The friend zone is a difficult place to be!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review 99% Faking It by Chris Cannon! Lisa has a crush on Matt but she’s tried to change her feelings about him since he put her in the friend zone. Now, to help them both get dates, Matt has asked Lisa to pretend to be his girlfriend because a taken person is much more attractive. Lisa bothered me with her insecurities and I understand that everyone is allowed an opinion and should take care of themselves but she seemed self-righteous at times. The comment that Matt made about not caring if Lisa isn’t cool and how he likes that she’s into books annoyed me too. It’s like he’s trying to convince himself to like her. I think I needed a bit more happy relationship events between Matt and Lisa so I could actually root for everything to work out with them but I didn’t feel invested in their relationship. I enjoyed Chris Cannon’s fantasy series, Going Down in Flames, but 99% Faking It feels rushed and lacks depth. I give it three stars for a cutesy, cohesive story.

I’m not gonna lie to you; I had a hard time getting into this book than I thought I would. The fake dating/marriage trope is one of my all time favorites. Mainly because I love seeing the characters fall in love with what is clearly right in front of them!

99% Faking It is the second book in the Dating Dilemmas series; but they are complete standalones. Do I think you could get more enjoyment from reading the first book in the series? Absolutely, yes. That being said, I had a hard time getting into this one. Mainly because I found the male lead so darn unlikeable.

Matt and Lisa are best friends. Lisa was out immediately friendzoned when the two first met. Cool. Not a big deal at all! Lisa buries her feelings for Matt in the meantime. Then a new boy shows up at school and he gives lisa the attention she’s always desired from Matt.

But Matt is in “love” with his little sister’s best friend, Jane. So he comes up with the perfect plan. To fake date Lisa and hope for the best in making Trey and Jane realize what they’ve been missing out on. Again, cool! I’m so on board for this.

Matt. He’s a jerk. The things he says and does to Lisa; I would have just said screw if and not helped him. I get his reservations when it comes to not wanting to ruin his friendship with Lisa. But he’s totally ruining everything just by speaking. His actions aren’t much better.

And if I had to hear one more time how Lisa is his nerdy friend, I would scream! What’s so wrong with being a nerd?! The story does end up making up for it’s terrible hero somewhat. I dare say he almost redeemed himself. But the 3 stars go to Lisa. She was awesome and yeah, I might be biased. But I thought she could do much better than Matt!


*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn’t a fan of this book. The relationship seemed unhealthy and too much drama for me. It didn’t come across that they were good friends. They had never been to each others houses or knew what kind of pizza the other liked, etc. There was an overuse of wanting to punch someone in the face and an absentee father.
There was also a moderate amount of mild language, no sex (although the mom mentions to not be pressured, wear a condom when ready, healthy part of an adult relationship, it would be best to wait until college, etc), the mom also talks about her boyfriend moving in when her daughter moves away to college because she doesn’t believe in marriage anymore. She honestly didn’t seem like a good therapist.
If you would like to read a book about two good friends becoming a couple (that is a clean teen romance), I would recommend “Love, Life, and the List” by Kasie West. It you’d like a good clean teen romance about friends faking dating but then falling in love, I’d recommend “Don’t Forget Me” or “It Was Always You” both by Judy Corey.

99% Faking It was absolutely adorable. Chris Cannon, I feel truly captured the teenage mind. Excellent story that really drew me in.

Lisa has liked Matt from the start but he immediately wrote her off as a too nerdy friend. Lisa trying to get over her crush for Matt decides to set her sights on the new guy.

Matt's been stuck on his sister's best friend for a long time but didn't know how to make his move. Now that she's found someone else he doesn't know how to move on. Then he comes up with a plan to show the girl he likes that when she's available he can be a good boyfriend. His plan? Date his best friend Lisa.

Only, the more they spend time together the more Matt begins to realize that Lisa is the perfect girl for him.

I thought this story was beyond adorable. I thought Lisa and Matt were so cute together and I loved their character growth. A definite must-read.

99% Faking It was a really cute book, a bit predictable but the characters were interesting and the writing was engaging!

I love Chris Cannon's cute and playful writing style. I may not be familiar with the franchise, but I caught all the Potter references. Also, I'm a major dog lover. This book was a win-win for me.

Thank you Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the chance to read this book. :D

-‘“The Theory of How Guys Are Idiots and Only Want What They Can’t Have.”’-...

I read some of the other reviews and kind of rolled my eyes. Yes, you could get stuck on gender roles and stereotypes and analyze it like a piece of literature but, let’s face it, this is written for typical teenagers who just want to read some realistic fluff and this is exactly what you’re going to get here. It’s your typical high school romance. Kids have crushes, fall in and out of like, and they have their happily ever after.

-‘“Maybe there’s another way this could go,” Nina said.
“Matt could realize you two are meant to be together. And we could have a lot of fun trying to push him in that direction.”
My brain felt fried from running through all the terrible ways this could explode in my face. “What do you mean?”
“There’s nothing to say you can’t continue trying new looks…maybe sexier looks…looks that will make him regret that what’s going on between you isn’t real.” ‘-

I found it to be completely realistic, light, fun, and a good read overall.
If you’re looking for something deep, go for the classics. There is some swearing but no sex so it reaches a broad audience, and it’s relatable. I got an early copy and these are my own thoughts. I’m not receiving any compensation and I’m not related to anyone connected to this book. It’s a fun, light read and I recommend it for teens or anyone who enjoys this style of book.

When I read the first chapter, I felt as if I jumped into the middle of a story. I wanted more background to the characters then I got

Nerd girl gets the guy! But which one! Lisa and Matt are friends with interest in other people who hatch a crazy plan to fake date to make the others notice them. Too bad their scheme didn't have a chance of working out in the way they intended. Lisa was a funny, quirky character and very fun to read.

I really wanted to like this one, especially since it has my favourite trope, friends to lovers. However, I just couldn't get on board with the romance in this book. Don't get me wrong, I loved Lisa and all her nerdiness. She was someone I could definitely relate to. That being said, I couldn't stand Matt. He and Lisa worked as friends for the most part, but once the fake dating aspect got introduced he became unbearable. He got annoying and condescending towards Lisa and it was sad, just how many second chances he got especially considering how manipulative he was. I do appreciate how the other characters, including his own family point out his horrible actions, but unfortunately he doesn't learn or grow from them since he ended getting what he wants in the end. 99% Faking It had so much potential, especially as I liked Lisa and her friends as well as her relationship with her mother who's a therapist, however in the end the book fell flat for me because of the bad romance.

99% Faking It is definitely my kind of book. I was hooked from the start! A main character who is a book lover and a major Harry Potter fan and you don't have to ask me twice to keep on reading! This book is a fast and easy read and I really enjoyed myself.This book is definitely predictable and even though I knew exactly how it was going to end, I flew through this book, because it's so well written! Best friends to lovers is definitely one of my favorite tropes to read about, so 99% Faking It definitely checked all the boxes.

Lisa has had a crush on her best friend Matt from the start, but she was friend-zoned from the start. She's pretty confident of the nerdy side of herself, but when it comes to relationships she wonders if she needs to be less nerdy. I loved when her mom told her that the guy should love her for who she is. Through the dating disasters, I think you really see her become more confident. Lisa becomes more comfortable with herself and it shows.

Matt loves hanging around with Lisa, but just doesn't see her more than a friend. Having a crush on someone else for quite awhile, he doesn't notice anyone else. That's why pretend dating his best friend seems like the perfect solution to him. It's clear that Matt does like to take the easy road in many cases and doesn't understand what his actions wil cause. I think Matt changed during this book as well, because he started thinking about what others were feeling and what it meant for him. He's sweet though.

As we all expect, pretending to date doesn't go smooth or the way they expected. I laughed a lot during these moments and loved reading how the dating and new feelings would play out. The romantic gestures in this book were really sweet. In this sense, Lisa annoyed me at times. When someone started fighting for her, she couldn't just accept it and actually got angry. That actually annoyed me, haha.

If you're looking for a fun contemporary with fun main characters, a good group of friends, tons of Harry Potter references and a few not so perfect dates, 99% Faking It is for you! I would have to say it's going to be the perfect summer read!

I received an ARC of this one. I had actually never heard of the author before and was slightly worried that I wouldn't be able to read the second installment of the book without having read the first one - I was wrong. The book can be read as a standalone. However, upon going back and reading the first one, a few of the characters do intertwine so it was nice to see the characters and what happened to them after that first installment (although, I did that backwards). I love her, Chris (obviously) writing and style in the way in which she tells a story. The entire fake a date, best friends, can they can't they is everything you'd want in a good romance! Definitely 4.5 out of 5 stars!

I like Chris Cannon’s writing style. She really knows how to suck you into the story with witty banter and loveable smart chicks.

Lisa is Matt’s nerdy best friend. He friend zoned her as soon as they started being besties. Now Lisa wants a boyfriend and a new guy is on the scene. He has caught her attention and Matt doesn’t like the idea of sharing his BFF. Matt is in denial. He’s in love with Lisa and doesn’t even realise it. After a discussion about the wedding ring affect Matt and Lisa decide to fake date. They already hang out all the time and their relationship should be the same. Their fake relationship is more complicated than the real one. What starts out as a friendly offer complicates everything. Even after a fake relationship, there is no going back.

I really liked the main characters in this book. It can be read as a standalone but I’ve read book one and it’s worth the read. 99% faking it is a little frustrating with a slow burn romance. Matt takes a long time to realise Lisa is his perfect match. This book has great Witt and a lot of geeky sass. 4 stars out of 5.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can't say this wasn't cute.

Lisa is a nerd and not afraid to live her nerdness. She's been in love with Matt for some time now and for the same length she's been in the friendzone. It doesn't help that Matt is already into another girl, so she decides to focus on the new boy at school. That's when she accepts the plan to pretend to be with Matt and test whether people really pay more attention to what they can't have.

This is what you can expect from an Entangled Teens romance. It's a nice story, above an average YA but doesn't go beyond. I confess I like part of the formula and get these books exactly because I know well what to expect. But there are other times I'm not feeling like it.

One of the things I really don't appreciate and we have it again here is the dual point-of-view, being each chapter narrated from one of the two main characters. I don't think YA romance really needs to have two points of view so it gets a little bit spoiler-ish. I mean, of course we know the guy is gonna be with the girl in the end, but I think there's a thrill in wondering when he really starts liking her. I know a lot of readers like having two narrators but in this case I actually prefer to stick to the girl.

Talking about the characters, the big fail here is how they never really grow. Matt has a problem with bailing on things so he can never keep a girlfriend for more than a few weeks. But Lisa also has her issues and throughout the book since they start acting like sweethearts, they keep arguing about the same thing. Sounded real? Not sure, but it was definitely tiresome how to the last percent they were still arguing for the SAME thing. I wasn't a fan of Matt's father's advice either, kind of sexist. You kinda see why he is like that if that's the sane voice he listens to.

Aside from those complaints, this was a cute story. Just the romance I needed. And that's why I love these books, I know they'll do what I need them to.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Lisa is a quirky high school student who has been crushing on her best friend Matt however he doesn’t see her in that way. Knowing that she and Matt can never be more than friends she has decided it is time to move on and who better to do it with than Trey, the new boy in town, who has been paying her attention.

When Matt hears about the wedding ring phenomenon, which is a theory that people that are already in relationships are more attractive to others, he believes this is the perfect plan to go after the girl he wants, his sister’s best friend.

He convinces Lisa to pretend they are dating as it will not only help him get the girl he wants, but will help her with Trey as well. Spending time together as boyfriend/girlfriend starts to feel real but when Matt starts to see her as someone more than a friend will she give him a chance, or will she choose Trey?

This is a sweet young adult story about not realizing what is in front of you until it is almost too late.

I am absolutely in love with this series! Chris Cannon's characters are so quirky and cute. You can't help but be pulled into their stories and fall in love with them. It was also nice to see characters from the first book included, and although this is a series, it can def be read as a stand alone. Matt and Lisa are probably my fave so far, I really like Matt although it took him time to figure out what he wanted, but I love that he gave Lisa that same opportunity. Matt is just not one to wear his heart on his sleeve and communicating how he feels but I think that's what pulls me into him. Plus Lisa and her BFF are big book nerds which I love even more LOL This is def one book you want on your reading list, especially when you just want a fresh read to relax to.

*Note. 99% Faking It (Dating Dilemmas Book 2) by Chris Cannon was kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. So I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the usual Entangled: Crush book that you would expect - a sweet and innocent YA romance, a cozy and light read to brighten your day, a cute and entertaining story that will make you smile at the end of the book and in-between the pages of it. Just a pretty prefect, quick and light YA romance read.

I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the writing style and the make you feel good vibe. I liked 99% Faking It, however, there were a few stereotypical female vs. male issues, also, it could have been a bit more snarkier and funnier, and the characters - just a tad bit more mature, but overall, I was entertained, so 3.5 stars.

I recommend to everyone who loves Entangled Teen books because this is a good one, as I would expect from them. I recommend it to romance readers, who are looking for something sweet, cute and quick to read.

I loved that Lisa embraced her love of crafts, crochet, and Harry Potter and was proud to be a 'nerd girl'. It was especially fun that she had bookstore dates with her best friend and realized that someone would have to accept her love of all things nerdy to be in a relationship with her.

Matt, on the other hand, was a little bit more difficult for me to like. Many of his actions were what a typical teenage boy would do. However, I wish that there had been more build up to him realizing he cared for Lisa. Even though there were a couple moments he thought of her early on, it still seemed out of nowhere that he decided they should date.

Overall a fun read, but I would have liked to have seen a little more to Matt changing his mind about Lisa.

I received this eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Lisa has had a crush on her friend Matt for a while now but when she got denied by him, with him saying that she was just his friend, she ignored her feelings and decided friends would be enough. But then Matt came up with the crazy idea to become fake boyfriend and girlfriend so he can get the attention of the girl who he had a crush on.

Lisa didn't want to at first but she thought it might help her get the attention of the new guy at school, so she went along with it. Besides what could go wrong? She's already had her feelings hurt by Matt once before so now she knows to harden her heart from him. Just when things are going her way Matt throws a curveball and says that he wants to date her for real...

Now Lisa has to decide what she really wants before everything falls apart around her...

I love Chris Cannon's dragon series, so I was really excited to get my hands on this book as in e Arc. Sadly it wasn't my favorite because I got annoyed with the characters too often throughout the book. They couldn't make up their minds, they were very flighty, and they kept repeating themselves over and over and over but then unexpectedly taking a 360 turn the other direction. There was a lot of uncertainty throughout the novel. And overall it just showed how humans can't make their decision one way or the other. I guess that means it was realistic but it was too much repetition for my liking.

I'm glad I got a chance to read this and I'm sure that I'll pick up another one of Cannon's novels in the future. I'm sure other readers will enjoy this story when it's released though!

The book "99% Faking It" was cutesy and somewhat mature for its age group.

I liked it well enough. There wasn't anything terribly bad about it. There was nothing amazing about it either.

I loved the fact that Lisa was a card carrying member of the Bookish Squad but the fact that her getting a boyfriend seemed to hinge on whether or not the guy accepted that seemed a little too little for me. I realize that the characters were in high school and their relationships are bound to change for the worst or for the better. But still. I don't know. It seemed a little weak to me. And the fact that everyone had a car despite having actually said that money was tight. I mean, I get it. I understand that most high school kids had a job after school and on the weekends and that their parents could help them pay for it but I still found it a little unbelievable. Especially when, considering my own high school experience, not everybody who has a job has a car. Sometimes they trade off with their parents or relay on friends or even the bus system, both the public and the school. It just made it seem unrealistic.

The whole plan seemed a little too easy to me. The whole wedding ring phenomenon has pretty much been proven over and over again. I don't understand why Lisa's mom was OK with it. Despite the fact that she's a family/ relationship counselor.

I don't know. The book, on the whole, was enjoyable. I loved all the Harry Potter references thrown in and the fact that Matt was open to the fandom but the fact that AS SOON AS they decided to start "dating" his whole attitude changed until she called him out on it was a bit of a mistake to me. I mean, the whole first 50% of the book was about them being friends and not wanting to lose that friendship, and then Matt goes and acts like a **** despite the fact that He was the one to insist on the whole plan and the insistence of their still being friends was a red flag for me. I don't know. It just wasn't very convincing.

Matt was a sweetheart in the beginning and the end. But the middle was his weak spot.

He did try and I have to give him points for that.

However, Trey, the guy Lisa wants to have notice her, was kind of an ass in the end but his beginning and middle were fine. I fail, as a certified Card Carrying Member of the Bookish Squad (note the capitalization of the words=higher rank than Lisa), to understand why the fact that Lisa is part of the Bookish Squad makes her undesirable to males. I remember having several offers to date in high school and I was a bigger nerd back then! (I've toned it down some for my own sake....It was getting too expensive) I didn't like any of the guys but that's not my point. Lisa seemed to be a good girl with a solid head on her shoulders. The fact that she was a nerd shouldn't make a difference to anyone. Least of a potential mate.

Especially not in high school. Sometimes I wonder what happens after the book is finished. Like if in two years, book time, they'll have broken up because people change all of the time in life. I was not the same person I was yesterday. And to base a relationship on whether or not the other person will accept how much you love a certain fandom doesn't seem liable to me. Lisa and her mother both emphasized how much one shouldn't change for a potential mate and they were right. But to make that the only "requirement" in a potential relationship just doesn't make sense to me.

But the book was supremely enjoyable. I liked all of the quirkiness of the characters and the somewhat mature conversations that each character took part in.