By Sofia Melnikova, Year 10
When It’s Real by Erin Watt is a captivating book about a 17-year-old girl named Vaughn and the famous bad-boy Oakley Ford. However, it’s not your typical love story. In fact, they fall in love almost against their will. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you the story from the beginning.
Vaughn is an orphaned girl who lives with her older sister Paisley and her two brothers. Their parents left them with debt, so the family is barely keeping afloat. In fact, Vaughn graduates early just to work and help their finances. Oakley, however, is a rich-as-can-be celebrity bad boy. But things are changing for him. To be able to work with the producers he wants, he must redeem his image, and Vaughn is how he plans to do it. Yes, you guessed it. He is going to be in a fake relationship with your typical girl next door. Except, this girl has a boyfriend. The book recounts this “love story” with all its twists and turns and its unconventional ending.
One of the things that stands out in this novel is its contrasting settings. One minute you’re in a typical little house, and then, with a flip of a page, you’re in a Hollywood beach house. One minute you’re in a little bedroom, the next you’re at an extravagant club party. It shows the problems and advantages of two completely different lifestyles without censoring anything. It’s very intense and interesting.
Another element that stood out for me was the characters. As different as Vaughn and Oak may seem, it was interesting to see their similarities. They suffer from the same things any teenager suffers from; questions such as: what do I do with my life? Who can I trust? Do people actually care about me or am I just being used? These are questions I’m sure anyone has at least thought about once. In addition, Vaughn and Oakley are hilarious. Their witty comebacks during fights are sure to make you laugh. I really loved the two personalities and reading about how they came together.
To conclude, I adored this book! It sucked me in and didn’t let me go until I read the last page. I read around 300 pages in one sitting! I recommend this book to any teenagers, because it is a fun, light novel that is guaranteed to keep you entertained.
