Pretending: A Novel by Holly Bourne

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

In this hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel perfect for fans of Fleabag, a woman struggling to move on after a traumatic relationship pretends to be “the perfect girl” in an act of vengeance that goes awry when she finds herself emotionally compromised.

He said he was looking for a 'partner in crime' which everyone knows is shorthand for 'a woman who isn't real'.

April is kind, pretty, and relatively normal - yet she can't seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she's found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry. Until she realizes that what men are really looking for is Gretel.

Gretel is perfect - beautiful but low maintenance, sweet but never clingy, sexy but not a slut. She's a Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems.

When April starts pretending to be Gretel, dating becomes much more fun - especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua. Finally, April is the one in control, but can she control her own feelings? And as she and Joshua grow closer, how long will she be able to keep pretending?

my thoughts:

Love, love, love! Pretending by Holly Bourne is a fantastic novel to get lost in. Its humorous, smart, and thought-provoking. I really enjoyed getting to know April and reading about her journey of 'pretending' and falling in love.  Definitely a must-read for fans of Bourne and anyone looking for their next great read - you won't be able to put this book down!

So, what's the book about? Well, it's about April.  She's a normal gal who just can't seem to find love.  In fact, she's had some horrible experiences (like, traumatizing), so it's no wonder she can't trust men and has trouble settling into a relationship.  So, she decides to create the perfect girl, by 'pretending' to be her. Yep, April becomes Gretel and soon finds herself involved with a guy named Joshua.  Her plan is working. Except, she's falling for him and how can she keep on 'pretending' when she's in love? Uh oh. Looks like maybe April didn't plan for true love and now she's in a bind (to say the least); and what about Joshua? What's he going to think when he meets April, not Gretel? And, that is all I will write about this awesome book!

You definitely need to check it out! The writing is top notch, the characters are unforgettable, and the story itself is unputdownable. You will LOVE this book to bits! 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!