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

I didn’t finish the book.
I found the main character being so obsessive over her ex to be a little scary and her constant wishy washy get back together with him or not made the actual romance this book was meant to be focused on become kind of stagnant which isn’t what I’m looking for in a romance. The yearning just wasn’t there.

I enjoyed what I would refer to as a young adult romance. This story follows Jamie as she navigates a break up with her boyfriend of three years, Ben. In an attempt to "win Ben back" she decides to pretend to date the younger, new kid at school Axel. We then follow the course of the fake turned real relationship between Jamie and Axel. Jamie's journey of self discovery helps her realize her true feelings for both Ben and Axel, as well as better manage her anxiety.

Try this book out if you like fake dating, friends to lovers, and/or young adult romance. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I will be on the look out for more from this author.

I absolutely loved You Started It! The anxiety rep was written beautifully. Axel is charming, adorable, and caring and Jamie is smart and relatable. I really enjoyed reading this book and the fake dating was written well. My favorite scene is when Axel and Jamie are at the amusement park together ☺️. Thank you so much for this ARC from NetGalley!

A very sweet young adult story with amazing mental health representation, IBS awareness and Arab/Palestinian representation as well.

This book definitely felt young to me but I think for the set demographic, this will be absolutely an amazing read. I truly did appreciate how the author wrote about anxiety and even had on page panic attacks which are very much appreciated.

While the storyline was cute, it did get very repetitive and even made the book feel too long at times. The constant TikTok dances and slang made me feel so old. 🫣

The romance was very high school, obviously. But I found it so odd how quickly Jamie was able to move on from Ben, even if it was a fake dating situation. Like girl you were just crying about him a week ago. But I guess it makes sense with their age? Also wow, what a trigger with the high school breakup. Reminded me of the first time I was ever broken up with. 🤣

Overall, a cute story that again, a younger generation will appreciate.

Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The hockey romance in this book was such a thrill! The forbidden nature of their relationship added an intense level of tension that made every moment feel high-stakes. I loved watching the characters navigate the challenges that came with their secret connection. It kept me on edge, wondering how they would make it work despite everything standing in their way.
The characters were somewhat interesting but not enough to have me continue the series. Like the whole thing starts because the dude is so stressed out about his Lucky Charms. I get the reasoning but maybe plan better? They don't magically disappear. And there are other stores ... you're in Chicago, I'm sure there's a 24/7 store open with you cereal. You shouldn't absolutely loathe someone because she wouldn't give you her box of cereal. Like how entitled can you be?

Not to mention the kind of cheating. Like you were so pissed at her about something (I can't even remember what) that you were ready to take two girls to your room WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOTEL. That's a dick move even when she's not there but even more so when she is. And it's not like you weren't doing anything with them in the bar. You spent an hour with them and at least kissed one on the neck ... I'm betting there was even more done. Colby is lucky Carissa even looked at him after she caught him pulling that shit. I can't even with it.
This was my first hockey romance read. Though I do consider this a reasonable read, I felt like it lacked depth to the main characters and had a weird ending. Parts of this book were funny and cute, while other parts just felt cringey. It is a very easy to read book and I appreciate the way the author wrote it. I really wanted to learn more about the characters past, so I could get to know them better. The setting fit the story, which I liked! it was cute, spicy, romantic and humorous at times.

This book is about a female main character and a male main character. The male character is a hockey player named Colby, who plays for the Chicago Red Tails. The female character, whose name is Carissa, is a marketing representative for the same hockey team that Colby plays in. Before she became the representative, she met Colby by accident at a store and they had a debacle over some cereal. She did not know he was a hockey player and he was in disbelief that she didn’t recognize him.From:

Thank you Tundra Books for the ARC!

I had so much fun with this YA romance right from the very start! These teens are messy, complex, and full of emotions and hormones. Just how teens are in real life. Jamie is easily one of my favorite teen characters I’ve read in a long time. Her tendency to overreact to things is so relatable (autism rep!) as is her need to know where a bathroom is at all times (IBS rep!) The romance that develops between Jamie & Axel is so sweet and they balance each other out perfectly.

This book brought back my love for YA stories in a way I didn’t anticipate. I found myself resonating deeply with the main character, Jamie, who navigates a world filled with anxiety, panic attacks, co-dependency, and insecurity. Her struggle with the need to stick to her personal to-do list really hit home for me since I constantly struggle with having to check things off my list. It’s a relatable and powerful journey that many readers will connect with. I enjoyed having a glimpse into Arab culture and how it influenced Jamie experiences and relationships.

I felt so many emotions reading this book, the MC's character journey was written so well 🥲 the book vibes in terms of Olivia Rodrigo's songs is traitor + get him back + so american, it's just >>>>

Jamie and Axel's slow-burn fake dating to lovers was just the frickin best. Also the dialogue? Jamie's love of homographs and linguistics and Axel's sunshine-y optimism and general goofiness were so much fun to read, but especially when they were talking to/texting with each other.

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early!

This was my first read by the author and it was so enjoyable. I loved the diversity in the story and the main characters being of a different culture. The MMC was the most enjoyable part of the story. His confidence and pride in his heritage made him like able l. The complexity of Jamie’s relationship with her mom, her mother’s internalized racism, and dealing with anxiety made the story relatable and enjoyable for all ages even though a YA read. The cover was so cute and perfect for the story. Overall this was a great read.

Words can't describe how much I loved this book! I instantly fell in love with the characters and story and could not put it down. It had me captivated from the very beginning. I absolutely fell for Axel and the plot of this novel.

I loved romanticizing the city where I live and exploring the places I go with my new favourite characters.

Jackie Khalilieh's writing is delicious and binge-worthy. I cannot wait to read her next book and will continue to come back to You Started It!

Thank you to Tundra Books and Jackie Khalilieh for the opportunity to read this ARC!

It was cute, funny and real. It’s a YA book that started out with a FMC that loved lists and her boyfriend. They had a plan… or maybe she did. After the summer break things changed and her life took a turn for the worse as she saw it when he dumped her before school started. Little did she know that this year would change everything. It was a quick read I enjoyed and connected to the characters. I loved the plot of how she had to through out the plan and the lists and just enjoy the journey. Definitely keeping an eye out for this author’s next book

Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for this ARC. Thank you Jackie for writing a masterpiece!

I loved this book. Jamie felt like my inner child or little sister while I read. Her ups and downs were so relatable. I wanted to hug her at so many points.

Now convincing myself to attempt to travel to Toronto to check out the CN Tower. Maybe. Someday.

Y’all this one was good! I am genuinely so pumped for it to finally come out. It became slightly repetitive at times, but overall it felt very wholesome and enjoyable. I loved all of the characters and the way the ending made me feel. I don’t feel any loose ends, she wrapped up the story very nicely. For once the third-act breakup wasn’t completely cringy and done for no reason. Axel is literally my BF though…..

You Started It was definitely not my cup of tea. I found the main character, Jamie, to be extremely annoying and insufferable. She always thought everything was about her. Honestly, the only character in this book that I could stand was the MMC, Axel. I didn’t stay engrossed in the book and I found myself cringing so hard at a lot of moments in the book. I also felt like the author tried way too hard to add a lot of gen-z terms in the book as well. There were a lot of themes thrown into the book where I just felt like the author added them in to say those themes were in the book. Reading this book really just felt like a chore, and I didn’t really enjoy any part of this book. Thank you Netgalley and Tundra for giving me an ARC to honestly review!