What do you think?
Rate this book
Port Lane Romances #1
My Fake Relationship With the Popular Boy: A YA Sweet Romance
WHO’S THE BEST PERSON TO FAKE DATE? THE ONE YOU KNOW YOU WILL NEVER FALL FOR…
I feel like my life is ending when my best friend breaks my heart.
But it only gets that much worse when I find out why: he made a bet with his sworn enemy over which one of them could convince me to go out with them first — and he only stopped being friends with me because I wasn’t interested in him.
Gross, much?
The bet is with Jaxon Andrews, the star of the track team and most popular guy at Bayshore Academy, who I am more than happy to stay away from.
That is, until he accosts me in a janitor’s closet and insists that a fake relationship is the best way to solve both of our problems.
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s not wrong. All I want is to see my ex-best friend get knocked down a peg… even if it comes at the cost of pretending to date an arrogant jock.
We agreed that it would all be fake — no feelings involved and we never have to speak again once it’s over.
So what am I supposed to do now that I’ve fallen for real?
MY FAKE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POPULAR BOY is a standalone novel in The Bayshore Academy series, filled to the brim with swoon-worthy moments, the perfect fake boyfriend, and all the summer vibes.
I feel like my life is ending when my best friend breaks my heart.
But it only gets that much worse when I find out why: he made a bet with his sworn enemy over which one of them could convince me to go out with them first — and he only stopped being friends with me because I wasn’t interested in him.
Gross, much?
The bet is with Jaxon Andrews, the star of the track team and most popular guy at Bayshore Academy, who I am more than happy to stay away from.
That is, until he accosts me in a janitor’s closet and insists that a fake relationship is the best way to solve both of our problems.
As much as I hate to admit it, he’s not wrong. All I want is to see my ex-best friend get knocked down a peg… even if it comes at the cost of pretending to date an arrogant jock.
We agreed that it would all be fake — no feelings involved and we never have to speak again once it’s over.
So what am I supposed to do now that I’ve fallen for real?
MY FAKE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POPULAR BOY is a standalone novel in The Bayshore Academy series, filled to the brim with swoon-worthy moments, the perfect fake boyfriend, and all the summer vibes.
300 pages, Paperback
Published July 17, 2022
403 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Clara Nielsen
22 books178 followersClara Nielsen writes sweet & swoony YA romances set in high school, all about shy girls and the boys who are head-over-heels for them. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll probably find her out on the lake, putting together the perfect playlist, or sipping on a chai latte while daydreaming about her next story.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 13, 2022
It was ok. It needed more.
Also, it had TOO many typos.
Also, it had TOO many typos.
July 18, 2022
All I can say is wow!
I've read books by this author under her other pen name, Isabel Hansen, so I knew that I liked her writing, but i have to say she blew it out of the park with this one! This is longer than any of the books I've read by her and while I think she excels at writing novellas, it was really nice to see a full novel from her as well.
This book is about Violet and Jaxon. Violet's never been a big fan of Jaxon even though they have friends in common, but after she gets in a fight with her (now ex-) best friend, Lewis, Jaxon and Violet find that they have an enemy in common. It turns out that Jaxon and Lewis made a bet years ago over which one of them would get to date Violet first -- but neither of them have won it yet. Now, Jaxon is proposing to Violet that they fake date to piss off Lewis, each getting revenge in their own way. Violet is hesitant at first but ultimately agrees.
I LOVE fake dating stories, especially when the two people don't particularly like each other at the beginning of it so I was immediately entranced by this premise. And oh boy, did it deliver! It was so satisfying to see Violet slowly fall for Jaxon over the course of the story, all while learning about the ways she might have misjudged him in the past.
And Jaxon was just the perfect book boyfriend, as the synopsis promises. He was sweet and mature and always knew the exact right thing to say. He and Violet balanced each other out so nicely. Every conversation between them had me swooning.
If you're considering picking this up, I say go for it! Trust me, you won't regret it.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair & honest review. All opinions expressed are my own).
I've read books by this author under her other pen name, Isabel Hansen, so I knew that I liked her writing, but i have to say she blew it out of the park with this one! This is longer than any of the books I've read by her and while I think she excels at writing novellas, it was really nice to see a full novel from her as well.
This book is about Violet and Jaxon. Violet's never been a big fan of Jaxon even though they have friends in common, but after she gets in a fight with her (now ex-) best friend, Lewis, Jaxon and Violet find that they have an enemy in common. It turns out that Jaxon and Lewis made a bet years ago over which one of them would get to date Violet first -- but neither of them have won it yet. Now, Jaxon is proposing to Violet that they fake date to piss off Lewis, each getting revenge in their own way. Violet is hesitant at first but ultimately agrees.
I LOVE fake dating stories, especially when the two people don't particularly like each other at the beginning of it so I was immediately entranced by this premise. And oh boy, did it deliver! It was so satisfying to see Violet slowly fall for Jaxon over the course of the story, all while learning about the ways she might have misjudged him in the past.
And Jaxon was just the perfect book boyfriend, as the synopsis promises. He was sweet and mature and always knew the exact right thing to say. He and Violet balanced each other out so nicely. Every conversation between them had me swooning.
If you're considering picking this up, I say go for it! Trust me, you won't regret it.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair & honest review. All opinions expressed are my own).
August 8, 2025
eh love Jaxon indifferent towards violet didn't like most of the side characters ☹️
I WISH THAT VIOLET AND LEWIS HAD MADE UP
I WISH THAT VIOLET AND LEWIS HAD MADE UP
December 3, 2022
Really enjoyed this one! I'm looking forward to see what the author puts out next.
September 8, 2023
2.5 stars
This book was better than the last book that I read. But it still had some issues—also not a fan of any of the book covers.
Jaxon and Violet had better banter. The dialogue was written better too. I wasn't too much of a fan when
It wasn't the worst but it wasn't the best.
This book was better than the last book that I read. But it still had some issues—also not a fan of any of the book covers.
Jaxon and Violet had better banter. The dialogue was written better too. I wasn't too much of a fan when
It wasn't the worst but it wasn't the best.
October 28, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As I have mentioned in my previous reviews, the fake dating trope is one of my favorites. And so it happened that this month I requested 3 books with this theme (this is the second one and the third one is yet to be read), but I already can confirm, I am still not bored reading such books.
The plot: Violet and Jaxon have never been the best of friends, moreover, he made it his mission to annoy Violet and asked her out every day using a new pick-up line. Of course, that did not help their relationship, so one day when Jaxon proposed fake dating, Violet thought twice before doing it. And then she said yes and their story began.
What I didn't like:
1. the writing. I felt like there were too many detailed descriptions of characters' actions like the author was overexplaining several things in many words when it could have been a couple of sentences. This created the feeling of being overwhelmed by the number of events and descriptions. And on the contrary, the topic which I wish the author told more about was briefly mentioned - the situation with Violet's family. This is a significant topic because it is basically the reason why Violet agrees to Jaxon's proposal (this concerns Violet's childhood friend Lewis and his snide comments). And if the story about Violet's family was revealed earlier in the book and in more detail - then there wouldn't be any confusion as to why Violet should even consider fake-dating Jaxon.
Also, I should mention that there are a lot of typing errors, weird wordings, and the use of wrong words in sentences. Considering that English is not my first language, I still could not but notice these mistakes and, unfortunately, it took away a bit of pleasure from reading this book.
What I liked:
1. the trope/setting. As I've mentioned above, I enjoy fake dating tropes, as for me it is always fun to see the characters' relationship grow. Such a trope adds something special to the love story, and brings different characters together, who otherwise might not have looked twice at each other.
2. the characters. The main characters and their friends are an interesting group. They are different, but somehow form a tight circle, are comfortable with each other, and enjoy spending time together. The characters are well-written, and their interactions are compelling to follow. I think, that they can be really relatable for a younger audience.
3. the story. The story is entertaining, humorous, and thought-provoking. I liked how Jaxon and Violet's bond developed gradually, that it took Violet quite some time to realize what she felt, and that her feelings changed not because of Jaxon's popularity, but because he is a decent guy, loyal friend, and great boyfriend. Although at times the things he did (e.g. scene at the mani-pedi salon) just seemed a bit too much for me (but I assume it is because I'm not the target audience of the book. If I was in high school and read about such boyfriend behavior I would be completely delighted). The book also touches on an important topic - friendship. How crucial it is to choose the right people to be around you because they can make you or break you. And also it shows that you can never truly know the person who you consider to be your friend. So, I think, it is a good reminder from this book - to closely look at the people around you and see them for who they are and be loyal to those who are loyal to you and value you as a friend.
Overall opinion: I enjoyed reading this book, it reminded me of my high school years. I would definitely recommend it because it is easy to read, has an interesting setting and the main characters are likable, have a good sense of humor, and are overall pleasant to follow.
As I have mentioned in my previous reviews, the fake dating trope is one of my favorites. And so it happened that this month I requested 3 books with this theme (this is the second one and the third one is yet to be read), but I already can confirm, I am still not bored reading such books.
The plot: Violet and Jaxon have never been the best of friends, moreover, he made it his mission to annoy Violet and asked her out every day using a new pick-up line. Of course, that did not help their relationship, so one day when Jaxon proposed fake dating, Violet thought twice before doing it. And then she said yes and their story began.
What I didn't like:
1. the writing. I felt like there were too many detailed descriptions of characters' actions like the author was overexplaining several things in many words when it could have been a couple of sentences. This created the feeling of being overwhelmed by the number of events and descriptions. And on the contrary, the topic which I wish the author told more about was briefly mentioned - the situation with Violet's family. This is a significant topic because it is basically the reason why Violet agrees to Jaxon's proposal (this concerns Violet's childhood friend Lewis and his snide comments). And if the story about Violet's family was revealed earlier in the book and in more detail - then there wouldn't be any confusion as to why Violet should even consider fake-dating Jaxon.
Also, I should mention that there are a lot of typing errors, weird wordings, and the use of wrong words in sentences. Considering that English is not my first language, I still could not but notice these mistakes and, unfortunately, it took away a bit of pleasure from reading this book.
What I liked:
1. the trope/setting. As I've mentioned above, I enjoy fake dating tropes, as for me it is always fun to see the characters' relationship grow. Such a trope adds something special to the love story, and brings different characters together, who otherwise might not have looked twice at each other.
2. the characters. The main characters and their friends are an interesting group. They are different, but somehow form a tight circle, are comfortable with each other, and enjoy spending time together. The characters are well-written, and their interactions are compelling to follow. I think, that they can be really relatable for a younger audience.
3. the story. The story is entertaining, humorous, and thought-provoking. I liked how Jaxon and Violet's bond developed gradually, that it took Violet quite some time to realize what she felt, and that her feelings changed not because of Jaxon's popularity, but because he is a decent guy, loyal friend, and great boyfriend. Although at times the things he did (e.g. scene at the mani-pedi salon) just seemed a bit too much for me (but I assume it is because I'm not the target audience of the book. If I was in high school and read about such boyfriend behavior I would be completely delighted). The book also touches on an important topic - friendship. How crucial it is to choose the right people to be around you because they can make you or break you. And also it shows that you can never truly know the person who you consider to be your friend. So, I think, it is a good reminder from this book - to closely look at the people around you and see them for who they are and be loyal to those who are loyal to you and value you as a friend.
Overall opinion: I enjoyed reading this book, it reminded me of my high school years. I would definitely recommend it because it is easy to read, has an interesting setting and the main characters are likable, have a good sense of humor, and are overall pleasant to follow.
November 13, 2022
Thank you to Book Sirens for providing me this ARC.
Violet is crushed after an argument with her best friend Lewis. She decides to skip class in the common room but so is Jaxon. Violet doesn’t like Jaxon, the most popular boy in school who has used pick-up lines on her everyday since 9th grade. When a teacher enters the room they both panic and end up kissing! Violet learns of a bet that Jaxon and Lewis made a few years back on winning over Violet. After Lewis broke her heart, she and Jaxon decide to fake date to get back at Lewis. But what are the consequences when she doesn’t want to fake it anymore?
This was a very fast and refreshing book to read. I felt like the beginning was a tad slow. This book had way too many typos. At some parts, it took me a few seconds to actually understand a sentence. I liked both Jaxon and Violet. There were some parts that felt a bit forced between them but, it wasn’t excessive. I’m not sure if there’s going to be a book about Madison but if so, I’m excited!
~Teen Romance
~Guy Falls First
~Reversed Grumpy Sunshine
~One Bed Trope
~Fake Dating
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a short, fast paced and cute teen romance because you get nothing less!
Violet is crushed after an argument with her best friend Lewis. She decides to skip class in the common room but so is Jaxon. Violet doesn’t like Jaxon, the most popular boy in school who has used pick-up lines on her everyday since 9th grade. When a teacher enters the room they both panic and end up kissing! Violet learns of a bet that Jaxon and Lewis made a few years back on winning over Violet. After Lewis broke her heart, she and Jaxon decide to fake date to get back at Lewis. But what are the consequences when she doesn’t want to fake it anymore?
This was a very fast and refreshing book to read. I felt like the beginning was a tad slow. This book had way too many typos. At some parts, it took me a few seconds to actually understand a sentence. I liked both Jaxon and Violet. There were some parts that felt a bit forced between them but, it wasn’t excessive. I’m not sure if there’s going to be a book about Madison but if so, I’m excited!
~Teen Romance
~Guy Falls First
~Reversed Grumpy Sunshine
~One Bed Trope
~Fake Dating
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a short, fast paced and cute teen romance because you get nothing less!
December 8, 2022
Thank you to Clara Nielsen and Book Sirens for providing me with an ebook copy of My Fake Relationship with the Popular Boy for me to read and review. The fake dating trope is one that I enjoy reading and this storyline did not disappoint in that regard. I liked the unique challenges and plot twists that were included and the character's growth throughout the story. There were quite a few spelling, grammar, and wording issues here and there that I noticed throughout the story. These errors definitely disrupted the flow of my reading, and dampened my enjoyment of the story overall. I am still curious to see another book in this series and will still hope to enjoy more stories by this author.
July 25, 2022
Let me start by saying this book had a cute plot. Do I think it was a little rushed in areas? Yes. Do I wish I had received some more background for characters? Also yes.
Honestly didn’t get the beef with Lewis. Yeah, it’s totally crappy what he said to you but I’m just supposed to know going into a brand new book that he was one of your best friends. Like what? If the excerpt hadn’t stated that he liked her and that’s why they had their fight then I never would’ve figured that out. He just seemed like an average high school bully to me.
I think this book could’ve been so cute had the author taken a little more time planning things out. I mean come on, Jaxon was adorable! I would’ve died to have a boyfriend like him in high school. Hell even a guy who liked me as much as he liked her. He was just too sweet. Especially with all those pickup lines.
Also, side a little side note, there were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors that were sometimes hard to read through.
I received a free copy from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Honestly didn’t get the beef with Lewis. Yeah, it’s totally crappy what he said to you but I’m just supposed to know going into a brand new book that he was one of your best friends. Like what? If the excerpt hadn’t stated that he liked her and that’s why they had their fight then I never would’ve figured that out. He just seemed like an average high school bully to me.
I think this book could’ve been so cute had the author taken a little more time planning things out. I mean come on, Jaxon was adorable! I would’ve died to have a boyfriend like him in high school. Hell even a guy who liked me as much as he liked her. He was just too sweet. Especially with all those pickup lines.
Also, side a little side note, there were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors that were sometimes hard to read through.
I received a free copy from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 22, 2022
I received an advanced reviewer copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Okay, so first of all I want to say awesome effort to the author because this is exactly the type of book I loooove to read! Without going too much into detail yet, I want to say that I was super into this at first (especially because the fake dating trope is so popular and one of my favourites if pulled off well) and I was super eager to see where it was headed. The author's writing is great and I really enjoyed the comedic elements which actually had me laughing out loud--the descriptions were fantastic (just the right amount) like I could picture the high school and the characters perfectly and the dialogue was also great :)
In saying that, however, there were a few pitfalls for me that turned this initially 4-star book into a 2-star.
There were also lots and lots of typos but that's not what affected the overall rating and can be easily fixed!
Anyway, I really loved the idea of this but it just didn't do it for me.
Okay, so first of all I want to say awesome effort to the author because this is exactly the type of book I loooove to read! Without going too much into detail yet, I want to say that I was super into this at first (especially because the fake dating trope is so popular and one of my favourites if pulled off well) and I was super eager to see where it was headed. The author's writing is great and I really enjoyed the comedic elements which actually had me laughing out loud--the descriptions were fantastic (just the right amount) like I could picture the high school and the characters perfectly and the dialogue was also great :)
In saying that, however, there were a few pitfalls for me that turned this initially 4-star book into a 2-star.
There were also lots and lots of typos but that's not what affected the overall rating and can be easily fixed!
Anyway, I really loved the idea of this but it just didn't do it for me.
October 4, 2022
⭐⭐️⭐️.5/ 5
Fake relationship are one of my most loved plotlines on the grounds that you simply realize that one individuals included will get sentiments however not have any desire to tell the other individual.
All through the book there were many times where the story changed from first individual to third individual and a few spelling blunders en route. Nor was sufficient to cheapen the story, and I had the option to disregard them, yet I realize that not every person is so sympathetic.
The start of the novel was slow and a piece befuddling which made me truly need to put the book down however I gave it additional time and as the story advances we begin to see the intricacy of each person and it made me need to understand more.
Nonetheless, so, I adored the story line. I cherished Violet and I adored Jaxon and I truly needed to smack her previous companion Lewis, even before I understood what was going on with their battle. The school trip and the flat mate circumstance was not completely convincing and the school building itself had a couple of mystery paths that are difficult to envision for this government funded school understudy, however the creator made the entirety of that work.
For the Storyline, I'd give this book 4 stars, however the requirement for altering makes them it to 3 stars, so the final verdict: 3.5 stars.
If you're into YA cliché romance with ..as indicated in the title....the popular guy....you should give it a read. It's the kind of light hearted, chick lit romance novel that you can devour in a day.
I recieved an ARC from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Fake relationship are one of my most loved plotlines on the grounds that you simply realize that one individuals included will get sentiments however not have any desire to tell the other individual.
All through the book there were many times where the story changed from first individual to third individual and a few spelling blunders en route. Nor was sufficient to cheapen the story, and I had the option to disregard them, yet I realize that not every person is so sympathetic.
The start of the novel was slow and a piece befuddling which made me truly need to put the book down however I gave it additional time and as the story advances we begin to see the intricacy of each person and it made me need to understand more.
Nonetheless, so, I adored the story line. I cherished Violet and I adored Jaxon and I truly needed to smack her previous companion Lewis, even before I understood what was going on with their battle. The school trip and the flat mate circumstance was not completely convincing and the school building itself had a couple of mystery paths that are difficult to envision for this government funded school understudy, however the creator made the entirety of that work.
For the Storyline, I'd give this book 4 stars, however the requirement for altering makes them it to 3 stars, so the final verdict: 3.5 stars.
If you're into YA cliché romance with ..as indicated in the title....the popular guy....you should give it a read. It's the kind of light hearted, chick lit romance novel that you can devour in a day.
I recieved an ARC from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2022
It was ok.
The characters are cute.
There were lots of grammatical errors. LIKE SO MANY TYPOS! It made it difficult to understand sometimes and it was very distracting.
The love story was cute and sweet. But something felt lacking or missing. And a lot of the scenarios felt too contrived, and not natural enough.
Like Jaxon goes to confront Lewis which just felt strange to me. Maybe I missed something, but Lewis was just standing there not doing anything. They could've easily crossed the street and just avoided him.
Also, I am all for the whole couples trapped in a room together tension, but it fell flat. So, they were in the room together for three nights in the same bed and nothing happened at all? I'm not asking for them to do each other, but I felt if the author was going to put this element of tension in the book, then there needed to actually be tension. Which there wasn't...
I liked the characters a lot though. They were very cute. I guess I would've liked more from Lewis maybe. Like why did he say that to Violet? If she's your friend and you actually like her... Then why say horrible things to her? Especially if you know just how badly it will hurt her? It almost felt like the author couldn't think of why Lewis would do that so just chose not to explain it. She needed Violet to be mad at him so he says some heartless things to her.
Maybe that's not important to the love story, but I really love character development. It makes great stories great and mediocre ones mediocre. So, there were a lot of mediocre aspects to this story where I feel could have been improved to make the story more compelling.
The characters are cute.
There were lots of grammatical errors. LIKE SO MANY TYPOS! It made it difficult to understand sometimes and it was very distracting.
The love story was cute and sweet. But something felt lacking or missing. And a lot of the scenarios felt too contrived, and not natural enough.
Like Jaxon goes to confront Lewis which just felt strange to me. Maybe I missed something, but Lewis was just standing there not doing anything. They could've easily crossed the street and just avoided him.
Also, I am all for the whole couples trapped in a room together tension, but it fell flat. So, they were in the room together for three nights in the same bed and nothing happened at all? I'm not asking for them to do each other, but I felt if the author was going to put this element of tension in the book, then there needed to actually be tension. Which there wasn't...
I liked the characters a lot though. They were very cute. I guess I would've liked more from Lewis maybe. Like why did he say that to Violet? If she's your friend and you actually like her... Then why say horrible things to her? Especially if you know just how badly it will hurt her? It almost felt like the author couldn't think of why Lewis would do that so just chose not to explain it. She needed Violet to be mad at him so he says some heartless things to her.
Maybe that's not important to the love story, but I really love character development. It makes great stories great and mediocre ones mediocre. So, there were a lot of mediocre aspects to this story where I feel could have been improved to make the story more compelling.
September 13, 2022
BOOK:MY FAKE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POPULAR BOY BY CLARA NIELSEN
BOOK REVIEWER:-OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE
The story is told in the first person narrative by Violet Evers ,its main character in her description of her fake relationship and fake breakup with Jaxon.It tells the discomfort of her having to stick with the fake relationship plan while shedding light on the power of words and how hurtful words can hurt and have the ability to ruin friendships.The fictional story also delves into the subject of temperament; High school politics;friends allegiance to friends;drinking and legal drinking age across countries;temperament in relationship flow amongst other issues
LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE STORY
📞Relationship flow depends on temperament as seen in Violets comparison of her flow with Jaxon and Lewis
📞Violets anger at the way her friends treated Lewis Stone her close friends tells of how a true friend responds to the hurt of their friend.
📞Thinking of other peoples thoughts and the effect of our actions on others as violet thinking of Jaxon's thoughts when she was about having a fight with Lewis his best friend.
APPLICATION OF LESSONS LEARNT
From the story and in everyday life we learn the power of words and how hurtful they can be when not said right.We also learn using the right words.
BOOK REVIEWER:-OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE
The story is told in the first person narrative by Violet Evers ,its main character in her description of her fake relationship and fake breakup with Jaxon.It tells the discomfort of her having to stick with the fake relationship plan while shedding light on the power of words and how hurtful words can hurt and have the ability to ruin friendships.The fictional story also delves into the subject of temperament; High school politics;friends allegiance to friends;drinking and legal drinking age across countries;temperament in relationship flow amongst other issues
LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE STORY
📞Relationship flow depends on temperament as seen in Violets comparison of her flow with Jaxon and Lewis
📞Violets anger at the way her friends treated Lewis Stone her close friends tells of how a true friend responds to the hurt of their friend.
📞Thinking of other peoples thoughts and the effect of our actions on others as violet thinking of Jaxon's thoughts when she was about having a fight with Lewis his best friend.
APPLICATION OF LESSONS LEARNT
From the story and in everyday life we learn the power of words and how hurtful they can be when not said right.We also learn using the right words.
July 22, 2022
Lately I've been in the mood for a good Young Adult book, and when I had the chance to read My Fake Relationship with the Popular Boy, I jumped on it.
Fake relationship are one of my favorite plotlines because you just know that one of the people involved are going to catch feelings but not want to tell the other person.
Throughout the book there were quite a few times where the story switched from first person to third person and several spelling errors along the way. Neither was enough to detract from the story, and I was able to overlook them, but I know that not everyone is so forgiving.
However, with that being said, I loved the story line. I loved Violet and I loved Jaxon and I seriously wanted to smack her former friend Lewis, even before I knew what their fight was about. The school trip and the roommate situation was not fully believable and the school building itself had a few secret passageways that are hard to imagine for this public school student, but the author made all of that work.
Storyline, I'd give this book 4 stars, but the need for editing has me knocking it down to 3 stars, but I'd be happy to read another book by Clara Neilsen.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fake relationship are one of my favorite plotlines because you just know that one of the people involved are going to catch feelings but not want to tell the other person.
Throughout the book there were quite a few times where the story switched from first person to third person and several spelling errors along the way. Neither was enough to detract from the story, and I was able to overlook them, but I know that not everyone is so forgiving.
However, with that being said, I loved the story line. I loved Violet and I loved Jaxon and I seriously wanted to smack her former friend Lewis, even before I knew what their fight was about. The school trip and the roommate situation was not fully believable and the school building itself had a few secret passageways that are hard to imagine for this public school student, but the author made all of that work.
Storyline, I'd give this book 4 stars, but the need for editing has me knocking it down to 3 stars, but I'd be happy to read another book by Clara Neilsen.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 2, 2022
The beginning of the novel was slow and a bit confusing which made me really want to put the book down but I gave it more time and as the story progresses we start to see the complexity of each character and it made me want to read more.
The story is a typical chick-lit novel, an easy read on a fine sunny day and the good thing here is the story is not overpoweringly full of cheesy lines so it wasn't a cringe to read however the plot-wise I could say there are areas to improve such as revolving around Lewis as it felt the writer forgot about him also regarding the boy next door and Madison which I felt was just thrown in there suddenly, also the last few chapters of the story seemed rushed and you could feel the author has different ideas to an ending of the novel then when it ended it felt lacking.
Though the novel is good I rated it as 4 as there are still areas to improve on mostly on character development and plot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is a typical chick-lit novel, an easy read on a fine sunny day and the good thing here is the story is not overpoweringly full of cheesy lines so it wasn't a cringe to read however the plot-wise I could say there are areas to improve such as revolving around Lewis as it felt the writer forgot about him also regarding the boy next door and Madison which I felt was just thrown in there suddenly, also the last few chapters of the story seemed rushed and you could feel the author has different ideas to an ending of the novel then when it ended it felt lacking.
Though the novel is good I rated it as 4 as there are still areas to improve on mostly on character development and plot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 19, 2022
Sweet first love
This story is about friendship, love and feelings at all. Can and should you pretend about something
as important as love. And if, should you lie about it to your friends. Or the person who pretengs with
you. So many questions, and so many things that can and at some point will go wrong were dealt
with in this book. Hidden feelings, awakening feelings, tghe lack of talk. The whole teenage
experience with the thing called love.
Jaxon, the popular boy and Violet are here the main characters. Both not really open with each other
about their reasons and feelings.
Their bunch of friends who are really a bunch of different peoples with different minds.
And when in the end the faking is exposed but you learn that you are in love, for real this time. Does
both feel the same, are feelings hurt and is there a way to make it from fake to real.
Sweet and wonderful pure written.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story is about friendship, love and feelings at all. Can and should you pretend about something
as important as love. And if, should you lie about it to your friends. Or the person who pretengs with
you. So many questions, and so many things that can and at some point will go wrong were dealt
with in this book. Hidden feelings, awakening feelings, tghe lack of talk. The whole teenage
experience with the thing called love.
Jaxon, the popular boy and Violet are here the main characters. Both not really open with each other
about their reasons and feelings.
Their bunch of friends who are really a bunch of different peoples with different minds.
And when in the end the faking is exposed but you learn that you are in love, for real this time. Does
both feel the same, are feelings hurt and is there a way to make it from fake to real.
Sweet and wonderful pure written.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 30, 2025
-2.5 stars ⭐️
So I thought I would like this book because I’ve read similar books but I think the big problem with this book is the pacing. Halfway into the book, the main character already has a crush on this guy she's supposed to "not like." The pace was too slow, but events happened too early on. This book almost put me into a slump.
I tend to like fake dating, so the premise wasn't something I took too heavy of risk on. There were cute moments throughout the book; I imagine it to be an easy and cute read for another reader. I will commend the author that it isn't challenging to follow along. Also, the characters felt like teenagers, which is good, given the genre.
However, I connected to NONE of the characters. Violet felt flat and kind of meh as a protagonist. Despite his "perfect boyfriend" persona, Jaxon wasn't all that interesting. I think the whole concept that he made a bet that he could date her was glossed over too quickly. He did something heinous, but it's overlooked.
So I thought I would like this book because I’ve read similar books but I think the big problem with this book is the pacing. Halfway into the book, the main character already has a crush on this guy she's supposed to "not like." The pace was too slow, but events happened too early on. This book almost put me into a slump.
I tend to like fake dating, so the premise wasn't something I took too heavy of risk on. There were cute moments throughout the book; I imagine it to be an easy and cute read for another reader. I will commend the author that it isn't challenging to follow along. Also, the characters felt like teenagers, which is good, given the genre.
However, I connected to NONE of the characters. Violet felt flat and kind of meh as a protagonist. Despite his "perfect boyfriend" persona, Jaxon wasn't all that interesting. I think the whole concept that he made a bet that he could date her was glossed over too quickly. He did something heinous, but it's overlooked.
August 19, 2022
Sweet first love
This story is about friendship, love and feelings at all. Can and should you pretend about something as important as love. And if, should you lie about it to your friends. Or the person who pretengs with you. So many questions, and so many things that can and at some point will go wrong were dealt with in this book. Hidden feelings, awakening feelings, tghe lack of talk. The whole teenage experience with the thing called love.
Jaxon, the popular boy and Violet are here the main characters. Both not really open with each other about their reasons and feelings.
Their bunch of friends who are really a bunch of different peoples with different minds.
And when in the end the faking is exposed but you learn that you are in love, for real this time. Does both feel the same, are feelings hurt and is there a way to make it from fake to real.
Sweet and wonderful pure written.
This story is about friendship, love and feelings at all. Can and should you pretend about something as important as love. And if, should you lie about it to your friends. Or the person who pretengs with you. So many questions, and so many things that can and at some point will go wrong were dealt with in this book. Hidden feelings, awakening feelings, tghe lack of talk. The whole teenage experience with the thing called love.
Jaxon, the popular boy and Violet are here the main characters. Both not really open with each other about their reasons and feelings.
Their bunch of friends who are really a bunch of different peoples with different minds.
And when in the end the faking is exposed but you learn that you are in love, for real this time. Does both feel the same, are feelings hurt and is there a way to make it from fake to real.
Sweet and wonderful pure written.
July 23, 2022
I give this book more 3.5 stars because I felt like there was some things missing. I enjoyed the fake relationship trope. I loved how we find out so many things about Jaxon as we read; how he first met Violet, he remembers so much about what she likes, his daily pick up lines. I think those were my favorite. Violet seemed to be a little oblivious to a lot that goes on around her, but her friends still loved her and supported her and I really liked that. I thought that the relationship between Lewis and Violet deserved closure especially after all the years they had been friends.
I was given an ARC and voluntarily left a review.
I was given an ARC and voluntarily left a review.
October 10, 2022
cute story bad editing
Listen the story idea was cute. Though the main character Violet was a very shallow selfish annoying little biotch. The guy Jaxxon was adorable & seriously deserved batter. That aside it was a cute story.
The biggest issue with this book is editing. If this book had an editor, they need to be fired. Obviously if it didn’t, Get an Editor. One error that was huge to me, when Jax is telling Eli story & what Lewis was bullying him for.
Author writes that Eli is queer. Okay, except Eli is not. He’s been dating Jax BFF Sabrina & we get told over & over about them making out, sleeping together etc. um… excuse you. WTF! Kinda important detail there.
Listen the story idea was cute. Though the main character Violet was a very shallow selfish annoying little biotch. The guy Jaxxon was adorable & seriously deserved batter. That aside it was a cute story.
The biggest issue with this book is editing. If this book had an editor, they need to be fired. Obviously if it didn’t, Get an Editor. One error that was huge to me, when Jax is telling Eli story & what Lewis was bullying him for.
Author writes that Eli is queer. Okay, except Eli is not. He’s been dating Jax BFF Sabrina & we get told over & over about them making out, sleeping together etc. um… excuse you. WTF! Kinda important detail there.
June 17, 2023
I picked this up as a freebie on Amazon and it sounded like a cute YA which I love. It was set in Canada which was a nice change, but I never really connected with the characters. Jaxon is the popular boy, but I'm not sure why?Was it because he was on the track team? He used a cheesy pickup line on Violet everyday which she brushed off as annoying. Violet had had a fight with her friend Lewis & Lewis and Jaxon had made a bet years ago & it was confusing as to the fake dating😳Also not sure what was going on with Eli who was labeled queer but dating Sabrina. I ended up skimming to get to the end
August 7, 2022
This was a cute story. The main characters were likeable and interesting at times.
The story sometimes waffled on in places but did move on.
The book needs going over again for grammar and punctuation mistakes.
Overall I liked the book, but I wasn’t in a rush to finish the book. It didn’t keep my interest for long. I think I have read to many enemy to lovers books that have been better.
Don’t get me wrong it is a good book with strong characters. I am sure other people will like this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story sometimes waffled on in places but did move on.
The book needs going over again for grammar and punctuation mistakes.
Overall I liked the book, but I wasn’t in a rush to finish the book. It didn’t keep my interest for long. I think I have read to many enemy to lovers books that have been better.
Don’t get me wrong it is a good book with strong characters. I am sure other people will like this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 24, 2022
I would like to thank BookSirens for a eARC of My Fake Relationship With the Popular Boy. The main characters are Violet and Jaxon. Jaxon likes to try pick up lines on Violet every chance he can. When they enter a a fake relationship to get at her ex-bestfriend and his archenemy, things get messy. If you like the fake dating trope then this is a good book to read. It did have a few grammar issues, but nothing too major. I enjoyed reading this book. I'm giving a 3 out of 5 stars. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 13, 2023
DNF’d at about 50%
There was zero chemistry with the leads. The writing was all over the place. There was zero plot. Oh, let’s fake date. Next day they leave for a class trip. The next day it’s prom. The timeline is trash and the reason Violet “hates” Jaxson is not stated. They’re all in the same group of friends but Violet never knew these two dudes were into her? And is Eli gay or what? I just couldn’t do it. They were fake dating for like 5 minutes when all these things happen and just blah.
There was zero chemistry with the leads. The writing was all over the place. There was zero plot. Oh, let’s fake date. Next day they leave for a class trip. The next day it’s prom. The timeline is trash and the reason Violet “hates” Jaxson is not stated. They’re all in the same group of friends but Violet never knew these two dudes were into her? And is Eli gay or what? I just couldn’t do it. They were fake dating for like 5 minutes when all these things happen and just blah.
July 29, 2022
My Fake Relationship with the Popular Boy is Book 1 in the Bayshore Academy Series by Clara Nielsen. I thought that this was a light hearted High School story. I remember that everything in High School was dramatic. Madison and Jason had a fake relationship which caused gossip and complications. This sweet book is a perfect young adult story. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
October 19, 2023
3.5
It was really slow at the beginning and I couldn't get into and I almost dnf it a little more than half way but after that the plot started to pick up a bit after but I couldn't connect to characters or rote for violet and Jaxon at all until the conflict happen but I really liked jaxon and iffy on Violet but overall a really good book but i can't see myself reading it again since I didn't really love it until the end
It was really slow at the beginning and I couldn't get into and I almost dnf it a little more than half way but after that the plot started to pick up a bit after but I couldn't connect to characters or rote for violet and Jaxon at all until the conflict happen but I really liked jaxon and iffy on Violet but overall a really good book but i can't see myself reading it again since I didn't really love it until the end
December 5, 2023
I love books that feature a good-hearted jock, and Jaxon definitely fits this. I haven't read many YA sports romances featuring a track star, and I enjoyed when he and Violet did some running together. I would've liked to have seen Lewis get his comeuppance, but I also enjoyed how Violet was able to ignore her ex-friend, too, especially after how he treated her.
Seeing Jaxon get protective was fun :-) If you enjoy YA sports romances, put this one on your list.
Seeing Jaxon get protective was fun :-) If you enjoy YA sports romances, put this one on your list.
July 11, 2025
OK, so as all of my friends know, I am a sucker for the enemies to lovers theme and I get that fake dating is such a cliché for romcoms, but I really liked how this book pulled it off. It may be kind of a typical storyline, but there are no fake break ups which I liked because I hate it whenever they break up and you just know they’re gonna get back together and the male lead was so sweet. It makes you totally fall in love with him so those are the many reasons that you should read this book.
October 12, 2025
Interesting that the track start with glasses was the popular one that was not the normal trope. I enjoyed them even their arguments. Their misunderstanding wasn’t crazy. It wasn’t as clean but still no sleeping together. Only kisses, a couple cuss words, and a few innuendos. Jaxson was lovable and sweet. Violet wasn’t as kind of the beginning. A few things happen that I feel like would never happen in high school like sharing hotel rooms.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews