Adorable fake romance to the real thing with all the bumps you'd expect along the way. If you're looking to fill a rainy afternoon this charming story is the perfect way to work out your need for a little teen angst.

Given to me for review by Entangled through Netgalley.

This book was so cute and fluffy, and I loved it! I needed a book like this to read during finals and get my mind off actual work.

I am a huge fan of fake romance turned true love stories. As cliched and cheesy as they are, I cannot help but enjoy their drama.

This book was adorable and a surprisingly quick read. It follows Edelweiss and James, a quiet girl going to school for the first time, and the most popular guy on campus. With that alone, I knew I was going to enjoy this novel.

Edelweiss (Edel for short) has lived all around the globe with her diplomat parents. Now, for the first time, she is going to go to an actual school, Brokemore Academy, and she has with her a list of things she wants to complete to have officially lived a good high school experience. Among those things are:
-Make the type of friends who will laugh with you until you cry or cry with you until you laugh
-Stay up all night long binging Netflix with my roommate
-Give a speech

And the most important:
-Fall in love and break up

Enter James, charming, handsome, and resident bad boy at Brokemore. His dad is in the military and has traveled the world to do his duty. Sadly, this means that he has left James behind to be raised by his aunt with the hopes of giving him a normal life. And while James is thankful, all he really wants is his father’s attention and to make him proud.

And then, James runs into Edle (literally), and sparks (and a little bit of pizza) fly.

In order to please James dad, and give Edel a sense of security at the new school, the two make a deal, pretend to date each other through the semester. With the bargain struck, a friendship starts to build, and soon, something else starts to form beneath. But what I liked more than the romance was the characters.

I like they are each their own person. Many times in YA romance novels the characters are only half people, needed their other half to be a full person. I don’t like that. Here, both James and Edel know what they want and who they are. They are strong minded and loyal, and good. James especially, I felt was a very well developed character. Usually, the male lead’s personality revolves around being handsome and tough. James, on the other hand, was such a nice guy who genuinely loved his family and truly did everything in his power to make his father happy.

I also loved all of the side characters. Julie was great, I love seeing good depictions of adults in YA. So many times are adults two-dimensional idiots or heartless jerks in YA. And then there is Ainsley, I want more of her story. I want to know what happens next with her, which is why I am glad that there will be more to this series.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I read it all in one night and could not put it down. Admittedly, it took me a bit to truly get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. Great novel!

Also, just cause, let’s give a hand up for this super awesomely adorable interracial couple. Honestly, the people on the cover was what really pulled me in and made me want to read it. I need more books like this in YA contemporary!



**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**

There are very few books that keep me up hours past my self-imposed bed-time. (I admit that i go to bed early. With 2 kids, I never know when they'll get up)

If you are judging this book by the synopsis and the cover...don't. Based on those two things I was expecting a cheesy teenage rom-com that would be cute, but not necessarily original or life-altering. The synopsis doesn't seem to get to the heart of the story, and I wish there weren't people on the cover, because my image of what Edel and James looked like differed from the models on the cover and it messes with my psyche.

But all of that aside, I read the entire thing in one sitting. I don't do that. Thankfully it wasn't longer than it was, because I only got five hours of sleep last night. First off, I loved the character of Edelweiss (don't you love that name?). She is a girl who has been homeschooled her whole life, and is now wanting to try out a boarding school to help prepare her for college. As a parent who homeschools my own child, I laughed out loud at her missteps, knowing they were totally realistic. She has an idealistic view of the world, and is taken aback when she realizes that she had no idea how to navigate this new world she has been thrown in. (To be fair to homeschoolers, I don't think anyone would know how to navigate that school. A boarding school for rich kids, it turns out, is messed up!)

I also loved James. He's a good kid who still has typical teenage boy stuff going on (loves to do pranks, going out with girls, etc.) I wish he hadn't been the stereotypical football player (seriously, choose a new sport, people.) But the point is, he was likeable, but also completely real. And the push and pull dynamic between him and Edelweiss was so spot-on, it had me crying in all the right places. (Yes, I totally bawled at like midnight. Thank goodness my husband was asleep or I'd have been so embarrassed.)

This is a character-driven novel where the people are driving the story, not reacting to it. This can be difficult to write because you don't have a complex plot to make up for flaws in your character development. But I felt Lizzy Charles did a beautiful job at this. She has a simple writing style where she doesn't try to be overly-flowery. No drawn out scenes that didn't need to be, no complex language that convoluted things. None of her characters were over-the-top or corny. It was straight-up awesomeness.

If it wasn't obvious, I am giving It had to be You 5 out of 5 Stars and a place in my Top Hits.

NOTE: There is a little vulgarity, including a couple uses of the F-word, a few sexual innuendos, and although there isn't physical violence, there is some bullying.

A cute read. Edel did seem a little more naive then I thought should would be, being a daughter of a diplomat and having lived/traveled abroad. Maybe it was due to her being homeschooled. She was refreshing innocent but also completely clueless.

I've always been a fan of cute romances and and when I saw the premise for It Had to Be You, I knew I had to pick it up.

Edelweiss, Edel for short, is an intelligent girl who has travelled all over the world with her diplomat parents but had never been at a high school. For her senior year, she manages to convince her parents to allow her to enrol in a high school, even if it is one of the most elite private schools in the world. James, on the other hand, is a prankster that is determined to make sure he stays enrolled this year. If he's caught being up to anything, his military father will pull him out of school. As James starts feeling pressure from his father to be a good student, he decides that fake-dating Edel is perfect for his plan, as their parents are really close. Edel goes along because it'll help her have the full high school experience. But with most fake dating situations, soon the feelings turn real as well as the relationship complications.

I am a huge sucker for the 'fake dating' trope and this one totally didn't disappoint on that front. Edel and James were totally cute and I loved reading about their growing relationship. They were both interesting characters, though I did find them to be a bit too one-dimensional sometimes. There were moments that they did have depth but I think some sources of angst in the novel were a bit shallow. I did like the boarding school setting and I am thrilled to see that this is the first in a series that takes place in the school. In addition, I did find some parts of the novel, especially the end, to be a bit too cheesy for my taste but I still enjoyed it overall.

Overall, It Had to Be You was an adorable romance that I highly recommend to contemporary readers!

It Had to be You has all the ingredients that make that feel-good romantic teen story.
-inexperienced girl
-super popular guy
-inexperienced girl and popular guy have a spectacular meet cute
-inexperienced girl inspires popular guy to be a better guy
-super popular guy sweeps inexperienced girl off her feet
-miscommunication causes a rift between the two
-they fix their problems at the end
With all the cliché elements we are given the same tried story with just enough spin to get you through. While the characters were sweet I found the two main characters to be a little too level headed, too conscious of their actions. Now while Edelweiss was pretty much raised around adults, she had access to tv & Netflix, the girl couldn’t have been that naïve and James seemed to have his ranging hormones just a little too much in check. In all honesty, their relationship was sweet, but probably not that realistic considering their surroundings, ages, and overall situation. They handled themselves a little too maturely for what would be expected from a pair of confused teens.
The cliché ex gf bully seemed a little…well cliché. And while it’s not exactly unrealistic, it just seemed too unoriginal, especially paired with the whole fake bf/gf turns into real feelings trope. I think the struggles that Edelweiss could have been a little more creative. With that being said, teen bullying is entirely plausible, but in my experience can be a lot more vicious than just a few silly pranks. Girls can be very mean, especially when their feelings are involved and they are bat shit crazy.
What I did appreciate was that there was a little diversity in the students going to the private school. It wasn't just a bunch of white privileged kids. There was a little depth given to the students that could have been played on a little more. Using the heritages or backgrounds that were mentioned could have been woven into the story to give a little more flavor.
So, like I said, cliché and slightly predictable. I feel like I’ve read this story or seen the movie version several times already and could have used a little bit more flare to get my attention. Still it was cute, and made heart clench up at least a tiny bit.

I actually really liked this book. The premise is really cute and the two main characters, James and Edelweiss, were so cute together. Plus, I just love the fake dating trope. It's my favorite. (And I feel like it made it all the more interesting that it was set at a boarding school.) This book was so cute and fluffy and would be a great short read for anybody who wants a cute little romance.

4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

I will wholeheartedly admit that there were a few things in this book that on another book would probably have bothered me more, but I just couldn't help but devour this book and end it with a big smile on my face. And I think that's because there were just that many things to love, and that I got enough pleasant surprises that it made me gloss over the things that usually annoy me.

So let's get the lamesauce stuff out of the way. The niggles:
a) Lack of communication. Yeah, there was some of that, but it didn't bother me quite as much for some reason, maybe because I was getting other stuff from the romance, and it didn't last like the whole book? But it did bother me a little...it's frustrating when assumptions are made on both sides and that's what prevents the couple from getting together.
b) Over the top evil/witchy with a b girl. Emma was seriously over the top. I'm not a fan of that. I didn't even see any depth in her to explain why she was that way, she was just a straight up mean girl. I guess those girls exist in real life, but I'm kind of tired of that.
c) The situation with Emma became a bit implausible, and I'm not sure I enjoyed how that all played out and was handled.
d) A few little things were dropped or not followed up with how I expected. Like we'd suddenly be a week later, and I kind of wanted to know how things developed in between time (like after the hair, or even right after they agree to fake date).
e) Some of the twists felt a bit convenient, especially since we'd find them out at convenient times as the story went on (Julie, some of the Ainsley stuff including the Foster Mom).
OK! That's done! I know that seems like a lot, but please remember they were little niggles that only slightly detracted from the awesome. So what was the awesome? Great characters that surprised me at different turns! I enjoyed the fact that James wasn't a horrible bad boy, but more of a guy who made some poor choices, or got pulled into the "need to impress" that many teenagers feel in high school. He was seriously so much deeper than I had been anticipating. I LOVED that we got to see how his family life affected him (having a military father, no mother), how his race affected him, how being biracial with a white father affected him. I appreciated those little touches and that they weren't glossed over. I loved that we got to see real emotion in him, particularly wrt his father. I loved that he made some monumental mistakes, which I know sounds weird, but I loved that he owned up to them and tried to make amends. I loved that he really was genuinely trying to change. I LOVED that he was a literature nerd, I would have enjoyed even more from that. Basically he really impressed me with how much we got from him in just a short novel.

Then there's Edel. Not to be left out, Edel was pretty well rounded as well! I enjoyed her unique situation, and how her life growing up shaped her, and how she desired normal teenager experiences. I loved that she was pretty naive, it really fit with what I expected from her. But she was also brave and strong at times too, and I thought she grew as the book went on. She had typical teenage girl feelings, and they still existed right to the end. I loved that we got to see bits of her relationship with her parents. And she also made mistakes, one big one in particular. I did enjoy how she stepped up and did the right thing eventually, and didn't shy away from it.

And the two of them together were super adorable. I LOVED the tummy tingles I got just from the hand holding. And I loved the way they stuck up for one another, particularly how Edel championed James.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, though I wouldn't have minded a bit more. But I wonder if we didn't get more because this is going to be a series and we'll eventually get their own stories? I sincerely hope so.

So yeah. May have had a few pitfalls, but the good just made me so happy that it was a success!!

A fun romantic quick read for those who love a good pretending to be together romance. Edelweiss is looking for some "normal" high school experiences before she begins college. She has traveled the world and experienced many great things, but she hasn't experienced the traditional high school student life. At the prestigious boarding school she is sent to, she meets James (who is the son of a friend of her parents) and through some crazy circumstances they find themselves in a fake relationship to help them both. This romance is sweet and the story contains a good message about friendship and trusting in others. I liked this story and it had a nice ending though I did feel like the choices made might have led to different consequences in most other schools. Edel and James are a good couple and from the pizza spill to the bathroom, the reader is quickly engaged in their romance.

While this certainly wasn't the most profound or original story line I've ever encountered (good girl/ bad boy, fake relationship, bitchy ex), it was exactly what I needed after my last harrowing read.
This book is funny, charming and cute, the protagonists very easy to love, and the writing light-hearted.
A quick and pleasurable read.

Lizzy Charles has created a sweet cliché romance by showing the beauty in interracial relationships. It’s one of those ‘junk food’ books you read for a guilty pleasure, not because you’re trying to have some kind of an epiphany.

Charles developed her characters well within her story but not to the point you’d lose interest. She even managed to show the pitfalls miscommunication or lack of it can have on a relationship. Shockingly Charles even gave her character some backbone by making them take personal responsibility for being less than perfect.

The point of views become a real treat to the reader as you’re able to get the story fleshed out with distinctly different personalities. It’s a very short story so you can easily finish it in an afternoon and receive a pleasant break from life in the process. Her book flows well and even if some of it feels like it’s been recycled from every other romance novel or cheesy teen drama, Charles has a great writing style that’s all her own so you still end up feeling glad you spent your time with it.

It Had to Be You (Brokemore Academy, #1)
Lizzy Charles
Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
It had to be you is a sweet romance set in a boarding school. Edelweiss has been home schooled, but she would like to have a high school experience before she goes to college. Her parents agree to send her to Brockmore Academy. She makes a list of events she would like to experience. From the second she arrives her rollercoaster ride begins. It's more than she expected.


James literally stumbles into the new girl and finds she's the answer to his prayers. He needs to keep his head down and get on with his work this year, but he has a small problem. He has an addiction to playing pranks. It's like an itch that has to be scratched. He needs to settle down, but trouble has a way of following him around.


This book has the typical popular guy, the mean girl and mystery best friends. It's sweet, it's funny, and it's about personal growth.


4 stars out of 5.


*I received It had to be you in exchange for a fair review*

I received a copy of this book from Entangled Teen through Netgalley for review.

It Had To Be You is another cute romance put out by Entangled Teen. I loved Edel. She was naive, but really strong. She fit in quickly without being around kids her own age much before going to her boarding school. James had his issues, but was sweet and smart. What really stood out to me in the book was their friends. I really hope we see more of them in the next book. Edel had the best parents, too. I love good parents in YA books.

This was the usual tale of boy meets girl. Boy and girl pretend to date but end up falling for each other. And that’s when shit gets complicated.
The girl was Edelweiss, a junior who has been homeschooled her entire life but wants a true high school experience before going to college. Edelweiss is amazingly beautiful and all the boys hit on her but she doesn’t know how beautiful she is.
The boy was James. James is a football player (a wide receiver from what I got from the games), a senior and captain of the football team. James is incredibly hot and every girl wants him. He’s also actually pretty smart and into litterature. His “ex”, Emma, is a true mean girl, of course.

This book was okay. I kinda enjoyed the story but I feel like it could have been deepened and made longer so that readers could truly form connections to the characters. It was such a fast read, I didn’t have time to feel the growing feelings in the main relationship but also within the friendships. I liked how some characters were secretly related to each other though. I also liked the whole boarding school vibe.

I enjoyed the writing and I’ll be waiting for the next book in this series.

cute quick read

Edelweiss is a rich girl who has finally convinced her parents to allow her to school instead of being home schooled. James is the son of her father's best friend, and he is also attending the same school as Edel. He causes some havoc and his father wants him to leave the school and go to the military, but he and Edel spin the lie that they are dating. Is all a stunt really. Only both of them begin to get attracted to each other.
Couldn't "feel" the book. The characters were too typical for me: hot guy who plays soccer, rich perfect girl, mean ex girlfriend, quadrille of high school friends, some family drama, stir and cook.
I have to say that the author knows how to write so the book flows, but it wasn't for me.

“It Had to Be You” was a sweet book that follows Edelweiss’s transition from homeschooling to an elite private school. Edelweiss (who goes by Edel, like Adele) is close with her parents, who are diplomats and have taken her around the world. Edel wants to be well-prepared for college, and so she has convinced them to let her attend Brockmore, an elite private school. Her parents have also helped her to create a list of experiences she should have to be prepared for college- the first one is to fall in love and break-up.

Her parents’ good friend’s son also attends Brockmore. James is a prankster, and although his pranks are seemingly harmless, his military father has threatened to pull him out of school if he can’t take it seriously. Brockmore means everything to James, and he really wants to finish out his senior year there before going to WestPoint. However, the call of the pranks is too hard to resist, and on the first day of school, he pulls a prank that infuriates his father to the point of wanting to pull him out. Luckily, he has already run into Edel and helped her to get out of a sticky situation- to which she proposed fake dating to help both of them. By telling his father that he is dating Edel, his father decides to let him stay, even though he is on thin ice.

Predictable but cute, their fake relationship takes some turns they weren’t expecting. A lack of communication plays prominently in the frequent misunderstandings. I loved the first half of the book, and the slow build-up of a relationship/attraction- they were both easy characters to love, and I had a hard time not reading this book in one sitting. However, the last half of the book took a completely unexpected and odd turn into something different. I don’t want to include spoilers, so I won’t say what happens, but it seemed really over the top, and not necessary to the main plot (e.g. their relationship). I wish it hadn’t been included, as it really detracted from the overall sweetness of their relationship and felt like it came out of left field. I also didn’t like how the super-brave and confident Edel suddenly became someone who wouldn’t go with her friends to a dance because she didn’t have a date- it didn’t seem to fit the personality I knew and loved from the first half of the book.

I loved the first half of the book but wish the second half had been more of the first. That being said, I devoured this book in less than a day and really enjoyed the school/premise and couple overall. I'd give it about 3.5 stars for the things I loved and those I didn't like as much. I am excited to see that this will be a series, and I look forward to reading about some of the other interesting students at Brockmore! Overall, it was a really sweet and heartfelt book- perfect for a summer read!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I found this to be a very quick read. The story is about pretending to date someone. I felt that the writer did not develop the secondary characters enough to add to the story. It made it seem like you could not connect with them. I also found this to be quick read. This was a fun story filled with lovable main character and tons of humor.

This was such a quick book. It was so easy to read and follow the story. I knew I’d like this book, because who doesn’t enjoy a good fake dating story. They’re alway the perfect combination of cheesy romance and hyped up drama. I’m a sucker for both.

Things I Liked :
-The meet cute in this book is fantastic. It’s the perfect blend of endearing, humor, charm. It shows Edel and James’ personalities and sets up their relationship.
-I really liked the Dual POV in this book. Edle and James had distinct voices and personalities. So it was nice getting to see things from both of their points of views and how they interpret what’s happening around them.
-Edel and James both seemed like genuinely nice people. They were supportive of each other and kind. They were really easy to root for and get behind.

Things I Didn’t Like :
-I felt like the secondary characters were undeveloped. We just didn’t really get enough of them for them to feel like real people. They didn’t have much of a role so I never connected with them.
-story was a little too fast paced. I would have liked it to be a little longer to just add more depth, with the side characters and expanding the world and relationship to feel real. Some scenes were glossed over and could have been used to add more weight to the story.
-The drama at the end felt a little rushed and unbelievable. Again, I think it could have been better if there was more added.

This was a fun story filled with lovable main character and tons of humor. This is a great contemporary read, guaranteed to make you smile.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet YA story set in a boarding school with a HEA. The two main characters were very likable - refreshing to see a character not lie but own up to her mistakes. A great supporting cast of characters which I am sure we will get to see in future books.