Book Synopsis
In this reverse Parent Trap, two feuding teenagers pretend to be in love to keep their parents apart, but love has other plans. A clean YA rom-com from USA Today best-selling author, Janette Rallison.
Madeline and Cooper have had bad blood since junior year when she beat out his sister for the lead in the school play. Ever since, it’s been one petty escalation after another—plastic-wrapped cars, glitter bombs, and even a derogatory viral video. When their latest prank lands them in the principal’s office with their single parents in tow, Madeline and Cooper are shocked to find that their parents have hit it off and now have plans for a dinner date.
Horrified by the prospect of their parents falling in love, Madeline and Cooper reach a truce. To keep their parents apart, they’ll pretend their feud is over and that they’re in a relationship. They’re positive that by fake dating, their parents will realize their relationship is a terrible idea and stop seeing each other. But the longer their fake relationship continues, the more they discover that there may be things they actually like about each other. How long are Madeline and Cooper willing to keep up the ruse before they have to face the consequences of their actions?
Book Details
- Publisher : Shadow Mountain Publishing
- Publication date : April 7, 2026
- Genre: YA Rom Com
- Language: English
- Print length: 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1639935150
****I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, NetGalley, book tours, and/or authors. A review was not required, and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own. ****
My Review
Where did this whole story start? Was it a dream, something you saw, or just a "what if" moment?
It was definitely a what-if moment from times that I’d heard about teenagers getting called to the principal's office until their parents came in. What if the parents were both single and knew each other? This sort of situation might actually give them a reason to go out together and discuss the situation
Did any of your characters ever "talk back" to you or do something that surprised you?
I used to think that was such a strange question—because authors create their fictional characters, so we’re supposed to be in charge of what they say and do—until it started happening to me. The only moment I can remember in this book that went differently than I had expected was the scene where Madeline cries. After I wrote it, I thought, no, I can’t have her crying during the scene. That’s too much.
But every time I went to change it. I just couldn’t—and it’s not like it’s a pivotal moment in the romance. She’s crying in front of the guy’s sister, not in front of him.
It just seemed like a way that girls can connect with each other in a way they couldn’t do with other people, so I left it in.
Is there a part of the story you loved that didn't make it into the final book?
Originally, I was going to have the parents end up together. But as I thought about that, it just felt like I was creating future problems for the characters and making their relationship weird. Because I have two stepbrothers. I just couldn’t let the parents get together. Because that might make my future family reunions weird. I’m not sure if that was the right decision or not.
Do you know the ending before you start, or do you just start writing and see where it goes?
Before I start writing, I like to know the main character’s problem, the goal to overcome the problem, some of the obstacles they will face, and the outcome at the climax. But that doesn’t mean I won’t change my mind during the process. I often do. For example, I changed my mind about what would happen with the parents' relationship.
Who are the writers that made you want to start telling stories?
Hands-down, Ellen Conford. She wrote funny books that I loved reading. Those are the kind of stories that I wanted to tell to readers.
Are you working on anything new right now, or are you taking a well-deserved break?
I never take breaks. I just write more slowly. Right now, I’m finishing the first draft of an adult romantic comedy in my small-town, big-sky romance series. A Longtime Heartbreaker.
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today!
****Meet Author Janette Rallison****
Janette Rallison lives in Arizona with her husband and divides her time between her children, grandchildren, writing, and wandering around the house looking for items she has misplaced. (This is how she gets most of her exercise.)
Janette has five children and deadlines to write books, so she doesn’t have much time left over for hobbies. But since this is the internet and you can’t actually check to see if anything on this site is true, let’s just say she enjoys dancing, scuba diving, horseback riding, and long talks with Chris Hemsworth. (Well, I never said he answers back.)
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