. It’s a really fast read- needs only a sitting or two to finish. There are the classic blunders of a fake relationship in this book, and it was overall extremely predictable. If you are on the market for a fake-relationship-turned-more book, this would be a great choice! I had some mixed feelings

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

Tinka returns home to find that her parents have sold their house, and they will be moving to North Pole, Minnesota. As if that wasn't bad enough, they're also getting on her back about her being single, and wanting her to date the son of one of their college friends. Her new neighbour, Sam, is facing similar parental expectations, and they both hatch a plan in order to pretend to date, to get their parents off their backs. As they get to know each other more, they find themselves pretending less and less, but still believe the other is just doing it all for show.

This book was definitely a quick and cute read. The fake lover trope is one of my favourites, and I liked how it was done in this book. Both characters felt as if they weren't seen properly in their lives, but with each other they can be seen, and cared for. The secondary characters in the book were a bit lacklustre, and I hated Tinka's parents, especially with their treatment of their daughter and complete disinterest in her feelings. Tinka and Sam did have really good chemistry, and their relationship kept this book going. All in all, a decent contemporary!

Tooo artificially sweet for my taste buds.
I love a good YA but this one was just ok. It was too sweet and hurt my teeth.

Thank you Netgalley/Entangled for a chance on this book

*I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book ended up being better than I anticipated at the start. When I began reading it, I thought it was going to be something I had to slog through, but it turned out that I actually cared enough about the main characters to like reading it and want to know how it ended.

One thing I liked about Artificial Sweethearts was that the book was about more than just Tinka and Sam’s relationship. Tinka had to work out some stuff with her parents and friends. Sam also had some family stuff. Neither of them had big issues that made them broken and needing repair. Their troubles were pretty believable and mostly dealt with other people’s expectations of them. Overall, they were likable characters.

I hated Karen and Dottie, I’ll be honest. I thought they were both horrible, vindictive people. I wouldn’t have wanted to be friends with either of them.

I might look into the rest of the series. Perhaps there are some overlapping characters?

Notes: Teen drinking. Swearing, including 1 f word.

'Artificial Sweethearts' is definitely a swoon worthy book. I loved it because of numerous plot twists, and mostly they way Sam and Tinka played their fauxmance so that it would last as long as possible. You may also consider Sam as a new fictional boyfriend that will melt your heart with his movie geek references. Even tough I have already read many books on pretend relationships I still enjoyed the book because of the exchanges between the characters. The book might not be life changing but it definitely emphasises the need to be true to yourself, to be a good friend and deals with topics of tolerance and grief. A really pleasurable read, a pageturner.

Another cute, sweet visit to North Pole, Minnesota, which is a very Stars Hollow-esque town (Gilmore Girls, anyone?), complete with their own "Kirk" and lots of quirk!

Sam is the youngest son in the Anderson family and he is tired of the pressure he keeps getting to date someone. He makes the mistake of going on a date with a girl who is a bit vengeful when slighted, and winds up fabricating a girlfriend. He was a likable guy, though I definitely found him to be a bit of a pushover. He was very sweet and thoughtful, but really needed to learn to stand up for himself more!

His sweetness did, however, provide a nice balance to Tinka's self-centeredness. Tinka was fairly fun for a bit... and then her friends got mad at her and she got pretty annoying. She didn't have quite the character arc that I would have liked, and didn't really get much of a wake-up call. I also didn't care for how she treated her parents, especially towards the end when she gets angry with them without much actual reason to be.

Tinka's family suffered a loss years before, and the grief aspects were a nice addition to the story and a well-executed device: present, but not too heavy.

North Pole is always fun (for those who have read the first book in the series) and the Christmas in July aspect was really charming!

I loved this book! It was an awesome romance! And I'm totally in love with Sam! He was so cute and adorable and sweet and sexy! I found my new bookboyfriend! Yay!
Tinka really did bad things to her friends and she acted selfish. But she was a good girl. And she got to prove it to everyone in the end. And anyway, everyone makes mistakes at some point in their lives.
Jane I liked her some times. She really cared for Tinka and was a forgiving kind of person. Karen I didn't like at all. Sure she was hurt by Tinka's behavior, but she still acted like a b!tch most times.
Tinka's parents were awful. They sort of redeemed themselves in the end, but still, they weren't really good parents. Really selfish. It wasn't nice how they treated her, like what she thought or wanted didn't count or matter.
The story was good, the romance really sweet, Tinka and Sam really adorable together.

Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle......This is a cute sweet story that keeps you turning pages. I enjoyed Tinka and Sam story being told. I am really enjoying this series. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

I didn’t have much expectation for this book but still, I wanted a fluffy and cute read but I got nothing and this book massively bored me too.

When Tinka comes home for her holidays, she finds her life uprooted as her parents have moved to a totally different place without even telling her for once. Also, she can’t overcome the guilt of the mistakes she did in the past. When her parents try to set her up with a boy of their choice, she quickly takes the closest option available, make Sam Anderson her fake boyfriend. But Tinka always runs when things turn complicated for her, so when her feelings for Sam begins to feel more than fake, what will she do?

The plot of this book was utterly predictable. I am now losing count on how many fake boyfriend books I’ve read until now and seriously, it is kind of getting boring. But still some books with the same trope manage to surprise me but unfortunately this was not one of them. Sam and Tinka engage in the fake charade to get away from the unnecessary pressure from both of their families but soon the fake feelings begin to feel like real. Like the title, Artificial Sweethearts, this book kind of felt artificial too. I couldn’t feel any chemistry between our two main protagonists, Tinka and Sam and hence I couldn’t enjoy the romance either.

Another thing that I quite didn’t like was how Tinka’s family acted. It’s clear how the death of Tinka’s little brother still affected all of them but instead discussing and taking with Tinka, they chose the other way out. This I-don’t-care family trope really irritates me, I mean, most of the books I read, either the parents are dead or they don’t understand/care about their kids. Seriously, the real world doesn’t function like that!! Not everybody is like that. Anyway, I did like how finally Tinka stood up for herself which finally led to her parents confessing too. But shouldn’t the parents step up first, after all Tinka is just a kid too.

Anyway, I didn’t enjoy the other minor characters much either. Jane was a good friend to Tinka but she was too irritating sometimes and Karen simply didn’t want to give Tinka another chance at all which is understandable because Tinka was the one who messed it up in the first place. Though Tinka redeems herself, I just didn’t care much about her and hence my lack of interest. But I did enjoy how everything was tied up in the end.

Overall, Artificial Sweethearts was a predictable read. The plot was executed neatly but there was nothing new to it. I didn’t care for the characters much either. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book.

Recommend it?

Maybe.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 Stars

Artificial Sweethearts is the second installment in the North Pole, Minnesota series and can easily be read as a standalone. Some mentions of the past book, and cameos by past narrators, but it doesn't affect the overall plot or lead to any confusion.

To be honest, I struggled to fall into the story during the first chapter. Tinka's narration, while being picked up at the airport, there were plot holes being purposefully left open for later, to add a mystery/suspense vibe, but it was the execution that made the narration jarring. I liked Tinka's character, but the style in which it was written was difficult to navigate. Bumpy and all over the place.

As soon as Sam was voiced, I was hooked immediately. Sam was a chubby boy. He's the helper/giver, non-complainer. The one who is easily taken for granted. He's helping his big brother plan a wedding (do everything), with his younger sister running off to camp, and his baby sister is too young to help at all. So everything falls on his shoulders, and he doesn't say a word about it. Now slim, after doing yard work and probably shedding the baby fat, Sam is still stuck in that mindset of being the chubby, invisible, always happy boy, and siblings will always see you how you used to be, not how you are now.

Tinka is also a giver, but she lacks self-reflection. It's hinted at that she's a bad girl (no shaming, her actions were a cry for help, not because she was enjoying herself and feeling empowered by it). But, being inside Tinka's head, the reader knows the core of her, even if that's not the perception others have of her. She's hurt her friends in the recent past, but her parents are hurting her.

Tinka and Sam connect – it's not instantaneous, but it's obvious. I'm a sucker for the intimacy of a hug, so when Tinka sees Sam and thinks he'd give great hugs, I was won over right then. That's actually something I think when sizing up a guy. *winks*

Their personalities are complementary, neither one having a voice in their family, just going with the flow. Together, they try to find their voice.

Yes, there is a tiny bit of angst, but not truly between Sam and Tinka – it's with Tinka's friends and family, and Sam with his family and friends. Sam is a solid guy, and he takes Tinka at face-value because she opens up to him and is 'real,' and he's the same way back. No tension, they're relaxed together, like finding home and finally being able to breathe. So there isn't miscommunication central between them, even with the 'fake-dating' to keep their family off their backs.

For two-hundred pages, the journey is Sam and Tinka finding a voice – no longer avoiding conflict because it's easier on everyone else while costing themselves dearly. They learn to stand up for themselves, ask for what they want, and make no apologies for it. We only get one life, and we're the ones who have to live it. I felt this a great message, one people need to learn – the younger the better.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sam and Tinka's journey, and look forward to both more in this series and by this author in the future. Definitely recommend to fans of the young adult genre.

Young Adult age-range: 12+. Kissing.

Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle is book two in her North Pole, Minnesota series. Though the story mentions characters from the previous book, overall, it can be read as a standalone.

The novel is about Tinka Foster and Sam Anderson who, with pressures outside of their control (i.e. family), find that they need each other's help to help ward off any unwanted suitors thrown their way. So they agree to fake date during the summer. An easy plan until it becomes uneasy especially when both begin to wish their newfound relationship were real and no longer pretend.

I liked Ms. Hammerle's Artificial Sweethearts. I found the characters interesting, particularly Sam. He and his family were my favorite part of the book. Tinka, as a heroine, grew on me. Truthfully, she wasn't my favorite person in the beginning and she felt kind of all over the place for me with how she behaved in regards to Jane, Karen and her whole relationship with her parents. However, when she was with Sam and she let her guard down, so to speak, she began to appeal to me. I liked her growth through the story and I think that is what helped me like her more as a character. Also, her and Sam's connection, though fake at first, builds and improves her has a character as well. This is somewhat reminiscent of the other North Pole book, Any Boy But You.

As Sam and Tinka's relationship gets more real, the book gets better (same as in Any Boy But You). This was definitely a story where the made up relationship and fake boyfriend/girlfriend, not only worked as plot but also helps you like the characters better.

Overall, Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle was an entertaining novel that had moments that I loved especially between Tinka and Sam, and the scenes with Sam and his family. I would easily recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle is the second book in the young adult contemporary North Pole, Minnesota series. I liked the first book in the series, Any Boy But You, but I enjoyed this book even more! Each of the books in the North Pole Minnesota series can be read as standalones, so you don’t have to read them in order, though if given the choice, I always prefer to read a series in order. Elena, the girl from the first book, only makes very small appearances in this story, so there isn’t much overlap.

Artificial Sweethearts is the story of Sam and Tinka. I flat out loved Sam. He is the biggest sweetheart on the planet. And Tinka is so fabulously complex that I found her fascinating. Overall, this couple won me over. Here are the things that I loved about Artificial Sweethearts. Sam and Tinka are up front with each other right off the bat. That was so refreshing to see. Yes, Tinka had her own secrets that she was keeping from other people, but with each other they were totally real and honest from day one. Watching their romance go from fake to real was adorable. I know it has been done a million times, but I am still a sucker for a good fake romance story. It works for me (almost) every time. And it worked for me in Artificial Sweethearts. I love Sam and his family and I love how good Sam and Tinka are for each other. They genuinely had each other’s backs so many times throughout the book. I liked Sam way more than I liked Tinka, but even Tinka won me over. I think she is a good person. I really do. (even with what I am about to say in the next paragraph.) And I think she got to relax and be the best version of herself with Sam. And Sam is so awesome- it is about time someone recognized that about him. I hated seeing him be the running joke in his family. It was also super refreshing to see the male character in the story be the one with body issues and insecurities. I don’t think I have encountered that in a young adult book yet.

I did have a few, minor, issues with Artificial Sweethearts. I loved how multi-dimensional Tinka was. She is a very complex character. But that being said, she is not always the best person. I do think a few of the insults that her ex best friend, Karen threw out at her were pretty accurate. Tinka is selfish. She is also not a very good friend. When she moved away, she basically dropped her best friend. She didn’t call or text her and she flat out ignored all of the phone calls and text messages that Karen was sending her. And she did it all for basically no good reason. I think that is pretty harsh thing to do. Then there was the whole issue of hooking up with her current best friend’s boyfriend right after he dumped said friend. Tinka does not always make the best decisions, and she certainly does not handle her mistakes maturely. But I genuinely think she is a good person, and I loved her interactions with Sam. They felt like two different people to me, which made it hard for me to figure out my feelings on Tinka while I was reading. Overall, I liked her, even though she annoyed me at times. The characters I did not like were Tinka’s parents. They did not seem interested in their daughter for anything except renovation help. The only thing they seemed to care about for a majority of the story was getting drunk with their new friends. I wasn’t a fan of them.

Overall, my annoyances were only a small part of the story, and they didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment much. I fell head over heels in love with Sam. I loved that Artificial Sweehearts was told in dual narrative. I want to see more Sam and Tinka because they really won me over. Artificial Sweethearts was a cute read. One that I really enjoyed.

For a long while now I have been in the mood for a cute YA contemporary romance. I wanted something to completely sweep me off my feet and make me swoon over the characters and their overly dramatic love.

Basically, I needed a rom-com in book form. And yet, no matter how many contemporaries I seem to be reading, none have delivered what I’ve wanted.

Thankfully, this one at least came close. We’re not quite there yet, but almost.


One of my favorite little cliched tropes of YA contemporary romances is the whole fauxmance turned romance idea. For some reason, I love seeing people pretending to be in love eventually fall in love for real. Don’t know what it says about me, but I’m a sucker for it. So, obviously, I was super excited to read this one.

Tinka and Sam each have a problem. Tinka’s parents are trying to set her up with a guy she doesn’t like. Sam needs a date to a wedding. How are they going to solve this? Not like rational human beings in the real world. Of course not. Not when this is a rom-com in book form. Instead, they are going to pretend to be dating each other. But, as you can all guess, after a while real spark start to fly between the two pretend lovebirds, and real feelings start to bloom within their fake relationship.

And you know what? I loved it.

I loved seeing their Sam and Tinka’s fake relationship blossom and grow. I really enjoyed the relationship between them and the build up towards the end.

So, why only the three stars?

Well, it was extremely predictable. I mean, I knew that this was going to be predictable when I went into it. It’s not like anyone goes to watch a rom-com looking for a flare of originality. Still, I would have preferred something new, something different. Or, at least something to catch me off guards and surprise me just a bit. I like in my cliched stories to bring something new to the table.

Also, I am not too sure about how I feel about many of the supporting characters. Tinka’s parent annoyed me. Better yet, they angered me. Karen should have been removed from the story because I could barely stand her either. Some of the characters seemed to have been added for the sake of drama and not to really add to the main story and I didn’t like that either.

Still, in the end, I must admit that I was actually fairly entertained while reading this. It was delivered exactly what it promised, a quick read with a rom-com feel. It was cute, it was entertaining, and if you are looking for something light then I would totally recommend.

I love Sam. He is too sweet and kind. He is always there for everyone and always doing what everyone needs. It was sad to see him be walked on by his family although I don’t think they realized they were doing it. The question for Sam who is there for him? It didn’t seem like anyone was. Yes his family was close but when Sam needed a shoulder or help it seemed he dealt with it by himself. He was strong and resilient. Kind and adorable. His family dynamic was great to see in a book. I was just sad to see him feel so alone and isolated at times. When he sticks up for himself I was proud.

Tinka didn’t like at the beginning. She was selfish and very child like. But as you got to know her you do feel for her. She is a shell of a person. Always doing what is best for those around her. Never doing what she likes. So going off to school had her go off the rails. She did what she could to be numb. She felt unwanted. Her parents were going through things and didn’t really see her tinka.

Upon meeting Sam we see Tinka change. She learns to be free and kind. She wants to change but is scared. No one knows Tinka. Well Sam is learning who Tinka is and it is a sweet adorable story this reveal. Her and Sam are perfect for each other. One helps the other get strong and see they are worth it and the other helps them gain feet and stand up for themself. Sam’s patience and kindness helps Tinka become a better person. Helps her see who she wants to be and gives her strength to try. Tinka helps Sam see that he has someone to lean on and support him.

Tinka and Sam are adorable together. He has such a big heart and is so kind and laid back. He is also the one that deals with things and keeps peace. He has never found anyone to like him for him and Tinka is that person only the fear of her running keeps him from doing anything about it. It has him become less than he wants to be and Tinka feels hurt. Although it was what she wanted or so she thought. When Sam is the one hurt we see it all come out and see where this will go. We see her finally be real and honest. We see his family finally see him and all he does and we see Sam learn more about life, love, friends and family. I loved seeing him stand strong for his family and Tinka.

this is such a fun sweet story. You fall in love with Sam who everyone loves for he is such a sweet, great, kind guy. You see Tinka change and become who she is meant to be and mend relationships. We see two people find friendship and love with one another while helping each other through some tough times. And you fall in love with them and their fun entertainingly adorable story.

I love reading fake romance books because I'm always interested to see if they will fall for each other for real or just go back to being friends, etc after the romance need is over.
Artificial Sweethearts did not disappoint.

Tinka and Sam are from two different worlds it seems. Sam is expected to help everyone in the family and make sure everyone is okay, after the death of his mom. While Tinka is left having to constantly please her parents after a death in the family left them heartbroken. Together they share stories, memories and how hard it is to live up to the expectations placed on them by others. All while having a fake romance to avoid family chosen bf/gf relationships. The big question is though will they actually fall for each other? Or will they be able to end the summer as nothing more than friends?

Overall I really enjoyed this story. First, it's Christmas in July and Christmas is one of my favorite holidays so an excuse to celebrate it I am all for. Add a character who changes throughout the book and goes from keeping everyone at arm's length or just simply pushing them away when they get too close to someone who is able to have good relationships I'm all for as well.
We all know I'm not much of a romance reader, but as it is summer and I have been reading so much fantasy, and historical fiction recently I figured it was time to read a contemporary book. This one did not disappoint and I actually enjoyed the romance/relationship for a change. The tension between Sam and Tinka was really the driving force in this book as it caused them to do or say certain things to try and keep things even.
The friendships that are also shown while very rocky at the start, I really grew to like and it was nice to see characters actually work through their problems, instead of just jumping over them and everything being all sunshine and rainbows.

If your not much of a romance reader than I would still say this is a good choice as it's a fake relationship that deals with so much more.

Review being posted on July 21st, 2017

**4.5 Out Of 5 Stars**
Tinka has always been the perfect daughter, never causing any problems for her parents but when she went away to boarding school, she changed into Tinka the party-girl. When she comes home from school for the summer with a school friend in tow, she has no idea how she is suppose to behave. But her parents have a surprise for her, and it is called North Pole, Minnesota. Yep, a town that celebrates Christmas year round. Meanwhile, Sam is overwhelmed with planning his brother's wedding, a task he feels he is ill-equipped for. When both teens get pressure from their families to date, they find that a fake relationship is the cure to all their problems...until real feelings are involved.

So I guess this is actually book 2 in a series set in North Pole, Minnesota, but I did not find that out until I was writing my review and I discovered that tidbit Goodreads. And based on my review, you can see that me having no knowledge of a first book did not at all hurt my enjoyment of this story. I did a little research (aka I read the synopsis for book 1) and I feel like I vaguely met the couple but they did not really play a role in this story at all, they just live in the town (And the town was super quirky, odd and oh so charming). For all intensive purposes, I think this could be considered a standalone story. I found the book to be the perfect amount of teen romance, with some great character development and some really cute and sweet stolen moments of love, be it family, friend, or romantic. Oh and did I mention baked goods...mmmm, baked goods...

The story was more character driven then plot driven, but in this case I loved it, and I think that works pretty well for a romance because you have to really know the characters to root for their relationship. I loved Sam, hands down, pretty much the entire book. He was sweet, honest, kind and so freaking thoughtful to everyone in his life (let's not mention Dottie because she was crazy) and he had a love of films and nerdy things that made me just want to hug him. He feels like he has to always put on a happy face for his siblings, regardless of how he is feeling on the inside, and it was sad because nobody ever even asked him. I appreciated how level-headed he was at the best and worst of times, how he was willing to keep Tinka in his life any way he could, how her friends became his, and that he refused to let his feelings influence the choices Tinka made for her life. So in summation, he was pretty much wonderful. I use to have a serious love for the bad-boy, but recently, especially when I read books like this, it makes me really appreciate the nice guy so much more.

I struggled a little more with Tinka at the start of the story. She was so conflicted as a person, having no idea what she wanted or who she wanted to be, so it was hard for me to relate to her. And can I mention how awful I found her parents to be, forcing her to pick up a hobby she didn't want, never asking her what she wanted, pressuring her to date their chosen suitor, keeping everything important away from Tinka like she was a mindless child? Sure there was reasons, and things got better, but it did make so much sense as to why Tinka was conflicted. (I loved Jane from the start and would like to see more from her, hint hint). Tinka grew throughout the story, becoming her own person and taking responsibility for her actions and I just wanted to stand up and applaud. I really liked her by the end of the story and fully gave my approval for her and my Sam to be together.

My favorite part of the book was that the romantic relationship was built on a strong base of friendship. Tinka and Sam became each other's friend, then trusted confidant before deeper feelings developed, which makes their relationship more true- they knew each other's flaws and weaknesses and still loved the other. I just wanted to squeeze them both, they were so cute. This is my first book from Julie Hammerle but it will not be my last. I am excited to get my hands on the first North Pole Minnesota book and anything else Julie wants to write about because her characters are endearing and full of heart.

I received this title in return for my honest review. Visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ for more bookish things.

Still looking for a beach read and love YA romances? Grab a copy of Artificial Sweethearts, Julie Hammerle’s next installment in her North Pole, Minnesota series. You can read my review of the first in the series, Any Boy But You, here.

Tinka and Sam make a cute couple that I enjoyed reading about. Tinka is trying to deal with all kinds of issues, some of her own making and some made by her family and friends. As the blurb says, she’s good at keeping people at a distance, but I don’t think she is near as bad as her friends seem to suggest. She seems conscientious and just got in over her head when away at school. Baking is her dream and her escape.

Sam is a nice guy who doesn’t have a lot of experience with girls, even though he’s incredible. (What’s up with that?) He’s even too nice to say “no” and gets himself into trouble.

While the writing is light and the plot perhaps a bit clichéd, Hammerle brings in enough touches that make it her own. It’s a perfect beach read or for that time when you just need something sweet and cheery.

I’m looking forward to the next installment!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s not chemistry between Tinka Foster and Sam Anderson that made them agree to fake date. With her parents trying to set her up with an annoying student golf coach, and intentionally single Sam’s family pressuring him to bring a date to his brother’s wedding, they could both use a drama-free summer.

So it’s not his muscular arms and quick wit that makes Tinka suggest they tell everyone they’re both taken. Definitely not. And it’s not butterflies that makes a kiss for appearances during the lake party go on way too long—so long that Sam wishes it were real.

But Tinka keeps people at arm’s length—she’s always been second best, even to her parents. And her relationship-for-show could crush everything when she realizes she’s done with fake, pretend, and second-best.


This was your teenage fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope that I found kind of cute. I always love these but seeing all the drama kind of reminded me why I'm glad I'm an adult. Because I like adulting. That being said...All the things these two went through were kind of intriguing and funny to me. Overall, this was a good book and worth the time to read.

I received an ARC from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect anyone else's

Rating: 3.5 stars

I feel like I'm on a contemporary roll at the moment. After zooming through Falling for Forever the other day, I finished Artificial Sweethearts within 24 hours, too, despite being busy with travelling and interview prep. It was a very easy read with one of my favourite tropes: the fake relationship.

Two quick notes:
1. This is the second book in a series but can be read as a standalone, with a brief reference to the couple from the previous book.
2. I read another of Hammerle's books – The Sound of Us – last year and really enjoyed it, so the bar was high for this one.

In this instance of the fake relationship trope, Tinka and Sam find themselves under fire from their respective families to date, each being set up in some way with people who are simply not right for them. Sam uses the mystery new neighbour girl as an out when a local girl makes a move on him, and following his example, Tinka continues the act in an attempt to get out of spending time with her parents' friends' college student son. But as you would imagine, the chemistry between the two blurs the lines, especially after a certain kiss.

I'm not sure how I felt about Tinka. In many ways, I could relate to her. I think most people try to live up to expectations from their parents, it's just she has extra reason to. I could see why people would dislike her because she wasn't perfect at all, but I could honestly see bits of myself at that age in her. Nobody's perfect. As for Sam, he was a doll. He was just cute and dorky and lovely. I liked that he was a movie geek, though I wished there was more to him than that (same with Tinka and baking). Of the two POVs, his was the one I loved the most; there was so much drama in Tinka's. (PS, I don't like the cover because the models don't match the characters!)

While their chemistry was torturous to read (both thought the other was truly faking GAH), it could have done with a little less telling and a bit more showing. I feel like there was a lot of "we did this, then we talked about that, and there was electricity." I also don't think the problems with Karen and Jane were ever actually dealt with. After all the build-up, I would have liked a bit more conversation to that. Instead, it was like it all got swept under the carpet during the Unrelated Crisis To Solve Everything. These were the reasons I couldn't quite all out love it.

In the end, it did keep me coming back for more when I should have been doing work, so I can say with confidence that it was easy, interesting, satisfying, and cute to read!

Artificial Sweethearts was released on July 10, with the main character Sam familiar to us from the first book. His sister Harper is Elena’s best friend. He is a senior, a seemingly laid-back character, but who is secretly suffering his own burdens. Siblings, Matthew and Harper are carelessly loading Sam up with household obligations, particularly in regards to Matthew’s upcoming nuptials. Their mother died some five years ago, and Sam still misses her, but is too much of a boy to share his emotional vulnerabilities with family or friends. When he is pressured to find a date for the wedding, everything seems to overwhelm him.

Enter new neighbour, Tinka, whose parents have purchased the most forlorn house in North Pole for unknown reasons. Tinka has been at boarding school, one that caters to potential golf champions. She has lived the last six months playing ‘party girl’, a far cry from the shy introverted homebody she usually is. There’s a lot of information in the first chapter, and it’s easy to be confused because Tinka’s train of thought is befuddled by a hangover, shame at hooking up with (new) best friend Jane’s ex-boyfriend, and regret at bringing Jane home with her for the summer, especially now it’s not going to be anything like she thought. Her parents have completely bamboozled her.

The dual narrative contrasts Sam’s familiarity and love for North Pole (although he is happy to be leaving for college next year), with Tinka’s wide-eyed discomfort at such a small, everyone-knows-each-other, community. Her parents’ attempts to set her up with sleazy Dylan, while he coaches her on the golf course, has her looking around for excuses to avoid him. Enter new neighbour, Sam.

The circle is complete. Both teens are in need of something to get people off their backs. The fake-romance trope is played here in reverse. Often it’s the girl who falls first and hard, but Sam is smitten early, without knowing any of Tinka’s secrets. Tinka’s inability to relax and let herself feel something is their biggest hurdle, but as they start to share stories, and the town plays its part in their forced togetherness, we see (and they do too) how good they could be together. Of course, there is a big misunderstanding, a crazy revenge-seeking troublemaker, and ultimately, Tinka has some serious begging to do, because let’s face it, Sam is just adorable. Fortunately, Tina's superpower (baking) helps gain forgiveness.

One of the elements that didn’t work for me (in both books, actually) is the representation of adults who are so caught up in their own lives, they fail to see the impact on their children. These teens are doing everything they can to keep their parents happy, and it’s not fair, nor is very realistic. Yes, it allows the kids to be depicted as genuinely, nice people, who want to their families to be safe and secure. It's always this way with novels, romance particularly. There needs to be ways in which characters face obstacles and conflict. But good books can achieve this without readers asking too many tough questions. I am just not a fan of this option. Lucky, I am charmed by the characters themselves and satisfying resolutions.

Thanks to Entangled Crush via Netgalley for approving both books.