Farah Heron returns with a cute fake-dating trope in her latest novel How to Win a Breakup, which revolves around a competitive, math genius high-schooler Samaya, who strikes a deal with a handsome, pastry-baking jock Daniel, after she gets dumped and sabotaged by her equally competitive ex-boyfriend. What begins to be the ideal revenge plan against her ex is now turning into a battle of resisting the charms of her current (albeit fake) boyfriend, and Samaya might find an unexpected journey to rediscover herself, her dreams, and her future beyond the title 'smart girlfriend'.

The fake dating trope has been there and done that, remaining as one of the most popular themes in fiction. So, plot wise, How to Win a Breakup isn't considerably the most distinctive work of art out there. However, it is one of some that succeed in balancing humor, drama, and the chemistry of its leads, putting spaces on each element to create a dynamic story that is bashful and endearing while slipping reflective statements that could echo the readers' sentiment.

Its contemplative scenes emerge in between Samaya's interactions with Daniel through their fake relationship, in which Heron makes use of it to point out the social and economic disparity between the main characters, despite sharing a similar status as part of the racial minority communities in a small town. Samaya's relatively comfortable living household compels her to behave ignorantly in some cases, assuming that every teenager has more or less the same kind of worries as hers, and her best intentions come out a little insensitive in approach. Daniel's limitations and lesser socio-economic status illustrate his struggles in maintaining a status quo that works best for a more promising future, which also provides slight resentment over Samaya's better privileges. The different class background of each main character is perhaps the most highlighted element out of all, centering itself as the basis of their chemistry as well as their character growth in opening their minds beyond the living bubbles they're in.

As the main characters, Samaya and Daniel are not only attractive and savvy, but they are also vibrant in characterization. Heron portrays Samaya as a determined person, academically smart, yet equally clever street-wise. And as I've mentioned above, Samaya presents slight ignorance due to her class, with the addition of pretentiousness influenced by her competitive and prideful academic environment. However, she has proven to have enough heart to develop empathy—lowering herself to understand others' struggles rather than keeping herself on the high horse. In writing this development, Heron successfully avoids creating a vapid or superficial change; she constantly puts Samaya in positions where she keeps reassessing herself, making her transition feels deliberate yet earnest. And readers can feel the genuine joy and satisfaction over Samaya's self-discovery, and her breaking out from the miserable shell made from her extreme expectations.

What I appreciate from Samaya's portrayal is that during her quest to 'win' the so-called breakup game against her ex, she never falls to the whims of sabotaging or hurting her ex and his new girlfriend despite her feelings of resentment. Samaya keeps her focus on herself, where she works hard to prove herself more than just the girl who used to stand behind her ex's shadow when they were dating by showing her brilliance and skills in topics that she knows best: virtual games. She even pushes hard to make her fake relationship with Daniel enjoyable and fun, which is why their fakeness quickly becomes unbelievable due to their complementary sentiment with one another.

On the other hand, Daniel's personality perfectly contrasts with Samaya's occasional uptight attitude. He sometimes exhibits an awkward attitude, yet he exudes a charming, enthusiastic attitude akin to a usual high school jock without acting like a jerk. He manages to keep up with Samaya, and in Heron's writing, he presents another example of intelligence and brilliance beyond the realm of academics—a relatively high EQ, excellent baking skills, and sharp survival skills that last him until his current teenage years. And seeing him bonding with Samaya over a virtual game that he has just learned from her shows that he is clever (at least, in gaming strategy) and proving himself to be an attentive lover.

His individual arc is quite gut-wrenching—an example of how immigrant children struggle to live the ideal life and American Dream like how it's advertised, when there are severe limitations or a certain status quo keeping them from reaching that dream. The conclusion of his arc feels liberating, perfectly encapsulating his journey in a true coming-of-element that turns his life into a fresh start for a more vivid destiny. And it feels even more satisfying to see how this liberation means that Daniel takes back control not only for his future, but also for his mother's emancipation.

Moving to the other characters, I think the most valuable support system for both Samaya and Daniel is their respective families. While the two leads are so deep into their thoughts, their parents relentlessly respect their choices and let them make their decisions as they guide them to the right path. Most importantly, Samaya's parents are surprisingly more open in differences than what Samaya (as the character and daughter) and readers initially thought—a twist that I can accept amidst the string of high-strung fictional parents in young adult books.

However, I cannot say the same for their friends. Most of Samaya's and Daniel's friends are garbage, with each only having one who is truly a good friend (spoiler: their most delightful friends are dating each other). I hope they will find better friends who are not prone to be misogynistic, arrogant, and do racial microaggressions.

Overall, I am satisfied with how the novel progresses until the end. How to Win a Breakup is a solid, joy-inducing novel that fits right into romance-seeking readers. So, if you need just a bit of a light reading that is also sophisticated in its approach, or are simply a fan of Farah Heron's books, I recommend picking this one up.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Samaya used to be a part of the school's "it" couple. After getting dumped and him sabotaging her job and hooking up with her enemy, clearly Declan is winning the breakup. To get some cred, Samaya hatches a plan to get a boyfriend and prove to others that she's handling the breakup better than she actually is. She meets Daniel at a volunteer bake sale and together they fake date in exchange for calculus help. As they fake date, Samaya begins questioning the fake-ness of their relationship.

I loved Tahira in Bloom so I was super excited to read Farah Heron's second YA novel. This book started off really well for me but I felt like the teenage drama seemed a bit over the top. While I liked Daniel (he was such a sweetie), he seemed a bit two-dimensional at times despite having a deep backstory. I just wanted to get more rawness from him. I also expected more anger from Samaya considering her messy situation and all the background drama. I couldn't believe how calm and level-headed she was about everything. She definitely seemed a bit more mature than your typical 17 year old high school girl.

All in all, there were good themes discussed and the book was quite deep. I liked the characters even if I did think their situations were a bit over the top for high school.

this boo was fun and something that I needed because this book really made re-think a lot about everything and how smilar I am to the main character omg

This is one of those situations where this just wasn’t the right book for me, an adult reader. I don’t enjoy books with lots of petty immature drama, even though it’s understandable given the setting.

While I've enjoyed Farah Heron's other books this one just didn't pull me in right away. I didn't realize how young adult this book would be, so much high school drama it was stressing me out just reading it! I struggled with liking Samaya in the beginning, but her character growth was great to see and the fact that she stayed on as a volunteer after her hours were over was heartwarming. The fake dating trope is always fun to see when it turns into a true relationship and this book was no exception to that rule.

This is a really interesting and fun WA romance. I love the fact that the female main character is complicated and sometimes her approach the situations isn’t the best but she really does find her way and find herself being surprised by who she actually can end up having feelings for in the end.

It was a cute story, and I loved that it showcases girls in stem. It is a refreshing and engaging read that will appeal to both young adult and adult readers alike. It's a perfect blend of romance, comedy, and social commentary, with characters you'll root for and a plot that keeps you hooked until the very end.

Really enjoyed this book. I absolutely loved Daniel and Samaya’s friendship. It was a cute story and I loved that it showcases girls in stem

Unfortunately, this book didn't quite resonate with me. I struggled with the pacing and had difficulty connecting with the characters. Additionally, the conversations felt off, and I think the story could benefit from trimming some of the dialogue to improve its flow.

How to Win a Breakup is a delightful YA novel that expertly blends humour, heart, and heartfelt social commentary. The story follows Samaya, a math whiz caught in a bitter breakup, as she concocts a fake relationship with the charming hockey player, Daniel, to outshine her ex.

What initially starts as a strategic game of one-upmanship evolves into a journey of self-discovery and unexpected connection. The author deftly navigates complex themes like bullying, abuse, and diversity, creating characters that are both relatable and inspiring. The chemistry between Samaya and Daniel is undeniable, and their fake relationship gradually blossoms into something genuinely special.

It is a refreshing and engaging read that will appeal to both young adult and adult readers alike. It's a perfect blend of romance, comedy, and social commentary, with characters you'll root for and a plot that keeps you hooked until the very end.

Heron crafts a narrative that's as heartfelt as it is humorous, with a delicious dash of baking and a poignant look at adolescence. This book is a delightful exploration of love, identity, and resilience—a must-read for fans of spirited YA romance​.

This book gives such gossip girl vibes without the toxicity, and I LOVED how the female main character fully embraces her nerdiness.

This was a fun YA! It's been a while since I read a YA romance and I'm so glad it was this one!

Things I liked:
-gossip girl vibes but much less toxic
-a boy who plays hockey AND bakes!
-a FMC who embraces her nerdiness
-really appreciated how quickly the initial "lie" was cleared up
-the friend group and the ways they communicated with each other
-every character at the shelter

Things I didn't love:
-not much honestly..wanted more time with them as a couple at the end
-in the audiobook the narrator read "IRL" as all the letters and every time it (at least 4x) it took me out of the story because I don't think people actually say that, they type it

Overall, would recommend this if you're looking for a pretty cute fake dating YA romance!

I love this book. It's packed full of all the things. It was a quick and easy read and I really enjoyed it. Definitely reading more of Heron in the future.

Packed to the brim with high school drama, gaming culture, a boy who bakes, and a little play on the secret identity trope, this YA fake dating romance was a real delicacy!

This was a quick read and every bit wild and dramatic as I expected it to be, and it was a hoot lol! Each ingredient that Heron poured into this story complimented the other nicely. The themes of cyber-bullying, homelessness, elitism, and cat-fishing were addressed well for their target audience, and I enjoyed the diversity, the elements of fake dating, Samaya’s growth (and relatability as a teen girl who I’m sure hits close to home for a lot of us in some way or another) and Daniel who was just as sweet as sugar! These opposites attracted well and there’s really nothing quite as tasty as revenge served in the palm of the hot hockey boys hand.

Presented as a YA romcom rendition of Bridgerton, there was no shortage of drama or tensions, while cooking up a combination of humour and heart. Celebrating the messiness of life and love, HTWAB will be a tasty treat among teen readers and adults alike.

I received a copy thanks to Netgalley and Skyscape, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. 3.5⭐️

it's hard to say if there's anything memorable about this book, but it's simple and easy to read. i thoroughly enjoyed it even though it's fairly predictable.

Thank you Skyscape and NetGalley for the eARC of How to Win a Breakup! All opinions in this review are my own.

How to Win a Breakup is easily my favorite Farah Heron book I've read so far! With a mix of Gossip Girl and the movie Can't Buy Me Love, Heron creates a situation that is both funny and heartwarming. Samaya learns a lot about herself over the course of the book and I like how much she is able to recognize her own expectations by the end. I hope Heron writes more YA novels because this one was an excellent start!

I just adore books by Farah Heron, and her approach to YA was delightful. How to Win a Breakup offers a fresh take on the fake dating trope and adds in girls in STEM. What's not to love?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

A quick read that drew me in from the very beginning. There were a couple slower parts but it was definitely worth it to keep reading. I think this book will do well with teens.

Thank you for the chance to read and review but after further consideration, I don’t think that this is the right book for me so I will not be completing it. At least, not at this time.