"You Started It" is very ANGSTY. I quite enjoyed it for the most part. Axel & Jamie were really cute. Jamie and her mother's relationship was pretty horrible. Look, I don't even talk to my family and I even was like "Dannnnng." during their arguments. Khalileh touched on a lot of important topics in this book without making it too overbearing. I don't really like too much social media in my books but this is YA. That is what the kids are wrapped up in these days so I get it. My favorite part about "You Started It" was that it really is YA. It is very clean for the age group.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

After being a big fan of Something More last year, I knew I had to read You Started It, another YA Contemporary romance standalone. This brings us a protagonist in Jamie trying to figure out her place in the world after retreating in safety for so long, and opposed to Jessie, has a very different relationship with goal lists. With interesting characters and great pacing, this story kept me intrigued from start to end.

For the past three years, Jamie has dated Ben, acting as a safety net to her father’s sudden absence, building goals in order to experience new things. But after a summer apart, Ben has decided to end it with Jamie, flushing her plans in the toilet. Now her new goal for fall of her senior year of high school is to get Ben back at any cost. Then she meets Axel, and then the fake dating scheme comes in, and then things get more complicated than Jamie ever expected.

I adored Jamie throughout this book, as she’s trying to explore who she is without Ben and more about her family and Palestinian heritage that her mother shuns as “too traditional for the modern day”. It’s not just about the romance, it’s a coming of age journey for Jamie and she is having to figure out how to go through life without planning everything out and deconstruct aspects of her life. There were so many times I wanted to give her a hug for all that she has to go through. As a side note, Jamie has to navigate her anxiety and Irritable Bowel Syndrome throughout the story, and does play a role in the plot. While Jamie isn’t explicitly autistic, she displays so many of the traits and the author mentioned that she’s likely undiagnosed. All of this made her journey that much more interesting and more relatable, at least to me.

I also love Axel. It’s very rare to see an Arab love interest who’s such a cinnamon roll in western media due to the stereotype of the fundamentalist Arab (who may or may not be a terrorist) being the default. He’s so expressive and fun, especially through his dances, and is exactly the breath of fresh air that Jamie needed, that I needed, and honestly, what a lot of Young Adult needs.

The rest of the cast was fleshed out as well, especially Jamie and Axel’s family. The reveals were well done and served as a natural progression for Jamie’s story. I enjoyed Jamie’s uncle and by the end, I appreciated the rest of her family. I also did like Ben and Olivia… eventually.

While there are a few slow sections, it didn’t hurt my experience that much. The prose was easy to read, having both the impactful emotions of Jamie feel raw and visceral and it also made Toronto feel alive, especially the Wonderland theme park, which was a major scene in the story. I also felt Jackie Khalilieh’s heart and passion about her own life and experiences throughout, which made the lessons, themes, and character growth that much stronger. I doubt I’ll forget Jamie and Axel anytime soon.

Highly recommended for those looking for a contemporary romance with a unique neurodiverse protagonist taking risks, fake dating, bucket lists, and a cinnamon roll love interest.

3.5

This was a cute YA! While some of the relationship conflicts and games leaned towards the younger end of YA, I did like the more mature parts of this focusing on Jamie's relationship with her Arab identity, her anxiety, and with her father.

Would recommend!

Sometimes the perfect thing for me to reset is a good YA romance. And boy, was this a good one.

There were so many things in this one that clicked for me!

The fake dating. Check. The pressured/perfect/flawed/type-A FMC. Check. Oh my gosh, the flashy, playful boy I never saw coming? Check, check, check!

Jamie sets out with a plan, never taking into account how she feels about it. When feelings do come into play, she sort of pushes them aside. I love the moment that she finally has to confront them, and how she handles that. It does have a progressional build, she takes some steps instead of being hit all at once by it, and I really loved that growth for her.

Characters getting to find their culture is this specific micro trope of mine that I cannot get enough of, and the way it's handled in this book, I absolutely love. Jamie's mother's family immigrated from Palestine, and she felt suffocated and trapped by her strict parents, and she blamed that mostly on culture. She cut off all ties to Jamie's grandparents and traditions, and Jamie feels the loss to that side of herself. When Jamie goes from dating Ben to Axel, an Arab boy, Jamie's mother is less than pleased. That's the last thing she want for her. But Axel and his family are nothing like what Jamie's mother recalls, and Axel is more than happy to welcome into his home, where they embrace their Jordan traditions.

This book was so good, I couldn't put it down, and of course stayed up all night to finish it!

Had the pleasure of meeting Jackie at a festival and getting to speak to her about You Started It! This read is so wholesome, and perfect for the end-of-summer season! I loved Jamie and Axel, this book felt like a movie!

Okay, I’ll be bluntly honest—this book was CORNY. Like full-on secondhand embarrassment. But against my will, I was still completely hooked.

Oh, Jamie. She’s such a little miss know it all, and NOT in a charming way. In a way too quirky way. Her constantly rambling out random facts grated on my nerves so much. Like, was that really necessary? She’d be having a completely normal conversation with people and then out of nowhere be like, “did you know…” and proceed to spew out stupid facts. I wanted to love her; I REALLY did, but she made it hard. That said, she wasn’t entirely insufferable—she had her moments, particularly in the end when she showed some actual growth. Still though, her attitude toward her mom upset me a lot. I get the moody teenager thing, but there’s a huge difference between being angsty and outright disrespectful. Her mom was genuinely trying her best as a single parent; I wish Jamie cut her some slack.

Were there cringey moments? Oh, absolutely. But honestly, what did I expect from a YA romance centered around a freaking TikTok dancer? Really, it was to be expected. The Gen Z-ness of it all was awful. The music choices were questionable, and there were so many scenes that made me want to scream. And don’t even get me started on the “romantic gesture” at the end—I was dead.

There was good stuff, though! Watching the slow-burn romance between Axel and Jamie was adorable. Their adventurous dates were genuinely fun to read, and the chemistry felt so sweet and authentic.

Olivia, though? She was the real star of the show in my opinion. She wasn’t some villain or boyfriend stealing monster like originally portrayed—she was just a girl, and by the end she ironically became my favorite character. Super down to earth and way more mature than all of the rest of the characters. I hope to get her book in the future!

Despite all of that, I enjoyed this read more than I expected. There’s a good aspect of self-discovery throughout the story for every character. I didn’t end up loving Jamie like I hoped, but I appreciated her enough. The romance, the messiness of family, and the moments of serious emotional depth came together so nicely, making this utterly charming!

So… yeah, this book was cringe, chaotic, and occasionally had me wanting to rip my hair out, but it was weirdly funny, sweet, and heartfelt. You YA romance fans will eat this up!

3.4 ★

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾!

3.25 ⭐️
I enjoyed this one, it was a cute YA fake dating romance! I loved how the Axel fell head over heels for Jamie and how they both helped each other learn more about themselves. One thing that did take me out a bit was some of the slang used and references like TikTok, I personally don’t love that in any book. But it was a quick read and if you enjoy YA romances I’d say give it a try!

I loved this book! Such a cute YA romance. It made me squeal, seeing Axel fall for Jamie so quickly. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I love seeing two people who think they wouldn’t fall for someone, fall for someone that is perfect for them. I also appreciated the relationship between Ben and Jamie and how that developed and changed over the course of the story!

Opposites attract fake dating was a good set up for this book it was fun watching Jaime let lose. I did feel like it needed more but all in all it was enjoyable

Beginning of the book I had a hard time with the main characters (both of them) but they grew on me even their flaws. They’re just teenagers doing stupid shit which is nice. I related to Jamie anxiety wise

This was adorable. I loved it right away and the banter and situations reminded me a bit of a Lynn Painter YA novel. I loved the culture conversations between the two characters and how it allowed me to experience their perspectives. The romance was so adorable and I loved the pacing of the fake dating turned to real feelings. It slowed down a bit for me in the last half. I thought the third act break up lasted a little too long, but on the flip side the main character was also growing and figuring out her family and ex-boyfriend situations. I was just ready for more of the couple again!

An adorable fake dating YA romance with mental health and neurodivergent representation. The author even included conversations around the impact anxiety can have on your gut which I feel is not talked about enough. I loved the MCs and how their differences helped them learn more about each other. The FMC explores her identity as a Palestinian young adult and what that means to her. There was so much complexity on that topic which I appreciated. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a fun bucket list friends to lovers moment 🥰

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC.

What a charming, chaotic little gem. Jackie Khalilieh gives us a YA rom-com that’s equal parts messy heartbreak and unexpected healing — and I mean that in the best possible way.
Jamie Taher-Foster is a hot mess of lists, anxiety, and unfiltered inner monologues, and watching her unravel in real time after her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her was like watching your best friend spiral… but also stubbornly try to organize her spiral with a spreadsheet. Her grief is loud, cringe-y, raw, and so deeply relatable — especially if you’ve ever tried to fix your life by re-controlling the narrative with a to-do list.
Enter Axel Dahini, the cinnamon roll TikTok dancer Jamie fake-dates in a wildly impulsive attempt to get her ex’s attention. Their dynamic? Pure opposites-attract gold. He’s all vibes and curly hair; she’s wound tight like a coiled slinky. But their chemistry sneaks up on you, and watching their relationship evolve — awkwardly, then sweetly — is one of the most satisfying emotional arcs in the book.
Khalilieh does a lovely job of weaving Arab representation into the story without making it the whole story. It's there — gently grounding Jamie and Axel in something shared — but it’s not the plot. It's just life, and that balance is refreshing.
I especially loved the emotional maturity that quietly builds under the surface of this rom-com. Jamie isn’t a polished heroine — she’s obsessive, messy, and sometimes a little mean — but she’s trying, and by the end, she’s grown in ways that feel earned. The message? Love doesn’t have to look the way you planned. Some people are meant to be lessons, not forever.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Especially if you like your YA rom-coms with complicated feelings, perfectly imperfect characters, and just enough chaos to keep you grinning. It didn’t hit every emotional beat perfectly for me, but it gave me a cast I cared about and a story I was glad to spend time in. That's a win.

What really stands out in this novel is the chemistry between the characters, especially the dynamic between Jamie and Axel. While they start off as opposites, their time together reveals that true connection doesn’t always follow a checklist. Khalilieh’s writing is witty, heartfelt, and full of charming moments, all while navigating themes of identity, family, and what it means to truly let go of the past.

I loved this book! Jackie Khalilieh does a great job of creating realistic teen characters with mental health/neurodivergent representation. I also appreciate the representation of Arab culture. I will read anything she writes! Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Books for the arc. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book from a Palestinian author, and it did not disappoint. Free Palestine 🇵🇸!

What to expect:
🍏 young adult
🍏 Arab teenaged boy love interest
🍏 fake dating
🍏 strangers to lovers
🍏 pretending for a reason
🍏 complicated feelings
🍏 misunderstandings and jealousy

TW: recurrent panic attacks, anxiety, alcoholism, and parental abandonment trauma

You Started It is a YA romcom that follows 17-year-old Jamie Taher-Foster as she navigates planning through senior year with her boyfriend of three years, Ben Cameron. Except, he comes home from their summer apart to break up with her. Her solution? Enter a fake dating with someone that she only has one similarity with, their Arab heritage.

I enjoyed reading this one. I loved reading Jamie's character development from an angry, ungrateful teen to a mature young adult. Her mending.a broken relationship with her mother and grieving/accepting a loss one with her father made me cry. However, I almost DNF'ed. Why? "The gram, Snapchat, and TikTok" and "she's been drinking the delulu potion" being mentioned in You Started It. That's my fault for picking up a YA book, though.

However, I want to praise Jackie Khalilieh for writing a true YA novel with absolutely no spice. Other authors should take note.

Thank you to Penguin Random House, Jackie Khalilieh, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Wow what a beautiful beautiful book

I am so hooked on Jamie and Axel and their adorable love story! Their dynamic is wonderful and even at their lower moments it’s such a refreshing take on teen love I’m obsessed

As always, books with Arab rep are extra special to me and especially seeing the struggles of feeling outside your culture was validating to read

I loved this one and can’t recommend it enough!

Thank you Penguins for the gifted, physical and ecopies.
I was so excited when I saw that it's set in Toronto and that it gives Better than the movies and Olivia Rodrigo's Sour album vibes. But this was a massive disappointment for me.
The only characters I could vibe with were Axel and the uncle.
The fmc was a pick me girl and honestly, Axel deserves much better. I am glad he called her out on her bs but he forgave her way too quickly.

Surface level, high school dumb drama just isn't for me.
I appreciate the arc but this was a no for me.

Jamie has her whole life planned out with Ben. And thats exactly how she likes it. Shes ready to go counsel summer camp together, when her mother refuses. She waits for Ben to return, and when he does, he dumps her. Quickly moving on with Olivia, from school, who happened to be at camp with him. Jamies goal changes, to get Ben back in time for winter formal. In enters Axel, an aspiring dancer, charming and younger than she is at that. After Jamie destroys his precious bike "Betty White" a plan begins to form. Use Axel to get back at Ben, while paying off her debt for the bike damages. After all, they are neighbors! What could possibly go wrong?! How long can Jamie and Axel keep this up before feelings begin to get real? And what happens when Ben comes crawling back with plenty of somber apologies? I really enjoyed the playfulness in this story. Along with the Palestinian representation. I love learning about their culture and their family dynamics and how those values played into Jamie and Axels lives and ultimately, their relationship!

It was a cute Y/A fake dating book. Axel's a pretty popular dancer on social media, Jamie's studious. Her boyfriend of 3 years dumped her for another girl, so she went to go see him and accidentally ran over Axel's bike. To make him jealous, she and Axel decide to fake date, but of course spending so much time with someone else, unwanted feelings are never far behind.