The Fill-In Boyfriend

When Gia Montgomery's prom date dumps her in the parking lot, she convinces a stranger to pose as her boyfriend for one night. The fake relationship solves her immediate problem of facing her friends and their expectations, but it creates new complications she didn't anticipate. Bradley, her stand-in date, has a sister named Bec who attends Gia's school. As Gia becomes entangled in her own deception, she finds herself spending more time with both siblings and questioning her choices about friendship, dating, and identity. The story explores social pressure, authenticity, and the gap between appearances and reality in high school relationships. Through Gia's journey, the narrative examines how social media and peer expectations can drive people to maintain facades rather than embrace their true selves.

Readers describe this as a light, entertaining YA romance that follows familiar tropes but delivers satisfying character development. Many appreciate the chemistry between the main characters and the exploration of social media pressure on teens. Liked: - Realistic portrayal of high school dynamics - Strong family relationships, especially sister bond - Natural progression of the romance - Humor throughout dialogue Disliked: - Predictable plot points - Main character comes across as shallow early on - Some found the premise unrealistic - Side characters lack depth Ratings: Goodreads: 3.94/5 (69,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (1,100+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (200+ ratings) One reader notes: "The fake dating trope works because both characters have clear motivations." Another mentions: "The protagonist's growth from caring about appearances to understanding deeper connections feels earned." Common criticism: "The resolution wraps up too quickly and neatly in the final chapters."

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han A high school student faces romantic complications when her private love letters are mailed to her past crushes, leading to a fake dating scheme.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West A skeptical girl from a working-class background must navigate her growing feelings for a wealthy classmate while confronting social class differences.

Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen Two teens who dislike each other agree to fake date to stop their matchmaking mothers, but their pretense leads to unexpected developments.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon Three women become friends after discovering they've been catfished by the same man and make a pact to focus on their careers instead of dating.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter A rom-com-obsessed teen teams up with her next-door neighbor to catch her long-time crush's attention, resulting in an unexpected love triangle.

🌟 Despite her success as a YA romance author, Kasie West initially started her writing career in adult paranormal fiction before finding her niche in contemporary young adult novels. 📚 The book explores the complex dynamics of social media pressure and online personas, a theme that resonates strongly with its target teenage audience. 💫 "The Fill-In Boyfriend" was partially inspired by the classic romantic comedy trope of fake dating, which has roots in Shakespeare's comedies and continues to be popular in modern literature. 🎭 The protagonist's journey mirrors common high school experiences with college applications and parental expectations, drawing from the author's observations of her own children's academic pressures. 💝 Kasie West wrote the first draft of this novel in just six weeks, though the editing process took several additional months to complete.