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We Are Never Getting Together
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Expected 7 Apr 26In this reverse Parent Trap, two feuding teenagers pretend to be in love to keep their parents apart, but love has other plans. A clean YA rom-com from USA Today best-selling author, Janette Rallison.
Madeline and Cooper have had bad blood since junior year when she beat out his sister for the lead in the school play. Ever since, it’s been one petty escalation after another—plastic-wrapped cars, glitter bombs, and even a derogatory viral video. When their latest prank lands them in the principal’s office with their single parents in tow, Madeline and Cooper are shocked to find that their parents have hit it off and now have plans for a dinner date.
Horrified by the prospect of their parents falling in love, Madeline and Cooper reach a truce. To keep their parents apart, they’ll pretend their feud is over and that they’re in a relationship. They’re positive that by fake dating, their parents will realize their relationship is a terrible idea and stop seeing each other. But the longer their fake relationship continues, the more they discover that there may be things they actually like about each other. How long are Madeline and Cooper willing to keep up the ruse before they have to face the consequences of their actions?
Madeline and Cooper have had bad blood since junior year when she beat out his sister for the lead in the school play. Ever since, it’s been one petty escalation after another—plastic-wrapped cars, glitter bombs, and even a derogatory viral video. When their latest prank lands them in the principal’s office with their single parents in tow, Madeline and Cooper are shocked to find that their parents have hit it off and now have plans for a dinner date.
Horrified by the prospect of their parents falling in love, Madeline and Cooper reach a truce. To keep their parents apart, they’ll pretend their feud is over and that they’re in a relationship. They’re positive that by fake dating, their parents will realize their relationship is a terrible idea and stop seeing each other. But the longer their fake relationship continues, the more they discover that there may be things they actually like about each other. How long are Madeline and Cooper willing to keep up the ruse before they have to face the consequences of their actions?
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 7, 2026
4 people are currently reading
4400 people want to read
About the author
Janette Rallison
78 books2,020 followersCheck out my awesome book trailers!
My Unfair Godmother:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AlRg0...
My Fair Godmother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up1jF8...
Just One Wish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP1Nce...
My Double Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzuswp...
Janette Rallison has five children who keep her well supplied with plot ideas, sometimes even making cameo appearances in her novels. She likes to write romantic comedy because there is enough angst in real life, but theres a drastic shortage on both humor and romance.
Playing the Field was named Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award Honor Book, and both Alls Fair In Love, War, and High School and Love, Life, and the Pursuit of Free Throws were included on YALSAs Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults list. Fame Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List, was just chosen for IRAs YA Choices list for 2007
"
My Unfair Godmother:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AlRg0...
My Fair Godmother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up1jF8...
Just One Wish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP1Nce...
My Double Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzuswp...
Janette Rallison has five children who keep her well supplied with plot ideas, sometimes even making cameo appearances in her novels. She likes to write romantic comedy because there is enough angst in real life, but theres a drastic shortage on both humor and romance.
Playing the Field was named Society of School Librarians International Best Book Award Honor Book, and both Alls Fair In Love, War, and High School and Love, Life, and the Pursuit of Free Throws were included on YALSAs Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults list. Fame Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List, was just chosen for IRAs YA Choices list for 2007
"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 4, 2026
This was such a fun, witty read! I absolutely loved the premise—a reverse Parent Trap situation where two feuding teens fake a relationship to keep their single parents apart. The banter? Top tier. The tension? Deliciously awkward. The chemistry? Completely unexpected (for them… not for us 😉).
Madeline and Cooper have been at odds for years, and their petty rivalry escalating into fake dating made for some laugh-out-loud moments. The scene with the “accidental” kiss going public had me grinning so hard. Watching them slowly realize there might be more beneath the irritation was pure rom-com gold.
This was my first book by Janette Rallison, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’m already looking forward to reading more from her. It’s clean, clever, and such an easy recommendation—especially if you’re looking for a YA rom-com you can enjoy with your daughter. I actually loaned my copy to mine as soon as I finished! (And yes, I may have read several funny passages aloud while I was in the middle of it because I just couldn’t help myself.)
If you love fake dating, enemies-to-lovers vibes, and lots of humor, this one is a delight. 💕
I received a complimentary copy and was under no obligation to leave a positive review.
Madeline and Cooper have been at odds for years, and their petty rivalry escalating into fake dating made for some laugh-out-loud moments. The scene with the “accidental” kiss going public had me grinning so hard. Watching them slowly realize there might be more beneath the irritation was pure rom-com gold.
This was my first book by Janette Rallison, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’m already looking forward to reading more from her. It’s clean, clever, and such an easy recommendation—especially if you’re looking for a YA rom-com you can enjoy with your daughter. I actually loaned my copy to mine as soon as I finished! (And yes, I may have read several funny passages aloud while I was in the middle of it because I just couldn’t help myself.)
If you love fake dating, enemies-to-lovers vibes, and lots of humor, this one is a delight. 💕
I received a complimentary copy and was under no obligation to leave a positive review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fake dating done right!
This book was SO. STINKING. CUTE!
I don’t find myself reaching for as many YA contemporaries these days but this book was just adorable.
I read a Christmas book by this author and also gave it 5 stars. This author has SUCH a fun and humorous writing style! Both Cooper and Madeleine had hilarious inner monologues and I loved seeing them react to different situations. They were both very quick witted which made the banter between them fun to read about. I loved the pranks they played on each other as well.
The fake dating elements were really well done because the two leads had such great chemistry together. The book is also fairly short but both characters felt well developed and I could really see the relationship between them changing.
This was just the perfect fun, feel-good read. I loved it! Highly recommend.
This book was SO. STINKING. CUTE!
I don’t find myself reaching for as many YA contemporaries these days but this book was just adorable.
I read a Christmas book by this author and also gave it 5 stars. This author has SUCH a fun and humorous writing style! Both Cooper and Madeleine had hilarious inner monologues and I loved seeing them react to different situations. They were both very quick witted which made the banter between them fun to read about. I loved the pranks they played on each other as well.
The fake dating elements were really well done because the two leads had such great chemistry together. The book is also fairly short but both characters felt well developed and I could really see the relationship between them changing.
This was just the perfect fun, feel-good read. I loved it! Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Totally a 5 star read. I loved this! And this is exactly why I mood read. I was in the mood for a YA romcom, and this was EXACTLY what I wanted! I expected to take two days to read it. Nope... I finished it in one night because I couldn’t put it down!
What happens when your parent starts dating your nemesis’s parent? Cooper and Madeline are about to find out. So they decide to work together to break them up... and what better way than to fake date? Because what parent wants to get in the way of their kids’ relationship? But all that faking and practicing starts to blur the lines, and soon they aren’t just fake dating for their parents. They’re trying to convince each other that it’s all fake... but is it?
Loved this! It was so fun. I loved the pranks, banter, texts, enemies to more vibes, and the “fake” kissing! This was the perfect YA romance!
Now it has me wondering if Janette will write more romances for the side characters. I need it now! And a future follow up for these two, please!
I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.
What happens when your parent starts dating your nemesis’s parent? Cooper and Madeline are about to find out. So they decide to work together to break them up... and what better way than to fake date? Because what parent wants to get in the way of their kids’ relationship? But all that faking and practicing starts to blur the lines, and soon they aren’t just fake dating for their parents. They’re trying to convince each other that it’s all fake... but is it?
Loved this! It was so fun. I loved the pranks, banter, texts, enemies to more vibes, and the “fake” kissing! This was the perfect YA romance!
Now it has me wondering if Janette will write more romances for the side characters. I need it now! And a future follow up for these two, please!
I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Cooper and Madeline pretend to date to keep their (single) parents apart. The problem is that their mutual goal is oddly unifying. In various ways.
I was absolutely delighted to receive this ARC(in exchange for an honest review). I really needed something light to balance out my books on political and economical outrage. And the news. Mustn't forget the news. Both together are quite deflating.
I read Janette Rallison's stories because they go a bit deeper than romance. Her characters are flawed but enjoyable. And there's always a bit of wisdom packed away in the the pages. There are themes about family, growth, forgiveness, and life. The funny tone also helps it seem like life, instead of preachy. She focuses on real teen concerns. Her boys sound different than her girls(I loved that Cooper's POV chapters averaged 9 pages. And Madeline's were 26, 28, 29...). I can't think of another author who does that as well and as consistently as she does. And this book was, as is typical for her, absolutely delightful. And the tension was masterfully done.
In sum: the world needs more YA Romcoms by Janette Rallison. I'm still waiting for a sequel to How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend.
Spoilers:
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I love how Rallison sneakily gets you on their side(about the parental relationship). I was on tenterhooks to see if that relationship would work out the way I wanted.
The only thing that I didn't love about it was the vet trip. I really wanted a bigger showdown between all 6. But it worked.
I was absolutely delighted to receive this ARC(in exchange for an honest review). I really needed something light to balance out my books on political and economical outrage. And the news. Mustn't forget the news. Both together are quite deflating.
I read Janette Rallison's stories because they go a bit deeper than romance. Her characters are flawed but enjoyable. And there's always a bit of wisdom packed away in the the pages. There are themes about family, growth, forgiveness, and life. The funny tone also helps it seem like life, instead of preachy. She focuses on real teen concerns. Her boys sound different than her girls(I loved that Cooper's POV chapters averaged 9 pages. And Madeline's were 26, 28, 29...). I can't think of another author who does that as well and as consistently as she does. And this book was, as is typical for her, absolutely delightful. And the tension was masterfully done.
In sum: the world needs more YA Romcoms by Janette Rallison. I'm still waiting for a sequel to How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend.
Spoilers:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I love how Rallison sneakily gets you on their side(about the parental relationship). I was on tenterhooks to see if that relationship would work out the way I wanted.
The only thing that I didn't love about it was the vet trip. I really wanted a bigger showdown between all 6. But it worked.
March 12, 2026
3.5*
-Clean YA rom-com
-Fake dating
-Enemies to lovers
-Reverse-Parent Trap
I loved the idea of a “reverse-parent trap” where the characters were trying to keep their single parents apart by starting a high school romance of their own. So great to see some YA rom coms that can actually be free of profanity and sex but still have some chemistry and decent story telling.
The last thing you want to read is something that has been done a thousand times in other books. So this was refreshing to read something that didn’t end in a jealous homecoming dance brawl or a shameful secret revealed.
I think my one complaint was that the pacing felt a bit slow or the book was just a tad too long. There were some definite cheese parts too.
All that said I can already picture this making a great tv show!
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this opportunity to review.
-Clean YA rom-com
-Fake dating
-Enemies to lovers
-Reverse-Parent Trap
I loved the idea of a “reverse-parent trap” where the characters were trying to keep their single parents apart by starting a high school romance of their own. So great to see some YA rom coms that can actually be free of profanity and sex but still have some chemistry and decent story telling.
The last thing you want to read is something that has been done a thousand times in other books. So this was refreshing to read something that didn’t end in a jealous homecoming dance brawl or a shameful secret revealed.
I think my one complaint was that the pacing felt a bit slow or the book was just a tad too long. There were some definite cheese parts too.
All that said I can already picture this making a great tv show!
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this opportunity to review.
March 20, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Did I pick up this title partially because of the similarity it had to Taylor Swift's song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together? Yes, and I have no shame, as this book was hands down amazing! I was taken back how many times I was grinning ear to ear from the silly banter, which sometimes caused me to actually laugh out loud. Madeline was this hilarious drama queen, paired up against Cooper's snarky remarks, was the perfect mess of fake dating and hysterical reverse parent trap plan. If you are looking for a quick, hilarious read about two crazy high schoolers who will do anything, like fake dating to keep their parents away, I would highly recommend you check out this novel as soon as possible.
Did I pick up this title partially because of the similarity it had to Taylor Swift's song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together? Yes, and I have no shame, as this book was hands down amazing! I was taken back how many times I was grinning ear to ear from the silly banter, which sometimes caused me to actually laugh out loud. Madeline was this hilarious drama queen, paired up against Cooper's snarky remarks, was the perfect mess of fake dating and hysterical reverse parent trap plan. If you are looking for a quick, hilarious read about two crazy high schoolers who will do anything, like fake dating to keep their parents away, I would highly recommend you check out this novel as soon as possible.
January 29, 2026
Adorable and predictable in the best ways! Fun banter and cute enemies to lovers story. Enjoyed these characters. Very satisfying
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
#WeAreNeverGettingTogether #NetGalley
Madeline and Cooper have been rivals ever since Madeline got the lead in the school play their junior year of high school instead of Cooper's sister. The pranks against each other began at that point. Each of them trying to out do the other. Madeline's recent prank and Cooper's retaliation lands both of them in the principals office. When their parents show up and recognizes each other from going to the same gym and plans are made to go out for the evening. Madeline and Cooper need to come up with a plan to keep their parents from dating each other. Maybe fake dating each other will tear them apart? A book with a Parent Trap vibe and so fun to read.
Madeline and Cooper have been rivals ever since Madeline got the lead in the school play their junior year of high school instead of Cooper's sister. The pranks against each other began at that point. Each of them trying to out do the other. Madeline's recent prank and Cooper's retaliation lands both of them in the principals office. When their parents show up and recognizes each other from going to the same gym and plans are made to go out for the evening. Madeline and Cooper need to come up with a plan to keep their parents from dating each other. Maybe fake dating each other will tear them apart? A book with a Parent Trap vibe and so fun to read.
December 20, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ — A laugh-out-loud enemies-to-lovers rom-com packed with chaos, fake dating, and unexpected swoon 💥💖
We Are Never Getting Together is a fast, funny, and wildly entertaining YA rom-com that flips the Parent Trap trope on its head 🙃. Janette Rallison delivers sharp banter, over-the-top pranks, and a rivalry so intense it’s practically a school sport. Madeline and Cooper’s hatred is legendary—from missing clothes to car sabotage 🔐 to viral-video revenge 📱—and it makes their sudden fake relationship all the more deliciously ridiculous.
The moment their parents start flirting 💕 at a principal’s office showdown is where the real chaos begins. Their plan to pretend to be in love to scare their parents apart is messy, dramatic, and doomed from the start—and that’s what makes it so fun. The fake kisses 😳, whispered rumors 🗣️, and ever-growing web of lies turns their lives upside down.
What truly shines is the slow, reluctant shift from enemies to something dangerously close to real. Beneath the sarcasm, pranks, and eye-rolls, Madeline and Cooper start spotting the cracks in each other’s armor—and the chemistry sneaks up on both of them 🔥.
The story is light, sweet, and clean, making it a perfect comfort read when you want romance without heavy angst. It leans fully into humor, misunderstandings, and the delicious tension of pretending not to care when you very much do 😏.
A charming, fake-dating rom-com that delivers laughs, swoons, and plenty of dramatic irony 💕😂. We Are Never Getting Together is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, school chaos, and romances that start with rivalry and end with butterflies.
We Are Never Getting Together is a fast, funny, and wildly entertaining YA rom-com that flips the Parent Trap trope on its head 🙃. Janette Rallison delivers sharp banter, over-the-top pranks, and a rivalry so intense it’s practically a school sport. Madeline and Cooper’s hatred is legendary—from missing clothes to car sabotage 🔐 to viral-video revenge 📱—and it makes their sudden fake relationship all the more deliciously ridiculous.
The moment their parents start flirting 💕 at a principal’s office showdown is where the real chaos begins. Their plan to pretend to be in love to scare their parents apart is messy, dramatic, and doomed from the start—and that’s what makes it so fun. The fake kisses 😳, whispered rumors 🗣️, and ever-growing web of lies turns their lives upside down.
What truly shines is the slow, reluctant shift from enemies to something dangerously close to real. Beneath the sarcasm, pranks, and eye-rolls, Madeline and Cooper start spotting the cracks in each other’s armor—and the chemistry sneaks up on both of them 🔥.
The story is light, sweet, and clean, making it a perfect comfort read when you want romance without heavy angst. It leans fully into humor, misunderstandings, and the delicious tension of pretending not to care when you very much do 😏.
A charming, fake-dating rom-com that delivers laughs, swoons, and plenty of dramatic irony 💕😂. We Are Never Getting Together is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, school chaos, and romances that start with rivalry and end with butterflies.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Madeline and Cooper are seniors in high school, and have a long standing feud going on that leads them to dramatically sabotage each other. After Madeline steals Cooper’s clothes from the locker room and leaves him a clown costume instead, Cooper retaliates by having his friends relocate her Miata under the bleachers. This brings the two to the attention of principal, Ms. Tsuru, who is tired of the antics, which have included leaving meat in a locker and a glitter bomb. Madeline’s father and Cooper’s mother are called to the office, and the two pranksters have to work together on painting the faded tiger tracks in the parking lot. Since both parents are divorced (Madeline’s mother moved to Norway for her career, and Cooper’s father is working on an Alaskan oil rig) and know each other from the spin class the mother teaches, they decide to go out to dinner to discuss their errant children. The two do talk while they are painting, even though there is a rather epic paint battle, and get to the root of the problem; Cooper commented that Madeline got starring roles in the plays because her father donated money to the school, and Madeline retaliated by sharing an unflattering football video of Cooper. Both admit to being wrong, and have an uneasy truce. This is disrupted when they find that their parents are dating, and they figure this must be stopped. Cooper’s sister Claire rather likes Madeline and her father, but Cooper comes up with a good idea: he and Madeline should pretend to date, because then their parents wouldn’t be interested in each other. Madeline agrees, and the two have to navigate Cooper actually dating a girl named Dahlia, making their parents believe they are dating, and dealing with the football team and Madeline’s friend Selena. On the night of Homecoming, Madeline is out with the rather unpleasant TC from another school, and he hits a stray cat who has been hanging around the school. Madeline is upset, but TC won’t take the cat to the vet. Luckily, Cooper’s friend group happens by and stops, and Cooper not only hands over hsi suit jacket to protect the injured animal, but goes with Madeline to the vet. The two have been dancing around their attraction to each other, and finally admit that the two of them should be together, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Strengths: There have not been enough books from Rallison lately; I adored her 2008 Revenge of the Cheerleaders, 2009 Just One Wish, and 2010 My Double Life! She does an excellent job of writing about high school characters who are still interesting to middle school students. Such books were more prevalent 15 years ago; now young adult books include a lot more mature language, drinking, and other questionable choices. I would not have found these enjoyable as a teenager. While I am not personally a fan of the “enemies to lovers” trope, I know a lot of people are, and Madeline and Cooper’s journey to one another is very sweet. There’s some “practice” kissing that is totally middle grade appropriate but also rather thrilling. There are humorous moments, but also good lessons about how teens should act towards one another. Dahlia could have been a completely evil character, but is portrayed with a little bit of sympathy, and TC is unfortunately a type of guy that readers may encounter. Weaknesses: It would have been fun if the parents had still gotten together. Younger readers won’t care, but it would have made for a fun complication for Madeline and Cooper. It was nice to see parents involved with high school students, showing up at games and taking them out for ice cream.
What I really think: This is exactly the type of book my readers have been wanting to read this year, so I will definitely purchase a copy, and am dusting my older titles off and making sure they get some circulation. Glad to see this author back! Fans of Kasie West, Sarah Dessen, and Lynn Painter will enjoy this title.
Madeline and Cooper are seniors in high school, and have a long standing feud going on that leads them to dramatically sabotage each other. After Madeline steals Cooper’s clothes from the locker room and leaves him a clown costume instead, Cooper retaliates by having his friends relocate her Miata under the bleachers. This brings the two to the attention of principal, Ms. Tsuru, who is tired of the antics, which have included leaving meat in a locker and a glitter bomb. Madeline’s father and Cooper’s mother are called to the office, and the two pranksters have to work together on painting the faded tiger tracks in the parking lot. Since both parents are divorced (Madeline’s mother moved to Norway for her career, and Cooper’s father is working on an Alaskan oil rig) and know each other from the spin class the mother teaches, they decide to go out to dinner to discuss their errant children. The two do talk while they are painting, even though there is a rather epic paint battle, and get to the root of the problem; Cooper commented that Madeline got starring roles in the plays because her father donated money to the school, and Madeline retaliated by sharing an unflattering football video of Cooper. Both admit to being wrong, and have an uneasy truce. This is disrupted when they find that their parents are dating, and they figure this must be stopped. Cooper’s sister Claire rather likes Madeline and her father, but Cooper comes up with a good idea: he and Madeline should pretend to date, because then their parents wouldn’t be interested in each other. Madeline agrees, and the two have to navigate Cooper actually dating a girl named Dahlia, making their parents believe they are dating, and dealing with the football team and Madeline’s friend Selena. On the night of Homecoming, Madeline is out with the rather unpleasant TC from another school, and he hits a stray cat who has been hanging around the school. Madeline is upset, but TC won’t take the cat to the vet. Luckily, Cooper’s friend group happens by and stops, and Cooper not only hands over hsi suit jacket to protect the injured animal, but goes with Madeline to the vet. The two have been dancing around their attraction to each other, and finally admit that the two of them should be together, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Strengths: There have not been enough books from Rallison lately; I adored her 2008 Revenge of the Cheerleaders, 2009 Just One Wish, and 2010 My Double Life! She does an excellent job of writing about high school characters who are still interesting to middle school students. Such books were more prevalent 15 years ago; now young adult books include a lot more mature language, drinking, and other questionable choices. I would not have found these enjoyable as a teenager. While I am not personally a fan of the “enemies to lovers” trope, I know a lot of people are, and Madeline and Cooper’s journey to one another is very sweet. There’s some “practice” kissing that is totally middle grade appropriate but also rather thrilling. There are humorous moments, but also good lessons about how teens should act towards one another. Dahlia could have been a completely evil character, but is portrayed with a little bit of sympathy, and TC is unfortunately a type of guy that readers may encounter. Weaknesses: It would have been fun if the parents had still gotten together. Younger readers won’t care, but it would have made for a fun complication for Madeline and Cooper. It was nice to see parents involved with high school students, showing up at games and taking them out for ice cream.
What I really think: This is exactly the type of book my readers have been wanting to read this year, so I will definitely purchase a copy, and am dusting my older titles off and making sure they get some circulation. Glad to see this author back! Fans of Kasie West, Sarah Dessen, and Lynn Painter will enjoy this title.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 STARS. SO STINKING FUNNY AND ADORABLE!
Oh my gosh where do I start?? I loved so much about this book. I couldn’t put it down and easily read it in one night.
First off, I LOVE Janette Rallison. She’s been one of my favorite authors for a long time and this book is no exception! She has the ability to take a simple story and fill it with humor and heart. I don’t know what it is to me about most contemporary romance I’ve read in recent years, but they all seem to be missing something.
Ahem. That something being a SOUL.
But THIS. This is exactly what I want and miss in YA books. I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would!
I normally avoid books with the fake-dating trope like the PLAGUE. To me they are very predictable and convenient. This book was neither of those things. Every time I would assume where things were going—they went somewhere totally different. The amount of scrapes and awkward scenarios that Madeline and Cooper managed to get themselves into was hysterical. There were SO MANY funny and memorable scenes.
And oh my gosh. The humor in this book was ON. POINT. I was laughing out loud and giggling to myself the whole time reading this book. Something about the way Janette writes dialogue, internal thoughts, and funny situations, never feels like it’s trying too hard or too self aware. It’s just natural and it flows.
I also normally hate football/sports-related plots and characters because I don’t understand it and don’t really care. But I didn’t mind at all in this one. I liked the layers it added and the things that made each of these characters who they are. These characters were so fun to follow (even if I did think that Cooper acted like an idiot half of the time lol)
Also, something in me really LOVES a spoiled-rich-girl and poor-guy dynamic.
Oh, and the side characters in this were also so good. They felt like their own people and not like they were just there to support the main characters plot. They added so much more to the story. And without being too specific, I'll just say that I also loved the ending and how things resolved with the parents (even though it was kind of sudden). I’m not used to hopeful scenarios in books nowadays and it was a breath of fresh air.
Overall, I loved the pranks, I loved the dramatics, I loved the preppy school vibes. I loved the cat who looked, as one person put it, like he was plotting to overthrow the free world. ;)
This book is just dang good entertainment.
(side note: can we please bring back pretty aesthetic ya romance covers?? I’m kind of tired of all of these cartoon, vague-looking covers that all look the same *sadness*)
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
Oh my gosh where do I start?? I loved so much about this book. I couldn’t put it down and easily read it in one night.
First off, I LOVE Janette Rallison. She’s been one of my favorite authors for a long time and this book is no exception! She has the ability to take a simple story and fill it with humor and heart. I don’t know what it is to me about most contemporary romance I’ve read in recent years, but they all seem to be missing something.
Ahem. That something being a SOUL.
But THIS. This is exactly what I want and miss in YA books. I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would!
I normally avoid books with the fake-dating trope like the PLAGUE. To me they are very predictable and convenient. This book was neither of those things. Every time I would assume where things were going—they went somewhere totally different. The amount of scrapes and awkward scenarios that Madeline and Cooper managed to get themselves into was hysterical. There were SO MANY funny and memorable scenes.
And oh my gosh. The humor in this book was ON. POINT. I was laughing out loud and giggling to myself the whole time reading this book. Something about the way Janette writes dialogue, internal thoughts, and funny situations, never feels like it’s trying too hard or too self aware. It’s just natural and it flows.
I also normally hate football/sports-related plots and characters because I don’t understand it and don’t really care. But I didn’t mind at all in this one. I liked the layers it added and the things that made each of these characters who they are. These characters were so fun to follow (even if I did think that Cooper acted like an idiot half of the time lol)
Also, something in me really LOVES a spoiled-rich-girl and poor-guy dynamic.
Oh, and the side characters in this were also so good. They felt like their own people and not like they were just there to support the main characters plot. They added so much more to the story. And without being too specific, I'll just say that I also loved the ending and how things resolved with the parents (even though it was kind of sudden). I’m not used to hopeful scenarios in books nowadays and it was a breath of fresh air.
Overall, I loved the pranks, I loved the dramatics, I loved the preppy school vibes. I loved the cat who looked, as one person put it, like he was plotting to overthrow the free world. ;)
This book is just dang good entertainment.
(side note: can we please bring back pretty aesthetic ya romance covers?? I’m kind of tired of all of these cartoon, vague-looking covers that all look the same *sadness*)
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a free eARC of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and impartial review.
This book was so fun, fast-paced, and clean.
Madeline is a rich-but-geeky theater kid; Cooper is a poor-but-popular football star. At the beginning of the book, they have an ongoing feud that’s turned into a prank war. She breaks into his gym locker and replaces his clothes with a clown suit; he has the entire football team pick up her sports car and hide it under the bleachers. When Madeline’s divorced dad and Cooper’s divorced mom are called into the principal’s office, sparks fly and Madeline and Cooper are both horrified by the idea of their parents dating. Cooper still wants his mom to get back together with her ex-husband. He and Madeleine decide the only way to keep their parents apart is to pretend to date each other.
I appreciate stories about people actually trying to make relationships work instead of just insisting they shouldn’t be together and this book delivered on that. Madeline is then the first to try and honestly be a good person, moving beyond snipping and begrudging cooperation with Cooper. She buys clothes for his little sister, Claire, after Claire’s shirt gets ruined and she’s too poor to replace it. Madeleine’s relationship with Claire was one of my favorite parts of the story. It has “Darcy helps Lydia because he’s a good person and not just because he likes Elizabeth” energy.
The only area where I found this book lacking is I wish it had more of the situational comedy and prank hijinks we got at the beginning throughout the whole story and less dad-joke banter. Janette Rallison is consistently a fantastic comedy writer and I wish we got to see more hijinks so that comedy element could shine through more. I loved the ongoing gag of Madeleine feeding the unofficial stray cat on the school grounds, how the cat becomes a through-line for her relationship with Cooper, and how the cat comes into play during the climax.
This book was so fun, fast-paced, and clean.
Madeline is a rich-but-geeky theater kid; Cooper is a poor-but-popular football star. At the beginning of the book, they have an ongoing feud that’s turned into a prank war. She breaks into his gym locker and replaces his clothes with a clown suit; he has the entire football team pick up her sports car and hide it under the bleachers. When Madeline’s divorced dad and Cooper’s divorced mom are called into the principal’s office, sparks fly and Madeline and Cooper are both horrified by the idea of their parents dating. Cooper still wants his mom to get back together with her ex-husband. He and Madeleine decide the only way to keep their parents apart is to pretend to date each other.
I appreciate stories about people actually trying to make relationships work instead of just insisting they shouldn’t be together and this book delivered on that. Madeline is then the first to try and honestly be a good person, moving beyond snipping and begrudging cooperation with Cooper. She buys clothes for his little sister, Claire, after Claire’s shirt gets ruined and she’s too poor to replace it. Madeleine’s relationship with Claire was one of my favorite parts of the story. It has “Darcy helps Lydia because he’s a good person and not just because he likes Elizabeth” energy.
The only area where I found this book lacking is I wish it had more of the situational comedy and prank hijinks we got at the beginning throughout the whole story and less dad-joke banter. Janette Rallison is consistently a fantastic comedy writer and I wish we got to see more hijinks so that comedy element could shine through more. I loved the ongoing gag of Madeleine feeding the unofficial stray cat on the school grounds, how the cat becomes a through-line for her relationship with Cooper, and how the cat comes into play during the climax.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was an absolute delight! So much so, that I am excited to share it with my granddaughter who is just getting into 'love stories'. I appreciate how it is full of chemistry and kisses without all of the other stuff that YA and older MG readers don't need.
2 high school students have had bad-blood for a couple of years. When I say bad-blood, I'm talking full on, questionable pranks back and forth to the point that they finally get called in to the principals office and parents called in. She is the drama queen and gets the leads in all of the school musicals, while he is the football star with a real future. Both of their futures are called into question if they can't work it out and get along. The worst part? Their parents meet while in the meeting at the school and start dating.
Nope. Not going to happen. They have one last prank in them. They'll fake a relationship in a reverse Parent-Trap situation to ensure that they don't end up as step-siblings. This is the ultimate fake relationship, enemies to more story. There are several laugh out loud moments, some high school 'mean-girl' situations as well as 'dumb jock' references, and then friends that help and come together as well. When a fake kiss meant to increase the pressure on their parents feels real, everything changes and it complicate things. While they are caught off guard and in denial, it made me smile.
It's a great lesson on not judging others- you never know what is going on in their lives, but more than that- it is a lot of fun. Just a light and enjoyable read that will make a great conversation starter and way to share a love of reading with a young reader in your life. You'll laugh and swoon as you remember the days of 'groups' in high school and how much it mattered which one you were in.
Thanks to the publishers for an advanced copy of the book to enjoy.
2 high school students have had bad-blood for a couple of years. When I say bad-blood, I'm talking full on, questionable pranks back and forth to the point that they finally get called in to the principals office and parents called in. She is the drama queen and gets the leads in all of the school musicals, while he is the football star with a real future. Both of their futures are called into question if they can't work it out and get along. The worst part? Their parents meet while in the meeting at the school and start dating.
Nope. Not going to happen. They have one last prank in them. They'll fake a relationship in a reverse Parent-Trap situation to ensure that they don't end up as step-siblings. This is the ultimate fake relationship, enemies to more story. There are several laugh out loud moments, some high school 'mean-girl' situations as well as 'dumb jock' references, and then friends that help and come together as well. When a fake kiss meant to increase the pressure on their parents feels real, everything changes and it complicate things. While they are caught off guard and in denial, it made me smile.
It's a great lesson on not judging others- you never know what is going on in their lives, but more than that- it is a lot of fun. Just a light and enjoyable read that will make a great conversation starter and way to share a love of reading with a young reader in your life. You'll laugh and swoon as you remember the days of 'groups' in high school and how much it mattered which one you were in.
Thanks to the publishers for an advanced copy of the book to enjoy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(3.5 Stars) Wholesome YA novel, appropriate for middle schoolers and up. Madeline and Cooper are seniors in high school. They have been pranking each other since the previous year when Cooper didn’t like that Madeline beat out his sister for the lead in the school musical. When the pranking gets out of hand his mother and her father are called to the principal’s office. They agree on a date much to the kids' alarm. In the way that only works if you have a 17 year old brain the pair decide to fake date each other thinking it will stop their parents from becoming involved.
Madeline is smart, comes from money and works hard in her theater endeavors. Cooper, is the starting quarterback who is being scouted. His family has less money which often comes up between the two. The honesty is low stakes, with no big drama. The author does give the pair some commonality by each of them having an absent divorced parent. I thought the balance was off in the middle of the book because one is clearly crushing but the other one is actively seeking to date someone else. To add to the confusion in the premise they seem to easily tell all their friends that everything is fake.
I don’t expect a YA romance to end up with a HEA but I do expect something after reading 300 pages. I wanted a bit more yearning or acknowledging of feelings. I was also disappointed with the resolution of the parents' interest in each other. I was actually invested in how that would play out and was left wanting. The book is fine and I like that there are clean, kissing only, high school romances. I was hoping for a bit more from a unique premise. This is the first book by the author and I would read others from her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.
Madeline is smart, comes from money and works hard in her theater endeavors. Cooper, is the starting quarterback who is being scouted. His family has less money which often comes up between the two. The honesty is low stakes, with no big drama. The author does give the pair some commonality by each of them having an absent divorced parent. I thought the balance was off in the middle of the book because one is clearly crushing but the other one is actively seeking to date someone else. To add to the confusion in the premise they seem to easily tell all their friends that everything is fake.
I don’t expect a YA romance to end up with a HEA but I do expect something after reading 300 pages. I wanted a bit more yearning or acknowledging of feelings. I was also disappointed with the resolution of the parents' interest in each other. I was actually invested in how that would play out and was left wanting. The book is fine and I like that there are clean, kissing only, high school romances. I was hoping for a bit more from a unique premise. This is the first book by the author and I would read others from her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Madeline and Cooper have been pranking each other for a year. Madeline played a prank on Cooper after he spread the rumor that she got the lead part in the play because her dad made a large donation to the drama program. What Madeline didn't realize is that the rumor was his misguided protective instinct for his younger sister.
When their parents meet at the principal's office, they realize that they know each other from the fitness class that Cooper's mom teaches and they start dating. Cooper is devastated because he really wants his parents to get back together even though their divorce his final and his dad moved to Alaska. Madeline doesn't want Cooper to be her future stepbrother so she agrees to pretend to be dating him in front of their parents. After all, if the teenagers are dating, the parents won't be able to trust them alone when they get their families together.
It gets complicated when their friends find them together and when they are awkward with one another in front of their parents. But, after the forced time together with their parents and the secret time together plotting how they can get more serious about breaking up their parents, they get to know each other better, work out many of their miscommunications and start to develop feelings.
This was just a really sweet and innocent story with fun banter and amusing mishaps. Cooper was a sweetheart and Madeline was a really good balance of naïve rich girl and thoughtful. I wish their pranks had continued in a really mild way after they started dating instead of stopping completely when they were initially grounded. Overall, a good read if you're looking for something light or clean for YA.
Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
When their parents meet at the principal's office, they realize that they know each other from the fitness class that Cooper's mom teaches and they start dating. Cooper is devastated because he really wants his parents to get back together even though their divorce his final and his dad moved to Alaska. Madeline doesn't want Cooper to be her future stepbrother so she agrees to pretend to be dating him in front of their parents. After all, if the teenagers are dating, the parents won't be able to trust them alone when they get their families together.
It gets complicated when their friends find them together and when they are awkward with one another in front of their parents. But, after the forced time together with their parents and the secret time together plotting how they can get more serious about breaking up their parents, they get to know each other better, work out many of their miscommunications and start to develop feelings.
This was just a really sweet and innocent story with fun banter and amusing mishaps. Cooper was a sweetheart and Madeline was a really good balance of naïve rich girl and thoughtful. I wish their pranks had continued in a really mild way after they started dating instead of stopping completely when they were initially grounded. Overall, a good read if you're looking for something light or clean for YA.
Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
📝 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲: Think The Parent Trap but in reverse. Two teens who are schoolmates, not siblings, fake date each other because they do not want their single parents to end up together.
💬 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I’ve always enjoyed Janette Rallison’s books. Her stories are consistently funny and light, even in YA, so I was excited to read this as an ARC. That said, this one just did not quite work for me.
By the halfway point, I was struggling with the mcs dynamic. For me, they had very little chemistry, and I found it hard to fully connect with either character. This might honestly come down to me not being the target audience for this trope, because I could see how the humor and setup might land better for other readers. There were also a few moments that felt a bit too cringey for my taste.
My biggest hang-up was the fake dating setup itself. Even knowing it is fake, it was hard for me to get on board with one character continuing to spend so much time with their obvious crush. That part just did not sit right with me, though I know other readers may feel differently.
Things did get more interesting around the 80 percent mark, and I found myself more engaged there. I just wish that shift in dynamics had happened earlier, because I think it would have made a big difference for me overall.
❤️🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃����𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿: The premise itself was fun and creative, even if the execution did not fully land for me.
⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: No spice and no strong language.
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱/𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲: Clean YA romcoms, lighthearted family-focused stories, and humorous takes on fake dating tropes.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
💬 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I’ve always enjoyed Janette Rallison’s books. Her stories are consistently funny and light, even in YA, so I was excited to read this as an ARC. That said, this one just did not quite work for me.
By the halfway point, I was struggling with the mcs dynamic. For me, they had very little chemistry, and I found it hard to fully connect with either character. This might honestly come down to me not being the target audience for this trope, because I could see how the humor and setup might land better for other readers. There were also a few moments that felt a bit too cringey for my taste.
My biggest hang-up was the fake dating setup itself. Even knowing it is fake, it was hard for me to get on board with one character continuing to spend so much time with their obvious crush. That part just did not sit right with me, though I know other readers may feel differently.
Things did get more interesting around the 80 percent mark, and I found myself more engaged there. I just wish that shift in dynamics had happened earlier, because I think it would have made a big difference for me overall.
❤️🔥 𝗟𝗼𝘃����𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿: The premise itself was fun and creative, even if the execution did not fully land for me.
⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: No spice and no strong language.
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱/𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲: Clean YA romcoms, lighthearted family-focused stories, and humorous takes on fake dating tropes.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I thought this was a really fun YA novel! I finished it in a day, and it was a nice, low stress read.
I thought Madeleine was an interesting character! She had a strong personality, so she had to grow on me a little. But at the same time, I think she grew a lot in her awareness of her privilege. She also was not afraid to be herself which I really admired. And similar to Cooper, she was deeply loyal to her friends and family. Her character felt like a real teenager, but with every mistake, she strove to learn and grow.
Cooper was a sweetheart! He was definitely willing to do anything for his family, and he felt a lot of responsibility for them as well. He also felt like a real teenager, but like Madeleine he strove to grow. I thought his banter with Madeleine was really fun, and they balanced each other out well. They were both very driven, and they helped each other see nuances of issues.
This was an interesting storyline! I stayed up way too late because I wanted to see how it all came together. The side characters all added so much to the story, and I love how involved the parents were. It would have been fun to see more of the side characters and their motivations, but this is told from first person POV so it made sense to have some narrative bias. Overall, this is a fun and clean YA story that I would definitely recommend!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
I thought Madeleine was an interesting character! She had a strong personality, so she had to grow on me a little. But at the same time, I think she grew a lot in her awareness of her privilege. She also was not afraid to be herself which I really admired. And similar to Cooper, she was deeply loyal to her friends and family. Her character felt like a real teenager, but with every mistake, she strove to learn and grow.
Cooper was a sweetheart! He was definitely willing to do anything for his family, and he felt a lot of responsibility for them as well. He also felt like a real teenager, but like Madeleine he strove to grow. I thought his banter with Madeleine was really fun, and they balanced each other out well. They were both very driven, and they helped each other see nuances of issues.
This was an interesting storyline! I stayed up way too late because I wanted to see how it all came together. The side characters all added so much to the story, and I love how involved the parents were. It would have been fun to see more of the side characters and their motivations, but this is told from first person POV so it made sense to have some narrative bias. Overall, this is a fun and clean YA story that I would definitely recommend!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My first arc that I was approved for from netgalley, and I'd really not rather it be any other book!
If you're a fan of no spice, clean, cute rom-coms with a focus on family relationships and a little bit of teen drama (but of course, who doesn't love that?) this book is exactly for you!
Without giving anything away, this book features our main characters Madeline and Cooper, who have always been at odds with each other, resorting to a stream of harmless (and sometimes, not so harmless pranks) to always torment each other. Things change, however, when they realize their single parents are interested in each other and might even get together. Horrified at the prospect of having each other as family and being stuck with each other for the rest of their lives, they come up with a plan. They're gonna pretend they are in a relationship, and hope that's enough to make their parents rethink their relationship. So, they start fake dating. No real feelings. No strings attached. Simple, right? Except, it didn't go as expected...
(Read the book to find out more!)
I loved this book so much, it was exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. I loved how the characters' relationships felt just right, and the focus on family relationships and how they might have an impact on the childrens' lives was done just right. The ending was a little...anti climatic, I guess, i would've killed for an epilogue, but other than that, this was such a fun read!
If you're a fan of no spice, clean, cute rom-coms with a focus on family relationships and a little bit of teen drama (but of course, who doesn't love that?) this book is exactly for you!
Without giving anything away, this book features our main characters Madeline and Cooper, who have always been at odds with each other, resorting to a stream of harmless (and sometimes, not so harmless pranks) to always torment each other. Things change, however, when they realize their single parents are interested in each other and might even get together. Horrified at the prospect of having each other as family and being stuck with each other for the rest of their lives, they come up with a plan. They're gonna pretend they are in a relationship, and hope that's enough to make their parents rethink their relationship. So, they start fake dating. No real feelings. No strings attached. Simple, right? Except, it didn't go as expected...
(Read the book to find out more!)
I loved this book so much, it was exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. I loved how the characters' relationships felt just right, and the focus on family relationships and how they might have an impact on the childrens' lives was done just right. The ending was a little...anti climatic, I guess, i would've killed for an epilogue, but other than that, this was such a fun read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley!**
I enjoyed this book! It was really cute, even though it was pretty predictable. I liked the depth Cooper and Madeline had, and I think this story tackled the issue of wealth from a high schooler's perspective quite well.
The premise was fun, and Cooper and Madeline's banter was fun to read. I also enjoyed the subplots and friendships the characters had. I think at some points they felt like 20-year-olds rather than high schoolers, but high schoolers can be mature, especially from hard life circumstances, so it didn't bother me.
This book was also really clean, which I appreciated. My only issue is that the book's plot drags, especially in the middle. Sometimes there just wasn't much plot going on, and I was bored. Also, sometimes the writing style is expositional, which isn't fun when the book is dual, first person POV. I sometimes couldn't keep track of whose perspective we were in, but I didn't have that issue too often.
Overall, this was a fun read, and I would recommend reading this for a cute, clean YA romance.
I enjoyed this book! It was really cute, even though it was pretty predictable. I liked the depth Cooper and Madeline had, and I think this story tackled the issue of wealth from a high schooler's perspective quite well.
The premise was fun, and Cooper and Madeline's banter was fun to read. I also enjoyed the subplots and friendships the characters had. I think at some points they felt like 20-year-olds rather than high schoolers, but high schoolers can be mature, especially from hard life circumstances, so it didn't bother me.
This book was also really clean, which I appreciated. My only issue is that the book's plot drags, especially in the middle. Sometimes there just wasn't much plot going on, and I was bored. Also, sometimes the writing style is expositional, which isn't fun when the book is dual, first person POV. I sometimes couldn't keep track of whose perspective we were in, but I didn't have that issue too often.
Overall, this was a fun read, and I would recommend reading this for a cute, clean YA romance.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A quick, fun read that is entertaining and just the right length. This is a YA read, clean and sweet. Set in high school it reads like a an age appropriate book for high school. Righting is well done, I read an ARC so there were a few spelling errors that I believe will be corrected in the final editing stages. This is a true enemies to lovers read. It is marketed as a reverse-parent-trap story, which is what caught my attention. Maddilyn and Cooper agree to a fake relationship after they get in trouble for pranks and their parents start dating.
Who knew pulling pranks would lead to a date for single parents? A call from the principal sets in motion events that a comical and cute but also heartwarming. Sometimes we just need to get to know the person we call our nemesis and peel away the layers of who they really are. Sometimes our perception of people is skewed and we find out that the person we dislike the most is actually the person that we were meant to be with all along.
This story is a great read. I read it in one day. I would call it a perfect weekend read, lake read, cold winter nights read. Because it is light and easy to read it makes the perfect book for between heavier reading.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
Who knew pulling pranks would lead to a date for single parents? A call from the principal sets in motion events that a comical and cute but also heartwarming. Sometimes we just need to get to know the person we call our nemesis and peel away the layers of who they really are. Sometimes our perception of people is skewed and we find out that the person we dislike the most is actually the person that we were meant to be with all along.
This story is a great read. I read it in one day. I would call it a perfect weekend read, lake read, cold winter nights read. Because it is light and easy to read it makes the perfect book for between heavier reading.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a delight! I won’t lie, I was giggling and kicking my feet through most of the book. We Are Never Getting Together is a ridiculously fun fake dating story that’s so light, you can easily read it in a single sitting. Is it a completely new or groundbreaking concept? Obviously not, the main characters are a drama queen and a star football player. Still, I had an absolute blast reading it.
What really won me over was the female protagonist, who reminded me so much of Cher Horowitz from Clueless, with her over-the-top acting and lawyer routine. I was honestly a little disappointed when, halfway through, she dropped the lawyer bit. The main male character was fine in comparison: cute and sweet, yet nothing to really write home about. But overall, it was a good time and even got me thinking about my favorite fake dating books that I now want to reread.
So if you’re in a slump like I was and looking for something absurd, fun, and easy to read, We Are Never Getting Together is it.
What a delight! I won’t lie, I was giggling and kicking my feet through most of the book. We Are Never Getting Together is a ridiculously fun fake dating story that’s so light, you can easily read it in a single sitting. Is it a completely new or groundbreaking concept? Obviously not, the main characters are a drama queen and a star football player. Still, I had an absolute blast reading it.
What really won me over was the female protagonist, who reminded me so much of Cher Horowitz from Clueless, with her over-the-top acting and lawyer routine. I was honestly a little disappointed when, halfway through, she dropped the lawyer bit. The main male character was fine in comparison: cute and sweet, yet nothing to really write home about. But overall, it was a good time and even got me thinking about my favorite fake dating books that I now want to reread.
So if you’re in a slump like I was and looking for something absurd, fun, and easy to read, We Are Never Getting Together is it.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Review copy courtesy of Shadow Mountain through Edelweiss
This would be a good recommendation for the YA reader in your life who loves Jenny Han books (or even the reluctant reader who watched "The Summer I Turned Pretty." The book begins with football player Cooper and actress Madeline getting caught as they've spent nearly a year engaging in silly pranks with each other. This time, Cooper's revenge has led their principal to send their parents in, and as the parents meet, they fall in love. Cooper and Madeline's next plan is to pretend to be dating so their parents don't spend as much time together. The book continues in teen romcom fashion, and was very sweet. My only big issue was - probably due to omission - there appeared to be no characters of color in the book, and - for a girl who is in the drama club - everyone in the book was straight. A little bit of diversity would have added to the book.
Z
This would be a good recommendation for the YA reader in your life who loves Jenny Han books (or even the reluctant reader who watched "The Summer I Turned Pretty." The book begins with football player Cooper and actress Madeline getting caught as they've spent nearly a year engaging in silly pranks with each other. This time, Cooper's revenge has led their principal to send their parents in, and as the parents meet, they fall in love. Cooper and Madeline's next plan is to pretend to be dating so their parents don't spend as much time together. The book continues in teen romcom fashion, and was very sweet. My only big issue was - probably due to omission - there appeared to be no characters of color in the book, and - for a girl who is in the drama club - everyone in the book was straight. A little bit of diversity would have added to the book.
Z
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I've read Janette Rallison's YA novels before and enjoyed them, and I'd say We Are Never Getting Together falls right in the middle of her previous works for me. As a nerdy, artistic, musical girl in high school who didn't garner much attention from boys, I understood what it was like to think about dating the cute star football players without expectation of those dreams coming to fruition; Madeline got to live out my adolescent daydreams.
When reading YA, I have to remember that these characters are teenagers who don't have fully-formed frontal lobes and act out more with their emotions than logic, so a fake-dating scheme to get your parents to breakup, while kinda wild, isn't out of the realm of possibilities for two seventeen year-olds. Who hasn't thought up crazy schemes in their youth?
Personally, I'd say this books is just fine. Not my favorite, but not terrible, either.
I've read Janette Rallison's YA novels before and enjoyed them, and I'd say We Are Never Getting Together falls right in the middle of her previous works for me. As a nerdy, artistic, musical girl in high school who didn't garner much attention from boys, I understood what it was like to think about dating the cute star football players without expectation of those dreams coming to fruition; Madeline got to live out my adolescent daydreams.
When reading YA, I have to remember that these characters are teenagers who don't have fully-formed frontal lobes and act out more with their emotions than logic, so a fake-dating scheme to get your parents to breakup, while kinda wild, isn't out of the realm of possibilities for two seventeen year-olds. Who hasn't thought up crazy schemes in their youth?
Personally, I'd say this books is just fine. Not my favorite, but not terrible, either.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A very enjoyable read
Such a fun story of two teenage enemies banding together in a joint cause. Madeline and Cooper had been enemies for years. Madeline was in theatre. While Cooper excelled at football, a game Madeline didn’t understand. Their fight raged as pranks flew between them at school, until they pushed the limits too far and ended up in the office with the principal calling their parents. That they could have predicted. What they didn’t predict was their parents leaving their meeting with the principal with plans to see each other. Seeing the attraction, Madeline and Cooper realize their parents, both divorced, could end up married. With that fear, they decide to join forces in a campaign to keep their parents apart by pretending they are a couple. A wonderfully fun story. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
Such a fun story of two teenage enemies banding together in a joint cause. Madeline and Cooper had been enemies for years. Madeline was in theatre. While Cooper excelled at football, a game Madeline didn’t understand. Their fight raged as pranks flew between them at school, until they pushed the limits too far and ended up in the office with the principal calling their parents. That they could have predicted. What they didn’t predict was their parents leaving their meeting with the principal with plans to see each other. Seeing the attraction, Madeline and Cooper realize their parents, both divorced, could end up married. With that fear, they decide to join forces in a campaign to keep their parents apart by pretending they are a couple. A wonderfully fun story. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison is a really fun, light YA rom‑com with a great mix of pranks, fake dating, and slow-burn chemistry.
Madeline and Cooper start out as total enemies, and their over-the-top rivalry makes the beginning especially entertaining. Once they team up to “fake date” to keep their parents apart, the story gets even more chaotic in a cute way.
What I liked most is how their relationship shifts as they’re forced to spend time together as you start to see the softer sides of both characters, and it feels natural watching them realize they might’ve misjudged each other. It’s clean, sweet, funny, and easy to read. It is the kind of book you can finish in a day and a charming and feel-good story that delivers exactly what you want from a young adult enemies-to-lovers romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Madeline and Cooper start out as total enemies, and their over-the-top rivalry makes the beginning especially entertaining. Once they team up to “fake date” to keep their parents apart, the story gets even more chaotic in a cute way.
What I liked most is how their relationship shifts as they’re forced to spend time together as you start to see the softer sides of both characters, and it feels natural watching them realize they might’ve misjudged each other. It’s clean, sweet, funny, and easy to read. It is the kind of book you can finish in a day and a charming and feel-good story that delivers exactly what you want from a young adult enemies-to-lovers romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for offering me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a cute book! I am squealing!! I wasn't really sure what to expect going into the book, but the description caught my eye and I wanted to read it. The plot was such a cool concept with the idea of doing a reverse parent trap situation. I was clean with no spicy scenes and lack of language! I am obsessed with a fake dating troupe when done well, and Janette Rallison did it perfectly! The banter was fun, and the ending was a little bit of a surprise for me. Some of those pranks in the beginning were absolutely crazy! My only dislike was I felt like Madeline should have shown more financial awareness, as it seemed she was quite oblivious. Overall, this did not stop me from reading the book, and I would highly recommend it for an easy, fun read.
This was such a cute book! I am squealing!! I wasn't really sure what to expect going into the book, but the description caught my eye and I wanted to read it. The plot was such a cool concept with the idea of doing a reverse parent trap situation. I was clean with no spicy scenes and lack of language! I am obsessed with a fake dating troupe when done well, and Janette Rallison did it perfectly! The banter was fun, and the ending was a little bit of a surprise for me. Some of those pranks in the beginning were absolutely crazy! My only dislike was I felt like Madeline should have shown more financial awareness, as it seemed she was quite oblivious. Overall, this did not stop me from reading the book, and I would highly recommend it for an easy, fun read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a fun YA Romance. I'd say they don't make 'em like this anymore, but Janette Rallison has been making them this for like twenty years.
It is cute, it is fun, it is swoony. It is everything you could possibly want in a YA Romance. Dual, 1st POV. Rounded characters. Good, believable dialogue. Adults who act like adults and also stay out of the teen drama.
The premise of fake dating to keep their parents from dating was such a great, fresh take on the fake-dating trope. I loved watching their feelings slowly develop over time, from both sides since this was dual POV.
The banter was good and believable for teens. It was quick and easy to read. Easy to get sucked into and hard to put down.
And I'm now forever obsessed with the painting scene.
5/5. Absolute knock out.
It is cute, it is fun, it is swoony. It is everything you could possibly want in a YA Romance. Dual, 1st POV. Rounded characters. Good, believable dialogue. Adults who act like adults and also stay out of the teen drama.
The premise of fake dating to keep their parents from dating was such a great, fresh take on the fake-dating trope. I loved watching their feelings slowly develop over time, from both sides since this was dual POV.
The banter was good and believable for teens. It was quick and easy to read. Easy to get sucked into and hard to put down.
And I'm now forever obsessed with the painting scene.
5/5. Absolute knock out.
March 29, 2026
It’s refreshing to read a YA book that is actually geared towards young adults and something I wouldn’t worry about my teenage daughter reading.
Madeline and Cooper start out in a prank war at their high school but when they finally get caught by the principal, their parents are called into the office where they first meet and hit it off. They are willing to do anything to keep their parents apart and prevent the possibility of becoming step siblings, so Cooper and Madeline decide to fake date so their parents will be more hesitant to pursue a relationship.
But sometimes even when you are “faking” sometimes you start filling real feelings and that just gets everything all complicated.
This one was really cute and I would definitely recommend it to teens. There is one part where an animal is injured that could be upsetting but everything ends up ok.
Madeline and Cooper start out in a prank war at their high school but when they finally get caught by the principal, their parents are called into the office where they first meet and hit it off. They are willing to do anything to keep their parents apart and prevent the possibility of becoming step siblings, so Cooper and Madeline decide to fake date so their parents will be more hesitant to pursue a relationship.
But sometimes even when you are “faking” sometimes you start filling real feelings and that just gets everything all complicated.
This one was really cute and I would definitely recommend it to teens. There is one part where an animal is injured that could be upsetting but everything ends up ok.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I've been reading Janette Rallison's books for a really long time. I love that she writes both YA and adult romances equally well. Her books are funny, they are full of heart. And her characters are so great!
This one features Madeline and Cooper. They're two seniors in high school. And they can not get along. The pranks these two pull on each other are epic. One day, they get called into the principal's office for their pranks. And that's when their parents meet.
The lengths these two will go to keep their parents apart are so huge! I had to laugh so many times. They come up with the idea that they need to be a couple and that will break their parents apart. And when that doesn't work, they try even harder.
This is such a fun fake dating YA novel. I loved it so much!
This one features Madeline and Cooper. They're two seniors in high school. And they can not get along. The pranks these two pull on each other are epic. One day, they get called into the principal's office for their pranks. And that's when their parents meet.
The lengths these two will go to keep their parents apart are so huge! I had to laugh so many times. They come up with the idea that they need to be a couple and that will break their parents apart. And when that doesn't work, they try even harder.
This is such a fun fake dating YA novel. I loved it so much!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have LOVED Janette Rallison books since I was in middle school. This one was reminiscent of her earlier books, in fact, there were moments when it reminded me a lot of Fame, Glory and other things on my to-do list. It made me so happy, kinda like catching up with an old friend. I've really missed Janette Rallison's high school hijinx stories, it's been awhile since one was released. She is so masterful at creating cringey, laugh-out-loud moments that are just, totally irrisistble. I've read all the books in my collection numerous times (It's a Mall World is my favorite) and now I am beyond thrilled to add this one to the mix!
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