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Playing with Fire
I’ve spent my entire eighteen years fighting to survive. My junky mom disappeared years ago, leaving me to fend for myself against my evil drug-dealing step-brother. I never met my father. I don’t even know his name.
All I wanted to do was survive and graduate high school to get as far away from the Villas and this run-down trailer park as possible.
And I was doing that until he forced himself into my life and literally flipped my world upside down.
He’s from the Valley where the richest of the rich lives—a bully in every sense of the word. Everyone, including the teachers, bowed down to him and his rich friends who ruled the school. He was the guy every girl wanted, well, except for me.
For as long as anyone can remember, it had always been the poor Southside Villa trash against the rich Northside Valley boys. No one knows when or how the war started, not that anyone cares.
We were born enemies.
But between trying to graduate and trying to survive, I didn’t have time to hate him until he decided his purpose in life was to destroy me.
Well, until he realized someone else was hurting me…
***See why this was voted a top fave of Kindle Vella***
All I wanted to do was survive and graduate high school to get as far away from the Villas and this run-down trailer park as possible.
And I was doing that until he forced himself into my life and literally flipped my world upside down.
He’s from the Valley where the richest of the rich lives—a bully in every sense of the word. Everyone, including the teachers, bowed down to him and his rich friends who ruled the school. He was the guy every girl wanted, well, except for me.
For as long as anyone can remember, it had always been the poor Southside Villa trash against the rich Northside Valley boys. No one knows when or how the war started, not that anyone cares.
We were born enemies.
But between trying to graduate and trying to survive, I didn’t have time to hate him until he decided his purpose in life was to destroy me.
Well, until he realized someone else was hurting me…
***See why this was voted a top fave of Kindle Vella***
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2023
818 people are currently reading
680 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
October 2, 2023
I don't know WHAT possessed me to stick it out with this writing but I did nonetheless🤣😶
🤦♀️
Example of THE writing:
THANK YOU for explaining what his question meant, I would've been lost without it 🤡
This book was horrifyingly bad yet highly entertaining at the same time 🤷🏼♀️ like a car crash you just can't look away from. Some parts were decent though, so not a COMPLETE bummer.
🤦♀️
Example of THE writing:
"Do you want to go out, or do you want me to cook?"
The question was so easy, yet so complicated. Did I want to go out with Christian for dinner, or did I want him to cook something and stay home?
THANK YOU for explaining what his question meant, I would've been lost without it 🤡
This book was horrifyingly bad yet highly entertaining at the same time 🤷🏼♀️ like a car crash you just can't look away from. Some parts were decent though, so not a COMPLETE bummer.
January 14, 2024
3.5 - I know. 👀 I’m more surprised than you are. 🤷🏼♀️
🤣
I’m gonna be real honest here and say that if you’re looking for a well written book, you’re in the wrong place. There were more flaws in this than I can bother listing. Continuity of story and characterization is lacking. Ridiculous shenanigans abound. 🤡
If you’re a safety reader, this one isn’t for you. No cheating, but at the beginning of the book the heroine sees the hero actively having sexual relations with OW TWICE. It’s on page in the heros pov, not just a little glimpse by the h. Not sure why it just rolled right off me, but it did. Once he’s in with the h, he’s in, but for those of you who require the hero only to be with he h, this won’t be your book. (Unless of course you’re like me, and it strangely didn’t bother you 😅). Funny thing is, despite the hero manwhoring around when the book began, there was very little actual OW drama in this book. 🤷🏼♀️
Anyway. This was one of the most entertaining HS bully books I’ve read in long while. Even with all the flaws. It’s dual POV but the hero isn’t indulging in the eyerolly over the top mustache-twirling monologues in his head that are so popular lately. The heroine has a backbone but isn’t senselessly (and annoyingly) bitchy and combative. There’s a good mix of the hero rescuing and the heroine taking care of herself. The lead up to sex was suitably drawn out and sexy. There’s some dubcon-ish moments but the hero was oddly married to getting the h’s consent. At first he was just being an asshole (“not until she begs” 🙄) but later he was more sincere.
It’s definitely not perfect… there’s abrupt attitude changes and you can tell this was written chapter by chapter through Vella. Sometimes paragraphs don’t make sense. Sometimes the MCs make weird choices that don’t fit their characters. Sometimes the author contradicts herself. And the ending was a bit too pat and a bit too chic-lit coming of age philosophical for me to consider it a full-throated HEA…
… but this book was still oddly compelling to read. It had just enough of the good stuff I like and the stuff I didn’t like was timed and written in a way that I was able to keep going when normally I would have shut the book.
I think this author has a lot of potential, if she’d hone her craft and maybe concentrate on one book at a time, rather than several Vella stories going at once. I’d definitely be willing to read more and hope to see some growth.
🤣
I’m gonna be real honest here and say that if you’re looking for a well written book, you’re in the wrong place. There were more flaws in this than I can bother listing. Continuity of story and characterization is lacking. Ridiculous shenanigans abound. 🤡
If you’re a safety reader, this one isn’t for you. No cheating, but at the beginning of the book the heroine sees the hero actively having sexual relations with OW TWICE. It’s on page in the heros pov, not just a little glimpse by the h. Not sure why it just rolled right off me, but it did. Once he’s in with the h, he’s in, but for those of you who require the hero only to be with he h, this won’t be your book. (Unless of course you’re like me, and it strangely didn’t bother you 😅). Funny thing is, despite the hero manwhoring around when the book began, there was very little actual OW drama in this book. 🤷🏼♀️
Anyway. This was one of the most entertaining HS bully books I’ve read in long while. Even with all the flaws. It’s dual POV but the hero isn’t indulging in the eyerolly over the top mustache-twirling monologues in his head that are so popular lately. The heroine has a backbone but isn’t senselessly (and annoyingly) bitchy and combative. There’s a good mix of the hero rescuing and the heroine taking care of herself. The lead up to sex was suitably drawn out and sexy. There’s some dubcon-ish moments but the hero was oddly married to getting the h’s consent. At first he was just being an asshole (“not until she begs” 🙄) but later he was more sincere.
It’s definitely not perfect… there’s abrupt attitude changes and you can tell this was written chapter by chapter through Vella. Sometimes paragraphs don’t make sense. Sometimes the MCs make weird choices that don’t fit their characters. Sometimes the author contradicts herself. And the ending was a bit too pat and a bit too chic-lit coming of age philosophical for me to consider it a full-throated HEA…
… but this book was still oddly compelling to read. It had just enough of the good stuff I like and the stuff I didn’t like was timed and written in a way that I was able to keep going when normally I would have shut the book.
I think this author has a lot of potential, if she’d hone her craft and maybe concentrate on one book at a time, rather than several Vella stories going at once. I’d definitely be willing to read more and hope to see some growth.
May 26, 2024
Brief little run down:
Harper is from the Villas. It's known as the poor, "bad" side of town and her situation is made worse since her mother abandoned her years ago to live with her stepfather and stepbrother, notorious ruffians/drug dealers. Our story begins with our heroine, Harper, being forced by her stepbrother, Noah, to go to the rich side of town (the Valley) to get back a bag of weed that was stolen by one of the rich kids. She reluctantly goes, sees that they're all at a party at the Chandler's house and goes in to look for it. Of course she's caught and brought to Christian Chandler, the unofficial leader of their group (and consequently the Hero of our story) and he says he'll give her the bag of weed back if she'll be at his disposal for a month. It's kind of a weak start, but hey the story has to start somewhere and it's this arrangement that leads to Christian getting to know Harper and finding out the extent of how bad things are for her. Harper awakens feelings in Christian that he's never felt before and it's this bond that makes it an absolute necessity for him to change her circumstances. But when the Villa doesn't want to so easily give Harper up, to what extent is Christian willing to go to give his natural born enemy a better life???
First things first. If you're someone who doesn't like to see the Hero with other women at all, then this is NOT the book for you. I, however, don't care as long as the MC's are not together. There is a lot of on page depiction of the Hero doing his manwhore thing other girls. Yes, even after he has his initial direct run-in with the heroine.
Consider yourself warned.
Sike.
Things I didn't like:
This author was constantly contradicting herself. One moment Christian is declaring how he never sleeps with girls in his bed. Never has. Never will. Then the next he's instructing them to cuff Harper to his bed using the pair of handcuffs that 'comes in handy' that he keeps in the top drawer of the nightstand by his bed because 'you'd be surprised how many girls like to be bound' during sex. So maybe he didn't mean in his bed, but it definitely did not translate well, because why do they come in handy being stored by his bed, if he NEVER brings a girl there. Also, towards the end of the book, after a huge secret is revealed, Christian is thinking about how his brother Aiden is the only one that knows, even though he JUST had a conversation with Maverick, revealing it to him. These are the instances that stood out the most, but I know there were a few other inconsistencies in the story that bothered me as well.
Another thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way is when the author deviated from already established character traits. There is a time over Spring Break that Christian is adamant that Harper cannot participate in the 'scavenger hunt' because it's just a lot of random sex acts with strangers that leads to a big orgy afterparty. This seems right on par with Christian's character, as he has always been crazy possessive of Harper and doesn't want to share her or even the sight of her semi-nude with anyone else. THEN the author precedes to this exchange:
Christian has Harper watch one of his best friends, Maverick, get a blowjob and is not only happy that he can tell that it physically turns her on, but he also then brings her to orgasm while having her watch. This just seemed waaaaay offf character for him. With a very large stretch of my imagination, I MIGHT could see this scenario working with them watching a set of strangers, BUT everything else that has been previously established about Christian's character just does not align with a desire for her to watch one of his closest friends in any kind of sexual act, let alone being happy that the sight, of said friend, was physically arousing her. I'm a stickler for keeping your shit in your storyline straight and your characters consistent. We don't throw in random, salacious (albeit titillating) content just so you can give your story a modern, scandalous edge if it doesn't make sense with your characters or story as a whole.
I really hated the fact that they kept calling the direct conflict over Harper between the Villas and the Valley, a war.
It just really came across as cheesy.
This next thing isn't necessarily something I didn't like, but merely an observation that I found odd. The following is typically the description for ALL the guys from the valley:
First off, what's up with a group of high school dudes being covered in tattoos? That's really not typical. Aside from the age restrictions generally placed on being able to get them (and yes, I know you can get parental permission, but do you really see these guys bringing mommy and daddy into the tattoo parlor constantly to sign for them) it just doesn't seem like something you'd find on most highschoolers, even the rich ones that have the endless funds to be able to afford so much ink. Which brings me to my next observation. Maybe this is a regional thing, but where I'm from, this is not typically how the rich, preppy guys present themselves, which is what the guys from the Valley in this book are supposed to be. They all have country club memberships because of their rich, polished parents, and all drive jacked up Jeeps and Escalades. I mean, I think their descriptions are hot, don't get me wrong, but I'm just not sure if it's on brand with what the author was trying to portray. This seems like the aesthetic that would be more representative of a different kind of group of hot guys, rather than the rich, preppy ones.
Lastly, the epilogue. That epilogue was WASTED as far as wrapping up the story goes. Yes, it may have successfully set up the author's next installment of her series, but it did absolutely jack diddly squat for the story and, in my humble opinion, that's what the epilogue is for and should be used for. It's a nice way to cover a good chunk of time in the story's progression so you can give the reader a brief glimpse into the MC's future to solidify their HEA without being beholden to necessary details in how they managed to get there. To utilize it for anything else is not only annoying, but also a waste of my, and your, time. And believe me when I say that this epilogue was a waste!
Things I DID like:
Not sure why, but I loved this little additive. It made it feel so much more real. Like, a lot of these books these days have the manwhore being like some sex god that blows their partner's mind. When, realistically, dudes that are banging different chicks left and right are doing it for their own pleasure and don't give a rats ass how the chick feels. Not that I read any of these books for their authentic approaches to reality. It's just something I found to be particularly a nice touch.
THIS is what makes Christian's character so top tier! He did not get upset at Harper for assuming something he didn't do. No. He understood why she would have thought he did it and placed the blame on himself (where it belonged) because he acknowledged that he had put himself in a situation that would allow for her to think that and then apologized for it.
Just overall had a very good push, pull, then release dynamic. The author knew what was just enough to drag the tension out to put the reader on edge, but also knew exactly when to release that point of contention and move on to the next so it didn't get overly frustrating. That seems to be a particularly challenging skill for most authors to achieve these days and I'm happy to have found another author that can potentially offer a more satisfying ratio of this in her work.
Final Thoughts:
Despite the lack of editing (particularly towards the end) and the inconsistencies, I truly did enjoy this book and would recommend to others that like a good "bullyish" romance. This is the first thing I've read by this particular author and I look forward to checking out some of her other work in hopes of finding more good reads....maybe pun intended.
Harper is from the Villas. It's known as the poor, "bad" side of town and her situation is made worse since her mother abandoned her years ago to live with her stepfather and stepbrother, notorious ruffians/drug dealers. Our story begins with our heroine, Harper, being forced by her stepbrother, Noah, to go to the rich side of town (the Valley) to get back a bag of weed that was stolen by one of the rich kids. She reluctantly goes, sees that they're all at a party at the Chandler's house and goes in to look for it. Of course she's caught and brought to Christian Chandler, the unofficial leader of their group (and consequently the Hero of our story) and he says he'll give her the bag of weed back if she'll be at his disposal for a month. It's kind of a weak start, but hey the story has to start somewhere and it's this arrangement that leads to Christian getting to know Harper and finding out the extent of how bad things are for her. Harper awakens feelings in Christian that he's never felt before and it's this bond that makes it an absolute necessity for him to change her circumstances. But when the Villa doesn't want to so easily give Harper up, to what extent is Christian willing to go to give his natural born enemy a better life???
First things first. If you're someone who doesn't like to see the Hero with other women at all, then this is NOT the book for you. I, however, don't care as long as the MC's are not together. There is a lot of on page depiction of the Hero doing his manwhore thing other girls. Yes, even after he has his initial direct run-in with the heroine.
"Before Harper broke into my house, I'd never had a run-in with her, not once. We'd never exchanged one word, and now she showed up every time my dick came out."
Consider yourself warned.
Sike.
Things I didn't like:
This author was constantly contradicting herself. One moment Christian is declaring how he never sleeps with girls in his bed. Never has. Never will. Then the next he's instructing them to cuff Harper to his bed using the pair of handcuffs that 'comes in handy' that he keeps in the top drawer of the nightstand by his bed because 'you'd be surprised how many girls like to be bound' during sex. So maybe he didn't mean in his bed, but it definitely did not translate well, because why do they come in handy being stored by his bed, if he NEVER brings a girl there. Also, towards the end of the book, after a huge secret is revealed, Christian is thinking about how his brother Aiden is the only one that knows, even though he JUST had a conversation with Maverick, revealing it to him. These are the instances that stood out the most, but I know there were a few other inconsistencies in the story that bothered me as well.
Another thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way is when the author deviated from already established character traits. There is a time over Spring Break that Christian is adamant that Harper cannot participate in the 'scavenger hunt' because it's just a lot of random sex acts with strangers that leads to a big orgy afterparty. This seems right on par with Christian's character, as he has always been crazy possessive of Harper and doesn't want to share her or even the sight of her semi-nude with anyone else. THEN the author precedes to this exchange:
"You've never done anything crazy," he whispered against my ear. "Have you ever watched?" I hummed no against his hand, frantically shaking my head. "Open your eyes."
Christian has Harper watch one of his best friends, Maverick, get a blowjob and is not only happy that he can tell that it physically turns her on, but he also then brings her to orgasm while having her watch. This just seemed waaaaay offf character for him. With a very large stretch of my imagination, I MIGHT could see this scenario working with them watching a set of strangers, BUT everything else that has been previously established about Christian's character just does not align with a desire for her to watch one of his closest friends in any kind of sexual act, let alone being happy that the sight, of said friend, was physically arousing her. I'm a stickler for keeping your shit in your storyline straight and your characters consistent. We don't throw in random, salacious (albeit titillating) content just so you can give your story a modern, scandalous edge if it doesn't make sense with your characters or story as a whole.
I really hated the fact that they kept calling the direct conflict over Harper between the Villas and the Valley, a war.
"Noah was outnumbered today, with only Mason and Parker with him. The war wouldn't happen today."
"Whether you go back or not," Aiden said, releasing my arm, "this war is happening."
It just really came across as cheesy.
This next thing isn't necessarily something I didn't like, but merely an observation that I found odd. The following is typically the description for ALL the guys from the valley:
"A backward baseball cap covered his dark hair. His full lips had a piercing at the corner of his mouth that hid his all-white smile. He stood shirtless, with a perfectly sculpted torso covered in black ink, and his black gym shorts hung low on his lean hips."
First off, what's up with a group of high school dudes being covered in tattoos? That's really not typical. Aside from the age restrictions generally placed on being able to get them (and yes, I know you can get parental permission, but do you really see these guys bringing mommy and daddy into the tattoo parlor constantly to sign for them) it just doesn't seem like something you'd find on most highschoolers, even the rich ones that have the endless funds to be able to afford so much ink. Which brings me to my next observation. Maybe this is a regional thing, but where I'm from, this is not typically how the rich, preppy guys present themselves, which is what the guys from the Valley in this book are supposed to be. They all have country club memberships because of their rich, polished parents, and all drive jacked up Jeeps and Escalades. I mean, I think their descriptions are hot, don't get me wrong, but I'm just not sure if it's on brand with what the author was trying to portray. This seems like the aesthetic that would be more representative of a different kind of group of hot guys, rather than the rich, preppy ones.
Lastly, the epilogue. That epilogue was WASTED as far as wrapping up the story goes. Yes, it may have successfully set up the author's next installment of her series, but it did absolutely jack diddly squat for the story and, in my humble opinion, that's what the epilogue is for and should be used for. It's a nice way to cover a good chunk of time in the story's progression so you can give the reader a brief glimpse into the MC's future to solidify their HEA without being beholden to necessary details in how they managed to get there. To utilize it for anything else is not only annoying, but also a waste of my, and your, time. And believe me when I say that this epilogue was a waste!
Things I DID like:
"I didn't do foreplay. Not that we had time for it anyway, but I didn't fuck these girls to get them off. I fucked them to get me off. If, in the process, they got off, too, good for them."
Not sure why, but I loved this little additive. It made it feel so much more real. Like, a lot of these books these days have the manwhore being like some sex god that blows their partner's mind. When, realistically, dudes that are banging different chicks left and right are doing it for their own pleasure and don't give a rats ass how the chick feels. Not that I read any of these books for their authentic approaches to reality. It's just something I found to be particularly a nice touch.
"I didn't," I whispered. "I'm not sorry that I kissed her because I didn't. I'm sorry that I put myself in a situation that would make you think I did."
THIS is what makes Christian's character so top tier! He did not get upset at Harper for assuming something he didn't do. No. He understood why she would have thought he did it and placed the blame on himself (where it belonged) because he acknowledged that he had put himself in a situation that would allow for her to think that and then apologized for it.
Just overall had a very good push, pull, then release dynamic. The author knew what was just enough to drag the tension out to put the reader on edge, but also knew exactly when to release that point of contention and move on to the next so it didn't get overly frustrating. That seems to be a particularly challenging skill for most authors to achieve these days and I'm happy to have found another author that can potentially offer a more satisfying ratio of this in her work.
Final Thoughts:
Despite the lack of editing (particularly towards the end) and the inconsistencies, I truly did enjoy this book and would recommend to others that like a good "bullyish" romance. This is the first thing I've read by this particular author and I look forward to checking out some of her other work in hopes of finding more good reads....maybe pun intended.
dnf-try-again-later
August 7, 2023DNF 6%. Too much ow shit, and I refuse to waste my time on a new author without knowing safety info.
h is a trailer park orphan.
H is her rich, popular bully. A fuckboy or a manwhore.
His rich crowd doesn’t like her crowd.
The book opens with her abusive stepbrother forcing her to get back a bag of weed that the H stole, so she goes to this party where the H is getting a lap dance from a naked girl.
When he’s about have sex with her, someone brings the h into the room and interrupts him. He recognized her from school, and he finds her hot.
MCs go upstairs and he tells her he’ll give her the bag of weed, if h will be his slave for a month. They agree, and she goes home.
Next scene is him in the girls shower with another ow, getting a blow job. That’s when I DNF’d. 🙄.
(Scene with the 2nd ow)
“Daisy Peterson was new to the school. It took two days for me to talk her out of her clothes. That was a record. Daisy twisted under the shower's spray, and I let my gaze rake over her naked, glistening body. Closing her eyes, she let the hot water run over her face and through her short blonde hair. I followed the trailing water down over her heart-shaped ass.”
It doesn’t end there, he finishes in her mouth etc, the scene is very graphic.
- writing seemed ok.
h is a trailer park orphan.
H is her rich, popular bully. A fuckboy or a manwhore.
His rich crowd doesn’t like her crowd.
The book opens with her abusive stepbrother forcing her to get back a bag of weed that the H stole, so she goes to this party where the H is getting a lap dance from a naked girl.
When he’s about have sex with her, someone brings the h into the room and interrupts him. He recognized her from school, and he finds her hot.
MCs go upstairs and he tells her he’ll give her the bag of weed, if h will be his slave for a month. They agree, and she goes home.
Next scene is him in the girls shower with another ow, getting a blow job. That’s when I DNF’d. 🙄.
(Scene with the 2nd ow)
“Daisy Peterson was new to the school. It took two days for me to talk her out of her clothes. That was a record. Daisy twisted under the shower's spray, and I let my gaze rake over her naked, glistening body. Closing her eyes, she let the hot water run over her face and through her short blonde hair. I followed the trailing water down over her heart-shaped ass.”
It doesn’t end there, he finishes in her mouth etc, the scene is very graphic.
- writing seemed ok.
April 14, 2023
This was my first kindle vella book and it pulled me from a massive reading slump. Loved this book and the characters. Always love the rich/poor divide and a bully -> lovers story.
June 17, 2024
2.5☆
The relationship didn't make any sense. I have no idea how they could "love" each other so much when it was 99% physical attraction and 1% conversation. The additional 0.5☆ on this rating is for the tropes that I typically have fun reading.
The relationship didn't make any sense. I have no idea how they could "love" each other so much when it was 99% physical attraction and 1% conversation. The additional 0.5☆ on this rating is for the tropes that I typically have fun reading.
January 14, 2024
This was silly but it was good escapism. You have to majorly suspend disbelief to enjoy any of it though because nothing makes any sense. There is no real depth to the characters so I didn’t have any sort of connection to them. There are some fun scenes though and it was super easy to read.
I can see why this did so well on kindle Vella, it’s perfectly written for that type of delivery/platform. Don’t go into this one expecting it read like a regular book would because it doesn’t.
Overall: 3.5
I can see why this did so well on kindle Vella, it’s perfectly written for that type of delivery/platform. Don’t go into this one expecting it read like a regular book would because it doesn’t.
Overall: 3.5
June 7, 2023
Unexpected
I was not sure what to expect. This was the third book This week I tried to read by a new to me author, and it Delived! I had to DNF'ed the other two books, but this one kept me interested! The storyline was and emotional one. I really felt for Harper and her plight! And who would have imagined Christian stepping up so spectacularly! This is a great story with a good HEA
I was not sure what to expect. This was the third book This week I tried to read by a new to me author, and it Delived! I had to DNF'ed the other two books, but this one kept me interested! The storyline was and emotional one. I really felt for Harper and her plight! And who would have imagined Christian stepping up so spectacularly! This is a great story with a good HEA
February 19, 2024
★ / 5
(—𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬)
If i could give this book 0 stars, i would.
Seeing 5 star reviews under this book is baffling. While reading is subjective, this book is objectively terrible
Books like these is why i absolutely hate booktok/booktwt because the way this book was sold to me??? i ate it up so bad, but my goodness Where do i even start with this mess of a book.
╰┈➤𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞:
some of the worst writing I've seen in my entire life
the descriptive writing/world building is non existent, I couldn't even imagine most places because it's either not described or badly described. Every thought was repeated out loud exactly the same way. The only time the writing was remotely good, was for the smut parts and how the female MC talks about her poverty and being embarrassed for it.
╰┈➤ 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧
The male MC would have been such a perfect character if they didnt spend the first 10 chapters or so making him a sex addict-man whore. was that necessary?
“𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭
𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦.
please be so fckn for real like am i supposed to root that?
It's supposed to be a dark novel or whatever but it is simply horrible and while i do not except novels to be realistic (come on its fiction) this was just too convenient in every way possible. like come on omg, how is she related to her boyfriend's best friend and they all love and protect her omg don't piss me off
I could never recommend this book to anyone, probably 2 days of my life i could never get back
Annoyed all over again just writing this review
(—𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬)
If i could give this book 0 stars, i would.
Seeing 5 star reviews under this book is baffling. While reading is subjective, this book is objectively terrible
Books like these is why i absolutely hate booktok/booktwt because the way this book was sold to me??? i ate it up so bad, but my goodness Where do i even start with this mess of a book.
╰┈➤𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞:
some of the worst writing I've seen in my entire life
the descriptive writing/world building is non existent, I couldn't even imagine most places because it's either not described or badly described. Every thought was repeated out loud exactly the same way. The only time the writing was remotely good, was for the smut parts and how the female MC talks about her poverty and being embarrassed for it.
╰┈➤ 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧
The male MC would have been such a perfect character if they didnt spend the first 10 chapters or so making him a sex addict-man whore. was that necessary?
“𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭
𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦.
please be so fckn for real like am i supposed to root that?
It's supposed to be a dark novel or whatever but it is simply horrible and while i do not except novels to be realistic (come on its fiction) this was just too convenient in every way possible. like come on omg, how is she related to her boyfriend's best friend and they all love and protect her omg don't piss me off
I could never recommend this book to anyone, probably 2 days of my life i could never get back
Annoyed all over again just writing this review
September 7, 2023
First of all, I’m sorry but this is not my cup of tea. It was okay but I didn’t enjoy it. I have to say by saying that if you like a bully romance with some revealing secrets, then this is for you. But for me, I always prefer if I can focus on one thing. I feel like I would like this story more if the story got more depth on the rivalry between The Villas and The Valleys. There are so much going on here with Harper and her stepbrother, and she wanted to find her family, then Christian hired a PI to look them up. No. It shifted the focus to other things. At the same time, Harper got a princess treatment from everyone. She suddenly got spoiled and protected from people who used to be her enemy. Another no. So yeah, my issue wasn’t the bully trope, but how it the story was executed.
June 9, 2023
Loved
I found this author on kindle vella and really loved the way she writes her storys , i really loved this one. Had its apicy moment and the story line was great recommend the read👍👌
I found this author on kindle vella and really loved the way she writes her storys , i really loved this one. Had its apicy moment and the story line was great recommend the read👍👌
June 5, 2023
Loved it
I loved this story. The twists and turns were suprising. The ending was completely unexpected. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author.
I loved this story. The twists and turns were suprising. The ending was completely unexpected. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author.
August 7, 2024
So much missed potential. Could’ve been good if the writing was better. The author has a good story. More telling and not showing.
February 7, 2024
This book was so OTT ridiculous my eyes rolled to the back of my head and stayed there. It was like a horrible westside story with lot's of unsafe sex 🙈. But I stuck it out until the end. It had every ridiculous plot you can imagine and everyone was 18.
November 8, 2025
Highschool Bully Romance/Rich MC-Poor Trailer Trash FC/Multi PoV
SYNOPSIS: The FC, Hayley, is from the poor southside and lives in a trailer with her stepbrother. Her mother disappeared sometime before the story starts. The MC, Christian, is a rich, playboy from the north side where he hangs with his “bro” group. Hayley comes to Christian’s attention when she is forced, by her drug dealing stepbrother Noah, to steal back his weed that Christian and his boys stole. After she is caught she is forced to agree to be at Christian’s beck and call for the next 30 days. There’s some push and pull but the two quickly fall for each other and the story becomes about how Hayley can escape her life and stepbrother and make a better life for herself away from the south side with Christian.
HEAT LEVEL: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/🍆🍆🍆 There’s a lot of heat in this book which ramps up as the FC/MC’s relationship evolves and the number of scenes increases to the point that it becomes more about another sex scene than part of the romance. The scenes are hot and fairly graphic but don’t go on for too long and are otherwise vanilla.
SUMMARY: A well written and edited book with a superficial, unoriginal story, basic characters and plenty of plot holes. It’s enjoyable if you aren’t looking for any depth, don’t think too hard about the story and are happy with the overdone rich, fu*% boy-trailer park girl with a tragic backstory trope and are just looking to while away a few hours 😬 There’s no angst, there are references to violence but nothing dark even in the minimal “violent” scenes and limited drama.
This story is described as a bully romance but the reality is there is almost no bullying with the MC quickly falling for the FC. The extent of the bullying is some limited sexual harassment by the MC but nothing harsh or humiliating.
My biggest issue with the story was not the overdone trope which I still enjoy if written well, it was the fact that it felt like a story the author had knocked out in a few hours and didn’t think highly enough of her readers to be bothered about addressing all the issues in the story that didn’t add up. As a reader it was a little insulting 😠. For example, the FC is described as being in and out of foster care, having no running water or food since she was 6 (yes you read that right) and living in a perpetual state of fear at the beatings she suffered from her drug dealing stepbrother and stepfather which have left her bleeding. There is no explanation as to how she hasn’t starved to death or how she survives with no running water (save for showering at school), how she buys clothes or anything else when she has no money or job. It’s like the author wanted to create a sad backstory for the FC to give her depth and sympathy but just couldn’t make the effort to go that extra step to make it even slightly believable. The stepfather is referenced throughout the book but never actually plays any part and even the step brother has a limited role with the alleged violence being mainly off page and seemingly not that bad.
The MC is a caricature of your typical rich playboy with commitment issues, big muscles, dominant and possessive and gorgeous to look at (as are his friends). Other than that there is no depth or detail to him just him fixing all the FC’s problems with his money and beating his chest (metaphorically) 😆. The FC is described as beautiful, slim and with a 5 point GPA yet there is very little sight of any intelligence just a constant acceptance and woe is me attitude at her lot in life. There is a story line around the FC being told by her guidance counsellor that “people like her don’t go to college” which she just seems to accept until the MC comes in, waves a magic wand, and suddenly she is being provided with application papers for colleges and scholarships 🙄. When the MC falls for the FC he and her friends all spend money on buying her new clothes, toiletries and paying for her food (which then seems to become the norm). The FC does nothing to push back and seems to have no pride at all, happy to accept everything and giving nothing in return. The author seems to realise that this makes the FC seem spineless and weak with no pride and inserts a single scene where the FC tells the MC she won’t accept the black credit card he has given her but then quickly caves when the MC says she must - no fight or argument just “OK”. 😡 The MC describes this interaction as one of the “hardest battles he would have with the FC” 🤦♀️!
A pet hate of mine is where an author gives the FC a “dark” backstory (presumably in an attempt to add depth and angst to an FC) but doesn’t fully commit to what that means and doesn’t actually take the reality into account in the story. The FC here is described as being regularly beaten up by her step brother to the point that her friend has to help “clean up the blood”. Yet the FC shows none of the trauma such a person would have as she happily goes about her life with seemingly no PTSD or issues when being surrounded by strong dominant men. There is a scene where the FC is badly beaten (off page) by her stepbrother to the extent that her face and jaw are black & blue, her lip cut and her body covered in bruises yet she apparently suffers no pain or inconvenience happily going to school and the out to a party. If you’d been beaten that badly it would be a miracle if you had no breaks or fractures and you sure as hell wouldn’t be going into school like normal or attending parties 😖. The author then has the FC go out with the MC for tacos wearing a sun dress. I mean, really? You’re covered in bruises, been badly beaten but go out for tacos and wear a sun dress? The author then follows this up with the FC being hit on whilst waiting for her tacos. I mean, seriously? Did the author even think about what she was writing? This girl apparently has bruises all over her face and a cut lip but apparently this is the type of girl guys hit on🤦♀️ Once that scene is finished there’s no other reference to her bruises or healing ……
Finally, that ending? It’s like the author just gave up. Suddenly the FC’s mother pops up with the sole purpose, it seems, of providing a way for the FC to get a happy ending and to provide a last ditch attempt at depth and drama. Before you can blink everything is over and the FC is safe and everyone around her loves her. Don’t get me started on one of the final scenes where all the FC’s friends (and their parents) all show nauseating and incredibly cringe worthy support for the FC and show her she now has Family (with a capital F) 😫 🤦♀️ (yes, another face slap).
In conclusion, if you don’t mind overdone tropes, lazy writing and want to disengage your brain and you are prepared to not think at all about the gaps in the story then this would be a a way to while away a few hours. 😆
SYNOPSIS: The FC, Hayley, is from the poor southside and lives in a trailer with her stepbrother. Her mother disappeared sometime before the story starts. The MC, Christian, is a rich, playboy from the north side where he hangs with his “bro” group. Hayley comes to Christian’s attention when she is forced, by her drug dealing stepbrother Noah, to steal back his weed that Christian and his boys stole. After she is caught she is forced to agree to be at Christian’s beck and call for the next 30 days. There’s some push and pull but the two quickly fall for each other and the story becomes about how Hayley can escape her life and stepbrother and make a better life for herself away from the south side with Christian.
HEAT LEVEL: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/🍆🍆🍆 There’s a lot of heat in this book which ramps up as the FC/MC’s relationship evolves and the number of scenes increases to the point that it becomes more about another sex scene than part of the romance. The scenes are hot and fairly graphic but don’t go on for too long and are otherwise vanilla.
SUMMARY: A well written and edited book with a superficial, unoriginal story, basic characters and plenty of plot holes. It’s enjoyable if you aren’t looking for any depth, don’t think too hard about the story and are happy with the overdone rich, fu*% boy-trailer park girl with a tragic backstory trope and are just looking to while away a few hours 😬 There’s no angst, there are references to violence but nothing dark even in the minimal “violent” scenes and limited drama.
This story is described as a bully romance but the reality is there is almost no bullying with the MC quickly falling for the FC. The extent of the bullying is some limited sexual harassment by the MC but nothing harsh or humiliating.
My biggest issue with the story was not the overdone trope which I still enjoy if written well, it was the fact that it felt like a story the author had knocked out in a few hours and didn’t think highly enough of her readers to be bothered about addressing all the issues in the story that didn’t add up. As a reader it was a little insulting 😠. For example, the FC is described as being in and out of foster care, having no running water or food since she was 6 (yes you read that right) and living in a perpetual state of fear at the beatings she suffered from her drug dealing stepbrother and stepfather which have left her bleeding. There is no explanation as to how she hasn’t starved to death or how she survives with no running water (save for showering at school), how she buys clothes or anything else when she has no money or job. It’s like the author wanted to create a sad backstory for the FC to give her depth and sympathy but just couldn’t make the effort to go that extra step to make it even slightly believable. The stepfather is referenced throughout the book but never actually plays any part and even the step brother has a limited role with the alleged violence being mainly off page and seemingly not that bad.
The MC is a caricature of your typical rich playboy with commitment issues, big muscles, dominant and possessive and gorgeous to look at (as are his friends). Other than that there is no depth or detail to him just him fixing all the FC’s problems with his money and beating his chest (metaphorically) 😆. The FC is described as beautiful, slim and with a 5 point GPA yet there is very little sight of any intelligence just a constant acceptance and woe is me attitude at her lot in life. There is a story line around the FC being told by her guidance counsellor that “people like her don’t go to college” which she just seems to accept until the MC comes in, waves a magic wand, and suddenly she is being provided with application papers for colleges and scholarships 🙄. When the MC falls for the FC he and her friends all spend money on buying her new clothes, toiletries and paying for her food (which then seems to become the norm). The FC does nothing to push back and seems to have no pride at all, happy to accept everything and giving nothing in return. The author seems to realise that this makes the FC seem spineless and weak with no pride and inserts a single scene where the FC tells the MC she won’t accept the black credit card he has given her but then quickly caves when the MC says she must - no fight or argument just “OK”. 😡 The MC describes this interaction as one of the “hardest battles he would have with the FC” 🤦♀️!
A pet hate of mine is where an author gives the FC a “dark” backstory (presumably in an attempt to add depth and angst to an FC) but doesn’t fully commit to what that means and doesn’t actually take the reality into account in the story. The FC here is described as being regularly beaten up by her step brother to the point that her friend has to help “clean up the blood”. Yet the FC shows none of the trauma such a person would have as she happily goes about her life with seemingly no PTSD or issues when being surrounded by strong dominant men. There is a scene where the FC is badly beaten (off page) by her stepbrother to the extent that her face and jaw are black & blue, her lip cut and her body covered in bruises yet she apparently suffers no pain or inconvenience happily going to school and the out to a party. If you’d been beaten that badly it would be a miracle if you had no breaks or fractures and you sure as hell wouldn’t be going into school like normal or attending parties 😖. The author then has the FC go out with the MC for tacos wearing a sun dress. I mean, really? You’re covered in bruises, been badly beaten but go out for tacos and wear a sun dress? The author then follows this up with the FC being hit on whilst waiting for her tacos. I mean, seriously? Did the author even think about what she was writing? This girl apparently has bruises all over her face and a cut lip but apparently this is the type of girl guys hit on🤦♀️ Once that scene is finished there’s no other reference to her bruises or healing ……
Finally, that ending? It’s like the author just gave up. Suddenly the FC’s mother pops up with the sole purpose, it seems, of providing a way for the FC to get a happy ending and to provide a last ditch attempt at depth and drama. Before you can blink everything is over and the FC is safe and everyone around her loves her. Don’t get me started on one of the final scenes where all the FC’s friends (and their parents) all show nauseating and incredibly cringe worthy support for the FC and show her she now has Family (with a capital F) 😫 🤦♀️ (yes, another face slap).
In conclusion, if you don’t mind overdone tropes, lazy writing and want to disengage your brain and you are prepared to not think at all about the gaps in the story then this would be a a way to while away a few hours. 😆
May 19, 2024
As High School Bully Romances go,…
“Playing With Fire” ticks all the boxes…
All the TROPE boxes that is.
What a simplistic piece of writing this was.
Shallower than a kids pool.
It’s like I had been sitting in a creative writing class, and the tutor has pointed out all the bullet point moments that I have to hit for a formulaic Bulky Romance
Everything is here.
The girl from the wrong side of the tracks, brought up in foster homes
Mother, drug addicted and gone.
Lives in the obligatory trashy trailer park
Evil Stepbrother ( bonus points because he’s also the Southsides drug dealer )
Secrecy over her parentage
The first meeting between Bully and Heroine:~
When Harper is forced to recover a bag of weed that the rich “Valley Guys” stole from Evil Stepbrother, Noah.
If she comes back without it,…Well. She’ll be in for a beating.
So, she arrives at the palatial mansion of alpha rich boy Christian Chandler, Aisha of the Valley Boys, in search of the baggie, she is discovered by Christian’s equally gorgeous younger brother, Aiden and the rest of the rival gang, the Valley boys.
This is a world we’re all the rich kids are all muscles, tattoos, and piercings, whereas the poor folk are beer drinking, filthy,…and…well you can tell where this is heading.
Now that the petite, dark hair Harper, with her large full lips, and her parky breasts, with her cut off shorts and tiny tops, is on Christian’s radar, he’s going to use her to get under the skin of Noah, and the rest of the “ Villa” boys from Southside
Now.
Here comes the part you would see coming.
For Christian not to press charges over her coming to his home, he hand her back the weed to take back to the Villa boys, but only if she agrees to do anything he wants for the next month.
Yeah.
How innovative.
We haven’t read this plot line before.
Oh! …Wait! We have in a gazillion OTHER bully romances.
And of course, after an explicable short time period, Christian, the High School manwhore who NEVER gets seriously involved with ANY girl, finds himself getting seriously involved in Harpers life.
Not just him, but ALL of the Valley boys take Harper under their wing.
They become her brand NEW family…Awww! ( yeah)
For Harper, the girl that was all, aggression, with no F’ given, her demeanour is quickly turned around as she develops feeling for the only person ( Christian) who seems to care.
Especially when she shows up with a cut lip and bruises and Christian realises that HE is responsible for the beatings Harper is getting from Noah
Of course it doesn’t hurt Harper none that, he provides her with a credit card form clothing and, shelter in his beautiful house
And! Harpers bestie, goth rich girl Chloe, and the other four Valley Boys take great pleasure in spoiling her with their fancy lifestyle.
All while taking great pleasure in fuelling the “ connection “ between her and Christian.
Then we venture back into “ Trope-ville “ with the pretty women shopping moments , the team building Valley boy bonding moments
Yeah.
This story is just FULL of the usual BR storyline’s.
So much so, some of the writing passage seem to be lifted straight out of other books
As below
“my gaze trailed over every curve of his sculpted torso down to the perfect V leading to…”
If I could have a dollar for every time I have read this cut-and-paste remark that shows up, time and time, again in these Romances, I’d be a very rich girl by now.
This is also the moment that signals, tough girl Harper is a goner.
Weakening at the sight of abs
By the time everyone made it to the group beach house/s Spring Break moment I was hanging on by a thread to this story
BY. A. THREAD!!!
Ugh! The cliches just kept on COMING!!!
At this point I was desperate for Noah and the Villa Boys to show up to save me from this gushy love fest.
( Honestly, what did these Valley Boysfo with their time when there was no Harper to fawn over )
As per usual, all of this was leading up to Harpers cherry being popped.
The scene that 99.9% of the reads on this book were probably waiting for.
And.
This author went for it, using every “50 Shades moment” she could think of in her sex scene arsenal.
( including a little BDSM play )
Beside the Christian and Harper sex, and all the happy group get togethers in expensive real estate, not much happened.
There was always the threat of Noah coming for Harper, but Christian always rallied the troops, placing himself and his Valley Boy Gang ahead of any threat, and dampen down the drama
The drama was all very… VANILLA!!!
A big build up to NOTHING!
Resolved in a BLINK OF AN EYE!
Also.
I swear, if I have to read another word from Harper bleating on about how.
“Nobody loves me, because I’m from the wrong side of the tracks” I shall
SCREAM!!!
This book wasn’t awful just, too predictable.
Even when the group socialised, the conversations were incredibly simplistic, with them hovering/ revolving around Harper.
Yep!
I was so over the the Harper pity party by this point.
I laughed aloud at the scenes between Harper and Christian’s Mom.
( with her handy PI haha )
The woman Harper feared meeting the most, she found out was JUST LIKE HER !
She came from the Villa, just like her from a single mom. Just like her .
I swear, I’m not making this S up! …
Geez!
By the end, once again, we are left with MORE drama with Harper discovering who her father is
But! Once again nobody is angry, nobody FEELS BETRAYED
They all just except it.
Even the guys we were lead to believe would give her a hard time.
AJ Elliott and Link.
The ending was so ridiculous I don’t know where to begin.
All,the people who should have beef with Harper, all bandy together to make her story have the perfect, most over the top, HEA EVER
ITVWAS SICKENING!
All RESOLVED in a cute bow …. Barf !
“Playing With Fire” ticks all the boxes…
All the TROPE boxes that is.
What a simplistic piece of writing this was.
Shallower than a kids pool.
It’s like I had been sitting in a creative writing class, and the tutor has pointed out all the bullet point moments that I have to hit for a formulaic Bulky Romance
Everything is here.
The girl from the wrong side of the tracks, brought up in foster homes
Mother, drug addicted and gone.
Lives in the obligatory trashy trailer park
Evil Stepbrother ( bonus points because he’s also the Southsides drug dealer )
Secrecy over her parentage
The first meeting between Bully and Heroine:~
When Harper is forced to recover a bag of weed that the rich “Valley Guys” stole from Evil Stepbrother, Noah.
If she comes back without it,…Well. She’ll be in for a beating.
So, she arrives at the palatial mansion of alpha rich boy Christian Chandler, Aisha of the Valley Boys, in search of the baggie, she is discovered by Christian’s equally gorgeous younger brother, Aiden and the rest of the rival gang, the Valley boys.
This is a world we’re all the rich kids are all muscles, tattoos, and piercings, whereas the poor folk are beer drinking, filthy,…and…well you can tell where this is heading.
Now that the petite, dark hair Harper, with her large full lips, and her parky breasts, with her cut off shorts and tiny tops, is on Christian’s radar, he’s going to use her to get under the skin of Noah, and the rest of the “ Villa” boys from Southside
Now.
Here comes the part you would see coming.
For Christian not to press charges over her coming to his home, he hand her back the weed to take back to the Villa boys, but only if she agrees to do anything he wants for the next month.
Yeah.
How innovative.
We haven’t read this plot line before.
Oh! …Wait! We have in a gazillion OTHER bully romances.
And of course, after an explicable short time period, Christian, the High School manwhore who NEVER gets seriously involved with ANY girl, finds himself getting seriously involved in Harpers life.
Not just him, but ALL of the Valley boys take Harper under their wing.
They become her brand NEW family…Awww! ( yeah)
For Harper, the girl that was all, aggression, with no F’ given, her demeanour is quickly turned around as she develops feeling for the only person ( Christian) who seems to care.
Especially when she shows up with a cut lip and bruises and Christian realises that HE is responsible for the beatings Harper is getting from Noah
Of course it doesn’t hurt Harper none that, he provides her with a credit card form clothing and, shelter in his beautiful house
And! Harpers bestie, goth rich girl Chloe, and the other four Valley Boys take great pleasure in spoiling her with their fancy lifestyle.
All while taking great pleasure in fuelling the “ connection “ between her and Christian.
Then we venture back into “ Trope-ville “ with the pretty women shopping moments , the team building Valley boy bonding moments
Yeah.
This story is just FULL of the usual BR storyline’s.
So much so, some of the writing passage seem to be lifted straight out of other books
As below
“my gaze trailed over every curve of his sculpted torso down to the perfect V leading to…”
If I could have a dollar for every time I have read this cut-and-paste remark that shows up, time and time, again in these Romances, I’d be a very rich girl by now.
This is also the moment that signals, tough girl Harper is a goner.
Weakening at the sight of abs
By the time everyone made it to the group beach house/s Spring Break moment I was hanging on by a thread to this story
BY. A. THREAD!!!
Ugh! The cliches just kept on COMING!!!
At this point I was desperate for Noah and the Villa Boys to show up to save me from this gushy love fest.
( Honestly, what did these Valley Boysfo with their time when there was no Harper to fawn over )
As per usual, all of this was leading up to Harpers cherry being popped.
The scene that 99.9% of the reads on this book were probably waiting for.
And.
This author went for it, using every “50 Shades moment” she could think of in her sex scene arsenal.
( including a little BDSM play )
Beside the Christian and Harper sex, and all the happy group get togethers in expensive real estate, not much happened.
There was always the threat of Noah coming for Harper, but Christian always rallied the troops, placing himself and his Valley Boy Gang ahead of any threat, and dampen down the drama
The drama was all very… VANILLA!!!
A big build up to NOTHING!
Resolved in a BLINK OF AN EYE!
Also.
I swear, if I have to read another word from Harper bleating on about how.
“Nobody loves me, because I’m from the wrong side of the tracks” I shall
SCREAM!!!
This book wasn’t awful just, too predictable.
Even when the group socialised, the conversations were incredibly simplistic, with them hovering/ revolving around Harper.
Yep!
I was so over the the Harper pity party by this point.
I laughed aloud at the scenes between Harper and Christian’s Mom.
( with her handy PI haha )
The woman Harper feared meeting the most, she found out was JUST LIKE HER !
She came from the Villa, just like her from a single mom. Just like her .
I swear, I’m not making this S up! …
Geez!
By the end, once again, we are left with MORE drama with Harper discovering who her father is
But! Once again nobody is angry, nobody FEELS BETRAYED
They all just except it.
Even the guys we were lead to believe would give her a hard time.
AJ Elliott and Link.
The ending was so ridiculous I don’t know where to begin.
All,the people who should have beef with Harper, all bandy together to make her story have the perfect, most over the top, HEA EVER
ITVWAS SICKENING!
All RESOLVED in a cute bow …. Barf !
June 20, 2023
It started off with a lot of potential, a lot of promise, and I was hooked… until halfway through it.
Sadly, the characters went from assholes who are into bullying to shinning knights too fast, too unexpectedly; they didn’t have it in them, so where did it all come from?!
Overall, too many inconsistencies so the author wished to shove rainbows down our throats by the end of this - I wasn’t having it, unfortunately.
I applaud her for putting her debut novel out there, though! I hope her works get better, so we can meet again on my bookshelf. 🤍
Sadly, the characters went from assholes who are into bullying to shinning knights too fast, too unexpectedly; they didn’t have it in them, so where did it all come from?!
Overall, too many inconsistencies so the author wished to shove rainbows down our throats by the end of this - I wasn’t having it, unfortunately.
I applaud her for putting her debut novel out there, though! I hope her works get better, so we can meet again on my bookshelf. 🤍
January 15, 2024
This could have been so much better. The hero literally had sex with like 8 girls the first 3 days of us meeting him, including a teacher - nowhere was a condom or any type of protection mentioned which made him cocky and gross. The whole instalove was just too insta for me.
avoid
October 9, 2023Self Note:
This author is not safe. She writes OW
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This author is not safe. She writes OW
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
October 21, 2024
Had back and forth opinions on this book. For the most part I enjoyed it. I LOVE me a good forbidden “wrong side of the tracks” romance, and I feel like they are kind of harder to find so this helped fill that void but I did have some issues with the pace and reality of it all. Everything happened super quick. They were enemies in one chapter and he was calling her his in the next. She tried to appear as this strong feisty girl but literally two chapters late she had given into Christian. I also think the was certain people treated her and accepted her (based on how big the feud is between the rich and the poor) was insanely unrealistic. Supposedly there’s been a generational feud but the first sign of trouble and every rich person is ready to protect you and even send you to college all expenses paid? Def not realistic. Which books aren’t necessarily meant to be, but this was like extremely unrealistic. I also had a hard time with them saying how her father was in the mafia but he was extremely nice the whole time (after we finally met him). That’s not realistic at all either. There was also NOTHING dark about this book. Sad? Yes. Dark? Absolutely not. He wasn’t even technically her bully at any point. This book was just one big walking contradiction.
April 8, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ 3 🌶️
This was a quick read and was pretty good. The pacing was spot on. There was never a lull, filler with no impact on the plot and while there is a good amount of spice, the plot was cohesive and the spice didn’t take away from the story itself.
If you struggle with physical abuse storylines or find them super triggering for you definitely steer clear of this one. There is a lot of abuse that happens throughout the book.
The MMC as usual in a bully romance starts out as kind of an ass. He is your typical “alpha male” who just uses and discards females and does not ever do relationships or commitments.. until he meets the strong as nails FMC in this book.
The FMC is dealing with one of the most brutal home lives you could probably imagine but has a soft, empathetic kindness that she shows to everyone. She is super intelligent and very strong.
The side characters were incredible, I loved so many of them and they just added to the story. Her best friend Chloe was there before the MMC and his bros came into the picture and would help Harper as much as she could to get breaks in her home life. The MMCs friends welcome Harper into their little crew with open arms and hearts and the found family and HEA are honestly so so so good here.
This was a quick read and was pretty good. The pacing was spot on. There was never a lull, filler with no impact on the plot and while there is a good amount of spice, the plot was cohesive and the spice didn’t take away from the story itself.
If you struggle with physical abuse storylines or find them super triggering for you definitely steer clear of this one. There is a lot of abuse that happens throughout the book.
The MMC as usual in a bully romance starts out as kind of an ass. He is your typical “alpha male” who just uses and discards females and does not ever do relationships or commitments.. until he meets the strong as nails FMC in this book.
The FMC is dealing with one of the most brutal home lives you could probably imagine but has a soft, empathetic kindness that she shows to everyone. She is super intelligent and very strong.
The side characters were incredible, I loved so many of them and they just added to the story. Her best friend Chloe was there before the MMC and his bros came into the picture and would help Harper as much as she could to get breaks in her home life. The MMCs friends welcome Harper into their little crew with open arms and hearts and the found family and HEA are honestly so so so good here.
June 21, 2023
Interesting quick read. I like Harper and Christian’s character, well Christian took a bit to like since he was a major fuck boy bully lol.
There were some things that bothered me. Like Chloe is supposed to be Harpers best friend but in the beginning of the book she would get all gossipy wanting to know what the deal with Harper and Christian was when she kept a secret about her and Christian’s brother Aiden having history. Before finding out they had history I thought it was weird that all of a sudden Aiden just decided to hang out and keep Chloe company out of the blue when Harper would be hanging out with Christian? Especially because apparently Chloe was from Christian’s side of town but was an outcast and he called her “Harpers goth friend”. I feel like there were a bunch of plot holes. Also, Christian’s mom had the same upbringing as Harper but in the beginning he would call Harper a villa whore or a villa slut and him and his friends hated the southside folks when that’s where his mom came from? Ahhh idk. 😂🤷🏻♀️
There were some things that bothered me. Like Chloe is supposed to be Harpers best friend but in the beginning of the book she would get all gossipy wanting to know what the deal with Harper and Christian was when she kept a secret about her and Christian’s brother Aiden having history. Before finding out they had history I thought it was weird that all of a sudden Aiden just decided to hang out and keep Chloe company out of the blue when Harper would be hanging out with Christian? Especially because apparently Chloe was from Christian’s side of town but was an outcast and he called her “Harpers goth friend”. I feel like there were a bunch of plot holes. Also, Christian’s mom had the same upbringing as Harper but in the beginning he would call Harper a villa whore or a villa slut and him and his friends hated the southside folks when that’s where his mom came from? Ahhh idk. 😂🤷🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2023
This is an amazing story about strength, survival, overcoming obstacles, second chances, and unexpected love.
Harper is from 'the wrong side of the tracks'. She is subjected to abuse everyday at the hands of her dangers and criminal stepbrother. Her mother is believed dead and there's no one to protect or support Harper, so she has to rely on herself.
Christian is from the ritzy side of town. His family are upper class and he, his borhter and their close knit group of friends are the bad boys of the school. Christian has no intention of being anything more than Harper's tormentor.
Fate, it seems, had other plans for them both. After Harper's failed attempt at stealing Christian's car from his house, Christians finds something he wants more than to bully her. The two make one of the most unlikely pairs, but they brings something to the table that the other needs.
I loved every second of this book. I was especially surprised by the amazingly generous offer made by Christian's parents to Harper. The ending was fantastic and I would love to read more in the series.
Harper is from 'the wrong side of the tracks'. She is subjected to abuse everyday at the hands of her dangers and criminal stepbrother. Her mother is believed dead and there's no one to protect or support Harper, so she has to rely on herself.
Christian is from the ritzy side of town. His family are upper class and he, his borhter and their close knit group of friends are the bad boys of the school. Christian has no intention of being anything more than Harper's tormentor.
Fate, it seems, had other plans for them both. After Harper's failed attempt at stealing Christian's car from his house, Christians finds something he wants more than to bully her. The two make one of the most unlikely pairs, but they brings something to the table that the other needs.
I loved every second of this book. I was especially surprised by the amazingly generous offer made by Christian's parents to Harper. The ending was fantastic and I would love to read more in the series.
dnf
October 17, 2023DNF at 65%
This started out great.
Both characters had great potential. She was strong and he was a fuckboy with no respect for the women he fucked. So much potential for angst. Then maybe 20% in, their personality flips with not much warning. She turns supper pathetic and weak. Relying on Christian for everything. He feeds her and gives her a place to live. And he turns into a big squishy teddy bear, so sweat to cause diabetes. Am
I reading the same book? Went from dark to a fluffy read.
Stopping at 65%
Spoilers below
Christian is from rich side of town.
She is from the trailers living with stepdad and stepbrothers that sells drugs. Christian’s group steals weed from stepbrother. Stepdad forces Harper to go steal it back. She goes to Christian’s party and gets caught. He says he owns her for 1 month. She sees him get having sex with ow three times in a span of 2-3 days. He all of a sudden is in love with her and starts feeding her and giving her his pool house to live in
DNF at 65%
This started out great.
Both characters had great potential. She was strong and he was a fuckboy with no respect for the women he fucked. So much potential for angst. Then maybe 20% in, their personality flips with not much warning. She turns supper pathetic and weak. Relying on Christian for everything. He feeds her and gives her a place to live. And he turns into a big squishy teddy bear, so sweat to cause diabetes. Am
I reading the same book? Went from dark to a fluffy read.
Stopping at 65%
Spoilers below
Christian is from rich side of town.
She is from the trailers living with stepdad and stepbrothers that sells drugs. Christian’s group steals weed from stepbrother. Stepdad forces Harper to go steal it back. She goes to Christian’s party and gets caught. He says he owns her for 1 month. She sees him get having sex with ow three times in a span of 2-3 days. He all of a sudden is in love with her and starts feeding her and giving her his pool house to live in
DNF at 65%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
This read was truly different and fun. I would say it is actually 4.5 stars, and I do agree with the other reviewers that there are a couple hiccups and/or odd writing (ie mentioning one of the dads then he never actually shows up, may have just randomly been a murder, also the book story seemed more focused on the MF’s life than the relationships but that could have been intentional and I honestly didn’t mind it). HOWEVER, I disagree with the other reviewers in that I think not only for this being her debut novel but also just in general for this genre she did an incredible job. The writing was engaging, she didn’t just tell you things but actually shared a story, created a world and described it without giving too many unnecessary details, the characters had depth and relatability, I was never bored which I know is actually really hard for a writer to do. I read it in two sittings. I loved the possessive alpha males but also how much they respected those they loved too. All in all I thought Sawyer crushed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
I'm always generous with debut novels. I understand that it takes courage to put yourself out there. And time to improve your style.
Oftentimes, when I don't like a debut novel I pretend I never read it and don't rate or mark it as "read".
However, I feel like every beginner needs recognition. And that a review bad or good is going to help him/her to perfect their craft.
And I saw a lot of potential in this novel. Unfortunately I don't think the writer read it for the second time before submitting it or went through a proper process of editing.
The book is so inconsistent. The plot does not add up. And loopholes in character and world building are the size of Russia.
Pleaaaaaaaaaaase, read what you write. What differentiate a book from rambling is the seriousness of the execution.
I don't care what your plot is (smutty or otherwise) But stay consistent to what you chose and do better.
Oftentimes, when I don't like a debut novel I pretend I never read it and don't rate or mark it as "read".
However, I feel like every beginner needs recognition. And that a review bad or good is going to help him/her to perfect their craft.
And I saw a lot of potential in this novel. Unfortunately I don't think the writer read it for the second time before submitting it or went through a proper process of editing.
The book is so inconsistent. The plot does not add up. And loopholes in character and world building are the size of Russia.
Pleaaaaaaaaaaase, read what you write. What differentiate a book from rambling is the seriousness of the execution.
I don't care what your plot is (smutty or otherwise) But stay consistent to what you chose and do better.
July 4, 2023
A solid 3.5 stars!
Wow what a fun and dark(ish) book! I loved how Harper grew throughout and never lost sight of who she was. She didn’t let her circumstances get the better of her not use them as an excuse to give up. Just the opposite actually! She came out swinging and doggedly fighting for her due.
Then we have Christian, the typical privileged trust fund rich boy who feels the world is his oyster and that all should bow down for being allowed in his presence. He treated women like cattle of course but they allowed it so…
This was his world until Harper got on his radar and everything changed! This is their story of how they came together and became unstoppable. A really great read that I initial started on either Vella or Radish but was super excited to see it here on Kindle for the finish!
All in all a juicy little read with just enough alpha possessiveness to satisfy my thirst! 😂
Wow what a fun and dark(ish) book! I loved how Harper grew throughout and never lost sight of who she was. She didn’t let her circumstances get the better of her not use them as an excuse to give up. Just the opposite actually! She came out swinging and doggedly fighting for her due.
Then we have Christian, the typical privileged trust fund rich boy who feels the world is his oyster and that all should bow down for being allowed in his presence. He treated women like cattle of course but they allowed it so…
This was his world until Harper got on his radar and everything changed! This is their story of how they came together and became unstoppable. A really great read that I initial started on either Vella or Radish but was super excited to see it here on Kindle for the finish!
All in all a juicy little read with just enough alpha possessiveness to satisfy my thirst! 😂
September 28, 2023
3.5 Stars. I liked this book. It held my attention. Christian is a rich, jaded HS student/manwhore when the book begins. It doesn't take long for Harper to capture his attention. The problem is that there isn't a really good reason or transition from MW to monogamous obsessive boyfriend. One minute he is blackmailing her into cleaning his house, etc, and the next, he is all about her.
Again, the romance relies on extremely unlikely coincidence and Pollyanna's a lot of the plot at the end to make Harper's life easier. On the other side, the author makes the villains all one dimensional and unredeemable so there is no nuance to any of that plot driver. This feels dumbed down and lazy but I think it's also possibly just a new author that could use a seasoned editor.
Where is Christians and Adrian's dad during all of this? The mom plays a part but we never here from the dad.
I'm going to give her next book a try.
Again, the romance relies on extremely unlikely coincidence and Pollyanna's a lot of the plot at the end to make Harper's life easier. On the other side, the author makes the villains all one dimensional and unredeemable so there is no nuance to any of that plot driver. This feels dumbed down and lazy but I think it's also possibly just a new author that could use a seasoned editor.
Where is Christians and Adrian's dad during all of this? The mom plays a part but we never here from the dad.
I'm going to give her next book a try.
February 6, 2024
The author uses book stuffing practices to make this book seem longer than what it's listed for.
Each chapter page is 2/3 white space; text messages are formatted incorrectly; paragraph indents take 8 spaces; one chapter is double spaced.
The author also doesn't use proper verbiage; if she wants to talk about drug dealing, attempted sexual assault and orgies, she should use "grown up" words i.e., use kill or murder and not unalive. The written word isn't TikTok, no need to censor.
There were so many errors in the book it felt like the author uploaded her rough draft and sent it off to publication.
The plot had many holes and was surface level. The author should take some creative writing workshops to help develop her talent.
Each chapter page is 2/3 white space; text messages are formatted incorrectly; paragraph indents take 8 spaces; one chapter is double spaced.
The author also doesn't use proper verbiage; if she wants to talk about drug dealing, attempted sexual assault and orgies, she should use "grown up" words i.e., use kill or murder and not unalive. The written word isn't TikTok, no need to censor.
There were so many errors in the book it felt like the author uploaded her rough draft and sent it off to publication.
The plot had many holes and was surface level. The author should take some creative writing workshops to help develop her talent.
July 20, 2023
The reason for Christian not really hitting on Harper earlier was a little stupid to me, but I find that it usually is when it comes to these types of books. It also felt as they didn't seem like highschoolers, but that also seems to generally be the case with this style book. However, Christian and Harper were so cute when they finally got together. He gave off the alpha male vibe which is always a good time. Their friend group was great and all of them were great characters. I'm so glad Harper got the last word/say with her mom and that she finally got the "family" she deserved. She was such a sweetheart and really deserved the happy ending she got.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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