It is a charming and heartfelt YA rom-com that follows 17-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster, who has her senior year all mapped out—until her long-time boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her. In a desperate attempt to win him back, Jamie fake-dates Axel, a TikTok dancer she barely knows, after a chance encounter involving a bicycle accident.

As Jamie and Axel spend more time together, their fake relationship begins to feel more real, and Jamie learns that life doesn’t always go according to plan—and that’s okay. With a mix of humor, heartache, and self-discovery, this story explores themes of identity, anxiety, love, and letting go of control.

Excellent book. I finished reading this book in a matter of two days. It was so difficult to put down. I loved the moments that the characters had together and how the characters developed along the way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick beach read.

This book was everything that I love in a YA romance - relatable characters, swoony love interest, and all of the chaos that comes with being a teenager. This is the type of book where I expect to find miscommunication and third-act breakups. Why? Because teenagers are impulsive and unpredictable, even the seniors (as I see everyday trying to teach them). This is all such a normal/common path to character growth in adolescents. The chaos of it all felt so real.
The friendship that quickly forms between Jamie and Axel, while attempting to fake date, is so incredibly genuine. They just have so much fun and bring out the best in one another. The story includes difficult relationships with parents, as well as the conflicts that arise when kids try to forge their own path. Jackie also brings a lot of culture (Arab, Palestinian) into the mix. In particular, she integrates how the presence or absence of it in the home impacted the characters’ upbringing and growth.
The author does an excellent job in her portrayal of anxiety; both in the way that it manifests in Jamie and the coping mechanisms, good and bad, that she has developed to handle it.
The fact that the book takes place in Toronto, Canada, was such a pleasing bonus for me. It’s always feels like such a treat reading Canadian content.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is a teenager, is raising a teenager, teaches teenagers, or just loves a sweet wholesome YA romance.
Many thanks to Tundra Book Group (via Penguin Teen Canada) and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given voluntarily and are honest and my own.

DNFing at 23%. The book just reads a bit too young for me, but I feel like if I was in a younger age group I would’ve ate this up! The writing itself is also very fan fiction- esque (which is not a bad thing! I actually enjoy this writing style). It’s very quirky and has a lot of modern references (I mean the MMC is a tiktoker).

While not for me I definitely would recommend this to a younger group. Or if you’re fine with high-school romance.

I really wanted to love this book, but this might be my sign to move away from YA a little bit. I picked up this book because the premise was interesting to me and it involved a bucket list! I will say the writing style was okay, it was a quick book to read. As far as plot goes, the MCs are going into their senior year of high school, which is always an exciting, yet dramatic time in the life of a teenager. I found the fake dating trope with Jamie and Axel to be forced. I thought I would relate more to Jamie because I too am a Type A anxious girly, but I think due to the age difference now, me being 26 and not in high school anymore, I just couldn't relate to her. Her character was of course childish, but there were just no qualities about her that felt redeeming until the end of the book. This book just wasn't for me unfortunately.

Listen, y'all: work (and the whole world) has been beyond stressful lately, but Jackie Khalilieh's sophomore YA romcom was exactly the sort of humorous, honest, heartfelt story I needed right now.
Honestly, what's not to love in this book? Jamie has a slight addiction to buying pretty books, which I think half of Bookstagram can relate to. (She also loves homographs, which my word-nerd heart delighted in.) But she also struggles realistically with anxiety, IBS, and the challenges that come with having an absent father, and her thought spirals are way too real. Axel is downright charming (never thought I would say that about a TikTok dancer, but here we are?), incredibly thoughtful, and literally texts #freepalestine in an early conversation with Jamie (heck yeah). The pacing is brisk but not rushed, and the humor, especially in the first half, actually made me laugh out loud a few times (thankfully in my apartment, not in public). But alongside the cute moments and snappy banter, there are serious conversations about difficult family dynamics, internalized racism and stereotypes, defining yourself apart from your relationships, embracing cultural identity, and facing your fears, all of which are carried off with just the right balance of charm and realistic teenage emotional turbulence. (There is also a really nice--and surprising!--female friendship, subverting a certain mean-girl trope, plus a ton of Canadian vibes.)
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Is the story cheesy? Yes, but in a fun, balanced, "this feels like a late 90s/early 00s teen movie" way. I'm just saying, if Netflix is looking for its next teen romcom, Jackie Khalilieh's books would both make excellent choices 👀
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P.S. the author explicitly acknowledged that ace people exist in this book, while also subtly calling out bi- and ace-erasure, and I am so dang grateful for that single sentence 💜
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Rep: Palestinian MC with anxiety and IBS (and, per the author, inadvertently autistic-coded), Arab (Lebanese) LI, gay Palestinian SC, Palestinian SC with alcoholism, Chinese-coded SC, nonbinary minor SC
TW/CW: infidelity, panic attacks, alcoholism, absent parent, racism, brief mention of car crash

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced eARC

hes a tiktok dancer and she only ever thinks about herself ✋🏻🙄 this was honestly a very hard read. it was so cringe and frustrating. this was honestly so hard to read i had to waste my spotify hours to finish this book

STOP BECAUSE THAT WAS SO GOOD. I genuinely believe this is one of those books that are going to stay with me forever. I absolutely loved seeing Jamie and Axel's development and the life lessons they learned. This book contained messages I needed to hear too and I just have so much appreciation for the words said by each character. There were definitely moments where I was annoyed and I felt like Jamie was just being..annoying. (the lacking of communication-) But it ended up all being solved as we got to see Jamie learning to not run away from the joy right in front of her face because she was scared of diverting from her plan and learning to communicate her emotions.  And that was the beauty of it, this book was so genuine to reality I think and I just really loved it all so much in the end. Seeing literally every single character, including Jamie's mother, learn their own lesson and get to see them all grow was so beautiful. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Book Group, and the author, Jackie Khalilieh for this eARC.

This was such a fun read!! I loved the character development so much and getting a view into each character's life lesson that they were learning. The way this book was written was very good, and I enjoyed how the plot moved forward and how everything was wrapped up in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Book Group, and the author, Jackie Khalilieh for this eARC.

This book had such a fun setup - fake dating, anonymous texts, a school trip, and some genuinely sweet moments. And as someone who deals with IBS, I really appreciated that kind of rep. I felt seen! But overall, this leaned a little more “high school drama” than I typically go for.

Jamie, our main character, is super type-A, loves a good plan, and is a total bookworm - which should have made her totally relatable. And in some ways, she was. But I struggled a bit to connect with her.
Sometimes her love of books felt a little forced, and the dialogue could get a bit cringey, especially during more serious moments. That made it harder for me to fully buy into the emotional beats.

Axel, on the other hand, I loved. He’s kind, patient, supportive - just all-around adorable. He never makes Jamie (or anyone) feel uncomfortable, and he felt like such a positive, steady presence. I really enjoyed watching how he brought out this freer, more spontaneous version of Jamie. Their dynamic was sweet and fun to read.

Character growth? Definitely there. Jamie goes through a lot, especially post-breakup, and I liked seeing her step out of her comfort zone - even if she was still a little too focused on getting her ex back at first.

The fake dating trope? It delivered. But if you’re not a fan of miscommunication or unnecessary fourth/fifth act drama... Consider yourself warned. I could’ve done without that part.

Jackie Khalilieh’s writing is easy to read and flows well. This one was cute, just not super memorable for me. If you love slow burn, zero-spice YA with a sweet love interest and some quirky family moments, it might be worth checking out!

Ugh this was such a cute YA romance. It was a true teenage love story, with all of the drama, the highs, the lows and honestly just trying to find yourself and figure out the world around you. Jamie was so adorable and heart breaking at times and you couldn’t help but love Axel. I also loved the fake dating trope, it never fails! This book really brought me back to my teenage years and how it seemed like the worst, yet best time of my life.

*Thank you NetGalley, Tundra Book Group, and the author, Jackie Khalilieh for the ARC!*

Thank you to Tundra Books and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Jamie Taher-Foster and Ben Cameron are going into their senior year with each other and a detailed bucket list. At least, that's what Jamie, a super Type A anxiety-ridden girl, thinks. However, when Ben returns from summer camp and breaks up with her for another girl he worked with, Jamie devises a plan to get him back. Jamie convinces the new guy Axel Dahini to be her fake boyfriend in exchange for money to fix his bike. Of course, it's hard to pretend to be in a relationship without catching feelings, so Jamie finds herself with quite the entanglement.

I think this book had a lot of potential, but did not completely follow through for me personally. Jamie was an awful FMC. She is very selfish, judgmental, lacks self awareness, and complains about everything. I did not connect with her at all, and wish there would've been duel POV with Axel. I do appreciate her character arc and the growth she did have, as she was much more likable once she chilled TF out.

With that being said, Jackie's writing is quick and easy to read and I liked it overall. Aside from the FMC, she had some great characters such as Jamie's uncle and of course Axel. The book cover is beautiful and what originally piqued my interest. This is a cute, zero spice slow burn YA romance. I look forward to reading more of Jackie's work in the future.

This book is adorable, cute, and funny. I love the characters and the vast repreesentation this book provides. The characters feel very real and their struggles legitimate. I just adore this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You Started It
by Jackie Khalilieh

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun, fresh YA romance! Khalilieh’s voice is instantly relatable, with characters who feel like real teenagers not just an adult’s idea of them. The story balances swoony moments with deeper themes of growing up, navigating family expectations, and figuring out your values. It’s fast-paced, engaging, and packed with heart.

As a middle and high school teacher, I have to admit: the attempts at slang definitely made me laugh. It didn’t take away from the story, though. If anything, it was kind of endearing. A+ for effort on being “hip” with today’s youth.

What really stood out to me was the representation of Arab characters and culture. It’s rare to see it done so well—authentic, affirming, and meaningful without ever feeling preachy. That kind of positive cultural portrayal in YA is so important, especially right now.

This was a quick, enjoyable read that I’d easily recommend to romance lovers and my own students. I’m already looking forward to whatever Jackie Khalilieh writes next.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I think it’s a great book for its YA audience.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I am laying in my bed kicking my feet and giggling!! Jackie's voice is so authentic, and she truly breathes life into her characters. You can tell how much love and heart was poured into this book and it is gorgeous.

Jamie has her whole life planned out... until her boyfriend derails it all by breaking up with her and is immediately seen with another girl in their class. And then she runs into a new student, Axel, (and runs over his bike) and makes a plan to fake date Axel to get her ex back. What could go wrong? Well...

This book is full drama and love and respect it is so amazing! It took me a while to warm up to Jamie but the more that you are with her the more, I loved her. She is so authentic and awkward I couldn't help but relate to her. From anxiety and chronic illness to jealousy and family issues Jamie is such a well-rounded character for this generation. There are also very serious conversations surrounding diversity and culture, familial differences and secrets, as well as responsibility and forgiveness. This book is truly all that it set out to be and more! I left feeling: giddy, warm, loved, seen! I wish I had this book at 16. I really could not say enough praise for this book! Go read it!

I really loved reading about the book’s main female character, Jaime. The representation in this book was refreshing and pleasant to read about as it is underrepresented in the book world. I was in the mood for a quick and fun YA rom-com, and this book was great for that need! Some of the dialogue the MMC would say threw me off a bit in terms of Gen Z slang, and that sometimes made me lose interest in the story, Other than that, this book is great if you are looking for a fun YA romance!

✒️You Started It✒️

I want to start off by saying that I was lucky enough to be part of the Canadian Traveling ARC and I was to thank @tundrabooks and Jackie Khalilieh for putting it together.

This is Jackie's sophomore YA contemporary romance and I genuinely enjoyed this fast paces story that had me smiling the whole way through. Jamie is a relatable 17 year old going through a break up with her first boyfriend Ben. In comes Axel, the charming new kid she ends running into after she runs over his bike. Fake dating and angst ensues.

I miss the days when YA is well YA where it was clearly tailored to a teen audience and this is exactly what You Started It is. You have whirlwind romance, chaotic family dynamics and drama which all felt age appropriate to the genre it's written for.

It's also a reminder that with all that aside read is and has always will be political. Jackie does a beautiful job showing the softness and kindness of Arab men in a time where media has continued to devalue and dehumanize them. Her Uncle Eli especially being not only a genuine sweetheart but also openly gay.

This is also juxtaposed to Jamie's mother who has internalized anti Arab racism which has led to Jamie having her foot in two worlds being half Palestinian and half white Canadian and not feeling as part of either. There was so much to unpack between Jamie and her mother and the resolution was satisfying.

This was delightful second novel and that I can't wait to read Jackie's next one.

#bookstagram #books #bookishcanadians #canadianfiction #canadianauthor #palestinianauthor #youngadultfiction #youstaredit

ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝟛.𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤, 𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝟛

I have so many mixed opinions about this book. For one, it was very entertaining and actually fairly entertaining to read, but there was a lot I didn't like, actually no, a lot I absolutely hated. The failed attempts at using slang? The whole tik tok dancer thing? The random grammar mistakes? All of those things came pretty close to ruining the book for me. Then again, it was so fun to read. I honestly have such mixed opinions on this that it confuses me. The anxiety rep was great, but as someone who's had anxiety since I was 6 years old, it didn't quite feel accurate. I'll get into that more later in this review. Also, it was the first book I've read with Arab characters, which was really interesting to me since I haven't read or learned much about that culture, though it got confusing for me because it felt like it expected me to know more about it, since there weren't enough explanations for things, if that makes sense.

» [Get him back!- Olivia rodrigo] «
0:00 ─〇───── 3:31
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕
౨ৎ 𝘍𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨
౨ৎ 𝘈 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥
౨ৎ 𝘈𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘉𝘚 𝘳𝘦𝘱
౨ৎ 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 (𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭) 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘯 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Ages 13+

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔
౨ৎ Language- I think f*** is used a few times, alongside minor swears
౨ৎ Romance- Kissing, dating, mentions of past teen pregnancy, talk of other stuff
౨ৎ Violence- I think none
౨ৎ Other- Mentions of alchoholism, panic attacks and anxiety, absent parent

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼

Jamie
⤷ I honestly don't know what to think about her. For one, I get being a perfectionist with anxiety who gets good grades and has a messy room. But also, it isn't quite done right. And, she can NOT make up her mind on if she likes Axel or not. It actually gets a bit annoying, and while I don't hate her, I don't love her either.

Axel
⤷ So he would be a good character. I don't hate him, he's a bit too confident, sure, but he's nice, not book bf worthy but nice. And then theres one.... slightly.... unnecassary thing about him. It just that, for some reason he's a...
✨TIK TOK DANCER✨
Okay, so I have nothing against tik tok dancers. Do whatever you want, i don't care, but WHY?!?? I'm sorry, but seriously

Ben
⤷ I hate him. I hate him I hate him I hate him. That's it. That's every thing I can say about him.

Olivia
⤷ Ehhh... not the best but not the worst. Steriotypical popular mean girl who turns out to not be that bad, like in every other book, but really doesn't have that much personality.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓭

⤷ The writing style- It was very entertaining and easy to read, I will rant about a few things later, but it's good for the most part

⤷ The plot/concept-Not very unique, but I like it

⤷ The anxiety rep- While not entirely accurate, it was nice to see it because not nearly enough book have characters with anxiety disorders, even though it's very common.

⤷ The playlist at the end- The amount of Olivia rodrigo songs on it was amazing, and it even had Taylor swift AND Dua lipa on it??? Aside from a few songs that I most definitely do not like, it was a decent playlist.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮

⤷ The (failed) attempts at slang- I'm sorry, you do not need to say "sus" multiple times in a book, actually you do not need to say it even one. It's just cringy, and I don't like slang to begin with that much. And the author did. not. make. it. work.

⤷The romance- She couldn't decide if she liked him. Once, thats fine. But it was back and forth until they broke up, and then she came back to him and confessed her love for him??? A biiiiit cheesy

⤷ WHY IS AXEL A TIK TOK DANCER??!?!?- Seriously.

⤷ The random grammer mistakes- Ok, I saw so so so many times where it could have been one sentance, with a comma. Instead she made them into two seperate 4 word sentances. It just annoyed me

⤷ The anxiety parts didn't quite feel accurate- yes, everyone experiences anxiety differently. I guess it just felt like, she talked a ton about her anxiety but it barely ever showed her overthinking, or not doing things because of it. Anxiety is a real, very difficult thing to live with, and honestly, it felt a bit like it didn't show how much it can affect your life, aside from the 2 panic attacks she had. AND, those panic attacks didn't seem that accurate either. It was basically she had trouble breathing and had a bunch of anxiety for 0.2 seconds and fell onto the ground. I don't know about everyone, but when I have panic attacks they last for more like 10-30 minutes, and are a lot more intense than that. I could be wrong of course, and maybe my anxiety is just worse than normal, but it just didn't feel right.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Overall, I didn't hate it, and I would probably recommend it for some people, but it definitely isn't one of my favorite books. I found it really fun to read, but there were so many things that just bothered me/made me kind of mad, and it just wasn't that great. I still liked it, though.

I flew through this adorable rom-com!

When Jamie's longtime boyfriend, Ben, dumps her for their classmate Olivia, Jamie hatches a fake-dating scheme with newcomer Axel to make Ben jealous. Spending time with Axel challenges Jamie to step outside her comfort zone - fulfilling bucket list items, reconnecting with her Arab roots and discovering who she is outside of a relationship. Even though miscommunications are are staple of rom-coms, I was never overly frustrated with the miscommunications that happen between our quartet of young lovers. Jamie and Axel's romance blossomed naturally and their care for each other was evident despite their past traumas. I also really enjoyed how Jamie's familial relationships were explored in this book, from her supportive Amo Eli to her strained relations with her mom and to her absentee dad.

You Started It is for fans of sweet, but swoony romances, funny characters and complicated family dynamics in addition to some great presentation for mental health (anxiety) and Arab characters!

Thank you to Tundra Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly this would make a perfect YA rom com movie!! If it were available, I’d watch it right now.

Almost immediately, you can see just how much Jamie has structured her life around her long term relationship with Ben. It’s almost cringe-worthy, but a lot of us have been there with trying to make someone our entire life. When Ben abruptly breaks up with her, she seemingly loses most of her stability that she’s created for herself these past 3 years.

Jamie and Axel - yes yes yes. I love them. Axel is such a golden retriever, and I love the instant connection Jamie has with him. He is so confident and funny, and Jamie needed a bit of chaotic, unpredictable fun in her life. I love when the MC realizes that the love interest really brings out the best in them, and that’s what Axel does for Jamie. I also want to touch on how they champion each other and their passions and heritages. Axel is an incredible dancer of Lebanese background—as Jamie spends time with him and his family, she begins to embrace and wants to learn more about her Arab background and culture (her family is Palestinian). And this also helps challenge and heal parts of her relationship between her and her mother.

Khalilieh did a great job giving complexity to the Ben-Olivia-Jamie-Axel situation. As the reader, you’re routing for Jamie to drop her feelings for Ben immediately after forming a friendship/relationship with Axel, but it’s never that simple. I enjoyed watching Jamie truly make these realizations and decisions, when she’s given the opportunity to sit with her thoughts and think about what she really wants.

CW: panic attacks/disorders, abandonment, infidelity, alcoholism, gaslighting