I found this to be a cute Ya novel with nicely written characters. A book that I will definitely recommend to those looking for something to kick back and relax to.

I thought this was super cute! It's a perfect YA contemporary romance, and I enjoyed it for what it was. It wasn't super revolutionary or anything, and I do think that the author needs to work on the dialogue aspect of their writing (it felt a little too fake and scripted for me), but I think this is a really solid debut. I would definitely recommend this to teenager lovers of YA.

First, thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me a copy in exchange of my honest review.

This was 3 stars reading for me, it was a good book & the premise was interesting and how everything started with their fake relationship. However I don’t got the feelings, I don’t see growth in any character, and for me it was too flat. I don’t hate them, but I just don’t love any of them either. Just a good YA book. I enjoyed it but is not a stand out YA book for me.

The Gossip Games has a premise that could work very well, but unfortunately it did not win me over in its execution. I found it very weak. I didn't really like some of the events at the beginning of the book, bizarre lack of consent in it. Maybe if I had been younger, I would have liked it more, but it is still a very easy to read writing and a book with a very fast reading. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This definitely felt like it was on the younger side of ya. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I think I’m just too far removed from high school and being a teenager to really enjoy this book. And I’m still not entirely sure which Ashcroft belongs to each set of parents 😅 The miscommunication at the end also… ugh.

Overall, I think I would’ve enjoyed this book a lot more when I was younger but don’t let that deter you from giving it a shot! Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean you might not enjoy it.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was honestly so good. Like all of our favorite tropes rolled into one awesome book. You have fake dating, forced proximity, best friends brother etc. I felt like this was a fast paced read for me. I felt like this was a really good debut book for Allie Sarah and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes YA books.


Thank you NetGalley and SnowRidge Press for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

I had a really fun time with this. It was a very unique take on the fake dating trope. I loved that they were always trying to outdo each other. Watching them become friends was adorable and they were just so freaking cute. I really liked the family/found family aspect of the book too.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This book was cute! Fake dating ✔️ Family DRAMA ✔️ Friends who are family ✔️Falling for your best friend’s brother ✔️ Prank Wars ✔️

If you like To All the Boys, teen TV dramas, anything Emma Lord, etc. this book of for you!!

Dean and Gracie are adorable and you will definitely fall for them. And feel all the emotions for them all along the way.

The friend group?? Is literal perfection and I CANNOT wait to get more of their stories in later books (🤞🏼).

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This book was cute and I am keeping in mind that it's a debut. but some of it just fell flat for me. I loved the fake dating vibe and the prank war plot was so much fun. I also loved the friendships and the fancy boarding school setting. In terms of what I didn't like, I felt like the tone was very very juvenile. Some of the word choices made me cringe and I almost felt like I was taken out of the story at times. I also felt like parts of the book were a little underdeveloped. One moment one thing was happening and then it was immediately switched. There was just a lot of flip flopping and nothing really was super concrete for long. I loved the introduction of Raina, the Jewish friend in the group and I'm excited for what I think will be her story next. Overall, this was cute, but not a wow moment for me. Thank you Allie Sarah for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I cannot fathom how this book made it to an editor's desk and then off of it and to a printer.

The writing is juvenile. Yes, I know this is YA, but no it is not juvenile in that sense, that's acceptable, this was not.

The amount of tropes used in this book feels almost like the author was playing bingo and won several times.

I can see the potential, that's why I rounded up to two stars, but truly as it stands, this book should not have made it this far.

The gossip games

What can I say, I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers with fake dating involved.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, Allie Sarah and Snowridge press for the opportunity to read the book.

This was definitely an interesting take on it since the aim was trying to get the other person to reveal the secret rather than hiding it. Gracie and Dean are super cute together, and I enjoyed the fact that they actually had real kisses and activities together that weren't set up for the purpose of convincing people they were dating.

The back story of the ashcroft family made for a set of cousins that are very close, and it was nice to see how that affected their dynamic. I especially liked that Dean and theo have a system for when the other needs a serious chat. Also, Dean has his own private reading room an aunt built for him and I want one immediately.

As an anxiety sufferer, I think the author did a great job showing it with gracie. Especially the sometimes not wanting to be touched but other times just wanting a hug. It was sweet that Dean paid attention to what she needed in those moments.

I do wish we didn't have that miscommunication trope thrown in at the end. I would rather have had more chapters of them together than fighting.

I am looking forward to jesse's book it will be interesting to see how that one goes given the setup done in this one. Plus more appearances for theo, Gracie and Dean hopefully.

Overall, I've given it 4 stars because it was a cute, easy read with some of my favourite tropes.

What happened with Blake? Not only does this book have many little plot holes sprinkled throughout, it is focused on a family and lifestyle of immense privilege and is completely unrelatable, or it is unhealthy to try and relate to it. Private jets to your mom's wedding in Italy, a weekend stay in a vacation house with secret rooms, etc etc. On top of that, the whole premise of the beginning of the protagonists relationship is through a man forcing a relationship on the woman, telling the whole school that they are dating and forcibly kissing her??

This book was light and adorable as HECK! It reminded me so much of the YA ensemble romcoms I read growing up and made me fall in love with the genre. It could've so easily fallen into the cliche elements of the fake dating trope, but Allie Sarah managed to navigate away from anything expected and provide Gracie and Dean with a romance worth rooting for. I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series!

This is a fun YA romance set in a private boarding school. Dean and Gracie get caught up in a ruse of dating-rumours and pranks, which gets complicated by their growing feelings for each other.
It is fast-paced with likeable, although somewhat clichéd, characters. I felt that Gracie’s insecurities were understandable; Allie Sarah captures the frenzied, conflicting emotions of adolescence. Some of her interactions with Dean were cute, in particular the Christmas present he gives to her. My favourite part of the book was the epilogue, which made me smile.
The writing could have been stronger, particularly in terms of dialogue, however this was a decent debut for a young author. Overall ‘The Gossip Games’ wasn’t for me, however I would recommend it to young teenage readers.

I enjoyed this lighthearted debut from Allie Sarah about 2 high schoolers who start a prank war on each other and end up falling in love. I think that there definitely could have been more side character development, but I’m hopeful that will continue with the series. Gracie and Dean were fun to follow and it was easy to root for them!

3/5. This was a cute and super lighthearted read. I really liked all the characters and the storyline but at some points I felt like the dialogue felt forced and too formal. That aside, this is a good debut for Allie Sarah and I will definitely be picking up Jesse’s story

I think It's been a while since I've read a young adult book so it took me a little bit to get into the dynamics of this one but once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed it so much.

Dean and Gracie make such a sweet couple and I was a sucker for every scene where they had any kind of romantic interaction. Going from practicaly strangers to somehow rivals in a prank war to becoming boyfriend and girlfriend for real was such a ride and I loved every second of it.

The rest of the characters are as good as Dean and Gracie and it made it such a real experience to be able to see what they were going through too in such depth, giving us this found family that goes through teenagehood together while discovering who they are.

Overall it was pretty good, it has LGBTQIA+ representation and I think it would be good read if you're looking for something light and cute.

Thanks so much Netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I received an ARC copy from netgallery for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.

This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with all these amazing characters. Not only are the main characters amazing but so are the supporting characters. Fake dating that could lead to a real relationship, yes please. This is told from both thr main characters points of view, which gives you a more rounded story and I loved it. This is one fake romance you don't want to miss!

This was a cute read. I enjoyed the fake dating trope and the boarding school location. I liked the group of friends/family dynamics getting a bit of everyone's story.
The book started out a little distracting in the beginning with all the different characters but found it's footing towards the middle, to the point I didn't want to put it down I just wanted more Gracie and Dean time they are so cute together. I found myself really rooting for this fictional "fake" couple
Overall it was fun definitely some lol moments in there

3.85★

I quite enjoyed this one!

loved all the characters, except Grace I felt I couldn't connect with her most of the time, but I do admire that she was a hard worker for herself.

Dean and Zara were my faves.
I was amazed with the character developments of the side cast!

Sometimes I felt the drama and the romance were dragged. Other than that was a pretty enjoyable read!

Allie Sarah did awesomely for her debut novel, and I'm so invested in this series and can't wait for the sequel(s).

* received this ARC from NetGalley & publisher in exchange for an honest review.