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You Started It
Better Than the Movies meets Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR, a new YA romance from Something More author, Jackie Khalilieh.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster has big plans for Senior Year. She's made a list of things and places in Toronto she and her boyfriend of three years, Ben Cameron, need to check off before graduating. And the biggest plan of all: a very special night for the two of them at the upcoming Winter Formal. But then Ben arrives back home after a summer away with an unthinkable announcement: he wants to break up.
And when Jamie discovers him with Olivia Chen the next day, she is determined to get him back. Even if that means fake dating the younger, curly-haired, TikTok dancer, Axel Dahini, whose bicycle she accidentally ran over.
Though she and Axel have nothing in common aside from their shared Arab heritage—she’s a messy, type A with anxiety, he’s carefree but meticulous—their forced time together brings them to better understand one another. And for Jamie, it just might mean learning that not all experiences or people need to be crossed off a list.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster has big plans for Senior Year. She's made a list of things and places in Toronto she and her boyfriend of three years, Ben Cameron, need to check off before graduating. And the biggest plan of all: a very special night for the two of them at the upcoming Winter Formal. But then Ben arrives back home after a summer away with an unthinkable announcement: he wants to break up.
And when Jamie discovers him with Olivia Chen the next day, she is determined to get him back. Even if that means fake dating the younger, curly-haired, TikTok dancer, Axel Dahini, whose bicycle she accidentally ran over.
Though she and Axel have nothing in common aside from their shared Arab heritage—she’s a messy, type A with anxiety, he’s carefree but meticulous—their forced time together brings them to better understand one another. And for Jamie, it just might mean learning that not all experiences or people need to be crossed off a list.
Unknown Binding
First published May 20, 2025
57 people are currently reading
11012 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Khalilieh
3 books360 followersJACKIE KHALILIEH is a Palestinian-Canadian writer with a love of nineties pop culture, Dad jokes, and warm and fuzzy romance. Like many autistic females, she received her diagnosis as an adult. She is passionate about positive representation within her writing. She currently resides just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband and two daughters, complaining nightly about having to cook dinner. Something More is her debut YA novel.
Please note: As an author, I use Goodreads mostly to keep track of the books I want to read.
I don't check/accept friend requests from readers/people on Goodreads who I don't know, as I feel that may blur the lines. I hope you understand. Thank-you!
If you do want to interact, I'm active on Instagram and TikTok @jackiekhalilieh
Please note: As an author, I use Goodreads mostly to keep track of the books I want to read.
I don't check/accept friend requests from readers/people on Goodreads who I don't know, as I feel that may blur the lines. I hope you understand. Thank-you!
If you do want to interact, I'm active on Instagram and TikTok @jackiekhalilieh
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November 9, 2024Message from the author (updated November 8, 2024):
Now that YOU STARTED IT is up on Netgalley, I wanted to share the content warnings. If you feel as if there is something I missed, please feel free to let me know by using the contact form on my website at jackiekhalilieh.com.
CONTENT WARNINGS for YOU STARTED IT:
Discussions of anxiety disorder.
Physical symptoms of anxiety on page, including irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.
Multiple panic attacks.
Character with claustrophobia.
Divorce. Absent parent.
References to a past teenage pregnancy and birth.
References to alcoholism.
Message from the author:
While YOU STARTED IT, isn’t due to be released until summer 2025, there is something I want to say now as the author. Especially as a Palestinian author.
I wrote this novel with an Arab teenaged boy love interest because of many reasons. Most significantly because I had been so brainwashed by western media as a Palestinian-Canadian that I never even questioned why all the love interests in the media I consumed were white. In the rare instances when they weren’t white, they definitely were not Arab men.
It was really only until my two Arab nephews became teenagers that I started to deconstruct all those years of internalized discrimination. Here these boys were, smart, funny, charming and adorable and they were almost never featured as the love interest. And that made me sad. It made me remember why I wrote Jessie Kassis, my first girl Palestinian main character in Something More (book one).
More recently, watching the Palestinian men in Gaza showing how both strong and sensitive they are as they fight to save the lives of other men, women and children made me realize how important positive representation in the media is. Seeing them cry on screen or exemplify their strength and bravery during a horrible g*nocide I hope at the very least, has shown people how Arab men are not controlling t*rrorists.
And then there’s my father, who recently passed away. A man I admired and adored and who was hilarious, strong, insanely talented and loving. A deserving male hero in any story.
Western media will have us believing one thing about Arab men. A one-dimensional stereotypical and false (and tired) take. I’m so excited for you to meet Axel Dahini.
I hope Axel helps show how truly amazing and deserving Arab boys and men can be. And that they deserve to fall in love and take up space on the shelves too.
(Written November 19, 2023)
Now that YOU STARTED IT is up on Netgalley, I wanted to share the content warnings. If you feel as if there is something I missed, please feel free to let me know by using the contact form on my website at jackiekhalilieh.com.
CONTENT WARNINGS for YOU STARTED IT:
Discussions of anxiety disorder.
Physical symptoms of anxiety on page, including irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.
Multiple panic attacks.
Character with claustrophobia.
Divorce. Absent parent.
References to a past teenage pregnancy and birth.
References to alcoholism.
Message from the author:
While YOU STARTED IT, isn’t due to be released until summer 2025, there is something I want to say now as the author. Especially as a Palestinian author.
I wrote this novel with an Arab teenaged boy love interest because of many reasons. Most significantly because I had been so brainwashed by western media as a Palestinian-Canadian that I never even questioned why all the love interests in the media I consumed were white. In the rare instances when they weren’t white, they definitely were not Arab men.
It was really only until my two Arab nephews became teenagers that I started to deconstruct all those years of internalized discrimination. Here these boys were, smart, funny, charming and adorable and they were almost never featured as the love interest. And that made me sad. It made me remember why I wrote Jessie Kassis, my first girl Palestinian main character in Something More (book one).
More recently, watching the Palestinian men in Gaza showing how both strong and sensitive they are as they fight to save the lives of other men, women and children made me realize how important positive representation in the media is. Seeing them cry on screen or exemplify their strength and bravery during a horrible g*nocide I hope at the very least, has shown people how Arab men are not controlling t*rrorists.
And then there’s my father, who recently passed away. A man I admired and adored and who was hilarious, strong, insanely talented and loving. A deserving male hero in any story.
Western media will have us believing one thing about Arab men. A one-dimensional stereotypical and false (and tired) take. I’m so excited for you to meet Axel Dahini.
I hope Axel helps show how truly amazing and deserving Arab boys and men can be. And that they deserve to fall in love and take up space on the shelves too.
(Written November 19, 2023)
June 5, 2025
Edit: Reposting this review (and might do it again) since two of the top reviews include uncomfortable comments about queer characters and non-religious or culturally diverse families. I hope you’ll give mine (and the other positive ones) a little love instead.
You Started It is Jackie Khalilieh’s tribute to Arab boys to show us that they are more than one-dimensional stereotypes, and boy, did she do well. Axel Dahini, you’re the sweetest, smartest, most charming, most caring fictional boy I have met in a while!
I already loved Something More, Jackie’s debut, but You Started It is better. Jackie is the queen of writing flawed teen girls, and Jamie is one of them. Often an anxious mess with lots of insecurities, and sometimes angry or really sweet, but always holding back, Jamie doesn’t color outside the lines, even though she lets her emotions override clear thinking. Oh, and her messy room. From the beginning, it was obvious that Ben wasn't the right guy for her. But Axel? Axel, who dared Jamie to take risks, to embrace who she is, and to show how to love? Axel was so good for Jamie. Smiles grew on my face so many times when Axel and Jamie were together, and that scene at the Arab wedding was just top-notch.
There’s another Arab man worth mentioning. Amo Eli was such a fantastic side character!
The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because of the third-act-breakup. I understood that fallout to a certain extent, but I'm just a (known) hater of those breakups. But that ending, on the other hand? It was so good again! And I also adored how Jackie included Olivia and Ben in that final part. So, actual rating 4.5 stars.
Thank you, Tundra Books and Edelweiss, for this amazing ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
You Started It is Jackie Khalilieh’s tribute to Arab boys to show us that they are more than one-dimensional stereotypes, and boy, did she do well. Axel Dahini, you’re the sweetest, smartest, most charming, most caring fictional boy I have met in a while!
I already loved Something More, Jackie’s debut, but You Started It is better. Jackie is the queen of writing flawed teen girls, and Jamie is one of them. Often an anxious mess with lots of insecurities, and sometimes angry or really sweet, but always holding back, Jamie doesn’t color outside the lines, even though she lets her emotions override clear thinking. Oh, and her messy room. From the beginning, it was obvious that Ben wasn't the right guy for her. But Axel? Axel, who dared Jamie to take risks, to embrace who she is, and to show how to love? Axel was so good for Jamie. Smiles grew on my face so many times when Axel and Jamie were together, and that scene at the Arab wedding was just top-notch.
There’s another Arab man worth mentioning. Amo Eli was such a fantastic side character!
The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because of the third-act-breakup. I understood that fallout to a certain extent, but I'm just a (known) hater of those breakups. But that ending, on the other hand? It was so good again! And I also adored how Jackie included Olivia and Ben in that final part. So, actual rating 4.5 stars.
Thank you, Tundra Books and Edelweiss, for this amazing ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
June 7, 2025
╰┈➤ 3 stars!
you started it by jackie khalilieh is a YA book that’s about jamie who, all of a sudden got dumped by her boyfriend of three years, ben. only for her to see him with another girl the next day he dumped her! she made up a whole plan to get him back and that’s where axel, an arab boy, whose bike she totally wrecked came in the picture after trying to not get caught checking out his ex-boyfriend’s house.
౨ৎ jamie. i honestly didn’t like her at first because of how she treats other people. she may or may not have been a mean girl in my eyes. however, she’s been through so much that i also get her at times because of how relatable she is. her, controlling her life in the fear of losing it was really relatable because of her anxiety.
she pushed herself to go out of her comfort zone, do things that she wasn’t used to because of axel because he was the one who made her realized that it’s definitely okay to not plan things up until the very last second.
౨ৎ axel. seriously, where can i find an arab boy like him? i loved the representation—it’s rare to read about an MMC who’s arab. he had his own struggles because of how his passion doesn’t seem to be important enough for his dad, and it made me really sad because he is really in his element whenever he does what he love.
he was very considerate of jamie, making sure that he doesn’t do anything that would make her uncomfortable. i definitely enjoyed his side that was not scared to show his love for other people. he loves loudly, and may everyone finds that kind of love.
one thing i definitely questioned with this book is how she ended up friends with her ex who was clearly an asshole, but that’s just my personal opinion about it. i don’t think i could ever be casual again with someone who did me dirty, no matter how long has it been, it’s more of a self-respect to not let them in my life again because i’ve given them the chance to be in my life but they chose to waste it.
overall, the pacing of this book was great. it wasn’t too quick, but also not too slow that you’ll get bored in the long run. even though there were times that i got frustrated because of the characters—especially jamie. adding to that was the miscommunication of this trope because i absolutely despise this trope and no one could ever change my mind about it, i would still say that this was good read. i would like to give my appreciation to the author for breaking down stereotypes, and using her voice to speak about palestine. it can really be an eye-opener for the people who will get to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
time to start reading the arcs i’ve received, and i’m starting with this one, yet another ya book!! this is my first book i’m reading of hers and i’m so excited to jump into it!
you started it by jackie khalilieh is a YA book that’s about jamie who, all of a sudden got dumped by her boyfriend of three years, ben. only for her to see him with another girl the next day he dumped her! she made up a whole plan to get him back and that’s where axel, an arab boy, whose bike she totally wrecked came in the picture after trying to not get caught checking out his ex-boyfriend’s house.
౨ৎ jamie. i honestly didn’t like her at first because of how she treats other people. she may or may not have been a mean girl in my eyes. however, she’s been through so much that i also get her at times because of how relatable she is. her, controlling her life in the fear of losing it was really relatable because of her anxiety.
she pushed herself to go out of her comfort zone, do things that she wasn’t used to because of axel because he was the one who made her realized that it’s definitely okay to not plan things up until the very last second.
౨ৎ axel. seriously, where can i find an arab boy like him? i loved the representation—it’s rare to read about an MMC who’s arab. he had his own struggles because of how his passion doesn’t seem to be important enough for his dad, and it made me really sad because he is really in his element whenever he does what he love.
he was very considerate of jamie, making sure that he doesn’t do anything that would make her uncomfortable. i definitely enjoyed his side that was not scared to show his love for other people. he loves loudly, and may everyone finds that kind of love.
one thing i definitely questioned with this book is how she ended up friends with her ex who was clearly an asshole, but that’s just my personal opinion about it. i don’t think i could ever be casual again with someone who did me dirty, no matter how long has it been, it’s more of a self-respect to not let them in my life again because i’ve given them the chance to be in my life but they chose to waste it.
overall, the pacing of this book was great. it wasn’t too quick, but also not too slow that you’ll get bored in the long run. even though there were times that i got frustrated because of the characters—especially jamie. adding to that was the miscommunication of this trope because i absolutely despise this trope and no one could ever change my mind about it, i would still say that this was good read. i would like to give my appreciation to the author for breaking down stereotypes, and using her voice to speak about palestine. it can really be an eye-opener for the people who will get to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tundra Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
time to start reading the arcs i’ve received, and i’m starting with this one, yet another ya book!! this is my first book i’m reading of hers and i’m so excited to jump into it!
![Profile Image for ari [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 10, 2025
PS FREAKING A:
i do not deduct stars for lgbtqia characters.
i do not deduct stars for sexual content.
i do not deduct stars for diverse characters.
please stop calling me a bigot or homophobic for not liking the writing and the annoying af main character ty.
since y’all have made me disliking a book your problem 🙄
1⭐
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
maybe spoilers??
15+
romance: 4/10 (intense (45 minute long???) makeout sessions which SOMEHOW go no farther than kissing??? For 45 minutes??? I’m sorry 💀💀 talk of doing the ✨nasty✨ outside of marriage. Past teenage pregnancy)
cursing: 3/10 (infrequent minor/moderate curse words)
violence: 0/10 (i don’t remember anyyyy)
other: alcoholism, parent out of the home
tropes: fake dating
first person, present tense (mostly)
Buddy read with my amazing desi bestie joni!! read her review here
and an honorable mention to my pali bestie noodle, love how us queens all mutually hated this book <33
noodle’s review
– OVERVIEW –
At the risk of being called a racist here I am. Leaving a hate review 🫠🫠🫠
Well I have free will and you can’t stop me so here are all the reasons I did not like this book, at all. Not even a little bit.
the writing
I’ll keep this short n sweet.
I’ve read fanfiction with better writing. This was worse than the writing in Fearless (see my review…👀). I genuinely wish I had never picked up this book.
The random tense skipping and flashbacks? Shut up. Just stop it
the romance
Where is the banter and tension I was promised?
Why does the romance feel like a middle grade, only with way too much ✨saucy tango✨ mentioned to be acceptable for me to hand to anyone younger than 15?
Why is everyone so obsessed with Jamie? Like okay? We get it alr just shut up.
the premise
When I heard date bucket list and fake dating I CAME RUNNING, but the execution on this was absolutely HORRID
the emotional rollercoaster
Usually when people say “emotional rollercoaster” they mean it as a good thing, but this was NOT a good thing.
Every scene change was jarring and felt like being backhanded.
Every supposedly “emotional” scene felt more shallow than a snowflake when it melts.
Jamie is so bipolar she spends one page hating her mom, her dad, her uncle, Axel, Ben, Olivia, the guy who lives across the street’s goldfish who died two years ago, her entire freaking life. Then the. next. page. is sunshine and rainbows?
Help???
everything
This one's self explanatory
– PLOT –
I like him 🤭
wait…no I don't
but maybe I do…
OH HELL NAH GET YO UGLY AHH FACE AWAY FROM ME CRETIN.
Oh wait, I didn’t mean that, take me back now pweeseeeee 🥺🥺
– CHARACTERS –
Jamie
⤷ I’m sorry, I don’t f with pick me fmcs.
This girl is unbelievable. I wouldn’t have thought she could possibly be this bad but I ASSURE you, she is. Autumn Davis is a freaking saint in comparison with Jamie Taher-Foster.
Nothing she ever does is wrong. No! Bc how could she be wrong when it’s everyone else’s fault for every minor inconvenience
I liked her for approximately one page, then I saw how much of a devil this girl is. Devil isn’t even a strong enough word to describe her. This girl genuinely makes me want to commit arson bc what. do. you. mean.
Axel
⤷ dude you deserved sm better than this girl, like I would give you the moon if I could, even tho you being a TikTok dancer was the cringiest cringe I ever did cringe.
Ben
⤷ asshole
Olivia
⤷ she just exists
Amo Eli
⤷ why is he gay and Muslim? Christian? IDEK ATP bc he was saying things like “ya Allah” but then Jamie says her family is Eastern Orthodox? And he’s still gay? Like I understand the want to have representation or smth, but don’t muddle in religions that don’t support (doesn’t mean we don't love them) lgbt.
I’m so done with my faith being misrepresented in books.
– CONCLUSION –
You’re not missing a single thing, ml
preread
as soon as i get my feedback ratio up i get another one accepted lmao
ANYWAY i got the arc!! <33
i do not deduct stars for lgbtqia characters.
i do not deduct stars for sexual content.
i do not deduct stars for diverse characters.
please stop calling me a bigot or homophobic for not liking the writing and the annoying af main character ty.
since y’all have made me disliking a book your problem 🙄
1⭐
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
maybe spoilers??
15+
romance: 4/10 (intense (45 minute long???) makeout sessions which SOMEHOW go no farther than kissing??? For 45 minutes??? I’m sorry 💀💀 talk of doing the ✨nasty✨ outside of marriage. Past teenage pregnancy)
cursing: 3/10 (infrequent minor/moderate curse words)
violence: 0/10 (i don’t remember anyyyy)
other: alcoholism, parent out of the home
tropes: fake dating
first person, present tense (mostly)
Buddy read with my amazing desi bestie joni!! read her review here
and an honorable mention to my pali bestie noodle, love how us queens all mutually hated this book <33
noodle’s review
– OVERVIEW –
At the risk of being called a racist here I am. Leaving a hate review 🫠🫠🫠
Well I have free will and you can’t stop me so here are all the reasons I did not like this book, at all. Not even a little bit.
the writing
I’ll keep this short n sweet.
I’ve read fanfiction with better writing. This was worse than the writing in Fearless (see my review…👀). I genuinely wish I had never picked up this book.
The random tense skipping and flashbacks? Shut up. Just stop it
the romance
Where is the banter and tension I was promised?
Why does the romance feel like a middle grade, only with way too much ✨saucy tango✨ mentioned to be acceptable for me to hand to anyone younger than 15?
Why is everyone so obsessed with Jamie? Like okay? We get it alr just shut up.
the premise
When I heard date bucket list and fake dating I CAME RUNNING, but the execution on this was absolutely HORRID
the emotional rollercoaster
Usually when people say “emotional rollercoaster” they mean it as a good thing, but this was NOT a good thing.
Every scene change was jarring and felt like being backhanded.
Every supposedly “emotional” scene felt more shallow than a snowflake when it melts.
Jamie is so bipolar she spends one page hating her mom, her dad, her uncle, Axel, Ben, Olivia, the guy who lives across the street’s goldfish who died two years ago, her entire freaking life. Then the. next. page. is sunshine and rainbows?
Help???
everything
This one's self explanatory
– PLOT –
I like him 🤭
wait…no I don't
but maybe I do…
OH HELL NAH GET YO UGLY AHH FACE AWAY FROM ME CRETIN.
Oh wait, I didn’t mean that, take me back now pweeseeeee 🥺🥺
– CHARACTERS –
Jamie
⤷ I’m sorry, I don’t f with pick me fmcs.
This girl is unbelievable. I wouldn’t have thought she could possibly be this bad but I ASSURE you, she is. Autumn Davis is a freaking saint in comparison with Jamie Taher-Foster.
Nothing she ever does is wrong. No! Bc how could she be wrong when it’s everyone else’s fault for every minor inconvenience
I liked her for approximately one page, then I saw how much of a devil this girl is. Devil isn’t even a strong enough word to describe her. This girl genuinely makes me want to commit arson bc what. do. you. mean.
Axel
⤷ dude you deserved sm better than this girl, like I would give you the moon if I could, even tho you being a TikTok dancer was the cringiest cringe I ever did cringe.
Ben
⤷ asshole
Olivia
⤷ she just exists
Amo Eli
⤷ why is he gay and Muslim? Christian? IDEK ATP bc he was saying things like “ya Allah” but then Jamie says her family is Eastern Orthodox? And he’s still gay? Like I understand the want to have representation or smth, but don’t muddle in religions that don’t support (doesn’t mean we don't love them) lgbt.
I’m so done with my faith being misrepresented in books.
– CONCLUSION –
You’re not missing a single thing, ml
preread
as soon as i get my feedback ratio up i get another one accepted lmao
ANYWAY i got the arc!! <33
![Profile Image for joni ౨ৎ - [semi hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1752411492i%2F167534965._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 10, 2025
જ⁀➴ 1.75 stars ⋆⭒˚.⋆
edit: i just wanted to say something - im basically the same age as jamie so everything in this review is from the perspective as a fellow high school student + most reviews for this book over 3 stars are LITERAL ADULTS so keep that in mind bc the target age group of this book is for TEENS + i have a middle school sister - taking out all the lgbtq / religous aspects that were controversial for me she wouldn't enjoy this, there was just a lot of topics and etc that'd be uncomfortable for her
arc review 💌
release date: may 22
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🩵 fake dating
📚 bucket list
🩵 arab rep
📚 highschool romcom
🩵 tiktok dancer mmc (yes you read that correctly)
📚 mental health rep
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 date may 18
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 date may 19
buddy read with my fav girl ari <33
her review 💗
𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠: good 4 u by olivia rodrigo (first half at least) and i know it won't work by gracie abrams ‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊˚⊹
the not so long awaited review - more reviews are coming soon ‼
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲
this book follows our fmc - jamie taher-foster, who’s in her senior year of high school with big plans. she has a boyfriend who she loves and has been with for 3 years. but… after he comes back from summer camp he confesses how he wants to try new things and be more chill and ends their relationship. and after this you would think she would move on, right? turns out she wants to get him back, prove he was wrong to dump her and that they belong together. things happen and then she ends up fake dating the new guy, who’s a year younger than her but also arab. they do a lot of pretending and hang out a lot and slowly he becomes her best friend. lines blur between pretend and fake.
𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞
i just wanna say everyone is entitled to their own opinions and this is mine. if you disagree, it’s okay just be respectful.
↓ may contain spoilers ↓
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
as you may have already realized by the amazing rating at the top - i despised this entire story. this was supposed to be a cute, silly, fake dating romance. yk full of yearning from the mcs and them falling for each other while pretending. lemme tell you one thing, her ex boyfriend who she’s trying to win back - his name is mentioned 668 times. yeah. she’s obsessed. (the love interest’s name is mentioned more but only like a 100x more.)
okay i just want to say how i did not like almost any of the characters in this book, which is crazy for me especially because i tend to have soft spots for problematic people. in this case, no. 🤗
something i really wanted to point out as a christian specifically - jamie’s family is non-religious greek orthodox and palestinian. her uncle is gay!?? okay, moving on. axel’s bsf - diesel (what in the truck parts are these names btw) is non-binary and they/them. so first you HAVE to make the mcs christian ofc 🤗 and then make them have lgbt+ family/close friends. instead she could've added some bipoc/asian,MAYBE BLACK characters?!! but no ofc most people are white, the fmc & mmc are arab, ex is white, his new gf is asian. which was nice but it's literally set in toronto... where there's SO many brown and asian people...?!! this was the perfect opportunity to add a diverse set of characters.. but no. also all the side characters felt very 1d and no depth. just wanted to share this. there was a lot of mentions of sex and everything, but i wanted to make something clear to authors/publishers whoever - not every teen cares about sex… ?!!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞
do not start with me
her qualities:
✓ biggest pick me ever
✓ very rude daughter
✓ emotionally immature
✓ acts like a 10 year old at 17
✓ loves to read
✓ anxiety/ibs rep
i really really really despised her. first - she’s so annoying. for 3 straight pages she’ll be complaining about her mom and how her entire life sucks, FLIP THE FREAKING PAGE and she is yapping about how amazing her life is and that her mom is not too bad and how everyone is just perfect.
she's just a really rude person and doesn't seem to care about how her actions affect people around her. she has the emotional maturity of maybe a 10 year, but girl isn’t aware of the people around her.
she definitely has daddy issues because her dad left when she was in middle school/before high school started. her ex was someone who was her safety net - someone in her life who she could rely on for stability and once he left she basically crashed and burned. now she's aching for that, she doesn't know who to turn to when things go wrong.
she would start talking about how horrible her mom is, but the thing is she literally acts exactly like her. “oh I'm nothing like my mom guys” like girl you are a mirror image of her - literally same person in a younger body.
kind of in the middle of the book she talked about how she had unhealed trauma from her High School relationship with ben who is her ex. i'm sorry, what did he do to traumatize you? break up with you is that not allowed like please. if he hurt her or did something it would be valid but he's never like done anything during their relationship to actually harm her mentally or physically.
and then she would talk about getting back with ben in front of axel who she's fake dating okay, and then she'd think about axel like all the time daydreaming - kissing him and everything. then she's like oh I need ben. wait he's a horrible person. i want axel. wait I need ben actually. LIKE MAKE UP YOUR MIND. and to give some context, ben had a REAL girlfriend while she’s trying to get him back. first she wants her ex back (who has not interest in doing so) then she’s going after another girl’s man?!!
then there's this one scene where axel does something really nice for her like I'm not going to tell you because it's kind of a big spoiler but he takes on a date, where she meets his friends, and then there's like the surprise. she gets really pissed at him and tells him that he didn't have the right to do this blah blah and then she leaves and him stranded in downtown toronto - he doesn't have a car, his friends already left. like how could you be so cruel and heartless.
“of course i got angry at him. it's what I do. i don't know how to be in a normal, healthy relationship because i've never been around one.”
- what about basic human decency? okay… sounds like you might actually be the problem here.
there’s literally SO much more i could complain about 😭
𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐥
the ✨ tiktok dancer ✨
let that sink in, an 11th grade tiktok dancer guy. okay let’s move on
so basically he's the guy that agrees to fake date jamie and everything. i don’ really have any issues with him per se, he didn't feel that important in the story. while reading there are a lot of moments with him and everything but while I'm trying to remember and recollect what the story was about, he just didn't have a huge significance in the plot in my opinion.
you could tell he cared about her a lot, but he does not deserve that girl like he deserves so much better.
like this guy is very much boyfriend material if we take out the fact he's a “tiktok dancer” because i cannot take that seriously for the life of me… and the fact there’s a semi-famous tiktok dancer at MY school 😭 sooo big no!!
if got his perspective it actually might’ve made the story better
𝐛𝐞𝐧
the douchebag ex who dumped her and ‘cheated’ on her
uh so basically he’s the guy that jamie has loved for years
all i know about him is:
∿ he’s white
∿ taller than jamie
∿ helped her make lists to deal with her anxiety
like jamie would go on and on about how she wanted him back… but where is this dude’s personality? and he’s not even the smart… he needed jamie to tutor him BEHIND HIS CURRENT GF’S BACK!?! 🚩🚩🚩
𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚
the girl ben left jamie for
she’s not actually evil yk but jamie ofc thought of her as an opp 🙄
she and jamie become friends at the 75% mark or something?!!
pretty sweet, popular, genuinely loves ben but other than that she’s just a side/useless character.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐥𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞
hmm what do i say
i don’t care?
like who how long this book felt, it didn’t give me the swoony confession at the end ☹️
THO i did feel a tiny miniscule bit of emotional during the last 5% because she did something sweet for him and etc. like when she pulled her crap together.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥
and in the end - don’t read this
ofc if u did love this, that’s amazing!! all this is my opinion 😙💗
mwah,
joni 🤍
pre review ౨ৎ
no. just no
full rtc
hehe loved yapping about this horrible book with ari 🤭🫂
🪩 ┆ʚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ♡
this book looks so so cute and im obsessed with the cover!! also canadian author 👏
buddy reading with my fav girl ari 💖
thank you so much to penguin teen for the gifted ARC!!
edit: i just wanted to say something - im basically the same age as jamie so everything in this review is from the perspective as a fellow high school student + most reviews for this book over 3 stars are LITERAL ADULTS so keep that in mind bc the target age group of this book is for TEENS + i have a middle school sister - taking out all the lgbtq / religous aspects that were controversial for me she wouldn't enjoy this, there was just a lot of topics and etc that'd be uncomfortable for her
arc review 💌
release date: may 22
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🩵 fake dating
📚 bucket list
🩵 arab rep
📚 highschool romcom
🩵 tiktok dancer mmc (yes you read that correctly)
📚 mental health rep
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 date may 18
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 date may 19
buddy read with my fav girl ari <33
her review 💗
𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠: good 4 u by olivia rodrigo (first half at least) and i know it won't work by gracie abrams ‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊˚⊹
the not so long awaited review - more reviews are coming soon ‼
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲
this book follows our fmc - jamie taher-foster, who’s in her senior year of high school with big plans. she has a boyfriend who she loves and has been with for 3 years. but… after he comes back from summer camp he confesses how he wants to try new things and be more chill and ends their relationship. and after this you would think she would move on, right? turns out she wants to get him back, prove he was wrong to dump her and that they belong together. things happen and then she ends up fake dating the new guy, who’s a year younger than her but also arab. they do a lot of pretending and hang out a lot and slowly he becomes her best friend. lines blur between pretend and fake.
𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞
i just wanna say everyone is entitled to their own opinions and this is mine. if you disagree, it’s okay just be respectful.
↓ may contain spoilers ↓
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
as you may have already realized by the amazing rating at the top - i despised this entire story. this was supposed to be a cute, silly, fake dating romance. yk full of yearning from the mcs and them falling for each other while pretending. lemme tell you one thing, her ex boyfriend who she’s trying to win back - his name is mentioned 668 times. yeah. she’s obsessed. (the love interest’s name is mentioned more but only like a 100x more.)
okay i just want to say how i did not like almost any of the characters in this book, which is crazy for me especially because i tend to have soft spots for problematic people. in this case, no. 🤗
something i really wanted to point out as a christian specifically - jamie’s family is non-religious greek orthodox and palestinian. her uncle is gay!?? okay, moving on. axel’s bsf - diesel (what in the truck parts are these names btw) is non-binary and they/them. so first you HAVE to make the mcs christian ofc 🤗 and then make them have lgbt+ family/close friends. instead she could've added some bipoc/asian,MAYBE BLACK characters?!! but no ofc most people are white, the fmc & mmc are arab, ex is white, his new gf is asian. which was nice but it's literally set in toronto... where there's SO many brown and asian people...?!! this was the perfect opportunity to add a diverse set of characters.. but no. also all the side characters felt very 1d and no depth. just wanted to share this. there was a lot of mentions of sex and everything, but i wanted to make something clear to authors/publishers whoever - not every teen cares about sex… ?!!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞
do not start with me
her qualities:
✓ biggest pick me ever
✓ very rude daughter
✓ emotionally immature
✓ acts like a 10 year old at 17
✓ loves to read
✓ anxiety/ibs rep
i really really really despised her. first - she’s so annoying. for 3 straight pages she’ll be complaining about her mom and how her entire life sucks, FLIP THE FREAKING PAGE and she is yapping about how amazing her life is and that her mom is not too bad and how everyone is just perfect.
she's just a really rude person and doesn't seem to care about how her actions affect people around her. she has the emotional maturity of maybe a 10 year, but girl isn’t aware of the people around her.
she definitely has daddy issues because her dad left when she was in middle school/before high school started. her ex was someone who was her safety net - someone in her life who she could rely on for stability and once he left she basically crashed and burned. now she's aching for that, she doesn't know who to turn to when things go wrong.
she would start talking about how horrible her mom is, but the thing is she literally acts exactly like her. “oh I'm nothing like my mom guys” like girl you are a mirror image of her - literally same person in a younger body.
kind of in the middle of the book she talked about how she had unhealed trauma from her High School relationship with ben who is her ex. i'm sorry, what did he do to traumatize you? break up with you is that not allowed like please. if he hurt her or did something it would be valid but he's never like done anything during their relationship to actually harm her mentally or physically.
and then she would talk about getting back with ben in front of axel who she's fake dating okay, and then she'd think about axel like all the time daydreaming - kissing him and everything. then she's like oh I need ben. wait he's a horrible person. i want axel. wait I need ben actually. LIKE MAKE UP YOUR MIND. and to give some context, ben had a REAL girlfriend while she’s trying to get him back. first she wants her ex back (who has not interest in doing so) then she’s going after another girl’s man?!!
then there's this one scene where axel does something really nice for her like I'm not going to tell you because it's kind of a big spoiler but he takes on a date, where she meets his friends, and then there's like the surprise. she gets really pissed at him and tells him that he didn't have the right to do this blah blah and then she leaves and him stranded in downtown toronto - he doesn't have a car, his friends already left. like how could you be so cruel and heartless.
“of course i got angry at him. it's what I do. i don't know how to be in a normal, healthy relationship because i've never been around one.”
- what about basic human decency? okay… sounds like you might actually be the problem here.
there’s literally SO much more i could complain about 😭
𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐥
the ✨ tiktok dancer ✨
let that sink in, an 11th grade tiktok dancer guy. okay let’s move on
so basically he's the guy that agrees to fake date jamie and everything. i don’ really have any issues with him per se, he didn't feel that important in the story. while reading there are a lot of moments with him and everything but while I'm trying to remember and recollect what the story was about, he just didn't have a huge significance in the plot in my opinion.
you could tell he cared about her a lot, but he does not deserve that girl like he deserves so much better.
like this guy is very much boyfriend material if we take out the fact he's a “tiktok dancer” because i cannot take that seriously for the life of me… and the fact there’s a semi-famous tiktok dancer at MY school 😭 sooo big no!!
if got his perspective it actually might’ve made the story better
𝐛𝐞𝐧
the douchebag ex who dumped her and ‘cheated’ on her
uh so basically he’s the guy that jamie has loved for years
all i know about him is:
∿ he’s white
∿ taller than jamie
∿ helped her make lists to deal with her anxiety
like jamie would go on and on about how she wanted him back… but where is this dude’s personality? and he’s not even the smart… he needed jamie to tutor him BEHIND HIS CURRENT GF’S BACK!?! 🚩🚩🚩
𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚
the girl ben left jamie for
she’s not actually evil yk but jamie ofc thought of her as an opp 🙄
she and jamie become friends at the 75% mark or something?!!
pretty sweet, popular, genuinely loves ben but other than that she’s just a side/useless character.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐥𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞
hmm what do i say
i don’t care?
like who how long this book felt, it didn’t give me the swoony confession at the end ☹️
THO i did feel a tiny miniscule bit of emotional during the last 5% because she did something sweet for him and etc. like when she pulled her crap together.
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥
and in the end - don’t read this
ofc if u did love this, that’s amazing!! all this is my opinion 😙💗
mwah,
joni 🤍
pre review ౨ৎ
no. just no
full rtc
hehe loved yapping about this horrible book with ari 🤭🫂
🪩 ┆ʚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ♡
this book looks so so cute and im obsessed with the cover!! also canadian author 👏
buddy reading with my fav girl ari 💖
thank you so much to penguin teen for the gifted ARC!!
Want to read
November 19, 2024I’m so freaking excited to dive into this ARC!!! 🤩 The author’s note instantly sold me on requesting this book. It was powerful, honest, and heartfelt. 💖 Representation like this is everything. It’s incredible to see a story that challenges harmful stereotypes and showcases Arab men as strong, sensitive, funny, and loving just truly multi-dimensional. I know this is going to be such an impactful read, and I can’t wait to start 🫶
May 22, 2025
Many thanks to Libro.fm and Tundra Books for the Audiobook Listening Copy!
Give me a coming of age story with an anxious main character wanting to climb out of her shell, give me fake dating, give me a bucket list to check off, and give me sunshine personified as a love interest, and I will absolutely devour the book. You Started It combines so many of the tropes and story elements I love in my favourite YA romances, but more importantly, Jackie Khalilieh expertly brings them to life in a story filled with heart, growth, and empathy. Jamie is a main character to root for and relate to, and seeing her healing journey and her falling in love with Axel, one of my favourite YA love interests in a while, felt healing for me as a reader as well. These characters will stay with me long after finishing their book, I'm certain of it.
Give me a coming of age story with an anxious main character wanting to climb out of her shell, give me fake dating, give me a bucket list to check off, and give me sunshine personified as a love interest, and I will absolutely devour the book. You Started It combines so many of the tropes and story elements I love in my favourite YA romances, but more importantly, Jackie Khalilieh expertly brings them to life in a story filled with heart, growth, and empathy. Jamie is a main character to root for and relate to, and seeing her healing journey and her falling in love with Axel, one of my favourite YA love interests in a while, felt healing for me as a reader as well. These characters will stay with me long after finishing their book, I'm certain of it.
May 19, 2025
Thank you again NetGalley and Jackie Khalilieh for this ARC. I found myself smiling many times while reading this book. The characters face actual challenges that relate to what people their age experience, but overall they overcome everything and there is some growth throughout. It also gives representation to an ethnic group that we don’t often see in books (arabs) and it was a nice touch that the author put some words in arabic in the book. The writing makes you root for the main couple and love them together. I would definitely be intrigued to read more from Jackie in the future.
June 1, 2025
˚₊ · »-♡→ 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑰𝒕 ˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊
🌸˚˖⋆ ──★ 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
🩰 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+, 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨: 14+ (𝙁*𝙘𝙠, 𝙨𝙝*𝙩, 𝙚𝙩𝙘) ♡ ⸝⸝⸝
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚˙⋆. now playing: 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠! 🌸⋆.˚
⋆˚꩜｡ 𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙤💗
╰› 1:07 ——◦———— 4:50
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐔌 ."𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠” ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ Never have I ever been more PISSED and CRINGED at a single book. Even the worst of the worst books I have read have never been this terrible and infuriating that made me want to throw my entire phone across the room and watch it shatter to pieces. Because when I say that this book was BAD I mean it. The cover had me so intrigued I'll admit, it was really cute and as a fellow Palestinian girlie I was so excited to read this. Sadly all my expectations went down the hill because there is just too much to unpack here so I shall indeed ramble in this review.
𐔌 ."𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙟𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙙" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ First I want to touch bases on the small little summary of the book of what the plot is and what is written. We have our main character Jamie who is a half palestinian girl that ends up "sadly" breaking up with her boyfriend of 3 years. And I was like oh, thats sad. (I could care less ngl maybe I'm just shallow) BUT ANYWAYS she meets this guy named Axel and they basically start "dating" to get back at her ex bf (who's name by the way is Ben) and to get him to want her back. And yeah, that's the story. Pretty unique right???? RIGHT???? Well it didn't even matter if it was cliche this book just lacked SO MUCH yet had SO MUCH THAT PISSED ME OFF. I created a little checklist here because I'm feeling petty and want it to look appealing.
✔ Main character that only thinks of herself half the time and constantly whines.
✔ The love interest who is a FUDGING TIKTOK DANCER FOR GOD SAKES WHICH MADE ME CRINGE AT HOW THE AUTHOR WROTE HIS DANCES LIKE THEY SOME KIND OF ITALIAN ART.
✔ Main character constantly chasing her old ex for half of the book even tho THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CHEMISTRY ABOUT AN ARAB MALE LOVE INTEREST.
✔ Main character is apparently non religious greek orthodox christain, CHRISTAIN AND YET THERE IS A GAY UNCLE THAT SAYS MASHALLAH AND YA ALLAH (YALL THIS PISSED ME OFF CUZ WTF ARE WE DOING HERE HE AINT EVEN MUSLIM.)
✔ Written by a Palestinian author yet there was barely ANY PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATION (NGL WE LEGIT HAD MORE LGBTQ THEN PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATION.)
✔ Main character constantly talking about being independent when she is CHASING AFTER HER EX.
✔ Lots of cringey songs that are apparently "key parts" to the story (Baby by justin bieber, New rules by dua lipa, Treat you better by shawn mendes)
✔ Main character has a liberated mom that was like ashamed of being arab but like wtvr...
AND THE LIST FREAKING GOES ON BRO.
𐔌 . "𝙊𝙝, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ And you know what saddens me? This book HAD POETENTIAL. SO MUCH IN FACT. But no, it chose the route to follow every single trend there is and not be AUTHENTIC and HEARTWHELMING. You literally had the chance to write such a cute romance showcasing the arab culture but instead WE ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM IT????? This book wanted to be "trendy" and it wanted to be "teen-approved" but as a 15 year girl all I felt from this book was pure HATRED. From the cringy slang used, to the fact that we are acting like Axel being a tiktoker is some big freaking deal, FROM THE FREAKING MAIN CHARACTER MAKING EVERYTHING ABOUT HERSELF ANY CHANCE SHE GOT. Yeah sure you can slap on a cute cover on a book and people will say it's cute, BUT I DID NOT BUY THIS BOOK FOR THE COVER. I BOUGHT IT FOR THE STORY. And that was CRAP.
𐔌 . "𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙙" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ ON TOP OF ALL THAT YOU ARE OVER HERE MIXING RELIGIONS AND CRAP. Ok, have a gay uncle I don't care. BUT DON'T BE MAKING HIM SAY YA ALLAH AND MASHALLAH WHEN HE ISN'T MUSLIM????? I'm sorry but I just could not take it when we are over here saying he's Christian then saying all these things. God have mercy on me bro.
𐔌 . "𝙊𝙝, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚" ! ౨ৎ
➜ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔⋆
🌷✧˚. 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞: Self entitled brat that only cares about HERSELF and HER FEELINGS.
🌷✧˚. 𝐀𝐱𝐞𝐥: Was adorable but was a cringey tiktok dancer.
🌷✧˚. 𝐁𝐞𝐧: Classic white boy that tries to gaslight any situation then apologize for it.
🌷✧˚. 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚: Classic picture perfect chick that everyone hates and thinks is mean but ends up being a decent girl.
( And of course there are other characters like the uncle I rambled about, the weird slay queen mom, Axel's tiktok friends with weird names (Who names their child diesel??) and etc.)
𐔌 . "𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣" ! ౨ৎ
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
˚.🎀༘⋆ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 🦩
And to wrap up my beautiful rant. I have a simple sentence to let you know if you should read this.
➜ Don't read unless you want a knockoff better than the movies that gives you anger issues. (Esp for my palestinian, arab, and muslim girlies.)
𐔌 . "𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠, 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠, 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠" ! ౨ৎ
🌷 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I GOT THE ARC GUYS!!! AAAAAAAHHH WHAT A CUTIE OF A BOOK THIS ISSS??!! ALL MY ARAB GIRLIES ITS TIME FOR US TO SHIIINNEEEE 🥺🥺 I cannot wait to read this one it looks actually adorable
🚨 OFFICIALLY HATE READING THIS
🌸˚˖⋆ ──★ 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
🩰 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: 14+, 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨: 14+ (𝙁*𝙘𝙠, 𝙨𝙝*𝙩, 𝙚𝙩𝙘) ♡ ⸝⸝⸝
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩
🎀 ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚˙⋆. now playing: 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠! 🌸⋆.˚
⋆˚꩜｡ 𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙤💗
╰› 1:07 ——◦———— 4:50
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐔌 ."𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠” ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ Never have I ever been more PISSED and CRINGED at a single book. Even the worst of the worst books I have read have never been this terrible and infuriating that made me want to throw my entire phone across the room and watch it shatter to pieces. Because when I say that this book was BAD I mean it. The cover had me so intrigued I'll admit, it was really cute and as a fellow Palestinian girlie I was so excited to read this. Sadly all my expectations went down the hill because there is just too much to unpack here so I shall indeed ramble in this review.
𐔌 ."𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙟𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙙" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ First I want to touch bases on the small little summary of the book of what the plot is and what is written. We have our main character Jamie who is a half palestinian girl that ends up "sadly" breaking up with her boyfriend of 3 years. And I was like oh, thats sad. (I could care less ngl maybe I'm just shallow) BUT ANYWAYS she meets this guy named Axel and they basically start "dating" to get back at her ex bf (who's name by the way is Ben) and to get him to want her back. And yeah, that's the story. Pretty unique right???? RIGHT???? Well it didn't even matter if it was cliche this book just lacked SO MUCH yet had SO MUCH THAT PISSED ME OFF. I created a little checklist here because I'm feeling petty and want it to look appealing.
✔ Main character that only thinks of herself half the time and constantly whines.
✔ The love interest who is a FUDGING TIKTOK DANCER FOR GOD SAKES WHICH MADE ME CRINGE AT HOW THE AUTHOR WROTE HIS DANCES LIKE THEY SOME KIND OF ITALIAN ART.
✔ Main character constantly chasing her old ex for half of the book even tho THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CHEMISTRY ABOUT AN ARAB MALE LOVE INTEREST.
✔ Main character is apparently non religious greek orthodox christain, CHRISTAIN AND YET THERE IS A GAY UNCLE THAT SAYS MASHALLAH AND YA ALLAH (YALL THIS PISSED ME OFF CUZ WTF ARE WE DOING HERE HE AINT EVEN MUSLIM.)
✔ Written by a Palestinian author yet there was barely ANY PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATION (NGL WE LEGIT HAD MORE LGBTQ THEN PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATION.)
✔ Main character constantly talking about being independent when she is CHASING AFTER HER EX.
✔ Lots of cringey songs that are apparently "key parts" to the story (Baby by justin bieber, New rules by dua lipa, Treat you better by shawn mendes)
✔ Main character has a liberated mom that was like ashamed of being arab but like wtvr...
AND THE LIST FREAKING GOES ON BRO.
𐔌 . "𝙊𝙝, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ And you know what saddens me? This book HAD POETENTIAL. SO MUCH IN FACT. But no, it chose the route to follow every single trend there is and not be AUTHENTIC and HEARTWHELMING. You literally had the chance to write such a cute romance showcasing the arab culture but instead WE ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM IT????? This book wanted to be "trendy" and it wanted to be "teen-approved" but as a 15 year girl all I felt from this book was pure HATRED. From the cringy slang used, to the fact that we are acting like Axel being a tiktoker is some big freaking deal, FROM THE FREAKING MAIN CHARACTER MAKING EVERYTHING ABOUT HERSELF ANY CHANCE SHE GOT. Yeah sure you can slap on a cute cover on a book and people will say it's cute, BUT I DID NOT BUY THIS BOOK FOR THE COVER. I BOUGHT IT FOR THE STORY. And that was CRAP.
𐔌 . "𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙙" ! ౨ৎ
🩷⋆.˚ ON TOP OF ALL THAT YOU ARE OVER HERE MIXING RELIGIONS AND CRAP. Ok, have a gay uncle I don't care. BUT DON'T BE MAKING HIM SAY YA ALLAH AND MASHALLAH WHEN HE ISN'T MUSLIM????? I'm sorry but I just could not take it when we are over here saying he's Christian then saying all these things. God have mercy on me bro.
𐔌 . "𝙊𝙝, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚" ! ౨ৎ
➜ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔⋆
🌷✧˚. 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞: Self entitled brat that only cares about HERSELF and HER FEELINGS.
🌷✧˚. 𝐀𝐱𝐞𝐥: Was adorable but was a cringey tiktok dancer.
🌷✧˚. 𝐁𝐞𝐧: Classic white boy that tries to gaslight any situation then apologize for it.
🌷✧˚. 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚: Classic picture perfect chick that everyone hates and thinks is mean but ends up being a decent girl.
( And of course there are other characters like the uncle I rambled about, the weird slay queen mom, Axel's tiktok friends with weird names (Who names their child diesel??) and etc.)
𐔌 . "𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣" ! ౨ৎ
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
˚.🎀༘⋆ 𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 🦩
And to wrap up my beautiful rant. I have a simple sentence to let you know if you should read this.
➜ Don't read unless you want a knockoff better than the movies that gives you anger issues. (Esp for my palestinian, arab, and muslim girlies.)
𐔌 . "𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠, 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠, 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠" ! ౨ৎ
🌷 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I GOT THE ARC GUYS!!! AAAAAAAHHH WHAT A CUTIE OF A BOOK THIS ISSS??!! ALL MY ARAB GIRLIES ITS TIME FOR US TO SHIIINNEEEE 🥺🥺 I cannot wait to read this one it looks actually adorable
🚨 OFFICIALLY HATE READING THIS
May 1, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh is a YA romance that blends humor, emotional depth, and self-discovery. The story follows Jamie Taher-Foster, a high school senior who has meticulously planned her final year with her longtime boyfriend, Ben. But when Ben unexpectedly breaks up with her after a summer away, Jamie is determined to win him back—even if it means fake dating Axel Dahin, a younger TikTok dancer whose bike she accidentally ran over.
Despite their differences—Jamie is a Type A planner with anxiety, while Axel is carefree but detail-oriented—their time together forces them to see each other in new ways. As Jamie navigates heartbreak, family struggles, and her own identity, she begins to realize that not everything in life needs to be checked off a list.
Jamie had a tough time dealing with Ben’s breakup and her complex family dynamics, but Axel was an absolute godsend. He not only brought her out of her shell but supported and loved her wholeheartedly, guiding her through difficult situations with patience and understanding. His presence in her life became the foundation for her growth and healing.
I really enjoyed this book. It was my introduction to Jackie Khalilieh’s writing, and I was pleasantly surprised by her ability to tackle tough subjects while still keeping the story firmly within the wholesome YA genre. Her writing style is engaging, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant, making this a novel I would definitely recommend.
Despite their differences—Jamie is a Type A planner with anxiety, while Axel is carefree but detail-oriented—their time together forces them to see each other in new ways. As Jamie navigates heartbreak, family struggles, and her own identity, she begins to realize that not everything in life needs to be checked off a list.
Jamie had a tough time dealing with Ben’s breakup and her complex family dynamics, but Axel was an absolute godsend. He not only brought her out of her shell but supported and loved her wholeheartedly, guiding her through difficult situations with patience and understanding. His presence in her life became the foundation for her growth and healing.
I really enjoyed this book. It was my introduction to Jackie Khalilieh’s writing, and I was pleasantly surprised by her ability to tackle tough subjects while still keeping the story firmly within the wholesome YA genre. Her writing style is engaging, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant, making this a novel I would definitely recommend.
February 21, 2025
nostalgic rom-com vibes that had my feet kicking and cheeks hurting the whole time!
Read this for:
💘 my faaaavorite trope: 👏 fake 👏 dating 👏
🎭 anxiety, heartbreak, and self-discovery while navigating senior year
🌆 a love letter to Toronto
🩵 an Arab MMC who’s charming, confident, and finally gets to be the romantic lead 🥹
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster had a plan for senior year, and it did not include getting dumped by her boyfriend of three years. Now, with her ex moving on way too fast, Jamie hatches a plan: fake dating Axel Dahini, a carefree TikTok dancer she has nothing in common with (except, you know, the bike she accidentally ran over). It’s the perfect way to make her ex jealous… until things start feeling a little too real.
This book is pure YA rom-com gold—filled with chaos, heart, and the messy reality of being a teenager. Jackie Khalilieh does it AGAIN, bringing humor and heart to big topics like anxiety, cultural identity, and first heartbreak.
Jamie, is an absolute disaster in the best way and Axel? He’s effortlessly swoony, patient, and the kind of love interest we need more of. I actually enjoyed the third act breakup (who am I?) because here, it is cathartic character growth, and the emotional payoff is so worth it.
If you loved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or Jackie’s first book, Something More, and want a fresh take on fake dating with real depth, You Started It needs to be on your radar.
Read this for:
💘 my faaaavorite trope: 👏 fake 👏 dating 👏
🎭 anxiety, heartbreak, and self-discovery while navigating senior year
🌆 a love letter to Toronto
🩵 an Arab MMC who’s charming, confident, and finally gets to be the romantic lead 🥹
Seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster had a plan for senior year, and it did not include getting dumped by her boyfriend of three years. Now, with her ex moving on way too fast, Jamie hatches a plan: fake dating Axel Dahini, a carefree TikTok dancer she has nothing in common with (except, you know, the bike she accidentally ran over). It’s the perfect way to make her ex jealous… until things start feeling a little too real.
This book is pure YA rom-com gold—filled with chaos, heart, and the messy reality of being a teenager. Jackie Khalilieh does it AGAIN, bringing humor and heart to big topics like anxiety, cultural identity, and first heartbreak.
Jamie, is an absolute disaster in the best way and Axel? He’s effortlessly swoony, patient, and the kind of love interest we need more of. I actually enjoyed the third act breakup (who am I?) because here, it is cathartic character growth, and the emotional payoff is so worth it.
If you loved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or Jackie’s first book, Something More, and want a fresh take on fake dating with real depth, You Started It needs to be on your radar.
February 20, 2025
★★★★☆ 3.75/5
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes / Expectations :
▹Fake dating
▹Topics of anxiety, alcoholism, panic attacks, cheating
▹Third-act break up
▹Emotionally Stunted FMC
▹Cultural topics
You Started It is a young adult novel following seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster as she is unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend of three years, Ben. It reads very much like you would expect a young adult novel to read, and includes a lot of nods and mentions to modern day slang, trends, and artists. On top of this, it also covers a plethora of real-world issues such as anxiety disorders, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), alcoholism, co-dependency, cheating, and the current situation between Palestine and Israel.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
This was a very cute read. I was initially put off by the book shortly after it started with the usage of cringe slang you would hear your average teenager using, but as I pushed further into the book, I found myself unable to put it down.
I relate a lot to the main character, Jamie, when it comes to having debilitating anxiety, a fear of losing control of your own life, and panic attacks. I actually related to her so much that I felt uncomfortable at times, but it's precisely because of that, that I really loved our FMC.
I loved the approach to being biracial, being unaccustomed to or uneducated on your cultural roots or traditions, and the struggles many go through by never truly feeling like you belong. Axel Dahini, our MMC, was the greenest of flags imaginable when it came to this topic. Refusing to let Jamie downplay her race or significance due to being biracial was such a nice touch that as a biracial person myself who feels detached from my culture and religion due to family keeping me from it, I felt seen and accepted.
The pacing in this book was great, there was never a dull moment or time where you question when things will pick up or get better. It was doing that the entire time, just getting better and better. I will say I did have moments where I was frustrated with characters like Jamie's mother, Ben, and Jamie herself, but it was never enough to make me uninterested in the book or want to put it down. I was hooked from start to finish despite wanting to fight some of these characters. I also truly loved the hints put throughout the book of thinking what Jamie was doing was a normal teenage thing, only to realize when you look back just how damaging her behaviour was and being able to reflect on why and how and do better from it. It was well done when brought to the reader's attention by the end of the book.
I have and always will be very anti-third act break ups. I think they are redundant and often times backtrack on all of the progress and development of the main characters, and unfortunately that's exactly how I felt about the one in this book. I felt that it dragged on for far longer than necessary and the miscommunication/unwillingness to communicate between the main cast was really annoying and I found myself sighing in annoyance often. I do think the resolution to the third act break up was a bit lackluster as well, but I overall did have a great time, and I really loved Axel.
I would also like to give appreciation to the author for speaking out on the stereotypes placed against Arab men, their culture, as well as for speaking up for Palestine. It is refreshing to see an author speak up for her beliefs and make it so enjoyable in a book that caters to younger adults. This is a great book for learning more about viewing others through an objective lens, not through judgmental or divisive ones. I also really appreciated the anxiety and panic attack representation in this novel. As someone who struggles with both to a debilitating level, I really appreciated how well they were handled in this novel. An author educating themselves and showing that through their writing and not glorification of these topics is few and far between, and Jackie Khalilieh did a wonderful job tackling it.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
A solid 3.75/5 for this novel. I enjoyed it for what it was, and would've loved for a bit more time with Axel and Jamie together as a couple or expanding on their relationship. I often felt that there wasn't enough of just them in this book, especially in the later half around the 70% mark and beyond. The tension and conflict interfered with giving their relationship more of a platform. But for what it offered, I enjoyed it!
Thank you Netgalley and Jackie Khalilieh for this ARC! I look forward to future works from this author. For anyone who is interested, You Started It will make its official publication on May 20, 2025, so please keep an eye on it and check it out when it releases!
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will remain spoiler-free as it has not been published at the current date of my review.
⋆ Tropes / Expectations :
▹Fake dating
▹Topics of anxiety, alcoholism, panic attacks, cheating
▹Third-act break up
▹Emotionally Stunted FMC
▹Cultural topics
You Started It is a young adult novel following seventeen-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster as she is unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend of three years, Ben. It reads very much like you would expect a young adult novel to read, and includes a lot of nods and mentions to modern day slang, trends, and artists. On top of this, it also covers a plethora of real-world issues such as anxiety disorders, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), alcoholism, co-dependency, cheating, and the current situation between Palestine and Israel.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
This was a very cute read. I was initially put off by the book shortly after it started with the usage of cringe slang you would hear your average teenager using, but as I pushed further into the book, I found myself unable to put it down.
I relate a lot to the main character, Jamie, when it comes to having debilitating anxiety, a fear of losing control of your own life, and panic attacks. I actually related to her so much that I felt uncomfortable at times, but it's precisely because of that, that I really loved our FMC.
I loved the approach to being biracial, being unaccustomed to or uneducated on your cultural roots or traditions, and the struggles many go through by never truly feeling like you belong. Axel Dahini, our MMC, was the greenest of flags imaginable when it came to this topic. Refusing to let Jamie downplay her race or significance due to being biracial was such a nice touch that as a biracial person myself who feels detached from my culture and religion due to family keeping me from it, I felt seen and accepted.
The pacing in this book was great, there was never a dull moment or time where you question when things will pick up or get better. It was doing that the entire time, just getting better and better. I will say I did have moments where I was frustrated with characters like Jamie's mother, Ben, and Jamie herself, but it was never enough to make me uninterested in the book or want to put it down. I was hooked from start to finish despite wanting to fight some of these characters. I also truly loved the hints put throughout the book of thinking what Jamie was doing was a normal teenage thing, only to realize when you look back just how damaging her behaviour was and being able to reflect on why and how and do better from it. It was well done when brought to the reader's attention by the end of the book.
I have and always will be very anti-third act break ups. I think they are redundant and often times backtrack on all of the progress and development of the main characters, and unfortunately that's exactly how I felt about the one in this book. I felt that it dragged on for far longer than necessary and the miscommunication/unwillingness to communicate between the main cast was really annoying and I found myself sighing in annoyance often. I do think the resolution to the third act break up was a bit lackluster as well, but I overall did have a great time, and I really loved Axel.
I would also like to give appreciation to the author for speaking out on the stereotypes placed against Arab men, their culture, as well as for speaking up for Palestine. It is refreshing to see an author speak up for her beliefs and make it so enjoyable in a book that caters to younger adults. This is a great book for learning more about viewing others through an objective lens, not through judgmental or divisive ones. I also really appreciated the anxiety and panic attack representation in this novel. As someone who struggles with both to a debilitating level, I really appreciated how well they were handled in this novel. An author educating themselves and showing that through their writing and not glorification of these topics is few and far between, and Jackie Khalilieh did a wonderful job tackling it.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
A solid 3.75/5 for this novel. I enjoyed it for what it was, and would've loved for a bit more time with Axel and Jamie together as a couple or expanding on their relationship. I often felt that there wasn't enough of just them in this book, especially in the later half around the 70% mark and beyond. The tension and conflict interfered with giving their relationship more of a platform. But for what it offered, I enjoyed it!
Thank you Netgalley and Jackie Khalilieh for this ARC! I look forward to future works from this author. For anyone who is interested, You Started It will make its official publication on May 20, 2025, so please keep an eye on it and check it out when it releases!
April 18, 2025
4.5 Stars
I loved Jamie and her chaos and how relatable she was to teenage me. I won't say much more than this because I want people to enjoy the wildness and drama of this book themselves.
Also, Axel? My heart is yours, you sweet boy. May you have the awesome day you deserve!
And Ben? Still on the fence about you.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of the ARC for an event in May!
Jackie, please, write your next book because I need more of your beautiful, honest, and at-times hilarious writing.
Happy reading!
I loved Jamie and her chaos and how relatable she was to teenage me. I won't say much more than this because I want people to enjoy the wildness and drama of this book themselves.
Also, Axel? My heart is yours, you sweet boy. May you have the awesome day you deserve!
And Ben? Still on the fence about you.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of the ARC for an event in May!
Jackie, please, write your next book because I need more of your beautiful, honest, and at-times hilarious writing.
Happy reading!
May 25, 2025
4.75 ⭐️
TL;DR: You Started It is one of those books that makes you feel so happy while reading. The rep, character development, romance, and pace were all fantastic, making it perfect for any Ann Liang fans out there. Though it could have definitely benefited from a couple of extra chapters at the end, this a 4.75-star heartfelt and impactful read. I highly recommend this great Canadian book; go read it!
Jamie has the perfect plan set out for her and her boyfriend, Ben Cameron that involves doing all sorts of touristy things that she hasn’t been able to do. But then he comes back from summer camp with some news: he’s breaking up with Jamie.
Literally a couple of days after Ben breaks up with her, Jamie discovers that he ALREADY is dating another girl. And for some reason, she is determined to get him back. Even if that means she has to fake date Axel Dahini on a mutual beneficial (fake) relationship.
Except from both being Arab, she and Axel have nothing in common, but their forced time together brings them closer to one another, and brings up questions for Jamie that she hasn’t considered.
You know, I wasn’t really going to read this because I thought it was just another rom-com, but then I saw that it was set in Toronto, and I was hooked! I will say that I am extremely happy I decided to read You Started It.
Besides this one, I have read two other books set in my city: Ghostlight by Kenneth Opel and The King of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters. But Ghostlight was just set on Toronto Island and Jam Sandwiches was not as forward with it being set in Toronto (if that makes sense).
But You Started It… that had everything! In one of my Goodreads status updates I wrote something like “it is surreal seeing Ripley’s Aquarium, the ROM, and the CN Tower all in one sentence.” And I stand by that! Honestly it was really weird to read about a character who visits all of these places in a YA Contemporary book. Also the whole Wonderland part was awesome, though it was weird knowing all of the rides and places in Wonderland that she went to. (If you don’t know Canada’s Wonderland is the big theme park in the GTA, Greater Toronto Area).
But besides the Canadian rep, You Started It had phenomenal representation for so many other groups/people/conditions. Part of this was the Arab and queer rep, but also rep of people with panic attacks, IBS, and absent parents. I personally don’t fit into any of those groups, but it is refreshing to read about characters that don’t fit the usual stereotype (you know what I mean).
Also Jackie did a phenomenal job with the pace of You Started It! There was never once a time when I was bored while reading it. I actually stayed up more than because I couldn’t put it down. I only stopped reading because I knew that if I continued, I would be dead tired the next day.
The official synopsis compares You Started It to Better Than the Movies—which I haven’t read but know very much what it plot is because my friends read it—but I think this is also very much for fans of Ann Liang books. I say this because yes, it is an incredibly cute rom-com, but like Ann Liang’s books, it also has fantastic character development. But I do feel like it would have been nice to see more of Jamie’s uh final relationship (oof I hate not being able to put minor spoilers). Ihave the same issue with Ann Liang books; it’s as if there is such a big build up but then we don’t actually see the couple together for long.
Overall, You Started It is a solid 4.5 stars for me! It was such a cute rom-com that touched on so many important issues and struggles that teens face, and had great rep. But I feel like it could have benefited from a couple more chapters to wrap things up. I highly recommend that any Ann Liang or rom-com fan read You Started It. The amount of times that it made me laugh and smile is more than I can count on my fingers. Also just all the Canadian touristy stuff they did was so surreal and I was there for it!
Favourite Quotes:
“You’re not getting the win on this one… You started it. Now, I’m going to finish it.”
“People will judge you no matter what you do.”
“You are who you are and you need to find people who get you.”
“Sometimes it’s better to let a moment be a moment that can only be remembered in your head. That way it’s kind of a secret between the people who experienced it. Makes it more special, I think.”
“I tend to hold back on new experiences, afraid I’ll crash and burn, so what’s the point? But all that leads to is me missing out on fun things. Exciting things. Embarrassing things. Maybe there’s beauty in the process, in the mess.”
For content warnings, please check out the list on my official blog post review.
Many thanks to Tundra Books and the folks at TBR & Beyond Tours for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Again: GO READ THIS BOOK!
🇨🇦🎢🥰
TL;DR: You Started It is one of those books that makes you feel so happy while reading. The rep, character development, romance, and pace were all fantastic, making it perfect for any Ann Liang fans out there. Though it could have definitely benefited from a couple of extra chapters at the end, this a 4.75-star heartfelt and impactful read. I highly recommend this great Canadian book; go read it!
Jamie has the perfect plan set out for her and her boyfriend, Ben Cameron that involves doing all sorts of touristy things that she hasn’t been able to do. But then he comes back from summer camp with some news: he’s breaking up with Jamie.
Literally a couple of days after Ben breaks up with her, Jamie discovers that he ALREADY is dating another girl. And for some reason, she is determined to get him back. Even if that means she has to fake date Axel Dahini on a mutual beneficial (fake) relationship.
Except from both being Arab, she and Axel have nothing in common, but their forced time together brings them closer to one another, and brings up questions for Jamie that she hasn’t considered.
You know, I wasn’t really going to read this because I thought it was just another rom-com, but then I saw that it was set in Toronto, and I was hooked! I will say that I am extremely happy I decided to read You Started It.
Besides this one, I have read two other books set in my city: Ghostlight by Kenneth Opel and The King of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters. But Ghostlight was just set on Toronto Island and Jam Sandwiches was not as forward with it being set in Toronto (if that makes sense).
But You Started It… that had everything! In one of my Goodreads status updates I wrote something like “it is surreal seeing Ripley’s Aquarium, the ROM, and the CN Tower all in one sentence.” And I stand by that! Honestly it was really weird to read about a character who visits all of these places in a YA Contemporary book. Also the whole Wonderland part was awesome, though it was weird knowing all of the rides and places in Wonderland that she went to. (If you don’t know Canada’s Wonderland is the big theme park in the GTA, Greater Toronto Area).
But besides the Canadian rep, You Started It had phenomenal representation for so many other groups/people/conditions. Part of this was the Arab and queer rep, but also rep of people with panic attacks, IBS, and absent parents. I personally don’t fit into any of those groups, but it is refreshing to read about characters that don’t fit the usual stereotype (you know what I mean).
Also Jackie did a phenomenal job with the pace of You Started It! There was never once a time when I was bored while reading it. I actually stayed up more than because I couldn’t put it down. I only stopped reading because I knew that if I continued, I would be dead tired the next day.
The official synopsis compares You Started It to Better Than the Movies—which I haven’t read but know very much what it plot is because my friends read it—but I think this is also very much for fans of Ann Liang books. I say this because yes, it is an incredibly cute rom-com, but like Ann Liang’s books, it also has fantastic character development. But I do feel like it would have been nice to see more of Jamie’s uh final relationship (oof I hate not being able to put minor spoilers). Ihave the same issue with Ann Liang books; it’s as if there is such a big build up but then we don’t actually see the couple together for long.
Overall, You Started It is a solid 4.5 stars for me! It was such a cute rom-com that touched on so many important issues and struggles that teens face, and had great rep. But I feel like it could have benefited from a couple more chapters to wrap things up. I highly recommend that any Ann Liang or rom-com fan read You Started It. The amount of times that it made me laugh and smile is more than I can count on my fingers. Also just all the Canadian touristy stuff they did was so surreal and I was there for it!
Favourite Quotes:
“You’re not getting the win on this one… You started it. Now, I’m going to finish it.”
“People will judge you no matter what you do.”
“You are who you are and you need to find people who get you.”
“Sometimes it’s better to let a moment be a moment that can only be remembered in your head. That way it’s kind of a secret between the people who experienced it. Makes it more special, I think.”
“I tend to hold back on new experiences, afraid I’ll crash and burn, so what’s the point? But all that leads to is me missing out on fun things. Exciting things. Embarrassing things. Maybe there’s beauty in the process, in the mess.”
For content warnings, please check out the list on my official blog post review.
Many thanks to Tundra Books and the folks at TBR & Beyond Tours for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Again: GO READ THIS BOOK!
🇨🇦🎢🥰
May 20, 2025
Okay well it seems that Jackie Kalilieh write YA Romance EXACTLY how I like it.
I have fallen so in love with the main characters in this book, they feel like they are a part of me.
We get such honest and messy teenage dating drama, some great talks on culture, and of course superb neurodiversity representation!
I can recall literally behaving or reacting the same way the FMC would in certain scenes of this book. I felt constantly validated and equally entertained.
Jackie also puts the swoon in YA romance. Like all the butterflies in your stomach and cheesy smiles we try to hide while we read. It is PERFECTION!
I have fallen so in love with the main characters in this book, they feel like they are a part of me.
We get such honest and messy teenage dating drama, some great talks on culture, and of course superb neurodiversity representation!
I can recall literally behaving or reacting the same way the FMC would in certain scenes of this book. I felt constantly validated and equally entertained.
Jackie also puts the swoon in YA romance. Like all the butterflies in your stomach and cheesy smiles we try to hide while we read. It is PERFECTION!
November 22, 2024
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book to review.*
Jamie’s senior year takes a wild turn when her long-time boyfriend Ben breaks up with her, prompting a fake-dating scheme with Axel, the “new guy” in town who is a carefree TikTok dancer. As they navigate their unlikely pairing, Jamie discovers that not everything in life needs to be planned or checked off a list.
This book was so good! I enjoyed my time with it and spent a lot of time giggling and squealing. I also felt my emotions with some of the stuff they go through. Phewwwwwww.
I LOVE how messy these characters are. I loved Jamie’s quirks and anxiety and stress and BIG EMOTIONS. I loved how she grew. Her vulnerability was amazing to witness.
Also - AXEL!!! What a genuine sweetheart and I loved how causally queer he was… like he didn’t need to be defined, he just liked everyone. He made me smile so much with his cocky, yet loving and deeply caring personality. He was such a great love interest.
Speaking of - there is great representation throughout this book, and I am here for it!! From the family dynamics to the friendship groups, it was awesome.
I really loved this one. Yet another gem from Jackie Khalilieh. Definitely recommend picking this one up!!
Jamie’s senior year takes a wild turn when her long-time boyfriend Ben breaks up with her, prompting a fake-dating scheme with Axel, the “new guy” in town who is a carefree TikTok dancer. As they navigate their unlikely pairing, Jamie discovers that not everything in life needs to be planned or checked off a list.
This book was so good! I enjoyed my time with it and spent a lot of time giggling and squealing. I also felt my emotions with some of the stuff they go through. Phewwwwwww.
I LOVE how messy these characters are. I loved Jamie’s quirks and anxiety and stress and BIG EMOTIONS. I loved how she grew. Her vulnerability was amazing to witness.
Also - AXEL!!! What a genuine sweetheart and I loved how causally queer he was… like he didn’t need to be defined, he just liked everyone. He made me smile so much with his cocky, yet loving and deeply caring personality. He was such a great love interest.
Speaking of - there is great representation throughout this book, and I am here for it!! From the family dynamics to the friendship groups, it was awesome.
I really loved this one. Yet another gem from Jackie Khalilieh. Definitely recommend picking this one up!!
April 24, 2025
This was a sweet young adult romance. This book did a good job at capturing teenage love, what’s it’s like to try and find yourself and figure out what you want, and exploring cultural topics. Everything was tied in well so you got a good balance of serious and light moments. This was a good one full of drama and realistic situations.
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of the book.
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of the book.
December 20, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
When I read You Started It, I was in the throes of a raging fever and flu, bed-bound with nothing to do until an email came in that I got approved for this book. Cue my surprise when I read the entirety of You Started It in half a day, unable to put my Kindle down for even 10 minutes before I would pick it back in.
Indeed, I'm starting to sense a pattern with Jackie's books as I had the very exact same experience with her debut.
Now with You Started It, I thought that this was an excellent well-rounded and very realistic read. I must also outline that when I say "realistic read", I'm talking about Khalilieh's writing style which has always felt less fictional and something akin to autobiographical and in some weird way, not like a book at all. I think this is due to Khalilieh's craft and mastery over her particular writing style which is completely aligned with what works for me. As a reader who has a positionality quite similar to the main characters, her books are more so felt like reading myself through her characters.
I saw a lot of myself in Jamie, as an Arab-Canadian girl who also struggles with anxiety, mental health, her identity, and heights (lol). Khalilieh navigates her character arc and growth in a touching and respectful way, handling an array of sensitive subthemes with grace and skill. I'm genuinely impressed by how Khalilieh navigates all this without sacrificing the loose ends of one for the other. Perhaps my favourite part of Jamie was just how unafraid Khalilieh was to make her immature, judgemental, and honestly a straight-up classic Teenager. Honestly, the characters ALL feel so human to their core, their emotions, logic, actions, etc are multifaceted and multilayered and I had so much respect for Khalilieh for not watering them down just to their perceived actions. It really made for a lot of funny and emotional moments, especially when Axel comes onto the scene.
Axel is one of the most charming, adorable, kind, puppy-like YA male leads I've read in a while, who shows that Arab men deserve love and can be leading men in books as well. I absolutely loved and enjoyed his character, both as an individual and how he exists and drives the plot in relation to Jamie. Axel in the context of this fake dating trope genuinely had me beaming and enjoying the story SO much. He (and other characters) shows how Khalilieh can take such a well-loved trope of sorts and spin it into a refreshing and complex read at the same time.
Overall, if I could give this book a million kisses and awards, I would be all over it in a second, I think this book will always have a special place in my heart. This was such a delightful, tender, and healing read and I can't champion this book harder enough -- not just for what it does for the YA romcom genre, but for the Arab-Canadian and Palestinian community who deserve to have representative books that are actually positive for once.
When I read You Started It, I was in the throes of a raging fever and flu, bed-bound with nothing to do until an email came in that I got approved for this book. Cue my surprise when I read the entirety of You Started It in half a day, unable to put my Kindle down for even 10 minutes before I would pick it back in.
Indeed, I'm starting to sense a pattern with Jackie's books as I had the very exact same experience with her debut.
Now with You Started It, I thought that this was an excellent well-rounded and very realistic read. I must also outline that when I say "realistic read", I'm talking about Khalilieh's writing style which has always felt less fictional and something akin to autobiographical and in some weird way, not like a book at all. I think this is due to Khalilieh's craft and mastery over her particular writing style which is completely aligned with what works for me. As a reader who has a positionality quite similar to the main characters, her books are more so felt like reading myself through her characters.
I saw a lot of myself in Jamie, as an Arab-Canadian girl who also struggles with anxiety, mental health, her identity, and heights (lol). Khalilieh navigates her character arc and growth in a touching and respectful way, handling an array of sensitive subthemes with grace and skill. I'm genuinely impressed by how Khalilieh navigates all this without sacrificing the loose ends of one for the other. Perhaps my favourite part of Jamie was just how unafraid Khalilieh was to make her immature, judgemental, and honestly a straight-up classic Teenager. Honestly, the characters ALL feel so human to their core, their emotions, logic, actions, etc are multifaceted and multilayered and I had so much respect for Khalilieh for not watering them down just to their perceived actions. It really made for a lot of funny and emotional moments, especially when Axel comes onto the scene.
Axel is one of the most charming, adorable, kind, puppy-like YA male leads I've read in a while, who shows that Arab men deserve love and can be leading men in books as well. I absolutely loved and enjoyed his character, both as an individual and how he exists and drives the plot in relation to Jamie. Axel in the context of this fake dating trope genuinely had me beaming and enjoying the story SO much. He (and other characters) shows how Khalilieh can take such a well-loved trope of sorts and spin it into a refreshing and complex read at the same time.
Overall, if I could give this book a million kisses and awards, I would be all over it in a second, I think this book will always have a special place in my heart. This was such a delightful, tender, and healing read and I can't champion this book harder enough -- not just for what it does for the YA romcom genre, but for the Arab-Canadian and Palestinian community who deserve to have representative books that are actually positive for once.
February 17, 2025
The way I love a good YA romance 👌🏽 I feel so giddy after reading this wonderful story 🤭. There is just something about that nostalgic feeling of being young and in love, making mistakes and learning from them. 💕
I truly enjoyed this with a wide smile on my face through majority of my reading time. Did I mention this has my favorite trope (Fake dating) absolutely loved!! That feeling when the characters start realizing the feelings are becoming very real 😏
Trigger warning ⚠️ topics such as: anxiety, phobia, alcoholism, self hate etc are talked about heavily focused around anxiety as the FMC deals with that.
Overall I enjoyed this and would highly recommend and potentially reread. Thank you Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for this E-Arc.
I truly enjoyed this with a wide smile on my face through majority of my reading time. Did I mention this has my favorite trope (Fake dating) absolutely loved!! That feeling when the characters start realizing the feelings are becoming very real 😏
Trigger warning ⚠️ topics such as: anxiety, phobia, alcoholism, self hate etc are talked about heavily focused around anxiety as the FMC deals with that.
Overall I enjoyed this and would highly recommend and potentially reread. Thank you Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for this E-Arc.
May 15, 2025
3 stars ✰
⤿ arc review ˚.🎀༘⋆
ִֶָ ⋆🌷⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ summary
this book follows seventeen year old girl jamie taher, who gets dumped by her bf of 3 years (ben) very suddenly, leaving her heartbroken and miserable. when she sees him getting close to another girl from their school, olivia chen, she’s not only devastated but furious. she chooses to strike a deal with a boy she encounters by chance, axel. (he’s also a tiktok dancer beware guys). they fake date to make ben jealous in hopes she might win him back (a little pathetic if you ask me). but as that is happening, what they did not plan for.. was them to fall in love… with eachother?? WHO WOULDVE EXPECTED THAT 😲😲 jk its so predictable but I eat it up.
ִֶָ ⋆🍡⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ tropes
⟶ fake dating
⟶ high school romance
⟶ reverse grumpy sunshine (kinda)
⟶ lotsss of other man drama
ִֶָ ⋆💌⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ my thoughts
let me start with the positives!! axel really was a cutie pie. he was so sweet to jamie and honestly i giggled at their moments. the problem is: there wasn’t enough of them. this felt too centred around her ex (WHO I HATE) bc he broke up with her and showed no interest in her. yet, she put all her energy and effort into him without considering the cute golden retriever arab boy that was so sweet to her <33 but I loved the parts with fake dating 🫶🏼 the main couple was so cute though!! the omd was just a little heavy.
also the fact that axel is a tiktok dancer was hard to digest icl.. i was picturing bryce hall whenever he mentioned it. and it was.. difficult 😓 I feel bad, I wanted to be open minded bc the mmc is so passionate about it but it was so unserious to me 😭😭
ִֶָ ⋆🎧⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ songs
one thing i loved was when the description of the book said it gives olivia rodrigo’s ‘sour’ vibes— i felt that completely— i was listening to that album on repeat when reading this. here’s some songs & lyrics that felt like this book
traitor
⟢ and ain't it funny, how you ran to her fhe second that we called it quits?
⟢ it took you two weeks to go off and date her. guess you didn't cheat, but you're still a traitor
1 step forward, 3 steps back
⟢ it’s always one step forward and three steps back. do you love me, want me, hate me? boy, I don't understand
enough for you
⟢ you found someone more exciting, the next second, you were gone. and you left me there crying, wondering what I did wrong
ִֶָ ⋆🫂⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ in conclusion
i think I found out i struggle with high school romances a lot. the immaturity, the poor decisions, and the snobbyness of these teens is sometimes too much to handle. and yes, this had a few of those traits. but at the same time, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the character growth a lot <3 and im really glad I read this 🤍
thank you to netgalley and tundra book group for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
⤿ arc review ˚.🎀༘⋆
ִֶָ ⋆🌷⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ summary
this book follows seventeen year old girl jamie taher, who gets dumped by her bf of 3 years (ben) very suddenly, leaving her heartbroken and miserable. when she sees him getting close to another girl from their school, olivia chen, she’s not only devastated but furious. she chooses to strike a deal with a boy she encounters by chance, axel. (he’s also a tiktok dancer beware guys). they fake date to make ben jealous in hopes she might win him back (a little pathetic if you ask me). but as that is happening, what they did not plan for.. was them to fall in love… with eachother?? WHO WOULDVE EXPECTED THAT 😲😲 jk its so predictable but I eat it up.
ִֶָ ⋆🍡⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ tropes
⟶ fake dating
⟶ high school romance
⟶ reverse grumpy sunshine (kinda)
⟶ lotsss of other man drama
ִֶָ ⋆💌⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ my thoughts
let me start with the positives!! axel really was a cutie pie. he was so sweet to jamie and honestly i giggled at their moments. the problem is: there wasn’t enough of them. this felt too centred around her ex (WHO I HATE) bc he broke up with her and showed no interest in her. yet, she put all her energy and effort into him without considering the cute golden retriever arab boy that was so sweet to her <33 but I loved the parts with fake dating 🫶🏼 the main couple was so cute though!! the omd was just a little heavy.
also the fact that axel is a tiktok dancer was hard to digest icl.. i was picturing bryce hall whenever he mentioned it. and it was.. difficult 😓 I feel bad, I wanted to be open minded bc the mmc is so passionate about it but it was so unserious to me 😭😭
ִֶָ ⋆🎧⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ songs
one thing i loved was when the description of the book said it gives olivia rodrigo’s ‘sour’ vibes— i felt that completely— i was listening to that album on repeat when reading this. here’s some songs & lyrics that felt like this book
traitor
⟢ and ain't it funny, how you ran to her fhe second that we called it quits?
⟢ it took you two weeks to go off and date her. guess you didn't cheat, but you're still a traitor
1 step forward, 3 steps back
⟢ it’s always one step forward and three steps back. do you love me, want me, hate me? boy, I don't understand
enough for you
⟢ you found someone more exciting, the next second, you were gone. and you left me there crying, wondering what I did wrong
ִֶָ ⋆🫂⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳ in conclusion
i think I found out i struggle with high school romances a lot. the immaturity, the poor decisions, and the snobbyness of these teens is sometimes too much to handle. and yes, this had a few of those traits. but at the same time, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the character growth a lot <3 and im really glad I read this 🤍
thank you to netgalley and tundra book group for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
February 19, 2025
2.5? um im very conflicted but yeah
-----------------------
I GOT THE ARC IM SCREAMING IM JUMPING WITH JOY
-----------------------
YA fake-dating, mental health, poc mcs, cute cover, Palestinian author, AND Arab rep??? HELL YEAH COUNT ME IN
-----------------------
I GOT THE ARC IM SCREAMING IM JUMPING WITH JOY
-----------------------
YA fake-dating, mental health, poc mcs, cute cover, Palestinian author, AND Arab rep??? HELL YEAH COUNT ME IN
March 28, 2025
˗ˏˋ 4 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
this was such a short and sweet book. i loved all of the characters. i was so invested in all of them. this book definitely had me hooked right from the start.
random side note: i loved the lil author's note on goodreads. you should definitely go check it out! also such a cute book cover!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• jamie taher-foster
i loved her character growth from living just for her ex-boyfriend to finally living for herself. i loved the mental health rep in this book, it was done really really well. i also loved how jamie's also a booklover and was obsessed with buying books. (like me!)
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• axel dahini
i was definitely rooting for him from the very beginning. i loved how he brought out the "real" jamie and made her forget about her past relationship with ben. i liked that when she was with him, she could act like herself and didn't have to play pretend.
the teen drama was a lil too dramatic and over-the-top but i still ate it up. definitely shows a realistic high school drama experience.
also i really like that despite everything that happened, jamie and olivia developed a lil friendship by the end.
overall, this was such a cute and fluffy read, loved the lil cute moments shared between jamie and axel. you should definitely go check it out!
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
omg i got the arc, cant wait to jump into this one! hope it delivers and that author's note is so cute <33
this was such a short and sweet book. i loved all of the characters. i was so invested in all of them. this book definitely had me hooked right from the start.
random side note: i loved the lil author's note on goodreads. you should definitely go check it out! also such a cute book cover!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• jamie taher-foster
i loved her character growth from living just for her ex-boyfriend to finally living for herself. i loved the mental health rep in this book, it was done really really well. i also loved how jamie's also a booklover and was obsessed with buying books. (like me!)
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• axel dahini
i was definitely rooting for him from the very beginning. i loved how he brought out the "real" jamie and made her forget about her past relationship with ben. i liked that when she was with him, she could act like herself and didn't have to play pretend.
the teen drama was a lil too dramatic and over-the-top but i still ate it up. definitely shows a realistic high school drama experience.
also i really like that despite everything that happened, jamie and olivia developed a lil friendship by the end.
overall, this was such a cute and fluffy read, loved the lil cute moments shared between jamie and axel. you should definitely go check it out!
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
omg i got the arc, cant wait to jump into this one! hope it delivers and that author's note is so cute <33
March 27, 2025
YES! Jackie…you’ve done it again. You have a way of making me love YA books but if I’m being honest….its your YA books I adore so much. I went on a roller coaster of emotions with this book. The characters were real, flawed, and so relatable. I cannot WAIT for more books from you. Jamie & Axel were everything
June 2, 2025
A friend introduced me to Jackie’s book this summer and since then I’ve been intrigued by the Toronto author, it’s so rare to find books set in Toronto that also have lead characters of colour. So when the cover for 'You Started It’ was revealed, I knew I wanted to read it. This was a surprisingly quick read for me. I’ve been having some growing pains with the YA genre recently and I think some of my issues with the genre are present in this book. But that’s a conversation for another day.
If you loved ‘To All the Boys’ by Jenny Han or a bubbly young love book, then this is right up your alley.
Jamie’s recently gone through a breakup with her ex Ben and unexpectedly turns to Axel to be her fake boyfriend to make her ex jealous and win him back. It’s the classic YA romance formula, however, the beacon and saving grace of this book is Axel. I can’t say this enough, it’s so rare for writers to make characters of colour well rounded and just exist in their universes. Jackie does amazing work for Axel. Arab men are hardly featured in YA or Romance and Jackie writes such an effortless, joyful, and positive character. (The dance at the wedding scene? So good). I’ve always said reading can bring us closer while also imparting something important. The book touches on internalized racism, anxiety, alcoholism, abandonment, generational trauma and so many more topics. It’s a great book to start meaningful conversations which can help bridge gaps.
Wrapping this up, I love that Toronto shines in this book. Tim Hortons, Canada’s Wonderland (the inspiration of the book cover), Eaton Centre, and the CN Tower! The list is endless and I can’t wait to read more. Thank you Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing the arc!
If you loved ‘To All the Boys’ by Jenny Han or a bubbly young love book, then this is right up your alley.
Jamie’s recently gone through a breakup with her ex Ben and unexpectedly turns to Axel to be her fake boyfriend to make her ex jealous and win him back. It’s the classic YA romance formula, however, the beacon and saving grace of this book is Axel. I can’t say this enough, it’s so rare for writers to make characters of colour well rounded and just exist in their universes. Jackie does amazing work for Axel. Arab men are hardly featured in YA or Romance and Jackie writes such an effortless, joyful, and positive character. (The dance at the wedding scene? So good). I’ve always said reading can bring us closer while also imparting something important. The book touches on internalized racism, anxiety, alcoholism, abandonment, generational trauma and so many more topics. It’s a great book to start meaningful conversations which can help bridge gaps.
Wrapping this up, I love that Toronto shines in this book. Tim Hortons, Canada’s Wonderland (the inspiration of the book cover), Eaton Centre, and the CN Tower! The list is endless and I can’t wait to read more. Thank you Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing the arc!
December 7, 2024
OK, this was UTTERLY delightful. Charming, and sweet, laugh-out-loud funny with a tender emotional core - this book brought me into its world, and didn’t take its hooks out from me until I finished reading it. Jackie Khalilieh has a way of writing teens - with such care and respect for them - that each of her books so far has felt like a love letter to adolescence - the messiness, the yearning, the angst, and the complicated comings of age.
I loved the depiction of a young Arab heroine with mental illness, IBS, and a really rich and complex inner life. I loved the depiction of a sweet, earnest, and exuberant young Arab hero who steals your heart (respectfully).
Jackie Khalilieh is 2/2 with lovely contemporary YA romances, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
I received an advanced digital copy from the publisher, through Netgalley.
I loved the depiction of a young Arab heroine with mental illness, IBS, and a really rich and complex inner life. I loved the depiction of a sweet, earnest, and exuberant young Arab hero who steals your heart (respectfully).
Jackie Khalilieh is 2/2 with lovely contemporary YA romances, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
I received an advanced digital copy from the publisher, through Netgalley.
February 22, 2025
First, thank you so much to Jackie Khalilieh and NetGalley for this ARC reader copy.
"You Started It" is a delightful and heartwarming read that perfectly captures the ups and downs of teenage love and self-discovery. It's the kind of book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.
This story follows Jamie as she navigates the tricky waters of first heartbreak, family dynamics, and finding her place in the world. The author perfectly captures the relatable experience of overcoming those first heartbreaks and the journey of finding love again. Jamie's struggles with anxiety and the pain of her father's departure, coupled with the sting of her first breakup, resonate deeply. It's heartwarming to witness her rebuild her relationships with her mom and uncle, finding strength and support in their love.
One of the things that makes this book so special is its exploration of the challenges faced by millennial children of immigrants. Jamie's journey to embrace her cultural heritage while living in Canada is both nostalgic and deeply relatable. The author skillfully weaves these themes into the narrative, creating a story that feels authentic and meaningful.
The book's easy-to-read pace makes it a quick and enjoyable read. It's a feel-good story with a satisfying happily ever after (HEA) that will leave you wanting more. If you're looking for a sweet, relatable, and ultimately uplifting story, "You Started It" is the perfect choice. I highly recommend it!
"You Started It" is a delightful and heartwarming read that perfectly captures the ups and downs of teenage love and self-discovery. It's the kind of book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.
This story follows Jamie as she navigates the tricky waters of first heartbreak, family dynamics, and finding her place in the world. The author perfectly captures the relatable experience of overcoming those first heartbreaks and the journey of finding love again. Jamie's struggles with anxiety and the pain of her father's departure, coupled with the sting of her first breakup, resonate deeply. It's heartwarming to witness her rebuild her relationships with her mom and uncle, finding strength and support in their love.
One of the things that makes this book so special is its exploration of the challenges faced by millennial children of immigrants. Jamie's journey to embrace her cultural heritage while living in Canada is both nostalgic and deeply relatable. The author skillfully weaves these themes into the narrative, creating a story that feels authentic and meaningful.
The book's easy-to-read pace makes it a quick and enjoyable read. It's a feel-good story with a satisfying happily ever after (HEA) that will leave you wanting more. If you're looking for a sweet, relatable, and ultimately uplifting story, "You Started It" is the perfect choice. I highly recommend it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2025
*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.75/5 Stars
(Rounded Up!)
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
📚 Fake Dating
📱 Third Act Break Up
📚 The Whole Trying To Get So And So Jealous
💭 Thoughts-
Oh my gosh, this book! I just loved it so fricken much! I literally was obsessed with it and could barely put it down to even focus on school! Not only that, but I love love love the fake dating trope and when done well it is just amazing and this book just did it so well and to such a perfection that I just loved it! The only reason this is barely not a full 5-star rating is because I wish we got to see more of Jamie and Axel like fully dating. Instead of them starting to date and then instantly there being a third act break up happening. Other than that though, an incredible book that I would totally recommend!!
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖Treat You Better By Shawn Mendes˖࣪ ⊹
0:35 ❍─────── 2:33
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
3.75/5 Stars
(Rounded Up!)
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
📚 Fake Dating
📱 Third Act Break Up
📚 The Whole Trying To Get So And So Jealous
💭 Thoughts-
Oh my gosh, this book! I just loved it so fricken much! I literally was obsessed with it and could barely put it down to even focus on school! Not only that, but I love love love the fake dating trope and when done well it is just amazing and this book just did it so well and to such a perfection that I just loved it! The only reason this is barely not a full 5-star rating is because I wish we got to see more of Jamie and Axel like fully dating. Instead of them starting to date and then instantly there being a third act break up happening. Other than that though, an incredible book that I would totally recommend!!
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖Treat You Better By Shawn Mendes˖࣪ ⊹
0:35 ❍─────── 2:33
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
February 26, 2025
**You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh – The YA Romance That Just *Gets* You**
Okay, imagine this: You just got dumped, and instead of dealing with it like a normal person, you come up with a *brilliant* (aka totally chaotic) plan to fake-date your ex’s neighbor to make him jealous. Sounds foolproof, right? Well… Jamie quickly realizes that playing with feelings—hers included—is way messier than she expected.
Jackie Khalilieh nails the *Gen Z experience* in this book. Jamie is funny, awkward, and constantly overthinking everything (relatable). The banter is top-tier, the emotions sneak up on you, and Axel? Let’s just say you *will* have a new book crush by the end. But beyond the romance, this story is about figuring out who you are, standing up for yourself, and realizing that love doesn’t always go as planned—but sometimes, that’s a good thing.
If you love fake dating, slow-burn romance, and main characters who feel like your besties, *You Started It* is *the* book for you. Prepare to scream into your pillow in the best way possible.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
Okay, imagine this: You just got dumped, and instead of dealing with it like a normal person, you come up with a *brilliant* (aka totally chaotic) plan to fake-date your ex’s neighbor to make him jealous. Sounds foolproof, right? Well… Jamie quickly realizes that playing with feelings—hers included—is way messier than she expected.
Jackie Khalilieh nails the *Gen Z experience* in this book. Jamie is funny, awkward, and constantly overthinking everything (relatable). The banter is top-tier, the emotions sneak up on you, and Axel? Let’s just say you *will* have a new book crush by the end. But beyond the romance, this story is about figuring out who you are, standing up for yourself, and realizing that love doesn’t always go as planned—but sometimes, that’s a good thing.
If you love fake dating, slow-burn romance, and main characters who feel like your besties, *You Started It* is *the* book for you. Prepare to scream into your pillow in the best way possible.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
January 20, 2025
My new favorite from Palestinian Canadian author, Jackie Khalilieh!! This YA romcom features a mixed race Arab teen girl, Jamie who finds herself single after getting unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Ben. She then somehow stumbles into a fake dating relationship with Ben's younger neighbor, Axel who helps her let loose and explore Toronto in a way Jamie's anxiety hasn't let her before. There was a lot of family drama, identity issues and teen angst but also great disability and mental health rep (Jamie has a diagnosed anxiety disorder and IBS and she also sees a therapist). I loved it and highly recommend for fans of authors like Lynn Painter, Jane Igharo and Farah Heron. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2025
Jackie, Jackie, Jackie.
Just when I think you can't impress me more you created Jamie.
Jamie is amazing and messy and real.
I loved everything about her and throw in Axel?
The perfect juxtaposition to Jamie. i adored the development of friendship (and more) these two found.
Plus it takes place in Toronto🥰
Much love to NetGalley & Tundra Book Group for my ebook.
Just when I think you can't impress me more you created Jamie.
Jamie is amazing and messy and real.
I loved everything about her and throw in Axel?
The perfect juxtaposition to Jamie. i adored the development of friendship (and more) these two found.
Plus it takes place in Toronto🥰
Much love to NetGalley & Tundra Book Group for my ebook.
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