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Foolish Games
Vivienne
You might wonder how a nerd like me ends up dating the rough, cocky quarterback known for his playboy ways. The one who happens to be my bully that I’m already forced to tutor. For a smart girl, that might sound like a questionable decision, but there’s a simple explanation.
We’re faking it.
At least, that’s the arrangement.
So why does something other than fear tingle through my body every time he threatens to make me work off my debt in his bed?
There’s an explanation for that too.
Sebastian Swift makes smart girls stupid.
Sebastian
You might wonder how a stud like me gets tied down by a nerdy little prude who happens to be my best friend’s sister and therefore off limits.
It’s simple. I never met a challenge I didn’t want to take.
And taking the town’s perfect little princess is more tempting every day.
Especially when my friends make a bet that I can’t turn the good girl bad.
Pretty soon, I’m not sure what I want more. To make her bad, or to make her mine.
This book is strictly for readers over 18. It features adult content, language, & sexual situations including dark content. All characters are over 18. Please see author website for further warnings.
Perfect for readers who
+ fake dating
+ brother’s best friend trope
+ a bet
+ bad boy vs. good girl
+ cocky jock vs. nerd girl
+ light bullying/enemies to lovers
You might wonder how a nerd like me ends up dating the rough, cocky quarterback known for his playboy ways. The one who happens to be my bully that I’m already forced to tutor. For a smart girl, that might sound like a questionable decision, but there’s a simple explanation.
We’re faking it.
At least, that’s the arrangement.
So why does something other than fear tingle through my body every time he threatens to make me work off my debt in his bed?
There’s an explanation for that too.
Sebastian Swift makes smart girls stupid.
Sebastian
You might wonder how a stud like me gets tied down by a nerdy little prude who happens to be my best friend’s sister and therefore off limits.
It’s simple. I never met a challenge I didn’t want to take.
And taking the town’s perfect little princess is more tempting every day.
Especially when my friends make a bet that I can’t turn the good girl bad.
Pretty soon, I’m not sure what I want more. To make her bad, or to make her mine.
This book is strictly for readers over 18. It features adult content, language, & sexual situations including dark content. All characters are over 18. Please see author website for further warnings.
Perfect for readers who
+ fake dating
+ brother’s best friend trope
+ a bet
+ bad boy vs. good girl
+ cocky jock vs. nerd girl
+ light bullying/enemies to lovers
538 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2024
168 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Selena .
42 books1,338 followersYou might not guess it when you pick up your first Selena novel, but Selena is a true romantic. She writes gritty, realistic New Adult contemporary novels with characters you'll love to hate and hate to love.
If reading about teens behaving badly upsets you, steer clear because these are full of drama, angst, fighting, drugs, sex, and rock & roll. There will be times you want to throw your Kindle. There will be lying, cheating, bullying, backstabbing, violence, and hard-earned, sweet redemption for those who won't give up on love. Because life's not always picture perfect, but every heart, no matter how broken and damaged, deserves love.
If reading about teens behaving badly upsets you, steer clear because these are full of drama, angst, fighting, drugs, sex, and rock & roll. There will be times you want to throw your Kindle. There will be lying, cheating, bullying, backstabbing, violence, and hard-earned, sweet redemption for those who won't give up on love. Because life's not always picture perfect, but every heart, no matter how broken and damaged, deserves love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
June 8, 2024
This is a tough review to write as this was both an ARC, and, I believe the first book I’ve read by this author. That being said, I’m not comfortable giving a dishonest review for any reason, so it is what it is.
The story was supposed to be set in the 90’s, which was kind of unique. There were a few references which were a bit nostalgic to me since I, myself was a teenager way back then. 😬. The story was categorized as “dark” but I didn’t find it so much dark as deeply, deeply problematic as there was, at best, extremely dubious consent given at times, and at others, full on assault and SA taking place, along with a complete lack of protective measures taken to prevent STIs and the like. i just couldn't help but feel like this story reinforced the idea that "no" means "convince me" or "do it anyway. She'll want it eventually", which I really cannot get on board with.
Additionally, a lot of it seemed too big a stretch to be believable, which I found very distracting.
Sorry. It just wasn't the book for me.
The story was supposed to be set in the 90’s, which was kind of unique. There were a few references which were a bit nostalgic to me since I, myself was a teenager way back then. 😬. The story was categorized as “dark” but I didn’t find it so much dark as deeply, deeply problematic as there was, at best, extremely dubious consent given at times, and at others, full on assault and SA taking place, along with a complete lack of protective measures taken to prevent STIs and the like. i just couldn't help but feel like this story reinforced the idea that "no" means "convince me" or "do it anyway. She'll want it eventually", which I really cannot get on board with.
Additionally, a lot of it seemed too big a stretch to be believable, which I found very distracting.
Sorry. It just wasn't the book for me.
June 25, 2024
I haven't read either The Rain King or Only happens when it rains but I have read the darker side of Faulkner books that tie in loosely to this one. Coming for two different spectrums of society with Vivienne (FMC) coming from money and being very much the good girl that sticks to the rules. Whereas Sebastian (Bash) is very much the arrogant quarterback but all of that hides his difficult home life. So when an opportunity presents itself where Vivienne needs a fake boyfriend Bash steps in to help her. Only for lines to blur for both of them.
I liked the dynamic that they both had together. With plenty of steam and a few laughs too. A good read.
I liked the dynamic that they both had together. With plenty of steam and a few laughs too. A good read.
January 24, 2025
Saudade.....
Foolish Games is Selena's return to Faulknerverse of the 90's, its first generation, the roots of the present we hate to love!
As a person that experienced high school in the 9o's myself, I felt warmed up inside by the winds of nostalgia, the lack of technology where pen and paper, furtive glances and body language meant everything.
We were happy and didn't know it!😛
Although this story is way tamer than Selena got us used to, Sebastian 'Bash' Swift wasn't exactly a saint or didn't go overboard, he certainly did, but less abrasive than Maddox and Lennox for sure.
I loved the fact that Selena got to reverse the roles a tiny bit than expected, having Sebastian the football god, popular bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks messing with the uber rich, founder daughter nerd girl Vivienne Delacroix in a fake relationship as a stroke of opportunity that served different purposes and motivations.
The narrative is pretty expressive, detailed where it mattered and even being a bully romance, the tense atmosphere was mostly felt due to their internal conflicts, newfound feelings and social status rather than the harassment aspect, definitively present but not as notorious since it was primarily mentioned in past tense.
Some nuances jumped at attention, specially Nana Delacroix's peep talk diferentiating experiences of fun and plans of marriage, and having not been the first time I had heard about it in the exact same kind of environment of society's upper echelon and era, it makes me wonder if it is something very southern and old money.
What separated Vivienne and Sebastian the most was definitively their social decalage and the fact that the Delacroix kids frequented Faulkner High instead of Willow Heights was another form of power play among peers of equals, meaning it was best to 'reign' alone and supreme at Faulkner High than between wolfes at Willow Heights Prep Academy.
Of course the divide was felt the most at important events, parties and ceremonies where everybody got together, ones as hosts and guests, the others as peasants, hired help, a very ritualistic atmosphere, not forgeting the frenesi of the invitation or ways to get in at any cost.
I loved Vivienne and Bash together, besides all the obstacles in their way, their upbringing and socialization, internal reluctance against physical and emotional want, specially Vivienne's struggle between her feelings and motivations and final goal that ended up inconsequential because she found along the way what she never knew she needed and, for the very first time wanted to grab and never let go.
For Bash it might have seemed easy, he simply seized the opportunity of getting to touch the forbidden and make Vivienne to be a bad girl just for him, even if it was all fake, but the conflict of betrayal along with a gloomy future of uncerrainity made him often feel less and uncapable of turning things around for himself and his family.
Very energetic, entwing two sides of the same story with a great slew of secondary characters, the crew we got to know in The Rain King and Only Happens When it Rains, High School 90's paraphernalia, the tribes, the jealousy, power plays, scandal and that unique feeling that you want something so bad that might hurt your reputation, but you'll do it anyway because it makes you feel alive and free and absolutely complete!
It felt good as well to notice the winds of change, an openess to value the feelings above rank, the worth is shown in what an individual can do with the life he got rather than where he came from.
This story made nostalgic and happy, longing for what will never be again, big difficulties along unforgettable experiences and I can't wait to get more from this generation that started it all!
June 7, 2024
“You’re a nice guy who treated me like a princess. But I’ve learned that I prefer a bad boy who treats me like a queen.”
If you are new to novels by Selena this is a good one to start with. Welcome to the town of Faulkner where the bad boys don’t just come from the wrong side of the tracks. Sebastián is a star foot ball player at Faulkner high and a player who doesn’t do relationships. He comes from the rough side of town and he is the man of the house after his father left. His mom is struggling to support him and his 3 younger siblings. Vivienne Delacroix is the nerdy princess of one of the founding families of Faulkner. She knows her future was laid out for her long ago and is determined to be the best at everything.
So when her boyfriend hooks up with and starts dating the girl he told her not to worry about she’s heartbroken. Sebastián comes up with the perfect solution, pretend to be in a relationship with him to show her ex just what he’s missing. It’s the perfect plan, except that he’s her brothers best friend and a jock so whose going to believe their fake relationship is real?
It is fake right? That’s what she tells herself so she doesn’t get her heart broken. But is she the only one afraid of heartbreak?
Out of all of the novels I have read in the faulkenerverse this one is the most mild and take when it comes to darkness. It’s by no means a small town clean romance( nothing wrong with those), however it is still full of drama, regrets , a hint of betrayal, and of course feelings of inadequacy from both the FMC and MMC. Oh and did I mention this book is SPICY!?!?! These two are a bomb waiting to go off and once he gets her in his grasp he introduces her to a side of herself she never knew existed, the side where she is no longer the nerdy prude people thing she is. He brings out her wild side and she realizes she isn’t as clean and wholesome as the mask she wears.
June 10, 2024
3.5⭐
I liked this book, but it did take a minute for me to get into the story. As someone who experienced high school in the 90s, I liked that there were a lot of nostalgic details that were sprinkled in to help set the scene. It was almost like Cruel Intentions set in Arkansas.
I enjoy a good bully romance and dark romance, but this one stayed pretty light overall. Don't get me wrong, there are non-con/dub-con scenes that would feel right at home in a darker story, but the overall tone didn't feel that dark to me. It also almost felt like we jumped into the middle of the story at times. The MMC is morally grey, and sort of a bully, but virtually all of the bullying happened off page before the story even began. That made it hard to build tension based on the group dynamics at the school. It was also confusing for the FMC to say she and the other "nerds" had been bullied by all of the jocks, including her brother, as her brother's over protectiveness towards her is a man plot point. I kept hoping we'd get some sort of flashback to fill in the gaps, but it never came.
It felt like this book was trying to do a lot, but not enough simultaneously at some points. We jumped from light teasing, to what basically amounts to SA in public and it didn't really feel organic to the characters at that point to me. There were some hot spicy scenes I enjoyed, and the dynamics between Sebastian and Vivienne started to get some depth to them, I was pulled into the story more. This book is set in the same universe as several others from the author's backlist, but this is described as a standalone. I wonder if having read more in the "Faulknerverse" previously would have made this story better to me? I enjoyed it, but some parts felt like missed opportunities.
Thank you to Booksprout and Selena for the ARC opportunity.
I liked this book, but it did take a minute for me to get into the story. As someone who experienced high school in the 90s, I liked that there were a lot of nostalgic details that were sprinkled in to help set the scene. It was almost like Cruel Intentions set in Arkansas.
I enjoy a good bully romance and dark romance, but this one stayed pretty light overall. Don't get me wrong, there are non-con/dub-con scenes that would feel right at home in a darker story, but the overall tone didn't feel that dark to me. It also almost felt like we jumped into the middle of the story at times. The MMC is morally grey, and sort of a bully, but virtually all of the bullying happened off page before the story even began. That made it hard to build tension based on the group dynamics at the school. It was also confusing for the FMC to say she and the other "nerds" had been bullied by all of the jocks, including her brother, as her brother's over protectiveness towards her is a man plot point. I kept hoping we'd get some sort of flashback to fill in the gaps, but it never came.
It felt like this book was trying to do a lot, but not enough simultaneously at some points. We jumped from light teasing, to what basically amounts to SA in public and it didn't really feel organic to the characters at that point to me. There were some hot spicy scenes I enjoyed, and the dynamics between Sebastian and Vivienne started to get some depth to them, I was pulled into the story more. This book is set in the same universe as several others from the author's backlist, but this is described as a standalone. I wonder if having read more in the "Faulknerverse" previously would have made this story better to me? I enjoyed it, but some parts felt like missed opportunities.
Thank you to Booksprout and Selena for the ARC opportunity.
June 2, 2024
Holy sh!t I loved this book so much and couldn’t put it down!
This is a standalone 90s Faulknerverse fake dating after a bad break-up, brothers best friend, nerdy good girl x bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, bet to get with her. Although it’s trope heavy, there is nothing cliché about the book, and as always the author puts her own unique slant on it. It’s on the lighter side for a Selena book but still has its dark(ish) moments.
Selena puts so much into her world building that I genuinely felt like I’d been transported back to 1997. We revisit characters from the previous 2 books set in this timeline, while also getting a glimpse of characters who appear in the present day timeline books. The evolution of Faulkner over the decades is so believable and you can see how the 90s events affect the present day events/characters/Faulkner in general. That being said, the book can be read and enjoyed as a complete standalone.
The chemistry between Sebastian and Vivienne sizzled from the get go. I don’t usually say this about Selena’s characters but Sebastian is such a sweetheart, he absolutely melted me. Yes he’s a bully, he’s intense, he doesn’t take no for an answer, he’s rough, he’s complex, and absolute filth, but the way he fell for Viv was straight up 90s rom-com complete with a grand declaration at the end.
I can’t wait for more books set in this world!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
This is a standalone 90s Faulknerverse fake dating after a bad break-up, brothers best friend, nerdy good girl x bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, bet to get with her. Although it’s trope heavy, there is nothing cliché about the book, and as always the author puts her own unique slant on it. It’s on the lighter side for a Selena book but still has its dark(ish) moments.
Selena puts so much into her world building that I genuinely felt like I’d been transported back to 1997. We revisit characters from the previous 2 books set in this timeline, while also getting a glimpse of characters who appear in the present day timeline books. The evolution of Faulkner over the decades is so believable and you can see how the 90s events affect the present day events/characters/Faulkner in general. That being said, the book can be read and enjoyed as a complete standalone.
The chemistry between Sebastian and Vivienne sizzled from the get go. I don’t usually say this about Selena’s characters but Sebastian is such a sweetheart, he absolutely melted me. Yes he’s a bully, he’s intense, he doesn’t take no for an answer, he’s rough, he’s complex, and absolute filth, but the way he fell for Viv was straight up 90s rom-com complete with a grand declaration at the end.
I can’t wait for more books set in this world!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2024
In “Foolish Games,” a standalone but still in the Faulkner universe, Selena takes readers back into the 1990s. How creative is that? With the “You’re killing me Smalls” lines and all the other ’90s references, I felt Selena captured the vibe wholeheartedly.
If you haven’t read a Selena book yet, you haven’t read a true bully romance. Selena had me binge-reading my way through her Faulkner universe. I typically don’t read books with characters in high school, but the way Selena writes has me throw those thoughts out and fully submerge them into book after book. And “Foolish Games” certainly did that.
When I say Selena captured the 90’s vibe in this story, the way the story flowed was similar to those movies back then. At first, things start light and almost funny, but then it gets dark and edgy. It’s just like a 90s movie but with the added Selena’s flair for dark, rough, and spicy romance that “Foolish Games” exudes. I enjoyed this book.
If you haven’t read a Selena book yet, you haven’t read a true bully romance. Selena had me binge-reading my way through her Faulkner universe. I typically don’t read books with characters in high school, but the way Selena writes has me throw those thoughts out and fully submerge them into book after book. And “Foolish Games” certainly did that.
When I say Selena captured the 90’s vibe in this story, the way the story flowed was similar to those movies back then. At first, things start light and almost funny, but then it gets dark and edgy. It’s just like a 90s movie but with the added Selena’s flair for dark, rough, and spicy romance that “Foolish Games” exudes. I enjoyed this book.
June 10, 2024
Vivienne comes from an affluent family, and she has always done what was expected which included only associating with people that were deemed acceptable and excelling at her studies. That is about to change when she is betrayed by her boyfriend and Sebastian offers her the opportunity for revenge by dating him however, she may just be going from a difficult situation to one that is even worse.
Sebastian couldn’t be more different from Vivienne as his family and financial situation is less than ideal. At school his skills on the field make him popular and powerful and he is willing to pretend to be her boyfriend, but he plans to show her what she has been missing out on whether she agrees or not.
An unlikely match for sure as the bad boy clashes with the good girl. It becomes apparent that with each other Sebastian isn’t as bad when it comes to Vivienne, and she definitely isn’t as good as she appears as they find the perfect balance in each other.
Sebastian couldn’t be more different from Vivienne as his family and financial situation is less than ideal. At school his skills on the field make him popular and powerful and he is willing to pretend to be her boyfriend, but he plans to show her what she has been missing out on whether she agrees or not.
An unlikely match for sure as the bad boy clashes with the good girl. It becomes apparent that with each other Sebastian isn’t as bad when it comes to Vivienne, and she definitely isn’t as good as she appears as they find the perfect balance in each other.
June 3, 2024
Selena created an interesting mix of tropes with this one. We have other sides of the track, good girl bad boy, brothers best friend and fake dating all interwoven in this entertaining story. I found Sebastian charming with an edge. He definitely fits that bad boy role but still has some softness and redeeming qualities like being the family caretaker. Vivienne is definitely finding her way after her ex humiliates and gaslights her. She definitely went on a path of self discovery and strayed outside her norm. These two had great chemistry that exploded on the pages and it's a series I'd continue reading.
June 1, 2024
The queen of bully romance does it again!! I devoured this book in less than a day!! Sebastian is the star quarterback who loves to taunt Viv’s entire friend group. Oh he also just so happens to be Viv’s brother’s best friend 😉. After a devastating breakup and being assigned to be Seb’s tutor, they decide to fake a relationship. Please check the trigger warnings, her books are BULLY romance. This is a must read!! Selena is one of my auto read authors, she never disappoints. This has a HEA 🥰
5/5⭐️ 4/5🌶️
5/5⭐️ 4/5🌶️
June 5, 2024
Wow
Just…wow. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Selena book so I’d forgotten what a gut punch they are. I really enjoyed this book. I needed a bit of a refresher on Faulkner and I intend to dive back into the world now I’ve finished this book. Viv and Sebastian are fantastically complicated characters with their own strengths and weaknesses. Their love story is pretty unconventional with both making mistakes but I was really happy with their ending.
Just…wow. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Selena book so I’d forgotten what a gut punch they are. I really enjoyed this book. I needed a bit of a refresher on Faulkner and I intend to dive back into the world now I’ve finished this book. Viv and Sebastian are fantastically complicated characters with their own strengths and weaknesses. Their love story is pretty unconventional with both making mistakes but I was really happy with their ending.
January 16, 2025
DNF NOT MY CUP OF Tea, it’s HIGH SCHOOL dark romance. The author is a very good writer just not my genre.
June 2, 2024
ARC READ
As a long time Selena reader and lover I was blown away by this book! Her style of writing has always been something that I’ve never been able to turn away! The way she brings a different side to her stories, she will bring in high society meets wrong side of the tracks and always make you leave wanting more!
This book set in the 90’s was so refreshing with the “throw back” commentary, setting, and style! Then add in that you see so many people from the same universe! I was sitting at work last night with shock permanently etched on my face Everytime she mentioned a new one! Also, if you’ve read one of her previous books our resident bad boy babe is here and mannnnn, whew!!! I was so happy to “see” his face again!
In other words, DROP everything and read this now!!!! 🧡
As a long time Selena reader and lover I was blown away by this book! Her style of writing has always been something that I’ve never been able to turn away! The way she brings a different side to her stories, she will bring in high society meets wrong side of the tracks and always make you leave wanting more!
This book set in the 90’s was so refreshing with the “throw back” commentary, setting, and style! Then add in that you see so many people from the same universe! I was sitting at work last night with shock permanently etched on my face Everytime she mentioned a new one! Also, if you’ve read one of her previous books our resident bad boy babe is here and mannnnn, whew!!! I was so happy to “see” his face again!
In other words, DROP everything and read this now!!!! 🧡
May 17, 2025
Foolish Games is Selena's return to Faulknerverse of the 90's. We get to meet the first generation...
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤/𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚 = Sebastian (Bash) Swift & Vivienne Delacroix
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 = No.
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 = Yes.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚(𝙨) = Dark Romance • Bully / Enemies to Lovers • Fake Relationship/Dating • Sports (he plays football) • set in the 90s • High School • Good Girl/ Bad Boy • Brother's Best Friend • Poor Boy / Rich Girl • Nerd / Jock • A bet • Dual POVs
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 = Language • Sexual Content (non-con/dub-con scenes) •
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 = 🔥🔥🔥
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Sebastian - the football god (quarterback) of Faulkner High. The popular bad boy. Being raised in a rough part of town with his 3 younger siblings by a single mom.
Vivienne - the "nerd". The daughter of the founding families of Faulkner. Uber-rich and pretty much has her life laid out for her.
When Vivienne's boyfriend hooks up and starts dating another girl, the one girl who always came between them... Bash offers to help her get back at him by pretending to be in a relationship with him. B/c what better way to show that ex of hers what he's missing, with a self claimed nerd dating one of the jocks who used to bully them.
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤/𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚 = Sebastian (Bash) Swift & Vivienne Delacroix
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 = No.
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 = Yes.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚(𝙨) = Dark Romance • Bully / Enemies to Lovers • Fake Relationship/Dating • Sports (he plays football) • set in the 90s • High School • Good Girl/ Bad Boy • Brother's Best Friend • Poor Boy / Rich Girl • Nerd / Jock • A bet • Dual POVs
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 = Language • Sexual Content (non-con/dub-con scenes) •
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 = 🔥🔥🔥
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Sebastian - the football god (quarterback) of Faulkner High. The popular bad boy. Being raised in a rough part of town with his 3 younger siblings by a single mom.
Vivienne - the "nerd". The daughter of the founding families of Faulkner. Uber-rich and pretty much has her life laid out for her.
When Vivienne's boyfriend hooks up and starts dating another girl, the one girl who always came between them... Bash offers to help her get back at him by pretending to be in a relationship with him. B/c what better way to show that ex of hers what he's missing, with a self claimed nerd dating one of the jocks who used to bully them.
June 8, 2024
I gotta hand it to Selena...
When I heard about the release to Foolish Games it came to a complete surprise for me. I was not expecting a new release while waiting for Glided Fake.
HOWEVER Foolish Games was such a fun read! The fake dating x jock/nerd pair was icing on the cake. With sprinkles of some dark-spicy elements to it.
Foolish Games is very far from the dark morally dubious content that Selena usually dishes out, and in my opinion this is because we aren't focusing much on the Dolces, Darlings or gangs this time around. Not that it truly makes a difference in faulkner…
HOWEVER make no mistake because our new male MC Sebastian Swift is very much a cruel bad boy in his own right and has no problem proving it to the readers (TRUST ME) and yet shows a sweetness to our female mc Vivienne Delacroix that makes you swoon nonetheless!
When discussing Viv there were so many chances for her character to go wrong, but thankfully Selena knows how to write female characters that are not carbon copies of each other like some authors end up writing. Viv is a nerd, but she comes from a prominent household where her family is one of the few founding families in Faulkner. She's expected to get good grades and go to an outstanding college. The perfect daughter with a respectable reputation.
HOWEVER Viv is also expected to marry rich. Someone who comes from a “good family”. Enter Viv tutoring Sebastian and ending up being in a fake relationship and NOT falling in love with someone who does not fit the description of Viv's lifelong plan.
Everything about Viv’s and Bastian’s relationship was PERFECT and HOT. These two together were literal perfection I tell you! The chemistry was spot on and yes, again, PERFECTLY FIRE. The way they got to know the little things about each other. How Bastian literally opened a whole new world for Viv and everything she thought she knew and wanted and how she discovered something about herself she never knew was possible (and some other things…lol).
I want to take some time to talk about Bastian because he may be one of my favorite male leads of Selena's next to Lennox.
Sebastian is the arrogant football star jock in FHS, he has it all with his looks, captain status, and popularity. But despite his successful high school status, he's a guy from the wrong side of the tracks: poor, run down home, no car, absent dad, lots of siblings and a working single mom who can barely hold her job. So when he's not being the king of the field, he's being the man of the house to take care of his family. This guy has a lot of struggles and even insecurities; he has every reason to complain about his living situation, but it never really comes to the forefront of the story because of how he brushes it all away as though it doesn't bother him. I guess one of my main complaints is how Sebastian's family life wasn't a huge focal point because it was interesting to see his relationship with his mom and sister, even if small. But I guess it makes sense with the direction of the story and how he's not the only one struggling. And tbh, that’s probably the point. He’s not special, just like how every other kid who grew up poor is not seen as someone special or important. No one cares about him or his gang of misfits, and that becomes apparent when you read Selena’s other works set in the same world. Because if you grow up a nobody, then you die a nobody.
I really did enjoy this read and it was a good buffer while waiting for Colt's final book to come out. Even if it didn't take place in WHPA, where all the true drama happens lmao. Loved reading the easter eggs being thrown in there in reference to other books, such as seeing familiar characters and plot points being thrown in. Even loved seeing Tony and Maddox in the story and how everything came full circle for the future. Now let's hope we finally get closer to the twins books because it literally kills me everyday 😅.
When I heard about the release to Foolish Games it came to a complete surprise for me. I was not expecting a new release while waiting for Glided Fake.
HOWEVER Foolish Games was such a fun read! The fake dating x jock/nerd pair was icing on the cake. With sprinkles of some dark-spicy elements to it.
Foolish Games is very far from the dark morally dubious content that Selena usually dishes out, and in my opinion this is because we aren't focusing much on the Dolces, Darlings or gangs this time around. Not that it truly makes a difference in faulkner…
HOWEVER make no mistake because our new male MC Sebastian Swift is very much a cruel bad boy in his own right and has no problem proving it to the readers (TRUST ME) and yet shows a sweetness to our female mc Vivienne Delacroix that makes you swoon nonetheless!
When discussing Viv there were so many chances for her character to go wrong, but thankfully Selena knows how to write female characters that are not carbon copies of each other like some authors end up writing. Viv is a nerd, but she comes from a prominent household where her family is one of the few founding families in Faulkner. She's expected to get good grades and go to an outstanding college. The perfect daughter with a respectable reputation.
HOWEVER Viv is also expected to marry rich. Someone who comes from a “good family”. Enter Viv tutoring Sebastian and ending up being in a fake relationship and NOT falling in love with someone who does not fit the description of Viv's lifelong plan.
Everything about Viv’s and Bastian’s relationship was PERFECT and HOT. These two together were literal perfection I tell you! The chemistry was spot on and yes, again, PERFECTLY FIRE. The way they got to know the little things about each other. How Bastian literally opened a whole new world for Viv and everything she thought she knew and wanted and how she discovered something about herself she never knew was possible (and some other things…lol).
I want to take some time to talk about Bastian because he may be one of my favorite male leads of Selena's next to Lennox.
Sebastian is the arrogant football star jock in FHS, he has it all with his looks, captain status, and popularity. But despite his successful high school status, he's a guy from the wrong side of the tracks: poor, run down home, no car, absent dad, lots of siblings and a working single mom who can barely hold her job. So when he's not being the king of the field, he's being the man of the house to take care of his family. This guy has a lot of struggles and even insecurities; he has every reason to complain about his living situation, but it never really comes to the forefront of the story because of how he brushes it all away as though it doesn't bother him. I guess one of my main complaints is how Sebastian's family life wasn't a huge focal point because it was interesting to see his relationship with his mom and sister, even if small. But I guess it makes sense with the direction of the story and how he's not the only one struggling. And tbh, that’s probably the point. He’s not special, just like how every other kid who grew up poor is not seen as someone special or important. No one cares about him or his gang of misfits, and that becomes apparent when you read Selena’s other works set in the same world. Because if you grow up a nobody, then you die a nobody.
I really did enjoy this read and it was a good buffer while waiting for Colt's final book to come out. Even if it didn't take place in WHPA, where all the true drama happens lmao. Loved reading the easter eggs being thrown in there in reference to other books, such as seeing familiar characters and plot points being thrown in. Even loved seeing Tony and Maddox in the story and how everything came full circle for the future. Now let's hope we finally get closer to the twins books because it literally kills me everyday 😅.
June 12, 2024
An epic story of bullying turned to fake lovers....or enemies to lovers you can pick whatever suits your taste....But the story, whatever you choose is EXQUISITE! I loved all the journey these two highshoolers had. I loved the different and opposite backgrounds, the different way of been raised, the way they had fun, or partied or done things....I loved the chasm between their worlds and I loved how they found a way to eliminate it to go to their HEA...
The story is a bit dark, full of profanity, smexy scenes(a lot of smexy smutty scenes), strong dirty talking males -that can light a fire in you just by reading-, it has struggling and a lot of everyday real life problems been mentioned. Sebastian is the boy from the other side of the "bridge", the struggling side, the "poor" side, the "uncivilized side, the side foul of problems and baggage. But it's the fun and free side. It's were friendships are strong, true, supportive, it's were you are a good big brother helping you kid siblings, cook for them, care for them, is were you help your mother every way you can (even bu winning a bet that, if revealed you'll lose the only girl you've ever loved)....Sebastian can be described as a cocky playboy, an arrogant footballer, that things too high for himself and his group, someone who acts first and maybe later might ask or think!He will do and say thinks that will make you wanna cuss on him, yell at him,slap him or kick him to the curb....and he will do them and say the without blinking! But he is not what he seems to be. He is responsible, he is kind and caring, and wen he disides to let go and be true to himself, he is a boy/man worth loving and keeping and being with....He has his dark moments, moments where he degrades himself bc that is all he ever listen to about him and boys from his side...But been with Viv makes him shine at some moments....He will make stupid mistakes, but God he will pay, he will growl, and he will do so willingly, but he will own them and he will win his girl!
Vivienne is a super rich heiress, one of the founding families heir.She must be perfect in everything she does, she must be smart, delicate, serious, first of his class, posh,prim, prepy and go to the most defnified schools and colleges and get marrie6with someone of the same circle. She is narrow-minded in many ways and with many things, but all that start to crumble when she gets involved in a fake relationship with Sebastian. And she learns what it means to be spontaneous, courageous, free, have fun, and let lose. Their story is full of laughter, sadness, hot bander, hot secret encounters, doubts, intense feelings(everything is intense in this story), lies, betrayal, mistakes, regrets, soft moments, hurt, realizations, pain, happy moments, friendships and a cathartic HEA that is sooooooooo earned...
I loved this book and I need more of them, more of the rest of the "gang"....So I recomment to read about this Lady and her tramp.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story is a bit dark, full of profanity, smexy scenes(a lot of smexy smutty scenes), strong dirty talking males -that can light a fire in you just by reading-, it has struggling and a lot of everyday real life problems been mentioned. Sebastian is the boy from the other side of the "bridge", the struggling side, the "poor" side, the "uncivilized side, the side foul of problems and baggage. But it's the fun and free side. It's were friendships are strong, true, supportive, it's were you are a good big brother helping you kid siblings, cook for them, care for them, is were you help your mother every way you can (even bu winning a bet that, if revealed you'll lose the only girl you've ever loved)....Sebastian can be described as a cocky playboy, an arrogant footballer, that things too high for himself and his group, someone who acts first and maybe later might ask or think!He will do and say thinks that will make you wanna cuss on him, yell at him,slap him or kick him to the curb....and he will do them and say the without blinking! But he is not what he seems to be. He is responsible, he is kind and caring, and wen he disides to let go and be true to himself, he is a boy/man worth loving and keeping and being with....He has his dark moments, moments where he degrades himself bc that is all he ever listen to about him and boys from his side...But been with Viv makes him shine at some moments....He will make stupid mistakes, but God he will pay, he will growl, and he will do so willingly, but he will own them and he will win his girl!
Vivienne is a super rich heiress, one of the founding families heir.She must be perfect in everything she does, she must be smart, delicate, serious, first of his class, posh,prim, prepy and go to the most defnified schools and colleges and get marrie6with someone of the same circle. She is narrow-minded in many ways and with many things, but all that start to crumble when she gets involved in a fake relationship with Sebastian. And she learns what it means to be spontaneous, courageous, free, have fun, and let lose. Their story is full of laughter, sadness, hot bander, hot secret encounters, doubts, intense feelings(everything is intense in this story), lies, betrayal, mistakes, regrets, soft moments, hurt, realizations, pain, happy moments, friendships and a cathartic HEA that is sooooooooo earned...
I loved this book and I need more of them, more of the rest of the "gang"....So I recomment to read about this Lady and her tramp.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 8, 2024
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Star Rating : 4.5 / 5 Stars
POV : Dual
Cliffhanger : None
Hero : Sebastian
Heroine : Viveinne
Pace of the story : Moderate
Angst Rating : 5/10
Heat Rating : 6/10
Triggers Involved : * to be updated after release
Plot Summary :
Vivienne knows that she is a good girl. She is the one that follows all the rules and never gets off the good girl track. Which is why she is often targeted by her brother and his best friends who are a cool group of their high school. A chance encounter and a mess that needs to be cleaned up somehow lands her in a fake relationship with the one boy she should stay away from.
Her brother's best friend.
Sebastian .
The boy who never fails to mock her relentlessly will now somehow help her.
If only she knew that things will not be that easy because Sebastian plans to give her a good taste of the other side. And she might not like some of his ways.
Overall Opinion :
I am so glad I picked this one up! Selena’s books often piss me off because their heroines are so weak. They just take whatever the male protagonist does to them without question and after a certain time it becomes hard to read.
I am so glad to say that this is not the same for this book , Vivienne fights back as much as she can and I loved every part of it so much. Sebastian was also twisted in his own ways but this book was much much tamer than what this author usually writes. It was bordering on the edge of contemporary romance until one scene which was kind of wild lmao.
On an overall basis I loved this standalone novel of romance and like the banter between the characters as well. I want so much more from this world now! Definitely recommending this one to all the dark romance loving people out there.
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June 11, 2024
I loved Foolish Games. It made my little nerdy heart happy. Viv is the nerdy, rich girl and Bash is the bad boy from the other side of the tracks. After a public breakup with her nerdy rich ex who immediately starts dating his girl “best friend” Bash offers to fake date Viv to make Chaz jealous. While Viv is fake dating Bash isn’t. He has been in love with her for years. The story is full of teenage angst about not fitting in, dating someone who is outside of your social circle, and wanting to be more than what is expected of you.
The book was a little lighter than what you normally expect of Selena, but I loved it. I will say that Dub-Con bordering on Non-Con should be included in the tropes but those are expected from Selena. If this is your first Selena book be sure to check the trigger warnings. While it is set in high school it is a dark bully romance.
Tropes:
fake dating
brother’s best friend trope
a bet
bad boy vs. good girl
cocky jock vs. nerd girl
light bullying/enemies to lovers
Vivienne
You might wonder how a nerd like me ends up dating the rough, cocky quarterback known for his playboy ways. The one who happens to be my bully that I’m already forced to tutor. For a smart girl, that might sound like a questionable decision, but there’s a simple explanation.
We’re faking it.
At least, that’s the arrangement.
So why does something other than fear tingle through my body every time he threatens to make me work off my debt in his bed?
There’s an explanation for that too.
Sebastian Swift makes smart girls stupid.
Sebastian
You might wonder how a stud like me gets tied down by a nerdy little prude who happens to be my best friend’s sister and therefore off limits.
It’s simple. I never met a challenge I didn’t want to take.
And taking the town’s perfect little princess is more tempting every day.
Especially when my friends make a bet that I can’t turn the good girl bad.
Pretty soon, I’m not sure what I want more. To make her bad, or to make her mine.
CW: This book is strictly for readers over 18. It features adult content, language, & sexual situations including dark content. All characters are over 18. Please see author's website for further warnings.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book was a little lighter than what you normally expect of Selena, but I loved it. I will say that Dub-Con bordering on Non-Con should be included in the tropes but those are expected from Selena. If this is your first Selena book be sure to check the trigger warnings. While it is set in high school it is a dark bully romance.
Tropes:
fake dating
brother’s best friend trope
a bet
bad boy vs. good girl
cocky jock vs. nerd girl
light bullying/enemies to lovers
Vivienne
You might wonder how a nerd like me ends up dating the rough, cocky quarterback known for his playboy ways. The one who happens to be my bully that I’m already forced to tutor. For a smart girl, that might sound like a questionable decision, but there’s a simple explanation.
We’re faking it.
At least, that’s the arrangement.
So why does something other than fear tingle through my body every time he threatens to make me work off my debt in his bed?
There’s an explanation for that too.
Sebastian Swift makes smart girls stupid.
Sebastian
You might wonder how a stud like me gets tied down by a nerdy little prude who happens to be my best friend’s sister and therefore off limits.
It’s simple. I never met a challenge I didn’t want to take.
And taking the town’s perfect little princess is more tempting every day.
Especially when my friends make a bet that I can’t turn the good girl bad.
Pretty soon, I’m not sure what I want more. To make her bad, or to make her mine.
CW: This book is strictly for readers over 18. It features adult content, language, & sexual situations including dark content. All characters are over 18. Please see author's website for further warnings.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 3, 2025
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
POV: 👨 👩🏻
*Brothers Best Friend
*Fake Dating
*Good Girl x Bad Boy
*Light bullying- enemies to lovers
Selena redeemed herself in my eyes. After the last book I read from her I didn’t think I could ever read one of her books again. But I truly love her books (other than that one that still makes me nauseous) so I stumbled upon this one and decided to give it a go and I’m glad I did because it was really really good.
Sebastian and Vivs story was good. It was very light on bullying. I wouldn’t so much call it enemies to lovers more like starting out it’s just annoyed acquaintances really.
Honestly if you want to start with any of Selena’s books this would be the best to ease you into her world. Seb is light compared to the others. He’s a good character though my heart hurts a little for him during the book, just how he sees himself and thinks others see him. He’s a good guy just a broke good guy. I don’t care what any of you say he’s good. Even when he messed up or pushed Viv he’s still good.
Viv is not naive but somewhere close to it I feel, she’s smart but also a little dumb 😆 I don’t know how to put it really. Chaz/Chad was not the guy for her he was boring and a slimeball a secret slimeball but still one just the same. I’m glad Viv got her revenge and pulled her head out of her a** and got with a real man who treats her like a queen..and a w***e just the way she deserves.
The bonus epilogue was the best ending for me personally, I’d love to follow them more down the road but if that ending is all I get I’m happy about it.
If you’re looking for an easy light enemies to lovers with very light bullying I would definitely recommend this book.
POV: 👨 👩🏻
*Brothers Best Friend
*Fake Dating
*Good Girl x Bad Boy
*Light bullying- enemies to lovers
Selena redeemed herself in my eyes. After the last book I read from her I didn’t think I could ever read one of her books again. But I truly love her books (other than that one that still makes me nauseous) so I stumbled upon this one and decided to give it a go and I’m glad I did because it was really really good.
Sebastian and Vivs story was good. It was very light on bullying. I wouldn’t so much call it enemies to lovers more like starting out it’s just annoyed acquaintances really.
Honestly if you want to start with any of Selena’s books this would be the best to ease you into her world. Seb is light compared to the others. He’s a good character though my heart hurts a little for him during the book, just how he sees himself and thinks others see him. He’s a good guy just a broke good guy. I don’t care what any of you say he’s good. Even when he messed up or pushed Viv he’s still good.
Viv is not naive but somewhere close to it I feel, she’s smart but also a little dumb 😆 I don’t know how to put it really. Chaz/Chad was not the guy for her he was boring and a slimeball a secret slimeball but still one just the same. I’m glad Viv got her revenge and pulled her head out of her a** and got with a real man who treats her like a queen..and a w***e just the way she deserves.
The bonus epilogue was the best ending for me personally, I’d love to follow them more down the road but if that ending is all I get I’m happy about it.
If you’re looking for an easy light enemies to lovers with very light bullying I would definitely recommend this book.
June 8, 2024
♥️ Bully Romance
🤍 Fake Dating
♥️ Rich/Poor
🤍 Brother's Best Friend
♥️ Check TW! ⚠️
🗺 Plot: 4/5
🌎 World Building: 4/5
📔 Cover: 3.5/5
💁🏻♂️ MMC, Sebastian: 4/5
💁♀️ FMC, Vivienne: 4/5
🌶 Spice: 2.5/5
♥️ Pulls at heart strings: 4/5
📄 Page Turner: 4/5
🫣 Angst: 4/5
🤍🖤 Dark: 2/5
🔚 Ending: 4/5
⚠️ Triggers: 3/5
🥰 Overall view: 4/5
🫶🏼 HEA: Yes!
✖️ Multiple POVs: Yes
This is NOT my first book by this author.
I love the world's that Selena creates and I am so happy to still be in the Faulkner world. I think Sebastian definitely fits into this world well as he is just a big meanie. But if you pay close attention he also has a huge heart and he uses his bullying ways to protect that heart and the people he deems his friends or family. That got me on his side. He did some things that took me off his side for some of the book but I forgave him and once you read this book, I think you will see why. Viv may have been the smarter one but you could tell she still had a lot of growing up to do and at times, she was well beyond her years. I think these two gave us a wonderful story full of ups, downs and a lot of mistakes to learn from. I think the most important thing to know when people read this book is they are still young and being young, you will make a lot of mistakes but it's how they came out of those mistakes and what they learned is what's important. I hope we hear more about these two in future books because these two were meant to be from the very beginning.
🤍 Fake Dating
♥️ Rich/Poor
🤍 Brother's Best Friend
♥️ Check TW! ⚠️
🗺 Plot: 4/5
🌎 World Building: 4/5
📔 Cover: 3.5/5
💁🏻♂️ MMC, Sebastian: 4/5
💁♀️ FMC, Vivienne: 4/5
🌶 Spice: 2.5/5
♥️ Pulls at heart strings: 4/5
📄 Page Turner: 4/5
🫣 Angst: 4/5
🤍🖤 Dark: 2/5
🔚 Ending: 4/5
⚠️ Triggers: 3/5
🥰 Overall view: 4/5
🫶🏼 HEA: Yes!
✖️ Multiple POVs: Yes
This is NOT my first book by this author.
I love the world's that Selena creates and I am so happy to still be in the Faulkner world. I think Sebastian definitely fits into this world well as he is just a big meanie. But if you pay close attention he also has a huge heart and he uses his bullying ways to protect that heart and the people he deems his friends or family. That got me on his side. He did some things that took me off his side for some of the book but I forgave him and once you read this book, I think you will see why. Viv may have been the smarter one but you could tell she still had a lot of growing up to do and at times, she was well beyond her years. I think these two gave us a wonderful story full of ups, downs and a lot of mistakes to learn from. I think the most important thing to know when people read this book is they are still young and being young, you will make a lot of mistakes but it's how they came out of those mistakes and what they learned is what's important. I hope we hear more about these two in future books because these two were meant to be from the very beginning.
June 8, 2024
Foolish Games is a good girl/ bad boy brothers best friend story. Its still set in the faulkenerverse which I love but the timeline is set in the 90s. It features Sebastian and Vivienne. Sebastian is from the wrong side of the tracks but is the star football player at school and so enjoys all the perks that come with that, including girls. Vivienne is the complete opposite she's a nerd, comes from a founding family and has her future all mapped out for her which include getting good grades, being respectable and marrying a guy from a good family. Viviennes boyfriend starts dating a girl he told her not to worry about. She becomes heartbroken, so Sebastian comes up with a plan to help. The plan is to fake date each other to show her ex what he's missing, but somewhere along the way fake becomes real.
I love the Faulkenerverse books and this one is no different. It was great seeing Faulkner in the 90s before the feud of the present sets in and also seeing other characters from other books. I love these characters, Sebastian is rough, intense and doesn’t take no for an answer but he is quite sweet to Vivienne. While Vivienne is a nerd but owns it. Shes not ashamed and gives as good as she gets regarding Sebastian. I loved seeing him bring out the bad side of her. The chemistry between these two happened straight away and was so strong. This book is more mild compared to other books set in the Faulkenerverse but still has drama, spice and betrayal. I haven't read a book by Selena that I haven't enjoyed and this is no different. Definitely recommend.
I love the Faulkenerverse books and this one is no different. It was great seeing Faulkner in the 90s before the feud of the present sets in and also seeing other characters from other books. I love these characters, Sebastian is rough, intense and doesn’t take no for an answer but he is quite sweet to Vivienne. While Vivienne is a nerd but owns it. Shes not ashamed and gives as good as she gets regarding Sebastian. I loved seeing him bring out the bad side of her. The chemistry between these two happened straight away and was so strong. This book is more mild compared to other books set in the Faulkenerverse but still has drama, spice and betrayal. I haven't read a book by Selena that I haven't enjoyed and this is no different. Definitely recommend.
June 5, 2024
4.25 Stars
I believe that this was my first read by this author, though I have a few of her books. I was pleasantly surprised. It did take a while to get into the story, but after a while, I realized that I was. At first. I thought it was that the writing seemed kind of juvenile, but it really wasn't, it was more that the characters were still in high school, and the setting was in the late 1990s, when kids in high school were a bit more naive than they are now, and I just wasn't used to that mentality. I do think that the setting should have been mentioned at the start of the book, and maybe the movie references at the start of most chapters was supposed to represent that, but that wasn't clear to me until I was more than halfway through, so they just confused me.
The story itself, it's a pretty standard rich kid/poor kid, but there was something extra here, that I really loved, and I'm not sure that I know what exactly it was. The hero was certainly in the morally grey category, and most, if not all of the sexytime scenes were noncon-ish or extremely dubious. And I was SO here for that. The heroine was a little annoying at times, with her indecision, and I didn't at all believe that the Hero and heroine's brother were best friends as they kept stating, but something about the book just worked. I'd happily read more from this world, and hope that we get books for all of his friends.
I believe that this was my first read by this author, though I have a few of her books. I was pleasantly surprised. It did take a while to get into the story, but after a while, I realized that I was. At first. I thought it was that the writing seemed kind of juvenile, but it really wasn't, it was more that the characters were still in high school, and the setting was in the late 1990s, when kids in high school were a bit more naive than they are now, and I just wasn't used to that mentality. I do think that the setting should have been mentioned at the start of the book, and maybe the movie references at the start of most chapters was supposed to represent that, but that wasn't clear to me until I was more than halfway through, so they just confused me.
The story itself, it's a pretty standard rich kid/poor kid, but there was something extra here, that I really loved, and I'm not sure that I know what exactly it was. The hero was certainly in the morally grey category, and most, if not all of the sexytime scenes were noncon-ish or extremely dubious. And I was SO here for that. The heroine was a little annoying at times, with her indecision, and I didn't at all believe that the Hero and heroine's brother were best friends as they kept stating, but something about the book just worked. I'd happily read more from this world, and hope that we get books for all of his friends.
June 10, 2024
I absolutely loved this book I couldn’t put it down. I had to keep reading until I got to the end. This is a standalone enemies to loves, fake dating, brothers best friend trope. He is a cocky bad boy jock, and she is a nerdy good girl.
This is the first Faulkenerverse book I have read, and I do not regret it one bit. I am officially hooked and can’t wait to read the others, they are already downloaded to kindle and ready to go.
The chemistry between Sebastian and Vivienne was there from the start. Sebastian is a bully, he is complex, he is intense, he doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. He is a young guy from the wrong side of the track and has not had a great life growing up, but he is such a sweetheart.
I loved seeing the characters develop, Vivienne definitely gives him as good as she gets but I loved the way he encourage the not so good side of her to come out.
I also downloaded and listened to the audible version of this book. The narrators are Troy Duran and Amanda L’Orien. Firstly Troy Duran could sit reading the dictionary and I would listen, his voice has me melting every, single time 🥵🥵. However that both did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, it definitely added that something extra to the story. This was a great all-around reading and listening experience that I will definitely be delving into again in the future.
This is the first Faulkenerverse book I have read, and I do not regret it one bit. I am officially hooked and can’t wait to read the others, they are already downloaded to kindle and ready to go.
The chemistry between Sebastian and Vivienne was there from the start. Sebastian is a bully, he is complex, he is intense, he doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. He is a young guy from the wrong side of the track and has not had a great life growing up, but he is such a sweetheart.
I loved seeing the characters develop, Vivienne definitely gives him as good as she gets but I loved the way he encourage the not so good side of her to come out.
I also downloaded and listened to the audible version of this book. The narrators are Troy Duran and Amanda L’Orien. Firstly Troy Duran could sit reading the dictionary and I would listen, his voice has me melting every, single time 🥵🥵. However that both did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, it definitely added that something extra to the story. This was a great all-around reading and listening experience that I will definitely be delving into again in the future.
June 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Welcome Back to the Faulknerverse (My favourite place 😁)
As an avid Selena reader I was anxiously waiting for this release and was so excited to receive an ARC
As a 90’s kid I was excited to be back in this part of the timeline
Instant nostalgia when I opened book and the header for the chapter is the top of the box office. As a girl who was a teenager in the 90’s it is all very cool to read all the little generational references, the descriptions of outfits are bang on, the cars they drive. I love it all
Jock/nerd, enemies to lovers, brothers best friend all in one.
The Easter eggs throughout are 🧑🍳 💋 I love when you are reading in the same world and something ties in so well that you get goosebumps.
The only reason that it is not five ⭐️ is because I found it a bit fast in the beginning. I by no means want a long drawn out/slow burn but I do like a bit of the glimpses of when stuff starts to change for the characters. That being said, by the halfway mark I couldn’t put it down.
I absolutely love all of Selena’s book. The lightest of stories to the the darkest dark. There are few authors whom can do both sooo well and she is the 👸
Thank you 😊 for letting me read this 💎 early
Welcome Back to the Faulknerverse (My favourite place 😁)
As an avid Selena reader I was anxiously waiting for this release and was so excited to receive an ARC
As a 90’s kid I was excited to be back in this part of the timeline
Instant nostalgia when I opened book and the header for the chapter is the top of the box office. As a girl who was a teenager in the 90’s it is all very cool to read all the little generational references, the descriptions of outfits are bang on, the cars they drive. I love it all
Jock/nerd, enemies to lovers, brothers best friend all in one.
The Easter eggs throughout are 🧑🍳 💋 I love when you are reading in the same world and something ties in so well that you get goosebumps.
The only reason that it is not five ⭐️ is because I found it a bit fast in the beginning. I by no means want a long drawn out/slow burn but I do like a bit of the glimpses of when stuff starts to change for the characters. That being said, by the halfway mark I couldn’t put it down.
I absolutely love all of Selena’s book. The lightest of stories to the the darkest dark. There are few authors whom can do both sooo well and she is the 👸
Thank you 😊 for letting me read this 💎 early
June 10, 2024
Ok so, Selena.. when you release something I’m running for it 💕 This book is not really your ordinary Selena book, if you’ve read her other books you know the bully and dark themes are strong but in this book there is only a slight bits of bully, it’s more like an angsty romance set in the 90s, in the already established Faulknerverse. If you’ve read the books about the Darlings and Dolces and also Maddox you’re in for a treat with cookie crumbles all over the place. 👀👌🏻
So this book, it’s different from Selena’s other books but I appreciate a lighter romance with some enemies to lovers theme. I loved the writing and the main characters were easy to like and then love. The chemistry is there, spice level is good and it’s a fun read for sure - loved the fun banters. 💕
I liked that the story was lighter than others in this world, Seb is no choir boy but he is no Royal Dolce. 😅 However, Seb is definitely keeping the story going and Viv gets help to come out of her shell and bloom.
Can’t wait to see what Selena brings to the table next. 💕
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
So this book, it’s different from Selena’s other books but I appreciate a lighter romance with some enemies to lovers theme. I loved the writing and the main characters were easy to like and then love. The chemistry is there, spice level is good and it’s a fun read for sure - loved the fun banters. 💕
I liked that the story was lighter than others in this world, Seb is no choir boy but he is no Royal Dolce. 😅 However, Seb is definitely keeping the story going and Viv gets help to come out of her shell and bloom.
Can’t wait to see what Selena brings to the table next. 💕
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2024
Foolish Games by Selena is the captivating story of Bash and Viv. She’s the nerdy, high society belle who has everything. He’s the kid from the other side of the tracks just trying to make it in this world, and he’s a ball player. This is a high school romance and these are not usually my cup of tea, but I gotta say, this one was FANTASTIC!!!
Bash struggles heavily with his need to be better. His own self worth is a huge deal in this story. Worrying he’s never smart enough, strong enough, good enough…for anything. Viv tries to be everything for her family. Nothing matters but the perception of the outside world and it falls on her.
While the angst and drama in the story was pretty much high school, coming of age, etc….beneath it all is some incredible writing!!! This author has the ability to make you feel everything the characters are feeling….the highs, the lows, the despair, the elation. That is no easy feat to accomplish in ANY type of writing. But, this author succeeds! She excels in bringing the story to life!! Highly recommend!!!!
Bash struggles heavily with his need to be better. His own self worth is a huge deal in this story. Worrying he’s never smart enough, strong enough, good enough…for anything. Viv tries to be everything for her family. Nothing matters but the perception of the outside world and it falls on her.
While the angst and drama in the story was pretty much high school, coming of age, etc….beneath it all is some incredible writing!!! This author has the ability to make you feel everything the characters are feeling….the highs, the lows, the despair, the elation. That is no easy feat to accomplish in ANY type of writing. But, this author succeeds! She excels in bringing the story to life!! Highly recommend!!!!
June 18, 2024
I loved this new book by Selena! The pacing was good, minimal typos, and the characters were great. I loved the wrong side of the tracks guy and the rich nerd girl play on this. I wasn't expecting this book to be set back in the 90s at Faulkner but I thought it worked really well and I enjoyed being back in this universe.
I love Selena's writing of internal dialogue. It always makes me connect with the characters deeper and put myself in their shoes. It's never boring to read which I struggle with in most books. Sebastian and Vivienne were HOT together and I thought they had a lot of chemistry.
There was one thing that kept it from being 5 stars.
SPOILERS.......
While I enjoyed the story I felt that in order for Vivienne to understand Sebastian and his life she needed to see his home life and meet his family. He never opened up that part of himself to Vivienne and told her his struggles. He didn't explain why he took the money from the bet.
I do love that Selena keeps me guessing though! I will be continuing Selena's backlog and look forward to more Faulkner and Willow Heights!
I love Selena's writing of internal dialogue. It always makes me connect with the characters deeper and put myself in their shoes. It's never boring to read which I struggle with in most books. Sebastian and Vivienne were HOT together and I thought they had a lot of chemistry.
There was one thing that kept it from being 5 stars.
SPOILERS.......
While I enjoyed the story I felt that in order for Vivienne to understand Sebastian and his life she needed to see his home life and meet his family. He never opened up that part of himself to Vivienne and told her his struggles. He didn't explain why he took the money from the bet.
I do love that Selena keeps me guessing though! I will be continuing Selena's backlog and look forward to more Faulkner and Willow Heights!
July 21, 2024
Red flag romance. lol.
Gotta suspend reality that these kids are in high school but that’s okay but it was entertaining.
Sebastian Swift is from the rougher side of the tracks. The Playboy. The football star. He also finds himself interested in his best friends sister after she’s required to tutor him. She’s nerdy. Not his type. But something about her…
“All the frustration of this year, of my attraction to my best friend's sister, and not being able to have her, and her stubborn streak and smart mouth and biting comments, comes pouring out of me as I stab into her bare cunt over and over.”
Never feeling good enough for Vivienne Delacroix, he becomes her red flag fake boyfriend so make her ex jealous. But Sebastian lights a fire in Viv and she’s becoming to realize she’s enjoying this bad boy behavior….
“And I'd lie all over again if that meant I could keep you for one more day."
Bullying
Nerd/Jock
Bad Boy/Good Girl
A Bet
Set in the 1990’s
Check your triggers. It’s a lighter book of Selena’s… but still a book by Selena. lol.
HEA
Gotta suspend reality that these kids are in high school but that’s okay but it was entertaining.
Sebastian Swift is from the rougher side of the tracks. The Playboy. The football star. He also finds himself interested in his best friends sister after she’s required to tutor him. She’s nerdy. Not his type. But something about her…
“All the frustration of this year, of my attraction to my best friend's sister, and not being able to have her, and her stubborn streak and smart mouth and biting comments, comes pouring out of me as I stab into her bare cunt over and over.”
Never feeling good enough for Vivienne Delacroix, he becomes her red flag fake boyfriend so make her ex jealous. But Sebastian lights a fire in Viv and she’s becoming to realize she’s enjoying this bad boy behavior….
“And I'd lie all over again if that meant I could keep you for one more day."
Bullying
Nerd/Jock
Bad Boy/Good Girl
A Bet
Set in the 1990’s
Check your triggers. It’s a lighter book of Selena’s… but still a book by Selena. lol.
HEA
June 10, 2024
A very enjoyable read with two very different characters. She’s the rich girl and he’s the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. A bet and a break up have them getting together in a fake relationship but their attraction is real and she’s shown things that she didn’t know she wanted or needed. Their status is obvious when in a crowd but alone they just get each other. This book gave me Dirty Dancing vibes ( rich girl/poor boy, good girl/bad boy)but with some seriously steamy encounters, and some secrets. Mild bullying, plenty of drama and loads of heat. I liked the FMC but due to her status she never really stood up for herself just accepted her status and the path that was expected because of her family name. The MMC had a good heart although he kept it hidden, his struggles at home broke my heart for him, but his dirty mouth? Wow I can’t even! Loved it 😜This author is new to me but I will for sure seek out more of their books.
June 11, 2024
4⭐
Foolish Games by Selena is everything we expect from Selena on a “lighter” scale. Don’t get me wrong, this book is dark but it’s not nearly as dark as some of Selena’s other books.
Foolish Games takes place in Selena’s world, Faulkner, in the 1990’s. This is the start of the first generation of some of our favorite morally gray characters. As someone who grew up in the 90s, the story really made me feel like we were in the 90’s. . I really enjoyed Sebastian and Vivienne both together and individually. I really felt the chemistry between both of the characters. Even though Sebastian was the bad boy and did some very questionable things, I still really rooted for him to get the girl.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes dark bully romances.
Tropes:
Fake Dating
Brother’s Best Friend
A Bet
Bad Boy vs. Good Girl
Cocky Jock vs. Nerd Girl
Light Bullying/Enemies to Lovers
He Falls First
Foolish Games by Selena is everything we expect from Selena on a “lighter” scale. Don’t get me wrong, this book is dark but it’s not nearly as dark as some of Selena’s other books.
Foolish Games takes place in Selena’s world, Faulkner, in the 1990’s. This is the start of the first generation of some of our favorite morally gray characters. As someone who grew up in the 90s, the story really made me feel like we were in the 90’s. . I really enjoyed Sebastian and Vivienne both together and individually. I really felt the chemistry between both of the characters. Even though Sebastian was the bad boy and did some very questionable things, I still really rooted for him to get the girl.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes dark bully romances.
Tropes:
Fake Dating
Brother’s Best Friend
A Bet
Bad Boy vs. Good Girl
Cocky Jock vs. Nerd Girl
Light Bullying/Enemies to Lovers
He Falls First
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