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Briarwood High #4
The Holiday Kiss
An uptight nerd is forced to spend her holiday vacation with the cocky swim team captain—and Christmas at the beach has never been so hot.
With early acceptance to Harvard under her belt and graduation just months away, life is good for Maya Rivero. She's ready to celebrate Christmas in Mexico with her mother, like every year, leaving behind the Briarwood classmates who've never understood her.
She can't wait to say adios to Luke Perona, in particular. Archnemesis, captain of the swim team, and all-around arrogant jerk, he's become more of a nuisance than ever now that her mom has befriended Luke's newly divorced mother. They've become such good friends, in fact, that her mom feels compelled to invite the entire Perona family to join them on vacation. Including Luke.
Awesome. Now her vacation is ruined. But when these two polar opposites are forced to spend time together outside the confines of Briarwood High, the truth becomes startlingly clear. These long-time rivals might even like each other. And it only takes one major holiday, two meddling mothers, and an epic holiday kiss to make them see it.
With early acceptance to Harvard under her belt and graduation just months away, life is good for Maya Rivero. She's ready to celebrate Christmas in Mexico with her mother, like every year, leaving behind the Briarwood classmates who've never understood her.
She can't wait to say adios to Luke Perona, in particular. Archnemesis, captain of the swim team, and all-around arrogant jerk, he's become more of a nuisance than ever now that her mom has befriended Luke's newly divorced mother. They've become such good friends, in fact, that her mom feels compelled to invite the entire Perona family to join them on vacation. Including Luke.
Awesome. Now her vacation is ruined. But when these two polar opposites are forced to spend time together outside the confines of Briarwood High, the truth becomes startlingly clear. These long-time rivals might even like each other. And it only takes one major holiday, two meddling mothers, and an epic holiday kiss to make them see it.
200 pages, Paperback
Published August 4, 2023
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December 14, 2020
Enemies to Lovers teen romance.
Luke and Maya are high schoolers who happen to dislike each other. Fate brought them together when their single moms became fast friends and planned to spend the Christmas vacation together. The more they spent together, the easier they developed other feelings for each other.
Whenever in need of some light, cliche, refreshing, eye rolling reads, Maggie Dallen always delivers. This was no exception.
Luke and Maya are high schoolers who happen to dislike each other. Fate brought them together when their single moms became fast friends and planned to spend the Christmas vacation together. The more they spent together, the easier they developed other feelings for each other.
Whenever in need of some light, cliche, refreshing, eye rolling reads, Maggie Dallen always delivers. This was no exception.
Want to read
May 30, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (5/30/2018)!💝
Blurb:
When an uptight nerd is forced to spend her holiday vacation with a cocky jock...well, let's just say Christmas at the beach has never been so hot.
With early acceptance to Harvard under her belt and graduation just months away, life is good for Maya Rivero. She's ready to celebrate Christmas in Mexico with her mother, like every year, leaving behind the Briarwood classmates who've never understood her. She can't wait to say adios to Luke Perona, in particular. Archnemesis, captain of the swim team, and all-around arrogant jerk, he's become more of a nuisance than ever now that her mom has befriended Luke's newly divorced mother. They've become such good friends, in fact, that Maya's mother feels compelled to invite the entire Perona family to join them on vacation. Including Luke.
Her vacation is ruined with one fateful invite. But when these two polar opposites are forced to spend time together outside the confines of Briarwood High, the truth becomes startlingly clear. They have more in common than they'd thought. In fact...these long-time rivals might even like each other. And it only takes one major holiday, two meddling mothers, and an epic holiday kiss to make them see it.
Each Briarwood High novel is a completely standalone romance and they can be read in any order.
Blurb:
When an uptight nerd is forced to spend her holiday vacation with a cocky jock...well, let's just say Christmas at the beach has never been so hot.
With early acceptance to Harvard under her belt and graduation just months away, life is good for Maya Rivero. She's ready to celebrate Christmas in Mexico with her mother, like every year, leaving behind the Briarwood classmates who've never understood her. She can't wait to say adios to Luke Perona, in particular. Archnemesis, captain of the swim team, and all-around arrogant jerk, he's become more of a nuisance than ever now that her mom has befriended Luke's newly divorced mother. They've become such good friends, in fact, that Maya's mother feels compelled to invite the entire Perona family to join them on vacation. Including Luke.
Her vacation is ruined with one fateful invite. But when these two polar opposites are forced to spend time together outside the confines of Briarwood High, the truth becomes startlingly clear. They have more in common than they'd thought. In fact...these long-time rivals might even like each other. And it only takes one major holiday, two meddling mothers, and an epic holiday kiss to make them see it.
Each Briarwood High novel is a completely standalone romance and they can be read in any order.
December 19, 2018
https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/12/...
I LOVE enemies to lovers troupes! And this one did not disappoint! At first I was very angry with both Maya and Luke’s perceptions of each other. It was so stereotypical and they both clung to them for longer than I would have thought after getting to know each other. But once they both decided to let that shit go…..Man it was amazing!
Luke’s character was average in the jock way but he was extraordinary in his smarts way. The way it was portrayed was well written and made you really think about high school stereotypes. He was so young and he was trying hard to be a good role model for his little brothers after the divorce. His mom was kinda a wreck. And he was keeping his GPA up and captain of a winning swim team as well. I think the author showed his hurt and resentment towards his parents regarding the divorce very well. It is difficult to feel that way about a parent, you almost think you are betraying them but a childs feeling are valid in this. He didn’t even try to resist his attraction to Maya and dove in head first. He just knew how she made him feel and went with it.
Maya on the other hand was a harder nut to crack. She carried her cloak of lonerness around like some kind of shield and was very resistant to letting Luke in. Since she was the more logical of the two he presented his case in a fashion she would understand and appreciate and I thought it was very thoughtful of him to try to make her understand in her way instead of trying to make her understadn in his way. Once she did, she went all in as well. And while I didn’t get some of her aurguments at first, she did manage to make me think twice about their relationship experiment.
That’s one of the things I loved so much about this story. There wasn’t a lot of back and forth once a decision was made. Once they decided, they trusted in each other to follow through. And if questions came up they addressed them right away and cleared the air. If only every relationship was like that right?
I LOVE enemies to lovers troupes! And this one did not disappoint! At first I was very angry with both Maya and Luke’s perceptions of each other. It was so stereotypical and they both clung to them for longer than I would have thought after getting to know each other. But once they both decided to let that shit go…..Man it was amazing!
Luke’s character was average in the jock way but he was extraordinary in his smarts way. The way it was portrayed was well written and made you really think about high school stereotypes. He was so young and he was trying hard to be a good role model for his little brothers after the divorce. His mom was kinda a wreck. And he was keeping his GPA up and captain of a winning swim team as well. I think the author showed his hurt and resentment towards his parents regarding the divorce very well. It is difficult to feel that way about a parent, you almost think you are betraying them but a childs feeling are valid in this. He didn’t even try to resist his attraction to Maya and dove in head first. He just knew how she made him feel and went with it.
Maya on the other hand was a harder nut to crack. She carried her cloak of lonerness around like some kind of shield and was very resistant to letting Luke in. Since she was the more logical of the two he presented his case in a fashion she would understand and appreciate and I thought it was very thoughtful of him to try to make her understand in her way instead of trying to make her understadn in his way. Once she did, she went all in as well. And while I didn’t get some of her aurguments at first, she did manage to make me think twice about their relationship experiment.
That’s one of the things I loved so much about this story. There wasn’t a lot of back and forth once a decision was made. Once they decided, they trusted in each other to follow through. And if questions came up they addressed them right away and cleared the air. If only every relationship was like that right?
June 2, 2018
Really nice sweet YA romance
I throughly enjoyed reading about Maya and Luke. Both of them come from opposite ends of the high school and they really can't stand each other . I really loved seeing how each of them grew in the dtory. How their minds opened and they realized that there is more than what comes to the eue.
I also enjoyed reading the sizzling chemistry. This book is clean, but Maggie does a great job showing the chemistry and the angst between the characters. Man, there were really points in the book where my heart was clenching and beating for them. Also the author did a great job building up the romance. I love how despite it being a short novel there was a great build up in their love story.
In addition, I really loved the side charscters. I loved seeing the Moms trying to Luke and Maya together in different situations. It was great seeing parents who weren't jerks. And I really loved Lukes siblings. How brothers are really awesome and are a great addition to the story.
In summary, great Ya romance. It's perfect to an sweet beach read or a quickie. I'll definitely read the rest of the books in the series. This is one highly recommend.
I throughly enjoyed reading about Maya and Luke. Both of them come from opposite ends of the high school and they really can't stand each other . I really loved seeing how each of them grew in the dtory. How their minds opened and they realized that there is more than what comes to the eue.
I also enjoyed reading the sizzling chemistry. This book is clean, but Maggie does a great job showing the chemistry and the angst between the characters. Man, there were really points in the book where my heart was clenching and beating for them. Also the author did a great job building up the romance. I love how despite it being a short novel there was a great build up in their love story.
In addition, I really loved the side charscters. I loved seeing the Moms trying to Luke and Maya together in different situations. It was great seeing parents who weren't jerks. And I really loved Lukes siblings. How brothers are really awesome and are a great addition to the story.
In summary, great Ya romance. It's perfect to an sweet beach read or a quickie. I'll definitely read the rest of the books in the series. This is one highly recommend.
July 21, 2018
Another fun cheesy read
This was another one of those cheesy romance books. While it wasn't one of my favorites it had a lot of potential. The story line was sweet and fun but it moved way too quickly, even for a book like this. I love the "hate to love" trope but this was like a change of emotions in the matter of a chapter. I kind of wish it had been a little longer so it could have fleshed out more.
This was another one of those cheesy romance books. While it wasn't one of my favorites it had a lot of potential. The story line was sweet and fun but it moved way too quickly, even for a book like this. I love the "hate to love" trope but this was like a change of emotions in the matter of a chapter. I kind of wish it had been a little longer so it could have fleshed out more.
July 20, 2018
G-rated, YA romantic comedy
Maya Rivero attends a prestigious, private prep school, Briarwood High. She is one of the top students in her class, and more than that, she is that comparatively rare female who specializes in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies. She has been early-accepted to Harvard and cannot wait to leave high school behind less than six months from now. The social life on offer in high school bores her because it is filled with mindless pursuits such as sporting events, booze parties, and a swirling cesspool of teenage angst precipitated by a neverending parade of romantic relationships that are unthinkingly formed and melodramatically broken. Unlike her overemotional peers, Maya has chosen a rational approach to romance. During her freshman year, she met a boy whom she dispassionately determined would be a good match for her because they share the same interests. They mutually agreed on a practical relationship with little romance and no passion involved (which is why Maya is still a virgin). After three mildly pleasurable years together, last summer they placed their relationship on indefinate hiatus because Brandon is a year older and away at college. They have mutually decided that they may, or may not, choose to resume dating when she is in college too, if it doesn't interfere with their studies.
Maya's fellow senior, Luke Perona, is a tall, handsome, well-built athelete with an outgoing personality and, unsurprisingly due to these traits, is quite popular. Trading on that popularity, he has a history of casually dating a string of eager girls throughout his high school career and has had sex with what he terms, "his share" of them. There are multiple girls with whom he currently "hooks up with on and off" who, conveniently for Luke, seem to be as uncomplainingly satisfied as he is with meaningless sexual encounters.
Maya has never forgiven Luke for leading his buddies in incessantly teasing her throughout middle school and junior high. But today, due to his obsession with competing at every turn, he has transformed himself from merely an irritating jerk into an arch nemesis. As the entitled, charming and verbally persuasive captain of the school's swim team, Luke has beaten her out for a grant she had hoped would be used to provide much needed funding for STEM programs at Briarwood. Instead, Luke has coaxed the grant committee into using it to pad the bottom line of the school's already more-than-adequately funded, championship swim team.
In short, in every way that sensible, self-contained Maya can imagine, she and the impulsive, intrusive Luke are dead opposites. Until Maya's mother discovers the one thing Maya and Luke do have in common--the fact that their mothers are both divorced--and turns that knowledge into a second, disastrous thing that she and Luke have in common. Their mothers become friends.
Maya's mother is an outgoing, compassionate woman with a huge soft spot for fellow divorced single mothers, but her befriending of Luke's recently divorced mother, Patty, runs far deeper than her usual, casually nurturing support of her sister divorcees. They become best friends. Maya would not have begrudged her mother an important friendship if her mother and Patty had kept their friendship to themselves. Instead, her lovably gregarious mother invites both Patty and her children, including Luke as well as his two little brothers, to their home for one of her mother's "famous" taco nights, as she playfully calls them. Maya doesn't mind the little boys, who are quite sweet, but Luke is the last person she wants to associate with. She's barely begun to accept that nights like these might become a regular event when, out of the blue, her mother makes the situation disastrously worse.
Without consulting Maya, and without telling her until the very day it happens, her mother has invited Patty and her kids--once again, including Luke!--to join Maya and her mother for their annual Christmas trip. It has been their tradition for many years at Christmas to spend a quiet, restful week at a small, cozy, beachside resort in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. It is very near where Maya's mother grew up, though she no longer has any family living there. Maya's first indication of this debacle is when Patty and her boys join them at the airport, and Luke greets her with a smugly cheery grin.
I have recently read several of Maggie Dallen's young adult (YA) novels. I have enjoyed them all and have been delighted to find her novels, because she writes what is, sadly, relatively rare in the YA genre, G-rated romantic comedies. Ms. Dallen also writes adult romance novels, and I am happy to report that she uses the two, main, expected conventions of romance plots found in that genre in her YA romances: once the two people who are the subject of the romance meet, there is no cheating, and there is a believable happily ever after (HEA).
I don't personally like romantic triangles if they present a true dilemma, that is, a choice between two almost equally viable, enthralling possibilities (we have Twilight to thank for the prevalence of this in YA). It might seem on the surface that this book has a romantic triangle, but it is not a true triangle, because there is no real dilemma. Though Maya technically has a boyfriend, it is apparent from the start that they aren't really together and have made no vows of fidelity. Further, their relationship sounds more like a business deal than a romance. Thus, this is what I personally see as a false triangle. It merely exists as a means for the heroine to grow beyond the very limited perspective she previously had of what constitutes a healthy, happy romance and move toward something far deeper.
In a classic romance plot of "enemies to lovers," which in this G-rated version is "enemies to romance," when done well, as is the case in this novel, the plot contains a staple of excellent character-driven fiction, a solid growth arc for both the romantic protagonists. They each have to evolve beyond their socially created "false self," in this case the cliche Nerd and Jock roles, to a deeper, unique, "true self." This process allows them to earn the fulfillment of True Love. This path is the ideal every romance novel, by definition, hopes to deliver, but very few actually do.
One of the reasons I tend to look for G-rated or "sweet" romances without overt sex is that far too many romance writers fill their books with sex at the expense of creating a believable emotional connection between the romantic protagonists that contains tenderness, understanding and a true connection of the mind and heart. When the lion's share of the book's focus is on lust and body parts, sexual obsession is inevitably presented as if it is romantic love. At the other end of the spectrum, in G-rated novels, if romance authors are not skilled at developing the emotional and mental connection between the romantic protagonists, especially when the book is billed as "romantic comedy," such books become more chick lit than romance, because they are overloaded with embarrassing, slapstick scenes to make up for the missing sex.
This book makes none of those mistakes. The prime goal of a truly excellent romance is to put the two protagonists on the stage together as much as possible--and this book does that a whole lot--and allow them to interact with each other, fighting it out in a specific way. Their personality differences, especially their flaws, become rough stones rubbing away the harsh, false edges in order to reveal the smooth and delicately vulnerable, hidden, true self. That true self has suffered pain from past rejection, and it resists trusting due to fear of present and future rejection. Even so, it longs to connect in a profound and loving way. This romance ideal is what the author achieves with these two protagonists.
Both Maya and Luke start out with irritating flaws, but as their virtues begin to be slowly and surely revealed within their amusing, and often moving, interactions on the beach in Mexico, they become very sympathetic, likeable protagonists whom I enjoyed spending time with.
It is also a big plus for me personally to read a YA novel in which the teenage, Mexican-American protagonist is portrayed as an intelligent, responsible, ambitious girl, rather than a teenage male who is an Alpha, macho guy who is, at the least, in trouble with the law, if not an outright gangbanger. Now I'd very much like to see Maya's male counterpart in a YA novel. I also appreciated it that Maya and her mother are both presented as bilingual (a huge accomplishment for anyone to achieve), and that they are justly proud of their heritage.
On the downside, as a personal complaint, it is a huge cliche that has been epidemic in romance novels for the past 40 years, such that most romance authors include it automatically, to describe the gorgeous, desirable romantic hero as having gotten his "share" of sex in the years prior to meeting the heroine. The actual meaning of this appalling term is that the hero regards fellow human beings as objects and possessions to be used at will for his own selfish, sexual gratification. Romance authors include this trope to give the hero enough sexual experience to supposedly make it believable that he is fabulous in bed. But how does a man become a sensitive lover when he has dehumanized his sexual partners? Secondly, romance authors disguise this seamy underside of the promiscuity of their heroes by portraying them as firmly believing they have never harmed any of their conquests because the women they use sexually "know the score." That they accept freely, with no reservations, that they are nothing but warm bodies to the hero before he abandons them and flits merrily away to his next conquest. It is no better ethically that in the past 15 years or so, many romance authors have made their female protagonists equal opportunity sexual users. The truth is, there is no such thing as anyone (unless drunk or stoned and unable to truly give consent, or extremely emotionally or mentally damaged) who "knows the score," that they are nothing but a vessel to be used to slake the lust of fellow human beings who arrogantly and callously believe they are owed sex on demand as a social perk of their beauty and/or wealth.
It also is rather unrealistic that a prestigious, private prep school, like the fictional Briarwood High of this YA series of books, would contain the teen-movie cliche of "jocks vs nerds" (sexy-and-dumb vs sexless-and-smart) civil war which, if it exists at all, would be far more believable in a public high school. The whole point of paying the astronomical tuition of a private prep school is to improve one's chance of not only getting into a university, but an Ivy League university at that. This challenging goal cannot be achieved by being cavalier about one's studies. Therefore, virtually everyone at a prep school is, by virtue of the very fact of their acceptance into the school, a "nerd," if that derrogatory term is defined as taking one's studies seriously.
Parental Guidance: No sex, only kissing. No drinking, drugs or wild parties. Only slightly PG in the sense that the hero muses about the fact that he has been sexually promiscuous in his past life, before he becomes involved with the heroine.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Unusual setting: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Maya Rivero attends a prestigious, private prep school, Briarwood High. She is one of the top students in her class, and more than that, she is that comparatively rare female who specializes in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies. She has been early-accepted to Harvard and cannot wait to leave high school behind less than six months from now. The social life on offer in high school bores her because it is filled with mindless pursuits such as sporting events, booze parties, and a swirling cesspool of teenage angst precipitated by a neverending parade of romantic relationships that are unthinkingly formed and melodramatically broken. Unlike her overemotional peers, Maya has chosen a rational approach to romance. During her freshman year, she met a boy whom she dispassionately determined would be a good match for her because they share the same interests. They mutually agreed on a practical relationship with little romance and no passion involved (which is why Maya is still a virgin). After three mildly pleasurable years together, last summer they placed their relationship on indefinate hiatus because Brandon is a year older and away at college. They have mutually decided that they may, or may not, choose to resume dating when she is in college too, if it doesn't interfere with their studies.
Maya's fellow senior, Luke Perona, is a tall, handsome, well-built athelete with an outgoing personality and, unsurprisingly due to these traits, is quite popular. Trading on that popularity, he has a history of casually dating a string of eager girls throughout his high school career and has had sex with what he terms, "his share" of them. There are multiple girls with whom he currently "hooks up with on and off" who, conveniently for Luke, seem to be as uncomplainingly satisfied as he is with meaningless sexual encounters.
Maya has never forgiven Luke for leading his buddies in incessantly teasing her throughout middle school and junior high. But today, due to his obsession with competing at every turn, he has transformed himself from merely an irritating jerk into an arch nemesis. As the entitled, charming and verbally persuasive captain of the school's swim team, Luke has beaten her out for a grant she had hoped would be used to provide much needed funding for STEM programs at Briarwood. Instead, Luke has coaxed the grant committee into using it to pad the bottom line of the school's already more-than-adequately funded, championship swim team.
In short, in every way that sensible, self-contained Maya can imagine, she and the impulsive, intrusive Luke are dead opposites. Until Maya's mother discovers the one thing Maya and Luke do have in common--the fact that their mothers are both divorced--and turns that knowledge into a second, disastrous thing that she and Luke have in common. Their mothers become friends.
Maya's mother is an outgoing, compassionate woman with a huge soft spot for fellow divorced single mothers, but her befriending of Luke's recently divorced mother, Patty, runs far deeper than her usual, casually nurturing support of her sister divorcees. They become best friends. Maya would not have begrudged her mother an important friendship if her mother and Patty had kept their friendship to themselves. Instead, her lovably gregarious mother invites both Patty and her children, including Luke as well as his two little brothers, to their home for one of her mother's "famous" taco nights, as she playfully calls them. Maya doesn't mind the little boys, who are quite sweet, but Luke is the last person she wants to associate with. She's barely begun to accept that nights like these might become a regular event when, out of the blue, her mother makes the situation disastrously worse.
Without consulting Maya, and without telling her until the very day it happens, her mother has invited Patty and her kids--once again, including Luke!--to join Maya and her mother for their annual Christmas trip. It has been their tradition for many years at Christmas to spend a quiet, restful week at a small, cozy, beachside resort in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. It is very near where Maya's mother grew up, though she no longer has any family living there. Maya's first indication of this debacle is when Patty and her boys join them at the airport, and Luke greets her with a smugly cheery grin.
I have recently read several of Maggie Dallen's young adult (YA) novels. I have enjoyed them all and have been delighted to find her novels, because she writes what is, sadly, relatively rare in the YA genre, G-rated romantic comedies. Ms. Dallen also writes adult romance novels, and I am happy to report that she uses the two, main, expected conventions of romance plots found in that genre in her YA romances: once the two people who are the subject of the romance meet, there is no cheating, and there is a believable happily ever after (HEA).
I don't personally like romantic triangles if they present a true dilemma, that is, a choice between two almost equally viable, enthralling possibilities (we have Twilight to thank for the prevalence of this in YA). It might seem on the surface that this book has a romantic triangle, but it is not a true triangle, because there is no real dilemma. Though Maya technically has a boyfriend, it is apparent from the start that they aren't really together and have made no vows of fidelity. Further, their relationship sounds more like a business deal than a romance. Thus, this is what I personally see as a false triangle. It merely exists as a means for the heroine to grow beyond the very limited perspective she previously had of what constitutes a healthy, happy romance and move toward something far deeper.
In a classic romance plot of "enemies to lovers," which in this G-rated version is "enemies to romance," when done well, as is the case in this novel, the plot contains a staple of excellent character-driven fiction, a solid growth arc for both the romantic protagonists. They each have to evolve beyond their socially created "false self," in this case the cliche Nerd and Jock roles, to a deeper, unique, "true self." This process allows them to earn the fulfillment of True Love. This path is the ideal every romance novel, by definition, hopes to deliver, but very few actually do.
One of the reasons I tend to look for G-rated or "sweet" romances without overt sex is that far too many romance writers fill their books with sex at the expense of creating a believable emotional connection between the romantic protagonists that contains tenderness, understanding and a true connection of the mind and heart. When the lion's share of the book's focus is on lust and body parts, sexual obsession is inevitably presented as if it is romantic love. At the other end of the spectrum, in G-rated novels, if romance authors are not skilled at developing the emotional and mental connection between the romantic protagonists, especially when the book is billed as "romantic comedy," such books become more chick lit than romance, because they are overloaded with embarrassing, slapstick scenes to make up for the missing sex.
This book makes none of those mistakes. The prime goal of a truly excellent romance is to put the two protagonists on the stage together as much as possible--and this book does that a whole lot--and allow them to interact with each other, fighting it out in a specific way. Their personality differences, especially their flaws, become rough stones rubbing away the harsh, false edges in order to reveal the smooth and delicately vulnerable, hidden, true self. That true self has suffered pain from past rejection, and it resists trusting due to fear of present and future rejection. Even so, it longs to connect in a profound and loving way. This romance ideal is what the author achieves with these two protagonists.
Both Maya and Luke start out with irritating flaws, but as their virtues begin to be slowly and surely revealed within their amusing, and often moving, interactions on the beach in Mexico, they become very sympathetic, likeable protagonists whom I enjoyed spending time with.
It is also a big plus for me personally to read a YA novel in which the teenage, Mexican-American protagonist is portrayed as an intelligent, responsible, ambitious girl, rather than a teenage male who is an Alpha, macho guy who is, at the least, in trouble with the law, if not an outright gangbanger. Now I'd very much like to see Maya's male counterpart in a YA novel. I also appreciated it that Maya and her mother are both presented as bilingual (a huge accomplishment for anyone to achieve), and that they are justly proud of their heritage.
On the downside, as a personal complaint, it is a huge cliche that has been epidemic in romance novels for the past 40 years, such that most romance authors include it automatically, to describe the gorgeous, desirable romantic hero as having gotten his "share" of sex in the years prior to meeting the heroine. The actual meaning of this appalling term is that the hero regards fellow human beings as objects and possessions to be used at will for his own selfish, sexual gratification. Romance authors include this trope to give the hero enough sexual experience to supposedly make it believable that he is fabulous in bed. But how does a man become a sensitive lover when he has dehumanized his sexual partners? Secondly, romance authors disguise this seamy underside of the promiscuity of their heroes by portraying them as firmly believing they have never harmed any of their conquests because the women they use sexually "know the score." That they accept freely, with no reservations, that they are nothing but warm bodies to the hero before he abandons them and flits merrily away to his next conquest. It is no better ethically that in the past 15 years or so, many romance authors have made their female protagonists equal opportunity sexual users. The truth is, there is no such thing as anyone (unless drunk or stoned and unable to truly give consent, or extremely emotionally or mentally damaged) who "knows the score," that they are nothing but a vessel to be used to slake the lust of fellow human beings who arrogantly and callously believe they are owed sex on demand as a social perk of their beauty and/or wealth.
It also is rather unrealistic that a prestigious, private prep school, like the fictional Briarwood High of this YA series of books, would contain the teen-movie cliche of "jocks vs nerds" (sexy-and-dumb vs sexless-and-smart) civil war which, if it exists at all, would be far more believable in a public high school. The whole point of paying the astronomical tuition of a private prep school is to improve one's chance of not only getting into a university, but an Ivy League university at that. This challenging goal cannot be achieved by being cavalier about one's studies. Therefore, virtually everyone at a prep school is, by virtue of the very fact of their acceptance into the school, a "nerd," if that derrogatory term is defined as taking one's studies seriously.
Parental Guidance: No sex, only kissing. No drinking, drugs or wild parties. Only slightly PG in the sense that the hero muses about the fact that he has been sexually promiscuous in his past life, before he becomes involved with the heroine.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Unusual setting: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
October 23, 2020
A plan so wicked, I had to smother a laugh. I lifted my eyes to meet him.
“The senator’s aide is the killer.” His expression was blank for a second as he tried to figure out what I was talking about. I saw it click right before I flipped over, curling up on my side to at least pretend to sleep. I heard him flip to the end of the book and then he muttered a curse.
Why the hell did I care if she had a boyfriend? Because you like her, dumbass.
Enemies to lovers...yes please! Sign me up! Luke and Maya both come from opposite ends of the high school spectrum. I love watching Luke fall in love with Maya. Once he made up his mind about wanting to be with Maya, he fought to be with her. It was great to watch both of them start to fall for each other. This was another great YA romance written by Maggie Dallen. 4.25 stars.
“The senator’s aide is the killer.” His expression was blank for a second as he tried to figure out what I was talking about. I saw it click right before I flipped over, curling up on my side to at least pretend to sleep. I heard him flip to the end of the book and then he muttered a curse.
Why the hell did I care if she had a boyfriend? Because you like her, dumbass.
Enemies to lovers...yes please! Sign me up! Luke and Maya both come from opposite ends of the high school spectrum. I love watching Luke fall in love with Maya. Once he made up his mind about wanting to be with Maya, he fought to be with her. It was great to watch both of them start to fall for each other. This was another great YA romance written by Maggie Dallen. 4.25 stars.
July 24, 2018
Oh my goodness! This book was so AWESOME! Seriously I loved it! And now it's official: the Briarwood High series is one of my favorites. Can't wait for the next book to come out. Because, there WILL be other books after this, right?
April 10, 2023
It was really slow and I had trouble getting through it. While I normally enjoy this author, this one was a disappointment
November 25, 2022
This wasn’t as Christmassy as I was hoping it would be, and I wasn’t a big fan of what a player Luke was. Being a novella, the relationship between Maya and Luke wasn’t as developed as it could have been. It was still a cute read though.
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Free on Amazon today (12/14/2020)! 🎄
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Free on Amazon today (12/14/2020)! 🎄
December 31, 2019
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/12/...
4.5 stars — Wow, I think Ms. Dallen has a formula. As with The Candy Cane Kiss, I was dismayed with the attitude and inner thoughts of Luke at the beginning of this story. He was…not nice. He was seriously insensitive (probably from being a bit self-involved), and hence a bit of a bully and a douchebag. It’s like, I get what Ms. Dallen is trying to do with these characters, make them realistic teenagers subject to cliques and all the harshness of high school…but I kind of hated that there wasn’t really much of a glimmer of more to him in those moments…it made the transition feel rushed, and I had a hard time buying it. Though obviously I did in the end.
In the end I honestly don’t understand how this author sucks me in and has me completely wrapped up in the story with that kind of beginning…but I was!! I was soooo invested. I think it’s because Luke truly does confront his mean aspects and the consequences of the things that he (and his friends) say and do. And he really does think about it. I mean, sure, the only reason he gives it a chance is because he sees a different version of Maya and he’s attracted…but he gets there all the same. He pursues it because he’s confused by it and he wants to understand her and her experiences. That was genuine.
And then there’s Maya! Wow, what an interesting character. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s on the autism spectrum, what with her difficulty dealing with emotions and connecting with others. I kind of loved the fact that we really got to see into her brain, and how she saw the world and interpreted it. I loved seeing how her cold persona was a result of not wanting to deal with strong emotions, and thus closing herself. Fascinating (especially for a girl who is the exact opposite, and totally overly emotional).
I really loved the way their relationship evolved…and how they managed to connect with one another through all that hostility, because of being forced together (sort of). I really felt their chemistry, and I loved hearing about how it was more than just physical (kissing), and how they started to get to know one another and what made the other one tick.
Part of me wouldn’t have minded if we’d also gotten to see a bit more of the reactions of the kids at school to this new development. Did Luke just ditch his friends, or did he win them over?
But yeah…other than a shaky start, I really ended up loving this one. I think I’ll just have to keep Ms. Allen’s style in mind for future books so that I make sure I keep reading even if I’m worried about a character. It’s not ideal, but I’ll take it.
4.5 stars — Wow, I think Ms. Dallen has a formula. As with The Candy Cane Kiss, I was dismayed with the attitude and inner thoughts of Luke at the beginning of this story. He was…not nice. He was seriously insensitive (probably from being a bit self-involved), and hence a bit of a bully and a douchebag. It’s like, I get what Ms. Dallen is trying to do with these characters, make them realistic teenagers subject to cliques and all the harshness of high school…but I kind of hated that there wasn’t really much of a glimmer of more to him in those moments…it made the transition feel rushed, and I had a hard time buying it. Though obviously I did in the end.
In the end I honestly don’t understand how this author sucks me in and has me completely wrapped up in the story with that kind of beginning…but I was!! I was soooo invested. I think it’s because Luke truly does confront his mean aspects and the consequences of the things that he (and his friends) say and do. And he really does think about it. I mean, sure, the only reason he gives it a chance is because he sees a different version of Maya and he’s attracted…but he gets there all the same. He pursues it because he’s confused by it and he wants to understand her and her experiences. That was genuine.
And then there’s Maya! Wow, what an interesting character. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s on the autism spectrum, what with her difficulty dealing with emotions and connecting with others. I kind of loved the fact that we really got to see into her brain, and how she saw the world and interpreted it. I loved seeing how her cold persona was a result of not wanting to deal with strong emotions, and thus closing herself. Fascinating (especially for a girl who is the exact opposite, and totally overly emotional).
I really loved the way their relationship evolved…and how they managed to connect with one another through all that hostility, because of being forced together (sort of). I really felt their chemistry, and I loved hearing about how it was more than just physical (kissing), and how they started to get to know one another and what made the other one tick.
Part of me wouldn’t have minded if we’d also gotten to see a bit more of the reactions of the kids at school to this new development. Did Luke just ditch his friends, or did he win them over?
But yeah…other than a shaky start, I really ended up loving this one. I think I’ll just have to keep Ms. Allen’s style in mind for future books so that I make sure I keep reading even if I’m worried about a character. It’s not ideal, but I’ll take it.
February 27, 2019
Mkay
***I didn't even really add any spoilers; just my little thoughts***
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2019...
I swear I believe this whole series was based on a kiss. I was annoyed by book three. & also I kept thinking I read this book, but I didn’t I am like this book sounds so familiar to another book I have read the similarities are by far to the same ... I wish I could remember which book it was... I know it was some book from last year I read about two teens. But let me see if it is similar once I start to read this book and get into the characters because that description has so many similarities to that one book I had read...
But enough about that let’s talk about Maya and Luke. But before I do I wonder why book five the guy name is Luke and the book six the guy name Lucas... Luke is known for Lucas the short version “nickname” I was confusing by that too ...
But other than what I mentioned above, this book was good at one point, but then I got bored and tired of reading because the chapters (it’s was 11 chapters) but the chapters were so long! I was over it by chapter 8. Even though I was over it; I did enjoy Maya and Luke story. ***in the end, this book, wasn't like the book I have read"** I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK PERIOD!!! I am glad I did read this book last because book 5 was actually GOOOD.
***I didn't even really add any spoilers; just my little thoughts***
https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2019...
I swear I believe this whole series was based on a kiss. I was annoyed by book three. & also I kept thinking I read this book, but I didn’t I am like this book sounds so familiar to another book I have read the similarities are by far to the same ... I wish I could remember which book it was... I know it was some book from last year I read about two teens. But let me see if it is similar once I start to read this book and get into the characters because that description has so many similarities to that one book I had read...
But enough about that let’s talk about Maya and Luke. But before I do I wonder why book five the guy name is Luke and the book six the guy name Lucas... Luke is known for Lucas the short version “nickname” I was confusing by that too ...
But other than what I mentioned above, this book was good at one point, but then I got bored and tired of reading because the chapters (it’s was 11 chapters) but the chapters were so long! I was over it by chapter 8. Even though I was over it; I did enjoy Maya and Luke story. ***in the end, this book, wasn't like the book I have read"** I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK PERIOD!!! I am glad I did read this book last because book 5 was actually GOOOD.
May 29, 2018
I have an addiction and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’m addicted to Maggie Dallen’s Briarwood High books. It started out naturally enough. The first of them I read (I’m not going to identify which of the prior three it was - read my reviews of them and you’ll find out) was, well, effectively me and my story from high school (except that I went during the Stone Age and this had a modern setting). Then came the second and third books of the series which I couldn’t identify with to the same degree but which were almost as addictive anyway because of how “real” they felt in terms of what high school and high school romance is about. And now we are at book 4, The Holiday Kiss. I gotta say that once again I identify with the heroine. Maya is a total nerd and I kinda sorta was (and still am) too. Her romance with Luke is pure joy to experience and the way it changes, and improves, them? Precious. This is a wonderfully built and superbly written novel that is pure joy to read from beginning to end. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to (a.k.a. can’t wait for) the next Briarwood High book.
June 17, 2018
Such a cute, charming story about a nerd and a jock and how sometimes opposites really do attract.
Maya Rivero’s course is set. After she gets out of the h*ll she calls high school, she’s on to Harvard. She’s had it rough at her private school. As a nerd, she’s been picked on, talked about, sneered at. One of the ring leaders is none other than captain of the swim team, Luke Perona. He’s the main man, every boy wants to be his friend and every girl wants to be with him, even though he doesn’t do girlfriends. After clashing about how some school funds should be used, Maya finds out that her mom has betrayed her. She’s invited her new friend and her sons on their annual Christmas trip to Mexico. Yup, Maya’s mom has invited Luke, his younger brothers, and their mother to get away for Christmas.
The writing is so good, you get drawn into their lives. I was surprised because I am well beyond high school, for heaven’s sake, I’m almost 50, but the writing pulled me. The characters are well written. There are some one-dimensional aspects to the characters, and that’s the reason for my 4-star review instead of 5 stars.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I was impressed. I will have to check out her other stories. This story is part of a series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read the other books first.
Maya Rivero’s course is set. After she gets out of the h*ll she calls high school, she’s on to Harvard. She’s had it rough at her private school. As a nerd, she’s been picked on, talked about, sneered at. One of the ring leaders is none other than captain of the swim team, Luke Perona. He’s the main man, every boy wants to be his friend and every girl wants to be with him, even though he doesn’t do girlfriends. After clashing about how some school funds should be used, Maya finds out that her mom has betrayed her. She’s invited her new friend and her sons on their annual Christmas trip to Mexico. Yup, Maya’s mom has invited Luke, his younger brothers, and their mother to get away for Christmas.
The writing is so good, you get drawn into their lives. I was surprised because I am well beyond high school, for heaven’s sake, I’m almost 50, but the writing pulled me. The characters are well written. There are some one-dimensional aspects to the characters, and that’s the reason for my 4-star review instead of 5 stars.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I was impressed. I will have to check out her other stories. This story is part of a series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read the other books first.
August 8, 2024
Maya in her Senior Year and ready to leave Briarwood High's cliques and her nemesis swim captain Luke who finds her to be a challenge he can't resist competing with in school hallways or over Grant money that can be his legacy for the swim team whereas Maya wants if used for STEM program. The book never mentions who got the grant money talked about at the start of the book causing tension between Maya and Luke. Both are thrown together for Christmas vacation in Mexico when their mothers decide to vacation together. Unexpectedly Luke and Maya start to see each other differently during the holiday which leads from talking to find out more about the other like a social experiment to kisses to wanting more beyond vacation but will Briarwood High reality put an end to it. At first I was unsure about Luke he came across as a jerk who liked challenging Maya but getting further into the story seeing how real Luke and Maya were with challenging the other's perspective and emotional depth I wanted them to grow and end up together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
This was fantastic! I highly enjoyed this, for multiple reasons. The author did a good job at setting up the scene and a lovely enemy to lovers trope that was believable.
Slight spoiler- not about plot:
The main character, Maya, had some form of neruodivergantness and the way she was portrayed did not alienate her. The little things that just showed how it could be interpreted as not neurodivergent and could be seen as just a highly intelligent neurotypical. With the different aspects of how she reacted and how she felt, it was refreshing to see a character shown in this light. Where it was natural and not frowned upon (by the family). Her mother was super supportive about how she was different and needed to think things through.
Slight spoiler- not about plot:
The main character, Maya, had some form of neruodivergantness and the way she was portrayed did not alienate her. The little things that just showed how it could be interpreted as not neurodivergent and could be seen as just a highly intelligent neurotypical. With the different aspects of how she reacted and how she felt, it was refreshing to see a character shown in this light. Where it was natural and not frowned upon (by the family). Her mother was super supportive about how she was different and needed to think things through.
May 28, 2018
So far my favourite book in the series!
(... although, to be fair, book #3 is still on my TBR pile...)
The Holiday Kiss is a wonderful - and beautifully written - addition to the series, giving me all the warm fuzzies. :)
Maya is a very special heroine I totally fell in love with, and Luke, the not-quite-typical jock, is her perfect counterpart. I thoroughly enjoyed those two getting to know each other and discovering the person behind the respective stereotype.
Since most of the story takes place over the Christmas holidays / vacation, we also get to meet Maya and Luke's families, with Maya's mom definitely being one of my favourite supporting characters.
(... although, to be fair, book #3 is still on my TBR pile...)
The Holiday Kiss is a wonderful - and beautifully written - addition to the series, giving me all the warm fuzzies. :)
Maya is a very special heroine I totally fell in love with, and Luke, the not-quite-typical jock, is her perfect counterpart. I thoroughly enjoyed those two getting to know each other and discovering the person behind the respective stereotype.
Since most of the story takes place over the Christmas holidays / vacation, we also get to meet Maya and Luke's families, with Maya's mom definitely being one of my favourite supporting characters.
June 4, 2018
Good wholesome book about 2 teenagers who are the complete opposites. Maya is a geek and socially awkward and Luke is a popular jock. On top of being polar opposites, they totally dislike each other! When Maya's mom befriends Luke's mom after her divorce, she invites them to go on their Christmas vacation to Mexico with them - much to Maya and Luke's dismay! However, once in Mexico, they discover that the other is not really how they portray themselves back at school and soon things go from cold to hot really fast, but can their new found friendship/relationship withstand the pressures of high school? Good clean read!
July 2, 2018
This story wasn't exactly what I expected. It is the typical nerd/jock romance but with a few twists. I love when authors put a new spin on an old concept, and this story definitely does that. I applaud the author for the unconventional way Maya is portrayed. She was a 3D character that I felt I really knew. My only problem was I struggled connecting with her. (With Maya's personality, maybe that was intentional....) It's another great story from Dallen, and I hope she continues to add to the Briarwood stories.
September 25, 2018
This is a cute high school story about opposites attracting and seeing beyond outward appearances—Maya, the emotionless geek, versus Luke, the popular jock. It was fun to watch their chemistry unfold and explode. I will say that I wasn’t a huge fan of Luke’s nonchalant approach to intimacy—hooking up with whomever wasn’t a big deal to him. He does redeem himself though in the end, and the author does a good job of giving him some depth.
For those interested, this is a clean read, though there is some biblical swearing and some taking the Lord’s name in vain.
For those interested, this is a clean read, though there is some biblical swearing and some taking the Lord’s name in vain.
June 29, 2018
I really like how Luke was able to break down the walls that Maya had put up. I also like that she didn’t change when they went back to school and stayed true to her self. I also enjoyed that they were going to college together at Harvard. It surprised me that Luke got in because he wasn’t portrayed as s character who get into a school with such a low acceptance rate. However, I think it definitely illustrated the depth of his character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2018
This was a sweet and cheesy romance which I needed. Maya and Luke can't stand each other, they have preconceived ideas about each other ... high school hierarchy type stuff but once they are forced to spend time with each other during a family a vacation that get to know each other and realize that there was more there than meets the eye. I thought that Maya and Luke were cute together, this was a quick read that made me smile.
January 3, 2020
Cute read
After reading candy cane by Maggie I was ready for another Maggie romance and this was perfect. Some authors tend to change the names but the characters and the story can be somewhat copy and paste but this one was different. The characters are cute and I liked that it was a different setting for Christmas not the usual ski chalet! I liked both main characters and enjoyed the story
After reading candy cane by Maggie I was ready for another Maggie romance and this was perfect. Some authors tend to change the names but the characters and the story can be somewhat copy and paste but this one was different. The characters are cute and I liked that it was a different setting for Christmas not the usual ski chalet! I liked both main characters and enjoyed the story
March 16, 2022
To say these guys had history, was an understatement, and it definitely wasn't good friends type history.
So, being thrown together for a week's holiday in Mexico, well, the idea was not appealing at all. Luckily, they were at the airport departure gate when the plan was revealed.
How did it go? Well, that's the guts of this saga, and I hate to ruin a really well crafted story.
It's is well worth the read, as has been the other episodes in this series.
So, being thrown together for a week's holiday in Mexico, well, the idea was not appealing at all. Luckily, they were at the airport departure gate when the plan was revealed.
How did it go? Well, that's the guts of this saga, and I hate to ruin a really well crafted story.
It's is well worth the read, as has been the other episodes in this series.
April 16, 2022
What is up with all this Luke obsession? I love the story more when the guy is named Luke. He has a charm unlike any other character. I don't know how else to describe it. The Luke's are amazing in Maggie's world!
Maya was and always will be my favorite character. I like me some emotional oddities. It's hard to live in the world when you don't understand half of what they are doing or thinking. And Maya was the best person to explain it.
Maya was and always will be my favorite character. I like me some emotional oddities. It's hard to live in the world when you don't understand half of what they are doing or thinking. And Maya was the best person to explain it.
July 11, 2018
I think this is my favorite book in the series. Maya and Luke are classmates with nothing in common. He is the captain of the swim team, and she is a self proclaimed nerd, only focused on school. They are enemies, who end up going to Mexico together with their families for Christmas.
Outside of the school setting, they begin to see each other in a new light.
Outside of the school setting, they begin to see each other in a new light.
August 7, 2019
3.5/5
I really enjoyed this book. However I do feel like it was rushed, while I was reading I decided to check how much of the book I had already demolished and was shocked to see I was at 50% when it felt like I should only be at around 20% if that makes sense. I think it had so much potential.
I really enjoyed this book. However I do feel like it was rushed, while I was reading I decided to check how much of the book I had already demolished and was shocked to see I was at 50% when it felt like I should only be at around 20% if that makes sense. I think it had so much potential.
June 18, 2018
Lighthearted, Sweet Read
This is such a wonderful series to read and enjoy. The Holiday Kiss is a light, fun, sweet, and loving opposites attract story that compliments the others in the series nicely.
This is such a wonderful series to read and enjoy. The Holiday Kiss is a light, fun, sweet, and loving opposites attract story that compliments the others in the series nicely.
June 25, 2018
This book took me right back to highschool and all the emotions and figuring out life. Well written, great characters and full of emotion! It does contain some swearing, otherwise nothing more than some sizzling kisses.
May 16, 2020
Excellent! 🔥
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from the first page until the very last. It has been very rare that I have been able to read a book in one day, but I was captivated by these characters instantaneously.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from the first page until the very last. It has been very rare that I have been able to read a book in one day, but I was captivated by these characters instantaneously.
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