Review: It Had to Be You (Brokemore Academy #1) by Lizzie Charles

James Parson has a problem. His military dad is going to yank him out of his expensive boarding school if James doesn’t prove he’s no longer hooking up, pulling pranks, and charming his way out of consequences. What better way to show he’s now responsible than becoming the committed boyfriend of a U.S. diplomat’s daughter?

Level-headed, book-smart Edelweiss may have traveled the world thanks to her dad’s job, but when it comes to friends and boys, she knows exactly nothing. Newly enrolled in boarding school, Edel is now on a mission to learn it all. James says he’ll help her experience the ultimate high school life—if she’ll be his fake girlfriend. And fake is perfect, because he’s exactly the kind of player she’d never date.

ebook, 184 pages

Expected publication: May 15th 2017 

Series: Brokemore Academy #1

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Edelweiss was a Diplomat's daughter who travelled with her family and was homes schooled. She convinced her parents to let her have a normal high school experience in order to prepare herself for college. It was at Brokemore Academy that she bumped (literally) into James, the son of a family friend and parent designated shower of the ropes. James was always playing pranks and getting into trouble to the point that his father was going to pull him from the school. Together the two of them came up with a plan to pretend that they were dating to help both of them accomplish what they wanted. As is the norm for these fake relationship stories it wasn't hard to see where it was heading.

This was a super cute and somewhat cheesy story that I'm sure that the youngest of the YA genre readers will gobble up. For the older YA readers like myself, I couldn't help but see some of the flaws in the story. Edelweiss wanted a typical high school experience but was Brokemore a typical high school? Lets see... a prestigious live in school filled with mostly rich students living in dorms. It certainly wasn't my high school experience or most people I know so I did struggle with that a bit. Also, for someone as well travelled as Edelweiss she was overly naive in the beginning. Both Edelweiss and James came across as younger than they were.

The story was pretty predictable but it still managed to deliver all of the things that make these fake relationship stories work. I liked the chemistry between the two and thought that they were cute together. It could easily be read in one sitting and although the cheese factor was quite high, it still managed to put a smile on my face. I liked the group of kids that were enrolled at the school and could envision future stories where they will get the lead. In fact, I have a feeling that this is a series that will get better as it goes.

I look forward to what Brokemore Academy has to offer next!

About the Author

When Lizzy Charles isn’t scrambling to raise her two spunky toddlers or caring for premature and sick babies as a neonatal intensive care nurse, she’s in a quiet corner writing or snuggled up with a novel and a few squares of dark chocolate. Black tea keeps her constant and she loves guacamole. She married her high school sweet heart, a heart-melting musician, so it’s no surprise she’s fallen in love with writing contemporary YA romance novels.  

Connect with Lizzie

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