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How to Win a Breakup
An “it” couple’s breakup becomes a sporting event in a deliciously charming novel about the games people play in the name of love.
First, math genius and gamer-nerd Samaya gets dumped by her boyfriend. Then he sabotages her job and hooks up with her frenemy. What could be worse? Clearly, her golden-boy ex is winning the breakup. The only way Samaya can get some rebound cred is to find someone new. Even if she has to fake it.
At a volunteer bake sale, Samaya meets a sweet opportunity. Daniel is a handsome hockey jock and a whiz when it comes to lemon squares and brownies. And he agrees to play along. Quid pro quo. He’ll pretend to be the boyfriend of her dreams if Samaya helps him pass calculus.
This may well be the recipe for the best revenge, but Samaya has no idea how complicated it will get. As they whip up an imitation romance, and a bumbleberry pie, resisting each other’s very real charms proves impossible. Samaya finds herself on an unexpected journey of secrets, self-discovery, and the true meaning of moving on.
First, math genius and gamer-nerd Samaya gets dumped by her boyfriend. Then he sabotages her job and hooks up with her frenemy. What could be worse? Clearly, her golden-boy ex is winning the breakup. The only way Samaya can get some rebound cred is to find someone new. Even if she has to fake it.
At a volunteer bake sale, Samaya meets a sweet opportunity. Daniel is a handsome hockey jock and a whiz when it comes to lemon squares and brownies. And he agrees to play along. Quid pro quo. He’ll pretend to be the boyfriend of her dreams if Samaya helps him pass calculus.
This may well be the recipe for the best revenge, but Samaya has no idea how complicated it will get. As they whip up an imitation romance, and a bumbleberry pie, resisting each other’s very real charms proves impossible. Samaya finds herself on an unexpected journey of secrets, self-discovery, and the true meaning of moving on.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2023
213 people are currently reading
4801 people want to read
About the author
Farah Heron
13 books1,055 followersFarah Heron is a critically acclaimed author of romantic comedies for adults and young adults filled with huge South Asian families, delectable food, and most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two children, and a rabbit named Strawberry. She recently adopted two cats, who are now in charge.
Farah’s debut, The Chai Factor was named one of the summer’s best books by The Globe and Mail, and was praised in Book Riot, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Bustle and more. Her next release, Accidentally Engaged, was listed as a best book of 2021 in Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, CBC Books, Kobo, and more. Her young adult debut, Tahira in Bloom, was recently released, and was praised as one of the best rom-coms of the year by USA today.
Farah’s debut, The Chai Factor was named one of the summer’s best books by The Globe and Mail, and was praised in Book Riot, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Bustle and more. Her next release, Accidentally Engaged, was listed as a best book of 2021 in Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, CBC Books, Kobo, and more. Her young adult debut, Tahira in Bloom, was recently released, and was praised as one of the best rom-coms of the year by USA today.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
April 16, 2023
3/5 stars, there was so much teenage drama lol
Thank you to Skyscape for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really intense book for a young adult contemporary, and that was really because of some of the themes present as well as the unnecessary high school drama haha. While I did expect a bit of this, especially as the main character, Samaya, is fake-dating a boy to get back at her ex-boyfriend, it wasn't ultimately what I wanted from the story. This is okay, as I think this book will be a lot more entertaining for people, there were just some things that were not my favorite but in total I think it was still interesting.
One of the biggest parts that was a turn-off for me was the petty and selfish drama that happened at the main character's high school. Being someone who recently left high school behind and was very happy to not have to deal with that sort of drama anymore (in theory) I just didn't love reading about the gossip account, rumors, and how everyone wanted a certain "status". I understand that this is how it is in high school, but I think there can also be successful young adult books without all of this being "normalized", though I do understand that was part of the point of the story. I think I was just expecting something a little different.
The plot was alright, I really enjoy the fake dating trope so getting to see that present here was super fun! I love seeing people slowly fall for each other. But because the drama was such a big part of this plot, it really affected how the characters acted, and I was SO annoyed at Samaya's supposed friends. They were all acting so shitty to her, both to her face and behind her back, and I got so frustrated with this book. Don't even get me started on her ex-boyfriend, he was so annoying, and especially how this book ended with him I would honestly have gone insane if he was real in my life. But, this drama did get the anticipated reaction out of me so I have to give the book that, the writing style just wasn't anything super unique so while I got the feelings that were intended, I just didn't connect very deeply.
That being said, I think Samaya as a main character had a lot to learn and isn't perfect, but she is pretty realistic and over the course of the book comes to realize some of her faults that are harming other people. This was great character growth, more than I can say for most people in this story. And the main love interest, Daniel was the star of the show for me. He was so sweet to everyone all the time even if they didn't deserve it, loved baking and playing hockey, and volunteered at a shelter for people. He just really deserved better than what he went through in this book haha. I also loved Samaya's best friend, Cass, they were also really sweet and willing to acknowledge and tell Samaya when she was wrong or being rude without being rude themselves.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book as I really enjoyed seeing how the character learned her lesson and became a better person but there was just way too much petty drama for me to enjoy it fully. But Daniel was an amazing main love interest and while most of the characters were mean in this book, there were a few good ones that stood out. Also, I definitely need more books with baking and hockey in them.
[TW: breakup with a partner, rumors and gossip, racist slurs mentioned, harassment and cyberbullying, abusive stepfather mentioned, catfishing, homelessness mentioned, controlling family figures, missing child]
Thank you to Skyscape for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really intense book for a young adult contemporary, and that was really because of some of the themes present as well as the unnecessary high school drama haha. While I did expect a bit of this, especially as the main character, Samaya, is fake-dating a boy to get back at her ex-boyfriend, it wasn't ultimately what I wanted from the story. This is okay, as I think this book will be a lot more entertaining for people, there were just some things that were not my favorite but in total I think it was still interesting.
One of the biggest parts that was a turn-off for me was the petty and selfish drama that happened at the main character's high school. Being someone who recently left high school behind and was very happy to not have to deal with that sort of drama anymore (in theory) I just didn't love reading about the gossip account, rumors, and how everyone wanted a certain "status". I understand that this is how it is in high school, but I think there can also be successful young adult books without all of this being "normalized", though I do understand that was part of the point of the story. I think I was just expecting something a little different.
The plot was alright, I really enjoy the fake dating trope so getting to see that present here was super fun! I love seeing people slowly fall for each other. But because the drama was such a big part of this plot, it really affected how the characters acted, and I was SO annoyed at Samaya's supposed friends. They were all acting so shitty to her, both to her face and behind her back, and I got so frustrated with this book. Don't even get me started on her ex-boyfriend, he was so annoying, and especially how this book ended with him I would honestly have gone insane if he was real in my life. But, this drama did get the anticipated reaction out of me so I have to give the book that, the writing style just wasn't anything super unique so while I got the feelings that were intended, I just didn't connect very deeply.
That being said, I think Samaya as a main character had a lot to learn and isn't perfect, but she is pretty realistic and over the course of the book comes to realize some of her faults that are harming other people. This was great character growth, more than I can say for most people in this story. And the main love interest, Daniel was the star of the show for me. He was so sweet to everyone all the time even if they didn't deserve it, loved baking and playing hockey, and volunteered at a shelter for people. He just really deserved better than what he went through in this book haha. I also loved Samaya's best friend, Cass, they were also really sweet and willing to acknowledge and tell Samaya when she was wrong or being rude without being rude themselves.
Overall, this wasn't a bad book as I really enjoyed seeing how the character learned her lesson and became a better person but there was just way too much petty drama for me to enjoy it fully. But Daniel was an amazing main love interest and while most of the characters were mean in this book, there were a few good ones that stood out. Also, I definitely need more books with baking and hockey in them.
[TW: breakup with a partner, rumors and gossip, racist slurs mentioned, harassment and cyberbullying, abusive stepfather mentioned, catfishing, homelessness mentioned, controlling family figures, missing child]
March 20, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really fun read! Full of high school drama and gaming culture, it was really easy and quick to read.
There are a few little mysteries in here, such as who is Samaya's gaming friend and who is running the Instagram gossip account. I thought that it was pretty predictable how the mysteries were going to turn out, except for who was running the gossip account, where I thought the reveal ended up being pretty anticlimactic considering some of the stuff they were putting out there.
I did really enjoy the depiction of volunteer work and shelters; I thought it was handled really gently and with care, and I loved seeing that especially in YA as homelessness is not a topic often touched upon in that age range.
I struggled with the main character to begin with, as she was pretty self-centred most of the time to the detriment of her friendships, but I loved seeing her character growth throughout the book and being held accountable by her friends. This is where the side characters really shone as feeling well fleshed out and real, especially Samaya's best friend Cass, whom I loved. The romance between Samaya and Daniel is also really cute and I actually didn't mind when the classic third-act breakup happened, because you could actually understand the reasons behind it. Daniel was a lovely character and I really enjoyed whenever he was on page.
I do think the writing could be a little stilted at times, especially in the beginning where we were getting long paragraphs describing the exact outfits everyone was wearing, but that faded off towards the middle and from then on it was a lot more flowing.
This was a really fun read! Full of high school drama and gaming culture, it was really easy and quick to read.
There are a few little mysteries in here, such as who is Samaya's gaming friend and who is running the Instagram gossip account. I thought that it was pretty predictable how the mysteries were going to turn out, except for who was running the gossip account, where I thought the reveal ended up being pretty anticlimactic considering some of the stuff they were putting out there.
I did really enjoy the depiction of volunteer work and shelters; I thought it was handled really gently and with care, and I loved seeing that especially in YA as homelessness is not a topic often touched upon in that age range.
I struggled with the main character to begin with, as she was pretty self-centred most of the time to the detriment of her friendships, but I loved seeing her character growth throughout the book and being held accountable by her friends. This is where the side characters really shone as feeling well fleshed out and real, especially Samaya's best friend Cass, whom I loved. The romance between Samaya and Daniel is also really cute and I actually didn't mind when the classic third-act breakup happened, because you could actually understand the reasons behind it. Daniel was a lovely character and I really enjoyed whenever he was on page.
I do think the writing could be a little stilted at times, especially in the beginning where we were getting long paragraphs describing the exact outfits everyone was wearing, but that faded off towards the middle and from then on it was a lot more flowing.
March 21, 2023
This was such a fun #ownvoices YA fake dating romance between a nerdy STEM girl and a hockey jock baker. Where do I even start with this one?? I'm a huge Farah Heron fan and this latest YA love story was a pure delight!
From the Toronto setting, the math-smart, gamer girl protagonist, the great baking adventures and the diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed Samaya and her fake boyfriend Daniel's opposites attract romance as she tries to move on from her ex and prove she's 'winning' their breakup.
Perfect for fans of books like Love, decoded by Jennifer Yen or My mechanical romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth and great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Soneela Nankani. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
From the Toronto setting, the math-smart, gamer girl protagonist, the great baking adventures and the diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed Samaya and her fake boyfriend Daniel's opposites attract romance as she tries to move on from her ex and prove she's 'winning' their breakup.
Perfect for fans of books like Love, decoded by Jennifer Yen or My mechanical romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth and great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Soneela Nankani. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 31, 2022
✨Revenge is best served baked by a hot hockey player.✨
What a tangled web we wove in this one, huh? If you’re one for the DRAMA this is the journey for you! I really loved the writing and read this in basically one sitting.
There’s just something about YA drama that loves ME. I’m so far removed from high school and grades and scholarships that I take such comfort in the fact that I never have to do that again.
Maybe some spoilers below? You’re warned.
The lies—at least lying to Daniel—didn’t last for too long because as soon as he knew what he needed to know, this turned into fake dating! I was holding my breath until the photoshopped secret was revealed, but it wasn’t long. YAY.
So that was only a little of the drama because WOOF that school culture was toxic as hell and I kinda wanted to Lana-got-coned Aimee 🍦because she was so FAKE. Jayden deserved to be challenged to a duel because good god we sword fight villains in 2023. Devin was kinda impressive in the sense that he just kept getting worse, but also so pathetic that it was hard not to empathize with him (impressive).Hana was honestly a great character and I’d have loved to explore her character and relationship with Samaya further. Cass was the MVP and very lovely and very real.
Daniel, my man, yes. Hockey player and baker? Yes. Samaya lost the plot for a while there—about what was really important in her life—but by the end she was a great character and I really loved her. She stood up for herself in really satisfying ways towards the end there. She made ✨choices✨ and the drama loved her, but I sure did love reading about it.
The ending and their “break-up” was just a bit hard because it was very understandable but gah! we’d been through so much by that point I was wrecked. On top of that, as soon as they made up it was over and I really did just want more of them fake dating and/or being a real couple/ doing couple things. We had good development in their relationship, but the romance did get a bit covered up by the reasons for fake dating…if that makes sense. I was also just a bit confused about the runner of the instagram gossip account—it felt a bit rushed when it was all revealed. I wanted a villain monologue!
Overall, this was a very fun time! I learned a lot about gaming and baking and how to maybe not acquire a fake boyfriend (stressful). I also really loved how Samaya started as a shelter volunteer but stayed after her hours were over! This will be a fun audiobook and a reread will probably be even more enjoyable because I’ll be less stressed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
What a tangled web we wove in this one, huh? If you’re one for the DRAMA this is the journey for you! I really loved the writing and read this in basically one sitting.
There’s just something about YA drama that loves ME. I’m so far removed from high school and grades and scholarships that I take such comfort in the fact that I never have to do that again.
Maybe some spoilers below? You’re warned.
The lies—at least lying to Daniel—didn’t last for too long because as soon as he knew what he needed to know, this turned into fake dating! I was holding my breath until the photoshopped secret was revealed, but it wasn’t long. YAY.
So that was only a little of the drama because WOOF that school culture was toxic as hell and I kinda wanted to Lana-got-coned Aimee 🍦because she was so FAKE. Jayden deserved to be challenged to a duel because good god we sword fight villains in 2023. Devin was kinda impressive in the sense that he just kept getting worse, but also so pathetic that it was hard not to empathize with him (impressive).Hana was honestly a great character and I’d have loved to explore her character and relationship with Samaya further. Cass was the MVP and very lovely and very real.
Daniel, my man, yes. Hockey player and baker? Yes. Samaya lost the plot for a while there—about what was really important in her life—but by the end she was a great character and I really loved her. She stood up for herself in really satisfying ways towards the end there. She made ✨choices✨ and the drama loved her, but I sure did love reading about it.
The ending and their “break-up” was just a bit hard because it was very understandable but gah! we’d been through so much by that point I was wrecked. On top of that, as soon as they made up it was over and I really did just want more of them fake dating and/or being a real couple/ doing couple things. We had good development in their relationship, but the romance did get a bit covered up by the reasons for fake dating…if that makes sense. I was also just a bit confused about the runner of the instagram gossip account—it felt a bit rushed when it was all revealed. I wanted a villain monologue!
Overall, this was a very fun time! I learned a lot about gaming and baking and how to maybe not acquire a fake boyfriend (stressful). I also really loved how Samaya started as a shelter volunteer but stayed after her hours were over! This will be a fun audiobook and a reread will probably be even more enjoyable because I’ll be less stressed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
December 7, 2022
This was such a cute read. My parents are immigrants from India so books in which people are navigating life as a second-gen are always of particular interest to me.
Things I loved:
- depiction of gamer culture (even though I'm not a gamer)
- reversal of gender stereotypes with who is a gamer and who is a baker
- non-binary representation
- cis males not winning everything
- diversity
- Daniel all around
- Yasmin! aww
Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Skys
Things I struggled with:
- Devin. in general. mostly because I know so many Indian men like him and so many aunties and uncles like his parents. and just... ugh.
This story was super cute and I highly recommend it!
Things I loved:
- depiction of gamer culture (even though I'm not a gamer)
- reversal of gender stereotypes with who is a gamer and who is a baker
- non-binary representation
- cis males not winning everything
- diversity
- Daniel all around
- Yasmin! aww
Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Skys
Things I struggled with:
- Devin. in general. mostly because I know so many Indian men like him and so many aunties and uncles like his parents. and just... ugh.
This story was super cute and I highly recommend it!
June 13, 2023
Sunshine boy x grumpy girl 💖
Fake dating ☑️
Tutoring subplot 💯
Baking!!! 🙌
Gaming references (not my thing but still neat to read) ✨
I enjoyed Tahira's book so the focus on her younger sister here was lovely!
Content warning: cyberbullying
Fake dating ☑️
Tutoring subplot 💯
Baking!!! 🙌
Gaming references (not my thing but still neat to read) ✨
I enjoyed Tahira's book so the focus on her younger sister here was lovely!
Content warning: cyberbullying
December 6, 2022
Absolutely adorable! Fake boyfriends aren't really my romance trope favorite but this one was just perfect! Our MC is Samaya and she's a hard working, driven teen in her last year to wow the universities. But unexpectedly being dumped by the highschool golden boy has derailed her summer volunteering and now she's starting the year behind in volunteer hours and heartbroken.
It was hard to like Samaya at first, as she tried to assert herself in to the breakup game and try to stay on top. She was hard on her friends and Daniel as she demaned nothing short of what she was giving to the game. I liked the additional wonder of who was the player over the summer and who was running the site. It was easy to point fingers at the rough 'friend group' Samaya surrounded herself with.
I loved the volunteer work. I think the shelter and residents were handled with respect and care and I liked how it was gently put in to the story and held as a main theme. I also loved that Cass's gender neutral pronouns were seemlessly put in the story and were not the main focus. Instead it felt natural and easy, exactly as it should be.
And I love that there was a little recipe in the back! How fun, I'll have to try it out! Sweet but with interesting themes, a story that sucked me in and held me to the end. I even loved the injected video game lingo (but it's staves! not staffs!) I'm so glad I gave this one a try, it was so much more than I thought it would be!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
It was hard to like Samaya at first, as she tried to assert herself in to the breakup game and try to stay on top. She was hard on her friends and Daniel as she demaned nothing short of what she was giving to the game. I liked the additional wonder of who was the player over the summer and who was running the site. It was easy to point fingers at the rough 'friend group' Samaya surrounded herself with.
I loved the volunteer work. I think the shelter and residents were handled with respect and care and I liked how it was gently put in to the story and held as a main theme. I also loved that Cass's gender neutral pronouns were seemlessly put in the story and were not the main focus. Instead it felt natural and easy, exactly as it should be.
And I love that there was a little recipe in the back! How fun, I'll have to try it out! Sweet but with interesting themes, a story that sucked me in and held me to the end. I even loved the injected video game lingo (but it's staves! not staffs!) I'm so glad I gave this one a try, it was so much more than I thought it would be!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
February 20, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book!
This is a true cheesy YA romcom, and it had me kicking my feet and giggling! Our main character Samaya is a grade 12 student dealing with a messy breakup turned messier when she goes back to school to an anonymous gossiper spreading absurdities about her online. With her reputation going down, Samaya concocts a plan to spread false information about her new date just to get everything off her back. Only it backfires massively when she posts a manipulated photo with a guy she’s never met, a guy who turns out to be volunteering at the same shelter she is.
But the guy turns out to be the charming and adorable Daniel Ramos, and he’s willing to help Samaya if he gets help to pass his calculus class. And so the fake relationship begins.
Honestly, this was a clear YA romcom twist to season one of Bridgerton, complete with Lady Whistledown. There was even a reference in the book about the show. While it’s cute and I had the time of my life reading, I felt like some threads of the plot near the end felt incomplete and a bit unsatisfying—who Whispers was, the whole Jayden thing, and even who ended up being LostAxis. I’m aware Samaya was dealing with her own issues and not truly expanding out of herself, but as a reader it would’ve been nice to see those breadcrumbs spread throughout. The only breadcrumb I could think of was for the LostAxis reveal, which I figured out way before it clicked for Samaya.
A bit of the writing also felt a little stilted. A few sentences went on and on. This was a rare case throughout the book, so it didn’t really take me out of the story.
I also felt like the scene hopping in chapters was a little hard to follow. Personally, I think it would’ve been better to add scene breaks rather than seamlessly transition from one scene to the other. Sometimes the reader was at school experiencing a conversation between Samaya and Cass, and the next second, Samaya was at the shelter.
But overall, this had the makings of a fun YA romcom and I had the time of my life reading. I loved Samaya and how she grew as a character! I also loved Cass and how they smacked sense into Samaya all the time. Aimee was fun too, though I’m really intrigued as to why they weren’t that close at the end of the book—I’m assuming the Jayden thing, but none of it was explained.
And of course, the main couple—Samaya and Daniel were absolutely the cutest pair! I adored Daniel and his little quirks. I could tell he cared for Samaya and fell for her hard, but also how much he cared for the people around him. He truly was the epitome of a sunshine character.
A wonderful book! I really recommend if you want to have a good time ☺️
This is a true cheesy YA romcom, and it had me kicking my feet and giggling! Our main character Samaya is a grade 12 student dealing with a messy breakup turned messier when she goes back to school to an anonymous gossiper spreading absurdities about her online. With her reputation going down, Samaya concocts a plan to spread false information about her new date just to get everything off her back. Only it backfires massively when she posts a manipulated photo with a guy she’s never met, a guy who turns out to be volunteering at the same shelter she is.
But the guy turns out to be the charming and adorable Daniel Ramos, and he’s willing to help Samaya if he gets help to pass his calculus class. And so the fake relationship begins.
Honestly, this was a clear YA romcom twist to season one of Bridgerton, complete with Lady Whistledown. There was even a reference in the book about the show. While it’s cute and I had the time of my life reading, I felt like some threads of the plot near the end felt incomplete and a bit unsatisfying—who Whispers was, the whole Jayden thing, and even who ended up being LostAxis. I’m aware Samaya was dealing with her own issues and not truly expanding out of herself, but as a reader it would’ve been nice to see those breadcrumbs spread throughout. The only breadcrumb I could think of was for the LostAxis reveal, which I figured out way before it clicked for Samaya.
A bit of the writing also felt a little stilted. A few sentences went on and on. This was a rare case throughout the book, so it didn’t really take me out of the story.
I also felt like the scene hopping in chapters was a little hard to follow. Personally, I think it would’ve been better to add scene breaks rather than seamlessly transition from one scene to the other. Sometimes the reader was at school experiencing a conversation between Samaya and Cass, and the next second, Samaya was at the shelter.
But overall, this had the makings of a fun YA romcom and I had the time of my life reading. I loved Samaya and how she grew as a character! I also loved Cass and how they smacked sense into Samaya all the time. Aimee was fun too, though I’m really intrigued as to why they weren’t that close at the end of the book—I’m assuming the Jayden thing, but none of it was explained.
And of course, the main couple—Samaya and Daniel were absolutely the cutest pair! I adored Daniel and his little quirks. I could tell he cared for Samaya and fell for her hard, but also how much he cared for the people around him. He truly was the epitome of a sunshine character.
A wonderful book! I really recommend if you want to have a good time ☺️
February 13, 2023
This book is YA in both content and age group of the characters. Samaya makes you feel like you have slipped into the mind of a high school girl. She has made real life decisions based on boys and her catty friends and now she has to try and get on track before it’s too late. What’s the best solution for that. Fake dating of course! Make that terrible ex jealous!
Devin is Samaya ex who breaks up with her, leaves for the summer and comes back bearing gifts, but dating her ex. Insert eye roll.
Daniel is here to save the day as her fake boyfriend to make everyone jealous.
The relationships between these kids were a lot deeper than I was expecting and I loved the twists. I was sure I knew who the cat fisher was at least 4 times. I was wrong. The MC grows a lot though the story and I loved to see all the representation!
I love reading YA books set in current times. The troubles of high schoolers are the same as when we all went to high school, but social media and the internet add a layer I never had to deal with when I went to high school a few (cough) years ago.
This was my first by the author, but will not be my last!
Devin is Samaya ex who breaks up with her, leaves for the summer and comes back bearing gifts, but dating her ex. Insert eye roll.
Daniel is here to save the day as her fake boyfriend to make everyone jealous.
The relationships between these kids were a lot deeper than I was expecting and I loved the twists. I was sure I knew who the cat fisher was at least 4 times. I was wrong. The MC grows a lot though the story and I loved to see all the representation!
I love reading YA books set in current times. The troubles of high schoolers are the same as when we all went to high school, but social media and the internet add a layer I never had to deal with when I went to high school a few (cough) years ago.
This was my first by the author, but will not be my last!
March 23, 2023
Such a cute YA story about a math/gamer nerd who has an epic breakup for her whole high school to witness. Samaya and Devin are deemed as the “golden couple” until they weren’t. Devin breaks up with Samaya and sabotages her summer job and runs off to India for a family vacation. Samaya now needs community service hours for school. She volunteers in the kitchen of homeless shelter. This is where she meets hokey jock Daniel. Determined to have the best glow up from the break up she cohorts daniel to be her fake boyfriend.
I loved the the fact that Samaya volunteered at a homeless shelter. Not a topic that is touched on in many books let alone YA. I’m a sucker for foodie books and loved that Daniel was a phenomenal baker. The way the author depicted the homeless shelter with such care. The shelter wasn’t this drab scary place but a vibrant location that gave a sense of comfort and comradely.
Samaya annoyed me the majority of the book. So she was sooooo self absorbed. I absolutely loved how Daniel was a 24/7 ball of sunshine and optimistic. I loved how opposite Daniel and Samaya were but fit together so well.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced release copy for an exchange of my honest review/ opinion of the book.
I loved the the fact that Samaya volunteered at a homeless shelter. Not a topic that is touched on in many books let alone YA. I’m a sucker for foodie books and loved that Daniel was a phenomenal baker. The way the author depicted the homeless shelter with such care. The shelter wasn’t this drab scary place but a vibrant location that gave a sense of comfort and comradely.
Samaya annoyed me the majority of the book. So she was sooooo self absorbed. I absolutely loved how Daniel was a 24/7 ball of sunshine and optimistic. I loved how opposite Daniel and Samaya were but fit together so well.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced release copy for an exchange of my honest review/ opinion of the book.
December 13, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I love a good messy romance.
Samaya is a high school senior trying to save face as the new school year starts. She has to deal with frenemies, gossip, misogyny, and of course her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend (who, naturally, is one of the aforementioned frenemies). The solution? A fake boyfriend. Daniel all but falls into her lap at her new volunteer gig and agrees to help her win the breakup.
Throw She’s All That, Never Have I Ever, and a little bit of One Of Us Is Lying together and this is what you get. The gamer-girl academic needs her new pastry chef/hockey player fake-boyfriend to pass as a gamer nerd to try to trick the schools gossip instagram account into believing that their relationship is real.
I liked how neurotic Samaya is. Her worries felt very real in terms of what seventeen year olds go through, especially those who are held to higher standards not only by their parents but by themselves as well. I also liked the friendships in this book, including the frenemies, especially because the frenemies served an actual purpose to the plot and not just to create drama.
This book went deeper than just a fake dating romance. It touched on racism in ways that were effective but not in-your-face or obviously added to check a box. The LGBTQIA+ characters had substance and depth and didn’t serve as just a character trope - Cass is the friend we should all strive to be! And the conversations around homelessness and Samaya’s reflection on what it means to be housed should give readers something to think about.
My only real problem with this book is that even though I know it’s YA and told in first person, the occasional acronym like LOL and IRL bugged me. It would be one thing if they were written in one of the text messages, but they were included in the narrative and I don’t think they belong there.
Overall I enjoyed this book! It was pretty cute, pretty quick, and worth it!
Samaya is a high school senior trying to save face as the new school year starts. She has to deal with frenemies, gossip, misogyny, and of course her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend (who, naturally, is one of the aforementioned frenemies). The solution? A fake boyfriend. Daniel all but falls into her lap at her new volunteer gig and agrees to help her win the breakup.
Throw She’s All That, Never Have I Ever, and a little bit of One Of Us Is Lying together and this is what you get. The gamer-girl academic needs her new pastry chef/hockey player fake-boyfriend to pass as a gamer nerd to try to trick the schools gossip instagram account into believing that their relationship is real.
I liked how neurotic Samaya is. Her worries felt very real in terms of what seventeen year olds go through, especially those who are held to higher standards not only by their parents but by themselves as well. I also liked the friendships in this book, including the frenemies, especially because the frenemies served an actual purpose to the plot and not just to create drama.
This book went deeper than just a fake dating romance. It touched on racism in ways that were effective but not in-your-face or obviously added to check a box. The LGBTQIA+ characters had substance and depth and didn’t serve as just a character trope - Cass is the friend we should all strive to be! And the conversations around homelessness and Samaya’s reflection on what it means to be housed should give readers something to think about.
My only real problem with this book is that even though I know it’s YA and told in first person, the occasional acronym like LOL and IRL bugged me. It would be one thing if they were written in one of the text messages, but they were included in the narrative and I don’t think they belong there.
Overall I enjoyed this book! It was pretty cute, pretty quick, and worth it!
April 4, 2023
This is my first Farah Heron book and I am on my way to read all of her others.
Samaya is going through it, she was dumped at the beginning of the summer, lost a job because of her ex-boyfriend and her frenemy is now dating her ex. So after losing an opportunity that would look good on her college applications, she is given a volunteer opportunity where she meets hockey playing, baking, Daniel.
Confession time: I usually don’t like fake-dating, I know, I know. I just haven’t found one to convince me of the trope. UNTIL this one, I think I get it now.
I loved the side characters and how unlikeable they were and my brain was constantly trying to play detective with the mystery element.
I loved how true to high school this felt, with the ease of getting caught up in your own life and problems that nothing else existed.
Easy to say that I loved this book a lot.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc.
Samaya is going through it, she was dumped at the beginning of the summer, lost a job because of her ex-boyfriend and her frenemy is now dating her ex. So after losing an opportunity that would look good on her college applications, she is given a volunteer opportunity where she meets hockey playing, baking, Daniel.
Confession time: I usually don’t like fake-dating, I know, I know. I just haven’t found one to convince me of the trope. UNTIL this one, I think I get it now.
I loved the side characters and how unlikeable they were and my brain was constantly trying to play detective with the mystery element.
I loved how true to high school this felt, with the ease of getting caught up in your own life and problems that nothing else existed.
Easy to say that I loved this book a lot.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc.
December 7, 2022
Thank you, Skyscape, for the advance reading copy.
I love the cover so much! I like the writing and I will look forward to read every book by the author.
I find the story embarrassingly realistic. A good young adult read dealing with a breakup and the struggles that come along with it. I wish the side characters and the other main characters were focused more in the story. A story as it is and we know how it is usually with breakups.
I like the first half better. Wish the second half hooked me more. All’s well that ends well!
Choose this for the gamers, the nerds, the geeks and fake dating trope.
I love the cover so much! I like the writing and I will look forward to read every book by the author.
I find the story embarrassingly realistic. A good young adult read dealing with a breakup and the struggles that come along with it. I wish the side characters and the other main characters were focused more in the story. A story as it is and we know how it is usually with breakups.
I like the first half better. Wish the second half hooked me more. All’s well that ends well!
Choose this for the gamers, the nerds, the geeks and fake dating trope.
May 9, 2023
https://celebrityreaders.com/2023/05/...
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — I had a hard time choosing whether to round up or down. So basically this was a solid 3.5 stars whichever way I land. *snort*
The thing is I haven’t been reading many YA books lately, and I think I forgot about the drama that comes with, you know, young adults. I don’t think it was over the top or unrealistic in this book, it’s just hard to read sometimes you know? I did appreciate that because Samaya is engrossed in all this drama and allows it to take up so much room in her life, we actually get to see her come to some understandings about how harmful that can be, and she does learn and grow a bit as a result. That was nice to see, and something I think teens need to read about. To see how being wrapped up in their own drama can cause them to lose sight of the things happening in other people’s lives, as well as to gain perspective.
Saying all that, the drama was still a bit hard to take. Hence me waffling on the up or down. Samaya has a lot of tunnel vision, and it takes her a bit to get there. But at least she does make strides. In the end I don’t quite know how I feel about Samaya. I appreciated seeing her grow, but I still felt like she wasn’t the most empathetic person towards the people in her school. I do get that Devin was a total tool, but I’m kind of dismayed that she never really got that he probably missed her friendship. Not saying she should be friends with him, but an understanding would have been nice you know? Same with the way she saw Hana. I felt like there was gray there and she never figured that out.
I was a bit confused about where the plot was going a lot of time. I had one idea of how the story was going to go with her gamer friend and Daniel, and then it all went in weird other ways. I did figure some stuff out before the end, but not everything. It was kind of complicated, almost a bit too much going on in the plot.
The absolute highlight in this book was Daniel. He was total book boyfriend material, and I adored him from moment one, even as I was confused about who he was. I loved how dorky he was, how passionate about the things he loved, how compassionate, how kind. He was an absolute star, and I could have read 10 books about him.
So yeah. A solid YA, probably a bit too much drama for this adult reader, but still enjoyed my time with these two.
ps — a super smart nerd in Canada can love hockey too…just saying.
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — I had a hard time choosing whether to round up or down. So basically this was a solid 3.5 stars whichever way I land. *snort*
The thing is I haven’t been reading many YA books lately, and I think I forgot about the drama that comes with, you know, young adults. I don’t think it was over the top or unrealistic in this book, it’s just hard to read sometimes you know? I did appreciate that because Samaya is engrossed in all this drama and allows it to take up so much room in her life, we actually get to see her come to some understandings about how harmful that can be, and she does learn and grow a bit as a result. That was nice to see, and something I think teens need to read about. To see how being wrapped up in their own drama can cause them to lose sight of the things happening in other people’s lives, as well as to gain perspective.
Saying all that, the drama was still a bit hard to take. Hence me waffling on the up or down. Samaya has a lot of tunnel vision, and it takes her a bit to get there. But at least she does make strides. In the end I don’t quite know how I feel about Samaya. I appreciated seeing her grow, but I still felt like she wasn’t the most empathetic person towards the people in her school. I do get that Devin was a total tool, but I’m kind of dismayed that she never really got that he probably missed her friendship. Not saying she should be friends with him, but an understanding would have been nice you know? Same with the way she saw Hana. I felt like there was gray there and she never figured that out.
I was a bit confused about where the plot was going a lot of time. I had one idea of how the story was going to go with her gamer friend and Daniel, and then it all went in weird other ways. I did figure some stuff out before the end, but not everything. It was kind of complicated, almost a bit too much going on in the plot.
The absolute highlight in this book was Daniel. He was total book boyfriend material, and I adored him from moment one, even as I was confused about who he was. I loved how dorky he was, how passionate about the things he loved, how compassionate, how kind. He was an absolute star, and I could have read 10 books about him.
So yeah. A solid YA, probably a bit too much drama for this adult reader, but still enjoyed my time with these two.
ps — a super smart nerd in Canada can love hockey too…just saying.
April 16, 2023
I typically stay away from stories set in high school because they often veer towards too dramatic with a really annoying group of characters. 'How to Win a Breakup' was so hilarious that the annoying characters didn't really feel all that annoying.
'How to Win a Breakup' is a quick and chaotic read! Having teens at the peak of their hormones and romantic relationships is bound to be wild from start to finish.
The main character, Samaya's, ex-boyfriend Devin randomly breaks up with her right before summer break and totally derails her emotion and life plans. There's a Gossip Girl-esque account going around spreading hurtful commentary about Samaya post-breakup. Samaya is a gamer girl and decides to post an edited picture of her and the anonymous gamer buddy. She starts volunteering at a family shelter and meets the human sunshine, Daniel, who also just happens to be the guy in the photo she sent into this story's Gossip Girl. Daniel and Samaya start up a fake dating situation so Samaya can take control of the rumours spreading about her and in return she tutors him in math.
All the choices made by any of the teens in this book gave me so much secondhand embarrassment. When you're reading it as an adult, it's easy to think the characters are doing the most but just tape into your cringe teen memories and you'll realize it's not that far from reality.
Samaya and Daniel started fake dating so quickly and fell in love just as quick. They get into a lot of shenanigans along the way and have to think on their feet to make sure everyone believes they're actually dating. There's entirely too many people scrutinizing their every move.
Samaya's ex-boyfriend Devin was such a pathetic menace. He shows up so often and every time I'm like "please get off the page right now". Also most of her friends are so mean and sometimes I was left thinking "why on Earth are you being like this right now?"
My main issue with this story was that ultimately no choices or consequences held any gravity. Everyone kind of just moves on and the story wraps up quick. While this isn't fully unrealistic, it just feels a little strange to have so much chaos to have such little time spent on the resolution.
Overall, 'How to Win A Breakup' was an entertaining read with a really dramatic, cast of characters. I'm excited to read more of Farah Heron's work!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Skyscape for the eARC!
'How to Win a Breakup' is a quick and chaotic read! Having teens at the peak of their hormones and romantic relationships is bound to be wild from start to finish.
The main character, Samaya's, ex-boyfriend Devin randomly breaks up with her right before summer break and totally derails her emotion and life plans. There's a Gossip Girl-esque account going around spreading hurtful commentary about Samaya post-breakup. Samaya is a gamer girl and decides to post an edited picture of her and the anonymous gamer buddy. She starts volunteering at a family shelter and meets the human sunshine, Daniel, who also just happens to be the guy in the photo she sent into this story's Gossip Girl. Daniel and Samaya start up a fake dating situation so Samaya can take control of the rumours spreading about her and in return she tutors him in math.
All the choices made by any of the teens in this book gave me so much secondhand embarrassment. When you're reading it as an adult, it's easy to think the characters are doing the most but just tape into your cringe teen memories and you'll realize it's not that far from reality.
Samaya and Daniel started fake dating so quickly and fell in love just as quick. They get into a lot of shenanigans along the way and have to think on their feet to make sure everyone believes they're actually dating. There's entirely too many people scrutinizing their every move.
Samaya's ex-boyfriend Devin was such a pathetic menace. He shows up so often and every time I'm like "please get off the page right now". Also most of her friends are so mean and sometimes I was left thinking "why on Earth are you being like this right now?"
My main issue with this story was that ultimately no choices or consequences held any gravity. Everyone kind of just moves on and the story wraps up quick. While this isn't fully unrealistic, it just feels a little strange to have so much chaos to have such little time spent on the resolution.
Overall, 'How to Win A Breakup' was an entertaining read with a really dramatic, cast of characters. I'm excited to read more of Farah Heron's work!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Skyscape for the eARC!
February 26, 2023
3.75 stars
rep: Muslim Indian-Canadian protagonist, Filipino-Canadian love interest, biracial (Chinese, white) nonbinary side character, South Asian-Canadian side characters; (South Asian-Canadian author)
cw: cyberbullying, doxing
Although I haven’t read any books by this author before, I had heard good things about her works, so I impulsively hit download when I saw it on Netgalley. I mean, some thought did go into the decision: I read fake dating in the summary, and we all know I am a sucker for fake dating stories. How to Win a Breakup was an adorable romance that also navigates dealing with your prejudices.
A summer has passed since Samaya suffered a devastating sudden break-up that also cost her a summer job that would have looked great on her college applications. When the school year starts with her ex Devin immediately getting together with her frenemy, Samaya and her friends Cass and Aimee photoshop her into a photo of her longtime gamer buddy, LostAxis—whom she’s never met IRL—to imply that they’re dating. However, when Samaya starts volunteering at a family shelter, she meets Daniel, the boy in the picture—but it’s immediately clear that he’s not LostAxis. After she confesses that her entire school thinks they’re together, he agrees to fake dating her in exchange for calculus tutoring, but this comes with its own set of obstacles.
The romance was so cute! Daniel and Samaya can’t be more different, but he’s so earnest and cheerful that she can’t help but be drawn into him. Their fake relationship is relatively easy; although they hadn’t really known each other beforehand, they quickly become friends at least. I liked reading about how they bond despite having vastly different interests, and even begin to take an interest in hobbies they previously disliked but the other loves.
A large part of this book is the prejudices Samaya has, whether consciously or not, and the ones she faces. She comes from a comfortable middle-class family and grew up with kids whose families are incredibly wealthy. When she starts volunteering at the shelter, she quickly realizes that she should be more grateful for the wide net of support she has. It’s also clear that she holds some unconscious biases toward jocks, for example. While she doesn’t condescend to Daniel as his tutor, she still holds a preconceived notion of jocks in general that she has to get over.
She also faces a lot of prejudice as a gamer at her school, where she’s started a game development club. It was so frustrating to read some of the things her classmates would say to her, especially since one of them turns around and begs her to come play at his guild because he needs her skills. Like, how hypocritical that he didn’t consider her to be a real gamer yet he needs her gaming skills!
There were some other things that I was frustrated at, just because of the nature of the circumstances, but I won’t get into them since they’re pretty spoiler-y. What I did love was Samaya’s relationship with her friends, especially her best friend Cass. They defend her wholeheartedly and don’t hesitate to let her know when she’s in the wrong.
Also! While I had heard of Heron’s other young adult book, Tahira in Bloom, I hadn’t read it. Tahira is Samaya’s older sister, but I can tell you that you don’t need to read that book in order to follow this one. I’ll definitely give that one a try though, after enjoying this one!
Overall, How to Win a Breakup was a cute fake dating book. I ended up really liking the characters and the story, even if I was a little frustrated at some points. If you’re looking for more stories with fake dating, you should look into How to Win a Breakup!
awwww this was so cute!!
read on my blog
rep: Muslim Indian-Canadian protagonist, Filipino-Canadian love interest, biracial (Chinese, white) nonbinary side character, South Asian-Canadian side characters; (South Asian-Canadian author)
cw: cyberbullying, doxing
**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
Although I haven’t read any books by this author before, I had heard good things about her works, so I impulsively hit download when I saw it on Netgalley. I mean, some thought did go into the decision: I read fake dating in the summary, and we all know I am a sucker for fake dating stories. How to Win a Breakup was an adorable romance that also navigates dealing with your prejudices.
A summer has passed since Samaya suffered a devastating sudden break-up that also cost her a summer job that would have looked great on her college applications. When the school year starts with her ex Devin immediately getting together with her frenemy, Samaya and her friends Cass and Aimee photoshop her into a photo of her longtime gamer buddy, LostAxis—whom she’s never met IRL—to imply that they’re dating. However, when Samaya starts volunteering at a family shelter, she meets Daniel, the boy in the picture—but it’s immediately clear that he’s not LostAxis. After she confesses that her entire school thinks they’re together, he agrees to fake dating her in exchange for calculus tutoring, but this comes with its own set of obstacles.
The romance was so cute! Daniel and Samaya can’t be more different, but he’s so earnest and cheerful that she can’t help but be drawn into him. Their fake relationship is relatively easy; although they hadn’t really known each other beforehand, they quickly become friends at least. I liked reading about how they bond despite having vastly different interests, and even begin to take an interest in hobbies they previously disliked but the other loves.
A large part of this book is the prejudices Samaya has, whether consciously or not, and the ones she faces. She comes from a comfortable middle-class family and grew up with kids whose families are incredibly wealthy. When she starts volunteering at the shelter, she quickly realizes that she should be more grateful for the wide net of support she has. It’s also clear that she holds some unconscious biases toward jocks, for example. While she doesn’t condescend to Daniel as his tutor, she still holds a preconceived notion of jocks in general that she has to get over.
She also faces a lot of prejudice as a gamer at her school, where she’s started a game development club. It was so frustrating to read some of the things her classmates would say to her, especially since one of them turns around and begs her to come play at his guild because he needs her skills. Like, how hypocritical that he didn’t consider her to be a real gamer yet he needs her gaming skills!
There were some other things that I was frustrated at, just because of the nature of the circumstances, but I won’t get into them since they’re pretty spoiler-y. What I did love was Samaya’s relationship with her friends, especially her best friend Cass. They defend her wholeheartedly and don’t hesitate to let her know when she’s in the wrong.
Also! While I had heard of Heron’s other young adult book, Tahira in Bloom, I hadn’t read it. Tahira is Samaya’s older sister, but I can tell you that you don’t need to read that book in order to follow this one. I’ll definitely give that one a try though, after enjoying this one!
Overall, How to Win a Breakup was a cute fake dating book. I ended up really liking the characters and the story, even if I was a little frustrated at some points. If you’re looking for more stories with fake dating, you should look into How to Win a Breakup!
original review
awwww this was so cute!!
January 18, 2023
Thanks for NetGalley for providing this advanced copy of the book.
If you combined a bit of ‘To all the boy I’ve loved before’ a tiny bit od ‘Sarah burgess is a loser’ and the great Rep of ‘Never have I ever’ you get this young adult book.
I only really picked this book up because of the South Asian Main character and really this aspect could not have been executed better imo! Her heritage didn’t play a big role in the book or was shoved in your face it was really just a girl – who happens to be South Asian. And still you saw the little things like warming up biryani and wearing lehengas to Prom! It just felt so natural and nice to see a South Asian Mc whose heritage isn’t the main and only issue.
Not to mention the nonbinary representation which also felt very organic and not at all forced. (and himbo rep too. Twice!!)
Apart from the representation the characters were okay. I didn’t feel a connection to the Main Character Samaya since I found her choices kind of questionable and dramatic at times. But if you are less critical when it comes to, for example Young Adult Romance Netflix Movies, then I’m sure you won’t have a problem with that. Additionally, she was a big difference from other YA-Romances because she really knew her worth for once!! She was girlbossing if I might say so.
I was a big fan of the Love Interest, who was this really funny himbo and I really loved how Samaya and he interacted and I could really feel the chemistry between them. They got me kicking my feet, just sayin.
The supporting cast was also really nice, but I just wished to see a little more of them.
Many of the plotlines were kind of predictable but I have to say that the Plot twist was really shocking and in hindsight it made so much sense too??? I felt really dumb for not getting the clues earlier!!
Sometimes you just need a cheesy YA-Romance, so if you’re looking for something like this, this book with great rep (!!!) should be considered an option.
If you combined a bit of ‘To all the boy I’ve loved before’ a tiny bit od ‘Sarah burgess is a loser’ and the great Rep of ‘Never have I ever’ you get this young adult book.
I only really picked this book up because of the South Asian Main character and really this aspect could not have been executed better imo! Her heritage didn’t play a big role in the book or was shoved in your face it was really just a girl – who happens to be South Asian. And still you saw the little things like warming up biryani and wearing lehengas to Prom! It just felt so natural and nice to see a South Asian Mc whose heritage isn’t the main and only issue.
Not to mention the nonbinary representation which also felt very organic and not at all forced. (and himbo rep too. Twice!!)
Apart from the representation the characters were okay. I didn’t feel a connection to the Main Character Samaya since I found her choices kind of questionable and dramatic at times. But if you are less critical when it comes to, for example Young Adult Romance Netflix Movies, then I’m sure you won’t have a problem with that. Additionally, she was a big difference from other YA-Romances because she really knew her worth for once!! She was girlbossing if I might say so.
I was a big fan of the Love Interest, who was this really funny himbo and I really loved how Samaya and he interacted and I could really feel the chemistry between them. They got me kicking my feet, just sayin.
The supporting cast was also really nice, but I just wished to see a little more of them.
Many of the plotlines were kind of predictable but I have to say that the Plot twist was really shocking and in hindsight it made so much sense too??? I felt really dumb for not getting the clues earlier!!
Sometimes you just need a cheesy YA-Romance, so if you’re looking for something like this, this book with great rep (!!!) should be considered an option.
March 28, 2023
3.5 rounded up
Samaya, once part of the ultimate nerd couple at an academically focused high school, has discovered she is losing the breakup. Her ex has already moved on, a trendy gossip site is tracking her every move, and the breakup cost her a spot in a required community service project. She needs to find someone new to stop the gossip. Plus, in order to graduate, she is forced to volunteer as a baker at a local community center/shelter. Here enters Daniel, her tutor for all things pastry. Luck has it, Daniel needs a math tutor, and Samaya needs a fake boyfriend. What could go wrong?
Once again, the baking theme got me. I saw the whisk on the cover, and I was doomed. I had to read it.
This was a good time, but it took me about five chapters to become invested. However, I am glad I stuck with this one because Samaya and Daniel are very cute together. There is also a great sense of community and friendship in this.
My issue is that there are just far too many subplots. There is a lot going on, and I wish it would have been a tad more focused.
I was able to listen to the audio. It is read Soneela Nanakani. Who is always fantastic.
Perfect for fans of
Angsty YA
Gamer Tropes
Baking Tropes
Fake Dating
Gossip Girl (sort of)
Samaya, once part of the ultimate nerd couple at an academically focused high school, has discovered she is losing the breakup. Her ex has already moved on, a trendy gossip site is tracking her every move, and the breakup cost her a spot in a required community service project. She needs to find someone new to stop the gossip. Plus, in order to graduate, she is forced to volunteer as a baker at a local community center/shelter. Here enters Daniel, her tutor for all things pastry. Luck has it, Daniel needs a math tutor, and Samaya needs a fake boyfriend. What could go wrong?
Once again, the baking theme got me. I saw the whisk on the cover, and I was doomed. I had to read it.
This was a good time, but it took me about five chapters to become invested. However, I am glad I stuck with this one because Samaya and Daniel are very cute together. There is also a great sense of community and friendship in this.
My issue is that there are just far too many subplots. There is a lot going on, and I wish it would have been a tad more focused.
I was able to listen to the audio. It is read Soneela Nanakani. Who is always fantastic.
Perfect for fans of
Angsty YA
Gamer Tropes
Baking Tropes
Fake Dating
Gossip Girl (sort of)
January 4, 2023
rated: 4 stars
this was such a cheesy high school fake dating romance novel, and combined with the gaming and the rather compelling mystery catfish subplot, i found myself liking this book way more than i expected to. the diverse characters were well done, no one really felt left behind in terms of side characters and everyone got their moment in the sun, which is always nice.
the limited perspective worked well for the heavier discussions about homelessness and marginalised groups, and i felt towards the end our mc samaya had really started to go through some character growth and development that didn't feel rushed. the book was only a portion of her full story, so it felt good that the author didn't try to shoehorn in a complete character change and allowed the mc to just start on her deconstruction of her own prejudices. her inner monologue and the issues that she felt focused on also felt very realistic.
the only thing that i didn't love about this book was the writing style. at times the language used was very adult trying to write like a teenager, and there were also passages that were over explaining to me what the scene or what outfits looked like, instead of giving me a framework that allowed me to come up with an image myself. this wasn't a deal breaker for me though, because ultimately the other aspects of this book worked well enough that i was still compelled to keep reading.
I got an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
this was such a cheesy high school fake dating romance novel, and combined with the gaming and the rather compelling mystery catfish subplot, i found myself liking this book way more than i expected to. the diverse characters were well done, no one really felt left behind in terms of side characters and everyone got their moment in the sun, which is always nice.
the limited perspective worked well for the heavier discussions about homelessness and marginalised groups, and i felt towards the end our mc samaya had really started to go through some character growth and development that didn't feel rushed. the book was only a portion of her full story, so it felt good that the author didn't try to shoehorn in a complete character change and allowed the mc to just start on her deconstruction of her own prejudices. her inner monologue and the issues that she felt focused on also felt very realistic.
the only thing that i didn't love about this book was the writing style. at times the language used was very adult trying to write like a teenager, and there were also passages that were over explaining to me what the scene or what outfits looked like, instead of giving me a framework that allowed me to come up with an image myself. this wasn't a deal breaker for me though, because ultimately the other aspects of this book worked well enough that i was still compelled to keep reading.
I got an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
March 15, 2025
honestly woulda gave it 5 stars but it just wasn’t my absolute FAVORITE. the storyline is so wholesome and there are some great lessons thrown in there especially for adolescents in high school! and we love a good non-binary supporting character 🥰
December 9, 2022
[ Review time! ]
Title: How to Win a Breakup
Author: Farah Heron
Genre: Teens & YA
Release Date: March 21 2023
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! This book was so cute and so amazing!
It was a very well written story by Farah.
It was extremely realistic, which I appreciated A LOT!! And I loved all the different diversities that was being portraited in this book🖤
I also LOVED that the story wasn’t about the stereotypichal popular kids we so often read about, this was the geeky/nerdy/amazing side - which is also my side in life - and that made me relate so much to the characters!
Samaya is such a badass girl and I am so so thankful for Farah to made her like that❤️
A few things I absolutely adored in this book:
- Daniel (my newest book boyfriend)🥹
- Lemon Squares (AND THE RECIPE IS IN THE BOOK!! Only that is a big reason to go read this book)🍋
- Samaya and Cass (I want them both as besties)
Overall it was an amazing book, I highly recommend you to read this one as soon as it comes out on March 21 in 2023🗓️
A big thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for letting me read this ARC for an honest review.
But the biggest thank you to the author, Farah Heron, for writing this adorable book!💖
Title: How to Win a Breakup
Author: Farah Heron
Genre: Teens & YA
Release Date: March 21 2023
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow! This book was so cute and so amazing!
It was a very well written story by Farah.
It was extremely realistic, which I appreciated A LOT!! And I loved all the different diversities that was being portraited in this book🖤
I also LOVED that the story wasn’t about the stereotypichal popular kids we so often read about, this was the geeky/nerdy/amazing side - which is also my side in life - and that made me relate so much to the characters!
Samaya is such a badass girl and I am so so thankful for Farah to made her like that❤️
A few things I absolutely adored in this book:
- Daniel (my newest book boyfriend)🥹
- Lemon Squares (AND THE RECIPE IS IN THE BOOK!! Only that is a big reason to go read this book)🍋
- Samaya and Cass (I want them both as besties)
Overall it was an amazing book, I highly recommend you to read this one as soon as it comes out on March 21 in 2023🗓️
A big thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for letting me read this ARC for an honest review.
But the biggest thank you to the author, Farah Heron, for writing this adorable book!💖
March 15, 2024
I enjoyed this cute YA story. First book from this author. I will definitely check out more books from her.
December 3, 2022
First of all, I'm so grateful to Farah Heron and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this. It did not disappoint.
Such a sweet and feel-good read with great representation. I love how diverse the story was and how the plot moved along. I didn’t expect the identity reveal and it tied together soo perfectly. Plus who doesn’t love a good pastry-filled romance?
One thing that I loved that Samaya was that she had so many layers to her as a girl. She was a gamer who loved math and lived in a well-off family, while also caring way too much about what others thought of her and how they saw her. I don’t really like that she credits Daniel for the wake up call though when Cass was telling her the same things the whole time…but love I guess 😂
Another thing I enjoyed was the reverse grumpy sunshine trope because we don’t often see the guys as being sunshine. Daniel was such a lovely character because he wasn’t written as the typical guy. He liked hockey but he also liked to bake and was kind to all the people he met. Another MMC you can easily fall in love with.
I actually give it a 4.5 stars
Such a sweet and feel-good read with great representation. I love how diverse the story was and how the plot moved along. I didn’t expect the identity reveal and it tied together soo perfectly. Plus who doesn’t love a good pastry-filled romance?
One thing that I loved that Samaya was that she had so many layers to her as a girl. She was a gamer who loved math and lived in a well-off family, while also caring way too much about what others thought of her and how they saw her. I don’t really like that she credits Daniel for the wake up call though when Cass was telling her the same things the whole time…but love I guess 😂
Another thing I enjoyed was the reverse grumpy sunshine trope because we don’t often see the guys as being sunshine. Daniel was such a lovely character because he wasn’t written as the typical guy. He liked hockey but he also liked to bake and was kind to all the people he met. Another MMC you can easily fall in love with.
I actually give it a 4.5 stars
December 12, 2022
thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book!
the story follows Samaya, a high school senior, as she starts a new school year after her ex Devin dumped her at the beginning of summer. Their break-up is then turned into a competition and she is determined to win this. There enters Daniel, who accepts to fake date her in exchange for tutoring.
this book was literally a breath of fresh air, i loved it SO much, i loved the characters, i loved how real the settings felt like, i love all the diversity in it and honestly fake dating is my favorite trope in romance stories so i knew i would like it no matter what. i loved the writing and i'm so interested to check out the author's other books especially the one focusing on Samaya's sister.
one of my favorite books i have read this year i think and one of the best ya contemporary romance i've come across, couldn't recommend it enough and i'm so excited for publishing day!
the story follows Samaya, a high school senior, as she starts a new school year after her ex Devin dumped her at the beginning of summer. Their break-up is then turned into a competition and she is determined to win this. There enters Daniel, who accepts to fake date her in exchange for tutoring.
this book was literally a breath of fresh air, i loved it SO much, i loved the characters, i loved how real the settings felt like, i love all the diversity in it and honestly fake dating is my favorite trope in romance stories so i knew i would like it no matter what. i loved the writing and i'm so interested to check out the author's other books especially the one focusing on Samaya's sister.
one of my favorite books i have read this year i think and one of the best ya contemporary romance i've come across, couldn't recommend it enough and i'm so excited for publishing day!
April 13, 2023
This book was okay
Some thing were all over the place
I kind of hated all the characters like all her ‘friends’ which I guess was the point but it unnerved me to have to deal with them in like every page
The main character was very spoiled and Selfish and I’m glad she got checked many times and told off but even when she got told off she was still selfish
The saving Grace of this book was the love interest he was so sweet and sometimes there were just paragraphs of him talking about lemon squares I still liked him
I also liked Yasmin from the shelter she was adorable
I didn’t like how she kind of grouped every Indian or every brown Muslim person in one way in like a stereotype with strict parents that only care about school and stuff cause a lot of brown people aren’t like that
This book was like any other fake dating book and it got me in kind of a slump
And I absolutely hated how the main character kept saying that they were weird and that they were nerds who played video games and that she couldn’t date a hockey player because he’s a jock like okay? You can like math and sports
And there were some plot points that were completed ignored like who told everyone she was faking the relationship? What’s the deal with her friend Aimme? And why were her parents in like one scene then they disappeared
Overall I would not read this book again
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some thing were all over the place
I kind of hated all the characters like all her ‘friends’ which I guess was the point but it unnerved me to have to deal with them in like every page
The main character was very spoiled and Selfish and I’m glad she got checked many times and told off but even when she got told off she was still selfish
The saving Grace of this book was the love interest he was so sweet and sometimes there were just paragraphs of him talking about lemon squares I still liked him
I also liked Yasmin from the shelter she was adorable
I didn’t like how she kind of grouped every Indian or every brown Muslim person in one way in like a stereotype with strict parents that only care about school and stuff cause a lot of brown people aren’t like that
This book was like any other fake dating book and it got me in kind of a slump
And I absolutely hated how the main character kept saying that they were weird and that they were nerds who played video games and that she couldn’t date a hockey player because he’s a jock like okay? You can like math and sports
And there were some plot points that were completed ignored like who told everyone she was faking the relationship? What’s the deal with her friend Aimme? And why were her parents in like one scene then they disappeared
Overall I would not read this book again
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2023
Actual Rating: 2.5 ✨
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
The writing was really good! I liked the way the author wrote dialogue. I was also really into the whole baking aspect even though it didn’t really fit the plot at times. I really liked the secondary character’s particularly Tahira and I’m excited to read her book.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞:
I think my biggest issue with this book is the fact that despite being called out on her elitist attitude, Samaya never changed. I really struggle to read books when I hate the main character and unfortunately Samaya really is that unlikable. The author tried to make her come off as this super badass, I don’t give a shit girl, but instead she came off as self-absorbed and dumb.
She makes everything about her, and yes, as someone who has worked with high schoolers this tends to happen, but I really struggled to feel any sort of sympathy for her because she refuses to acknowledge her own privilege.
Another issue I had with this book was the plot. Not only is it incredibly drawn out, but it’s really quite boring. There’s long, drawn out conversations and so many plot pit stops that oftentimes I feel like I lost the real thread of the story. There was too much going on, and even though the writing was decent, the plot really suffered.
Also, the whole “nerd vs jock” thing is the weirdest piece of this book. I feel like the author herself hasn’t grasped the fact that ✨you can be into video games and still play sports or vice versa✨
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
The writing was really good! I liked the way the author wrote dialogue. I was also really into the whole baking aspect even though it didn’t really fit the plot at times. I really liked the secondary character’s particularly Tahira and I’m excited to read her book.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞:
I think my biggest issue with this book is the fact that despite being called out on her elitist attitude, Samaya never changed. I really struggle to read books when I hate the main character and unfortunately Samaya really is that unlikable. The author tried to make her come off as this super badass, I don’t give a shit girl, but instead she came off as self-absorbed and dumb.
She makes everything about her, and yes, as someone who has worked with high schoolers this tends to happen, but I really struggled to feel any sort of sympathy for her because she refuses to acknowledge her own privilege.
Another issue I had with this book was the plot. Not only is it incredibly drawn out, but it’s really quite boring. There’s long, drawn out conversations and so many plot pit stops that oftentimes I feel like I lost the real thread of the story. There was too much going on, and even though the writing was decent, the plot really suffered.
Also, the whole “nerd vs jock” thing is the weirdest piece of this book. I feel like the author herself hasn’t grasped the fact that ✨you can be into video games and still play sports or vice versa✨
January 8, 2023
4.5☆
What a great start to the reading year. So... is Farah Heron a possible new fave? This is the second book I've read from her, and both did not miss.
After an unexpected breakup with her ex before summer, Samaya has enough of the gossip and decides she's going to win their breakup (hence the name of the book), which is where Daniel comes in: the fake boyfriend.
I really loved this. I think I will never not like a fake dating book. I'm slowly falling off the YA wagon when it comes to romance, but this never felt cringey or too young for me. I really enjoyed the fact that Tahira and Rowan were part of the story.
Samaya and Daniel were so cute together. Samaya - gamer girl, math genius, grump - was relatable to me (I'm not a math genius but I do enjoy maths) and Daniel - baker, hockey player, sunshine - was perfect to the point of impossibility.where can I find one? I loved them both. The banter and the tension...oof.
I also loved that Cass's pronouns were seamlessly put in. I've read some books where it felt forced, but here it felt natural.
My only problem with this was that the Instagram gossip-account-person reveal was boring and felt insignificant when Samaya focused on it for almost the entirety of the book.
Overall, so fun and so cute. I really want to get to more of Heron's work.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a great start to the reading year. So... is Farah Heron a possible new fave? This is the second book I've read from her, and both did not miss.
After an unexpected breakup with her ex before summer, Samaya has enough of the gossip and decides she's going to win their breakup (hence the name of the book), which is where Daniel comes in: the fake boyfriend.
I really loved this. I think I will never not like a fake dating book. I'm slowly falling off the YA wagon when it comes to romance, but this never felt cringey or too young for me. I really enjoyed the fact that Tahira and Rowan were part of the story.
Samaya and Daniel were so cute together. Samaya - gamer girl, math genius, grump - was relatable to me (I'm not a math genius but I do enjoy maths) and Daniel - baker, hockey player, sunshine - was perfect to the point of impossibility.
I also loved that Cass's pronouns were seamlessly put in. I've read some books where it felt forced, but here it felt natural.
My only problem with this was that the Instagram gossip-account-person reveal was boring and felt insignificant when Samaya focused on it for almost the entirety of the book.
Overall, so fun and so cute. I really want to get to more of Heron's work.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2023
In this novel, we meet Samaya just as she heads into her senior year of high school. After being unceremoniously dumped without warning, her ex sabotages her summer job so badly she quits and spends the summer wallowing in self pity and playing online games with a mystery guy. Now she needs to get in her community service hours before graduation and the only option is a family shelter where she must learn to bake. While working there she meets Daniel--except she's seen him before. Her online mystery man sent her Daniel's picture. Except hockey-playing, baker extraordinaire Daniel is definitely not her mysterious online gamer. Desperate to get the school off her back and ensure her ex knows she's moved on, Samaya proposes she and Daniel fake-date in exchange for her helping him pass calculus. What could go wrong? Or rather, what could go right...
How to Win a Breakup is all you could ever want in a YA romcom: fake dating, secret identities, revenge (or at least pettiness) and more. Daniel and Samaya make such a fun pair, and Daniel has one of the more interesting backstories I've seen for a character in a while. I also love how this book kind of both leans into and out of stereotypes, with the nerds at Samaya's school being the popular kids, and Daniel, the jock, worried about fitting in. It's an interesting twist that was fun to read.
Thanks to the publisher for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 8/10
How to Win a Breakup is all you could ever want in a YA romcom: fake dating, secret identities, revenge (or at least pettiness) and more. Daniel and Samaya make such a fun pair, and Daniel has one of the more interesting backstories I've seen for a character in a while. I also love how this book kind of both leans into and out of stereotypes, with the nerds at Samaya's school being the popular kids, and Daniel, the jock, worried about fitting in. It's an interesting twist that was fun to read.
Thanks to the publisher for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 8/10
March 12, 2023
Cute baking and video game YA contemporary? It's like Emm bait. But it truly was adorable and SUCH. a quick read. (Literally the palate cleanser I needed so I could actually fall asleep after the horror book I finished previously)
Farah Heron knows how to write fake dating and slow burn romances, it's an art. I loved the various plot arcs, from the Lady Whistledown style gossip instagram to the game development club. It was busy, but so is high school. Samaya comes into her own in this book as she discovers that life DOES exist outside of videogames and high school clout. Daniel is, of course, the sweetest bumbleberry pie hockey himbo and a fabulous foil to Sam. It was also such fun seeing Tahira being a doting older sister and chasing her fashion dreams. Overall just a precious book for when you need something HAPPY to read.
*Thank you to Skyscape and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
Farah Heron knows how to write fake dating and slow burn romances, it's an art. I loved the various plot arcs, from the Lady Whistledown style gossip instagram to the game development club. It was busy, but so is high school. Samaya comes into her own in this book as she discovers that life DOES exist outside of videogames and high school clout. Daniel is, of course, the sweetest bumbleberry pie hockey himbo and a fabulous foil to Sam. It was also such fun seeing Tahira being a doting older sister and chasing her fashion dreams. Overall just a precious book for when you need something HAPPY to read.
*Thank you to Skyscape and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
March 26, 2023
When Samaya is dumped by her boyfriend, the competition is on to see who comes out of the break up as the winner. Her boyfriend is so quick to hook up again that Samaya can't help but create a new fictional guy she is interested in. When she meets Daniel at a bake sale, she is convinced he is the answer to her dilemma. When Daniel agrees to pose as her fake boyfriend in return for calculus tutoring, their fake dating begins.
I loved Tahira in Bloom so I was really looking forward to reading her sister Samaya's story in How to Win a Breakup. This book was so stinking cute. Daniel was the sweetest, always agreeing on Samaya's requests, despite how much she asked of him. I really felt like I was back in high school with a lot of the school talk and being YA, the steam factor was quite minimal. I loved that the nerds and gamers were the stars of this book too!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I loved Tahira in Bloom so I was really looking forward to reading her sister Samaya's story in How to Win a Breakup. This book was so stinking cute. Daniel was the sweetest, always agreeing on Samaya's requests, despite how much she asked of him. I really felt like I was back in high school with a lot of the school talk and being YA, the steam factor was quite minimal. I loved that the nerds and gamers were the stars of this book too!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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