Good Morning Loves! I have the perfect book to share with you this Valentine’s Day, so welcome to my Blog Tour Stop for The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon hosted by Entangled Crush. This was a lighthearted, adorable, and funny YA Romance that had me laughing and swooning the entire time.
4.5 ★ – SWOONTASTIC AND CHARMING
PUBLISHED BY ENTANGLED TEEN CRUSH FEBRUARY 5, 2018
GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, CONTEMPORARY, ROMANCE
PAGES: KINDLE 242
Purchase Links: Entangled Publishing
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Nina Barnes thinks Valentine’s Day should be optional. That way single people like her wouldn’t be subjected to kissy Cupids all over the place. That is, until her mom moves them next door to the brooding hottie of Greenbrier High, West Smith. He’s funny, looks amazing in a black leather jacket, and he’s fluent in Harry Potter, but she’s not sure he’s boyfriend material.
West isn’t sure what to make of Nina. She’s cute and loves to read as much as he does, but she seems to need to debate everything and she has a pathological insistence on telling the truth. And West doesn’t exactly know how to handle that, since his entire life is a carefully constructed secret. Dating the girl next door could be a ton of fun, but only if Nina never finds out the truth about his home life. It’s one secret that could bring them together or rip them apart.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book is not for anyone who has to get in the last word, but it is for all book nerds, especially those who live next door to so called unapproachable gorgeous guys. There’s no debating the chemistry.
“So, this whole dance thing?” West picked up a fork, took a bite of rice, and stared at me like he was waiting for me to give him an easy out. Not going to happen. Mess with a smart girl and suffer the consequences.
“You started it,” was the most amusing response I could come up with.
“No.” He shook his head as if trying to emphasize his response. “You started it when you invited me in for dinner.”
“Why? Because I knew you’d rather eat dirt than join us for rice? That’s your fault for being a suck-up and carrying my mom’s food.”
“I was being nice,” he shot back.
“No good deed goes unpunished.” I batted my eyelashes at him. “Besides, I was going to help her before you rushed over.”
He looked at me like I was crazy. “So I shouldn’t have helped your mom, but it’s okay for you to shove Cole off on Vicky.”
“Please. He’s a nice guy. She’ll fall for him…maybe because he’s the total opposite of you.”
He pointed his fork at me. “Where do you get off judging me?”
“I’m not judging you. I meant you’re all black-leather- jacket-brooding loner guy, and he’s Mr.-Happy-Sunshine- everyone-is-my-friend.”
“Fine. Mr. Sunshine is out of the way now, so there’s no need for us to go to the dance.”
“Nice try,” I said. “We’re going to the dance.”
“Why?”
“Because you said we were,” I said. “And lying is never acceptable. Don’t stress about this. I’m not proposing we run off to Mexico and get matching his-and-her tattoos. We’ll just go to the dance together. No big deal.”
“Right. Nothing is ever that simple.”
I’ve read and swooned over plenty of Entangled Crush books and I honestly don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. They’re light, a bit silly, but incredibly fun to read. I also really love that they’re feel good books that never fail to put a smile on my face. The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon is no exception and I loved it so much I finished it in less than 24 hours.
At first, I wasn’t sure I would love this book. I read The Boomerang Boyfriend by Chris Cannon a few months ago (Review), and while I did enjoy the story, I wasn’t completely in love with it. BUT… the premise for this book immediately intrigued me and the cover was so adorable that I just couldn’t resist. Well, I’ll have you know that this book had me undeniably hooked from beginning to end. The Dating Debate was so swoony and entertaining that I was smiling throughout the entire time I was reading. Nina and West were so cute and hilarious together. The plot was interesting and so fun! I liked that I never knew which way the story was going to go and that made it more exciting and enjoyable to read.
Nina and West were great characters and I absolutely adored them. Their chemistry was amazing and I enjoyed all their playful bantering. They’re both witty, stubborn, quirky, and so darn lovable. Nina and West had so many debates about everything, which may be annoying to some readers, but I thought it was so amusing. Loved that there was never a dull moment between them. They were imperfectly perfect together and I couldn’t help but root for them. While I don’t really have a problem with insta-love romances, I did enjoy how their relationship gradually progressed into something more. Nina and West had plenty of swoony and sweet moments that made me smile over and over again and I could not get enough. Sometimes a slow-burn romance is more effective and works wonderfully.
I also really enjoyed getting to know all the side characters. I thought they were charming and funny. They made the story more interesting and I’m hoping one of them will get their own books. The parents added to the conflict of the story and how Nina and West acted. I don’t want to say too much, but their family situations did break my heart. I felt for the both of them and wanted to hug away their pain and anger. Nevertheless, there were some great friendships and family relationships that were positively heartwarming that made me all warm and fuzzy.
The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon is a pleasant, sweet, and cute story. With plenty of hugs, hilarious conversations, flirty moments, and lovable characters, there’s no debate that this is a fantastic YA Contemporary Romance. If you’re looking for something light, fun, and swoony, then I highly suggest this book.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher Entangled Teen via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Chris Cannon is the award-winning author of the Going Down In Flames series and the Boyfriend Chronicles. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts.
She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures or romantic comedies. You can find her online at www.chriscannonauthor.com.
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Thanks for stopping by and reading my review. Have you read this book? What did you think? Don’t forget to leave your comments down below!
As an unabashed lover of all things happily-ever-after, Shaila Patel’s younger self would finish reading her copy of Cinderella and chuck it across the room because it didn’t mention what happened next. Now she writes from her home in the Carolinas and dreams up all sorts of stories with epilogues. A member of the Romance Writers of America and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she’s a pharmacist by training, a medical office manager by day, and a writer by night. 
Sincerely Karen Jo 