Lucy Powrie

Seventeen-year-old Effie is fed up of playing third-wheel. She can often be found hanging out at the local coffee shop "Love You a Latte" while her so-called friend Chelsea and her boyfriend kiss in front of her.

One day, following a snide remark from Chelsea about never having a boyfriend, she declares she can absolutely get a date if she just asks for one, so she strides over to the counter and asks the irresistibly cute barista Aiden to pretend to put his number in her phone. Of course, he obliges with a grin - what ensues is a whirlwind of fake dates. But when their fake dates are exposed, Effie and Aiden decide to carry on dating for good, but then, spoiler, nobody believes they really are in a relationship.

But who cares what anyone else thinks? This is Effie and Aiden's story

Real When I’m With You

I really loved and enjoyed Lucy Powrie’s teen series so when I heard that she was going to Pen a YA romance I was really excited for it as I loved her writing style and the character representation that Is always refreshing to read. This one was no different and I got swept up in the beautiful writing and setting which was the perfect book to read in the UK Heatwave at the weekend.

Real When I’m With You follows Effie who is stuck as the third wheel to her best friend Chelsea and her boyfriend until she meets the cute barista, Aiden, who allows her to be her true self around him. But when Chelsea makes a comment about how Effie has never had a boyfriend the pair agree to fake date.

Being an autistic adult, I loved the representation here and it is always special to me to read, when I went so long not seeing it, and I don’t know if I have ever connected this much to an autistic character. So many of the things Effie struggled with were things that I have struggled with and that was so special to read. I also loved Aiden’s representation of ADHD it just a special read to me.

Effie and Aiden must be one of my favourite young Adult Romance couples that I have read in Fiction. Slowly over the course of the book it was special to see Effie and Aiden open to each other and as that happened support each other in the ways that they needed, like making sure there was a safe food available. It was also special to watch as their feelings and relationship went from fake to real and see that realisation in the characters.

One big topic throughout the course of this book was friendship. Effie’s negative friendship with Chelsea was well explored throughout the story with enough time to explore it and not just have it as a side part of the story and I found that the part where that friendship ended painful to read but also completely real in a way that often isn’t explored in fiction

This book really cemented Lucy Powrie as a favourite author of mine and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with in the future

Ian Brakspear

I really loved and enjoyed Lucy Powrie’s teen series so when I heard that she was going to Pen a YA romance I was really excited for it as I loved her writing style and the character representation that Is always refreshing to read. This one was no different and I got swept up in the beautiful writing and setting which was the perfect book to read in the UK Heatwave at the weekend.

 

Real When I’m With You follows Effie who is stuck as the third wheel to her best friend Chelsea and her boyfriend until she meets the cute barista, Aiden, who allows her to be her true self around him. But when Chelsea makes a comment about how Effie has never had a boyfriend the pair agree to fake date.

 

Being an autistic adult, I loved the representation here and it is always special to me to read, when I went so long not seeing it, and I don’t know if I have ever connected this much to an autistic character. So many of the things Effie struggled with were things that I have struggled with and that was so special to read. I also loved Aiden’s representation of ADHD it just a special read to me.

 

Effie and Aiden must be one of my favourite young Adult Romance couples that I have read in Fiction. Slowly over the course of the book it was special to see Effie and Aiden open to each other and as that happened support each other in the ways that they needed, like making sure there was a safe food available. It was also special to watch as their feelings and relationship went from fake to real and see that realisation in the characters.

 

One big topic throughout the course of this book was friendship. Effie’s negative friendship with Chelsea was well explored throughout the story with enough time to explore it and not just have it as a side part of the story and I found that the part where that friendship ended painful to read but also completely real in a way that often isn’t explored in fiction

 

This book really cemented Lucy Powrie as a favourite author of mine and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with in the future

Real When I’m With You

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