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A review by brooke_review
Picture Perfect Boyfriend by Becky Dean
4.0
The weight of parental expectations can be a load to bear. High school senior Kenzie Reed is no stranger to changing the very essence of who she is to please her mom and dad. "Give up my dream of becoming a professional nature photographer to instead join the family ophthalmology practice because that's what is expected of me? Sure thing!" So, it's no surprise that Kenzie also creates a fake boyfriend to fit better into her buttoned-up, by-the-book family. Kenzie's fake boyfriend, Jacob, is exactly who her parents would want her date - boring, traditional ... and also interested in ophthalmology.
Kenzie never plans on her family actually meeting Jacob - maybe because he doesn't really exist - so when he shows up at the airport on their vacation to Hawaii, Kenzie is floored. How is "her Jacob" here in the flesh? How is a guy exactly like the one she dreamed up standing right before her? Naturally, Kenzie can't give up the ruse and let her family know that THIS Jacob is a complete stranger to her - she just can't lose face in front of them - so like so many things in her life, she just goes along with it.
As Kenzie gets to know Jacob over the week in wonderful, majestic Hawaii, she begins to realize she has feelings for the real guy hiding beneath the one she created. Jacob encourages Kenzie to be true to herself in a good way, pushing her to pursue her passions and tell her parents the truth about what she really wants for her future. Just who is this "real" Jacob who seems to be perfect for the "real" Kenzie? And will Kenzie be brave enough to go for what she wants?
Becky Dean's picturesque Picture-Perfect Boyfriend is a lovely, wholesome destination-themed romance for the young adult crowd. More a coming-of-age novel than anything, Picture-Perfect Boyfriend delves into the topics of self-discovery and being true to one's self, despite the expectations of others. It is about pursuing your passion and not making yourself small in order to fit into someone else's ideal world. Light on the romance, heavy on the teenage angst, Picture-Perfect Boyfriend will resonate with teens setting forth and finding their way in the world.
Kenzie never plans on her family actually meeting Jacob - maybe because he doesn't really exist - so when he shows up at the airport on their vacation to Hawaii, Kenzie is floored. How is "her Jacob" here in the flesh? How is a guy exactly like the one she dreamed up standing right before her? Naturally, Kenzie can't give up the ruse and let her family know that THIS Jacob is a complete stranger to her - she just can't lose face in front of them - so like so many things in her life, she just goes along with it.
As Kenzie gets to know Jacob over the week in wonderful, majestic Hawaii, she begins to realize she has feelings for the real guy hiding beneath the one she created. Jacob encourages Kenzie to be true to herself in a good way, pushing her to pursue her passions and tell her parents the truth about what she really wants for her future. Just who is this "real" Jacob who seems to be perfect for the "real" Kenzie? And will Kenzie be brave enough to go for what she wants?
Becky Dean's picturesque Picture-Perfect Boyfriend is a lovely, wholesome destination-themed romance for the young adult crowd. More a coming-of-age novel than anything, Picture-Perfect Boyfriend delves into the topics of self-discovery and being true to one's self, despite the expectations of others. It is about pursuing your passion and not making yourself small in order to fit into someone else's ideal world. Light on the romance, heavy on the teenage angst, Picture-Perfect Boyfriend will resonate with teens setting forth and finding their way in the world.