Absolutely LOVED this one! Book of the summer for sure. Highly recommend. Could see it being book club picks.

When I pick up a Kasie West book, I know I am guaranteed (at least) three things: relatable characters, witty banter, and heartwarming relationships in the form of family, friendship or a swoon-worthy romance-or in Borrow My Heart's case, a surly shelter dog with MC energy!

For me, Kasie West's books are a breath of fresh air and I often reach for one when I need a palate cleanser from heavier reads. She infuses complicated issues like abandonment, distrust, and social media fallout with humor and more importantly, hope.

The only things that left me wanting more were the "one big question" and how quickly the ending wrapped up. I'm not sure I could have forgiven as quickly as these characters did. I *think* the next book will be about Kamala and Dale-at least, I hope it is. Either way, I'm looking forward to reading whatever Kasie West writes next.

*Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars

A cute and lighthearted YA romance about Wren, a girl who has a wall around her heart and an extensive list of rues, and Asher, a boy who comes in to knock down that wall and re-write everything. Their meeting is unlike any other as Wren steps in to save Asher from being duped by his online crush (and possible catfisher) by pretending to be her and accidentally becoming a catfisher herself. She gets sucked further and further into the lie as she starts to care about him and begins to wonder how much longer she can keep up the charade.

I would say I liked this one and thought it was cute with its somewhat simple plot line. I liked Wren and Asher - they played off each other well and were actually surprisingly funny together. I also thought the author did a good job at showing conflicting sibling relationships and issues that come along with each of them dealing with a missing/flakey mother. I was actually surprised because Wren and her sister, Zoey, made me tear up because their personalities and their conflicts reminded me of my sister even though our parental situation is nothing alike. Kami was a great best friend and I loved how she dealt with Wren with patience and love even if she disagreed with the whole insane catfish situation.

The entire social media and TikTok storyline was also interesting as I think it is good commentary on how it is affecting current generation's relationships and views of the world. However, I don't think the author fully committed with the full consequences of using social media to gain followers/fame without the person who is being filmed giving explicit permission (no matter how much is meant well by it). I think Asher and Dale were too easily forgiven -- I think it was good for Wren to forgive them and move on, but I felt like the issue was never really discussed past "I'm sorry". Again, I know that Asher and Dale meant well, but never felt the full impact of how social media can hurt people other than Wren being mad at them for a couple of days. This could also be the fact that I'm a millennial so the idea of Wren just jumping in to save a random dude in a coffee shop from embarrassment from his best friend about maybe being catfished (it's his best friend, not the entire school...I think dude would've been okay) is just absolutely crazy and unbelievable to me. Letting the lie on both sides go on so long did also not scream cute to me and gave me more of a "this is a REALLY hurtful lie", but again, I'm in a totally different social media generation so maybe I don't get it and that's what kids have to do nowadays (wow I sound old). I think it would've been better if Wren came clean early on and worked together with Asher in a fake relationship to either keep Dale from knowing Asher had been catfished and/or to find out if he had been catfished by finding the girl online.

All in all, an enjoyable and sweet read that might not blow your socks off, but is definitely entertaining. I would say it is a perfect, light palette cleanser if you are in a book slump and/or just read a long, intense book.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for early access in exchange for an honest review.



(****Spoiler ahead*******-------------------------> I think it was also crazy that Wren said ily directly after what happened and after only knowing Asher for a month. I personally did not think that was the correct ending. Their relationship was perfectly fine without having to throw that in and felt like it was just thrown in because it's a romance book and it has to be said.)

Borrow My Heart is clean, lighthearted and fun! Such a tooth achingly sweet romance, and the perfect quick read when you need something cutesy. Loved it!

A cute story about letting down your walls and the connections made in doing so. Loved the dynamics of the friends in this book and Beans was a love.

This book is really cute! It was an easy read with just the right amount of drama. I also enjoyed that there are points that the characters communicate and work things out. Also, a shout out to Bean because we love a dog. I did like the tiktok influence too, and the conversations about posting things online with permission.

Bonus points for having a character named Maggie.

Full Review:
https://theweatherwriter.wixsite.com/blog/post/book-review-borrow-my-heart-by-kasie-west

~Borrow My Heart Review~
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3.5/5
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I’ve been reading kasie west books since I was in high school and they’ve always been a great quick read and fun escape. i haven’t read some of her more recent work, so i’m excited to dive in and see what i’ve been missing!
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Pros:
+being so charming a random boy falls in love with you
+dogs who only like certain people
+i love nerds
+banter and flirting
+wren is a fellow avoidant girly
+wait the big reveal is hilarious (we love a mutual messing with each other a little)
+i’m actually going to cry rn i feel for wren. i’m devastated. why is everyone turning on her wtf she’s just trying her best
+bean<3
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Cons
-booooo mean guy friends
-ew chad
-my exact family trauma ouch
-she needs to just tell him
-ew tiktok
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as always kasie west writes the best quick reads that just suck you in. i related to wren and i liked asher. this isn’t like a ground breaking book, but i definitely had fun with it and think people would like this one for the summer!

Kasie West is my go-to author for a clean, lighthearted rom-com, and her newest book is no different. While my heartstrings might have been pulled on a little more than usual for her books due to the animals in the story, the charismatic pit bull Bean was a loveable character and the perfect addition for some comedic relief.
Pet shelter employee Wren, who struggles with abandonment and control issues, decides to help out a stranger by pretending to be his blind date. Anyone familiar with West’s books can see exactly where this story is headed, however the side stories keep readers wondering what will happen next. The pets at the shelter, the mom who left the family, the worker at the shelter who Wren has had a crush on for years, the rich boy who wants to go viral all add to the story.

Kasie West never fails! This book was so adorable! The pets were the cutest especially Mr. Bean! I understood Wren’s need for control and how she doesn’t trust people. I loved seeing her character growth throughout the story. It gave me hope that I could open up and let people in too. Wren is definitely a favorite character and I hope other people enjoy this book as well.

This was an Okay showing from West, which, unfortunately, can also be said about her last few books. A quick read, but nothing special. Wren and Asher both kind of sucked, which worked out that they found each other, lol. This was a deception trope within a miscommunication trope, which I did not enjoy, but at least it put them on the same level. The animal shelter stuff was great, which is honestly the reason this stayed up at 3 stars.

I need West to somehow channel her mojo from her early days of writing and bring that back. I miss her!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1 Sentence Summary: Wren is often called a control freak, prefers dogs over people, and has an extensive list of rules for dating, but when she witnesses a boy getting made fun of by his friends for being stood up by an online catfish, she pretends to be the girl he’s waiting for and suddenly she’s fake dating a strange, all of her rules flying out the window.

My Thoughts: I was slightly disappointed by this because I used to love Kasie West’s books, but this one just wasn’t it for me.

It was a cute story, but the writing felt SO choppy to me; like, nothing flowed at all and everything fell kind of flat. There wasn’t really any emotion and the characters felt underdeveloped.

I wouldn’t say it was necessarily bad, I mean, I did have fun reading it, it was just not great.

(Side note: can we talk about how freaking cute the cover is though???)

Recommend to: Fans of YA romance & dogs.

(Warnings: parental separation)

Kasie West is one of those authors who always delivers a well written read. She has long been a go to for a light, quick YA read for me. In recent years I have found myself moving out of the YA Contemporary genre more, but Kasie West is one of the few authors I still reach for.

This was another quick, cute read by her. I liked the animal shelter angle and of course I’m a sucker for books that feature an animal companion. Bean was of course a win for me. If you are looking for a light hearted, easy YA read – definitely give this one a shot.

Kasie West writes sweet YA romcoms, and this is no exception. Wren's way of coping with a mother who abandoned her, and who has always been flighty, is to live her life following very exact rules. She breaks her specific dating rules when she sees a boy who looks like he's being catfished. Wren swoops in and pretends she's the girl he's been talking to online. There begins their love story. The two are pretty innocent, and spend a lot of time together in an animal shelter. Their friends Dale and Kamala also tag along for a lot of adventures. I like the friendships in this book as much as the unfolding love story. Wren also has issues with her sister Zooey that she has to resolve. And there's a plot twist! It's a fast read with a satisfying ending, just what you'd expect from this genre.


Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

Even for a YA novel, this one felt incredibly juvenile. I’ve read a series of books lately with unlikeable female protagonists and even thought they all eventually are redeemed, this one took longer than most.

One parte fake-dating trope, one part grumpy/sunshine - the only thing unique about the book was the setting. I enjoyed the animal shelter storyline, even if I did find the MMC unbearably and unbelievably sunny. I didn’t buy how this young teenage girl already has a ridiculously long list of dating rules, surely it takes one til their twenties to be so jaded?

Despite some of these hiccups, I finished the book and didn’t completely hate it. Best I can give is 2 out of 5.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Wonderful book! Loved the characters and found it to be a super easy read.

Plot:
When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush. A young adult romance from the critically acclaimed author of Places We've Never Been.

Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.

Asher is cute, charming . . . and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he's waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing.

It's not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she's not who she says she is? Wren's not so sure. . . . After all, rules exist for a reason.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I guess I didn't read the synopsis very well because I didn't realize this was a young adult novel and not a new adult novel. Very cute but definitely geared for young adult (teen)!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kasie West for the ebook ARC!

This might be my favorite Kasie West book yet. It’s so sweet and funny and it reads so quickly, which honestly is the case with all of her books.

This one has a male lead who is likely being catfished by his online love interest. When he tries to meet up with her, and it seems that he’s being set up, Wren steps up and pretends to be said Catfish. But she’s a little too convincing, and now she’s got to keep the charade up, because Asher is dreamy.

100 % adored this book!

I love Kasie West so I was extremely excited that I was approved for this novel!

Wren overhears Asher about to get totally humiliated for being catfished by a girl he met online. She thinks to herself, "Let me play savior and rescue this man from complete embarrassment." His friend Dale is suspicious of her but it works! Here we go fake dating, what's the worst that can happen? More importantly, will her heart be okay at the end of this?

Wren holds a lot of resentment for her neglectful mother and that shows in her trust issues with people. Which is surprising given the dating situation with Asher. She has a rocky relationship with her sister who only wants to believe the best about their mom. Now that Wren and Asher are fake dating, all she is thinking about is when to tell him the truth. The two are spending more and more time together and pretty soon, Wren is crushing on Asher for real!

This was such a cute and super sweet story. I can sense it being a perfect teen summer read. Anyone who loves animals will adore Wren's love for dogs as she is on a mission to get one of the oldest dogs at the shelter adopted. Asher is a sweetheart and helps her out with hosting fun games to get this dog, named Bean, noticed. He is a whiz at editing and social media which Wren is grateful for.

This had the best twist! I was expecting some horrible way for Asher to find out about Wren not being who she said she was, but turns out he already knew! Sadly Wren had to find out through TikTok where Asher and Dale had posted about the catfishing situation, and had gone viral.

This novel has some pretty great messages about the power of social media and how hurtful and gross it can be if misused. I really enjoyed the banter and sarcasm. The friendships and bonds were so nice to see. The slow burn romance was also very enjoyable. The miscommunication trope is one I enjoy yet despise. I appreciate the balance of fluffy and angsty. It shows some real issues people struggle with which is super important.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

“Borrow My Heart” is nothing special. It isn’t one of those novels you can’t put down. It isn’t one of those novels you think about for years to come. But, it is still worth your time. It is the perfect amount of serotonin if you are in need of some. It has all the most important cute things in the world: lots of dogs, a few kittens, older sisters, boyfriends with nerdy glasses, and picnics on the beach. I loved our characters, our setting, and our story. While this novel isn’t one I am screaming and shouting about to my friends, it is a novel I look back on with fuzzy, warm feelings in my tummy. I recommend it for any classroom library as well as anyone who likes nose boops and snuggling their pets.

Wren likes hanging out with her friend Kamala, who likes hanging out on the beach near their West Coast town than Wren does. While Wren is waiting for Kamala to get off work at the coffee shop, she sees two guys their age come in. Asher has arranged to meet Gemma, a girl he has met online, at the shop, but it doesn't look she is going to show up. This delights his friend Dale, who is filming Asher's humiliation and has made a bet with him that if Asher is being catfished, he will have to do something embarassing at Dale's birthday party. Even though she is usually cautious and has a lot of rules for her own behavior to guard against disappointment, Wren jumps in and pretends to be Gemma. This causes a little confusion, since Wren doesn't have any idea what Asher has said in online conversations, but it works well enough to keep Dale quiet. The guys are on their way to another meeting, and Wren is concerned that Asher won't know where to find her again (since she won't be answering "Gemma's" DMs), but since she had mentioned working at a dog shelter, he's able to hunt her down. Wren likes working, since it takes her mind off her somewhat strained home life; her mother left the family, her father is stuck in a routine and not treated well at his work, and Wren is processing some trauma from her mother's behavior. There is one dog who has been at the shelter a long time. Bean is a good dog, but difficult around many people, so despite her best efforts, Wren can't seem to get Bean adopted. Asher volunteers at the shelter, and is soon helping Wren with the social media posts. The two hope that by featuring Bean in some fun videos, there will be some interest in him. Wren keeps trying to tell Asher that she isn't the same person that he met online, but every time she tries, someone interrupts them. Complicating matters is the fact that Wren's coworker Chad, on whom she had a bit of a crush, is more interested in her now that she and Asher appear to be dating, Kamala and Dale's flirtation, and also the fact that her mother wants Wren and her older sister Zoey to visit her for the Fourth of July. Wren is very uneasy about many aspects of personal relationships, but will she be able to set aside her reservations and connect with Asher?
Strengths: I enjoyed the fact that Wren had a job with a decent amount of responsibility; when someone drops off a box at the shelter over the weekend, her boss calls her to go check, since she is closest, and she also has the password for the social media sites. Her devotion to Bean is good to see, and it was realistic that her father wouldn't let her bring a dog home. The fact that she and Asher don't go to the same high school is realistic, and makes them find other ways to hang out. There's just enough about the mother and Bean to forward the action of the book and keep the romance from getting boring. West is really good about keeping the romances light and keeping everything PG. This book seemed a little shorter than some of her other titles, and the cover will immediately appeal to me readers.
Weaknesses: While this is much less whiny than most Young Adult romances, there is still a lot of misunderstandings and misgivings about who knew what when and why people were keeping secrets from each other. Couldn't Wren have just told Asher right away that she wasn't Gemma and have moved on from there? It would still have been a good romance with the side stories of her mother and of Bean.
What I really think: If a Kasie West book has a cartoon style cover, it must be a Trend in Young Adult, since her previous titles always had photographs! Hand this to readers of the Scholastic WISH books that include pet shelters, like Girls Just Want to Have Pugs.