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Jennifer Conklin, award winning author of YA novels and children's books. Her debut novel Pretend, builds relatable characters naturally, keeping readers engaged. Throughout the novel, a secret past threatens the future, and causes mysterious winding drama that inevitably affects everyone. This twisty romance, took first place in Spring 2024 BookFest Awards in YA-Romance Fiction category and featured on NASDAQ board in Times Square in New York City; 2024 YA category winner in LA and London Festivals; 2024 finalist International Book Awards; 2024 runner-up New York Festival; 2025 finalist in YA-Romance category, as well as a 5 Star Review, in Reader's Favorite Reviews and Award Contest. Her companion YA novel to Pretend, will release in late 2025.
Her debut children's book, She Who Walks Above The Trees, is a sweet and charming story about two best friends, despite being wildly different, who embark on fun adventures through their prehistoric world. It took first place in Spring 2024 BookFest Awards; honorable mention in several book festivals around the country. This story is book one in her The Adventures Above Series. Book two, She Who Swims Above The Seas, released July 2024 and took first place in Spring 2025 BookFest Awards. Book three, She Who Floats Above The Breeze, released in July 2025.
Jennifer Conklin loves storytelling and has many more projects in the works including more children's books and YA novels. She is also expanding into New Adult novels and books for elementary grade audiences. She was a special education teacher, now turned author, and lives in New York with her growing family.
Reviewed by Frank Mutuma for Readers' Favorite
Pretend by Jennifer Conklin starts with Kyle going to the city to pick up Robin, who has been badly beaten up by her very abusive stepfather. Despite the horrible injuries, Robin refuses to be taken to the hospital, and instead, they go to Kyle’s home. Kyle is home alone, as his brother, who also happens to be Robin’s boyfriend, is away in Portugal with their mother. Kyle takes good care of Robin, and as summer progresses, they become very fond of each other. When his brother and mother return from their long trip, Kyle convinces them to allow Robin to stay with them, as she is homeless. This brings a lot of dilemmas, as Kyle and Robin have a thing for each other. How will things turn out for Robin as she tries to navigate her trauma and her connection to the two brothers?
Once you start reading Pretend by Jennifer Conklin, there is no putting it down. The writing was engaging and filled with well-crafted dialogue that brought the story and characters to life. I loved how the plot flowed seamlessly, leaving no room for confusion for the reader, and the vivid description of events and emotion helped create a mental picture of what was happening. The thought-provoking work also gets one thinking about gender violence and its overall impacts on society. Jennifer utilized easy-to-understand language, which makes the work accessible to all kinds of audiences, and the readers will also appreciate the excellent narration, which adds to the overall beauty of the book. I look forward to reading something else by Jennifer Conklin.
