The pseudonymous writing duo of the Royals trilogy introduces engaging new characters in a modern version of "Beauty and the Beast."He is Oakley Ford, bad-boy white pop star who hit success at 16 and is burning out by 19, with a tarnished reputation and nothing going his way. She is Vaughn Bennett, 17, smart, white, and a very normal girl, dealing with grief over the loss of her parents and struggling to find her life's passion. Taking a year off before heading to college and working as a waitress to help her siblings make ends meet, she's offered a golden opportunity: pretend to be Oakley's girlfriend for a year to help improve his image. Although worried her boyfriend won't approve, Vaughn takes the job and falls into a whirlwind of paparazzi and scripted social media that just isn't her at all. Add to that Oak's disdain and frustration, and she wants out…until she sees his other side. As she begins to help him over his creative block, can these two disparate souls turn the scripted romance into something real? Full of glitz and glamour, with just enough "normal" thrown in, this story speeds readers along through the bumps and bruises of this budding relationship. Oakley's and Vaughn's alternating voices flow smoothly, and if there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever about the end of the journey, getting there is undeniable fun. A quintessential beach read. (Fiction. 14-18)

A teen reluctantly agrees to pose as the girlfriend to a Justin Bieber-like pop star in order to rehab his bad boy image. Recently orphaned, 17-year-old Vaughn Bennett and her older sister, Paisley, are now responsible for taking care of their twin younger brothers; when the opportunity arises for Vaughn to be 19-year-old Oakley Ford-s public girlfriend, the jaw-dropping salary is enough to persuade her to take the gig. Oakley initially seems like the stereotypical celebrity jerk Vaughn expects him to be, but she soon gets to know the kind, sensitive person underneath the persona. Though the premise isn-t new, watching Vaughn and Oakley-s relationship evolve from angry, bitter encounters to tender ones is a pleasure, and Watt (the pseudonymous author of the Royals series) maintains enticing romantic tension from start to finish. Told through Oakley and Vaughn-s alternating points of view, this page-turning romance about an unlikely couple who overcomes the glare of the public eye, among other complications, is addictive summer reading. Ages 14-up. Agent: Don Fehr, Trident Media Group. (May)

Gr 10 Up- rollicking story that will consume readers right up to the last moment. When pop star Oakley Ford needs to change his bad boy image, he hires ordinary girl Vaughn Bennett to date him for a year. It sounds like the perfect solution to orphaned Vaughn's money troubles, except that she has a boyfriend. It's true that Vaughn was once a fan of Oakley's music, but since her parents died, she's been busy working and taking care of her brothers. When Oakley shows up two hours late to their first meeting and calls Vaughn "baby," Vaughn lets him know that she's less than impressed. Oakley can't believe that this girl isn't falling all over him like the rest of the people in his life. Narration alternates between Oakley and Vaughn, and tweets from Oakley's obsessed fans are embedded throughout. Skillful character development makes this technique effective, and the result is a fast-paced, "he said, she said" page-turner. The pseudonym Erin Watt is a partnership between romance authors Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy, who previously coauthored "The Royals" series. Sexual content is realistic given the age of the main characters. VERDICT Recommended for libraries serving older teens who enjoy romantic comedies.Carly Wiggins Searcy, McNeese State University, LA