey. And at the end Trey acts like a little douchebag. Their chemistry was hot and entertaining but it seems like an insta love which fits with the subject of the book.
So spiritual mockery part: 5 stars Sisterhood and friendship: 4 stars Romance: 3 stars
Average: 4 solid stars. But I have to admit, I enjoy this book more than “How to hack a heartbreak”
It was fun, enjoyable, positive, heartwarming reading.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for sharing this lovely ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
July 12, 2020
You know what they say: Fake it until you Make it. Good thing since Bree has been down on her luck since her car died on her and she lost her job as a GrubGetter.
With the help of her sister Natasha, Bree however is hoping that her life will turn around, especially now that she is becoming a nano-social media influencer, is getting noticed and has met her new next door neighbor who happens to be Trey Cantu, the famous surfer.
Once Bree realizes what is real and true however, all bets are off. Can Bree find herself and what she’s been looking for before it’s too late?
“She’s Faking It” is the second book that I’ve read by Kristen Rockaway, with “How to Hack a Heartbreak” - which I loved, being the first. Unfortunately for me, “She’s Faking It” never really got off the ground. I listened to the audiobook and kept waiting for the storyline and the romance to become compelling and for me to become invested in it. While the writing was solid and the characterizations were strong, the story itself was somewhat lacking and I kept waiting for those laugh out loud moments that made “How to Hack a Heartbreak” so darn great but unfortunately they just never materialized. In this instance, I think I am the wrong reader for this novel as all other readers appeared to really love this book.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of this audiobook.
Published on Goodreads on 7.11.20.
With the help of her sister Natasha, Bree however is hoping that her life will turn around, especially now that she is becoming a nano-social media influencer, is getting noticed and has met her new next door neighbor who happens to be Trey Cantu, the famous surfer.
Once Bree realizes what is real and true however, all bets are off. Can Bree find herself and what she’s been looking for before it’s too late?
“She’s Faking It” is the second book that I’ve read by Kristen Rockaway, with “How to Hack a Heartbreak” - which I loved, being the first. Unfortunately for me, “She’s Faking It” never really got off the ground. I listened to the audiobook and kept waiting for the storyline and the romance to become compelling and for me to become invested in it. While the writing was solid and the characterizations were strong, the story itself was somewhat lacking and I kept waiting for those laugh out loud moments that made “How to Hack a Heartbreak” so darn great but unfortunately they just never materialized. In this instance, I think I am the wrong reader for this novel as all other readers appeared to really love this book.
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of this audiobook.
Published on Goodreads on 7.11.20.
July 11, 2020
What a fun easy beachy read. Kristin Rockaway made me feel good, laugh and smile with this sassy little tale. Bree is doing her thing and maybe it’s not what she thought she’d be doing, but it’s good enough. She is a top Grub Getter with loads of five star reviews. She’s living in Pacific Beach and maybe her studio apartment should be condemned, but it’s all hers. Her boyfriend may have recently dumped her but, she’s got a great BFF and a supportive sister. Then Bree’s car goes kaput and she doesn’t know what to do... When her bossy older sister Natasha shows up to help she also offers some unsolicited advice telling Bree she needs to get her life together. SO Bree posts a vision board on Instagram and this leads to her getting an offer as a nano influencer. Now Bree has become obsessed with likes and follows and perception. Humorous and a little over the top, this was a fun and pretty realistic look at social media.
What a fun read! Bree was a great character I just loved how authentic and vulnerable she was. Loved her relationship with her sister and how that developed throughout the story. The setting was great, especially because my oldest son lives in PB. There’s also some romance in the story with sexy surfer Trey, it was super sweet but I liked how it took a backseat to everything else in the story. A perfect summer read! Soneela Nankani narrated the audiobook end brought the perfect voice to Bree.
This book and emojis 🏖 🌮 📱 🤳🏼 🌊
*** Big thank you to Harlequin and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
What a fun read! Bree was a great character I just loved how authentic and vulnerable she was. Loved her relationship with her sister and how that developed throughout the story. The setting was great, especially because my oldest son lives in PB. There’s also some romance in the story with sexy surfer Trey, it was super sweet but I liked how it took a backseat to everything else in the story. A perfect summer read! Soneela Nankani narrated the audiobook end brought the perfect voice to Bree.
This book and emojis 🏖 🌮 📱 🤳🏼 🌊
*** Big thank you to Harlequin and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
June 30, 2020
Oh my goodness!!! Another slam dunk for Kristin Rockaway!!
I cannot say enough great things about this author. She truly has a way with her words and I devoured She's Faking It. I've been in a weird funk this year with reading... but I read this gem in a little over a day.
I loved how this was so relatable. Having the love/hate relationship with social media. Bree is struggling to survive and truly find herself as a young woman. Bree decides to take on a new adventure in the world of social media as an influencer. Ok... Rockaway I was DYING of laughter in this one. You had me in absolute stitches with tears in my eyes because I was laughing at Bree's character and her personality.
I couldn't get enough of this sweet and inspiring story. Rockaway has quite the personality in this little gem of a women's fiction novel and couldn't get enough. It has everything even with a little bit of romance :).
I have become such a fan of Kristin's. I will read anything by her! Keep em coming girlfriend haha :).
5 stars!
Thank you so much to Harlequin for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 6/30/20
Published to GR/IG: 6/29/20
I cannot say enough great things about this author. She truly has a way with her words and I devoured She's Faking It. I've been in a weird funk this year with reading... but I read this gem in a little over a day.
I loved how this was so relatable. Having the love/hate relationship with social media. Bree is struggling to survive and truly find herself as a young woman. Bree decides to take on a new adventure in the world of social media as an influencer. Ok... Rockaway I was DYING of laughter in this one. You had me in absolute stitches with tears in my eyes because I was laughing at Bree's character and her personality.
I couldn't get enough of this sweet and inspiring story. Rockaway has quite the personality in this little gem of a women's fiction novel and couldn't get enough. It has everything even with a little bit of romance :).
I have become such a fan of Kristin's. I will read anything by her! Keep em coming girlfriend haha :).
5 stars!
Thank you so much to Harlequin for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
Pub date: 6/30/20
Published to GR/IG: 6/29/20
July 10, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
I could almost hear the squeak and clank of wheels turning in her head as she tried to piece together the solution to this problem.
Everyone always talked about finding your passion as if it was this evasive creature you had to smoke out of a burrow. They also seemed to operate under the assumption that everyone had a passion to find. But I had long since accepted the sad reality that I was born passionless.
“Did you Google me?” He looked horrified, as if I’d admitted to hacking his email or rifling through his underwear drawer.
My Review:
The main character in this story was a hot mess. Bree was barely eking by and subsisting on ramen and protein bars while living in a hovel at the intersection of denial and procrastination and begrudgingly relied on her older sister Natasha to constantly bail her out. Bree annoyed me and in no small measure, and while Natasha was her exact opposite, she annoyed me even more, yet their tale and antics kept me smirking in my exasperation. I was more than a bit fraught and a cauldron of conflicted energy until in the middle of a ridiculous desert retreat with a successful charlatan, Bree smartened up that faking it wasn’t making it. As par for the course with this wily author, her writing was wryly amusing, insightfully observant, colorfully detailed, and slyly entertaining.
I could almost hear the squeak and clank of wheels turning in her head as she tried to piece together the solution to this problem.
Everyone always talked about finding your passion as if it was this evasive creature you had to smoke out of a burrow. They also seemed to operate under the assumption that everyone had a passion to find. But I had long since accepted the sad reality that I was born passionless.
“Did you Google me?” He looked horrified, as if I’d admitted to hacking his email or rifling through his underwear drawer.
My Review:
The main character in this story was a hot mess. Bree was barely eking by and subsisting on ramen and protein bars while living in a hovel at the intersection of denial and procrastination and begrudgingly relied on her older sister Natasha to constantly bail her out. Bree annoyed me and in no small measure, and while Natasha was her exact opposite, she annoyed me even more, yet their tale and antics kept me smirking in my exasperation. I was more than a bit fraught and a cauldron of conflicted energy until in the middle of a ridiculous desert retreat with a successful charlatan, Bree smartened up that faking it wasn’t making it. As par for the course with this wily author, her writing was wryly amusing, insightfully observant, colorfully detailed, and slyly entertaining.
December 7, 2022
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Sometimes people will ask me what the difference is between a contemporary rom-com and chicklit and while a book can be both, for me it really depends on the ratio of relationship to life development. With some books, the focus is on the romance and with others, the focus is more on the heroine improving her state of affairs or learning some kind of important life lesson. In the case of SHE'S FAKING IT, I'd say that this book falls into the latter category.
Bree is a down-on-her-luck woman in her early twenties. She's just been dumped by her boyfriend, she's behind on her student loans, she lives in an illegal apartment with bad wiring, and she works as a food delivery person (for which she gets zero respect). Due to her well-meaning boss babe sister's influence, she starts buying into the life philosophies of this self-help guru who's clearly modeled after and criticizing people like Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachel Hollis.
She starts doing brand partnerships on her new Instagram, Bree by the Sea, which ends up blowing up. But every attempt to grab fame by the bridle ends up blowing up in Bree's face, and when she gets the chance to go to a summit to meet DiPalma herself, the influencer isn't what Bree expected.
So because of the subject matter, this ended up being a frustrating read. Bree is young and flawed, and I think that this was portrayed well, but boy, was it hard to stomach. I don't think I've cringe this hard since the Shopaholic series. Bree makes so many bad choices and it's seriously hard to watch. For the most part, though, I think that all of them made sense. It was genuinely refreshing to see a character struggling financially actually show that anxiety and hyper-fixation on money, and how this makes them vulnerable to scams. I also thought the shadiness of influencer culture was really well done (although does this author seriously think self-published authors actually make thousands of dollars? I'm not mad, I just wanna talk...)
The romance was pretty lackluster and honestly was one of the weakest parts of this book. Also, it's not steamy at all. The sex is mostly fade-to-black. I'm surprised romance is the top category because it played such a minor role. More time is given to the heroine's developing relationships with her friend, Marisol, and her older sister, Natasha. Trey was inoffensive and I liked that he had a thing he was sort of working to deal with too, but as a love interest and romantic lead, he was very much bland.
Overall, SHE'S FAKING IT was... fine? It's a book that definitely goes in with an agenda but the message is definitely valid and the story was readable. I wanted to find out what happened and I liked Bree enough that I wanted her to have an HEA. I could see this becoming a forgettable summer rom-com that everyone goes to see and mostly enjoys but then immediately forgets about the following year.
2.5 to 3 stars
July 12, 2020
Kristin Rockaway's latest book,
She's Faking It
is a cute, insightful commentary on our social media-obsessed society and the pressure to succeed.
Bree knows that she’s not living her best life—she dropped out of college, her car is barely running, she ignores her bills because she doesn’t have enough money, and her food delivery job isn’t glamorous. But it’s all hers, you know?
When a series of events leave her jobless and car-less, her hyper-organized older sister encourages her to follow the advice of a self-help guru. If she just visualizes what she’s passionate about, and puts that out into the universe, she can make it happen.
So Bree starts a new Instagram account and thinks she’ll become a social media influencer. It’s all angles and smoke and mirrors anyway, and little by little it starts to work. Is this what she wants out of life? She has no idea, but she’ll take whatever she can get, including a budding romance with the surf god who lives nearby.
"There was something deeply satisfying about looking at all those pretty pictures of pretty people, perfectly poised in pretty places. It was also much easier to lose myself in the aspirational imagery of someone else's flawless feed than it was to plan out a life of my own."
But faking it can only take you so far, and when the façade she has built starts to crumble, what will the cost be? And how will she focus on what is real and what is just Instagrammable?
I thought this was a cute read and very timely. I enjoyed it, although I am not sure that I had much empathy for the characters and I felt like it almost veered into farce a few times. But still, the book’s message is a good one. (And no, the irony isn’t lost on me that I’m posting this review on Instagram and other social media outlets.)
I was pleased to be part of the blog tour for this book. Thanks to Graydon House Books and NetGalley for making an advance copy of the book available in exchange for an unbiased review!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Bree knows that she’s not living her best life—she dropped out of college, her car is barely running, she ignores her bills because she doesn’t have enough money, and her food delivery job isn’t glamorous. But it’s all hers, you know?
When a series of events leave her jobless and car-less, her hyper-organized older sister encourages her to follow the advice of a self-help guru. If she just visualizes what she’s passionate about, and puts that out into the universe, she can make it happen.
So Bree starts a new Instagram account and thinks she’ll become a social media influencer. It’s all angles and smoke and mirrors anyway, and little by little it starts to work. Is this what she wants out of life? She has no idea, but she’ll take whatever she can get, including a budding romance with the surf god who lives nearby.
"There was something deeply satisfying about looking at all those pretty pictures of pretty people, perfectly poised in pretty places. It was also much easier to lose myself in the aspirational imagery of someone else's flawless feed than it was to plan out a life of my own."
But faking it can only take you so far, and when the façade she has built starts to crumble, what will the cost be? And how will she focus on what is real and what is just Instagrammable?
I thought this was a cute read and very timely. I enjoyed it, although I am not sure that I had much empathy for the characters and I felt like it almost veered into farce a few times. But still, the book’s message is a good one. (And no, the irony isn’t lost on me that I’m posting this review on Instagram and other social media outlets.)
I was pleased to be part of the blog tour for this book. Thanks to Graydon House Books and NetGalley for making an advance copy of the book available in exchange for an unbiased review!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
July 28, 2020
A fun read with a delightful main character. This is light entertainment for the moments when you need a break from the real world.
Bree, our heroine, is a college drop-out, her live-in boyfriend of three years had just dumped her to go to South America to ‘find himself’. She is working a bottom of the rung job for a food delivery service - that is until her old beat-up Honda Civic dies.
She turns to Instagramming which gains her the attention of a self-proclaimed self-help guru. Things are looking up especially when she meets her surfer-dude next door neighbor … that is until things start to go downhill, and fast!
Instagramming is not all it’s cracked up to be and self-proclaimed self-help gurus are not all that much into self-help except maybe for themselves.
You’ll want to find out how and if Bree gets her life back on track…. Happy reading!
Bree, our heroine, is a college drop-out, her live-in boyfriend of three years had just dumped her to go to South America to ‘find himself’. She is working a bottom of the rung job for a food delivery service - that is until her old beat-up Honda Civic dies.
She turns to Instagramming which gains her the attention of a self-proclaimed self-help guru. Things are looking up especially when she meets her surfer-dude next door neighbor … that is until things start to go downhill, and fast!
Instagramming is not all it’s cracked up to be and self-proclaimed self-help gurus are not all that much into self-help except maybe for themselves.
You’ll want to find out how and if Bree gets her life back on track…. Happy reading!
July 5, 2020
Bree, a 25 yo premed college drop out, is living beach side in San Diego, and delivering food for GrubGetter - just until she figures out what to do with her life. Well, that was four years ago.
Suddenly, life catches up, and her life spirals downward - losing her car - her only source of income, her boyfriend leaving her with all the bills, school loans left unpaid, and Bree scraping to pay rent.
Hitting rock bottom and desperate to make a change, she reads a self-help book on how to succeed, which lead to her opening an instagram account as an influencer. Fake it til you make it only got Bree so far - she soon realizes the real cost of free products, followers and filters.
I enjoyed Rockaway’s relevant and timely social media trope, the stab at influencer culture, and Bree’s character as she learns the importance of adulting, responsibility, friendship, family and love.
I recommend this fun summer read.
Suddenly, life catches up, and her life spirals downward - losing her car - her only source of income, her boyfriend leaving her with all the bills, school loans left unpaid, and Bree scraping to pay rent.
Hitting rock bottom and desperate to make a change, she reads a self-help book on how to succeed, which lead to her opening an instagram account as an influencer. Fake it til you make it only got Bree so far - she soon realizes the real cost of free products, followers and filters.
I enjoyed Rockaway’s relevant and timely social media trope, the stab at influencer culture, and Bree’s character as she learns the importance of adulting, responsibility, friendship, family and love.
I recommend this fun summer read.
June 26, 2020
I know there are quite a few books out right now featuring social media influencers in some manner but I really liked the spin the author put on that trendy theme. Bree isn’t an established influencer by any means, she has an Instagram account but she rarely uses it until she decides to use it as her own personal vision board. Before she can get very far in her plan to visualize herself into a better life she stumbles into becoming a nano influencer and becomes super caught up into crafting a well maintained, if inauthentic online presence. It was a funny and all too relatable look at how SM impacts our lives and I couldn’t not like Bree even if she seemed a little too helpless at times.
Bree’s relationship with her sister plays a big role in the story and I always enjoy reading about the dynamics of a sister relationship. Trey was a swoon worthy hero for the most part though he did irritate me a little towards the end. The best part for me was seeing Bree push herself outside of her comfort zone and try and take action in her own life. Fake it until you make it is a saying for a reason and watching her take risks and try and better herself was uplifting. Definitely recommended as a fun, breezy summer read!
Bree’s relationship with her sister plays a big role in the story and I always enjoy reading about the dynamics of a sister relationship. Trey was a swoon worthy hero for the most part though he did irritate me a little towards the end. The best part for me was seeing Bree push herself outside of her comfort zone and try and take action in her own life. Fake it until you make it is a saying for a reason and watching her take risks and try and better herself was uplifting. Definitely recommended as a fun, breezy summer read!
July 28, 2020
Have you, or would you ever, fake it to make it? Bree is stuck. She’s 25, has zero ambitions, no education, things are steadily falling apart around her, and she needs to make money fast.
So why not start an Instagram account and make money being an influencer?
Because It’s SO EASY RIGHT?!
But when her account gets boosted by a self-help guru, she may just be faking it straight to internet stardom!
Bree however, starts to make some serious bad decisions, and she realizes that Insta filter is not going to solve her problems.
This one had me laughing and cringing at the same time, was a totally relatable and entertaining story, and a great reminder that real life is much better unfiltered.
Another fun one from Kristin Rockaway!
So why not start an Instagram account and make money being an influencer?
Because It’s SO EASY RIGHT?!
But when her account gets boosted by a self-help guru, she may just be faking it straight to internet stardom!
Bree however, starts to make some serious bad decisions, and she realizes that Insta filter is not going to solve her problems.
This one had me laughing and cringing at the same time, was a totally relatable and entertaining story, and a great reminder that real life is much better unfiltered.
Another fun one from Kristin Rockaway!
May 19, 2021
Even though I have read (and enjoyed) a book by this author before, I was surprised with just how much I liked this novel.
This is a book that along with being fun and humorous, captures the truly negative aspects of social media and the harm that comparison can cause through falsehoods that people create. Even though there were some moments that were dramatized for entertainment, I could easily see some of the situations in this novel happening in real life.
This was a really enjoyable read but one that comes with a little bit of discomfort because it makes you question the impact and influence social media has on all of us.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
This is a book that along with being fun and humorous, captures the truly negative aspects of social media and the harm that comparison can cause through falsehoods that people create. Even though there were some moments that were dramatized for entertainment, I could easily see some of the situations in this novel happening in real life.
This was a really enjoyable read but one that comes with a little bit of discomfort because it makes you question the impact and influence social media has on all of us.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
June 29, 2020
I felt this book was relevant to today's world of social media. With influencing, followers, likes, hashtags! The need to make your life look perfect to everyone else, but behind closed doors, it's not what it really seems. People who try to impress through their social media posts. You know those kind of people, we all do. That is a huge thing happening in today's society! That part was so relatable! I also enjoyed her relationship with her sister. Some of the things that Bree did, annoyed me at times, but as the story went on, I did start to really like her. I felt the romance aspect of the book was not too much, although we do see her relationship with Trey grow, we are shown more about Brees growth as a person, and finding her happiness.
August 9, 2020
I thought this was a really cute read. I loved the relationship between Bree and her sister Natasha. No matter what was going on, they always had each other's backs. I loved how this book made fun of the overabundance of "self-help" gimmicks out there, really giving you no real advice but simply taking your money for this and that to "help" you on your journey. I loved as well that it poked fun of all the perfect Instagrams and the lengths people will go to in order to come off as well liked and perfect. I loved how Natasha and Bree, while learning a few good tips here and there, understood that real change in their lives came from their own dreams and work and not from some magical solution. The relationship between Bree and Trey was a fun add on to this delightful summer read.
July 4, 2020
3.5 stars
Twenty-five year old Bree Bozeman is living paycheck to paycheck, deep in college debt that she has dropped out of and living at a not so legal (but cheap!) apartment. She really needs direction and to get her life together, but she has no idea what that is. She's a mess. With the help of her older sister, Natasha, and lifestyle guru, Demi DiPalma, Bree decides to become an Instagram influencer @breebythesea where she can "fake it til she makes it."
There was a light romance in this story, with pro surfer, Trey, but this is more of a growth story/coming into her own. Bree needs to figure her life out and stop depending on her sister. I don't know what she would have done without Natasha and her Uber skills. I would have liked to see more of the romance between Trey and Bree, because I really didn't feel the chemistry. In truth, Bree annoyed me a little. I felt like I was reading about a teenager and not a women in her mid twenties. It's still a cute story that is comical at times with the situations Bree finds herself in.
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and the author for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Twenty-five year old Bree Bozeman is living paycheck to paycheck, deep in college debt that she has dropped out of and living at a not so legal (but cheap!) apartment. She really needs direction and to get her life together, but she has no idea what that is. She's a mess. With the help of her older sister, Natasha, and lifestyle guru, Demi DiPalma, Bree decides to become an Instagram influencer @breebythesea where she can "fake it til she makes it."
There was a light romance in this story, with pro surfer, Trey, but this is more of a growth story/coming into her own. Bree needs to figure her life out and stop depending on her sister. I don't know what she would have done without Natasha and her Uber skills. I would have liked to see more of the romance between Trey and Bree, because I really didn't feel the chemistry. In truth, Bree annoyed me a little. I felt like I was reading about a teenager and not a women in her mid twenties. It's still a cute story that is comical at times with the situations Bree finds herself in.
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and the author for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 8, 2020
Uplifting, spirited, and sweet!
She’s Faking It is a breezy, humorous rom-com that takes us into the life of Bree Bozeman as she meanders through all sorts of highs and lows, from struggling to make ends meet, losing her job, becoming an Instagram influencer, an unexpected visit from her selfish ex, and a blossoming new romance.
The writing style is light and witty. The characters are aimless, quirky, and endearing. And the plot is a charmingly amusing tale full of life, love, tricky situations, tender moments, humorous mishaps, self-discovery, family, friendship, happiness, and the relationship dynamics between sisters.
Overall, She’s Faking It is a clever, funny, optimistic tale by Rockaway that highlights just how impactful social media is on our everyday lives, and reminds of the importance of taking chances and embracing whatever comes next.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
She’s Faking It is a breezy, humorous rom-com that takes us into the life of Bree Bozeman as she meanders through all sorts of highs and lows, from struggling to make ends meet, losing her job, becoming an Instagram influencer, an unexpected visit from her selfish ex, and a blossoming new romance.
The writing style is light and witty. The characters are aimless, quirky, and endearing. And the plot is a charmingly amusing tale full of life, love, tricky situations, tender moments, humorous mishaps, self-discovery, family, friendship, happiness, and the relationship dynamics between sisters.
Overall, She’s Faking It is a clever, funny, optimistic tale by Rockaway that highlights just how impactful social media is on our everyday lives, and reminds of the importance of taking chances and embracing whatever comes next.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2020
I feel like social media influencing is a big topic these days, but Kristin Rockaway told this story in an interesting way.
This was a really good story overall. I liked the connection that Bree had with her sister and her best friend. And, of course, Trey was a nice enhancement. The descriptions brought everything to life but didn't take away from the narrative. I could relate to Bree's fear of the ocean. This novel reminded me of Stuck in Downward Dog by Chantel Guertin, but for the social media era. Mainly because Bree was trying so hard to get her life together and trying to keep up with her sister and best friend who seem like they've already found their purpose. Demi and her tribe made me think of the women's empowerment convention on Shrill. There was one point in the book where Bree is motivated to clean out her junk drawer. As soon as I read that part, I cleaned out the junk drawer in our kitchen!
Something I found amusing was the names of Natasha's husband and daughter, Al and Izzy. My kids and I talk about these LeapFrog phonics books where two of the characters have those names.
My only concern was that I felt like Bree had it easy at times with her sister always helping out. I appreciate a struggle more when the main character does everything for herself without anyone else's help, especially when the person helping is wealthy. This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story, but it made me jealous on behalf of people who don't have that advantage.
I really enjoyed this novel and have been recommending it to anyone who wants something light and fun to read. Kristin needs to write a novel about Mari next and title it with the name of her YouTube series. I would be all over that!
Movie casting ideas:
Bree: Haley Lu Richardson
Natasha: Annie Murphy
Trey: Brenton Thwaites
Mari: Andrea Londo
Rob: Jake Cannavale
Demi: Ali Larter
This was a really good story overall. I liked the connection that Bree had with her sister and her best friend. And, of course, Trey was a nice enhancement. The descriptions brought everything to life but didn't take away from the narrative. I could relate to Bree's fear of the ocean. This novel reminded me of Stuck in Downward Dog by Chantel Guertin, but for the social media era. Mainly because Bree was trying so hard to get her life together and trying to keep up with her sister and best friend who seem like they've already found their purpose. Demi and her tribe made me think of the women's empowerment convention on Shrill. There was one point in the book where Bree is motivated to clean out her junk drawer. As soon as I read that part, I cleaned out the junk drawer in our kitchen!
Something I found amusing was the names of Natasha's husband and daughter, Al and Izzy. My kids and I talk about these LeapFrog phonics books where two of the characters have those names.
My only concern was that I felt like Bree had it easy at times with her sister always helping out. I appreciate a struggle more when the main character does everything for herself without anyone else's help, especially when the person helping is wealthy. This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story, but it made me jealous on behalf of people who don't have that advantage.
I really enjoyed this novel and have been recommending it to anyone who wants something light and fun to read. Kristin needs to write a novel about Mari next and title it with the name of her YouTube series. I would be all over that!
Movie casting ideas:
Bree: Haley Lu Richardson
Natasha: Annie Murphy
Trey: Brenton Thwaites
Mari: Andrea Londo
Rob: Jake Cannavale
Demi: Ali Larter
August 23, 2020
4.25 Stars / 1 Steam Fans
She's Faking It is a story about a woman trying to find her place in the world. In a world where social media is the new way to prove yourself, Bree finds ways to improve herself, possibly. Throughout Bree's journey, she finds that things are not always what they appear. There were moments during the beginning of the book that I found Bree to be annoying, privileged, and unrelatable; however, I am happy that I finished the book to see the entire journey.
Video review available in Week 31: Jul 26 – Aug 1 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
She's Faking It is a story about a woman trying to find her place in the world. In a world where social media is the new way to prove yourself, Bree finds ways to improve herself, possibly. Throughout Bree's journey, she finds that things are not always what they appear. There were moments during the beginning of the book that I found Bree to be annoying, privileged, and unrelatable; however, I am happy that I finished the book to see the entire journey.
Video review available in Week 31: Jul 26 – Aug 1 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 1, 2021DNF @25%
2020; Graydon House/HQN/HarperCollins
I enjoyed How to Hack a Heartbreak as I found the online dating storyline interesting and a bit different. In She's Faking It, Rockaway looks at Instagram and influencers. As a bookstagrammer (very small time) I was into the idea. I picked up this book a few times and then gave up as I did not feel any investment in Bree and her journey. I am pretty picky on romance books (well, most genres) and can be a bit of a moody reader.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2020; Graydon House/HQN/HarperCollins
I enjoyed How to Hack a Heartbreak as I found the online dating storyline interesting and a bit different. In She's Faking It, Rockaway looks at Instagram and influencers. As a bookstagrammer (very small time) I was into the idea. I picked up this book a few times and then gave up as I did not feel any investment in Bree and her journey. I am pretty picky on romance books (well, most genres) and can be a bit of a moody reader.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
July 6, 2020
Thank you to Kristin Rockaway, Harlequin Books & NetGalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I read this as a participant of the Harlequin Books 2020 Summer Reads Blog Tour.
I read Kristin Rockaway’s How to Hack a Heartbreak last summer and I absolutely adored it. Kristin Rockaway is becoming an auto-buy/request author for me! Her writing is spectacular in She’s Faking It! If you’re looking for a quick, fun summer read, definitely pick this one up.
Bree, a 25-year old college drop out, is completely over delivering food to people’s houses through a service called GrubGetter. After a run in with an old professor who made her feel insecure in her choices in life, Bree decides it’s time for a change. Bree decides that she is going to become an influencer on social media to make a living after reading a book about “faking it until she makes it”. She finds out that faking it is unfortunately not that easy.
This story is a testament to today’s society. It’s about how the world sees people on Instagram with the Photoshopped backgrounds and beautiful scenery. It shows that even though things online might be happy and cheery on their page, you have zero idea what their life is truly like behind the pictures. Kristin Rockaway did such a fantastic job writing this because I was able to relate to it so much with how technologically the world is running today.
Next, I loved the fact that this was a very feel-good story. It was motivational, watching this woman try to turn her life around after going through what she did with dropping out of school. It really is like that nowadays where there’s the question of what you’re going to do with your life if you don’t have a direction or degree. I love that Kristin Rockaway turned this into a “you can do whatever you want” story instead of making it seem like people can’t make it unless they have some sort of certification or degree. I especially loved the sisterly bond in this story. Sisters fight and sometimes have a hard time with relationships, but at the end of the day, there’s a protective feeling that I was able to share with Bree and Natasha. It was easy to see the love that they shared.
Finally, I loved the fact that this was a romance novel, but it didn’t take over the entire story. This was more of a feel-good/fiction/self-help story over being a romance. I am a romance fanatic, but I loved that it wasn’t overbearing and didn’t take away from the original message.
Overall, I will always pick up a Kristin Rockaway novel. Her stories are fantastic and her writing is impeccable. I’m always able to relate and her characters are always developed in the best kind of way. Definitely pick this one up this summer! Put it next on your TBR!
I read Kristin Rockaway’s How to Hack a Heartbreak last summer and I absolutely adored it. Kristin Rockaway is becoming an auto-buy/request author for me! Her writing is spectacular in She’s Faking It! If you’re looking for a quick, fun summer read, definitely pick this one up.
Bree, a 25-year old college drop out, is completely over delivering food to people’s houses through a service called GrubGetter. After a run in with an old professor who made her feel insecure in her choices in life, Bree decides it’s time for a change. Bree decides that she is going to become an influencer on social media to make a living after reading a book about “faking it until she makes it”. She finds out that faking it is unfortunately not that easy.
This story is a testament to today’s society. It’s about how the world sees people on Instagram with the Photoshopped backgrounds and beautiful scenery. It shows that even though things online might be happy and cheery on their page, you have zero idea what their life is truly like behind the pictures. Kristin Rockaway did such a fantastic job writing this because I was able to relate to it so much with how technologically the world is running today.
Next, I loved the fact that this was a very feel-good story. It was motivational, watching this woman try to turn her life around after going through what she did with dropping out of school. It really is like that nowadays where there’s the question of what you’re going to do with your life if you don’t have a direction or degree. I love that Kristin Rockaway turned this into a “you can do whatever you want” story instead of making it seem like people can’t make it unless they have some sort of certification or degree. I especially loved the sisterly bond in this story. Sisters fight and sometimes have a hard time with relationships, but at the end of the day, there’s a protective feeling that I was able to share with Bree and Natasha. It was easy to see the love that they shared.
Finally, I loved the fact that this was a romance novel, but it didn’t take over the entire story. This was more of a feel-good/fiction/self-help story over being a romance. I am a romance fanatic, but I loved that it wasn’t overbearing and didn’t take away from the original message.
Overall, I will always pick up a Kristin Rockaway novel. Her stories are fantastic and her writing is impeccable. I’m always able to relate and her characters are always developed in the best kind of way. Definitely pick this one up this summer! Put it next on your TBR!
July 6, 2020
I contributed this review to Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Harlequin for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
I really enjoyed this one. I loved How To Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway & I've been looking forward to this one! Instantly. I connected with the main character, Bree. She's going through a huge transition in her life. She hasn't made the best decisions this far & finds herself at a dead-end job with no car & the future is unknown.
I love the relationship Bree has with her older sister, Natasha. They communicate effectively & are open & honest with one another. Natasha has Bree's back through it all. I wish I had a sister relationship like this.
At Natasha's urging, Bree attempts to manifest her future. She does this through an Instagram account. Hitting up hashtags, sunsets, locations, beach shots & more she becomes a small scale influencer.
Throughout the story, we see Bree try to succeed. She's trying to figure out her life's path. I find it so easy to root for Bree because she's honest about her missteps. For me, this is a novel about second chances, finding your purpose & the bond of family.
While there is a hint of romance to the story, the romance is a very small piece. I just devoured this book in less than 24 hrs. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Harlequin for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
I really enjoyed this one. I loved How To Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway & I've been looking forward to this one! Instantly. I connected with the main character, Bree. She's going through a huge transition in her life. She hasn't made the best decisions this far & finds herself at a dead-end job with no car & the future is unknown.
I love the relationship Bree has with her older sister, Natasha. They communicate effectively & are open & honest with one another. Natasha has Bree's back through it all. I wish I had a sister relationship like this.
At Natasha's urging, Bree attempts to manifest her future. She does this through an Instagram account. Hitting up hashtags, sunsets, locations, beach shots & more she becomes a small scale influencer.
Throughout the story, we see Bree try to succeed. She's trying to figure out her life's path. I find it so easy to root for Bree because she's honest about her missteps. For me, this is a novel about second chances, finding your purpose & the bond of family.
While there is a hint of romance to the story, the romance is a very small piece. I just devoured this book in less than 24 hrs. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you for the opportunity to be an early reader.
July 7, 2020
Bree Bozeman is struggling. She lives in a disgusting, not-quite-legit apartment over a stranger’s garage, which only reminds her of the loser ex-boyfriend who recently left her. Her car just died, which means she also just lost her job as a food delivery person. She has no money and no idea how she’s going to make her next rent payment.
Her uber-organized and successful sister is quickly losing patience with Bree, so she finally recommends Bree look into the teachings of popular self-help guru, Demi DiPalma, a mega-influencer on Instagram. Bree thinks Demi’s empty platitudes are a joke, but since she’s at rock bottom, she doesn’t have much to lose. She starts voicing her goals and intentions to the universe while repeating affirmations to herself…and, surprisingly, her life starts improving. She gets a new job, creates her own successful Instagram account, and even begins a new relationship.
Things are looking up for a while…until they all go to pieces again. Bree hits a few obstacles with her Instagram account, forgets to pay a few student loan bills, and fumbles some tricky conversations with her new man. Suddenly everything isn’t looking so rosy anymore. Her newfound mantras may not be enough to get Bree through this next wave of troubles, so she will have to dig deep to find the strength necessary to get her life back on track.
MY THOUGHTS
Good grief, that was a long synopsis. But Bree has A LOT of ups and downs in her circumstances and relationships, and the book makes space for all of them to fully play out. Despite Bree’s multifaceted train wreck of a life, I still assumed the main focus would be on her romantic relationship with Trey, the hot and famous surfer next door. But it wasn’t! And I was so happy for that. Instead, the most meaningful relationship in this book is Bree’s relationship with herself. Her relationship with her sister is a close second. It was a joy to watch Bree figure out what she wants in life and then to actually get it done. Seeing her apartment go from being a hoard-fest pit to a decluttered and organized peaceful home made my heart go pitter patter. It was just so easy to root for Bree, and I really loved the kinda crazy and entertaining ending. She’s Faking It is such a fun and surprisingly thoughtful summer read.
Thank you Net Galley and Graydon House for the ARC! See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com.
Her uber-organized and successful sister is quickly losing patience with Bree, so she finally recommends Bree look into the teachings of popular self-help guru, Demi DiPalma, a mega-influencer on Instagram. Bree thinks Demi’s empty platitudes are a joke, but since she’s at rock bottom, she doesn’t have much to lose. She starts voicing her goals and intentions to the universe while repeating affirmations to herself…and, surprisingly, her life starts improving. She gets a new job, creates her own successful Instagram account, and even begins a new relationship.
Things are looking up for a while…until they all go to pieces again. Bree hits a few obstacles with her Instagram account, forgets to pay a few student loan bills, and fumbles some tricky conversations with her new man. Suddenly everything isn’t looking so rosy anymore. Her newfound mantras may not be enough to get Bree through this next wave of troubles, so she will have to dig deep to find the strength necessary to get her life back on track.
MY THOUGHTS
Good grief, that was a long synopsis. But Bree has A LOT of ups and downs in her circumstances and relationships, and the book makes space for all of them to fully play out. Despite Bree’s multifaceted train wreck of a life, I still assumed the main focus would be on her romantic relationship with Trey, the hot and famous surfer next door. But it wasn’t! And I was so happy for that. Instead, the most meaningful relationship in this book is Bree’s relationship with herself. Her relationship with her sister is a close second. It was a joy to watch Bree figure out what she wants in life and then to actually get it done. Seeing her apartment go from being a hoard-fest pit to a decluttered and organized peaceful home made my heart go pitter patter. It was just so easy to root for Bree, and I really loved the kinda crazy and entertaining ending. She’s Faking It is such a fun and surprisingly thoughtful summer read.
Thank you Net Galley and Graydon House for the ARC! See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com.
July 31, 2020
I went in to this book a little skeptical about the plot, but was pleasantly surprised with how the story moved along. Bree is down on her luck and trying to find a way to make ends meet when she is given a book by her sister written by a self-help star. After reading it, she decides to take the advice and run with it. Trey Cantu is a surfer with a past that he is hiding from. These two decide to see where their attraction leads, but things get mixed up and there are misunderstandings. The story was definitely out there, but I enjoyed the characters. The story left much too open for my liking. All in all it was enjoyable read.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
April 11, 2020
Bree's life hasn't exactly panned out the way she wanted it to.
She's working as a food delivery driver, her car is falling apart, she hasn't really moved on since her relationship ended seven months ago, and she's fairly sure that the apartment she rents is being let illegally. When she stumbles upon the beautiful feed of Instagram Super Influencer Demi DiPalma, Bree wonders if she too could manifest her dreams to become an insta-worthy reality.
I LOVED this. It was set in a beach community in San Diego and I could almost feel the sun on my face while I read it. I adore a book with a sister relationship in it, and I thought the dynamic between Bree and her sister Natasha was really well written. I enjoyed all the supporting characters very much, from the outspoken YouTube comic Mari to the former Pro Surfer Trey.
It looks at the reality behind the glossy Insta filters, and discusses things like wellness trends, influencers flogging retreats, sponcon and buying followers in a smart, engaging fun way.
I loved this.
Full review to appear on behindgreeneyes.com as part of the blog tour closer to the publication date, with thanks to the publisher.
She's working as a food delivery driver, her car is falling apart, she hasn't really moved on since her relationship ended seven months ago, and she's fairly sure that the apartment she rents is being let illegally. When she stumbles upon the beautiful feed of Instagram Super Influencer Demi DiPalma, Bree wonders if she too could manifest her dreams to become an insta-worthy reality.
I LOVED this. It was set in a beach community in San Diego and I could almost feel the sun on my face while I read it. I adore a book with a sister relationship in it, and I thought the dynamic between Bree and her sister Natasha was really well written. I enjoyed all the supporting characters very much, from the outspoken YouTube comic Mari to the former Pro Surfer Trey.
It looks at the reality behind the glossy Insta filters, and discusses things like wellness trends, influencers flogging retreats, sponcon and buying followers in a smart, engaging fun way.
I loved this.
Full review to appear on behindgreeneyes.com as part of the blog tour closer to the publication date, with thanks to the publisher.
July 7, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up.
This was a fun read! I wasn't expecting much, but I was drawn in by the cover. Honestly I was worried it was going to be a cringy romance with graphic sex scenes but instead we got a kind of "coming of age" story with a little bit of romance.
Bree is in her 20s but has some growing up to do. Bree works hard but she sells herself short and can barely make ends meet. What ensues is a headlong journey through the fake-it-till-you-make-it world of Instagram. Fake pictures, fake wealth, fake collabs, fake lifestyles, fake happiness and completely fake life.
A funny and honest look at something almost all of us spend hours of time scrolling through - Instagram and a sweet story of Bree's rise and fall through it all.
This was a fun read! I wasn't expecting much, but I was drawn in by the cover. Honestly I was worried it was going to be a cringy romance with graphic sex scenes but instead we got a kind of "coming of age" story with a little bit of romance.
Bree is in her 20s but has some growing up to do. Bree works hard but she sells herself short and can barely make ends meet. What ensues is a headlong journey through the fake-it-till-you-make-it world of Instagram. Fake pictures, fake wealth, fake collabs, fake lifestyles, fake happiness and completely fake life.
A funny and honest look at something almost all of us spend hours of time scrolling through - Instagram and a sweet story of Bree's rise and fall through it all.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
October 27, 2020
Engaging, funny and it helped combat my slump! I wanted to kick Bree about a thousand times and also snoozed at Trey and his boring self, but overall it was a solid read. Not great, but engaging.
Full review to maybe come.
Full review to maybe come.
July 4, 2020
Bree Bozeman is, to put it bluntly, a flake. A college dropout who’s scraping by in the gig economy, making food deliveries in a junk old car and living in an apartment that’s definitely not up to code, she has no plan and no direction… but what makes her different from a lot of twentysomethings is that she’s aware she has a problem. One which is brought into sharp focus when her car dies, leaving her jobless and desperate.
Bree’s sister Natasha comes to her rescue. Natasha’s a professional organiser and obviously doesn’t understand Bree at all, but she tries to help; giving her a self-help book by influencer Demi DiPalma to try and encourage Bree to find what she’s passionate about. Bree starts an Instagram trying to figure things out - posting images of what she wants her life to be like in an attempt to actualize it - and ends up becoming a ‘nano-influencer’. She soon realises the shallowness of it, though, shilling products she’d never spend money on just because they’re free. And then there’s the new man in her life, former pro surfer Trey, whose ex-girlfriend is not only a major Instagram influencer but used social media to trash his reputation.
This is, at its heart, a coming of age story, and one of the things I really liked about it was both Bree and Natasha finding their paths forward weren’t quite what they thought they’d be. There’s some subtle (and not so subtle) commentary about self-help gurus and influencers and how you really shouldn’t buy into the glossy images you see on social media, or put people you don’t know on any kind of pedestal. The romance is really something of a side plot to Bree’s own journey to figuring out who she is and what she wants. Trey’s already been through the process and they’re not really a match until Bree gets out the other side, so realistically he’s actually another source of conflict for Bree for much of the book. The author didn’t fall into the trap of making Bree use her desire to be with Trey as her reasons for change, which I really liked.
Overall, this is a nice and quite light-hearted read, with a bit of searing social commentary about the perils of lusting after a picture-perfect life and getting sucked into the heavily curated world of social media. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am happy to give it five stars.
HOWEVER. When I went to look up the link for this book, I discovered that the ebook is $9.99 on Amazon US and a completely bonkers $24.43 on Amazon AU. Do you WANT to sell ebooks? Because this is not how you sell ebooks. This is a great read, but don’t buy it at that price. Ask your library for it or something.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
Bree’s sister Natasha comes to her rescue. Natasha’s a professional organiser and obviously doesn’t understand Bree at all, but she tries to help; giving her a self-help book by influencer Demi DiPalma to try and encourage Bree to find what she’s passionate about. Bree starts an Instagram trying to figure things out - posting images of what she wants her life to be like in an attempt to actualize it - and ends up becoming a ‘nano-influencer’. She soon realises the shallowness of it, though, shilling products she’d never spend money on just because they’re free. And then there’s the new man in her life, former pro surfer Trey, whose ex-girlfriend is not only a major Instagram influencer but used social media to trash his reputation.
This is, at its heart, a coming of age story, and one of the things I really liked about it was both Bree and Natasha finding their paths forward weren’t quite what they thought they’d be. There’s some subtle (and not so subtle) commentary about self-help gurus and influencers and how you really shouldn’t buy into the glossy images you see on social media, or put people you don’t know on any kind of pedestal. The romance is really something of a side plot to Bree’s own journey to figuring out who she is and what she wants. Trey’s already been through the process and they’re not really a match until Bree gets out the other side, so realistically he’s actually another source of conflict for Bree for much of the book. The author didn’t fall into the trap of making Bree use her desire to be with Trey as her reasons for change, which I really liked.
Overall, this is a nice and quite light-hearted read, with a bit of searing social commentary about the perils of lusting after a picture-perfect life and getting sucked into the heavily curated world of social media. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am happy to give it five stars.
HOWEVER. When I went to look up the link for this book, I discovered that the ebook is $9.99 on Amazon US and a completely bonkers $24.43 on Amazon AU. Do you WANT to sell ebooks? Because this is not how you sell ebooks. This is a great read, but don’t buy it at that price. Ask your library for it or something.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
October 23, 2021
I LOVED THE HECK out of this story from page 1. Never have the details of being a broke GrubHub -- sorry, GrubGetter -- employee been so compelling. I've never done a delivery job, been to California, posted on Instagram (I only made an account to follow a select few actors), or had really anything in common with Bree, but she just leapt off the page. Her life, mediocre and frustrating though it may be, captured my attention immediately and never lost it. Can we be friends?
Her romance with Trey was fun, aside from the part where I had to yell "THIS IS WHY WE DON'T SLEEP WITH PEOPLE AFTER LIKE 4 DATES, BREE." I loved watching her stumble her way into sponsored posts, including the perils of accepting no-name cosmetics, and figure out how to market ugly products. I loved hearing about her messy apartment and financial panic as much as the relationship with her sister and her best friend. I don't even have words for the pure joy -- with some cathartic emotional stuff, of course -- that this story gave me every time I picked it up. If only someone had had a dog, it would have been perfect.
Side note: I personally have zero issue with Influencers and I very much enjoy looking at them and their pretty aesthetic when the mood strikes, so Moaning Mari and her far less appealing-sounding YouTube channel kind of got on my nerves (I'm with you, Andrea!), but I didn't mind Bree's inevitable conclusion that maybe the platform is Bad, Actually when it comes about in such a satisfying way.
I didn't mentally cast anyone for this book, at least on purpose, but my brain immediately decided that Demi DiPalma would be played by Demi Lovato, despite their notable lack of commonalities in appearance or personality, and Bree's sister by Anna Camp, specifically her upbeat-yet-also-uptight character in the Pitch Perfect movies.
Her romance with Trey was fun, aside from the part where I had to yell "THIS IS WHY WE DON'T SLEEP WITH PEOPLE AFTER LIKE 4 DATES, BREE." I loved watching her stumble her way into sponsored posts, including the perils of accepting no-name cosmetics, and figure out how to market ugly products. I loved hearing about her messy apartment and financial panic as much as the relationship with her sister and her best friend. I don't even have words for the pure joy -- with some cathartic emotional stuff, of course -- that this story gave me every time I picked it up. If only someone had had a dog, it would have been perfect.
Side note: I personally have zero issue with Influencers and I very much enjoy looking at them and their pretty aesthetic when the mood strikes, so Moaning Mari and her far less appealing-sounding YouTube channel kind of got on my nerves (I'm with you, Andrea!), but I didn't mind Bree's inevitable conclusion that maybe the platform is Bad, Actually when it comes about in such a satisfying way.
I didn't mentally cast anyone for this book, at least on purpose, but my brain immediately decided that Demi DiPalma would be played by Demi Lovato, despite their notable lack of commonalities in appearance or personality, and Bree's sister by Anna Camp, specifically her upbeat-yet-also-uptight character in the Pitch Perfect movies.
July 23, 2020
Another fun romcom from Kristin Rockaway! She's Faking It would make the perfect beach/summer read, it's on the lighter side of things and it made for a good palate cleanser after the heavier books I've been reading lately. I loved so many things about this book including but not limited to Bree's character, the theme of fake it until you make it, and all of the drama that ensues after she loses her GrubGetter job.
Once again I listened to the audio and this time the narrator was Soneela Nankani. She did a great job reading the book and she even sounded the way I would imagine Bree to sound. I listened to this one immediately after finishing How to Hack a Heartbreak: A Novel and it was fun to read both of her books one after the other even though they aren't related. I think Rockaway is such a talented writer and both of her books I've read made me feel both empowered and have given me all the feels. I didn't cry during this book either, but there is definitely a little bit of sadness in it. Mostly though it is just a nice, light read that had me laughing a lot.
I enjoyed She's Faking It and Rockaway's writing style so much, and I am now looking forward to reading her debut, The Wild Woman's Guide to Traveling the World. The themes were relatable as well as Bree, and it is filled with sass and feel-good vibes. If you love romcoms and haven't read this author yet you should!
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book! All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Once again I listened to the audio and this time the narrator was Soneela Nankani. She did a great job reading the book and she even sounded the way I would imagine Bree to sound. I listened to this one immediately after finishing How to Hack a Heartbreak: A Novel and it was fun to read both of her books one after the other even though they aren't related. I think Rockaway is such a talented writer and both of her books I've read made me feel both empowered and have given me all the feels. I didn't cry during this book either, but there is definitely a little bit of sadness in it. Mostly though it is just a nice, light read that had me laughing a lot.
I enjoyed She's Faking It and Rockaway's writing style so much, and I am now looking forward to reading her debut, The Wild Woman's Guide to Traveling the World. The themes were relatable as well as Bree, and it is filled with sass and feel-good vibes. If you love romcoms and haven't read this author yet you should!
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book! All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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