Pretending
My Rating: 4
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance
Format: eARC*
Publication Date: April 2, 2020
Author: Holly Bourne
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Pretending Blurb
“It made me cry and laugh and rage…A really important, timely book. Sheer brilliance.” —Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List
“Thoughtful, smart and painfully true.” —Cosmopolitan UK
He said he was looking for a “partner in crime,” which everyone knows is shorthand for “a woman who isn’t real.”
April is kind, pretty and relatively normal—yet she can’t seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she’s found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry. Until she realizes that men aren’t looking for real women—they’re looking for Gretel.
Gretel is perfect—beautiful but low-maintenance, sweet but never clingy, sexy but not too easy. She’s your regular, everyday Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl-Next-Door with no problems.
When April starts pretending to be Gretel, dating becomes much more fun—especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua. Finally, April is the one in control. It’s refreshing. Exhilarating, even. But as she and Joshua grow closer, and the pressure of keeping her painful past a secret begins to build, how long will she be able to keep on pretending?
“The most freeing, reassuring book on dating after #MeToo I’ve read. Perceptive. Hilarious. Brilliant.” —Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop
Pretending Review
As a quick reminder, here is my rating structure:
- 1 star: Did not finish
- 2 Stars: Finished but I do not recommend
- 3 Stars: Liked but could use some improvements
- 4 Stars: Loved this book!
- 5 Stars: Rare. The unput-down-able, binge read obsession.
My star ratings are also based also genre based. I compare all books with books of the same genre. While I would love to believe that my love of books in general transcends all bias, there are genres I prefer over others.
I’m human.
Example: If I read a mystery novel and think it deserves a 5-star rating, then I have compared it to other mystery books, and determined it to be one of my absolute favorites. The unputdownable mystery.
This will hopefully keep me from comparing Outlander, a personal obsession of mine, with the experience of reading The Hate You Give. Both 5 star books for me, but completely and totally different. I couldn’t even try to rate them against each other, so I don’t. Makes my life easier. 🙂
My Thoughts
This is one of those books that will inspire feelings in anyone that reads it. Book clubs should flock to this one because it embodies and doesn’t shy away from some of the most important topics that we are still discussing coming from the #metoo movement.
While there can be many wide ranging opinions about Pretending, from love to hate, I honestly believe the overarching theme you have to take away from this book is this: all feelings are valid. I think Holly Bourne did something genius in the formation of this book. Everyone is going to feel differently about the protagonist. Everyone is going to feel differently about the way the main relationship played out. Everyone is going to feel differently about the sex scenes and the consent or lack thereof. I honestly believe that is the whole point.
Your feelings are valid. Find them. Express them. Discuss them.
By taking on controversial topics in a way that isn’t necessarily black and white, Holly Bourne gives the reader a chance to explore their own feelings and hopefully discuss them with others. A novel gives every reader the chance to separate ourselves from what’s happening, to depersonalize it, and really grapple with the what ifs in a situation.
I completely understand not liking April and the choices she makes, but that in itself is why Holly Bourne wrote her that way. If we completely loved and agreed with the heroine then her situations aren’t going to inspire a discussion. But by putting us all in a situation where we aren’t necessarily comfortable with how we are feeling in any given situation, she is not leading the reader through her own emotional journey. The readers feelings end up taking the reins.
Conclusion
Love it or hate it, Pretending is an important novel that I hope makes the book clubs rounds soon. Has Reece read it yet?
*Special thanks to Holly Bourne, Netgalley, and Mira Books for providing a copy of Pretending in exchange for an honest review.
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