Synopsis:
Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems – a fake boyfriend. She’s even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi’s friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi’s fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi.
As if that weren’t bad enough, a delicious and possibly single person called “A Real Boy” emails Heidi to say he knows the truth. Can Heidi escape from her world wide web of lies? Or will her chance at romance disappear faster than you can type gtg?
Review:
Admit it, you’ve been tempted sometimes. To do the same exact thing that Heidi does: invent a perfect fake boyfriend. When you are among friends who go through partners like they are handkerchiefs and you feel unwanted and undesirable because you don’t have anyone doting on you. Or if everyone else in the group is paired up and you stick out like a sore single thumb. Heidi uses this fake perfect boy (complete with what is equivalent to a FB account) to fit in, smooth the edges which would otherwise remain rough if she were to remain the only single person in her group of friends. It’s an interesting premise, a promising beginning. That’s why I picked it up. The execution of the story wasn’t what I had hoped it would be though. I have no problem with the writing or any of the technical bits of it. I just couldn’t gel with the story itself.
The lengths to which Heidi goes to ensure her boyfriend appears real is amazing. And cringe worthy. I didn’t buy the fact that her friends bought the story and the fake emails so quickly but that’s just me. Who I had problems with was Heidi herself. She was so…well, desperate. It’s meant to be amusing maybe but I was just a wee bit turned off by the desperation with which she clung on to any boy who could be the “Real Boy.” And why the “Real Boy” likes her enough to continue trying to be with her even though she’s being such a cow to him…that’s beyond me. Maybe he’s masochistic.
On the other hand, the book is funny at times, poking fun at certain stereotypes that I will let you discover for yourself. And Heidi does learn her lesson…well, somewhat, by the end of the novel. I found it really interesting that there was no Big Reveal at the climax where Heidi came clean about her inventing abilities.
Tthe story did prompt an interesting discourse on the superficiality of the lives we live right now. Where we can make up people convincingly enough that other people believe in their existence. Brings “imaginary friends” to a whole new level, if you ask me. The book is an interesting enough read but a bit too immature for my taste.
I always saw this as having a good premise, but not one that I could get into. I’m not a fan of reading about overly desperate girls – it gets a bit annoying.
I know. The feminist in me gets upset at that. Heh.
How disappointing! This is such an interesting premise to be completely tongue in cheek about societal norms. I think I could be sympathetic to a boy-crazy heroine as long as she has more characteristic depth to her,and most importantly, she needs to actually grow the hell up and realize how stupid she was.
Yeah, but that doesn’t really ever happen. I mean, she has the pivotal realization but it’s sort of selective? And then she goes insane boy crazy and you’re like um…no thanks.