My social media sites are always a buzz of excitement whenever Erin Watt release a book, and yet, for some reason (be it book funks or just life getting in the way) I was still yet to really discover their talent for myself. With the release of When It's Real fast approaching, I knew this was my chance to change that. A YA rock star and ordinary girl love/hate romance? I'm in!!

When It's Real had me hooked from the beginning and it didn't take long for me to understand all the fuss surrounding this writing duo. The ladies behind Erin Watt had me falling in love with Oakley and Vaughn, as well as a mix of the other the other characters such as Vaughn's sister and twin younger brothers, and Oakley's security guy. I saw romances blossoming all over and my hopeless romantic heart couldn't get enough.

I loved how the authors incorporated social media buzz into the story, and I loved the whole love/hate aspect of Oakley's and Vaughn's romance. It definitely made for some fun reading. There was definitely more to Oakley than first meets the eye, and I loved seeing Vaughn slowly unravel him and get to the core of what made Oakley who he is. It gave the book a lot of heart and you couldn't help but feel for the life that the young rocker had lead, and hope that the powerhouse who was suddenly thrust into his life could turn it all around.

It's safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed my first adventure with Erin Watt, and I will absolutely be diving into both their past and future works. Bring it on!

Erin Watt is the pen name for the duo of two authors that I really love to fangirl over – Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick. I love them writing individually, with other writing partners, and in a variety of genres so I was looking forward to a standalone NA from these two. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have enough standalones! I love trilogies and series but a good standalone can be worth its weight in gold.

This book follows Oakley Ford – a teen singer who has been a celebrity pretty much his whole life and doesn’t really know what life is like out of the limelight. He’s pretty desperate to make some great music but can’t be taken seriously at this point with some of his antics. His ‘people’ convince him to have a fake relationship with an average girl for once instead of another celebrity or model and to stay out of trouble. Vaughn Bennett comes barreling into his life and is not exactly what he expected when he agreed to this. She thinks he’s an ass and isn’t afraid to say it out loud and doesn’t grovel at his feet like most girls do.

I really love YA and NA books and this one felt kind of in the middle of the two categories for me. For Erin Watt fans that loved the Paper Princess books I wonder if maybe some of them will be a little disappointed because this one isn’t as crazy-town as that series was. Don’t get me wrong – I love those books! But I like having different things in different books and this one brings more of a sweetness to it that I can appreciate.

I really enjoyed Vaughn and the relationship with her family and watching that develop with Oak as well. And not surprisingly there were a few background characters that intrigued me…but this was a really great standalone! Highly recommend for any YA fans.

Rating: 4 stars

Reviewer: Melinda

Title: When It’s Real

Author: Erin Watt

Release Date: May 30, 2017

Young adult books, especially if they have a romance theme have always been a huge guilty pleasure of mine. These are the types of stories that got me into reading in the first place so whenever given the opportunity, I always jump on reading one. When It’s Real was no exception on my part. When I first heard of this book, I messaged Wil and said simply, ‘I NEED THIS!’. Low and behold, a little while later, it shows up on my kindle because Nina is a fantastic person. I was so excited but also super busy and it was difficult to not just throw everything out the window and buckle down to start reading. This book has been taunting me, just sitting on my kindle. When I finally had a spare few days for a new book, I swear, the sky practically opened up and the Angels started singing.


“There aren’t any cameras here. This isn’t for show. This is as real and as awful and as wonderful as it gets. I’d hold her forever if she’d let me.”

This book had everything I could’ve wanted to include it in my guilty pleasure stash.
– Compelling characters
– Cute and adorable little moments
– Fun banter
– Extremely well written and quickly paced to keep the reader engaged
– An overall enjoyable feel


“Claudia is going to…”He drifts off.
“What?” I ask warily. “Kill me?”
“For once? I don’t think so.” He shakes his head in amazement. “I think she might send you a fruit basket, dude.”

I actually got a little bummed by the time I was done because I simply didn’t want it to end! Oak and Vaughan were so sweet together, but not in a cheesy or purely YA type of way. It’s not all hand holding and blushes. They’re sweet and PG but you know they care for each other as well. Even add in the fact that they disliked each other at the beginning. LOVE IT! Through the small moments the reader gets to see the characters grow closer and more comfortable with each other. It’s during these times when their feelings grow and they become a team of sorts. How they both struggled with that weird in between and whether what they were feeling was real or not. They were in it together. It’s cute, fun and the perfect summer read. What girl hasn’t had a pop star crush? Oakley Ford gives hope to all of our high school fantasies!


“I walk back to the couch and lean down, caging her between my arms. I duck my head so my mouth touches her lips. Everyone in the room probably thinks I’m kissing her.
I’m not. I’m doing something way more important.
“You’re the one person in my life who wants nothing but me and it’s terrifying and awesome at the same time. Don’t ever leave me. I love you. You’re my heart.”

**swoons**

Sure, you could argue that this story isn’t original. The plot is fairly basic, famous singer, normal girl. Sometimes it’s a fake relationship, sometimes it’s not. But wow, Erin Watt makes it work! And even though this isn’t our first time seeing this sort of plot, it still feels fresh and exciting. In no way does this even glimpse at being a recycled or overdone plot line. It’s addicting, exciting and completely un-put-downable!

I’ve always loved a large group of secondary characters, but more than that, I love when they each have a distinct role to play. That’s exactly the case in When It’s Real. The dynamic portrayed between the characters; from Vaughn’s friends to Oak’s PR team, to even the people closer to them like Paisley, Vaughn’s sister and Ty, Oak’s bodyguard. They all played key parts in determining this story’s success.

Even with this being a storyline we have seen before, I really liked the plot twist to make the climax! It was not something I was expecting and I had been running several scenarios through my mind for a while. I didn’t see this one coming but then thought it not only made sense, but was executed in a brilliant manner.


I play the song again.
Vaughn, you’re killing me. I’m literally dying here. There’s blood on the floor. The crime scene techs aren’t gonna be able to figure this one out.

Vaughan may have been a tick childish at times but her earlier performance and Oakley make up for it easily. Overall, a great read! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. Now for those who don’t like YA, I’d still say give it a shot. Unless you hate all YA. the. Maybe don’t. Cause I don’t want all of you raining in my little pop star parade. 🙂


“You said that everything in your life was fake, but we’re not fake, Oak. We’re real. We’re so real.”



*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

~Review by Shannon

So I confess I haven’t read any previous Erin Watt books. Not from lack of desire just time hasn’t been on my side of late however when I read the blurb for this one I just had to get my grabby hands on it and I could not have been happier with what I got. Which really is no surprise considering the calibre of these authors.


Normally I am not a huge fan of Rockstar romance but I am a huge sucker for pretend relationships. But despite the fact it was based around a rock star hero it really didn't have any of the normal clichés I expect with the genre.


Vaughn was perfect from the start. She absolutely took no bullshit from anyone and I loved that she was completely unaffected by Oakley’s fame or ego. And despite a few moments of stupid once she got on track she was so confident in herself it was impossible not to have a huge girl crush on her.


Oakley was everything I could have asked for. He started as an egotistical self centered arsehole and I just wanted to see him get punched in the junk. But of course he redeemed himself so perfectly that I was completely besotted.


They really were the perfect couple and I love that none of the drama felt contrived or unnecessary it all felt real and it kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole book.


I can not rave about this book enough. I could not put it down if I was drowning and I would love to see this turned into a series.

***REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

When It’s Real, is the latest release by the legendary author of the Paper Princess series; Erin Watt. When I heard about a new book being released by this author I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and it was worth the wait.
When it’s Real, begins when young pop-star Oakley Ford’s manager decides he needs a ‘new look' so Oakley’s management go on the hunt for a young lady to ‘fake date’ Oakley.
Vaughn Bennett is a seventeen year old girl who lost her parents in a car accident just a year ago, she and her older sister are working hard make sure their younger twin brothers are well looked after, when she is approached by her sisters employer about being paid to fake date a young singer.
When It's Real is beautifully written with all the emotions needed for a contemporary romance novel, it makes you swoon in all the right places. I loved the chemistry between Vaughn and Oakley especially when they first meet, it’s light and funny and as their relationship builds it keeps that lightness and adds in the romance.
I have rated this book 5 stars as I enjoyed every minute of it. Amazing. Thank you Erin Watt for another beautiful book.

After devouring The Royals Series in a matter of days I jumped at the chance to read When It's Real. I freaken' LOVE Erin Watt's writing style! Its scandalous, Its drama and its so freaken' crazy and outlandish that it could actually be real!

When It's Real is a mature YA written in the Dual POV of Oakley Ford and Vaughan Bennett. We start with Oakley's POV which gives us a brief look into the Rockstar life he's somehow created for himself.

From the outside, Oakley Ford looks like a spoiled Rockstar with a public image that is not to flash. He's the troublemaker, the womaniser and the brat. And I fell head over heels for Oakley! Oakley is misunderstood and in the middle of suffering through writers block. He hasn't had a hit single out in quite some time and is still riding the coat tails of his previous Album success. But he's suffering, he wants to be so much more then what he is. He wants to write music that means something to him and speaks from his soul. But he's stuck.

Enter Vaughan Bennett. A 17 year old girl who's lost and just wants to help her family. Vaughan graduated High School early so she could work full time to support her family. Waitressing was the job she had, Rockstars Fake Girlfriend was not the job she wanted. But with a pay packet like Oakley's management is offering. How could she turn it down?

I loved Oakley's POV in When It's Real. I found his character development to be quite fast and complex but it totally fitted in with the timeline of the plot. And i found him easier to relate too and I loved that he was more honest about how he felt where as Vaughan seemed to be struggling to acknowledge how she really felt. Because of that I enjoyed reading his POV more then Vaughan's. I found Vaughan's development to be a little stunted but I also believe that was intentional. It's hard to remember that Vaughan is only 17! And while both characters were found there wasn't a point where i thought they were too young or too immature.

“You’re the one person in my life who wants nothing but me and it’s terrifying and awesome at the same time. Don’t ever leave me.”

When it's Real is a sweet story, there was drama and intrigue but I actually loved reading a story that was so sweet and heartfelt. It spoke to that part of me that still loves reading YA books. I loved that the intimate scenes were behind closed doors so it still had that little bit of intrigue. When Its Real captured my attention form the first chapter through Oakely's eyes and kept it right up until the last line.

And while I absolutely loved When it's Real I couldn't help but be slightly disappointed in the ending. Compared to the development of the rest of the plot it seemed to move to quickly and this took When It's Real from a 5 Star to a 4 Star read for me. It could also be that I've become accustomed to Cliff Hangers from this phenomenal writer! The ending didn't stop me from loving When It's Real.

3.5 Stars!

I started this book not knowing the storyline, or even the author. I was pleasantly surprised! Erin Watts created characters who were flawed, in the way that we all were at the between age, when you’re legally an adult, and have adult responsibilities, but still enough of a kid that you look to others for guidance. (Heck, I still ask adultier adults for advice, and I’m 30!)

Ms. Watts’ Vaughn and Oakley are realistically written characters, if not written a bit more mature than 17 and 19, respectively. At first, it threw me off; I didn’t think people of that age would behave and think in that way, but the more of their backstories I got as I read, the more I understood their behavior.

Oakley – I think he grew the most for me. His character evolved from a selfish, indulgent little boy to a caring and generous man, and watching the transformation was rewarding and heartwarming.

Vaughn – first off, I love her name! She is as original as her name; she has the best comebacks and snarky, sarcastic remarks. I was laughing out loud at some of the things she said!

I liked how this writing duo utilized social media throughout the story, though I feel it could have been executed in a way that made it more realistic, as though you were reading conversations had on Instagram, Twitter, or text messaging.

What really held me back from loving the story were two things:
It would have been better had the social media aspect been clearer; sometimes it was hard to tell what was a text and what was a thought. It would have been a 5* if the social media had more of a style to set it apart, and if the characters were the age that it felt they were (her 19-20, him 22-23). Those things really pulled me out of the story.

I look forward to what Ms. Watts has in store for this family of characters!
3.5/5 *
-Kendra

Oakley Ford is a super famous pop singer and musician and has been since he was fourteen years old. Son of two famous actors, Oak has always been familiar with the limelight. Now that Oakley is nineteen, he wants more out of his career. He wants to make real music he loves and something different to the mainstream pop music he’s been singing. He desperately wants to work with a famous producer to make his dream happen. However, thanks to his antics he has been portrayed in the media as a total brat. The producer doesn’t want to work with him because he doesn’t seem serious about music. In comes his agent and the rest of his team to try to come up with a way to salvage his image. Their solution is to find Oakley a wholesome looking girlfriend to lighten up his image.

Vaughn Bennett has had quite a tragic upbringing and as a result, she has had to grow up faster than she should. Her parents passed away in a car accident leaving her and her older sister to take care of their little twin brothers. She’s had to work hard in order to graduate early and help more at home and find a job since money is really tight. Her sister Paisley is struggling to make ends meet, especially with the debt their parents left them with. When Paisley’s boss sees a picture of Vaughn on her desk, he can’t help but think that her girl-next-door image would make a perfect fake girlfriend for Oakley. When Vaughn learns the amount of money she will be making and how much it can help her family, she can’t refuse.

This story was such a sweet light read. I am a HUGE fan of The Royal Series, so I was super excited to read this one. This doesn’t compare to that series, but that isn’t such a bad thing. I really liked the characters, despite the immaturity in them since they are so young. They were awesome together and I loved the slow build between them. I was very interesting seeing Vaughn try to become accustomed to all the attention. Meanwhile, Oakley learned to not take things for granted and to be more humble.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. This was a heartwarming read, at moments a tad bit cheesy but I was totally okay with that. It did have some angst, not like The Royal Series, but a little to keep things interesting. The ending was good and it left me wanting so much more. If you love the whole fake relationship storyline then you will definitely enjoy this one.

This book gave me all the happy YA feels. From a longtime DCOM fan, this felt exactly like watching a Disney Channel Original Movie (maybe a tad bit sexier, but you won't find me complaining).

Oak is every bit the spoiled pop star and Vaughn comes along and drags him back to earth. Through their fake relationship they both start to change and grow into their own.

This book provides all the cute and fluffy you want from YA as well as a bit of tough love while coming of age.

Vaughn and Oak both have had to grow up quickly. Vaughn from having responsibility put on her at a young age and Oak from being in the music business. I love that their fake relationship allows them both to let loose a bit and enjoy just having fun with each other, when they're not fighting of course.

I absolutely loved When It's Real, and will forever love Erin Watt.

With " When It's Real " by Erin Watt comes another highly anticipated book .
I really couldn't wait to get my hands on it, and what can I say - I LOVE it !!
When It's Real is a stand alone full-length contemporary romance novel without cliffhanger.

Meet a teen rock star in need of a image makeover and the teen girl hired to be his fake girlfriend.
Oakley Ford, popstar, child of famous movie stars, hottie and troublemaker needs a new image, badly. He's stuck and tired. His team decides on an overhaul, means a normal girl as fake- girlfriend. Everything is planned out, every little thing.
And there she is, Vaughn Bennett, 17 year old with three siblings and part-time waitress. Somehow she's lost.
She agrees, but doesn't like Oakley very much. She thinks he's self-centered, a shallow jerk.
Vaughn thinks for the time being she can put up with his behaviour.
As if. Nothing is as it seems.

When It's Real is a wonderful, wonderful story about young love, drama, heart break, finding yourself and your way in life.
I read this book in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. This book is beautifully thought out, beautifully told and beautifully written, I love the characters and I love the words, every single one. I could feel the characters emotions in the words.
When you liked The Royals Series , you will love this book !
Erin Watt, the NY Times Bestseller duo, wrote with When It's Real another wonderful book and I HIGHLY recommend it.
I really wish I could give more than 5 Stars. Thank you so much Erin Watt !!!

Panty Scorching-1
Storyline-3.5
Angst-2
Tissues-0
Overall Rating-3.5
Kindle ebook provided by Netgalley

When I heard the fantastic writing duo Erin Watt was coming out with another book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I absolutely loved The Royals and needed more of their combined writing genius. With When It’s Real we get a quick and easy read. The angst and drama were definitely on the lower side of the scale in this book but the characters and writing were both just as easy to love.

Oakley Ford is a teen pop icon with a bad boy image that’s definitely not doing him any good lately. Needing an image change pronto his PR team comes up with an idea for him to have a fake girlfriend. But even with basically his pick of any girl he wants, the idea is for him to date a normal girl. One untouched by the spotlight and with no hidden agenda. Oakley is not a fan of the idea but his desperation to salvage his career has him on board.

“ This proposition is insane. I mean, who pays such an obscene amount of money to some random girl to pretend to be a pop star’s girlfriend for a year?”
Enter so called normal girl Vaughn Bennett. Vaughn had a family tragedy a few years back and now her and her sister are helping raise her twin brothers and money is tight. So when the opportunity to pretend to be a pop-stars girlfriend for a boatload of money basically falls into her lap what’s a girl to do? And so begins the year long “job”.

"This is as real and as awful and as wonderful as it gets.”
Oakley and Vaughn most definitely didn’t hit it off right away. I love how Vaughn wasn’t all star-stuck around Oak and was just staying true to herself and I have to say I really liked her character. Oak was thrown for a loop when Vaughn treated him, well like he was normal. His character took a little while to grow on me but I ended up really liking him. He was just not used to people not wanting something from him so relationships were hard. But as things progressed and feelings started to change it was sweet to watch them slowly fall for each other. If you are in the mood for a quick and sweet read this is the one for you.

“ There aren’t any cameras here, this isn’t for show.”

The title speaks to the story in ways that will have you feeling the threads between Oak and Vaughn bind together, strengthing and entwining you in their journey to REAL. The relationships, responsibilities, pressures, love and losses in Vaughn and Oakley’s lives are very real. The writing and specifically the character development is honest, easily having you root for these two to find happiness.

What starts as a set-up, resisted by both Oak and Vaughn grows into a comforting presence and then into something so much more. I loved how as they got to not only know each other but also experience the other’s life they both realize that looking in from the outside on somebody’s life isn’t what it seems.

I think what surprised me the most about this story was the humor. The witty banter brought me back to feeling young, cherishing the excitement of the unknown, most of all being able to laugh at yourself. The world Erin Watt has created is full of a fabulous cast of characters that will delight, endear and infuriate you. Each adds their unique touches to the story. I hope to hear more about double dates that turn into more.

Finally a word about the Twitter messages throughout the book. They are a highlight, the progression and there use to show the growth and development in Oak and Vaugh's relationship is perfection. Complete perfection given the nature of the story and Oak's fame.

When It’s Real is heartfelt and hilarious. A treat to read. I highly recommend it.

“I want wild.”
“Then you’ll get it.”

The title couldn’t have been more apt and if you like sparkly star-shaped reads as the outstanding cover implies, don’t think twice about one-clicking this young adult novel. Jen Fredrick and Elle Kennedy teamed up to write the highly successful series, The Royals under the pseudonym, Erin Watt. Now Erin’s back in full force with her first standalone aimed at teens who love to swoon over bad boy rock stars. We have to admit that it took some getting into, but was it worth insisting? Yes, no doubt about it! In fact, we’d even go as far as saying our teenagers are going to love it and don’t panic, the beautifully written steaminess is what they’d expect and want at this age. Although the storyline isn’t new, the author’s managed to spin a tale and make her variation of rich boy, poor girl truly original.

“I can’t believe my girlfriend is such a prude.”
‘I can’t believe my boyfriend is such a douche!’

The message brought home is loud and clear. Life isn’t fair and at times in all its unfairness, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. The heroine needs a bit of cajoling to take part in a project of sorts which would benefit everyone close to her. All said and done, she thought her life was more or less on the right path after suffering a loss and who needs to complicate it any further! Also, she’d be doing the male protagonist, Oakley Ford, a huge favour. Not that we thought he deserved it, yet other folks in his entourage had this crazy idea that it was necessary to help his image. Now then, it’s not often that we say how irate we get with a character but honestly, Oakley brought out the worst in us with such an ease, it was ridiculous. In fact, later on in the read we wouldn’t even give ourselves credit—we actually started liking the guy and we didn’t want to! He’s by no means easy to get on with. His personality traits have been developed so damn well we wondered if the author has had first-hand experience with lads of this age. Man, maybe not an egocentric rock star but we certainly thought Watt had hit his quirks on the nail. What we did like a lot was the contrast between the gal who’d eventually make the spoilt boy see that not everything revolves around him. Neither of them like each other or keen on the idea of spending time together, but it is what it is and they’re going to have to make the most of it.

“Okay, Mr. I-Name-All-My-Albums-After-Me Ford.”

We’d put Vaughn in the girl next door category. We couldn’t find fault with this unpretentious lass who’s between a rock and a hard place. She’s got simple tastes to go with her simple life now full of complications. Her way of handling moral issues, worrying about what she was doing and what people thought of her, everything she did and everything about her we found just so plain sweet that she warmed our hearts. She made us smile and cry a few tears and her reaction to the first kisses! Yep, she kissed the boy! Or rather he kissed her. To say we enjoyed watching their relationship flower would be an understatement.

“It was not just a kiss. You’re supposed to be the good girl. Not the girl gone bad!”

What has to be mentioned is how well the banter comes across. Flowing nonstop, it brought home to one of us how out of touch she is with teen slang. And the tweets! The formatting is the best we’ve ever seen in a book; it’s easy to follow and made us realise just how much the internet and its contents affect young people. The insight we were given in the music business was a real treat, too. It’s clear to see that the author has done her homework in that respect. Oakley and Vaughn’s story is told in past tense from a HIM and HER perspective which helped us readers engage in their thoughts, their doubts and their triumphs. It’s most certainly worthy of reading. Bravo Ms Watt!

“I’m never going to believe another thing I see on the internet,”

I love Erin Watt and when I seen the request for When It's Real I couldn't pass it up.

Vaughn is your average, everyday girl. Oakley is your not so average, not so everyday type of guy. She's completely normal and he's a rockstar. Nothing could go wrong with that, right?

I love how this wasn't an instalove. Vaughn and Oakley actually couldn't stand each other and their banter was off the charts hysterical!! I loved these characters and the side characters just made the story even more complete.

There was so much love, dislike, jealousy, animosity, sweetness, and just downright awesomeness packed in this one book that will leave me thinking about it for weeks to come.

There were some things left unanswered but other than that I loved it!

I have a confession to make: When It's Real is my first Erin Watt novel. *emerges from the shame corner* I’ve read books by Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick but I have yet to dive in to author duo’s series, The Royals, partly because I was waiting for all the books to come out before starting, and partly because I don’t read many YA novels. After reading When It’s Real, though… I. NEED. MORE! This book is addictive. It’s entertaining. It’s attention-grabbing. Did I mention it’s addictive? I couldn’t get enough!

I love a good rock star romance and a fake relationship is one of my favorite tropes so I was particularly intrigued by the concept of When It’s Real. What does a bad boy teen rocker do when in need of an image overhaul? Hire a pretend girlfriend, of course. Vaughn Bennett, a down-to-earth, “normal” seventeen-year-old girl has her life turned upside down when she signs up to be girlfriend to world-famous rock star, Oakley Ford. What starts off as an emotionally-detached job, however, soon transforms into a friendship, then something more as Vaughn and Oak blur the lines between what's real and what's for show.

With their teasing, slightly antagonistic banter and ever-present undercurrent of sexual tension, it’s the relationship between Vaughn and Oakley that makes every sentence of this book so riveting. This is a romance, but it’s also a journey of self-discovery for both Vaughn and Oakley. As a reader, I loved being privy to the behind-the-scenes drama because, you know their romance is “fake” but you also experience them getting to know each other. Defenses are lowered, pretenses are dropped, and real feelings are developed. It’s messy and complicated, but also sweet, romantic, and undeniably compelling.

My advice about going in to When It’s Real? Carve out a few hours of uninterrupted reading time because this book is impossible to put down once you get started. This book might’ve been my first Erin Watt novel but it definitely won’t be my last.

*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review

OMG you guys! The feels! Erin Watt has written a sweet story about a lonely boy and an ordinary girl that you are going to fall in love with. I adored Oakley and Vaughn! She gave him everything he never had. He showed her how to follow her dreams. Squee! Just thinking of them makes me smile! When It's Real was sooo good! I loved the connection between Oakley and Vaughn and how much they grew as a couple throughout their journey. Though it is such a completely different story, they reminded me of Kiera and Kellan from Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens! Maybe it was the whole sensitive, sexy, rock star meets an innocent, smart, girl-next-door that did it or maybe it was the undeniable chemistry between Oakley and Vaughn. Whatever the similarities, I LOVED it! The twitter feeds were super fun and original and brought a little something extra to the story. Seriously, you guys have to read this! First The Royals Series and now this? Erin Watt is definitely an I Love Story Time favorite!

♥ Review by Lys

Oakley Ford needs to get his writing mojo back. It's been two years since he released an album and he has yet to write anything he deems worthy for his fans. Because of his song-writing block, he's been drinking and getting into trouble, which the tabloids all crave for. What Oakley wants is to work with a music producer who's said to be the best, but this producer won't work with Oakley until he matures and gets his act together. Oakley's manager's plan is to find a fake girlfriend for Oakley, someone who's down-to-earth and not from the music industry. When he sees a picture of a girl on one of his employee's desk, he starts to to put this plan into action.

Vaughn Bennett's parents were killed in a car accident. From that moment, Vaughn had to grow up and help her sister take care of their twin brothers. She even graduated early from high school so she could work and help financially. When Paisley, Vaughn's sister, tells her that Oakley's manager approached her and said he wanted Vaughn to be Oakley's fake girlfriend, Vaughn is ready to say no to be Oak's GF. She's seen the way Oakley is: arrogant and a complete douche. What makes her hesitate is the fact that she will get paid $20,000 thousand a month. Vaughn knows the money is very needed to put her brothers through school and pay off debts so she agrees.

Their first meeting was exactly how I thought it'd be. They were close to hating each other. At first, Vaughn was slightly excited to meet Oakley, seeing as she used to be a fan of his. But once he opened his mouth, Vaughn could have cared less she was in the presence of the Oakley Ford. Oak can't really stand Vaughn because she says exactly what she thinks, but he's also intrigued because she's the first person to not fall all over him. Something that almost had me questioning the story was the fact that Vaughn had a boyfriend when she started "dating" Oak. But once the story went on, I realized he was there to play a part in the story for Vaughn's sake (it is explained very well). It's not a love-triangle at all, which I was beyond thankful for because the guy is a conceited jerk who doesn't even care for Vaughn.

This story gave me all the major feels! It's so freaking cute and adorable and exactly the type of light read I needed. I'm usually iffy about rock star novels but Erin Watt delivered this story perfectly. My heart was bursting with love for all of the characters and their story. I wanted more out of the story because it was so good! I'll definitely be re-reading this book. I'm telling you, it put me in such a good mood! Vaughn is probably my fave character. She was sarcastic, a spitfire, always honest, and didn't have problems sharing what she thought. She was always real with those around her, especially with Oakley. In a way, she kept him so grounded and would knock his ego down quite a few times. Go, Vaughn! Despite Oak being a rock star, he actually had standards in the sense that he wasn't a man-whore at all.You'd think he would take advantage of the opportunity of being with all the girls that throw themselves at him. But he knew better than that. He was in the music industry because he loved music, not because of the fame.

Everything about this story was fun, heart-warming, swoon-worthy, and the romance was the sweetest and cutest thing ever, yet full of all the witty banter! When It's Real is the perfect summer read!

2.5 stars

When It’s Real is the story of a girl named Vaughn who is hand picked to be the new girlfriend of Oakley Ford, a famous pop star. Oakley needs to polish up his public image, showing he can be a devoted boyfriend and not just the playboy partier everyone thinks he is. Vaughn agrees to do this because her family needs the money, her parents passed away leaving her and her sister in charge of their siblings.

At first, Vaughn and Oakley cannot stand each other. She thinks he’s rude and he thinks she’s a prude. But as time goes by a small friendship forms, and we all know where it goes from there.



I was so very sad that I didn’t like this book. I love Erin Watt, Paper Princess and Broken Prince are some of my all time favorite books EVER. And for that I’ll read anything this duo writes. But I failed to see the attraction between the two main characters in this one, to me they had zero chemistry and just sort of landed together. The book started out very strong but near the middle just slowed down. I also felt the book was too long.

Watt did a great job portraying celebrity life, all of its positives and negatives. It can make dreams come true, but at a price. I really liked how Oakley wanted to express himself differently and that he wanted another side of his story to be heard.

I think many people will love this book a lot, but it just wasn’t for me.


ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review