It is an hour past my bedtime because I was going to read for an hour or two before bed and instead finished the book.

I’ll Pretend You’re Mine is an emotional gut punch clothed in sickeningly sweet fake dating. I had the absolute best time with it. I might be crying on my couch, but I promise I had a good time.

If there is one thing I can expect from a Tashie Bhuiyan book, it is phenomenal anxiety rep. If there’s another, it is navigating fraught relationships with parental expectations. And if I get a third, it is kick my feet cute romances! And I’ll Pretend You’r Mine delivered on all three with an extra helping of queer characters!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for making me cry right before bed. Wait, I mean for the review copy. The tears were all me.

This book was such a quick read for me I couldn’t put it down! First, the relationship between Summer and her parents was so emotional. It is truly a struggle when you have to go no contact with family for your mental health and I thought it was very well written. Summer’s sexuality really stuck with me as a fellow POC pansexual and I never really get to see myself through characters. Summer and Jules were so cute, but l think the heart of the story comes from Summer learning to stand up for herself and surround herself with the people who truly make her life better.

This one was a struggle for me to finish tbh. I didn’t really feel convinced about Summer and Jules developing real feelings. The sweeter moments between them were way too far in the end. Wouldn’t recommend though I’m sure there’s someone out there who would eat it up.

LGBT themes.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions my own.

This book was so cute! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and it was a nice twist for the characters to be in the entertainment industry. Summer and Jules are definitely relationship goals and I loved seeing all the little ways that they showed up for each other. I also loved seeing how Summer stood up for herself regarding her parents and her relationship with her sisters was heartwarming.

I thought it wrapped up a little too quickly, but overall this was a great book, and a must read this summer!

3.5 Stars

💕 Tropes
- Fake Dating
- Pansexual FMC
- Actor x Singer

💭 My Thoughts

This book was a mixed bag for me. When it comes to the romance, it started out really good! There were a lot of super cute moments between Summer and Jules. However, the further I got into it, the more it felt like it was put on the back burner and lacked the depth it could have potentially had. As a result, the conclusion to the romantic plot felt unsatisfying. However, I enjoyed the "A" plot regarding Summer's relationship with her parents. While I do wish there could have been more discussion on why her parents are the way they are (which could have brought up a great conversation on the experience of having immigrant parents), it didn't take away from the overall impact of it. Her sisters were adorable, and I loved every single scene with them, as well as the scenes with her friends Barbie and Zach (the three of them are 100% friendship goals). I would recommend this book to any YA readers who are interested in the experiences of child stars with a hint of romance.


A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

In I'll Pretend You're Mine, an actor with a less-than-stellar reputation enlists the help of an up-and-coming pop singer to rehab his image by pretending to be his girlfriend. Summer Ali has just cut off her relationship with her overbearing and abusive parents to navigate her singing career on her own. Jules Matadi is trying to resurrect his acting career. Together, they learn to trust again, figuring out that their relationship might be more than just pretend.

After a falling out with her parents/managers, singer pop star Summer Ali is struggling with her career. When her manager suggests fake dating Jules Moradi, giving her a chance to get back into the industry and with the possibility of having a song on the next summer blockbuster film she agrees. As Jules and Summer get to know each other, making the world think they’re dating, they become best friends as they slowly fall in love, being the person the other ones unknowingly been looking for.
I’ve been reading Tashie Bhuiyan’s books since she first started publishing, and her books always hit. This one in particular blew me out of the water- maybe it’s because it’s just better than the rest or I just haven’t read her books in while, but it’s incredible. Summer and Jules’ relationship is absolutely amazing, and there were so many times where I wanted to cry tears of joy because the two of them make me so happy. I think I need to go back and reread the other books she’s written cause I’m in the mood.
Thank you so so so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book.

Quick paced and intimate, I’ll Pretend Your Mine, is a perfect summer read.

Summer Ali, a rising star in the vocal world, finds her life upended when she runs into playboy actor Jules Moradi, quite literally. Jules and his team are trying to land him the lead in the biggest movie of the year, so to erase his playboy image suggests that he and Summer put on a show by fake-dating. Jules will appear to have grown from his playboy ways, ready to take on more serious roles, and Summer gets to write a track for the movie, maybe even get an Oscar nomination out of it.

At its heart, this book is a coming-of-age tale for both Jules and Summer. Jules deals with the pressures of overcoming his public image and the heartbreak of growing out of old friendships. Summer strives to stand on her own feet while overcoming the abuse of her childhood. They both struggle in how to be their authentic selves, while trying to be the best people they can be for one another and those they care about. This book has a lot of great messages for young readers about overcoming adversity, struggling with stress and anxiety, and working through the pains of growing older and outgrowing relationships.

I zipped right through reading this book. The chapters are short and the story well-paced. Despite dealing with a lot of heavy themes, the story is truly soft and indulgent. I appreciated how caring all of the characters are of one another and that the storytelling felt incredible real. Tashie Bhuiyan did a fantastic job in not falling into tropes and stereotypes, and making realistic quarrels and obstacles. And, while it’s a romance, there’s no sex (since I know that’s a concern for a lot of parents right now). The intimacy between the characters is more emotional than physical and perfectly appropriate for young adult or even older middle grade readers.

I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. Because romance isn’t generally my genre, I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it, but I’m glad I picked this one up. Bhuiyan’s deftness in handling the heavy themes of sexuality, authenticity, and familial abuse made this book an absolute delight. It’s perfect for a reader looking for a heartwarming or cozy read.

3 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Tashie Bhuiyan for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! Fake dating?! Immediately yes! Really enjoyed reading about all the characters and friendships throughout but I do wish Jules and Summer’s chemistry was a little bit more existent. Overall, a cute and easy read.

Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Singer x Actor

I had such a fun time reading this both giggling and kicking my feet. The relationship between Summer and Jules was so adorable (if I don't end up with someone like Jules idek). I was pretty relieved that there wasn't a whole lot of name-dropping of random celebrities just for the sake of "summer is famous so she knows these famous people". The fake dating plot felt a little bit separated from the story, but I can see how it sets everything else into motion. Overall this was a fun and quick read that I enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a fun time, and I’ve never read a plot like this before.
I loved the anxiety representation. I feel like I related to Summer a lot.
The chemistry between the Jules and Summer was amazing!
The pacing was perfect in my opinion, and I loved the side characters
Overall, a solid 4.5⭐️ read for me.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I'm a huge Tashie fan, thanks to my daughter, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this book early (much to her dismay). Let's just say I was not disappointed. If you are looking for Tashie to write something completely new and different, this isn't it. However, I like her ya romance style. This book might be categorize new adult based on the age of the characters but the content was very much still ya appropriate which gets confusing.
First, I love that Tashie includes mental health issues in all her books. She doesn't make them taboo or dirty. She helps her characters to work through them, find coping mechanisms, and find support which is so helpful for teens reading the book.
Second, the chapter titles all the way through the epilogue were genius. This touch to the book was perfection.
Finally, she touched on it in the preface and I wondered about her doing another pretend dating trope after being soooo successful with Counting Down With You, Ace is book boybriend material. This felt like a completely different trope because of how she set it up, in my opinion, so it worked and was fresh.
I do wish the parents hadn't been so horrible, but eh.

I hadn’t read any of Tashie Bhuiyan’s books before, but when I saw this one on NetGalley, I decided to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.

I love the fake dating trope, and it was done really well in this story. Summer was a relatable narrator, and her anxiety was portrayed with such authenticity. I also loved Jules, and they made a cute couple, even if I didn’t always feel their chemistry.

I’m glad this story had so much depth, and I’ll definitely be checking out Tashie’s previous novels!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

this was the cutest book ever!!
now, this is fake dating done well. i loved the pr stunt idea, while i do think that the trope has been overdone, this book is definitely an exception.
summer was honestly one of the most down-to-earth, relatable fmc i've read, i enjoyed how she progressed throughout the book, and learned to stand up for herself and the ones she loved!
jules was the sweetest person everr. i adored his relationship with his family (we love a non-toxic king!) and the way he supported summer was honestly one of the cutest things ever omg.
overall, the cutest book ever!! i literally could not stop grinning because of how absolutely sweet and adorable this was! if you want a light-hearted romance that also explores themes of hope, this book is the one for you.

thank you to netgalley and tashie bhuiyan for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion! <3

A Hollywood romance with the fake dating trope. Some people don't care for the trope but I found it endearing in this novel. The main characters, Summer and Jules had such a sweet, and genuine connection that felt authentic. It's a YA romance so it's a little cheesy and cringe at times, but it was also a quick read and a lot of fun.

I think one of my favorite things in tashie’s stories and characters is how genuine her characters are, especially addressing their problems like Summer’s anxiety. Her characters always seem to be relatable but not in a cringey way, but in a “if you were a real person we’d be best friends” way.

Summer’s anxiety is very noticeable throughout the story, but through her own growth and support of great friends, she is able to control it versus it controlling her. Another important thing in Tashie’s books that I adore, is that these aren’t issues her characters magically overcome, but work through and continue to do so throughout the book. It leaves the reader hopeful and provides a natural depth to her characters.
Summer quickly became a favorite of mine because of her grounded personality and desire to really be true to herself. I feel like despite her celebrity status, she still shows to be human and have emotions and faults.
Her sexuality was another part of her that I love. With her celebrity status and her parents own issues, her fear when it came to opening up about her sexuality is so valid. I love that she was able to become braver and while she didn’t come out on page, she still made had major milestones in opening up and learning to be more comfortable with herself

I love Jules and their relationship. It may have started as PR, but they both fell into a very comfortable friendship that evolved naturally into a romantic love. Even fake dating, they had such a solid connection and foundation that I can’t help but love the development. They both became each others person and I just love just it was such a simple progression into their relationship.

3.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was super cute! I really loved the PR Stunt/Fake Dating aspect of it. I thought Jules and Summer were cute but I do wish I felt their chemistry a bit more.

I also really appreciated the anxiety rep in this book. I feel like a lot of it represented what I feel on a regular basis.

Overall, this was a cute and easy read!

Summer's emotional journey is what I loved the most about I'll Pretend You're Mine, more than the romance itself actually. This book is ultimately about healing and ending toxic relationships, as well as how to cope with oppressive media attention for both Summer and Jules. a lot of emotional growth and a good romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
I went into I’ll Pretend You’re Mine expecting a sweet, lighthearted YA romance, but what I got was so much more. Tashie Bhuiyan delivers a story rich with depth, heart, and important lessons about self-worth, found family, and breaking free from toxic expectations.

The relationship between Summer and Jules starts as an awkward, PR-driven arrangement but slowly transforms into something warm, genuine, and healing. Summer, newly independent and navigating life outside her parents’ suffocating control, finds companionship in Jules—a guarded actor who’s been burned by betrayal before. Their journey toward trust and love is both tender and deeply rewarding.

One of the standout elements of this novel is how it explores identity, ambition, and self-belief. Jules struggles to see his true talent, weighed down by the hurtful words of someone who once mattered to him. Meanwhile, Summer battles the internalized doubts placed upon her by her parents. Yet, through each other—and the unwavering support of friends like Barbie and Zach—they find the strength to reclaim their passions on their own terms.

With Jules (Persian) and Summer (Bangladeshi) at the center, I’ll Pretend You’re Mine also shines in its representation, showcasing characters of color navigating the complexities of both their careers and personal lives. This book is a heartfelt, beautifully layered story that goes beyond romance, offering readers a powerful message about self-acceptance, love, and the importance of choosing the people who truly see you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

hānai family: A family of choice, a chosen family, a found family.

That's how I would describe this book to any potential reader. Yes, it's Jules' and Summer's story. But it's also the story of a friendship trifecta made up of Summer, Zach and Babs. There's a multitude of scenes where there's mutual support of all three by all three.

Then there are the two younger sisters of Summer who, despite all the emotional turmoil she endures with her estranged parents, manages to be a constant in their lives. She's had a musical hit and is branching out in her career but recognizes the importance of the sisterly bond.

Only part I felt was flat were the two dimensional parents-their nasty texts, verbal disparagement is felt but not sure why they are the way they are. Need the why explained as don't feel its fair to automatically prescribe to these first generation immigrants their mentality is the norm.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#IllPretendYoureMine #NetGalley