When It’s Real is teen drama amped up. Teen heartthrob & rockstar, Oakley, needs a new image and his PR team has decided dating an ordinary girl will do the trick. When Vaughan is offered the position she only agrees for the year long fake relationship because of her family’s dire financial situation.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book because it made me think if I was a teen girl in Vaughan’s situation would I agree to this sham?! I think for the majority of teen girls they would take on the job of playing a fake girlfriend to a super hot rock star. But, as with anything in life, there are some obstacles that make their situation a little more difficult. It doesn’t help that Oakley is a major jerk when they first meet and the fact that he’s not really onboard with his PR teams idea of putting on this charade.
“Half the time when you open your mouth, you say something that makes me want to punch you. But when you sing…you make it really hard to hate you.”
An enemy-to-friends-to-lovers tale where a fake relationship turns into something real with all the whistles and bells. I had fun reading this story because I transported myself back to my teen days and thought about what it would be like to have this opportunity to be paid to pretend to be the girlfriend of a teen rock star. HELL YEA!! I would have been all over that like a bee to honey.
When It’s Real is a standalone young adult romance. Readers who love the misunderstood hero will enjoy this story. Also, readers who love when an ordinary person catches the attention of a famous person will be heaven too. If you’ve heard the hype about the author duo – Erin Watts but haven’t had a chance to read them yet … here’s your chance to try their work without committing to a series (like with their The Royals series). This author duo is top notch!
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RELEASE DATE: May 30, 2017
Pre-order | order: http://amzn.to/2pRufhV
**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Oakley needs saving. He has it all but it's all slowly unraveling.

Enter Vaughn, the fake girlfriend who his PR team are using to clean up Oakley's image and make him seem more grounded. 'Conjuring up a normal' his manager calls it. (That made me mad!!!!)

All they have to do is remember its not real.

Wow this story. I love a NA read. The writing, the story, I felt it all. What I loved most was their story wasn't rushed, there was an instant attraction and that was immediately followed by hostility which then turns to friendship and then something more...watching it all pan out was wonderful.

A fantastic must read....which must be read!

Shel: When It's Real checks off all the boxes for us and is adding to what we now know we should expect from an Erin Watt book. It has fantastically snarky dialogue, lots of great tension, and two interesting teenage characters--Oakley and Vaughn. Let's start with those two, shall we? The writing duo Erin Watt has a way of making me strongly dislike their male protagonists only to turn the tables on me and have me totally loving them. When I first "met" Oakley he was so easy to dislike--so arrogant and spoiled and frustrating--but as the novel progressed, so did Oakley. He gradually became less douchey and more vulnerable and open, even as he held on to this sort of swaggering confidence; it was this combination of alpha vulnerability that turned things around for me and a large part of that had to do with Vaughn. Vaughn was more like able than Oakley but she was not without her own flaws (as we all are); namely her weaselly boyfriend W (ugh, that guy was a loser with a capital L) and using her snark as her armor when with Oakley. As she shed her armor and allowed herself to be open and more vulnerable with Oakley, she seemed to trigger him to want to do the same. I especially liked that the writers created her to be less than confident on her next steps --I think it's great to see a main characters not have all the answers and yet are allowed the room and space to explore rather than make a hasty career/school decision. Oakley and Vaughn were a fun pairing to read.

Court: Shel did such a wonderful job of telling all of the things to like about the characters, so I'll take a moment to gush about the authors. There was absolutely so many things to like about this book, and I am still in a gigantor book hangover. Erin Watt has absolutely made all of my book dreams come true. 1) We love stories about famous people...sue us, it is an addiction. 2) We also love stories about famous people associating with normal people (desperate fantasy? Probably...lol) and 3) we love stories when the author (or in this case author(s) are so seamless in their storytelling that we cannot get enough of this book. Oakley and Vaughn's story is a very dysfunctional way to get to know each other, and I could not wait to find out what happens next. They are fun to read, and thank goodness we had dual POV. Erin Watt writes so well together, that you literally think it is the same person and I really love this dynamic. I loved them when Paper Princess came out, and now I obsessively obsess about every single thing they make a peep about in their writing world...because honestly, you should know who they are or you are missing out. I

Shel: Part of the fun was never knowing what one would say to antagonize the other; I liked how the tensions started with their first meeting and continued to simmer in the background as their feelings morphed into what we see at the end--that tension kept it interesting . The dialogue and texts and tweets weren't just what moved the plot along they enhanced the entire reading experience--there was a lot of laughing and swooning going on. Court: As I said their way of getting to know each other had me a bundle of nerves and experiencing angst and dying to know what would happen next, but at the same time hoping it would never end. I laughed out loud, I might have teared up once, and I absolutely devoured this book!

Shel: Not only were the main characters interesting, the secondary characters were too. The various conversations and situations with body guards, friends, and family members, and others helped round out Oakley and Vaughn and have me hoping that we may revisit them all in the future. I enjoyed them all so much that I'm already hoping they'll be a holiday short or a newsletter special or a cross over into the Royals so that I can see them all again--I miss them already. Court: ME TOO! Would it be productive to re-read this book until the next Erin Watt book comes out? I cannot get enough. I was wishing for more pages, and was wishing that I could slow down but the characters had me so engrossed that I could. not. stop!

Shel: Erin Watt fans--this isn't the high drama of the Royals (thank god, I barely made it out alive) and we think you're going to love When It's Real because it's not that high drama but something that is equally good and stands on its own. Court: I agree. This was a perfectly finessed book in every way. I loved every scene, and really was so glad of so much growth in each character and the plot was so well developed and the setting was one that I love so much. And I'll stop now that I am just writing in incoherent run-on sentences, but you get the gist. You will not regret giving this book a try!

The relationship between Vaughn and Oakley is a bit of a slow burn. Things take some time to heat up and for these two to actually be able to stand being around each other. It takes some time for Oakley to stop letting his immaturity get in the way. He has some trust issues and rightfully so. Poor Vaughn is caught in such the middle of a mess. One she didn't really want to be in but felt forced into to help her family situation. Putting their guard down doesn't come naturally for either of them. It doesn't help that their every move is coordinated and public. It's all very "Hollywood" - ridiculously addicting amounts of staging, scandal and drama that'll have you devouring each page!

I've been looking forward to When It's Real since I first saw that the dynamic duo behind Erin Watt was writing a new book. I loved The Royals, found myself totally and thoroughly addicted to the characters, storyline and writing, so I had pretty high expectations for this book. And you know what? They were exceeded. I got everything I loved about The Royals without all the angst and drama. (I mean, there was *some* angst and drama, but it wasn't at all like in The Royals series.)

I do love a good famous person/regular person pairing and Vaughn and Oakley were great together. They were also great characters on their own. Initially I appreciated Vaughn's willingness to do what she needed to do for her family, but I came to like her even more later on for her intelligence, sassiness and strength. She was a wonderful heroine. Oakley, on the other hand, needed some time to grow on me. (The famous ones always do.) Underneath his superstar exterior, he was a great guy. He was more vulnerable than I would've expected and I found I liked that quite a bit. I loved the relationship between these two characters. They played nicely off each other, despite their differences. They gave me feels and swoons and smiles. This fake romance turned out to be something very real, indeed.

When It's Real was a lovely, charming and swoony book. It's beautifully written and totally addictive. Even with the "fake" aspect of the storyline, it all played out realistically — at least with the regards to the romance and the characters. Books like this are why I continue to read YA contemporary. If that's your jam, definitely think about picking this one up. You won't be sorry you did.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FAVORITE QUOTES

"I'm never going to believe another thing I see on the internet," I whisper.
His thumb brushes my cheek. "This isn't the internet."

"You're beautiful. Every day I'm with you is brighter and more exciting than the last. And if we ever have sex, it'll be because you want it, not because I want it or because you think it's necessary to keep me. But until you're ready, there's a ton of other stuff we can do to make you feel good."

"I know I'd be fine without you. I'd live a perfectly good life. But I don't want a perfectly good life. I want a messy, exciting, happy, sad, emotion-filled, loud life with you."

Sigh
Swoon
Awe
Squee

and any other word that would convey my absolute joy and love of this sweet story.

When It's Real is so gosh darn awesome and lovingly sweet I feel like hugging it and cuddling it. It's not starring a filthy talking alpha, but it doesn't need to.

Oakley Ford is a "slightly" egotistical pop star on the edge of where are they now news. His ridiculous antics have labeled him a nuisance to his label and he can't seem to find his sound. The one producer who could change his downward spiral won't touch the immature star.

With a Hail Mary ploy, Oakley is paired with a "normal". Enter the sassy and uncomfortable Vaughn. These two are both against the situation but seem to suck it up. Too bad things go awry from the beginning...

As I said it's sweet and just downright snuggleable- totally a word. Oakley and Vaughn make me a mushy mess, sighing in starry eyed pleasure. But then you know what it's like When It's Real...

reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

Oakley Ford and Vaughn Bennett could not be more different. At least that's what it looks like to those on the outside. And, it shocks Oakley's Fandom when he begins a relationship with Vaughn. After all, she's NORMAL, just like them. But, the fans don't know that this relationship begins as a set up. It's 100% promotion meant to clean up Oakley's bad boy image. The feelings and emotions shared by Oak and Vaughn are soon very real, but neither quite know what to do When It's Real.

The dynamic duo that is Erin Watt (Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy) is absolutely fantastic yet again! They have delivered another story with compelling characters and an engaging storyline that will draw you in and leave you wanting more! When It's Real is more of a slow burn than the intense, fast-pace of the Royals Series by Erin Watt. But, the story is interesting and the characters possess the same wit, charm and banter that I expect from these authors.

When It's Real is billed as more of a Young Adult read. The character's ages are definitely YA, however there are a couple of steamy-ish scenes (that I loved) that would prevent me from handing it over to the 16-year-olds I know. I actually wish that the characters would have been a little older and the book skewed New Adult instead. BUT, that being said, I still loved the book.

If you're looking for a wonderful story with characters that you'll fall in love with while they fall in love with each other, When It's Real is a must one-click! I hope Erin Watt plans to write many, many, many, many more books together because I want to read them all!

An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review. BFF Book Blog also uses a set of icon ratings. This book received additional icons for: supporting characters, character development, heroine, angst and romance.

When I first read the writing duo known as Erin Watt, I was so impressed I knew I'd pick up whatever they decided to write. When I heard they were writing YA and saw the gorgeous cover for When It's Real, it went straight to the top of my TBR. This book had a little bit for all readers. Love a good YA? Rock star read? Enemies to friends to lovers? Fake girlfriend/boyfriend? How about the famous leading man/average heroine? This book had all that and more.

Oakley 'Oak' Ford is your average teen star. He became a huge hit when he was young, and now that he's an adult (barley) he wants to change his sound. He wants to be taken more seriously. The only way that is going to happen is if he shows he's serious. One way to do that? Date a nice, average girl. At least that's what his management team says. Oak is willing to do just about anything to work with the producer of his dreams so he's game.

Vaughn is not the type to date a famous guy. In fact, she's already got a boyfriend.... but when the opportunity to date Oak falls in her lap, she can't pass it up. It's too good to be true. Vaughn isn't shallow, but after her parents died years ago, her family needs the money. Vaughn and Oak butt heads at first. Their dynamic is a little... er... rocky. I loved seeing them banter and watching the sexual tension build between them.

Oakley is one of those characters that really grew on me. I'm going to be honest, I didn't love him at first. But after some time, he completely won me over. I loved that he didn't want to settle in his career. He strives for more. And I really loved watching him fall for Vaughn. He didn't want to, but it happened. And it was beautiful.

Vaughn was kind of the opposite for me. I loved her at the start, but there were moments later on I didn't care for the choices she made. She irked me... overall, I did like her as a character. She was real and I liked that she was willing to sacrifice for her family.

When It's Real is not the same type of read as The Royal's series. It didn't have that angsty, addictive quality. It was, however a fun, fast, and easy read. If you're in the mood for a mature YA standalone that is the perfect blend of light and sweet, this is one I would recommend!

Book Review
Title: When It’s Real
Author: Erin Watt
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 30, 2017

4 Stars

Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Erin Watt comes the addictive contemporary tale of a teen rock star in need of an image makeover and the teen girl hired to be his fake girlfriend.

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

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

My Thoughts:
I will warn those that were fans of the darker Royal’s series (Paper Princess etc.) that this book is nothing like it and for that I was happy. I loved The Royal’s series don’t get me wrong, but I love it when the author’s switch it up and give us something fresh and new. That is exactly what I got with When It’s Real! I truly enjoyed every chapter and I couldn’t put it down.

This book gave me a rock star romance, slow burn, frenemies to lovers, and bad boy rocker to girl next door romance all rolled into one! The character development throughout the story was fantastic and I really loved both Oakley and Vaughn. There is a lot that goes on between these two and the supporting cast. As a reader, I enjoyed the journey of witnessing their individual transformations as well as their transformation as a couple.

I don’t want to give anything away, so you will have to read this sweet, sexy, fun and engaging read!

ARC kindly provided by the author and NetGalley for an honest review.

This book is just as addicting as the Royals!

This fantastic writing duo brings us a sweet and heartfelt story about a boy that despite being surrounded by people all the time he always feels alone and a girl that has the weight of the world in her shoulders.

Oakley is a famous singer, he is been making a name for himself for a long time but now his bad boy reputation is catching up with him and on top of that his inspiration for writing new lyrics is running low, so his "team" comes up with the brilliant idea of creating a fake relationship with a normal girl, in enters Vaughn who shares the responsibility with her sister of taking care of her little brothers. It all starts very innocently but soon real feelings start to appear and neither of them know what to do with them.

I really loved the relationship that Vaughn has with Oakley, I enjoyed getting to know them and I enjoyed reading about them getting to know each other, this is one of my favorite tropes ever so I was super happy but also presently surprised at all the ways that Erin Watt takes that trope and makes it into something so much more.

We see different family dynamics, we see how being supported by the ones you love the most can make or break you at times and also we see how hard it is sometimes to live in the now and take each and every opportunity that comes your way and how hard work really pays off.

I just felt so happy and giddy when I was reading this book, it was hard for me to stop reading and I just wanted them to be okay, by the end of the book I was freaking out thinking maybe things weren't going to go the way I wanted them but I shouldn't have worried because Erin Watt sure knows how to write an ending as impactful as the entire book.

I'm not sure if this is a standalone but I wouldn't be against reading more form these two characters or from the people that are close to them.

I am a sucker for any romance featuring a small town girl and famous guy. After seeing the synopsis for this one, I couldn't request a copy fast enough. I made the mistake of starting this book at bedtime, thinking I could sneak in a few chapters before sleeping. I remember looking at my clock around 1:00 a.m. and forcing myself to shut down the Kindle to catch a few hours of sleep. Five minutes later, I was up and reading once again. I could not put this book down. It was definitely worth the night of lost sleep, and I could not wipe the silly grin off my face. This is one of my favorite contemporary romances of the year, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

I adored Vaughn from the beginning. She is full of sass and determination, but she is carrying so much weight on her young shoulders. She's mature for a seventeen year old, and has an optimism that makes her endearing. I especially admire how she constantly puts Oakley his place. Their banter was some of my favorites moments of the book.

"Careful babe, or you're gonna give me a complex"
"You already have a complex. It's called egomania."

Despite the circumstances, they quickly develop an intense and slow burning relationship. I literally could not sleep wondering if these two would ever admit to their true feelings. It was the best torture and something I always long for in romance novels. It was the perfect balance of emotion and humor.

This is as real and as awful and as wonderful as it gets.

Even though the plot wasn't unique and somewhat predictable, I still loved it immensely. I think it's a testament to the amazing writing skills of these two authors. If you are looking for an entertaining and well written book, I highly recommend When It's Real! It's technically YA, but it's more along the lines of NA. I'll be suggesting this one to book friends all summer.

When It’s Real by Erin Watt
4 stars!!!

“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 absolutely adored the Royals series which was when this writing duo first joined forces and they gave me everything that I love…especially angst and teenage drama. While When It’s Real is not on the same scale it still had all those traits that I first fell in love with. In When It’s Real we are also treated to some of my favourite tropes…rock star falls for a “normal” woman and who doesn’t love a fake girlfriend? Couple this with angst and drama and you know that you are always going to get an entertaining read and it was just that.

“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.”

Oakley Ford was a child rock star, emancipated from his famous parents because they were jealous of his own success. He hit the charts in his early teens and now has plateaued. He feels his “sound” is old and he wants his new music to be a reflection of the fact that he has grown up, he wants to reinvent himself and there is only one person he wants to do it with. King, the producer he desperately covets is unwilling to work with him, he sees him as a loose cannon, unsettled and so Oak’s team come up with the “fake girlfriend” stability and settling down angle to entice him.

Vaughn is the girl next door type, extremely intelligent but her life is stifled by the situation her family finds themselves in. Vaughn is currently taking a year out to look after her little brothers as since the death of her parents, Vaughn and her sister have become both mom and dad. Their little family is in desperate need of money and it seems their answers may have come all at once.

The dynamic between Oak and Vaughn is tenuous at best, these two rut against one and other, especially once all the “advisors” get involved. Vaughn is far from superficial, she has her long-term boyfriend and her family’s best interests at heart, but when this charade gets awkward it is not long before tension is rife from both the men in her life.

“Half the time when you open your mouth, you say something that makes me want to punch you...But when you sing…you make it really hard to hate you.”

I loved how these got to know one and other first, how they naturally progressed from bitter enemies to friends and then more. Their journey felt organic rather than forced and made their relationship all the more believable. Oak was like an onion and with every layer that Vaughn managed to strip away she got to see more of the real person underneath. Misunderstood, career minded, a perfectionist but most of all…he was lonely. Fickle friendships par for the course and everyone out for what they could get…except Vaughn.

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

This does have a little angst and drama but nowhere the same level as the Royals, but the plot flowed effortlessly and this was an easy read for me. This was a book easy to escape into and one that kept the pages turning with the budding relationship between Oak and Vaughn. To see the real Oak was heart-warming and as we got to understand him more, his character only became more lovable. I would say however that this, for me, would be a more mature YA novel.

www.theromancecover.com

Oakley Ford is sort of Harry Stiles(ish) for me. He is a conceited rock star who has been famous since the age of 14 and likes to indulge and party at every chance. Now at 19, he wants to have his music taken more seriously but it won’t be easy to clean up his image. His “people” decide a fake relationship with a normal girl will be just the thing to turn this perception around and get him back in the good graces of fans and music executives. Enter Vaughn. She’s had to mature very fast to help her family stay afloat and that’s exactly why she takes on the job of Oakley’s girlfriend when it’s offered.

So there isn’t a lot of original in the basic structure of this plot, and there’s even quite a bit of cliché. But somehow along the way I stopped caring and I just started enjoying. Oakley definitely won my heart a lot faster than Vaughn did. Seeing behind the curtain of Hollywood and how things are not always what they seem on social media was so much fun and gave you exactly what you needed to see through Oak. I understood the lonely position he felt he was in, boxed in by his past actions and by his music, not really able to be who he wanted to be, to be respected and looked at ass a serious artist or even to trust his friends. That jerk exterior suddenly just felt like his armor and I couldn’t help but love him for it. Jerkish ways and all.

Vaughn, like I said, I didn’t warm up to as fast. I’m not sure why because she seems like a girl with a good head on her shoulders. But I didn’t “love” her. I do think she has great chemistry and banter with Oak. I also think the author did a great job at still making her act and feel her age even though she’s been dealt a hand that makes her grow up much faster. She still deals with the insecurities and life questions that anyone at her age should be dealing with and her reactions to things do make sense for her age as well. And as a bonus, I didn’t want to murder her because of all her teenage angst.

I can’t compare this to the other Erin Watt books since I haven’t read them but I have a feeling this falls more in the young adult genre than their other work. I am here to tell you I’m a little surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Contemporary Young Adult is not really my thing, I usually find the characters quite annoying and my eyes end up hurting from rolling them so much. The premise of this story could’ve been a disaster for me. But I trusted the author, went in with a good attitude and was so pleasantly surprised that I shocked myself. I might’ve even texted a few friends while reading this and after finishing it asking them how was it possible that I so into it!

WHEN IT’S REAL is a fun-filled story. Perfectly light and addictive to read by the pool this summer. I just ate it up so fast I think you might as well and just fall in love with the little brat rock star hero just like I did.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 rockin' stars

Erin Watt is a new-to-me author. I own her Royals series, but I've yet to read it – I will soon rectify that.

When It's Real is too young to be new adult but a bit too old to be young adult, so I'm just going to go ahead and say it's a mature YA. One narrator is an innocent 17, the other a jaded 19 yet innocent in matters of the heart. There are sexual situations, but not above the norm for teenagers (descriptions are light, and fade-to-black, so if you know what's going on, you do – if you don't, you won't). If I had a child, I'd let them read it 14+. If I were a teen, I would've gone nuts over this book (as an adult, I did too). Plus, I felt there were several good messages that would impact a teenager for the positive.

Vaughn is our heroine, a 17-year-old orphan being raised by her older sister, as they jointly raise their 12-year-old twin brothers. Their struggles make Vaughn completely relatable. She's the girl-next-door, innocent, caring, giving, highly intelligent, yet she is also flawed.

Oak is our hero, a 19-year-old rock star. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders, unable to know who to trust in a world of fake, and he's blocked when it comes to his music. He's in need of a muse and a mature makeover, so he no longer comes off as Justin-Bieber-esque. Oak is a bit of a d-bag, but he's a relatable, flawed d-bag. He's 'our' d-bag with a heart of gold and in need of a real hug from someone who loves him, not wants something from him.

Without writing out a plot summary/book report... Vaughn and Oak had great chemistry, tension, a realistic friendship that grew over the course of the book. Oodles of teenage angst due to the storyline. When It's Real had the recipe for an intoxicating young adult novel.

I give mad props to Erin Watt for focusing on the negatives of the recording industry, instead of going the vapid way out, making it all about sunshine and rainbows, and the thrill of having money and anything your heart desires. While Oak loved the spotlight, the thrill of thousands of fans screaming his name, he also craved a family, normalcy, anonymity – all things he recognizes in Vaughn.

At the core of the story, Oak has biological relatives but no real connection, yet Vaughn's family is tighter due to tragedy. So their connection is forged by being able to share and show each other what is most important in life, balancing out the good and bad.

I highly recommend to young adult fans (may be a bit too mild for new adult fans who are looking for the usual gut-twisting angst and explicit sex present in most new adult books) and for those young at heart looking for an injection of the warmth from first love.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
I quickly became a fan of this author duo when The Royals series came out and I couldn't wait to see what they did next! When It's Real has exactly the kind of addictive quality we've come to love from Erin Watt. So, it's no surprise that I was immediately sucked into Vaughn and Oakley's story.

Oakley Ford, a teen pop star, is in need of an image makeover and his team decides to accomplish this with a fake girlfriend. Oakley's fake girlfriend is supposed to help show the media that his party days are a thing of the past and his new wholesome girl is helping to settle him down.

Vaughn's family is strapped for cash and playing Oakley's fake girlfriend is worth way more than her waitress job and the kind of money she couldn't possibly pass up. The amount of money his team will be paying her will definitely be worth putting up with all the crazy publicity, parties, and a self-centered pop star.

When It's Real will easily win over fans both young and old. The characters were well developed and I easily fell in love with them all. Plus, the chemistry between Vaughn and Oakley was on point! I can't wait to see what Erin Watt has in store for us next!


Kris – ☆☆☆☆☆
I absolutely loved this book. It had everything I like in a rock star romance but with a sweet innocence of the young adult genre. Although not quite young adult, but not quite new adult, it has a nice mix of steamy moments without too much detail, just enough to make you get that nice little thrill. Oakley Ford's character as the teen pop sensation (think Justin Bieber) was perfectly portrayed and very well written. Bratty and prone to getting his way, but trying to become a better songwriter and change up his music, Oakley is hoping to snag the very desirable King to produce his next record. King won’t have a thing to do with Oakley until Oak shows some maturity. Oakley is told he's going to be dating a "normal" mostly to snag King. His publicist and manager have picked the girl for him, Vaughn Bennett. She's just what they need to clean up Oakley's image – a young, fresh nobody, a normal teenage girl with a wholesome background.

Vaughn has been floating since her parents died. Not really sure where her future is or should be going. She's approached to spend a year being Oakley Ford's girlfriend for a very large sum of money. Money that her family could desperately use since their parents died leaving her twin younger brothers to be raised by her and her sister. Vaughn has a boyfriend but decides this is important for her family and hopes W (yep, he goes by W) will understand it's all fake. The love triangle is well written with enough strife to be interesting but not overdone. I totally "shipped" Oakley and Vaughn and wanted them to have their happily ever after! The Twitter feed portions were nicely added, showing everything a normal girl would face dating a huge celeb with the internet involved. Oakley's famous parents aspect was on point and well played. I only wish the end wasn't as rushed, seemed a bit all squished at the end, but maybe I just wanted more. I do have a bit of a book hangover!! One of my best reads so far for 2017.

I have to admit I really enjoyed the Royals series by Erin Watt and that was the reason I was so excited for their next stand alone which is When It's Real. For those of you who don't know, Erin Watt is the pen name for the author duo of Elle Kennedy and Jen Fredrick. I love their books individually as well but together they create the most addicting stories. I'm happy to say that When It's Real was no different and it was a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

This book goes on from both Oakley and Vaughn's point of views. Let's start with Oakley. Oakley Ford is a celebrity and a pop star. He rose to fame just when he was thirteen and hasn't looked back since. His parents are movie stars practically making him Hollywood royalty. When Oakley finds himself in trouble his publicity team decide for an image overhaul which leads Oak to fake a relationship with a normal girl- Vaughn. I really liked Oakley. Yes, he was spoilt and self centred but he didn't know any different. He had been under the spotlight for as long as he lived. But slowly and steadily we can see Oakley making efforts to be a better person.

Then we have Vaughn. I LOVED Vaughn. She was the perfect heroine, especially for Oakley. Vaughn at first has no interest in playing a spoilt pop star's girlfriend but her family is struggling to make ends meet. Vaughn's parents passed away in an accident and now she and her older sister have to take care of her younger twin brothers. Vaughn was the girl next door but her personality was so much more than that. She didn't take any body's bullshit and she genuinely cared about her family and Oakley.

Vaughn and Oakley start off by arguing with each other. But slowly they start understanding each other and the reasons behind their personalities. I just loved Vaughn and Oakley together. Their romance was sweet and slow burn. It has been some time since I've genuinely enjoyed myself while reading a young adult novel and this one was just perfect. It had an amazing combination of love, friendship, family and finding yourself.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the side plot of Vaughn's sister Paisley and Oak's body guard. I hope we get more of them. I loved Vaughn's brothers as well. Erin Watt has written such fully fleshed out characters that every one's personality is distinct. If you are looking for a light yet heart warming read which will leave you with a smile on your face, I'd say pick up When It's Real.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

It's been some time since I've read a story about falling for that very first time. As soon as I heard that this dynamic duo were releasing such a book I couldn't barely contain my excitement and just as what I imagined.

When It's Real is about a teenage pop-star named Oakley Ford who is thought to be losing his edge. His management predicts he is about to become a has-been and so they come up with this elaborate ploy to get him back on track by changing his image. A part of this is inserting a young and innocent Vaughn Bennett into his daily routine.

At first, I didn't know what to think about this "partnership". On paper, they made perfect sense but in reality? Nothing about them did! Erin Watt proved me completely wrong however. I loved how Vaughn made such a amazing impact on Oakley. Her simplicity changed him. She made him realize that there was so much more to life than what he had.

If you're looking for a beautifully written, wholesome and sweet love story than this is a book is definitely for you. Personally, I think anything written by Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick is a must-read.

4.5 Stars!
Oakley Ford is a gorgeous 19 yr. old teen rock star living in LA. He's the child of famous movie stars & has always been in the public eye. He's been a young celebrity since he signed his first contract at the age of 14. Lately the tabloids keep exploiting all his wild nights & partying, and his image has taken a hit. He just wants to make music he loves, & recently it all seems to fall flat. He's experiencing a creative block, & hasn't recorded anything decent since his last album a couple years ago. He's had unreal success, but doesn't want to become a washed up pop star.

He's trying to turn over a new leaf, & wants to be taken seriously. His dream is to work with his favorite music producer. His team decides it's time for an intervention. He needs a full image makeover to show the world he's settled down. The perfect way to do this is to find a good girl. An ordinary, normal girl the public can relate to.

Vaughn Bennett is a 17 yr. old girl who's a part-time waitress & a devoted sister. After losing her parents, Vaughn & her siblings are barely keeping their heads above water. When a unique opportunity she'd normally never even consider comes her way, Vaughn decides to go for it. She's offered a lot of money to be pop star Oakley Ford's fake girlfriend for a year. She has the wholesome girl next door look. She's the perfect non famous, down to earth girl for him to pretend date. She decides her family could really use the money & financial security.

Vaughn thinks fake dating Oakley Ford shouldn't be too bad, but then she meets him. He's a shallow, arrogant, conceited, egotistical jerk who thinks he's better than everyone else. She's totally unimpressed with the star. They initially clash, but then Vaughn begins seeing glimpses of the real Oak. He's kind, & the more she gets to know the real him, the more she likes him. Soon she doesn't feel like she's pretending anymore, and real feelings are developing.

To the outside Oakley Ford has it all. A beautiful beachfront home, millions of adoring fans, a huge bank account, & a fabulous girlfriend. Lately all he wants is to make new music & be with Vaughn. He loves spending time with her, and is tired of playing make believe. His feelings are real, & he wants to be with her. She completely owns his heart.

Vaughn is caught up in Oak's world of Hollywood, publicists, & being in the spotlight. Everything is confusing & overwhelming. The only thing she knows for sure is she wants Oak to be hers & she doesn't want money to get in the way. Can this couple make it work, or will the media & outside influences try to destroy them?

I really enjoyed this book & loved Oak. Such a sweet, sexy, swoony rock star! I hope we get a book for Paisley & Ty next. :))

When It's Real checks off all the boxes for us and is adding to what we now know we should expect from an Erin Watt book. It has fantastically snarky dialogue, lots of great tension, and two interesting teenage characters--Oakley and Vaughn. Let's start with those two, shall we? The writing duo Erin Watt has a way of making me strongly dislike their male protagonists only to turn the tables on me and have me totally loving them. When I first "met" Oakley he was so easy to dislike--so arrogant and spoiled and frustrating--but as the novel progressed, so did Oakley. He gradually became less douchey and more vulnerable and open, even as he held on to this sort of swaggering confidence; it was this combination of alpha vulnerability that turned things around for me and a large part of that had to do with Vaughn. Vaughn was more likeable than Oakley but she was not without her own flaws (as we all are); namely her weaselly boyfriend W (ugh, that guy was a loser with a capital L) and she also tened to use her snark as her armor when with Oakley. As she shed her armor and allowed herself to be open and more vulnerable with Oakley, she seemed to trigger him to want to do the same. I especially liked that the writers created her to be less than confident on her next steps after high school --I think it's great to see a main characters not have all the answers and are allowed the room and space to explore rather than make a hasty career/school decision. Oakley and Vaughn were a fun pairing to read.

Part of the fun was never knowing what one would say to antagonize the other; I liked how the tensions started with their first meeting and continued to simmer in the background as their feelings morphed into what we see at the end--that tension kept it interesting . the dialogue and texts and tweets weren't just what moved the plot along they enhanced the entire reading experience--there was a lot of laughing and swooning going on.

Not only were the main characters interesting, the secondary characters were too. The various conversations and situations with body guards, friends, and family members, and others helped round out Oakley and Vaughn and have me hoping that we may revisit them all in the future. I enjoyed them all so much that I'm already hoping they'll be a holiday short or a newsletter special or a cross over into the Royals so that I can see them all again--I miss them already.

Erin Watt fans--this isn't the high drama of the Royals (thank god, I barely made it out alive) and we think you're going to love When It's Real because it's not that high drama but something that is equally good and stands on its own.

Erin Watt has created yet another sweet and completely captivating romance in When It's Real, which takes place in the world of celebrities, fame, and fortune, where reality is harsh and love is impossible.

Oakley and Vaughn's characters were from completely different worlds, but I genuinely felt for them equally in where they were coming from in their lives. They were both so complex and had such difficult pasts to deal with ... Poor Oakley (I love the name by the way) was so damaged and had completely shut down his feelings and hope for real happiness. Being so successful and at such a young age, he should seemingly have everything he could ever want. However, he had constantly been let down in life. Only his music nurtured his soul, and when he lost the ability to create nothing was left but anger and resentment.

Vaughn was sweet, simple, and appreciative. She lived wrapped up in the warmth, support, and love of her younger brothers and older sister. Desperately holding on tight to her past and the unexpected loss of both of her parents, Vaughn is kind of stuck in a holding pattern of complacency, not really knowing or really particularly looking for her place and direction in life. She would do anything for her family and is only concerned about living up to what she perceives everyone’s expectations of her to be.

Oakley and Vaughn were incredibly strong-willed and stubborn, and they struggled so much with their fears in life. Oakley, with his fear of never having a real life where someone could actually love the real person and not just the celebrity persona, and Vaughn, afraid to take a chance and live her life for herself and not the way she believed everyone thought she should. They both had almost completely shut out their feelings to future possibilities in order to protect themselves from their fears.

Oakley and Vaughn’s relationship transitioned quite naturally in the story and was certainly fun and entertaining to follow! Although it was understandable, due to being thrown into their fake relationship together, they were both just completely awful to each other in the beginning. Their dislike for both their situation and each other was certainly immense. However, their banter was really witty as the two battled and eventually began to understand each other, find common ground, and build a friendship. They really were a great balance for each other and their insecurities. The flow of their relationship grew so naturally and effortlessly, and the slow buildup of sexual tension between them was perfectly paced and certainly palpable. The only element that seemed a little off to me was regarding the timing of Vaughn giving Oakley the one thing she had never given ‘W'… I understood her feelings were totally different toward Oakley and he wasn’t pushy about it, but it just caught me off guard and seemed a little early in their relationship.

The story had many meaningful secondary characters who were very real, authentic, and true to their roles and whose presence definitely made an impact in the story. Vaughn's friends and family were so supportive, and I really enjoyed the warmth and fun banter they all shared. King’s character also stood out in particular to me as a necessary role model to Oakley, with his voice of wisdom and experience in the industry. He wasn't going to fluff feathers for anyone and called a spade a spade, and I really felt that Oakley needed someone like that in his life to look up to and show him some type of positive direction and support in his career.

The musician and celebrity lifestyle was conveyed so well in this story, and it was very interesting to know more about the inner workings of the industry, as well as the personal effects of it. Honestly, I haven’t ever really put much thought into how violating it could feel for celebrities when their fans overstep their personal boundaries. Seeing the flipside of it with the negative tweets from the fans and their overall behavior and criticism for their lives was incredibly sad, and I just can’t imagine that lifestyle. I felt so sympathetic to Oakley, in his lack of any kind of normalcy in his life, as well as Vaughn, in seeing how his celebrity status also affected her own. I think the social media included in the story with the tweets, Instagram, etc. also really helped to convey how out of hand fans can be with their character attacks and even with the simplest acts like getting ice cream.

This duo can certainly write! This suspenseful and unique storyline just pulled me in like a spider to its prey. The story wasn’t overly angsty, and it had just the right amount to remain light-hearted yet keep me wrapped up and engaged all the way through. The dual point of views really helped to submerge deeper into the true feelings and challenges that Oakley and Vaughn faced, and I just couldn’t resist turning page after page to see what would happen next with this complex couple. I also want to mention that I thought their marketing for this book was really good as well. I know this was in the Young Adult genre and maybe that's why, but I was especially happy to see a cover that was unique and not yet another half-naked hot guy!

I truly enjoyed and loved Oakley and Vaughn’s romantic journey. It was incredibly sweet and the conclusion really did leave me with the shivers. Although the story had a perfect ending, I honestly really didn’t want this one to end!

'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.'

*** 4.5 Stars for Me! ***