Wendy'sThoughts's Reviews > When It's Real

4 YA Love Stars
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I have a confession...I'm really not a YA reader...So what are you doing reading it, Wendy...
Well, it was done by Erin Watt...
And since I loved The Royals...
I had to give When It's Real a go...

I'm guessing, this had all of the markings of what a YA Teen Romance should have. There was the overall romance of a "Justin Bieber Level Rock Star" needing a "Normal" to romance so he could clean up his reputation.

Oakley started singing early on and his parents were famous movie stars. He never had to want for anything except their attention...

When he was around 13 or 14... he really started to take off with a record label wanting to sign him to a major contract. His manager made sure the deal was solid. When Oakley discussed it with his family... the dad was jealous of what was happening with Oakley... and told him not to sign. The fight over the contract caused a chain of events which led to a major separation with Oakley and his mom. He was done with his dad.

Years go by and Oakley's career at 19 is insanely good... tours, groupies, Grammy's Awards... everything a singer-songwriter should want. He has been everywhere...Won every Award and had his fill of mindless sex, too much booze, etc...

He is at a crossroads with his music. Oakley's last album was done two years ago...He hasn't done anything since....

Well, that's not exactly true. He has worked with a various producers who all come from different genres trying to find that inner new voice he wants to come out. He is bored with the same old same old and refuses to put out a record that will mirror more of the same. He has this idea brewing of what his music should be but he can't quite make it happen...

There is one producer he knows who could bring it out of him...But the producer he won't return his calls. Even his manager has been trying to put Oakley together with this guy but the response is Oakley needs to show how serious he really is about his art before the guy will consider working with him.

Well, hell what is Oakley going to do to make this happen...His manager tells him he has a plan. He is going to clean up his image with a "Nice Normal Girl" for him to "Date" and then things will turn around. Oakley has no desire to do this... as the last time he did a fake relationship, it blew up in his face. No, the manager says... this will be totally different... no one from the industry... contracts and everything. All Managed.

Vaughn Bennett was minding her own business... she was helping her sister raise their twin brothers. It hadn't been easy when their parents died in an accident leaving them with a minor life insurance policy. Vaughn's older sister worked hard holding the family together so that no one was put in foster care. Her sister sacrificed and now Vaughn feels delaying her going to college for a year to contribute financially is the least she can do.

Vaughn is a little lost, too. She really doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. She has a boyfriend who was there for her when her parents died; he is her safe place. They had planned to be together at USC; now his is there without her. She is working as a waitress at an up scale steak franchise so the tips are decent. Yet other than working, taking care of the house and brothers, Vaughn is stuck trying to figure out what this 17 year old girl plans to do with her life.

It is a picture in a cubicle which starts all of this rolling. The manager sees Vaughn in a family photo her sister has pinned by her computer. He stops... looks closer and then takes it off the wall...Her sister is called into the office with all of the entertainment management team and asked about Vaughn. As the questions come fast and furious, it becomes clear Vaughn has been picked to be Oakley's "Nice Normal Girl"....

Vaughn doesn't know what to think of this crazy idea when her sister presents it to her...it is too much...Even though there isn't any hanky panky involved...she just can't quite put her head around it...

But then she is told how much money the 1 year contract is...
And she thinks of her twin brothers and the funds they will need for college...
And finally...She thinks about all her sister did for the family so it could be this loving family together....She tells her sister she will take the meeting and listen to what they present.

Vaughn enters the conference room and all the suits are there; lawyers, pr hacks, assistants, the owner of the entertainment company and her sister's boss. But no Oakley...

When Oakley does swagger in, Vaughn has been there for hours dealing with too personal questions, no food and her patience is done. If Oakley expected someone to gush and be pleased to meet him, he had another thing coming. Vaughn was no ordinary teenage get a long girl. Vaughn had her own mind, didn't fit that Barbie Wanna Be Mold...she danced to her own drummer. So even though seeing Oakley in person was breath-taking and made her mind almost turn to mush... she fought it and gave a bit of attitude.

It was from this meeting we get a glimpse of where this is may go...Oakley as a "child rock star" never had to work for anyone's attention or interest...and he is certainly not going to work for Vaughn's... that's for sure...

Or Not...because this book is exactly about these two characters and the arcs they go through... becoming more clear in what they want out of life... and then each other. We experience who all of the experiences, insecurities and other factors play out and affect these two. There is the add layer of today's social media which was entertaining but also revealing in how something can take on a life of its own, too.

This is chocked full of interesting characters... The sister, brothers, the security team and how all of them interact...I smell more books with them and they should be solid.

This was YA and again I am not an expert in how these romances go... but there was humor, discovery, hurt, understanding and self realization happening throughout. All of it done in the capable hands of Erin Watt.

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~

What did you think...
That this Erin Watt was a One Note Wonder....
That she (they) could only write New York Times Best Seller Series....
That it had to have Cliffhangers in order to keep us interested...

Hell No...

Erin Watt has something else to tempt us...
An out of control Teen Rock Star....
(Think Justin Bieber at his worst)
Needing a total Publicity Redemption...

Partner it with an everyday girl...
Living her life with her family who have all sorts of financial burdens....
What's a gal gonna do...
She will play the part...
Because how hard could it be not to fall...
After all it's not like...

When It's Real - May 30th 2017

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