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Rosewood High #1
Thorn
Amalie
He’s a bully, and it was most definitely hate at first sight… for him.
I don’t know what I did to piss off the campus king.
But apparently my existence was reason enough for him to make my life miserable.
Jake Thorn is used to people falling at his feet, but the high school quarterback could forget it.
He could try all he wanted.
He wouldn’t break me.
How could he… I was already broken.
Jake
She's an English Rose and I’m about to be a thorn in her side…
She doesn’t belong here, and from the moment she steps foot in Rosewood High, I’m determined to get rid of her.
Lost little rich girl, trying to recover from the death of her parents. Cry me a river.
The betrayal I see reflected each time our eyes lock must end; I can’t live with the constant reminder.
This is my life. My school. My rules.
What I say goes. And I say she's done.
Until she proves me wrong...
Dear readers, THORN is a high school bully romance with high levels of angst, drama and emotions. It is an upper YA romance and not intended for readers under 17. If you don't like your alphas wicked and dirty, then this might not be for you.
He’s a bully, and it was most definitely hate at first sight… for him.
I don’t know what I did to piss off the campus king.
But apparently my existence was reason enough for him to make my life miserable.
Jake Thorn is used to people falling at his feet, but the high school quarterback could forget it.
He could try all he wanted.
He wouldn’t break me.
How could he… I was already broken.
Jake
She's an English Rose and I’m about to be a thorn in her side…
She doesn’t belong here, and from the moment she steps foot in Rosewood High, I’m determined to get rid of her.
Lost little rich girl, trying to recover from the death of her parents. Cry me a river.
The betrayal I see reflected each time our eyes lock must end; I can’t live with the constant reminder.
This is my life. My school. My rules.
What I say goes. And I say she's done.
Until she proves me wrong...
Dear readers, THORN is a high school bully romance with high levels of angst, drama and emotions. It is an upper YA romance and not intended for readers under 17. If you don't like your alphas wicked and dirty, then this might not be for you.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2019
4129 people are currently reading
6720 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Lorraine
275 books3,840 followersTracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author. Tracy has just turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 658 reviews
February 7, 2024
Thorn ticks all the right inappropriate boxes; popular, brooding and all kinds of sinful. His shard of glass motivates his anger, especially towards our leading lady making this a passionate enemies to lovers story.
Amelie has moved in with her gran after her parents died. She’s a Brit now living in America. At almost 18 she was almost done with high school. Now the stereotype American high school is her new nightmare. Jake Thorn is at the centre of her tilted world. He dislikes her the second his eyes latch onto her pretty face.
He hates her for everything she reminds him of and he can’t control the feelings building inside him. Their chemistry is something neither of them wanted but both of them need.
He’s king of the school. His attitude is overbearing. His game is just the beginning. So why is Ameile so drawn to him?
I love a good bully romance and Jake makes a great bad boy. His backstory is believable and as we unlock his mysteries he slowly creeps into your heart.
Audiobook re-read.
Amelie has moved in with her gran after her parents died. She’s a Brit now living in America. At almost 18 she was almost done with high school. Now the stereotype American high school is her new nightmare. Jake Thorn is at the centre of her tilted world. He dislikes her the second his eyes latch onto her pretty face.
He hates her for everything she reminds him of and he can’t control the feelings building inside him. Their chemistry is something neither of them wanted but both of them need.
He’s king of the school. His attitude is overbearing. His game is just the beginning. So why is Ameile so drawn to him?
I love a good bully romance and Jake makes a great bad boy. His backstory is believable and as we unlock his mysteries he slowly creeps into your heart.
Audiobook re-read.
February 21, 2020
What fresh hell is this? Why do I always stumble upon most ridiculous stories with idiotic characters? I just couldn't finish it. It was either give up on reading it or bleach my eyes after.
I have encountered so many idiotic characters, but the ones in this rubbish probably beats nearly all of them.
I truly,from my heart ,recommend to never ever pick this book up and torture yourself. However, it may make a lovely present for people you hate.
I have encountered so many idiotic characters, but the ones in this rubbish probably beats nearly all of them.
I truly,from my heart ,recommend to never ever pick this book up and torture yourself. However, it may make a lovely present for people you hate.
November 17, 2019
LOVED THIS! One of my guilty pleasures lately is YA bully romance, and this one hit all the marks for me. Tracy Lorraine delivered a powerful and emotional, all-consuming story that left me obsessed and yearning for more.
Jake Thorn is the star football player on his team that everyone wants a piece of. The guys want to be him and the girls hope to lock him down. He's sexy and talented with a bad boy reputation, but nobody really knows that deep down he's broken and tormented by his past. A past that he's tried so hard to move on from, but then he meets her. She reminds him of what he lost, and the blistering hatred begins to grow, making her his number one enemy.
Amalie has suffered a great loss, and therefore, has no choice but to leave London and make a new life for herself in America. Suffering in silence, she hopes to fly under the radar as she adjusts to her new reality. Things are going pretty well until she meets him. He is determined to make her life hell, but despite all of the push and pull, there is undeniable mutual attraction there. But will Jake be able to work through this anger to see her for who she really is?
This new Rosewood High series starts out with a bang and never lets up. This enemies-to-lovers, bully romance was EVERYTHING and more. The fiery sexual tension and feisty back and forth banter had me absolutely hooked, devouring each and every word. It is an exciting roller coaster ride from the beginning to the end. You will need to clear your schedule for this because once you start, you won't be able to stop. I can't recommend this book enough!
Jake Thorn is the star football player on his team that everyone wants a piece of. The guys want to be him and the girls hope to lock him down. He's sexy and talented with a bad boy reputation, but nobody really knows that deep down he's broken and tormented by his past. A past that he's tried so hard to move on from, but then he meets her. She reminds him of what he lost, and the blistering hatred begins to grow, making her his number one enemy.
Amalie has suffered a great loss, and therefore, has no choice but to leave London and make a new life for herself in America. Suffering in silence, she hopes to fly under the radar as she adjusts to her new reality. Things are going pretty well until she meets him. He is determined to make her life hell, but despite all of the push and pull, there is undeniable mutual attraction there. But will Jake be able to work through this anger to see her for who she really is?
This new Rosewood High series starts out with a bang and never lets up. This enemies-to-lovers, bully romance was EVERYTHING and more. The fiery sexual tension and feisty back and forth banter had me absolutely hooked, devouring each and every word. It is an exciting roller coaster ride from the beginning to the end. You will need to clear your schedule for this because once you start, you won't be able to stop. I can't recommend this book enough!
November 22, 2019
The betraying body from h strikes again and so therefore spoiling the book for me!
October 6, 2020
Bully romances are good if:
- The bully has a reasonable reason for hating the girl
- Sexual tension between the two characters
- An actual plot
This one had
- No good reason/very weak and annoying lol mommy issues galore
- sexual tension was weak due to reason 1
- what's the plot again? he just hates her and we're waiting for something.
Kind of disappointed cause I love tracy's books with flirt club.
- The bully has a reasonable reason for hating the girl
- Sexual tension between the two characters
- An actual plot
This one had
- No good reason/very weak and annoying lol mommy issues galore
- sexual tension was weak due to reason 1
- what's the plot again? he just hates her and we're waiting for something.
Kind of disappointed cause I love tracy's books with flirt club.
March 10, 2023
First off, the main reason why I decided to read this series is Stella from Knight's Ridge Empire. She appears somewhere in here and I'm determined to find her. Unfortunately she didn't show up in this one.
I can't believe that the same author who wrote that wrote this too, because this was so bad. As bad as a fanfic written by a preteen girl 10 years ago. Whenever I mention fanfics like this I feel like I need to say I love them to death, but if you've been reading them for years you know exactly the ones I mean.
Amalie is not like other girls, which would be fine if we weren't reminded of that all the damn time. Not just by Amalie herself, but also Jake.
Jake is thehero villain of the
story, with no redeeming qualities. Not one.
Both of them judge other girls (mostly cheerleaders) for being sluts and dressing and acting in certain ways, and the only thing that's making Amalie different is that she didn't start off by throwing herself at Jake, likely because he had a misplaced hatred for her from the get go.
Amalie however is a complete doormat, she lets Jake do whatever he wants because he's hot. He will hurt her, lie about her, lie to her, spread a doctored photo of her through the school, insult her, talk shit about other girls and hurt THEM and Amalie will still act like it's all normal and still want to be with him (because she sees something in him or whatever).
Jake calls her a whore so many times, but when Amalie is like ok I'm a whore what now, Jake gets upset and says "don't call yourself that"???? But it's okay for you to keep calling her that??? Make it make sense.
And the whole time there's this nice guy, Shane, looking out for her, but Amalie won't have it. He's just not doing it for her. Which is funny, because I thought they had really good chemistry, but the author wanted her with Jake so bad that their attraction to one another felt forced.
I have to mention something about Shane which is kind of spoilery, but there was a party and Amalie got her drink spiked and of course Jake wants to believe it's Shane because he doesn't like him. But Shane's never shown any sort of behaviour like that to make me believe that it was him.
The worst part is that WE DONT LEARN WHO IT WAS BY THE END!!!! If I, God forbid, ever had my drink spiked I'd want to know who it was, wouldn't you? Especially if I had to attend school with those people for two whole years. The person that did it could just be lying in wait to do it again, or is doing it to other girls...
I guess the answer depends on if Shane has a book in the series or not. If he does then I'm assuming that it wasn't him, and if he doesn't then it must've been him?
Now, both Amalie and Jake have sad backgrounds, but the difference is Jake hates everything and wants to burn the world down, and Amalie is just sad, and the victim of a lunatic (Jake).
Amalie's parents died just recently, and there's a suspicion that it wasn't an accident and even knowing this Jake still bullies her because, get this, SHE REMINDS HIM OF HIS MOTHER who left him.
And the super duper weird thing is that thoughts about his mother are often tied to his thoughts about Amalie, who he desires. He's got mommy issues to go around.
Literally, he will be thinking about his mother and how much he hates her and then a few seconds later about Amalie sucking his dick while thinking about how much she reminds him of his mother...TRY AND TELL ME THAT AIN'T WEIRD.
By the end Jake is "redeemed" when he finally shares his sob story with Amalie, but he doesn't change. Neither does Amalie. They're just publicly together now, but the same asshole behaviour continues.
If it wasn't for Stella I'm not sure if I'd continue this series. I think the next book is about Amalie's one and only friend and Jake's best friend. Both of those characters seemed alright in this one so hopefully the next book won't be this bad. It CAN'T be this bad. Jake is the worst.
I can't believe that the same author who wrote that wrote this too, because this was so bad. As bad as a fanfic written by a preteen girl 10 years ago. Whenever I mention fanfics like this I feel like I need to say I love them to death, but if you've been reading them for years you know exactly the ones I mean.
Amalie is not like other girls, which would be fine if we weren't reminded of that all the damn time. Not just by Amalie herself, but also Jake.
Jake is the
story, with no redeeming qualities. Not one.
Both of them judge other girls (mostly cheerleaders) for being sluts and dressing and acting in certain ways, and the only thing that's making Amalie different is that she didn't start off by throwing herself at Jake, likely because he had a misplaced hatred for her from the get go.
Amalie however is a complete doormat, she lets Jake do whatever he wants because he's hot. He will hurt her, lie about her, lie to her, spread a doctored photo of her through the school, insult her, talk shit about other girls and hurt THEM and Amalie will still act like it's all normal and still want to be with him (because she sees something in him or whatever).
Jake calls her a whore so many times, but when Amalie is like ok I'm a whore what now, Jake gets upset and says "don't call yourself that"???? But it's okay for you to keep calling her that??? Make it make sense.
And the whole time there's this nice guy, Shane, looking out for her, but Amalie won't have it. He's just not doing it for her. Which is funny, because I thought they had really good chemistry, but the author wanted her with Jake so bad that their attraction to one another felt forced.
I have to mention something about Shane which is kind of spoilery, but there was a party and Amalie got her drink spiked and of course Jake wants to believe it's Shane because he doesn't like him. But Shane's never shown any sort of behaviour like that to make me believe that it was him.
The worst part is that WE DONT LEARN WHO IT WAS BY THE END!!!! If I, God forbid, ever had my drink spiked I'd want to know who it was, wouldn't you? Especially if I had to attend school with those people for two whole years. The person that did it could just be lying in wait to do it again, or is doing it to other girls...
I guess the answer depends on if Shane has a book in the series or not. If he does then I'm assuming that it wasn't him, and if he doesn't then it must've been him?
Now, both Amalie and Jake have sad backgrounds, but the difference is Jake hates everything and wants to burn the world down, and Amalie is just sad, and the victim of a lunatic (Jake).
Amalie's parents died just recently, and there's a suspicion that it wasn't an accident and even knowing this Jake still bullies her because, get this, SHE REMINDS HIM OF HIS MOTHER who left him.
And the super duper weird thing is that thoughts about his mother are often tied to his thoughts about Amalie, who he desires. He's got mommy issues to go around.
Literally, he will be thinking about his mother and how much he hates her and then a few seconds later about Amalie sucking his dick while thinking about how much she reminds him of his mother...TRY AND TELL ME THAT AIN'T WEIRD.
By the end Jake is "redeemed" when he finally shares his sob story with Amalie, but he doesn't change. Neither does Amalie. They're just publicly together now, but the same asshole behaviour continues.
If it wasn't for Stella I'm not sure if I'd continue this series. I think the next book is about Amalie's one and only friend and Jake's best friend. Both of those characters seemed alright in this one so hopefully the next book won't be this bad. It CAN'T be this bad. Jake is the worst.
May 21, 2022
This is my first book by this author. So I went into this open-minded, not sure what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. Lately, there has been so much hype around bully romances, and I too have fallen victim to this craze. It's a guilty pleasure now and I can't seem to get enough.
I am all for the feels. Angst... Give me angst. I think that's what firstly grabbed at me when it came to this sub-genre and this book had me completely hooked from page one, grabbing hold of my emotions, my heartstrings and pulling as tightly as it possibly can, and for me... I freaking love when a book can do that.
Well, Thorn was just as amazing as I anticipated if anything... The author delivered something a little more than I expected.
Jake Thorn is the man, the top footy baller on his team that everyone wants, or wants to be. he's sexy, cocky and has a bad boy rep, but what you see isn't always what you get. Jake is broken, he's full of torment by events that happened in his past. Things that crush his soul... but he is doing everything in his power to move on from these events but when he comes into an encounter with a new girl. All his past, all that pain, and torment comes bubbling back up and reminds him everything he's lost. So the hate and pain surfaces and all that is bubbling over, all the hatred is direct at this new girl... and she becomes his target.
After losing her parents, Amelie hasn't got any other choice than to move from London and come to America and start a new life. She goes and lives with her Gran. As she struggles to get over the loss of losing her parents, she hopes to blend in at her new school. It's one thing going to a new school in a new country, but doing it while she suffers from the losses.
Things started off great, but that all started to change when she met Jake. He was out to get her from the moment they locked eyes, and he was ruthless at doing so. She became his target practice and he becomes her worst nightmare and puts her through hell...
But while this is all happening, there is something there between them. They both are attracted to one another, as messed up as that sounds and if Jake would stop and see the girl for who she really is, he may actually realize they are meant to be. But will he open his eyes? Or will it be too late? The chemistry and that overall push and pull, between the two, had me biting my nails and flipping pages.
This book captivated me, hooked me in from the start and had me hanging off every word. I don't often go YA, but if I am going to, it's always a bully romance and this author weaved her words together and created one so full of angst, pain, sorrow, and scenes that left me completely speechless.
This won't be my last read by Ms. Lorranie. I'm eager to see what else she has up her sleeve and to see where she goes with this new series!
5 Stars!
I am all for the feels. Angst... Give me angst. I think that's what firstly grabbed at me when it came to this sub-genre and this book had me completely hooked from page one, grabbing hold of my emotions, my heartstrings and pulling as tightly as it possibly can, and for me... I freaking love when a book can do that.
Well, Thorn was just as amazing as I anticipated if anything... The author delivered something a little more than I expected.
Jake Thorn is the man, the top footy baller on his team that everyone wants, or wants to be. he's sexy, cocky and has a bad boy rep, but what you see isn't always what you get. Jake is broken, he's full of torment by events that happened in his past. Things that crush his soul... but he is doing everything in his power to move on from these events but when he comes into an encounter with a new girl. All his past, all that pain, and torment comes bubbling back up and reminds him everything he's lost. So the hate and pain surfaces and all that is bubbling over, all the hatred is direct at this new girl... and she becomes his target.
After losing her parents, Amelie hasn't got any other choice than to move from London and come to America and start a new life. She goes and lives with her Gran. As she struggles to get over the loss of losing her parents, she hopes to blend in at her new school. It's one thing going to a new school in a new country, but doing it while she suffers from the losses.
Things started off great, but that all started to change when she met Jake. He was out to get her from the moment they locked eyes, and he was ruthless at doing so. She became his target practice and he becomes her worst nightmare and puts her through hell...
But while this is all happening, there is something there between them. They both are attracted to one another, as messed up as that sounds and if Jake would stop and see the girl for who she really is, he may actually realize they are meant to be. But will he open his eyes? Or will it be too late? The chemistry and that overall push and pull, between the two, had me biting my nails and flipping pages.
This book captivated me, hooked me in from the start and had me hanging off every word. I don't often go YA, but if I am going to, it's always a bully romance and this author weaved her words together and created one so full of angst, pain, sorrow, and scenes that left me completely speechless.
This won't be my last read by Ms. Lorranie. I'm eager to see what else she has up her sleeve and to see where she goes with this new series!
5 Stars!
May 15, 2020
3.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
Bully romances are usually hit or miss with me. This one got a lot of things right but there were just as many things that didn't work for me.
I really didn't click with the author's writing style. There were things about it that I liked and some that I didn't. I liked how inviting that narration was. It felt very natural and was very smooth. Unfortunately, for me, it just wasn't very compelling. It didn't grip me with feels. While I liked some of the plot points in the book, I felt that the overall plot could have used some work. This is a bully romance novel and the bully's reason for hating the heroine so much was a little ludicrous. The reason just felt too loose and immature. There were definitely some good scenes in the book but there were also some that felt unrealistic.
The characters in this book were definitely interesting. Both Amalie and Jake were characters with a lot of baggage. They had a lot of depth and some great character growth. It took me a while to warm up to Jake's character. He may have been dealing with his pain but he made some immature decisions while doing so.
The romance in this one didn't really work for me for the most part. Amalie and Jake definitely had chemistry and formed a connection with one another but their coming together just didn't feel natural to me. It was a little rushed and felt unrealistic, even for a bully romance story. I just didn't feel that sense of urgency that you want to feel about a romantic couple in a book.
Overall, this was a bully romance with plenty of angst and drama. I felt that the romance could have been a little bit more believable and the narration could have used a more intimate style but other than that the story is pretty solid. I really got into the characters and I am excited to read the next book in the series.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
Bully romances are usually hit or miss with me. This one got a lot of things right but there were just as many things that didn't work for me.
I really didn't click with the author's writing style. There were things about it that I liked and some that I didn't. I liked how inviting that narration was. It felt very natural and was very smooth. Unfortunately, for me, it just wasn't very compelling. It didn't grip me with feels. While I liked some of the plot points in the book, I felt that the overall plot could have used some work. This is a bully romance novel and the bully's reason for hating the heroine so much was a little ludicrous. The reason just felt too loose and immature. There were definitely some good scenes in the book but there were also some that felt unrealistic.
The characters in this book were definitely interesting. Both Amalie and Jake were characters with a lot of baggage. They had a lot of depth and some great character growth. It took me a while to warm up to Jake's character. He may have been dealing with his pain but he made some immature decisions while doing so.
The romance in this one didn't really work for me for the most part. Amalie and Jake definitely had chemistry and formed a connection with one another but their coming together just didn't feel natural to me. It was a little rushed and felt unrealistic, even for a bully romance story. I just didn't feel that sense of urgency that you want to feel about a romantic couple in a book.
Overall, this was a bully romance with plenty of angst and drama. I felt that the romance could have been a little bit more believable and the narration could have used a more intimate style but other than that the story is pretty solid. I really got into the characters and I am excited to read the next book in the series.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
May 21, 2020
✨✨✨She's an English Rose and I'm about to be a thorn in her side.
This book captured my attention since the beginning. I had good expectation after reading all the good reviews , and I have to say they've been all meet.
Jake thorn with his angst, passion and repressed feelings is irresistible, and with all his background family problems , makes him one of the most sexy ,tormented and wanted books' character .
Amelia is the missing piece , the one he didn't know to need so bad...
it was meant to be...( maybe I feel a little to much romantic today ;) )✨✨✨
I GAVE IT 4.75 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book captured my attention since the beginning. I had good expectation after reading all the good reviews , and I have to say they've been all meet.
Jake thorn with his angst, passion and repressed feelings is irresistible, and with all his background family problems , makes him one of the most sexy ,tormented and wanted books' character .
Amelia is the missing piece , the one he didn't know to need so bad...
it was meant to be...( maybe I feel a little to much romantic today ;) )✨✨✨
I GAVE IT 4.75 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 9, 2020
There aren't enough words to describe why I didn't like this book. Simply, I just didn't like Jacob Thorn. Nothing about his character was appealing, even when he figured out why he was being a dick and wanted to change, he actually didn't and was still a horrible person, and honestly, Amalie wasn't much better because he gave her no reason to try to find a good side, because he didn't seem to show one, but she still wanted him?!
Also the overuse of the word 'fuck' just frustrated me. Nobody says that word in every single sentence or every other word, much less every. single. character. And it wasn't even used in the correct context of expressing emotion, like it was in the wrong place in a sentence for it have an impact and I found myself confused as to how what half the sentences were saying and had to reread them several times. I get it, teenagers/people/everyone swear but not that much, or with just that one word.
I just didn't get the motivation for Jacob's anger or feelings, like I understood his mother was a bitch and he hated her, but the instant dislike to Amalie because of her was unbelievable and it took her too long to confront him for a reason why, and none of the issues were even resolved! The relationship turn around just happened instantly and no issues or feelings were addressed properly, and I'm sorry, but that was just unbelievable, nobody would just 180 after that and accept half of the shit Jake did and want to be with him. His character needed more development and consequences, he was just a prick from start to end.
And Amalie's life and past were never fully explored either, she briefly touches on tiny parts and what she wants to do, but nothing in her life is explained or resolved, not even her feelings for Jake, which made no sense because he was a douche bag constantly.
I just didn't like this and if I don't stop ranting I'll just keep writing more angry nonsense or repeating myself (Jake is a prick) when I don't care that much about it, I'm just mostly confused as to how you go from being humiliated and tormented for zero clear reason to letting a guy just dictate that you're now his girlfriend without a proper apology. Nope, I can't even. He was a jerk and she was bland in the sense I knew nothing about her.
Garbage. 👎
Also the overuse of the word 'fuck' just frustrated me. Nobody says that word in every single sentence or every other word, much less every. single. character. And it wasn't even used in the correct context of expressing emotion, like it was in the wrong place in a sentence for it have an impact and I found myself confused as to how what half the sentences were saying and had to reread them several times. I get it, teenagers/people/everyone swear but not that much, or with just that one word.
I just didn't get the motivation for Jacob's anger or feelings, like I understood his mother was a bitch and he hated her, but the instant dislike to Amalie because of her was unbelievable and it took her too long to confront him for a reason why, and none of the issues were even resolved! The relationship turn around just happened instantly and no issues or feelings were addressed properly, and I'm sorry, but that was just unbelievable, nobody would just 180 after that and accept half of the shit Jake did and want to be with him. His character needed more development and consequences, he was just a prick from start to end.
And Amalie's life and past were never fully explored either, she briefly touches on tiny parts and what she wants to do, but nothing in her life is explained or resolved, not even her feelings for Jake, which made no sense because he was a douche bag constantly.
I just didn't like this and if I don't stop ranting I'll just keep writing more angry nonsense or repeating myself (Jake is a prick) when I don't care that much about it, I'm just mostly confused as to how you go from being humiliated and tormented for zero clear reason to letting a guy just dictate that you're now his girlfriend without a proper apology. Nope, I can't even. He was a jerk and she was bland in the sense I knew nothing about her.
Garbage. 👎
January 29, 2020
This novel had me enthralled. The characters were complexed, charismatic and sexy, and the storyline was rout with hate, bullying, lust and uncontrollable obsession.
The story is a little dark, I felt the pain caused, which needed to be felt back by Jake, he even despised himself for the harm he had caused Amalie, all a little confusing for him.
Overall I loved this extremely emotive bully to romance story and as this was the first, I’m looking forward to continuing with this series. The writing was excellent, characters were very well developed and interesting, and the interactions between were immensely entertaining.
A definite must read, I loved it!
The story is a little dark, I felt the pain caused, which needed to be felt back by Jake, he even despised himself for the harm he had caused Amalie, all a little confusing for him.
Overall I loved this extremely emotive bully to romance story and as this was the first, I’m looking forward to continuing with this series. The writing was excellent, characters were very well developed and interesting, and the interactions between were immensely entertaining.
A definite must read, I loved it!
April 12, 2020
Woof. What a nasty train wreck this was. I wanted to DNF so many times but I just couldn’t look away. Like this guy broke a girl’s ankle and both he and the main girl laughed about it. Trust me, I get trauma, but in no way does it give you an excuse to put your hands on someone. This guy has the worst mommy issues of mommy issues and it’s kinda sick how he uses that to be a super duper dick. This was not a bully romance..it was a really violent abusive asshole romance.
August 23, 2023
3.5 stars
Thorn was my first book by Tracy Lorraine and definitely won’t be my last.
Jake is the kind of bully you can't help but fall for, the more you get to know him. With his POV you could get to know the person behind the mask, the hurt and uncertainty he was hiding and the urge to play the role he created for himself. As usual (with almost every bully romance I've read), the reason for his hate for the the heroine is kind of stupid. But Jake kind of redeemed himself, realizing his mistake (with more than one nudge from his best friend Mason).
Amalie's story is heartbreaking. I can't imagine going through such a loss and at the same time to get uprooted from the place you grew up in. Starting somewhere new while grieving must be hard and requires lost of strength. Specially when you encounter a bully that seems to hate you for no obvious reason. I love that she pulled herself together with the right nudges of her friend Camila and Jakes best friend Mason, and stood up to Jake. No matter what he threw at her.
Jake and Amalie for sure have chemistry and I loved their moments together at the times when Jake allowed himself to really feel.
And even though I couldn’t put this one down, there is just an overall feeling that this book didn't reach it's full potential. For sure I'll continue this series some time, because I really need to know Camila and Mason's story.
Thorn was my first book by Tracy Lorraine and definitely won’t be my last.
Jake is the kind of bully you can't help but fall for, the more you get to know him. With his POV you could get to know the person behind the mask, the hurt and uncertainty he was hiding and the urge to play the role he created for himself. As usual (with almost every bully romance I've read), the reason for his hate for the the heroine is kind of stupid. But Jake kind of redeemed himself, realizing his mistake (with more than one nudge from his best friend Mason).
Amalie's story is heartbreaking. I can't imagine going through such a loss and at the same time to get uprooted from the place you grew up in. Starting somewhere new while grieving must be hard and requires lost of strength. Specially when you encounter a bully that seems to hate you for no obvious reason. I love that she pulled herself together with the right nudges of her friend Camila and Jakes best friend Mason, and stood up to Jake. No matter what he threw at her.
Jake and Amalie for sure have chemistry and I loved their moments together at the times when Jake allowed himself to really feel.
And even though I couldn’t put this one down, there is just an overall feeling that this book didn't reach it's full potential. For sure I'll continue this series some time, because I really need to know Camila and Mason's story.
November 10, 2019
Amalie has just started at a high school in America after she has gone to live with her Grandma as her parents were killed and so she has had to uproot her whole life from London and come to Rosewood. Things though would have been easy for her but she has captured the eye of the hottest guy in the school - Jake and he has a bee in his bonnet about her. She doesn't know him from a bar of soap, yet he is treating her like she has the plague and wants her gone. I have to admit when I found out the reason Jake is this way towards Amalie, I found the reasoning a bit weak and it frustrated me as I was like seriously WTF, is that all. He didn't even know what type of person she was and what she had been through. Then, of course, we have the age-old story of him being a jerk and leaking a photoshopped picture of her which leads to her being called a W____ and a long slew of names. Then wham bam he shows a bit of kindness and the pair sleep together. Then he goes back to hating her guts. Talk about whiplash. I do like my bully romances which is why I was able to finish Thorn but it did annoy me at the same time in places as I find weak female characters so frustrating especially since at the beginning of the book Amalie had the makings of being different and strong and then wham bam she goes and ruins it by becoming just another girl to fall under Jake's spell and also we have the incident at Shane's part and hello - no actually telling us who did it and we are left to assume it was Shane and then there's the relationship between Jake and his Uncle and Aunt which we can see some tension - but it's never fully explained why they hate Jake or is it all in Jake's head ? I found Thorn had a bit too many unanswered questions for my liking but am hoping with Book #2 that some of them might be answered. Though not holding my breath as it will be more about friends and their love/hate relationship. If you are wanting a bullymance to read, then this is a good read and I am interested of course to reading Book #2 as I found myself loving Mason's character.
April 10, 2020
Amalie Windsor-Marsh is force to leave England when her American grandmother gets custody after her parents were killed in a helicopter accident. She is enrolled at Rosewood High and encounters the animosity of the ‘it’ crowd, the football players and the cheer squad
Jacob -Jake- Thorn. Captain of the football team. King of Rosewood High and every girl’s wet dream, has decided that Amalie -Brit- does not belong at his school and make it is mission to make her life miserable enough that she will leave.
But Amalie is not incline to bugger about and stands up for herself, with the support of her new bff Camila.
And slowly Jake is force to acknowledge the inevitable.
While dealing with his own, heartbreaking, issues Jake comes to terms with his feelings and does the only thing he can do for both of them.
This hardcore bully to lovers romance is a nice start for this series, though some of the things Jake gets up to are overly childish.
Book 2 will be about Camila, Amalie's BFF & Mason, Jake's BFF.
Part of the Rosewood High Series that is best enjoyed when read in order:
December 3, 2019
3.5 Stars
Thorn was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it a lot.
Jake was a bit different from the typical bully heroes. He had had a troubled past which affected his present. The arrival of Amalie was gasoline on fire, reminding Jake of things which were better left in the past. I understood his need to take out his frustrations on Amalie. Even though he tried to hurt her, Jake had a soft heart from inside which later made him regret his actions.
However, I didn't really like Amalie. She was kind of a coward and never really retaliated against Jake. I would have loved to see her fight a bit more.
I also was very curious to find out what had happened between Camilla and Mason.
Overall this book was an amazing read and I would like to try out more books from this author.
Thorn was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it a lot.
Jake was a bit different from the typical bully heroes. He had had a troubled past which affected his present. The arrival of Amalie was gasoline on fire, reminding Jake of things which were better left in the past. I understood his need to take out his frustrations on Amalie. Even though he tried to hurt her, Jake had a soft heart from inside which later made him regret his actions.
However, I didn't really like Amalie. She was kind of a coward and never really retaliated against Jake. I would have loved to see her fight a bit more.
I also was very curious to find out what had happened between Camilla and Mason.
Overall this book was an amazing read and I would like to try out more books from this author.
October 26, 2019
Jake is quite explicit with his explanations, “it’s not you exactly. You just remind me of someone I wouldn’t pi** on if they were on fire.” I liked this book, I liked Jake.
Want to read
July 30, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/17/2020)! 🎁
June 10, 2020
Hello and welcome back to one my reviews.
Firstly, I would like to apologize for my inactivity for this past month. I realize I haven't been as active as much here on Goodreads, but I can say now for certain that will change. For the past month, I fell into a reading slump. I think that those who follow my reviews and of course my friends on this particular platform have noticed that through out May there wasn't a single review from me. Whatever book that I picked up, I wasn't able to finish it (which is really embarrassing on my part, because books are a HUGE part of life). For some unknown reason, my concentration went really down and for the first time in my life, I wasn't in a mood to read any kind of a book. BUT, but, that doesn't mean I was totally inactive on Goodreads. For the time I was inactive with my reviews, I started to search all kinds of books here on Goodreads to get me out of my reading slump , particularly something more realistic (even though fantasy books are my first love). And I stumbled on this one.
High School is the worst, especially if you are bullied by pricks who don't know where to take their stupid frustration out
After the death of her parents, 18 year old Amalie moves from England to America in order to stay with her grandmother and just finish junior year of high school (Rosewood) in peace. Keeping your head down in school isn't easy, especially if you catch the eye of Rosewood's king and quarterback, Jake Thorn. Jake is determined to do everything in his power to drive Amalie and the ghosts of his past away, until he's proven wrong...
Amalie or better known as Brit, I can say that for me she was a likeable character. She was definitely not some girl that easily fell for the hero immediately, I like that she fought back whenever Jake made a nasty remark about her, and most of all her strength to mentally survive every obstacle that came in her way.
Like every bully romance, we see our heroine go through all the typical things in high school like bitchy cheerleaders, unwanted drama. But luckily, like in every story, I am glad the best friend was there for her, which in this case was Camille who seemed really like a cool girl from all of the pricks that were in Rosewood. I also really liked Amalie's relationship with her grandmother, I feel that we could've explored the relationship even more because who doesn't like a lovable, romantic grandma who doesn't judge everything you do.
Jake was a classic bully. Being the Captain of the Football team and of course Rosewood's king, he had a reputation to maintain. That includes partying and using girls for sport. At first, I hated Jake, because he was confusing the af out of me with his feelings toward Amalie. He pushes her, but also wants to get closer to her. Dudeee, just choose one already.
Like any bully Jake put all his frustrations on Amalie. The girl didn't deserve one bit of that kind of a treatment. His past was not difficult to figure out, and at the end we know why it made him the man he was. I like the character development of Jake, we see him grow up a bit at the end of the book and realizing of course what he did was wrong. But still guys, even though this book is fiction and we all know this kind of a romance doesn't happen in real life, bullying still is NOT A JOKE.
Amalie and Jake's relationship was really complicated at the start of the book. We see him hating her for no apparent reason, and her figuring it out the reason why. Why her? What is so special about her that has him bully her for no reason? What did I do wrong?
We see that kind of questions roam in our heroine's head, which at the end we do figure it out (it was very predictable), but it doesn't justify for what he did to her.
I can also say, that whenever they meet there is always that undeniable pull towards each other, plus mixed with the hate, we do get one passionate enemies - lovers romance.
July 14, 2025
I devoured this bully romance!
- Bully Romance
- New Adult
- High School
- Opposites Attract
- He Falls First
Jake Thorne is the high school football captain entering his senior year. He may not have his parents, but he has friends that he has made his family. Living in a trailer at the back of his aunty and uncle's house - He tends to leave his private life private. And as he runs away from a past he rather forget, a brand new girl walks in on his first day of senior year that reminds him of things he rather forget.
Amalie has moved over from London to Florida to live with her grandma after the shock death of her parents in a helicopter crash. She not only has to start at a new school in a new country, but also is forced to repeat the eleventh grade (junior year) to put her education in line with the American school system. She may come from wealthy british parents, but she rather stay in the corner and not be seen. Which makes it awfully hard to do when the football captain is out for you.
Jake & Amalie start as enemies. Jake bullies Amalie to the point where she does not want anything to do with him. No matter how good looking he may be. But when Jake starts to show a vulnerable side, Amalie starts to see there is more to the broken bully. And she will make Jake work for any of her attention - Even if it means him having to let go of the past & move on into the future to get the chance of even having Amalie at this side.
4/5 stars with 3/5 steam.
I love a good bully romance. Especially a broken boy. But I did find the last 30% seemed quite, rushed? I needed a bit more emotion and a bit more of them working together to fight the demons of the past. However, still devoured and enjoyed. Tracy's writing is very easy to get lost in!
- Bully Romance
- New Adult
- High School
- Opposites Attract
- He Falls First
Jake Thorne is the high school football captain entering his senior year. He may not have his parents, but he has friends that he has made his family. Living in a trailer at the back of his aunty and uncle's house - He tends to leave his private life private. And as he runs away from a past he rather forget, a brand new girl walks in on his first day of senior year that reminds him of things he rather forget.
Amalie has moved over from London to Florida to live with her grandma after the shock death of her parents in a helicopter crash. She not only has to start at a new school in a new country, but also is forced to repeat the eleventh grade (junior year) to put her education in line with the American school system. She may come from wealthy british parents, but she rather stay in the corner and not be seen. Which makes it awfully hard to do when the football captain is out for you.
Jake & Amalie start as enemies. Jake bullies Amalie to the point where she does not want anything to do with him. No matter how good looking he may be. But when Jake starts to show a vulnerable side, Amalie starts to see there is more to the broken bully. And she will make Jake work for any of her attention - Even if it means him having to let go of the past & move on into the future to get the chance of even having Amalie at this side.
4/5 stars with 3/5 steam.
I love a good bully romance. Especially a broken boy. But I did find the last 30% seemed quite, rushed? I needed a bit more emotion and a bit more of them working together to fight the demons of the past. However, still devoured and enjoyed. Tracy's writing is very easy to get lost in!
March 24, 2020
**Review of the audiobook**
STORY
This was my first time reading or listening to anything by Tracy Lorraine, and I’m excited that I gave it a chance! Although THORN is your typical, high school bully romance, it’s very well written and entertaining! I really enjoyed our bad boy villain, Jake, and was surprised when we are finally given the reason why he is the bully he is. What I thought would be predictable definitely was not, and I am looking forward to reading more from this series and author!
PERFORMANCE
I listened to the Audible audiobook narrated by
Rachel Woods and Patrick James. Though it is very slight, I occasionally noticed that James spoke with a slight accent. Perhaps it’s not an accent, but what I noticed was that hedidn’t pronounce the letter Y in words like ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. I also found it strange that he periodically used a feminine voice when speaking as the main characters best friend, Mason. On the other hand, I appreciate how he did alter his voice to differentiate between characters, and his British voice, although used briefly, was awesome. His performance was not atrocious (he wasn’t difficult to listen to), but he could benefit from some acting lessons as it occasionally sounded like he was reading. Ms. Woods also is not the best narrator I’ve ever heard, but she gave an above average performance. While speaking for characters with British and non-British accents, she was believable and fun to listen to.
STORY
This was my first time reading or listening to anything by Tracy Lorraine, and I’m excited that I gave it a chance! Although THORN is your typical, high school bully romance, it’s very well written and entertaining! I really enjoyed our bad boy villain, Jake, and was surprised when we are finally given the reason why he is the bully he is. What I thought would be predictable definitely was not, and I am looking forward to reading more from this series and author!
PERFORMANCE
I listened to the Audible audiobook narrated by
Rachel Woods and Patrick James. Though it is very slight, I occasionally noticed that James spoke with a slight accent. Perhaps it’s not an accent, but what I noticed was that hedidn’t pronounce the letter Y in words like ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. I also found it strange that he periodically used a feminine voice when speaking as the main characters best friend, Mason. On the other hand, I appreciate how he did alter his voice to differentiate between characters, and his British voice, although used briefly, was awesome. His performance was not atrocious (he wasn’t difficult to listen to), but he could benefit from some acting lessons as it occasionally sounded like he was reading. Ms. Woods also is not the best narrator I’ve ever heard, but she gave an above average performance. While speaking for characters with British and non-British accents, she was believable and fun to listen to.
August 27, 2020
What a fantastic start to The Rosewood series
First off I’ve finally popped my Tracy Lorraine cherry and I already feel so connected to her writing and especially to the characters in this series. Everything thing in this book is written with the right balance to keep the reader hooked from start to end; giving us a glimpse of the other characters in the books to follow without taking away from the main characters,
I love Amalie and Jake’s story, the angst and tension was there like an undercurrent pulling me under and against the current.
Jake is the King of Rosewood High but had his own secrets he’s hides despite being the popular jock and Amalie the new girl, from London, becomes his instant target. She’s surviving her own personal loss and tragedy and just wants stay out of the limelight and to survive high school until she can graduate.
The tension is high as they collide despite Jake setting out to ruin her, their story hits deep. I enjoyed Tracy Lorraine’s take on the tormentor bully and the new girl in this Enemies To Lovers YA High School romance.
5 Thorn-y STARS!!
First off I’ve finally popped my Tracy Lorraine cherry and I already feel so connected to her writing and especially to the characters in this series. Everything thing in this book is written with the right balance to keep the reader hooked from start to end; giving us a glimpse of the other characters in the books to follow without taking away from the main characters,
I love Amalie and Jake’s story, the angst and tension was there like an undercurrent pulling me under and against the current.
Jake is the King of Rosewood High but had his own secrets he’s hides despite being the popular jock and Amalie the new girl, from London, becomes his instant target. She’s surviving her own personal loss and tragedy and just wants stay out of the limelight and to survive high school until she can graduate.
The tension is high as they collide despite Jake setting out to ruin her, their story hits deep. I enjoyed Tracy Lorraine’s take on the tormentor bully and the new girl in this Enemies To Lovers YA High School romance.
5 Thorn-y STARS!!
February 19, 2022
Un classico bully romance confezionato ad arte, non ci sono grandi sorprese. Le frasi puoi già assaporarle prima di leggerle e le dinamiche sono le classiche: Lui, re della scuola, la cheerleader che gli va dietro, il suo migliore amico con problemi, lui stesso con un passato non allegro e poi la protagonista che cerca di reagire al suo odio insensato, che manda giù le sue malefatte ma che poi scorge qualcosa di più. Nonostante tutto questo però l'autrice mi ha incollato alle pagine ed è un merito che le devo riconoscere.
January 14, 2023
Comencé a leer este libro mentalizandome que debía de regresarme unos cuantos años, para poder disfrutar una historia de jóvenes preparatorianos.
Así que partiendo de ahí mi Jelly lectora de 20 años dice...
Que ganas de darle a Jake unas cuantas cachetadas por malcriado. Todas las veces que hacia algo para lastimar a Amelie quise ser esa amiga que debió de ser Camila para mi gusto y amenazarlo unas cuantas veces con cortar sus pelotas.
Pero en el transcurso de la historia mi encariñamiento hacia el fue mayor que las ganas de decirle idiota cada capítulo.
Entendí un poco su actuar de chico de 18 años resentido por el abandono de su madre.
No es una graaaan lectura pero tiene todo para atraparte y querer saber más de estos chicos.
Gracias a #LcAmantedelaLecturaySirenaaudiobooks por dejar que leamos esta historia en LC.
Ansiosa por continuar con la serie.
Así que partiendo de ahí mi Jelly lectora de 20 años dice...
Que ganas de darle a Jake unas cuantas cachetadas por malcriado. Todas las veces que hacia algo para lastimar a Amelie quise ser esa amiga que debió de ser Camila para mi gusto y amenazarlo unas cuantas veces con cortar sus pelotas.
Pero en el transcurso de la historia mi encariñamiento hacia el fue mayor que las ganas de decirle idiota cada capítulo.
Entendí un poco su actuar de chico de 18 años resentido por el abandono de su madre.
No es una graaaan lectura pero tiene todo para atraparte y querer saber más de estos chicos.
Gracias a #LcAmantedelaLecturaySirenaaudiobooks por dejar que leamos esta historia en LC.
Ansiosa por continuar con la serie.
November 27, 2021
3.5 stelline
La storia nel complesso mi è piaciuta, se amate i romance new adult ambientati all'ultimo anno di liceo con tanto di bulli e odio amore è la lettura che fa per voi.
La penna è scorrevole ed emozionante, MA ho trovato decisamente debole la ragione dell'odio di lui verso di lei.
Sono curiosissima di leggere la storia dei due migliori amici! Leggerò sicuramente il secondo della serie.
La storia nel complesso mi è piaciuta, se amate i romance new adult ambientati all'ultimo anno di liceo con tanto di bulli e odio amore è la lettura che fa per voi.
La penna è scorrevole ed emozionante, MA ho trovato decisamente debole la ragione dell'odio di lui verso di lei.
Sono curiosissima di leggere la storia dei due migliori amici! Leggerò sicuramente il secondo della serie.
March 15, 2020
Not a bad story. I liked it. I am really excited to read about the next couple. Their wasnt alot of animosity in this story liked I thought their would be with an enemies to lovers but it was good.
August 18, 2021
Did I hate it? No .
Did I like it? Eh .
At first it was a nice easy-flowing book, which wasn’t something I’d usually read but it was easy to read.
However, the further I got into the book it got better and it seemed to be more interesting.
It wasn’t until around seventy-five percent when everything seemed to be happening too quickly. It felt like all of the problems within the book were solved too quickly and there were a lot of loose ends. I think there could’ve been a much better ending.
I think this book could’ve been made more interesting and more like a bully romance. I just don’t think this book was for me - I didn’t click with it.
Stars ~ 3
Did I like it? Eh .
At first it was a nice easy-flowing book, which wasn’t something I’d usually read but it was easy to read.
However, the further I got into the book it got better and it seemed to be more interesting.
It wasn’t until around seventy-five percent when everything seemed to be happening too quickly. It felt like all of the problems within the book were solved too quickly and there were a lot of loose ends. I think there could’ve been a much better ending.
I think this book could’ve been made more interesting and more like a bully romance. I just don’t think this book was for me - I didn’t click with it.
Stars ~ 3
January 14, 2020
4.5 stars
The English Rose and the Thorn who stole her heart. I floved this story. Bully romances are my jam and I rarely find one I don't like. It had many of the genres Staples popular jock and new girl. But these characters had a depth to them beyond their years. Each had suffered loss in their lives and it was great watching them navigate from enemies to lovers. A thrilling ride from start to finish. Get this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The English Rose and the Thorn who stole her heart. I floved this story. Bully romances are my jam and I rarely find one I don't like. It had many of the genres Staples popular jock and new girl. But these characters had a depth to them beyond their years. Each had suffered loss in their lives and it was great watching them navigate from enemies to lovers. A thrilling ride from start to finish. Get this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2019
My oh my, I need a cold shower after this one!
I have a huge love spot for bully romance and this one just fit the mold and put me all in my feels!
Jake Thorn is such an asshole.
Amalie is such a badass.
I love when the chicks can actually stand up for themselves When the characters actually have legitimate reasoning to do the things they do or say the things they say.
This book is full of secrets, twists, turns, and OMG moments!
I have a huge love spot for bully romance and this one just fit the mold and put me all in my feels!
Jake Thorn is such an asshole.
Amalie is such a badass.
I love when the chicks can actually stand up for themselves When the characters actually have legitimate reasoning to do the things they do or say the things they say.
This book is full of secrets, twists, turns, and OMG moments!
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