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“*trigger warning for sexual violence* I had to go slowly through it as there is quite a bit of discussion on sexual violence. Despite all the hurt here, I felt that there are so many aspects to this book that are relatable. We all just want to be loved don’t we? We all want to be seen, but going through life to find the people that make us feel whole is a process, and that process can really hurt. We’re in an age where self care is being jammed down our throats, but self care looks different for everyone. I’m glad I got to experience April’s journey to self care in this book. She experiments with the world around her in a crazy way by going on dates pretending she’s a different person. It made my heart hurt for the man she does this to, but I was also proud of the honesty and hopefulness April ultimately found. This book is hard to swallow, but bitten off in chunks, I found it worth it. ”
— Marya • Out West Books
“It made me cry and laugh and rage…A really important, timely book. Sheer brilliance.” —Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List
“Thoughtful, smart and painfully true.” —Cosmopolitan UK
He said he was looking for a “partner in crime,” which everyone knows is shorthand for “a woman who isn’t real.”
April is kind, pretty and relatively normal—yet she can’t seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she’s found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry. Until she realizes that men aren’t looking for real women—they’re looking for Gretel.
Gretel is perfect—beautiful but low-maintenance, sweet but never clingy, sexy but not too easy. She’s your regular, everyday Manic-Pixie-Dream-Girl-Next-Door with no problems.
When April starts pretending to be Gretel, dating becomes much more fun—especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua. Finally, April is the one in control. It’s refreshing. Exhilarating, even. But as she and Joshua grow closer, and the pressure of keeping her painful past a secret begins to build, how long will she be able to keep on pretending?
“The most freeing, reassuring book on dating after #MeToo I’ve read. Perceptive. Hilarious. Brilliant.” —Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop
Holly Bourne is a UK bestselling author and Ambassador for Women's Aid. Inspired by her work with young people, and her own experiences of everyday sexism, Holly is a passionate mental health advocate and proud feminist. She lives in London, but dreams of the day she has a garden, dog, chickens, and a bee hive. Pretending is her US debut.
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