This is a rather delightful YA romantic comedy about what it means to be a nerd and how to become one – which, in this case, involved a football injury and bed rest.

Viola games. And she creates games; which boys always disparage as they have trouble imagining a girl could create a game they’d like to play.  And this is despite the fact that she usually wins and usually shows them how to.  So, being a girl in the gaming world is frustrating; but there’s nowhere else she feels comfortable.  She’s also the Student Body Vice President; mostly because she can see how the job should be done (which no one is doing) and she can.

Jack is the school football team’s running back and star.  He’s also the Student Body President – and a more useless person in that position can’t be imagined by Viola.  Needless to say, Jack finds Viola to be the single most irritating person he knows; she keeps insisting he do his job.  Trouble is, Jack thinks his job is simply to be awesome and let people adore him.  But Jack falls on hard times: his girlfriend is avoiding him and he can’t figure out why, and an injury sidelines him just as he needs to impress a college recruiter.  The enforced bed rest drives him crazy enough to listen to a friend who persuades him to try an online game.  And it takes no time at all for him to become addicted to it.

Viola plays the same game but because of the bias against girls (and the stupid misogyny) she creates a male avatar to do battle. And during a casual online conversation with Jack, she accidently lets him know that she knows him and they attend the same high school.  To cover up that mistake, she tells Jack that she is really her twin brother, Bash; but she cautions Jack not to interact with Bash in the real world.

All is well for a while; Vi enjoys the game even more when partnering with Jack.  And Jack is starting to open up to “Bash” about his problems; which makes Vi intensely embarrassed.  But it isn’t until they are thrown together to volunteer at a local convention; that Vi starts to realize Jack might be interested in the real her.  Which will make her confession even more awkward.  And Bash is getting really angry about her using his name in her deception.  Jack is confused about his growing feelings for her but can’t understand her mercurial nature; one minute they are sharing a moment and the next she’s back to being obnoxious.  Vi has her own confusions; Jack is showing signs of being a decent person and not quite the self-centered asshole she thought he was.

The only conflict in this story is when and how Vi will tell Jack the truth; and if their growing relationship will survive it.  The author makes it fun when the two of them have to complete a game together to be able to come together as a couple.

The author knows her fandom and gaming world; which makes it fun for readers who also move in those worlds.  For a romcom story intended for YA readers, this reader enjoyed it.  It was light fare for me but Vi carried the story so well, I could identify with her even at my advanced age.  The dialogue was really good and the plot moved well.  I can totally recommend this. ~~  Catherine Book