Book Review: Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance (Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin)

Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers—known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.

This book looks so cute I had to bypass several others just so I can read it. It lives out to this cuteness until about halfway through, and then I thought - hmm, I could have survived not reading it as quickly as I did.

Told in the alternate points of views of Charlie Tracker (Jenna) and Fielding Withers (Jonah), J&J's Fauxmance introduces the readers into the world of teenage showbiz. Both their narrations feels like an insider take on one of the major influences in modern teenage culture - and what they paint is not a pretty picture. More than romance, I think this book shows how Jenna reverts back to Charlie and Jonah to Fielding. Because their lives are so intertwined with their on-screen characters, they had to find themselves first before they can find each other.

I'm surprised to have been reminded a lot about how gullible the public is when it comes to the rubbish the media decides to throw in their face. Really, it's the farthest reaction I expected! Nevertheless, the book maintains its cuteness, although I'm also surprised that at some points the narrative seems to settle a little for the older adults. I adore both Charlie and Fielding's voices - they are superbly accurate. Fielding's thoughts, emotions and reactions are of a typical male's, while I can vouch that Charlie's are characteristically female. It was wonderful to see how these two blend together in shedding Jenna and Jonah and resurface as Charlie and Fielding. All those talks about Jenna and Jonah had me wanting to read more of their tv series - I would have easily been a fan of that also!

Three Stars.

* Thank you Bloomsbury for my review copy.