The Booktique

The Fine Art of Pretending (The Fine Art of Pretending #1) by Rachel Harris

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Publication date: September 30th 2014

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want. 

-Goodreads Description 

First of all, I want to start off by saying that I went into this book with pretty high expectations. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been looking forward to reading 'The Fine Art of Pretending' since I first read the summary on goodreads. So, although it is well-written and enjoyable, I was still disappointed and felt like the story was underdeveloped. Now don't get me wrong, there were a lot of intricacies within the plot and a lot of stuff took place in its 256 pages but I felt like none of them were handled with maturity which made it lacking in emotional response. I know you're probably thinking, 'Why would a 16 year old want a to read a soul-wrenching, heartbreakingly moving book?', well the answer is A LOT OF THEM. The best contemporary writers are able to adapt their writing to development changes in society and I felt like this particular book fell a few feet short on that account. Not only were some of the characters childish at times, their concerns over petty issues were annoying and short-sighted. 

Another 'ugh' point was the dreaded love triangle. Sigh. Why, Miss.Harris, Why, oh why, must you have included a love triangle? Haven't we experienced enough of this over-used and over-rated convention? Honestly, it was going so well until Aly decided to physically involve another love interest, Justin. While I am 100% against the concept, I liked Justin and thought the he brought a little extra something to the table. 

What I did like, however, was the dual POV's which were used to alternate between the two main characters, Aly and Brandon. Every time I read a book with varying viewpoints, I gain more and more respect for the author and appreciate the look into the minds of different characters. To me, there is nothing more frustrating than having to read a book in which you are either unaware of another person's feelings or are unclear on their intentions. For that reason, I felt satisfied with my understanding of how Aly and Brandon's relationship worked and was hooked on their easy and appealing banter.

Overall, an entertaining read but not recommended for those looking for a truly immersive novel.

        - Alana, xxx