Kasie West is an author I've read pretty much every single book from. She comes out with books seemingly once a year and they're always exactly that YA romance that you expect from her. I can't say I've ever been *disappointed* by a Kasie West YA.

That being said...this one was a little lackluster for me. It was just shy of 200 pages which just felt really short. There's hardly any chance for the story / characters to really be dove into. I didn't know quite where the 3rd act conflict was going to come from but when it happened it felt like a bigger deal (personally) than could be nicely resolved in 15 or so pages. The whole story felt a little too surface level. I think the idea behind the plot and the characters was good, I was really hoping to see more of them in this specific story. I definitely wouldn't say I'm disappointed by this book because it did a good job being a YA romance. I swooned a bit at the romance between the two main characters and I cried at times because of familial stuff that happens. There just felt like so much that could have been explored more. I would have read another at least 100 pages of this story.

Not my favorite Kasie West but still a quick, good, fun and flirty little romance for when you're needing that itch to be scratched.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book up to 95% of the book. I enjoyed Wren and Asher and how they slowly got use to each other even with the supposed 'catfish' moments. I related alot to Wren with the use of social media and what it means to have privacy. I liked her facing reality when it came to her mom and having crying moments when she wasn't being her sarcastic self. I didn't like when Asher admitted what he did and how it affected Wren. That was probably what made me not like the ending as much, I thought Wren forgave Asher a little bit too quickly, I kind of wanted him to do more for her since he never told her about the TikToks and that he was also playing along. Overall, I still wanted to give it 5 stars because Wren was a likable and realistic character and the romance was sweet when they were together. I will always enjoy reading Kasie West's books.

Kasie West once again delights teen romance readers with great characters and a great storyline. Relatable and a fun read.

Normally, I really enjoy books by Kasie West, but Borrow my Heart was hard for me to get into and I had trouble connecting with the characters. Some of their decisions didn’t seem logical or realistic to me. I felt like Ms. West followed her normal writing formula with her usual quirky characters, but the flow was awkward and the characters were harder to like. I felt like something was missing. While I didn’t care for this story, I’m sure others will enjoy it.

I received a complimentary copy of this story. All opinions are my own.

I was looking forward to this one, but I think the concept fell a little flat. I couldn’t really understand why Wren wouldn’t come clean after the first incident. I know this is like just a product of a YA romance, but the lack of communication was frustrating in not a fun way. I do think it was written well, it just wasn’t for me.

Really cute!

This is a sweet YA romance. Great for young high schoolers. But I also enjoyed it as an adult.
It has great parts about an animal shelter, with fun and sweet dog aspects. Good supportive friendships and side characters. Good exploration of social media dilemmas (catfishing, lying, consent to post, marketing - touches on the good and the bad.) Some YA romance (kissing.) And some deeper issues of family dynamics (with abandonment and exploration of reconciliation.)

Wren is very structured and has lots of dating rules (mostly to prevent herself from getting hurt as she has abandonment issues from her mom.) But she acts impulsively as she rescues Asher from his friend Dale’s humiliation threats by saying she’s the girl he’s been talking to online (Gemma.) What should’ve been a quick lie that was easy to explain away keeps going deeper and deeper, and involving more people as Asher starts helping at the animal shelter where Gemma works. Actual feelings develop and Wren worries Asher will get mad when her truth is revealed. But maybe she’s the one being duped?

I’d definitely recommend this as a YA sweet read. There are some ups and downs, but a good HEA.

* fits PopSugar Reading Challenge for a rabbit on the cover

* Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is an honest review given on my own accord.

This a good YA book, but would not recommend for adults. Cute, definitely would recommend for teens!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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

After overhearing a cute boy about to be embarrassed on social media after his 'date' catfishes him, Wren does the unthinkable and pretends to be the girl he's waiting for. Wren would never do anything like that, as she has rules upon rules over who she dates, and how, but she can't stand by and see Asher be so embarrassed. But what was intended to just be a one time thing soon spirals out of control when Asher appears at the shelter she volunteers at, even at the Olive Garden she's visiting with her family. As the two spend more time together, she knows she needs to tell him the truth, but she's falling for him too much.

As soon as I saw that Kasie had another book coming out, I immediately requested it. I love her books so much, and the idea of a fake dating romance, where only one of the characters knows it's not real - at least initially - drew me in. I liked Wren, but felt like she was a bit too high strung at times. I understood why she was that way, and when we finally met her mother, she was even worse than I expected. However, the many rules that Wren had were hindering her, rather than protecting her, and it was shown in how the one time she acts impulsively, it leads to Asher. The lying to each other was hard to deal with a little, and I actually thought we'd gotten over the drama at the 2/3 mark, but then it took a turn that I really wasn't expecting. I'm glad that Wren was able to allow Asher to explain, and the scenes with the dogs were so sweet. This is part of a series apparently, and I think book 2 will probably focus on Kamala and Dale, but I'm not sure. Even so, I'll be impatiently waiting for it!

I’ve read and enjoyed several of Kasie West’s books so I knew what to expect here. I was not disappointed! She is so good at writing teenagers who feel like actual teenagers and not just adults who happen to be in high school, which happens too often in YA.

“Borrow My Heart” is a cute story with a 21st century plot that involves catfishing and TikTok. Asher and Wren were sweet main characters who both had their own unique challenges. The conflict in the relationship, as well as the resolution, felt reasonable. Their romance was nice and super clean! I would definitely recommend it for actual youths who like to read romance. And for adults who are willing to read YA that is not written for an adult audience.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pragmatic Wren deals with life’s disappointments by sticking to her list of rules, planning her every move, and always doing the safe thing. When she overhears a boy being made fun of by a friend for being catfished, she does the unexpected and pretends to be the online mystery girl to save him from humiliation. Wren thinks it will only be the one time and she’ll come clean to Asher about who she really is, but circumstances make that impossible and she’s forced to keep up the charade. As Wren spends more time with Asher, she starts to throw out her rules and begins falling for him. But how can they have a real relationship when it was built on a lie?

West has written a beautifully sweet teen romance. The relationships, both romantic and friendly, are cute and wholesome. The bond’s Wren shares with her Dad and sister are deep and true. I love a book where the characters have strong foundations. Wren is a fantastic main character. She’s calm, well-balanced and has a terrifically sarcastic sense of humor. She’s measured and likes order because of hers mom’s abandonment, but she’s self-aware and knows her faults. Asher was a great complementary character to her. A squishy, squeezy, ooey, gooey cinnamon roll. Sweet, thoughtful, and a bit of a risk taker, he helps break Wren out of her rut. West always writes teens so well. She
makes them so realistic. No shiny, cardboard cutout characters here, just honest and real portrayals of teens and their lives. The catfish plot makes for a fun meet cute, but is actually plausible in this day and age, which makes it interesting for the reader. A low angst, charming read.

Wren has a list of rules that guide her life. It has worked for her so far, but when two boys enter the coffee shop and she hears one giving the other a hard time about being catfished, she decides to be the mysterious online girl. Asher seems to be a nice guy and she begins to date him … or is it fake-dating? As Asher breaks more of the rules she has set for herself, Wren begins to question why she has the rules in the first place.

Borrow My Heart is a light teen romance that touches on modern dating pitfalls without being dark and heavy. It is amazing how West was able to create a love interest that I loved, hated, and then loved again. I almost felt like I was living Wren’s romance. I’m sure some might think this was ho-hum, but I needed a refreshing escape and this was a perfect fit. It is listed as the first in a series, so I am excited to see where the story goes next.

What can I say, I cannot resist a Kasie West book. They are always entertaining, always endearing, and always bring a smile to my face.
Wren is definitely a great heroine. She offers herself up fairly selflessly at the beginning, though she slowly becomes entangled in something she didn't know she even needed. She helps because she hates to see someone suffer.
This book also touches on something I struggle with with my own kids: social media and it's fall out. It's so easy for kids to be drawn into things on such sites and not realize what they may actually be getting into or putting themselves in the line of. Not something I had to deal with as a teen.
My favorite character of this was definitely the dog (when you read it you'll know)!
As always, West touches on friendship and romance and the complications that come with both. And the lessons of what happens when you keep secrets rather than be honest from the get go.
And the writing in this book is solid, no shocker since the author has had her hand in these stories for a while.
West's books always pull me out of a reading slump. And they are always fast and fun reads where I know I'll see the main character learn some kind of necessary lesson!
Now I didn't realize there will be a second book to follow this one and I'm totally intrigued as to where it will go, and who it will be about! I'm guessing Kamala, which will be fun!

3.5 Stars

This is a lighthearted YA with a sweet romance and an onery rescue dog, Bean. I loved the fake dating between Asher and Wren and seeing their relationship develop. They did face some realistic conflicts with family and the negativity of social medial media. It was a fast read filled with some fun scenes with Bean. Bean is truly the star of the book. If you enjoy YA reads and have a log for dogs, then this one is for you!

Borrow My Heart was such a fun, adorable read and is good if you're looking for a quick and light romance to lift your spirits. And if you are an animal lover who wants to see a dog get his happy ending too, then this is definitely the book for you. Wren is a great protagonist who is kind but also a little closed off, armoring herself with a ton of relationship rules. But it makes her real and doesn't take away from her good heart, which she uses to help Asher. I will say, her motivation for jumping into a whole fake dating situation didn't make as much sense to me, but I found it easy to let that go and just enjoy the story. Their relationship is just really cute, and Asher is an absolute cinnamon roll/puppy of a human who opens Wren up in fun ways. Of course, it's not without its drama, and some surprising twist secrets that shake things up for the both of them. This story has the romance, the swoony moments, the emotional family drama, and brings up an important conversation about the negative aspects of social media and real-life relationships that many teens struggle to navigate.

One of the elements that made the book fun was that Wren worked with animals, including this very ornery dog named Bean who doesn't seem to get along with anybody but her. And I loved watching not only how Bean was a big part of the connection between our two love interests, but also how he had his own growth story and journey to a happy ending!

This is a fun read. It's got heart, some good food for thought, and overall is filled with sweet and enjoyable moments. Definitely a great summer fun read for any fellow YA romance lovers! 4.5/5 stars

Kasie West knocked it out of the park again with her newest novel, Borrow My Heart! This book has everything you could want in a rom-com from a feisty shelter dog to a loyal best friend. Sometimes I feel like authors who write many books within the same genre become boring and their books feel monotonous, but Kasie West continues proving that she is anything but boring.

First off, I love the premise of this book. The protagonist, Wren, steps in to save a stranger from humiliation when she realizes he is probably being catfished. She plays the role of his online mystery girl, but ends up being roped into a complex situation. At every turn she tries to find a way to tell Asher that she is not the girl he thinks she is, but after the two are put together to find a forever home for Wren’s favorite shelter dog, Bean, she keeps finding reasons to keep up the ruse.

While the romance in this novel was adorable, it was all the smaller details that really made the story shine. Wren’s best friend, Kamala, is equally supportive and skeptical of the situation. Likewise, Wren has a complex family dynamic that adds another layer of depth to the story. Throughout the novel she learns to cope with her mother abandoning her, and she realizes that her relationship with her father and sister will be forever-changed by her mother’s decision.

Bean was also a highlight of the story. Wren and Asher’s plight to find him a family was adorable and offered up the perfect scenarios for them to bond. I adored the fact that Bean was not your typical cute and loving dog. He was a little rough around the edges, not necessarily the friendliest, and very sneaky. I love that West’s depiction of Bean helps show that not all shelter dogs have to be the cuddly stereotype to be loveable and adoptable. My family has one of those very dogs, and we couldn’t be happier.

Finally, there was an element of intrigue with Asher’s catfish. There was a small plot twist that I didn’t see coming. In hindsight, it’s probably pretty obvious, but I purposefully don’t try to figure things out when I read West’s books. Her stories are so immersive, it is therapeutic to simply lose myself in them.

As a whole, Borrow My Heart is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’ve read West’s previous books, or you’re looking to start reading romance, I highly recommend it.

I AM LITERALLY CRYING (not really but shhh) because this book is so cute!! Now, I may just be a TAD BIT biased toward Kasie West because she is my FAVORITE author, but I can feel that she has further ignited the spark of her magical powers with Borrow My Heart because it is just so good. Others may say this is an average book, one that doesn't deserve five stars, but was pretty alright. Not to be dramatic or anything butttt those people belong in jail, obviously.

Borrow My Heart was honestly so sweet that it was ripping out my heartstrings. THERE WERE DOGS! I LOVE DOGS!!! I LOVE ANIMALS!! And I LOVE how Wren preferred animals over people because HELLO, who doesn't?? My cat is wayyyy better company than most people I know, no offense. Animals are the best, and they don't judge you! Sarcasm and animals were just the highlight of this book they are two of my favorite things. I loved Wren because she was judgy, sarcastic, and loves animals!

I also AM OBSESSED with this being a catfish book because another thing I LOVE is watching the show Catfish. It is so entertaining and freaking addicting my goodness! The fact that this was fishy and doggy was just the cherry on top to this cute af novel! The love interest, Asher, was SO ADORABLE! Can we just give a round of applause to Kasie for always making such loveable characters?? Not only do we have extremely caring Floppy-Haired Joe, but also the FRIEND GROUP and family relationships. LOVE. It's not just a cute romance but deals with consequences of social media, sister and mommy issues, and growth as a person. Realizing that you don't have to shut everyone out just because someone did that to you. It's really QUITE LOVELY ALRIGHT

NOW

*Thank you so much to Netgalley, Random House Children's, and Kasie West for an ARC of Borrow My Heart!

I am a 45 year old adult fan of YA , I am in love with the writing style of Kasie West. Everything she has ever written has been heartfelt, genuine, emotional, romantic, swoony, mushy, magical reads. On the surface, Borrow My Heart is a light YA romance novel, but on a more deeper level, it is a commentary on the negative aspects of social media on teenagers today. It is a relatable read for any high schooler today, and I promptly pre-ordered the paperback copy of the book for my daughter. Being that it is a book 1 in a new series, I can't wait for the second book in this universe.

3.5/5 stars

Kasie West's books are always a good time, and this one is no exception. I really enjoyed Wren and Asher as main characters. I thought individually they were unique and I believed in their chemistry and connection. There was good growth in the characters. The story was a simple one but it didn't go where I thought it was going to go, which was good. I didn't actually like what the conflict ended up being, and I did think that the ending felt a bit rushed. But overall it was still an enjoyable read. This is the first of a series, so I'd be interested in seeing who from this world we end up following next. I'm guessing Dale and Kamala, Asher and Wren's best friends respectively who seem to be interested in each other. But I also do hope we see more of Zoey, Wren's 20 year old sister.

Wren loves rules. She loves rules, routine, and order. So…what happens when she says goodbye to control and helps out a strange, cute boy? One day, Wren overhears said cute boy, Asher, getting crap from his friend Dale for being catfished. Impulsively, Wren jumps in to help Asher. Wren tells herself that she will come clean to Asher and end this fake dating scenario as soon as possible but of course, things don’t go as planned.

Borrow My Heart is such a sweet YA romance that for the most part, is light and fun. The characters are likable from the beginning (Dale maybe not as much lol) and so fun to follow along with. This story does also touch on some tough topics, such as the pressures of social media and dealing with a dysfunctional parent-child dynamic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an ARC of this adorable story. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more from Kasie West!

Borrow My Heart by Kasie West follows Wren. She is used to being called a control freak, but she feels that her list of rules for life are very helpful. When a boy named Asher walks through the door of the coffee shop that she is in, it becomes clear that he is being catfished online by his crush. Wren decides to be impulsive and claim to be the girl he is supposed to meet. Soon Asher tempts Wren to break even more of her rules. But Wren begins to worry about Asher finding out the truth.

I liked how Wren gradually evolved throughout the book; going from relying on the list of rules to living life a little more on the wild side. I always love when a book has animals, especially a shelter, so that was a big plus. The catfishing aspect of this story was pretty unique.