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Heartbreakers and Fakers
From the author of The Best Laid Plans comes another fresh voiced, hilarious rom-com perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and The Rest of the Story.
Penny Harris just ruined her life.
As one of the most popular girls in school, she's used to being invited to every party, is dating the Jordan Parker, and can't wait to rule senior year with her best friend, Olivia. But when Penny wakes up on Jordan's lawn the morning after his first-day-of-summer bash, she knows something went terribly wrong the night before.
She kissed Kai Tanaka.
Kai, her long-time nemesis. Kai, Olivia's boyfriend. Penny can't figure out what could have inspired her to do it--she loves Jordan and she would never hurt Olivia--but one thing's for sure: freshly dumped, and out a best friend, the idyllic summer she pictured is over.
And despite the fact that Jordan seems to be seeking comfort (and a whole lot more) in Olivia, all Penny can think about is winning him back. Kai wants to save his relationship too, so they come up with a plan: convince their friends that they really do have feelings for each other. After all, no one can resist a good love story, and maybe seeing Penny and Kai together will make Jordan and Olivia change their minds.
But as summer heats up, so does Penny and Kai's "relationship," and Penny starts to question whether she's truly faking it with Kai, if he's really as terrible as she always thought he was, and if the life she's fighting so hard to get back is the one she really wants.
Penny Harris just ruined her life.
As one of the most popular girls in school, she's used to being invited to every party, is dating the Jordan Parker, and can't wait to rule senior year with her best friend, Olivia. But when Penny wakes up on Jordan's lawn the morning after his first-day-of-summer bash, she knows something went terribly wrong the night before.
She kissed Kai Tanaka.
Kai, her long-time nemesis. Kai, Olivia's boyfriend. Penny can't figure out what could have inspired her to do it--she loves Jordan and she would never hurt Olivia--but one thing's for sure: freshly dumped, and out a best friend, the idyllic summer she pictured is over.
And despite the fact that Jordan seems to be seeking comfort (and a whole lot more) in Olivia, all Penny can think about is winning him back. Kai wants to save his relationship too, so they come up with a plan: convince their friends that they really do have feelings for each other. After all, no one can resist a good love story, and maybe seeing Penny and Kai together will make Jordan and Olivia change their minds.
But as summer heats up, so does Penny and Kai's "relationship," and Penny starts to question whether she's truly faking it with Kai, if he's really as terrible as she always thought he was, and if the life she's fighting so hard to get back is the one she really wants.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 8, 2021
62 people are currently reading
9718 people want to read
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October 12, 2021
"How is it so easy for everyone else? Sometimes I feel like everybody around me is living their life without really trying, like they all just naturally know the right things to do or say. I have to think about every move I make and analyze the consequences."
Last year, The Best Laid Plans took me by surprise, becoming my favorite YA romance of 2020, so obviously, Heartbreakers and Fakers was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. After getting off to a somewhat rocky start, I'm happy to report I loved it...maybe not as much as its predecessor, but that's okay.
Heartbreakers and Fakers is like the love child of Mean Girls and Gossip Girl. It screams "privilege" and "entitlement" for much of the first half, and the main character, Penny, drove me crazy. But seeing her being educated by two side characters (Sarah and Kai) and witnessing her transformation throughout the second half made me so happy to have this book in my hands. Penny's character growth is exactly why I love reading YA. It gives me hope that another generation will see that being popular in high school doesn't mean a damn thing; it's the kind of person you are on the inside that will define you as an adult.
I'm not the target audience for Heartbreakers and Fakers, but it had a warm nostalgic feel that I really needed right now. It took me back to 9th grade, going to the movies with my friends to see Mean Girls and feeling seen for maybe the first time. I was desperate to be accepted; I wanted everyone to see past my imperfections and be ranked higher on the high school pecking order, simply so I could breath a little easier while walking those hallways past the ruthless elite. Maybe that's why I didn't give up on Penny right away---I saw something in her that spoke to 9th grade me.
"I’m so used to people who talk in circles, who whisper behind your back, whose language is sugared kindness laced with poison. It’s all so much work."
If you like high school drama and the fake dating trope, this may be just the book for you. But remember, it's very much targeted to teens, so if seventeen-year-olds fighting over boys doesn't sound like a good time for you, maybe skip this one. 🥴
Best paired with Long Story Short by Taylor Swift and perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
Last year, The Best Laid Plans took me by surprise, becoming my favorite YA romance of 2020, so obviously, Heartbreakers and Fakers was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. After getting off to a somewhat rocky start, I'm happy to report I loved it...maybe not as much as its predecessor, but that's okay.
Heartbreakers and Fakers is like the love child of Mean Girls and Gossip Girl. It screams "privilege" and "entitlement" for much of the first half, and the main character, Penny, drove me crazy. But seeing her being educated by two side characters (Sarah and Kai) and witnessing her transformation throughout the second half made me so happy to have this book in my hands. Penny's character growth is exactly why I love reading YA. It gives me hope that another generation will see that being popular in high school doesn't mean a damn thing; it's the kind of person you are on the inside that will define you as an adult.
I'm not the target audience for Heartbreakers and Fakers, but it had a warm nostalgic feel that I really needed right now. It took me back to 9th grade, going to the movies with my friends to see Mean Girls and feeling seen for maybe the first time. I was desperate to be accepted; I wanted everyone to see past my imperfections and be ranked higher on the high school pecking order, simply so I could breath a little easier while walking those hallways past the ruthless elite. Maybe that's why I didn't give up on Penny right away---I saw something in her that spoke to 9th grade me.
"I’m so used to people who talk in circles, who whisper behind your back, whose language is sugared kindness laced with poison. It’s all so much work."
If you like high school drama and the fake dating trope, this may be just the book for you. But remember, it's very much targeted to teens, so if seventeen-year-olds fighting over boys doesn't sound like a good time for you, maybe skip this one. 🥴
Best paired with Long Story Short by Taylor Swift and perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
June 8, 2021
After The Best Laid Plans Cameron Lund very easily became an “author to watch” for me. Now after reading her sophomore release, Heartbreakers and Fakers she has secured herself a slot as my favorite “how did she use so many tropes in one book so effortlessly” YA contemporary romance author. This story provides two of my favorite tropes in spades. Fake dating and haters to daters. Maybe it should actually be haters to fake daters to soulmaters? I don’t know, but I enjoyed this story.
Basically this story follows Penny as she fake dates her enemy to try to win back her ex, fix her life, and get her summer back on track. See what happened is Penny gets drunk at her popular friend group’s start of summer party, and instead of hooking up with her boyfriend, Jordan, she ends up drunkenly kissing his best friend, Kai. Oh and Kai also just so happens to be her best friend Olivia’s boyfriend. Oh and add on to that he’s also Penny’s longtime archenemy. So Penny teams up with Kai to fake date, so they can win their heartbroken exes back. Now I don’t think a lie is the best way to fix a betrayal, but who am I to keep teens from creating their own angst?
Yeah, it’s a lot of drama and quite honestly I was here for every second of it. Most of this friend group is extremely flawed and well, HUMAN. I enjoyed reading about Penny trying to figure out how to save face and win back Jordan, while also sort of realizing that her rivalry with Kai may of had different reasons behind it. She also had a mirror turned in her direction quite a bit by some unexpected people in her life, and it really helped her grow and realize some things about how she’s been living her high school days, and how she wants to live her life in the future. Jazz hands for self reflection and personal growth.
The best part of this story is that even though it’s a lot of teenage angst that will have you feeling a range of emotions, it’s also just a story about a teenage girl making mistakes and figuring life out. I think that even though Penny could make some selfish and frustrating decisions, it was also easy to relate to her reasons for why she did the things she did. I’d tell you why specifically, but you’re just going to have to read the book and find out yourself.
All in all this is a great YA read. It’s angsty, with flawed characters, and a very push and pull YA romance. If you’re looking for that, then make sure you check Heartbreakers and Fakers out on June 8th!
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
Basically this story follows Penny as she fake dates her enemy to try to win back her ex, fix her life, and get her summer back on track. See what happened is Penny gets drunk at her popular friend group’s start of summer party, and instead of hooking up with her boyfriend, Jordan, she ends up drunkenly kissing his best friend, Kai. Oh and Kai also just so happens to be her best friend Olivia’s boyfriend. Oh and add on to that he’s also Penny’s longtime archenemy. So Penny teams up with Kai to fake date, so they can win their heartbroken exes back. Now I don’t think a lie is the best way to fix a betrayal, but who am I to keep teens from creating their own angst?
Yeah, it’s a lot of drama and quite honestly I was here for every second of it. Most of this friend group is extremely flawed and well, HUMAN. I enjoyed reading about Penny trying to figure out how to save face and win back Jordan, while also sort of realizing that her rivalry with Kai may of had different reasons behind it. She also had a mirror turned in her direction quite a bit by some unexpected people in her life, and it really helped her grow and realize some things about how she’s been living her high school days, and how she wants to live her life in the future. Jazz hands for self reflection and personal growth.
The best part of this story is that even though it’s a lot of teenage angst that will have you feeling a range of emotions, it’s also just a story about a teenage girl making mistakes and figuring life out. I think that even though Penny could make some selfish and frustrating decisions, it was also easy to relate to her reasons for why she did the things she did. I’d tell you why specifically, but you’re just going to have to read the book and find out yourself.
All in all this is a great YA read. It’s angsty, with flawed characters, and a very push and pull YA romance. If you’re looking for that, then make sure you check Heartbreakers and Fakers out on June 8th!
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
June 17, 2021
This book was so much fun and so adorable. Childhood "enemies" fake dating you can't go wrong. I really like Penny character development and Kai is such cutie, really liked as couple. If you like YA read this.
did-not-finish
May 26, 2021DNF @15%
Wasn’t feeling the mean girl clique and absentee parents thing. I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters and didn’t see myself enjoying the direction of the plot
Wasn’t feeling the mean girl clique and absentee parents thing. I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters and didn’t see myself enjoying the direction of the plot
June 1, 2021
For fans of 80s teen movies, I think this one will be a winner. With extremely similar vibes to one of my favorite reads of 2021, Better Than the Movies, this book is equally excellent. I am living for the last summer before senior year, fake-dating on fake-dating, find out who your real friends are super fun plot. The writing is sharp, and the characters layered. It's all-around a great read, and I definitely want to go back and read Best Laid Plans now.
When Penny wakes up and discovers she drunkenly kissed her boyfriend's best friend and her best friend's boyfriend, her whole world implodes. She doesn't even like him! Hates him, in fact. But everyone roots for a love story, so when Penny and her arch-nemesis start fake dating in the hopes everyone forgives them for a horrendous mistake, things start to become real, and Penny starts to reconsider who she is...
This was unbelievably bingeable, and I sped through it in one evening and would definitely read it again. I can't see it on the big screen in the same way I could with Better Than the Movies (too many flashbacks), but with fake-dating your childhood enemy and having a magical day in Disneyland, it's hard to avoid a comparison. But honestly, I loved this one, and I would read, recommend, and buy both. There's definitely space for both of these excellent books, and if you like one, you're probably going to like the other.
Thanks to Penguin Teen for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 9/10
When Penny wakes up and discovers she drunkenly kissed her boyfriend's best friend and her best friend's boyfriend, her whole world implodes. She doesn't even like him! Hates him, in fact. But everyone roots for a love story, so when Penny and her arch-nemesis start fake dating in the hopes everyone forgives them for a horrendous mistake, things start to become real, and Penny starts to reconsider who she is...
This was unbelievably bingeable, and I sped through it in one evening and would definitely read it again. I can't see it on the big screen in the same way I could with Better Than the Movies (too many flashbacks), but with fake-dating your childhood enemy and having a magical day in Disneyland, it's hard to avoid a comparison. But honestly, I loved this one, and I would read, recommend, and buy both. There's definitely space for both of these excellent books, and if you like one, you're probably going to like the other.
Thanks to Penguin Teen for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 9/10
July 7, 2021
This was a great audiobook read by Rachel L. Jacobs and Cameron Lund. They were fantastic narrators. A YA romcom with all the angst and drama. Perfect for summer. Penny Harris is one of the most popular girls in school and is dating Jordan, the popular hot guy. They're looking forward to their senior year, and ruling the school. When she wakes up on Jordans front lawn the morning after the "first day of summer bash", she knows something must've gone wrong. She finds out she kissed her bff Olivia's boyfriend Kai, and she doesn't even remember. What makes it even more weird is that her and Kai can't stand eachother. Jordan is now finding comfort in Olivia, and Kai and Penny want to break it up. So Her and Kai decide to pretend they ended up falling in love with each other, in hopes to try and win back Jordan and Olivia. But as the summer progresses, Penny isn't so sure she's "faking" her feelings anymore! 😱 If you love the fake dating trope, with all the drama...this one is it. Totally fun!
Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook, all opinions are my own!
Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted audiobook, all opinions are my own!
June 6, 2021
Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I'm happy to say I've found another YA author I love! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough for this book. It's definitely got a mean girls vibe to it which may not be everyone's cup of tea but that's high school right? I think reading this as an adult in her mid-thirties, I found Penny super annoying and superficial at times but at the same time, I totally understood her. Who doesn't want to belong in high school? I think Lund captured the struggles of teenagers/YA and high school drama really well. I also enjoyed the diverse casts in this book!
Overall, highly recommend this if you are a fan of YA authors like Jenn Bennett and Julie Buxbaum.
I'm happy to say I've found another YA author I love! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough for this book. It's definitely got a mean girls vibe to it which may not be everyone's cup of tea but that's high school right? I think reading this as an adult in her mid-thirties, I found Penny super annoying and superficial at times but at the same time, I totally understood her. Who doesn't want to belong in high school? I think Lund captured the struggles of teenagers/YA and high school drama really well. I also enjoyed the diverse casts in this book!
Overall, highly recommend this if you are a fan of YA authors like Jenn Bennett and Julie Buxbaum.
November 1, 2021
After loving Lund’s debut, The Best Laid Plans, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her sophomore novel, Heartbreakers and Fakers. However, it fell a bit flat for me overall.
I think a big issue is that I’m over the teenage girl realizes popularity doesn't matter trope. It's tired and overdone and really annoys me. In the same vein, I hated the main character, Penny, and her constant obsession with getting the cool kids to like her. The one bright spot in the book was her fake love interest, Kai. He and his mom were the sweetest characters and I loved their perspectives.
If you enjoy the fake dating trope in YA or Mean Girls, maybe this is the book for you.
I think a big issue is that I’m over the teenage girl realizes popularity doesn't matter trope. It's tired and overdone and really annoys me. In the same vein, I hated the main character, Penny, and her constant obsession with getting the cool kids to like her. The one bright spot in the book was her fake love interest, Kai. He and his mom were the sweetest characters and I loved their perspectives.
If you enjoy the fake dating trope in YA or Mean Girls, maybe this is the book for you.
February 8, 2021
We have a name!! Also, we're going to explore Disneyland in this book?? IM READY.
Blog (Read By Tiffany) | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Bloglovin
Blog (Read By Tiffany) | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Bloglovin
Want to read
October 13, 2020i need some tea in my boring life :) this book is going to deliver
June 7, 2021
You guys! My favorite YA author’s new book Heartbreakers and Fakers by @camloond comes out TOMORROW 😍
If you like :
💗 Mature YA books
💗 Fake Dating
💗 Drama
💗 Character Growth
My Review : I really love Cameron Lund’s writing. Like I said before this book is filled to the brim with drama, angst, and also gave me major Mean Girl Vibes. Penny wasn’t my fav character but I still enjoyed that she has a lot of growth through the story. The character that I really loved was Kai. He is just this really sweet guy who doesn’t want to get caught up in drama but somehow gets stuck in this whirlwind of drama. I love that he is there for Penny through this fiasco of a situation and we get to see a lot of sides of him that are super swoon worthy.
Thank you @penguinteen for an arc in exchange for an honest review
If you like :
💗 Mature YA books
💗 Fake Dating
💗 Drama
💗 Character Growth
My Review : I really love Cameron Lund’s writing. Like I said before this book is filled to the brim with drama, angst, and also gave me major Mean Girl Vibes. Penny wasn’t my fav character but I still enjoyed that she has a lot of growth through the story. The character that I really loved was Kai. He is just this really sweet guy who doesn’t want to get caught up in drama but somehow gets stuck in this whirlwind of drama. I love that he is there for Penny through this fiasco of a situation and we get to see a lot of sides of him that are super swoon worthy.
Thank you @penguinteen for an arc in exchange for an honest review
August 17, 2021
This was a LOT of YA drama. So much fake dating it was hard to keep track a bit who actually liked who. I did appreciate the critique of how much effort girls have to put into looking 'good,' or at least how much Penelope buys into that. I did really enjoy seeing how the fake dating relationship turned to a real one but overall it was a bit too much over the top drama for my tastes. This one won't be my favorite summer YA book.
Favorite quote:
"But being by myself right now doesn't feel like loneliness. It feels like potential. I don't have to play by anyone else's rules. I don't have to be the girl that everyone wants. The girl that looks put together all the time, that's too scared to get her hair wet...But depending on someone else isn't power. Using someone to make yourself feel less alone isn't strength. I don't need anyone's approval."
Favorite quote:
"But being by myself right now doesn't feel like loneliness. It feels like potential. I don't have to play by anyone else's rules. I don't have to be the girl that everyone wants. The girl that looks put together all the time, that's too scared to get her hair wet...But depending on someone else isn't power. Using someone to make yourself feel less alone isn't strength. I don't need anyone's approval."
June 11, 2021
Thank you prh audio for the ALC.
I decided to give this book a chance even after I didn’t care for this authors debut. I liked her writing so I figured it’s possible i could enjoy this one.
I’m just not a fan of whiny teen characters. I love YA so much but some of these books are too much.
I literally rolled my eyes so many times at the main character Penelope and all of her choices. I understand teens aren’t the best but somehow Lund makes them seem so terrible.
I do think she’s a good writer and I hope to one day enjoy one of her books but for now I’ll just skip her books.
I decided to give this book a chance even after I didn’t care for this authors debut. I liked her writing so I figured it’s possible i could enjoy this one.
I’m just not a fan of whiny teen characters. I love YA so much but some of these books are too much.
I literally rolled my eyes so many times at the main character Penelope and all of her choices. I understand teens aren’t the best but somehow Lund makes them seem so terrible.
I do think she’s a good writer and I hope to one day enjoy one of her books but for now I’ll just skip her books.
July 19, 2021
*** 3.5 STARS ***
This was another very quick and enjoyable read by Cameron Lund and her books are definitely the perfect choice if you're looking for something that'll get you out of a reading slump. Some of the characters in Heartbreakers and Fakers were a bit too annoying for my liking but apart from that, I really liked the story and had a lot of fun reading it.
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This was another very quick and enjoyable read by Cameron Lund and her books are definitely the perfect choice if you're looking for something that'll get you out of a reading slump. Some of the characters in Heartbreakers and Fakers were a bit too annoying for my liking but apart from that, I really liked the story and had a lot of fun reading it.
instagram || my blog || twitter
April 23, 2025
•••••••••••••••••••Palette cleanser alert! 🤭
This book was like floating on clouds and racing against the clock – and somehow, it worked! I'm obsessed with the character growth, and what really resonated with me was the raw, real portrayal of complex issues. No cheesy YA vibes here! The characters' struggles felt authentic, and I could relate to many of their experiences. The biggest takeaway for me was the beautiful messiness of human relationships – we're all tangled up in each other's lives, whether it's with strangers or lifelong loved ones. We need each other, flaws and all. That might look like messy arguments, silent treatments, or hard truths, but ultimately, we all deserve forgiveness and honesty. I'm head over heels for this book! 💋
This book was like floating on clouds and racing against the clock – and somehow, it worked! I'm obsessed with the character growth, and what really resonated with me was the raw, real portrayal of complex issues. No cheesy YA vibes here! The characters' struggles felt authentic, and I could relate to many of their experiences. The biggest takeaway for me was the beautiful messiness of human relationships – we're all tangled up in each other's lives, whether it's with strangers or lifelong loved ones. We need each other, flaws and all. That might look like messy arguments, silent treatments, or hard truths, but ultimately, we all deserve forgiveness and honesty. I'm head over heels for this book! 💋
September 4, 2025
"Don't spend so much energy trying to get people to like you that you forget how to like yourself. "
So funny and entertaining, so swoony too. The characters felt so real and their situation quite believable, something that could easily happen with teenagers in a tight-knit group. Penny's character development has been so satisfying to witness.
The plot twist was very surprising too, fake dating taking a full turn. Also, Kai is such a great guy, so adorable. I'm a big KaiNelope shipper. This book reminds me so much of those really good YA rom-coms written around 2012 to 2015 by Jenny Han, Kasie West, and Katie Cotugno, but mix today's popular YAs by Lynn Painter. I didn't expect this to be this good. I almost sold it without reading it.
So funny and entertaining, so swoony too. The characters felt so real and their situation quite believable, something that could easily happen with teenagers in a tight-knit group. Penny's character development has been so satisfying to witness.
The plot twist was very surprising too, fake dating taking a full turn. Also, Kai is such a great guy, so adorable. I'm a big KaiNelope shipper. This book reminds me so much of those really good YA rom-coms written around 2012 to 2015 by Jenny Han, Kasie West, and Katie Cotugno, but mix today's popular YAs by Lynn Painter. I didn't expect this to be this good. I almost sold it without reading it.
May 29, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
One drunken night, Penny struggles to recall the evening’s events where she apparently cheated on her boyfriend Jordan by kissing his best friend Kai. Kai, who she has hated for years because of a stupid nickname when they were younger and who is dating her best friend Olivia. In order to win their respective partners back, Penny and Kai fake date to make them jealous. Does it work?
Holy moly TEEN DRAMA! But, I loved it. Such a guilty pleasure read, despite predictability and the whole unoriginal popular-girl-who-lost-herself persona. I dug the dual timelines, snippets from the past, and I knew I’d love Kai. The banter, the chemistry, they were definitely there.
HEARTBREAKERS AND FAKERS had all the fun tropes, and is perfect for fans of Jenn P. Nguyen’s FAKE IT TILL YOU BREAK IT and the movie MEAN GIRLS.
One drunken night, Penny struggles to recall the evening’s events where she apparently cheated on her boyfriend Jordan by kissing his best friend Kai. Kai, who she has hated for years because of a stupid nickname when they were younger and who is dating her best friend Olivia. In order to win their respective partners back, Penny and Kai fake date to make them jealous. Does it work?
Holy moly TEEN DRAMA! But, I loved it. Such a guilty pleasure read, despite predictability and the whole unoriginal popular-girl-who-lost-herself persona. I dug the dual timelines, snippets from the past, and I knew I’d love Kai. The banter, the chemistry, they were definitely there.
HEARTBREAKERS AND FAKERS had all the fun tropes, and is perfect for fans of Jenn P. Nguyen’s FAKE IT TILL YOU BREAK IT and the movie MEAN GIRLS.
July 24, 2021
Dude I loved this. This was exactly what I wanted - a mindless high school romance peppered with fake dating, mean girls, and bad decisions. There was even the there's-only-one-bed trope and a signed fake dating contract. I know what kind of contemporary YA romance I like. This is it.
I think Cameron Lund writes in a way that my brain finds so easy to consume. I don't know how to describe it other than the Goldilocks effect - it's not too fast, not too slow, not too much detail, not lacking in detail. She also seems to be mindful of the fact that she's writing teenagers in high school and makes them flawed but likable.
In this book, Penny screws up. So does Kai. There's no getting around it - cheating is crappy and it doesn't matter whether or not you were drunk when you decided to cheat. I like that this fact didn't change. There were no excuses or extenuating circumstances set for Penny. She did a crappy thing and had to deal with the fallout. Of course, there were many layers to that screw up that eventually come to light, buuuuut you know, spoilers.
I found myself really rooting for Penny & Kai and I thought the dialogue between them was written well. I had that same kind of smitten feeling I had when reading To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
There are a few things that make this more of a 4 star than a 5 star read for me, but those things are spoilers so that's all I'll say. Just wanted to clarify since I'm giving what seems like a glowing review.
I feel like this is an author whose books I will look forward to picking up. I was pleasantly surprised by her debut and this was a solid second release. Hopefully there will be more to come!
I think Cameron Lund writes in a way that my brain finds so easy to consume. I don't know how to describe it other than the Goldilocks effect - it's not too fast, not too slow, not too much detail, not lacking in detail. She also seems to be mindful of the fact that she's writing teenagers in high school and makes them flawed but likable.
In this book, Penny screws up. So does Kai. There's no getting around it - cheating is crappy and it doesn't matter whether or not you were drunk when you decided to cheat. I like that this fact didn't change. There were no excuses or extenuating circumstances set for Penny. She did a crappy thing and had to deal with the fallout. Of course, there were many layers to that screw up that eventually come to light, buuuuut you know, spoilers.
I found myself really rooting for Penny & Kai and I thought the dialogue between them was written well. I had that same kind of smitten feeling I had when reading To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
There are a few things that make this more of a 4 star than a 5 star read for me, but those things are spoilers so that's all I'll say. Just wanted to clarify since I'm giving what seems like a glowing review.
I feel like this is an author whose books I will look forward to picking up. I was pleasantly surprised by her debut and this was a solid second release. Hopefully there will be more to come!
September 20, 2021
My full thoughts can be found in this reading vlog.
In the interest of full disclosure I was sent an arc of this, though I did read a copy I had purchased for myself.
As for this, I had a good time. I'm not usually a believer in the antagonistic to lovers trope, I'm much more of a childhood friends to lovers [ which was featured in Lund's debut ]. And I'm not even sure that objectively I'm behind this romance, even though I'm giving this a five star read. For me the romance was the weakest part of this given what happened in the third act.
The story is told in alternating timelines. We start the story the night after Penny has kissed Kai, the boyfriend of her best friend Olivia. To make matters slightly worse Penny is not a single person, she's been dating Jordan the better part of Junior year. The narrative then flashes back to the start of their junior year to give us the broader context of the participants in this lovely little love square [ as Olivia also had a thing for Jordan and following this party they start dating ], but the friend group as a whole. We also get an insight into why Kai and Penny haven't always gotten along as well as how Olivia and Penny went from enemies to best friends.
Initially I thought I was on board with the relationship between Kai and Penny. But as the past storyline played out and we had more context for the inciting incident of the narrative, their drunken kiss at the party, it started to feel a little more dubious. In that Penny was clearly drunk and Kai was clearly not and he continued to rationalize why the kiss was okay? But we also get a reveal late in the third act that made me not really root for him and Penny to be together. I wasn't even sure if I wanted her and Jordan to get back together even though a small part of me had been rooting for that.
I did think the character dynamics were worth it though. I was invested in Penny, and while maybe not invested in her romantic connections I was invested to understand more about her connections to those characters and her friend group. I wish we could have seen more of her little brother Sebastian because he always gave good vibes. Even the storyline she had with her mother and her mother's ever rotating roster of love interests. It felt like a healthy balance that all came together for me to just enjoy the narrative. And we end the story with Penny and company heading into their senior year of high school and it's easy enough for me to believe that it didn't matter who she ended this part of the story with because I choose to believe that future Penny wouldn't be with either of them anyway and would instead be living her life with someone better and that was enough for me.
I think most people mileage will vary with this one, but for me it was a good time with characters I'll likely meet again. And it was nice to just read about teenagers being messy in all the ways that make sense for them to be messy.
In the interest of full disclosure I was sent an arc of this, though I did read a copy I had purchased for myself.
As for this, I had a good time. I'm not usually a believer in the antagonistic to lovers trope, I'm much more of a childhood friends to lovers [ which was featured in Lund's debut ]. And I'm not even sure that objectively I'm behind this romance, even though I'm giving this a five star read. For me the romance was the weakest part of this given what happened in the third act.
The story is told in alternating timelines. We start the story the night after Penny has kissed Kai, the boyfriend of her best friend Olivia. To make matters slightly worse Penny is not a single person, she's been dating Jordan the better part of Junior year. The narrative then flashes back to the start of their junior year to give us the broader context of the participants in this lovely little love square [ as Olivia also had a thing for Jordan and following this party they start dating ], but the friend group as a whole. We also get an insight into why Kai and Penny haven't always gotten along as well as how Olivia and Penny went from enemies to best friends.
Initially I thought I was on board with the relationship between Kai and Penny. But as the past storyline played out and we had more context for the inciting incident of the narrative, their drunken kiss at the party, it started to feel a little more dubious. In that Penny was clearly drunk and Kai was clearly not and he continued to rationalize why the kiss was okay? But we also get a reveal late in the third act that made me not really root for him and Penny to be together. I wasn't even sure if I wanted her and Jordan to get back together even though a small part of me had been rooting for that.
I did think the character dynamics were worth it though. I was invested in Penny, and while maybe not invested in her romantic connections I was invested to understand more about her connections to those characters and her friend group. I wish we could have seen more of her little brother Sebastian because he always gave good vibes. Even the storyline she had with her mother and her mother's ever rotating roster of love interests. It felt like a healthy balance that all came together for me to just enjoy the narrative. And we end the story with Penny and company heading into their senior year of high school and it's easy enough for me to believe that it didn't matter who she ended this part of the story with because I choose to believe that future Penny wouldn't be with either of them anyway and would instead be living her life with someone better and that was enough for me.
I think most people mileage will vary with this one, but for me it was a good time with characters I'll likely meet again. And it was nice to just read about teenagers being messy in all the ways that make sense for them to be messy.
July 24, 2021
I love a fauxmance, but this was so much more. The flashbacks were where the meat was for me. It was there that I got to see things through a different lens, and it was those memories that had Penny rethinking a lot of things. It was a tough time for Penny, but she grew so much, and the experience forced her to reexamine many of her relationship. I was rooting for this fauxmace to become a romance the whole time.
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September 20, 2021
4.5/5 stars
I’m going to need Cameron Lund to keep writing books for the rest of time, I’m addicted to them. There’s a cinematic quality to her books that makes you feel like you’re not just reading a story, but you’re also watching one of your favorite 90s/early aughts rom-coms play out on screen. I can’t quite describe it, but I’ve felt this while reading both of her books now—that warm feeling you get, the butterflies in your stomach, when you’re watching movies like She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, or Clueless. With both THE BEST LAID PLANS and HEARTBREAKERS AND FAKERS, Lund has captured that magic in a bottle.
HEARTBREAKERS is a delightful YA rom-com with enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and lots of tension-filled moments and banter. After drunkenly kissing her best friend’s (Olivia) boyfriend (Kai) at her own boyfriend’s (Jordan) party, Penny Harris wakes up the morning after the party to find herself the new pariah of her friend group. Penny can’t, for the life of her, figure out why she would have kissed Kai—she loves Jordan and she’d never dream of hurting Olivia. Also, there’s the whole matter of Kai being her worst enemy. When Jordan and Olivia get together, Penny and Kai hatch a plan to earn their friends’ forgiveness and win back their respective exes: pretend they’re in love.
Although I couldn’t relate to Penny insofar as I was neither popular in high school nor part of any elaborate fake-dating schemes, I could relate to Penny’s insecurities and struggles about her sense of self and sense of worth being tied to her friend group. Penny’s willingness to overlook Olivia’s cruelty and eagerness to stay in her orbit was painfully realistic, and this book was as much a fun romance as it was a story about Penny figuring out who she was outside of her friendship with Olivia. With Penny, Lund perfectly captured the stomach-churning insecurity that has made so many of us accept love beneath what we deserve all in the name of being accepted.
I would have liked to see more about Olivia and Kai (and Olivia and Jordan, for that matter). As it was, I was a bit confused by his relationship with and loyalty to Olivia because it felt somewhat inconsistent with his character. I think the story would have benefited from exploring that more and from a dual-perspective narrative. As much as I loved Penny’s voice, I would’ve enjoyed reading Kai’s perspective, at least as far as his relationship with Olivia and some of his motivations were concerned. For those reasons, HEARTBREAKERS fell a bit short of THE BEST LAID PLANS for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This has not impacted or influenced my review or my opinions.
For more reviews, check out my Instagram and my Blog!
I’m going to need Cameron Lund to keep writing books for the rest of time, I’m addicted to them. There’s a cinematic quality to her books that makes you feel like you’re not just reading a story, but you’re also watching one of your favorite 90s/early aughts rom-coms play out on screen. I can’t quite describe it, but I’ve felt this while reading both of her books now—that warm feeling you get, the butterflies in your stomach, when you’re watching movies like She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, or Clueless. With both THE BEST LAID PLANS and HEARTBREAKERS AND FAKERS, Lund has captured that magic in a bottle.
HEARTBREAKERS is a delightful YA rom-com with enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and lots of tension-filled moments and banter. After drunkenly kissing her best friend’s (Olivia) boyfriend (Kai) at her own boyfriend’s (Jordan) party, Penny Harris wakes up the morning after the party to find herself the new pariah of her friend group. Penny can’t, for the life of her, figure out why she would have kissed Kai—she loves Jordan and she’d never dream of hurting Olivia. Also, there’s the whole matter of Kai being her worst enemy. When Jordan and Olivia get together, Penny and Kai hatch a plan to earn their friends’ forgiveness and win back their respective exes: pretend they’re in love.
Although I couldn’t relate to Penny insofar as I was neither popular in high school nor part of any elaborate fake-dating schemes, I could relate to Penny’s insecurities and struggles about her sense of self and sense of worth being tied to her friend group. Penny’s willingness to overlook Olivia’s cruelty and eagerness to stay in her orbit was painfully realistic, and this book was as much a fun romance as it was a story about Penny figuring out who she was outside of her friendship with Olivia. With Penny, Lund perfectly captured the stomach-churning insecurity that has made so many of us accept love beneath what we deserve all in the name of being accepted.
I would have liked to see more about Olivia and Kai (and Olivia and Jordan, for that matter). As it was, I was a bit confused by his relationship with and loyalty to Olivia because it felt somewhat inconsistent with his character. I think the story would have benefited from exploring that more and from a dual-perspective narrative. As much as I loved Penny’s voice, I would’ve enjoyed reading Kai’s perspective, at least as far as his relationship with Olivia and some of his motivations were concerned. For those reasons, HEARTBREAKERS fell a bit short of THE BEST LAID PLANS for me.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This has not impacted or influenced my review or my opinions.
For more reviews, check out my Instagram and my Blog!
December 29, 2021
This was messy AF but it was ridiculously entertaining.
July 24, 2023
I think the only reason this is getting 3 stars instead of a solid 2.5 is because I thought the endless amount of middle school-ish drama was so funny to me and reminded me of the books I loved reading in 5th grade. The book was good but not outstanding, and I don’t plan on ever reading it again, but I did really enjoy the romance between Kai and Penelope.
September 27, 2023
cheating is bad. thanks for listening
August 14, 2021
I was addicted to this book, and now fake-dating has become my new favorite trope
September 6, 2021
This was such a fun reading experience. The nonlinear timeline really helped the reader see what is to come but also how the past was shaped. This was a great way to go about this story.
The fake dating trope is not new by any means but this sure was a great read.
The fake dating trope is not new by any means but this sure was a great read.
October 20, 2021
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC via Netgalley.
Penny Harris has just lost everything. When Penny awakes to the nightmare that is now her life she learns that everything has changed from a mistake made last night. With her relationship and friendships in ruin Penny is going to have to do something to try to get back to normal.
This book was okay overall. I think that Penny was a bit too forgiving at the end even though it was nice to see some maturity by her at the end. I think this book was kind mature for YA at times and is on the verge of new adult in some elements.
The plot was fine but it seemed a bit drawn out as well.
Penny Harris has just lost everything. When Penny awakes to the nightmare that is now her life she learns that everything has changed from a mistake made last night. With her relationship and friendships in ruin Penny is going to have to do something to try to get back to normal.
This book was okay overall. I think that Penny was a bit too forgiving at the end even though it was nice to see some maturity by her at the end. I think this book was kind mature for YA at times and is on the verge of new adult in some elements.
The plot was fine but it seemed a bit drawn out as well.
March 31, 2021
"And then I saw you reading, and you smiled at me, and it was that little smile that got me through it all. I was like, this girl gets it."
Oh, you want to know the tea? I gotchu, sis. So Penny and Olivia and BF4E. Penny has been in love with Jordan for years. Like life long debilitating crush. He finally asked Penny to be his girlfriend. Jordan and Kai = bromance. Kai is one of the most annoying people on the planet. Kai is ALSO Olivia's boyfriend. Yikes. First night of summer. First party and Penny wakes up buzzing with fear that something is wrong. And she is right. She kissed KAI TANAKA. Kai, her long time nemesis. Kai, her besties boyfriend.
There's a theory among the friends, that Kai and Penny are secretly into each other or something. Like Han and Lei vibes.
Penny's not feeling it. But people believe it. And everyone forgives a good love story, right? So...How are Kai and Penny going to get Olivia and Jordan back? By pretending to date to make them jealous. Classic freaking idiot kid behavior.
I LOVED Heartbreakers and Fakers! YA rom-com with max com. Penny and Olivia's pet names for each other are comical. "You're the dollop of whipped cream in my PSL." SO LOL! And Kai's nicknames for Penny "hey, lemon poppy seed muffin". Okay. Snort! Kai is funny. He's got jokes. There are two scenes that are steal-your-breath-precious!
And wait. It's not all rainbows and butterflies. There is massive betrayal, manipulation, and toxic friendships. Secrets and lies! Oh, my!
Cameron Lund! This was such a FUN read! If you want a few hours of escapism...Heartbreakers and Fakers is what you need, dear reader. Perfect for fans of Emma Lord and Rachel Lynn Solomon.
READ IF YOU LIKE:
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers (it's an eternal flame)
-self discovery
-puns & jokes
-lots of good music (Khalid, Lana Del Rey, AC/DC)
-#IsThisAKissingBook: uh...blinks a couple times...duh.
-Disneyland! (I know that weirdly long line for Peter Pan)
"I think that's whats so great about love: it's something worth putting in the extra effort for."
All the thanks to Penguin Young Readers for an advanced copy!
Song: As I Am by Justin Beiber ft. Khalid
Oh, you want to know the tea? I gotchu, sis. So Penny and Olivia and BF4E. Penny has been in love with Jordan for years. Like life long debilitating crush. He finally asked Penny to be his girlfriend. Jordan and Kai = bromance. Kai is one of the most annoying people on the planet. Kai is ALSO Olivia's boyfriend. Yikes. First night of summer. First party and Penny wakes up buzzing with fear that something is wrong. And she is right. She kissed KAI TANAKA. Kai, her long time nemesis. Kai, her besties boyfriend.
There's a theory among the friends, that Kai and Penny are secretly into each other or something. Like Han and Lei vibes.
Penny's not feeling it. But people believe it. And everyone forgives a good love story, right? So...How are Kai and Penny going to get Olivia and Jordan back? By pretending to date to make them jealous. Classic freaking idiot kid behavior.
I LOVED Heartbreakers and Fakers! YA rom-com with max com. Penny and Olivia's pet names for each other are comical. "You're the dollop of whipped cream in my PSL." SO LOL! And Kai's nicknames for Penny "hey, lemon poppy seed muffin". Okay. Snort! Kai is funny. He's got jokes. There are two scenes that are steal-your-breath-precious!
And wait. It's not all rainbows and butterflies. There is massive betrayal, manipulation, and toxic friendships. Secrets and lies! Oh, my!
Cameron Lund! This was such a FUN read! If you want a few hours of escapism...Heartbreakers and Fakers is what you need, dear reader. Perfect for fans of Emma Lord and Rachel Lynn Solomon.
READ IF YOU LIKE:
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers (it's an eternal flame)
-self discovery
-puns & jokes
-lots of good music (Khalid, Lana Del Rey, AC/DC)
-#IsThisAKissingBook: uh...blinks a couple times...duh.
-Disneyland! (I know that weirdly long line for Peter Pan)
"I think that's whats so great about love: it's something worth putting in the extra effort for."
All the thanks to Penguin Young Readers for an advanced copy!
Song: As I Am by Justin Beiber ft. Khalid
February 6, 2021
As an adult of an undisclosed age, I can say there are hits and there are misses. For me to enjoy a book, the writing has to be amazing, with characters that have bigger problems than what to wear on Friday night. Cameron Lund is an author who can take a fun trope as fake-dating and give it a new meaning with characters that have complexities and relatable growing pains. She goes beyond superficial problems and dives into the heart of emotions that everyone tends to feel either as an adult or as a teen. To me, her writing is effortless, captivating, and natural. She has a flow that makes it so an adult like myself who loves angsty teen drama can enjoy this without feeling too old to be reading it.
There’s a kindness to Penny that feels authentic in nature. She feels genuine with her actions and is just trying to navigate the game that is high school to come out unscathed. Reading her struggle and doubts left a relatable feeling about my own self, and seeing her growth throughout the book made me cheer for her success. It was interesting to see how the author went between past and present to showcase Penny’s key between being in love with the idea of love versus actually being in love with another person.
This book is the perfect mix between Mean Girls and season three of Dawson’s Creek, Joey and Pacey vibes. The friends of the group sparred and bantered back and forth only to end up blurring the lines between love and hate. I loved the angst between these two characters. There is a passion that is felt every time Penny and Kai interact. Through their “hate” they were able to find common ground and be vulnerable by letting each other into their messy worlds. Though it can be stereotypical in some aspects, the author provides an unexpected twist that is different from other books like it.
There’s a universal feeling of wanting to belong or wanting love that’s translated to any age. Though this book filled my heart with agony and drama, I devoured this book. There were twists and turns that kept it interesting and hard to put down, characters that you just fell in love with, and moments that were so sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC
There’s a kindness to Penny that feels authentic in nature. She feels genuine with her actions and is just trying to navigate the game that is high school to come out unscathed. Reading her struggle and doubts left a relatable feeling about my own self, and seeing her growth throughout the book made me cheer for her success. It was interesting to see how the author went between past and present to showcase Penny’s key between being in love with the idea of love versus actually being in love with another person.
This book is the perfect mix between Mean Girls and season three of Dawson’s Creek, Joey and Pacey vibes. The friends of the group sparred and bantered back and forth only to end up blurring the lines between love and hate. I loved the angst between these two characters. There is a passion that is felt every time Penny and Kai interact. Through their “hate” they were able to find common ground and be vulnerable by letting each other into their messy worlds. Though it can be stereotypical in some aspects, the author provides an unexpected twist that is different from other books like it.
There’s a universal feeling of wanting to belong or wanting love that’s translated to any age. Though this book filled my heart with agony and drama, I devoured this book. There were twists and turns that kept it interesting and hard to put down, characters that you just fell in love with, and moments that were so sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC
June 4, 2021
I was expecting to go into this story and read about another cliche love story, and that's basically what happened, but what I didn't expect was to connect so much with the main character, Penny. Some people might find the constant reparation of Penny's childhood issues annoying and unnecessary, but as someone who experienced many of those exact same feelings, it was actually very much needed. The repetition of the events allowed the reader to realize just how much of an impact childhood bullying and taunting can have on people. I appreciated the fact that Penny was always strong in reminding people that just because they didn't mean to hurt her, doesn't mean that they didn't, and that their apologies don't erase their actions. I don't think Lund set out to write a story about overcoming childhood bullying in this romance novel, but, I think she did a pretty amazing job at it. This story is a great one to enforce the idea that actions have consequences, some of which can last for years after the event occurs. I absolutely loved this story and Penny, and the guys were pretty cute too.
I read this book in one sitting and I think everyone should pick this up to get a glimpse into how harmful childhood taunts can really be.
I read this book in one sitting and I think everyone should pick this up to get a glimpse into how harmful childhood taunts can really be.
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