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A aposta do coração
Como escolher entre a razão e o coração?
Um romance YA divertido e apaixonante sobre amadurecimento e coragem para definir o próprio caminho
Sasha Johnson-Sun pode não saber ainda como superar a morte de seu pai ou por quanto tempo sua mãe vai precisar passar os sábados limpando casas. Mas de uma coisa tem ela vai se formar no ensino médio, ser a oradora da turma e ganhar uma bolsa de estudos em dinheiro.
O que ela não esperava era que o seu ex-melhor amigo gato e talentoso, Ezra Davis-Goldberg, também estivesse na disputa para receber as honras. E o pior, empatado com ela. Sasha não quer deixar esse resultado ser decidido ao acaso, então ela propõe uma aposta acadêmica valendo tudo.
Agora, Sasha e Ezra vão precisar encarar os motivos que fizeram os dois se afastarem e tentar entender quem eles se tornaram desde então. Mas essa reaproximação inesperada vai mexer com os sentimentos de ambos.
Com seu futuro em jogo, Sasha precisará honrar os sacrifícios de sua família e vencer a todo custo ou apostar seu coração e dar uma chance a felicidade?
A aposta do coração é uma história cativante que nos mostra que a vida reserva surpresas inesperadas que podem mudar completamente os nossos planos.
Um romance YA divertido e apaixonante sobre amadurecimento e coragem para definir o próprio caminho
Sasha Johnson-Sun pode não saber ainda como superar a morte de seu pai ou por quanto tempo sua mãe vai precisar passar os sábados limpando casas. Mas de uma coisa tem ela vai se formar no ensino médio, ser a oradora da turma e ganhar uma bolsa de estudos em dinheiro.
O que ela não esperava era que o seu ex-melhor amigo gato e talentoso, Ezra Davis-Goldberg, também estivesse na disputa para receber as honras. E o pior, empatado com ela. Sasha não quer deixar esse resultado ser decidido ao acaso, então ela propõe uma aposta acadêmica valendo tudo.
Agora, Sasha e Ezra vão precisar encarar os motivos que fizeram os dois se afastarem e tentar entender quem eles se tornaram desde então. Mas essa reaproximação inesperada vai mexer com os sentimentos de ambos.
Com seu futuro em jogo, Sasha precisará honrar os sacrifícios de sua família e vencer a todo custo ou apostar seu coração e dar uma chance a felicidade?
A aposta do coração é uma história cativante que nos mostra que a vida reserva surpresas inesperadas que podem mudar completamente os nossos planos.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2023
67 people are currently reading
4560 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
September 15, 2023
you know that feeling of when you put on a too-small shoe, or have a cozy lil bowl of chicken soup where the broth tastes like nothing (aka 99% of chicken soups nationally), or go outside at all in any way during the winter time, or exercise, and you're just..."oh. that doesn't seem right."
that was me with this book.
this just fell flat for me. i couldn't connect. i love a devious teen as much as the next person but these folks seemed truly evil to each other, and then the instalove, and then the insta-repaired-friendship...i just couldn't.
too much and not enough.
bottom line: i don't know what it is, but it isn't for me.
2.5
------------------
tbr review
it's YA contemporary season
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)
that was me with this book.
this just fell flat for me. i couldn't connect. i love a devious teen as much as the next person but these folks seemed truly evil to each other, and then the instalove, and then the insta-repaired-friendship...i just couldn't.
too much and not enough.
bottom line: i don't know what it is, but it isn't for me.
2.5
------------------
tbr review
it's YA contemporary season
(thanks to the publisher for the copy)
March 12, 2024
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book was so cute and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that loves reading YA romance. It gave better than the movies by Lynn Painter vibes because I could truly imagine this as a movie and both main characters were rivals!
- I loooooved that Ezra was a cinnamon roll boy and you could really see how much he cared for Sasha. I loved seeing her feelings slowly bubble up for him. I also loved how this book touched on struggling within your friendships, family, grief, and trying to balance the stress of school/future plans. It felt so realistic and relatable!
- I do wish we had gotten more of Ezra and Sasha together from the past & present to really fall in love with them together even more, but I really loved both of them overall. I really wish I had books like this growing up!
- This book was so cute and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that loves reading YA romance. It gave better than the movies by Lynn Painter vibes because I could truly imagine this as a movie and both main characters were rivals!
- I loooooved that Ezra was a cinnamon roll boy and you could really see how much he cared for Sasha. I loved seeing her feelings slowly bubble up for him. I also loved how this book touched on struggling within your friendships, family, grief, and trying to balance the stress of school/future plans. It felt so realistic and relatable!
- I do wish we had gotten more of Ezra and Sasha together from the past & present to really fall in love with them together even more, but I really loved both of them overall. I really wish I had books like this growing up!
May 31, 2023
✨You’re a big beautiful brain with long legs 🫶🧠✨
Omg will Joy Revolution ever miss?? I’ve loved each of the three releases they’ve come out with this year and now I just trust them with my life and YA romance!! I can’t wait until their backlist is full 🥹
You Bet Your Heart gave me everything I look for in a solid YA romance: that good high school drama, a lovely close knit group of friends, and academic rivalsssss. I also just love knowing how many teens/tweens are going to see themselves represented in this book!! Particularly, Sasha was Black and Korean American and Ezra was Black and Jewish.
I loved Parker’s writing style, and I found it to be so lush and movie-like. By that I mean I felt like the characters were in my room with me and I was hearing the background noises and such. I think I also just want to be best friends with Chance, Priscilla, and Sasha so maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part lmao. Take me with you to Fry-days!!! Ugh and the group of kids they tutored…tutor me I just want to spend time with you lol.
I saw a lot of high school me in Sasha, and I really loved her drive and love of scented stationary. She made mistakes, but man my heart was with her the entire book. Ezra had a some SWOONY lines that I want to embroider on pillows, and my god every hero should carry a camera! He was generally a big cinnamon roll with a little edge to him.
✨
I did wish we got more of their relationship though!! Their relationship relied a lot on their past connection rather than things that happened for us on the page. There were a few cute dates, but it all felt condensed to the middle-ish of the book and happened pretty quick, but then just as quickly they had The Fight and were separated until the last few pages and very short epilogue.
I also think some of my issues with the pace of their relationship stem from how I just can’t quite reconcile how forgiving Sasha was to Ezra and how quickly she just started to ditch school. I’m sorry but if a boy caused me to fail a pop quiz??? Suspension would’ve been the least of my worries. And she just like got over it??
I guess it was because her grades were good and she could afford to be lax but when you’re literally TIED for valedictorian…you don’t play around?? The entire book stems from her wanting to be Valedictorian, so a lot of her actions were just confusing. She was stressed but I would’ve been STRESSED to casually ditch and miss pop quizzes. And she never really got back at him? She was all like “oh it’s ON” and then nothing similar ever happened to him. She did do that ~one~ thing to get back, but it was just different and didn’t actively ruin his grade!
✨
Overall, Sasha changed a LOT by the end and Ezra didn’t change much at all? His character was cute and sweet but I missed her just kinda yelling at him for a scene to get that good Catharsis. The book was also rather heavy and gut wrenching at times. She had a personal journey dealing with her grief over losing her father a few years prior. Some parts were so raw and touching and oof I criedddd. All to say that I think this was part romance and heavily part coming of age I guess? But more like coming of senior in high school who is dealing with the stress of getting older and the uncertainty of it all? I can’t wait to see what Parker writes next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
**Mild Spoilers**
P.S. I was also in a three-way tie for valedictorian and I just remember that stress because really there was a lot financially riding on it. So I don’t think enough of them understood what $30K could do for her. I’m sorry but I can’t blame her for wanting it even after she reprioritized! She made a lot of points and…I agreed with a lot of them lmao. Obviously, he wasn’t a slacker like she initially believed and I think they equally deserved valedictorian, but I just don’t think the other characters understood the gravity of what it could do for her, outside of honoring the memory of her father. Like it’s not just some honorary thing. It’s THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. I liked how it ended but also…I’m still conflicted. I hope she was able to get herself a new laptop at least! I also really love how Ezra brought up how she had wanted to go to Columbia or NYU but the book didn’t end with her miraculously ending up at one of them. She stayed with her local college and I really loved to see it. Out of state tuition is absolutely wacky and I’m happy she didn’t feel pressured.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley! All opinions are honest and my own ✨
Omg will Joy Revolution ever miss?? I’ve loved each of the three releases they’ve come out with this year and now I just trust them with my life and YA romance!! I can’t wait until their backlist is full 🥹
You Bet Your Heart gave me everything I look for in a solid YA romance: that good high school drama, a lovely close knit group of friends, and academic rivalsssss. I also just love knowing how many teens/tweens are going to see themselves represented in this book!! Particularly, Sasha was Black and Korean American and Ezra was Black and Jewish.
I loved Parker’s writing style, and I found it to be so lush and movie-like. By that I mean I felt like the characters were in my room with me and I was hearing the background noises and such. I think I also just want to be best friends with Chance, Priscilla, and Sasha so maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part lmao. Take me with you to Fry-days!!! Ugh and the group of kids they tutored…tutor me I just want to spend time with you lol.
I saw a lot of high school me in Sasha, and I really loved her drive and love of scented stationary. She made mistakes, but man my heart was with her the entire book. Ezra had a some SWOONY lines that I want to embroider on pillows, and my god every hero should carry a camera! He was generally a big cinnamon roll with a little edge to him.
✨
I did wish we got more of their relationship though!! Their relationship relied a lot on their past connection rather than things that happened for us on the page. There were a few cute dates, but it all felt condensed to the middle-ish of the book and happened pretty quick, but then just as quickly they had The Fight and were separated until the last few pages and very short epilogue.
I also think some of my issues with the pace of their relationship stem from how I just can’t quite reconcile how forgiving Sasha was to Ezra and how quickly she just started to ditch school. I’m sorry but if a boy caused me to fail a pop quiz??? Suspension would’ve been the least of my worries. And she just like got over it??
I guess it was because her grades were good and she could afford to be lax but when you’re literally TIED for valedictorian…you don’t play around?? The entire book stems from her wanting to be Valedictorian, so a lot of her actions were just confusing. She was stressed but I would’ve been STRESSED to casually ditch and miss pop quizzes. And she never really got back at him? She was all like “oh it’s ON” and then nothing similar ever happened to him. She did do that ~one~ thing to get back, but it was just different and didn’t actively ruin his grade!
✨
Overall, Sasha changed a LOT by the end and Ezra didn’t change much at all? His character was cute and sweet but I missed her just kinda yelling at him for a scene to get that good Catharsis. The book was also rather heavy and gut wrenching at times. She had a personal journey dealing with her grief over losing her father a few years prior. Some parts were so raw and touching and oof I criedddd. All to say that I think this was part romance and heavily part coming of age I guess? But more like coming of senior in high school who is dealing with the stress of getting older and the uncertainty of it all? I can’t wait to see what Parker writes next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
**Mild Spoilers**
P.S. I was also in a three-way tie for valedictorian and I just remember that stress because really there was a lot financially riding on it. So I don’t think enough of them understood what $30K could do for her. I’m sorry but I can’t blame her for wanting it even after she reprioritized! She made a lot of points and…I agreed with a lot of them lmao. Obviously, he wasn’t a slacker like she initially believed and I think they equally deserved valedictorian, but I just don’t think the other characters understood the gravity of what it could do for her, outside of honoring the memory of her father. Like it’s not just some honorary thing. It’s THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. I liked how it ended but also…I’m still conflicted. I hope she was able to get herself a new laptop at least! I also really love how Ezra brought up how she had wanted to go to Columbia or NYU but the book didn’t end with her miraculously ending up at one of them. She stayed with her local college and I really loved to see it. Out of state tuition is absolutely wacky and I’m happy she didn’t feel pressured.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley! All opinions are honest and my own ✨
June 10, 2023
2.5 stars
It took me about 10 days to finish this but about sums up my feelings about this book 🤷🏽♀️
It took me about 10 days to finish this but about sums up my feelings about this book 🤷🏽♀️
October 12, 2023
This young adult book is an absolute gem, overflowing with adorable, quirky, and artsy characters who share a history as childhood best friends. It's one of the cutest reads I've come across recently. What sets this story apart are the heartwarming elements of the enemies-to-lovers trope, the intense rivalry for the valedictorian spot, the high-stakes bets, and the delightful banter between Ezra and Sasha.
The book also deserves kudos for its deft approach to diversity representation. It skillfully weaves these important themes into the narrative, covering topics like self-discovery, unresolved emotions with friends, grief, divorce, and class differences.
At its core, the story unfolds around Sasha and Ezra, two former best friends who are now pitted against each other, competing to become the valedictorian of their high school in the hopes of securing a scholarship for their dream college. Sasha is determined to outshine her opponent and accepts a high-stakes bet proposed by none other than Ezra, her once inseparable friend and now her biggest rival. As Sasha spends more time with Ezra, she can't help but long for the rekindling of their friendship, and perhaps something more, but her heart is torn between her future aspirations and the sacrifices her mother has made on her behalf.
Overall, this book is a delightful, heartwarming, and captivating young adult romance. It effortlessly blends elements of self-discovery, competition, friendship, and love into a memorable narrative that will leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Joy Revolution for granting me access to a digital review copy in exchange for my honest and heartfelt opinions.
The book also deserves kudos for its deft approach to diversity representation. It skillfully weaves these important themes into the narrative, covering topics like self-discovery, unresolved emotions with friends, grief, divorce, and class differences.
At its core, the story unfolds around Sasha and Ezra, two former best friends who are now pitted against each other, competing to become the valedictorian of their high school in the hopes of securing a scholarship for their dream college. Sasha is determined to outshine her opponent and accepts a high-stakes bet proposed by none other than Ezra, her once inseparable friend and now her biggest rival. As Sasha spends more time with Ezra, she can't help but long for the rekindling of their friendship, and perhaps something more, but her heart is torn between her future aspirations and the sacrifices her mother has made on her behalf.
Overall, this book is a delightful, heartwarming, and captivating young adult romance. It effortlessly blends elements of self-discovery, competition, friendship, and love into a memorable narrative that will leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Joy Revolution for granting me access to a digital review copy in exchange for my honest and heartfelt opinions.
Want to read
February 25, 2023academic rivals to lovers always gets me
May 29, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up!
Y’all…this book was an absolutely adorable coming of age story that hit me with all the feels!
Sasha Johnson-Sun’s (Black and Korean) goal has always been to become class valedictorian and get the prestigious scholarship that accompanies the title, but her goal is quickly disappearing when she finds out that she is tied with Ezra Davis-Goldberg (Black and Jewish)…her ex-best friend that doesn’t even need the scholarship. They decide to take on a series of academic bets to determine the winner, but along the way, old feelings and habits start to creep in.
As someone who was hyper competitive as a Black nerd in high school, this one immediately grabbed me and didn’t let up.
I loved Sasha’s drive and determination regardless of how other people viewed her. I also love that Ezra constantly challenged Sasha from academics to her passions in life. There’s so many crucial conversations surrounding how academics alone aren’t everything, and that is something that needs to constantly be repeated to young people especially when the pressure just keeps getting worse.
It’s books like these that I really wish I had growing up because so much of what was discussed was how I felt, but I never thought it was okay. Absolutely incredible!
Thank you to Get Underlined and PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Y’all…this book was an absolutely adorable coming of age story that hit me with all the feels!
Sasha Johnson-Sun’s (Black and Korean) goal has always been to become class valedictorian and get the prestigious scholarship that accompanies the title, but her goal is quickly disappearing when she finds out that she is tied with Ezra Davis-Goldberg (Black and Jewish)…her ex-best friend that doesn’t even need the scholarship. They decide to take on a series of academic bets to determine the winner, but along the way, old feelings and habits start to creep in.
As someone who was hyper competitive as a Black nerd in high school, this one immediately grabbed me and didn’t let up.
I loved Sasha’s drive and determination regardless of how other people viewed her. I also love that Ezra constantly challenged Sasha from academics to her passions in life. There’s so many crucial conversations surrounding how academics alone aren’t everything, and that is something that needs to constantly be repeated to young people especially when the pressure just keeps getting worse.
It’s books like these that I really wish I had growing up because so much of what was discussed was how I felt, but I never thought it was okay. Absolutely incredible!
Thank you to Get Underlined and PRH Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
March 10, 2024
childhood friends turned academic rivals always slaps
February 5, 2023
Thank you so much to Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a charming debut from Danielle Parker! I'm a sucker for academic rivals romances, especially if the two characters were previously best friends before they started competing with each other to become the top student in their class. I also especially love when the two students are ruthless with each other when competing, just to show how high the stakes are. Ezra and Sasha showed just that as they made several bets to determine who would win valedictorian at their high school. I admired how committed Ezra was to reconciling with Sasha. I do wish that we got more flashback scenes or descriptions of how the two were friends in elementary and middle school so that we would feel the full effect of their relationship, which felt lacking at times. For this reason, I would give the novel 3.75 stars rounded up.
One of the aspects of this novel I enjoyed the most was definitely the discussions of class and gentrification, especially among Black and non Black POCs and their white classmates. As someone who grew up close to Monterey, the depictions of the class divide among residents was very accurate. Both Sasha and Ezra's heritages as a Black and Korean American and a Black Jewish American student were super cool to see, as well.
Overall this was a sweet romance! Fans of academic rivals romances like Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute will definitely love You Bet Your Heart.
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This was a charming debut from Danielle Parker! I'm a sucker for academic rivals romances, especially if the two characters were previously best friends before they started competing with each other to become the top student in their class. I also especially love when the two students are ruthless with each other when competing, just to show how high the stakes are. Ezra and Sasha showed just that as they made several bets to determine who would win valedictorian at their high school. I admired how committed Ezra was to reconciling with Sasha. I do wish that we got more flashback scenes or descriptions of how the two were friends in elementary and middle school so that we would feel the full effect of their relationship, which felt lacking at times. For this reason, I would give the novel 3.75 stars rounded up.
One of the aspects of this novel I enjoyed the most was definitely the discussions of class and gentrification, especially among Black and non Black POCs and their white classmates. As someone who grew up close to Monterey, the depictions of the class divide among residents was very accurate. Both Sasha and Ezra's heritages as a Black and Korean American and a Black Jewish American student were super cool to see, as well.
Overall this was a sweet romance! Fans of academic rivals romances like Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute will definitely love You Bet Your Heart.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
March 3, 2024
3🌟
It was just ok. At the middle when they hadn’t gotten together I liked better than when they were together. It’s not a bad book, others probably enjoy it a lot more than I do but it just wasn’t my favourite. The ending felt a little rushed but I did enjoy the diversity of the characters and the book had a good message.
Edit:Now that I think about it it’s just a three star.
It was just ok. At the middle when they hadn’t gotten together I liked better than when they were together. It’s not a bad book, others probably enjoy it a lot more than I do but it just wasn’t my favourite. The ending felt a little rushed but I did enjoy the diversity of the characters and the book had a good message.
Edit:Now that I think about it it’s just a three star.
May 17, 2023
This was a heartfelt, super sweet YA friends to rivals to lovers romance between two high school seniors competing for Valedictorian. Former best friends who have fallen out, Sasha and Ezra make a bet that whoever wins the highest mark on a series of assignments will agree to throw their chances at Valedictorian.
Along the way they reconnect and discover that there's more to life than just good grades. I loved these two diverse characters struggling with what their post-high school futures will look like. Great on audio narrated by Chandler Gregoire and perfect for fans of authors like Elise Bryant. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Along the way they reconnect and discover that there's more to life than just good grades. I loved these two diverse characters struggling with what their post-high school futures will look like. Great on audio narrated by Chandler Gregoire and perfect for fans of authors like Elise Bryant. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
July 6, 2023
This is the cutest YA romcom, I had so much fun with this! It's academic rivals and estranged childhood friends to lovers, and both tropes were done so well. It was so amazing to see these ex-best friends reconnecting, and to see the main character figure out where her priorities in life should lie through that.
January 19, 2024
⭐️ 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 ⭐️
Childhood best friends who drifted apart, to academic enemies, to lovers.
This YA book had a lot going for it, but overall fell a little short. The romance was cute but not quite there for me. But still a great book for Parker’s debut novel.
The positives- I loved the relationship with her mom, and I really resonated with being driven to work hard in school to give back/honor your parents and their sacrifices.
I loved how they honored her father, and he still felt very much present in their lives. I love how the mom always said “we are so proud of you,” or “we love you.” It was just so sweet :’) gone but never forgotten.
I also loved Sasha’s relationship with her friends mostly, until she kinda screwed it up in the end. But the weekly fry dates were super cute. However, I do think there wasn’t a lot of character development here. I feel like I was barely scratching the surface of Priscilla and Chance.
The negatives- obviously it’s YA, but some of her actions and words seemed so childish sometimes, smh. Also I felt like the story did a lot of telling, and now showing… like “we’ve spent a lot of time kissing” … I understand that it’s YA, but still I wanted ~more~. I just didnt really feel their attraction..
Childhood best friends who drifted apart, to academic enemies, to lovers.
This YA book had a lot going for it, but overall fell a little short. The romance was cute but not quite there for me. But still a great book for Parker’s debut novel.
The positives- I loved the relationship with her mom, and I really resonated with being driven to work hard in school to give back/honor your parents and their sacrifices.
I loved how they honored her father, and he still felt very much present in their lives. I love how the mom always said “we are so proud of you,” or “we love you.” It was just so sweet :’) gone but never forgotten.
I also loved Sasha’s relationship with her friends mostly, until she kinda screwed it up in the end. But the weekly fry dates were super cute. However, I do think there wasn’t a lot of character development here. I feel like I was barely scratching the surface of Priscilla and Chance.
The negatives- obviously it’s YA, but some of her actions and words seemed so childish sometimes, smh. Also I felt like the story did a lot of telling, and now showing… like “we’ve spent a lot of time kissing” … I understand that it’s YA, but still I wanted ~more~. I just didnt really feel their attraction..
July 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
A young adult, enemies to lovers story with childhood friends. It was so sweet and fun as they compete at school and perhaps for each other’s hearts as well.
I wanted a bit more, to dig deeper into our characters and even their friends and their struggles. But I enjoyed this for exactly what it was, a lighter, young adult romance read.
I’ve been reading sweet romances so far this summer and feel like I need something with to a bit of teenage angst.
A young adult, enemies to lovers story with childhood friends. It was so sweet and fun as they compete at school and perhaps for each other’s hearts as well.
I wanted a bit more, to dig deeper into our characters and even their friends and their struggles. But I enjoyed this for exactly what it was, a lighter, young adult romance read.
I’ve been reading sweet romances so far this summer and feel like I need something with to a bit of teenage angst.
July 24, 2024
These two were gunning for the valedictorian spots, and yet they are sabotaging each other's academic future, skipping classes...it all was very immature and childish (and yes, I know they're still children, but like c'mon, they are almost 18 years old, do better than that).
January 26, 2025
I think You Bet Your Heart is a fun, fluffy rom-com that's perfect for YA readers. The story follows two frenemies competing to be the high school valedictorian. If that isn't enough, the book also features relatable friendships, diverse characters, and witty banter between the two love interests. Throw in a little sabotage and spy shenanigans, and I was hooked!
Ezra and Sasha were best friends... until pre-teen drama split them apart. After grudgingly reconnecting in high school, they start to see each other in a new light. I like that they encourage each other to chase their dreams. Neither character is perfect (that's a lie; Ezra is adorable!), but they push each other to be better versions of themselves. They also do everyday high school things, like work on homework, practice photography, and spend time with friends. I like that the romance isn't the only focus of the story and that the characters have lives outside of their relationship.
This story also features LGBTQIA+ characters and characters of color. I appreciate the inclusivity, and I think Danielle Parker does a wonderful job raising awareness of important social issues.
I don't think this book brings anything new to the genre (if you've read The Code for Love and Heartbreak, then you've basically read this book), but I still enjoyed watching Ezra and Sasha find their way back to each other. Overall, their character arcs are handled really well!
Moving on to what I didn’t connect with, I didn't find the academic rivalry part of the story realistic. Ezra is always late to class, and Sasha skips to spend time with him. I don't think it's realistic they were in line to be valedictorian. I graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA, and I feel like this book doesn't acknowledge the soul-consuming sacrifice necessary for high academic success.
I also have a few issues with the way Sasha treats others. I don't want to ruin anything for potential readers, so I'll summarize it by saying she’s rude and outright lies to Ezra and her friends during several parts of the story. That’s something I never really got over.
Overall, I think this book is a good fit for readers on the younger side of YA. I like how it touches on the awkwardness of teenage relationships and the uncertain transition to adulthood. While I won’t be buying a physical copy for my bookshelf, I can still see others who enjoy a rivals-to-lovers romance or a high school setting enjoying this book.
3-stars and a recommendation to readers in the teen fiction genre.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
Ezra and Sasha were best friends... until pre-teen drama split them apart. After grudgingly reconnecting in high school, they start to see each other in a new light. I like that they encourage each other to chase their dreams. Neither character is perfect (that's a lie; Ezra is adorable!), but they push each other to be better versions of themselves. They also do everyday high school things, like work on homework, practice photography, and spend time with friends. I like that the romance isn't the only focus of the story and that the characters have lives outside of their relationship.
This story also features LGBTQIA+ characters and characters of color. I appreciate the inclusivity, and I think Danielle Parker does a wonderful job raising awareness of important social issues.
I don't think this book brings anything new to the genre (if you've read The Code for Love and Heartbreak, then you've basically read this book), but I still enjoyed watching Ezra and Sasha find their way back to each other. Overall, their character arcs are handled really well!
Moving on to what I didn’t connect with, I didn't find the academic rivalry part of the story realistic. Ezra is always late to class, and Sasha skips to spend time with him. I don't think it's realistic they were in line to be valedictorian. I graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA, and I feel like this book doesn't acknowledge the soul-consuming sacrifice necessary for high academic success.
I also have a few issues with the way Sasha treats others. I don't want to ruin anything for potential readers, so I'll summarize it by saying she’s rude and outright lies to Ezra and her friends during several parts of the story. That’s something I never really got over.
Overall, I think this book is a good fit for readers on the younger side of YA. I like how it touches on the awkwardness of teenage relationships and the uncertain transition to adulthood. While I won’t be buying a physical copy for my bookshelf, I can still see others who enjoy a rivals-to-lovers romance or a high school setting enjoying this book.
3-stars and a recommendation to readers in the teen fiction genre.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
June 2, 2023
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 3 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
So I originally started this book thinking it takes place where I live—turns out it doesn’t—and because the premise had me intrigued. Childhood friends to strangers to academic rivals to lovers? It sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t cut it for me.
The dialogue, especially the between Ezra and Sasha, was off at the beginning. I just kept thinking people don’t talk like this It wasn’t necessarily the content of the dialogue, but there was just something off about the way it was said. I couldn’t put a finger on what, but in the beginning—especially the first two or three interactions between the two of them—there was something about their interactions that felt fake, stilted. This lessened the further I got into the book, but there was always around one conversation every chapter or two where the dialogue felt off or lacking.
My main issue with the book was that it all felt very surface level. Sasha had her goals, she had her traumas and her neuroses, but there was nothing outside of that. She didn’t have a personality. No one in the book seemed to go beyond the few labels slapped on them. They felt very 2D. This lack of character development led to a lacking in most other areas, too. There was no chemistry between Sasha and Ezra, and no convincing emotional ties between her and her friends either.
This book dealt with a lot of important, emotional topics: race, socioeconomic class, parent loss and grief, and divorce, but it doesn’t truly dig into any of it. There are passing mentions, but they aren’t explored for more than a few sentences here or there, and they are never discussed in a way that gave them any emotional weight, in my opinion. It was all too fleeting.
This book was very short and very fast paced, and I think that was both the saving grace and the downfall of this book. It needed more: more depth, more development, more emotion. That can’t be done without making it longer (or re-prioritizing some scenes). However, I think the only reason I gave this book 3 stars was because I was able to fly through it. If it had been even 5o more pages at the level that the current book is at, it would have gotten harder to sit through, and I likely would have DNFed or given it a lower rating.
In the end, I don’t think this is an inherently bad book. It was underwhelming for me, but I could see other readers feeling differently about it.
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 3 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
So I originally started this book thinking it takes place where I live—turns out it doesn’t—and because the premise had me intrigued. Childhood friends to strangers to academic rivals to lovers? It sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t cut it for me.
The dialogue, especially the between Ezra and Sasha, was off at the beginning. I just kept thinking people don’t talk like this It wasn’t necessarily the content of the dialogue, but there was just something off about the way it was said. I couldn’t put a finger on what, but in the beginning—especially the first two or three interactions between the two of them—there was something about their interactions that felt fake, stilted. This lessened the further I got into the book, but there was always around one conversation every chapter or two where the dialogue felt off or lacking.
My main issue with the book was that it all felt very surface level. Sasha had her goals, she had her traumas and her neuroses, but there was nothing outside of that. She didn’t have a personality. No one in the book seemed to go beyond the few labels slapped on them. They felt very 2D. This lack of character development led to a lacking in most other areas, too. There was no chemistry between Sasha and Ezra, and no convincing emotional ties between her and her friends either.
This book dealt with a lot of important, emotional topics: race, socioeconomic class, parent loss and grief, and divorce, but it doesn’t truly dig into any of it. There are passing mentions, but they aren’t explored for more than a few sentences here or there, and they are never discussed in a way that gave them any emotional weight, in my opinion. It was all too fleeting.
This book was very short and very fast paced, and I think that was both the saving grace and the downfall of this book. It needed more: more depth, more development, more emotion. That can’t be done without making it longer (or re-prioritizing some scenes). However, I think the only reason I gave this book 3 stars was because I was able to fly through it. If it had been even 5o more pages at the level that the current book is at, it would have gotten harder to sit through, and I likely would have DNFed or given it a lower rating.
In the end, I don’t think this is an inherently bad book. It was underwhelming for me, but I could see other readers feeling differently about it.
May 12, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley an an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was SO cute! Ezra and Sasha were adorable, and I loved how easily they fell back into their friendship and caring for one another. I loved Sasha’s friendships with Priscilla and Chance. They were such a great characters and were real, honest friends that Sasha needed! Such a cute book. I really enjoyed it.
This book was SO cute! Ezra and Sasha were adorable, and I loved how easily they fell back into their friendship and caring for one another. I loved Sasha’s friendships with Priscilla and Chance. They were such a great characters and were real, honest friends that Sasha needed! Such a cute book. I really enjoyed it.
August 29, 2023
ok so ????
it had sooo much potential but it just didn’t measure up. i feel like the tension was ALRIGHTTT but no jealousy?? hello? do i look like a crazy person to u?? i cannot enjoy a book w no jealousy. anyways, it has a very good title in relation to the book so that’s satisfying. but everything kinda just annoyed me. she was so rudeeee and he didn’t even want to be valedictorian. i liked a few chapters when they were a thing and they went to prom and stuff that was cute. there was that one bit where he tricked her into missing her quiz and i was excuse me bitch who tf do you think you are??? i hated how they kept bringing up their childhood friendship and never giving us context like bro idek what’s going on. but the covers pretty so yayayayy
it had sooo much potential but it just didn’t measure up. i feel like the tension was ALRIGHTTT but no jealousy?? hello? do i look like a crazy person to u?? i cannot enjoy a book w no jealousy. anyways, it has a very good title in relation to the book so that’s satisfying. but everything kinda just annoyed me. she was so rudeeee and he didn’t even want to be valedictorian. i liked a few chapters when they were a thing and they went to prom and stuff that was cute. there was that one bit where he tricked her into missing her quiz and i was excuse me bitch who tf do you think you are??? i hated how they kept bringing up their childhood friendship and never giving us context like bro idek what’s going on. but the covers pretty so yayayayy
July 16, 2023
fofo mas os personagens pareciam ser mais novos que realmente são
November 23, 2024
3.25
it was fun and cute, everyone who liked talia hibbert's highly suspicious and unfairly cute would like this
it was fun and cute, everyone who liked talia hibbert's highly suspicious and unfairly cute would like this
August 20, 2024
Is it bad I never remembered the main characters name?
July 9, 2024
please stop writing books at a 3rd grade level 🙏🙏🙏🙏
May 31, 2023
I love YA books that don't have a ton of teen drama. Sasha and Ezra used to be best friends, until a falling out and when he moved away, she didn't even miss him. Even a little...
Ezra and Sasha are now pitted against each other for valdictorian and a scholarship that Sasha needs. Ezra feeds into this game they play, but only so he can have Sasha's attention, he misses her but will never tell her that. So they come up with bets and whoever wins will win the scholarship and the other will forfeit. When the games start feeling like something more, will Sasha choose love over her life path or will she let what she thinks her family wants get in her way of happiness?
I liked that this book felt real, these two had family drama and it impacted their ways of thinking. We don't really understand how much what goes on around us in high school molds us and shapes us, but this book hit the nail on the head.
Thanks to Random House, Netgalley and Danielle Parker for an early copy.
Ezra and Sasha are now pitted against each other for valdictorian and a scholarship that Sasha needs. Ezra feeds into this game they play, but only so he can have Sasha's attention, he misses her but will never tell her that. So they come up with bets and whoever wins will win the scholarship and the other will forfeit. When the games start feeling like something more, will Sasha choose love over her life path or will she let what she thinks her family wants get in her way of happiness?
I liked that this book felt real, these two had family drama and it impacted their ways of thinking. We don't really understand how much what goes on around us in high school molds us and shapes us, but this book hit the nail on the head.
Thanks to Random House, Netgalley and Danielle Parker for an early copy.
October 9, 2022
I devoured this smart, funny, childhood friends to enemies to lovers romance! Sasha and Ezra are ex best friends who find themselves tied for valedictorian and go about a series of bets to decide who’ll get the top spot. Sasha is an amazing heroine that you’re going to root for from chapter one!
October 16, 2023
I actually really liked this one. I would love another book with these characters.
March 18, 2024
Solid four
This was actually really sweet. It didn’t get too over the top, only a few moments made me cringe. 😬
Ezra got reaaaally annoying sometimes tho…
This was actually really sweet. It didn’t get too over the top, only a few moments made me cringe. 😬
Ezra got reaaaally annoying sometimes tho…
October 12, 2023
''hey you"
no. just no. who knew they could flop academic rivals for me? 💀 I DIDN'T. BUT IT WAS SO BAD. like it wasn't BAD BAD BAD, but the actual acceleration of the plot was so dry? everything was like as dusty as the desert. it was giving dry to the dry of the dry. the dryest writing I've read in a while. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS LIKE-
“I just haven’t stopped smiling since you came back into my life.”
i get it. it's the hot best friend who's had a giant crush on the girl since they were like 7 and then the 'im quiet and i think I've liked him but i care about other stuff more' girl. and then it turns out DANG the book turned out absolutely sad because their relationship broke off 💔 and now they're playing a giant bet to get the main win of a scholarship and valedictorian. which IS BIG. but like. yeah, let's bet stuff like 'fail your next paper', CAUSE THAT'S THE EXTREMITY WE'RE GOING TO NOW 👍🏼👍🏼
"Just that…you’re my best friend, you know? You’re the brightest star in my universe. That I don’t just think, but I know that I’ve…I’ve loved you for a very long time, SJ.”
it's a bet book. to sum it up. A BET BOOK. full stop. the tension in the romance confessions. and DON'T get me started on the way they had their fight that revealed everything. i almost threw myself off a cliff reading it. it was so childish and so immature and so not HITTING THE BUTTONS. and what was even worst, was the description? like who describes the hair and the makeup to the level it's 'the makeup she put on was a bit of mascara and a bit of lipstick which was less than normal but good'. like IT'S OKAY TO EXPLAIN BUT IDGAF. 😭
Overall rating: 2/5
Genre: fiction, new adult, young adult, romance, cliche, wholesome, chick lit, contemporary, academic, scholar, school rivals
Dates read: 10/10/2023- 11/10/2023 (1 day)
Time period: 3-4 hrs
Amount of pages: 320 (online book copy, borrowed, rectangle, small font, big size book)
no. just no. who knew they could flop academic rivals for me? 💀 I DIDN'T. BUT IT WAS SO BAD. like it wasn't BAD BAD BAD, but the actual acceleration of the plot was so dry? everything was like as dusty as the desert. it was giving dry to the dry of the dry. the dryest writing I've read in a while. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS LIKE-
“I just haven’t stopped smiling since you came back into my life.”
i get it. it's the hot best friend who's had a giant crush on the girl since they were like 7 and then the 'im quiet and i think I've liked him but i care about other stuff more' girl. and then it turns out DANG the book turned out absolutely sad because their relationship broke off 💔 and now they're playing a giant bet to get the main win of a scholarship and valedictorian. which IS BIG. but like. yeah, let's bet stuff like 'fail your next paper', CAUSE THAT'S THE EXTREMITY WE'RE GOING TO NOW 👍🏼👍🏼
"Just that…you’re my best friend, you know? You’re the brightest star in my universe. That I don’t just think, but I know that I’ve…I’ve loved you for a very long time, SJ.”
it's a bet book. to sum it up. A BET BOOK. full stop. the tension in the romance confessions. and DON'T get me started on the way they had their fight that revealed everything. i almost threw myself off a cliff reading it. it was so childish and so immature and so not HITTING THE BUTTONS. and what was even worst, was the description? like who describes the hair and the makeup to the level it's 'the makeup she put on was a bit of mascara and a bit of lipstick which was less than normal but good'. like IT'S OKAY TO EXPLAIN BUT IDGAF. 😭
Overall rating: 2/5
Genre: fiction, new adult, young adult, romance, cliche, wholesome, chick lit, contemporary, academic, scholar, school rivals
Dates read: 10/10/2023- 11/10/2023 (1 day)
Time period: 3-4 hrs
Amount of pages: 320 (online book copy, borrowed, rectangle, small font, big size book)
June 27, 2023
I’m sorry I’m so sorry but this book was just not it. A lot of the lingo used was just cringey and it made it super hard to read. Quite honestly I couldn’t finish the book it was just too much for me. I skipped to the fight scene to see if it was worth reading (let’s be honest every romance book has the big dramatic fight scene that says so much about the characters and the book) and the MC just made me so upset. I may not 100% understand her circumstances and all that she’s been through but that still doesn’t excuse a lot of her actions and a lot of the things she’s done that have hurt others that she supposedly cares about. I really wanted to like this as it had a lot of potential and the cover was super cute, but this book is just honestly not for me.
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