Tropes: Bullying, enemies to lovers, friends to bullies to lovers (weird I know), reverse harem (why choose)
This plot is similar to Ruthless Boys by Caroline Peckham and Suzanne Valenti, where someone gets murdered and it gets staged as a suicide and FMC goes to investigate, but in this case it's in high school. Similarly, to RB, there are four love interests, two are twins (Seger and Zepp), one is basically like a golden retriever kind of Leon vibes (Chase), and one who is basically her enemy until he isn't (Carter). The FMC (Kaycee) is basically a computer genius and has an anonymous online best friend (Tristian). And there's a girl who gives me Geraldine vibes from Zodiac Academy. (Piper)
There were times where I did like the writing and sometimes I didn't. Like the author tried to write the characters to be quirky, and sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. Although, this wasn't a deterrent from the entire book. There is more plot than romance, but there is romance/spice, but it takes a while so like a medium/slow burn. I did really like the plot, and I can't wait to see how it unfolds along with the romance.
The prologue broke my heart to see Magnolia's POV (the victim), even her emails broke my heart. This author included something different which I really liked; she put a secret code in Magnolia's emails to Kaycee. I swear every time I put it together, my heart kept breaking.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
-"There is no way in hell I'm frolicking in a meadow, I mean, who does that? What does frolicking entail? She's definitely cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."
-"Woo me."
"Woo you? Like, woo you, romance you, type shit?" (Chase)
"Sure, if that's how you interpret it."
"Wait—I—I don't know how."
"Figure it out, Chris. You got this. If I really am worth it."
What could be interpreted as a sinister smile slides across my face. Now all I need is the evil laugh. Bwahaha- oh! Focus!
-"Be careful with him."
"Who?"
"Chase."
"Chase loves hard, Kaycee. So be careful with him because from where I stand, Chase is already head over heels for you."
" I don't understand. I've only been here for a week. How can he?"
"Sweet, sweet, Kaycee. He doesn't need an enormous amount of time to fall for you. Who wouldn't?" (Zepp)
-"Zepp reigns my mind in. Chase makes me smile. Seger makes me laugh too. He fights for me, plots with me. They protected me when danger lurked."
-"If my father can't fix this situation, he's going to pull me."
"Fuck that. If all four of us, gang up on him, it'll be impossible. Besides, I'll lock you in my secret basement and never let you go.
"Secret basement, huh?"
"Yeah—secret, hence why I've never shown you. If that big bad world thinks he's about to come take my lamb away, he's in for a world of pain." He doesn't waste a second tossing me over his shoulder before I can protest.
"Seger!"
"Secret basement, babe, it's time."
-"I can't leave them—my boys. I only just found them. They're like the missing puzzle pieces to my life, finally finding their spots."
-Chase: Have no fear boyfriend number 1 is here.
Seger: Who tf said you are number one?
Chase: Says me...considering I'm staying.
Seger: Baby, sort this out. Who is number 1?
Kaycee: Yeah—I'm not answering that.
-"You know what I can't figure out?" (Carter)
"What's that?"
"Why, you're always inside my fucking head. Every fucking move I make, you're there. Those big, beautiful blue, fuck-me eyes staring back at me. I can't get you out of my fucking head."
"What're you trying to say?"
"Exactly what I fucking said."
"What if I said I think about you, too? That kiss? Your lips."
"Then I'd you're a stupid fucking bitch."
"Then I'm a stupid fucking bitch. So just kiss me already."