Better Off: Prequel to the Changing Hearts Series

Changing Hearts #0.5

by Yesenia Vargas

There's a lot Ariana isn't allowed to do... Ariana has never had a boyfriend. After meeting Carlos at a quinceanera party, she wants one. But her parents, who grew up with the traditional ways of Mexico, simply won't allow it. And she just decided she doesn't need permission anymore... Ariana is ready for the freedom that comes with having a driver's license. But she must convince her brother, Jimmy, to not say anything when she starts seeing Carlos behind their parents' back, and even then, having a boyfriend isn't what she thought it would be. Because Carlos is still hurting from his past. Is she ready for the consequences of her decision? Ariana never would have guessed finally having a boyfriend would come at such a huge price. She doesn't know how long she can keep up the lie to her parents. And she never realized how much her heart might have to pay if this relationship isn't something Carlos is ready for. When Carlos starts showing her just how damaged he is, Ariana isn't sure she's ready for this either. Better Off is a full-length high school romance novel of 61,000 words with a not-so-conventional happily ever after. Better Off is a prequel in the Changing Hearts series, and it recounts events that happened prior to book 1, Without You. Better Off can be read before or after book 1. Please note: this book is intended for readers aged 14+ due to some cursing/sexual situations.

Genres: Young Adult

282 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 2013

About the author

Life & weight loss coach. Writer. Single mama. Host of the Single Mom Glow Up Podcast.

Check out what I'm up to on IG (@thisisyeseniavargas).

Reviews

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great YA read! Well written this author has described teenagers & their know it all attitude down to a T! Could relate as that age I thought I knew better too but as the main character ( & I ) finds out, she doesn't! Great storyline, great characters & an ending that although is not a conventional happy ever after is still a happy ever after!

[Keith Bornmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very realistic and revealing story about young high school romantic relationships. Well written and very likable characters. I'd recommend this for any age over 13.

[swiftpuppy13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Off: Yesenia Vargas

Summary: 16 year old Ariana has never had a boyfriend. She also wants permission from her parents to go to parties and have fun like every other girl her age. Her strict parents, raised in ways of traditional Mexicans, just won't let her.
Ariana is sick of it. So when her best friend, Mayra, invites her to her quinceañera, Ariana and her little brother Jimmy convince their parents to let them go. At the party, Ariana meets Carlos. And now she wants a boyfriend. Desperately.
Ariana makes a decision on this boyfriend thing. She convinces Jimmy to cover for her while she sees Carlos behind her parents' backs. Having a boyfriend isn't all that. Espacially when Carlos proves to be hurting and damaged.
Is Ariana ready to face the consequences? She does not know how much longer she can lie to her parents.

Rating: 5/5 (see above)

Fave Character: This is hard. I love Ariana sooooo much, but I think this will have to go to Jimmy. He was really nice, smart and covered up for Ariana. What brother would do that? I know mine would not. XD

Bookish Emotions: Happy, Humored, Worry and Thoughtful

Better Off
Yesenia Vargas

[L.e. Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbreakable Love is so refreshing. Vargas tells a compelling YA story that feels so real. Unlike so many flashy YA books right now, the dialog, the people, the situations in this book are true to life. Ariana is your typical teenager struggling to find herself under the overprotective wings of caring parents. Her friendships, her family dynamics, and her attraction to Carlos all seemed so genuine and Ariana becomes her own person right before your eyes. I loved reading about Ariana striving for independence, making mistakes, and in the end, learning important (and difficult) lessons. I could see myself in Ariana and all her insecurities. The characters feel like they could just walk off the page with their distinct personalities and flaws, and I loved the close brother-sister relationship with Jimmy (probably my favorite character). I did not see that ending coming but it was exactly the way it should have ended! A good and entertaining read!

[Kendra Ayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Vargas captures what every teenage girl feels when their crush returns their admiration! The main character, Ariana, reminded me so much of myself at that age. She has strict parents and was blinded by the bad boy syndrome and it took several times to figure out the error of her ways. I love the relationship she has with her brother. My sister and I are 18months apart and she, as the younger sister, always defended and looked out for me when I made mistakes. I absolutely loved this story and based on the way it ended, am very curious about the next book! The only thing I would probably disagree with is Ariana's choice of pizza toppings- pepperoni and pineapple? Haha! Yesenia, excellent job on your debut novel. You definitely have the talent!!!!

[Emma]

I am receiving this book in the mail as a First Reads winner - review to be updated soon !

[Brooke Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Like Fear (1996) but Chilled Out"

Trigger Warning: Douchebag BF with anger & violence tendencies.

I received a free Audible copy for review from the author.

I loved this! It's very refreshing and realistic. I can easily see Arianna living in the better neighborhood near me. Myra reminds me of my best childhood friend.

I loved how Facebook and texting were included, how their relationship moves slowly through the awkward getting to know each other and nervousness.

The narrator did an amazing job with Arianna and Myra. Her voice changed and dragged out slowly for the guys, which was realistically annoying. Dudes, just spit it out!

The only thing is it's a contemporary romance "with a not so conventional HEA". But it's not an actual happily ever after with a couple like most would expect from romance. It's a happy ending that I loved but the real HEA comes with the first book, Without You.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review. This is a well written story of a teenage girl and her first boyfriend who she has to sneak around after school hours to meet with, because her parents are very strict and don't want her to date until she is 18. Her brother tries to protect her and warn her not to date this bad boy but she doesn't listen until something bad happens. You will have to read this book to find out what happens but it does have a good ending. This is a prequel to the Changing Heart series so it would help to read this first for the background information. I recommend this book.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

HEA doesn't always mean there is love and marriage. In this case the HEA is that everyone is alive and well after what could have been a deadly occurrence. Ariana is a typical teen meaning she is much smarter than her parents. What starts off as a typical YA quickly becomes a well written story about young love that wasn't love. Great story from this author I had not had a chance to read previously, strong characters all together provide an excellent rounded adventure.

[Catrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Off is a well written story about a teenage girl coming into her own.

Ariana has strict parents and there is definitely a double standard when it comes to what she is allowed to do, and what her younger brother is allowed to do. When Ariana decided to go against her parents wishes and pursue a relationship with Carlos things don't turn out as she expects. How will Ariana deal with the consequences of her decisions?

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book from the author.
everyone grows up more quickly, so when she decides she wants a boyfriend she is going to do just that regardless of what her parents think. she meets him but things may become very difficult as he suffer from bad past experiences. will she be able to help him or will it destroy her in the end. a beautiful first love story which will have you in tears in parts

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Off by Yesenia Vargas was a great read. Ariana has never had a boyfriend but wants one after meeting Carlos. She decides that she wants freedom from her overprotective parents. Unfortunately Carlos isn't the person she thought he was. I loved reading this book and can't wait to read more by Yesenia Vargas.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book from the author. I recieved this for my niece an I am relaying her comments. she said it was fantastic, that the author nailed "the Good" teenager but also showed the struggle within herself to stay the good girl. my niece is ready for another book. the book sounds so good I am going to read it myself

[BP34 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book from the author. This was a good YA story about a young teenager going behind her parents back with a boyfriend. She's at the age where she knows everything and soon finds out that having a boyfriend is not all it's cracked up to be. She's a good girl who has a great relationship with her brother. A good read.

[Bookish_Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this story through audible. I enjoyed this story, and the characters. I can totally see this story playing out in real life. I angrily wanted to strangle Carlos. The narrator did a great job. I also enjoyed the author's commentary at the end of this book.

[Shakera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an interesting story of a girl from a strict family. I thought the writing was good, but at times it dragged a bit. There were a few moments of predictability. Overall, it was pretty good.

[Kim F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong, intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Regina O'sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this YA book...the development of the characters was very realistic, and I loved the ending...would recommend it highly!!!

[Tina Buchanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was had a good story line and was a joy to read there were a few problems with words left out of sentences in order for the to make sense at times.

[Mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! I loved how the author explored teenage rebelion. It was a great book and I really enjoyed it. Another good book by Yesenia Vargas.

[Melody Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that Ariana and Jimmy are close and take care of each other. Could use more description of feelings at the end. I voluntarily reviewed this free copy from author.

[Jennifer G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not every book must have a happily ever after (although I prefer one), but sometimes life just doesn't work out that way, especially in high school. Better Off is the rare YA book where high school age kids don't find forever love. That realism was the best part of the book.

Ariana is a high school junior; a good girl with a close-knit, loving Latino family. Her parents are strict and she's not allowed much freedom. She has reached the stage of teen-age rebellion, so when a cute older boy wants her to be his girlfriend, she starts down a dangerous path. Using her best friend and younger brother for cover, she starts sneaking out and drinking to be with Carlos. Carlos is handsome and funny, but has a temper and plenty of emotional baggage. He's not a good choice for a boyfriend, but Ariana is blinded by her first love and more than willing to make excuses for him. Very frustrating, but who hasn't either been in a relationship like this or covered for a friend in one.

Events in their relationship escalate and people are hurt, but it could have been much worse. In a way we get a happy ending since Ariana is safe, realizes her mistakes, and is back on the right path. There is damage, but people heal both physically and emotionally. She seems stronger and smarter after the experience. She's more grateful for her family as well. Lesson learned.

I appreciate the message and enjoyed the glimpses of Latino culture. I also loved Ariana's brother Jimmy. My issue with the book was the writing. It was a bit simplistic; choppy at times. I think the author will get better and develop a more complex style over time.

[Margit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this book.

I feel like there is a big disconnect between the expectations that the title/cover/blurb gave me and the actual novel. I expected a happy-go-lucky YA romance, and what I got was a story about a boyfriend who turns out to be a violent, abusive personality who threatens the life of the protagonist and her brother. The story is not one of unbreakable love, it's one of very broken love. I found the extreme shift in Carlos's behavior a little unbelievable. I think this disconnect lessened my enjoyment of the story.

I think the novel addresses issues that should be addressed in YA (which I haven't seen addressed in YA before), so I applaud the author for that. I also enjoyed the integration of Hispanic culture into the story.

The text did not look like it was professionally edited. The number of missed/wrong words and typos was too large to count. This also distracted from my enjoyment of the story, but it was still readable.

I think this would be a good book for teens to read, but I'm not sure how many adults would enjoy it.

[Sandy Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of "Better Off" in exchange for an honest review.

The story of Ariana and Carlos took me back to me high school days. I enjoyed the book immensely. The good girls secretly seem to have a "bad" side to them. Sneaking out to go to parties, movies, or just to be with the one they are in love with. In "Better Off", that's exactly what Ariana does. She sneaks out of the house and behind her parents back to be with Carlos because her parents are super strict and don't think she needs a boyfriend until she's eighteen. Eventually an incident happens, and Ariana is forced to tell her parents the truth about having a boyfriend.

"Better Off" was easy to read, and drew me in from the beginning. I was secretly rooting for Ariana and Carlos because you never forget your first love. I was also rooting for them, because I wanted Ariana to be able to "save" Carlos, and stop the path of destruction he's headed for.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana has never been allowed to have a boyfriend but she is turning 17 and thinks she knows more than her parents, especially since meeting Carlos at a party and he has shown a interest in her. She doesn't even care what her brother Jimmy thinks, when he tries to tell her Carlos isn't the guy for her, and he would do anything for her. So who will be right, will love triumph or those that know her best.

This was a great book it really does capture teen rebellion and sneakiness very well along with the. "I know what I am doing" attitude and mindset. Although I think Ariana's parents were a bit strict for todays standards, I suppose there are still a few parents like that. I had the audio narrated by Ramona Master who did a awesome job, and with the audio you can really hear the snarkiness in Ariana's voice, and the cool and calmness in Jimmy's voice. This is a great series but one I really enjoy as a audio, since Ms. Master is so good at this cast.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this book.
A YA romance which should be a must-read for all teenage girls on the brink of their first crush. Not all boys come up smelling roses which is the case of our protagonist Ariana's love interest, Carlos. He comes off as a good guy at first, whisking Ariana off her feet but he is not all he seems.
Being part of a close-knit Latino family means Ariana feels stifled and wants to spread her wings. She is, after all, nearly 17. Carlos is temptation itself; slightly older, more independent and above all, fun but a dangerous kind of fun.
Ariana's younger brother can see right through Carlos but will he be able to help his sister see Carlos for who he really is or is she too infatuated?
Won't give too much away but will say an enjoyable read dealing realistically with young teenage girls' problems. Not just a romance but a lesson in life.

[Janet Hammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read this book ass an ARC!
I was shocked when the HEA didn't happen. However this story was a roller coaster of emotions and taught losts of lessons about not all love ending in a HEA. Especially at such a long age. High School age Ariana is sheltered. She seeks rebellion by dating an older guy. Carlos is not a good guy for her but she has the love at first sight thing in her head. Her best friend and younger brother cover for her when she sneaks out to be with Carlos. Soon things turn bad. Carlos has a bad temper and drinks. People and relationships suffer for the drama that ensues, but Ariana is safe and healing. I like this book because it doesn't go by the typical HEA.

[Roger]

Good read, I get into characters and the characters in this book got to me. Even though it's not my typical read I enjoyed the heck out of this book! I read the prequel after having read Without You and this book really made me realize the difficulties in writing and in reading books out of order. In knowing the outcome as written in Without You every time something happened I thought is this going to be it? Well I've put the next book on my wish list so I'm sure I'll be reviewing another Yesenia Vargas book in the future!

[Jennifer Holzapfel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana, the daughter of strict Mexican parents hates that her brother can do things, but she always has to do everything with her brother Jimmy or her parents.
Ariana falls for Carlos a kid she met at a party and learns how to sneak around from her best friend Mayra.
Carlos acts bi-polar toward her and she doesn't know what to do, even though her Jimmy says he is bad news.
She sneaks off to parties and drinks when she is with Carlos. Will she stop breaking her parents rules or will she end up pregnant or worse?

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana comes from a traditional Mexican family. She meets Carlos and is totally in love with him, but how does she tell her parents. Carlos has his own issues, which is difficult to deal with. Ariana wants to learn to drive and hopes her brother doesn't tell her parents. It's a lot to deal with and the story shows real life, not a fairytale ending. Great story for older teens and adults