It's like you start another chapter: WHEN IT'S REAL.

When It's Real by Erin Watt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Oakley Ford is a mega-star at eighteen. His pop albums soar up the charts, and girls adore him. But thanks to a long string of bad behavior and his inability to cut a new album, he's about to be a has-been at nineteen. The child of self-absorbed celebrity parents, Oakley needs to grow up, get serious about his music, and focus on his talent--and his image. So his handlers decide a fake girlfriend is the answer. Not one of his usual party girls, but a wholesome, regular girl to whom Oakley's fans can relate. That's where seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett comes onto the scene. Her sister, Paisley, works at Diamond Talent Management with Oakley's agents. Vaughn graduated high school early, but she's still struggling with exactly what she wants to be when she "grows up." And both Paisley and Vaughn are working overtime to provide for their twin brothers since the death of their parents. So when Vaughn is presented with the opportunity to be Oakley's fake girlfriend--which pays pretty darn well--she knows she can't say no. After all, hard can it be? And it's not like they will actually be in love, right?

Sometimes you just need a story with a ridiculous, rather implausible situation to soothe your soul.
This book was tons of fun and really compelling. I couldn't put it down and read it in 24 hours. Both Vaughn and Oakley were really interesting characters with a lot of depth behind their silly situation. As he was probably supposed to, Oakley irritated me in the beginning; yes, we are supposed to feel sorry for him, but he was also really good in his role of being a jerk.


"Am I already the washed-up pop star before I hit my twenties?"


The first person point of view in this one makes it very easy to read. The chapters alternate between Oakley and Vaughn and just slide by. The book is a slow burner (no immediate romance here) and fun and hot. Sure, it's a little predictable and you know nothing will go smoothly at first, but it's really enjoyable seeing how things play out. For me to enjoy a romance, I have to like the characters, and I have to be invested in their story--both of those things were definitely happening here. I fell for Vaughn and her family and then for Oakley, too, as I got to know him. There was some good depth and background to both characters, and I empathized with Vaughn as she struggled to find herself, especially after her family's tragedy.


"I’m good at pretending, but not so great at living."


There's even some fun twists in this one, with things not always happening exactly as you might think. Overall, it's really fun, with two great main characters and a really humorous supporting cast. The story has its serious moments, and it's easy to get invested in Vaughn and Oakley's romance. It's a fast read and a good one. 4 stars.

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