Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

the lowdown

Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumped her. In the parking lot. Of prom, where he's supposed to be her date. And oh yeah, her friends weren't completely convinced that he existed, and this was her chance to show them that he did. Further complicating this is the fact that the reason her friends didn't believe that he existed was because of a new member to the group, Jules, who Gia thinks is scheming to steal her friends away from her. So what's a girl to do? Well, when she sees a guy sitting in a car, reading, in the parking lot, she asks him to fill in for Bradley.

I read On the Fence, another entry by West last year and absolutely inhaled it. I love that book. I read this one just as fast, albeit with less enthusiasm. This was a good, enjoyable read, but it was a lot fluffier than On the Fence. If this book had a little more depth, it'd be a lot more effective. Still, this is one worth reading and West is definitely an author to keep an eye on.

the good

• The premise was interesting. Definitely done before, West offers a fresh variation on the theme. Hayden (fill-in Bradley) was a likable character and his growth with Gia was enjoyable to read. Hayden's sister, though, is the star character of this book, and I found myself enjoying the scenes between Gia and her even more than those between Gia and  Hayden.
• The romance didn't feel contrived or forced in any way. It seemed to develop naturally, which I really appreciate. 
• Despite it lacking some depth, the storyline between Gia and her friend group was interesting to read about. While many others might not have felt that it had an adequate resolution, I was satisfied by it. That dynamic was really relatable for me, and suspect for quite a few others as well. It really reminded me a lot of issues that I encountered in high school and college, too, wanting to fit it and being afraid of being pushed out.

the bad

• Like I mentioned previously, this book was heavy on fluff. There wasn't a ton of substance, and while Gia has a moderate amount of character development, it's all surface level. It would have been really interesting to see Gia struggle with something a little more substantial, because I think that the character could have handled it. 

the quote

“We rarely find a depth by looking inside of ourselves for it. Depth is found in what we can learn from the people and things around us. Everyone, everything, has a story, Gia. When you learn those stories, you learn experiences that fill you up, that expand your understanding. You add layers to your soul.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

Well worth reading, but not quite worth buying. I don't see myself returning to this one; borrow it.

overall score:7/10

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