unfortunately i dnf this book around 60-70%. i tried to finish it, however, every time i picked up my kindle, i just kept putting the book away.

i cannot not mention the toronto references because they were so fun! some places were actually so well described and it gave such a nice vibes.

now moving to why i didn’t finish the book.
even though the story started very suddenly, i couldn’t find myself being connected to either characters. as a read further, main characters stayed pretty much the same, making not really much of a development.
this book is marked as ya, and i do think there are kids who would enjoy this book, but i also believe many of them wouldn’t really understand characters. at some moments, jamie was very unrealistic, especially as a 17 year old.

overall, i enjoyed the plot but characters were too difficult and unnecessary over characteristic.

I can absolutely see the influence of Olivia Rodrigo's Sour album and I absolutely loved this book and Jamie and Axel. The characters were so lovable and complicated. I love a fake dating trope that turns into a real relationship and how Jamie figured out what she wanted and saved herself in a way that was extraordinary.

Sometimes you just need a nice contemporary romance amidst the fantasy and romantasy novels on an ever-growing TBR...You Started It was exactly what I needed to fill that space between those higher-stakes, more involved reads. I thoroughly enjoyed both main characters and loved the chemistry between them!

The first half was super cute, i loved the fake dating and thought Jamie and Axel were cute together.

The second half felt like it was trying to cram too much in, but it also dragged at parts. I liked the addition of the subplot of Jamie's dad returning and her friendship with Olivia, but also adding Jamie's grandparents, Jamie's "bookish" personality (which wasn't much besides she liked buying collectors versions of books) and ALL the counts of miscommunication made the third act a bit confusing. The end scene with the dance felt super rushed!

My first read by this author but I am interested in reading their other/future works. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Jamie has senior year all planned out, with lists of “firsts” for experiencing with Ben, her boyfriend of three years. She wasn’t expecting “first heartbreak” to top the list, but that’s what she gets when he comes home from his summer camp counseling job and breaks up with her—and then immediately starts dating popular girl, Olivia! When Jamie, during a drive-by of Ben’s house, gets distracted in witnessing Ben and Olivia kissing on his porch and accidentally runs over new kid Axel’s bike… One thing leads to another and suddenly Axel and Jamie are fake dating in a ploy for her to win Ben back.
Axel isn’t reallyJamie‘s type. The only thing they have in common is there Arab heritages. But Jamie hasn’t had much contact with her Palestinian grandparents (her mom‘s estranged parents), so there’s not a lot of common heritage to share. But Axel turns out to be exactly who she needs, and the “fake” part of their fake relationship is quickly blurred by real feelings.
I love a good fake dating story, and this one is *definitely* a good fake dating story!
I love the bits of messy family dynamics that are interwoven throughout. I would’ve liked to see a bit more of Axel‘s family, but we seeJamie‘s POV so it makes sense that we don’t get a lot of of that. I also love that Jamie‘s anxiety is a big, pivotal point of the story, but not an ableist or syrupy “See what you can accomplish with (or in spite of) your disability?” kind of way. I do think Axel‘s character could’ve been fleshed out a bit more, but I loved him even so, and read this book in one day!

I had to DNF this. I tried, I really did. The dancing TikTok’er put me over the edge.
The author tried way too hard to incorporate Gen Z slang into this and it just didn’t work. Nothing fit or flowed. Too many themes were thrown in for the sake of having them in the book.
I appreciate NetGalley giving me the opportunity to read this as an ARC, it just wasn’t for me.

The book was a little slow in the beginning but it was so good. I had to keep reminding myself that this are YA.
I love the way Jamie is so outspoken and how everything came together for her in the end within the circle. I was scared for a second when at 90% Jamie and Axel still weren't together but it worked out.
Definitely #Jaxel

This book was such a cute little story. If you love the fake dating trope, this one is definitely for you. 💕 While this book is a romance this book dives deep into family expectations, personal growth, and even discusses mental health. I really enjoyed the character growth from cover to close. Overall, You started it is a good blend of humor, heart, and a sprinkle of family drama. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars!)

Thank you to Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Reading “TikTok Dancer” had me wanting to not read this book but the Author’s note demanded I give it a chance.

Representation is so important and it’s so refreshing to see someone properly write a character with an Arab background (I’m looking at you, icebreaker).

It’s giving “To All The Boys I Loved Before”, it’s giving “The Perfect Date’, it’s giving “Holidate” all in the best ways.

Were there some cringey moments and cheesy dialogue? Yeah. But was the overall story cute and easy to get through? Absolutely.

Axel is a sweet angel baby, and Jamie has her moments where she’s insufferable (we get it, you’re quirky) but who hasn’t been a cringey teenager? She did give me Ginny from Ginny and Georgia vibes, but that’s the trauma I guess. I had to remind myself they’re just high schoolers, and this kind of behavior is pretty typical at that age. It is the end of the world, and it is that dramatic. First love, first heartbreak, etc. At this age, emotions are so raw and intense – it genuinely feels like the worst possible thing that could ever happen. You experience all these wild, extreme feelings and have no real way of knowing how to handle them yet.

This book deals with a lot of heavy topics under the guise of a cute romance, and it does so really well while still being an easy, enjoyable YA read. I’d recommend this to pretty much anyone (older girlies, if you can go into it reminding yourself these are literal high schoolers, you’ll enjoy it) but it’s especially wonderful for anyone wanting to recommend books to a young adult/teen.

As a Canadian, especially in current times, I’m always so happy to see and support a Canadian author and LOVE the bits of Canada sprinkled throughout the book.

Such a cute coming of age novel💕 I giggled, i screamed, i kicked my feet. Obsessed. A rom-com for the ages! Can’t wait to have my book BFFs read!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

When I tell you this book had me at the edge of my seat the entire time! I was stressed. Over all though this book was a great read and experience. It was hard for me to put the book down. Now where do I start? First off, the character Ben had me fighting to like him throughout the book. I love that in this story we learn that what we know about a person is what they're all about. Assumptions are never good. I love the Character development Jamie went through in this book. She went from being stubborn, and the type that wouldn't listen at all, even if it benefits her, to someone who would actually take changes and put herself out there. I love that about this book the most.

The one thing I will say though is that the miscommunication trope was working overtime in this book. Which usually I don't like but, I see how this was important for Jamie's character development.

All and All this book is such a fun read with all of the feels!

cute YA romance with some fun characters and good vibes! axel was a cool one, as was our protag. 4 star. tysm for the arc.

This was super cute, however it felt very predictable. I completely get why it is more predictable since its a YA romance but it read to me just as any fake dating book does. I liked these characters a whole lot more than most fake dating books but the pacing and the general storyline felt very basic and exactly like every other fake dating even in a YA

Literally crying rn because this was so cute??

I loved the characters and their relationships. I just found it so easy to connect with them and understand their actions.

I will say I absolutely hate this cover. I’m just not a fan of this particular art style. It doesn’t stand out to me and the colors don’t help at all.

You started It is cute romcom exploring anxiety, cultural disputes in family’s, expression of passion, stepping outside of comfort zones and most importantly young love. I enjoyed this book with its so relatable experiences, Jamie’s quest for finding herself and who she is and the passion behind all the words written you could really tell how strongly the characters responded in each scene with the powerful emotions written. Although I have a few things to bring up which is why I rated this book a 4.8 and rounded it to 5 stars. Axel made it a point that he is not gay because he is a guy dancing however he he uses phrases like “damn girl” or “Girl what” giving the impression he is gay not saying that it’s wrong for a straight guy to say anything along the lines of things like that however it may be taken the wrong way.
Jamie uses phrases like ___ queen, and or specific phrase that are geared to the new generations. The word bro also makes her sound like she is a up with the times teen when she talks and acts like an older person. She even refers to herself as a boomer. But when she uses phrases like that it’s conflicting
The uses the word sus sound too illiterate and a bit cringy and there are other words that sound like that also. I think it’s important to remember the plot and main characters of the book and not the focal point generation. Also the sentence “Were you born in this century or nah” sounds like a sentence a person of any age would not say I doesn’t even make sense.
The abbreviation for Jamie’s last name (T-F) when Axel says it in a loving way takes away from that atmosphere it should be her full last name(s). These were my only few nit picks on You Started It I wanted to provide feedback like constructive criticism but it was so hard too when I really liked this book. I think my favorite line is when Jamie acknowledges she has a book buying problem because like girl I am so with you.

First and foremost, thank you to Jackie Khalilieh, Tundra books and Netgalley for an advance copy of You Started It in exchange for an unbiased review.

<b>Rating: 3.5 / 5</b>

<b>Summary</b>
Jamie Taher-Foster has big senior year plans with her longtime boyfriend—until he dumps her unexpectedly. In a desperate bid to win him back, she fake dates Axel Dahini, a laid-back TikTok dancer with whom she shares little in common, except for their Arab heritage. But the more time they spend together, the more Jamie questions what (and who) she really wants—and whether her checklist for happiness was missing something all along.

<b>Short and Sweet Opinion</b>
This was a truly YA novel with strong Arab representation and a charming male lead. Jamie’s character, though relatable, often felt immature and cringey. The fake dating trope was fun at first but got bogged down by annoying miscommunications. It had its heart in the right place, but lacked emotional depth in key moments.

<b>In Depth Opinion</b>
I’m torn on this book because nearly every element had both strengths and weaknesses. It was a cute YA read, but it leaned more immature than I prefer. While the characters were written as upperclassmen, their behavior and dialogue often felt more middle school—especially Jamie, who bounced between relatable and frustrating. Her bookish personality came across more like a quirky label than something meaningful, and her growth throughout the story was slow and sometimes undercut by her own actions.

The fake dating trope started strong, and Jamie and Axel had good chemistry in the lighter moments. But the relationship development lost momentum under the weight of repetitive miscommunications. Axel was easily the highlight—joyful, grounded, and a rare, well-written Arab male lead in YA romance. He brought warmth and sincerity to every scene he was in.

While the story did touch on deeper topics like anxiety, alcoholism, and panic attacks those moments often felt brushed over instead of explored. The third-act breakup dragged on too long and weakened the emotional payoff of the characters' arcs. Jamie’s mom had some depth, but her treatment of Jamie made her difficult to fully empathize with, but I adored other supporting characters, especially Jamie's uncle.

In the end, the book offers solid representation and a sweet premise, but its execution and emotional follow-through didn't quite hit the mark for me.

3.75 stars! ⭐️
ARC review: this was a cute, fake dating story that teenage me would have loved. As a 27 year old woman, some of the stuff had me screaming at my kindle like “JAMIE!!! Use your big girl words and communicate” but I really had to remind myself that this is a 17 year old girl and she’s gonna make mistakes, chose the wrong person to love, overthink and not communicate properly. Teenage me definitely would have faked a relationship to get an ex back. I love the ending.. she faced her fear and confessed her love and got her HEA & realized that she can love Ben platonically bc he wasn’t for her.

First, thank you to Tundra Books & Netgalley for this ARC!
This book is a rejuvenating, fun, fast-paced drink of water! This is one of those books that can easily bring you out of a slump, and make you feel younger than you are at times, and older.
Some of the ‘gen-z’ lingo can be off-putting for some, and I know some of the teenagers on the lower end of the scale (13-15) would definitely get the ‘ick’ from some of the use of “slay” “delulu” & more, but it’s honestly cute for me to see older people use these terms!
As a nineteen year old 5’10 girl with anxiety, fear of heights, M.I.A. Dad & IBS… I could definitely relate to Jamie in sooo many ways. So many of these problems are relatable & seeing them represented can help other teen girls!
The POC representation in the Arab identity struggles is always great to see, read & learn about as well! I know Arab girlies (+ boys !) will love Jamie & Alexander.
Overall: 4 stars , quick refreshing fun read that can easily jumpstart a love for reading for today’s teens or anyone who loves 2025 style romcom cheesy chick-lit.

A refreshing, funny read about two silly teenagers doing silly teenage stuff. I really enjoyed the growth shown by the female main character, Jamie. Sometimes listening to your parents is hard but they know what they’re talking about… sometimes. The book showed how incremental it is to first be content with being alone, without the confines of being in a relationship and helped create a wonderful story about finding yourself and later finding your person.

JACKIE…stop making me emotional during your books. She’s done it again and I absolutely ADORED Jamie & Axel’s story. There was so many sweet, tender moments that had me all in my feels. But not only that, I was laughing, kicking my feet and felt butterflies in my stomach. I just…YA isn’t a genre I gravitate towards, but if Jackie writes it….imma read it