Pretending by Holly Bourne

 This book had me raging alongside April and crying for and with her, but I also wanted to shake her because some of her ideas are not so brilliant.

This is a very feminist book, so if that is not your kind of thing this might not be the book for you. There are some trigger warnings for some people such as rape and April might have a drinking problem.

I loved the chemistry between Josh and April/Gretel. I felt so sorry for April that she did not feel confident enough in herself to believe that men could love her as herself so she concocts a fake person named Gretel who is absolute perfection and she thinks every boy wants her except Josh just might be the person to prove her wrong and can love things that are strictly April. It made me love that man even more and the ending is absolute perfection I love how it is a happy ending, but it leaves the readers to imagine the rest with April still realizing things that are love.

I'd highly recommend this book for people who are okay with female power, figuring out what is love and what isn't, that it's okay to love yourself even after crappy things happen to you, definitely a love of wine and pretending to love beer (Gretel has high expectations okay), and finding someone who loves you even when you pretend to be someone you are not because they see your worth.

4 out of 5.