It Had to Be You (Brokemore Academy, #1) by Lizzy Charles

It Had to Be You by Lizzy Charles 

Blurb:

James Parson has a problem. His military dad is going to yank him out of his expensive boarding school if James doesn’t prove he’s no longer hooking up, pulling pranks, and charming his way out of consequences. What better way to show he’s now responsible than becoming the committed boyfriend of a U.S. diplomat’s daughter?

Level-headed, book-smart Edelweiss may have traveled the world thanks to her dad’s job, but when it comes to friends and boys, she knows exactly nothing. Newly enrolled in boarding school, Edel is now on a mission to learn it all. James says he’ll help her experience the ultimate high school life—if she’ll be his fake girlfriend. And fake is perfect, because he’s exactly the kind of player she’d never date.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains red-hot romance, all the feels, and a soul-mate bad boy.


This book was a highly enjoyable to read. Going from a fake relationship to a real one is not exactly a new concept for a story but it is absolutely well done and reading their story you just get it. They belong together and they have to get there for real.

James and Edelweiss just wanted to prevent James from getting pulled out of school when they agreed on their scheme of a fake relationship. Well, somehow it felt too right and even though Edelweiss has to catch up on all things school-related due to her unusual upbringing  and James, well, he has to catch up on being a boyfriend. All his experience with girls hasn't exactly prepared him for the real deal. Even if it is faked. Or not. 
A potpourri of jealous ex-girlfriends, complicated families, lost siblings, gerat friends and some wonderful parents later, James and Edelweiss have to decide where they'll go from there - trust and try for the real thing or break off. 

I loved the different characters, the wonderful friends, the loving families and I really loved James and Edelweiss together. The story is entertaining, captivating and well written. 

What I also liked is the way it dealt with the ethnic differences, namely the fact that James is black and Edelweiss is white. I loved that it is the white girl who has been living in New Delhi for a long time and not her roommate who has indian roots. Edelweiss. a white american girl with the name of a flower that grows in the Alpes and represents Europe and folklore has traveled and lived almost everywhere, She doesn't judge and she doesn't care whether somebody is black or white or  - well, whatever. 
Black and white  - this is a recurring theme in this book. Writing an essay about a book, the color of someone's skin makes a difference in his perception of certain things in the book, the different color of the skin makes people doubt that someone is relatied to the other and so on. It is never openly discussed as a problem just as "something", as an awareness.

A great book, sweet and romantic with its fair share of  beastly ex-girlfriends and their likes  and great characters. Oh, and those parents? I'll take them. Right. Now.

★★★★