Thrill Ride

by Rachel Hawthorne

Thrill Ride!
One-day admission: $15

Summer job:

Pros:
Living on my own (plus roommates)
Rides are free (but avoid the roller coasters—too scary!)
Super-hot coworker . . .

Cons:
Periodic homesickness
Dressing like Gretel for job in fairyland gift shop
Super-hot coworker . . . and boyfriend back home. Too thrilling!

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Young Adult Romance, Summer, Teen

297 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2006

About the author

aka Jade Parker and also writes with her son as J.A. London
(also writes romance under Lorraine Heath)

Rachel Hawthorne, who also writes as Lorraine Heath and Jade Parker, is the daughter of a British beauty (her mother won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero-who played the Joker on the old Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Herts, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan. She enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.

When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She writes for both adult and young adult readers. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Americana historicals. Her novels have been recognized with a RITA, Romance Writers of America’s most prestigious award for excellence, a HOLT medallion award honoring outstanding literary fiction, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, five Texas Gold Awards, the Golden Quill Award, the Rising Star Award as well as other awards and recognitions. Her novels have been selections of the Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Club. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA Today, Waldenbooks, and most recently, the New York Times.

Reviews

[Nomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini review: This is the kind of book I would have loved reading as a young teen ~ older YA characters (love interest Parker is 19), a predictable swoon-y romance and a sweet (predictable) plot. It didn't have a lot of tension (except towards the end) but there was a fab setting and a cute guy to keep things moving along.

In terms of style and execution, it got a similar vibe to (although plot is obviously very different).

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Rachel Hawthorne's books. I can always count on picking up one of her books and getting exactly what I want from them, a quick fast, sweet read that will give you that "awww" moment that you are looking for.
You know the reads.
The fluff reads you need on a bad day that will put a smile on your face and melt your heart just a little bit.
I love stories like that. I know some don't so I would imagine these books wouldn't be for everyone but I love to read something light and fluffy every now, I am after all a hopeless romantic.

So, if you want just a feel good read Rachel Hawthorne's books are definitely for you.

And while this book wasn't earth shattering or life changing it is still worth the read.

I love reading about teenagers that find themselves and find love in the process as well.
Those that are willing to jump in head first and just take a chance on love, knowing very well they may get a broken heart in the process but a lot of great memories to take with them either way.

This is a great summer read or just a great read if you are looking for something to put a little more brightness in your day.

[Laurence R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should really stop reading cheesy YA novels that are intended for younger readers. I'm not too old for most YA novels yet, but I think I am for some of them. I've learned my lesson! I actually did enjoy the relationship between the characters, though. It's the lack of maturity/intelligence (I'm sorry, I really don't want to be mean, I just think the the characters acted stupidly a few times) that made me realize that I can't force myself to read such novels when I've sadly grown out of them.

[Dayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The protagonist was kind of a buzzkill, but I loved Parker.

I'm just trying to get over the nostalgia of the early 2000's when I was in high school. Orlando Bloom, IM, DSL connections, and when Dipping Dots were popular made me all nostalgic for my teenage years. I remember going to the bookstore and finding these books on the new "Young Adult" shelves--which were like 3 or so shelves at the time.

Super quick and light reading for the summer!

Happy reading!

[Zoeisbookhooked · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes I read this because I was obsessed w the cute lil cover. Did I waste a borrow from hoopla? Yes.

We this just made me feel physically Gross. Carnivals make me feel unclean and the whole story made me feel dirty😂 and like ewww Parker he knew she had a boyfriend like honestly he fell in love w her over the phone bc of her voice. And ugh no this was not cute

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but it was different than I thought it would be. Good different though :)

So Thrill Ride is a book about a girl named Megan who goes to work at a theme park called "Thrill Ride!"(no, really?) over the summer, leaving her boyfriend, Nick, sister, Sarah, and Mom (who always fight), and her dad at home. The funny thing is, Megan doesn't even like roller coasters. She only wants to get away from her mom and Sarah, who are planning a wedding for Sarah and can't seem to agree on anything. And then there's always the benefit of a weekly paycheck. So Megan is thrilled (haha) when she gets a job there for the summer even if it means leaving her boyfriend of three months (who's not too happy that shes leaving) behind.
When Megan gets to the dorms, and meets her roommate, Jordan, she's not impressed. Jordan IS nice, but in that head-cheerleader sort of way, and she's really disorganized, the opposite of Megan. And it appears that Jordan has three boyfriends, including Parker...Who seems to like Megan and Megan might too. After Parker's constant nagging, she tells him that she has a boyfriend, but it would be great if they could be friends. So they ARE friends. But there's a lot that Megan doesn't know about Parker, including how much she really likes him...

I really liked the end of this book. A lot of things happened that I didn't expect, but I liked them anyway. By the way, the whole "Megan doesn't know stuff about Parker" thing, isn't anything bad. He's not like a serial killer or something, so if you're not a fan of that kind of stuff, don't worry about it :) You should read this book and more of Rachel's books. They're all so good, and I really liked them :D hope this review helped :)

[Zoe and the Edge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
I liked this book. It's not particularly spectacular, but I enjoyed it. All the characters are likeable, the plot is pleasant, and the delivery is excellent. I guess I just wanted more.

I thought it might take me a while to get into this book because it looks kind of teeny bopper. Don't let the cover fool you. The heroine, Megan, is 17 years old. Fortunately, I could relate to her right away. Megan is a surprisingly great gal. I liked her little observations and the fact that she doesn't let her sulky boyfriend push her around. Every time I think she's going to do something dumb, she doesn't – I had quite the girl crush on her.

Jordan is Megan's roomie. She's a hyperactive girl who loves life and loves people.

Jordan - “Can't have a sad roomie. I was starting to suffer from second-hand break-up. You know? Like second-hand smoke?"

Megan's relationship with Parker starts over the phone, when Megan answers it for Jordan. I love this idea! The pair have no idea what the other looks like and they're just flirting away whenever Parker rings for Jordan. Even better, Megan holds her own against Parker's suggestive comments and his bid at trying to rattle her.

"Dark hair," he said quietly.
"What?"
"You have dark hair."
"What does it matter?"
"Your voice sounds exotic."
"Well, I'm not. I'll tell Jordan you called."
"No, don't tell her. Like I said, I called to talk to you."

I enjoyed their conversations immensely. Parker jokes around a lot but he's pretty intense about winning Megan.

Overall, a nice little summer read but nothing to gush about.

[♡ ming ♡˚౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was 14 or 15 and I can't count how many times I've reread it. It's what got me hooked on love stories and happily-ever-afters; and Rachel Hawthorne's young teen/contemporary romance novels were what pushed me to start writing my own stories - so yes, I am very thankful for this book and other ones similar to it.

Rereading it again a decade later brings back the nostalgic feelings of puppy dog crushes, thinking you're falling in love, heartbreaks, and just being young. It may not be the best writing, but for all the emotions and memories it brings, I have to say Thrill Ride is still a favorite. Plus, the girl in me still falls for Parker every time.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute summery read! The protagonist Megan is working at an amusement park for the summer to escape wedding planning for her sister. She has left her boyfriend Nick back home, and meets a bunch of new people.

Parker was great. I loved him and I thought he was really sweet to Megan. I also enjoyed Megan’s roommate Jordan. Nick was obnoxious, and I felt bad for Megan as she wrestled with her feelings for him.

Like Hawthorne’s other book, The Boyfriend League, this book was very dated. There were references to early 2000s pop culture that don’t exist any more, like The OC (how long has THAT been off the air?), cell phones that aren’t smart phones, and instant messages/emails rather than texts as communication. It definitely dated the book, but didn’t detract from it, as I enjoyed the stroll down memory lane.

The plot was predictable, but I still liked it.

[Corinne Morier · Rating 1 out of 5]

THANK U NEXT

Imminent swearing is imminent so here's your obligatory NSFW warning.

So y'all should know, before I launch into this rant, that I am definitely within the target audience. I read almost exclusively YA, and I am trash for books about/set at theme parks, due to the fact that I work at a theme park and have recently become obsessed with Rollercoaster Tycoon. So I should have loved this, or at least felt rather amicable about it. But no. This book is an absolute shitshow and I am literally going to toss it into the recycling bin once I finish writing this review because there is nothing good about this book and if it gets recycled, it might be able to get taken apart and made into something that's actually useful.

Oh, and I should also add here: Usually, when I review a book, even if it's hella negative, I can still see how other people might enjoy it and so I would usually give a disclaimer of this is my own personal opinion, blah blah, if you like this book, you do you, but THERE IS LITERALLY NO REDEEMING QUALITY ABOUT THIS BOOK. IT IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE, IT ROMANTICIZES ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, AND I AM JUDGING ANYONE WHO READS THIS REVIEW AND SAYS "BUT THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD." NO. NO IT IS NOT. IT IS TRASH AND IT IS GOING IN THE TRASH AND YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND.

To this book's credit, I do acknowledge that the back advertised the love triangle thing. I have been known to hate the love triangle trope, because it's like GAWD JUST MAKE UP YOUR MIND ALREADY YOU INDECISIVE BITCH. I don't mind a love triangle as long as it's done well (like in The Hunger Games when Katniss had to choose between Peeta or Gale but she literally could not do either because choosing Gale would put her family at risk and choosing Peeta would be like sacrificing her personal morals because she is only pretending to love him for the cameras) but if there is a love triangle, it will never be my favorite part of the book and I will need extra shipping bait in order to not trash it in my review. So joke's on me for picking up a book with a trope I know I can't stand.

But what the back did NOT advertise was the hate-to-love. Hate-to-tolerance-that-Megan-thinks-is-love is more like it. Put a note on that, I'll come back to it. And I also acknowledge that I did like the first couple of chapters in that Megan wrote in her notebook the pros and cons of a certain decision in order to figure out what she wanted to do. But put a Post-It note on that, too, because I'm not done talking about this--Hawthorne kinda shot herself in the foot with this concept later on in the book, and I'll come back to this aspect in a bit.

Okay, so remember how earlier I said I work at a theme park? Yeah, obviously Hawthorne has never done the same herself. That's fine--working at a theme park isn't for everyone, and sometimes you just don't have the opportunity or skills to do the job. But when you decide to write a novel about someone who works at a theme park, you'd better do your fucking research because you will inevitably get people like me reading your book! Did Hawthorne ever bother to interview anyone who works at a theme park? Or watch the multitude of Youtube channels that are out there by creators who talk about how they work at Disneyland and what the job is like? Or even just do a bit of Googling? I think not, because on page 35, we get our first red flag (this is Megan telling her older sister Sarah about her new job):

I laughed. "Sarah, I had to sign a blood oath that I would ask for only one weekend off all summer."

Uh, WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK. First off, I'm pretty sure she's joking about the blood oath thing (please someone tell me she's joking here), but second, WHATHTEFUCKKINDOFJOBWOULDMAKESUCHADEMAND. I have worked several part-time jobs to this date and only one of them actually made such a demand of me, which turned out to be bullshit because our boss was a douche who tried to cheat me out of my hard-earned pay and outright refused me the ability to seek medical attention when I got what turned out to be pneumonia. He's just lucky I didn't sue his ass for all it was worth. And David, if you're reading this, yes, I am talking about you, I'm still salty about Toshi refusing to let me go to the doctor and making me clean the office while I was coughing my lungs out (and because he was your direct subordinate, his decision reflects on you), and I don't feel any regret saying this because I'm not using you as a reference for any future jobs anyway, so HA. But this (Megan needing to "sign a blood oath to not take off too much time") should have been a HUGE RED FLAG, if not for Megan, then for Sarah, who should have told Megan to quit IMMEDIATELY, get her arse home, and find a new job because the theme park was doing some shady business. Of course, if you're going to work a job, whether it be part or full time, you have to be able to work a certain amount of hours and you don't want to take too much time off, but this is implying no, this is OUTRIGHT SAYING, that Megan wouldn't be allowed to go home even in the case of an emergency or something. I'm getting literal flashbacks to the aforementioned job where I was outright refused medical attention. And because this moment reminded me of that awful job experience, I'm sinning this book regardless for that.

On to the next thing. You remember how I said that Sarah didn't tell Megan to get her butt home immediately because her bosses were doing some shady business? Yeah, Sarah SUCKS. I mean, all the characters suck, but she sucks the most. Throughout the ENTIRE book, she's a whiny little petulant child who can't do anything without her younger sister by her side, even though she's an ADULT about to get MARRIED. She can't pick out a wedding dress, even if she's got her best friend and her mother helping her--Megan has to quit her job (which, putting aside the shady business thing for a minute, is a STUPID reason for Megan to quit) so she can go home and help Sarah with the wedding. Instead of, y'know, Sarah TALKING to their mother like the ADULT she is.

Oh, I WISH I could say that Sarah was the worst character in this book, but she was only mildly annoying compared to some of the others. I'll come back to this.

Back to the theme-park-inaccuracy thing. Page 147, we're having a conversation with Megan, her "love interest" Parker (quotation marks are intentional there) and a few other park workers. They're talking about the recent rainstorm that caused the park to shut down, and Parker, who runs the Magnum Force roller coaster, starts talking about how "we talked about trying to get the people down, but man, do you know how high that thing is?"

Apparently, they just left the riders at the top of the lift hill for several hours in the pouring rain. SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW THIS THEME PARK IS STILL IN BUSINESS BECAUSE LAWSUITS. There is LITERALLY ONE Youtube video Hawthorne would have needed to watch to know all she needed to know about roller coasters to be able to write a character who operates one.







Screencaps from Roller Coaster Safety: Explained" via Coaster Bot on Youtube

And yes, I did say earlier that I work at a theme park, and yes, I do operate the rides, but due to the fact that our main customers are small children who come with their parents, we have only family-friendly rides like merry-go-rounds, Ferris wheels, and a mini-train that clocks a maximum of about 8 MPH. So how come someone like me, who has never operated a roller coaster in her life and is only using her knowledge of how small "kiddie" rides are operated, knows more about roller coaster operations than a young man who is in charge of a roller coaster and an author who is writing about said young man operating a roller coaster? Fellow writers, take note: even if you don't know as much as the experts in a certain subject, you should know at least as much as your readers so you don't come off looking like a giant jackass who's just taking advantage of a particular setting in order to draw in more readers.



Now, if the underlying story had been at least tolerable, this might have been one of those three-star reads where I was like "Haha, this book is totally inaccurate to the setting but I guess the cheesy romance is kinda cute so I'll give it three stars and toss it to the thrift store so someone else can love it more." BUT THIS IS LITERALLY THE WORST BOOK I'VE EVER READ. AND I READ THE MEMORY KEEPER'S DAUGHTER WHICH TURNS A GIRL WITH DOWN SYNDROME INTO A PLOT DEVICE. THIS IS WORSE THAN THAT.

Dear authors, can we please stop with the romances (especially in kidlit) where
1. Guy decides girl is cute
2. Guy stalks girl and harasses her
3. Girl tells guy to eff off
4. Guy stalks and harasses girl more (bonus points if he blackmails her in the process!)
5. Girl decides she loves guy
6. Guy gets girl

BECAUSE THAT IS LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENS HERE. CAN THIS PLEASE NOT BE A THING ANYMORE. PLEASE. I AM BEGGING YOU. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER GOOD WAYS TO MAKE TWO CHARACTERS FALL IN LOVE.

Yeah, if you couldn't tell, this is how Megan and Parker "fall in love." I say that in quotation marks because if what they have is love, then I'm a unicorn. Parker stalks and harasses her, ignores her when she tells him to eff off, gaslights her about her disinterest in roller coasters and insists that it's because of a phobia, and then KISSES HER AGAINST HER WILL and she just... falls for him? I mean, a relationship that pushes you out of your comfort zone is one thing but this is just downright BULLSHIT.

Oh, and don't even get me STARTED on Nick, who is Megan's boyfriend from back home. At first he seems like kind of a sweet guy and you think that it'll end by Megan and Nick spending the summer apart, growing more self-confident as individuals, then reuniting at the end of the summer and forging a stronger bond than they ever did before. And if that had been the way this book ended, that would have really fixed a lot of the problems in my eyes and maybe earned it more than just a measly one star. But Nick... OH MY GOD NICK COULD YOU BE ANY MORE CHAUVINISTIC. He starts getting hella petulant with Megan over the phone because he's annoyed that they can't share any physical affection (I'm not even going to TOUCH that garbage pile of bullshit) and then eventually gets so annoyed that he gives Megan an ultimatum, to either quit her job and come back home or break up with him.

Allow me to repeat: OH MY GOD NICK COULD YOU BE ANY MORE CHAUVINISTIC.

And how does this book end, you may ask? Megan breaks up with Nick (good riddance) but then instead of realizing that she's a strong independent woman and both the potential boyfriends she's been thinking about treat her like shit so neither of them deserve her unless they're willing to treat her with more respect, she just starts dating Parker because "I don't have to write in my Decision-Maker to figure out decisions about him."

Girl, I WISH you would write in your decision-maker notebook. Maybe then you'd see how he treats you like absolute SHIT and you need to have more self-respect and tell him to eff the fuck off.

In conclusion, this book is trash, it's going in the trash, you can't change my mind, and it glorifies abusive relationships and is not worth the paper it's printed on, so the only honor it deserves is the honor of being the first book I actually put in the garbage rather than just tossing to the thrift store or giving to someone else.

[Gonzalezgkurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Liked so much this book

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a friend who once said that he was against long distance relationships because most of the time, it never works. Nick and Megan are the perfect example of that. Like my friend said, it takes two to make it work. It takes a tremendous amount of trust and effort to keep the relationship going.

I guess if you really want to make it work, then the relationship will work out.

Though I haven't been in one of those LDR's yet, I know its hard to be in one, so I guess I can relate to Megan's predicament a bit. And I guess one of the classic pitfalls of LDR's is shown quite prominently in the story. Falling for someone else while you're away from the one you're in a relationship with.

I needed to read something that wouldn't really require me to think that much and feel as mushy as possible, and I guess this book did it for me.

It was a really fun read, and I did have fun. I was a bit surprised it got quite serious in the end, but I guess I loved it. That this isn't just an ordinary romantic read.

I was really rooting for her and Parker up to the end.

Hah, and I know about that roller coaster and carousel symbolism. Carousels are for people who wanted to be on the safe side. The roller coasters are for those who would dare. It was scary, but the thrill you get is always worth the scare.

I'm glad Megan was finally able to take the risk to ride the roller coaster, and to stay with Parker.

[Ashley (JaffaCaffa) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this book isn't a revolutionary masterpiece but it was my go to, feel good book (besides Harry Potter) as a young teen. A sweet romance that wasn't too romance-filled, in an amusement park and lots of fun. The ending made me smile every time and I was able to relate to Megan, being afraid of heights myself. I actually went on my first roller coaster soon after reading this, when I was ~12 years old. Yay for getting out of your comfort zone! I'm guessing if my 22-year-old self were to re-read this now, I would be a bit disappointed and underwhelmed. (I started re-reading another book by Rachel Hawthorne, Snowed In, and stopped after 30 pages because I realised how much younger and tame it was compared to what I remembered.) That said, it isn't really targeted for my age group. It's meant to be a simple, fun, easy summer read (and always has been, even when I was younger)!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG I loved Parker! I think now I have a HUGE crush on him!
And such chemistry between him and Megan! Wow! Sparks flying, butterflies in stomach, fireworks.. that sorta thing. Wow!

[Sam Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a cute quick break between books.

[Douglaseng04]

Destinie Daniel ENG 204

Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?

The book “Thrill Ride” by Rachel Hawthorne was a very interesting book. I especially enjoyed the part when the main character Megan being carried back to her dorm by a male co-worker that she likes because she hurt her foot. Then Megan’s sister finds her in the other guy’s arms even thought she has a boyfriend. Maybe it fulfilled my expectation a little to much, it was a little obvious how the book was going to end once you read half of it. I wasn’t disappointed at all and I thought it was a great book.

How did the book compare to the other books by the author (or other books in the same genre)?

I have read many books by Rachel hawthorn and I think that most of them end alike.
They end with the girl getting the guy. Other than one that I’ve read where she doesn’t get the guy, which is “The Boyfriend League”.

What about the plot? Did it pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?

The plot was a tiny bit confusing because it seemed like Jordan, one of the characters, had like four boyfriends but then you figure out that one of them is her brother and one is her boyfriend and the other two are just friends. The book pulled me in right away, maybe because i love romance novels.

Were the characters realistic? Would you want to meet any of the characters? Did you like them? Hate them?

Yes the characters were realistic. I don't think I would want to meet them that much because they were described well in the book but maybe just to see what they really look like. The only character I didnt like was Nick , Megan's boyfriend, because he was cheating on her.

Did the characters actions seem plausible? Why? Why not?

The characters actions were very plausible like when Megan and her friends went swimming in the lake and she stepped on a piece of glass or something, so then she had to go to the hospital.

How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place?

The story would be totally different if the story was at a different time because if it was one year before Megan wouldn't be able to work at the amusement park because she wouldn't be old enough. And if she worked somewhere else would not be away from her boyfriend or family, she also wouldn't have met the people she met.

Did the book end the way you expected?

Like I said at the beginning once I read half of the book it was a little obvious how the book was going end. And that was how I expected the book to end.

Would you recommend this book to other readers? To close friend?

Yes I would recommend it to female readers because I liked it. I would recommend it to female readers because its a romance novel and I don't think guys would like it. I've lent this book to a couple of my friends and they both liked it.

On a scale of 1-10 what would you give this book- what would make it better?

On a scale of 1-10 I would give "Thrill Ride" an 8 because it was very interesting and I loved it. Also because I love romance novels.

[JenniferJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cant tell you how much I enjoyed this book! I gobbled it up in one sitting and was hoping for more! A totally cute romantic story for any young reader and I recommend it even if your not a young adult! It was just so upbeat and fun but there were times that I really wanted to smack Megan just because I felt she was a little tooooo goody goody if you know what I mean? She would kind of prejudge folks like for example before she ever met her roomate she already had decided she was a slob and maybe a party gal with several boyfriends just because she had not put her things away all neatly and boys were phoning left n right. I'm like Helllooo so what if she didnt immediately put her things away the time she got there that doesnt make her a slob and then when Parker kept trying to get to know her she just kept being so rude in my opinion just because she had a boyfriend and she assumed he was one of her roomates boyfriends doesnt mean they couldnt be friends!

Even though I loved ranting about Megan like I said the book was awesome. Megan just rubbed me the wrong way....guess ya could tell? :)

[Pearl Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

My cousin recommended this book to me mostly because of one particular character (coughcoughParker) and all I can say is, she was right. Parker was my favourite character obviously. He was this very gripping character that made me swoon almost all of the time. One specific twist was pretty amusing, although kind of predictable. It was funny nonetheless. Megan is a smart protagonist. She's not an annoying little teenager that spends most of her time acting like a lovesick puppy dog. She actually considers her actions, and I sort of related to her with her fear of rollercoasters. Well, I like rollercoasters now, but a huge part of my childhood was dedicated to avoiding these automated amusements. Anyway, I liked the story. It was happy and funny and cute and it made me smile. Some parts were kind of weird, but Parker and Hadley are ugh. So yes, recommended for those looking for short, fluffy reads. :)

[uniquareads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edit: re-read may 23, 2020 and just now realized how toxic nick was and how hypocritical Megan was as a character lmao wowwwwww. Definitely not my favorite book anymore😿😿😿 3/5 stars

This has been, AND always will be, my favorite book in the entire world. I just love Rachel Hawthorne's writing style. This book resonates with me for so many reasons, but at a time in my life I read this and I fell in love with every single character. Megan is just amazing, and her wanting to go away for a summer makes perfect since considering everything that she's going through back home. Parker is a very well written character. If I could choose my first book crush, it would DEFINTELY be Parker. I loved everything about him. I loved everything about this book. It's well written, very well executed and a quick fast read. I understand it doesn't pertain to those in my age group, but maaan oh maaaaaan do I love me some Trashy YA novels. 5/5 stars

[Natshane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy...i think I'm hyperventilating, just because of the read! Thrill ride definitely got my adrenaline pumping all right. Parker is sweet and I liked when they first 'talked', it was funny and hot, he surely has a very straight flirting sense. And not to mention, I think I cried towards the end, 'trust me.' I love those words! Nick is being a jerk but Megan totally deserves Parker, he is romantic, considerate, loving, you name it. Plus, he is the total opposite of the 'safe zone' I can't believe I finished reading another of Rachel's book in one day. Overall, LOVE THIS BOOK!

[TeaRra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book I've read it 3 times, it's all about giving people a chance, because yo never know who you may fall in love with. The protagonist Megan has a very pessemistic idea about her roommate being very promscuous, when the whole time she has had one boyfriend and the other guys were brothers, and friends' boyfriends. She gives her roommate's brother Parker a hard time when in the meantime she falls in love with him over her own boyfriend

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book moved a bit on the slow side. It seemed all the character did was get up, go to work, worry about 'cheating' on her boyfriend at home, worry about having more than friendship feelings for one of her co-workers, back to the dorm and sleep. Page after page of this with nary an exciting event.

Picked up towards the end but not enough to save it. While I really enjoy other books by this author, this one just wasn't up to par.

[Mirela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute, romance. I felt that it was easy to read and slightly predictable. I still loved the details and some of the hidden messages in the book. Taking chances, and letting your decisions come spntaniously is a key thing in life. You cannot life your like by pros and cons. Sometimes you just have to jump right in.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first book I read by Hawthorne was Love on the Lifts. And that was a great book. I picked this up expecting to run along the same lines. And I was disappointed. It wasn't interesting at all, much. I wish the back had a more detailed blurb. There was nothing in this book for me that made me WOW. 2/5 stars

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting of this book is in an amusement park who wouldn't be amused by it ?
I read this book a long time ago and don't remember half of it but I can tell you it's amusing, humorous and an easy read. But what I didn't like was the sparkle of their love. I mean do people really fall in love with each other quickly ?

[Carla ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The burden of proving love is always on the guy..

ha! totally!

i love it!
as usual, a book by Rachel Hawthorne is always a super fun and quick read :D

[Book_freak · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top Rachel Hawthorne romcoms. Parker <3

[Nada Al-Karmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cheesy but great for a quick read.

[Mariyah Jaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I really enjoyed the amusement park setting, especially because I love rollercoasters myself. With the lake, the beach, the lake house, the rollercoasters and the carousel, Thrill Ride is the perfect book to bask in all the summer vibes!

Although some of the characters were underdeveloped, it is so evident that Megan built so many strong friendships at her summer job, which were very fun to read about, especially between her and her roommate Jordan.

This roommate/friend’s brother romance trope was very fun, lighthearted and humorous to read. I didn’t love the cheating trope, but I also didn’t love the way that Nick, Megan’s boyfriend back home, always made her feel guilty for choosing to take on this summer job and his lack of support towards her. I do love that Megan redefined what love means to her post heartbreak and took a leap of faith, taking a chance on a new love with Parker, a kind of love she has never experienced before; a kind of love that genuinely excites her.

I love the way that Parker shows genuine care for Megan and goes above and beyond to make her happy. And I love all their cute, humorous and swoony moments together. You will definitely find yourself saying “aww” at many points throughout this novel.

I also very much appreciated Joe’s cameo appearance in this book and him talking about his relationship with Kate (from Love on the Lifts). It was a very lovely surprise!

Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for a fun, fluffy, quick, summery, feel-good beach read.

"...That relationships were a lot like rollercoasters, filled with highs and lows, terrifying split seconds, and awesome moments when you simply enjoyed the ride." <3

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars because I have a bit of nostalgia love for this baby.

I read this book first when I was 11 ish??? And then last year when I had a summer job I couldn’t stop thinking about it and spent like 3 months searching it up only knowing the basic plot and having no clue about the title or authors name. I found it cried and bought it.

This book to me is like a nice relaxing bath. I was obsessed with this author and still kinda am. The only reason I’m not rating it 5 stars is because I’m well aware I read it through rose coloured glasses of youth and know it’s got flaws. I just don’t want to name them.