Title: Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance
Author: Emily Franklin, Brenda Halpin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 228
Genre: Young Adult
Published: 7th March 2011 (Bloomsbury UK)
Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers—known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.
Teen stars of Family Network's, Jenna and Jonah's How to be a Rock Star, Charlie Tracker (Jenna) and Fielding Withers (Jonah) are also an off-screen couple ... or are they? They're in every magazine and on every celebrity gossip website, holding hands, cosying up in restaurants but it's all one big publicity stunt. Charlie and Fielding's off-screen relationship is what sells the show (and the merchandise). At least it does until the whole thing is revealed and the two of them have to hide out until it all blows over.
This is a cute, fun easy-to-read book. The plot may not be overly challenging and is somewhat reminiscent of a bunch of teen movies/TV shows but it is an enjoyable one. It's kind of behind-the-scenes- Hannah Montana (with less annoying characters) and I could very much see it being turned into a movie itself. At most points throughout the book it might be pretty much obvious where the plot is going but for me it was more about when the two characters would realise it.
The book alternates narrators between the two main characters which worked really well because the reader gets to know them both and see both sides of the story. It did get a little confusing at times because essentially they both have three persona's - their on-screen character, their off-screen fake one and then their real selves. The confusion was part of the story though, as the two of them were pretty confused about who they were as well.
Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance is a coming-of-age, fame's not all it cracked up to be story with witty dialogue and a fun if not surprising plot.
