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Hearts to Follow #1
Just Pretending
Everything in Cam’s life is finally going right. Despite many of her best friend being out of town for the summer, she is ready to have some fun. With her good friend Josh by her side, Cam is just starting to really enjoy the time off school, when Nick comes wandering back into her life. It’s been a year since Cam last saw Nick, but the wound is still fresh. The heartbreak Nick caused so long ago left Cam in pieces. Now that he is back, she is quickly falling apart one again. And the fact that he brought his new girlfriend Gina along for his vacation is only making it worse. Not wanting to see the shell of a person Cam once was thanks to Nick, Josh comes up with an idea: he will play the role of Cam’s boyfriend to make Nick jealous. Although the plan seems impossible, Cam quickly realizes it’s working. Or at least it seems like it’s working from the outside. But to everyone on the inside things get messy fast. With feelings, emotions, and kissing flying all around, will Cam ever stop the pretending and land the true love she’s been looking for?
34 pages, ebook
First published August 3, 2014
23 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Dana Burkey
29 books220 followersDana Burkey is a self-published author living in Bellingham, Washington. She has been enjoying her time in the Pacific North-West since 2009, making her move there after graduating from Youngstown State University in Ohio. She began self-publishing young adult fiction in August of 2014, and is most known for her TNT Force Cheer Series. Currently Burkey is enjoying performing improv, creating stories, and looking for life's next adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
July 2, 2016
3/5 stars! :) cute, decent, light read.
So "pretend dating" is actually a thing, huh?
So the MC, Cam, dates Josh to make Nick jealous/or really just to make herself feel less lonely/less sad (even though he has a girlfriend so why would it bother him?)
Josh was pretty cute sometimes and I enjoyed when Cam and Josh were together. Their interactions reminded me of a crush I had this year (2016 lol) (I have his number too. *cue blush*)
It took me a while to read/listen to this because my audio app was being weird. It wasn't because I didn't like the story at all.
I'm happy that the people who got together got together (trying not to spoil but I think I already did. Whoops.) because it shows you need to let go of things that will just hurt you and move on to better, happier beginnings.
Thank you for this free audio in exchange for an honest review.
So "pretend dating" is actually a thing, huh?
So the MC, Cam, dates Josh to make Nick jealous/or really just to make herself feel less lonely/less sad (even though he has a girlfriend so why would it bother him?)
Josh was pretty cute sometimes and I enjoyed when Cam and Josh were together. Their interactions reminded me of a crush I had this year (2016 lol) (I have his number too. *cue blush*)
It took me a while to read/listen to this because my audio app was being weird. It wasn't because I didn't like the story at all.
I'm happy that the people who got together got together (trying not to spoil but I think I already did. Whoops.) because it shows you need to let go of things that will just hurt you and move on to better, happier beginnings.
Thank you for this free audio in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2014
(Source: Downloaded for free from Amazon.co.uk)
This was a sweet YA romance novella, and the kisses were hot!
I have to say that people ‘pretend dating’ is something that I really hate. Things always go wrong, and someone always ends up getting hurt, and generally I just do not like it. That being said though, this story was really sweet! I really liked Cam and Josh, and I was desperately hoping that they could work things out and get together! And the kisses! So steamy! If Cam had still been after Nick after those kisses she’d have been mad!
7.5 out of 10.
This was a sweet YA romance novella, and the kisses were hot!
I have to say that people ‘pretend dating’ is something that I really hate. Things always go wrong, and someone always ends up getting hurt, and generally I just do not like it. That being said though, this story was really sweet! I really liked Cam and Josh, and I was desperately hoping that they could work things out and get together! And the kisses! So steamy! If Cam had still been after Nick after those kisses she’d have been mad!
7.5 out of 10.
August 2, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Just Pretending, the first novella was about Cam, a girl who has had a crush on Nick for over a year because they spent a whole summer together hanging out. But then, he's back with his girlfriend and Josh, Cam's friend, makes a plan to get the two together.
Okay so for the characters.. Cam irritated and annoyed me. She was childish, but it made the story so cute. Idk if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Lol!
I liked Josh. He was so freaking sweet. Ugh, I couldn't get enough of him. *O*
And Nick? Ugh. Whatever.
Overall, the story was really entertaining, cute and nice to read just to pass time. :)
Just Pretending, the first novella was about Cam, a girl who has had a crush on Nick for over a year because they spent a whole summer together hanging out. But then, he's back with his girlfriend and Josh, Cam's friend, makes a plan to get the two together.
Okay so for the characters.. Cam irritated and annoyed me. She was childish, but it made the story so cute. Idk if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Lol!
I liked Josh. He was so freaking sweet. Ugh, I couldn't get enough of him. *O*
And Nick? Ugh. Whatever.
Overall, the story was really entertaining, cute and nice to read just to pass time. :)
August 5, 2014
Actual rating - 3.5
This was a cute, quick read.
I liked Cam, and I liked Josh. I really didn't like Nick though! He was a jerk, and I really didn't know what Cam seen in him.
Overall, A good novella.
This was a cute, quick read.
I liked Cam, and I liked Josh. I really didn't like Nick though! He was a jerk, and I really didn't know what Cam seen in him.
Overall, A good novella.
August 10, 2014
This is the second Pretend or fake summer romance I have read this month.
It is not a concept I was familiar with before.
Oh of course there is always the idea to flirt to make someone notice you or experience a twinge of jealousy.
To go for a full blown pretend relationship for several weeks or months - you know someone has to get hurt.
This is a cute coming of age romance about 16 year old kids sharing summer.
Cam had a crush on Nick last summer but when school started, he moved 5 hours away.
This year he has a new girlfriend and he's brought her along for the summer.
Cam has only spent one year at her new school and her best girl friends are away at camp for a few weeks.
Luckily she has a good friend Josh to fill her summer hours.
Will pretending to be a couple with Josh make Nick see what he is missing?
Will unexpected feelings develop between any of the teenagers?
Are each of them really the people they seem to be?
It is a fun, fast read perfect for a day in the hammock.
There are some typos, but the storyline is well written and makes the reader develop opinions about each of the kids.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest reveiew.
It is not a concept I was familiar with before.
Oh of course there is always the idea to flirt to make someone notice you or experience a twinge of jealousy.
To go for a full blown pretend relationship for several weeks or months - you know someone has to get hurt.
This is a cute coming of age romance about 16 year old kids sharing summer.
Cam had a crush on Nick last summer but when school started, he moved 5 hours away.
This year he has a new girlfriend and he's brought her along for the summer.
Cam has only spent one year at her new school and her best girl friends are away at camp for a few weeks.
Luckily she has a good friend Josh to fill her summer hours.
Will pretending to be a couple with Josh make Nick see what he is missing?
Will unexpected feelings develop between any of the teenagers?
Are each of them really the people they seem to be?
It is a fun, fast read perfect for a day in the hammock.
There are some typos, but the storyline is well written and makes the reader develop opinions about each of the kids.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest reveiew.
July 29, 2015
This was a really fun read. Loved the characters of Josh and Cam and how their relationship is so relatable.
So the book starts with Cam finding out that her crush from the summer before Nick is back in town with his new girlfriend. She and one of her best friends, Josh, come up with a plan to pretend to be dating in order to make Nick jealous and leave his girlfriend. During the summer, Cam begins to have feelings for Josh, but brushes them off because they are such good friends. Towards the end of the summer, Cam finds out that Nick cheated on his previous girlfriend. Nick informs her that he broke up with Gina when she left to go home for the remaining few weeks of summer.
After an argument between Cam and Josh while hanging out with Nick, Josh storms out and Nick admits that he had a crush on Cam the previous summer, then kisses her. To Cam the kiss feels all wrong and she realizes that she has true feelings for Josh. When she goes to tell Josh, he confesses that he has had a crush on her for a very long time and their fake relationship turns into a real one.....
**** Not very good at writing reviews and summaries so sorry if this is hard to follow***
So the book starts with Cam finding out that her crush from the summer before Nick is back in town with his new girlfriend. She and one of her best friends, Josh, come up with a plan to pretend to be dating in order to make Nick jealous and leave his girlfriend. During the summer, Cam begins to have feelings for Josh, but brushes them off because they are such good friends. Towards the end of the summer, Cam finds out that Nick cheated on his previous girlfriend. Nick informs her that he broke up with Gina when she left to go home for the remaining few weeks of summer.
After an argument between Cam and Josh while hanging out with Nick, Josh storms out and Nick admits that he had a crush on Cam the previous summer, then kisses her. To Cam the kiss feels all wrong and she realizes that she has true feelings for Josh. When she goes to tell Josh, he confesses that he has had a crush on her for a very long time and their fake relationship turns into a real one.....
**** Not very good at writing reviews and summaries so sorry if this is hard to follow***
May 14, 2015
I really don't understand why girls pretend to date someone just to make another guy jelous. It's never made sense to me. If he's with someone else then getting him to like you isn't a good thing. It just shows that you don't value yourself enough to be with someone who liked you all along.
With all of that said, this was a fairly cute story. I appreciated the fact that Cam was able to start seeing Nick for what he was. Sure she liked him a year ago, but things change. At first her wanting to make him like her was rather offputting, but as she started to pay attention to who he was and what she felt I started to like her more.
I also really enjoyed Josh. He was sweet. I think he made some mistakes along the way, but they're young. We all make mistakes. He and Cam were really cute together throughout the story. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
With all of that said, this was a fairly cute story. I appreciated the fact that Cam was able to start seeing Nick for what he was. Sure she liked him a year ago, but things change. At first her wanting to make him like her was rather offputting, but as she started to pay attention to who he was and what she felt I started to like her more.
I also really enjoyed Josh. He was sweet. I think he made some mistakes along the way, but they're young. We all make mistakes. He and Cam were really cute together throughout the story. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
July 3, 2016
Thank you to the author for a copy of this audio in exchange for an honest review
Just pretending was quite a change from the novels I have previously read this year. Since I haven't read a single YA book this year, it felt nice to read about teenagers again. This book is about Cami, who is nursing heartache after her neighbor, Nick, spent the last summer with her then moved on in the end, leaving her to feel she was the only one who had felt anything. When Cami finds Nick with a gf after the summer, her friend, Josh, suggests they pretend to be in a relationship to make Nick jealous. Cami expects Nick to want her back but finds herself, surprisingly, falling for her fake boyfriend. Now she is stuck in a rut, having to choose between a past crush and a new love.
Just pretending turned out to be a cute read and one that urged me to move on to the next part of the series.
Just pretending was quite a change from the novels I have previously read this year. Since I haven't read a single YA book this year, it felt nice to read about teenagers again. This book is about Cami, who is nursing heartache after her neighbor, Nick, spent the last summer with her then moved on in the end, leaving her to feel she was the only one who had felt anything. When Cami finds Nick with a gf after the summer, her friend, Josh, suggests they pretend to be in a relationship to make Nick jealous. Cami expects Nick to want her back but finds herself, surprisingly, falling for her fake boyfriend. Now she is stuck in a rut, having to choose between a past crush and a new love.
Just pretending turned out to be a cute read and one that urged me to move on to the next part of the series.
September 2, 2015
Short and sweet story but quite a few typos.
January 20, 2016
Okay since 3.5 isn't an option here I'm going to go ahead and say 3.
I really enjoyed this short story and I'm always a sucker for a good romance story. Always. Burkey is a talented writer and her story flowed really well so it was easy to start reading and not stop. The premise of the story was fun and cute too and definitely fit with the whole 16 year old high schooler thing. Josh and Cam were fun characters to read about and they felt genuine and relatable as well.
I did have an issue though, and that was Nick and Gina. Personally, I felt like they were a little bit of a cop out. Nick turned out to a jerk who cheated on girls and lied to Cam's face and Gina turned out to be pretty shallow (though I adored having it pointed out that she only compliments people to fish for compliments in return!). Overall it made Cam's choice to start crushing on Josh really easy. I think it would have had a little more tension and conflict if she still really liked Nick, or if Gina turned out to be a total sweetie that she didn't want to hurt.
Still, this was a fun read and I enjoyed it and I am definitely looking forward to the next one!
I really enjoyed this short story and I'm always a sucker for a good romance story. Always. Burkey is a talented writer and her story flowed really well so it was easy to start reading and not stop. The premise of the story was fun and cute too and definitely fit with the whole 16 year old high schooler thing. Josh and Cam were fun characters to read about and they felt genuine and relatable as well.
I did have an issue though, and that was Nick and Gina. Personally, I felt like they were a little bit of a cop out. Nick turned out to a jerk who cheated on girls and lied to Cam's face and Gina turned out to be pretty shallow (though I adored having it pointed out that she only compliments people to fish for compliments in return!). Overall it made Cam's choice to start crushing on Josh really easy. I think it would have had a little more tension and conflict if she still really liked Nick, or if Gina turned out to be a total sweetie that she didn't want to hurt.
Still, this was a fun read and I enjoyed it and I am definitely looking forward to the next one!
August 20, 2014
so its just a quick read, a short story..
The kind of read you'll not be exhausted of.. I love the story just as i love the characters.. It's very realistic for a young love.. It made me miss the feeling of being secretly in love with someone and wishes to make him feel the same way for me too.. Way back when i was young and so is my heart, I could still remember that my EVERY SUMMER HAS A STORY.. that im always looking forward for summer.. Only, it lacks conflict.. Not bad for a first novella... 4 stars all in all.. Congratulations miss Dana and hope to hear more books from you :)
The kind of read you'll not be exhausted of.. I love the story just as i love the characters.. It's very realistic for a young love.. It made me miss the feeling of being secretly in love with someone and wishes to make him feel the same way for me too.. Way back when i was young and so is my heart, I could still remember that my EVERY SUMMER HAS A STORY.. that im always looking forward for summer.. Only, it lacks conflict.. Not bad for a first novella... 4 stars all in all.. Congratulations miss Dana and hope to hear more books from you :)
May 11, 2015
This was a really cute book. If you like a fast-paced relaxing read, then this book is definitely the right choice.
Having been very much delved in memories of my teenage years recently, it came at the right time to me. I could identify with the character, her self doubts and low self esteem that eventually grows throughout the story. I thought it was a perfect length and a good base to build upon. It was the first book in a series so I look forward to read the next one.
And thank you to the author that her book is available for free on Amazon!
Having been very much delved in memories of my teenage years recently, it came at the right time to me. I could identify with the character, her self doubts and low self esteem that eventually grows throughout the story. I thought it was a perfect length and a good base to build upon. It was the first book in a series so I look forward to read the next one.
And thank you to the author that her book is available for free on Amazon!
August 10, 2014
This was a cute little story that I finished fairly quickly :)
Guy comes to town who you spent last summer with, this year he brings his girlfriend... So cue the best male friend into a pretend relationship and read the result!
Guy comes to town who you spent last summer with, this year he brings his girlfriend... So cue the best male friend into a pretend relationship and read the result!
August 15, 2014
A refreshing read!
It reads very well. It is short and that's good. Good perfumes come in small packages.
A special writer!
I recommend it!
It reads very well. It is short and that's good. Good perfumes come in small packages.
A special writer!
I recommend it!
February 20, 2015
I guess if I would have read the description a little better I would have realized that this book is only 33 pages. It's a good thing this was free.
February 25, 2018
A nice YA read
A coming of age story for young girls and boys. Cam, who in the beginning lacked confidence, did finally grow into her own. She stopped comparing herself to everyone and everything and finally started to enjoy herself. At least, with Josh she didn't worry about her appearance, so much. I thought it was interesting to have Josh, act like a fake boyfriend so that she could get her crush as a boyfriend (Nick).
She really didn't know Nick, yeah, they hung out over a summer! Did she know him after that summer? No, not really, she knew nothing about him. Lessons in this story, stop assuming, stop thinking that the grass is greener, and stop comparing yourself to others.
A coming of age story for young girls and boys. Cam, who in the beginning lacked confidence, did finally grow into her own. She stopped comparing herself to everyone and everything and finally started to enjoy herself. At least, with Josh she didn't worry about her appearance, so much. I thought it was interesting to have Josh, act like a fake boyfriend so that she could get her crush as a boyfriend (Nick).
She really didn't know Nick, yeah, they hung out over a summer! Did she know him after that summer? No, not really, she knew nothing about him. Lessons in this story, stop assuming, stop thinking that the grass is greener, and stop comparing yourself to others.
August 8, 2014
Just Pretending may be a quick and easy read, its characters may be relatively cute, but a lack of complexity, conflict, and proper proofreading stonewalls its potential to be a strong narrative.
Cam is a teenage girl who finds herself excitedly pursuing Nick, an old crush whose just returned to her town after a summer away. Her only real problem is that Nick has a girlfriend, Gina, and the two seem very happy together. Determined to get Nick to dump Gina for her, Cam and her supportive best friend Josh end up falling into a fake relationship for the summer. However, even as Nick starts to take notice of Cam, she and Josh soon find they they might not be faking after all.
To start off, one of the biggest problems with this story is a lack of proper proofreading. It would really benefit from a good editor or at least a knowledgeable volunteer/beta reader. It shows through in small errors (words that don't have spaces in them, misspelled words, improper punctuation, ect.), but it is still very noticeable. It also suffers from formatting issues in that it's not broken up into sections or chapters (except for manual scene breaks) that appear in a table of contents at the beginning. Adding in a table of contents and separating the scenes in to short chapters would make for a more convenient read, in my opinion.
However, I do believe that Just Pretending is paced pretty well. For a novella of its size, the prose does flow adequately all the way through and that is pretty hard for a lot of writers to achieve. Despite this, the prose itself is just a bit too dry to really make the story truly enjoyable. I found a lot of “exposition dumps”. However, the descriptions of the characters' physical actions (Josh and Cam kissing, for example) during the story is already fine. The other thing I truly liked about the prose was the dialogue, which is natural and believable for kids of Cam's age group. Where the prose fell flat at times, it was the dialogue (mainly Josh and Cam's) that kept me going through the whole story.
Still, another problem is that the characters wore their motivations on their sleeves. Cam is a “girl next door” type of person and is generally likable, but her willingness to manipulate Nick by pretending to have a boyfriend dampens how much I actually want to root for her. Nick is a handsome jock who is not as sweet as he seems to be. Gina is a cheerleader diva who, again, has a fake sweet personality. Josh is a character who is sweet, genuine, caring, and obviously set up to be a better choice for Cam than Nick is, which takes away from the complexity of the story. The situation may be something I could imagine a bunch of teenagers getting into, but the characters never really grow and develop beyond what's predictable, and thus they don't play off of each other as well as they could. Josh and Cam do, at least, have a genuine friendship, but Nick and Gina remain pretty flat. If you can guess how the story will end based on those descriptions or just by reading the first few pages, you're probably right.
The thing is, a predictable ending in this case would have been fine if there were actual roadbumps on the way, but the story just wraps up too neatly for me to feel satisfied. One of the good points of this book was that there seemed to be a genuine “foursome” dynamic building between the characters while the all hung out during the summer, but this is never fleshed out. There is really no conflict besides the main “guy and girl pretend to be together to make an obviously unworthy other love interest jealous, but find themselves developing feelings for each other”. All Cam really has to do is to go through the motions until the truth about Nick and Gina is revealed, and other than the “Big Misunderstanding” that happens as the climax her decision about who she wants to be with comes easy for her. The actual relationship between Josh and Cam is pretty cute, but it happens relatively smoothly in the face of other love interests and I actually think the story would have been a little better if it just had been about Josh and Cam alone.
For all of its flaws, however, Just Pretending does have potential. Some more description here, some editing there, and a good dollop of drama to make Cam earn her happy ending, and one day a touching little story could easily result.
Cam is a teenage girl who finds herself excitedly pursuing Nick, an old crush whose just returned to her town after a summer away. Her only real problem is that Nick has a girlfriend, Gina, and the two seem very happy together. Determined to get Nick to dump Gina for her, Cam and her supportive best friend Josh end up falling into a fake relationship for the summer. However, even as Nick starts to take notice of Cam, she and Josh soon find they they might not be faking after all.
To start off, one of the biggest problems with this story is a lack of proper proofreading. It would really benefit from a good editor or at least a knowledgeable volunteer/beta reader. It shows through in small errors (words that don't have spaces in them, misspelled words, improper punctuation, ect.), but it is still very noticeable. It also suffers from formatting issues in that it's not broken up into sections or chapters (except for manual scene breaks) that appear in a table of contents at the beginning. Adding in a table of contents and separating the scenes in to short chapters would make for a more convenient read, in my opinion.
However, I do believe that Just Pretending is paced pretty well. For a novella of its size, the prose does flow adequately all the way through and that is pretty hard for a lot of writers to achieve. Despite this, the prose itself is just a bit too dry to really make the story truly enjoyable. I found a lot of “exposition dumps”. However, the descriptions of the characters' physical actions (Josh and Cam kissing, for example) during the story is already fine. The other thing I truly liked about the prose was the dialogue, which is natural and believable for kids of Cam's age group. Where the prose fell flat at times, it was the dialogue (mainly Josh and Cam's) that kept me going through the whole story.
Still, another problem is that the characters wore their motivations on their sleeves. Cam is a “girl next door” type of person and is generally likable, but her willingness to manipulate Nick by pretending to have a boyfriend dampens how much I actually want to root for her. Nick is a handsome jock who is not as sweet as he seems to be. Gina is a cheerleader diva who, again, has a fake sweet personality. Josh is a character who is sweet, genuine, caring, and obviously set up to be a better choice for Cam than Nick is, which takes away from the complexity of the story. The situation may be something I could imagine a bunch of teenagers getting into, but the characters never really grow and develop beyond what's predictable, and thus they don't play off of each other as well as they could. Josh and Cam do, at least, have a genuine friendship, but Nick and Gina remain pretty flat. If you can guess how the story will end based on those descriptions or just by reading the first few pages, you're probably right.
The thing is, a predictable ending in this case would have been fine if there were actual roadbumps on the way, but the story just wraps up too neatly for me to feel satisfied. One of the good points of this book was that there seemed to be a genuine “foursome” dynamic building between the characters while the all hung out during the summer, but this is never fleshed out. There is really no conflict besides the main “guy and girl pretend to be together to make an obviously unworthy other love interest jealous, but find themselves developing feelings for each other”. All Cam really has to do is to go through the motions until the truth about Nick and Gina is revealed, and other than the “Big Misunderstanding” that happens as the climax her decision about who she wants to be with comes easy for her. The actual relationship between Josh and Cam is pretty cute, but it happens relatively smoothly in the face of other love interests and I actually think the story would have been a little better if it just had been about Josh and Cam alone.
For all of its flaws, however, Just Pretending does have potential. Some more description here, some editing there, and a good dollop of drama to make Cam earn her happy ending, and one day a touching little story could easily result.
April 2, 2017
I've have never really likes it when people pretended to date another people just to make someone jealous. But this book was cute in it's own way. I do understand falling for your "friend" who is a guy though. Didn't work out well for me but I get it. Spending a lot of time together, I think, helps that. But I think someone always gets hurt. I enjoyed this little quickie love story anyway. Good short read. * I received this book from the author--this is my honest review*
June 26, 2019
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/06/...
This was a cute, short summer romance that held my attention. I liked the whole pretending to date that turns into real dating. It was clear Cam had a good head on her shoulders. She liked Nick and wanted to try to get his attention but at the same time she wasn’t blind to his faults. And she didn;t make excuses for his behavior. She just kinda let it all in and percolated on it.
Even though this was a short story, it didn’t feel like the pacing was too fast or anything was skipped over. It was all very neatly packaged with just the right amount of words. I have always thought that it was very difficult to write a short story that had all the elements of a good long one, kudos to the writer for accomplishing that.
The kisses were sweet yet steamy at the same time, my favorite kind! Josh did an excellent job of moving from the friend zone to the boyfriend zone. He didn’t avoid the conversation, which I loved about his personality. I look forward to what the next book has to offer because Ithink it’s about Nick.
BTW, this short story appears to be free on Amazon, so give it a shot if you are interested. What have you got to lose?
This was a cute, short summer romance that held my attention. I liked the whole pretending to date that turns into real dating. It was clear Cam had a good head on her shoulders. She liked Nick and wanted to try to get his attention but at the same time she wasn’t blind to his faults. And she didn;t make excuses for his behavior. She just kinda let it all in and percolated on it.
Even though this was a short story, it didn’t feel like the pacing was too fast or anything was skipped over. It was all very neatly packaged with just the right amount of words. I have always thought that it was very difficult to write a short story that had all the elements of a good long one, kudos to the writer for accomplishing that.
The kisses were sweet yet steamy at the same time, my favorite kind! Josh did an excellent job of moving from the friend zone to the boyfriend zone. He didn’t avoid the conversation, which I loved about his personality. I look forward to what the next book has to offer because Ithink it’s about Nick.
BTW, this short story appears to be free on Amazon, so give it a shot if you are interested. What have you got to lose?
May 13, 2015
I received a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.
What a cute little novella! Absolutely young adult appropriate -- a quick and fun read. Normally I abhor love triangles, but I thought this one was handled believably. Always a plus for me.
Just Pretending is a romance novella that follows the story of sixteen-year-old Cammie. She and her good friend Josh discover that Cammie's old crush is back in town for the summer. Cammie is very upset by this so she and Josh hatch a plan to win Nick back. How will they do this? With a time proven method -- make the other guy jealous!
I was particularly pleased with how this novella kept the dialogue and action completely believable. I'm pretty sure the majority of us have been in either Cammie's or Josh's or Nick's or Gina's (Nick's girlfriend that he brings home with him) shoes at one time or another.
If you remember those roiling teenage hormones, or if you're experiencing them right now, then check out Just Pretending. It's sure to put a smile on your face and a blush in your cheeks as you watch a budding young romance unfold.
What a cute little novella! Absolutely young adult appropriate -- a quick and fun read. Normally I abhor love triangles, but I thought this one was handled believably. Always a plus for me.
Just Pretending is a romance novella that follows the story of sixteen-year-old Cammie. She and her good friend Josh discover that Cammie's old crush is back in town for the summer. Cammie is very upset by this so she and Josh hatch a plan to win Nick back. How will they do this? With a time proven method -- make the other guy jealous!
I was particularly pleased with how this novella kept the dialogue and action completely believable. I'm pretty sure the majority of us have been in either Cammie's or Josh's or Nick's or Gina's (Nick's girlfriend that he brings home with him) shoes at one time or another.
If you remember those roiling teenage hormones, or if you're experiencing them right now, then check out Just Pretending. It's sure to put a smile on your face and a blush in your cheeks as you watch a budding young romance unfold.
March 5, 2019
I also posted this review on my blog -> https://bookandbastille.wordpress.com...
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book a lot! The story was very realistic and beleivable. There were no teenagers attempting to do things not for them and it was very clean and approipriate. It was short and sweet but that made me like it even more. The author fit a story that could have been a novel into a novella but made it seem like an actual story. I applaud Dana Burkey for making this book seem like so much more and writing such a great book!
Love at last word?: Yes! Dana excells at writing perfect novellas! I can’t wait to read her others!
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I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book a lot! The story was very realistic and beleivable. There were no teenagers attempting to do things not for them and it was very clean and approipriate. It was short and sweet but that made me like it even more. The author fit a story that could have been a novel into a novella but made it seem like an actual story. I applaud Dana Burkey for making this book seem like so much more and writing such a great book!
Love at last word?: Yes! Dana excells at writing perfect novellas! I can’t wait to read her others!
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January 18, 2016
I received an audio copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is a very sweet story about a teen girl, Cam, trying to win back the affection of her love from last summer by making him jealous with her best friend, Josh.
Of course, it isn't long until she realises that Josh is the one for her...
I liked the simplicity of this story and most of all that the nice guy didn't finish last, it definitely makes a nice change to see the girl realise quite early on that the boy who looks out for her and enjoys her company is the one to keep! The fact that the jealousy plot was Josh's idea makes Cam seem less shallow so you can root for her happiness without feeling like she's taking advantage of her kind friend too much.
I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a short and sweet pick me up of the romantic variety, definitely for teenagers who need to start looking for the nice boys!
This is a very sweet story about a teen girl, Cam, trying to win back the affection of her love from last summer by making him jealous with her best friend, Josh.
Of course, it isn't long until she realises that Josh is the one for her...
I liked the simplicity of this story and most of all that the nice guy didn't finish last, it definitely makes a nice change to see the girl realise quite early on that the boy who looks out for her and enjoys her company is the one to keep! The fact that the jealousy plot was Josh's idea makes Cam seem less shallow so you can root for her happiness without feeling like she's taking advantage of her kind friend too much.
I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a short and sweet pick me up of the romantic variety, definitely for teenagers who need to start looking for the nice boys!
March 2, 2016
I received this book from author for an honest review.
I don't like the cover, although it fits the story of Cam & Josh & Nick & Gina.
This was a great story to read, very positive and I was thrilled to know how the plot will turn.
Have you ever had a crush on someone so bad that you knew every next min he will ask you to be his girlfriend? You are so sure you have read all the signs & the way he makes you feel...But it goes quite opposite and you are left with broken heart and it takes nearly forever to get over him, and that too, thanks to newly met friends who have seen you being totally down and do everything to switch your attention in different direction.
And after a year the same boy appears there in front of you BUT he is together with a girl. Cam feels jealous and wants to be in the same place where the girl is, so her best friend suggests of pretending to be a couple and win the heart of the guy.
I don't like the cover, although it fits the story of Cam & Josh & Nick & Gina.
This was a great story to read, very positive and I was thrilled to know how the plot will turn.
Have you ever had a crush on someone so bad that you knew every next min he will ask you to be his girlfriend? You are so sure you have read all the signs & the way he makes you feel...But it goes quite opposite and you are left with broken heart and it takes nearly forever to get over him, and that too, thanks to newly met friends who have seen you being totally down and do everything to switch your attention in different direction.
And after a year the same boy appears there in front of you BUT he is together with a girl. Cam feels jealous and wants to be in the same place where the girl is, so her best friend suggests of pretending to be a couple and win the heart of the guy.
August 23, 2014
This is such a sweet quick read!! Sometimes you just want to read a book that is short and to the point! Great for the times when your heart is broken and you need a little smile in your day!
Cam had such a huge crush on Nick last summer. She was head over heels. Then he left. She had her heart broken. Expectations rarely ever lead to anything other than heartbreak. Now Nick is back and with his gorgeous girlfriend Gina and the knife gets twisted and pushed deeper into her heart. All hope is not lost though! Here comes Josh! One of Cam's best friends who agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the summer. It seems to be going great but things in life rarely go as planned.
CANT WAIT FOR CHANGED? !!!!
Cam had such a huge crush on Nick last summer. She was head over heels. Then he left. She had her heart broken. Expectations rarely ever lead to anything other than heartbreak. Now Nick is back and with his gorgeous girlfriend Gina and the knife gets twisted and pushed deeper into her heart. All hope is not lost though! Here comes Josh! One of Cam's best friends who agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the summer. It seems to be going great but things in life rarely go as planned.
CANT WAIT FOR CHANGED? !!!!
August 3, 2016
I was provided this novella for free in exchange for an honest review.
Just Pretending by Dana Burkey- This YA romance introduces the reader to young love and all the hardships with it. Cam is head over heels for Nick still when he comes back for the summer of their 16th year. Only thing is Nick brings with him his new girlfriend Gina, now what will Cam do? Enter Josh and his brilliant plan of pretending to date to get Nick jealous. Only thing is… Does Josh secretly have feelings for Cam?
This YA romance was pretty much to the point. Young love and longing fill the void of these teens’ hearts and minds. I did notice that there were some issues with the writing… misused words, wrong tense, and a couple garbled sentences. Other than that it was ok.
Just Pretending by Dana Burkey- This YA romance introduces the reader to young love and all the hardships with it. Cam is head over heels for Nick still when he comes back for the summer of their 16th year. Only thing is Nick brings with him his new girlfriend Gina, now what will Cam do? Enter Josh and his brilliant plan of pretending to date to get Nick jealous. Only thing is… Does Josh secretly have feelings for Cam?
This YA romance was pretty much to the point. Young love and longing fill the void of these teens’ hearts and minds. I did notice that there were some issues with the writing… misused words, wrong tense, and a couple garbled sentences. Other than that it was ok.
October 25, 2014
3.5 stars
I'm used to reading YA that has more of an adult feel to it so this caught me completely off guard. Burkey was successful in creating a mildly engrossing story that quickly passed the time. Overall it was a very cute read.
Even though tres short, I was delighted that the characters had a little bit of depth and the story, a solid basis. It was amusing, to say the least, to be put back into the developing mindset of a teenager. I couldn't help but smile at the dramatics the characters displayed pertaining to their 'end of the world' crisis situations. Which in adult terms means, minor inconsequential setback.
I loved the story and it was worth braving the errors to finish it.
I received a free copy of this novella on exchange for my honest review! Honestly :D
I'm used to reading YA that has more of an adult feel to it so this caught me completely off guard. Burkey was successful in creating a mildly engrossing story that quickly passed the time. Overall it was a very cute read.
Even though tres short, I was delighted that the characters had a little bit of depth and the story, a solid basis. It was amusing, to say the least, to be put back into the developing mindset of a teenager. I couldn't help but smile at the dramatics the characters displayed pertaining to their 'end of the world' crisis situations. Which in adult terms means, minor inconsequential setback.
I loved the story and it was worth braving the errors to finish it.
I received a free copy of this novella on exchange for my honest review! Honestly :D
November 28, 2014
FULL REVIEW:
I give this book a 4.5 out of a 5!
Note: I received a copy of this book from Dana Burkey, the author, in exchange for an honest review! Thank you, Dana~ :)
I really enjoy reading this book!!
After seeing her crush, Nick, is back with his new girlfriend, Cam convinced Josh to be her fake boyfriend hoping to make Nick jealous. But will her feeling change? Especially when she realized that the one she long for isn't really the one...
I personally love books that have a Love Triangle!
Though I did notice some typos~
I really like Josh's character! And Cam's too, but I don't really adore Nick.. I don't know why Cam does in the beginning..
Definitely recommendation for those who want to read a short contemporary romance!!
I give this book a 4.5 out of a 5!
Note: I received a copy of this book from Dana Burkey, the author, in exchange for an honest review! Thank you, Dana~ :)
I really enjoy reading this book!!
After seeing her crush, Nick, is back with his new girlfriend, Cam convinced Josh to be her fake boyfriend hoping to make Nick jealous. But will her feeling change? Especially when she realized that the one she long for isn't really the one...
I personally love books that have a Love Triangle!
Though I did notice some typos~
I really like Josh's character! And Cam's too, but I don't really adore Nick.. I don't know why Cam does in the beginning..
Definitely recommendation for those who want to read a short contemporary romance!!
January 23, 2016
I received all three books in the series (audio versions) Hearts to Follow Series from the author Dana Burkey on Goodreads asking for reviews. I will say I enjoyed all three books in the series ... Book 1 - Just Pretending Cammie, Josh and Nick - main characters. Book 2 - Changed Nick and Summer. Book 3 - Stage Lights Tara and Anthony. Tara was introduced in Book 2 she became friends with Summer near the end. This young adult series was funny and engaging with the young female characters who had strength and did not fall into peer pressure. If my granddaughter was in High School I would have let her listen to the series. I pretty sure she would have enjoyed all three books. Just Pretending and Changed were my two favorite out of the series. Great read for YA.
August 28, 2014
The is a nice ya/romance story. The story flowed nicely. The story is about 16 yr. old girl Cammy and Josh who goes to school with her, and Cammy's ex-summer boyfriend Nick and his girlfriend Gina. When Nick comes back for summer, plus he has Gina with him. Cammy still hurt from how Nick never called or anything after he left last summer. Josh tells Cammy to just pretend their a couple. This is a good for anyone wanting a short read about a summer love story. The characters had a good connection and story held you till the end. The one thing I liked the most was this story had a good meaning in it. The meaning made the story so much better. Recommend to any who reads ya/romance !!
October 22, 2014
This was the first of Dana Burkey's YA stories I have read and I really enjoyed it. Burkey has a way of creating characters that are easy to relate to. I was able to predict the ending fairly early on but that didn't prevent me from wanting to read the entire story, especially since the main character, Cam, is such a likable young lady. I also appreciate that Burkey found a way to keep the story romantic and interesting without any inappropriate content or language. When the story was over, I found myself wishing it hadn't ended and I hope that we can find out more about Cam and Josh in the future.
I was given a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I was given a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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