The Fill-in Boyfriend

March 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Gia Montgomery is the epitome of a popular high school girl; she's a pretty, self-centered student body president who constantly seeks approval via social media. New girl Jules has been adopted into the popular girl clique but is really more of a frenemy, always trying to bring Gia down a notch or two. So when Gia's oft-bragged-about-but-never-actually-seen college boyfriend breaks up with her in the parking lot outside the prom, she is understandably desperate to save face. Enter random boy sitting in his car in the parking lot. Gia bangs on his window and demands/begs the stranger to fill in as her boyfriend for the prom. The Fill-In Bradley ("FIB") guy fits the bill, and Gia pulls off the deception to Jules and her friends. But circumstances continue to bring Gia and "FIB" (actual name: Hayden) together: Hayden's younger sister Bec is in Gia's history class and is quick to call in a favor. Now Gia is filling in as a pretend new girlfriend to make Hayden's ex jealous. Predictably, Gia and Hayden end up actually becoming friends, and a true attraction brews. The cotton candy-colored cover and title belie the fact that this is a genuinely clever and enjoyable book. Recommend this to fans of authors Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Eulberg, and Stephanie Perkins as well as lovers of films like Clueless, Ten Things I Hate About You, and Easy A. VERDICT If sometimes too overt in the "shallow girl finds depth" theme, this sweet romantic tale is still hard not to like.-Tara Kehoe, New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center, Trenton

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2015
Grades 8-11 Getting dumped on prom night is the stuff of nightmares for some girls, but for Gia Montgomery, it's all too real. With her friends waiting inside to meet her (now ex-) boyfriend, Gia knows she can't walk in by herself, so she does the only sensible thingshe approaches a boy waiting in a car and asks him to be her fill-in boyfriend for the night. And she ends up liking him far more than she ever expected. Gia, often self-absorbed and lacking in empathy for others, is not always easy to like. Several difficult exchanges with Gia's so-called friends make for a slow start, and the girls' mutual cruelty is cringe-inducing. West doesn't keep the story there for long, however; what seems like a fairly run-of-the-mill high-school story blossoms into a surprisingly engaging romance and journey of self-discovery, particularly as Gia grows closer not only to Hayden, her fill-in boyfriend, but also his entire family. High-school romance fans will enjoy the sweet and witty dialogue between Gia and Hayden.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)