BORROW MY HEART By Kasie West

May 26, 2023 by Leave a Comment

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.

BORROW MY HEART By Kasie WestBorrow My Heart by Kasie West
Series: Borrow My Heart #1
Published by Delacorte Press on 6/13/23
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 275
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.

Asher is cute, charming . . . and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he's waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s . . . amazing.

It's not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she's not who she says she is? Wren's not so sure. . . . After all, rules exist for a reason.

Short and Sweet Review

Wren has a list of rules when it comes to who she wants to date, but those go out the window when she overhears a guy get chastised by his friend for being catfished, So Wren takes it upon herself to pretend to be the online crush. Wren is a control freak and likes order, but for some reason being with Asher a boy she knows nothing about puts her at ease, until she realizes that at some point she’s going to have to break it to him that she isn’t the girl he thinks she is.

Borrow My Heart has a main plot which is Wren pretending to be Asher’s online crush, then we have two subplots, one that involves Wren’s absent mother and another in which a dog needs to adopted. It was interesting to see how Wren got herself in the situation, and how she had to adapt to all the things that Asher and his actual online crush messaged each other about. I did like seeing how Wren ended up liking Asher and they were very cute together and bounced off of each other well. I didn’t like that Asher’s friend Dale was around all the time he was one of the worst third wheels. The romance was cute but there’s always some bumps in paradise, and I won’t spoil it, but it was kind of surprising. The subplot with Wren’s mother was good because it showed us why Wren has trust issues, and Wren’s sister is still willing to make things work with their mom but Wren knows to keep her expectations low and that’s how she processes how her mom left them. Wren works at a dog shelter and there’s a dog named Bean who has been a resident at the shelter for a long time, and Wren and Asher team up to get Bean adopted.

Overall the book was cute, there were some points where serious topics were brought up. This whole scenario with Wren jumping in to save the day is very unlike her but Asher brings out a different side of her which is more fun. Asher and Wren were a cute pairing and sometimes you find your person when you least expect it. Also how can you not like someone who works at an animal shelter and is good with pets? This was a match made in heaven.

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PLACES WE’VE NEVER BEEN By Kasie West

June 15, 2022 by Leave a Comment

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

PLACES WE’VE NEVER BEEN By Kasie WestPlaces We've Never Been by Kasie West
Published by Delacorte Press on 5/31/22
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Norah hasn’t seen her childhood best friend, Skyler, in years. When he first moved away, they'd talk all the time, but lately their relationship has been reduced to liking each other’s Instagram posts. That’s why Norah can’t wait for the joint RV road trip their families have planned for the summer.

But when Skyler finally arrives, he seems...like he’d rather be anywhere else. Hurt and confused, Norah reacts in kind. Suddenly, her oldest friendship is on the rocks.

An unexpected summer spent driving across the country leads both Norah and Skyler down new roads and to new discoveries. Before long, they are, once again, seeing each other in a different light. Can their friendship-turned-rivalry turn into something more?

Short and Sweet Review

Norah and Skyler were childhood best friends but after Skyler moved away their communication dwindled. Now that their families are going on a joint RV trip for the summer Norah can’t wait to see Skyler, but when Skyler arrives he seems like he wants to be anywhere else then on an RV for three weeks.

Spending three weeks on the road gives Norah and Skyler a lot of time to work through their issues. It was interesting to see the dynamic between the two because they have a lot of history and inside jokes. When we get a look into their past we see that they’re always there for each other and now there’s some tension mainly on Skyler’s part which makes Norah frustrated. Norah is interesting, she tries to put on a front to be perfect but everyone that knows her well sees right through it. I love that she’s interested in gaming and uses her art to come up with ideas for video games. On the road trip on of the stops is at a college where Norah has an interview. I did like reading about all the RV stops and some of the side plots one of them being Norah trying to find out what her mom was keeping from her. I did think the romance was cute once Norah and Skyler worked through everything that’s happened since they haven’t seen each other.

This was a cute and fast read, its perfect for a summer read!


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LOVE, LIFE, AND THE LIST By Kasie West

December 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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.

LOVE, LIFE, AND THE LIST By Kasie WestLove, Life, and the List by Kasie West
Published by HarperTeen on 12/26/17
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings, Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list, she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being.

But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems . . . and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.


Short and Sweet

Abby Turner is an artist and her goal is to make it into an art program. The only way Abby can do this is by getting her pieces into an art show and thats where the list comes in. Abby believes that the list will help her become a better artist and put more emotion into her work. With the help of her best friend Cooper who she also has a crush on, Abby is determined to finish the list, become a better artist, and maybe get Cooper to like her back.

Characters

Abby: Our main character. I loved Abby, she was determined to get what she wanted and she worked hard to get it. She deals with a lot in her home life, her father is in the military and is away and her mom has anxiety which seems to be getting worse. Abby was sweet and sarcastic very sarcastic but I liked it she was an enjoyable character to follow.

Cooper: Abby’s best friend and crush. Abby and Cooper do almost everything together and I loved their friendship they told each other almost everything, I also loved how he was so willing to help Abby with her list. Cooper was laid back and fearless and a good friend.

Lacey: Lacey is a friend that Abby makes over the summer and I loved Lacey too! She and Abby haven’t known each other long but it was like she was meant to be in Abby’s life. Lacey is an actress and Abby is an artist so they both understood each other on that level of having a passion for something.

Romance

Abby and Elliot: So Abby and Elliot have met before but didn’t really start hanging out until this summer when they meet at a restaurant and then again at a grocery store. Both of them are artist and liked talking to each other about their art. I thought they were cute but they were better off as friends.

Cooper and Iris: Iris is a girl that Cooper meets at the beach. Iris is one of those girls that seems nice when Cooper is around but would change whenever she was left with Abby. We don’t really see many interactions with Cooper and Iris but we do know that they go on a couple of dates.

Abby and Cooper: This relationship is interesting. We learn that Abby has professed her love for Cooper but he didn’t feel the same way so she just played it off as if she was joking. And now this summer their quartet becomes a duo when two of their friends leave on vacation. Now its just Abby and Cooper and Abby still has feelings for him but it still doesn’t seem like he feels the same way. I really liked the two of them together especially after seeing how close they were as friends.

My Thoughts

~ Here’s my favorite thing about the book… the list! There were ten things on the list and all of these things were supposed to help Abby become a better artist by helping her add depth and emotion to her work. Abby learned a stranger’s story, tried five new things, and faced a fear, I can’t tell you if she fell in love or not you’ll just have to read the book.

~ I also love how Abby went out of her comfort zone when it came to the list. She picked one thing she admired about each person in her life and tried to incorporate it into the list.

~ Abby’s family was amazing too. They were supportive of her and believed that she could get into the art show. Abby’s grandpa is just as sarcastic as her which was great. We also learn more about Abby’s mom and her anxiety and how it got to the point its at now. Abby’s dad is also in the book through emails and phone calls.

Overall

This book was cute and enjoyable! It made me smile and laugh and it didn’t take long to read. I’ve loved each of the books by Kasie West that I’ve read and this one is now different. West knows how to write with emotion and it makes the book and characters so real. I love this book and recommend it for anyone who loves contemporaries, art, and maybe your best friend!

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THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND By Kasie West

August 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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

THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND By Kasie WestThe Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Published by HarperTeen on 5/5/15
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable…convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. The task is simple: two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

The problem is that days after prom, she can't stop thinking about her fill-in boyfriend. But can Gia turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship?


Short and Sweet Review

When Gia’s boyfriend, Bradley dumps her in the parking lot before walking into the prom Gia has to think fast and she decides to have a cute guy in the parking lot to be her boyfriend. Everything is fine until a few days later Gia realizes she can’t get him out of her head, now Gia wants to make her fill-in her actual boyfriend, but will this decision expose her lies or ruin her friendships? Bradley dumping Gia was clearly a big deal mainly because none of her friends have met Bradley and there’s a new girl in her group of her friends that seems set on bringing Gia down, after being dumped Gia worries that her friends will think she was lying about her relationship. Gia than finds Hayden and asks him to be Bradley for the sake of not looking like a liar in front of her friends. Gia finds her self falling for Hayden, which I didn’t mind at all they were cute together and had great chemistry. I liked the whole plot of this book Gia finding Hayden and pretending that he’s her boyfriend and falling for him and having to deal with feeling like her friends were being taken away from her. It was interesting seeing how Gia would handle all of the situations that were thrown her way. I found this book to be cute, I love all of Kasie West’s books! This book is perfect to read during the summer, its light cute, and full of fluff, pick it up and read it!

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BY YOUR SIDE By Kasie West

January 17, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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.

BY YOUR SIDE By Kasie WestBy Your Side by Kasie West
Published by HarperTeen on 1/31/17
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn at first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?


Short and Sweet

Autumn finds herself locked in the library for the weekend when her friends forget about her and head up to a bonfire. Autumn thinks her friends will figure out that she isn’t with them and come and rescue her. As the time passes by Autumn finds out that she’s not in the library alone she’s locked in with Dax Shepard. All she knows about Dax is that he’s trouble.

My Thoughts

~ Could the setting get any better? Seriously they’re locked in a library. That’s like a dream come true!

~ So Autumn is supposed to go up to a cabin with her friends and a guy she likes but ends up getting left behind when she has to stop in the library to go to the bathroom. How did her friends not notice on the drive that they were missing a person? I don’t know.

~ In the library Autumn meets Dax who doesn’t want anything to do with her. He just wants to pass the weekend by, but Autumn won’t have that, she tries to learn more about him and plans a few activities.

~ I didn’t like Dax at first because he was standoffish but towards the end I came around to liking him, a lot!

~ We’re only in the library for half of the book and then the other half of the book we get to see how Autumn lives life now that she’s free. Basically a lot of stuff happened while she was trapped in the library. Jeff (the guy Autumn likes) was in a car accident and she now has to juggle seeing her friends, him, and trying to fight her feelings for Dax.

~ I loved getting to see Autumn and Dax’s relationship grow outside of the library and how Autumn put in the effort to see him.

~ I don’t know how I feel about Autumn’s friends. I liked Lisa because she was always supportive of Autumn’s choices, but her other friends weren’t as important.

~ Autumn suffers from anxiety and panic attacks which she tries to keep on the down low, because she doesn’t want any of her friends to treat her differently.

Overall

I loved this book, its more than just your usual romance. It was a happy ending and everything was tied up nicely. It didn’t take me long to finish this book. I would recommend it! It was cute and short and if you like contemporaries and romance, pick this book up!

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P.S. I LIKE YOU By Kasie West

November 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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

P.S. I LIKE YOU By Kasie WestP.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Published by Point on 7/26/16
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters -- sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she's kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can't always be spelled out...


Short and Sweet

Lily is an aspiring songwriter in a loving but chaotic family. While bored in chemistry class Lily leaves a song lyric on the desk only to come back the next day to see that someone replied. Throughout the semester these two pen pals write each other notes and learn a lot about each other. Lily soon realizes that she’s falling for her pen pal, if only she could figure out who it is.

My Thoughts

~ Such a cute story! I liked that Lily and her pen pal were exchanging notes and the more they share the more personal they get.

~ The first half was about these two writing notes and then in the second half of the book Lily tries to find out who she’s writing with.

~ At one point I got frustrated, because the two met often but it didn’t seem like they knew that they were each others secret pen pals.

~ The romance was predictable I figured out who the pen pal was, but I didn’t mind because I thought they would make a cute couple.

~ I loved Lily’s family and her friend Isabella, they’re so supportive of her music and were always there for her.

~ Ah the pen pal I don’t want to spoil who it was but I will say the more I learned about the pen pal through the letters the more I liked him, I was rooting for them to figure it out and get together.

~I would have liked more about the music aspect, I mean Lily was thinking about joining a songwriting competition, so it would have been nice to see them at the competition or her song.

Overall

So cute! I loved this book, I plan on reading Kasie West’s other books. The story line was cute, Lily as a main character was funny, a little awkward, and stubborn. I fell in love with this book, and I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s fast past and light and nice for the summer but since it’s fall it’ll still be fine! Definitely one to read!

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Filed Under: Reviews