Blog Tour (Review): Faking Reality by Sara Fujimura

Praise for EVERY REASON WE SHOULDN’T

“A rich, emotionally layered story…..Wonderful.” ―NPR

“This book is like a warm hug filled with all the things I love. I started smiling from page one and couldn’t put it down.” ―Courtney Milan

“Whether your first ice skating romance was The Cutting Edge or Yuri!!! On Ice, you will absolutely love this book. Full of complicated family relationships, sparkling friendships, and a completely delicious romance, Every Reason We Shouldn’t is an uplifting love song to everyone who’s ever lost their way, and then had the courage to find it again.” ―Lindsay Ribar, author of Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies

“Sure to take the gold.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will enjoy the well-developed characters, witty dialogue, and cringe-worthy romantic fumbles right through to the awfully neat, but very happy ending.” ―School Library Connection

“Compelling… an obvious choice for fans of classic love stories that play out on the ice, but also for readers looking for a nuanced story of self-discovery.” ―Booklist

My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Some Kind of Wonderful meets Kara McDowell’s Just for Clicks with diverse characters, perfect for readers looking for feel-good YA romance and those who like “clean teen” reads

Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.

Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping his small town Arizona life and the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal—thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota—the more reasons there are for him to stay.

I received a copy of Faking Reality for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.

Faking Reality is a feel-good YA contemporary best-friends romance. What grabbed me from the blurb was the BFF angle and the HGTV reality show feel, what had me stay was the Asian-American representation and Fujimura’s writing style. I got a bit excited when I found out the MC was a quarter Japanese. You don’t often see mixed characters and as a quarter Filippino, it feels good.

Fujimura’s writing style is clean, sweet, and overall feel-good. I was smiling through the whole book and upset when Dakota was upset. It has been fifteen years since I was a senior in high school, but this book made me feel like it was the high school life I would have loved to be a part of.

The relationship between Dakota and Leo is great. They are friends first and foremost and it shows. Despite their arguments, they remain friends. A great part that shows this is during the Homecoming Carnival (an event I’m jealous about. I wish my school had that!). I’d tell you what happened, but that is a spoiler and I don’t spoil the books I genuinely love.

Faking Reality will be sitting comfortably with another YA contemporary author I love, Jessica Pennington. It looks like Sara Fujimura has gained another reader. Seriously, if you are looking for a bit of feel-good to offset the stress that was 2020 into 2021, read this book. It is fluffy and wonderful. A fun and enjoyable read.