What do you think?
Rate this book
Lake Life
Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, this charming, chaotic romance follows two teens who agree to fake-date when stuck together one summer in a quirky, scenic lake town.
This is definitely not how Maya wanted to spend the summer—depressed at her once-beloved cabin in Spruce Lake, and unable to avoid seeing her lifelong best friend, Rashida, after confessing her woefully unrequited love to her last year. Maya can’t decide if she wants to escape, or convince Rashida they’re still meant to be.
Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mom in hopes she stays out of trouble. Gabe is NOT excited to be here. She does NOT like nature. She does NOT want to spend her summer in a tiny town with outdoorsy environmentalist types.
Gabe is pretty sure she’ll be spending this entire summer bored and alone…until she meets Maya. Together, they hatch a fake-dating scheme to make Rashida jealous and convince Gabe’s mom that Gabe has turned a wholesome new leaf.
But as the plan plays out, and Gabe and Maya contend with protests, a relentlessly concerned community, and romantic twists, they start to realize that their assumptions about friendship and love might have led them completely astray. Can they find their way through this mess without hurting each other in the process?
This is definitely not how Maya wanted to spend the summer—depressed at her once-beloved cabin in Spruce Lake, and unable to avoid seeing her lifelong best friend, Rashida, after confessing her woefully unrequited love to her last year. Maya can’t decide if she wants to escape, or convince Rashida they’re still meant to be.
Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mom in hopes she stays out of trouble. Gabe is NOT excited to be here. She does NOT like nature. She does NOT want to spend her summer in a tiny town with outdoorsy environmentalist types.
Gabe is pretty sure she’ll be spending this entire summer bored and alone…until she meets Maya. Together, they hatch a fake-dating scheme to make Rashida jealous and convince Gabe’s mom that Gabe has turned a wholesome new leaf.
But as the plan plays out, and Gabe and Maya contend with protests, a relentlessly concerned community, and romantic twists, they start to realize that their assumptions about friendship and love might have led them completely astray. Can they find their way through this mess without hurting each other in the process?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2026
About the author
Tanya Boteju
8 books267 followersTANYA BOTEJU lives on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations (Vancouver, BC). Part-time, she teaches English to clever and sassy young people. The rest of her time, she uses writing as an excuse to eat pastries. Her debut novel, KINGS, QUEENS, AND IN-BETWEENS, was named a Top Ten Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association, as well as selected for the American Librarian Association 2020 Rainbow List. Her second novel, BRUISED, was selected as a Gold Standard book by the Junior Library Guild. Look for another YA novel, MESSY PERFECT, and a middle grade nonfiction book about allyship in 2025. In both her teaching and writing, Tanya hopes she’s bending the universe even the tiniest bit toward justice. Visit her at tanyaboteju.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fake dating is my favorite romance trope and I had no doubt I'd be requesting this when I saw it. However, the slow start coupled with the fact that I could connect with Gabe and Maya did not make this the most enjoyable reading experience. The entire book spans over 2 weeks and I feel that's where the issue lays. It's quite difficult to convince me that these two teenagers get so attached in only 2 weeks lol.
The subplot of environmental activism, and protecting the land and indigenous practices of reciprocity with the earth was so interesting and written with such care. I've read Braiding Sweetgrass so I can't explain how excited I got when I saw the quote at the start of the book.
The narrator for Maya through,was far too slow compared to Gabe's and I was stuck in the limbo where a faster speed rendered Gabe's pov incomprehensible.Other than that it was a good narration
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the alc in exchange for an honest review
The subplot of environmental activism, and protecting the land and indigenous practices of reciprocity with the earth was so interesting and written with such care. I've read Braiding Sweetgrass so I can't explain how excited I got when I saw the quote at the start of the book.
The narrator for Maya through,was far too slow compared to Gabe's and I was stuck in the limbo where a faster speed rendered Gabe's pov incomprehensible.Other than that it was a good narration
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the alc in exchange for an honest review
May 28, 2026
(rounded up from 3.5)
This was sweet and wholesome as a teen fake dating story set in a small town. The twists are fairly predictable, and I'm not sure there was enough of a relationship established for me to be properly invested in it or to think that their differences would make for a strong long-term relationship. However, this was a sweet story about coming from a broken home and the importance of having people around you who accept and love you.
This was sweet and wholesome as a teen fake dating story set in a small town. The twists are fairly predictable, and I'm not sure there was enough of a relationship established for me to be properly invested in it or to think that their differences would make for a strong long-term relationship. However, this was a sweet story about coming from a broken home and the importance of having people around you who accept and love you.
June 3, 2026
Lake Life is a cute, easy, queer romance that follows two teens who agree to fake-date one another in a quiet, lakeside town.
Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mum, who is hoping she just stays out of the way and out of trouble. She’s not outdoorsy, doesn’t know a soul, and doesn’t want to be there but she has no other options so when she meets Maya, who is a summer local and dealing with not having the feelings she has for her best friend reciprocated, they find some sort of camaraderie with each other and decide to fake date to see if it causes Rashida jealous.
I really enjoyed the full cast of characters surrounding Maya and Gabe, including grumpy locals, an activist group, even the parents of all three girls and how they all showed up in different ways.
I think some of my issue was with how the book both started out slowly but also seemed to wrap up so quickly. In my opinion, there was a lot of opportunity to look further into Gabe’s relationship with her mum and it was sort of glossed over and wrapped up in favor of focusing on the environmental activism storyline.
Rounded down from 3.25 on goodreads.
Lake Life was published May 26, 2026 and I received an audio copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mum, who is hoping she just stays out of the way and out of trouble. She’s not outdoorsy, doesn’t know a soul, and doesn’t want to be there but she has no other options so when she meets Maya, who is a summer local and dealing with not having the feelings she has for her best friend reciprocated, they find some sort of camaraderie with each other and decide to fake date to see if it causes Rashida jealous.
I really enjoyed the full cast of characters surrounding Maya and Gabe, including grumpy locals, an activist group, even the parents of all three girls and how they all showed up in different ways.
I think some of my issue was with how the book both started out slowly but also seemed to wrap up so quickly. In my opinion, there was a lot of opportunity to look further into Gabe’s relationship with her mum and it was sort of glossed over and wrapped up in favor of focusing on the environmental activism storyline.
Rounded down from 3.25 on goodreads.
Lake Life was published May 26, 2026 and I received an audio copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
June 15, 2026
*3.75 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this about three weeks ago and I don't remember that much of it. I don't think it made much of an impression. I listened to that one and I flew through it but I remember the main characters annoying me and making really bad decisions, mostly at first though. They did both grow but I don't think I felt the romance either. It felt a bit fast to me... I did like the premise but idk, it didn't really work for me. It was still a nice story, I liked the town spirit and I could really see myself there. I liked how Gabe connected with some of the locals and the whole talk of community and protesting. This was more interesting to me than the romance. So, I still liked this overall and will be reading more books by this author.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this about three weeks ago and I don't remember that much of it. I don't think it made much of an impression. I listened to that one and I flew through it but I remember the main characters annoying me and making really bad decisions, mostly at first though. They did both grow but I don't think I felt the romance either. It felt a bit fast to me... I did like the premise but idk, it didn't really work for me. It was still a nice story, I liked the town spirit and I could really see myself there. I liked how Gabe connected with some of the locals and the whole talk of community and protesting. This was more interesting to me than the romance. So, I still liked this overall and will be reading more books by this author.
June 7, 2026
Rounding up to four stars. This was a solid YA romance. Sweet and cute in a charming setting but with enough edge and depth to be engaging. I did find it dragged a bit for me so I boosted my listening speed but I definitely enjoyed it overall and would recommend it for those who enjoy YA and I'll probably buy a copy for my niece.
I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Harper Audio Children's in exchange for an honest review.
I received an audio Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley and Harper Audio Children's in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2026
I'm a fool for a fake relationship and was absolutely charmed by this story. I think what I liked most was the world-building and contextual background through which we were able to get closer to the characters of Maya and Gabe. I REALLY liked the location, the indigenous aspects and the environmental themes that provided wonderful layers, colours and depth to this lovely story about people discovering who they are, what they want, and who/what moves them.
June 18, 2026
It feels harsh to give this book two stars, and I don't want anyone to get it twisted—this wasn't a bad book. I just thought it was supremely okay. I went into this hoping for a sweet, swoony summer romance with lots of summer camp/lakeside vibes. And while this absolutely delivered on the atmosphere, I just didn't feel anything for the romance. I gotta say, for a book with a "fake dating" trope? This was kind of a snoozefest..!
Listen, if you tell me that a book is gay and has a fake dating trope, there had better be:
—Some comedic fake flirting scenes
—TENSION
—A realization of caught feelings
—And ultimately, some deeeeeep yearning that builds over the course of the novel until they finally profess their feelings to the other person.
And I just feel like there wasn't a whole lot of that?? The two love interests just had zero chemistry and barely even "fake dated" to even warrant them catching feelings for each other—which feels like it comes out of nowhere once it happens. Like, wait, where did this come from?? I just wanted so much more than what I was given. I wanted to swoon over these two characters, but sadly I felt kind of nothing for them.
On that note: I just didn't care for Gabe all that much.
I found her annoying and overly angsty just for the sake of hitting that trope of angsty, out of touch rich girl. Overall, I found her to be a pretty one-dimensional character, even when it came to her backstory. Okay, she was a bit of a brat who I guess pushed her moms too far until one of them flat-out left the family? What could she have done that was that bad other than be any other slightly rebellious teenager? Also, this just further raises the question: why was she acting out? What's the root of that? We don't ever really tap deeper into that. Again, it felt kind of one-dimensional and like she was written that way just to be a stereotypical rebellious teenager without getting to the root of where that came from.
Final thoughts
It's such a bummer, because there were aspects of this I really liked! Particularly the small-town, lakeside setting. I loved this quirky small town with all of its regulars and the sense of community and the local bar where they all go for karaoke, and all of the other community events they hold, and even how many openly queer people there are and how they all coexist as almost this big family. I loved all of this so much, and it gave such a cozy, summer atmosphere. I just wish this could've extended to the romance, which unfortunately falls flat in comparison.
Listen, if you tell me that a book is gay and has a fake dating trope, there had better be:
—Some comedic fake flirting scenes
—TENSION
—A realization of caught feelings
—And ultimately, some deeeeeep yearning that builds over the course of the novel until they finally profess their feelings to the other person.
And I just feel like there wasn't a whole lot of that?? The two love interests just had zero chemistry and barely even "fake dated" to even warrant them catching feelings for each other—which feels like it comes out of nowhere once it happens. Like, wait, where did this come from?? I just wanted so much more than what I was given. I wanted to swoon over these two characters, but sadly I felt kind of nothing for them.
On that note: I just didn't care for Gabe all that much.
I found her annoying and overly angsty just for the sake of hitting that trope of angsty, out of touch rich girl. Overall, I found her to be a pretty one-dimensional character, even when it came to her backstory. Okay, she was a bit of a brat who I guess pushed her moms too far until one of them flat-out left the family? What could she have done that was that bad other than be any other slightly rebellious teenager? Also, this just further raises the question: why was she acting out? What's the root of that? We don't ever really tap deeper into that. Again, it felt kind of one-dimensional and like she was written that way just to be a stereotypical rebellious teenager without getting to the root of where that came from.
Final thoughts
It's such a bummer, because there were aspects of this I really liked! Particularly the small-town, lakeside setting. I loved this quirky small town with all of its regulars and the sense of community and the local bar where they all go for karaoke, and all of the other community events they hold, and even how many openly queer people there are and how they all coexist as almost this big family. I loved all of this so much, and it gave such a cozy, summer atmosphere. I just wish this could've extended to the romance, which unfortunately falls flat in comparison.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✧ Genre: Lesbian Romance • YA
✧ Tropes: Fake Dating • Small Town
✧ Rating: 3/5 ★
✧ Spice: None
✧ Summary:
Maya is spending the summer at Spruce Lake while still heartbroken over her best friend Rashida, while Gabe gets shipped off there by her mom after causing trouble back home. The two decide to fake date for their own reasons.
✧ Thoughts:
This was a cute and messy summer YA romance. I liked both Maya and Gabe as characters, but I never fully connected with either of them. They both had interesting backstories and struggles, especially Gabe with her family issues and Maya dealing with heartbreak and insecurity, but they still felt distant to me. I understood them more than I actually felt attached to them, if that makes sense.
The romance unfortunately didn’t fully work for me either. Fake Dating is my favourite trope, but here I didn’t like it. I expected more. There were definitely some cute moments, but overall I didn’t feel chemistry between Maya and Gabe. Not enough buildup for me personally.
What I did really enjoy was the activism and environmental aspect of the story. That was the most interesting part by far. The protests, the community involvement, and the discussions around protecting the lake gave the story more depth. I found myself more invested in those scenes than the romance.
🎧 The audiobook was good—I liked both narrators individually and thought they fit their own characters well—but together they felt mismatched. Their speaking styles and pacing were so different. The transitions between POVs weren’t flowing naturally.
Overall, this was a solid YA summer read with good representation, a fun fake dating premise, and some genuinely strong themes about community and activism. I enjoyed it, but I never became fully emotionally invested in either the romance or the characters. It wasn’t the perfect read for me, but I’m sure others will love it.
✧ Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
✧ Publication Date: 26th May, 2026
✧ Tropes: Fake Dating • Small Town
✧ Rating: 3/5 ★
✧ Spice: None
✧ Summary:
Maya is spending the summer at Spruce Lake while still heartbroken over her best friend Rashida, while Gabe gets shipped off there by her mom after causing trouble back home. The two decide to fake date for their own reasons.
✧ Thoughts:
This was a cute and messy summer YA romance. I liked both Maya and Gabe as characters, but I never fully connected with either of them. They both had interesting backstories and struggles, especially Gabe with her family issues and Maya dealing with heartbreak and insecurity, but they still felt distant to me. I understood them more than I actually felt attached to them, if that makes sense.
The romance unfortunately didn’t fully work for me either. Fake Dating is my favourite trope, but here I didn’t like it. I expected more. There were definitely some cute moments, but overall I didn’t feel chemistry between Maya and Gabe. Not enough buildup for me personally.
What I did really enjoy was the activism and environmental aspect of the story. That was the most interesting part by far. The protests, the community involvement, and the discussions around protecting the lake gave the story more depth. I found myself more invested in those scenes than the romance.
🎧 The audiobook was good—I liked both narrators individually and thought they fit their own characters well—but together they felt mismatched. Their speaking styles and pacing were so different. The transitions between POVs weren’t flowing naturally.
Overall, this was a solid YA summer read with good representation, a fun fake dating premise, and some genuinely strong themes about community and activism. I enjoyed it, but I never became fully emotionally invested in either the romance or the characters. It wasn’t the perfect read for me, but I’m sure others will love it.
✧ Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
✧ Publication Date: 26th May, 2026
May 19, 2026
Lake Life is a YA fake dating sapphic romance set in the Canadian Pacific Northwest with environmental activism as a background. Maya has returned to spend the summer at her family’s cottage at Spruce Lake, a year following a confession of unrequited love to her best friend. Gabe has been sent by her mother to spend the summer at Spruce Lake to clean up her act. Together Maya and Gabe set up a fake relationship, to make Maya’s love interest jealous and to show Gabe’s mom a wholesome relationship.
I really liked Gabe as a character and her journey throughout the book. You tell her relationship with her parents has really affected her and how she sees herself. But throughout the book she goes from jaded teen to learning how to care about others and herself. There are parts that are very much teenage angst but it fits with everything she’s dealt with.
Maya was a bit more frustrating reading as an adult. I can definitely see a teenager doing some of the things she does (I definitely remember wanting to do something of those big moment things) but it’s definitely a bit annoying to read as adult. Overall though I did like her as a character and her dedication to Spruce Lake and the environment is also endearing.
I do like a good fake relationship plot but I did find this one a bit too YA for me. This isn’t a bad thing and I think teenage me would have loved how this trope was done in this book.
I loved the environmental activism as the underlying plot and conflict for the book. I felt it was very try well done and added even just to setting the scene of the Pacific Northwest.
The narration was overall good but I did find Maya’s narrator was slower than Gabes’s which made it difficult to find a good listening speed for both narrators.
Overall a good sapphic fake dating book with environmental conservation and activism as the underlying plot, perfect for YA readers.
Thank you to the NetGalley and HarperAudio Children for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked Gabe as a character and her journey throughout the book. You tell her relationship with her parents has really affected her and how she sees herself. But throughout the book she goes from jaded teen to learning how to care about others and herself. There are parts that are very much teenage angst but it fits with everything she’s dealt with.
Maya was a bit more frustrating reading as an adult. I can definitely see a teenager doing some of the things she does (I definitely remember wanting to do something of those big moment things) but it’s definitely a bit annoying to read as adult. Overall though I did like her as a character and her dedication to Spruce Lake and the environment is also endearing.
I do like a good fake relationship plot but I did find this one a bit too YA for me. This isn’t a bad thing and I think teenage me would have loved how this trope was done in this book.
I loved the environmental activism as the underlying plot and conflict for the book. I felt it was very try well done and added even just to setting the scene of the Pacific Northwest.
The narration was overall good but I did find Maya’s narrator was slower than Gabes’s which made it difficult to find a good listening speed for both narrators.
Overall a good sapphic fake dating book with environmental conservation and activism as the underlying plot, perfect for YA readers.
Thank you to the NetGalley and HarperAudio Children for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy of Lake Life in exchange for an honest review. I was initially drawn in by the beautiful cover and the promise of a sapphic fake-dating storyline.
Lake Life is a dual-POV YA romance set in a nature-filled small town, following two very different girls. Maya is still heartbroken a year after her best friend rejected her confession of love, while Gabe is a rebellious teen sent away by her mother to spend a quiet summer and “stay out of trouble.” What begins as a fake-dating scheme to win Maya’s best friend over soon reveals a very real chemistry between Maya and Gabe, one they both try to ignore... while they also navigate environmental protests, curious neighbours, and Gabe's complicated family dynamics.
I really enjoyed the environmental aspect of the story and how it was woven into the plot, all the way to its final point. Gabe’s gradual integration into the community, despite being an outsider, was engaging to follow, too - especially her interactions with Jan and the Defenders. The central romance also became a highlight, eventually - the two girls complement each other well, and I liked how their relationship evolved and how problems were ultimately addressed.
That said, I found the first half of the book somewhat frustrating. There’s a lot left unnecessarily unsaid between characters, and the continued focus on a clearly one-sided relationship dragged on longer than necessary. I also struggled with one of the POV voices early on, as the tone felt overly flippant and exaggerated. However, around the halfway mark, the story really picked up for me, and I found myself much more invested from that point on.
Overall, I’d recommend this to readers looking for a quick, enjoyable YA romance with a summery setting and a side of deeper themes.
Lake Life is a dual-POV YA romance set in a nature-filled small town, following two very different girls. Maya is still heartbroken a year after her best friend rejected her confession of love, while Gabe is a rebellious teen sent away by her mother to spend a quiet summer and “stay out of trouble.” What begins as a fake-dating scheme to win Maya’s best friend over soon reveals a very real chemistry between Maya and Gabe, one they both try to ignore... while they also navigate environmental protests, curious neighbours, and Gabe's complicated family dynamics.
I really enjoyed the environmental aspect of the story and how it was woven into the plot, all the way to its final point. Gabe’s gradual integration into the community, despite being an outsider, was engaging to follow, too - especially her interactions with Jan and the Defenders. The central romance also became a highlight, eventually - the two girls complement each other well, and I liked how their relationship evolved and how problems were ultimately addressed.
That said, I found the first half of the book somewhat frustrating. There’s a lot left unnecessarily unsaid between characters, and the continued focus on a clearly one-sided relationship dragged on longer than necessary. I also struggled with one of the POV voices early on, as the tone felt overly flippant and exaggerated. However, around the halfway mark, the story really picked up for me, and I found myself much more invested from that point on.
Overall, I’d recommend this to readers looking for a quick, enjoyable YA romance with a summery setting and a side of deeper themes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC.
This one got me with the cover. Knowing it was a diverse read with BIPOC and queer characters, I was sold.
This no-spice YA romance has a lot going for it. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I was excited to jump in.
It took me a little bit to warm up to the two main characters. At first I attributed it to them being teens, so in that way I may not be the target audience, but as the mother of a young teen I was sure I’d be able to make it through. My issue mostly came from their demeanor and actual speech though.
I usually love short chapters but these were sometimes especially short. Frequently we would get lots of telly inner monologue, tons of backstory, and minimal to moderate dialogue. This book would have benefited from really letting the reader be immersed in the action of the story. Instead of telling us the drama of the previous summer, a prologue with this playing out as an example. Or, instead of recapping of the evenings or activism meetings, let us experience the planning process as the event was portrayed to be central to the story. I wanted to be emotionally invested but I never quite got there because of the telling nature of some of the key moments.
My biggest hiccup was with the connection between the love interests. We go from fake dating, to enjoying friendly company, to intense pining that seemed to come from nowhere. I did appreciate the resolution given their age.
Knowing this is an ARC, I hope SO MUCH that this book gets deeper into the action and emotion prior to publication, because it deserves it. The potential here is amazing.
This one got me with the cover. Knowing it was a diverse read with BIPOC and queer characters, I was sold.
This no-spice YA romance has a lot going for it. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I was excited to jump in.
It took me a little bit to warm up to the two main characters. At first I attributed it to them being teens, so in that way I may not be the target audience, but as the mother of a young teen I was sure I’d be able to make it through. My issue mostly came from their demeanor and actual speech though.
I usually love short chapters but these were sometimes especially short. Frequently we would get lots of telly inner monologue, tons of backstory, and minimal to moderate dialogue. This book would have benefited from really letting the reader be immersed in the action of the story. Instead of telling us the drama of the previous summer, a prologue with this playing out as an example. Or, instead of recapping of the evenings or activism meetings, let us experience the planning process as the event was portrayed to be central to the story. I wanted to be emotionally invested but I never quite got there because of the telling nature of some of the key moments.
My biggest hiccup was with the connection between the love interests. We go from fake dating, to enjoying friendly company, to intense pining that seemed to come from nowhere. I did appreciate the resolution given their age.
Knowing this is an ARC, I hope SO MUCH that this book gets deeper into the action and emotion prior to publication, because it deserves it. The potential here is amazing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
Fans of fake dating turned real love will find exactly what they are looking for in this newest effort from Boteju.
Gabe and Maya are intriguing characters independently, and their fake dating journey is also fun to read. I had some challenges really believing the authenticity of their romantic connection, but not to an overwhelming degree. I appreciate that they had other parts of life to consider and other interests besides romance (as the opposite scenario makes me enraged - get a life!).
There's one unforgiveable thing that happens in the audio narration that absolutely has to be fixed. I went back to listen to the section multiple times because I could not believe there was such an egregious error. At one point, the narrator is voicing a section on _The L Word_, and she references Bette and Tina. Now no one in their right minds who has ever seen that show and been impacted by it in the way these characters should have been would pronounce "Bette" "Betty" instead of, phonetically, "bet." "Betty and Tina?!" WHAT?! Unless my ears deceived me multiple times - and hey I'm human so maybe? - this was a WILD error. I beg for a correction before publication date! Please!
There's a lot to like about this fun little fake dating flirtation, including the ecocritical connections. This was a fun read, and though every _L Word_ fan will die inside if that error doesn't get adjusted, it's an otherwise great listen, too.
*Special thanks to NetGalley, Quill Tree Books, and HarperCollins for this arc and alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Fans of fake dating turned real love will find exactly what they are looking for in this newest effort from Boteju.
Gabe and Maya are intriguing characters independently, and their fake dating journey is also fun to read. I had some challenges really believing the authenticity of their romantic connection, but not to an overwhelming degree. I appreciate that they had other parts of life to consider and other interests besides romance (as the opposite scenario makes me enraged - get a life!).
There's one unforgiveable thing that happens in the audio narration that absolutely has to be fixed. I went back to listen to the section multiple times because I could not believe there was such an egregious error. At one point, the narrator is voicing a section on _The L Word_, and she references Bette and Tina. Now no one in their right minds who has ever seen that show and been impacted by it in the way these characters should have been would pronounce "Bette" "Betty" instead of, phonetically, "bet." "Betty and Tina?!" WHAT?! Unless my ears deceived me multiple times - and hey I'm human so maybe? - this was a WILD error. I beg for a correction before publication date! Please!
There's a lot to like about this fun little fake dating flirtation, including the ecocritical connections. This was a fun read, and though every _L Word_ fan will die inside if that error doesn't get adjusted, it's an otherwise great listen, too.
*Special thanks to NetGalley, Quill Tree Books, and HarperCollins for this arc and alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
December 18, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
This book has a lot of things going for it. First off, that gorgeous cover! The art is beautiful and really does a good job of capturing the vibes of the book. Fake dating may be one of my favorite romance tropes, so I knew I would like this. The story itself is not groundbreaking, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a sweet summer romance with an undercurrent of found family and environmental activism- not new ground to cover, but Lake Life does it very well.
I had a bit of a slow start to it, to be honest. I wasn’t totally in love with the characters until I got past the first 50 pages or so. It’s not that I disliked it, I just wasn’t initially drawn to Maya and Gabe. However, the story/writing finds its footing after a slow initial start. As we got to know them better, I found myself liking the story more and more and was utterly charmed by the ending. Gabe and Maya are a sweet couple, and I loved how the author
4/5 stars
This book has a lot of things going for it. First off, that gorgeous cover! The art is beautiful and really does a good job of capturing the vibes of the book. Fake dating may be one of my favorite romance tropes, so I knew I would like this. The story itself is not groundbreaking, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a sweet summer romance with an undercurrent of found family and environmental activism- not new ground to cover, but Lake Life does it very well.
I had a bit of a slow start to it, to be honest. I wasn’t totally in love with the characters until I got past the first 50 pages or so. It’s not that I disliked it, I just wasn’t initially drawn to Maya and Gabe. However, the story/writing finds its footing after a slow initial start. As we got to know them better, I found myself liking the story more and more and was utterly charmed by the ending. Gabe and Maya are a sweet couple, and I loved how the author
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5 stars
This book is a delightful story about two queer teenage girls finding new love and letting go of romantic familial expectations. The ensemble of characters in this story is very diverse with tons of queer characters. The main characters, Maya and Gabe, are flawed, but grow a ton throughout the story. The two girls’ chemistry was adorable for the beginning and had me rooting for them as the reader. While the romance was very entertaining, I also really enjoyed the plot lines about community action and environmental activism. Overall Lake Life by Tanya Boteju is a charming queer YA romance book that I will definitely be recommending to my fellow YA readers!
What I loved:
~ Lots of queer characters!
~ Lovable, but flawed main characters!
~ Diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Environmental activism plot
What I didn’t love:
~ The way some lines were written felt like how adults think teenagers talk, versus how they actually talk.
~ I wanted a more satisfying conclusion at the end with Gabe’s family issues.
Breakdown of my rating -
💙 romance: ★★★★☆ 4/5
🦋 diversity: ★★★★☆ 4/5
📘 plot: ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
🖋️ writing: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
overall rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Thank you HarperAudio Children’s for providing me with a ARC of this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a delightful story about two queer teenage girls finding new love and letting go of romantic familial expectations. The ensemble of characters in this story is very diverse with tons of queer characters. The main characters, Maya and Gabe, are flawed, but grow a ton throughout the story. The two girls’ chemistry was adorable for the beginning and had me rooting for them as the reader. While the romance was very entertaining, I also really enjoyed the plot lines about community action and environmental activism. Overall Lake Life by Tanya Boteju is a charming queer YA romance book that I will definitely be recommending to my fellow YA readers!
What I loved:
~ Lots of queer characters!
~ Lovable, but flawed main characters!
~ Diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Environmental activism plot
What I didn’t love:
~ The way some lines were written felt like how adults think teenagers talk, versus how they actually talk.
~ I wanted a more satisfying conclusion at the end with Gabe’s family issues.
Breakdown of my rating -
💙 romance: ★★★★☆ 4/5
🦋 diversity: ★★★★☆ 4/5
📘 plot: ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
🖋️ writing: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
overall rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5
Thank you HarperAudio Children’s for providing me with a ARC of this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love a fake dating storyline so between that and the gorgeous cover this book had my attention from the start.
A cute story of young love, finding oneself and learning to adapt to life and the circumstances beyond our control, with a splash of environmentalism as a subplot.
Gabe is a little rough around the edges so it takes time for the reader to root for her beyond feeling for her when her mom leaves her to fend for herself in a small town of outdoorsy types. Maya is anxious and recovering from rejection so the empathy for her was there for me from the start.
The whole story takes place over just 2 weeks. To me it felt longer than that and I am undecided if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
My only real issue with the book is specific to the audio edition. The narrators spoke at very different speeds which made it a difficult listen for me as I tend to listen at anywhere between 1.75-2.25 speed. I didn't love having to switch the speeds back and forth as it took me out of the story frequently.
Over all I really enjoyed the story. The characters have growth and there's a bit of information in there about land "ownership" and advocacy that I appreciated. The story is interesting and the setting is well developed and intriguing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to review this ALC.
A cute story of young love, finding oneself and learning to adapt to life and the circumstances beyond our control, with a splash of environmentalism as a subplot.
Gabe is a little rough around the edges so it takes time for the reader to root for her beyond feeling for her when her mom leaves her to fend for herself in a small town of outdoorsy types. Maya is anxious and recovering from rejection so the empathy for her was there for me from the start.
The whole story takes place over just 2 weeks. To me it felt longer than that and I am undecided if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
My only real issue with the book is specific to the audio edition. The narrators spoke at very different speeds which made it a difficult listen for me as I tend to listen at anywhere between 1.75-2.25 speed. I didn't love having to switch the speeds back and forth as it took me out of the story frequently.
Over all I really enjoyed the story. The characters have growth and there's a bit of information in there about land "ownership" and advocacy that I appreciated. The story is interesting and the setting is well developed and intriguing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to review this ALC.
December 19, 2025
Tanya Boteju is a must-read author for me and she gets better with every book she writes. LAKE LIFE is excellent. The world of Spruce Lake is richly drawn, with vivid physical descriptions and deeply developed characters. I initially hesitated to read this novel because of the fake dating plot; however, Boteju manages to deliver the story with an original approach through main characters Maya and Gabe. Both of the teen characters have their own growth arcs away from each other and together, which gives the novel a lot of depth. The relationship between Maya and her best friend Rashida (and "real" love interest at the start of the book) is so well developed that it's hard to read at times--it feels so believable and drawn from life. It's impossible to not feel for Maya and her confusion. Gabe has a well-written arc rooted in her feelings and experiences (including abandonment) by her two moms. This storyline includes imperfect queer characters (yes!!) and a teen finding her own agency and using it. I especially love how the character mostly likely to be described as "the town curmudgeon" connects with Gabe and develops a strong mentor-mentee relationship. Overall, I loved this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Seems YA is in a activist youth and summer romance phase, because this is the second of its kind I've read this year. This one is light on the activism, since none of the main characters are overtly land rights activism focused, but fall into it as a community activity with their friends and neighbors and a cast of wholesome characters. And honestly, that was the best part about this. The protagonists themselves are rather one-note tropey: the rejected romantic and the chaotic cynic, and they're both just bored and rattling about while their families are either too invested or not at all. This felt less like a story and more of a idyllic snapshot of a summer fling fantasy. Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook eARC, which meant it was a fluffy enough read to finish quickly. I preferred the Gabe narrator more than the Maya one, but honestly, Maya was just a less interesting character. I feel fortunate that we now get a plethora of queer YA stories such that this can be a middling one and not have to hit all the intersections of being a young queer person. This one has a lot of heart but not particularly memorable. Except Jan, everyone needs a Jan.
May 13, 2026
this felt like such a cozy, summer read. I really enjoyed it and felt really connected to the characters by the end.
The first 50ish or so pages were pretty slow, not going to lie, but once you get passed the slower start it really does do what it intends to do well. You’re getting all you want from a fake dating book, but from the YA eye. I know as an adult becoming so infatuated with someone in just 2 weeks seems super far fetched, but as a teenager i think most of us, i know i did, was head over heels for everyone way more quickly than my adult self would even consider.
I really enjoyed the activism that was included in the book as well. Plus, a solid found family is something that really only aids a book imo.
The cover on this is absolutely flawless as well, and truly encapsulates what the vibe of the book is.
The narration is very well done. It kept me engaged and entertained from start to finish, even in the slower beginning of the book. The emotion that is shown near the end was really well done as well.
The Vibes:
-Queer
-Summer Camp
-Activism
-Found Family
-Fake Dating
-Young Adult
The first 50ish or so pages were pretty slow, not going to lie, but once you get passed the slower start it really does do what it intends to do well. You’re getting all you want from a fake dating book, but from the YA eye. I know as an adult becoming so infatuated with someone in just 2 weeks seems super far fetched, but as a teenager i think most of us, i know i did, was head over heels for everyone way more quickly than my adult self would even consider.
I really enjoyed the activism that was included in the book as well. Plus, a solid found family is something that really only aids a book imo.
The cover on this is absolutely flawless as well, and truly encapsulates what the vibe of the book is.
The narration is very well done. It kept me engaged and entertained from start to finish, even in the slower beginning of the book. The emotion that is shown near the end was really well done as well.
The Vibes:
-Queer
-Summer Camp
-Activism
-Found Family
-Fake Dating
-Young Adult
June 16, 2026
“I feel like I’m not the only one here stuck to some story I created in my head.”
Maya’s parents have dragged her back to Spruce Lake for the entire summer, a small town immersed in nature with a tight-knit community built on activism and a mutual love for the land—and that would be just fine if it weren’t for the fact Rashida, her best friend and unrequited love, is also going to be there. Maya hasn’t seen Rashida since her embarrassing confession a year prior, and getting over that would be hard enough already without everyone around her trying to nudge her into moving on. That’s when she meets Gabe, an incredibly rude and incredibly beautiful rich girl who’s been sent to Spruce Lake by her mother to keep her out of trouble. Gabe doesn’t care for the nature, or her quaint accommodations, but especially not her mother focusing on her fancy corporate job instead of her. Together, the two of them hatch a fake-dating scheme both to help Maya win over Rashida and help Gabe get her mother to think her summer getaway is changing her ways. At first their scheme works swimmingly, but even the best laid plans go awry.
This book became my cozy gateway drug into queer romance novels, wrapped neatly into the nature-rich and inspiring package that made up Spruce Lake’s small-town community. Boteju makes the most of the work she put into her characters with Maya and Gabe, showing well-placed restraint in entering the fake-dating arc. It really feels like Maya is here on a summer vacation taking walks through the woods and only stumbling upon the true plot herself rather than being rushed into it. The narration of the characters, even if a bit overwhelming at first, does incredible work characterizing them between both Gabe’s and Maya’s point of view and immersing the reader into their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Gabe’s unapologetic and self-aware valley-girl narration keeps her unreasonably charming, and she’ll be a favorite for any reader who enjoys a well-executed, abrasive character with a good soul underneath it all. That said, I do wish the arc toward the end with Gabe’s mother was given a little more time to play out alongside the environmental protest plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying these characters on their journey regardless. I’d absolutely recommend Boteju’s book to anyone looking for a queer romance focused on the emotional growth which comes from accepting rejection.
Lake Life releases on May 26th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
Maya’s parents have dragged her back to Spruce Lake for the entire summer, a small town immersed in nature with a tight-knit community built on activism and a mutual love for the land—and that would be just fine if it weren’t for the fact Rashida, her best friend and unrequited love, is also going to be there. Maya hasn’t seen Rashida since her embarrassing confession a year prior, and getting over that would be hard enough already without everyone around her trying to nudge her into moving on. That’s when she meets Gabe, an incredibly rude and incredibly beautiful rich girl who’s been sent to Spruce Lake by her mother to keep her out of trouble. Gabe doesn’t care for the nature, or her quaint accommodations, but especially not her mother focusing on her fancy corporate job instead of her. Together, the two of them hatch a fake-dating scheme both to help Maya win over Rashida and help Gabe get her mother to think her summer getaway is changing her ways. At first their scheme works swimmingly, but even the best laid plans go awry.
This book became my cozy gateway drug into queer romance novels, wrapped neatly into the nature-rich and inspiring package that made up Spruce Lake’s small-town community. Boteju makes the most of the work she put into her characters with Maya and Gabe, showing well-placed restraint in entering the fake-dating arc. It really feels like Maya is here on a summer vacation taking walks through the woods and only stumbling upon the true plot herself rather than being rushed into it. The narration of the characters, even if a bit overwhelming at first, does incredible work characterizing them between both Gabe’s and Maya’s point of view and immersing the reader into their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Gabe’s unapologetic and self-aware valley-girl narration keeps her unreasonably charming, and she’ll be a favorite for any reader who enjoys a well-executed, abrasive character with a good soul underneath it all. That said, I do wish the arc toward the end with Gabe’s mother was given a little more time to play out alongside the environmental protest plot, but I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying these characters on their journey regardless. I’d absolutely recommend Boteju’s book to anyone looking for a queer romance focused on the emotional growth which comes from accepting rejection.
Lake Life releases on May 26th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
April 15, 2026
Thank you Harper Kids and Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
This was a really sweet small town fake dating romance with some big, heavy emotions mixed in amongst the fluff.
I loved how different both Gabe and Maya are from each other and how they brought out new sides of each other. It’s very much an “opposites attract” situation but they rub off on each other so well, it’s a perfect combo.
Gabe’s relationship with her mums really broke my heart. They blamed her for so much and so she in turn blamed herself, and it just frustrated me so much that neither of them seemed willing to be a mum to this teenager who was mostly acting out due to a lack of love. I loved that she found community with the people of Spruce Lake and learned to let some of her barriers down.
Maya grew in confidence so much over the course of this book and I was so proud of her for working through her feelings and really going for what she wanted.
There’s so many wonderful side characters in this one, too. I especially loved Jan but honestly, they were all great.
This was a really sweet small town fake dating romance with some big, heavy emotions mixed in amongst the fluff.
I loved how different both Gabe and Maya are from each other and how they brought out new sides of each other. It’s very much an “opposites attract” situation but they rub off on each other so well, it’s a perfect combo.
Gabe’s relationship with her mums really broke my heart. They blamed her for so much and so she in turn blamed herself, and it just frustrated me so much that neither of them seemed willing to be a mum to this teenager who was mostly acting out due to a lack of love. I loved that she found community with the people of Spruce Lake and learned to let some of her barriers down.
Maya grew in confidence so much over the course of this book and I was so proud of her for working through her feelings and really going for what she wanted.
There’s so many wonderful side characters in this one, too. I especially loved Jan but honestly, they were all great.
June 4, 2026
Lake Life by Tanya Boteju is a cozy beautiful read! I admit, I usually ignore the YA genre completely, but I enjoyed this sweet read so much! I love the complexity ‘braided’ into this easily digestible story.
I’m deeply amused by fact that I ended up deeply resonating with the Gabe character. Maya is just the type of character that I would usually favor. But Gabe was so complex and much more than meets the eyes. Not only did she remind me of my younger self, she also reminded me of my chosen daughter… I wish I could jump through the book and give her the motherly love she so obviously needed. She had great character development. She acts tough but she is just a cutie patootie.
I love that the fake dating troop was so believable here. I have seen it go very wrong and be something that was completely and totally not like something a person would actually do. But this, it was perfectly understandable.
I enjoyed the depth of the relationships that were not the romantic ones. I love when romance novels prioritize multiple types of relationships and multiple types of love. Special mention: the relationship between Gabe and Jan.
The last thing but maybe most important I want to mention is the respect for nature, the native ritual of braiding sweet grass, and the intentional activism! Swoon!
All in all the romance in this book is super cute, but it is so much more than a young adult romance! It is the type of read that makes you want to be a better member of your community (to nature and the people)!
I’m deeply amused by fact that I ended up deeply resonating with the Gabe character. Maya is just the type of character that I would usually favor. But Gabe was so complex and much more than meets the eyes. Not only did she remind me of my younger self, she also reminded me of my chosen daughter… I wish I could jump through the book and give her the motherly love she so obviously needed. She had great character development. She acts tough but she is just a cutie patootie.
I love that the fake dating troop was so believable here. I have seen it go very wrong and be something that was completely and totally not like something a person would actually do. But this, it was perfectly understandable.
I enjoyed the depth of the relationships that were not the romantic ones. I love when romance novels prioritize multiple types of relationships and multiple types of love. Special mention: the relationship between Gabe and Jan.
The last thing but maybe most important I want to mention is the respect for nature, the native ritual of braiding sweet grass, and the intentional activism! Swoon!
All in all the romance in this book is super cute, but it is so much more than a young adult romance! It is the type of read that makes you want to be a better member of your community (to nature and the people)!
May 8, 2026
Complimentary ALC’s from Harper Children’s Audio via NetGalley are always appreciated in my reading stack as the productions are always well done and the content right in my wheelhouse.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet, much like the book itself.
While this wasn’t a personal favorite, it was still an enjoyable read overall, especially with its strong activism message, which feels particularly meaningful for teen readers.
There’s also solid representation throughout, and the narration was expertly handled by Ariana Delawari and Elena Rey. They both did a fantastic job bringing the dual POV to life, clearly distinguishing voices as they traded off narration in this YA fake dating romance meets activism-driven story.
For its intended audience—teen readers—I think this would be a great addition to their TBR. For adults like myself who still gravitate toward YA, it’s a perfectly fine read, just not one that climbs to the top of my recommendation list.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet, much like the book itself.
While this wasn’t a personal favorite, it was still an enjoyable read overall, especially with its strong activism message, which feels particularly meaningful for teen readers.
There’s also solid representation throughout, and the narration was expertly handled by Ariana Delawari and Elena Rey. They both did a fantastic job bringing the dual POV to life, clearly distinguishing voices as they traded off narration in this YA fake dating romance meets activism-driven story.
For its intended audience—teen readers—I think this would be a great addition to their TBR. For adults like myself who still gravitate toward YA, it’s a perfectly fine read, just not one that climbs to the top of my recommendation list.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sweet Sapphic YA summer opposites attract fake dating romance set in a small Lake town community that has two teens spending their summer getting to know one another, posing as girlfriends and helping protest against a new development set to infringe on their town's peace and environment. I loved the Indigenous land protectors, the friendship that turns into something more and the fun summer shenanigans. It was great on audio and a perfect summer beach read kind of book. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
June 3, 2026
This is a cute teen romance about dealing with parental pressure and societal expectations. I really loved the environmentalism aspect and wish that the author had leaned more into that throughout because at times, the fake dating storyline felt a bit wearisome and moving some of the focus to this unique and relevant storyline would have helped pick up the pace of the book. The characters were great though! I especially resonated with Gabe.
The narrators did an excellent job giving the main characters personality and depth.
Thanks to HarperAudio Children's and NetGalley for this ALC.
The narrators did an excellent job giving the main characters personality and depth.
Thanks to HarperAudio Children's and NetGalley for this ALC.
June 15, 2026
This started slow for me but once I got into it, I was into it! I'm a sucker for fake dating and a summer romance so this ticked a lot of boxes for me and it was just such a good story. The romance has great potential, the setting was enviable and made me wish I had somewhere like this to go, and the side characters were all wonderful. Gabe's moms can get f-ed for making her feel like that, though, just saying.
Did Not Finish
May 23, 2026ALC from NetGalley
DNF @ 26% in
A beautiful cover, fake dating and diverse characters had me interested in this ya wlw romance. However, I felt despite some actions of Gabe (the wild child) this book felt a little to young and that lost my interest. The narrator's did a good job, but the story did not suit my taste.
DNF @ 26% in
A beautiful cover, fake dating and diverse characters had me interested in this ya wlw romance. However, I felt despite some actions of Gabe (the wild child) this book felt a little to young and that lost my interest. The narrator's did a good job, but the story did not suit my taste.
June 5, 2026
Lake Life is a cute, easy, queer romance that follows two teens who agree to fake-date one another in a quiet, lakeside town.
June 14, 2026
It was cute with great summer vibes, except the miscommunication trope annoyed me like always. 3.5 rounded up?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Lake Life by Tanya Boteju is a realistic novel where fake dating meets environmental protests. Maya is back at Spruce Lake for the summer, but she is still reeling from the crushing humiliation she suffered at the end of the previous summer. Maya very publicly confessed her love to Rashida, her lifelong best friend – who most definitely did NOT share the same romantic feelings. And EVERYONE knows about Maya’s spectacular rejection. The novel is also narrated by Gabe, whose mother sent her to spruce lake with instructions to stay out of trouble. Stop partying. Enjoy nature. As if. Gabe meets Maya, and the two concoct a plan to fake-date in the hope that Rashida will get jealous and fall in love with Maya. Fake-dating Maya also helps Gabe look like she’s turned a new leaf by dating the down-to-earth environmentalist Maya. Gabe gets involved in Maya’s family protests over a developer that is trying to destroy a big section of the lake to build a resort, but then things go spectacularly wrong with both Gabe’s mom and her growing attraction to Maya. Like the best rom-coms, this book is a delightful read and as an added bonus, Lake Life both references and relies on two classic books: Braiding Sweetgrass and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. This is a fantastic read during the summer, or any time of the year! Recommended for all high school libraries and young adult sections at all public libraries.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews