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Falling for the Wrong Guy
Ruby Davis has a crush on her brother’s best friend. At least, he was his bestie until the big betrayal. Now Drew is off limits to everyone, especially Ruby. She can’t stand the way people treat him, or the way he feels about himself. It isn’t right. And those deep green eyes are calling to her. Drew is scarred and damaged, and he has no business even looking at Ruby. But he can’t help himself. She’s beautiful, but he does his best to stay away. When they are assigned a school project, they become reluctant friends – even though they want so much more. She’s torn between her feelings for Drew and loyalty to her brother. There’s no way they can ever be together...but love just might find a way
170 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2015
17 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
About the author
Sara Hantz
15 books130 followersSara Hantz was born in Northampton, England, the eldest of four children (she has three younger brothers). School and Sara weren’t a match made in heaven. She was bored a lot of the time, and it seemed much more fun to dream up ways of disrupting lessons than to actually pay attention. Which could explain why she was always in trouble! But she redeemed herself later, when at twenty-one she went back to full-time study.
She wasn’t one of those people who wrote as a small child. She did read, though, avidly. And it took her a few years of thinking about writing before she actually started. But now, she wouldn’t do anything else, and she never gets bored!
In 2001, she moved to New Zealand (an incredibly beautiful country) with her husband and two children. After working at a university for three years, she left to work in their hotel and devote more time to her writing. She wishes she’d done it sooner!
In her spare time, she loves going to the movies, watching TV, and walking. She loves to hear from readers. Visit www.sarahantz.com.
She wasn’t one of those people who wrote as a small child. She did read, though, avidly. And it took her a few years of thinking about writing before she actually started. But now, she wouldn’t do anything else, and she never gets bored!
In 2001, she moved to New Zealand (an incredibly beautiful country) with her husband and two children. After working at a university for three years, she left to work in their hotel and devote more time to her writing. She wishes she’d done it sooner!
In her spare time, she loves going to the movies, watching TV, and walking. She loves to hear from readers. Visit www.sarahantz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 3, 2016
Such a great and cute book!
Entangled: Crush books are an auto-read for me,to be honest.This story is very interesting and I’ve read it in one sitting.
The characters were amazing-I loved both Drew and Ruby and I definitely connected with them and their story.Ruby was certainly in a difficult position,torn between her brother and a bit broken but loving Drew she had to make the ultimate choice…or try to work it all out.The chemistry between these two was so good!I just couldn’t wait to find out what will happen next to them and their relationship.
Sara Hantz’s writing is beautiful and both POVs are done perfectly.
The conclusion? I enjoyed reading this book immensely and I would definitely recommend it to all YA readers out there.Pick this book up.NOW.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
Entangled: Crush books are an auto-read for me,to be honest.This story is very interesting and I’ve read it in one sitting.
The characters were amazing-I loved both Drew and Ruby and I definitely connected with them and their story.Ruby was certainly in a difficult position,torn between her brother and a bit broken but loving Drew she had to make the ultimate choice…or try to work it all out.The chemistry between these two was so good!I just couldn’t wait to find out what will happen next to them and their relationship.
Sara Hantz’s writing is beautiful and both POVs are done perfectly.
The conclusion? I enjoyed reading this book immensely and I would definitely recommend it to all YA readers out there.Pick this book up.NOW.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
October 12, 2015
2.5 STARS
Ruby has had a big crush on Drew, her brother's best friend, for a long time. But a tragic event and a betrayal ended that friendship. Now, after a year long absence, Drew is back at school and Ruby realizes that, despite everything, her feelings haven't changed. But does getting close to Drew mean a betrayal of her own brother?
Meanwhile, Drew is dealing with both physical and emotional scars that have drastically changed his life. He is crippled with guilt and is certain that he is undeserving of forgiveness or even happiness. When a class project has him spending time with Ruby Drew begins to question if just maybe there is still a chance for redemption and even a reason to find happiness again.
Falling for the Wrong Guy is a pleasant YA contemporary that deals with themes of grief, forgiveness, family bonds and healing. Ruby found herself in a difficult position - caring for a boy that was once practically part of the family but who is now shut out due to a tragic event that took place a year ago. While she understands her brother's feelings, she hates to see Drew suffer and does her best to be a friend show him that he is not alone.
Unfortunately, Falling for the Wrong Guy does way too much telling and not enough showing. The narrative became repetitive with the continual passages of Drew feeling guilty, Ruby feeling conflicted, and Ruby and Drew both fighting a losing battle against their feelings for one another. This led to a disconnect with the characters and they ended up feeling one-dimensional. Ruby also came across as a total Mary Sue character and I found myself referring to her as Little Miss Fix-It, the girl who always knew just what to say to Drew and seemed determined to single-handedly solve his issues (when in reality he truly needed therapy to deal with what happened).
Falling for the Wrong Guy had a moving story line but unfortunately the one-dimensional characters and the telling-instead-of-showing narrative made it fall flat.
Note: ARC provided via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Ruby has had a big crush on Drew, her brother's best friend, for a long time. But a tragic event and a betrayal ended that friendship. Now, after a year long absence, Drew is back at school and Ruby realizes that, despite everything, her feelings haven't changed. But does getting close to Drew mean a betrayal of her own brother?
Meanwhile, Drew is dealing with both physical and emotional scars that have drastically changed his life. He is crippled with guilt and is certain that he is undeserving of forgiveness or even happiness. When a class project has him spending time with Ruby Drew begins to question if just maybe there is still a chance for redemption and even a reason to find happiness again.
Falling for the Wrong Guy is a pleasant YA contemporary that deals with themes of grief, forgiveness, family bonds and healing. Ruby found herself in a difficult position - caring for a boy that was once practically part of the family but who is now shut out due to a tragic event that took place a year ago. While she understands her brother's feelings, she hates to see Drew suffer and does her best to be a friend show him that he is not alone.
Unfortunately, Falling for the Wrong Guy does way too much telling and not enough showing. The narrative became repetitive with the continual passages of Drew feeling guilty, Ruby feeling conflicted, and Ruby and Drew both fighting a losing battle against their feelings for one another. This led to a disconnect with the characters and they ended up feeling one-dimensional. Ruby also came across as a total Mary Sue character and I found myself referring to her as Little Miss Fix-It, the girl who always knew just what to say to Drew and seemed determined to single-handedly solve his issues (when in reality he truly needed therapy to deal with what happened).
Falling for the Wrong Guy had a moving story line but unfortunately the one-dimensional characters and the telling-instead-of-showing narrative made it fall flat.
Note: ARC provided via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2016
Could have been so much better with the angst, forbidden love and tragedy oozing off the pages. Sadly, this book felt like it didn't live up to its potential. Skimmed the last third or so, but at least it ended well. Meh.
September 29, 2015
3.75 stars
Mia has had a crush on her brother Blake's best friend Drew for years. About a year ago, Drew betrayed Blake and there were devastating consequences. When Drew finally returns to school, he's scared and not the same boy he was before. He has no friends and no confidence. Mia still sees the same boy she has crushed on for years and when they are assigned to the same class project and have to spend time together, they rekindle a friendship. They shouldn't be together but they can't fight the feelings they have for each other.
I enjoyed this book but it was a lot more depressing and sad than I was expecting. My feelings were kind of torn on Drew at first but my heart just broke for him. I can't imagine having to live with the kind of guilt that he carried. Mia was a good heroine, she had a good heart and was very sweet. There were a few small things that bothered me about this story but overall I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by this author.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
Mia has had a crush on her brother Blake's best friend Drew for years. About a year ago, Drew betrayed Blake and there were devastating consequences. When Drew finally returns to school, he's scared and not the same boy he was before. He has no friends and no confidence. Mia still sees the same boy she has crushed on for years and when they are assigned to the same class project and have to spend time together, they rekindle a friendship. They shouldn't be together but they can't fight the feelings they have for each other.
I enjoyed this book but it was a lot more depressing and sad than I was expecting. My feelings were kind of torn on Drew at first but my heart just broke for him. I can't imagine having to live with the kind of guilt that he carried. Mia was a good heroine, she had a good heart and was very sweet. There were a few small things that bothered me about this story but overall I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by this author.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
October 21, 2015
I want to thank Entangled for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
I am a big fan of girls who go for the wrong guy. Because I always know in the end that wrong guy has some kind of baggage that he needs to let go of and the girl will help him with that.
Ruby has a crush on her brother's EX best friend, Drew. Always has. But he's been gone for a year, and he's the EX best friend for a reason. But Ruby's pull to him is undeniable, and she doesn't want to deny it. But Drew has always seen her as a little sister. So Ruby takes what she can in her friendship with him. Drew, on the other hand, doesn't see himself as worthy in any way to be anything to anyone. So Ruby standing by him is almost more than he can take.
I really loved the slow burn of this story, the friendship that forms between Ruby and Drew. Ruby easily empathizes with Drew because of his burns. She has lived a long time with her father and his burns and the depression that goes along with it. But Drew doesn't let her in right away, he lets her peel back the layers.
I was happy about the confrontation between Ruby's brother, Blake, and Drew. It needed to get out there and then it was over. Clearing the air was necessary for both boys to move on with their lives.
The underlying theme of redemption and forgiveness is laced throughout this book. I enjoyed how the story progressed. I will say I wish Ruby would have been a bit more confident about herself and her wants. I think that would have complimented Drew's inability to really let others know who he is and what truly happened. She sometimes let people walk on her and I wanted to see her be strong.
Overall this story was well written. I would definitely read more from this author.
I am a big fan of girls who go for the wrong guy. Because I always know in the end that wrong guy has some kind of baggage that he needs to let go of and the girl will help him with that.
Ruby has a crush on her brother's EX best friend, Drew. Always has. But he's been gone for a year, and he's the EX best friend for a reason. But Ruby's pull to him is undeniable, and she doesn't want to deny it. But Drew has always seen her as a little sister. So Ruby takes what she can in her friendship with him. Drew, on the other hand, doesn't see himself as worthy in any way to be anything to anyone. So Ruby standing by him is almost more than he can take.
I really loved the slow burn of this story, the friendship that forms between Ruby and Drew. Ruby easily empathizes with Drew because of his burns. She has lived a long time with her father and his burns and the depression that goes along with it. But Drew doesn't let her in right away, he lets her peel back the layers.
I was happy about the confrontation between Ruby's brother, Blake, and Drew. It needed to get out there and then it was over. Clearing the air was necessary for both boys to move on with their lives.
The underlying theme of redemption and forgiveness is laced throughout this book. I enjoyed how the story progressed. I will say I wish Ruby would have been a bit more confident about herself and her wants. I think that would have complimented Drew's inability to really let others know who he is and what truly happened. She sometimes let people walk on her and I wanted to see her be strong.
Overall this story was well written. I would definitely read more from this author.
October 12, 2015
2.5 stars.
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with this one. I wanted to really like it (look at that pretty cover!), but it fell short for me.
We have Ruby and Drew.
Ruby has a brother who lost his girlfriend in a fire, where she was with Drew, cheating on Ruby’s brother. Drew takes a year off to heal and after he comes back, Ruby feels she can be his friend, because it would hurt her brother.
The thing is, I get her view and her loyalty, but to me, it was kinda bullshit to some extent. I mean, the guy ended up with 30% of his body burned and scarred, isn’t that punishment enough? Why make the situation worse by isolating him?
I also absolutely hated Ruby’s brother, Blake. Yeah, the guy lost his girlfriend and his BFF in one fire, but come on, it’s not like she was the love of your life (something it was pretty obvious to everyone but him). The guy was a jackass, and I thought he became way too whiny for my taste. It was all about him and how HE was suffering and blah, blah, blah. I really disliked him and the fact that everyone around his was constantly enabling him.
As for the story overall, I felt it was missing something, like it could’ve been great, but touched the subject rather superficially. Nothing was resolved regarding Drew’s parents and their alcoholism, which was something that deeply affected him; and just a glimpse that Ruby’s father was getting help by the end, but also no developing into that story either (which was similar to Drew’s own story). And really, not even much about Drew’s own struggle, he was buried deep in guilt, yet after a year of swimming in it he just lets go? Did he get help during that year?
I felt the resolutions were rather fast, and I wanted to see more development. I also felt Ruby and Drew’s ILY were rather fast, considering in the weeks they were together, they barely saw each other due to other commitments, so how could they have developed such strong feeling for each other?
I don’t know, there was great potential here, but to me, it failed to really engage me into these characters’ lives.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with this one. I wanted to really like it (look at that pretty cover!), but it fell short for me.
We have Ruby and Drew.
Ruby has a brother who lost his girlfriend in a fire, where she was with Drew, cheating on Ruby’s brother. Drew takes a year off to heal and after he comes back, Ruby feels she can be his friend, because it would hurt her brother.
The thing is, I get her view and her loyalty, but to me, it was kinda bullshit to some extent. I mean, the guy ended up with 30% of his body burned and scarred, isn’t that punishment enough? Why make the situation worse by isolating him?
I also absolutely hated Ruby’s brother, Blake. Yeah, the guy lost his girlfriend and his BFF in one fire, but come on, it’s not like she was the love of your life (something it was pretty obvious to everyone but him). The guy was a jackass, and I thought he became way too whiny for my taste. It was all about him and how HE was suffering and blah, blah, blah. I really disliked him and the fact that everyone around his was constantly enabling him.
As for the story overall, I felt it was missing something, like it could’ve been great, but touched the subject rather superficially. Nothing was resolved regarding Drew’s parents and their alcoholism, which was something that deeply affected him; and just a glimpse that Ruby’s father was getting help by the end, but also no developing into that story either (which was similar to Drew’s own story). And really, not even much about Drew’s own struggle, he was buried deep in guilt, yet after a year of swimming in it he just lets go? Did he get help during that year?
I felt the resolutions were rather fast, and I wanted to see more development. I also felt Ruby and Drew’s ILY were rather fast, considering in the weeks they were together, they barely saw each other due to other commitments, so how could they have developed such strong feeling for each other?
I don’t know, there was great potential here, but to me, it failed to really engage me into these characters’ lives.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*
June 15, 2016
Thank you Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this novel. My opinion was not affected by it. Because my copy was an ARC, it was unedited and could be different from the completed and published copy. For example, there was a change in character name from Mia to Ruby.
Falling for the Wrong Guy was such a refreshing book to read. Okay, well not exactly refreshing. It did cover a number of heavy topics, love, loss, betrayal to name a few. It had such an interesting background and plot that I read it in one sitting. I was glued to the book while at work. Thank you Sara Hantz for writing this and making my 12-hour shift much more bearable. I was smiling like an idiot in some of the parts, I'm sure my co-workers now think I'm crazy. The writing style that Hantz employs is just perfect. It made the plot flow and progress nicely -- my only problem was the timing of events but I eventually figured it out. I love that the points of view changed between Mia and Drew. It helped me understand both of the characters and see what they were personally feeling and going through. All of the characters were really likeable, even Drew who essentially can be seen as a jerk. I think that all the characters were believable considering the circumstances that they were in.
I think that the progression between Mia and Drew was also believable and great. I think that it would have been better if we got to see more of their past relationship. We see tidbits during the book and their conversations but it still doesn't give us a whole picture. So sometimes in the novel, their romance can be seen as going from 0 to 100 real fast. I understand it and love it because older-brother's-best-friend-turned-love-of-my-life is kind of my weakness and guilty pleasure. Because we didn't more of their past relationship, some of their actions felt like they were only on the surface and didn't really reach the depth that I had wanted it to. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it because I loved their romance story. The ending was great, too. I really wish that there was more to it. I recommend it for readers looking for a light, fluffy, [relatively] easy read.
Falling for the Wrong Guy was such a refreshing book to read. Okay, well not exactly refreshing. It did cover a number of heavy topics, love, loss, betrayal to name a few. It had such an interesting background and plot that I read it in one sitting. I was glued to the book while at work. Thank you Sara Hantz for writing this and making my 12-hour shift much more bearable. I was smiling like an idiot in some of the parts, I'm sure my co-workers now think I'm crazy. The writing style that Hantz employs is just perfect. It made the plot flow and progress nicely -- my only problem was the timing of events but I eventually figured it out. I love that the points of view changed between Mia and Drew. It helped me understand both of the characters and see what they were personally feeling and going through. All of the characters were really likeable, even Drew who essentially can be seen as a jerk. I think that all the characters were believable considering the circumstances that they were in.
I think that the progression between Mia and Drew was also believable and great. I think that it would have been better if we got to see more of their past relationship. We see tidbits during the book and their conversations but it still doesn't give us a whole picture. So sometimes in the novel, their romance can be seen as going from 0 to 100 real fast. I understand it and love it because older-brother's-best-friend-turned-love-of-my-life is kind of my weakness and guilty pleasure. Because we didn't more of their past relationship, some of their actions felt like they were only on the surface and didn't really reach the depth that I had wanted it to. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it because I loved their romance story. The ending was great, too. I really wish that there was more to it. I recommend it for readers looking for a light, fluffy, [relatively] easy read.
October 14, 2015
Really liked Ruby and Drew's story. It's so cute - and let's be honest - total wish fulfillment - to think of a boy that Ruby's always had a crush on finally seeing her in a new, non-brotherly way. I liked that Sara Hantz gives Drew the chance to reach out to someone who understands the special needs he has as someone with burn scars on a lot of his body, but who is strong enough to set limits as well.
The confrontation (and follow up conversation between Blake and Ruby) between Blake and Drew was awesome.
Finally, it's great to see positive female friendships and mother-daughter relationships. Plus, Sara tackles bullying for both appearance and Drew's past actions in a way that is realistic, but balances it with Ruby's positive and compassionate outlook.
The confrontation (and follow up conversation between Blake and Ruby) between Blake and Drew was awesome.
Finally, it's great to see positive female friendships and mother-daughter relationships. Plus, Sara tackles bullying for both appearance and Drew's past actions in a way that is realistic, but balances it with Ruby's positive and compassionate outlook.
October 18, 2015
2.5 stars
Falling for the Wrong Guy was an OK read.
The storyline was good but I failed to connect with the characters which left me a little unsatisfied.
I think this just wasn't the book for me.
Thank you to Entangled Crush via NetGalley for the advance copy.
Falling for the Wrong Guy was an OK read.
The storyline was good but I failed to connect with the characters which left me a little unsatisfied.
I think this just wasn't the book for me.
Thank you to Entangled Crush via NetGalley for the advance copy.
September 1, 2015
3.5 stars
Dunno if I'm gonna round up or down yet
Dunno if I'm gonna round up or down yet
February 26, 2016
3.5 really had its good parts but was pretty meh
May 2, 2016
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
Falling for the Wrong Guy is my first book by Sara Hantz. This story is a standalone young adult novel. While there were some really positive messages here and moments that I liked, unfortunately there were also a lot of things that didn't work for me. I think that there are those out there that will really enjoy this book, however there were just too many things for me that I had issues with.
Mia Davis (My ARC had the heroine's name as Mia but the blurb actually says Ruby...so I am going to call her Mia since that is what I read and am familiar with) has always liked her brother's best friend Drew. But after a tragic accident occurred, her brother felt betrayed and Drew has been off limits ever since. Drew has suffered since that horrible night, but he knows that he is responsible and views all the pain and looks he gets are his karma for what happened. After taking some time off from school, he returns and finds himself face to face with Mia. No longer the cute little sister type, Drew starts to see Mia in a completely different way though he knows he needs to stay away. But when a school project forces them to work together, the feelings between them are more than either of them can fight. Can they ever hope to have anything together though when Drew feels constant guilt and Mia's brother refuses to accept them together?
Part of my problem here was Drew and Mia. Mia was weak and let others walk all over her. She was a good girl, seeing the best in people and trying to be there for them. She was kind and compassionate, and yet she let others treat her horribly because of it. Instead of standing up for herself, she would apologize and be upset with herself when others reacted poorly. Drew was suffering a huge amount of guilt and grief, and yet he was just wallowing in it and lashing out at people. He had pretty much no one on his side, including his awful parents, and yet when Mia would reach out he would be an absolute jerk to her and always assume the worst. I just didn't see much improvement over the course of the story, and most of the change was right at the very end and hard to really believe at that point. I didn't feel the connection between Drew and Mia since he pushed her away so much, and when they finally did start to connect it seemed to be more on a physical level than anything. They could make out in private and that was their "being together" yet nothing could be done out in the open for others to know about, and they didn't spend any real time talking or developing a real relationship that we saw.
Between the character issues and lack of development, I found myself skimming a lot and wanting to just get to the end to see what would happen. I wasn't invested, and the ending felt rushed and abrupt. I didn't buy it, and though it seemed everything turned out well wasn't that satisfying since I didn't really believe it. The overall message of not judging others based on appearance as well as forgiveness and healing were positive and I felt like they were really great for readers to see. But I just wish that the story had been better to really get the full effect of such positive ideas and themes. While I do think that this story had a lot of promise, it just fell flat.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
Falling for the Wrong Guy is my first book by Sara Hantz. This story is a standalone young adult novel. While there were some really positive messages here and moments that I liked, unfortunately there were also a lot of things that didn't work for me. I think that there are those out there that will really enjoy this book, however there were just too many things for me that I had issues with.
Mia Davis (My ARC had the heroine's name as Mia but the blurb actually says Ruby...so I am going to call her Mia since that is what I read and am familiar with) has always liked her brother's best friend Drew. But after a tragic accident occurred, her brother felt betrayed and Drew has been off limits ever since. Drew has suffered since that horrible night, but he knows that he is responsible and views all the pain and looks he gets are his karma for what happened. After taking some time off from school, he returns and finds himself face to face with Mia. No longer the cute little sister type, Drew starts to see Mia in a completely different way though he knows he needs to stay away. But when a school project forces them to work together, the feelings between them are more than either of them can fight. Can they ever hope to have anything together though when Drew feels constant guilt and Mia's brother refuses to accept them together?
Part of my problem here was Drew and Mia. Mia was weak and let others walk all over her. She was a good girl, seeing the best in people and trying to be there for them. She was kind and compassionate, and yet she let others treat her horribly because of it. Instead of standing up for herself, she would apologize and be upset with herself when others reacted poorly. Drew was suffering a huge amount of guilt and grief, and yet he was just wallowing in it and lashing out at people. He had pretty much no one on his side, including his awful parents, and yet when Mia would reach out he would be an absolute jerk to her and always assume the worst. I just didn't see much improvement over the course of the story, and most of the change was right at the very end and hard to really believe at that point. I didn't feel the connection between Drew and Mia since he pushed her away so much, and when they finally did start to connect it seemed to be more on a physical level than anything. They could make out in private and that was their "being together" yet nothing could be done out in the open for others to know about, and they didn't spend any real time talking or developing a real relationship that we saw.
Between the character issues and lack of development, I found myself skimming a lot and wanting to just get to the end to see what would happen. I wasn't invested, and the ending felt rushed and abrupt. I didn't buy it, and though it seemed everything turned out well wasn't that satisfying since I didn't really believe it. The overall message of not judging others based on appearance as well as forgiveness and healing were positive and I felt like they were really great for readers to see. But I just wish that the story had been better to really get the full effect of such positive ideas and themes. While I do think that this story had a lot of promise, it just fell flat.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
November 24, 2015
My Thoughts:
The brother's best fried falling for the younger sister is my absolute favorite book trope of all time. When I read the book summary for Falling for the Wrong Guy, I was so excited to dive right in and read this story. However, I must admit that I was disappointed.
Ruby Davis has had a crush on Drew, her brother's best friend, for many years. Unfortunately, a horrific accident causes the breakup of Drew, and Ruby's brother (Blake's) friendship. Ruby and Drew end up being put in the same group to work on a science project together. As these two begin interacting with one another, Ruby discovers that she still has feelings for Drew, and he begins to feel the same way about her. However, being with Drew, would be viewed as a betrayal by her brother. What will Ruby do?
This is a fairly short story, but it was very slow moving. There was a lot of angst in the story, yet I did not "feel" the character's emotions. I had trouble connecting with both Ruby and Drew. Ruby came across as a bit naive and immature to me. Drew was very brooding, and filled with guilt. As I read the story, I felt like a lot of it was redundant. The same things were mentioned over and over again. The story didn't move for me. I kept waiting for something to happen to propel it forward. Finally at the end, a large event occurred, and then everything was wrapped up in a nice neat little bow.
Falling for the Wrong Guy had a lot of potential. I liked the unique storyline, but just felt like more could have had more done with it. The characters were very surface level, the story didn't come across as realistic, and there was too much "telling," and not enough "showing." However, I appreciated the lessons and teaching points in the story. Many things in life can know us down, but it's important to get back up, live a good life, and not wallow in self-pity.
My Rating:
I give, Falling for the Wrong Guy, by Sara Hantz, 2.5 Horrific Incident, Broken Friendship, Moving Forward Filled Stars.
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit http://www.abookishescape.com
The brother's best fried falling for the younger sister is my absolute favorite book trope of all time. When I read the book summary for Falling for the Wrong Guy, I was so excited to dive right in and read this story. However, I must admit that I was disappointed.
Ruby Davis has had a crush on Drew, her brother's best friend, for many years. Unfortunately, a horrific accident causes the breakup of Drew, and Ruby's brother (Blake's) friendship. Ruby and Drew end up being put in the same group to work on a science project together. As these two begin interacting with one another, Ruby discovers that she still has feelings for Drew, and he begins to feel the same way about her. However, being with Drew, would be viewed as a betrayal by her brother. What will Ruby do?
This is a fairly short story, but it was very slow moving. There was a lot of angst in the story, yet I did not "feel" the character's emotions. I had trouble connecting with both Ruby and Drew. Ruby came across as a bit naive and immature to me. Drew was very brooding, and filled with guilt. As I read the story, I felt like a lot of it was redundant. The same things were mentioned over and over again. The story didn't move for me. I kept waiting for something to happen to propel it forward. Finally at the end, a large event occurred, and then everything was wrapped up in a nice neat little bow.
Falling for the Wrong Guy had a lot of potential. I liked the unique storyline, but just felt like more could have had more done with it. The characters were very surface level, the story didn't come across as realistic, and there was too much "telling," and not enough "showing." However, I appreciated the lessons and teaching points in the story. Many things in life can know us down, but it's important to get back up, live a good life, and not wallow in self-pity.
My Rating:
I give, Falling for the Wrong Guy, by Sara Hantz, 2.5 Horrific Incident, Broken Friendship, Moving Forward Filled Stars.
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit http://www.abookishescape.com
October 4, 2015
I received an ARC via Entangled: Crush.
Mia (or Ruby? This confuses me) has this big crush on her brother Blake's best friend, Drew, until Drew's big betrayal that is. Almost a year later, when Drew finally came back to school, he's different. He's scarred and damaged. After being assigned as group mates for a school project, they become reluctant friends again and it slightly developed into something more. But Mia's torn between her feelings for Drew and her loyalty for her brother.
There comes a time when a book leaves you nothing but one word: meh. And the time has arrived for me. I feel very neutral about this book. Not bad but not good either. Just plain bland meh. This book has so much potential, it could've been expounded, developed into a more better story line.
Full review + interview with the author @ the bookdragon
Mia (or Ruby? This confuses me) has this big crush on her brother Blake's best friend, Drew, until Drew's big betrayal that is. Almost a year later, when Drew finally came back to school, he's different. He's scarred and damaged. After being assigned as group mates for a school project, they become reluctant friends again and it slightly developed into something more. But Mia's torn between her feelings for Drew and her loyalty for her brother.
There comes a time when a book leaves you nothing but one word: meh. And the time has arrived for me. I feel very neutral about this book. Not bad but not good either. Just plain bland meh. This book has so much potential, it could've been expounded, developed into a more better story line.
Full review + interview with the author @ the bookdragon
October 27, 2015
I loved how the author broke my heart weaving Drew and Ruby's story with mine.
Characters:
Ruby: She is caught in the middle of her brother and his ex-best friend, Drew. With her brother not talking to him, liking him is off limits. Things get a bit stickier when they're paired together for project and she starts to like him. I loved the constant internal battle you saw with her liking her brother's best friend and the loyalty to her brother.
Drew: Every since it happened, he constantly blames himself for everything that happened. The guilt he carries is so much where he just wants to be alone and paired with his parent's situation. Especially Ruby who he maybe falling for her, which is very off-limits. But soon trying to hide his feelings for her is a hard thing to do.
Final Thoughts: Rakes with so much guilt and the help in comes in the form of the one who he can't have.
*ARC given in exchange of honest review*
Characters:
Ruby: She is caught in the middle of her brother and his ex-best friend, Drew. With her brother not talking to him, liking him is off limits. Things get a bit stickier when they're paired together for project and she starts to like him. I loved the constant internal battle you saw with her liking her brother's best friend and the loyalty to her brother.
Drew: Every since it happened, he constantly blames himself for everything that happened. The guilt he carries is so much where he just wants to be alone and paired with his parent's situation. Especially Ruby who he maybe falling for her, which is very off-limits. But soon trying to hide his feelings for her is a hard thing to do.
Final Thoughts: Rakes with so much guilt and the help in comes in the form of the one who he can't have.
*ARC given in exchange of honest review*
May 12, 2016
Such a great story about healing wounds and forgetting the past. Something I relate to, yet again. There were parts that just wrenched my heart from my chest, and I felt like crying. Only the best books can do that to me, and this book is that great. Also, is the cover not the cutest?!
Full review - http://haddieshaven.blogspot.com/2015...
Full review - http://haddieshaven.blogspot.com/2015...
October 2, 2015
This was a really quick read but I thought a lot of the characters and their thoughts and reactions and the way they handled things was just really dumb. I didn't understand a lot of what they did or acted and just ugh.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
September 6, 2015
A really cute YA story about a girl who fell in love with her brother's best friend after he betrayed her brother. The hero is scarred which I loved. The pacing was good and the two main characters are engaging. My main gripe is that the secondary characters are one-dimensional.
August 24, 2020
***SPOILERS***
Sooo much drama. And sooo much misery.
Drama at home, where Ruby and Blake`s father is suffering from an old injury
Drama between Blake and Drew, who used to be best friends until Blake`s girlfriend cheated on him with Drew.
Drew living with parents who are alcoholics.
Drew suffering with his own injury from fire.
Ruby having a car accident at the end.
And no communication at all...
...NOT A BOOK FOR ME... One dramatic event in a story is enough for me...especially, if it is just a short novella, because too much drama make a book (and a reader) numb...
And no humor at all (it would be strange if a book with so much sorrow and misery had some humor, but I need some smile in my reading list..)
Sooo much drama. And sooo much misery.
Drama at home, where Ruby and Blake`s father is suffering from an old injury
Drama between Blake and Drew, who used to be best friends until Blake`s girlfriend cheated on him with Drew.
Drew living with parents who are alcoholics.
Drew suffering with his own injury from fire.
Ruby having a car accident at the end.
And no communication at all...
...NOT A BOOK FOR ME... One dramatic event in a story is enough for me...especially, if it is just a short novella, because too much drama make a book (and a reader) numb...
And no humor at all (it would be strange if a book with so much sorrow and misery had some humor, but I need some smile in my reading list..)
June 5, 2025
I don't understand why this book has received los rates.
first, this is not about "love can save you" this is about finding support, walking alongside the people who care about you and healing for your own peace.
second, it has a love story but it's not just a romcom, it has layers of trauma and shame, regrets, pain, redemption and forgiveness.
third, it's fun and sad, sweet and frustrating. Feels very realistic and it's well written.
I personally enjoyed the way the characters started to face their secrets and emotions, the way therapy is not avoided but shown as necessary and how love was presented.
first, this is not about "love can save you" this is about finding support, walking alongside the people who care about you and healing for your own peace.
second, it has a love story but it's not just a romcom, it has layers of trauma and shame, regrets, pain, redemption and forgiveness.
third, it's fun and sad, sweet and frustrating. Feels very realistic and it's well written.
I personally enjoyed the way the characters started to face their secrets and emotions, the way therapy is not avoided but shown as necessary and how love was presented.
April 21, 2021
it was an easy & simple read. the story was straightforward & could use some twists. until the very end, i still have problem identifying Drew & Blake. probably because they both had names with only 1 vowel. the only way to recognize them was through who they were with. i enjoyed the turned of events, seeing that everyone suddenly woke up from their nightmares & finally living a life. although it was slightly too simple, it was equally rewarding.
December 18, 2017
It was a little bit lacking. It sells at the beginning so much teenage angst and then it falls a little flat. And also, most of the parents are as self involved as teenagers, but without any development so you realize as things happen that the main characters are not exaggerating.
February 18, 2021
There could've been more development applied to their feelings for each other: The road from "like" to "love" was too short, thus unsatisfactory. A YA Romance needs more ROMANCE than provided in this plot.
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 15, 2017
Nothing annoys me more than unfounded love and shallow characters. The end.
August 13, 2017
Un libro bonito, ligero que habla sobre el arrepentimiento y segundas oportunidades; y aunque me gustó siento que es un libro como para niñas de 12/13 años.
November 20, 2017
I think... the story is too cliche... and that I just don't think it's worth a whole book.
December 24, 2017
*rolls eyes*
October 15, 2015
Actual Rating 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books
I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.
I think out of all the ARCs that I had gotten over the last month or so, this one was the one that I was most looking forward to. I mean, it sounded so sweet and angsty and I love the whole falling for the brother's best friend trope and add to it the fact that there was some betrayal so they weren't even friends anymore, well, that had me even more intrigued. Unfortunately it took me most of the book to get sucked in to it, and even when I finally did it still wasn't like I was hanging on every word. It was more like a curiosity as to how it would turn around and come together. My problem now isn't about trying to figure out what didn't work for me, because I could tell you easily. It's going to be breaking it all down spoiler free.
I feel like most of what went wrong for me personally with this story is "Drew's big betrayal". It's really not just one thing. There's the thing that basically is his fault, that Mia's (her name in my ARC is Mia so I'm not sure what it will be in the finish book Ruby or Mia) brother Blake and everyone else has a right to be upset about. But then there's this other event, something that is huge and horrible and has nothing at all to do with Drew, but Drew himself and almost everyone else seems just as pissed about that as they are everything else. Almost more so, in Blake's case at least. And it was just ridiculous and kind of made me mad that he should be made to feel like it was something that was his fault or that he had any control over or made it happen in any way.
I really hope that makes even the slightest bit of sense because I really can't say what the incidents are although I feel like at least one of them could probably be pretty obvious.
Originally I really liked Drew, Mia and even Blake. Drew I consistently liked through the book. He was like my one bit of light throughout. He was pretty screwed up both physically and emotionally and it was easy to sympathize with his character. He had that lost, drawn into himself, self hating thing going on that made you want to be able to reach into the book and comfort him and try to convince him that he needed to stop blaming himself for something that was out of his hands. Mia I went back and forth with. Sometimes she was great and I appreciated the way she was drawn to Drew and wanted to be there for him when nobody else was. Sometimes, though, she would come off as whiny or unreasonable and I wouldn't understand where she was coming from.
Maybe a bit of my issues with the characters was also the fact that sometimes the dialogue just didn't fit or flow right. And at times they said things that weren't very teenagerish. I mean, how many teenagers do you know that use the word subterfuge especially when they're simply talking about keeping a relationship secret. For that matter how many adults use that word that casually? I don't know. Maybe that's just me being silly and nitpicking. It just didn't feel right at the moment and that was only one spot. But not the only one.
I'm really not sure where else to go from here. Like I said, it's going to be hard to explain clearly why this book and I didn't get on well without there being spoilers. I mean, I got to the point where I cared enough to want to find out how it ended, which is why I brought it up from 2 to 2.5 stars. But even then I felt more like I forced myself to get to that point so I couldn't go higher and feel right about it. That makes me sad because I had such high hopes for this one.
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books
I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.
I think out of all the ARCs that I had gotten over the last month or so, this one was the one that I was most looking forward to. I mean, it sounded so sweet and angsty and I love the whole falling for the brother's best friend trope and add to it the fact that there was some betrayal so they weren't even friends anymore, well, that had me even more intrigued. Unfortunately it took me most of the book to get sucked in to it, and even when I finally did it still wasn't like I was hanging on every word. It was more like a curiosity as to how it would turn around and come together. My problem now isn't about trying to figure out what didn't work for me, because I could tell you easily. It's going to be breaking it all down spoiler free.
I feel like most of what went wrong for me personally with this story is "Drew's big betrayal". It's really not just one thing. There's the thing that basically is his fault, that Mia's (her name in my ARC is Mia so I'm not sure what it will be in the finish book Ruby or Mia) brother Blake and everyone else has a right to be upset about. But then there's this other event, something that is huge and horrible and has nothing at all to do with Drew, but Drew himself and almost everyone else seems just as pissed about that as they are everything else. Almost more so, in Blake's case at least. And it was just ridiculous and kind of made me mad that he should be made to feel like it was something that was his fault or that he had any control over or made it happen in any way.
I really hope that makes even the slightest bit of sense because I really can't say what the incidents are although I feel like at least one of them could probably be pretty obvious.
Originally I really liked Drew, Mia and even Blake. Drew I consistently liked through the book. He was like my one bit of light throughout. He was pretty screwed up both physically and emotionally and it was easy to sympathize with his character. He had that lost, drawn into himself, self hating thing going on that made you want to be able to reach into the book and comfort him and try to convince him that he needed to stop blaming himself for something that was out of his hands. Mia I went back and forth with. Sometimes she was great and I appreciated the way she was drawn to Drew and wanted to be there for him when nobody else was. Sometimes, though, she would come off as whiny or unreasonable and I wouldn't understand where she was coming from.
Maybe a bit of my issues with the characters was also the fact that sometimes the dialogue just didn't fit or flow right. And at times they said things that weren't very teenagerish. I mean, how many teenagers do you know that use the word subterfuge especially when they're simply talking about keeping a relationship secret. For that matter how many adults use that word that casually? I don't know. Maybe that's just me being silly and nitpicking. It just didn't feel right at the moment and that was only one spot. But not the only one.
I'm really not sure where else to go from here. Like I said, it's going to be hard to explain clearly why this book and I didn't get on well without there being spoilers. I mean, I got to the point where I cared enough to want to find out how it ended, which is why I brought it up from 2 to 2.5 stars. But even then I felt more like I forced myself to get to that point so I couldn't go higher and feel right about it. That makes me sad because I had such high hopes for this one.
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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