FUN FACT: I LOVE YOU, by Gina Larsen, Shadow Mountain, July 2, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
Two high school seniors think they’ve got everything figured out until a family tragedy changes their trajectories in Fun Fact: I Love You, by Gina Larsen.
Fun fact: Nellie Samsin has ten days left of high school, and she’s never been kissed—which is fine with her. She’s been more focused on editing the yearbook and being named valedictorian than worrying about a boyfriend. But when she has a chance to kiss her longtime crush, she hopes it will be a magical experience. Until she learns it was all a lie, a hurtful prank orchestrated by her so-called best friend, leaving Nellie heartbroken and angry with everyone involved.
Jensen Nichols has spent his senior year keeping three massive secrets: first, he’s been writing a best-selling romance fantasy series under the pseudonym “Jen Dimes”; second, he’s been harboring a secret crush on Nellie, to the point where he’s based his fictional romantic heroine on her; and third, Nellie’s dad has been his writing mentor and coach. Jensen has promised himself that he’ll reveal his secrets—but only when the time is right. Then he sees Nellie kissing his best friend, and his unexpected rush of jealousy means that the time for keeping secrets is running out.
When a family tragedy rocks Nellie’s world, the future she meticulously planned for is threatened. And when she learns the people she thought were her friends have lied to her, she feels lost and betrayed. At least she has Jensen, who is the one person she knows for a fact she can trust. But the more time the two of them spend together, the more Nellie suspects Jensen is hiding something from her. (Fun fact: Keeping secrets is the worst.)
It seems Nellie and Jensen are perfect for each other, but they will need to separate fact from fiction in order to see if their unplanned romance can last beyond graduation day. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain
Fun Fact: I love You is a sweet YA romance that has a bit more steam than I was expecting but still remained chaste.
At the center of the story are Nellie and Jensen. Lifelong friends that realize they may have more than just friend feelings for each other. Author Gina Larsen develops each character well, allowing for growth and self-realization along the way. They don’t have the best communication skills when it comes to each other, but they learn along the way.
Supporting characters are less developed and feel more like they’re there to progress the plot — Nellie’s mom is a real piece of work — but the story works nonetheless.
Larsen’s writing is inviting and familiar, helping readers quickly find their footing, and her pacing pushes the story forward.
Fun Fact: I Love You does deal with themes of death, deception, neglect and adultery, but it remains fairly lighthearted. There is some passionate kissing, but it’s fairly tame compared to a lot of YA books. It’s a good choice for teens entering high school.
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