So it’s not his muscular arms and quick wit that makes Tinka suggest they tell everyone they’re both taken. Definitely not. And it’s not butterflies that makes a kiss for appearances during the lake party go on way too long—so long that Sam wishes it were real.
But Tinka keeps people at arm’s length—she’s always been second best, even to her parents. And her relationship-for-show could crush everything when she realizes she’s done with fake, pretend, and second-best.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains bikinis at the lake, a lot of making out in dark theaters, and a meet-cute you’ll read twice. (Pub Date: Jul 10, 2017)
Review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. I want to also thank the publisher for giving me this opportunity.
This was a nice following to Any Boy But You but not as good. By the way, you can read this one as a standalone; it barely used elements from the first story.
Tinka returned home from boarding school to find out she has been uprooted to this small town called North Pole,where it seems to always be Christmas. Also, not content in pushing her toward golfing, unknowingly to her dream of becoming a baker, her parents now expect her to date Dylan. Aside from him seeming to be a jerk, Tinka really needs time off from boys. When she finds out Sam the boy next door has already lied to someone they are together, why not use the fauxmance in her favor?
I found the first in this series to be much more entertaining while when it came to the fake boyfriend trope, this one brought no surprises and few scenes that made my heart skip beats. But let's point out the good parts.
First, we see how North Pole is in the summer this time, and it's as crazy as we'd seen during the winter in the first book. I loved it! Unfortunately, Elena and Oliver barely show up here but that's good for anyone who hasn't read #1, just go and read it already. Still, I think you'll find any spoilers you wouldn't already have guessed from reading the summary.
In addition to that lovely small town, I like how the author built characters here. I remember her doing a good work with her side characters in the first but I didn't remember it being that good. I loved Karen, Jane, Sam's family... Even Tinka's crazy parents!
No only the side characters get good stories, she went quite deep especially when building Tinka. I think Sam was a more straightforward type of character, so I don't mean to complain he was shallow but Tinka felt so real in the way she reacted to things. On the other hand, that could be one of the reasons I didn't fall in love with the story, it's hard to like someone that is so aloof? Distant? That sort of character always a risk you take when you're writing romance, I guess. But it doesn't negate her skills in making Tinka seem real.
I'd start this series from the first, but Artificial Sweethearts isn't all bad, and it still shows the writer's potential. Perhaps, this plot is even deeper than the former installment. I wonder which character will come next...
Rating: 3 out 5.
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