My Fake Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours

by Kristina Springer

Seventh grade was supposed to be fun, but Tori is having major drama with her BFF, Sienna. Sienna changed a lot over the summer―on the first day of school she's tan, confident, and full of stories about her new dreamy boyfriend. Tori knows that she's totally making this guy up. So Tori invents her own fake boyfriend, who is better than Sienna's in every way. Things are going great―unless you count the whole lying-to-your-best-friend thing―until everyone insists Tori and Sienna bring their boyfriends to the back-to-school dance.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Humor

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 24, 2010

About the author

Kristina Springer is the author of Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker (Sterling Children's/April 19, 2016), My Fake Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours (Macmillan/FSG), a Scholastic Bestseller and 2012 YALSA Quick Pick book; The Espressologist (Macmillan,/FSG), a 2010 Society of School Librarians International Honor Book and 2014 Illinois Reads Book that has been purchased for film by Michael Eisner’s Vuguru; and Just Your Average Princess (Macmillan/FSG). She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children. Learn more about Kristina on her website: KristinaSpringer.com.

Reviews

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whatever. It was fine.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the best book i had ever read. I normally dont like reading, but this book makes me love reading!!! I wish there was a part 2 or something like that because if there were, I'd buy them all! I love this book. It is my favorite book of all time! In most books you get lost in the middle of the book because they go to a competely diffrent thing. I noticed that becaus eon every book i have read it done that, but not on My Fske Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours!!And in my opinion, i think there should be a part 2 or anything else like that to the book! I would literaly LOVE IT!! I would do anything to get them! but nothing is better than this book! ITS A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!(:

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLYYY liked this book. It was one of those books where you didn't want to put it down. It was full of suspense which I really liked :) I would definetly recommend this book!!! :)

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for late-grade school students, up to middle schoolers. It's a cute, lovely book about friendship and being true to yourself. For what it is, it's very nice, but it is not even close to my age range. I expected a YA book with a dash of romance, and this is not that at all.

I knew I was in trouble when I found out the characters were in seventh grade. That automatically makes the book too young for me. And there was also no romance or actual boys in this book - just the boyfriends that Tori and her best friend Sienna make up. Sienna, because she wants to be cool. Tori, because she's annoyed at Sienna for lying and ignoring her.

This is not a regular four-star rating because four star usually means I enjoyed it more. However, I can't penalize this book because it's meant for a different audience. It's like giving a Dick & Jane book a three star rating because the plot is slow and the characters are two-dimensional. That's not the point of those books!

For the age-range intended, this is quite a good book. Simplistic, but that's how those books tend to go. It's cute, it's sweet, it's silly, it gives a good lesson without being preachy. It just isn't for twenty-somethings.

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

For twenty-five cents from my public library's book sale bought because of the title, this book was OK. Seventh grade angst was spot on in portrayal, but the conclusion was very predictable. The good news is that I read it in two hours while watching another Chicago Cubs victory last night (Go Cubs, Go), so an OK book didn't involve wasted time or a lot of brain power.

[Kiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is a good book about girls who go to school and a bestfriend has a boyfriend and then the other girl makes up a fake boyfriend because her friend wouldnt be quiet about it,and she kept bragging about it. it is a good realistic fiction story.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good!

[Gabrielle Bonness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have ever read in my life. I started reading the book it was hard to put down and finished reading it in one day.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book I just picked it because it looked easy to read, and yes it is an easy read but I also really like this book. I read “My Fake Boyfriend is Better than Yours”. When I got the book I felt like people were looking at me weird because of what it was called. Once I started reading the book I wasn’t scared to hide the title because I liked the book so I didn’t care what anyone thought.

This book is about two teenage girls that are best friends. Sienna went somewhere really fancy over summer and came back basically as a new person. She came back and was a popular student. She came back with a boyfriend. The Sienna before going on vacation was too shy to even talk to a boy. It’s like she was a different person. This really got to her best friend Tori. Then, one day at lunch she notice Sienna talking about her boyfriend but messing with her ear. Tori remembered that Sienna did that last year when she was lying about have a doll. At this time Sienna was talking about her boyfriend. Tori assumed right away she was up to something and that she was lying at her boyfriend. So, Tori decide to lie about having a boyfriend of her own. No one knows if they are lying everyone believe that that both have boyfriends. Tori is the only one that thinks something is going on but she doesn’t tell anyone.

Again I thought it was a weird title and was embarrassing. You got to remember though you can’t judge the book by its cover. This book may look crazy but I will tell you I was not disappointed with the book. I really enjoyed it. It was an easy and fast read. I also found it easy to follow along. If you want to find out if Sienna was truly lying about having a boyfriend I would encourage you to read the book.

[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I were a 12 year old girl I probably would have liked this book more. I read a lot of middle grade books and this one didn't hold my attention as well as some others. Two best friends, two "fake" boyfriends. Which boyfriend can make you the most popular. This would probably be a pretty good read for a 12 year old because I can see a lot of tween girls going through what the characters were going through. There is a lesson involved about lying and friendship.

[Sara G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was funny enough to keep me reading. It was stupid, silly, predictable, and boring enough to make me feel foolish as I did so. Then again, I’m definitely older than the intended audience.
I appreciated the anti-boyfriend values that’s for sure
Good job author

[Ling · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the most wittiest teenage protagonists, I've read so far in a teenage romance. Way better than the last one I've read last year. I mean, come on, psych-condition your friend? You have to give it to her.

[Melissa McGuire · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute book. At the beginning I thought it was hilarious but by the end I knew what was going to happen

[Kelli Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun light hearted book about lies

[Ains · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good, but it didn't last very long! It took me no time to read it and after I finished I was aching for more.

[Ana Lupercio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this book at a school book fair lol, and it was cute!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice book about friendship targeted more for middle schoolers.

[Carter Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book back in middle school and found it entertaining in a silly sort of way. Recently picked it up to see how it held up. It is filled with relatable insecurities and drama of being that age. An easy read if a bit predictable with a slight twist at the end. It is a bit goofy with the dialogue of the main character, but that didn't really bother me, but if some of the lines and actions in the story weren't as blatant as they were it could have been a bit more subtle. And it point-blank tells you the moral at the end of the story. But I can't fault the author for wanting to write a goofy and cheesy story just for the fun of it. So overall I found the book enjoyable, like eating ice cream. Also the subplot with the drunken teacher is funny.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours is the story of Tori Barnes, who is about to start seventh grade. She thought she'd be doing so with her best friend, Sienna, by her side, but Sea went away for the whole summer, and for the last six weeks, she's been totally incommunicado. When Tori does finally run into her, Sienna is totally changed - she has a new haircut, a new tan, and she's bragging to every popular girl that she has a new boyfriend. Tori is convinced the boyfriend is a fake, but she doesn't want to be left out, either, so she creates a fake boyfriend of her own, and begins competing with Sienna, trying to prove that her boyfriend is more romantic and all-around better than Sienna's. The charade seems to be going well, until suddenly, the girls' new popular friends want them each to bring their boyfriend to the dance. Will Sienna prove that her boyfriend exists after all? How will Tori explain herself if Sienna finds out the truth?

I love Kristina Springer's books because they're so perfect for younger teens, and for kids who just aren't into darker stories. Their lightness and humor remind me a lot of Paula Danziger's books, which I read constantly when I was in middle school, and they're also good read-alikes for a lot of Disney-Hyperion's newer titles that I've been reviewing lately - Nerd Girls, Mission Unpopular, and Fetching. What I liked about this book in particular, is that it's not a romance at all, but a story of how friendships between girls can change when boys suddenly enter the mix. Springer tells this story with a wonderful sense of humor and a really believable 12-year-old voice, and when the girls finally do break down and tell each other the truth, the lesson come that friends always come before boyfriends real or imagined comes through loud and clear.

Also, this book has an awesome cover. The idea of packaging the fake boyfriend like a Ken doll and writing little bits of advertising for each of his many stellar boyfriend qualities is a brilliant idea, and the cover is completely eye-catching and appealing. Recommended to middle school girls whose friends have just started dating, and/or who like their books sweet, but also smart.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

ori’s best friend has come back from summer different. Sienna’s family all of a sudden became rich and went on a family vacation to the Florida Keys. When Sienna comes back, she looks different and acts different at school. Tori doesn’t know what to do at first. All Sienna seems to talk about is this boy named Antonio that she says is her boyfriend. The problem is, Tori notices that Sienna keeps tugging on her ear and the only time that she does that is when she is lying. So, Tori figures that Antonio is fake and in order to feel a part of the group Tori makes up a boyfriend too. The two girls keep trying to one up each other with how sweet and incredible their boyfriends are. The group of friends that they are hanging around eat it up. In seventh grade, romance is all the girls can talk about. Tori wants Sienna back to normal though and attempts to spend time with just the two of them so that Sienna can stop lying. Then, Tori attempts to follow steps she finds on the internet to make Sienna stop lying. When the school dance comes and Sienna says that she is bringing Antonio Tori starts to panic that he might actually be real. Then Tori’s made up boyfriend ends up being a real boy who is a hero for saving people from a fire. Oh, what is a seventh grade girl to do?
This is a quick read with lots of laughs. The overall message, of course, is not to lie to begin with. The antics that both girls go through to show that their boyfriends are better than the other ones are truly hilarious. It could also be a pretty good manual for seventh grade boys that are trying to appease a girl that they have a crush on. This book is pretty much all girly giggles, but I think that you would expect that from the title. I will tell you that my absolute favorite thing about this book is the cover art. I love the little advertising bubbles that go around the fake boyfriend packaging. True love that lasts the entire seventh grade made my students laugh when they saw me reading it in class. I would recommend this book for children 12-15. There is no inappropriate sexual themes, just a discussion about kissing, and the language is mild.
4/5 stars

[Hailey Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tori’s best friend has come back from summer different. Sienna’s family all of a sudden became rich and went on a family vacation to the Florida Keys. When Sienna comes back, she looks different and acts different at school. Tori doesn’t know what to do at first. All Sienna seems to talk about is this boy named Antonio that she says is her boyfriend. The problem is, Tori notices that Sienna keeps tugging on her ear and the only time that she does that is when she is lying. So, Tori figures that Antonio is fake and in order to feel a part of the group Tori makes up a boyfriend too. The two girls keep trying to one up each other with how sweet and incredible their boyfriends are. The group of friends that they are hanging around eat it up. In seventh grade, romance is all the girls can talk about. Tori wants Sienna back to normal though and attempts to spend time with just the two of them so that Sienna can stop lying. Then, Tori attempts to follow steps she finds on the internet to make Sienna stop lying. When the school dance comes and Sienna says that she is bringing Antonio Tori starts to panic that he might actually be real. Then Tori’s made up boyfriend ends up being a real boy who is a hero for saving people from a fire. So Tori finds Sebastions email online and emails him to ask him to go to the dance with her but he rejects her cuz he doesnt even know her. So at the dance Tori tells Sienna that hes fake but hes actually a real person she didnt know she excisted, it ended up that Sienna was lying too about Antonio. I think this was a goood book because it was actually kind of funny reading about two bffs making up fake boyfriends! I think people should read this book because its really interesting and cute and funny!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

In case you can't tell from the title, this is a silly book. Quite silly. It's not misrepresenting itself in any way. This is a lighthearted read for middle school girls on that horrible 6th to 7th grade transition period where all of a sudden a lot more is just expected from you if you want to be "in" (I, however, never had this problem because at no point in my life could I be considered "in").

Tori has an issue. Her best friend, Sienna, suddenly became rich at the end of 6th grade. Now most of the summer has gone by and Tori has barely heard from her. When she finally sees Sienna on the first day of school she is a whole different person- bleached hair, tanned, new wardrobe, and worst of all a brand new super awesome boyfriend. But Tori has known Sienna for a really long time and has a feeling that the boyfriend thing isn't all she's making it out to be. Two can play at that game! So Tori invents her own dreamy boyfriend, Sebastian, who lives far enough away to be out of the picture just like Sienna's guy. "Sebastian" is managing to keep Tori in with the "in" crowd and her supposed best friend. But it all hits the fan when Sienna suggests bringing their boyfriends to the back to school dance and, worst of all, Tori's "fake" boyfriend turns out to be a real, not-so-faraway local hero and ends up on the school news after saving a woman and her child from a burning building. What to do!

Yeah, this doesn't go very deep. However, it also doesn't need to. It's a basic, quick read about that rough pre-teen period for girls. I wouldn't give it to an over-13 reader, but for the pre-teen set it's pretty good.

[Sami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would you look at that! My first Middle Grade fiction, AND it's funny! The story begins with Tori getting ready for her first day of school. For the the very first time since kinder Tori is getting ready alone. In fact for months Tori hasn't heard from or received an email from her best friend Sienna, because Sea was away on a family vacation. The start of the school year just isn't the same without Sienna, and Tori feels a bit lost. Until she realizes that the reason she hasn't heard from Sienna is because she has a new tan and a new boyfriend. A boyfriend Sienna is pretty sure is fake!

What is a girl to do? Make up her own fake boyfriend who is better in every way then her best friends fake boyfriend.

Oh, middle school (and high school for that matter!) how interesting fights and competitions can become between the best of friends. I remember quite vividly the big blow-outs that I had with my own friends. My father called it a Love/Hate relationship, and as an older reader this book really reminded me about that time in my life. For younger readers this book may come at a time where fights have a occurred and it seems like they will never be friends again. Or they will have not yet experienced what a big fight between friends can be. Either way this book can really resonate with tween girls feeling their way through tween social dynamics while making you laugh at all the ways Tori and Sienna find to one-up each others fake boyfriends. When Sienna and Tori are asked to bring their boyfriends to the school dance both girls have to scramble to cover up their lies.

This was a funny, quick read definitely suitable for pre-teens who love to laugh. Or, you know, adults.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable. Pure and simple, that's what this book was. It's a quick read at only 192 pages, and the premise is something that anyone of any age can relate to. Remember that girl in school who was too cool for anyone else? What would happen if that girl used to be your best friend before the summer break? That's what happens to Tori, and she has no idea how to react!

Tori was so sweet and endearing as a main character. I thought it was amazing how well she knew Sienna, and how willing she was to accommodate to her at first. In terms of good friendships I would definitely have to say Tori is at least an 8. Her willingness to be a great friend despite the circumstances really made me smile. I don't want to spoil, but there were a few times where I giggled out loud at the lengths she went to for Sienna's well being!

Sienna is also a very believable character. Even growing up in a smaller town, I saw the girls who suddenly morphed over breaks. The girls who tried to fit into the popular crowd so that the would feel more accepted. It never occurred to them who they were leaving behind. What really touched me was how true to life Sienna's feeling and need for acceptance really were. It resonated with me in a way that made me love this book that much more.

Long story short? This is a very sweet, very fun read! If you are looking for something light to read over the summer, this is definitely a book for you. Endearing characters, true to life circumstances, Kristina Springer has built an extremely adorable novel for the YA crowd!

[Vanessa K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. But not really my favorite or the best. The book contains alot of girly thoughts and girly moments. The book talks about alot of stuff between two best friends, for their secrets, their LIES. It was suprising how the girl figures her best friend is lying about her fake boyfriend. I didn't really like the fake boyfriend's names they gave them. But this book was good to read. As you can see i didn't really enjoy this book but it was ok. It wasn't the best book i can gurantee you to read and have fun with, but this is my opinion, some of you people might like this book ALOT, but for me not really. The two best friends lie alot about their fake boyfriends, alot of girls do lie about them having a fake boyfriend but reading this book will make you regret what you did about having one. This book was interesting to read, i sort of felt the same way when you see your best friends change so fast, have short hair have long hair, have lip gloss, and care where to sit in the lucnh tables. Ok sitting somewhere for the lunch tables is a very big problem but still seeing your friends complain about little stuff?! I saw some of my best friends change, they turned into a little drama queen, but then later on you'll sort of get used to it. but sometimes it can be VERY ANNOYING, but then they turn back into their regular selves. Well this book was ok to read, but the story goes way too fast in every part and step but it was ok not to slow but fast. Not my favroite book to read . But if you like these types of books then this one is good to read! good luck!

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Tween girls will get a kick out of this one. With all the middle grade angst involving boyfriends and popularity, Kristina Springer has hit the nail on the head.

Tori is feeling totally abandoned by her best friend, Sienna. After all, Sienna spent the summer at some fabulous house in Florida getting a tan, and, apparently, getting an amazing boyfriend. All this while Tori stayed at home doing absolutely nothing as she waited for Sienna's dwindling texts and emails. Seventh grade is about to begin, and Tori doesn't even know if they are still friends.

It quickly becomes obvious that all Sienna is planning to do is talk about Antonio. He sends the best emails. He gives the best presents. He's the best kisser. Tori is getting more jealous by the minute, until she realizes that this long-distance boyfriend might not really exist.

The more Tori listens to Sienna, the more she begins to believe that Antonio is make-believe. Tori decides two can play that game, and she invents Sebastian. Now, the battle is on!

Ms. Springer takes all of the worst parts of seventh grade behavior and brings them together in MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS. All the feelings of insecurity and inferiority, of not fitting in and not being popular, are present in the characters of Tori and Sienna. Even though the ending is fairly predictable, readers will find the journey there an interesting one.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sienna and Tori have been friends for years, but when Sienna stops talking to Tori over the summer between sixth and seventh grade, Tori doesn't know what to think. She's more relieved than anything when she hears Sienna's laugh the first day of school, but quickly realizes things have changed for Sienna, whose family struck it rich last year. Sienna looks and acts completely differently and won't shut up about a boyfriend Tori is sure she made up. Well, two can play at that game. Tori makes up an even more wonderful boyfriend, but as the lies build, Tori feels less sure of herself and no closer to her BFF.
Not a particularly "clean" read, with an alcoholic teacher sub-plot and mention of things like French kissing and the Monica Lewinsky scandal. On the other hand Tori still communicates with both her parents and doesn't get online without permission (mostly). Nothing more explicit and no swearing but I would probably reserve this recommendation for 5th-9th graders, especially girly girls who like to read about friendship drama. Lots of contemporary references that are sure to age quickly.
Let is also be noted that I expected at least a romantic element, but this were 100% a friendship story with the rather pedantic conclusion "I'm not ready for a boyfriend, real or fake." Not my cup of tea.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book, and a bit of a respite from some angsty type books I've read recently (I have a low angst threshold, it turns out, who knew). It's a kids book, really, or tween at most, but a nice one. The theme is friendship, and honesty between friends as they change while growing older. The prtgnst, Tori, engages in some pretty crazy fake-boyfriend creating, after her best friend returns from vacay with tales of a dreamy new boyfriend, met in Florida after her formerly middle class fam has struck it rich. (This is what I mean when I say it's a fantasy, money just kind of shows up one day). Tori's plans to one-up her friend backfire, however, in an unforeseen but funny way. In the end, though, friendship triumphs over all the drama, just as one might have hoped. The characters are sweet, there's no mean girl drama, there's a nice dad who gives good advice and has remained close despite the divorce, and all in all, it's a well written little book that would make a great DOM. I like that this book is by a Chicagoland author, the local touches are nice, it seems rare to have a YA set in Chicago, does anything ever happen outside FL, CA, NY or some anonymous exile from them? Anyway, def a good break, palate cleanser type of book.

[Natalie]

Recently, I read the book “My Fake Boyfriend is Better than Yours,” by Kristina Springer. Now by reading the title this book already draws me away from the book because it doesn’t impress me at all. But never judge the book by it’s cover, or title in this case. It’s a very cute book about friendship and how to be true to yourself. But just for your information if I had to give advice, I’d say this book should only be read by girls.

The book starts off with these two girls named Tori and Sienna who are inseparable. Over summer when Sienna goes on vacation she comes back with a “boyfriend” named Antonio. Not long after Tori gets jealous and all of a sudden develops a relationship with her new “boyfriend” named Sebastian. This is the start of a horrific fall out and bumpy ride you don’t want to miss! You can see how Tori and Sienna fix this dilemma and rebuild their relationship.

I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. This isn’t a normal 4 star rating book but hear me out. The characters in this book are in middle school and so I believe this book is intended for a younger audience. That being said if I were in middle school I feel as if I would love this book so much because of what it teaches kids. For all these reasons I would say this is definitely a must read book.

[Cynthia Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute fun and fast read. It all starts with Tori and her first day of school in seventh grade. She has a best friend that she hasn't talked to in weeks and now she doesn't know if she'll even see her at school. Tori's best friend comes back to school looking completely different and with a boyfriend (which is suppose to be shocking in MG)but somehow Tori gets it in her mind that she's lying about it so she makes up a boyfriend too. From the begining of this book I was laughing the whole time, you won't get bored with this one. These two girls are competing against each other with their fake boyfriends until they are asked to bring their "boyfriends" to a back to school dance.The things or lies that they come up with is just too funny and had me remembering my middle school years. I really loved the cover of the book and the little lines making it seem like it's an advertisement for a real fake boyfriend. I would definitely recommend this to younger kids/teens from 11 to 13.