Review: Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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.

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.

Charlie (a girl) and Fielding (a boy) are actors on a show called Jenna And Jonah. To boost ratings, they pretend to date in real life. However, in actuality they strongly dislike each other. Of course, we can see where this plot is going (holla if you see love-hate for what it is!!). What results is almost a parody of those Disney Channel stars who show up in headlines of gossip magazines. If it’s not Miley, it’s the Jo Bros, or Selena Gomez. Yet, this book is not without sympathy for the young stars. I mean, can you imagine having your every move stalked and documented by the paparazzi, especially at an age when so much awkward and stupid happens. I think this does work on a deeper level as a very subtle critique of fetishizing child celebrities. Yet, we see that those celebs work pretty damn hard for their paychecks.

As I said before, we know where the plot is going to end up, but the journey is fun and rife with sexual tension (ooo la la). The story is told in alternating chapters between Charlie and Fielding. My favorite character point of view was Fielding. He was very laid back and seemed like a realistic teenage boy, I mean what with erections and all. Also, he’s described as a total book worm, reading more than just classics but also mysteries and fantasy which I think is more realistic than only ever reading classics. I mean, I was an ADD reader as a teenager, reading the classics, YA, mysteries, fantasy, contemporary, pretty much anything with an interesting cover copy. Yeah, so Fielding is the type of character I would not mind hanging out with.

I think Jenna & Jonah’s Fauxmance is a great book for those of us who shamelessly check Perez Hilton and read TMZ. Yes, it’s a very light critique of the culture, but not so heavy (not even close), that it would bring down your beach trip. It’s a quick read and perfect for spring break getaways.

Other Reviews:

Dreaming In Books
Frenetic Reader
Sarah’s Random Musings

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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