99% Faking It

Dating Dilemmas #2

by Chris Cannon

Lisa is a card-carrying, book-loving Gryffindor. Solid. And that’s why everyone knows she’s awesome. Well, except for her crush, Matt. He only ever sees her as a friend. Plus, he's got his eye on another girl. Oh well, plenty of fish and all that.

Good thing Lisa just read a book on the “wedding ring phenomenon”—you get more attention when you’re already taken. What if Lisa pretends to be Matt’s plus one? Maybe it’ll help Matt get his girl and Lisa can hook her own fish.

After the plan works, Matt suddenly claims he doesn’t like the view from the friend-zone and wants her instead… But she isn’t interested in being anyone’s second choice. If this guy wants to earn her attention, he’ll need more than some silly “phenomenon.”

He’ll need to go all out...

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Young Adult Romance

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2019

About the author

Chris Cannon is the award-winning author of the Mysteries of Mystic Hills series, Going Down In Flames series, the Crossroads Chronicles, the Boyfriend Chronicles, and the Dating Dilemma series. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts.
She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sipping caffeine and writing paranormal adventures. You can find her online at www.chriscannonauthor.com.

Reviews

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Overachiever: Let me get this straight. You want to fake date me.

Man Candy Matt: Uh huh.

Miss Overachiever: But you know that I have a crush on you. [Damn it! He won’t notice that Freudian slip, will he?]

Man Candy Matt: Have?

Miss Overachiever: [Damn it!] Had! I had a crush on you.

Man Candy Matt: So, fake date me? Then the girl I have a crush on who’s perfectly happy with her perfect boyfriend will get jealous and decide she wants me instead.

Miss Overachiever: What’s in it for me?

Man Candy Matt: Well, you like Mr Cool Hair. Maybe he’ll pay attention to you if you’re with me, the boy with hair that’s not as cool.

Miss Overachiever: Hmm … You make an interesting argument. I’ve already tried to get him to notice me by wearing more makeup, even though when he originally noticed me I was hardly wearing any at all, but —

Man Candy Matt: See? So is it a deal? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?!

Book Buddy Nina (who already did her own whole boy drama thing in The Dating Debate): So … Books?

Miss Overachiever: Books!

Book Buddy Nina and Miss Overachiever wander off to go find some new book boyfriends.

Man Candy Matt: Um, hello?

We first tagged along with Miss Overachiever and Book Buddy Nina to Friday night Nerd-Girl Festivities in The Dating Debate. That was my 💔 Achy Breaky Heart 💔 read last year and here I am again, likely torturing poor Chris Cannon (sorry, Chris!) by choosing another one of her books for this year’s foray into the smoochie side of life. Oops, it appears that I’m accidentally following a romance novel series! 😯

Before I go any further, let me just say … CANNON CONSPIRACY CONFIRMED!!!

Whatever am I talking about? Allow me to take you on a journey to a time when I first became suspicious that Chris was plotting a sinister scheme to convert me, a 100% committed romantiphobe, to … wait for it … a romance novel reader! I submit to you:

I had so many food cravings while reading 99% Faking It but the ones that specifically support my conspiracy theory are:

Pizza
🍕 Sausage and pepperoni thick crust with extra cheese
🍕 Meatball
🍕 More pepperoni
🍕 More meatball
🍕 More meatball
🍕 Sausage and mushroom
🍕 More sausage and mushroom
🍕 More meatball
🍕 Bacon and pepperoni
🍕 Cheese

Lasagne
🤤 Vegetarian

Chocolate
🍫 Brownie sundae with whipped cream and chocolate sauce
🍫 Chocolate frogs (mentioned but not eaten)
🍫 More brownies
🍫 Hot cocoa with marshmallows (yes, that counts!)
🍫 Do Oreos count? What am I saying?! Of course they do. Countless Oreos graced the pages!

And let’s not forget this brilliance:

“Our family motto is, Chocolate might not fix everything but it’s a good start.”

My verdict? Conspiracy confirmed! Case closed! Well played, Chris, well played. 🏆

I really enjoyed this book. I smiled my way through the banter and fandom talk and the only thing I craved as much as the yummy delectables was an invitation to Friday night Nerd-Girl Festivities. I wanted to be friends with Book Buddy Nina and Miss Overachiever. I loved that Miss Overachiever is a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl who doesn’t waste time in front of a mirror when she could be reading instead. She’s smart and fluent in sarcasm and while she loves Harry Potter (who doesn’t?!), she’s a multi-fandom girl. There were times I wanted to tell her to wake up to herself when she got snappy at Man Candy Matt but she endeared herself to me so much that I could overlook most of them.

While I liked Man Candy Matt I didn’t feel I got to know him as well as I did Miss Overachiever. The standout minor character for me was Matt’s father and naturally I adored the dogs. I consider it borderline cheating for any author to include dogs in their book since I’m such a sucker for fur babies.

I can’t believe how invested I became in this couple. I got frustrated whenever Man Candy Matt and Miss Overachiever’s romantic stars didn’t align. Either I’m getting used to the way these things called ‘romance novels’ work or there was less that irritated me this time. Unlike previous romantic reads, I’m pretty sure the feeling of hitting my head against a brick wall each time I told the characters to “COM! MU! NI! CATE!” has only resulted in a mild concussion this time around.

Once Upon a Nitpick: This pet peeve isn’t specific to this book but it did show up a few times; boys/men declaring they will punch a boy/man who is upsetting a girl/woman. I used to think this was charming when I was a teenager but now a neon sign lights up in my brain screaming, “Toxic masculinity!” at me whenever I come across it.

Favourite sentence: “I love the smell of freshly baked carbs and coffee.” Mmm, me too!

Favourite sentence (it’s a tie; I couldn’t choose): “Best friends don’t let best friends date anti-Potter people.”

So, am I a romance novel enthusiast now? Hell, no! After three novels I’m definitely a converted Chris Cannon reader though, and if she just so happens to write romance novels then I guess I’m going to have to keep reading them. Sorry, Chris, but you’re stuck with me. 😊

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Crush, an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC, for the opportunity to read this book.

P.S. If you can’t wait until the release date to start this book you can read the first chapter here.

[Danielle's · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Chris Cannon’s writing style. She really knows how to suck you into the story with witty banter and loveable smart chicks.

Lisa is Matt’s nerdy best friend. He friend zoned her as soon as they started being besties. Now Lisa wants a boyfriend and a new guy is on the scene. He has caught her attention and Matt doesn’t like the idea of sharing his BFF. Matt is in denial. He’s in love with Lisa and doesn’t even realise it. After a discussion about the wedding ring affect Matt and Lisa decide to fake date. They already hang out all the time and their relationship should be the same. Their fake relationship is more complicated than the real one. What starts out as a friendly offer complicates everything. Even after a fake relationship, there is no going back.

I really liked the main characters in this book. It can be read as a standalone but I’ve read book one and it’s worth the read. 99% faking it is a little frustrating with a slow burn romance. Matt takes a long time to realise Lisa is his perfect match. This book has great Witt and a lot of geeky sass. 4 stars out of 5.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is second in a series and lots of events from the first are important and present in this one. Including the all-important friend-zoning. I definitely recommend reading these in order.

If you've read the first (read the first), then you know about what you're getting with this one. Chris Cannon has an excellent way with her characters, making them come alive. So what you know of Lisa and Matt from the previous story carries over very well. I particularly love this exploration of Matt struggling to get past having ignored Lisa while he was hung-up on a hopeless crush.

The story isn't a full win, as I think the back and forth went on a bit long. Also, the only real rival for Lisa's affection is obviously unsuited for her. I do appreciate that he is as honestly portrayed as any other Cannon character so there's no easy "he's a tool so don't go with him". But still, I think Lisa's dilemma got old.

So I'm giving this four stars, though I'll note that the banter is as good as I expected and the laugh-out-loud moments were fresh and fun.

Note on naming: I'm not sure why I had a hard time distinguishing "Jane" from "Lisa" as a name. You wouldn't think those would be similar, but every time they were anything like proximate, I had to double-check that I had the right character in mind. It was weird and I wonder if I'm the only one that happens to. It's one thing if you had a "Jane" and a "Jill" or "Joan" but struggling with "Lisa" was unexpected.

A note about Chaste: As usual for Cannon, there is nothing sexually explicit as these are teens with their first(ish) real relationships. The kissing is appropriate to age and circumstance and it's all very well-done.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

-‘Operation Fake Boyfriend is on’-

-‘The Theory of How Guys Are Idiots and Only Want What They Can’t Have.”’-...

I read some of the other reviews and kind of rolled my eyes. Yes, you could get stuck on gender roles and stereotypes and analyze it like a piece of literature but, let’s face it, this is written for typical teenagers who just want to read some realistic fluff and this is exactly what you’re going to get here. It’s your typical high school romance. Kids have crushes, fall in and out of like, and they have their happily ever after.

-‘“Maybe there’s another way this could go,” Nina said.
“Matt could realize you two are meant to be together. And we could have a lot of fun trying to push him in that direction.”
My brain felt fried from running through all the terrible ways this could explode in my face. “What do you mean?”
“There’s nothing to say you can’t continue trying new looks…maybe sexier looks…looks that will make him regret that what’s going on between you isn’t real.” ‘-

I found it to be completely realistic, light, fun, and a good read overall.
If you’re looking for something deep, go for the classics. There is some swearing but no sex so it reaches a broad audience, and it’s relatable. I got an early copy and these are my own thoughts. I’m not receiving any compensation and I’m not related to anyone connected to this book. It’s a fun, light read and I recommend it for teens or anyone who enjoys this style of book.

[Erica Chilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

3.5 Stars

Young Adult age-range: 12+ there is adult language.

As a big fan of Chris Cannon, and the young adult genre, I was super excited to get my hands on this novel. Perhaps it's my mood. I've been distracted, have a lot going on in life, and struggling to work. I wanted a nice, easy dose of escapism, but it just didn't work for me. I will chalk this up to my mood/reading mood/readers-block. I do believe young adult will swoon for 99% Faking It. As an adult who reads this genre, in the mindset I'm in, I wasn't as entertained as I could have been/hoped to be. This is no fault of the author or the story itself, and I'm sure young adults and those young at heart will swoon for the novel. There was an ethical, moral, and maturity issues I had a difficult time traversing as well.

The rating reflects the entertainment value and my enjoyment.

Lisa and Matt are considered good friends. Lisa has an unrequited crush on Matt, while he's infatuated with another girl. While I'm sucker for the premise of friends turned 'more than friend', it didn't feel as if Lisa and Matt were friends at all. They were more acquaintances, as they didn't know much about one another and Matt had an almost antagonistic way of speaking to Lisa, which was not friendly at all.

Matt and Lisa concoct a scheme to get Matt his girl. Lisa is hesitant at first, obviously fearing their friendship won't survive...

This is actually a PSA for the younger crowd reading the novel, maybe the adults too: the fake dating to gain the attention of your crush isn't one of my favorites. Simply because at my advanced age of 40, I have an opposing view on making someone jealous. Personally, I see it as the one trying to make someone else jealous is using the other person, while hammering home to his crush, "if you don't like me, someone else will", which I find abusive to be honest. Manipulative. If your crush did like you back, saw you with another girl, she'd assume you didn't want her and move on. She'd be hurt, not driven to gain your attention. If she were a moral person, she wouldn't want to butt into another's relationship (the fake one) If anything, it makes the person pitting two others against each other seem like he's a prize- he's not. No one is. Man-up and tell this person you like them, don't manipulate. So I don't understand this facet of the mating dance at all. It's unhealthy, but everyone seems to do it, no matter their age.

Don't get me started on the friend-zone. The friend-zone doesn't exist. You're either her friend, or you're in the 'friend-zone', pretending to be her friend. Which is also manipulative and skeevy. Either be her friend, or tell her you like her, and if she doesn't like you that way back, either remain her friend, or cut ties because you can't handle your own feelings.

As you can see, between the fake dating to make someone jealous, and how dare I be in the friend-zone construct, I had a difficult time enjoying a novel by an author, whose writing style is always a big hit with me. Mostly because if they are behaving like this as teenagers, I can't buy the romance angle or the longevity, because it's setting up the future of a string of broken relationships through life with this unhealthy mindset.

I apologize for the PSA, not truly reviewing the book. I just had to voice why I struggled. Yes, I took this too seriously. Again, it's the mood I'm in. I'm positive someone who is in a light and fun mood will find the novel evokes similar light moods. I'm positive young adults will eat this novel up with a spoon. But my jaded adult mind saw things from a different perspective- a parental one -and this took the enjoyment away from me, and that's on me, not a dig against the author or the novel itself.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars. I didn’t read the first one.
I wasn’t a fan of this book. The relationship seemed unhealthy and too much drama for me. It didn’t come across that they were good friends. They had never been to each others' houses or knew what kind of pizza the other liked, etc. There was an overuse of wanting to punch someone in the face and an absentee father randomly thrown in.
There was also a moderate amount of mild language, no sex (although the mom mentions to not be pressured, wear a condom when ready, healthy part of an adult relationship, it would be best to wait until college, etc), the mom also talks about her boyfriend moving in when her daughter moves away to college because she doesn’t believe in marriage anymore. She honestly didn’t seem like a good therapist.
Thanks to NetGallery and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

If you would like to read a book about two good friends becoming a couple (that is a clean teen romance), I would recommend “Love, Life, and the List” by Kasie West. It you’d like a good clean teen romance about friends faking dating but then falling in love, I’d recommend “Don’t Forget Me” or “It Was Always You” both by Judy Corey.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely in love with this series! Chris Cannon's characters are so quirky and cute. You can't help but be pulled into their stories and fall in love with them. It was also nice to see characters from the first book included, and although this is a series, it can def be read as a stand alone. Matt and Lisa are probably my fave so far, I really like Matt although it took him time to figure out what he wanted, but I love that he gave Lisa that same opportunity. Matt is just not one to wear his heart on his sleeve and communicating how he feels but I think that's what pulls me into him. Plus Lisa and her BFF are big book nerds which I love even more LOL This is def one book you want on your reading list, especially when you just want a fresh read to relax to.

[Lissa Hawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book loving girl romance from Chris Cannon. I just love these. Dogs and Harry Potter references and sweet romance. What more could you want?

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited when I started reading this because duh? Fake dating? Totally my thing, but it was a such a boring book. At one point, I had made my mind to DNF it but I didn't want to ⬆️ books in my DNF shelf so I tortured myself and finished it anyway. One extra star because while Lisa & Matt were together doing couple-y things, it was really good. And also I relate to Nathan, because I am bookoholics, but yeah not crazy for bookish merchandise or hoarder.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Lisa and Matt have been friends forever. Firmly in the friend zone, Lisa has a crush on Matt, but knows nothing will never happen there. She wants a boyfriend, and Matt has his eye on another girl in school. Well, like all good fanfiction, Lisa thinks that if they pretend to be together, then they will cause the people they have an eye on - not each other - to get jealous, and start to see them as someone they want to date. This backfires, obviously, when Matt realises he's been in love with her all along, and doesn't want to just pretend, he actually wants to be with her. However, Lisa, rather than falling at his feet, decides no, she isn't going to be his second choice, leaving Matt to have to fight for her and prove he is sincere.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a quick read, and I was fully immersed until the last page. Yeah, there are a few cliches used in the book, but what contemporary these days doesn't employ tropes or cliches? Lisa was such a relatable character, someone who I enjoyed even in book 1, so was glad she was getting her own companion book. I seriously loved the fact that she made Matt work for her, and didn't just let him decide she was now worth it, so they may as well be together. Being in the friend zone had worked for her - it wasn't fun, but she could cope - and she wasn't going to let go of her morals or her self worth because Matt showed her more attention. I liked Matt too - he wasn't someone who felt like he was owed anything, and he really showed his true feelings in this book, rather than being insincere. All in all, this was an enjoyable contemporary read, and I look forward to more from Chris in future.

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Cannon just keeps getting better with each book! Every time I think I have a favorite, a new book comes out and takes its place.
I was so excited to read Matt was getting his own book. I had been a fan of his since he and Charlie first appeared in "Blackmail Boyfriend." Matt is the quite, shy type that just goes along with whatever until nerd-girl Lisa throws him in a tailspin.
I enjoyed this book so much. Not just because of all the Harry Potter references, but the world and characters that brought it to life.
While this book can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading "The Dating Debate" as it tells how Nina and West got together.

[Sarah Bittel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had me at the Harry Potter references and nerd-girl comments. Great, quick, YA romance. Friends who decide to fake a relationship to make others jealous but what stands out to make this different from a lot of other stories that follow that plot line were the great pop culture references and the development of the relationship from friends to maybe more. Super fun read! Thanks netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[N Swaffar · Rating 3 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆ 3.5 STARS ☆☆☆☆
**Copy provided by Tour Host, in exchange for an honest review**

99% Faking was an ok read. I am a lover of YA books and all the sweet moments, but this one lacked a lot of those. There were a few sweet scenes here and there, but it was mostly confusion of teenage dating. I like Lisa for her love of books and anything Harry Potter. It reminded me a little of my book nerd side. Harry Potter merchandise makes me ga-ga. lol. But Lisa had some downside that I didn’t enjoy. She lacked self confidence, trust and self worth. She had to make things happen or do certain things just to make herself feel better or feel worth it. I guess that is the result of her sperm donor, which I understand…But Lisa went through this throughout the whole book, she was never sure of herself and her feelings. I do love Matt. Yes, as a teenage boy, he needed some time to know exactly how he felt, but as soon as he figured out what/who he wanted he stayed on track to make things happen. He was Lisa’s rock, even if it took her a while to realize it. All in all it was an ok read.

[Inga Lady Of Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Note. 99% Faking It (Dating Dilemmas Book 2) by Chris Cannon was kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. So I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the usual Entangled: Crush book that you would expect - a sweet and innocent YA romance, a cozy and light read to brighten your day, a cute and entertaining story that will make you smile at the end of the book and in-between the pages of it. Just a pretty prefect, quick and light YA romance read.

I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the writing style and the make you feel good vibe. I liked 99% Faking It, however, there were a few stereotypical female vs. male issues, also, it could have been a bit more snarkier and funnier, and the characters - just a tad bit more mature, but overall, I was entertained, so 3.5 stars.

I recommend to everyone who loves Entangled Teen books because this is a good one, as I would expect from them. I recommend it to romance readers, who are looking for something sweet, cute and quick to read.

Full review to come on my blog > journeyinbookland.wordpress.com

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

99% faking it by Chris Cannon a five-star read that you wont need to fake enjoying. This is the second novel in the Dating Dilemma series, but they can be read as stand-alone as I read this one first not realising it was a series, I will be going back to check the first one out. I loved Lisa through the whole story, I loved her in all her nerd girl awesomeness. Matt, I struggled with at times, but in the end, I realised he is a dog lover so he can’t be all that bad, and you just know once he grows up a little, he will see what’s really important. Throw in some amazing secondary characters including one with amazing hair and a couple addicted to minty’s and some teenage drama and you have a great story.

[J.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable, cute read

Thank you for a another amazing read chris cannon I found this one very enjoyable to read. Chris books are adorable funny and cute. Good entertainment for mums who looking for a quick read during house work breaks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Catherine Silva · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I made it through this book was because I thought the bad writing and bad dialogue was funny lol. I would bet my life that this book contains the most usage of the word Nerd and any variation of it, EVER!

[Candyce Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

99% Faking It is definitely my kind of book. I was hooked from the start! A main character who is a book lover and a major Harry Potter fan and you don't have to ask me twice to keep on reading! This book is a fast and easy read and I really enjoyed myself.This book is definitely predictable and even though I knew exactly how it was going to end, I flew through this book, because it's so well written! Best friends to lovers is definitely one of my favorite tropes to read about, so 99% Faking It definitely checked all the boxes.

Lisa has had a crush on her best friend Matt from the start, but she was friend-zoned from the start. She's pretty confident of the nerdy side of herself, but when it comes to relationships she wonders if she needs to be less nerdy. I loved when her mom told her that the guy should love her for who she is. Through the dating disasters, I think you really see her become more confident. Lisa becomes more comfortable with herself and it shows.

Matt loves hanging around with Lisa, but just doesn't see her more than a friend. Having a crush on someone else for quite awhile, he doesn't notice anyone else. That's why pretend dating his best friend seems like the perfect solution to him. It's clear that Matt does like to take the easy road in many cases and doesn't understand what his actions wil cause. I think Matt changed during this book as well, because he started thinking about what others were feeling and what it meant for him. He's sweet though.

As we all expect, pretending to date doesn't go smooth or the way they expected. I laughed a lot during these moments and loved reading how the dating and new feelings would play out. The romantic gestures in this book were really sweet. In this sense, Lisa annoyed me at times. When someone started fighting for her, she couldn't just accept it and actually got angry. That actually annoyed me, haha.

If you're looking for a fun contemporary with fun main characters, a good group of friends, tons of Harry Potter references and a few not so perfect dates, 99% Faking It is for you! I would have to say it's going to be the perfect summer read!

[Thamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say this wasn't cute.

Lisa is a nerd and not afraid to live her nerdness. She's been in love with Matt for some time now and for the same length she's been in the friendzone. It doesn't help that Matt is already into another girl, so she decides to focus on the new boy at school. That's when she accepts the plan to pretend to be with Matt and test whether people really pay more attention to what they can't have.

This is what you can expect from an Entangled Teens romance. It's a nice story, above an average YA but doesn't go beyond. I confess I like part of the formula and get these books exactly because I know well what to expect. But there are other times I'm not feeling like it.

One of the things I really don't appreciate and we have it again here is the dual point-of-view, being each chapter narrated from one of the two main characters. I don't think YA romance really needs to have two points of view so it gets a little bit spoiler-ish. I mean, of course we know the guy is gonna be with the girl in the end, but I think there's a thrill in wondering when he really starts liking her. I know a lot of readers like having two narrators but in this case I actually prefer to stick to the girl.

Talking about the characters, the big fail here is how they never really grow. Matt has a problem with bailing on things so he can never keep a girlfriend for more than a few weeks. But Lisa also has her issues and throughout the book since they start acting like sweethearts, they keep arguing about the same thing. Sounded real? Not sure, but it was definitely tiresome how to the last percent they were still arguing for the SAME thing. I wasn't a fan of Matt's father's advice either, kind of sexist. You kinda see why he is like that if that's the sane voice he listens to.

Aside from those complaints, this was a cute story. Just the romance I needed. And that's why I love these books, I know they'll do what I need them to.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

[Molly Jaber (Audiobooks And Sweet Tea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every now and then, I love to read a good young adult romance. A romance that is young, and innocent. So, I was browsing through Netgalley and saw this one, and fell in love with the synopsis and the cover (I mean, seriously. How adorable is that cover? I can just feel the hug he's giving her!). I grabbed it up. I'm super glad I did, too, because I have a new author to read more work by, and characters that have stolen my heart for the long haul.

I loved the way Chris Cannon chiseled these characters. They are true-to-life and came alive within the story. I felt more like I was watching a movie on the big screen than I was reading a book. Lisa and Matt reminded me a lot of some of the kids I used to know in high school. Lisa had a crush on a guy who just wanted to be friends.....or so she thought. Friend zone happened a lot back in my day at school!

Watching Lisa and Matt together in this read was super fun. They were witty and so cute. I loved watching them realize their feelings for each other, and their banter with each other was fun. The sparks flew but nothing was over the top, and Lisa and Matt would be great characters for any young adult (or adult!) to read.

Chris Cannon has a beautiful talent. The way she weaves the story together, even though it is the second in her Dating Dilemmas series, I wasn't overly confused by the happenings surrounding Lisa and Matt's story. I felt a part of these young people's lives and had so much fun reading it! I definitely recommend this book with 4 stars and am looking forward to reading book 1 and other books by this author.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“‘Maybe I could write a paper on it. The Theory of How Guys Are Idiots and Only Want What They Can’t Have’”*

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lisa is crazy about reading, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and Matt, the guy who friend-zoned her the second she showed interest in dating him. He didn’t see her as girlfriend material back then, because he was busy crushing on his sister’s best friend.

When Lisa catches the eye of the hip new guy at school, Matt starts to see his friend in a whole new light. He suggests that fake-dating might make them more appealing to their respective love interests. Instead, they discover that a relationship cemented with friendship can be stronger than a mere crush. Meanwhile, Matt’s trying to figure out his future and Lisa’s dealing with a painful relationship from her past.

One of my favorite romance tropes is the fake relationship. As the couple play acts, often genuine feelings develop.

The deep friendships make this book special. Of course, Matt and Lisa are friends, but Lisa leans heavily on her BFF Nina. Matt counts on his best friend West, who’s dating Nina. West and Nina’s story is told in book one of Cannon’s Dating Dilemma series.

99% FAKING IT is a fun Young Adult Contemporary Romance and a great addition to Entangled Crush line.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to experience this novel in advance of its release.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa is a quirky high school student who has been crushing on her best friend Matt however he doesn’t see her in that way. Knowing that she and Matt can never be more than friends she has decided it is time to move on and who better to do it with than Trey, the new boy in town, who has been paying her attention.

When Matt hears about the wedding ring phenomenon, which is a theory that people that are already in relationships are more attractive to others, he believes this is the perfect plan to go after the girl he wants, his sister’s best friend.

He convinces Lisa to pretend they are dating as it will not only help him get the girl he wants, but will help her with Trey as well. Spending time together as boyfriend/girlfriend starts to feel real but when Matt starts to see her as someone more than a friend will she give him a chance, or will she choose Trey?

This is a sweet young adult story about not realizing what is in front of you until it is almost too late.

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa and Matt have been really good friends since Matt completely friend-zoned Lisa two months ago. Now they have a deal to fake date for 3 weeks so that they could attract attention of their crushes. It seems though that their feelings may take a completely different direction. But it's not so easy to know what's real and what's pretended when you fake date. Will both Lisa and Matt see what they really mean to each other?
I know it's just a romance like many others but I always appreciate Chris Cannon's sense of humour and variety of plot twists. You know more less what will be end of the story but you can never guess how the characters will behave on the way to their perfect ever after.

[Auburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake it till you make it and let your nerd flag fly. This book is everything a nerdy bookish girl could ever dream of. The plot is simple but for anyone who dreams of a nerdy happily ever after this is a one sitting read. References to popular book stores and fandoms make it that much more enjoyable.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this and review.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "99% Faking It" was cutesy and somewhat mature for its age group.

I liked it well enough. There wasn't anything terribly bad about it. There was nothing amazing about it either.

I loved the fact that Lisa was a card carrying member of the Bookish Squad but the fact that her getting a boyfriend seemed to hinge on whether or not the guy accepted that seemed a little too little for me. I realize that the characters were in high school and their relationships are bound to change for the worst or for the better. But still. I don't know. It seemed a little weak to me. And the fact that everyone had a car despite having actually said that money was tight. I mean, I get it. I understand that most high school kids had a job after school and on the weekends and that their parents could help them pay for it but I still found it a little unbelievable. Especially when, considering my own high school experience, not everybody who has a job has a car. Sometimes they trade off with their parents or relay on friends or even the bus system, both the public and the school. It just made it seem unrealistic.

The whole plan seemed a little too easy to me. The whole wedding ring phenomenon has pretty much been proven over and over again. I don't understand why Lisa's mom was OK with it. Despite the fact that she's a family/ relationship counselor.

I don't know. The book, on the whole, was enjoyable. I loved all the Harry Potter references thrown in and the fact that Matt was open to the fandom but the fact that AS SOON AS they decided to start "dating" his whole attitude changed until she called him out on it was a bit of a mistake to me. I mean, the whole first 50% of the book was about them being friends and not wanting to lose that friendship, and then Matt goes and acts like a **** despite the fact that He was the one to insist on the whole plan and the insistence of their still being friends was a red flag for me. I don't know. It just wasn't very convincing.

Matt was a sweetheart in the beginning and the end. But the middle was his weak spot.

He did try and I have to give him points for that.

However, Trey, the guy Lisa wants to have notice her, was kind of an ass in the end but his beginning and middle were fine. I fail, as a certified Card Carrying Member of the Bookish Squad (note the capitalization of the words=higher rank than Lisa), to understand why the fact that Lisa is part of the Bookish Squad makes her undesirable to males. I remember having several offers to date in high school and I was a bigger nerd back then! (I've toned it down some for my own sake….It was getting too expensive) I didn't like any of the guys but that's not my point. Lisa seemed to be a good girl with a solid head on her shoulders. The fact that she was a nerd shouldn't make a difference to anyone. Least of a potential mate.

Especially not in high school. Sometimes I wonder what happens after the book is finished. Like if in two years, book time, they'll have broken up because people change all of the time in life. I was not the same person I was yesterday. And to base a relationship on whether or not the other person will accept how much you love a certain fandom doesn't seem liable to me. Lisa and her mother both emphasized how much one shouldn't change for a potential mate and they were right. But to make that the only "requirement" in a potential relationship just doesn't make sense to me.

But the book was supremely enjoyable. I liked all of the quirkiness of the characters and the somewhat mature conversations that each character took part in.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great YA novel. If you fancy yourself a YA novel, then check 99% Faking It out. This book is book 2 in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. The book gives enough of a brief overview of the first book so you understand some of the comments from the minor characters, but also has it’s own plot. If you read book one, you will recognize the characters in this book. It almost made me miss high school.
I don’t read YA books often, but when I do I want to feel the familiar feelings that remind me of my own high school experience. This book did it for me. While I didn’t have the exact same experience as the characters, I one hundred percent remember the feelings and confusion. The friendship and atmosphere. This book brought me right back there.
Lisa is such a cute character. I liked her from book one, but I loved her in this book. The emotions within her reminded me so much of feelings I also experienced. Add in the fact that the author gave her a plot with a serious undertone and she is my hero. Matt it took me a little bit longer to warm up to. I can’t say I liked him too much from the first book, but this book changed my mind. Matt is confident and popular, but he also has a softer side to him. All I can say is I love his dogs man. I know they are fictional, but I just want to love up on them.
The heat in YA books is different than other books I read. With that being said, I think the heat in YA books are better. They remind you of that chemistry you had when you were a teen. It reminds you of a time when just a smile in your direction or a brush of a hand could cause the butterflies to swarm your insides. When a first kiss lights your whole body up. That’s the heat in this book.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. I could almost hear the teenage voices in my head. The story is told from a dual point of view. The pace of the story is steady. I really liked the minor characters, especially those we have met before. It was great getting back into this world.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed taking a dive into the past and remembering the high school feelings. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoyed themselves a YA book every now and then.
Ratings:
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a cute book and a fast read. Overall, I enjoyed it, though for some reason it takes more for a normal contemporary novel to earn more than 3 stars from me than it does for other books. I'm not sure why (I just noticed it, to be honest). This is my second Chris Cannon book, and they were pretty much on the same level (though I liked this one a little more). As I've said with other books in the same genre, this isn't the type of book you read because you HOPE for a good ending. You know how it will end from the beginning, and you read to see how the characters get there.

Totally random sidetone: I glanced at some of Cannon's other books that are on my to-read list and noticed that Blackmail Boyfriend (the first in the Boyfriend Chronicles series) is about Haley, the younger sister of Matt, the love interest in this book (which is in a different series, Dating Dilemma). Kinda funny.

Back to this book, though.

Lisa and Matt are seniors in high school. She's got goals, works hard to earn good grades, and is a book nerd. He's the opposite and is kind of a slacker, to be honest, though he works hard for his family's landscaping business.

I'm not sure exactly what attracted Lisa to him initially--he's cute and nice? His messy hair? Their arguments? Don't get me wrong, he grew on me. Eventually. But he was kind of a punk, if you think about it: He knew she had liked him (possibly still liked him), and yet he came up with a plan for them to fake date in order to hopefully get the attention of some other people. So yeah, it took me a little while to see his good qualities, like protectiveness, thoughtfulness, and ambition. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure it took most of the book for him to develop those qualities. Once he did, however, he didn't hold back in demonstrating them.

Lisa was not without her faults. First, why would she even agree to his scheme, knowing that it would potentially backfire and break up their friendship? She was easily offended by things Matt said to her and allowed herself to be hurt. Yes, he needed to work on his mouth filter, but she needed to understand that he didn't always think before speaking, causing a lot of his comments to come out in a way that could be misinterpreted. And she always chose to misinterpret his words and actions. Drove me crazy.

I appreciate the growing number of YA books that have solid female friendships. Lisa and Nina were practically meant to be friends. Not only were the book nerds and Harry Potter fans, but they helped ground each other and offered support when it was needed. A few times, I wish Lisa and heeded Nina's advice regarding the fake relationship.

Something else I like seeing more of is positive parenting. I'm a parent, and I know I'm not an idiot, so I dislike books that portray parents as blundering morons who have no clue what it's like to be a teenager. Matt's parents played a somewhat small part in the book, but it was obvious that they loved their children and tried to teach them to make good choices. Lisa's father wasn't in the picture (except briefly toward the end), but she was very close with her mother, who was a family therapist. At times, they seemed to have more of a friendship than a parent-child relationship, which can get tricky. I'm all about being friends with my kids, but that comes second to being a parent. It also kind of ticked me off how Lisa and her mother responded when Gavin (her father) attempted to begin atoning for abandoning them before Lisa was born. Yes, he was wrong, but they acted childish and vengeful.

After all that is said, I did enjoy reading it. Although our experience was not identical to Lisa and Matt's, their story reminded me of my own. I liked my husband right from the start, and he friend-zoned me. (We got married almost three years later, so it all worked out marvelously and made for a fantastic story.)

I do think the ending wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly. Trey's response when he realized Lisa was a Harry Potter-loving book nerd was somewhat robotic and too convenient.

How it ends: Matt gradually realized that he did like Lisa and was no longer interested in Jane. By the time he was ready to act on it, she had kind of friend-zoned him, mostly because he spoke thoughtlessly and she chose to take offense. Trey had shown interest in Lisa, so Matt suggested they don't date exclusively rather than break up early; he would try to convince her that she should date him instead of Trey. She went on a date with Trey and had fun but realized that she wasn't as interested in him as she thought.

Matt gave her a package of Harry Potter stuff that he had bought for her, trying so show that he liked her for who she was. He gave it to her while Trey was watching, and Trey thought her nerdiness was weird and decided they'd be better friends. Lisa got mad at Matt because he kind of set her up, even though she was planning to "choose him" (I hate that phrase--like she was trying to decide which flavor of ice cream to get).

While she was at work, he covered her front yard with flowers and left a note for her. He was in the backyard with six packages of Oreos, too, and another note. He promised to plant all the flowers and take charge of their yard work, as well as try his best to make her happy. He signed up to take some business classes, so yay! ambition! They'll both be attending the community college for the time being.

What bothered me about their response to Gavin is that it's been what, 17-18 years since he left, and they chose to treat him with disdain and anger rather than responding to his attempt to make up for what he did. He admitted to wrongdoing, that he had done a horrible thing, and he tried to apologize and make it right in some way (by offering to pay for Lisa's college). But because he has remarried and his wife is expecting a baby, Lisa and her mother accused him of solely trying to ease his own conscience. Lisa swore at him multiple times, and I have no idea what her mother said (Lisa left). That's not closure, nor is it particularly healthy.

Note: Some swearing.

Parent's Perspective: I don't see my sons having any interest in this book, by I wouldn't object to my daughter reading it when she's a teenager. There's no sex or violence. It does have some language in it, but it's not a lot, nor is it the strongest. It's worth pointing out good friendships and noting the potential consequences of the characters' actions, as well as watching what you say and choosing whether or not to be offended. (My husband and I know that neither of us would intentionally hurt the other; because of that knowledge, we are able to talk about and easily move on when one of us says or does something that COULD be taken as hurtful.) Lisa's mother gives her a quick refresher about responsible sex, which kind of felt out of place in the book--there is no sex, and neither Lisa nor Matt even thought about it in their chapters. The conversations we have with out kids are different from their conversation, anyway.

[Treessing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC! ( And sorry for taking so long )

99% Faking It was an easy read. I remembered picking it up and putting it down after six chapters, because I don't usually find myself interested in heterosexual contemporary romances, but here I am, all finished. I thought it was cute, I love dual perspective books and not riding along hundreds of pages from one person's POV, though on the flip side I would have enjoyed the story more if the author did less of "this happened in the last chapter but in three thousand words lets do a recap from the male perspective" way too many times.

I liked the dynamics between characters, friends and family members and how the romantic interests had different hobbies, that Matt was a character who didn't try too hard in life and knew it, while Lisa knew what she wanted to do but also wanted her best friend who didn't seem into her. I could deal with cliché, but I truly felt the unnecessary hypocrisy from Lisa was a little too much. How could she be mad at Matt for talking to an ex-crush, when she went out on a date with another guy when she knew Matt would be committed to her? It didn't help when Matt practically bought affection from her to win her favor, but they are heterosexuals.

This was cute. I was inspired to get it done today, which I did, because I knew it wouldn't take long. It centers around two high school best friends who lowkey like each other, who pretend to date to get the attention of someone else- because they're dumb, and y'know... happy ending. It was cute. It had interesting characters and surprising turns and emotional punches, such as Lisa's father showing up, and I liked that it gave her more depth. I enjoyed reading it at times, but at the end I couldn't even remember Lisa's name until I looked it up again.

I liked reading parts of it, I liked finishing it, but it's definitely not something I find myself obsessing over. I definitely don't want to read anything similar anytime soon. But it was good! I recommend this for young teens or just romance lovers in general!

[Tonya Sadowsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read this after reading "The Dating Debate," which is book 1 of this series; however, this reads as a stand-alone book. I'm disappointed because of a few issues. It didn't seem as "finished" as book 1 did. The ending just sort of...happened. Long lead up to a really short, curt, oh we're done now after you turn the page. And maybe because I'm over 40, but the manipulation bothered me. The issue of the female lead playing games in the car because someone dared to sound his horn behind her really bothered me, in this day and age of road rage it's a dangerous and very real concept to discuss so frivolously. There are more road games being played and people living in their heads on the road with perceived personal affronts, I feel as if that was a perfect opportunity to instill some of the psychology that I enjoy from Cannon's books. And it was not only missed, but a curveball was thrown to further fan the flames of road rage for the next generation! Disappointing to say the least. Book 1 masterfully addressed so many heavy hitting topics, like hoarding, codependency, mentally-ill introversion like agoraphobia, etc. This barely touched on any of those topics. Book 1 spoiled me and losing those topics (for the most part, with the exception of a birthday party and rescuing animals) was a bit of a letdown as well.

Otherwise, this is well written and I enjoyed getting to know Matt and Lisa, while revisiting book 1's West and Nina. I'd love to read more about Trey in another book, to feel as if there's more to him rather than leaving him as a caricature and two-dimensional. The dialogue is realistic for the character's ages. The situations are realistic. The angst was a bit overboard in this book, but I get that teens are filled with it so it makes sense to have it in a YA book.

Disclaimer: I received this book for an honest review.

[Jeraca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Lisa has had a crush on her friend Matt for a while now but when she got denied by him, with him saying that she was just his friend, she ignored her feelings and decided friends would be enough. But then Matt came up with the crazy idea to become fake boyfriend and girlfriend so he can get the attention of the girl who he had a crush on.

Lisa didn't want to at first but she thought it might help her get the attention of the new guy at school, so she went along with it. Besides what could go wrong? She's already had her feelings hurt by Matt once before so now she knows to harden her heart from him. Just when things are going her way Matt throws a curveball and says that he wants to date her for real...

Now Lisa has to decide what she really wants before everything falls apart around her...

I love Chris Cannon's dragon series, so I was really excited to get my hands on this book as in e Arc. Sadly it wasn't my favorite because I got annoyed with the characters too often throughout the book. They couldn't make up their minds, they were very flighty, and they kept repeating themselves over and over and over but then unexpectedly taking a 360 turn the other direction. There was a lot of uncertainty throughout the novel. And overall it just showed how humans can't make their decision one way or the other. I guess that means it was realistic but it was too much repetition for my liking.

I'm glad I got a chance to read this and I'm sure that I'll pick up another one of Cannon's novels in the future. I'm sure other readers will enjoy this story when it's released though!