I JUST LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

I'm a huge #RockStarRomance fangirl!
And this story was sooo adorable!
It's not your typical erotic, on-the-tourbus, live rock-shows, kind of thing.
It's a sweet story written for the younger crowd. But this older blogger still loved it!

It's all so adorable!
The way they're both fighting for their future.
The way poor Oakley is trying so hard to make new, and better music.

The way Vaughn tries to resist him. Because the real guy behind the star, is someone she really likes. A lot.
I loved watching them both doing a lot of growing up and finding themselves.
This was such a perfect book. Full of fun and laughter. Romance and feelings. Family, friends - real and fake. Love and hate.
I loved every second of it!
I so want to see this book made into a movie! And I also want to travel back in time to when I was 17 and be Vaughn! Well, at least the #rockstargirlfriend part.☺ Vaughn is SO my spirit animal ('cause just like me, she hates cats and is afraid of butterflies!☺)

WHEN IT'S REAL was the most adorable #RockstarRomance! Sweet, funny, serious, moving. Just beautiful! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Oak - this one is MINE!!! ☺

And now I'm excited for whatever the Erin Watt ladies have for us next!

Have you ever wondered what it would really be like to date a rockstar? I mean, I know we all have celebrity crushes and famous people we would love to meet and get to know. But have you ever really thought about the nitty gritty of dating someone famous? Here's another quirk in the scenario for you: what if dating a rockstar was your job and you were getting paid for it? Add in the bonus that your first impression of this famous person was pretty spectacularly bad. I'm talking downright loathing this celebrity. This is the beginning of Erin Watt's book When It's Real.

I will say right off the bat that I love Erin Watt. This is the pen name of the writing duo Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick, whom I was introduced to through their debut book Paper Princess. This was the beginning of their trilogy The Royals, which another series I highly recommend. However, When It's Real is a standalone that is truly a great, fun read!

As most people who know me know I'm a sucker for the hate-to-love trope, so for me, this book was perfect! On one side of the ring you have Oakley Ford: a teen idol and famous pop singer who is realizing if he wants to stay relevant, he's going to need to grow up and make some serious music. He has been in a bit of trouble and parties hard, so now no one will take him seriously. His manager comes up with the brilliant idea overhaul his image by "fake dating" an average normal girl. His complete opposite. Yeah, you can already see where this is going.

On the other side of the ring, you have Vaughn Bennett. She's the second of four children, both of her parents are dead, so she graduated high school early so she could get a job and help her older sister pay the bills and take care of their twin younger brothers. She has a boyfriend but she's not sure exactly how she feels about him anymore. On top of that, she's secretly not sure what she wants to do in college so she's taking a year off, under the guise of helping out her family financially. Money is tight and this is what leads her to the deal with Oak.

There is a lot more involved in dating a celebrity than I would have originally thought. They are surrounded by all types of people all the time. Managers, assistants, bodyguards, etc.... Basically, they have people waiting on them hand and foot 24/7. Oak has had this all his life due to the fact he was born to really famous actors, so its safe to say that he's very much a spoiled brat. Vaughn comes face to face with his spoiled personality at their first meeting. Words are exchanged and tempers flare, but Vaughn stands her ground and Oak is intrigued. (Can I just add a side note here that this sounds a little bit like Pride and Prejudice, especially given that her last name just happens to be Bennett? I mean a sassy, quick witted, and determined woman sparks interest in the mind of a man who's just a wee bit conceited! Sound like another Bennett woman? Anyone?? Heehee....)

So Vaughn takes on this job of fake dating Oak. She's going to get paid quite a wad of cash for it and since her family needs the money, she decides to do it, despite the fact the bf isn't thrilled. So Vaughn, the girl who doesn't like to be the center of attention, is thrown right into the middle of the social eye. Oakley is very much adored by his female fans and it takes a bit for Vaughn to adjust to this. Their love story is also so contrived, she has to do certain things on social media to keep the story going, which I found to be a little ridiculous. But, I suppose it this is supposed to be a fake courtship, you kind of have to do it that way.

My first thoughts on Oakley was that he was a spoiled asshole. I mean, there really is no way else to say it. He isn't mean or nasty, he just doesn't think of anyone else but himself. You can excuse his behavior a bit because he doesn't know any different, but he's still selfish. Vaughn makes him aware of this right away and at first he doesn't treat her very nicely at all. But slowly, he begins to reveal his soul underneath the exterior. Vaughn begins to see him in a new light and this is where things start to change a bit.

I love the fact that there was no instant love or a kiss that made everything turn around and suddenly the two main characters are in love and falling into bed with each other. While I love those types of stories in their own right, that direction just wouldn't have worked in this book. Instead, Vaughn and Oak become friends and start talking to each other. Oak tells Vaughn she should do what she loves most in life and not go to college just because she's supposed to or all her other friends are going. She supports him in his efforts to make music that comes from his heart and soul, now that he is a man and no longer a teen pop star. These two go on a journey of discovery that makes them into more matured and well rounded adults. It's not a heavy novel, but a light-hearted read that will answer the question: how do you know when it's real?

Fantastic novel! I devoured the Paper Princess trilogy and was eagerly awaiting this book, hoping that it would be just as good as those books. It is even better. When it's Real still has the same captivating writing and addictive story line, but everything seems to flow better in this book. Maybe it's because this is their fourth book together. Whatever it is, it works.

These characters are so real and enjoyable. I love the idea of taking a super famous rock star and throwing him together with an average teen to help his image. I love music, so I was happy to get a YA/NA book with a rock star. The way the characters bumped heads at first made their romance even more sweet at the end. As much as I hate to say it, the jerks usually turn out to be the best guys in the end. Vaughn is such a strong female characters. I loved that she didn't want/need to change herself for Oakley. (I am really hoping to see more characters from this story in the future. I totally want a Paisley/Ty book!)

I definitely recommend this book to all fans of the Paper Princess books as well as anyone looking for a fun, summery contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed reading this book, you guys. Like all the Erin Watt books, When It's Real is no less addicting, but unlike The Royals series, this story is a bit more innocent, I think. This book is definitely much more YA and is perfect fit for teen readers.

Oakley Ford is a teen phenom who has made it big in the music industry with tons of followers. He's gotten into a ton of mishaps for his party-going self and hasn't put out an album in a few years. A few years in the music industry is a very long time. The thing is, Oakley loves music, but he doesn't want to go back to the sound that's made him famous. And he needs to clean up his image in order to get a well-known producer to take him seriously and agree to work on his much for the next album.

Then there's Vaughn Bennett, a hard-working seventeen-year-old who graduated from high school early so she can pick up some jobs to help pay the bills in her family. She has an older sister and two younger twin brothers. Their parents died without leaving them much money and now it's just her and her sister trying to make ends meet. She knows she wants to go to college, but doesn't know what exactly she wants to study, unlike her friends who seem to know what they want to do with their lives. Well, when the opportunity to earn a lot of money quickly comes up by pretending to be the wholesome, girl-next-door girlfriend to famous Oakley Ford, she finds herself saying yes in order to help her family out.

I really enjoyed this book, because there's something really centered and real about the characters that also seem to apply to today's world. We've seen the teenage celebrities that have grown up way to fast with industry pressure and parents hammering in from all sides, but what this story shows is what it's like to be that celebrity. Oakley is surrounded by "yes-men" and a posse that do everything for him - from scheduling his life to running his social media accounts. He seems to have reached the point where he's outgrown his partying days, and even the spotlight. He loves making music, but he doesn't want to put out another album like he's already done. He wants something to reinvent himself and to show he's grown up. But the damage is already done on his public image, and Vaughn is his way to getting there. While Vaughn might have had a crush on Oakley when she was younger, she's completely outgrown him when they meet and after their first interaction, it's almost like a hate-to-love story (and I love the trope a lot).

The crux in this entire scenario is that Vaughn needs to be Oakley's public girlfriend. It's all smoke and mirrors, even their "interactions" on social media are begin Vaughn and Oakley's social media manager and not Oakley himself. But the problem is that Vaughn still very much as a boyfriend. I'm not sure I liked Vaughn's boyfriend, known as "W", to be such a big villain in all these. I mean, W is awful to Vaughn. He's absolutely toxic and keeps pressuring her to have sex (because all his college friends have already hooked up with girls at their parties) and uses her as an excuse for the terrible stuff he does. W is the character written to make Oakley look good. But the thing is, Oakley is a perfectly great guy once he realizes he's done something wrong and apologizes, so it seems to me that W's awfulness is a bit over-the-top.

Oakley starts off as the bad boy, when he's not really. It's more of a side-effect from the world he's grown up in and he's honestly not a terrible person. Oakley's parents are never in the picture. His parents are both famous actors, and his dad is a terrible father who never has time for his son unless photographers and reporters are involved, his mother doesn't seem quite as terrible as he makes her out to be. I loved the scene at the restaurant that's just between Oakley's mother and Vaughn. It's actually really awesome to see a well-mannered, lovely parent in YA interacting with the MCs.

Overall, I really loved reading this story and kind of makes me want this to be in a series of spin-offs, or continuing series between other characters. For one, I would love to see a story between Vaughn's older sister, Paisley, and Ty, Oakley's bodyguard. This is a quick read, and the interactions between Oakley and Vaughn are totally fun to read. They're really cute and I loved every moment they have together. So, I highly recommend this book for a fun contemporary YA. Even if you're tentative about starting this book if The Royals series wasn't for you, don't be! When It's Real has a different, more light-hearted feel to it that makes for a fantastic summer romance read!

***Thanks to Nina Bocci for providing an ARC via NetGalley***

When It’s Real by Erin Watt is a new venture for one of my favorite author duos. It’s an angst-filled story of a fake romance between a pop star and a “normal” teen girl. What I really enjoyed about the story is how genuine the heroine comes across. Vaughn Bennett is an orphan who is trying to find her direction in life and putting up with an arrogant pop star wasn’t part of the plan. But, Vaughn always puts family first and she’s going to do what she has to do. As the “fake romance” ventures into more and more dates, she realizes that Oakley is made of many different layers. This fake romance might be the realest thing she’s ever experienced.

3.5 stars

I've struggled to write my review for this one. On one hand I do really like these two writing together and I think they do a fantastic job at it. I love the Royals series. The writing is not my issue here. I think, for me, it's just the story here. It's going to be a case of "It's not you it's me." The characters are to young for my liking. I can do some YA, I read the Royals series and was fine with it. For this book though, the age bothered me and I just couldn't get into it. It's a cute story and it's super sappy in some parts but I need more angst in my romance. This is not the Royals 2.0 here, if you are looking for more of that you will be disappointed. I like that they branched out here and did something different. They get props for that. I look forward to more from them and I will defiantly read their stuff. I know not everything will be for me and I'm ok with that. There is nothing wrong with this book except it wasn't for me but it will be perfect for others.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

All I can say is WOW!!! When It’s Real by the author duo known as Erin Watt was a fantastic, contemporary read (and friends that comes from someone who doesn’t care for contemporary). Following the story of a former teen heart throb wanting to remake his rockstar image and the girl hired to be his fake girlfriend, I could not read it fast enough! I loved the characters, the story, and the combustible romance that followed.

Oakley Ford is an enigma. I honestly wanted to hate him. He is arrogant and entitled, two things I personally cannot stand, yet Oak grew on me. The son of a former Hollywood power couple, Oak has a role he was born to play and he is trying to break that model. He doesn’t want to be the teen heart throb pop singer any more. He wants to be taken seriously, he wants to reinvent himself. And honestly, I had to respect that even if the how is questionable.

Vaughn Bennett is the answer to Oak’s problems….sort of. At least that is what his management team convinces him of. Vaughn is a highly, independent girl with a ton of emotional baggage. Her parents died when she was young, leaving her and her older sister to raise themselves and younger brothers. It’s forced Vaughn to become an adult too early. She doesn’t know how to relax and she finds comfort in the familiar. When promised a ton of money to be Oak’s fake girlfriend, she waffles. I don’t blame her, in fact I admire her for it. The money is enough to make their living situation comfortable and pay for her brothers’ college tuitions. Yet she’d have to be something she isn’t to someone she really doesn’t like after their first meeting.

The plot is character driven which is something I have always loved. I love seeing the progression a character makes. In this story, it not only follows Oak and Vaughn’s relationship, but also them as they grow and understand their own baggage. Vaughn is broken in ways she didn’t realize and Oak is just starting to repair himself so he can pursue the life he wants. I loved reading their story and seeing their growth on the pages.

Overall, I highly recommend this if you are looking for a fun, beach read or a swoon-worthy weekend. When It’s Real encompasses everything I love about a good romance: complex characters, humor, and friendship before lust. If you enjoy Kelly Oram (who I LOVE) or enjoyed The Royals series, you want to grab a copy of this book!

Oakley Ford is a pop star with no inspiration. His social media followers are dwindling and he is slowly being forgotten. Vaughn Bennett and her older sister Paisley run their household, two hard workers who have given up everything for their younger brothers. When Vaughn is offered an extremely high paying job, she believes she must take it even though it makes her uncomfortable.

I love the conflict! First there's Vaughn's current boyfriend W, and later on others who will stand between Vaughn and Oakley. They themselves start off by hating each other, and only after many developments occur do they realise how much they have in common with each other. Hurdle after hurdle, the two clear them in their own time.

There are many infuriating characters in When It's Real who play some key roles but you cannot help hating. The two main ones I can think of are W and Claudia, who act the way an antagonist might, partially what makes this book complicated and keeps it interesting.

When It's Real is a wonderful story of love and friendship about two teens trying to recover and repair their lives. A strengthening bond which will grow and fray and be repaired, over and over again.

5 STARS

I'm SUCH a huge Erin Watt fan. Whether they're writing as this duo, or separately as Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick, I adore their words and their characters and their stories more than I can say. So it'll come as no surprise when I tell you that I was pulled into When It's Real immediately. I found myself whipping through these pages so quickly, I had to force myself to slow down and savor it. I was lost to this addictive story of characters volleying between pretending and figuring out what's real. Sexy, smart and layered with drama and sharp dialogue, Erin Watt delivers a refreshing storyline in When It's Real, a mature YA romance about an orchestrated rock star romance that gets messy, unpredictable, and all too real... And I loved every single word. 

There's something just ADDICTIVE about a good YA romance. But more, there's something deliciously magical about an ordinary girl getting swept up in the world of celebrity and actually capturing the heart of an unattainable rockstar. It's a dream come true for most but for Vaughn Bennett, it's anything but. She has her own ideas of exactly who the bad boy rockstar is and Oakley Ford is just as quick to decide he's not impressed with his fake girlfriend either. And so begins a sweet and salty publicity stunt full of push and pull, sharp banter, and an unwanted attraction set amidst the glitz and glamor of superstardom and the dregs of social media. 

I swooned over Oakley Ford the way every fangirl lusts for her favorite rockstar. As a musician, as a celebrity, Oak is magnetic. Every strum of his guitar had me completely enamored. Every sweat soaked t-shirt he pulled off after serenading thousands on stage had me melting. But Oak the boy, the fake boyfriend, the ordinary guy leading an extraordinary life... well, he completely stole my heart. I truly don't remember the last male character that slayed me the way Oak did. Beneath the rock star persona, behind the misunderstood image of a bad boy that defies his handlers and provides juicy stories for the tabloids, is a sweet, adorably vulnerable guy and I just FREAKING LOVED him. 

I thought this was such a smart story. The social media strategizing, the illusion created for the media, the orchestrated paparazzi photos and the way Oak's team manipulates his fandom into believing this relationship, all the while what's going on behind the scenes is anything but sweet and easy... I just loved it. I was so into this book. I was so in love with these characters. I was so enveloped by the seamless, polished writing of Erin Watt. I was so impressed with every aspect of this storyline, from the unforgettable romance to the journey we take with these characters as they find themselves, I truly never wanted any of it to end. I love love loved this book. When It's Real can officially go up there with the Royals as another amazingly addictive storyline by one of my absolute favorite writing teams. This is the real deal, this book, a solid rockstar romance that completely stole my heart.

Are you ready for some more crackalicious goodness from the dynamically, awesome and superb Erin Watt? Then say goodbye to everything but reading when you pick up this guaranteed bestseller in When It’s Real.
I fully admit to going into this book with only a passing glance at the blurb. It was an Erin Watt book, ‘nuff said. After inhaling it, I can honestly say that this book is phenomenal. Yes it’s that good.

For those readers who might say no to this because it’s a young adult/teen book, DON’T. The author has done an amazing job of making the emotions the main characters Oakley and Vaughn go through relevant to anyone who has ever lost someone, felt alone in a crowd, stayed with someone way longer than you should have, fallen for someone you didn’t think you wanted or just loved, basically all the feels.

There were times when my heart hurt for Vaughn and Oakley. They have both been through so much but you get to see them heal with the help of the other over the course of the story and it will leave you with a big fat happy smile at the end. Well it did with me and I’m fairly confident that it will with you too.

From the moment they meet you can feel that this is going to be epic. There was just something about this pair that had me turning the pages faster and faster just so I could see where this story was taking me. You will get totally lost in their vastly different worlds that somehow weirdly mesh, when they are thrown together as part of an image makeover for superstar Oakley.

But what happens when fake starts to cross the line into real? Can two people from very different worlds really find a happy ever after when the pressure from the real world keeps trying to crush their happy bubble?
One of my favourite things about this story is that both characters don’t try to change for the other. Together they balance each other out and manage to bring to real person to the surface which only makes you love them even more.

It’s so hard writing this review without giving spoilers away. Soooo much happens over the course of the story but what I will say is the story will suck you in from the first page and won’t let you go till you are done and nursing a massive book hangover. I’m so not kidding. My TBR pile is giving me the stink eye because damn if I’m not over this book yet.

Whether this is your first Erin Watt book or you already are addicted like me, you will love this story. Plain and simple.

I discovered Erin Watt with The Royals trilogy and I’m a huge fan, these authors are awesome.

When it’s real is a different story, I won’t tell you the story because the synopsis is enough.

Oakley is a pop star, and he acts like one too, his first encounter with Vaughn is intense and not in the good way. He doesn’t understand why she isn’t attracted by him, and also why she is stubborn about this relation. He is a troublemaker, but deep down he is a good guy, he doesn’t trust people because so many of them took profit of him. He doesn’t even trust his mother when she said she loves him, and don’t talk about his awful father. I like Oakley, he’s a bad boy with good intentions and his life mustn’t be easy, he can’t go to the beach or do things most people of his age do.

Vaughn lost her parent and now she lives with her sister and two brothers, their life isn’t full of money, that’s why she agrees to play Oakley’s girlfriend. She doesn’t quit her boyfriend and even if I don’t like him, I understand his reaction. How can you accept that your girlfriend will be the girlfriend of a sexy pop star? Vaughn isn’t always nice with Oakley and some of her actions pissed me of, but in the end she is good for him. She’s a strong girl who had to face the loss of her parents and who doesn’t know what to do with her life.

The relation between Oakley and Vaughn evolves slowly; they fight, argue and treat each other badly but deep down you know that they are in love. They will have to make compromises and I liked to see Oakley grows up with his music like he wanted. I didn’t like Oakley’s team except for his bodyguard; the marketing team is awful even at the end. I don’t know if this is real for all popstar but it’s not a thing I like to know.

Like the other books I read from Erin Watt, it’s a pleasure to dive in the story and to know the characters. Their writing are beautiful and the characters seems very realistic.

Starstalkers.com
Spotted: LA. Two book bloggers on Oakley Ford’s lap at The Head, then join him at his private after party. Who will he choose?!!

@OakleyFord #shiversSHIVERS Oh. Em. Gee.
@OakleyFord #marryme
@OakleyFord i luv u

Imagine this. You’re an average teenager with an average life, an average boyfriend and you’re just trying to find your way.

One offer changes your life. You agree to be THE Oakley Ford’s girlfriend for a YEAR to help change his image. I mean a life-sized cardboard cutout of Oakley sits in your bedroom!!! SQUEE!!!! How loud would you scream?!! Like total pass-out moment.

Not Vaughn Bennett. She only accepts to help her family out of their financial slump. Oak’s just a world famous superstar who is super cocky and a super douche. At least that’s Vaughn’s first impression.

Oakley Ford has been high on the charts for most of his career. As a teen sensation, he graced the walls of millions of teenagers’ bedroom walls and won their hearts. With his blond hair and green eyes and a rock-hard body, his raspy lyrics only make hearts swoon. He’s lost his inspiration, and is trying to find that spark that can bring his lyrics back to life.

“… all I have to do in return is date a normal? I guess I can do that. I mean every artist has to make sacrifices for his art at one point in his life. Right?”

We can’t say Vaughn and Oak transition easily into this new “relationship”, in fact she is kinda turned off by his I’m-in-love-with-myself, check out my guns personality. Oak sees Vaughn as his ticket to clear his name, and there is no way this love connection will turn into the real deal. Or will it? Especially when he has lots and lots of needs to be met.

“There are girls here of every variety. It’s like a candy store. I’ll take a redhead, a brunette and two blondes. Package them up and send them over to the Marmont. One of the Garden Cottages would do nicely. Private entrance. We don’t want my image to be tarnished.”

If you love YA/Harlequin Teen, take a chance on the newest Erin Watt novel. Although the ending was a bit rushed, we really enjoyed When It’s Real. Take the ride with Oak and Vaughn as they navigate the mess that fame brings. With so many roadblocks, propaganda and fake intentions finding something rare and real amongst the glitter filled lifestyle is not an easy task. Will they succeed or will fame destroy it all?

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book. Not my style.

Erin Watt is one of the best author duos to hit this genre in a long time. Each go their books gives me those heart stopping moments a romance I could read over and over again.


When It’s Real is a story about a boy and a girl who want nothing more than to sue each other to further their lives. The only hard part? They don’t meant to do so while also falling in love.

A boy who needs to brighten his image, and a girl who needs security for her family’s future.

I devoured this book page after page. I love a romance where you KNOW the characters are meant for each other, but they have no idea and no intention to let that happen. THE ANGST and THE SWOONING. It was perfection brought to life on the page.

Erin Watt has a way in while they give you characters and give you no choice but to fall for them. Like in their previous works, you will fall HARD for this series and be left wanting so much more. I could read their words for days.

When It’s Real was everything I’d hoped for and so much more. It was charismatic, heartwarming, smile-inducing. I absolutely adored it! It was one of those books I so easily found myself lost in.

“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’m a huge fan of Erin Watt’s Royals Series and knew I had to read this book when it was announced. When It’s Real is a change in direction from the Royals, but it’s still crafted in a way only Erin Watt can do. I loved the story line and the idea of a rock star fake-dating a normal girl. The main characters Oakley and Vaughn—loved them! They’re both a little broken and lost in life when they meet, but the journey in growth these two went on was awe-inspiring. Vaughn discovering what path in life she wants to lead, and just growing into a young woman. And our rock star, Oakley Ford; my favorite part about his journey was him learning to open up to others, finding his voice, and witnessing his sharp-edges soften a little with the influence of Vaughn.

“This is as real and as awful and as wonderful as it gets. I’d hold her forever if she’d let me.”

I highly recommend When It’s Real to anyone who has a love for the Young Adult/New Adult genre. It’s the perfect coming-of-age story with just a touch of angst-romance!

"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 used to be a teenage superstar. At 19 his stardom has taken a nosedive and to jump-start his career his manager suggests dating a normal girl instead of a co-star. Oak agrees after some hesitation. When a girl has been found that fulfills the requirements a strategy of "attack" is being planned and carried out.

When Vaughn's parents died in a car crash they left her and her siblings without a proper financial security. Ever since Vaughn and her sister have been raising their twin brothers. Money is tight so when her sister tells her that Vaughn could earn a lot of money by fake-dating someone famous she doesn't need to think about it for long. While she isn't cut out for being in the spotlight her family comes first...and her boyfriend? Well, hopefully he will understand that this serves to improve the little family's financial situation significantly. Too bad Oakley Ford turns out to be a major jerk.

Heads up, Oak isn't a likable character when you start reading this book, but there is something, an underlying vulnerability and a loneliness, despite all the people he surrounds himself with. It must be hard to follow orders because other people know what's best for you. Then there is the aspect that everyone who profits from him uses Oak for their own gain without a second thought who they hurt.

"Oak is something else. At his most vulnerable, he’s the strongest."


Modest he is not but the more you advance in the story the more thoughtful Oak becomes. He has endless patience with Vaughn and at some point I thought he was a little bit too relenting and acquiescent with her. Oak grew on me though and I ended up adoring him.

"I don’t know when that happened, but somewhere along the line Vaughn went from the girl I was forced to have on my arm to the girl I want to have in my life."


Now Vaughn was a girl after my taste until she decided to make one bad choice and that choice caused this book to drop down a star a for me. For much of the book she holds her own and stands up to cocky Oakley Ford. She isn't impressed that he is a superstar. I appreciated that Vaughn was ready to do things she didn't want to do in order to secure her family's future. Until around the 70% she was a perfectly likable heroine.

"I kissed her because she was funny and sweet. She didn’t mock me when I confessed I was blocked. She tried to comfort me with silly stories about her family even when it was obvious those same memories caused her pain. She doesn’t expect anything from me beyond what we’d agreed upon. She’s different and I wanted a taste of that."


The problem was not what she did, it was the explanation why she did it that totally threw me off and I have to admit I was thinking about dropping my rating to 3 stars but the overall enjoyment of the story had me reconsider.

As is evident by the success of The Royals this author duo definitely knows how to write an engrossing story. The books they write are unputdownable and even though this one had its weaknesses I was totally immersed in the story. I'm pretty sure that most people will feel that way about When It's Real.

When It’s Real by Erin Watt is the perfect, romantic, fluffy summer read.
Oakley Ford is a teen celebrity whose early rise to fame and penchant for trouble has attracted a slew of negative publicity. Desperate to rehab his image before he becomes a washed-up has-been at 19, his management suggested that he dates a normal girl to not only rehab his tarnished image but to also help him land the next producer for his album.

Vaughn Bennett may be a “normal girl” by Hollywood’s standard but her life hasn’t a bed of roses. Orphaned and desperately helping her sister raised her younger siblings made Vaughn’s decision to be Oakley Ford’s fake girlfriend a no-brainer.

Despite a rocky start, Oakley and Vaughn found themselves becoming friends. But paparazzies, jealous exes, Hollywood gossip, nosy publicists and crazy fans are just few of the things that Oakley and Ford had to contend with. They also had to deal with their growing feelings for each other, which makes things a little bit more complicated.

I appreciate how the authors didn’t just focus on the growing romance between Vaughn and Oakley. It also focused on Oakley’s growth from being a spoiled brat musician who had fame way too early in his life to a mature young man whose passion and love for music was unquestionable.

Even though this premise has been done a lot in the past, I still enjoyed this book immensely. I liked that this was different from their other series. Low drama and low angst but still in keeping with the Erin Watt tradition of having smart, capable teenage characters that would appeal even to older readers.

And what makes me even more excited was the fact that I could share this book with my nieces. This is a true YA book, not just because the characters are in their teens but also the way it’s written which means no explicit or overly sexy scenes. So yes, you could recommend this to a younger audience without fear of being accused of corrupting them.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for smart, romantic YA reads.

4 stars

I'm not much of a reader of YA, but it’s from Erin Watt - an author I love - so of course I could not pass up. Even though I loved THE ROYALS series, I was afraid I was not going to like this, but fortunately I was surprised by a story that was really nice and easy to read.

WHEN IT'S REAL introduced us to Oakley, a music celebrity at the age of only 19. As a bit of a party-goer, his label has the idea of hiring a girlfriend from the "normal" world, with the idea of showing that he has grown up and wants a more serious career. Then we met Vaughn, who, thinking of her family and how much the money she would receive would help, ends up accepting this madness.

It took me a while to enjoy Oakley. He was born in this environment and sometimes was arrogant. But if you only think about the privileges of fame, it may even seem like he is actually annoying. However, think about it... A person who lived all his life in this environment, with no confidence in anyone and with people wanting to take advantage of fame and money, could only feel suspicion and be a little arrogant, alright. And this "bad impression" of him is only at the beginning. As the story progresses the hero really change, knows himself more as a person and an artist and so I started to like him more and more.

And I love characters that are not afraid to speak what is on their minds and do not back down, so my connection to Vaughn was instantaneous. She had a childish attitude, yes; after all, she's only 17 years old. But I think the balance between her strength and her insecurity has been well explored.

The only thing I didn’t like was the epilogue. I think the last chapter was already cute and great and the epilogue didn’t add anything substantial in the story. However, I think that this is only me, I don’t think it's something that will disturb anyone while reading.

The story is about two young people who have to do what they don’t want to achieve a goal, which they hate at first, but with coexistence, the affection grows into something more. The authors have actually created a delightful story to read, without dramatizing too much, or putting the characters attitudes out of reality. I liked that both look like they were 18 and 19 years old.

Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick, with WHEN IT'S REAL, only reinforce this wonderful partnership. As I said in the reviews of their previous books, I love that you don’t even notice the difference in the writing style. The dynamics of these two authors is so good that it seems that it was written by only one person. I expect many, many more good books from them together.

WHEN IT'S REAL shows the world of the music backstage in a believable way. It's a standalone about two people who are in that phase of finding out who they are and becoming their best. It is a quick reading, fun, cute and without much drama. I highly recommend it.

When I heard the two authors behind Erin Watt were coming out with a new book, it was an instant pick-up for me. I loved the Royal boys in their other series. While this one lacked a bit of a punch, When It’s Real is still a delightful book with a musician hero and the “normal” girl who upends his world.

Oakley Ford is in a rut. His fans have been clamoring for new music from him, but nothing’s vibing with him. He thinks working with a big-name producer is just what he needs, but the guy in question won’t give Oak the time of day. It leads to him agreeing to a PR stunt—a fake relationship with a “normal” girl. One who can’t stand him.

Vaughn has taken on the role of parent alongside her older sister after their parents died. She’s taken a year off from school trying to figure out her next move and saving money for her twin brothers’ futures. The chance of a lifetime comes when she’s asked to pretend to date musician, Oakley Ford. The money’s too good to pass up, but what happens when everything starts to feel all too real?

I haven’t read many books where the main character is a famous singer, but I liked how this one was done. Successful but struggling popstar has to pay a girl to date him and try to get his mojo back. It’s an interesting premise, and even though I’m not the biggest fan of the fake relationship plot, I love seeing how walls (and assumptions) crumble. And boy, were there a lot of walls for them both!

It isn’t an easy beginning for these two. Even though Oak is Vaughn’s employer, she thinks he’s conceited and doesn’t care about anyone but himself. But there’s a sadness and loneliness that she sees every now and then that has her digging a little deeper. Oak, for his part, can’t remember the last time he had anyone be real with him. The exception to that is the girl who’s supposed to pretend to like him. He’s a little reluctant to let anyone close, but Vaughn is Vaughn. Abrupt, but sweet too.

There was a good amount of plot that kept me flipping the pages, and these two had some good chemistry! The problem that I had with it? There was quite a bit of unnecessary drama for me. Vaughn has a college boyfriend even before she agrees to fake date Oakley. I wish she hadn’t because it ended up being more of a distraction. Then Vaughn’s real boyfriend stays lingering in the background, causing extra chaos that muddies the waters. Honestly, I thought the book would have been better spent digging deeper into Vaughn finding herself and Oak's career.

Overall, When It’s Real had it’s swoony moments, it’s lighthearted, humorous ones, and the drama I expect in an Erin Watt book. I recommend it for their current fans as well as new ones looking for a sweet young adult romance.

4 stars!

This book was okay. It wasn't what I had hoped it would be. It wasn't bad, but it felt kind of... eh.
Erin Watt dates the book immediately going in by naming a bunch of current celebrity heartthrobs and comparing them to Oakley.
Oakley is essentially a Justin Bieber cutout made to look just slightly different. He gets his start on YouTube and blows up, releases a few albums but is in a bit of a "block" until he finally changes his sound. He meets his "girlfriend" through Twitter after his last fake romance with a girl who was getting her start in acting.
There are slight changes, but it wasn't even like she was trying to hide it.
A lot of name calling, hate, and vandalism. After the third time Vaughn was called a slut, I was desensitized.
Like I said, it wasn't bad, but it was pretty superficial.