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If Only . . . #1
Fool Me Twice
Mackenzie and Landon were the perfect couple . . . until he dumped her and broke her heart. Fast-forward a year and they're back where they first met—Serenity Ranch and Spa, where they are once again working together for the summer. Talk about awkward.
Then, Landon takes a nasty fall and gets amnesia. Suddenly, he’s stuck in the past—literally. His most recent memory is of last summer, when he and Mack were still together, so now he’s calling her pet names and hanging all over her. It's the perfect chance for revenge. The plan is simple: keep Landon at arm’s length, manipulate him so he’s the one falling love, and then BAM, dump him. There’s just one problem: Mack can’t fall for Landon all over again.
The If Only romance line is all about wanting what you can't have, and Mandy Hubbard's hilarious break-up/love story is sure to captivate anyone who has ever wished for a second shot at love.
Then, Landon takes a nasty fall and gets amnesia. Suddenly, he’s stuck in the past—literally. His most recent memory is of last summer, when he and Mack were still together, so now he’s calling her pet names and hanging all over her. It's the perfect chance for revenge. The plan is simple: keep Landon at arm’s length, manipulate him so he’s the one falling love, and then BAM, dump him. There’s just one problem: Mack can’t fall for Landon all over again.
The If Only romance line is all about wanting what you can't have, and Mandy Hubbard's hilarious break-up/love story is sure to captivate anyone who has ever wished for a second shot at love.
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2014
31 people are currently reading
4213 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Hubbard
11 books812 followersMandy Hubbard is the author of PRADA & PREJUDICE and YOU WISH, both novels for teens now in stores. In 2011, her releases include BUT I LOVE HIM (written as Amanda Grace) and RIPPLE. She is also a literary agent for D4EO Literary Agency. For more information, visit her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
April 27, 2016
2.5 stars
Watch your step, my pretties, there's an awful lot of cheese lying around. Don't step in the fluff either.
Fool Me Twice was one of my most anticipated books of 2014. It sounded like a light, fluffy read and a revenge storyline involving a scorned ex-girlfriend and an amnesic douchebag? Sign me up immediately.
Sadly, I got way too much of the fluff and not enough of the evil plotting.
The story follows our protagonist, Mack, who was totally blindsided when her boyfriend, Landon, broke up with her after a summer of whirlwind romance. He does this by making out with his ex-girlfriend in front of her. A year later, they're working together on a ranch again, and Landon accidentally gets amnesia from falling off a horse so he thinks it's currently the previous summer and him and Mack are still together. Mack decides to get revenge by making him fall in love with her and then dump him on his sorry ass.
A lot apparently, but let's kick off with the good stuff:
-It's a fast read. I zoomed through this baby in two hours. I had a 2000-word essay on sushi chefs (don't ask) waiting on my laptop, but I couldn't stop reading. So kudos for that.
Always nice to have you over for a cuppa, procrastination.
-Zero girl-on-girl hate. The best friend, Bailey, is a gorgeous bombshell with boys hanging over her every word yet Mack never hates on her for it. She does occasionally wish she could be more like her, but that's it. Even Landon's ex-girlfriend, the one he dumped Mack for, isn't painted as a man-stealing whore. She's complimented and made out to be a very nice and forgiving person.
Yay for girl love!
-There are horses. Everyone loves ponies.
Now for the not-so-good stuff:
-It requires a tremendous amount of suspension of disbelief. I can accept the amnesia thing, but do you mean to tell that no one, no one told Landon that it's year 2014 or whatever year it's supposed to be in the book? Even if there aren't a lot of calenders around the ranch as Mack claims, there's still the Internet. We clearly see the characters accessing Facebook. Wouldn't Landon find it a teensy bit weird that there's a whole year of posts he never made? You're basically setting yourself up to fail.
A better plan would be to tell Landon that hey, you took a nasty fall, it's the year 2014 and FYI, I've been your girlfriend the whole time! It'd still cause a lot of complications, but less than pretending it's 2013. A lot has happened since then. You don't want him freaking out over Google Glass or something.
-Bechdel Test fail. All Bailey and Mack talk about are guys, either it's Landon or whatever boy toy Bailey is fooling around with at the time.
Also, did I mention that it contains a boy-crazy BFF? Three of my most recent reads have this and I am freaking sick of it. There's even a cliche side plot with Bailey finally meeting a guy that doesn't bend over every time she snaps her fingers and consequentially, falls in love with him.
I get that this isn't necessarily the book's fault, but this filly is getting old. Time to throw it out along with the bitchy cheerleader trope.
-I can't see why Mack loves Landon. He's like every stereotypical paranormal male lead out there. All we know about him is that he's hot because Mack constantly reminds us of his abs and muscular arms. Oh, and he's a cowboy and cocky in an asshole kind of way. Just mash up Tucker from Unearthly with Patch from Hush, Hush and you have yourself a Landon. Later on, Mack finds out he has daddy issues and loves him even more. Because every woman wants to fix a man.
-The part that really makes me mad is the ending
But on whole, it wasn't a bad book, just too sugar-coated for my tastes. If you're a fan of light, fluffy reads like Anna and the French Kiss, this'll be right up your alley.
Watch your step, my pretties, there's an awful lot of cheese lying around. Don't step in the fluff either.
Fool Me Twice was one of my most anticipated books of 2014. It sounded like a light, fluffy read and a revenge storyline involving a scorned ex-girlfriend and an amnesic douchebag? Sign me up immediately.
Sadly, I got way too much of the fluff and not enough of the evil plotting.
The story follows our protagonist, Mack, who was totally blindsided when her boyfriend, Landon, broke up with her after a summer of whirlwind romance. He does this by making out with his ex-girlfriend in front of her. A year later, they're working together on a ranch again, and Landon accidentally gets amnesia from falling off a horse so he thinks it's currently the previous summer and him and Mack are still together. Mack decides to get revenge by making him fall in love with her and then dump him on his sorry ass.
A lot apparently, but let's kick off with the good stuff:
-It's a fast read. I zoomed through this baby in two hours. I had a 2000-word essay on sushi chefs (don't ask) waiting on my laptop, but I couldn't stop reading. So kudos for that.
Always nice to have you over for a cuppa, procrastination.
-Zero girl-on-girl hate. The best friend, Bailey, is a gorgeous bombshell with boys hanging over her every word yet Mack never hates on her for it. She does occasionally wish she could be more like her, but that's it. Even Landon's ex-girlfriend, the one he dumped Mack for, isn't painted as a man-stealing whore. She's complimented and made out to be a very nice and forgiving person.
Yay for girl love!
-There are horses. Everyone loves ponies.
Now for the not-so-good stuff:
-It requires a tremendous amount of suspension of disbelief. I can accept the amnesia thing, but do you mean to tell that no one, no one told Landon that it's year 2014 or whatever year it's supposed to be in the book? Even if there aren't a lot of calenders around the ranch as Mack claims, there's still the Internet. We clearly see the characters accessing Facebook. Wouldn't Landon find it a teensy bit weird that there's a whole year of posts he never made? You're basically setting yourself up to fail.
A better plan would be to tell Landon that hey, you took a nasty fall, it's the year 2014 and FYI, I've been your girlfriend the whole time! It'd still cause a lot of complications, but less than pretending it's 2013. A lot has happened since then. You don't want him freaking out over Google Glass or something.
-Bechdel Test fail. All Bailey and Mack talk about are guys, either it's Landon or whatever boy toy Bailey is fooling around with at the time.
Also, did I mention that it contains a boy-crazy BFF? Three of my most recent reads have this and I am freaking sick of it. There's even a cliche side plot with Bailey finally meeting a guy that doesn't bend over every time she snaps her fingers and consequentially, falls in love with him.
I get that this isn't necessarily the book's fault, but this filly is getting old. Time to throw it out along with the bitchy cheerleader trope.
-I can't see why Mack loves Landon. He's like every stereotypical paranormal male lead out there. All we know about him is that he's hot because Mack constantly reminds us of his abs and muscular arms. Oh, and he's a cowboy and cocky in an asshole kind of way. Just mash up Tucker from Unearthly with Patch from Hush, Hush and you have yourself a Landon. Later on, Mack finds out he has daddy issues and loves him even more. Because every woman wants to fix a man.
-The part that really makes me mad is the ending
But on whole, it wasn't a bad book, just too sugar-coated for my tastes. If you're a fan of light, fluffy reads like Anna and the French Kiss, this'll be right up your alley.
May 29, 2014
I was actually looking forward to this book after reading the synopsis. I may or may not have a little obsession with novels involving second chance romances which is why I jumped aboard this one, and I was let down.
There is WAY too much cheese in this one and so many stereotypes used. The characters were cliche-like and while this bothered me, it didn't bother me nearly as much as the amount of cheese in this book.
At first I thought the main character would genuinely try to get revenge and while she did seem all gungho about it at first, she... fell too easily again and I don' really understand why. From what I understand, they shouldn't have even fallen in 'love' the previous summer seeing that they were not being themselves (from what I understand). And so that would imply she barely knows the guy (after all, they only dated for that one summer and weren't even completely honest) and so after one heartfelt moment, she falls head over heels all over again? Whaaa?
These characters, while on the verge of going to college, could still be seen as teenagers and well, from what I've seen, teenagers are not usually like that in relationships. That isn't to say they cannot be, but these two barely dated and so it just doesn't add up.
With all that said, it wasn't a horrible read per se, the book is short so it flew by and was over pretty quickly and so in the end, I wasn't so much as enraged as I was... icky because gawd that much cheese cannot be good for anyone!
There is WAY too much cheese in this one and so many stereotypes used. The characters were cliche-like and while this bothered me, it didn't bother me nearly as much as the amount of cheese in this book.
At first I thought the main character would genuinely try to get revenge and while she did seem all gungho about it at first, she... fell too easily again and I don' really understand why. From what I understand, they shouldn't have even fallen in 'love' the previous summer seeing that they were not being themselves (from what I understand). And so that would imply she barely knows the guy (after all, they only dated for that one summer and weren't even completely honest) and so after one heartfelt moment, she falls head over heels all over again? Whaaa?
These characters, while on the verge of going to college, could still be seen as teenagers and well, from what I've seen, teenagers are not usually like that in relationships. That isn't to say they cannot be, but these two barely dated and so it just doesn't add up.
With all that said, it wasn't a horrible read per se, the book is short so it flew by and was over pretty quickly and so in the end, I wasn't so much as enraged as I was... icky because gawd that much cheese cannot be good for anyone!
October 17, 2014
Full disclosure: Mandy Hubbard is my agent. That said, I haven't read all of her books, and I think this is the first one I've reviewed on Goodreads. If you know me at all, you know that I'd never let a personal relationship manipulate my rating of a book. ANYWAY.
I bought this because I thought the premise sounded cute: after a boy hits his head and forgets an entire year of his life, his ex-girlfriend pretends they're still together to get her revenge for the way he scorned her. I'm generally not a big one for revenge fantasies (I'm more of a "bury the hatchet" forgiveness type person), so I went into this a little uneasily, because I wasn't sure their HEA romance would be able to overcome whatever revenge she was planning. I was so happy to see that my fears were unfounded, because this book was simply adorable, and I love how Mack began to realize that (very slight character motivation spoiler) is what really drove them apart in the beginning. I loved Mack and Bailey, and Landon was the perfect cowboy boyfriend: charming and kind without seeming like a pushover. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes cute, HEA love stories, especially if you have a tween reader who wants to read "up," but without all the sex. Good clean fun, appropriate for all ages.
I bought this because I thought the premise sounded cute: after a boy hits his head and forgets an entire year of his life, his ex-girlfriend pretends they're still together to get her revenge for the way he scorned her. I'm generally not a big one for revenge fantasies (I'm more of a "bury the hatchet" forgiveness type person), so I went into this a little uneasily, because I wasn't sure their HEA romance would be able to overcome whatever revenge she was planning. I was so happy to see that my fears were unfounded, because this book was simply adorable, and I love how Mack began to realize that (very slight character motivation spoiler) is what really drove them apart in the beginning. I loved Mack and Bailey, and Landon was the perfect cowboy boyfriend: charming and kind without seeming like a pushover. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes cute, HEA love stories, especially if you have a tween reader who wants to read "up," but without all the sex. Good clean fun, appropriate for all ages.
February 20, 2016
Audio listen. I love books involving amnesia. Something about the idea of a clean slate/fresh start/second change. And that is exactly what the character takes advantage of. Her ex-boyfriend broke her heart after a great summer he went back to his old girlfriend. Now spending the next summer at the ranch where they work he falls off his horse and gets amnesia. Her chance to break his heart but with second chances she learns maybe she was part of the break up. Maybe they weren't being true to each other and this time around is their second chance. Cute and fun listen!
Read
November 6, 2013I read this super-fun romance in one night. It was EXACTLY what I needed.
July 26, 2016
3.5
I thought this was cute, this gives the whole “second chance” plot a new twist. Mackenzie and Landon dated the previous summer at the ranch. When they return to school he gets back together with his ex, without officially breaking up with Mack. The book starts a year later when they are both back at the ranch to earn money for college. They haven’t really spoken and Mack is still pretty hurt by how everything played out. So, when Landon bumps his head and gets a case of amnesia (throwing him a year in the past when he thinks they are still together) she decides to take advantage of it and have a little fun with him.
I liked the whole prank thing and how she would do things to try and shake him up, like ordering the most expensive thing on the menu, stealing all his clothes when he goes swimming, etc. The only problem was, he seemed to be enjoying the pranks and just makes him like Mackenzie all over again. I kept waiting for him to figure things out, I mean how can he not know he’s lost a whole year? I wanted the confrontation and to find out WHY he cheated on her and just left her high and dry.
I admit, I had to suspend reality a few times to get through it though. I mean, if someone has a serious enough head injury that he’s lost a whole year, you probably should take him to a doctor. Also, to pull it off you’d have to have a whole lot of people involved. How can he really go two months without realizing the date? Doesn’t he have contact with the outside world?
I liked the story, it was a fun, fluffy type read. I liked Mack okay, I never got a feel that she knew exactly who she was. She wasn’t really herself the last summer they were together and this summer she’s more herself, but also trying really hard to be “what he wants in a perfect girlfriend” so in the end I wasn’t really sure who she was. I didn’t know what to think of Landon, we don’t know his reasons for cheating, so I kind of started on the wrong foot with him. I wouldn’t have been trying to win him back, especially since he cheated and you’ve spent the whole year being ignored by him. I guess my trust level would be really low with him. Mack is too gooey over him. I wanted to see HIM win her back.
Overall, I liked it. I thought it was a fun read and had an original plot.
Content
Romance: Clean
Language: Mild
I thought this was cute, this gives the whole “second chance” plot a new twist. Mackenzie and Landon dated the previous summer at the ranch. When they return to school he gets back together with his ex, without officially breaking up with Mack. The book starts a year later when they are both back at the ranch to earn money for college. They haven’t really spoken and Mack is still pretty hurt by how everything played out. So, when Landon bumps his head and gets a case of amnesia (throwing him a year in the past when he thinks they are still together) she decides to take advantage of it and have a little fun with him.
I liked the whole prank thing and how she would do things to try and shake him up, like ordering the most expensive thing on the menu, stealing all his clothes when he goes swimming, etc. The only problem was, he seemed to be enjoying the pranks and just makes him like Mackenzie all over again. I kept waiting for him to figure things out, I mean how can he not know he’s lost a whole year? I wanted the confrontation and to find out WHY he cheated on her and just left her high and dry.
I admit, I had to suspend reality a few times to get through it though. I mean, if someone has a serious enough head injury that he’s lost a whole year, you probably should take him to a doctor. Also, to pull it off you’d have to have a whole lot of people involved. How can he really go two months without realizing the date? Doesn’t he have contact with the outside world?
I liked the story, it was a fun, fluffy type read. I liked Mack okay, I never got a feel that she knew exactly who she was. She wasn’t really herself the last summer they were together and this summer she’s more herself, but also trying really hard to be “what he wants in a perfect girlfriend” so in the end I wasn’t really sure who she was. I didn’t know what to think of Landon, we don’t know his reasons for cheating, so I kind of started on the wrong foot with him. I wouldn’t have been trying to win him back, especially since he cheated and you’ve spent the whole year being ignored by him. I guess my trust level would be really low with him. Mack is too gooey over him. I wanted to see HIM win her back.
Overall, I liked it. I thought it was a fun read and had an original plot.
Content
Romance: Clean
Language: Mild
January 7, 2015
3.5 stars!
I’ve read my fair share of amnesia books. I’m usually very lucky with them and end up enjoying them, but I’m always a little scared going in. I feel like this subject matter can really ruin a book if not done correctly. I’m happy to say this book handled it adorably. Mix that with a second-chance romance (which is one of my personal faves!) and you’ve got yourself a happy reader over here. :)
It’s summer again, and Mackenzie is back where things all started with her ex, Landon. The prior summer they spent it together, enjoying every second, only to be dumped at the end of the summer. Now she can’t help but miss him, as well as want to get back at him a bit for the heartache he caused her. Landon takes a nasty fall and ends up suffering from amnesia. Mackenzie decides to use this to her advantage and pretend that they’re still together to get a little revenge after what he did to her. This can only be fun and games, right? ;)
Fool Me Twice was a lot of fun-filled adorableness. Yes, I have to admit that it was rather cliche at times, and definitely overloaded with cheesy moments. But I’ve been reading a lot of these kinds of books lately, and thankfully, they don’t ever seem to get old for me. It ended up being exactly what I expected. Yes, it was predictable. Yes, it was high-schoolish and younger-feeling than other books in this genre. But I enjoyed it just the same.
If you’re hoping for a hot, steamy, intense romance, this probably isn’t the book for you. If you want a light, fun, cute read, this is a book worth a look. It’s the classic second-chance at love story that we all love to binge on every now and then. This series seems to be filled with lots of adorable stories, so I’m looking forward to checking out the others as well.
Audiobook Impressions:
I’ve been finding a lot lately that narrators sound too old to me for the part they’re playing. This one I was really worried about because it seemed like such a cute, younger teenage story. I was so relieved to see that Erin Mallon did a fabulous job. She had the perfect voice and acted out the characters wonderfully. No complaints here! And purchasing the audio helped me get to this book faster, so I’m all for great narrators making my review pile easier to handle!
(Thanks to Bloomsbury USA Children for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
I’ve read my fair share of amnesia books. I’m usually very lucky with them and end up enjoying them, but I’m always a little scared going in. I feel like this subject matter can really ruin a book if not done correctly. I’m happy to say this book handled it adorably. Mix that with a second-chance romance (which is one of my personal faves!) and you’ve got yourself a happy reader over here. :)
It’s summer again, and Mackenzie is back where things all started with her ex, Landon. The prior summer they spent it together, enjoying every second, only to be dumped at the end of the summer. Now she can’t help but miss him, as well as want to get back at him a bit for the heartache he caused her. Landon takes a nasty fall and ends up suffering from amnesia. Mackenzie decides to use this to her advantage and pretend that they’re still together to get a little revenge after what he did to her. This can only be fun and games, right? ;)
Fool Me Twice was a lot of fun-filled adorableness. Yes, I have to admit that it was rather cliche at times, and definitely overloaded with cheesy moments. But I’ve been reading a lot of these kinds of books lately, and thankfully, they don’t ever seem to get old for me. It ended up being exactly what I expected. Yes, it was predictable. Yes, it was high-schoolish and younger-feeling than other books in this genre. But I enjoyed it just the same.
If you’re hoping for a hot, steamy, intense romance, this probably isn’t the book for you. If you want a light, fun, cute read, this is a book worth a look. It’s the classic second-chance at love story that we all love to binge on every now and then. This series seems to be filled with lots of adorable stories, so I’m looking forward to checking out the others as well.
Audiobook Impressions:
I’ve been finding a lot lately that narrators sound too old to me for the part they’re playing. This one I was really worried about because it seemed like such a cute, younger teenage story. I was so relieved to see that Erin Mallon did a fabulous job. She had the perfect voice and acted out the characters wonderfully. No complaints here! And purchasing the audio helped me get to this book faster, so I’m all for great narrators making my review pile easier to handle!
(Thanks to Bloomsbury USA Children for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
June 22, 2014
Hmmm. I like the idea of getting revenge on an ex, and I like that it takes place on a ranch, which is something I haven't seen in a YA book in a while. But I'm kind of freaked out by the fact that when Landon is thrown from his horse and concussed badly enough to forget an entire year, no one takes him to the hospital, and these two girls decide to toy with him... Yikes!
March 5, 2015
Check out all my reviews at Skye's Scribblings!
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Rating: Teen (sensuality, skinnydipping, mousetraps)
Told: First Person (Mack), Present Tense
Format Read: ARC (provided by publisher)
Series: This is the first in the If Only "Series," a new teen romance line from Bloomsbury. They have announced at least three titles so far, each written about different characters and by different authors. I don't think they will have anything to do with each other, and therefore can't imagine they have to be read in any order.
Writing: The flow was a little off for me, some of the sentences kind of unstructured, but it was a quick read thanks to the simple plot. The description, especially when it came to the horses and ranch life, was very detailed, and the dialogue was fun and witty and very well done.
Setting: Serenity Ranch and Spa, located in the desert part of Washington State (I'm still reeling that my green heaven has a desert area). We spend most of the time in the ranch part, and I learned a lot about horses and rodeos and life on a ranch, which was interesting.
Story/Romantic Relationship: When ex-boyfriend Landon gets amnesia and thinks he and Mack are still dating, she and her best friend Bailey decide Mack should get him to fall in love with her and then dump him, thereby giving him a taste of his own medicine for the humiliating and painful way he dumped Mack the previous summer. Oh, and they decide to pull pranks on him too, since that will teach him, even though (A) he sometimes won't even know he's being pranked, and (B) he won't understand why they are pranking him. But as Mack spends more time with Landon, she gets to know him better than she ever did and ends up falling for him all over again. But is he in love with her? Or will this turn out to be a repeat of the previous summer?
This story had its fun moments, like some of the pointless pranks, but I just couldn't root for the romance. Landon dumped her in such a cruel way that I couldn't forgive and can't believe that she would, no matter how much they had in common. How she could trust him after that, especially with the whole ex-girlfriend thing at the end... (Sorry, no spoilers.) Through the entire story I wanted her to turn out to be strong, to stand up for herself, and not end up with him - but predictably she disappointed me. I was so glad it was such a quick read, otherwise I would've been upset for investing more than two days in the story.
Characters: Mack had no strong sense of self, which was probably how she so easily fell for and forgave Landon - he "defined" her or whatever. If they hadn't been going to the same college in the fall, I know she would've altered her life to attend his college so as not to be parted from him. She was a disappointing main character, and her lack of resistance to his hotness alone was embarrassing. I despised Landon from the moment of the dump scene description, and no matter what he did, no matter how hot he was or how cute he acted, I just couldn't trust him - and it floored me that Mack could (especially with the whole ex-girlfriend thing at the end!). Just...ugh. Bailey was a great friend and Mack's voice of reason...until she got all sappy herself and let Mack wander off and get sucked back in. But I guess Mack had to learn how to live without a voice of reason sooner or later, why not now?
Conclusion: It sounded like such a fun and flirty premise, but once I found out how Landon dumped Mack I was rooting for them not to be together. Basically, the entire book. Sadly disappointed.
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Rating: Teen (sensuality, skinnydipping, mousetraps)
Told: First Person (Mack), Present Tense
Format Read: ARC (provided by publisher)
Series: This is the first in the If Only "Series," a new teen romance line from Bloomsbury. They have announced at least three titles so far, each written about different characters and by different authors. I don't think they will have anything to do with each other, and therefore can't imagine they have to be read in any order.
Writing: The flow was a little off for me, some of the sentences kind of unstructured, but it was a quick read thanks to the simple plot. The description, especially when it came to the horses and ranch life, was very detailed, and the dialogue was fun and witty and very well done.
Setting: Serenity Ranch and Spa, located in the desert part of Washington State (I'm still reeling that my green heaven has a desert area). We spend most of the time in the ranch part, and I learned a lot about horses and rodeos and life on a ranch, which was interesting.
Story/Romantic Relationship: When ex-boyfriend Landon gets amnesia and thinks he and Mack are still dating, she and her best friend Bailey decide Mack should get him to fall in love with her and then dump him, thereby giving him a taste of his own medicine for the humiliating and painful way he dumped Mack the previous summer. Oh, and they decide to pull pranks on him too, since that will teach him, even though (A) he sometimes won't even know he's being pranked, and (B) he won't understand why they are pranking him. But as Mack spends more time with Landon, she gets to know him better than she ever did and ends up falling for him all over again. But is he in love with her? Or will this turn out to be a repeat of the previous summer?
This story had its fun moments, like some of the pointless pranks, but I just couldn't root for the romance. Landon dumped her in such a cruel way that I couldn't forgive and can't believe that she would, no matter how much they had in common. How she could trust him after that, especially with the whole ex-girlfriend thing at the end... (Sorry, no spoilers.) Through the entire story I wanted her to turn out to be strong, to stand up for herself, and not end up with him - but predictably she disappointed me. I was so glad it was such a quick read, otherwise I would've been upset for investing more than two days in the story.
Characters: Mack had no strong sense of self, which was probably how she so easily fell for and forgave Landon - he "defined" her or whatever. If they hadn't been going to the same college in the fall, I know she would've altered her life to attend his college so as not to be parted from him. She was a disappointing main character, and her lack of resistance to his hotness alone was embarrassing. I despised Landon from the moment of the dump scene description, and no matter what he did, no matter how hot he was or how cute he acted, I just couldn't trust him - and it floored me that Mack could (especially with the whole ex-girlfriend thing at the end!). Just...ugh. Bailey was a great friend and Mack's voice of reason...until she got all sappy herself and let Mack wander off and get sucked back in. But I guess Mack had to learn how to live without a voice of reason sooner or later, why not now?
Conclusion: It sounded like such a fun and flirty premise, but once I found out how Landon dumped Mack I was rooting for them not to be together. Basically, the entire book. Sadly disappointed.
February 5, 2015
(3.5 Stars) I get it. Teenage love can be rough and when you've been dumped by someone you really like, you tend to want revenge--especially if you just can't get over him. Meet Mack. She and Landon were a great couple, but after the summer ended, he pretty much never talked to her again...until they ended up working together once again the next summer.
Mack is a girl who marches to her own drum. She takes things to the extreme--dying her hair in patriotic colors and wearing worn baby blue cowboy boots with leggings. She comes across as very confident and secure with herself, yet she just can't get over Landon and seems to see what she wants to see when it comes to him.
When Landon takes a fall and has amnesia, Mack and her friend take the opportunity to get revenge--they plan on sabotaging him and making him fall for Mack so that she can break his heart. Unfortunately, thinks don't always go as planned...
I thought Landon was a jerk. Really...how could he just dump her out of the blue? His reasons were kind of lame. I was also appalled that he could be that seriously injured and the girls tried to hide it, focusing solely on revenge. They didn't even say a word to his mom! I'm all about second chances and things seemed to be different this time around. I liked the way it all wrapped up in the end.
Content: Moderately clean romance (almost skinny dipping, innuendo, making out, talk of hooking up, etc); moderate language; no violence; no religion.
*I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Mack is a girl who marches to her own drum. She takes things to the extreme--dying her hair in patriotic colors and wearing worn baby blue cowboy boots with leggings. She comes across as very confident and secure with herself, yet she just can't get over Landon and seems to see what she wants to see when it comes to him.
When Landon takes a fall and has amnesia, Mack and her friend take the opportunity to get revenge--they plan on sabotaging him and making him fall for Mack so that she can break his heart. Unfortunately, thinks don't always go as planned...
I thought Landon was a jerk. Really...how could he just dump her out of the blue? His reasons were kind of lame. I was also appalled that he could be that seriously injured and the girls tried to hide it, focusing solely on revenge. They didn't even say a word to his mom! I'm all about second chances and things seemed to be different this time around. I liked the way it all wrapped up in the end.
Content: Moderately clean romance (almost skinny dipping, innuendo, making out, talk of hooking up, etc); moderate language; no violence; no religion.
*I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
not-going-to-finish
November 24, 2015I can feel my brain cells dying. Must. Preserve.
June 6, 2016
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
I have a lot of wavering feelings about this book, but in the long run, Fool Me Twice was simply one of those cutesy, yet bipolar-ish experiences where parts of the story make you wince and get all irritated and frustrated, and parts of the story are actually quite enjoyable and fun.
Because from the beginning, Book and I got off to quite the rocky start; however, by the time Book got going, past the halfway point, I had trouble continuing my resentment of Book and we came to a mutual understanding. I simply allowed myself to just be entertained (it was a short and easy to read story, after all), even if I wasn't a hundred percent enamored by Book; and Book seemed to tone down on the things that bothered me. Unfortunately, Book also didn’t give me a sense of satisfaction about the story line or the romance, even if Book managed to maintain a semblance of story.
However, the conclusion to the romance felt a little too easy... I'm not sure I agree with how easily Landon gets his 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. I still don't think he's made up for how he treated MacKenzie at the beginning of the book and what we know of their back story. But I'm moving on anyway, because Happily Ever After™ was had by all, and really, that's all we can ask for anyway.
However, redux, And so I feel like he got off too easily and I'm still not happy with him.
But then again, maybe that's the whole point and maybe a simple love story is better than a dragging, angst-strewn one. I don’t know. I didn’t feel satisfied with the way the reconciliation happened.
I get the underlying message in this story, because it's presented in two-fold: Between Mack and Landon's rekindled second-chance romance, and even between side characters, Bailey and Adam's budding romance. It never hurts to toss a little "Be true to yourself" self-revelation into a young adult novel--it's a good message no matter the type of book, anyhow, and just makes it a little bit harder to resent a book that tries so hard to very subtly fling the message at the reader.
The Story:
MacKenzie and Landon had had a perfect, whirlwind summer romance that she had thought would continue outside of their summer locale at Serenity Ranch. But when the two return to their hometown and to high school, Mack finds Landon kissing his ex-girlfriend and eventually getting back together with her, leaving Mack heart-broken.
A year later, Mack and her best friend are back working at Serenity Ranch and Spa for the summer, and of course, Landon is there, too. And no matter what she does, it seems like the boy won't leave her alone. But then he takes a nasty fall off his horse and all memory of the past year has been wiped away in Landon's mind--he thinks it was the summer before and that he and Mack are in the middle of their summer romance.
With the need for some emotional revenge, Mack let's her best friend convince her that this is the perfect chance to get back at Landon--pretend that they're still together, make him fall in love with her much harder than she had for him, then dump his ass when all is said and done. Of course, for this plan to actually work, it means that MacKenzie cannot fall for Landon this time around.
More of My Rambling Thoughts:
Revenge plots are hard to do, because revenge is always a tricky subject--and I don't just mean in book plots. Revenge typically leads to stooping to the same level as the person who hurt you so that you can hurt them equally, sometimes twice as badly. And it's hard for anyone with a guilty conscience to NOT feel bad about intentionally striking out to hurt someone else, no matter how much the other person might deserve it.
But when done in a cute and breezy rom-com fashion, these plots may be a little easier to follow with. So I kind of expected something cute and breezy and not quite so emotionally trying... and y'know, that's probably what Fool Me Twice turned out to be: Cute and breezy and superficial... and frustrating as hell.
Admittedly, I started off by listening to an audio book sample of Fool Me Twice a few days before I actually decided to pick it for one of my four August Reading Assignment Challenge choices (a decision also reinforced by the fact that this is a short read and I realized that I was running out of month to finish my assignment for August). The short four minute sample audio clip was all I needed to decide that I probably wasn't going to like this book.
For one, MacKenzie came off sounding like a pretentious, uptight, anti-snob wannabe with her stereotypes and her "holier than thou" attitude. Secondly, the attempts at dry sarcasm in the narration felt tacky and awkward. I know it sounds like very little to go on for me to dislike the book already, but the short sample just gave me a really bad first impression. But since I had already pre-chosen this book for a reading challenge, I thought that I should at least give it a shot.
The story itself, when I started reading it, was a bit of a haphazard throw-together of anecdotes akin to "A Summer at Serenity Ranch" with romantic escapades, a background revenge plot, and lots of mundane, daily activities sprinkled around. The brief mentions of ranching activity and horses were entertaining and there was a definite direction for the romance. I very much enjoyed the friendship between Mack and Bailey--this is a pair of best friends to be reckoned with and it's great to see girls in YA scheming with each other rather than against one another for a change.
The relationship between Mack and Landon could even be said to be cute and sweet... if you can forget what a tool Landon had been towards Mack pre-amnesia (see my spoiler above). If not for his douche-y actions described in full at the beginning of the story, I would have found it easier to root for him. But even up until the very end, I STILL find it hard to like him or to forgive him his douche-holery, and the conveniently inserted Daddy Issues™ device that was supposed to give him his excuse for being a jerk didn't help me understand any better why he did what he did.
The amnesia angle could have been done a little bit more believable. Because I found it hard to believe that Mack and Bailey could maintain the farce that without a proper calendar and if they just ran interference enough, Landon would never suspect that the setting wasn’t last summer. I find it hard to believe that Landon didn’t notice the dates on his Facebook page, or that of all the people he had contact with at the ranch NOTHING gave away the fact that an entire year has already gone by and that he’s eighteen and not seventeen. How would no one have spoken to him about the stuff that happened last summer or quiz him about what he has planned to do now that he's graduated from high school? How is it that even his mother wouldn't have called to talk to him and they wouldn't have struck up a conversation about him going to college in the fall? Either everything was just oh, so convenient, or Landon was THAT oblivious, because unless Mack kept him hidden in his cabin, there was NO WAY he could have been kept from realizing he’s no longer living his previous summer.
The pranks that Mack plays on Landon (outside of the really big one where she lies to him about still being together) are also harmless, youthful fun (except for that one disastrous prank that got a little out of hand). At best, they're the kind of pranks that all friends play on each other when they're young and stupid and look back on in the future to laugh about; at worst, they were kind of juvenile and tacky.
But what bugged me the most at the beginning of the book had been the narration. One moment the book would be breezing along just fine with serviceable writing and progression, fun dialogue, some cutesy stuff here and there... and then it felt like someone came along and decide to edit in really awkward instances wherein one of the following would jump out and irritate me:
-- Extremely critical stereotyping of all types of people, such as the rich, the cowboys, the tourists...
-- Random classic horror lines being quoted too frequently as if lives depended on it.
-- Moments wherein a simple sentence or a simple piece of dialogue or action tries too deliberately to infuse a whole basket full of meaning into it.
-- Some things said by Mack that made me quite annoyed with her and continue to believe she was a pretentious bitch who made big assumptions about the people around her in the most negative way just because she could.
-- All the times that Landon comes around with his cryptic words and declarations and how, rather than just ignoring his ass, Mack continued to let him push her around and do as he pleased.
(Okay, maybe that last one wasn't one of the "this feels randomly out of place" scenarios, but it DID frustrate me a lot.)
But as the book progressed things seemed to get a bit better. I found myself actually starting to find the classic horror movie quote-dropping kind of cute... especially when they got dialed back a little bit and I understood that it was more of a game than anything else. I kind of enjoyed some of the mundane, everyday activities every other chapter. And the stereotyping monologues were more infrequent which was a relief.
Mack's personality became less of an irritation because she quit making snide comments about the Serenity Ranch and Spa vacationers and tourists as frequently; I might even say that her character's personality shifted slightly and and started presenting a lot less frustratingly "holier than thou" and more "almost-Mary Sue" with a touch of likable female protagonist.
(On the point about the whole "rich snobby people" schtick: I found those frequent references at the beginning of the book pointless anyway because those details don't seem to strengthen the story at all and only managed to make Mack annoying for constantly making snide, sarcastic quips about them. Because there are no instances of Mack being treated poorly or unfairly by any of the vacationers at the ranch and neither do any of the managers or higher ups give her a hard time about catering to the tourists every whim and every need. In fact, these background characters don't even play any role whatsoever in the story line, and all that talk about "Don't let the snobs bite." and "Don't let the horses condescend!" seemed unnecessary and got old really fast. It feels like the "rich snobby people" references were just dropped into the story for the sake of just being there and no other purpose.)
Anyway... MOVING ALONG...
Final Thoughts:
This review turned out a lot longer than I had intended (as is typical of my rambling). Really, if not for all the quibbles I found in the book at the beginning and with the conclusion, this review would have been a lot shorter if only because the romance is pretty short and straight-forward and predictably formulaic.
Fool Me Twice was easy to start liking as the story progressed--while finding it irritating for the first 20% or so, we started easing off on all the things that I had found irritating. The cute and sweet romance continued to progress in predictable fashion and the whole "Summer Romance in Serenity Ranch" starts to find its conclusion.
And to be honest, I really DID find it entertaining enough and easy to finish reading without too many other issues.
I have a lot of wavering feelings about this book, but in the long run, Fool Me Twice was simply one of those cutesy, yet bipolar-ish experiences where parts of the story make you wince and get all irritated and frustrated, and parts of the story are actually quite enjoyable and fun.
Because from the beginning, Book and I got off to quite the rocky start; however, by the time Book got going, past the halfway point, I had trouble continuing my resentment of Book and we came to a mutual understanding. I simply allowed myself to just be entertained (it was a short and easy to read story, after all), even if I wasn't a hundred percent enamored by Book; and Book seemed to tone down on the things that bothered me. Unfortunately, Book also didn’t give me a sense of satisfaction about the story line or the romance, even if Book managed to maintain a semblance of story.
However, the conclusion to the romance felt a little too easy... I'm not sure I agree with how easily Landon gets his 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. I still don't think he's made up for how he treated MacKenzie at the beginning of the book and what we know of their back story. But I'm moving on anyway, because Happily Ever After™ was had by all, and really, that's all we can ask for anyway.
However, redux, And so I feel like he got off too easily and I'm still not happy with him.
But then again, maybe that's the whole point and maybe a simple love story is better than a dragging, angst-strewn one. I don’t know. I didn’t feel satisfied with the way the reconciliation happened.
I get the underlying message in this story, because it's presented in two-fold: Between Mack and Landon's rekindled second-chance romance, and even between side characters, Bailey and Adam's budding romance. It never hurts to toss a little "Be true to yourself" self-revelation into a young adult novel--it's a good message no matter the type of book, anyhow, and just makes it a little bit harder to resent a book that tries so hard to very subtly fling the message at the reader.
The Story:
MacKenzie and Landon had had a perfect, whirlwind summer romance that she had thought would continue outside of their summer locale at Serenity Ranch. But when the two return to their hometown and to high school, Mack finds Landon kissing his ex-girlfriend and eventually getting back together with her, leaving Mack heart-broken.
A year later, Mack and her best friend are back working at Serenity Ranch and Spa for the summer, and of course, Landon is there, too. And no matter what she does, it seems like the boy won't leave her alone. But then he takes a nasty fall off his horse and all memory of the past year has been wiped away in Landon's mind--he thinks it was the summer before and that he and Mack are in the middle of their summer romance.
With the need for some emotional revenge, Mack let's her best friend convince her that this is the perfect chance to get back at Landon--pretend that they're still together, make him fall in love with her much harder than she had for him, then dump his ass when all is said and done. Of course, for this plan to actually work, it means that MacKenzie cannot fall for Landon this time around.
More of My Rambling Thoughts:
Revenge plots are hard to do, because revenge is always a tricky subject--and I don't just mean in book plots. Revenge typically leads to stooping to the same level as the person who hurt you so that you can hurt them equally, sometimes twice as badly. And it's hard for anyone with a guilty conscience to NOT feel bad about intentionally striking out to hurt someone else, no matter how much the other person might deserve it.
But when done in a cute and breezy rom-com fashion, these plots may be a little easier to follow with. So I kind of expected something cute and breezy and not quite so emotionally trying... and y'know, that's probably what Fool Me Twice turned out to be: Cute and breezy and superficial... and frustrating as hell.
Admittedly, I started off by listening to an audio book sample of Fool Me Twice a few days before I actually decided to pick it for one of my four August Reading Assignment Challenge choices (a decision also reinforced by the fact that this is a short read and I realized that I was running out of month to finish my assignment for August). The short four minute sample audio clip was all I needed to decide that I probably wasn't going to like this book.
For one, MacKenzie came off sounding like a pretentious, uptight, anti-snob wannabe with her stereotypes and her "holier than thou" attitude. Secondly, the attempts at dry sarcasm in the narration felt tacky and awkward. I know it sounds like very little to go on for me to dislike the book already, but the short sample just gave me a really bad first impression. But since I had already pre-chosen this book for a reading challenge, I thought that I should at least give it a shot.
The story itself, when I started reading it, was a bit of a haphazard throw-together of anecdotes akin to "A Summer at Serenity Ranch" with romantic escapades, a background revenge plot, and lots of mundane, daily activities sprinkled around. The brief mentions of ranching activity and horses were entertaining and there was a definite direction for the romance. I very much enjoyed the friendship between Mack and Bailey--this is a pair of best friends to be reckoned with and it's great to see girls in YA scheming with each other rather than against one another for a change.
The relationship between Mack and Landon could even be said to be cute and sweet... if you can forget what a tool Landon had been towards Mack pre-amnesia (see my spoiler above). If not for his douche-y actions described in full at the beginning of the story, I would have found it easier to root for him. But even up until the very end, I STILL find it hard to like him or to forgive him his douche-holery, and the conveniently inserted Daddy Issues™ device that was supposed to give him his excuse for being a jerk didn't help me understand any better why he did what he did.
The amnesia angle could have been done a little bit more believable. Because I found it hard to believe that Mack and Bailey could maintain the farce that without a proper calendar and if they just ran interference enough, Landon would never suspect that the setting wasn’t last summer. I find it hard to believe that Landon didn’t notice the dates on his Facebook page, or that of all the people he had contact with at the ranch NOTHING gave away the fact that an entire year has already gone by and that he’s eighteen and not seventeen. How would no one have spoken to him about the stuff that happened last summer or quiz him about what he has planned to do now that he's graduated from high school? How is it that even his mother wouldn't have called to talk to him and they wouldn't have struck up a conversation about him going to college in the fall? Either everything was just oh, so convenient, or Landon was THAT oblivious, because unless Mack kept him hidden in his cabin, there was NO WAY he could have been kept from realizing he’s no longer living his previous summer.
The pranks that Mack plays on Landon (outside of the really big one where she lies to him about still being together) are also harmless, youthful fun (except for that one disastrous prank that got a little out of hand). At best, they're the kind of pranks that all friends play on each other when they're young and stupid and look back on in the future to laugh about; at worst, they were kind of juvenile and tacky.
But what bugged me the most at the beginning of the book had been the narration. One moment the book would be breezing along just fine with serviceable writing and progression, fun dialogue, some cutesy stuff here and there... and then it felt like someone came along and decide to edit in really awkward instances wherein one of the following would jump out and irritate me:
-- Extremely critical stereotyping of all types of people, such as the rich, the cowboys, the tourists...
-- Random classic horror lines being quoted too frequently as if lives depended on it.
-- Moments wherein a simple sentence or a simple piece of dialogue or action tries too deliberately to infuse a whole basket full of meaning into it.
-- Some things said by Mack that made me quite annoyed with her and continue to believe she was a pretentious bitch who made big assumptions about the people around her in the most negative way just because she could.
-- All the times that Landon comes around with his cryptic words and declarations and how, rather than just ignoring his ass, Mack continued to let him push her around and do as he pleased.
(Okay, maybe that last one wasn't one of the "this feels randomly out of place" scenarios, but it DID frustrate me a lot.)
But as the book progressed things seemed to get a bit better. I found myself actually starting to find the classic horror movie quote-dropping kind of cute... especially when they got dialed back a little bit and I understood that it was more of a game than anything else. I kind of enjoyed some of the mundane, everyday activities every other chapter. And the stereotyping monologues were more infrequent which was a relief.
Mack's personality became less of an irritation because she quit making snide comments about the Serenity Ranch and Spa vacationers and tourists as frequently; I might even say that her character's personality shifted slightly and and started presenting a lot less frustratingly "holier than thou" and more "almost-Mary Sue" with a touch of likable female protagonist.
(On the point about the whole "rich snobby people" schtick: I found those frequent references at the beginning of the book pointless anyway because those details don't seem to strengthen the story at all and only managed to make Mack annoying for constantly making snide, sarcastic quips about them. Because there are no instances of Mack being treated poorly or unfairly by any of the vacationers at the ranch and neither do any of the managers or higher ups give her a hard time about catering to the tourists every whim and every need. In fact, these background characters don't even play any role whatsoever in the story line, and all that talk about "Don't let the snobs bite." and "Don't let the horses condescend!" seemed unnecessary and got old really fast. It feels like the "rich snobby people" references were just dropped into the story for the sake of just being there and no other purpose.)
Anyway... MOVING ALONG...
Final Thoughts:
This review turned out a lot longer than I had intended (as is typical of my rambling). Really, if not for all the quibbles I found in the book at the beginning and with the conclusion, this review would have been a lot shorter if only because the romance is pretty short and straight-forward and predictably formulaic.
Fool Me Twice was easy to start liking as the story progressed--while finding it irritating for the first 20% or so, we started easing off on all the things that I had found irritating. The cute and sweet romance continued to progress in predictable fashion and the whole "Summer Romance in Serenity Ranch" starts to find its conclusion.
And to be honest, I really DID find it entertaining enough and easy to finish reading without too many other issues.
January 16, 2015
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard is an extremely fun and entertaining contemporary romance that won me over with it's fresh and flirty feel and adorable storyline. I easily read this in a day and I was captivated by this summer romance with a twist from beginning to end!
Fool Me Twice is a well written and hilarious novel that follows eighteen year old Mackenzie, a quirky teenage girl with plenty of personality and attitude who is spending the summer working at Serenity Ranch and Spa. Last year Mackenzie had her heart broken when a summer romance with sexy cowboy Landon at the same ranch ended with him getting back with his ex-girlfriend. This year Mack refuses to fall for Landon's charms again, however when an accident leaves Landon with no memory of the last year and thinking he and Mack are still going out, Mackenzie decides to get take advantage of the situation and sets out to teach Landon a lesson. Mack has no plans to fall for Landon again, but as she continues to get closer to Landon in order to mess with him, Mack slowly begins to realize that maybe Landon isn't the jerk she first thought and maybe, just maybe they actually are perfect for each other.
I'll be honest here, heading into Fool Me Twice I didn't have a lot of expectations. I read the description and thought, "Oh, no. Here's a story about a girl foolish enough to fall for the same guy who previously broke her heart," and honestly didn't expect anything close to what I got with this novel. I mean, really, I LOVED Fool Me Twice. This is the first novel I've read by Mandy Hubbard, although I know it's not the first book she's written and can say it definitely won't be my last as I found myself really entranced by this fun and funny tale.
Mackenzie was a smart and intelligent main character to follow who sets out to get a little revenge against the boy who broke her heart and then ignored her for a year. She plans to get Landon to fall for her, and pull pranks on him along the way before finally going in for the kill and breaking his heart. Hubbard writes Mack as endlessly likeable and impossible not to vie for. Though she's ultimately trying to get revenge, nothing Mack does is really malicious and is more in good fun. Dying someone's horse and setting dozens of mouse traps around their bed isn't exactly cruel. Cheeky and evil yes, but not nasty.
Hubbard compliments Mack's schemes and plans perfectly by giving her the perfect partner in Landon, who is actually far from being the jerk both you as the reader and Mackenzie expect as the story starts out. Landon gives as good as he gets and takes Mack's pranks in stride; taking the pranks with a smile and good humor throughout the novel.
Mack and Landon may have had a "perfect "summer romance the year before Fool Me Twice is set, but as Mackenzie follows through with her plans, she and Landon get to know each other in a new and different way than they did the first time they were together. They have fantastic chemistry that's undeniable throughout the story and their relationship has it's deep moments and it's light ones. Hubbard has penned a great couple in them and they really were fun to follow. I loved learning why Landon did what he did the first time and seeing that maybe not everything is as it first appears.
Rich in smiles, laughs and romance as Mandy Hubbard teams Mack up with her best friend Bailey to provide moral support and assistance, Fool Me Twice is a great summer read guaranteed to provide a lot of entertainment and fun!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard is an extremely fun and entertaining contemporary romance that won me over with it's fresh and flirty feel and adorable storyline. I easily read this in a day and I was captivated by this summer romance with a twist from beginning to end!
Fool Me Twice is a well written and hilarious novel that follows eighteen year old Mackenzie, a quirky teenage girl with plenty of personality and attitude who is spending the summer working at Serenity Ranch and Spa. Last year Mackenzie had her heart broken when a summer romance with sexy cowboy Landon at the same ranch ended with him getting back with his ex-girlfriend. This year Mack refuses to fall for Landon's charms again, however when an accident leaves Landon with no memory of the last year and thinking he and Mack are still going out, Mackenzie decides to get take advantage of the situation and sets out to teach Landon a lesson. Mack has no plans to fall for Landon again, but as she continues to get closer to Landon in order to mess with him, Mack slowly begins to realize that maybe Landon isn't the jerk she first thought and maybe, just maybe they actually are perfect for each other.
I'll be honest here, heading into Fool Me Twice I didn't have a lot of expectations. I read the description and thought, "Oh, no. Here's a story about a girl foolish enough to fall for the same guy who previously broke her heart," and honestly didn't expect anything close to what I got with this novel. I mean, really, I LOVED Fool Me Twice. This is the first novel I've read by Mandy Hubbard, although I know it's not the first book she's written and can say it definitely won't be my last as I found myself really entranced by this fun and funny tale.
Mackenzie was a smart and intelligent main character to follow who sets out to get a little revenge against the boy who broke her heart and then ignored her for a year. She plans to get Landon to fall for her, and pull pranks on him along the way before finally going in for the kill and breaking his heart. Hubbard writes Mack as endlessly likeable and impossible not to vie for. Though she's ultimately trying to get revenge, nothing Mack does is really malicious and is more in good fun. Dying someone's horse and setting dozens of mouse traps around their bed isn't exactly cruel. Cheeky and evil yes, but not nasty.
Hubbard compliments Mack's schemes and plans perfectly by giving her the perfect partner in Landon, who is actually far from being the jerk both you as the reader and Mackenzie expect as the story starts out. Landon gives as good as he gets and takes Mack's pranks in stride; taking the pranks with a smile and good humor throughout the novel.
Mack and Landon may have had a "perfect "summer romance the year before Fool Me Twice is set, but as Mackenzie follows through with her plans, she and Landon get to know each other in a new and different way than they did the first time they were together. They have fantastic chemistry that's undeniable throughout the story and their relationship has it's deep moments and it's light ones. Hubbard has penned a great couple in them and they really were fun to follow. I loved learning why Landon did what he did the first time and seeing that maybe not everything is as it first appears.
Rich in smiles, laughs and romance as Mandy Hubbard teams Mack up with her best friend Bailey to provide moral support and assistance, Fool Me Twice is a great summer read guaranteed to provide a lot of entertainment and fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2014
What's that saying?
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice...
Sometimes when life is throwing you all kinds of realities, you just need to get lost and bury yourself in a book that is a huge jump from those realities, makes you feel good and provides a whole lot of laughs. When I first read the synopsis for this book I knew that it was going to supply me with just what I needed.
Mackenzie and Landon had spent a perfect summer together. Spending time getting to know each other, and falling in love. But then on the first day back at school, Mack is confronted with the very real sight of Landon lip locking it with his ex. Mack is heartbroken and It's been torture seeing them together. Then summer rolls around again and Mack and Landon will be forced to work closely together at Serenity Ranch and Spa. Mackenzie certainly can't see serenity when she thinks about that scenario.
But then Landon takes a fall from his horse and is under the impression that him and Mack are still together. So with the help of her best friend, Bailey, Mack sets out to exact her revenge. But the more time that her and Landon spend together, the easier it is to forget about revenge and remember all the reasons she fell in love in the first place.
"You don't get it. Now you can totally screw him."
"Ohmygod, Bailey!" I say, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her lightly. "Im not going to have sex with him!."
"Not screw him." She laughs in a way that makes me feel dumb. and then pulls my hands off of her shoulders. "Screw with him."
Fool Me Twice was so much fun to read. It was light and fluffy and fun from start to finish. The pranks that Mack and Bailey play on Landon where hilarious as they escalated throughout the story. And Landon managed to get some revenge of his own. The race was on to see who could best the other with their high jinx. All set against the backdrop of a ranch, with beautiful sunsets and horse riding.
I loved Mack. I loved her sense of style and fun. I loved the discoveries and realisations that she made about herself. I loved her friendship with Bailey. I loved her ability to forgive. Now Landon was a different story. After the first few chapters I was convinced that there was no way that I was going to love Landon. No way in hell. Not after the way he dumped Mack. But guess what? Mandy Hubbard made me love him. I just couldn't help it.
Fool Me Twice is not without it's issues. The lack of medical assistance given to Landon after his fall and memory loss was probably the main one. But hey, this was my escape from reality, so I can live with that. And even though I was pretty sure I knew how this story was going to end, it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the story and the situations that the characters found themselves in.
Fool Me Twice was fun, quick and romantic, and a nice step away from my cold winter days. Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for the opportunity to read and review.
4/5 Just What I Needed Stars
Thanks so much to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice...
Sometimes when life is throwing you all kinds of realities, you just need to get lost and bury yourself in a book that is a huge jump from those realities, makes you feel good and provides a whole lot of laughs. When I first read the synopsis for this book I knew that it was going to supply me with just what I needed.
Mackenzie and Landon had spent a perfect summer together. Spending time getting to know each other, and falling in love. But then on the first day back at school, Mack is confronted with the very real sight of Landon lip locking it with his ex. Mack is heartbroken and It's been torture seeing them together. Then summer rolls around again and Mack and Landon will be forced to work closely together at Serenity Ranch and Spa. Mackenzie certainly can't see serenity when she thinks about that scenario.
But then Landon takes a fall from his horse and is under the impression that him and Mack are still together. So with the help of her best friend, Bailey, Mack sets out to exact her revenge. But the more time that her and Landon spend together, the easier it is to forget about revenge and remember all the reasons she fell in love in the first place.
"You don't get it. Now you can totally screw him."
"Ohmygod, Bailey!" I say, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her lightly. "Im not going to have sex with him!."
"Not screw him." She laughs in a way that makes me feel dumb. and then pulls my hands off of her shoulders. "Screw with him."
Fool Me Twice was so much fun to read. It was light and fluffy and fun from start to finish. The pranks that Mack and Bailey play on Landon where hilarious as they escalated throughout the story. And Landon managed to get some revenge of his own. The race was on to see who could best the other with their high jinx. All set against the backdrop of a ranch, with beautiful sunsets and horse riding.
I loved Mack. I loved her sense of style and fun. I loved the discoveries and realisations that she made about herself. I loved her friendship with Bailey. I loved her ability to forgive. Now Landon was a different story. After the first few chapters I was convinced that there was no way that I was going to love Landon. No way in hell. Not after the way he dumped Mack. But guess what? Mandy Hubbard made me love him. I just couldn't help it.
Fool Me Twice is not without it's issues. The lack of medical assistance given to Landon after his fall and memory loss was probably the main one. But hey, this was my escape from reality, so I can live with that. And even though I was pretty sure I knew how this story was going to end, it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the story and the situations that the characters found themselves in.
Fool Me Twice was fun, quick and romantic, and a nice step away from my cold winter days. Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for the opportunity to read and review.
4/5 Just What I Needed Stars
Thanks so much to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy.
April 22, 2014
An advance copy of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book when I first saw it pop up on Goodreads. I mean, who among us hasn't wanted to get revenge on an ex after a really nasty break-up? But despite the manipulation aspects, this book turned out to be cute and kind of fluffy, if not a bit juvenile at times.
On top of Mack's plan to make Landon fall hard for her and then unceremoniously dump him in much the same way he dumped her a year ago, Mack is full of pranks she's dying to play on him. They ranged from the mundane to cheesy, but it was kind of gratifying to see Landon take it all in stride and retaliate with pranks of his own. I had a hard time reconciling the Landon we meet at the very beginning of the book with the one that appears after the "accident". Even after the whole story is revealed -- and I totally saw it coming -- it felt like he was two different people: the jerk who doesn't even officially break up with a girl before kissing another and the sweet cowboy who goes above and beyond on the ranch.
Mack's character didn't feel all that authentic, either. Her new sense of style -- self-imposed after the break-up -- feels forced, as if she can't own it herself but only owes it to Landon dumping her. I did appreciate, though, that she realized that the Mack she had shown Landon the previous summer was just the girl she thought he wanted to see, that only this summer has she deigned to show him her true self. And it was nice that he seemed even more attracted to the real Mack.
The romance was kind of adorable at times. And though I at first suspected Adam's character was included only to involve a love triangle in the story, my doubts were slowly assuaged as it became evident that Mack's best friend Bailey was interested in him. Mack only has eyes for one guy, and it's the one she should be staying clear of.
This is my first Mandy Hubbard book, so I'm not sure if her other stories are as lighthearted and fun as this one, but I'm definitely interested in checking them out now. Even if Fool Me Twice wasn't serious or deep, it was still pretty entertaining, and I can't fault it for that.
GIF it to me straight:
Cute and distracting, but not terribly deep.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I was quite intrigued by the premise of this book when I first saw it pop up on Goodreads. I mean, who among us hasn't wanted to get revenge on an ex after a really nasty break-up? But despite the manipulation aspects, this book turned out to be cute and kind of fluffy, if not a bit juvenile at times.
On top of Mack's plan to make Landon fall hard for her and then unceremoniously dump him in much the same way he dumped her a year ago, Mack is full of pranks she's dying to play on him. They ranged from the mundane to cheesy, but it was kind of gratifying to see Landon take it all in stride and retaliate with pranks of his own. I had a hard time reconciling the Landon we meet at the very beginning of the book with the one that appears after the "accident". Even after the whole story is revealed -- and I totally saw it coming -- it felt like he was two different people: the jerk who doesn't even officially break up with a girl before kissing another and the sweet cowboy who goes above and beyond on the ranch.
Mack's character didn't feel all that authentic, either. Her new sense of style -- self-imposed after the break-up -- feels forced, as if she can't own it herself but only owes it to Landon dumping her. I did appreciate, though, that she realized that the Mack she had shown Landon the previous summer was just the girl she thought he wanted to see, that only this summer has she deigned to show him her true self. And it was nice that he seemed even more attracted to the real Mack.
The romance was kind of adorable at times. And though I at first suspected Adam's character was included only to involve a love triangle in the story, my doubts were slowly assuaged as it became evident that Mack's best friend Bailey was interested in him. Mack only has eyes for one guy, and it's the one she should be staying clear of.
This is my first Mandy Hubbard book, so I'm not sure if her other stories are as lighthearted and fun as this one, but I'm definitely interested in checking them out now. Even if Fool Me Twice wasn't serious or deep, it was still pretty entertaining, and I can't fault it for that.
GIF it to me straight:
Cute and distracting, but not terribly deep.
August 18, 2014
A sad little two stars.
There is no depth to the characters or their relationship. At the end of this book, I still knew little to nothing about either of them. Why does Mack die her hair multi-colors and wear silly clothes? It doesn't really seem to be about self-expression because she is too self-conscious about how different she is from the beautiful Bailey, so why then? I don't know.
Landon, with minor exceptions, it only objectified. Mack obsesses about his arms, abs, and various body parts, but otherwise, he is a blank.
Additionally, I have trouble with the idea that this person is injured in his brain enough to bounce his memories of a whole year, but no one says wow, let's get an x-ray, let's get him to a doctor, let's do something. No, just give him some Tylenol and hope he doesn't die in his sleep. Well, okay then.
The side story of Bailey is just, ugh. Perfect princess finds a guy who won't tumble for her tricks and she must obsess over him. She loves him! All of which, while being too silly, might have worked had I cared or been given enough of either character to actually feel any connection. This just feels added in for no good reason. And since Bailey has been all over practically any guy who has looked her way, I find it hard to believe she has true feelings for anyone.
The pranks. Oh, the pranks. After the first one or two, they all simply felt childish and unoriginal. I felt as if I was watching a male/female remake of the Parent Trap. Didn't work and why the pranks if the ultimate smack-down was going to be the epic break-up? Made no sense.
I didn't like this one.
There is no depth to the characters or their relationship. At the end of this book, I still knew little to nothing about either of them. Why does Mack die her hair multi-colors and wear silly clothes? It doesn't really seem to be about self-expression because she is too self-conscious about how different she is from the beautiful Bailey, so why then? I don't know.
Landon, with minor exceptions, it only objectified. Mack obsesses about his arms, abs, and various body parts, but otherwise, he is a blank.
Additionally, I have trouble with the idea that this person is injured in his brain enough to bounce his memories of a whole year, but no one says wow, let's get an x-ray, let's get him to a doctor, let's do something. No, just give him some Tylenol and hope he doesn't die in his sleep. Well, okay then.
The side story of Bailey is just, ugh. Perfect princess finds a guy who won't tumble for her tricks and she must obsess over him. She loves him! All of which, while being too silly, might have worked had I cared or been given enough of either character to actually feel any connection. This just feels added in for no good reason. And since Bailey has been all over practically any guy who has looked her way, I find it hard to believe she has true feelings for anyone.
The pranks. Oh, the pranks. After the first one or two, they all simply felt childish and unoriginal. I felt as if I was watching a male/female remake of the Parent Trap. Didn't work and why the pranks if the ultimate smack-down was going to be the epic break-up? Made no sense.
I didn't like this one.
May 3, 2015
Fooled me
I'm gonna be honest here and say I didn't really like this book. I just didn't feel the story. The characters were meh, the writing okay, and the actual plot unrealistic. It just didn't have that wow factor for me. I was especially disappointed because I loved the others in this romance series. This was written by a different author so that could be why it's not as good as the others.
Like I said the writing was okay. It's nothing to rave about. However, I wouldn't say it was terrible. Just not all that interesting or intriguing. I just didn't feel much emotions from it. I didn't cry when the characters cried; I didn't get angry when they did; I didn't jump for joy when something good happened. I just say there. I wish the writing had more to it, but it just didn't.
The plot was....crazy. I didn't really like it. So a boy forgets an entire year and no one else but the protagonist and her friend noticed. Yeah no. And he should've gone to the hospital. I would have thought that any sane person would send him to the hospital after falling off his horse. Dude!!! Especially since he lost his memory. That definitely calls for a trip to the ER. Then, there was that ending. Just no. I didn't like it because it wasn't realistic at all. Where's the drama, the fighting? There is no way anyone would actually react the way Landon did at the end. Just no.
The characters weren't much better. I just didn't like any of them. They were unrealistic and boring. There was nothing to them. Plus, they were super inconsistent. Landon was described one way and then acted another way. Plus, Mack came across as this wacky dressed girl and I thought that her personality would be unique and a lot more interesting than it was. She was just boring and plain. Nothing original there.
I guess for me this book didn't work, but maybe for others it will. If you're into fun, light books, then this is for you. Just don't expect much from it. Enjoy!
I'm gonna be honest here and say I didn't really like this book. I just didn't feel the story. The characters were meh, the writing okay, and the actual plot unrealistic. It just didn't have that wow factor for me. I was especially disappointed because I loved the others in this romance series. This was written by a different author so that could be why it's not as good as the others.
Like I said the writing was okay. It's nothing to rave about. However, I wouldn't say it was terrible. Just not all that interesting or intriguing. I just didn't feel much emotions from it. I didn't cry when the characters cried; I didn't get angry when they did; I didn't jump for joy when something good happened. I just say there. I wish the writing had more to it, but it just didn't.
The plot was....crazy. I didn't really like it. So a boy forgets an entire year and no one else but the protagonist and her friend noticed. Yeah no. And he should've gone to the hospital. I would have thought that any sane person would send him to the hospital after falling off his horse. Dude!!! Especially since he lost his memory. That definitely calls for a trip to the ER. Then, there was that ending. Just no. I didn't like it because it wasn't realistic at all. Where's the drama, the fighting? There is no way anyone would actually react the way Landon did at the end. Just no.
The characters weren't much better. I just didn't like any of them. They were unrealistic and boring. There was nothing to them. Plus, they were super inconsistent. Landon was described one way and then acted another way. Plus, Mack came across as this wacky dressed girl and I thought that her personality would be unique and a lot more interesting than it was. She was just boring and plain. Nothing original there.
I guess for me this book didn't work, but maybe for others it will. If you're into fun, light books, then this is for you. Just don't expect much from it. Enjoy!
April 19, 2014
I had my doubts, but this was actually cuter than I thought it would be, and I ended up enjoying it very much.
Let me start by saying I had a hard time getting into the first few chapters. In the first, I though Mack wasn't over Landon and wanted him back. But then, in the second chapter, she acted like she a witch and couldn't get away from him fast enough. I understand caring when you don't want to, but let's just say Mack wasn't my favorite. But after the initial Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde turnaround, she ended up being quite a charming character. And even with all the plots, I never felt that she had vengeful intentions because her heart was always there.
The thing I liked about the book was the pranks weren't truly evil. Aside from the buckle incident, they almost seemed harmlessly fun. And the reaction that came from it made you like the book even more. And I truly gained a new respect for Landon as the book wore on. Not only do we get to see a deeper side of him, but even when I found out why he went back to the ex, I couldn't say I agreed with him or condoned his actions, but I sympathized and understood why he had.
All in all, the book could really end two ways, as Bailey had gloriously pointed out. But there was a slight twist - not it wasn't unpredictable - but it was a nice alternative ending than what you probably would have expected. And it does make the book better because of the course of actions that took place.
What I needed was a cute, fun read, and this book gave me exactly that. No, it wasn't one of those chick-lits that were so good that it made me sigh happily with a stupid smile on my face, but definitely a nice, sunny day read.
Let me start by saying I had a hard time getting into the first few chapters. In the first, I though Mack wasn't over Landon and wanted him back. But then, in the second chapter, she acted like she a witch and couldn't get away from him fast enough. I understand caring when you don't want to, but let's just say Mack wasn't my favorite. But after the initial Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde turnaround, she ended up being quite a charming character. And even with all the plots, I never felt that she had vengeful intentions because her heart was always there.
The thing I liked about the book was the pranks weren't truly evil. Aside from the buckle incident, they almost seemed harmlessly fun. And the reaction that came from it made you like the book even more. And I truly gained a new respect for Landon as the book wore on. Not only do we get to see a deeper side of him, but even when I found out why he went back to the ex, I couldn't say I agreed with him or condoned his actions, but I sympathized and understood why he had.
All in all, the book could really end two ways, as Bailey had gloriously pointed out. But there was a slight twist - not it wasn't unpredictable - but it was a nice alternative ending than what you probably would have expected. And it does make the book better because of the course of actions that took place.
What I needed was a cute, fun read, and this book gave me exactly that. No, it wasn't one of those chick-lits that were so good that it made me sigh happily with a stupid smile on my face, but definitely a nice, sunny day read.
April 28, 2014
This is the second book I have picked up from Bloomsbury's new line and I have to say, I am loving them! So much fun.
These are the reads that I absolutely crave some days. The hopeless romantic in me demands to be fed and these give me exactly what I need when I have needed them.
I adored Mackenzie and her pranks and full loving attitude and my heart went out to her over her heartbreak with Landon. And even though in the beginning I didn't want to like or even love Landon, darn the author, I couldn't help but love him by the end.
This was such a fun story perfect for this time of read and I soaked it up with a smile on my face almost the whole read through. This truly is a fun loving story with those happily ever afters I crave and live for.
Hubbard did an amazing job bringing her characters to life and making them so realistic that they feel like people you know and already love. People you connect with and want to be friends with, with situations that anyone can imagine and relate to.
These are the reads that I absolutely crave some days. The hopeless romantic in me demands to be fed and these give me exactly what I need when I have needed them.
I adored Mackenzie and her pranks and full loving attitude and my heart went out to her over her heartbreak with Landon. And even though in the beginning I didn't want to like or even love Landon, darn the author, I couldn't help but love him by the end.
This was such a fun story perfect for this time of read and I soaked it up with a smile on my face almost the whole read through. This truly is a fun loving story with those happily ever afters I crave and live for.
Hubbard did an amazing job bringing her characters to life and making them so realistic that they feel like people you know and already love. People you connect with and want to be friends with, with situations that anyone can imagine and relate to.
April 7, 2014
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Fool me Twice is the story of Mackenzie, a girl who has the opportunity to get revenge on her ex when he loses his memory and still thinks they are together. So she plays along with his memory loss. The plan is to make him fall in love with her for real this time and dump him by the end of the summer, thus crushing his heart.
Of course this plan will backfire because Mackenzie is still in love with Landon. At first, I wanted her to really be over him. The way he crushed her heart was mean and I didn't like him. But soon we get to see a different Landon, and my reservations toward him faded away.
Although I totally predicted the ending, I still found Fool me Twice a very enjoyable read. I was also glad that there wasn't a love triangle.
Fool me Twice is a great novel for teens who like the genre and for adults who like fluffy reads.
Fool me Twice is the story of Mackenzie, a girl who has the opportunity to get revenge on her ex when he loses his memory and still thinks they are together. So she plays along with his memory loss. The plan is to make him fall in love with her for real this time and dump him by the end of the summer, thus crushing his heart.
Of course this plan will backfire because Mackenzie is still in love with Landon. At first, I wanted her to really be over him. The way he crushed her heart was mean and I didn't like him. But soon we get to see a different Landon, and my reservations toward him faded away.
Although I totally predicted the ending, I still found Fool me Twice a very enjoyable read. I was also glad that there wasn't a love triangle.
Fool me Twice is a great novel for teens who like the genre and for adults who like fluffy reads.
September 16, 2015
This was just a bad book...and I hate saying that about a book. But there was really nothing good about it. The characters were blah, the plot was boring. I really didn't care what happened one way or another.
Landon falls off a horse and has amnesia and yet no one takes him to the hospital. And the only people who notice that he has amnesia are the main character, Mackenzie, and he BFF Bailey. I mean come on. They are working at a resort ranch and NO ONE else notices that he has no idea what year it is. The whole story is very juvenile with prank wars, and trying to get revenge on an ex boyfriend.
The only reason that I didn't DNF this book was because I HATE doing that.
Landon falls off a horse and has amnesia and yet no one takes him to the hospital. And the only people who notice that he has amnesia are the main character, Mackenzie, and he BFF Bailey. I mean come on. They are working at a resort ranch and NO ONE else notices that he has no idea what year it is. The whole story is very juvenile with prank wars, and trying to get revenge on an ex boyfriend.
The only reason that I didn't DNF this book was because I HATE doing that.
not-yet-released
December 5, 2013The premise sounds a little silly but it could be a lot of fun, SO GIMME.
February 3, 2016
4,5 stars for the major plot twist at the end. Very cute, Original lovestory.
Read
January 9, 2016Enjoyed this one. Review to come.
June 10, 2015
1.5 THIS BOOK IS SO SILLY AND CLICHE AND TEENAGER AND UGH u.u
June 11, 2019
I read Fool Me Twice in one sitting, and I had a pretty good time doing so. It's easily digestible and gives you exactly what you expect at pretty much all times. If that's what you want, this book will work for you.
It is, however, not a particularly original book. Then again, contemporary romance generally isn't particularly original in terms of plots or tropes, but the characters are where books shine or flop. They don't shine in Fool Me Twice, but they're functional enough. Expect everyone outside the main two to be made of cardboard and expect the MC and her love interest to be just past that.
This is a second chance romance between Mackenzie and Landon. They had this super intense, amazing experience during their first summer together working at Serenity Ranch and Spa, but then when they went back to school he immediately got back together with his ex-girlfriend. Mack hates him now, obvs, but when he gets amnesia (ikr) she pretends they're still together so she can break his heart like he did hers.
Let's address the elephant in the room: this plot is completely unbelievable. Like, sure, he could get amnesia, and she could attempt to pretend this, but there's absolutely no way he wouldn't realize. The dude has a smartphone, and so much is different from the year before, more than just his relationship with Mack. He talks to so many other people. This sort of deception can only work in isolation, like the house in the movie Overboard. Unlikely plot constructs are par for the course in romance to facilitate meet cutes and serendipitous meetings, but this one did stretch my willingness to suspend disbelief a bit.
Some things do work pretty well and kept this in the like range, despite the fact that the premise is ridiculous and the fact that it's hard to ship a guy who dumped her like Landon did (especially once you get his take on that which is staggeringly silly—.
One of the things this second chance romance does well is really to distinguish the first time from the second one. Not only do they date again, but it's very different from when they first dated. Mack is more herself, ironically because she's trying to be his perfect girl. They bond in a way they did not initially, which is really the way this sort of second chance romance should function, but often the previous issues were solely due to circumstances or miscommunication, so it was nice to have it be more than that here, especially given how bog standard most of this book is.
The ending also endeared the book to me a bit. In that area, it deviated from the standard formula slightly, as well. I'd expected the typical big fight at the end, but things roll out in a much less drama-tastic way, which I appreciated.
Fool Me Twice wasn't fantastic but it was solidly decent.
It is, however, not a particularly original book. Then again, contemporary romance generally isn't particularly original in terms of plots or tropes, but the characters are where books shine or flop. They don't shine in Fool Me Twice, but they're functional enough. Expect everyone outside the main two to be made of cardboard and expect the MC and her love interest to be just past that.
This is a second chance romance between Mackenzie and Landon. They had this super intense, amazing experience during their first summer together working at Serenity Ranch and Spa, but then when they went back to school he immediately got back together with his ex-girlfriend. Mack hates him now, obvs, but when he gets amnesia (ikr) she pretends they're still together so she can break his heart like he did hers.
Let's address the elephant in the room: this plot is completely unbelievable. Like, sure, he could get amnesia, and she could attempt to pretend this, but there's absolutely no way he wouldn't realize. The dude has a smartphone, and so much is different from the year before, more than just his relationship with Mack. He talks to so many other people. This sort of deception can only work in isolation, like the house in the movie Overboard. Unlikely plot constructs are par for the course in romance to facilitate meet cutes and serendipitous meetings, but this one did stretch my willingness to suspend disbelief a bit.
Some things do work pretty well and kept this in the like range, despite the fact that the premise is ridiculous and the fact that it's hard to ship a guy who dumped her like Landon did (especially once you get his take on that which is staggeringly silly—.
One of the things this second chance romance does well is really to distinguish the first time from the second one. Not only do they date again, but it's very different from when they first dated. Mack is more herself, ironically because she's trying to be his perfect girl. They bond in a way they did not initially, which is really the way this sort of second chance romance should function, but often the previous issues were solely due to circumstances or miscommunication, so it was nice to have it be more than that here, especially given how bog standard most of this book is.
The ending also endeared the book to me a bit. In that area, it deviated from the standard formula slightly, as well. I'd expected the typical big fight at the end, but things roll out in a much less drama-tastic way, which I appreciated.
Fool Me Twice wasn't fantastic but it was solidly decent.
September 28, 2017
What happens when you cheat on your girlfriend with your ex and the next summer you have to work with her? This realistic fiction book, Fool me Twice, by Mandy Hubbard, is a very romantic and suspenseful book that will be you sit on the edge of your seat. This story includes Mackenzie, the heartbroken voodoo doll obsessed teen. Bailey, the over obsessed guy lover and Mack's best friend, and Landon the heart breaker. Mack is working at a ranch over the summer with her ex Landon. Later on he fell off his horse and got amnesia. All he could remember now is from last year…when Mack and him were still together. Will this be Macks chance to get revenge on him for cheating on her? Or will things completely backfire? Read this book to find out! I thought this book was very cute and suspenseful. This book will either have you saying “aww” or make your hairs stand up. I recommend this book for pre-teens who love romance and drama. Hurry up and get this book before they’re all gone!
November 13, 2018
Läste ett utdrag ur den här i Not in the Script och tänkte "den tar vi", utan att läsa baksidestexten. Kom på "exet får minnesförlust och tror fortfarande att de är tillsammans"-twisten lite för långt in. Är inte så imponerad av den (hjärnskakningar funkar inte så!). Tycker inte att Landon var någon vidare hjälte heller. Eller, han är väl gullig och så, men han kommer undan jävligt billigt med förra årets svek. Hans drivkraft, är mer realistisk än de flesta Hinder För Kärleken i den här typen av böcker, men det blir inte särskilt romantiskt.
Personerna är inte riktigt rundade, heller. Mjae. Men driv och roligt att läsa, och lite plus för den här ranchen där allt utspelar sig, den är trivsam.
Personerna är inte riktigt rundade, heller. Mjae. Men driv och roligt att läsa, och lite plus för den här ranchen där allt utspelar sig, den är trivsam.
February 5, 2023
Nothing to blow me away. But a fairly average. Not too offensive romance book. They did front load a lot of "I'm not like other girls". Once they tamp down on that and I suppose I should say she as opposed to they. The rest of the book is fairly paint by numbers. It's a matter of the guessing which and then we're going to get and we got the one I didn't guess. So that's fine. I didn't like some aspects of McKenzie standing up for herself and actually having the balls to do some things. I appreciate that the book didn't drag out the dramatic irony as books often do with characters not knowing what they should know because they refused to talk to each other. Everyone who knows to need to know what's going on. Basically does and that's helpful. So thumbs up I guess.
Read
May 9, 2017Loved the premise but if you're going to tell me in the blurb that the premise of this is a character getting amnesia, I expect it to happen sooner than almost 50 pages into the book. By this point, I didn't care about what was going to happen and I certainly didn't buy into any relationship development that was going to follow because there weren't enough pages left to make it convincing. Also, I didn't buy into the concussion scene for a minute, more specifically, how this was dealt with by the adult. I've never had a concussion but this guy was so glib, I just couldn't believe it. This was a DNF for me.
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