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Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance
Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers--known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
1220 people want to read
About the author
Emily Franklin
35 books146 followersGrowing up, Emily Franklin wanted to be “a singing, tap-dancing doctor who writes books.”
Having learned early on that she has little to no dancing ability, she left the tap world behind, studied at Oxford University, and received an undergraduate degree concentrating in writing and neuroscience from Sarah Lawrence College. Though she gave serious thought to a career in medicine, eventually that career followed her dancing dreams.
After extensive travel, some “character-building” relationships, and a stint as a chef, Emily went back to school at Dartmouth where she skied (or fished, depending on the season) daily, wrote a few screenplays, and earned her Master’s Degree in writing and media studies.
While editing medical texts and dreaming about writing a novel, Emily went to Martha’s Vineyard on a whim and met her future husband who is, of course, a doctor. And a pianist. He plays. They sing. They get married. He finishes medical school, they have a child, she writes a novel. Emily’s dreams are realized. She writes books.
Emily Franklin is the author of two adult novels, The Girls' Almanac and Liner Notes and more than a dozen books for young adults including the critically-acclaimed seven book fiction series for teens, The Principles of Love. Other young adult books include The Other Half of Me the Chalet Girls series, and At Face Value, a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac (coming in September 2008).
She edited the anthologies It's a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths about Life in Your Twenties and How to Spell Chanukah: 18 Writers Celebrate 8 Nights of Lights. She is co-editor of Before: Short Stories about Pregnancy from Our Top Writers.
Her book of essays and recipes, Too Many Cooks: Kitchen Adventures with 1 Mom, 4 Kids, 102 New Recipes ~ A Memoir of Tasting, Testing, and Discovery in the Kitchen will be published by Hyperion.
Emily’s work has appeared in The Boston Globe and the Mississippi Review as well as in many anthologies including Don't You Forget About Me: Contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes, When I Was a Loser: True Stories of (Barely) Surviving High School by Today's Top Writers, and Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers on the Mother-Daughter Bond. Emily writes regularly about food and parenting for national magazines and newspapers. She travels, teaches writing seminars, and speaks on panels, but does not tap dance. Emily Franklin lives outside of Boston with her husband and their four young children.
Having learned early on that she has little to no dancing ability, she left the tap world behind, studied at Oxford University, and received an undergraduate degree concentrating in writing and neuroscience from Sarah Lawrence College. Though she gave serious thought to a career in medicine, eventually that career followed her dancing dreams.
After extensive travel, some “character-building” relationships, and a stint as a chef, Emily went back to school at Dartmouth where she skied (or fished, depending on the season) daily, wrote a few screenplays, and earned her Master’s Degree in writing and media studies.
While editing medical texts and dreaming about writing a novel, Emily went to Martha’s Vineyard on a whim and met her future husband who is, of course, a doctor. And a pianist. He plays. They sing. They get married. He finishes medical school, they have a child, she writes a novel. Emily’s dreams are realized. She writes books.
Emily Franklin is the author of two adult novels, The Girls' Almanac and Liner Notes and more than a dozen books for young adults including the critically-acclaimed seven book fiction series for teens, The Principles of Love. Other young adult books include The Other Half of Me the Chalet Girls series, and At Face Value, a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac (coming in September 2008).
She edited the anthologies It's a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths about Life in Your Twenties and How to Spell Chanukah: 18 Writers Celebrate 8 Nights of Lights. She is co-editor of Before: Short Stories about Pregnancy from Our Top Writers.
Her book of essays and recipes, Too Many Cooks: Kitchen Adventures with 1 Mom, 4 Kids, 102 New Recipes ~ A Memoir of Tasting, Testing, and Discovery in the Kitchen will be published by Hyperion.
Emily’s work has appeared in The Boston Globe and the Mississippi Review as well as in many anthologies including Don't You Forget About Me: Contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes, When I Was a Loser: True Stories of (Barely) Surviving High School by Today's Top Writers, and Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers on the Mother-Daughter Bond. Emily writes regularly about food and parenting for national magazines and newspapers. She travels, teaches writing seminars, and speaks on panels, but does not tap dance. Emily Franklin lives outside of Boston with her husband and their four young children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
December 3, 2018
Teen heart throbs Charlie and Fielding are together on their long running show and in real life, also. Or are they? After years faking their lives for the ever present and judging public, our hero is caught in the forced push from the closet of his friend. The judgy people automatically assume he is gay and think our teen sweethearts have been faking it for a completely different reason.
Next stop—cancellation of their show. So while riding out the scandal our two heroes spend more time together and get to really know each other.
Sweet little enemies to lovers romance.
Next stop—cancellation of their show. So while riding out the scandal our two heroes spend more time together and get to really know each other.
Sweet little enemies to lovers romance.
April 30, 2011
My Thoughts: We are introduced to Jenna and Jonah who are television stars. Of course that isn't their real names. The chapters go back and forth between Charlie Tucker (Jenna) and Fielding Withers (Jonah). We get to see things from each perspective. They are on screen next-door neighbors, friends, and off screen fake lovers. They have a big fan base! They basically always have to put on a show for the paparazzi, get snaps of them together for magazines, and liven up the hype of their show.
They than find themselves in an awkward position and the media thinks that Jonah is gay. Their publicist thinks its a good idea for them to go off the grid for a while so they get shipped to the middle of nowhere to do a small play titled "Much Ado About Nothing." Of course that is Shakespeare, so the play itself isn't small, but the people in the play are basically nobodies to the media.
Jenna and Jonah get to know each other a bit better and realize they know each other better than they ever thought. And they realize how connected their lives have been since they started working together.
Honestly, where do I start here? I really wanted to love this book. I loved the idea of the plot. I started it with such high hopes. Yes, I did enjoy the snarky back and forth ramble between the two, but after a while, the story started to fizzle out. I felt myself wanting it to just end. It started to drag on and I just wanted a conclusion already. I wanted to know what was going to happen between Fielding/Tucker. I just felt it lacked a certain substance to make me want to keep reading.
Overall: I liked well enough reading Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance but I didn't love it like I thought I would. I was happy with the way things played out in the end but I didn't see enough romance throughout the novel like I wanted too.
Cover: I think its cute! I love the pink cover and the little square with the heart.
What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
They than find themselves in an awkward position and the media thinks that Jonah is gay. Their publicist thinks its a good idea for them to go off the grid for a while so they get shipped to the middle of nowhere to do a small play titled "Much Ado About Nothing." Of course that is Shakespeare, so the play itself isn't small, but the people in the play are basically nobodies to the media.
Jenna and Jonah get to know each other a bit better and realize they know each other better than they ever thought. And they realize how connected their lives have been since they started working together.
Honestly, where do I start here? I really wanted to love this book. I loved the idea of the plot. I started it with such high hopes. Yes, I did enjoy the snarky back and forth ramble between the two, but after a while, the story started to fizzle out. I felt myself wanting it to just end. It started to drag on and I just wanted a conclusion already. I wanted to know what was going to happen between Fielding/Tucker. I just felt it lacked a certain substance to make me want to keep reading.
Overall: I liked well enough reading Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance but I didn't love it like I thought I would. I was happy with the way things played out in the end but I didn't see enough romance throughout the novel like I wanted too.
Cover: I think its cute! I love the pink cover and the little square with the heart.
What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
July 24, 2019
This might as well have been a DNF for me but I managed to get through the majority of this book without developing a headache from the non-sense of acting. If anything in this corny book was true, it was that actors--or people in general, really--are made up of many people and that sums up who they are. As actors they not only have to characterize themselves with a new persona but let a piece of themselves be that person in order to portray any sort of bond between the fictional and the visual. This nugget is not presented till the end of the book, where Charlie and Fielding/Aaron find out who they really are. I have few points I want to outline about the flaws I found in this book.
Warning: Spoilers, read with reservations.
First, it's the Fielding-slash-Aaron issue: what were they thinking? Isn't it confusing enough that everybody calls him Jonah anyway? Why add the issue of faking a stage name as his real one? And that's not the only thing the authors toss in there to create some drama, there's also a gay factor. Let's just say that it's not true now and save the trouble later, shall we?
Second, Charlie's temperament: what is that chick's damage? You know how I mentioned that actors are made up of multiple people? Well, I said that the book doesn't exactly state it till the very end but, this clue was obvious from the start. She has the potential to be a three-dimensional character--the cooking she loves to do but never does (expected), the fondness of singing that she also doesn't do because of the nauseating songs on Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star show (again, expected). What doesn't add up is that, this "potential" is not clearly shown in the fake Charlie "acting is my life" Tracker persona. Why even put that in the book if it really doesn't provide anything other than filler?
The only time Charlie even does some of her cooking/singing is when her and Aaron are stuck in the abandoned beach house that is supposed to miraculously solve their problems. (I'm going to say right now that they only spent a week there, and it took up about a quarter of the book versus the second-half I thought it was implied to be.)
Third: what a coincidence that after their reputation as a couple is trashed and as the Jenna & Jonah show goes along with it, their next gig together is being a part of Charlie's favorite play Much Ado About Nothing. Now, the part that I expected would be the plot-building and climaxing point of the book turned out to be nothing more than problem-solving with a hint of "fauxmance".
First of all, they don't feature the main characters as much as the side characters in the second half of the book. The authors use them to fix Charlie and Aaron's problems without actually any interaction between the main characters; because all they do throughout the WHOLE book is non-stop bickering. It really gets on your nerves after page 132.
And finally, what really did me in, they never said admitted their feelings about one another to each other. This is where I might give away some spoilers, so be prepared. You know how everything was mostly communicated through the side characters--in this case the other actress in Much Ado About Nothing and Charlie's mentor. The mentor mentions at a ball game to Aaron that Charlie is affectionate toward him and that he should stop being such a distraction. Okay...Now, there's the other actress, that if anything, says the same to Charlie about Aaron's feelings for her. You're kidding me, right?
So there you have it, readers. My justified rant against Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance. (Well, I like to think it's justified, anyway, for my sanity.)
I cannot recommend this book in any way, shape or form. Skip it when you go to the bookstore, you'll thank me later.
Grade: D+
Warning: Spoilers, read with reservations.
First, it's the Fielding-slash-Aaron issue: what were they thinking? Isn't it confusing enough that everybody calls him Jonah anyway? Why add the issue of faking a stage name as his real one? And that's not the only thing the authors toss in there to create some drama, there's also a gay factor. Let's just say that it's not true now and save the trouble later, shall we?
Second, Charlie's temperament: what is that chick's damage? You know how I mentioned that actors are made up of multiple people? Well, I said that the book doesn't exactly state it till the very end but, this clue was obvious from the start. She has the potential to be a three-dimensional character--the cooking she loves to do but never does (expected), the fondness of singing that she also doesn't do because of the nauseating songs on Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star show (again, expected). What doesn't add up is that, this "potential" is not clearly shown in the fake Charlie "acting is my life" Tracker persona. Why even put that in the book if it really doesn't provide anything other than filler?
The only time Charlie even does some of her cooking/singing is when her and Aaron are stuck in the abandoned beach house that is supposed to miraculously solve their problems. (I'm going to say right now that they only spent a week there, and it took up about a quarter of the book versus the second-half I thought it was implied to be.)
Third: what a coincidence that after their reputation as a couple is trashed and as the Jenna & Jonah show goes along with it, their next gig together is being a part of Charlie's favorite play Much Ado About Nothing. Now, the part that I expected would be the plot-building and climaxing point of the book turned out to be nothing more than problem-solving with a hint of "fauxmance".
First of all, they don't feature the main characters as much as the side characters in the second half of the book. The authors use them to fix Charlie and Aaron's problems without actually any interaction between the main characters; because all they do throughout the WHOLE book is non-stop bickering. It really gets on your nerves after page 132.
And finally, what really did me in, they never said admitted their feelings about one another to each other. This is where I might give away some spoilers, so be prepared. You know how everything was mostly communicated through the side characters--in this case the other actress in Much Ado About Nothing and Charlie's mentor. The mentor mentions at a ball game to Aaron that Charlie is affectionate toward him and that he should stop being such a distraction. Okay...Now, there's the other actress, that if anything, says the same to Charlie about Aaron's feelings for her. You're kidding me, right?
So there you have it, readers. My justified rant against Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance. (Well, I like to think it's justified, anyway, for my sanity.)
I cannot recommend this book in any way, shape or form. Skip it when you go to the bookstore, you'll thank me later.
Grade: D+
March 1, 2011
I gave this book a try, despite its predictable synopsis, because, hey, who doesn’t enjoy a he-said/she-said formula romance every once in a while, if it’s done well? Unfortunately, JENNA AND JONAH’S FAUXMANCE was a solid miss for me. Clunky writing, undeveloped characters with minimal chemistry, and an ambitious but failed conclusion all contributed.
Let’s talk about the characters first. YA has seen its fair share of Hollywood teen divas. Charlie and Fielding failed at being distinct or memorable. Charlie is supposedly this uptight overachiever who, when relaxed, can be a lot of fun. But when she was relaxed in the book, she was flat and uninteresting, and the only time I felt like she had fun all happened in brief flashbacks. Fielding is an ordinary boy who hails from the Midwest, and who is only in this industry to make enough money so that he doesn’t have to work hard like his dad for the rest of his life and can enjoy his books in anonymity. Now, I like my boys smart, but again, Fielding’s bookishness didn’t ring true for me. The authors seemed to portray Fielding’s literary knowledge only in extremely awkward quotes that fell flat and didn’t lend to his bookish credibility at all.
In fact, that was probably the problem I had with the whole book. Tiny details were fine—Hollywood, Fielding’s bookishness, the Shakespearean performance—but they all lacked cohesiveness. Imagine two people having a conversation in which both just talked about their own interests instead of engaging in a flowing back-and-forth. That was kind of how I felt, reading Charlie and Fielding’s supposed get-to-know-ya interactions. Uh, whut? Fielding, are you really seeing who Charlie is, or are you still attempting to talk at your idea of who she is? That just…doesn’t work for me. The writing was jarring and off-putting.
I can think of better examples of Hollywood drama, he-said/she-said romances, or plots involving acting. JENNA AND JONAH’S FAUXMANCE didn’t have a bad premise, being what it intended to be, but little within the book had the seemingly effortless chemistry that I want in a good book.
Let’s talk about the characters first. YA has seen its fair share of Hollywood teen divas. Charlie and Fielding failed at being distinct or memorable. Charlie is supposedly this uptight overachiever who, when relaxed, can be a lot of fun. But when she was relaxed in the book, she was flat and uninteresting, and the only time I felt like she had fun all happened in brief flashbacks. Fielding is an ordinary boy who hails from the Midwest, and who is only in this industry to make enough money so that he doesn’t have to work hard like his dad for the rest of his life and can enjoy his books in anonymity. Now, I like my boys smart, but again, Fielding’s bookishness didn’t ring true for me. The authors seemed to portray Fielding’s literary knowledge only in extremely awkward quotes that fell flat and didn’t lend to his bookish credibility at all.
In fact, that was probably the problem I had with the whole book. Tiny details were fine—Hollywood, Fielding’s bookishness, the Shakespearean performance—but they all lacked cohesiveness. Imagine two people having a conversation in which both just talked about their own interests instead of engaging in a flowing back-and-forth. That was kind of how I felt, reading Charlie and Fielding’s supposed get-to-know-ya interactions. Uh, whut? Fielding, are you really seeing who Charlie is, or are you still attempting to talk at your idea of who she is? That just…doesn’t work for me. The writing was jarring and off-putting.
I can think of better examples of Hollywood drama, he-said/she-said romances, or plots involving acting. JENNA AND JONAH’S FAUXMANCE didn’t have a bad premise, being what it intended to be, but little within the book had the seemingly effortless chemistry that I want in a good book.
April 8, 2025
Okay, so here's the thing: I loved the premise, but the actual story fell a little flat for me.
I actually think the book tried to be more complicated than it needed to be. Very early in the story (before pg 50), the main characters' ruse is exposed and they immediately have to go into problem-solving mode. I think it would have been a better idea to give readers a chance to see the two characters' lives, not only as a fake couple but also as young, on-their-own stars, before pulling the rug out from under their world. I just thought that were was too much action before development.
My favorite part of the novel was way too brief for my liking. Here's the thing: so much of the story revolves around Charlie & Fielding's relationship and how they perceive each other to be, verses how they actually are, in real life. When your whole relationship with someone (anyone) is based on assumptions and easy judgments, there's a whole lot that's taken for granted. I was so hoping that the time they spent together, in a secluded beach-house (so California!) would have been a time for raw conversations and deep character exploration. The story could have been simpler and more meaningful, I think, but instead, those scenes accounted for very little of the overall story. In fact, the second half of the book has Charlie and Fielding doing a regional theater production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and somehow realizing (through conversations with other people, not each other) that they're in love after all. I guess the book just didn't really seem like it flowed together well. There was too much plot for such a short book, and the result is that I didn't really feel any connection to the characters.
I always like books told in dual perspectives, because I love being able to see things from multiple viewpoints. In this case, though, I felt like there wasn't enough of a contrast between Fielding and Charlie. They're both intelligent. They both are reasonably responsible for their age. They both are good cooks. They both sing well. They both are in (of course) perfect physical condition. And they both are extremely rude and crass to each other. If the chapter titles didn't say "Charlie" or "Fielding/Aaron" (the character's real name) at the top, I wouldn't know which voice belong to which character...
And now...the romance. This book is lighthearted, it's humorous, it's trendy... but is it romantic?
For me, the answer is 'no.' From what I've read in other reviews, the number one thing that most people seem to like was actually kind of off-putting for me, and that was the snappy, bantering and downright mean dialogue between the main characters. If you like snappy, sassy banter, you'll love the exchanges here. For me (who kind of likes sweet, genuine dialogue), reading the things these two said to each other made me cringe. I just can't imagine being able to fall in love with someone who talked to me the way these characters talked to each other. I know I sound like your moms, probably, so I'll leave it at that.
I actually think the book tried to be more complicated than it needed to be. Very early in the story (before pg 50), the main characters' ruse is exposed and they immediately have to go into problem-solving mode. I think it would have been a better idea to give readers a chance to see the two characters' lives, not only as a fake couple but also as young, on-their-own stars, before pulling the rug out from under their world. I just thought that were was too much action before development.
My favorite part of the novel was way too brief for my liking. Here's the thing: so much of the story revolves around Charlie & Fielding's relationship and how they perceive each other to be, verses how they actually are, in real life. When your whole relationship with someone (anyone) is based on assumptions and easy judgments, there's a whole lot that's taken for granted. I was so hoping that the time they spent together, in a secluded beach-house (so California!) would have been a time for raw conversations and deep character exploration. The story could have been simpler and more meaningful, I think, but instead, those scenes accounted for very little of the overall story. In fact, the second half of the book has Charlie and Fielding doing a regional theater production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and somehow realizing (through conversations with other people, not each other) that they're in love after all. I guess the book just didn't really seem like it flowed together well. There was too much plot for such a short book, and the result is that I didn't really feel any connection to the characters.
I always like books told in dual perspectives, because I love being able to see things from multiple viewpoints. In this case, though, I felt like there wasn't enough of a contrast between Fielding and Charlie. They're both intelligent. They both are reasonably responsible for their age. They both are good cooks. They both sing well. They both are in (of course) perfect physical condition. And they both are extremely rude and crass to each other. If the chapter titles didn't say "Charlie" or "Fielding/Aaron" (the character's real name) at the top, I wouldn't know which voice belong to which character...
And now...the romance. This book is lighthearted, it's humorous, it's trendy... but is it romantic?
For me, the answer is 'no.' From what I've read in other reviews, the number one thing that most people seem to like was actually kind of off-putting for me, and that was the snappy, bantering and downright mean dialogue between the main characters. If you like snappy, sassy banter, you'll love the exchanges here. For me (who kind of likes sweet, genuine dialogue), reading the things these two said to each other made me cringe. I just can't imagine being able to fall in love with someone who talked to me the way these characters talked to each other. I know I sound like your moms, probably, so I'll leave it at that.
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January 12, 2021Ik zag Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance voorbijkomen op Vanessa's Instagram. Ik was getriggerd door het feit dat ze sprak over de fake relationshop trope, iets wat ik in FanFiction altijd enorm kan waarderen. Dus toen ik gisteravond niet kon slapen besloot ik om in plaats van FanFics te lezen of een podcast te luisteren - wat ik normaal doe op slapeloze avonden - deze Young Adult een kans te geven (lang leve mijn abonnement op Scribd!). Vandaag heb ik het boek maar meteen uitgelezen.
Eerlijk is eerlijk, dit is niet mijn genre. Ik heb geen idee hoe een boek als deze te beoordelen, dus ik onthoud me van een sterrenwaardering. Ik kan wel zeggen dat ik enorm van Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance genoten heb. Juist omdat het boek ontzettend voorspelbaar is en de personages erg oppervlakkig blijven. Het is gewoon zo heerlijk cliché, walgelijk romantisch en natuurlijk ook ontzettend onrealistisch. Niets van dit alles zat me in de weg, want ik was wel in de stemming om iets luchtigs te lezen. Zou ik dit boek snel aan iemand aanraden? Nee, dat denk ik niet. Waren het twee fijne en ontspannen leesuurtjes? Absoluut. Bracht dit boek een glimlach op mijn gezicht? Meer dan eens. En meer moet dat soms niet zijn.
Eerlijk is eerlijk, dit is niet mijn genre. Ik heb geen idee hoe een boek als deze te beoordelen, dus ik onthoud me van een sterrenwaardering. Ik kan wel zeggen dat ik enorm van Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance genoten heb. Juist omdat het boek ontzettend voorspelbaar is en de personages erg oppervlakkig blijven. Het is gewoon zo heerlijk cliché, walgelijk romantisch en natuurlijk ook ontzettend onrealistisch. Niets van dit alles zat me in de weg, want ik was wel in de stemming om iets luchtigs te lezen. Zou ik dit boek snel aan iemand aanraden? Nee, dat denk ik niet. Waren het twee fijne en ontspannen leesuurtjes? Absoluut. Bracht dit boek een glimlach op mijn gezicht? Meer dan eens. En meer moet dat soms niet zijn.
April 8, 2015
This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be. It was beautiful and insightful.
I would honestly recommend it,
Over & Out, T xx
I would honestly recommend it,
Over & Out, T xx
July 29, 2018
This was a cute story about celebrities who have to fake pretty much everything about their lives. When things get chaotic and messed up, they have to face what they are really feeling about their jobs, their lives and each other.
I love that this book is in alternating POVs, I like being able to see how both MCs are feeling throughout the story. I also liked the Shakespeare parts. I found it interesting to see the characters interacting with the other actors and seeing what life was like without the cameras and paparazzi.
What I loved most was the ending. The "what ifs" that Charlie went through made the real ending that much sweeter.
Very cute, easy read.
I love that this book is in alternating POVs, I like being able to see how both MCs are feeling throughout the story. I also liked the Shakespeare parts. I found it interesting to see the characters interacting with the other actors and seeing what life was like without the cameras and paparazzi.
What I loved most was the ending. The "what ifs" that Charlie went through made the real ending that much sweeter.
Very cute, easy read.
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August 23, 2025Bookshelf reread.
Charlie has been an actress since she was a toddler, guided by her small celebrity parents who she had to separate herself from because they were just using her. She got cast in Jenna and Jonanh’s How To Be A Rockstar, where she unwittingly chose her costar, Aaron “Fielding Withers” because his demo tape made her laugh. This was his first acting role I think, while his mom was his temporary manager. The show was a last ditch effort for a failing television network, but the show turned out popular and saved the network. However, because the pairing was so popular, their agents told them to fake date each other or they would lose their jobs, as that would keep public interest.
They got along before and could have maybe liked each other, but fake dating kept them around each other in forced situations so often that they came to hate all these things about each other and found the other very irritating. So for years they’ve just become jaded, and they don’t even like their show, thinking it’s too cheesy and juvenile and the songs are generic.
I don’t relate because every time I’ve fake dated someone, I wasn’t aware of it.
I don’t like when books have characters selling out these super popular pop songs while the singers hate the music and think it’s garbage, or something of a similar variety, because as much as I dislike a lot of songs that are popular and people insist are good because I find them so boring, that doesn’t mean the songs are trash. Popular stuff is popular for a reason, as in enough people like it, and just because you don’t doesn’t mean you’re the expert on the world. It’s annoying and condescending and insulting. A lot of the readers are going to enjoy the same genre of music as the character within it perform and then insult, so it’s like calling the readers’ music tastes trash too. That’s how I feel whenever this happens in books, which isn’t a lot, but still way too often.
/They aren’t sure if their show is going to have another season since it would have to be forced, as their characters are the age to graduate, but to keep things safe, they are supposed to have a date where they read fake scripts for a new season, but Aaron runs off to hang out with a celebrity friend, leaving Charlie to get caught by the paparazzi with the fake script alone, where there is a number written on it indicating it’s the only copy, making it seem Jonah won’t appear in another season.
Charlie’s life has been tightly controlled, and while she doesn’t care for acting, it’s all she knows and she’s determined to keep her career. Aaron hates his stage name, is only trying to save up enough money to live his life freely after the show ends, with no interest in continuing acting. He’s an intellectual who wants to go to college.
Aaron’s celebrity friend is a “bad boy” who always gets typecast and has to go to clubs and other such bad boy behaviors to keep up his image, which I don’t get cuz I’ve never expected that from real celebrities, but okay. It’s a publicity friendship to give Aaron some edge and celebrity friends, but also to suggest he’s a good influence on the guy, with his golden boy image, as they go and play video games or other such stuff when they hang out. The two became real friends as a result. In actuality, the guy has a boyfriend and is super soft.
A mutual friend the boys are hanging out with asks to use the guy’s computer, and soon after emails are exposed on gossip sites, sent by that friend, exposing that the guy isn’t straight, and as his famous friend, Aaron gets caught in the crossfire. Since he’s into music, everyone assumes he’s not straight either, and Charlie was helping tp cover that up. As things go crazy, their agents urge them to disappear and lay low for a while.
Aaron gets Charlie and sneaks off to one of the real estate properties his money is invested in, so they stay in an orchard place for a little bit. Charlie is antsy and can’t sit still, so she paints and cooks. Aaron finds it more peaceful, but the pair drifts between fighting and getting along and feeling close and interested in each other. They lost their phones, though Aaron sneakily went and collected his but not Charlie’s because he thinks she’s annoying with her phone. When she finds out, she is mad.
They tend to switch back to their characters when they get too close, or claim they’re acting, as a defense mechanism to keep from putting themselves out there too much or getting embarrassed. As they almost kiss for real, paparazzi arrive and Charlie goes to accept their interviews. Soon after, their agents say they’re in big trouble, as the show is canceled, and their careers are in danger, so they get shipped off to the Shakespeare theater festival to prove their acting skills and impress the world.
I don’t know why everyone thinking Aaron isn’t straight, which he’s fine with even though it’s not true, and their relationship being possibly fake would ruin their careers. They were super popular, and as long as they are capable of acting, it should be fine. The guy who actually wasn’t straight, and later got dumped by his boyfriend, didn’t suffer like that. His career just altered to typecast him differently.
Aaron goes along with the Shakespeare thing to protect Charlie’s career, and because he likes Shakespeare. At first the rest of the cast judges them for stealing the roles form people who actually auditioned, by the director gives a speech about how all actors do what they must to survive in the industry, and the pair just has to prove their acting skills to gain some respect. They make friends among the cast, and work together at first, since they’re acting as Beatrice and Benedict from Much Ado About Nothing, so they’re a pairing there too since they’re a package deal.
Charlie starts to doubt her acting skill, but gets a book on acting from an older cast member, so her and Aaron use that to practice, but they often start arguing or being rude to each other out of the blue, and it rarely makes sense to me. Sometimes they’re snide and the other is amused, and other times they’re snide and the other is offended. So they fight bad enough to ignore each other after that.
Then the other actors start hinting at their feelings for each other, and then finally straight up tell them. The older actor tells Aaron Charlie is in love with him and that’s why she’s so mad. He’s shocked, and then realizes it explains her anger and behavior and he wants to let her down easy or confess back, which feels more right. Then someone tells Charlie Aaron loves her and she’s relieved. They give in during the confession scene in the play during the real performance, and the book ends with them comforted, aware of each other’s feelings, and looking forward to the future.
No real clue if they’ll really date, what their relationship will be like, if they’ll last, how they’ll date, if Charlie likes acting now, etc. I guess that was the point, and it was a modern Much Ado About Nothing the whole time probably, and then made that more clear by putting them in the play, probably meta or something. I don’t know that play and thought it sounded similar to The Taming Of The Shrew. I’m not obsessed with Shakespeare like so many people insist you should be.
I get they didn’t work well because it was fake all that time, and they could have gotten along better if it had been real and they’d done it themselves, but they did learn to hate each other and be annoyed by some fundamental aspects of each other, so at a certain point I don’t know how that would work out for them, or how that would mean they were actually in love with each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2011
I have to admit, I'm kind of a sucker for the "fake it til you make it" romance, so I found the premise promising. And the light, bantery voices of the two protagonists (the viewpoint alternates each chapter, and I believe each author exclusively wrote one voice) are engaging and exactly the kind of popcorn fun I was looking for after a rough day at work.
But oh, this book is such a mess. I do not think that the authors actually read each other's chapters, to start. It's like they sat down, came up with an outline, and then each submitted their chapters to their agent without ever exchanging them. The middle is particularly egregious, where each chapter ends on a cliff hanger that is completely abandoned. I particularly liked how they arrived in the cabin in Jenna's chapter and put dinner in the over, spent a week painting and arguing in Jonah's chapter, and then at the beginning of Jenna's next chapter she takes the dinner out of the oven, an hour having elapsed in her universe.
But it's not like the authors read their own chapters again, either--they clearly wrote one draft and stopped. Character motivations veer all over the place. Jenna believes that Jonah is a dumb faker at the beginning but three chapters later rolls her eyes repeatedly over how he's always such a showoff about books he's read. (Jonah can't decide how smart he is, either--it seems to change all the time.) Jenna had to sue her parents and get herself emancipated because they misused all her money, but she also later has an absent father who never spent time with her but talks about her all the time so really he's proud of her (sob!)
The last chapter is nearly incoherent, as Jenna's author sees the end in sight, babbles to fill out page count, and then brings everything to a completely dull, underwritten, and spiritless close.
What a terrible waste of potential.
But oh, this book is such a mess. I do not think that the authors actually read each other's chapters, to start. It's like they sat down, came up with an outline, and then each submitted their chapters to their agent without ever exchanging them. The middle is particularly egregious, where each chapter ends on a cliff hanger that is completely abandoned. I particularly liked how they arrived in the cabin in Jenna's chapter and put dinner in the over, spent a week painting and arguing in Jonah's chapter, and then at the beginning of Jenna's next chapter she takes the dinner out of the oven, an hour having elapsed in her universe.
But it's not like the authors read their own chapters again, either--they clearly wrote one draft and stopped. Character motivations veer all over the place. Jenna believes that Jonah is a dumb faker at the beginning but three chapters later rolls her eyes repeatedly over how he's always such a showoff about books he's read. (Jonah can't decide how smart he is, either--it seems to change all the time.) Jenna had to sue her parents and get herself emancipated because they misused all her money, but she also later has an absent father who never spent time with her but talks about her all the time so really he's proud of her (sob!)
The last chapter is nearly incoherent, as Jenna's author sees the end in sight, babbles to fill out page count, and then brings everything to a completely dull, underwritten, and spiritless close.
What a terrible waste of potential.
December 23, 2011
Jenna & Jonah are the characters Charlie & Fielding (real name: Aaron) portray. They are stars, famous Hollywood stars..and they’re a couple. Real couple on cam, fake off cam. It’s a light and fun read that will surely make you laugh out loud and make your heart tingle on the latter part of the story.
Something happened that made the both of them realize they really like each other. When they let their guards down and pride aside, they can be two serious people who not only live to make the other’s life miserable. I love their snide comments to each other and their banters. It’s so much fun. Plus the alternate narrating between Charlie and Aaron helps us to understand what really goes inside their heads. I have always loved reading from a guy’s perspective because it really is different from a girl’s, and the spontaneity and bluntness is just different.
This is a perfect read when you’re searching for a not-so-heavy read, plus the silly fights Charlie & Aaron have is just entertaining! :)
Something happened that made the both of them realize they really like each other. When they let their guards down and pride aside, they can be two serious people who not only live to make the other’s life miserable. I love their snide comments to each other and their banters. It’s so much fun. Plus the alternate narrating between Charlie and Aaron helps us to understand what really goes inside their heads. I have always loved reading from a guy’s perspective because it really is different from a girl’s, and the spontaneity and bluntness is just different.
This is a perfect read when you’re searching for a not-so-heavy read, plus the silly fights Charlie & Aaron have is just entertaining! :)
June 21, 2012
So, in browsing through the blogosphere, I’ve seen Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin take a bit of flack. Now, my question concerning that is just what did you expect out of a book with a bright pink cover? Surely, you didn’t expect anything along the lines of Tolstoy? Personally, I quite liked Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance but I also did not have any unrealistic expectations out of it.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
July 16, 2011
Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers are teen-pop sensations. They are enjoying a fourth season of their popular family sing-along show, ‘Jenna and Jonah’ and each has a tidy nest egg fortune to take them into their dotage. But their fame and fortune all hinge on one little itty bitty lie – that they are as in love off-screen as they are on-screen.
Charlie and Fielding have been playing their dual-roles of Jenna and Jonah, with the added drama of their ‘loved-up’ real-life personas, throughout their childhood. But all that is about to come crashing down with a gay-rumour and a possible cancelation of their money-maker.
Now Charlie and Fielding have to show the world that their love is true and their acting up to snuff . . . and they have to do it all without a script.
‘Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance’ is a stand-alone YA novel from Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.
I have to admit, this cutesy-pink front cover had me fooled. I thought ‘Fauxmance’ would be aimed at a younger market, and have more jokes than heated romance. So I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading and discovered the rather acerbic perspectives of the two young protagonists.
The ‘Jenna’ half of the equation is Charlie Tracker – and she is under no illusions with regards to her career. Charlie is a child star and she speaks candidly (tongue firmly in cheek) about how her career only sky-rocketed when she got boobs that helped to attract a male audience. She was also emancipated from her money-swindling parents at the tender age of fifteen. Charlie is a driven perfectionist – a diva on set, but only to mask a deep inner fear that acting is all she knows how to do and if it’s taken away from her she’ll have nothing left. . .
Fielding Withers is actually Aaron Littleton, the ‘Jonah’ of the show. He was a ‘discovered talent’ – a farm boy from the Midwest who was chosen for the show based on his chemistry with Charlie . . . which, over the years and strained by their ‘fauxmance’, has turned into barely suppressed hatred. Fielding ‘Aaron’ speaks very candidly in his chapters about being 18 and desperate to take advantage of his legal-aged female fan base. He is very open (and funny) about his frustrated libido and the morality-clause in his contract that prevents him from sampling the fan-goods . . . not to mention his fear of camera phones if he were to go out on an all-night bender and ‘cheat’ on his girlfriend.
I rather liked the fact that Franklin and Halpin gave ‘Fauxmance’ a bit of edge and bite by making their protagonists imperfect and discussing the reality of teen stardom. Aaron talks about his fellow male acting friends who are firmly ‘in the closet’, lest they be type-cast or lose their all-important female fanbase. Charlie also talks about being scared to gain weight or being contractually obligated to never cut her hair and of the creepy older-men stalkers who make up her fanbase. I liked that Franklin and Haipin delved into the glitzy/grimy world of Hollywood. Even more so when all of that is taken away from Charlie and Aaron with one false rumour about sexual orientation . . .
“Who the hell is Aaron Littleton?” Charlies asks.
“He’s me. Or, anyway, he’s who I used to be. He’s who I think I’m going to be again. I was thirteen when Mom picked my stage name, and I hate it. Fielding. I mean, it’s not a name. It’s a verb. Fielding. My name is a gerund. It’s what American League designated hitters don’t get to do.”
A strange expression flits across Charlie’s face, but it quickly goes away, replaced by the angry face she’s had on pretty much ever since we got here. “Well, great, Aaron, I’m really glad you’re finding yourself. But, you know, I already knew who I was, and despite the fact that I had to hang out with you, I liked who I was. Now I’m nobody.”
Unfortunately, the book went a bit wonky for me towards the end. To save their careers (and prove a point) Charlie and Aaron sign up to do Shakespearian theatre and perform the roles of Beatrice and Benedick in the Bard’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. It’s here that Franklin and Halpin seem to realize that they’ve already made a sort-of-maybe Benedick/Beatrice couple in Charlie and Aaron . . . so they decide to drive the point home by having them play the classic love/hate roles.
This was a bit like the authors hitting readers over the head, repeatedly, to prove the point. I don’t know if they thought we wouldn’t get the subtlety of Charlie and Aaron knowing one another so well (while loathing each other) or if they wanted to heighten their plot by including some modern Shakespeare . . . either way, I don’t think the Benedick/Beatrice plot worked well for the dénouement. I think the young Hollywood angle worked really well, and it just seemed like the updating of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ could be a separate book all together . . . meshing the two of them detracted from the glitzy Hollywood focal point of ‘Fauxmance’, while insulting reader’s intelligence by labelling Charlie and Aaron as modern-day Beatrice and Benedick.
I liked the beginning of this book. Famous tween couples are a perverse fascination for people everywhere, and I think Franklin and Halpin were onto a good thing with a book about the behind-the-scenes of a real/fake Hollywood romance. But the book lost me when they decided to write a last minute update of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. I wanted them to choose one or the other, but not both storylines.
Charlie and Fielding have been playing their dual-roles of Jenna and Jonah, with the added drama of their ‘loved-up’ real-life personas, throughout their childhood. But all that is about to come crashing down with a gay-rumour and a possible cancelation of their money-maker.
Now Charlie and Fielding have to show the world that their love is true and their acting up to snuff . . . and they have to do it all without a script.
‘Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance’ is a stand-alone YA novel from Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.
I have to admit, this cutesy-pink front cover had me fooled. I thought ‘Fauxmance’ would be aimed at a younger market, and have more jokes than heated romance. So I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading and discovered the rather acerbic perspectives of the two young protagonists.
The ‘Jenna’ half of the equation is Charlie Tracker – and she is under no illusions with regards to her career. Charlie is a child star and she speaks candidly (tongue firmly in cheek) about how her career only sky-rocketed when she got boobs that helped to attract a male audience. She was also emancipated from her money-swindling parents at the tender age of fifteen. Charlie is a driven perfectionist – a diva on set, but only to mask a deep inner fear that acting is all she knows how to do and if it’s taken away from her she’ll have nothing left. . .
Fielding Withers is actually Aaron Littleton, the ‘Jonah’ of the show. He was a ‘discovered talent’ – a farm boy from the Midwest who was chosen for the show based on his chemistry with Charlie . . . which, over the years and strained by their ‘fauxmance’, has turned into barely suppressed hatred. Fielding ‘Aaron’ speaks very candidly in his chapters about being 18 and desperate to take advantage of his legal-aged female fan base. He is very open (and funny) about his frustrated libido and the morality-clause in his contract that prevents him from sampling the fan-goods . . . not to mention his fear of camera phones if he were to go out on an all-night bender and ‘cheat’ on his girlfriend.
I rather liked the fact that Franklin and Halpin gave ‘Fauxmance’ a bit of edge and bite by making their protagonists imperfect and discussing the reality of teen stardom. Aaron talks about his fellow male acting friends who are firmly ‘in the closet’, lest they be type-cast or lose their all-important female fanbase. Charlie also talks about being scared to gain weight or being contractually obligated to never cut her hair and of the creepy older-men stalkers who make up her fanbase. I liked that Franklin and Haipin delved into the glitzy/grimy world of Hollywood. Even more so when all of that is taken away from Charlie and Aaron with one false rumour about sexual orientation . . .
“Who the hell is Aaron Littleton?” Charlies asks.
“He’s me. Or, anyway, he’s who I used to be. He’s who I think I’m going to be again. I was thirteen when Mom picked my stage name, and I hate it. Fielding. I mean, it’s not a name. It’s a verb. Fielding. My name is a gerund. It’s what American League designated hitters don’t get to do.”
A strange expression flits across Charlie’s face, but it quickly goes away, replaced by the angry face she’s had on pretty much ever since we got here. “Well, great, Aaron, I’m really glad you’re finding yourself. But, you know, I already knew who I was, and despite the fact that I had to hang out with you, I liked who I was. Now I’m nobody.”
Unfortunately, the book went a bit wonky for me towards the end. To save their careers (and prove a point) Charlie and Aaron sign up to do Shakespearian theatre and perform the roles of Beatrice and Benedick in the Bard’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. It’s here that Franklin and Halpin seem to realize that they’ve already made a sort-of-maybe Benedick/Beatrice couple in Charlie and Aaron . . . so they decide to drive the point home by having them play the classic love/hate roles.
This was a bit like the authors hitting readers over the head, repeatedly, to prove the point. I don’t know if they thought we wouldn’t get the subtlety of Charlie and Aaron knowing one another so well (while loathing each other) or if they wanted to heighten their plot by including some modern Shakespeare . . . either way, I don’t think the Benedick/Beatrice plot worked well for the dénouement. I think the young Hollywood angle worked really well, and it just seemed like the updating of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ could be a separate book all together . . . meshing the two of them detracted from the glitzy Hollywood focal point of ‘Fauxmance’, while insulting reader’s intelligence by labelling Charlie and Aaron as modern-day Beatrice and Benedick.
I liked the beginning of this book. Famous tween couples are a perverse fascination for people everywhere, and I think Franklin and Halpin were onto a good thing with a book about the behind-the-scenes of a real/fake Hollywood romance. But the book lost me when they decided to write a last minute update of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. I wanted them to choose one or the other, but not both storylines.
May 17, 2018
I thought it was extremely cheesy and cliche at first and I didn't like it, but it got better as it progressed. I liked how they ended up finding parallels between their lives and Much Ado About Nothing (the play they had to perform). It was cute, but there were a number of things that I would change.
December 26, 2018
Okay enough but the whole acting versus being themselves thing was not only ridiculously confusing for the characters, but for me as well. Made things frustrating. Not to mention how egocentric Jenna / Charlie is..
I liked the story buy execution-wise, it could use some improvements.
I liked the story buy execution-wise, it could use some improvements.
July 27, 2017
Kinda cute, I guess, but also kinda... superficial?
April 17, 2021
2 stars
As a full disclosure, I picked up this tiny little book at Boekenfestijn, for around €2 or so. It's not exactly like I had high hopes or something. I thought it would be a light, fluffy contemporary, probably of the guilty pleasure variety. I mean, teen celebrities who have an on-screen and off-screen romance but secretly hate each other? Sign me up! In the end though, it really wasn't all that.
What was I hoping for from this book? Banter, obviously. Barely contained resentment as the two main characters try to pull off their fauxmance. Some romantic kisses that make them doubt themselves. A gradual transition when they start to think of each other differently. Perhaps they get exposed, but by that time, after some damage control, they would be in love anyway and all's well that ends well.
What did I get? We started off okay. I genuinely liked the set up of the series on the Disney Channel-like network, and how their fauxmance was set up. But it quickly took the derivative route, not unlike a Disney Channel series/movie. The characters were awful, and I would even say bipolar. Honestly, Charlie was hot one minute cold the next. Overreacting at every single point. It made no sense that she got mad at certain things, and then the next second she would be in love with Fielding again. No. Just... no.
Fielding wasn't much better. They tried to give him a deep back story, that he had to put out an image of being a stupid heartthrob while actually he was a book-loving pacifist, who secretly hates show biz. Like, that could have worked, but it was all told (and definitely not shown) in such a rapid way that it was rather unbelievable. Honestly, if you wanted to give these characters depth, you should have given the story more than 220 pages. That's just ridiculous. It didn't work.
And the story disappointed too. Within just a few pages, their fauxmance is already outed, and then they go into hiding. Come on, the plot did have potential for cute, fluffy shenanigans, but instead, we skipped that and went straight to the drama llama. *sigh* Missed opportunities.
Summing Up:
I don't have much to say about this book other than it was disappointing. There was definite potential for this to be the guilty pleasure read that would definitely strike a chord with me, but no. The few entertaining moments were overshadowed by the meh characters with their mood swings and a disappointing plot. At least I didn't spend that much money on this one.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
I dunno... people who are really into teen celebrities behind the scenes? (Also, a younger audience would fare better, methinks.)
As a full disclosure, I picked up this tiny little book at Boekenfestijn, for around €2 or so. It's not exactly like I had high hopes or something. I thought it would be a light, fluffy contemporary, probably of the guilty pleasure variety. I mean, teen celebrities who have an on-screen and off-screen romance but secretly hate each other? Sign me up! In the end though, it really wasn't all that.
What was I hoping for from this book? Banter, obviously. Barely contained resentment as the two main characters try to pull off their fauxmance. Some romantic kisses that make them doubt themselves. A gradual transition when they start to think of each other differently. Perhaps they get exposed, but by that time, after some damage control, they would be in love anyway and all's well that ends well.
What did I get? We started off okay. I genuinely liked the set up of the series on the Disney Channel-like network, and how their fauxmance was set up. But it quickly took the derivative route, not unlike a Disney Channel series/movie. The characters were awful, and I would even say bipolar. Honestly, Charlie was hot one minute cold the next. Overreacting at every single point. It made no sense that she got mad at certain things, and then the next second she would be in love with Fielding again. No. Just... no.
Fielding wasn't much better. They tried to give him a deep back story, that he had to put out an image of being a stupid heartthrob while actually he was a book-loving pacifist, who secretly hates show biz. Like, that could have worked, but it was all told (and definitely not shown) in such a rapid way that it was rather unbelievable. Honestly, if you wanted to give these characters depth, you should have given the story more than 220 pages. That's just ridiculous. It didn't work.
And the story disappointed too. Within just a few pages, their fauxmance is already outed, and then they go into hiding. Come on, the plot did have potential for cute, fluffy shenanigans, but instead, we skipped that and went straight to the drama llama. *sigh* Missed opportunities.
Summing Up:
I don't have much to say about this book other than it was disappointing. There was definite potential for this to be the guilty pleasure read that would definitely strike a chord with me, but no. The few entertaining moments were overshadowed by the meh characters with their mood swings and a disappointing plot. At least I didn't spend that much money on this one.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
I dunno... people who are really into teen celebrities behind the scenes? (Also, a younger audience would fare better, methinks.)
March 22, 2011
This book was a light, fun and frothy read which was also extremely entertaining. It's quite a short book and I finished it in one evening but it certainly fed my guilty love of celebrity gossip!
Charlie and Fielding are two American teenagers who happen to star in a hit TV show where they play the characters of 'Jenna and Jonah'. To boost ratings and to ensure interest in the show, they pretend that they're boyfriend and girlfriend, even though in real life they can't actually stand each other. As you can imagine this makes for a difficult situation at times. When their secret 'Fauxmance' is revealed, they have to work out who they really are, what they want for the future and in what direction their relationship is now headed.
The book consists of alternate chapters told from the point of view of both Charlie and Fielding who seem to have contrasting views about their secret finally being exposed. Whereas Fielding feels that he may now get to choose his path in life, Charlie fears that her career might be over. Although they're big stars who have made enough money to set themselves up for life, I think the dilemma they face is one that most young-adults go through at some point in their life, which made their situation more realistic and gave me something to identify with. I particularly enjoyed the chapters which were narrated by Fielding as he came across as a much more likeable character. He was more down to earth and easier to relate to than Charlie who was a bit of a spoiled diva at times. However, I did like the evolution of her character and the way that she grows as a person throughout the book.
I haven't read many books which have been co-authored but I thought that Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin did a fantastic job of blending everything together well. I liked the direction in which they took the story and without giving anything away, I thought the second-half of the book rocked! The way in which they drew on a famous couple in English Literature to mirror their own characters' complicated relationships was so clever.
For those that like romance, there's a healthy dose of it included and I adored the middle section of the book which placed Charlie and Fielding alone together, confronting their real feelings for the first time.
I thought that the ending was a little abrupt as I wanted to see more but maybe there will be a sequel at some point? What Jenna and Jonah did next! I'd read it!
Charlie and Fielding are two American teenagers who happen to star in a hit TV show where they play the characters of 'Jenna and Jonah'. To boost ratings and to ensure interest in the show, they pretend that they're boyfriend and girlfriend, even though in real life they can't actually stand each other. As you can imagine this makes for a difficult situation at times. When their secret 'Fauxmance' is revealed, they have to work out who they really are, what they want for the future and in what direction their relationship is now headed.
The book consists of alternate chapters told from the point of view of both Charlie and Fielding who seem to have contrasting views about their secret finally being exposed. Whereas Fielding feels that he may now get to choose his path in life, Charlie fears that her career might be over. Although they're big stars who have made enough money to set themselves up for life, I think the dilemma they face is one that most young-adults go through at some point in their life, which made their situation more realistic and gave me something to identify with. I particularly enjoyed the chapters which were narrated by Fielding as he came across as a much more likeable character. He was more down to earth and easier to relate to than Charlie who was a bit of a spoiled diva at times. However, I did like the evolution of her character and the way that she grows as a person throughout the book.
I haven't read many books which have been co-authored but I thought that Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin did a fantastic job of blending everything together well. I liked the direction in which they took the story and without giving anything away, I thought the second-half of the book rocked! The way in which they drew on a famous couple in English Literature to mirror their own characters' complicated relationships was so clever.
For those that like romance, there's a healthy dose of it included and I adored the middle section of the book which placed Charlie and Fielding alone together, confronting their real feelings for the first time.
I thought that the ending was a little abrupt as I wanted to see more but maybe there will be a sequel at some point? What Jenna and Jonah did next! I'd read it!
May 7, 2012
Charlie and Aaron(Fielding as a stage name) have their own show: Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star(which reminds me awfully of Disney Channel). And they're dating, just like their TV characters. At least that's what everyone thinks. In reality, Charlie and Fielding HATE each other and they're just PRETENDING to date for show ratings. But then, a terrible rumor about Fielding's sexuality surfaces and his reputation--and cover--are at stake. Now, Charlie and Fielding have to disappear until everything calms down.
This book had a lot potential. I mean, JUST. LOOK. AT. THE. PLOT. PREMISE. But it only ended up irritating me. The writing was alright, but the points of view were a mess and confusing. The characters were pathetic and stupid. When their feelings are finally resolved, I'm like:
I was expecting Aaron to Some spicy twists couldn't have hurt anybody. And when the final chapter came, I was left very empty.
The only thing I liked was that the book was cute. That's it. How can a small, easy book be so BORING?
Please excuse me while I take a pill.
This book had a lot potential. I mean, JUST. LOOK. AT. THE. PLOT. PREMISE. But it only ended up irritating me. The writing was alright, but the points of view were a mess and confusing. The characters were pathetic and stupid. When their feelings are finally resolved, I'm like:
I was expecting Aaron to Some spicy twists couldn't have hurt anybody. And when the final chapter came, I was left very empty.
The only thing I liked was that the book was cute. That's it. How can a small, easy book be so BORING?
Please excuse me while I take a pill.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Cinnamon for TeensReadToo.com
Charlie hates Fielding, and vice versa. What do you even expect? The two have been practically glued at the hip against their will for the last four years as promotion for their popular hit tween TV show Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star. It isn't until the paparazzi pick up on a vicious rumor about the pair that they are forced to escape to an obscure beach house to ride out the publicity wave. Among the blessed quietness that accompanies obscurity, Charlie and Fielding proceed to discover something surprising: they really don't know each other at all.
JENNA & JONAH'S FAUXMANCE is the type of novel that would correspond to some sort of crème-filled chocolate doughnut in the delightful world of food. It is definitely sweet, but eating too much of it will induce episodes of barfing. While I enjoy this type of bubbly and extremely non-surprising teeny-bopper lit, they must be enjoyed in moderation. I mean, just look at the book's cover. So very pink. Even the book jacket itself resembles some sort of doughnut!
The novel has its fair share of awww moments and some other face-palm ones. Unlike other bubbly novels, the two characters weren't annoying most of the time, which made reading through this quite a breeze. Charlie and Fielding are quite dense about each other, though. And sometimes you just can't help yourself from wanting to smack the two atop the head with something heavy, like maybe an anvil of some sort.
But this is definitely a cute story for people who find delight in light, fluffy teen lit.
Charlie hates Fielding, and vice versa. What do you even expect? The two have been practically glued at the hip against their will for the last four years as promotion for their popular hit tween TV show Jenna & Jonah's How to Be a Rock Star. It isn't until the paparazzi pick up on a vicious rumor about the pair that they are forced to escape to an obscure beach house to ride out the publicity wave. Among the blessed quietness that accompanies obscurity, Charlie and Fielding proceed to discover something surprising: they really don't know each other at all.
JENNA & JONAH'S FAUXMANCE is the type of novel that would correspond to some sort of crème-filled chocolate doughnut in the delightful world of food. It is definitely sweet, but eating too much of it will induce episodes of barfing. While I enjoy this type of bubbly and extremely non-surprising teeny-bopper lit, they must be enjoyed in moderation. I mean, just look at the book's cover. So very pink. Even the book jacket itself resembles some sort of doughnut!
The novel has its fair share of awww moments and some other face-palm ones. Unlike other bubbly novels, the two characters weren't annoying most of the time, which made reading through this quite a breeze. Charlie and Fielding are quite dense about each other, though. And sometimes you just can't help yourself from wanting to smack the two atop the head with something heavy, like maybe an anvil of some sort.
But this is definitely a cute story for people who find delight in light, fluffy teen lit.
February 8, 2011
Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of two insanely popular teen TV stars -- Charlie and Fielding -- who have been acting out a romance both on and off screen for the last four years. When their off-screen relationship is revealed as a front, the news throws both their careers and futures into a tailspin and forces the pair to figure out if there's any truth in their relationship at all.
This sweet, fun novel that will be sure to delight fans of shows like iCarly and Hannah Montana and their respective stars. It offers a bit of voyeurism into the star-studded lifestyle, while also showing that they're just like real teens. It's told through the alternating viewpoints of the main characters, so the reader gets some insight into both, and while the final conclusion is pretty inevitable, there's still enough of that will they or won't they tension to keep the reader interested. The story also takes an interesting turn about halfway through as the two perform in a summer Shakespeare festival and introduces some heavy Much Ado About Nothing references that might scare away more reluctant readers. Ultimately, though, it serves as an effective environment for them to explore themselves and their relationship with each other. This is a great option for tween and younger teen readers or anyone looking for an easy-to-read romance with a bit of Hollywood flair.
This sweet, fun novel that will be sure to delight fans of shows like iCarly and Hannah Montana and their respective stars. It offers a bit of voyeurism into the star-studded lifestyle, while also showing that they're just like real teens. It's told through the alternating viewpoints of the main characters, so the reader gets some insight into both, and while the final conclusion is pretty inevitable, there's still enough of that will they or won't they tension to keep the reader interested. The story also takes an interesting turn about halfway through as the two perform in a summer Shakespeare festival and introduces some heavy Much Ado About Nothing references that might scare away more reluctant readers. Ultimately, though, it serves as an effective environment for them to explore themselves and their relationship with each other. This is a great option for tween and younger teen readers or anyone looking for an easy-to-read romance with a bit of Hollywood flair.
February 14, 2011
This book was really cute, I couldn't help but think of the tv show, "Sonny with a Chance," with the portrayal of teen stars in love while in the public eye.
The story was told in alternating chapters told from each character's point of view. In the beginning, I found Jonah/Fielding?Aaron much more interesting, but Jenna/Charlie really started to grow on me. I was sympathizing with her by the end of the book.
My favorite part was when they were hiding from the paparazzi at the beach house. I think they really started to realize their true feelings about each other and their careers while in that isolated atmosphere.
I did like the journey they took with their acting career at the Shakespeare theater. It was great to see them reflect on their past acting on "Jenna & Jonah," as well as see how far they could stretch their acting skills.
There were some really deep one liners in this book. I found myself identifying with a lot of the quotes about love, life and our true selves.
"Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance" is a fun Hollywood romp with many tender moments and lots of reflection on life and love.
book sent from publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
The story was told in alternating chapters told from each character's point of view. In the beginning, I found Jonah/Fielding?Aaron much more interesting, but Jenna/Charlie really started to grow on me. I was sympathizing with her by the end of the book.
My favorite part was when they were hiding from the paparazzi at the beach house. I think they really started to realize their true feelings about each other and their careers while in that isolated atmosphere.
I did like the journey they took with their acting career at the Shakespeare theater. It was great to see them reflect on their past acting on "Jenna & Jonah," as well as see how far they could stretch their acting skills.
There were some really deep one liners in this book. I found myself identifying with a lot of the quotes about love, life and our true selves.
"Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance" is a fun Hollywood romp with many tender moments and lots of reflection on life and love.
book sent from publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
November 4, 2010
This is a really cute and fun book. While somewhat predictable, the fun is still getting to the conclusion and the characters learning about themselves. My son asked me this question this morning "I've heard that sometimes when a girl likes you, she will treat you mean, is that true?" That question sums this book up perfectly.
Jenna and Jonah have been thrown together on their tv show for years and then into a fake relationship because it made the fans happy and drove up ratings. But truthfully they can't stand each other, or can they? Jenna will do anything to keep the show running and her ratings high, Jonah just wants out. Then the unthinkable happens. A scandal occurs and the show is toast. Now what will Jenna and Jonah do?
I sped through this book and found it highly entertaining. The verbal sparring between Jenna and Jonah is fun. The agents are crazy and when Jenna and Jonah come together again to work on a project the sparks fly in good and bad ways.
The characters are well-developed and I felt like this was a fun look into the life of teenage stars. I really enjoyed reading about Jenna and Jonah and look forward to future books by these authors.
Jenna and Jonah have been thrown together on their tv show for years and then into a fake relationship because it made the fans happy and drove up ratings. But truthfully they can't stand each other, or can they? Jenna will do anything to keep the show running and her ratings high, Jonah just wants out. Then the unthinkable happens. A scandal occurs and the show is toast. Now what will Jenna and Jonah do?
I sped through this book and found it highly entertaining. The verbal sparring between Jenna and Jonah is fun. The agents are crazy and when Jenna and Jonah come together again to work on a project the sparks fly in good and bad ways.
The characters are well-developed and I felt like this was a fun look into the life of teenage stars. I really enjoyed reading about Jenna and Jonah and look forward to future books by these authors.
January 28, 2011
This light romantic teen comedy started out strong, with an amusing premise about the two stars of a popular tween TV show having to pretend they're in love to please the fans, but fell a little flat in the execution. The dual narration between the main characters was appealing at first, with enjoyably distinctive voices, but somehow this same storytelling device seemed to muddle the plot a bit towards the middle of the book. I felt that there was more telling than showing as each character mused at length about their acting careers. The build-up to the inevitable romantic epiphany was a bit weak, and the references to songs from the fictional "Jenna and Jonah" show got pretty tired after a while.
Despite its flaws, however, I did enjoy the snarky one-liners and snappy dialogue throughout the book, and I think this book will find its audience, especially with teens who have grown up watching Disney Channel sitcoms and seeing perky tween stars ultimately go a little crazy, so I've purchased this title for my library. A fun read for those in the mood for something breezy and quick.
Despite its flaws, however, I did enjoy the snarky one-liners and snappy dialogue throughout the book, and I think this book will find its audience, especially with teens who have grown up watching Disney Channel sitcoms and seeing perky tween stars ultimately go a little crazy, so I've purchased this title for my library. A fun read for those in the mood for something breezy and quick.
March 21, 2011
This was a boy meets girl on the set of a sitcom; boy and girl pretend to be in love in the sitcom; agents have boy and girl pretend to be in love in "real" life; boy and girl lose their jobs on the sitcom; boy and girl are alone in a cabin and begin a true romance; boy and girl do summer theater and truly fall in love STORY.
It was pretty fascinating to follow all the mix-ups but it makes you question how could anyone fall in love in Hollywood and make it last? Why does the media thrive on celebrity couples? How many of the couples loathe each other but put on a show to help their careers move forward?
Young adults would eat this drama and angst up, I think. And of course, the happily ever after ending. There are lots of clever word plays and poking fun at modern technology and society in this book.
It was pretty fascinating to follow all the mix-ups but it makes you question how could anyone fall in love in Hollywood and make it last? Why does the media thrive on celebrity couples? How many of the couples loathe each other but put on a show to help their careers move forward?
Young adults would eat this drama and angst up, I think. And of course, the happily ever after ending. There are lots of clever word plays and poking fun at modern technology and society in this book.
February 5, 2011
I liked the characters, Charlie and Aaron, and I liked the concept and I even liked the different settings but I never believed that Charlie and Aaron actually liked one another let alone loved one another. I don't believe a time period of longer than 30 minutes went by without one of them saying something hurtful to the other and the last third of the book was spent ignoring each other as much as possible. Plus, I wanted something a bit more from the end, which read more like their cheesy Jenna and Jonah show than the "real" life they were trying to carve out. This one fell flat for me but I am pretty positive that teens will eat it up.
December 2, 2015
Well, this was different. Entering the lives of two tween stars hounded by the paparazzi and under the restraint of their family-friendly contracts, this little book gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to be a celebrity at such a young age and the pressures that come along with that. I wouldn’t call it a perfect read, but I did manage to get through it fairly quick. Still, I found that my enjoyment dipped in the second half, losing a lot of the spark that the two leads had in their earlier scenes.
Read the full review on my blog, Demons Read Too
Read the full review on my blog, Demons Read Too
May 7, 2011
Loved this book.
I think this book would be great for teens who are studying the play Much Ado About Nothing which is mentioned in the book. Love how the book plays with the Shakespeare ideas of disguises and people playing parts.
This was so fun to read because the theater I work at is doing Much Ado About Nothing this fall and also because I have friends who have worked at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Teens who love Shakespeare, theater and acting will really like this book
I think this book would be great for teens who are studying the play Much Ado About Nothing which is mentioned in the book. Love how the book plays with the Shakespeare ideas of disguises and people playing parts.
This was so fun to read because the theater I work at is doing Much Ado About Nothing this fall and also because I have friends who have worked at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Teens who love Shakespeare, theater and acting will really like this book
August 30, 2012
Review TBC...
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance is basically a behind-the-scenes look at
If you were to take a behind-the-scenes look at a show like Hannah Montana or iCarly, this would be the book to bring it to life. Basically, we have a teen power couple who actually hate eachother because they've spent years faking their love for eachother on Jenna & Jonah's
Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance is basically a behind-the-scenes look at
If you were to take a behind-the-scenes look at a show like Hannah Montana or iCarly, this would be the book to bring it to life. Basically, we have a teen power couple who actually hate eachother because they've spent years faking their love for eachother on Jenna & Jonah's
February 17, 2011
A quick and easy book with an original plot that was kind of confusing. The transitions between chapters were confusing since the scenes didn't follow exactly after each other. Also, I did not particularly like Charlie's character, but then again, how can I relate to a girl who's been born into showbiz?
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